How This Book
Came About

I suppose the idea for this book came from sending Passion's Four Towers off into cyberspace which-for me - was an alternative universe, a virtual reality.

I needed something to occupy my time while waiting to hear about my first book submission. What I wanted to write was a battle of the sexes that wasn't based on the Mars/Venus concept. So I started a different kind of war. Sure, Mars (the ancient god and the planet) was the motivator for Venus and Jupiter (goddess, god, and planets) to get in the middle of things on Earth, but they serve more as plot points than characters.

And for a long time I'd wanted to write a story about a hermaphrodite -- one where both sexes are visible at the same time or seen as separate "people." This idea stayed in the back of my mind until it wormed its way to the forefront.

"What if. . ." I created a locked room for my hero and heroine in which every sexual fantasy they've ever had came to life? The instigator of these fantasies is Herma-Frodie. And the only way for Keefe and Celine to unlock the door is to make love.

And, of course, they keep making love long after they are freed.

His Virtual Virgin

Chapter One

January 2225

"How do you feel about your alleged repeated loss of virginity, Miss Celine?"

"Objection, Your Honor. A Venusian female's ability to regenerate her hymen is a medically accepted fact."

"Medically accepted, but not legally proven," Judge Joren mumbled, feeling his cock stir when the witness smiled sweetly up at him. She seemed to grow even more beautiful, her skin glowing with the kiss of youth. Her impossibly green eyes greened until they looked like twin emeralds. He wondered if he could take her into his chambers and prove the allegation once and for all, conflict of interest be damned! "You may answer the question, Miss Celine."

She seemed reluctant as she refocused her gaze on the middle-aged attorney standing before her. Small, even white teeth raked over her lower lip. Every man in the courtroom sighed, some out loud, some only to themselves. Joren considered himself one of the latter, though he'd barely restrained his groan.

"As with Earth women," she said carefully in her husky contralto voice," it depends on the man." Before either attorney could object, she continued. "Most times, the very first penetration is painful and . . . messy."

"Which you attribute to what?"

"Inexperience and eagerness on the part of the man."

"Youth?" the attorney asked, his expression saying she would find neither pain nor mess with him. Or, for that matter, inexperience.

Impeccably dressed in a moss-green suit that seemed to mix the colors of his light brown hair and his hazel eyes, Michaels leered at the lovely witness. Joren almost banged his gavel and ordered the attorney to cease and desist his lechery. Since he was having difficulty keeping his own lusty feelings and expression neutral, he set his gavel aside.

"Not always," she countered mildly.

The attorney straightened and frowned as if her response were intended to insult him personally.

The opposing counsel stood-squatted at his table. "Is there a point to this line of questioning?"

"Get to it, Mr. Michaels," said Joren.

"Yes, Your Honor. Miss Celine, Miss Alyson claims she has lost her ability to regenerate her hymen because of Mr. Garven's repeated roughness with her."

Miss Celine, the judge noted as a snicker rolled through his courtroom, merely quirked a dark eyebrow and waited for the question. Had Michaels coached her or was she naturally this imperturbable? he wondered.

"Is this possible, Miss Celine?"

"I suppose it's possible, Mr. Michaels."

"But . . . ?"

"Objection. Anything the witness might say - "

"Have you experienced such an inability?"

"No, but - "

"No further questions," the attorney said quickly.

"Mr. Keefe," Joren said.

Mr. Garven's counsel rose. A man in his mid-thirties, Keefe lived up to his name with black-Irish handsomeness. Dark hair and aquamarine eyes. Eyes that could cut a witness to shreds or evoke confidence in that same witness. With Miss Celine, confidence seemed in play, though Joren sensed an underlying current ebbing between them.

"What might cause this regeneration loss?"

"Objection."

"Overruled. You've established Miss Celine's credentials as a healer as well as a sex surrogate, Mr. Michaels."

"May I say that I've not personally experienced the condition, but I've seen the results of Mr. Garven's assaults on - ?"

"Objection. Prejudicial," Keefe said.

"Sustained."

"It occurs when the woman is not allowed sufficient time between assaults. Encounters," she corrected before Garven's attorney could object yet again.

"How much time is needed?"

"It varies, depending on the age and ability of the woman. But, generally, between one- and twenty-four hours. Alyson is still very young in Venusian terms, so her recovery might take even longer than a day."

"How long does it take you, Miss Celine?"

For the first time Celine looked directly at Keefe. Joren noted the attorney's breath caught. A light blush tinged the witness's cheeks and her eyes darkened as if a shadow fell over a forest of sapling pine trees.

"Are you asking my age, Mr. Keefe?" Under the coyness lay a blade of steel.

Mr. Keefe's hand rose to his heart. "A gentleman never asks a lady, especially a Venusian lady, her age."

Available: Ellora's Cave Publishing