The air felt strangely cool on my heated skin.

He desires me.

This feeling was alien. It was as though I were a predator, and he was my prey. Knowing he desired me… I felt powerful, somehow. My skin was tight, my heart’s pounding was a thing of readiness instead of fear, my muscles were aching to make me move. To move against him… to touch, to take, to conquer…

This was nothing like what I’d felt before. With Benjamin, it was a thing of love - a feeling of sharing, of closeness, of intimacy. This was a thing of… I had no idea. Power? Lust? Hunger? My breath felt hot on my lips, as though invisible tongues of flame escaped my lungs, as though I were a mighty, fire breathing dragon, roaring out for all the world to hear of what was mine.

The feeling that was overtaking me must have been visible, somehow. O’Brien - no, Liam glanced at me, and shifted minutely again.

He coughed slightly, as he looked at his whiskey closer than entirely necessary.

“I think it’s good to note that I’m still not entirely sure what… what I do want, exactly,” he said, not meeting my eyes for the first time in this conversation.

Cold water struck my heart, and uncertainty followed in his wake. I snapped back to my reality.

He’d said I was allowed to keep trying, but that didn’t mean I was going to win.

“Of course,” I said, awkwardly. “But… surely you’ve thought about it some.”

He nodded slowly.

“Oh, I’ve been thinking about that quite a bit, especially these last few minutes,” he said, his tone dryly amused.

“... and?” I prompted.

“I’m one to take my time with things,” he said, still looking at his whiskey. “I like to make my decisions with a clear head, and make sure I’ve thought things through. I could be wrong, but I’m getting the impression you… would want something to happen tonight.”

Words were simply impossible, so I nodded.

“Best to get expectations clear,” he said. “That’s not really likely to happen.”

“But it’s not impossible,” I said, noting his word choice.

That predatory warmth hissed through my veins again as, at last, I made him blush.

It was only a little, a scarcely visible flush in his cheeks, but it still felt like a victory.

“I also have to admit, the part of all we’ve talked about that’s most… interesting,” he said, completely sidestepping my observation, “Is the part about a woman’s pleasure. I imagine that you could teach me quite a bit on that subject.”

“Your interest is academic,” I said, frowning.

He laughed, more heartily than I’d ever heard from him before.

“‘Academic,’” he repeated, still laughing, as though he found the word almost absurd. I hoped it was the alcohol, and not that I’d said something stupid. I wasn’t thinking all that clearly, myself.

“There’s definitely an ‘academic’ interest,” he said, after he mostly managed to bring himself to merely chuckling. “There’s something, too, that I’m having a hard time understanding, on that point.”

“Oh?” I asked.

He met my eyes again, and curiosity shone in them.

“The things you can do, with a body. You’ve said you can heal almost anything, you can… grow things on people,” he said with a smirk, “You can do all those things, but you can’t… do that? Make that pleasure?”

I chuckled.

“I can, in ways you can’t imagine,” I said. “There’s a few issues with that. For one, if I were to, for instance, put myself in a position of feeling unending orgasm…”

His eyes widened with fascination.

“... then it would become dull. Ordinary,” I continued. “Beyond that issue, that sort of thing is dangerous. Any physical sensation can be created whatsoever, by someone with my skill set. It’s addictive. Like the issue with healing magic - if someone goes down that path, they either break free of it, which is unlikely, or they die.”

“That makes sense,” he said. “But even with that, I’m trying to understand why you need… well, anyone. Or anything.”

“I can give myself pleasure,” I said. “Not just with magic, either. With hands. Men can do that, too.”

“Oh, I’m very familiar with that,” he said, smirking.

I blushed and decided to ignore that comment, and just go on with my point.

“But even though men and women can do that,” I continued, “There’s something special about being with someone. There’s that feeling of being wanted by someone.”

My voice grew hazy and thick with feeling as my mind began to drift to pleasant thoughts and memories.

