Alex, recognizing the compatibility of their natures, make love for the first time in Maria's apartment. And Rachel learns that her husband and daughter are drawn to each other as well. Rather than being outraged, she considers how to bring two of her loved ones together without damaging either.

The story continues in “Bright Shadows." At a family cookout which

Jeremy attends, Sarah finds herself strongly drawn to the attractive young intern. She tries to seduce him, but her advances only succeed in driving him away in confusion. Young, hurt, and frustrated, she is consoled by her parents. Driven by love rather than Lust, Sarah and

Joshua make love that evening, their incestuous relationship given approval by Rachel herself.

That evening Rachel makes a frightening discovery. Her body is beginning to change in order to conform to the spirit it is hosting.

The first change manifests in the appearance of a tail. Rachel is horrified at first, but is counseled by Althea, who demonstrates some of the benefits of her new appendage. The following morning Rachel confesses Althea's existence to Josh. Confronted with physical proof in the form of the tail, her husband accepts the truth, but is suspicious as to whether Althea's spirit is as benign as she claims.

Later that day Rachel, Maria, and Alex go to the hospital in order to check in on Althea's body. They find her well-cared for, but her body is growing frail after weeks in a coma. Driven partly by Althea's aphrodisiacal presence, partly by their own desire, Maria, Alex, and

Rachel make love in Althea's hospital room. They are interrupted in the act by Dr. Yasna Marafi, the physician who has been caring for Althea.

They return home to find a strange man trying to break into their house. Rachel confronts him, and she and Althea discover he is a servant of a demon-spawn named Mortimer Kincaid, the unholy offspring of a male human and a female demon. What is worse, Kincaid knows of

Althea's injuries. It is only a matter of time before he finds her body and kills her.

Or, even worse, finds Rachel and her family.

In “Sacred Sins," Rachel and Althea confront the consequences of their actions. Bringing everyone together, Rachel confesses to Althea's existence, and proves it by showing them her tail. With Jeremy's assistance, they concoct a plan to kidnap Rachel's body from the hospital. Later that afternoon, Jeremy and Sarah become lovers.

That evening, they drive to the hospital. But the rescue attempt goes horrifyingly awry, as Kincaid has also deduced Althea's location. Ina terrifying scene, they are barely able to escape, fleeing the hospital with Althea's body while Kincaid chases them in demonic form. By the time they reach home, Josh's truck and the trailer they used to transport Althea's body are little more than shredded wreckage.

Later that night, they enact a ritual designed to return Althea to her body. Giving selflessly of their sexual power, they at first think they have failed. But just when hope is lost, Althea stirs and wakes. Over a meal she confesses her love for all of them, and expresses her hope that they will not be stupidly jealous or possessive when (not if) she takes one of their lovers as hers.

The story continues late that night.

Althea stood in the shower, letting the hot water run over her body.

For long moments she was content to Let it play over her golden skin, washing away the faint, acrid scent of her own sweat. She wrinkled her nose in distaste. The staff at the hospital had done their best, but no one, however dedicated, could keep someone who was in a coma completely clean. Now that she was restored to her body by the efforts of Rachel and her family, she could indulge herself. She slowly soaped her body, letting her hands play over the large firm swells of her breasts and the Lush curves of her buttocks.

Of all the inventions mankind has come up with, she thought, I think I like indoor plumbing and running water the best.

Well, after central air. And vibrators. And internet porn. Bless them, they are clever, she added with a smile.She squeezed a generous dollop of shampoo into the cup of her palm, then started to wash her hair, her hands kneading the foamy lather deep into the blond strands.

When her arms began to ache from the effort of holding up the sodden mass of her hair, she rinsed off and stepped out of the shower. She wrapped a towel around her head, trying to soak as much water she could out of her golden curls. Another was draped casually around her hips, more for her host's sense of propriety than from any innate modesty.

She leaned towards the mirror over the sink, eying her reflection critically.

Too thin, Althea, she thought. Granted, modern ideals of attractiveness now often favored those with an almost waif-lLike appearance, with slim, shallow curves and small, high breasts. Althea would never attain that standard of beauty, not did she want to. The curves of her breasts, thighs, and hips were far too lush and bountiful. But even by her own standards, she had lost too much weight in the past few weeks. She blinked at her own face, one hand tracing the prominent Line of her cheekbones. Her skin, while still golden, looked unhealthily sallow, almost translucent, as if she had spent weeks cooped away from the sun.

Which is all too true. Good thing I'll be able to do something about that soon. Dismissing the thought, she opened the door to the guest bedroom where Yasna was waiting for her. Silently she thanked Rachel and Joshua, her hosts, for having the good sense to give her a room with its own bathroom. At this point, the last thing the members of the

Wainwright household needed was to have her parading up and down the hallways half-undressed.

Tera's Sweet Titties, Althea thought as she stepped out of the bathroom and into the bedroom where Yasna was waiting for her. The last thing I thought I'd be doing with this girl is playing psychotherapist.