Page 109 of Sire

“Vale will be your queen one day. I believe it. But who will be yoursecondqueen? Sire has Zar. Loch has Delphine. Axel will claim a second queen, too. So, who will be yours?”

He can’t answer me.

That’s how much Nash loves Vale.

“Let me be your second queen, and I’ll help you.” I touch his hand. “I respect your love for Vale. We don’t have to do everything together, but I want to be initiated. I want to beSire’squeen, but he’s too protective of me. He thinks I’m not ready. Like I’ll break, when I won’t. Help me make him see it.”

“See it?”

“Yes,” I insist. “Every queen has tests, right? To make sure she wants to be initiated?”

He nods.

“Then help me. Test me tonight.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

WREN

“See…”Eily swishes her hand toward the others, mixing piña coladas at the poolside bar. “Told you, once they got their rocks off, they’d relax.”

She reclines on a giant pink penis pool float. I’m riding an eggplant emoji float beside her.

The sunset flames up the sky while Sire and Silas stand closely in a deep conversation. Is it about us? About them?

I sense a reserved vibe toward Axel and Nash, but at least they’re being offered drinks, and Cade is talking to them.

Our worlds are too interconnected for us to be rivals. In fact, we share common enemies, so we should work together.

While some of us?

Maybe we should domorethan work together.

I watch, fascinated, as Daniel kisses his wife, Charlie, then he kisses Redix, making him laugh about something.

I blurt, “I’m sorry, but I’m dying to ask if?—”

“If we all fuck each other?” Eily trails her fingertips over the water. “The answer is yes. But even more? We love each other, too. Though Silas is possessive over me right now.” She whispers, “We just found out I’m pregnant.”

“Congratulations!”

“Thanks,” she beams. “It took me and Silas a while, and I almost gave up hope, but now we’re busy drawing up house plans, picking nursery paint, and bathroom tile. Charlie, Daniel, Cade, and Redix are moving to our island. We’ll each have a house and raise our kids together.”

“So, you share a lot more than sex.”

With pride, she nods. “Way more. There’s a lot of love, history, and commitment, too.”

I purse my lips, trying on a filter for size. It doesn’t sound like The Six are open to other… Lovers? Is that what they’re called?

I don’t know their world, but I feel its warmth. Its depth.

Maybe my impression was wrong. And I won’t blurt something that messes up Sire’s friendship with Silas because I have a case of the curious kinks.

“So, usually, we’re a closed polycule,” Eily whispers.

Why is she whispering?

“We’re only open to others for Halloween and holidays,” she shares.