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If Circe closed his eyes, he could almost envision himself back in his old home. The dusty dark soil, the smoky skies overhead, the pale and sparse vegetation...to some it might have sounded inhospitable, but for him that was a world that he fit right into. And then there were the other parts of it - the beating of drums, the chants and whoops, the whirl of activity that sent his spirit soaring, compelling him to move like his life depended on it…

It really wasn’t quite the same in a suburban basement listening to a boom box, but he made do.

The Alolan Marowak let the beat guide him, his body twisting and turning in almost perfect time with the rhythm. His large bone torch spun in the air, wisps of ghostly blue flame flying off all over the place, impacting harmlessly against the floor and walls. Every now and then he would toss it up, let it spin freely above him in place as he used his now-free hands to break into an unorthodox breakdance move...Circe was not what anyone would call a traditionalist, his dances were a blend of the typical Alolan fire-dance style and very different modern moves, something that earned both awe and disdain back at his old home. Even those who griped about the bastardization of their traditions couldn’t deny, though, that his were some of the most popular dances among visitors.

The final beats were coming, and he let his bone fall into his hand. One last move...a spin of his bone from his left to his right hand, then behind his back into his left, a jump and flip landing with the rapidly-spinning bone now over his head, and in time with the last five beats, pounding the ground with his free hand, stomping his left foot, slamming his bone on the ground, stomping with his right foot, and ending in a dab. He stayed that way for a bit, pulse pounding and breaths heavy, the sheer feeling of ALIVE coursing through him.

“Are you STILL doing that shit?!”

Circe jumped and nearly fell over. Turning, he faced up to the scowling face of his trainer, Trevor; he’d gotten so into the dance that he hadn’t heard him come back home. Despite the new nerves in his heart, though, he matched the human’s expression with his own. “Yeah, I’m still doing what I love. It can’t be THAT surprising.”

“I thought I told you to cut that dance crap out. We have more important things to do!”

“And I thought I told YOU that I wasn’t going to! You knew what I was about when you agreed to take me with you, I told you I wanted to travel so that I could perform and see more that could inspire my dances!”

“Yeah, and I’m getting tired of not having drilled that out of you yet. Dance is useless, and I don’t want a useless Pokémon.” Trevor folded his arms and stepped towards Circe. “I thought you got the picture when I told you I didn’t want to see or hear that garbage in my house again. I thought you’d actually stopped...guess that was a lie, huh?”

“I never told you I was going to stop. I just decided to avoid your bitching by doing it while you were out.”

“And you think that’s not a lie? I expect better out of you, Circe. You should be preparing for the tournament next month, not wasting time on frivolities.”

Circe’s eyes went wide. “Are you fucking serious? I told you I didn’t want to do that! I’m not a battle Pokémon!”

“Nonsense. I’ve seen you battle-”

“For fun! I scrap with some of the local Pokémon just because Pokémon need to battle here and there, it’s a natural urge!”

“Don’t give me that. Whenever I’ve pit you against worthy opponents, you’ve performed quite well. You’d have no problem if you actually put your mind to it.”

“But I’ve told you time and time again I don’t want to be a combat Pokémon, I don’t want to do fights for a living! Why don’t you get some other poor sap to do it?”

“Because, you’re the one I want to battle with. You’re an unusual Marowak, you’ve got a lot more agility than people expect, most think your kind are lumbering and plodding. If you put that movement of yours to fights rather than flights, we’d be local champions easily. There are plenty of expected strong Pokémon, but a rare species being the victor? I can’t buy that kind of prestige.”

“I’m not here for your prestige!”

“Well, you’d better start. I’ve had enough of this. If you’re not going to take this seriously, then I’ll do what I have to do.”

“What the hell is that supposed to mean?”

“I know that Psychic Pokémon can work some magic on the brains of other humans and Pokémon. I’m sure I can find one that’ll wipe that dance business from yours and turn you into something that is worth a damn.”

Circe’s jaw dropped. “You...you can’t be serious! That’s incredibly illegal! You can’t just violate my mind like that!”