“There’s that feeling of closeness. The warmth of a body against yours. The softness of someone’s skin. The sounds…”

I trailed off, my mind drifting into pleasant thoughts.

A slow, focused breath of air brought my attention back to Liam. The expression on his face make my blood heat again.

“That’s very…” he said slowly, taking a moment to exhale again. “That’s quite a vivid image you painted there.”

Was that… was it desire in him? I glanced at his face hopefully. I wished I could know… was it a general lust, based on memories I’d provoked, or did he want me? How was I supposed to know?

We were silent for a moment, as I wasted thoughts wishing it were ethically acceptable to just peek into his mind…

What I’d give to know what he was thinking.

And yet, I was too afraid to ask.

You don’t want to be a coward, his previous words echoed in my head, and I frowned. This is a way to practice that.

“What are you thinking?” I blurted out, before I lost my nerve again.

“That assumes my thoughts are coherent,” he muttered, almost too quiet for me to make out. He shook his head a little.

I decided to be patient. Surely he’d reward my impromptu courage with more than that.

“I don’t think you can blame me for feeling a little overwhelmed,” he said, glancing up at me with an amused smile. “My mind’s trying to wrap around all of the possibilities, and I just…”

He hesitated, seeming lost for words. I continued waiting.

“For a really… crude example,” he said, almost seeming exasperated with himself, “You could, for instance, change your breast size.”

I laughed.

“I can, at that,” I said, entertained at his line of thought.

For fun, I decided to demonstrate such power. First, I shifted my fat reserves, slimming down in my belly and legs, and made my breasts larger. I grew them to the point of being almost comically large.

I also decided not to change the size of my dress, making most of the increase more… visible.

His eyes widened as he watched the change.

I then switched the direction, making myself essentially flat chested, rounding out my bottom with that mass instead. This time I did adjust my dress, keeping the same amount of skin showing.

He continued to watch in fascination as I returned to my original shape, with a dramatically reduced amount of coverage on my chest.

I decided more demonstrations were in order. I shifted my hair and skin color. My skin danced through all the shades of brown, and my hair bounced around some ordinary colors, followed by whimsical ones, like blue, iridescent purple, translucent, and mirrored.

My control of magic was a bit off, but fortunately, this sort of change was easy.

“I have to admit, that looks like fun,” he said, smiling warmly.

I shifted everything back to normal. Except the dress. Though it was disappointing that he wasn’t even glancing at my cleavage.

“It is,” I said, and then smiled at him coyly. “I could look like anything you desired.”

He laughed at that, warm amusement in his voice.

“You don’t need to change your appearance, Aera,” he said. “I doubt there’s a man alive who’d reject you based on how you look. That was more just my mind trying to wrap around all of what you’re offering. It’s… it’s quite a package.”

“But you’re not sure if you’re interested,” I said, uneasy again.

He shook his head.

“If I wasn’t interested at all, this conversation would have gone very differently,” he said.

So… that meant he was interested, right? I frowned, trying to understand his cautious word choice.

“I just want to make sure there are no issues,” he said, shifting in his seat. “I don’t want anyone to get hurt, at any point. I don’t want us to find ourselves in a position where someone’s holding the other one back, say, from a more serious romantic prospect. I want to be absolutely sure that this is what you want.”

“You’re not sure that this is what I want?” I asked, gaping at him.

“You’re young, Aera,” he said, giving me an almost tired expression. “You’re inexperienced - from what you’ve said, I take it your only experience was with your almost fiance, isn’t it?”

“Yes, but why does that matter?” I asked.

“Emotions are hard to predict sometimes,” he said. “You could end up wanting things you don’t currently expect. You could find yourself wanting more than I can offer, and then we’d be in an uncomfortable position where I’ve got power over your situation, I know a dangerous secret, and as you said, you’ve got magic, tangling things up in that direction.”

“I know what I want,” I said, my voice heating in a different way.

