Stein straddled Birkin and grabbed his wrist, bringing it up above his head. One of the things he'd been preparing when he was waiting for Birkin to get out of the shower had been hanging cuffs discreetly onto his headboard, and he shackled Birkin's right wrist quickly to one of the cuffs, then switched his scalpel to the other hand and groped for Birkin's left wrist.

"Oh... no, I want this," he said in a soothing tone. Birkin's words caused him to blink in confusion. "What do you mean, another Spirit?"