Brandy sat at the end of an over-stuffed brown couch with a glass of red wine in one hand. Her other hand held a white envelope. Kevin sat at the opposite end from her, one leg crossed on the couch. Light music played from the stereo system while Brandy stared suspiciously at the young man.
“Our anniversary was three months ago,” Brandy informed him.
“I know, I know. Just open the thing already!” Kevin’s words were gentle despite his protest.
Brandy continued to stare. “This better not be a proposal.”
“Oh god no,” Kevin assured her. “No no no. Trust me. I mean,” he corrected as Brandy’s eyes hardened. “Not that you’re not worth marrying. I mean. Not that you aren’t- Look, just open it before I say anything worse. Please?”
With a final look, Brandy set her wine glass down and carefully opened the envelope. She’d always been careful with personal letters and gifts, making sure to never just tear through either of them. She had a little box where she kept old letters with their envelopes. This one was simple and just her name was written on the front in black ink. Inside was a white card with an artistic red heart on the front. Brandy smiled at it.
The card was well made with thick paper rather than the cheap plastic-y gloss cards that most places sold. Sneaking a sip of her wine, she opened the card. There were no pictures or pre-printed words inside. Kevin’s handwriting was normally atrocious – sloppy and quick and barely recognizable but he’d taken care with what he’d written in the card. She could almost picture him writing each letter slowly and her smile deepened.
I saw you for the first time over a year ago in that little coffee shop. You had the most amazing smile and these little dimples that made my heart melt. I listened to you talk and laugh with the customers while I waited and by the time it was my turn, I couldn’t even remember what I wanted! I could barely look at you while I tried to remember my order. I didn’t realize then exactly how much you’d come to mean to me but I understand now.
Hey. Look up.
Brandy looked up automatically. Kevin’s face was completely red. His hands were gripped together in a tight knot and he looked incredibly uncomfortable.
“Brandy,” Kevin said. “I. I, umm. God. I love you. And you don’t have to say it back or anything at all. I just realized it and I wanted to-” The young woman’s smile deepened until her teeth showed. She could feel her own love, hidden for a few months but suddenly surging. “Oh. There are those dimples again. Brandy-”
Kevin’s words were cut off as Brandy fairly launched herself at him. She held him tight against her, kissing his neck and mouth.
“You nerd. I love you, too,” she told him.
“Oh thank god. Seriously? Really? Since when? You never said anything so I wasn’t sure. I thought this whole time it was maybe me and just me but I had to say something because-”
Brandy laid a finger on Kevin’s lips. “You talk too much sometimes, honey. I’m sorry I didn’t say anything. I’ve had- It hasn’t usually gone well for me.” She lay against her boyfriend on the large couch. Her smile faltered as she remembered the past and it took effort to push it away.
“Hey,” Kevin said. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to stir anything up.”
“No, it’s fine,” Brandy said. “Besides, this is about us, not anything or anybody else. Thank you for the card and for finally telling me. I know how shy you are so that had to be hard. How long did you wait to tell me?”
“A while,” Kevin said, blushing again.
“‘A while’, huh?” Brandy said, teasing her boyfriend. “Half a year? A whole year? Love at first sight? I knew it! You fell in love with my dimples right when you saw me, didn’t you?”
Kevin laughed. “No. About a month ago, when we were at the fair. We were waiting in line for cotton candy and, I don’t know, I just looked at you and my heart just swelled up. I almost cried. It was weird. But, about then.” His hand traced gently along Brandy’s back while he talked and she sighed in pleasure.
“Well, for me it was almost two months before that. You’d left me a message while I was at work. Remember when I had that crappy day where the customer spilled her drink on me on purpose? You left a message just telling me you were thinking of me and talking about all the different things you liked about me and how you were going to take me out for ice cream after work. I still listen to it sometimes, when I’m unhappy. And now you know my dark-” Brandy stopped.
“Secret?” Kevin finished.
“Yeah,” Brandy said. She pressed herself closer to her boyfriend and he hugged her more tightly in return.
