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Elias leaves the matter for the time being, allowing me the space to think while we organize dessert and another round of drinks. The thought comes slowly, drifting hazily through my already overloaded mind, and I’m not even sure Elias will want to answer, but I do have something I want to know.
I wait until the next drinks come and sip at my second cocktail for courage. “If it’s all right to ask,” I start hesitantly, “How is it possible for souls to fuse?”
Elias smiles again, but it’s colder now. More withdrawn, a little sorrowful maybe. “Ah. Of course.”
“I’m sorry. You don’t have to answer that.”
“Are you asking for our specifics—” Elias begins, but I shake my head.
“No. Just the general theory of it is fine.”
I already know enough and don’t need them to explain all the traumatic details of what happened to them. But I want a basic understanding of the concept because, I admit, it is still bewildering to me.
“Hmm… in that case,” Elias says. He pauses to consider, but Caelan interrupts first.
“That one ain’t complicated,” he says. “You guys have nuclear fusion, right? Slam two things together at a high enough speed or energy level, and shit gets all stuck together or whatever.”
I can’t imagine souls colliding at high speed at all, and my eyebrows raise. “High energy?”
“It is an exceptionally rare occurrence, but yes. The circumstances would have to be perfectly aligned, with all components in the same extremely high-energy state. And then entanglement may occur. Frequencies become warped. Maybe not all frequencies. You’ve seen the complexity of a full soul. But a small fragment of the frequency planes may realign to match that of another,” Elias concludes firmly.
That’s as much as either of them have to say on the matter. And, honestly, maybe I’m a little glad for that. I don’t want to sour the night by thinking about it too much. I recall what Elias said at the start of our meal, about high-energy states. That those usually occurred in the worst circumstances—violent murders, pain, despair. That fits with what I know about the circumstances under which it happened for them, and that doesn’t bear dwelling on right now. I push that firmly aside for the time being.
Besides, the second cocktail may not have been the best idea. I was already feeling mildly tipsy with the first. Another, plus the depth of the conversation, is making it difficult for me to focus.
Dessert arrives, and I decide to let the matter drop entirely. Souls, dimensions, all of it. I’ve heard more than enough for one night, and I just want to enjoy spending time with them without picking their brains over the sorts of things that will give me an existential crisis if I try to look too deeply into them.
The dessert is just as good as the main course, but I’m distracted now for multiple reasons. Caelan ordered a dessert bento selection of various chocolate-themed fondants and gelato, and he catches me eyeing it up.
With a grin, Caelan feeds me some of the rich fondant from his spoon, and, without particularly meaning to, I stare him straight in the eye as I slowly lick the spoon entirely clean. Caelan cackles, but I can see the lust stirring in his eyes.
I glance at Elias. He was the onetryingto make sure we behaved decently. “Sorry… um.”
He may have told me not to touch without permission, but the same doesn’t apply to him. He meets my gaze, amused, and smiles as he slides his arm around my waist.
It’s only a small affectionate gesture, but shit, I shouldn’t have had two cocktails. I’m tipsy now, and the alcohol makes me feel far too warm. Maybe it’s the combination of the alcohol and the company, but I can’t help shivering slightly at Elias’ touch, desperately craving more.
He’s still talking, but all I can focus on is the movement of his lips and how I want them against mine.
Now that the serious discussion is over, they’re more inclined to be affectionate and teasing. Caelan finally takes advantage of his position opposite me to caress the side of my leg with his foot. His arms are crossed, and he’s casually leaning on the table, looking for all the world like he’s not doing anything, even as he makes me squirm. And Elias’ hold on me, I can feel every movement so much more intensely, even the slightest increase in pressure as he says something and gently squeezes my waist.
My face feels far too warm.
“Are you drunk, Shannon?” Elias asks, noticing as well.
I shift in my seat. “Notdrunkdrunk. Maybe kinda tipsy.”
Tipsy and horny. Goddammit.
“Was there, uh… hard liquor in those cocktails, like whiskey or rum or something?”
“Rum, I believe, and a distilled rose hip liquor. Why?”
Ah.It’s a rare occurrence for me to react to alcohol by getting turned on, but the small handful of times Ihavenoticed that effect, it’s always been with strong shit. And that cocktail was potent.
It takes everything I have not to moan when Elias brushes his thumb over my lips under the guise of removing a stray spot of chocolate fondant. He chuckles, seeing the glazed look in my eyes.
“Please,” I beg softly. “Take me home?”
