Chapter 19
“I can’t believe you said that to my dad,” West laughed. “Good looking out, Nixie.”
“I’m glad you’re getting such a kick out of it,” he drawled, not feeling the same. “You guys have clearly been a bad influence.” Up until now, Nix wouldn’t have dreamed about speaking out against authority, especially not in the manner he had.
Risking them all the way that he had…
“You don’t think Lake is pissed, do you?” He wouldn’t blame him if he was.
As much as Lake hated Demitrious, the whole reason the Demons had put up with him this long was because they needed his support. What if Nix had inadvertently cost Lake the throne?
Nix and Yejun had returned from the Roost a few hours ago, just in time to discover West had woken up and was being relocated from the ICU. After checking in with him for a bit, the others had left to take care of business, leaving Nix behind to look after the injured Demon.
Not that anyone would be able to tell from first glance.
West was his usual chipper self and was working on his third hospital pudding. Aside from the gown and the fact he needed to move slowly to and from the bathroom, there were no indicators he’d been shot. They were lucky. The bullet had apparently lodged itself in his side, avoiding two major organs by some miracle.
During surgery, they’d had to repair part of his tional when the doctor had nicked it removing the bullet, but according to them, it’d been a simple fix. West should be out of the woods and could even return back to the Roost as early as tomorrow, so long as he took it easy and stayed in bed today.
Medical advancements on Tulniri were crazy good, but even Nix was surprised when he was informed about the recovery time.
“Lake is probably bragging to June about it right now.” West tilted his head. “Why are you looking at me like that?”
“Does it feel…weird?” Nix eyed the spot on West’s side where he’d been shot, though he couldn’t see anything beneath the loose hospital gown. The doctors had given West a new nanite treatment, and apparently thousands of microscopic robots were working hard to repair his tissues at that very moment.
“Why? Want me to ask them to treat your neck?”
He shook his head. “It’s practically healed already.”
“Relax, Nixie. We already beat the Order’s stupid task by catching the hacker.” West shrugged and winked when Nix gave him a sharp look at that. “What they don’t know can’t hurt them. My point is, we passed their little test, and well before Demons Passing. There’s nothing they can do to stop Lake now.”
“But he can’t even take the throne for another three months at least.” The period of mourning for the late Emperor and Royal Consort would come to an end then. “What if the Order tries something before then?”
“The reason they wanted us to do this before Demons Passing is because it’s a celebrated holiday on the entire planet,” West said. “The High Council, those who worked closely with the last emperor, will make an official planetary-wide announcement naming Lake as the next in line. This official statement will also be sent to the Intergalactic Conference. They’ll add his name to the records on Demeter Station and that’ll be that.”
The Intergalactic Conference was the governing force of many of the galaxies within the universe. Their mission statement was universal peace, and all of the planets that had signed their treaty were offered benefits and protections. The I.P.F.—or, the Intergalactic Police Force—was also run by them.
The I.C. had strict rules about interfering with the way planets were individually governed, but they required data on current and predetermined leaders to be submitted so they could add that information to their database, known as Demeter Station. This station was accessible to all active agents, which made their jobs easier whenever a crime was committed.
Until the High Council made that official announcement, they were in charge of running the planet, though in a very small capacity. They were allowed to keep things going, but no one person had more power on the board than any of the others. Their real job was to carry on the work the late Emperor had left behind during the period of mourning. Once that period ended, they would submit reports on everything they did to whoever was newly crowned. The new emperor would then decide whether or not to continue with what their predecessor wanted or not.
Nix only had a basic understanding of how all of this worked. He’d never been interested in history or politics and had actually had to brush up on his knowledge once he’d realized he was in bed with the Demons and a man in the line of succession.
That’s probably why he hadn’t fully comprehended the importance of Demons Passing.
“That’s two days from now,” he pointed out, rolling his eyes when West merely hummed. “You’ve just been shot and I just pissed off not one, but two Order members! If they do plan on retaliating by trying to mess with Lake, they’ll have to act fast.”
“Sure,” West agreed, “but fast is messy. They’ve got nothing, Nixie, and even if they do try, they’ll make mistakes. We’ll be able to handle anything Hendrix throws our way, and my dad is all talk. He’d never give up on Lake. He’s invested too much into him.”
