Mark's light tap on the wall next to the top of the stairs drew Christian out of intense concentration.
“Oh, hi. What's up?”
“You've been in this room for eight hours solid,” Mark said, coming nearer to take the other chair, ignoring the chaos of books strewn over every inch of the library table. “And you were up here for ten hours yesterday, and nine the day before, and you've been acting rather distracted the rest of the time. Eric even noticed and asked me if you were all right. What's going on?”
Christian shrugged. “I'm working on shapeshifting. I think I've just about got it.”
“Tell me the rest. Saturday and Sunday both when you came home from work you were edgy. Why?”
Christian sighed, laid a bookmark in the book in front of him, and closed it. “There was a cop that I got a very strange feeling from who kept wandering into the store and poking around. Once, maybe twice, I could see. Three times on Saturday and twice on Sunday, though? I'm sure it's nothing, but it made me jumpy. As for the shapeshifting thing, um...” He felt himself colour a little.
Mark gazed at him for a moment. “Eric. You're trying to figure out how to shapeshift so you can be a girl for Eric.”
Christian lowered his gaze, the blush deepening. “Um... if he liked boys, I'd probably have gotten him in bed by now. But he doesn't, so... um... he's been flirting with Sara and Val and Dana, but I don't think he's going to get anywhere. Dana would never fool around on Will, and Sara and Val seem to be enjoying the flirting but Val's not all that into guys, and I don't think Sara is planning on going any farther anytime soon. I can see why, she's dealing with a lot of new stuff all at once, and she's the youngest one in the group. The only other thing I can think of is to try inviting Pearl to drop by but I’m not sure that wouldn’t offend her and Jade both. Plus I'm not sure you'd want her actually in the house, or that she and Eric would like each other. I just, um, am having a little trouble shapeshifting. I didn’t think you’d mind.”
Mark waited for him to wind down. “One. Cop in store. He might be on legitimate business, but it sounds more likely that either he's prejudiced about occult stuff and assumes something has to be going on, which doesn't fit unless either he's new or he's suddenly had a bad experience. Or he's associated with someone in the Fellowship and is deliberately hassling you.”
“What? Why would he do that? That's not part of his job.”
Mark gave him one of those you're so innocent looks. “Trust me, it's a possibility. Being a representative of the law does not make one the embodiment of it. Unfortunately, there's nothing at all you can do. Calling the police station and making an issue of it will just draw more attention. Be careful not to give him anything he can use, and I'm sure he'll go away. If he doesn't, we'll set Lexa on him to convince him otherwise. Two. Eric. No, of course I don’t mind, it’s not like I can ever be monogamous and I’m not expecting you to be and at least Eric’s not likely to hurt you in any sense. He's doing a pretty good job of pretending otherwise, but I think he's feeling extremely lonely and very much needs a safe and sympathetic body in his bed, more than anything. I think you're right about Val and Sara not being interested in more than friendship, at least at the moment. You, however, are definitely fascinated by him.”
“Well, um, yeah, I guess.” His cheeks felt hot.
“Then we need to get you shapeshifting so you can proposition him, and who's better at that particular kind of shapeshifting? Where are you getting caught?”
“As near as I can tell, I basically need to visualize what I want to be, and actually feel it as much as possible, and then there's a kind of mental switch Margaret did her best to teach me that channels energy into making my body match what's in my mind. Not something I'd recommend to anyone who isn't very very good at holding an image steady. I just can't seem to visualize it clearly enough.”
“Hmm.” Mark looked thoughtful. “Take a break for the rest of today. Don't make any plans for tomorrow. We'll see what we can do to fix that.”
“How?”
“Let me think, and I'll tell you in the morning. No more witchy stuff today, go find something relaxing to do. Work on your game scenario, go for a walk, rent a movie, read a book that isn't research.”
“Okay,” Christian said. “Worth a try.”
* * *
Mark and Christian regrouped in the library the next morning.