“What you’re… proposing,” he said. “It’s not exactly a normal thing. I’m not saying it’s unreasonable, it’s just different, which means it warrants some thinking. We’d have to make sure we set the right boundaries. It’s not a normal relationship, but I’d agree to not pick up any other women while we’re together, as an example.”

I opened my mouth to protest that I wouldn’t care, and then closed it. It was horribly selfish, but the idea of having his time belong to me was too tantalizing to resist.

And then I realized another aspect of what he’d said.

“You’re saying…” I said slowly, predatory heat filling me with aches again. “You’re saying that you are agreeing to this exchange of pleasure and knowledge, that there’s just details to work out.”

“If… if this really is what you want,” he said, giving me a searching look.

The flames of lust and victory began to command my flesh, and I leaned towards him. A slow breath left him as he took in my expression.

“Liam O’Brien,” I said, my voice somehow taking on an almost catlike, purring tone, “I am completely aware of what I desire. Your body, your mind, your touch, your heat, your… masculinity. I desire you, and I would have no delay.”

Where the hell had that come from?

The thought was a flickering distraction from the heat boiling my blood as I gazed hungrily at him. That same thought was replaced by a mental note that alcohol combined with lust made me act…

Truthfully, it made me act in a way that was thrilling.

He stood up from his chair and walked over to the sofa. He sat down next to me, and put an arm over my shoulder.

Human brains were stupid, useless things, obviously. Why… how had I been so bold mere seconds prior, and now, on feeling the weight of his arm on me…

A pathetic squeak escaped my throat.

“Then it seems tonight will be a night of learning,” he said.

The heat of his breath was on my neck, and I trembled.

I couldn’t do this. I was going to die. The intensity of the fire in my chest was going to make my heart explode. I was going to explode with such an overwhelming display that all of Boston would be nothing but a smoldering crater.

My body curled in on itself, desperate for relief from the downright painful ache in my heart, and I hid my face in the nearest available hiding spot.

Which happened to be his chest.

Mmm… this is nice…

“So, then, teacher,” he said, a smile in his voice. “What will be my first lesson?”

“Lesson?” I repeated with a groan. “So… academic? Why can’t you just… I mean…”

A slow chuckle tickled at my ear.

“I didn’t expect you to talk me into this tonight,” he said, his tone amused. “But, you did. That doesn’t change the fact that…”

He hesitated.

“I know what you’re going to say,” he said, serious again. “I know, I know, you made your point, but the fact is, I’m not thinking that clearly. And I will not take advantage of you, in any way. I refuse. So tonight… tonight is on you.”

But I want you to “take advantage,” I thought with a groan. You stupid, ridiculously well behaved, demon spawned cur...

His voice returned to an almost playful tone as he continued, “But I assure you, I’ll be a very attentive student.”

“You’re… curious,” I said slowly.

“Very,” he said. “Irresistibly. The idea of being able to give a woman that kind of pleasure…”

He shook his head, which sent interesting ripples through the warmth of his chest.

I groaned into his shirt and muttered a variety of curses that, hopefully, he wouldn’t be able to make out, due to my words being muffled.

Was that really the way he felt…? While I was lost in an almost agonizing haze of desire, he was just tolerating being with me, in order to get information? He didn’t… he didn’t want this…?

I buried my face more aggressively into his chest, my body curling up, as my anxiety and uncertainty grew.

“What’s wrong?” he asked.

“I…”

My voice cut off as I swallowed. Could I even confess this fear?

A strangled laugh came out of my throat as I realized I didn’t have much of a choice. He’d practically beat it out of me, between his questions and his searching gaze.

“I want… I need…” I said, my voice scarcely more than a whisper. “I… I have to know…”

“What?” he asked gently, after I went silent.

I half wondered if my nose was going to leave a bruise on his chest, as forcefully as I was trying to hide my face.

“Do… do you…” I hesitated again, trembling. “Please... Do you… do you want me?”

A sharp intake of breath cooled the air next to my ear.

“You’re asking if I physically want you?” he asked, disbelieving.

I nodded into his shirt.