Right, Lake and he had discussed something about trade routes or some shit. But…
“What about the poisoner?” That was another hidden threat they needed to be on their toes for. “If this person is still after you, they’re going to have to act within the next forty-eight hours or they’ll miss their chance.”
“They could always just attempt to assassinate Lake once he’s on the throne,” West corrected, “the same way they took out the last emperor.”
Nix glared at him.
“I’m taking this seriously, babe, I promise, it’s just what do you expect us to do? We still don’t have any clues about who this poisoner is other than maybe Hendrix. And we just made that guy public enemy number one. He’s got bigger things to worry about right now.”
Despite West’s setup at the Roost, Nix hadn’t been able to locate Hendrix, aside from glimpses here and there that he wasn’t able to connect.
“He’s been a member of Club Essential his entire life,” Nix said. “Is he really going to be punished just for shooting you?”
“Hell yeah he will. I’m a Legacy, also a born-in member, and the son of another man at the Order table. I’m also an up-and-coming sports star. Once I’ve graduated and can go pro galactically, I’ll be sent all over the galaxy for events and matches. Basically, the club will use me to help spread the word and attract potential business partners. I’m important and young. Hendrix is old and could die any day.”
Nix snorted. “He’s got at least forty years left.”
“If he lives the average lifespan.” West’s gaze darkened. “Not many do.”
He’d had enough talk of murder for one day, thanks, so he changed the subject. “What are Lake and Yejun on their way to do right now anyway?”
“June is meeting with his parents to ensure they still have our backs and vote to have Hendrix punished to the maximum sentence. Lake is at waif practice.”
Nix blinked at him. “He’s what?”
West chuckled. “While I appreciate that you’re upset on my behalf, don’t be. Lake has the same deal as I do. He’s a famous athlete. Sure, as the emperor, he won’t be able to take his career pro, but he’ll be invited all over for private and pro matches as a celebrity guest, so to speak. Also, keeping up appearances by having him go about his daily life looks good for us.”
Nix crossed his arms. “So, you were all thinking about the poisoner already.”
“Of course, babe.”
He blew out a breath. “I feel so useless.”
“Don’t be so hard on yourself.” West’s expression turned wolfish. “You should be hard on me instead.”
“Seriously?” Nix pinched the bridge of his nose. “Even with a hole in your side?”
“They sealed the hole shut,” West said. “Which is good, because I prefer yours—”
He held up a hand, instantly silencing him. “Stop.”
“Come on, Nixie. I’m a patient and your job is to take care of me so…” He pulled the blanket off his lap, exposing the tent in his pants, “take care of me.”
“Sorry, but your hospital wear doesn’t do it for me.” When it became clear a joke wasn’t going to be enough to deter West, Nix sighed. “I was really scared, okay? I thought…I don’t know what I would do if you got seriously hurt because of me.”
Not that a gunshot wound wasn’t serious.
“I should have kept my shit together no matter what Hendrix said. You’ve all managed to do that, and you’re supposed to be the ones with the short fuse,” Nix finished.
“Any idea why you couldn’t?” West asked. “It’s true that was unlike you.”
“He just pissed me off, that’s all.”
“Why? What’d he say?”
Nix lifted a single shoulder in a partial shrug. “Just crap about Lake’s parents and about Lake, that’s all.”
“Oh, well, that makes sense then.”
He frowned.
“Nixie, you literally enrolled in a new university just to avenge your cousin. Most people? They wouldn’t even consider doing that. You can do anything when it comes to protecting the people you love.”
“Did you just insinuate—”
“Maybe love is a strong word,” West grinned. “But you’ve got to admit, you’re at least heading in that direction.”
“Shut up.”
“I will if you help me.”
“With?”
West flicked his hips, laughing when Nix scowled at him. “Babe, for real. You don’t want the nurse walking in on me hard for you, do you? I’ll tell her all about how it’s your fault.”
“Go right ahead.”
“You’re blushing,” he teased. “I promise it doesn’t have to be anything major. Just give me a hand job, yeah?”
Nix really shouldn’t but…He gave a resigned sigh and moved closer, his right hand going for the elastic band of the white and blue hospital pants West was dressed in. “You get five minutes, if you don’t come by then, you’ll have to finish yourself off.”
