"Do you trust me, Pet?" There was no sarcasm in Hal's voice, but there was a healthy dose of amusement and a touch of ownership.

Lena chuckled at his choice of a name, but she accepted it. It was his turn to use it, after all.

She nodded happily for him to continue. This was a new game for her and she trusted Hal to lead her through it. She had no idea what would happen now that she was a man, but she discovered ripples and rivulets of pleasure that lit her up and made her erection throb even more. She wanted Hal to possess her, but she wanted to possess him too. For the first time Lena recognized the drive that men used to justify their domination of women. She recognized it, but she didn't understand it.

Hal rolled his hips to begin with careful strokes that became less careful as his Pet urged him on. Male Pet was just as good at bawdy encouragement as female Lena, and Hal loved it. He loved the tight heat inside Pet's body, and the flex of Pet's muscles under Hal's grip. Pet was strong and steady on his feet; he begged Hal to keep going. Pet's moans of pleasure became rumbles in his chest as Hal drove into him deep and fast, forgetting everything beyond the need to claim his Pet.

She concentrated on the feel of him moving in her and the sparks and tingles that flickered and expanded all over her body. By the time he came, she was about ready to collapse onto the floor from the flood of pleasure that roared through her. She was definitely going online to learn more about what Hal was doing to her, just as soon as she found her mind.

Hal's knees weakened when he climaxed and he steadied himself as he slowed his movements. They were unstable on their feet now, sweaty, and both distinctly male in their smells.

"That. Was. Amazing," she managed to say. She laid the side of her face on the cool wall to calm herself down. "This is about to kill me, though," she added, looking down.

Hal laughed at the ease with which Pet was addressing his new male identity, and got a towel from the open cabinet. He dropped it onto the floor under Pet as he gently pulled away from him. "Sit down," Hal suggested, as he reached for another towel for himself. Hal watched as his lover sat on the towel and looked down warily at the rigid erection and tightened scrotum that signaled an uncomfortable state of arousal. He'd thought his Pet might have come already. Never mind, Hal would take care of it, as he had promised.

"Now what?" Pet asked. Hal sat down and brushed Pet's erection with his fingers. He saw a bead of fluid slip out of the tip, and he caught it on his finger. Hal checked; it tasted male. Pet groaned with pleasure at his delicate touch, and Hal looked up meet to his Pet's wide-eyed scrutiny.

"Dessert." Hal rolled the word off his tongue as a seduction and a promise and watched astonished eagerness bloom over his lover's face. He lowered his mouth around his Pet's erection. A perfect fit. He had assumed it would be.

Holy shit! Lena thought. It was her last coherent thought for a while.

The bathroom was quiet except for their breathing. The floor was littered with bottles, cans, tubes and jars that had formerly been in the cabinet. The still-open Vaseline sat on the back of the toilet. They sat on the floor, resting.

"Wow," Lena said eventually. She was slumped against the wall, still male, complete with flaccid penis.

Hal leaned against the tub with a satisfied smile and let his eyes wander over his Pet's delicious male body. He had mastered Lena at last. He'd taken Pet for himself and had made him beg. Most of the noises Pet had made weren't exactly words, but Hal had recognized their intent. He had also stopped several times and demanded the words 'please' and 'my lord' just to make sure his lover remembered who was in charge. Pet had quickly complied with his demands. Hal suspected that his lover would've torn the house down if Hal had required it of him.

She smiled at Hal, sitting all relaxed and happy across from her. He looked pleased with himself. He had a right to be. "You didn't get fangy," was all she said.

"No. Your influence kept me from it."

"There's still my blood, though." There was a question in her tone.

"Yes, there is that, but without the additional temptation of your female attributes, it was barely noticeable. How do you feel?"

"A lot better. Amazing. Sleepy. I'm not sure. It's been a very long time since a man popped my cherry." Lena grinned at him, a wicked grin in a wickedly handsome face that made Hal's own flaccid penis shift and twitch. She noticed. "Already? I must be a great-looking dude."

"See for yourself," Hal said as he languidly waved toward the mirror.

