Chapter 13

Mark sat at the table, a legal pad in front of him filled with four pages of notes. He was trying to make sense of everything he had heard from Lilith and how it compared with what he’d been told by Charles and Vivian. He was analyzing it in the same way he’d analyze a legal case: What were the undisputed facts? What were the disputed facts, and what evidence supported each side? Which party was more credible? Which had an agenda or other motive to distort or misdirect?

He realized after going through this process that much of what he’d assumed to be true hadn’t been based on affirmative statements by Charles or Vivian. They had provided the background, and he had filled in many of the details, some of which could have been wrong. He couldn’t recall them actually saying that Dacians lived “underground” or “hidden” any more than Elysians did. He had just assumed that from the history they’d given him about Dacia and the change in the Dacian tactics. It occurred to him that Dacians had the same incentives to remain anonymous as Elysians did, but that didn’t prevent them from living as ordinary members of society. Unless they flaunted their unique abilities, there wasn’t any way to tell a Dacian from any other person — any more than it was possible to identify an Elysian.

As to the alleged killing and raping, they’d never said that Dacians were currently regularly killing or raping. That, too, he’d filled in based on what they’d told him about Dacia. He remembered Lilith’s words — there was “no empirical evidence” Dacia even existed. That was true. So how could the Elysians be sure there ever were any such murders or rapes or orgies? Couldn’t it all just be myth?

He kept coming back to the traits. There was no question that Charles and Vivian had unequivocally said that Elysian and Dacian traits were “inherited.” But what Lilith had told him caused him to wonder how much of that was empirical truth and how much was quasi-religious belief. It was difficult for him because he wasn’t any kind of expert on heritability, but what Lilith had challenged him with — how was it scientifically possible for traits to be passed on that way and what was the empirical evidence? — had struck a nerve. It seemed clear that Amrita resulted in the physical and intellectual changes, not the sexual interaction. But then why was the sex even necessary? Lilith freely admitted that if the last two stages weren’t implemented, death would result. So, what part did the sex play and how did it factor in?

But, beyond the question of how loomed the larger question of whether. Whether traits of Elysians and Dacians were, in fact, passed on. Lilith had said neither she nor her sister had changed at all — their personality characteristics were exactly the same. They hadn’t “inherited” any traits, either from Elysians or Dacians. That one, too, struck a nerve with Mark. If there weren’t actually any fundamental personality changes, then the whole notion of inherited traits was mere fiction.

He shook his head. He needed more information.

Mark lay on his back, Lilith curled against him. It was their fourth night together.

“I’ve decided you’re a sprite,” Mark said.

“Perhaps,” Lilith replied.

“You came out of nowhere in the middle of the night through a second-story window above a sheer wall. And you beguile me. I think your real name is Ariel.”

“Perhaps,” she said.

“Are you going to suddenly disappear one day the way you suddenly appeared?”

“Perhaps.”

It was silly but Mark’s heart sank a little.

Lilith drew his hand to her breast. “But I’m corporeal, am I not?”

“Perhaps,” Mark said.

Lilith laughed and jumped on him.

“Oof!” Mark exclaimed.

She looked down at him, her eyes shining. “I was worried you’d be stuffy.”

“Why?” said Mark.

“Because you’re a corporate lawyer.”

“I’m not really a corporate lawyer. I do business litigation.”

“Litigation between what parties?”

“Corporations, mostly.”

“You all work for the man,” Lilith said, rolling off him.

“How did you know I was a lawyer?” Mark asked.

She lifted her head and rested it on her hand and elbow.

“I found out everything I could about you.”

“How did you know I would have sex with you?”

“I saw you checking out my breasts the first time we met.”

“I wasn’t looking at your breasts,” Mark lied.

“Yes you were. You wanted me to climb on top of you. After all, the other option was Vivian.”

“No, I didn’t,” said Mark. “You know Vivian?”

Lillian ignored the question. “You were at full mast.”

“You were putting out pheromones.”

“You just can’t fake it the way we can,” she said, sitting up. “And anyway, you did have sex with me and you do have sex with me, so I rest my case.”

She lay her head back on Mark’s shoulder.

“Darling?” Lilith said.

“Mm-hm?”

“I did come out of nowhere into your bed one night. And I keep reappearing. I’ve loved every minute of it. But I just want to say that ... we don’t have to do this if you don’t want to. So, if this is ever not working for you, just say the word, and I’ll be gone.”

“No,” said Mark, quickly. “No. I like it when you’re here. I love it, actually. I never would have believed that a week or so ago. I like you. A lot.”

“The feeling’s mutual,” Lilith murmured.

They lay in silence for a while.

“We should go out some time,” said Lilith.

Mark thought for a moment.