“Wow, that’s so mean.” West’s cock jerked against Nix’s palm the second he made contact. “Good Light. Never mind. Five minutes. Sure thing, babe, just keep touching me like—” his sentence ended on a strangled sound as Nix gripped him tight at the base and then gave a solid stroke down to the tip.
His fingers were instantly lubed in precome, and he clucked his tongue, watching as West dropped his head back against the wall, his eyes slipping shut as he moaned. Nix pumped him with quick motions, reaching down with his free hand to tug the material of his pants away. The second West’s cock popped into view, he licked his lips, his ass clenching automatically.
“Sure you don’t want to—”
“Not a chance, West.”
“Can’t blame a guy for trying.”
Nix hissed and slowed when West reached out and palmed him through his jeans. “Stop that.”
“You’re so hard for me though, Nixie. Don’t you want it?”
“You’re injured!”
“Keep stroking me, babe,” he urged, his hand pressing and sliding downward to cup him more firmly through the denim. His middle finger dug at the spot where Nix’s taint should be and he laughed when that had Nix springing onto his toes.
“If you don’t stop,” Nix set his determined gaze on West, “I will.”
He tutted and dropped his hand. “Fine. Be that way. But you best believe the second these nanites are done sealing me up, that plump ass of yours is mine. Don’t think I’ll let you get away with what you did to my stuff.”
The first thing Nix had noticed when he’d stepped into West’s room with Yejun was that he’d gotten all new keyboards.
He grinned and the Demon narrowed his eyes.
“Oh? Pleased with yourself are you?”
“Pretty much.” Nix emphasized that statement with an aggressive pump of his fist that had West’s hips lifting off the mattress.
“Just wait until I’m out of this bed,” West warned, voice turning reedy as he was brought closer and closer to the edge. “I’ve got a list of things I’ll do to you to get back at you and Lake.”
“That so?”
“Yes. I—” West made a strangled sound when suddenly Nix dropped down, swallowing his cock in one skilled motion. “Good Light!”
Nix took him all the way in, teeth lightly grazing against his sensitive skin the way he knew West actually liked. His tongue lapped against the underside of his hard member, pressing on the nerves and then trailing as he pulled back to suckle on his swollen crown. The burst of salty precome on his tongue had him groaning in pleasure, his own neglected dick weeping in his pants.
West came after only a few bobs of Nix’s head, and Nix made sure to swallow every last drop of the orgasm, teasing him throughout. He didn’t release him until the Demon went limp and started to push his head away.
Laughing, Nix pulled off, but before West could get a word in, he bent and captured his mouth, pushing his tongue, still coated in the man’s juices into his mouth in a mirror of the sexual act they both wished they were doing. By the time he pulled away, West was flushed and his eyes were glazed over.
“Good Light,” West repeated, staring at Nix as he licked his lips. “That was so hot.”
“Hold up,” he pretended to wipe something off the corner of West’s mouth, “you’ve got a little spit and come on you.”
West whimpered and caught his wrist, pressing a kiss against his pulse point before resting his cheek in Nix’s palm. “Babe, why are you being such a tease? Are you trying to kill me.”
“Not funny.” Nix yanked his hand away.
“Too soon?”
“West.”
He blew out a breath. “Fine, sorry. My bad.”
“Put that away,” Nix motioned to his exposed cock. “The nurses could walk in at any moment.”
“Don’t want them seeing the goods?” West asked, but he did as he was told and slipped himself back into his pants. “Don’t worry, Nixie, this is all yours. No one else gets a taste.”
“Ever.”
West chuckled. “Yeah, babe. Ever.”
He hummed in satisfaction and then decided to change the subject before West could convince him to fool around again. “I sort of made up with Yejun.”
“That’s good. How do you feel?”
“Better. It’s better if we’re all united, don’t you think?”
West nodded. “What about Unknown? Any more weird texts?”
“Not since Dew died, no.”
“So either he was sending them or the poisoner is lying even lower than before.”
Their conversation from earlier had Nix frowning and West chided him for it.
“There’s nothing more we can do right now,” he reminded. “Just relax, Nixie. It’s only two days. We’ve made it this far already, we can make it another forty-eight hours.”
“That’s the problem,” Nix said. “We aren’t the only ones on a time limit.”
And he had a really bad feeling that he couldn’t seem to shake, no matter how confident the Demon seemed to be.