“Oh, Aera,” he breathed. “I… I have to apologize. Let me correct this and make it as explicitly clear as I possibly can.”

He reached up to take my hand, that was currently gripping at his shirt. I relaxed and let him move me lower.

I gasped as he placed my hand against throbbing, firm heat…

It scorched me. Searing flames boiled my blood and robbed me of sanity as I pulled my head back, to look him in the eyes.

His gaze was unwavering and intense as he spoke.

“I desire you,” he said.

A faint whimper escaped me as I quivered, paralyzed by his gaze and the heat beneath my hand.

“Show me,” he said, his voice low and seeming to resonate through every inch of my skin. “Show me how to give you pleasure, Aera.”

I closed my eyes. I was going to kill him. I was going to strangle him to death, shrieking, and then I was going to hit him over the head until some sense was knocked into him, and then I was going to make him act like a proper man, pinning me down and taking…

A half mad giggle slipped out of me at the absurdity of that order of events.

He smiled at my giggle, reassured by it, it seemed. My expression turned desperate, pleading, as he continued to sit, unmoving.

Desire warred with uncertainty. I… I didn’t know how to take.

I shifted in my seat, getting on my knees on the sofa so that I could face him directly. I wasn’t willing to take my hand away from the proof that he wanted me. The gently pulsing firmness was continual reassurance that I didn’t have to be afraid.

My other hand rose slowly, cautiously, to his face. His breath caught as I gently traced my fingers along the day’s worth of stubble. My eyes fell to his lips and I leaned closer to him. The tip of my finger traced over their softness. He didn’t respond, but the heat beneath my left hand twitched, echoing within me as an empty ache that longed to be filled.

My face was an inch from his, my lips parted, my gaze locked on my target. Could I…?

What foolishness was this, that my hand was on his erection, and I was still afraid to dare to even kiss him?

My fear slowed me, but need assaulted my hesitation. I fell closer until my lips lightly met his, and I moaned as he responded. He kissed me back, precisely as gentle as I had been.

More…

I pressed closer, greedily deepening the kiss, and he matched me. A faint sound from his throat made me quiver, and then I found my tongue dancing with his.

I hadn’t realized that there was such a thing as skill with kissing, but apparently he had it. I let go of his desire to wrap myself around his neck, pulling him closer, deeper into the kiss. My breasts pressed against his chest, and my left knee found itself crossing over his legs, so that I was almost perching on his lap.

“Please…” I whispered, taking a breath between kisses.

“Tell me,” he murmured, and I whimpered in response.

“Touch me,” I said, writhing against him, my heat pressing against his thigh.

He moved instantly, and put his hand to my face. He traced along my jawline, just as I had done to him, a wickedly amused smile on his face as his eyes met mine.

“Where?” he asked.

I could have screamed. Emotion hummed in me so intensely that if I gave it a scant hint of will, of intention, magic would burst forth. My mind was so lost that I had no idea what it would do, aside from probably trying to make him take action, somehow.

If his apartment caught on fire, it would be his fault.

My left hand snaked up to his and pressed it more firmly against my skin. I slowly lowered it, forcing him to feel along my neck, my pulse hammering against his touch, descending along my inferno towards where it raged hottest.

Our lips danced again as I made him touch me.

As his hand reached my dress, I hesitated. I wanted to feel him against me.

With a flicker of will, my dress began to unravel into scattered threads beneath his hand.

A tremble moved through his body as I made him hold my naked breast, and made him pinch and tug at my nipple. His left arm lowered from my shoulders and pressed against my lower back.

I rose slightly, shifting my torso upwards as I withdrew my aching desire from his thigh. I let go of his hand for a moment and grabbed at his head, pulling his mouth down to my other breast. He eagerly complied, licking and kissing at my pert nipple.

“Firmer,” I whispered, and moaned as pleasure crackled along my skin like lightning.

After a moment of basking in the sensation, I put a finger beneath his chin to raise his face to mine. While I took another kiss from him, my hand took his again and forced him lower once more.