It’s pointless, you know, the voice in her head told her. He’ll either find out eventually or you’ll just have to dump him or leave. How long will that be? Are you going to tell him? Remember what happened last time? Did we ever hear back from Richard when we told him? No? Not a single word since he called us crazy and left. Brandy breathed quietly. Kevin’s hands worked up and down her back and the effect was more calming than she’d like to admit. She relaxed and cleared her mind until the voice grew more and more quiet.
Brandy found herself arching her back slightly and shifting around to encourage Kevin to scratch different areas. She sighed happily under his attentions as her mood lightened. She felt her arousal building – a sweet aching that boiled away the rest of the unpleasant thoughts. They rolled together until Brandy was on top, pushing herself slightly up on her hands above Kevin.
Scratches turned into light fingers that ran along her soft sides and wide hips. Brandy leaned forward to kiss under Kevin’s jaw and then moaned as his hands dug into her ass. He pulled her hips down to him and she could feel his excitement. Brandy licked Kevin’s neck happily and then rocked back, rubbing herself on his erection. She was suddenly incredibly turned on. Heat radiated from her stomach, racing up her body and the young woman gasped, arching her back until her hips were raised. She whined with her need, sure that her panties were completely soaked. She could smell herself in the air and that only pushed her arousal.
Sparing barely a moment to think, Brandy pushed away from Kevin. His hands reached for his pants but Brandy pushed his hands away. She felt drunk from her scent and the heat radiating throughout her body. The young woman reached for her boyfriend’s zipper.
And then stopped.
“I-” Brandy said, her voice suddenly dry. Her cheeks and the tips of her ears burned from the urge deep within her body.
“Hey, you okay, sweetheart?” Kevin asked.
“I’m sorry. I have to go. It’s, it’s nothing you did. I just, I have to go. I’ll call you later, okay? I’m sorry. I really sorry,” Brandy stumbled as she stood. She held her right hand under her armpit. “Trust me. I swear, it’s nothing you did. I have to go. I… I love you. I promise I’ll call later, okay?”
“But- hey, are you… are you sure everything is okay?”
“Yes,” Brandy said shortly. Her forehead and temples pounded with her racing heart. Her heat was spreading deeper inside and she was sure she could feel her juices running down her thighs. “I really… you’re fine. I have to go.”
The young woman grabbed her purse and shoes and left without a glance back. She nearly ran to her car. She cursed quietly at the gravel in Kevin’s driveway until, after the third step, it stopped hurting. And then she cursed for a different reason.
Only when she’d backed out of her boyfriend’s driveway and shifted into drive did she finally take her right hand from under her armpit. She could see clearly even without the street lights she passed as she raced home.
Thick black claws tipped each finger of her right hand. Bright red blood trailed away from where her skin had split. Brown and black fur had grown along the back of her hand and the joints of her fingers were swollen. She could see the delicate white skin along the bottom of her hand slowly darkening. She prayed she made it home in time.
Brandy was panting as she pulled into her own small driveway. Sweat lined her face as she ran through imaginary lists to keep her focus.
January, March… no! February. March. April. May. June. July. September. November. I. Did I? Was there more? Dammit. Dammit.
The urge to drop to all fours and run was difficult to ignore as she stepped into the small walkway leading to her house. She was barefoot now, her tattered socks trailing behind her as her claws clicked on the concrete. Her t-shirt had ripped and, had she been more mentally present, she’d concerned about exposing herself to her neighbors.
Inside inside inside inside inside, the young woman chanted as her mind slowly faded. With luck, she made it into her small house and locked the door behind herself before collapsing to the floor.
—–
When Brandy woke the next day, she was completely naked and curled into a small ball in the corner of her bedroom. Small brown and black hairs were stuck to her body with old, dried sweat. She couldn’t remember anything since stumbling away from her boyfriend’s house. Fresh shame coursed through her as she remembered running away. The small, always present voice, laughed at her.
Brandy stood. As always, her first job was to see what she’d done the night before. Second was the shower. And then, Kevin. Glancing at the clock, she sighed. No, she thought. Work first since I’m late.