“No one’s going to find out if I make sure you can’t say anything about it. You’ve got three days to shape up before I take action. I need enough time to make sure you’re in proper shape for the tourney. If I don’t come home with a trophy you’d better believe it’s going to be a lot worse for you.” Trevor turned and marched back up the stairs, leaving Circe gaping. The idea that Trevor would do something that reprehensible…

It went without saying that Circe’s life hadn’t quite taken the turn he’d hoped for. For a rather long time, he’d wanted to find a trainer he could partner up with so he could get out to the wider world. Not a common fancy among his tribe, but he was always a bit more adventurous and free-spirited. He wanted to get more exposure, to bring his dancing to more people and find more sources of inspiration in the moves of others...it was a lot harder to do when stuck in a rather isolated location where the only time you saw anything else was when a tourist got bold enough or smashed enough to try to show something off. So he’d been looking around for someone interested in taking on a dancing Marowak as part of their companion crew. The problem was, he wasn’t particularly fond of battling - at least, not battling with any sort of serious stakes, not something that required you to be good. Just the little throwdown here and there to satisfy natural urges was fine - nothing riding on them, just two Pokémon working off some stress. But a lot of trainers were looking for something more.

At first, Trevor had seemed like an excellent turn of fortune. He had seemed to admire Circe’s dancing, and had extended an offer to put him in a setting where he could learn a lot more. Maybe Circe had been a bit too naïve or entranced to see through it, or maybe Trevor had just been good at masking it...either way, he’d not suspected any sort of issue, and had gone off with high hopes and an eager outlook.

It didn’t take long for the hammer to fall, though. Not long after getting to Trevor’s home, his new one, Circe was finding himself pressured into battles. Not exactly friendly ones, either, the first one was against an apparent rival of Trevor’s with a pretty big and powerful Pokémon behind him. He’d gotten lucky in that one that he was quick enough to avoid most of the attacks, but he hadn’t felt good about how things went. That happened a few times with different people before he pushed back and said he didn’t want to do it anymore. That had been the first real fight between them, and the first time he’d gotten the real scope of Trevor’s attitude - he thought Circe’s dancing was a waste of time and that he could mold the ‘naturally-talented fighter’ into a ‘respectable Pokémon.’ The Marowak couldn’t have been more insulted and enraged, and had threatened to leave right then and there...but tied to one of Trevor’s Poké Balls, he thought he could be retrieved at any time. It seemed like he was stuck.

But that didn’t mean he’d been giving in. He’d kept up his dancing, and refused to battle when he didn’t feel like it, even if it meant getting beaten up (though usually it didn’t - most opposing Pokémon refused to attack him if he was forfeiting). Trevor was getting more and more verbally abusive as he did, forbidding him to dance and threatening him with punishments for not listening to him, but Circe wasn’t going to be beaten that easily. This, though...this was an extreme threat, and he didn’t trust Trevor not to go through with it, even though its discovery would have meant jail time and permanent termination of trainer’s rights. He was apparently just that obsessed with the idea of glory with Circe as his combat tool.

Dammit...I was specifically trying to AVOID that. Now look what I’ve gotten sucked into…

The Marowak sat against the wall, trying to calm himself down. He may not have been able to run, but that didn’t mean he was helpless. Trevor had made a grave mistake: he’d warned Circe about what was going to happen. Apparently the human had gotten so arrogant that he’d forgotten what he was dealing with. Pokémon were stronger than any human, even if Trevor had the size advantage, and Ghost-types were capable of doing a lot more than just phasing through walls. His tribe had long taught the special skills of his nature to its members, ensuring that they would never be overrun and subjugated...Circe wasn’t exactly keen on them, but desperate times called for drastic measures.

If he needs to learn that I don’t buy into his pecking order the hard way, then I’m ready to teach him. I just need to figure out how to do that...

———

By the next evening, Circe knew what he was going to do. Some pondering and Internet research gave him the ideas he needed, a direct karmic lash that would ensure Trevor would feel the pain he was trying to create in Circe.

It’s extreme...but if I need to do extreme, then that’s what I’ll do. But I’ll give him one chance to walk back what he threatened…

Up the stairs he went, into the main room of the house, where Trevor was watching television. Seeing the human scowl as he entered the room didn’t fill Circe with a lot of confidence, but he was armed this time, and ready to pull the trigger, so he showed no fear.

“Come to your senses yet?” Clearly, though, Trevor was going to put his patience to the test.

“To something. I wanted to give you a chance to apologize for threatening me like that.”

“Apologize? You’re a misbehaving Pokémon. I can do what I want to get you back in line. You should be apologizing to me for wasting my time with your dancing nonsense.”

