I nearly bit his lip off, for he knew what I wanted, and it was he who withheld from me this time around. Our afternoon was slow, and we were not yet in a hurry to catch up to the others. Instead, we lingered beneath the boughs of an orange tree, the fragrance falling upon us like dew falls on the clovers before dawn.

We had no fear of passersby, for we were deep in the forest—and probably trespassing on land some boastful human claimed as their own—and so I did not even need the top of my dress and let it fall to my waist without a worry. Alexander’s arms cushioned me just so, and the roots of the trees did not scrape the soft skin of my back. I enjoyed this particular position, for there was no echo of pyre memories, which meant that it was unique and original to us alone. An Aurelie and Alexander invention. I shivered as I realized that one day, this would be a memory passed on to other pyres in his line. It would never be original again. Not if I could help it.

I wanted my pyre to drink from me. He could even leave a memory from his past lives, if he so wished. I yearned to feel the exquisite sting of long, thin fangs piercing my skin, and the burn of them sinking deeper into my flesh. The flood of danger in my veins.

<<You are too eager>>, he chastised me, his eyes staring into mine.

I was not too eager. It was our second time within the hour—or perhaps it was one continuous event, I could not be certain—and so he was too keen on elongating my suffering for his own amusement.

<<We must go>>, he chided, <<or they will be lost without us>>.

I cared not that Niall and the others would have to wait in confusion for a just bit longer.

<<And, if we do not leave now, we will miss the raid altogether>>.

I sat up at that, for as much as I enjoyed my enjoyment, I could not miss a raid to pursue more of it. Not if others suffered so I could taste pleasure one more time.

<<I thought that might work>>, he teased.

I shoved him a bit. He did not seem to mind, especially since he appeared to be stronger than one thousand humans all bundled into one.

He yanked me to my feet so quickly that I flew half a length into the air and landed, upright, in his quick arms, my ribs against his.

<<I am excited to see what madness you have planned this night, my dear>>. He returned my dress to its rightful state, fastening the buttons along the back and then kissing my neck. <<I am at your service>>.