“I’m sick of asking questions everyone else already knows the answers to.”

“What they don’t know is, no matter how they decide, they can’t penalize me more than I’m already punishing myself.”

“You’re clumsy. But it can’t be helped. You are who you are.It feels like the answer to a question I feared asking, like I’ve been searching every galaxy for this message. You are who you are.”

“People try to make sense of things, and if they don’t know the answers, they make them up, because for some, a wrong answer is better than none.”

“Are you afraid of falling, baby?No, I’m afraid of landing.[He’s laughing, and I’m smiling.]Stupid idiot smile, don’t you know what comes next?”

“I'm not sick, Deuce. You don't know your own charm."My charm? I hadn't been aware I had any. It must be the dress, I thought.”

“Are you mine?" I asked, low knowing the answer already."Completely." His voice thrummed with conviction.And oh, I liked it."So I may do anything I wish with you?""Anything."I didn't need his invitation, of course. He belonged to me, like everything in Sheol, but there was more pleasure in a willing slave. I drew my athame and took his hand. He shuddered at my touch because I put a thread of power in it, pulled it through him in a flicker of the darkest pleasure. Soon enough he'd beg for this, unable to perform with anyone else. I knew how to enthrall my lovers. With a faint smile, I pricked the tip of his finger. Not as much pain as he expected, I think, but I drew blood. His gasp aroused me. His blood welled like a crimson jewel and I took his fingertip between my lips, tasting him. Learning his secrets.”