“Are you going to be able to spend a lot of time today doing your eavesdropping thing?”
Christian nodded. “Had a hunch this would involve a lot of trance-work.”
“What you need is to know the difference between how it feels to be male and how it feels to be female. You could get some if you tried eavesdropping on any woman you know well enough to get a fix on...”
“No way. That's invading privacy.”
“As I was about to say, that doesn't give you a direct basis for comparison. I'm going to go spend a while wandering around the mall, half as Lexa and half as Mark. If that doesn't give you enough, I can't think of anything that will.”
Thoughtfully, Christian nodded. “Makes sense.”
“You're going to have a lot to pay attention to, though.”
“I know, that's what the problem's been. Thanks. You didn't break other plans for today, did you?”
“Not particularly.”
Which meant that there was no use at all in asking.
Christian went up to the loft and the large cushion on a thick braided rug he used when doing trancework. Settling himself in the usual position, he closed his eyes. This was simplicity to do, by now, after hours exploring the neighbourhood through the senses of his feral cats and, increasingly, those of other local wildlife. With his senses extended, he picked up on Eric, sitting at his computer, focused on what he was doing with single-minded intensity; Chris was distinctly worried about the side-effects of the bad scare he'd had, given that Eric seemed more withdrawn. Sid was watching the fish in the pool in his jungle, utterly content.
It was Mark he needed. He touched Mark's mind gently, felt welcome, and reached deeper.
Mark left the library, closing the door carefully behind him, and grabbed his leather biker jacket on his way out the front door—late September was a little late in the year for just a T-shirt. A block or so from the house, he switched to Alexandra, in much the same black jeans and plain T-shirt, hair braided, and flat-heeled boots. That last made sense: it made it easier to analyze the differences in movement. Wider hips, lower centre of balance, things to which he hadn't been paying a great deal of attention previously.
The nearest shopping centre was some fifteen minutes' walk away, during which more than a few paused to take a second look. The mall was old, and not large, but it would serve the purpose well enough.
An older man held the door for her; Lexa thanked him with a smile, and stepped inside.
Inevitably, she drew attention, though Christian thought she was trying to at least minimize the automatic fascination predator held for prey. She wandered around, stopped in this store or that, was asked by clerks of both sexes if they could help her. Christian did his best to absorb and understand the way she moved, the way she spoke, the gestures she used.
Alexandra stepped behind a tall rack in a nearly deserted store so she was briefly out of sight, switched to Mark, and resumed wandering.
Hmm, interesting how the behaviour of store clerks changed. Alexandra, in a men's clothing store, had simply been offered assistance; Mark in a women's clothing store drew a few odd looks, which he blithely ignored. More to the point, comparing everything he'd observed from Alexandra, Christian grew all the more certain that he could adapt it into visualizing the female version of himself.
Mark slipped into the hall where the restrooms were, and switched to Alexandra.
*Got it?*
*Pretty much, I think. Be Lexa for a few more minutes so I can make sure?*
Alexandra obligingly did one more walk the length of the mall.
*Since I'm here,* she said, *I may as well pick up some groceries. Stay or not, as you like.*
He stayed with her, in fact made a few suggestions as to what to get.
*You can meet me in the kitchen and help me put these away,* she said, settling herself gracefully in the back seat of a taxi, the groceries now loaded in the trunk with more help from the driver than Christian had ever gotten.
*Will do, beautiful. Thank you.*
*You're very welcome.*
* * *
“Mark?”
Mark looked up from the TV screen, and his Civilizations game—he'd just exterminated his third-to-last opponent and was toying with which of the remaining two to wipe out next. “Mmhmm?”
Christian padded closer, hair falling in his eyes, wrapped in the worn green robe he wouldn't let Mark replace. Not quite smiling with mischief, yet with an odd hint of shyness, he swung one leg over Mark's to sit on his lap, kneeling on the couch, arms draped loosely around Mark's shoulders.
