"So it's Like a wedding ring," he reasoned. "Do I get one?"

She raised an eyebrow slightly, apparently surprised at the question.

“If you want then I suppose you can, but it is more a custom for the wife, to show she has claimed a man. My kind doesn't care much for ornaments, so it has more meaning when we wear one."

“We really are married then, just like that?”

Her gaze hardened almost imperceptibly. Carter was honestly surprised he noticed it and interpreted it correctly.

“Ah! Not that I was in any way implying last night wasn't spectacular!

It's just... this is still rather strange for me is all."

Her expression now lightened every so slightly.

“Monsters in general care little for human-style ceremonies, my kind even less so. If it pleases you we could hold a more human ceremony some time, but I doubt there would be many attending it."

“No that's fine, I... I think this is all great as is."

She looked at him for several seconds before speaking again.

“Was I really... that good?"

"Yes!" he replied, then blushed at his own exclamation. "I mean... I've never felt so good before so..."

“It was..." she hesitated and looked away, “pleasant for me as well."

He gaped. Was she blushing? It was hard to tell in this Light.

“Anyway, I will be back soon," she stated abruptly and was gone in a flash.

Carter stretched, working the minor soreness out of his muscles. This was all still so surreal, he could only imagine what it was Like for all the men taken by monsters who didn't get the chance to know them for weeks before sex.

He said, “May as well get dressed." After all, taking a break didn't mean doing absolutely nothing. He was relieved that Taki had not destroyed all of his underwear and pants last night.

Carter observed Taki sighing slightly as they ate on the porch and silently observed the sun come up. She turned aside when she caught him staring back, a tinge of flush on her face.

“You really are feeling things now, aren't you?" he asked, amazed at the transformation she had undergone. She was still herself, proud and serious, yet there was a warmth to her now that hadn't been visible before.