"Too lazy. Is that a man thing? No, I remember this feeling, it's a very satisfied lover thing. Damn, I needed that."

"So did I. Thank you," he said simply.

"You're welcome. My pleasure. Now what?" Lena stirred and sat up from the wall. "I don't want to stay like this indefinitely. It doesn't feel natural. Also, I need another shower and something to clean up the Vaseline."

"I have yet to shower for the first time," Hal pointed out as he leaned around the end of the tub to retrieve his pants from the laundry basket. "Olive oil helps with Vaseline. I'll get it. Don't use all the hot water."

He got up and pulled on his pants before reaching a hand out to help Pet to his feet. "Come on, Pet, up you go," he said with a smile.

She laughed tolerantly, the sound deep and melodious but still distinctly hers. "Pet, huh? I would say pet my ass, but you'd just agree."

Hal slapped Pat's ass instead. "Get in the shower. You stink again." Hal left, laughing. His Pet smelled of him, and wolf, and sex, and a new male smell that Hal liked. The wolf needed to go, but the other smells were welcome.

He heard her singing in the shower as he returned to the bathroom. She was female again and singing a 1970's pop ballad, "Torn Between Two Lovers."* Surely she could read his mind.

"I've got the oil," he said without preamble. "Give me your ass."

"Which ass do you want?" she asked as she turned off the shower.

"The one I was just using."

"Hang on." Her voice changed as she opened the shower door, and Hal looked at his Pet again. Lena turned around and he used olive oil and a washcloth to clean up most of the Vaseline residue. He enjoyed Pet's firm muscles under his hands as he worked, so he took longer than was strictly necessary to do the job.

"Why'd you change back?" he asked.

"I couldn't wash my dick without turning myself on, so I just gave up. Seriously, how do you keep your hands off yourself?"

"Christ, and I thought I was randy! There you water and soap should take care of the rest."

Lena became herself again immediately and turned the shower back on so she could wash her backside. She turned it off when finished and opened the shower door. Hal handed her a clean towel and she stepped out of the way so he could finally get in the shower. She dried and dressed.

"I'll take the laundry downstairs and make some tea," she called over the sound of the shower.

"I'll be down shortly," he replied. As she closed the bathroom door she could swear she heard him singing "Torn Between Two Lovers" under his breath.

"This was a good day for Alex to visit the Rileys," Lena said over tea.

"True." Hal was happy to have the house to themselves today, not just because of the bizarre nature of their activities, but because of the conversation he knew was imminent. He assumed that it would also wander into territory that he preferred to keep private.

Lena started things right off. "I wasn't sure you'd be interested in me as a man," she said. She once again ignored his dossier and allowed him to set the pace of conversation.

"You're not just any man," he pointed out. "In fact, I'm not sure there's a definition for what you are. Do you consider yourself bisexual?" he asked.

"I don't know what I am," Lena said. "Maybe I'm just Hal-sexual." She grinned at him.

"I don't discuss my preferences," Hal said. "They could have gotten me killed in less enlightened days."

"Vampires aren't homophobic, are they?"

He chuckled grimly. "No, vampires as a species aren't opposed to anything that leads to a good blood orgy. Individuals are like humans, though, each with his own tastes. I prefer women, but occasionally a particularly attractive man will catch my eye. You, Pet, most definitely held my interest."

She looked at him quickly at the mention of her new name. The way Hal said that word, the deep vibrato in his voice as he spoke of her, made her flush with desire. The blatant lust in his eyes turned the flush into tingly aches deep in her body. I've unleashed a monster I don't know how to catch. The thought worried the edges of her mind. Time to set some ground rules. Discretion. Let's try for discretion.

She took a sip of her cooling tea before she spoke. "If you don't discuss your preferences, you'll probably want to keep this between us. No making out in the living room with me as a man?"

"If you don't mind. I can only imagine the rude attempts at humor that Alex would bludgeon us with, and I suspect that Tom would be very uncomfortable."

She shrugged. "Okay, I'm easy." His lips twitched with a smile. "Not what I meant, but that's probably true too. You've got some crazy skills, Hal. I'm impressed. I may need to take notes."