“You're insatiable,” Mark observed. “I'm supposed to be the hypersexual one around here. Got you started and there's no stopping you.” He nuzzled at Christian's throat anyway, quite willing to abandon the game for a more interesting pastime. “Give me a sec to save.”
“You're just massacring everyone again anyway,” Christian pointed out.
Mark paused, and gave him a quizzical look. That didn't sound quite like Chris, his voice was softer, a trifle higher... Chris wriggled enticingly against him, then lowered his head to kiss him deeply.
On a hunch, Mark slid the soft robe off Chris' shoulders.
Christian laughed, and ran a narrow hand down between small firm breasts, down to the triangle of dark reddish fur below. “I figured it out.” She raised her arms and took a deep breath, showing off; Mark reached around her to support her. “What do you think?”
“Beautiful.”
She leaned down to nip at his throat. “Let's go make sure I did it right and everything works.”
“Whoa. I am not taking chances on you getting pregnant.”
“I'm not suicidal, y’know. You didn't notice that the feral cats haven't been howling in heat, and I haven’t been asking for help with getting them fixed? It worked just as well on me. Trust me, I made sure I'm safe.”
“Absolutely sure?”
“Absolutely sure, I promise.”
Mark decided to trust her, and stroked both hands down her back. “Unless you want to do it here on the couch, you're going to have to let me up.”
She laughed, got to her feet, and sauntered towards the stairs with more swaying of her hips than strictly necessary, robe draped over one arm. Mark followed her, watching with interest as she stretched out lazily on her front on his bed, did a kitty-stretch with that appealing backside in the air, and rolled onto her back to look at him impishly. The position reminded him oddly of Sid. “Everything look all right?”
“Hmm. Looks good from here, but we'd better make sure.”
He started at her feet, made a game out of counting delicate toes, then slid his hands up over one ankle and up her calf, feeling the soft fine fur. Chris giggled, and pulled a pillow under her shoulders so she could watch him. With great care not to miss a single inch of skin, he explored upwards, over lean-muscled thighs, wider hips.
“You missed a spot,” Chris said innocently.
“Silly girl. Do you eat the cherry off a sundae first or save it 'til last?”
That sent her into fits of laughter, and he had to stop and wait until she got over it.
“Done?” he asked, amused.
“Barely started.”
He slid both hands over her belly, felt the softness of the layer of fat beneath. Chris made a purring noise, arched towards him encouragingly, but pretended to sulk when he avoided her chest and wandered down each arm in turn, checking that each fine-boned hand had four slim fingers and a thumb.
“You're an evil tease,” she pouted.
“You want me to be thorough, don't you?”
“Those bits haven't changed much.”
“Neither has this bit,” he swiped a nipple with his tongue, and she eeped. “It's just a bit bigger.”
“Listen, you...”
He laughed, and shifted position so he could reach her breasts more easily, very aware of the warm human scent of her skin. Chris whimpered, and slid one arm around him to hold him there, eyes closing and breath quickening.
Of everyone, I should know how it feels.
His jeans were getting uncomfortable; he paused long enough to strip himself.
He took a long time, playing and teasing with hands and mouth, even when she demanded to have him in her. His experience as a male might be minimal, but he had Alexandra's memories and some of her skills and all of her confidence. He teased her into climax, in fact, a single finger inside and his tongue above it, and only then checked with another finger as well, stretching her gently; she gasped and shivered.
“Are you okay?”
“Will be better once you stop messing around and fuck me.”
“Don't be scared to say slow down, all right?”
“'Kay.” Dark eyes met his with a smile, and perfect faith behind it—she trusted him absolutely to take care of her.
“Are you likely to get uncomfortable with being on top?”
She grinned at him. “Never have before.”
“That would give you a lot more control over how fast.”
“So lie down already.”
He had to help her, as she grew frustrated briefly over how to get them to fit together, but she caught on. Her impatience made him wince in sympathy a few times; eyes closed, expression intent, her hair falling across her face again, she looked so very human and so very lovely.