Circe’s jaw clenched, but he held it in. Always the toughest part...Fire-types like him had wild emotions and his temper could flare up big-time. Much as Trevor was trying to prove he didn’t deserve it, he had to give the chance, for his own assurance. “You actually can’t. You’re not allowed to abuse me. And I’m within my rights to object to battle if I want to.”

The human sneered. “Oh, that’s rich. You been reading up on that ‘Pokémon rights’ drivel? Just because some pathetic nancies up high got all soft doesn’t mean shit. You belong to me, I own you, you agreed to it, that means you do as I say or I take matters into my own hands.”

“Pokémon training is a privilege that the Pokémon grants to the trainer, not a mandate dictated by humans on us. Even your rules give us rights. I don’t have to remain with you. I can demand a trade, or leave on my own. And I can break my link to the Poké Ball if you try to force me back using it. The law is clear, you CAN’T force me to stay with you.” It was too bad he hadn’t known about that before, he might already have been clear of this mess. But better late than never - it had been wonderfully buoying for Circe to find out he had some control over his fate after all. Beyond the extreme measure, anyway.

“You even dare try that and you’ll be facing a lot worse.”

Circe snorted. “How? I’m your only Pokémon. You think you’re more powerful than I am? That you can make me submit?”

“You bet your ass I can!” snarled Trevor. “You pathetic animal, you don’t even KNOW what humans like me are capable of! That’s why we’re the species in charge here! You Pokémon are nothing but miserable beasts, you think because you can talk that you deserve some kind of special treatment, you need to be shown your place in this world and I’ll make you regret that you ever stepped out of it!”

Well...suddenly the truth was coming out. Now Circe knew fully what he was dealing with - humans who took their belief in their own supremacy too far weren’t exactly unheard of even back home, they were one of the reasons his tribe worked to protect themselves rather than relying only on the good humans. Trevor hadn’t shown any sign of that originally, but it seemed he was good at putting on his own mask - now the Marowak was getting the impression that this wasn’t the first time Trevor had had a confrontation, and he’d not come out the victor then, either. Just running away wouldn’t be enough, he’d just seek out another victim to feed his dictatorial complex; all doubt was erased from Circe’s mind as to his course of action now. “I think you’re the one who doesn’t know what the other is capable of. Maybe it’s high time you learned.”

“You think you can threaten me? Maybe I’ll have to teach you a lesson before I get your mind rewritten.”

Trevor stood up from his seat, and that was all Circe needed. In a sudden motion, he held his bone out in front of him, the flames flaring up as his eyes glowed brightly. And with a powerful voice tinged with spectral energy, he spoke. “?O ka?eha ?u i mana?o ai e ho?one?e i kekahi, e hana?ia i??oe!”

“You think chanting like a savage is gonna intimidate meeeaaAAAAAGH!” Trevor’s agonized cry came as his body was suddenly and completely enveloped in spectral flames like the ones at the end of the Marowak’s bone. Circe looked on in quiet satisfaction as the fire struck to the depths of Trevor’s soul, inflicting a mark that soon started to be reflected in his physical form, the area of the flaming pyre starting to shrink. He had never expected to use this ability, but after hearing the true nature of the human’s mind, he had gone from reluctant to eager to take advantage. Of course, he could have been thwarted with the right kind of amulet, but the ignorant asshole certainly wouldn’t have known about that - that would have required that he actually respected what Circe was capable of, and someone with his sense of arrogant superiority couldn’t have ever imagined doing that.

The flaming form had fallen over, and was curled up as it seemed to burn away, smaller and smaller until the figure that remained was noticeably dwarfed by Circe. At this point, the flames faded away, leaving only the form of a badly diminished human being, naked and curled up in a ball, whimpering in fear and confusion. It was pathetic, might have been pitiable if there had been any reason to pity him. And Circe was quite short on that.

“It never ceases to amaze me...how so many of you humans can continue to be so arrogant in the face of creatures that possess power you can only DREAM of.” He stood over the feeble form of Trevor, arms folded, his bone set aside for the moment. “You think you’re hot shit, but it never seemed to occur to you who you were talking to. I command the raw power of fire within my body, I can call upon an inferno that would melt your entire body into raw gas if I willed it. And even that pales in comparison to the ghostly abilities housed within my body...these spirit flames can change in quality at my leisure, I can make them burn like the fury of the sun one second and then freeze like the depths of space in the next, all without doing a lick of damage to you...if I’m feeling generous. The walls that confine you are nothing to me, I can pass through them as if they didn’t exist...I can make myself invisible, hide within the spirit realm, a world which you can only barely fathom. My kind can reave a soul from its body and take command of that husk ourselves, or plant your soul in a completely different body, even one that had just expired. And even the great force of DEATH cannot touch us...I am immortal, I will live as long as I care to, and will only fade into nothing at my own whim. You can do none of this, and yet you act as if you have some great power over me? You, who have never known anything but the mundane in your entire life?”