"I'm a man of many talents," he said smugly.

"Damn straight." She raised her tea cup in a toast to his talents and smiled to herself as she recalled the ones she had most recently enjoyed.

Hal took a bite of his precisely-made sandwich. Lena was getting better at preparing afternoon tea; she had managed acceptable-looking cucumber, cheese and pickle, and smoked salmon sandwiches, for which he was thankful. He was always hungry after a satisfying fuck, particularly when it didn't include blood. They ate in quiet companionship for a few moments, until Hal began to consider what his many talents may have led her to believe about him.

"I think I should clarify," he said with a touch of discomfort in his voice. "I am far less expert at—fellatio—than you may think. I was simply returning the favor, so to speak. You have been an excellent instructor in the art of lovemaking."

"That's quite a compliment. Thank you." Lena's sincerity was obvious enough for Hal to relax and continue speaking.

"You're welcome. It seemed natural to be intimate with you in that way, but historically I have not been as obliging with my lovers." Hal assumed that she knew of his brutal assaults on his male lovers. However, his dossier was no longer an uncomfortable third partner in their growing relationship, so he spoke only what he thought should be acknowledged.

"Obliging?" Lena was surprised by his work choice. "You owned me! You weren't obliging, you were domineering and I loved every second of it."

Hal was astounded beyond words. She'd noticed and she wasn't upset. She had enjoyed being dominated by him! Lena kept talking, as much to herself as to him. This was something she needed to process also.

"You named me Pet, you made me beg. Hal, nobody makes me beg. I didn't beg when I was chained in a cave. I didn't beg when I dropped onto Vesuvius barefoot, or when I was thrown into a typhoon and told to swim for it. I haven't begged for anything from anyone, for as long as I can remember. And I've certainly never begged a lover to satisfy me. You, sir, have got the toughest set of balls I've ever seen. Nobody in my life has dared what you did." Lena shook her head in disbelief. "Did I happen to mention that I loved every second?"

"Yes, I believe you did," he murmured, still in shock.

"Just don't get cocky about it, okay? I can still throw you through a wall if I want."

"I'm aware. Unfortunately, 'cocky' is deeply ingrained in me so I'm afraid you shall have to bear with it to the best of your ability, Pet." He gave her the smoldering look and slow, crooked smile that made her wobbly inside every time. The things that man could do to her!

She caught her breath and tried to calm herself. Damn his vampire abilities, he'll know he's got my heart racing again, she thought. "I still want to have sex with you as myself," she said. "What you did to me was incredible, but I'm a woman at heart, and I want you in that way as much as ever."

"I'm glad to hear it," Hal said. "It is my preference as well. I have to say, though, that I'm intrigued by the possibilities your shape changes can offer. When I said I'd take you any way I could have you, I wasn't expecting you to become made-to-order."

"Let's not get carried away, all right? I'll start to think you only love me for my magic tricks," she teased.

"I loved you before I knew you had any magic tricks," he pointed out. Her startled look made him uncomfortable, so he quickly continued. "That was also before I knew of your interest in cutting off men's jewels. I could do without that part of your character."

"Now that I know how great it feels to have jewels that work, I may reconsider the habit," she said lightly. It was a brief respite before she addressed a serious topic.

"You were stronger than me today," Lena continued. "You had the presence of mind to stop yourself when I couldn't."

"What if I hadn't?" he asked quietly.

"I still would have gotten it up the ass, I guess, but it wouldn't have been nearly as much fun," she replied with a shrug. He choked on his tea at her vulgar language. Really, he should be used to it by now, but she could still appall him.

"How were you able to control yourself?" she asked when she thought he could answer.

He frowned thoughtfully. "I needed to be in you, and I knew I couldn't—we couldn't have intercourse in the typical way. Safely. Then I realized that I was about to do something you didn't want. The vampire would have forced it on you, but I would not." He took a deep breath and looked directly at her. "The vampire doesn't make that decision any longer. I do."

"Good to know. I'm glad the vampire wasn't in charge, because I was too far gone to care."