Carefully, she leaned down to kiss him. “Didn't hurt much. And not in a bad way.”
“Good.” He ran his hands up her thighs, over her belly; she wriggled a bit, and made that purring noise again. Experimentally, with utter concentration, she began to rock slowly.
“Ooh. That feels nice.”
Chris explored that for a while, but decided she wanted to lie down, so they traded; she sighed contentedly as he eased back into her, and kissed him hungrily. “Want you to finish in me,” she murmured.
He took his time, but when he did at last shudder and climax, her arms tightened around him, holding him; nor would she let go when he would have moved to spare her his weight.
“I can hold you,” she said softly. “Don't you dare move.”
Unwilling to argue, he let himself relax, his head on her shoulder. For that matter, it wasn't an unfamiliar position; they'd simply reversed sexes. Chris' hand began to stroke his hair and back lightly, and that was another familiar thing.
“Thanks,” Chris said finally.
“I think that goes both ways.”
“All the better.” She shifted a little, and Mark obligingly settled himself beside her, still touching.
“I don't think I'm in any hurry to change back,” she added.
“Hey, now, you told me shapeshifting for too long is dangerous, even more than telesensory stuff.”
“Well, I'm hardly about to lose my mind to the instincts of my present form.”
“No, but it's got to be a strain on your entire system, especially when it's new. Go slow.”
She sighed. “All right, but I'm not changing back right now.” She paused, reached down between her legs, and studied the mixture of blood and semen and her own juices. “Messy. Maybe I need a shower.”
“Wait.” Mark switched to Alexandra, and gently licked her clean.
Chris laughed and squirmed. “Cool, lesbian sex now.”
“No, lesbian sex another time, catnap now,” Lexa said firmly.
“I s'pose. Be Mark for me?”
Alexandra shrugged, and switched back. “If you want.”
Chris snuggled close. “For right now, I want,” she agreed, and yawned.
Mark's light tap on the wall next to the top of the stairs drew Christian out of intense concentration.
“Oh, hi. What's up?”
“You've been in this room for eight hours solid,” Mark said, coming nearer to take the other chair, ignoring the chaos of books strewn over every inch of the library table. “And you were up here for ten hours yesterday, and nine the day before, and you've been acting rather distracted the rest of the time. Eric even noticed and asked me if you were all right. What's going on?”
Christian shrugged. “I'm working on shapeshifting. I think I've just about got it.”
“Tell me the rest. Saturday and Sunday both when you came home from work you were edgy. Why?”
Christian sighed, laid a bookmark in the book in front of him, and closed it. “There was a cop that I got a very strange feeling from who kept wandering into the store and poking around. Once, maybe twice, I could see. Three times on Saturday and twice on Sunday, though? I'm sure it's nothing, but it made me jumpy. As for the shapeshifting thing, um...” He felt himself colour a little.
Mark gazed at him for a moment. “Eric. You're trying to figure out how to shapeshift so you can be a girl for Eric.”
Christian lowered his gaze, the blush deepening. “Um... if he liked boys, I'd probably have gotten him in bed by now. But he doesn't, so... um... he's been flirting with Sara and Val and Dana, but I don't think he's going to get anywhere. Dana would never fool around on Will, and Sara and Val seem to be enjoying the flirting but Val's not all that into guys, and I don't think Sara is planning on going any farther anytime soon. I can see why, she's dealing with a lot of new stuff all at once, and she's the youngest one in the group. The only other thing I can think of is to try inviting Pearl to drop by but I’m not sure that wouldn’t offend her and Jade both. Plus I'm not sure you'd want her actually in the house, or that she and Eric would like each other. I just, um, am having a little trouble shapeshifting. I didn’t think you’d mind.”
