Where Foxes Hunt with Wolves (Folk Lore 2)

“Yeah bye. Enjoy your vaca—”

Jessika shook her head. “Don’t insult me! I’m at work! Bye,” she said and finished the call.

“Oh. My. Gods,” Yev said, holding his nose between his palms and staring at Radek, all wide-eyed. “Who is this person? Did she drop from the moon, or something?”

Radek collapsed in the chair, drained of energy. “She lives in her own world. I need a harder drink after this. Hope you’re up for it.”

Yev snorted. “You wanna pick something up on the way home?” he asked, nudging Radek’s foot again. He had no idea what was coming.

Radek grinned and leaned forward over the table. “We’re going clubbing. We’ll relive your university days.” A few drinks will blur the reality that he hadn’t really solved the problem but delayed the inevitable crash and burn.

Yev let out a snort that sounded weirdly nervous. “Clubbing? Now? I’m not much of a dancer.”

Radek laughed. “You just need to look hot and enjoy a drink. My dancing repertoire is head-banging, so you’ll be in good company.”

He couldn’t wait to show off Yev to his friends. So maybe he lost his arm, but he’d show them he could still catch a stud.

***

The club was gaudy in the best possible way. The decor, inspired by Ancient Rome, featured columns, huge white statues of naked people, and the bar staff all wore artificial laurel crowns. What could have been nouveau riche had been made cool with the addition of neon-colored paint splashed on the white surfaces and drag queen-worthy makeup applied to the statues.

The walls surrounding the huge circular dance floor had thick purple fabric draped at the sides of large-format wall paintings with a mosaic texture applied on top. All the artworks featured heavily homoerotic scenes arranged like the kind of classical paintings that depicted ancient myths. The music of choice varied throughout the week, but tonight it was heavy, somewhat dark electronica with a beat that made Radek’s flesh pulse with the need to grind.

Yev, on the other hand, looked out of place, as if the loud music and the dense crowd caused him discomfort. He’d barely said anything since they’d left their jackets in the cloakroom. Oh, well. A mountain of a man like him didn’t need to say much to attract attention. Even better that he seemed mysterious.

Radek grabbed Yev’s hand to stake his claim and waved as soon as he spotted his friends in a far-off booth. It was only when he came closer and saw their faces slacken that he realized his right hand could no longer ‘wave’, because it wasn’t there. He’d get used to this one day, but so far, the learning curve had proved steep, and he continued living in a state of denial despite experiencing daily struggles. Yev zipping up his jacket was cute and all, but Radek wanted to be independent, not someone who required help in basic tasks.

“Radek?” A familiar voice rose over the music, and then warm hands were touching his stump so unexpectedly he recoiled. Jan stared at him in horror. “What the hell happened to you? I thought you didn’t answer my texts because you were being an ass.”

There had been quite a few messages from different people on his phone when he’d first loaded the battery after it had sat in Dad’s old car along with Radek’s other things, but he’d been too overwhelmed to answer all of them and chose to do his big reveal during an outing with all of his friends. It would be extremely stressful, but he was dying to prove to himself and everyone else that he was still normal. That nothing changed. Yet now that questions were coming, he was starting to question his life choices.

“Ugh. It’s complicated.”

Jan shook his head and pulled on Radek’s elbow, radiating delicious cologne that reminded Radek of why they’d become a sort-of thing in the past. “Okay, but let’s talk in private, huh?”

He put pressure on Radek’s flesh, intent on taking him away, but Yev appeared at Radek’s side like a vicious guard dog and snarled, “Hands off.”

Jan slowly pulled his hand away, his gaze drifting between Radek and Yev. “Who are you?”

Radek got flustered when he glanced at Yev. A part of him yelled ‘back off! I don’t need ‘saving’, but another had butterflies fluttering in his stomach at Yev’s determination to protect him. “Yev, this is Jan, an old friend. We might need to have a chat.”

But Yev didn’t step back. His strong arm slung across Radek’s shoulder, and his massive palm pressed on Radek’s breastbone as he whispered, a throaty voice blown straight into Radek’s ear. “When we met, your scent was dense with his sweat. His cum. You’re not going anywhere with this guy.”

Even Radek’s ears went hot at the notion of Yev knowing such things, but he was also surprised. No one’s ever been this jealous over him. Yev didn’t exactly have opportunities to showcase that kind of possessiveness when they were alone in the forest. And they weren’t even a couple. Though they kind of were. Or were they? Radek wasn’t sure at all.