"I would have hurt you had I continued," Hal reminded her gently.

"I heal quickly. Oh shit! Hal!" Lena looked at him, horrified to realize what could have happened. A chance of injury, a chance of him reaching her blood.

"Yes, I thought of that too," he said. "Not at the time—later."

"So much risk, and I didn't even think. I was desperate enough to let you have a crack at it anyway," Lena said bleakly.

Hal blinked, shook his head rapidly, and gaped at her. "That was a truly horrible pun," he said stiffly.

Lena clapped a hand over her mouth as she realized what she had said. "Oh my god!" she said through her hand.

"And apparently inadvertent?" Hal had a hint of a smile on his face.

Lena nodded and took her hand off her mouth. "That was terrible, even for me." She chuckled at herself. "Crack at it," she murmured. "Holy shit, I'm a mess." She rubbed her face with her hands and shook herself. It was time to change the subject. She reached for another sandwich as she continued.

"I caught your elegant play on words at the Archive, by the way. 'Unwelcome guest at your court' was classic. I'm sure you were an excellent courtier in your day, with your smooth moves and your lute-playing skills." She smiled at the mental picture she had created.

"You caught that?" He looked slightly pleased with himself. "You were very likely the only one."

"Tough crowd. Young crowd."

Hal picked up the teapot, poured more tea, and handed Lena back her cup and saucer with an indulgent look. She still drank coffee in the morning but had begun to accept tea as her drink of choice throughout the day. She noticed the look and shook her head.

"Drinking tea doesn't make me British," she said.

"I didn't say a word."

"Tea was around long before this country, you know. For that matter, I was around when tea was first brewed. And coffee."

"I'm beginning to wonder if there's anything you don't predate." Hal flicked an eyebrow to accompany his crooked smile. He had studied her enough to know it would let him get away with an age joke.

She just chuckled. "Well, sex, obviously, or I wouldn't be here. And dancing. My mom and grandma taught me to dance."

"Who taught you about sex?"

"It wasn't so much teaching as it was learning along with another person. Trying new things, playing with new ideas." She ate another bite of sandwich. "I don't predate sex, but I do predate the artificial morality that has become attached to it. My decisions are based on my own preferences."

"So, 'I don't do anal' is a preference, not a moral choice?"

She nodded. "That drunken orgy I said I'd never mention again? That was a bad experience for me, so I swore off anal. Up to that point I'd occasionally enjoyed it, but it was nothing like what happened today. Damn. Wow."

"I'm glad I was able to satisfy you," Hal said. He hesitated, then continued. "I'm sorry to hear that you were feeling desperate, as it were. I had hoped that I was doing well enough—for you—to forestall any—negative reaction—you might have to the limited range of activities—" he blundered to a halt.

"I want your dick. Simple as that. I've had female lovers, but I prefer a big healthy penis, and yours is my all-time favorite. I may have mentioned that." She smiled at him. "I also like having your hands on my boobs."

"I like having your breasts in my hands." He couldn't bring himself to use the word 'boobs,' even if she was comfortable with it. However profane his thoughts may be, Hal tried to maintain a level of propriety in his spoken language, especially at the table.

"Can we add that to the list of acceptable practices?"

"Yes, if we are careful, I think that can be arranged." He sighed and frowned slightly. "This conversation is doing me no favors. I've lost interest in tea. All I want is you. I think I may be going slightly mad from wanting you."

"So it's not just me then," Lena said. "I'd give my left arm to screw you into oblivion. It probably doesn't help you to hear that."

"Not particularly, no." He sighed again. "Bugger!"

She gave him the 'you're joking' look. He shook his head. "I didn't mean—"

"How about a nice blowjob?" Lena interrupted him. She slid out of her chair and knelt next to him as she spoke.

"What, here? Now?" Hal jumped as he felt her hands on the button and zip of his trousers.

"Why not? Tom is gone until who-knows-when, Alex isn't due back for an hour. You enjoy your tea and I'll enjoy you." Lena had his erection in her hand. "Hello there, Big Boy," she said. She was no longer talking to Hal.