The fire in my veins had burned the dress to scarcely more than ash, and he pulled back for a moment to gaze at my naked body.

For some reason, I felt no embarrassment. I raised up, proud, and soaked in his gaze. Emboldened, I moved his hand directly to the source of my inferno.

“It’s slippery,” he said, surprised, as his fingers began to explore. “Damp is normal, but this…”

“Men are not the only ones who change in response to physical need,” I said. “Feel me…”

His fingers were too gentle as they probed my wetness.

“Wet, to ease your passage,” I said, breathing harder. “Swollen, to press against you. Within changes, as well… stretching to accommodate you, tightening to pull you in deeper…”

His breath caught again, and his muscles tightened. The arm at my back pulled me closer as his hand pressed more firmly against my heat.

I groaned and my nails dug into his shoulder.

The cloth prevented me from feeling his skin, and a little growl escaped me. My nails lightly slashed across his chest, and his shirt tore open, revealing faintly scarred musculature beneath a small tuft of red fur.

“My shirt,” he said, startled.

“I’ll make you another one,” I growled, and pushed him off to the side, making him lay back.

He laughed lightly as I pressed against him and leaned down to kiss at his exposed skin, while grinding against his hand.

Pleasure mounted… but it wasn’t quite enough…

“Here,” I whispered, and reached down to guide his hand again.

“I do not have a name for this in your language,” I said, trembling as I made him explore my swollen clit. “But this… it has nerves designed for pleasure, like you have. Only… it’s different.”

“Different how?” he asked, mimicking the motion I had demonstrated.

“If a woman doesn’t feel desire, touching this directly can be uncomfortable… even painful,” I said, my eyes closed. “When we need… it swells, like you. It can be made to… to reach orgasm, too.”

“Show me,” he said, his voice husky.

“Like this,” I whispered, guiding him.

My legs clenched, gripping his waist as his hand moved.

“Like yours,” I murmured, aching. “Would you have me be so gentle?”

He finally got the message. I felt the strength in his arm as his touch became firm and almost rough. Pleasure mounted again and I gasped.

Leaning in, I hungrily claimed another kiss as I made his free hand grab my rear. He used the leverage the position offered to move aggressively against my clit and I trembled.

“Almost…” I panted, gripping with both hands at his shoulders as I kissed him again.

Another tremble shook his body as I writhed above him.

Perspective abruptly filled my mind. He was mine. I had won… this man, that I had been fantasizing about for months... he was touching me, groaning with need, kissing me, pleasuring me...

A wild sound, half scream and half moan, burst from my chest as fire and lightning flooded my body with pleasure. I fell against him, quivering.

“I felt that,” he said, delight in his voice.

I suppressed a laugh as I panted, resting against him.

“It was like… like a popping sensation. It was twitching,” he said, then added hesitantly. “Does that mean you’re satisfied?”

I did laugh, then.

“Were I only slightly full of desire, then that would be enough,” I murmured. “But after this torment, you accursed beast, I want much more.”

His eyebrow raised curiously at first, and then a grin overtook his face as I used a spot of magic to rip his pants away.

I may have accidentally used a bit too much force, as the shreds of cloth flew into the wall with an audible thud.

“This is what I desire,” I said, as I lowered my gaze.

Standing proudly amidst a tangle of red fur, my prize twitched at the attention. I moved against him, rubbing my wetness against its length, moaning softly at the sensation.

A choked groan emerged from him as he gripped my waist tightly.

“If that’s what’s next,” he said, his tone forcibly cautious.

I made a frustrated noise.

“I want no more from you than you are willing to give,” I said.

“That’s a man’s line,” he said with a laugh.

“Then perhaps I should just take your manhood,” I muttered, then I smiled, despite myself.

“I never imagined a woman could want it like this,” he said, pressing himself against my heat, drawing a moan from me.

He closed his eyes and took a slow breath.