“Wh-what...wh-what did y-you do t-to me…” Trevor wasn’t outwardly reacting to the monologue, but Circe knew it would have its impact. After all, the human couldn’t ignore his words now, they would stick whether he wanted them to or not.

“Very simple. I cursed you. Oh, perhaps I forgot to mention that one...we ghosts can curse ANYONE. If we truly wish it, we can mark your soul and change your body and mind precisely how we want. And wouldn’t you know it, being threatened to be violated the way you intended for me sort of makes me wish for that.”

“C-cursed?! How?!”

“Well, let me put it this way,” Circe replied with a slick grin. “Karma’s a bitch, and a scorned ghost is worse. I decided that I would do to you what you threatened to do to me, or at least something along the same lines. What’s that rule you humans like to spout? ‘Do to others what you’d want done to you?’ Maybe this is what you want...or maybe you’ll understand why I DON’T want it once you’ve been through it.”

“I...I don’t understand! How did you do this? What did you do? Why am I so small? Turn me back!” Trevor’s voice was cracking a bit, it had zero intimidation factor now compared to his previous size. That and he was still curled in a ball, like he was trying to hide something...and Circe knew exactly what.

“Nope, not turning you back. First part of the curse: you wanted to make me feel small, weak, helpless, and obedient. So now, that’s what you’ve become. Smaller than me, submissive to my whim...well, you were already pretty weak and helpless, but now you’re even more so. But I think the obedience part is going to be the most key...”

Trevor craned his neck to gawk at the Marowak. “What?! NO! I...I’m not gonna obey you! You can’t make me!”

“Oh, can’t I? Then let’s try this. Lay flat on your back and spread your legs.”

The effect wasn’t quite immediate, but it didn’t take long. Trevor looked as if he was attempting to resist, but within a couple seconds he started moving, and it wasn’t long before he was in a position entirely compliant with the order. Circe stood over him, quite pleased with the results; they’d be even faster later on. “See? Nice and obedient. And your deep inner turmoil over it? That’s what you wanted to impose on me. Doesn’t seem so pleasant, does it? But I’m guessing you’re even more concerned over this…” The Marowak knelt down and brushed a finger between the human’s legs, where there lay a set of vaginal lips rather than the male organs that Trevor must have been used to. Despite this, the response was an involuntary push into the contact - just as Circe wanted, even though he didn’t say it out loud.

“Why...did you...why?”

“That would be the second part of the curse. You wanted to take away something that was a fundamental part of me. So I took away something that was a fundamental part of you. Wouldn’t think of it as that effective if you were a Pokémon, but since you humans have such hang-ups about males having one particular set of equipment, I figured this would do the trick.”

“I...ah...that…you...” Trevor kept trying to respond, and kept being stymied by Circe making contact with his new clitoris, either with his finger or with a wisp of flame. He could tell the human was trying very hard not to moan, even with his resistance he was displaying the trait that Circe wanted. In a way, it was a bit of mercy - he wasn’t making the human feel the revulsion and torment he easily could have - but deeper down, he knew that arrogant and hateful part of Trevor would be even more mortified at the thought of a Pokémon bringing him to orgasm. And that might very well have been a weapon he could use to destroy it.

“Which brings me to the third part of the curse. You thought it was entirely okay to invade my mind...so I made it entirely okay to invade your body. Hope you like having those legs spread, because it’s going to happen a lot...and you’re never going to be able to refuse it or claim you don’t want it.”

Trevor’s eyes flashed wide open, but his mouth remained shut tight - almost certainly he was testing that theory and finding it entirely accurate. Grinning, Circe dropped down over Trevor, letting the blood flow to his own organs, his cock starting to peek from his slit. But that wasn’t all he was going to prove...one hand had come down on Trevor’s arm, pinning him somewhat to the floor, but the other was on his chest...and then suddenly it was IN his chest, and the human gasped as he felt something touch deep inside him, directly on his beating heart. There was no way that could have felt right.