He poured himself another cup of tea with surprisingly steady hands. This was an old game and one he played well. He should be able to finish his tea, and another sandwich or two, although it would be close. It was time to see if his well-honed and practiced self-control gave him an advantage in the game that his human self hadn't had. Hal reached for a sandwich with a smile. He might even have time to think up something special for Lena for when it was her turn.

# # #

Alex returned from the Sutherland/Riley household with an excellent report. Beth and Ben were doing well in school and planning for their futures. 'Uncle' Lloyd and 'Aunt' Judy were warm, loving, and stable, just what the teenagers needed. Alex was learning to play Guitar Hero again. The video game required her to focus intently on her tangibility but also allowed her to rock out to loud music. She hadn't won against either of the Rileys yet, but she outdid Lloyd, which was a good start. What's more, the Sutherlands were beginning to see Alex—not completely yet, she was still a bit transparent—and they encouraged her to keep working on her strengths.

Tom called from the Archive to let them know that he wouldn't be home for supper. The court members were determined to reach a decision, even if it took all night. Alex waited for Tom downstairs, where she could entertain herself with crap telly. Lena and Hal went upstairs to read in the relative quiet of their room.

Lena was sitting at the desk with her laptop. "I found what you did to me," she said. "Prostate massage can bring a man to orgasm. It's even called the male g-spot. Did you know that?" She looked at Hal, sat on the bed with a Henry James novel, The American.

"I did not," he replied, answering her very specifically. He was unfamiliar with the current label, but his knowledge of the activity was centuries old.

She accepted his answer as completely in keeping with his character and continued talking. "It's funny. I've done stuff to men that I knew they enjoyed, but I've never felt it for myself. Gives me a whole new perspective. And why didn't I know about this prostate orgasm? Damn, I'm going to have to subscribe to Cosmopolitan just to get caught up on things."

"I'd like to think your choice of reading material is slightly beyond what Cosmopolitan can provide." Hal's response was typically snarky.

Lena eyed his book of choice suspiciously. "You know that's complete twaddle, right? It won't help you understand our cultural differences, and the second half of the plot is ridiculously melodramatic."

"I enjoy his style of writing."

"Nobody enjoys his style of writing, Hal, especially in his later works. His pomposity is unbearable and his sentence structure torturous. Just finding the core of meaning is an exhausting process."

"I consider it an engaging and relaxing exercise of the mind," he said mildly. He refused to be drawn into a literary debate. "Reading James' work requires me to focus and ignore any distractions, which I appreciate." He gave her a pointed look.

"Oh, so I'm a distraction now?" she chuckled. Her good humor and open manner led him to say more than he had planned.

"What I want to do to you is certainly a distraction. I'm trying not to become completely obsessed with your ability to change your appearance." Hal mentally kicked himself as soon as he admitted his fantasy. He wanted his Pet again and didn't know how to tell her.

"Tell me what you mean," she demanded, her curiosity piqued.

"No. I can't see that being in any way a good idea." Candor wasn't easy for Hal Yorke under the best circumstances; he couldn't strategize and plan for anticipated responses. Candor with Lena, whose reactions he couldn't predict, was at times terrifying and made him feel defenseless.

"Why not? What are you afraid of? Oh." She understood. "You're afraid that you'll upset me, cause me to turn away from you."

He set his book aside and looked at her for a long moment. A barely-perceptible nod was his only reply.

"Still?" she asked.

"Always." He whispered the word into the air between them and hoped that she would understand.

Her forehead wrinkled with a thoughtful frown. "That won't do," she said. She calmly stood up and took off her clothes, taking care to stack them neatly on her desk chair so as not to offend Hal's sense of order.

"Do you like what you see?" she asked.

He nodded, unsure of what was happening.

She transformed into his Pet. "Do you like what you see?"

He nodded again, still wary.

She transformed into a statuesque African woman with carved ivory decorating her neck, wrists, and ankles. She wore an ivory headpiece in the complex braids of her hair. She turned around slowly, proudly, for him. "Do you like what you see?" She became the male version and did the same. "And now?" She watched him stare at her and smiled at his stunned expression as he nodded with each transformation.

