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Blay and Qhuinn fell in tight, blocking the way. The move in was all done real casual, like they were just randomly hanging around, but the message was clear. With a shrug, Lash lifted his hand free of the Glock and clipped Blay shoulder to shoulder as he headed for the door.

“Asshole,” Qhuinn muttered.

The three buds left for the locker room, where they picked up their books and headed out together. Because John was going to use the tunnel to go back to the mansion, they stopped at the door to Tohr’s old office.

As the other trainees walked by, Qhuinn kept his voice low. “We have to go out tonight. I can’t wait.” He grimaced and shifted his stance like there was sandpaper in his pants. “I’m half-batshit for a female, if you know what I mean?”

Blay flushed a little. “I’m…ah, yeah, I could deal with some action. John?”

Pumped from his success on the range, John nodded.

“Good.” Blay jacked up his jeans. “We got to hit ZeroSum.”

Qhuinn frowned. “How about Screamer’s?”

“No, I want ZeroSum.”

“Fine. And we can go in your car.” Qhuinn glanced over. “John, why don’t you get on the bus and go to Blay’s?”

Shouldn’t I change?

“You can borrow some of his clothes. You have to look good for ZeroSum.”

Lash came out of nowhere, like a sucker punch. “So you’re going downtown, John? Maybe I’ll see you there, buddy.”

With a nasty-ass grin, he sauntered off, his body coiled, his muscular shoulders rolling like he was headed into a fight. Or wanted to be.

“Sounds like you want a date, Lash,” Qhuinn barked. “Good deal, ’cause you keep that shit up, you’re going to get fucked, buddy.”

Lash stopped and glanced back, the lights from overhead pouring down over him. “Hey, Qhuinn, tell your father I said hi. He always did like me better than you. Then again, I match.”

Lash tapped beside his eye with his middle finger and kept going.

In his wake, Qhuinn’s face closed up, just went straight to statue.

Blay put his hand on the back of the guy’s neck. “Listen, give us forty-five minutes at my house, k? Then we’ll pick you up.”

Qhuinn didn’t respond right away, and when he finally did his voice was low. “Yeah. No problem. Will you excuse me for a sec?”

Qhuinn dropped his books and walked back to the locker room. As the door eased shut, John signed, Lash’s and Qhuinn’s families are tight?

“The two of them are first cousins. Their fathers are brothers.”

John frowned. What’s up with Lash pointing to his eye?

“Don’t worry about—”

John gripped the guy’s forearm. Tell me.

Blay rubbed his red hair like he was trying to rustle up a response. “Okay…it’s like…Qhuinn’s dad is a big deal in the glymera, right? And so’s his mom. And the glymera doesn’t do defects.”

This was said as if it explained everything. I don’t get it. What’s wrong with his eye?

“One’s blue. One’s green. Because they aren’t the same color, Qhuinn’s never going to get mated…and, you know, his father’s been embarrassed by him all his life. Not a good sitch, and that’s why we’re always at my house. He needs to get away from his parents.” Blay looked at the locker room door as if he could see through it to his friend. “The only reason they haven’t kicked him out is because they were hoping the transition might clear it up. That’s why he got to use someone like Marna. She has very good blood, and I think the plan was that it would help.”

It didn’t.

“Nope. They’re probably going to ask him to leave at some point. I’ve already got a room ready for him, but I doubt he’d use it. Lot of pride. Rightfully so.”

John had a horrible thought. How did he get the bruise? The one on his face after his transition?

At that moment the locker room door opened and Qhuinn came out with a solid smile in place. “Shall we, gentlemen?” As he picked up his books, his bravado was back. “Let’s bounce before the good ones are taken at the club.”

Blay clapped the guy on the shoulder. “Lead on, maestro.”

As they headed for the underground parking lot, Qhuinn was in front, Blay behind, John in the middle.

As Qhuinn disappeared up the bus’s steps, John