“High oxygen intake to get more energy with each breath.

High platelet count so wounds close quickly, to avoid blood loss. The anticoagulant to offset the high platelet count, so you don't have blood clots, especially in the brain, which could cause a stroke. By the time you and your brother and parents and all the rest piled into the hospital room the other night, I was primed to believe something extraordinary was going on.

“And apparently Althea was affecting my mind without me even being aware of it. Making me less apt to question anything that had to do with her.“ She bit her lip, and her face closed off, becoming expressionless.

“She wasn't doing it on purpose," Sarah said hurriedly.

“From what I can tell, she doesn't even have any control over how humans react to her."

"Oh, I know." Althea grimaced.

“She more or less apologized about it the first night I was here. Still, I hate thinking that I was wandering around like some starry-eyed teenager lusting after the high-school quarterback."

Sarah nodded slowly.

“I understand. It creeps me out a bit when I find myself getting turned on when she's around." She started to say something more, but caught herself, struck by a sudden insight.

Instead, she turned the pieces of the conversation over in her mind.

Control. It all has to do with control. Sarah was no stranger to how that one concept could practically tear a family apart. For years, she and Alex had fought a rear-guard battle to keep their lives under their own control, refusing to give in to the demands of a mother who had their best interests at heart, but paid scant heed to their wishes. And she had all but completely driven away her own husband by her need to keep him from offending the rich and powerful. It had taken all of

Althea's influence to break that chain of bitter tension.

Now, Yasna was struggling against the same demon. Not in the way Alex and Sarah and Josh had, but not any less important for all that. She had let her Life-choices be guided by a father she respected and loved.

Some were made willingly. Others, not. Some had been beneficial.

Others, disastrous. The scars left by those choices ran deep.

Especially those related to physical intimacy.

Yasna, Sarah sensed, would never let her sexual choices be dictated to her ever again. In fact, now that she was fully recovered from Althea's influence, any attempt to lead her down a path not of her own choosing would almost certainly backfire. Perhaps with unpredictable results.

You better be careful with this one, Althea, she thought, making it a point to remind herself to speak with the succubus when she returned from Alex's rehearsal. You can get away with hitting on me, since we both know we aren't ever going to be a couple. But if you take the same tack with Yasna, she's only going to push you farther and farther away, until there is no hope for you to have a future together. With her, you are going to have to wait to be asked. She hid a wry smile. And won't that be one hell of a surprise for someone who is used to getting what she wants when she wants it!

“Penny for your thoughts," Rachel said quietly. She and Josh were lying together in bed. She was on her stomach, the Last throbs of another stupendous orgasm slowly fading away. Josh was lying on his side, slowly running the Length of her tail between his fingers.

He smiled at her, though his eyes were troubled. "Only that much?

Inflation mounts up, Venus. I think my thoughts have to be worth at least a nickel by now.”

He sighed and continued.

“I was just wondering what was going to happen when this is over."

“Over?”

"You know." He made an abortive gesture with his free hand, seemingly taking in the house and everyone in it.