"Good. Moving on," she said, and transformed into a delicate woman with tanned skin, almond-shaped eyes, and silky black hair. She was petite, graceful, with gentle curves. "Do you like what you see?" She gave him a moment to admire her form before becoming the male version of it.

He exhaled shakily and nodded.

"Good. How about this?" She became tall, slender, pale. Her lips and nipples were the same soft pink; her blue eyes held rainbows in their depths. The hair on her head and between her legs caught the light like spun silver threads as she slowly pirouetted.

His mouth watered and his erection throbbed and he couldn't keep up with the sensations she was causing in him. He was beguiled, hypnotized. He nodded.

"Do you like this? Japan is another favorite of mine." She became dark-haired and dark-eyed, more powerfully built, with the majority of her body covered in exquisite tattoos. She was a walking masterpiece and he reached for her without thinking. She came to him and gave him time to admire the intricate patterns of flowers, koi, and catlike beasts that wrapped around her torso and limbs. A serpentine creature, some kind of dragon, writhed its way along her body. He sat on the edge of the bed and traced the rich, delicately-interwoven designs. Even as he touched her, he couldn't believe she was real.

When he finally moved his focus to her face she smiled at his awestruck look and stepped away from him again. She became a beautiful Arab woman with high, firm breasts and sensuous curves. She had gold bangles around her wrists and ankles, and gold rings through her nipples. A gold chain connected the rings and hung across her chest. A second chain descended from the first, down the center of her body, where it disappeared into curly black hair. She watched his eyes follow the chain downward. "Clitoral piercing," she said, and she began to sway gently. Her jewelry made music she could dance to.

"Stop!" The word burst from him as he lunged at her, one hand reaching for the chains that would make her his slave while the other clutched the bedpost to hold himself back. He wasn't sure which of them the command was meant for.

Lena resumed her own form. "So soon? There are so many cultures to explore, so many possibilities." She waited quietly while Hal sat on the bed and got himself together again. He closed his eyes and dug his hands into the bedspread. She heard him muttering song lyrics under his breath.

"Oh, I know," she said, "too many women in the mix. Sorry, let's try again. Would you like a bit of Beowulf in your bed?"

When Hal dared to look up he saw a heavily-muscled man with long wild hair and beard standing in the middle of the floor. The man watched him with blue-grey eyes beneath broad brows. His huge body was marred by battle scars, and an impressive erection was beginning to grow up from thick pubic hair. In fact, the man had a lot of body hair, which was usually a weak point in Lena's transformations, and the scars were very realistic.

"Beowulf is a legend." Hal hoped that was the case.

"Legendary yes. Legend, no." The man's deep voice resonated through the room and sent chills down Hal's spine.

"Fuck," he gasped. He didn't mean it literally, but Beowulf leered at him as if he did.

"Not really my thing, but if you insist," the warrior said.

"No! Thank you, no." Hal took a deep breath and reminded himself that he was in fact looking at Lena. "How do you know what Beowulf looked like?" He directed his question at his girlfriend and hoped that she would give him an acceptable answer: history text or illustrated manuscript perhaps.

She became herself as she spoke. "Yours is not the only body I've memorized."

That was exactly the answer Hal was afraid he would get. Shit!

"So, did you have a favorite?" she asked. "Most of them will have to wait until you're past the 'devour a woman's genitals phase' but some we could try on right away." She spoke as she sat next to him on the bed.

He stared at the floor and shook his head. "You knew Beowulf."

"I knew the warrior about whom the stories are told. I knew the man from whom the legends grew."

"He's…big." Hal winced at his word choice. It was ineloquent and allowed for no misinterpretation. 'Impressive' or 'bulky' or 'a huge hairy monster' would have been better choices.

"I've had bigger." She shrugged.

"I'd rather you hadn't said that."

"See, I knew you're competitive. Tell me what you want, Hal. Just tell me."

"You."

"Which me? I've been all of those women. I can be any of those men. This form you see isn't me, Hal, it's just my body."

