Page 11 of Saint (Demons of Foxglove Grove #3)

“Did you come here for that?” Briant scowled at the fresh mark on the other side of Nix’s neck.

“No. I came here for you, like I said.” Nix gave him a reassuring smile and finished with the paperwork. They were in the process of checking him out of the hospital. “Are you heading home after this?”

“I have the bus ticket you bought for me,” his cousin said, not sounding pleased by that notion. He shoved some folded clothing into his leather bag and sighed. “Nix. I don’t like this. Come back with me. We can talk to auntie and—”

“My parents can’t help me,” he cut him off. “Mostly because I don’t need their help. I swear. I’m good here. I’m maintaining my stellar GPA and—”

“You both always do that, you know?”

Nix frowned, but Briant wasn’t done.

“You and Branwen. Even when you were little. If something was uncomfortable, you two would cover it up with humor. Here’s the thing though, Nix, you’re no longer a kid, and this isn’t a laughing matter. Getting into bed with Club Essential is serious. Look what happened the second one of them thought you’d betrayed them?”

Briant had witnessed Yejun lose his shit and was understandably worried for him. Truthfully, Nix was somewhat worried for himself too, but not for the same reasons.

“I…care about them.” Admitting it out loud felt like a shortcoming, and he had to glance away, unable to maintain eye contact as he continued. “They aren’t as bad as they seem, at least, not to me. Sometimes they’re even really kind.”

“That sounds like Stockholm syndrome. A good cousin would get you out, no matter how much you protest.” Briant sighed again and pinched the bridge of his nose. “But we both know I’m a coward. I’d never have the stomach to go up against the Demons. I’ve never been brave, not like you and Branwen. You can look down on me for it all you want—”

“I don’t,” Nix said. “I’ve actually always looked up to you. You’ve always known exactly what you want. Now I know what I want. It’s this. Them.”

“Your parents are going to hate this.”

“Yeah, well.” He shrugged. “Tough.”

Sometimes people had to accept things they didn’t like, he knew that better than anyone.

“And that?” Briant motioned to his neck. “That doesn’t hurt?”

“West patched me up right after. I can’t feel a thing.” The second skin coating ensured nothing could get into irritate or infect him, and aside from some mild discomfort if he moved his head too quickly, he hardly even noticed it was there.

It was a major difference from the time Lake had bitten him, that was for sure, something that hadn’t gone unnoticed by the Imperial either.

Lake had been acting distant ever since. If he were more insecure, Nix might have believed that was due to the fact he’d been forced to share his mate with West. But he knew better. After all this time together, he had a pretty good grasp on the Demons and their inner workings.

Lake wasn’t avoiding him because of anger. He was doing it because he felt guilty. What Nix had shown him wasn’t how good intercourse could be. It was how good a mating could go. How different things were when consent was on the table and one actually took the time to care for their partner.

At least he’d gotten the message. That meant what Nix had gone through hadn’t been in vain.

He could proceed with the next part of his elaborate—over the top—plan to get the four of them on track. A united front, that’s what they needed. His cousin was definitely right about the Stockholm syndrome, but putting a label on it didn’t change Nix’s circumstances.

Especially now that he had two claiming marks instead of just the one.

“Are you sure you don’t want me to take you to the bus station?” Nix had bought the ticket as a way to ensure his cousin actually went, knowing Briant was the type who hated wasting money and wouldn’t toss a paid for ticket. But he’d been a bit taken a back when he’d been told Juri would see him off.

“I know how busy you are,” Briant said. “Not only is it your first year at Foxglove, but you’re also trying to assimilate into a completely different world from the one we’re used to. It was too much for my sister. The last thing I want is to get a call saying you’d made the same choice that she did. Which is why,” he rested a hand on Nix’s shoulder, “you have to promise me something.”

“Okay.”

“If things start to get too tough to handle, you call me, all right? I’ll come get you. I might be a coward, but if push really comes to shove, I’ll come through for you. I don’t want to lose anyone else I care about. Deal?”

“Yeah, I promise.”

The sound of the door to the hospital room opening drew his attention, but Nix found himself caught up in a strong hug from Briant before he could properly greet an entering Juri.

“Put yourself first, cousin,” Briant whispered, as though not wanting Juri to overhear. “None of the Essential can be trusted. They’ll always look after themselves. You do the same. Be selfish. Be conniving. Be whatever it is you need to be. Since you’ve decided to play this game, you have to play it by their rules.”

He pulled away and took a step back. “You’ve always been a good kid, Nix.”

But good kids got eaten by bad demons all the time.

He didn’t have to say that last part out loud, Nix could read it loud and clear in his eyes. Their family had always avoided club members and anything directly linked to them. It’d sort of been an unspoken rule when they’d grown up. Briant and Branwen’s parents hadn’t been pleased when she’d chosen Foxglove Grove, the university known best for being at the heart of it all, but they hadn’t been able to convince her to choose somewhere else.

“I’ll tell my parents when I’m ready,” he told Briant, hoping his older cousin kept his word and Nix’s secret. The paperwork was signed and submitted, which meant he and Lake were officially mated in the eyes of the law. It wasn’t like his parent's disapproval could change that, but it would be a nuisance to deal with in a time where they were already drowning in issues.

He hadn’t confessed that last part to Briant though, had only confessed that he was now an official member of Club Essential.

