The antagonist uses emotional abuse and magical manipulation to persuade both men and women to have sex with him (or each other). He often erases their memories of having encountered him or having had sex. He stalks the female lead character and attempts to rape her, but she outwits him. A secondary female character tells the story of an emotionally, psychologically, and physically abusive relationship she was in for years. She is safely away from her abuser by the time of the novel. The female lead character recalls a childhood incident in which a man is implied to be scoping her for sexual abuse, though all that happens before she escapes is a grip on her shoulder.