Mark waited for him to wind down. “One. Cop in store. He might be on legitimate business, but it sounds more likely that either he's prejudiced about occult stuff and assumes something has to be going on, which doesn't fit unless either he's new or he's suddenly had a bad experience. Or he's associated with someone in the Fellowship and is deliberately hassling you.”
“What? Why would he do that? That's not part of his job.”
Mark gave him one of those you're so innocent looks. “Trust me, it's a possibility. Being a representative of the law does not make one the embodiment of it. Unfortunately, there's nothing at all you can do. Calling the police station and making an issue of it will just draw more attention. Be careful not to give him anything he can use, and I'm sure he'll go away. If he doesn't, we'll set Lexa on him to convince him otherwise. Two. Eric. No, of course I don’t mind, it’s not like I can ever be monogamous and I’m not expecting you to be and at least Eric’s not likely to hurt you in any sense. He's doing a pretty good job of pretending otherwise, but I think he's feeling extremely lonely and very much needs a safe and sympathetic body in his bed, more than anything. I think you're right about Val and Sara not being interested in more than friendship, at least at the moment. You, however, are definitely fascinated by him.”
“Well, um, yeah, I guess.” His cheeks felt hot.
“Then we need to get you shapeshifting so you can proposition him, and who's better at that particular kind of shapeshifting? Where are you getting caught?”
“As near as I can tell, I basically need to visualize what I want to be, and actually feel it as much as possible, and then there's a kind of mental switch Margaret did her best to teach me that channels energy into making my body match what's in my mind. Not something I'd recommend to anyone who isn't very very good at holding an image steady. I just can't seem to visualize it clearly enough.”
“Hmm.” Mark looked thoughtful. “Take a break for the rest of today. Don't make any plans for tomorrow. We'll see what we can do to fix that.”
“How?”
“Let me think, and I'll tell you in the morning. No more witchy stuff today, go find something relaxing to do. Work on your game scenario, go for a walk, rent a movie, read a book that isn't research.”
“Okay,” Christian said. “Worth a try.”
* * *
Mark and Christian regrouped in the library the next morning.
“Are you going to be able to spend a lot of time today doing your eavesdropping thing?”
Christian nodded. “Had a hunch this would involve a lot of trance-work.”
“What you need is to know the difference between how it feels to be male and how it feels to be female. You could get some if you tried eavesdropping on any woman you know well enough to get a fix on...”
“No way. That's invading privacy.”
“As I was about to say, that doesn't give you a direct basis for comparison. I'm going to go spend a while wandering around the mall, half as Lexa and half as Mark. If that doesn't give you enough, I can't think of anything that will.”
Thoughtfully, Christian nodded. “Makes sense.”
“You're going to have a lot to pay attention to, though.”
“I know, that's what the problem's been. Thanks. You didn't break other plans for today, did you?”
“Not particularly.”
Which meant that there was no use at all in asking.
Christian went up to the loft and the large cushion on a thick braided rug he used when doing trancework. Settling himself in the usual position, he closed his eyes. This was simplicity to do, by now, after hours exploring the neighbourhood through the senses of his feral cats and, increasingly, those of other local wildlife. With his senses extended, he picked up on Eric, sitting at his computer, focused on what he was doing with single-minded intensity; Chris was distinctly worried about the side-effects of the bad scare he'd had, given that Eric seemed more withdrawn. Sid was watching the fish in the pool in his jungle, utterly content.
It was Mark he needed. He touched Mark's mind gently, felt welcome, and reached deeper.
Mark left the library, closing the door carefully behind him, and grabbed his leather biker jacket on his way out the front door—late September was a little late in the year for just a T-shirt. A block or so from the house, he switched to Alexandra, in much the same black jeans and plain T-shirt, hair braided, and flat-heeled boots. That last made sense: it made it easier to analyze the differences in movement. Wider hips, lower centre of balance, things to which he hadn't been paying a great deal of attention previously.
The nearest shopping centre was some fifteen minutes' walk away, during which more than a few paused to take a second look. The mall was old, and not large, but it would serve the purpose well enough.