“What happened to your neck?” Juri must have only just noticed since he’d been trying to give them space, but now that he had, he moved toward them, boldly pinching Nix’s chin between two fingers to tip his head to the side and expose his throat. “What the hell. Did Lake do this?”

“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 dedicated to 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.”

“This is my life,” Nix replied. “I’m their fourth.”

“They made you that without your consent, Nix.”

Maybe in the beginning that was true, but it hadn’t been for a while. The second he’d created an account on the Enigma app and drew Lake’s attention, it was already game over. He just hadn’t realized.

But it’d never been completely one-sided. Nix had always wanted Maestro, had felt a connection with him from the very first meeting. The Imperial had gone about this all wrong, for sure, but there was no telling if Nix wouldn’t have fallen for him naturally if given the chance.

If Lake had approached him like a normal love interest, introduced his two best friends, let them get to know one another organically…Would Nix still be fucking the three of them?

He didn’t know. What he did know, was now that he’d experienced what it was like to be with all three of them, he wouldn’t have it any other way. Even Yejun. Though he’d scared the crap out of Nix, some of the worst symptoms had already begun to subside. He hadn’t puked again, which was a total plus.

The other day, watching him blow Lake, had helped realign something inside of Nix that had been shaken loose the day Yejun had crushed him on the coffee table. It was almost as though a massive weight—no pun intended—had been lifted off of Nix’s shoulders and he could finally look at the artist again without breaking out in a cold sweat.

He was starting to miss Yejun, the kind version of him he’d come to know. The one who liked to tease him in the quiet and dimly lit art studio. Those moments, when it’d been just the two of them, had felt…safe.

Which was why it’d been so earth-shattering when that safety had been ripped away. Nix couldn’t afford for something like that to happen again, but thanks to their willingness to be filmed, he finally felt secure enough in their relationship with him to trust it wouldn’t.

“I trust them,” he said just as Briant came out of the bathroom. His cousin probably thought he’d given them enough time to talk. Nix looked at the both of them and smiled once more. “I don’t mean to disappoint you, either of you, but there you have it.”

Briant pursed his lips. “You really think they’ll protect you? That they’ll take your side, no matter what?”

Nix considered the question before nodding. “Yeah, I do.”

Yejun had learned his lesson, and West had always shown more faith than the other two. Lake…Lake had discovered Nix’s secret first and had kept it to himself to protect him. They weren’t perfect, far from it, but…

“I don’t know how we’ll feel in five years, or even ten,” he declared. “But I know how we feel right now and, frankly, that’s all I have the energy to focus on at the moment. We care about each other. You said it yourself, Juri. The Demons take care of one another.”

“You aren’t one of them, Nix,” Briant tried to argue, but Nix wasn’t hearing it anymore.

“Actually, I am.” He held his cousin’s gaze, his eyes hardening some to get his point across. He’d tried the nice approach and that hadn’t worked. “I’m a member of Club Essential now, Briant, and I’m the official mate of the next in line for the throne.”

“He’s right,” Juri added with a sigh. “Technically, he’s a Demon now. He’s their fourth.”

“Auntie is going to kill me,” Briant groaned and covered his face.

“Just pretend like you had no idea,” Nix suggested. “I won’t tell them if you don’t.”

“I’m a terrible liar, you know that.”

“It’ll be fine.” Juri wrapped an arm around Briant’s shoulders. “And so will Nix. He’s the strongest person I’ve ever met. Most people would have gone insane after everything Nix has been through, but not him.”

“Thanks.” Nix was grateful that out of all of this, at least he’d found a few real friends, Juri being one of them. “I really appreciate you helping out and keeping an eye on Briant.”

“Is the threat really gone?” Briant asked.

“Dew is dead,” Juri said, dropping his eyes to the floor and clearing his throat. “I keep meaning to find the right time, but there doesn’t seem to be one for this. Nix, I can’t believe it was Dew doing all of those things. I just…It’s hard to believe. If I’d known—”

“You couldn’t have. Grady and the others are just as surprised.” No one had suspected Dew of any of it. He’d been the clown of the group, after all, and he’d leaned heavily into that.

Nix wondered how much of it was an act and how much of it was the real Dew.

“No one blames you,” Briant joined in. “You lost a friend. No matter the circumstances, that’s never easy.”

“He’s right,” Nix agreed. “Have you talked to anyone about it yet? If you need a shoulder—”

“Briant has lent me his ear,” Juri stated. “But thank you.”

Oh.

Nix must have been really distracted with his own shit, because it finally occurred to him why Briant might prefer Juri drop him off at the bus stop over his cousin. He licked his lips and took a step toward the door.

“Well, if we’re all set, then I suppose it’s time to go. Briant, text me when you’re home.”

“I’m the older one here.” Briant ruffled his hair as though to prove it. “But you got it. Remember, if anything comes up, or you just want to talk, call me.”

“Will do.” Nix nodded at Juri as he lifted Briant’s bag off the bed. “Take care of my cousin.”

It worked out actually. West had an important match outside of town. He and Yejun would have left for it already on the team bus. Nix and Lake were both staying behind since Lake had a waif practice he couldn’t miss. Now that he didn’t have to worry about taking Briant to the bus stop either, Nix had plenty of time to make it back to the Roost before the Imperial and get ready.

One way or another, tonight wasn’t going to end without Nix getting fucked.