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“Well, they accepted the fact that you’re going to be with BranandLachlan when you come of age and go to rule over both the Summer and the Winter Courts,” I pointed out.

“Yes, well, we’re kind of a triad.The three of us justfittogether and neither Bran or Lachlan is jealous of each other.”Emma blushed, which looked beautiful with her new roseleaf complexion.She was a stunning beauty now, though she had been completely plain and unassuming all her life until thegeasshe’d been under had been lifted.I was glad for her good fortune—nobody deserved it more than she did.Though I couldn’t help feeling just ateensybit jealous that she got not one buttwohot guys, while I still had no one in my life.

Admit it,whispered a little voice in my head.Youthoughtyou had Saint—at least a little bit.That’s why it stings so much to find out he secretly hated you all along.

The thought just made me tired and I wanted to go to bed.I wondered if Saint was asleep by now—that would be nice.I knew he didn’t want to talk to me and I would rather avoid talking to him too, if possible.

“Look, girls,” I said, manufacturing a yawn.“It’s getting late—I think I’m going to turn in.”

“Are you sure you don’t want to talk anymore about it, Avery?”Kaitlyn asked softly.

“Yeah, you know we’re always here for you,” Emma said and Megan nodded agreement.

I smiled at them.

“I know you are—I’m a lucky guy.Nobody could wish for better Coven mates,” I told them.“But it’s been a really long day and I honestly just want to try and get some sleep.”

“Are you sure you’ll be okay sleeping in the same room with him?I mean, now that you know how he feels?”Megan asked in a low voice, nodding at the door to the bedroom I shared with Saint.

I nodded.

“I’ll be fine.He’s probably already asleep by now.I can just sneak in and get in bed.And maybe tomorrow I’ll move out to one of the other empty bedrooms.”

“Ah, Avery—I’m sorry.It’s tough for you to not have a roomie—it gets so lonely.”Megan looked sad.

“It’s all right—I’m used to it,” I reminded them.“Remember, I was the only guy in the Norm Dorm for a good long time before Saint came.I don’t mind the solitude.”I shrugged philosophically, though to be honest, Ididfind it rather lonely—and a teensy bit creepy—to be in one of the big, echoing, stone bedrooms by myself.Still, better to be alone than rooming with someone who disliked me, I thought.

“It still sucks.”Megan came and gave me a hug and then Emma followed.Kaitlyn came too and soon all three of them were hugging me and saying how sorry they were.

I thought—not for the first time—that I was living a straight guy’s dream.What manwouldn’twant three gorgeous girls hanging all over him in their pajamas?But try as I might, I never felt anything but affection and friendship for my Coven mates.Not that I wanted to change who I was—I didn’t.But sometimes I couldn’t help thinking it would have made my life a whole lot simpler if I could just like the opposite sex instead of my own.

I sighed and hugged them back and thanked them for being so sweet.Then I told them all goodnight and tiptoed into my room, hoping that—since the lights were already off—Saint was fast asleep.

10

SAINT

Ilay there in the darkness, listening to the rumblings of my Drake.He was mostly silent now, in a kind of dream state that he mostly entered at night.I had often wished he would enter it more often.It was much more peaceful when he was “sleeping”—though I did still feel his dreaming emotions, like catching the murmurings of a madman as he sleeps.

I didn’t know what to do, but I felt I needed to talk to Avery.He deserved to know the truth about my Drake and his past crimes, though he had been kind enough not to ask.But I had to wait until he came to bed—I couldn’t speak to him in front of the rest of his Coven.I couldn’t even speak to him in the light, I decided.It was better to have this conversation in the darkness—easier to tell him what I needed to say when I couldn’t see the horror that would surely appear in his eyes as clearly as I could have, if the lights were on.

So I waited until he came into our room and slipped off his robe and slippers and slid between the sheets.His bed was directly beside mine, with a nightstand separating them, and his movements were quiet and stealthy, as though he was trying not to wake me.

I took a deep breath, trying to nerve myself for what I had to say.He probably didn’t want to talk to me at all, but I owed him an explanation and I would be damned if I was too cowardly to give it.

“Avery?”I made myself say, my voice a low rumble in the dark.At least it was all my own, without the double echo of my Drake’s voice behind it.He still slept, thank goodness.

He jumped, his bed creaking at his surprised motion.

“Saint?”His voice was higher than my own but still mellifluous.I liked the way it fell on my ears.In fact, I liked everything about him, I admitted to myself, which was probably one reason why it was so hard to know that he probably hated me now.

“I…need to speak to you,” I said, uncertain how to put things.“I know you don’t want me to, but there are certain things we need to talk about.”

He stiffened, going rigid beneath his blankets.

“If you’re worried I’ll try to jump your bones just because I’m a ‘lover of men,’ please don’t be,” he said icily.

I knew what this particular euphemism meant, but it surprised me he would bring it up now.