Her statement startled him so much that he moved away from her and stared. "Just your body?" He shook his head. "Just your body. And this is just my body." He placed a hand on his own chest. "A walking corpse full of other people's blood. A host of nightmares encased in skin. This body is all I have, and I cling to it, even though I know what a horror it represents. How can you take your body so lightly? Don't you know what a treasure it is?"

It was her turn to stare at him. "You are so much more than just the body you possess," she said. "Don't you know that?"

"Am I? Take away the vampire and see how much is left. I hope you like your lovers dusty, my lady."

"What do you think we're doing, Hal? We are taking away the vampire. We're revealing the man. I know that curse is the only thing keeping you alive right now, but I swear to you, I will find another way for you to live."

"And if you don't?"

"Whither thou goest, I will go. I guess you'll just be stuck with me," she said quietly. "Happily, I can offer you some variety at least." She smiled a sideways smile and glanced at him flirtatiously. She saw a twitch at the corner of his mouth. She arched an eyebrow. The twitch got more pronounced. "So, my lord, what will you order from the menu this evening?"

"Is this a serious offer? It won't offend you if I want something besides your natural form?"

"It would be stupid of me to be jealous of myself." She stood in front of him. "So, what're you hankering for tonight?"

"Those tattoos—" She became the woman as he spoke. "—how did you create all of this?" He lightly caressed a peony that bloomed on her abdomen. Its color reflected the color of her nipples. His hands drifted in that direction.

"I didn't. They are the work of a master of Irezumi."

"They're real? Can they be real on a male version of this? Can they be real on you?"

She smiled at him. "Which me are you talking about?"

"As if you weren't confusing enough already." He brushed his hands against her nipples and teased them into tight points.

"My tattoos are real. They can be on any form of me I choose." She moaned softly and leaned into his hands.

"I want to have sex with you," Hal said.

"I was hoping you'd say that."

"Not as a woman. Not yet. I don't trust myself enough."

"I know." She closed her eyes and enjoyed his hands on her. "I'd like to try that male g-spot thing again. Can we do that without giving me a case of blue balls in the process?"

He chuckled quietly. The language that made him cringe in the dining room suited him perfectly in their private space. "Of course. You can take care of that for yourself, in fact."

"Or you could. I may be too busy having my mind blown by your amazing dick to pay any attention to my own."

"Flatterer. Did Beowulf get to choose his lover?" Hal got up from the bed and began to take off his clothes as he spoke. He went to the boudoir chair, a move that got him away from the temptations of her naked femininity and conveniently placed his back to her so she couldn't see his expression.

Lena said. "Um, shouldn't you get the Vaseline before you get naked?"

Hal glanced over his shoulder at the bedside cabinet. The jar was already in place.

"Pretty sure of yourself," she said.

"I warned you that my cockiness was deeply ingrained." He spoke with more confidence than he felt. He had been merely hopeful.

"So you did. Sorry, back to the topic at hand: my ability to change shape. It's supposed to be a secret. My immediate family knows, some of Ammon's family. Rook knows now, which means it is in the Archive record. But for most of my existence I've been able to count on my fingers the number of people who knew about it."

"And now we know. Tom, Alex, and I."

"Like I said, immediate family. My human consorts didn't know anything about me beyond what I wanted them to know. You were witness to that."

"We weren't together that long. I thought it might have been different with someone else." Hal was naked and had finished folding his clothes and placing them carefully in the boudoir chair. He turned to see tattoo woman sitting calmly on the bed. She smiled in appreciation of his naked body and her eyes lingered on his erection. Hal flexed his pelvic muscles and it jerked.

"Beckoning?" she asked as she stood up.

"Possibly." He watched her carefully as she walked toward him. Everything about her said that she was ready to play.

"For whom?" she asked.

It was the moment of truth. Hal didn't know why he was suddenly nervous and jittery at the thought of seeing him again. Almost as if he was asking permission to take Pet out to dinner and a movie, and that wasn't at all what Hal had in mind.

"I'd like to see my Pet, with those exquisite tattoos," he said.

*"Torn Between Two Lovers" written by Peter Yarrow and Phillip Jarrell.