Page 39 of A Delicate Conquest

“Your cock. That ridge along the top…”

“We all have one of those.”

“Does it have a name?”

“Good question. I’ve never thought about it. I’ll have to ask Zharek.”

“And… its evolutionary purpose is to…”

“Make it appealing for the female, I presume.”

“Oh.Wow.”

The holo shimmered, and his naked virtual form suddenly sprouted a pair of horns.

InfernalSylth.

Bea looked at the holo, then at him, then back again. “Wh-what are those?”

Mavrel let out a slow, shuddering sigh that was half-tension and half-exasperation. He imagined himself with horns again, imagined her delicate hands curled around their ultra-sensitive bases. “I keep my horns trimmed, as is customary. In combat and life in the military, they’re highly impractical, so most of us don’t wear them. An evolutionary throwback, if you will.”

She stared at his forehead. “I don’t see any trace of them on you at all.”

“Once they’ve been cut right down to the base, the skin will grow over. We apply a growth inhibitor as well. They’ll eventually start growing back, but it’s unpredictable, and I’d just cut them down again, anyway.”

“I see. Actually, I can see a slight bump at each of your temples. That’s amazing.”

“Hm.” Mavrel had never expected her to be so fascinated by commonplace anatomy.

“Does it hurt… when you cut them?”

“It’s painful, but if done swiftly and with a sharp enough blade, the discomfort can be kept to a minimum.”

“I see. Well, you look incredible with yours.”

“It’s against protocol to keep them,” he said stiffly, afraid to tell her of theirrealfunction.

Which was pure pleasure.

“Maybe you’ll change your mind one day.”

“Perhaps.”

“I wouldn’t mind. They suit you very well—I mean, of course they do; they’re a natural part of you.” She leaned forward, bringing her face close to his—so close he could almost lean in and taste her full, glistening lips. “We’re a little bit different, you and I. You’re silver. I’m Black. Your hair is like moonlight, and your eyes are like amber shot through with firelight. You have fangs. I have teeth. Your ears are pointed. Mine are rounded. You can see well in the darkness. I can’t, but I’m immune to the sunlight that would blister your skin. I can hardly believe that you call us the same species.”

“Genetically, there’s only 0.01% of difference between us.”

“And somehow, we’re programmed to be attracted to one another.”

“On a highly precise level.”

“Sounds like some sort of a conspiracy.”

“There are some who believe it was by design.”

Her eyelids fluttered. A tiny shudder went through her. “I can’t even begin to think of such things.”

“Then,don’t.” The words were out of his mouth before he could stop them.

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