“Ah, the perks of not being bound by your silly physical laws. You’ll never feel a heart beat in your fingers, I’m certain of it.” His voice had dropped, to a soft and dangerous level. “Imagine...I could grab and squeeze right now, or pull and rip the thing out of you, or at least out of place. Or I could just channel a flame into my hand and cook it right inside you. So many ways I could just...put an end to your miserable life right here and now. And I would never face a single repercussion for it...after your abuse and threats, I’m within my rights to respond any way I want. The only thing stopping me from doing this to you is the goodness of MY heart…”

It was delicious seeing the terror in Trevor’s eyes as the full implication of just what Circe was capable of was hitting home. Even if the thought of actually killing made him extremely squeamish, he wasn’t actually intending to do it, just make Trevor entirely aware of it. Now the human was truly knowing where he stood in the grand scheme of things, and he pulled his hand out harmlessly. It instead went to Trevor’s other arm, as he situated himself over the human, his now fully erect shaft - pointed, thick, and pockmarked with vents that were spurting licks of blue flame - rubbing up against that twitching pussy. Now everything was in place. “Beg for it, bitch.”

There was almost no hesitation - not just the command, but the desperation evident in Trevor’s voice as he had to be entirely aware now what kind of position he was in. “Please, Circe...fuck me hard, fill me with your cum, mark me as yours with your fire…”

Simple but effective...he would make sure Trevor got more elaborate as time went on. For now, though, it was time to claim his prize, and Circe didn’t go light, slamming his cock into Trevor’s cunt and hilting immediately. He could feel Trevor jerk under him, jaw open in a silent cry as he was no doubt overwhelmed by the sudden rush of sensation, the raw heat and thickness in a place that minutes ago didn’t even exist. For Circe, the triumphant moment of complete reversal was almost as good as the tightness around his cock, a loud moan of bliss declaring his success as his hands tightened around the human’s arms.

He didn’t let up from there, hammering away into Trevor with no restraint, giving him zero time to adjust to what was happening. It was glorious, he felt Trevor tensing down on him over and over, the pleasure he was inducing impossible for the human to resist, making the thrusts even more stimulating for him. And now, underneath his grunts, he could hear the mewls of euphoria coming from Trevor’s mouth, the overwhelmed bitch being made to revel in the defiling, just the tiniest hint of torment underneath as that enfeebled arrogance tried to deny what was happening and what he was feeling. Circe was going to take great glee in making that crumble.

He sped up, and as he did he ramped up the heat, making his cock sear that sensitive flesh with his spectral flame. It might not have been leaving any physical marks, but he could already tell that he was branding Trevor’s soul in a way that he’d never be able to get off, even if Circe ended the curse. He was never going to be able to forget about this, what led to it and what it did to him, a reminder if his mind ever went astray again. There was definitely a primal thrill to it for Circe - civilized as he tried to be, his instincts loved when he indulged in his natural powers and abilities. And judging by the fact that the wetness that he was plunging into wasn’t all his own steaming precum, Trevor was getting quite a deep thrill out of it as well.

It wasn’t long before Circe was on the verge of providing him something much more robust. He was a bit pent up, he hadn’t had any action since joining Trevor, the human couldn’t stand him being around another Pokémon without battling it. He’d tried sneaking out, but he didn’t know the area well enough to feel comfortable with that...so this was also sating a different need he’d been denied. What better than the one who denied it? And he was pretty sure Trevor couldn’t get any either, regardless of his equipment, so hopefully the human would appreciate this ‘favor’ he was doing to him. Well, if he didn’t now, Circe would make sure he would. He flared up more as he reached the verge of his sexual pinnacle, his thrusts getting erratic as he powered himself to the finale.

But he was beaten there, as Trevor cried out far louder than Circe expected, and suddenly his cock was bathed in vaginal cum and massaged by convulsing walls and twisting flesh as Trevor writhed beneath him. The added sensation from the human’s fluids was far more than enough to act as the trigger on their own, and everything else just amplified the delight as the Marowak erupted into Trevor, bellowing out in bliss as his ethereal lava scoured Trevor’s cunt and burned in his core. Not a drop of it leaked out of the tight passage, instead every bit of seed pushed in deep, making the human’s midsection swell out just a bit at the virile offering, a slight blue glow from that bump as the heat and ghostly quality of that seed made its presence known.

