took from me my husband before ever his lips touched mine. When my father chose
me from my sisters to be sent to ease Askelon’s loneliness, I had a choice-yea
or nay-and a year to make it. I studied him, and felt love enough to come to
human flesh to claim it. To become human-you concede that I am, for argument’s
sake?”
He did that-her spectacular body, sheathed in muscle, taut and sensuous, was too
powerful and yet too shapely to be mortal, but even so, he did not critique her.
“Then,” she continued, rising up, hands on her impossibly slim waist, pacing as
she spoke in a rustle of armor-scales, “consider my plight. To become human for
the love of a demiurge, and then not to be able to claim him….It is done, I
have this form, I cannot undo it until its time is up. And since I cannot
collect satisfaction from her-he has forbidden me that pleasure-all the powers
on the twelfth plane agree: I may have what I wish from you. And what I wish, I
have made quite plain.” Her voice was deepening. She took a step toward him.
He objected, and she laughed, “You should see your face.”
“I can imagine. You are a very attractive . . . lady, and you come with
impeccable credentials from an unimpeachable source. So if you are inexperienced
in the ways of the world, brash and awkward and ineffective because of that, I
suppose I must excuse you. Thus, I shall make allowances.” His one hand raised,
gestured, scooped up her loinguard and tossed it at her. “Get dressed, get out
of here. Go back to your master, familiar, and tell him I do not any longer pay