“And then, it slowly faded. Especially the last year or so before we divorced. She worked so hard, Sarah. I couldn't make her slow down. You know what it was Like here at home."

She nodded. Her parents’ unhappiness had been apparent for months before her father had left home and the divorce was finalized. She had decided to stay with her mother, unable to stomach the thought of moving away from Chicago to a little town way out in the sticks, no matter how much she loved her father.

“But we've found it again," he continued with a smile. "I don't know what made your mom change. Maybe she realized that life is too short, and we should spend it reaching for happiness. But when I got here on

Friday night, it was as if that girl I met at a party on Chalmers

Street back in 1994 had come back.

“If a man is very lucky, he will make that connection once in a lifetime." He ran a gentle hand up her arm.

“I never thought I'd make it twice. I love you."

“I love you, too," she said. She wrapped her arms around him in a fierce hug, unable to believe she could be so happy. When Josh tried to move off her, she tightened her arms, keeping him captive. "No," she said, wiggling her hips underneath him. "I want you to stay inside me.

And when you've had a few minutes, you're going to fuck me again.

“Or maybe not even a few minutes," she said, as she felt him hardening again inside her. She arched her back, offering up her breasts to his mouth. "Oh, Joshua.

“Make me yours."

Rachel hummed contentedly to herself as she dried off from her shower.

The evening was working out splendidly so far. With her new-found sensitivity, she had been able to track the climaxes as they occurred, almost like a geologist with a seismometer, measuring earthquakes.

First one from Sarah, after she had slipped away from her and Josh downstairs. That had been the one she was waiting for. Then two, in rapid succession, from Alex and Maria, respectively, in Maria's apartment over the garage. Then, almost simultaneously, two more, from

Sarah and Josh. Althea had murmured enthusiastically in her head as each one hit, sounding almost smug as her power grew.

In response to the pleasure her family felt, she had brought herself to orgasm in the shower, her fingers stroking her to a shuddering, moaning peak as the warm water sighed over her skin. Inwardly, she marveled at the changes brought on by Althea's presence. In that long-ago time before they had joined, her sessions of self-pleasure had been almost perfunctory, as if masturbation was something like brushing her teeth; something done out of necessity, but not really enjoyed. As her fingers played with her hot, slippery lips, she couldn't imagine going back to those days again.

She toweled her hair vigorously. So how much longer until you have enough power to move out?

The presence in her mind seemed to frown, as if weighing a series of variables. ~Longer than I'd Like, unless we try something drastic. But not too long. I would think a few more weeks should do it, if we keep up at this rate.~

That long? She turned her head and looked over her shoulder at the mirror, investigating the ‘tattoo' which Joshua had said he had seen on her back. Yes, there it was, a patch of discolored skin, bright red, just above the cleft of her buttocks. She frowned at it, wondering what strange side-effect of Althea's occupation of her mind had convinced her body to change color that way. Cursing softly at the poor angle, she squinted, trying to make out more details.

~Yes, that long. Despite the heroic efforts of your family, there is only a finite amount of power I can draw off at any one time. And simply being here in your mind is a drain. I could do it earlier, I suppose. But the downside would be I would wake up in my own body all but helpless, with no power of my own. I would be as weak as a human and have to build my reserves up all over again. I've gone through that once already in the Last few weeks. I'm not going to do it twice.~

Mmhmm, she muttered distractedly. Was there a twisted muscle there, right above the red patch? Or some sort of knot in her back? She reached around with both hands to massage the spot. She wasn't sore, but-

The voice in her head held a note of warning. ~Rachel, maybe you should leave that—~

It was at that moment when the tail erupted from the base of her spine. seem

“What have you done to me?"

Her host looked at it with a combination of fascination and horror. She craned her head back over her shoulder, trying to get a good look, and settled for a sideways view in the mirror.