“Aera, I have to be honest with you, with you saying you want ‘much more,’” he said, and I frowned at yet another delay. “I don’t think I can take much at all.”

Another slow breath escaped him.

“The feeling, when I made you orgasm…”

His erection throbbed against me with an almost painful intensity and his grip tightened.

A predatory smile covered my face, and he became captured in my gaze.

“That doesn’t have to be an issue,” I purred.

“Is that so?” he asked, his hips moving against mine, continuing to rub his length against me.

“But I must warn you, lover,” I said, smiling wickedly. “My control of magic is a little compromised at the moment. Should I release my will into your body, only two things are certain - you will be fine, and I will be satisfied.”

His eyes danced with delight.

“That sounds like it could be fun,” he said.

“It will be,” I murmured. “May I, Liam O’Brien?”

“Yes,” he answered instantly.

My grin took on an almost cruel edge. He had no idea what he’d just agreed to. Hell, even I had no idea what he’d just agreed to. All I knew was that my magic was bursting at the seams, and my mind was in no shape to command it.

My laughter filled the air as my spirit flooded into his body. I found the key to his pleasure and I bound it to my own.

“Mine,” I said, leaning forward to grip onto his shoulders.

I lifted slightly, positioning myself, and then impaled myself on him.

The heat and fullness of the sensation ripped from me the last vestiges of my sanity and I lost myself to the beast of lust that had been roaring to get out.

Scarcely seconds passed before Liam cried out in climax, but then a strange choked sound followed, as his pleasure was not met with relief. His erection swelled larger and his eyes widened with a desperate expression.

“Aera…!” he said, insensate.

My grin widened as I intensified the pace. His grip tightened painfully and finally, finally his accursed restraint shattered. All of his strength was given to me, in waves of motion and ecstasy.

He took from me, and I took from him, and there was nothing but heat, and wetness, and wild, bestial desperation, as we both claimed our pleasure.

Orgasm tore through me and I paused in my motion, paralyzed briefly by its intensity. He made another choked groan, feeling my internal spasms massage him.

“Aera… please…” he moaned, as he tore into me, panting with his second climax.

“I am not finished with you yet,” I growled, leaning against him to resume taking from him what I desired.

Fatigue called to me, but I refused to listen. Another flood of magic left my spirit, banishing the signs of fatigue in both of our bodies.

More…

My hazy mind wanted more, and I freed my magic to find it. He began to grow inside of me, thickening and lengthening, until each thrust filled me entirely. I’d never felt such a thing and I fell against him, utterly lost to the sensation.

“So… tight…” he moaned, slamming against my depths.

The perfection of this pleasure sang to me, and I rose to greater heights. It was too wonderful to only be mine. The binding between us tightened and he made a wild sound, suddenly able to feel my pleasure.

He shifted in his motion, amplifying the sensation, and I screamed as another orgasm broke my will. With my release, he flooded my womb with his own wet heat.

Sanity slowly crawled back into my mind as I found myself collapsed against him, damp with sweat, satisfied to a degree I’d never known.

A long moment passed in silence, as we both recovered from the experience.

“That was…” he breathed. “That was enjoyable.”

He reached up to stroke my hair and I suddenly couldn’t handle the sight of his face. What I’d done… and even now, I was naked, and he could see me...

I squeaked and buried my face in the nearest hiding spot, which again happened to be his chest.

“You’re kidding,” he said with a laugh. “After that, you’re feeling shy again?”

My face was hot with blood.

“I’ve never done anything like that,” I muttered into the warm flesh of his pectoral muscle.

Inexplicably, he managed to figure out what I’d said.

“Not even with your ex?” he asked, sounding surprised.

I shook my head and curled up closer to him, as though trying to hide my nakedness from his sight by pressing it against his body.

Seriously, human brains are stupid, sometimes.

“Why not?” he asked.

More blood managed to get to my face. I wasn’t sure how that was possible.

“I was too shy to suggest anything,” I said. “He never asked. We didn’t… we never talked about it. About… sex things. Ever.”