An older man held the door for her; Lexa thanked him with a smile, and stepped inside.
Inevitably, she drew attention, though Christian thought she was trying to at least minimize the automatic fascination predator held for prey. She wandered around, stopped in this store or that, was asked by clerks of both sexes if they could help her. Christian did his best to absorb and understand the way she moved, the way she spoke, the gestures she used.
Alexandra stepped behind a tall rack in a nearly deserted store so she was briefly out of sight, switched to Mark, and resumed wandering.
Hmm, interesting how the behaviour of store clerks changed. Alexandra, in a men's clothing store, had simply been offered assistance; Mark in a women's clothing store drew a few odd looks, which he blithely ignored. More to the point, comparing everything he'd observed from Alexandra, Christian grew all the more certain that he could adapt it into visualizing the female version of himself.
Mark slipped into the hall where the restrooms were, and switched to Alexandra.
*Got it?*
*Pretty much, I think. Be Lexa for a few more minutes so I can make sure?*
Alexandra obligingly did one more walk the length of the mall.
*Since I'm here,* she said, *I may as well pick up some groceries. Stay or not, as you like.*
He stayed with her, in fact made a few suggestions as to what to get.
*You can meet me in the kitchen and help me put these away,* she said, settling herself gracefully in the back seat of a taxi, the groceries now loaded in the trunk with more help from the driver than Christian had ever gotten.
*Will do, beautiful. Thank you.*
*You're very welcome.*
* * *
“Mark?”
Mark looked up from the TV screen, and his Civilizations game—he'd just exterminated his third-to-last opponent and was toying with which of the remaining two to wipe out next. “Mmhmm?”
Christian padded closer, hair falling in his eyes, wrapped in the worn green robe he wouldn't let Mark replace. Not quite smiling with mischief, yet with an odd hint of shyness, he swung one leg over Mark's to sit on his lap, kneeling on the couch, arms draped loosely around Mark's shoulders.
“You're insatiable,” Mark observed. “I'm supposed to be the hypersexual one around here. Got you started and there's no stopping you.” He nuzzled at Christian's throat anyway, quite willing to abandon the game for a more interesting pastime. “Give me a sec to save.”
“You're just massacring everyone again anyway,” Christian pointed out.
Mark paused, and gave him a quizzical look. That didn't sound quite like Chris, his voice was softer, a trifle higher... Chris wriggled enticingly against him, then lowered his head to kiss him deeply.
On a hunch, Mark slid the soft robe off Chris' shoulders.
Christian laughed, and ran a narrow hand down between small firm breasts, down to the triangle of dark reddish fur below. “I figured it out.” She raised her arms and took a deep breath, showing off; Mark reached around her to support her. “What do you think?”
“Beautiful.”
She leaned down to nip at his throat. “Let's go make sure I did it right and everything works.”
“Whoa. I am not taking chances on you getting pregnant.”
“I'm not suicidal, y’know. You didn't notice that the feral cats haven't been howling in heat, and I haven’t been asking for help with getting them fixed? It worked just as well on me. Trust me, I made sure I'm safe.”
“Absolutely sure?”
“Absolutely sure, I promise.”
Mark decided to trust her, and stroked both hands down her back. “Unless you want to do it here on the couch, you're going to have to let me up.”
She laughed, got to her feet, and sauntered towards the stairs with more swaying of her hips than strictly necessary, robe draped over one arm. Mark followed her, watching with interest as she stretched out lazily on her front on his bed, did a kitty-stretch with that appealing backside in the air, and rolled onto her back to look at him impishly. The position reminded him oddly of Sid. “Everything look all right?”
“Hmm. Looks good from here, but we'd better make sure.”
He started at her feet, made a game out of counting delicate toes, then slid his hands up over one ankle and up her calf, feeling the soft fine fur. Chris giggled, and pulled a pillow under her shoulders so she could watch him. With great care not to miss a single inch of skin, he explored upwards, over lean-muscled thighs, wider hips.
