"Ow. I'm calling this experiment if that happens again," says Nathan.

"I could just make you unsquishable," says the Joker, pecking Nathan on the cheek.

"Shouldn't need it," grumbles Nathan. "Fine, go for it, babe."

He hugs his sweetie. "There, you're squishproof."

Aianon cautiously increases the pressure of his hand. There is no more crushing.

"I'm not even unusually strong for a non-newborn vampire, there's variance."

"My father was stronger than I," says Aianon. "Few others were."

"Well, if you win - which is looking increasingly unlikely - we can see if Emmett wants to come try, he's probably strongest of anyone who might show up to a peal party."

"'Course, even if he beats you, you're giving a credible enough showing here that he'll be after you to come participate in his Ultra Olympics - at least half of the suggestions he got when he sent out that email survey were better than 'Ultra Olympics', I think he's just really attached to the name. He'd probably love to have all kindsa extradimensional aliens playing."

"What is an Ultra Olympic?"

"You don't singularize it," says Nathan. "Olympics. So, on Earth-type worlds, there's this ancient worldwide athletics competition every few years. It's called the Olympics. But it wouldn't be fair to have vampires and hybrids and werewolves playing with everybody else. So Emmett came up with a version for us. It's smaller - and less serious; we get most of our ability out of the box so people who want to participate don't have to spend their lives working on it; Kerron shows up and competes sometimes and the rest of the time he doesn't even go for a walk on a typical day. But it's fun."

"It does sound fun," says the demon.

"You win," says the demon. "I'd suggest a forfeit, but I'm told you wouldn't accept." He grins at the Joker.

Nathan retrieves his hand. "You were told right. I'm pretty free with the squishing and the biting, everything else is single-target. Besides, I'm essentially straight when not under the influence of spooky mating magic." He winks at the single target of his spooky mating magic.

The demon spreads his wings in an elaborate shrug. "You can bite me, too, if you want."

Nathan blinks at him. "I have," he observes thoughtfully, "no idea what you would taste like."

"Then why don't you find out?" he invites.

Nathan shrugs. "You appropriately rigged not to turn into anything if bit?"

"Demons are immune to venom."

"Yeah, vampires are immune to everything but a shortlist of squeezing, whoever told you demons are immune to venom probably hadn't met my kind."

"Hm," he says. "I wish to be immune to you - nothing. I wish not to be immune to you - I lose the coin. I wish to reverse the previous wish - I lose that coin also."