“I’m not sure that would be a good idea,” he said. “Having us seen together, and I am still married and all, and...”

“You’re right,” Lilith sighed. “I’m just being silly. We need to stay secreted – like Dacians!”

Mark laughed.

“No, I understand. I want that as well. But now probably isn’t the right time.”

Lilith was silent for a while.

“What about this?” she said brightly, lifting herself onto an elbow. “There’s a dive bar on this side of town. Total hole in the wall -- you walk downstairs to a basement. Tiny. Great music by old boomers who’ve played together since they were 20. Hardly ever anyone there. Let’s go sometime.”

“Okay,” said Mark.

Lilith thought for a moment. “Also, remember my dream in which we were in the meadow? Let’s go for a drive and find a secluded meadow somewhere and just lie in it and feel the sun on our faces and listen to the birds and make sweet love.”

“Sounds wonderful!”

Mark rolled onto his front and looked into Lilith’s eyes

“You’re ... lovely,” he said. “I mean you’re beautiful, of course, but I didn’t think ... I didn’t know this side of you. You’re sweet, and warm, and fascinating, and silly.”

Lilith kissed him. “I really don’t care if we go anywhere else. I love being here with you. I wouldn’t trade it for anything.”

“Except chocolate,” she added.

Mark laughed. Then he lifted her pendant and looked at it more closely. It was a bezel-set round opal solitaire that hung from a simple gold chain.

“You always wear this,” he said.

“I do,” she agreed. “It helps me not to forget something.”

“What?”

“I’ll tell you some other time,” she said. ““Hmm.” He felt her finger tracing along part of his back. She leaned over him, inspecting his back. “You should probably have this looked at,” she said, tapping his upper back. “Looks like a little basal cell carcinoma going on.”

“Cancer?”

“I wouldn’t know unless I saw a biopsy. But just have it frozen off.”

“A biopsy? Are you in the medical field?”

“I have an M.D.”

“You’re a doctor?!” Mark said, sitting up in surprise.

“My specialty is psychiatry, but I don’t practice, so don’t start looking for free advice.”

“Wow, you’re full of surprises. How did you decide to become a psychiatrist?”

“I don’t know. I was in graduate school in psychology when I got converted. After that, I just decided to go all the way. Actually, it was probably so my mother couldn’t lecture me anymore on psychiatry.”

“Oh, your Mom’s a psychiatrist, too?”

“Yes. Anyway, when are you going to the doctor?”

“I wasn’t planning to any time soon.”

“All right. Well just buy some medical freeze spray and I’ll do it – they’ll have it at CVS or Rite-Aid. Oh, and have you bought any red wine.”

“Oh, no, sorry.”

“How about chocolate?”

“Maybe some M&Ms.”

“No, I said ’chocolate.’”

“Unfortunately, not”

“You’re useless! Well, pick up that up as well. Dark chocolate.”

“What kind of red wine?”

“Bordeaux, Cabernet, whatever. I’m not particular. I don’t drink it for the taste.”

Lilith’s eyes became smoky.

“I need the wine so I can get you drunk and take advantage of your helpless body. And I need the chocolate so I can eat it while I watch you squirm.”

Mark laughed.

“And now ... what really nasty thing can I do to you to prove I’m not sweet? Want me to play with your balls while I check out your prostate?”

“Mmm!” Mark murmured.

“Actually... “ she said, hopping up.

Lilith slid down the bed and lifted Mark’s deflated penis.

She took him into her mouth. She kept him there for a few moments, unmoving, as the blood rushed in. She lifted her head.

“I love the feeling of a cock growing in my mouth!”

She took him in again.

As she fellated him, Lilith reached between her legs.

Mark drew in his breath as she felt her slickened finger move between his buttocks, where it began to move in slow circles in rhythm with the motions of her tongue.

He felt her finger probe, then a blaze of delight as he crested into orgasm.

At his first contraction, Lilith slid her finger deep into his anus.

“Ahhhhhhh!” Mark’s legs shot straight out and his body jack-knifed as a cataclysm of pleasure exploded inside him. His anus began to rhythmically contract around her probing finger, each followed by a gush of semen into her mouth.

Six contractions later, Mark’s orgasm finally subsided.

Lilith swallowed.

“Mmm, twice as much protein as usual,” she said, running her tongue along her upper lip. “I’m going to have to watch my girlish figure.”

“Like that?” she added.

“It was unbelievable!”

“Still think of me as sweet?”

Mark laughed.

“I wish the Elysians hadn’t interrupted your conversion!” Lilith said.

“Why?” Mark asked in surprise. “So I could have become a Dacian?”

“No, so that I could have watched you being fucked in the ass.”

Mark laughed. Then he scooted down the bed.