elf the exception by
his presumption--in spite of the fact that she couldn't possibly know
what she was agreeing to. Some simple physical modifications had made
her capable of accommodating him, and some judicious conditioning had
insured she would enjoy, but never reveal, their "touching games".
Even then he'd refrained until her birthday, wanting the first time to
be special for her.

It had been, with him changing shapes and techniques to amuse her.
She'd enjoyed all of them, not surprising since that was how he'd
conditioned her--but he was surprised that she had decided she liked
his "classical" shape and technique best, especially that early. And
she'd kept that preference through the years. She'd become his
mistress openly at 16, causing another minor scandal, but that had only
amused her.

He came back to the present, reading her apprehension at the upcoming
visit, and held out his arms.

Blackfeather clung to him. "I know you said she wouldn't hurt a
guest--but I have a horrible feeling I'll never see you again."

"Don't be silly," Shannon said. "Of course you will--unless you decide
Enforcement and Inquisitors are respectable after all, and stay with
them. She can be quite persuasive." And, an unwelcome thought said,
there was more to it than persuasion. Cortin had dissolved the
compulsions he'd imposed on Chang without even knowing it; what if the
same happened to Blackfeather? An even more unwelcome thought said
that would be for the best, and he concealed a scowl. Sara was the
first human he'd cared about as anything more than a plaything; did he
really want her spending eternity in his realm, even as his Queen?

"Not that persuasive, I don't think." But Blackfeather's apprehension
was still there, and she was reacting as she usually did before a
dangerous assignment, with growing desire. "Could we, just in case?"

If she were that worried, Shannon thought, it wouldn't hurt to indulge
her. Indulge both of them, rather, because the idea of letting the
Enemy have her was becoming more attractive. Most humans were
disgusting weak things, not fit to be more than toys for his minions,
but Sara was different. She was strong, attractive--and she loved him.
Part of that was the conditioning he'd given her, of course, but even
at first that hadn't been all of it; she'd taken to him without any
prompting, unless you counted the rescue itself. And he hadn't felt
Cortin using her power, even unco