“Poor guy,” he said. “He missed out.”

“So that means…” I said, daring to peek slightly out from behind the mound of muscle. “You… you liked… I mean…”

He laughed.

“Aera, I think it’s a reasonable conclusion that men aren’t physically capable of feeling the amount of pleasure you just gave me,” he said, smirking at me. “And on top of that, it was a novel experience. And I was able to make you reach orgasm, three times.”

I blushed again, and he patted my shoulder with another chuckle.

“There’s also that,” he said, looking down at himself. “A nice bonus. I think I’ll keep it, at least for a while, if that’s all right.”

“Um… I’m sorry…” I stammered. “It’s permanent. Unless I try to change it back. I should have asked. It’s… it’s not that you were small, I just…”

He laughed again.

“It’s fine, Aera,” he said. “You warned me. And I know I wasn’t that small - I’ve been in locker rooms before. I was average. And now…”

He frowned a little, fiddling with it, while I mostly hid my face again.

“It might be the biggest one I’ve seen,” he said, speculating as he poked at it. “Not the longest, but maybe the thickest.”

His words abruptly reminded me of how he felt inside and I bit my lip. A pleasant shiver ran through me as I realized that his seed was still within me.

He must have noticed something.

“You’re not satisfied?” he asked, bewildered.

I flushed again.

“I am!” I said. “I’m good! Wonderful, even! Absolutely perfect!”

“That’s good,” he said, another chuckle in his voice.

“I was just remembering…” I said, pressing my face against his warmth.

“Those are some good memories we just made,” he said, stroking my hair. “I’m just amused at the fact that we didn’t even make it to the bed. I don’t think I’ll ever look at my sofa the same way.”

“And…” I said, hesitating. “And we’ll make more memories like that?”

“Not tonight, or tomorrow,” he said. “I do still have work in the morning.”

“But soon?” I said hopefully.

“Soon,” he agreed, smiling down at me. “Come on, then, let’s head to sleep in my bed. You can go in the morning.”

“Um… sure,” I said, awkwardly covering myself with my hands as we started to get up.

“Aera, look at me,” he said, once he stood.

I swallowed and gave him a look over, turning bright red as I did so.

“There’s nothing to be embarrassed about,” he said.

My pathetic squeak was the most eloquent disagreement I could come up with.

“You’re beautiful,” he said, reaching out a hand to help me up. “You know full well that your body is perfect.”

“Only in health,” I protested, turning away from his inquisitive eyes. “T-that’s the only change I make. I keep it healthy. It’s otherwise… I mean…”

“To be honest, Aera, I’m not sure what constitutes a perfect body other than perfect health,” he said wryly.

“Proportions?” I said weakly.

His eyes were laughing as I glanced at him. He walked over and gently ran his fingers along my jaw, then down my neck, my chest, my hips…

I flushed again at his touch.

“The size of your breasts, the curve of your sides, and so on?” he said, and I nodded mutely.

He shook his head.

“Aera, even if that mattered to me - which it doesn’t - why would I care, with what you can do?” he said. “You can just change your ‘proportions’ whenever you want.”

“But…” I hesitated. “This is… this is what I really look like. What I was born to. What children would inherit.”

His eyes flashed in abrupt understanding.

“That’s what matters to people where you come from,” he said. “People who use magic.”

I nodded.

“I’ve looked up words, and I like ‘sorcerer’ best,” I said shyly.

“Sorcerers, then,” he said. “What you look like at any given moment doesn’t matter much - it’s what you were born as. That’s how you’re physically judged, as a partner. As a mate.”

I nodded again.

He smiled at me, and lifted my chin to look me square in the eyes.

“Aera,” he said. “For starters, I’m not having children with you. So how you’d breed makes absolutely no difference. Secondly, you are beautiful. And you’re not allowed to disagree - that’s my opinion on the matter, and that’s all there is to it. Now come on, it’s late, we need some sleep.”