“You missed a spot,” Chris said innocently.
“Silly girl. Do you eat the cherry off a sundae first or save it 'til last?”
That sent her into fits of laughter, and he had to stop and wait until she got over it.
“Done?” he asked, amused.
“Barely started.”
He slid both hands over her belly, felt the softness of the layer of fat beneath. Chris made a purring noise, arched towards him encouragingly, but pretended to sulk when he avoided her chest and wandered down each arm in turn, checking that each fine-boned hand had four slim fingers and a thumb.
“You're an evil tease,” she pouted.
“You want me to be thorough, don't you?”
“Those bits haven't changed much.”
“Neither has this bit,” he swiped a nipple with his tongue, and she eeped. “It's just a bit bigger.”
“Listen, you...”
He laughed, and shifted position so he could reach her breasts more easily, very aware of the warm human scent of her skin. Chris whimpered, and slid one arm around him to hold him there, eyes closing and breath quickening.
Of everyone, I should know how it feels.
His jeans were getting uncomfortable; he paused long enough to strip himself.
He took a long time, playing and teasing with hands and mouth, even when she demanded to have him in her. His experience as a male might be minimal, but he had Alexandra's memories and some of her skills and all of her confidence. He teased her into climax, in fact, a single finger inside and his tongue above it, and only then checked with another finger as well, stretching her gently; she gasped and shivered.
“Are you okay?”
“Will be better once you stop messing around and fuck me.”
“Don't be scared to say slow down, all right?”
“'Kay.” Dark eyes met his with a smile, and perfect faith behind it—she trusted him absolutely to take care of her.
“Are you likely to get uncomfortable with being on top?”
She grinned at him. “Never have before.”
“That would give you a lot more control over how fast.”
“So lie down already.”
He had to help her, as she grew frustrated briefly over how to get them to fit together, but she caught on. Her impatience made him wince in sympathy a few times; eyes closed, expression intent, her hair falling across her face again, she looked so very human and so very lovely.
Carefully, she leaned down to kiss him. “Didn't hurt much. And not in a bad way.”
“Good.” He ran his hands up her thighs, over her belly; she wriggled a bit, and made that purring noise again. Experimentally, with utter concentration, she began to rock slowly.
“Ooh. That feels nice.”
Chris explored that for a while, but decided she wanted to lie down, so they traded; she sighed contentedly as he eased back into her, and kissed him hungrily. “Want you to finish in me,” she murmured.
He took his time, but when he did at last shudder and climax, her arms tightened around him, holding him; nor would she let go when he would have moved to spare her his weight.
“I can hold you,” she said softly. “Don't you dare move.”
Unwilling to argue, he let himself relax, his head on her shoulder. For that matter, it wasn't an unfamiliar position; they'd simply reversed sexes. Chris' hand began to stroke his hair and back lightly, and that was another familiar thing.
“Thanks,” Chris said finally.
“I think that goes both ways.”
“All the better.” She shifted a little, and Mark obligingly settled himself beside her, still touching.
“I don't think I'm in any hurry to change back,” she added.
“Hey, now, you told me shapeshifting for too long is dangerous, even more than telesensory stuff.”
“Well, I'm hardly about to lose my mind to the instincts of my present form.”
“No, but it's got to be a strain on your entire system, especially when it's new. Go slow.”
She sighed. “All right, but I'm not changing back right now.” She paused, reached down between her legs, and studied the mixture of blood and semen and her own juices. “Messy. Maybe I need a shower.”
“Wait.” Mark switched to Alexandra, and gently licked her clean.
Chris laughed and squirmed. “Cool, lesbian sex now.”
“No, lesbian sex another time, catnap now,” Lexa said firmly.
“I s'pose. Be Mark for me?”
Alexandra shrugged, and switched back. “If you want.”
Chris snuggled close. “For right now, I want,” she agreed, and yawned.