—–
“I’m so, so sorry,” Brandy said. She held her cellphone to her ear as she drove to work. “No, I meant it. It wasn’t anything you did or said. The card was beautiful and it made me so happy to hear that you loved me. I’m, wow, I’m really sorry because it was terrible timing but, I, uhh, something in the food or wine didn’t agree with me and I didn’t want to throw up all over you or make a scene at your place. No, no, no, it’s got nothing to do with you opening up to me. Trust me.”
She listened for a moment before replying. “No, I know that it’s part of your job to take care of me but I guess I have to get used to it. I’m sorry I ruined the evening. I just didn’t want it to end with me throwing up all over your house. Yeah, yeah I am better. Thank you. Hey, I just got to work and I need to rush in. Let’s talk afterwards, okay? I’ll have to work late tonight to make up for coming in late.”
Despite her anxiety and the stress from the situation, Brandy smiled. “Yeah. Yeah, I love you, too. Talk to you later, honey.” Brandy hung up and rushed into work, apologizing profusely as she entered.
—–
Later that evening, having placated Kevin with a long, sickeningly sweet phone call, Brandy sat in bed. She’d undressed after the call. The young woman stared down at herself as she breathed slowly and deeply. She traced a hand down her belly, wondering for the hundredth time if she should get a gym membership. She hated the thought because she felt fine and sexy regardless of her weight. But, a constant stream of caffeine addicted soccer moms and fit women from the yoga studio across from her work made her doubt herself. And all of that despite Kevin’s assurances.
She was propped up on four pillows and was on top of her soft, old blanket. Her thighs were thick but smooth and her toes were small and cute. Occasionally she painted her toenails but- she let that thought drop away. Her pubic hair was short, fanning out to cover her mound. She trimmed on date nights but was sometimes lazy and Kevin never seemed to mind. She blushed at several memories of her boyfriend between her legs. She could picture him clearly, arms wrapped around her thighs, his eyes focused on what he was doing. His gentle tongue and the way his nails dug into her…
Brandy shuddered. She could feel herself growing wet and she welcomed it.
“I can control this,” she said, out loud. “I can control this. I have to.”
Closing her eyes, she leaned back. Her hair was perpetually short and curly and brown and it tickled her ears. She traced up her thigh with her right hand and her arm pressed against her breast. With a light, gentle touch, she pressed the skin around her clit with the very tip of her nail barely under the hood. She kept a memory of Kevin in her mind. Sweet Kevin – shy but attentive and eager to please without being submissive.
Her scent was sharp in the warm air of her bedroom. She took reflexive deep breaths of the smell. Drool formed in her mouth but she swallowed against it.
“I can control this. It doesn’t control me.” She rubbed herself in small circles with her right hand. Her left hand massaged her breast. “I will not give into it. I will- ohh, Kevin…”
In her mind, Kevin stood before her, spreading her legs open. His face wet from her juices and his cock throbbing before her. He was average sized, perhaps a little on the small size, but incredibly thick. She’d take thickness over length any day of the week and twice on Sunday. Her orgasm was slowly and steadily building.
Brandy moaned and her lips parted. Her tongue lapped at a bit of drool that trickled from the corner of her mouth and then lengthened by fractions of an inch. Brandy pinched her small brown nipple. She began rocking her hips up and down against her imaginary lover. Panting with need, her tongue hung to her chin now. It was wider and not quite as thick as her human tongue. A line of spit rolled from under her tongue and along her chin. She ignored it.
Dream-Kevin was holding her hands up and back, slowly pushing in and out of her. Brandy whined, her brows furrowed as she pictured him naked above her. Leaning down to her, his hairy chest brushing against her nipples. His mouth close to her ears.
You’re my good girl, Dream-Kevin said. Brandy yipped in pleasure.
“I- I am a good girl. I’m a good girl,” she panted out loud. Black points pierced her fingertips and she grunted as her joints popped. Small black hairs sprouted amongst her light brown pubic hair. A line of brown and black hairs lifted up from her mound to her belly button. “Good girl.”
Brandy gripped hard against her large, soft breasts. Her hand felt rough against the smooth skin. Thick black callouses were forming along the bottom of her fingers and the palm of her hand. Dark hairs raised along her knuckles and around the side of her hands.
