Page 12 of Immortal Alliance

He chuckles. “True enough.”

“But if you had or were fucking her,” I start as I consider the possibility. “It still wouldn’t bother me.”

“You understand her needs, her duality.”

“Yes, I believe I do.”

Pyre nods and grows quiet for a few seconds. “I have tasted her enough to know I want more,” he says and his expression is a curious one.

“But your oath…”

He nods. “I’ve come to question that oath.”

“Desire is a difficult thing to avoid,” I say with a laugh.

“I’ve avoided desire for a very long time,” Pyre responds as he shakes his head. “That’s not it.”

“Then?”

He nods. “When I taste Eilish, when I touch her… there’s an energy between us I’ve never experienced before. I feel as if I’m able to… think more clearly.” He grows quiet and I’m fairly sure he’s trying to find the right words to explain. “Questions or problems that vexed me before… I find myself able to solve them more easily, more quickly.” He takes a deep breath and expels it. “I’m beginning to believe the Veil wants me to join with her.”

“Then what are you waiting for?” I ask.

He faces me then. “You.”

“Me?”

“I wanted to obtain not only your permission…”

“I have hardly a right to give my permission,” I interrupt, surprised he would even ask for it. “Eilish is her own person.”

“Yes, but you and I share a special bond of friendship and I respect that bond.”

“I appreciate that.”

He nods but I can tell by his expression there’s more on his mind.

“I want to experience Eilish fully,” he says and his white eyes bore into mine. “But I want to experience her with you at the same time.” I don’t say anything right away because I’m surprised. He continues. “I believe the power unleashed between the three of us would be… strong.”

I chuckle. “Strong? It seems you’re suffering a loss for words, my friend.”

“Perhaps I am,” he says with a chuckle. “I admit, I’m trespassing on new soil. This realization has only very recently dawned on me.”

“Then are you convinced by your… realization? Or still pondering it?”

“I’m convinced,” he answers firmly. “I want it to happen.”

“When?”

“Soon,” he answers immediately. “My… desire for her is all-consuming and now that I’ve made this decision, I want to experience her… as quickly as possible.” He clears his throat. “With or without you.”

I chuckle and shake my head as a thought occurs to me and steals the laugh from my lips. “Fucking shame you aren’t a creature of the light.”

“I’ve thought the same myself,” he answers on a dejected sigh. “She needs to take a lover of light magic soon.” He pauses as he looks up at me. “Very soon.”

I nod, because I know the truth in his statement. In order to maintain the balance between light and dark that lives precariously within her, Eilish must take Cambion or Variant as her lover. And Variant is out of the question. Obviously.

“I’m ready when you are,” I say in answer to Pyre’s unstated question.

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