That’s … oh, yes, that’s fine, that’s … Whoah!
Did I hurt you?
No, I, I’m just startled is all. I wasn’t expecting—
What use are such fine sharp teeth as mine if they’re never used? I didn’t actually break the skin anywhere, did I? No, I didn’t think I had. It’s not the sort of thing I’d do by accident. Come up here, you. Yes, bring your face to mine. Now we kiss. So you can taste yourself in my mouth and I can taste myself in yours. Let the flavors mingle. That’s what’s called the alchemical marriage. It can be harnessed to work magics.
Like what?
Well, I’ll admit I’ve never actually done it myself. There was never anything I wanted at that particular moment more than what I could easily arrange for myself with materials on hand.
I could think of a few things.
Really? Then tell me, what would you like to have right now? Be honest. What is it you really want most? Diamonds? A gold Rolex? A Mission-style hacienda with central air, in-ground heated pool, and a tennis court?
I’d … like your mouth again. You know. What you were doing before.
Oh, wise little monkey! And here’s your reward for choosing so well.
Ahhh. This is wonderful. This is so good. I could do this all night.
Be careful what you wish for. Remember where we are.
What do you mean?
Time is malleable in the night lands. Here, desire is a primal force — it’s entirely possible to be so caught up in some action that it lasts all night. And remember, night here lasts forever. Literally.
Oh.
I like how hairless you are. It’s so perverse. I’m going to crouch over you. Like this. With my front paws on your shoulders. It’s exactly the posture a lion takes before tearing open its prey. Do I frighten you?
A little.
Good. You should be frightened. I’m not at all human, you know. Do you enjoy what I’m doing with my tail?
Very much.
How gallant. Now I’ll just drag the tips of my breasts across your … Sir! What an impetuous creature you are. Not that I dislike it, mind you, I — yes, that’s good. That’s nice. But just lean back down for a moment and let me place you inside me. There! Ahh. Yes. You can continue what you were doing now.
What I was doing? Do you mean you want my mouth here? Or maybe you’d like my hands to squeeze you here? Or would you like me to place my fingers … here and do … this?
Oh, my. So many decisions to make. Demonstrate those choices for me again, would you? Ahhh. Mmm. Oh! Well, I must say they’re all … diverting. I believe I’ll take the lot.
You’ll have to choose. I can’t possibly do them all at the same time.
You can’t? How tiresome. In that case, I’ll just … throw you down! And ravish you! Yes! You’re helpless now. I can do anything I want with you.
I’m not as helpless as all that, you know. I’m not helpless at all. Let me show you a hold I learned in varsity wrestling. I just place one hand here and the other there, and — voila!
Yes, yes, tumble me around! Tumble me around! Take me from behind now. Here, I’ll crouch down low and raise my haunches high. Do you like this? Do you think it’s sexy?
More than words can express. Sexier than anything I’ve ever imagined. What are those lights?
Fata morganas. Ignore them. Just keep — ahhh, yes. Like that. They’re just excess magic grounding itself. Our passion creates little eddies in the time-flow. Ooh. Harder. You don’t need to be delicate with me. I admit they’re pretty to look at, though. The lights, I mean.
Lights? What lights?
I forget. I — ah! Oh, but you’re — ah!
You like this, eh? You do? You want me to keep going?
I’ll kill you if you stop. Ah! Oh, but that’s — ah! — nice.
Then I’ll continue. It wouldn’t be very gentlemanly of me to refuse a lady what she wants.
Ah! Ah! Ah! Ah! Slam it home! Slam it home! Ahhhhhh, ahhhhhh. Oh, what a sweet little monkey you are.
Hey — the cushions!
Hmmmm? Did I do that? Well, no matter, we’ll just flip them over. And you. Poor thing, you’re not finished yet.
Well …
Here. Let me just roll you over, and — comfy? Good. Now I’ll run my tongue down your abdomen, and … Oh, are my breasts in your way? No, I can see that they’re not. That’s very nice, by the way. I’ll put one paw here, and the other here, and then I’ll bring my mouth up to …
Ahhh. That’s so …
Hush. Let me just … mmmmm. And … mmmmm. You’re a lot closer to coming than I thought you were. Here — I’m going to shift myself around, and guide you inside me. Ahh. Isn’t that better? Don’t try to answer me. I’d be terribly insulted if you could.
I,I …
That’s more like it. Incoherent with passion. Now. Long, even strokes. I want you deep inside me when you — oh, my.
Oh god, oh god, oh god, oh god.
There. There, it’s done. Are you happy, sweetmeats? Was it good for you?
My god, yes.
Good. Because now I have to ask my riddle.
Why are you putting your paws there? Don’t you think you should retract your claws?
It’s only a technicality. First I ask the riddle. Then you answer it. Correctly, I hope. Because if you answer it wrong, I’ll rip the family jewels right off that precious little bod of yours.
But that’s terrible! I’d be a … I’d bleed to death!
Well, yes, but I’d like to think I’m worth it. Are you ready?
No!
I’m going to ask you a second time, and it won’t matter what you say. But the third time, if you say no … well, remember what I said about some things lasting forever. Not all primal experiences are pleasant, after all. Are you ready?
Can’t we just—?
No. Third time’s the charm, now. Ready?
I suppose so. As ready as I’ll ever be.
Here’s the riddle: What walks on two legs and enters four-legs with his third leg to make a beast with six legs and — sometimes — two backs?
Oh, but that … it’s … you’re talking about the two of us. What we just did.
There. You see? That wasn’t so difficult after all, was it? Of course, I get to choose which riddle to ask, and I’m feeling particularly fond of you at the moment. So I’ll just retract my claws and … Why, you bad thing! You’re hard again. So you like a taste of danger, do you?
Well, that and … how shall I put it?
Delicately, I trust.
A certain … a touch of … perfume in the air.
Oh, that! Well, I am feline in nature, after all. When I’m in heat, I stink of it. But right now, I’d better see to your needs. That looks so terribly, terribly swollen. Would you like me to take care of it?
Oh, yes.
Then I will. And afterward, I’ll ask you another riddle. You’d like that, wouldn’t you?
Mmmmm.
This could take all night.
No Human Hands to Touch
Elizabeth E. Wein
WHEN MEDRAUT STEPPED OFF the merchants’ ship I had not seen him since Artos, his father the high king, had taken him from me at ten. I knew him now by his hair and eyes; but he was an exotic in this wintry archipelago of islets where my brother the high king has banished me. His dress was foreign, his face and hands burnt to copper in the African sun and on the sea, and his hair was so sun-bleached that it was as blindingly and unnaturally fair as it had been in his babyhood. He had been a slender and shapeless child; now, at five-and-twenty, he was taller than my husband. It seemed to me that he must have trained his body to match his will, until they had become alike in their iron surety.