“Good girl,” Brandy panted. She was sweating now. Her lips were darkening from light red to black. “Good- No. No! Bad!”
With a growl, Brandy yanked her hand from between her legs. “Bad girl! Not… not girl. I- I’m- I can… I can… I not. I’m not bad. I’m not bad girl.”
Looking down at herself, she saw her hands changed and light fur covering her lower belly. Brandy screamed in frustration and again closed her eyes. The heat was nearly unbearable and Dream-Kevin kept interrupting her thoughts. He was still naked. Telling her what a good girl she was as he stroked her fur and mounted her. She growled, licking her lips with her long tongue. Moistening her blackened nose.
“I. Can. Control,” Brandy grunted. The growth of fur stopped. The young woman panted hard, her ample chest heaving as she fought her changes. The smell from between her thighs mixed with her sweat and light dusting of fur and she caught herself taking deep breaths of it. “Won’t. Let. Take me.”
Kevin. Kevin likes. Me. He’s… understand. Understanding. More than other. More than the others, she corrected herself. She pictured him again. Still naked but sitting back, watching her. She held him in her mind as she reminded herself of who she was. Brandy focused on her breathing. Kevin is nice. Nice Kevin.
She saw his gentle eyes and gentle face. Smiling at her and she blushed and grinned at the mental picture. Her imaginary tail (Not tail! No tail! She reminded herself) wagged. Dream-Brandy looked down to Kevin’s hairy chest. She loved to run her fingers through it when they cuddled. It was soft and black and covered his entire upper body. She’d just lie there and stroke his fur over and over while she lay against his side. Her claws digging into his fur as he scratched along her back and to her tail and his sharp canines teeth nipped at her neck.
Small black hairs pushed through the skin above her breasts. Little brown hairs joined them and then spread out and over her breasts. The resumed changes were lost on Brandy as she pictured Kevin. In her mind, her thick, furry thigh would be draped over his leg and… Oh. His sheath. Red cock. Sheath. Wet. Smells good. From us. From me. Mounting. Good girl. I’m good girl. Again? Again, Kevin? Again?
Her mind was fragmenting, losing its intelligence but she could see her furry paws pulling back on Dream-Kevin’s sheath, exposing his knot as she whined for her lover to mount her again.
Skin pushed at the base of Brandy’s back as her tail grew in, wagging in excitement. Her thick paws dipped between her thighs again, pressing her furry breasts together. Words were lost to her as her urges took over.
—–
The next morning Brandy sat at her little dinner table, staring at her cell phone. It was Tuesday but, this week, it was her ‘weekend’ from work.
“I could just leave again,” she said. She wanted to cry. This wasn’t the first time she’d had a conversation like this with herself and Kevin was certainly not the first man she’d left. “Or just break up with him and not ever see him again.”
The young woman twirled the slim phone around the table with one finger.
“Or tell him,” she said again. “See how he takes it. See what he does. See-”
–if he walks away like all the other men? Her voice asked. Crazy little Brandy Taylor. Stupid little girl with odd delusions and fetishes. Remember Jonathon? From that fetish website? Remember how you thought, in all your glorious loneliness, that maybe a fetishist would be able to handle it? How you thought maybe pet play would work? How did that work, Brandy? The thought of calling someone Master? Wearing a collar? Eating from a dish? Having a leash? Didn’t think that through, did you? You almost tried it, though, didn’t you? Almost. Because who else did you have? How many years had it been since you’d had someone in your life? Someone that cared for you? It wasn’t the same, though, was it? He didn’t look at you like you wanted. You already aren’t a real person but at least you can play pretend to yourself, can’t you? But to have someone else look at you like that? Horrifying, wasn’t it? To see in their eyes that you are an animal.
“Kevin’s different,” Brandy said dully.
The voice laughed. Call him, then. Have him come over. Tell him your little story. See how different he is. Still a stupid little girl.
It took over thirty minutes for Brandy to work up the courage to call her boyfriend. She gave silent thanks when she got his voicemail box and left him a message asking him to come to her place after work. She spent most of the day under blankets, sleeping or just pretending she didn’t exist.