Page 38 of Saint

“No.” Nix brushed his friend’s hand away. “What reason would he have to bite me again?”

“Because he’s a sadistic asshole,” Juri stated, “that’s why?”

“Calm down.” Nix smiled to try and lighten the mood. “It wasn’t like that. West did this, and before you get angry again, I asked him to.”

“You asked him to bite you?” Briant and Juri spoke at the same time.

Nix glanced between them. “Weird. You guys have been spending too much time together.”

“Don’t change the subject.” Briant frowned. “Light. What were you thinking? Why would you let another one of them literally sink their teeth into you? Wasn’t one bad enough?”

“Briant.” He blew out a breath. “Come on, man. I already told you how I feel about them.” He pointed to his neck. “This was my choice.”

“This time maybe,” Juri mumbled, but they both heard him.

“Guys.”

“Juri made a big sacrifice for you, and this—” Briant cut his tirade short when Juri bumped his arm and shook his head.

Nix set his hands on his hips. “I’ve been meaning to talk to you actually. About the Night of the Nightshade.”

Juri and Briant shared a look and then the older guy moved for the bathroom, leaving the two of them on their own wordlessly.

“Guess you’ve talked already.” Nix put two and two together. “You’ve gotten pretty close, huh?”

“Your cousin is nice,” Juri said. “He cares a lot about you.”

“I care about him too.”

“Who’d you make the official mate?” Juri asked then. “Since they both marked you?”

“Lake.” It was always going to be Lake. Everyone knew that. West hadn’t even bat an eyelash when the paperwork for that had come out after they’d finished up. He and Yejun had stood witness while Lake and Nix had pricked their fingers and placed bloodied thumbprints next to their signatures on the document even, neither of them complaining.

“Right. Those guys are used to sharing everything anyway.” When he noticed Nix flinch at that, he held up a hand. “I’m sorry, that’s not what I meant. I’m just in a bad mood and taking it out on you. Ignore me.”

“Is it because of what happened…between you and Beck?” It was awkward, but Nix needed to know. “I should be the one apologizing.”

“Why? You had no idea what the final test entailed. Hell, I bet you didn’t even know there’d be one, did you?” He smiled when Nix’s expression confirmed his assumption. “Guys like us have to stick together.”

“Guys like us?”

“The ones who get pushed around and controlled by the Demons. Briant and I talked a lot these past few days. He told me about your dream to create video games and how dedicatedto that future you’ve always been. You can’t tell me some part of you isn’t mad at Lake and the others for taking that away from you.”

“There seems to be a misunderstanding,” Nix said. “They haven’t done that.”

Juri didn’t appear to be convinced. “Lake is going to let you work after he takes the throne? Won’t he be making you his Royal Consort? There are responsibilities that come with that title.”

“He’ll have West and Yejun to help him with things.” It’d been a while since the last time the subject had been brought up, and Nix made a mental note to do so as soon as possible. There’d be time for it after he gave Lake his birthday present—so long as there were no complications with that.

A part of Nix was still nervous Lake would reject the gift out of some misguided attempt at playing the knight in shining armor.

There was only one thing Nix needed the Imperial to be, and a prince on a steed wasn’t it.

Not that he’d hate seeing Lake dressed in uniform on top of a waif…

He shook his head and ordered himself to focus.

“It sounds like you have it all worked out,” Juri sounded conflicted. “So it’s true then? I knew you had feelings for them but…It’s more than that now, isn’t it.”

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