The glory of orgasmic rapture may have faded fairly quickly, but there was just such immense satisfaction at the successful conquest that it almost was better than that peak. Circe pulled out slowly, letting his presence linger more than long enough to push the point home for Trevor. The human was a panting, sweaty wreck beneath him, looking a mixture of strained and contented - there was definitely inner conflict still, but that was fine. It would be a good sign when that was gone. “This is just the first taste, bitch. You’ve got a lot more of this coming. And you’d better believe it’s not just going to be me giving it to you...though I’ll be taking my fill as I please, don’t you worry.”

Trevor looked up at him helplessly; already there had been a subtle, slight shift, whether he wanted to or not he had certainly recognized that he had to be deferential and obedient if he didn’t want to face a worse fate than what he already had. “I...h-how...long?”

“Well, I think that’ll depend on you...because I’m gonna keep you this way as long as it takes for you to truly respect me, to kill off that bullshit attitude you have, and to appreciate my dancing. Until I’m satisfied that you’ve done all that, you’re gonna be just like this, just the way I want.” Circe couldn’t help but chuckle at the resigned groan that Trevor gave off as he slumped back to the ground. Things were going to go a LOT better from now on...

———

There was nothing like the thrill of a public performance. Granted, it was only a half-dozen onlookers, but that was enough for Circe to get a kick out of it. If practice made him feel alive, putting on a show made him feel like he had transcended life itself. The fluid motion of his body held the viewers in rapture, the blazing spin of his bone set their eyes aglow with the potency of his flame, and his whoops echoed in their ears like the only sound they could know.

At the final dab, he heard a smattering of claps and utterances of amazement from the onlookers. They were merely humans who had been walking by and he’d offered to put on a performance for them - free of charge, for such a small group. As he bowed to them, he could see the elation written on their features, the appreciation for what he had shown them...that was such a rewarding thing, as much now as it ever had been, but what was truly special was that this was an area where so few people had ever seen something like him. It was an all new audience, and he knew word was spreading about him.

As they parted ways, Circe retreated back towards the residence that he could now safely call home. But as he phased through the bushes lining the yard, he saw a slightly unexpected sight - Trevor was there, looking blushy and uncertain. He didn’t venture out much in the six months since his change - mainly because being outside meant being a target for the nigh-insatiable lusts of the local Pokémon populace. “Feeling bold today, bitch?”

“Ah...um...well…”

“What is it?”

“I, uh...that was...a really good performance, master.”

Well, that was new - Trevor had been watching him? “You just saying that, or do you really mean it?”

“I...I mean it.” And there was a tone in his voice that suggested that he really did. “I...I always knew you could move really well, but...I never...really understood how mesmerizing it could be. It was like I couldn’t stop looking at you, and my heart was just...going wild. I never knew you could make someone feel like that just by dancing…”

Even if that had been what Circe was trying to get out of Trevor, he still couldn’t say he had seen it coming. But how incredibly satisfying it was to hear those words, after so long...and he could tell without question that it was truly what Trevor felt, not just words to try to convince him to end the punishment. Which meant he’d really gotten through to him...it had taken a while, but finally he’d achieved success. That was the third criterion...getting Trevor to respect him and understand his power had been fairly easy to do, but it had taken longer to truly eradicate that noxious attitude from his mind and get him to respect Pokémon on the same level as humans. Circe wasn’t sure he would ever get the human appreciating his dancing, though...this was a major milestone, and sooner than he’d envisioned.

He stepped up to Trevor, putting a hand on his shoulder. “Well, I’m glad you feel that way...now you truly know part of what lights up MY spirit. And I think that means you’ve finally earned the right to release from your curse. I guess I was a bit too pessimistic about how well you could change, you definitely did very well.”

Trevor’s flush deepened, and he looked up at Circe humbly. “Um...master, if...if it’s all right...I want to stay this way.”

Now THAT was unexpected. “Really?”

“Yeah...I...I guess...I see who I was before, and I...I’ve really grown to hate it. And I...I guess I feel like what I was before is part of who I was before...and I think I’d feel...wrong, like that. This feels...more right, to me, than what I used to be...and I still want to belong to you.”

Circe smiled broadly. “Well, I couldn’t think of even the slightest reason to say no to that. If that’s what you want, then I’ll be happy to keep things how they are. Just remember, you HAVE earned the right to be released...if you change your mind at some point, all you need to do is tell me, and I’ll keep my word.”

“I understand...thank you, master.” The joy in Trevor’s voice gave Circe the impression that that change of heart wasn’t going to come any time soon...if ever. And he had no problem with that.