WereWoman by Piers Anthony Page A

almost lost along the way, but I did accomplish it in the moment she invoked her Name: she was innocent. Good enough.
    Our transformation complete, we stood and looked at each other. The figure before me was now taller and more muscular, but had similar long dark hair. Hair was difficult, because it wasn’t exactly alive and changed reluctantly; I wore mine long but bound back so it looked short, so that Mena could have it, unbound. Pubic hair wasn’t a problem because it didn’t need to change.
    I had no interest in bedding him, and knew that he had a similar aversion to bedding me. I remained male, the other female, in outlook, despite our bodies. We understood each other in that respect in a way that perhaps no others would.
    â€œI am Quent,” he said. “Short for Quentin, close as I could get to Queue.”
    â€œI am Mena, short for Philomena, similarly.”
    â€œNow that we’ve shared our secrets, let’s Change back.”
    â€œLet’s.”
    We invoked our reversed Names and Changed. I reverified her innocence of murder, not that I needed to. She was at heart a nice person, not capable of any such violence.
    In due course we were back to our original forms, and clothed. “This has been interesting,” Queue said. “Let’s not do it again.”
    â€œAgreed.”
    Queue and Molly departed, leaving Syd and me to unwind. “I never saw the like,” Syd said. “Man to woman, woman to man, together. You may be the only two Weres like that.”
    â€œWe may be,” I agreed. “I’m glad she checked out, not that I ever thought she was guilty.”
    â€œWe seem to have eliminated all the suspects in Bear’s murder.”
    â€œJust as Nonce and I eliminated them in the Warlock’s murder,” I agreed. “So far, as an investigator, my score stands at zero.”
    â€œI don’t think so. Eliminating false leads is just as important as locating the right one.”
    Nonce arrived. “I thought you’d be needing me about this time,” she said.
    â€œYes. I eliminated two more suspects, finishing the Were contingent. Now I think it’s time for the Vamps.”
    â€œI will take you there. Meanwhile you can tell me about those suspects. I take it neither would apply to the Warlock.”
    â€œNeither would,” I said, and told her about Molly and Queue as we drove.
    â€œYour former girlfriend! And a Were who is the mirror of you. Now I won’t need to be concerned about where you’ll go when my Witchly passion expires and you’ll be cast emotionally adrift.”
    â€œDon’t be in too much of a hurry to expire. I’m way short of being ready to drift.”
    â€œOf course. As long as you know that we Witches burn too fiercely emotionally to endure for long. We’re great passing company, but not good marriage material.”
    So I was coming to understand. Another Were, however, might be excellent material.
    We arrived at a fenced estate resembling an overgrown mountain with solar collectors on it. There was a little shack near the gate. It wasn’t very impressive. But I knew better than to judge by appearances. Vampires had suffered more than Weres or Goblins, and were more careful about showing their nature. There was a worn sign saying, perhaps facetiously, PARADISE MOUNTAIN.
    There was an old man snoozing in a chair by the iron gate. That too was deceptive; I smelled his Supe nature. And he wasn’t asleep; he was alertly watching us. In fact he wasn’t old, either. It was all an act to fool mundanes.
    We halted before him. “Hello, Vamp,” Nonce said. “We are Nonce Witch and Phil Were, here on business. We have clearance from Vachelle.”
    The man abandoned his act. “She said you were coming. Go on in.”
    â€œThank you.” She leaned down and kissed him. Nonce kissed folk freely, and it was apparent that they liked it; it seemed to be