Branded 8

Headlights scattered on puddles from the recent rain. Two women shrieked and giggled as they moved away from the streets. A slick black sports car sped past, splashing the sidewalk while the passenger yelled out an incoherent catcall. Its red tail lights scattered through the drops of water. The night air smelled of hot concrete, steam, food and the eclectic scents of young adults migrating between clubs and bars.

"Come on, Beth!" the taller of the two women said, pulling at her girlfriend's arm. Tipsy and thrown off balance, they stumbled on their high heels and giggled again.

"It's late, Kari," Beth called out. Still, she followed the other woman, smiling at her exuberance. As much as she'd complain about being away from home, she'd never admit that she loved when her girlfriend convinced her to go out on some new adventure. She watched as the girl's two long black curls bounced against her cheeks.

They'd spent hours getting ready - all for a simple night out together. Kari had treated her to dinner at their favorite ramen shop. They'd talked and laughed and told stories of their childhood over sips of sake. She was

definitely

feeling the two glasses she'd had. The colors were bright and the world was slow and she kept eyeing the gentle porcelain curve of her girlfriend's bare neck. The lateness of the evening wasn't the

only

reason she wanted to go home.

"Just one more place," the black-haired girl said. She paused, looked up and her mouth moved silently. "Two. Two more places. Two. But we drink more first because we are getting tattoos afterwards."

"Oh no," Beth said, coming to a stop. "No way. No."

"Come on, you promised," the other woman replied. She twisted her grip into a handhold, fingers entwined while turning to face her partner. "We've been talking about it for a while now and I made an appointment for us tonight. Please."

"Aww, but-"

A million excuses flashed through her head. She wasn't sure what she wanted. She wasn't sure she was ready. She was afraid of the pain. She didn't know

where

she wanted it. She didn't know which artist to go to. She didn't-

"Please? I already have it all figured out and they'll be small and matching and we talked about it forever and I spent the money and-"

She held her girlfriend's hand, staring up at her hopeful face. It was difficult to argue against her when she was that way and, besides, she

had

agreed to it and been thinking about it for a while. They'd been dating nearly two years and madly in love and the idea of matching tattoos made her heart skip a happy little beat. It was just her nature to resist change and keep the status quo. Which was one reason she loved Kari so much for taking her out of her comfort zone.

"Alright," Beth agreed. "But I'm definitely drinking more. I am

not

doing this so- oof!"

The air rushed from her as her girlfriend strangled her in a fierce hug that ended in a sly, sultry quick kiss with just a hint of tongue. Before she could go in for another, she found herself being dragged along the sidewalk again.

---

"Tell me," the petite girl commanded. Her cheeks were red and her eyes kept slipping down to her girlfriend's abundant cleavage. She placed her hand over the rim of her glass when the bartender walked by with an eyebrow raised. He nodded and moved on to the next customer.

Kari swirled her drink. She'd purposefully sipped slowly and was still on her first glass. She wanted a clear head for the rest of the evening. Smiling, she leaned forward subtly and breathed deeply, enjoying the look her lover gave her.

"It's a secret," she said, swirling the amber liquid in her glass.

"Noooo," the other girl whined. "We said no secrets, remember? Some time. After six months? Seven? Whatsit. When did I tell you about the one time with Jeff?"

"Five months ago on your birthday," she answered and her smile widened.

They both had secrets. Early in their relationship, she'd caught her girlfriend looking at unusual porn. Although she hadn't know it was porn at first. She'd glanced over while sitting on the couch together. She'd been looking at farm animals. Donkeys. It didn't register as anything at the time. Who doesn't like cute little goats and fuzzy little cows and other animals?

It was more than that, though. A week later, she'd gone into the bathroom after Beth had showered. The other woman's cell phone was on the counter, the screen still on and a very, very interesting website was displayed. She hated invading her partner's privacy and usually made intense efforts to keep away from passwords and logins and other information but it was hard

not

to look at screen.

On the small screen, a large dildo stood out on a black background. A rather unusual dildo. Thick, blunt, veiny, multi-colored and definitely not human. It had some fancy fantasy name but it was a dildo in the shape of a donkey's cock. Beth had knocked before she could read more and so she'd locked the screen and pretended she'd seen nothing while handing the phone over.

Things began to click after that. Little things she'd noticed her girlfriend watching on her tablet and phone while looking over at her. How she'd blushed when she shyly asked to have her breasts played with in a specific way - squeezed and massaged and her nipples pulled and twisted. How wet she'd get while have her back scratched during foreplay.

She'd tried to think of how to open the conversation but failed every time. Nothing sounded right and she knew how private her girlfriend was. Still, she loved her so much and wanted to please her. So she researched. She found a few online forums after going down a particular kind of Internet rabbit hole and she spoke with enthusiasts that enjoyed stories and images of men and women changing into animals. It was absolutely fascinating. Art and photo manipulations and stories of all kinds of human and animal hybrids. While it did nothing for her, she was thrilled with the thought of her normally quiet girlfriend going wild.

One day, while looking up butt plugs with animal tails, she received a private message. It was simply a link to a video, a picture of a bland building, an address and a single price. A painfully high price. She'd been saving since then and only a little disappointed that it couldn't be a birthday gift. She was excited and terrified at once.

Since that moment, she'd tried to drop subtle hints about what she'd planned and

that

was almost as fun as the plan itself. She'd find farm documentaries with donkeys and comment on how soft their fur looked. One time she took Beth to a petting zoo and teased her, taking her time with all the animals until the donkeys were last. She'd let one eat a carrot from her hand and then leaned forward when it licked her face and she'd laughed, saying that it had 'kissed' her and her girlfriend had better watch out.

And now here they were. Kari's heart raced and she suddenly doubted what she was doing. Wondering for the hundredth time whether the difference in fantasy and reality would be too much. But, it was her nature to push and try new things and she was nearly completely certain her girlfriend would be ecstatic. Nearly. Almost.

"Are you ready to go?" she asked her blushing, drunken girlfriend.

"Not- not until you tell me what we're- we're getting," Beth said stubbornly.

She reached for the girl's hands, curling their fingers together. With a serious look that was betrayed by a wink she simply said, "Trust me."

"Fiiiiiine," the smaller girl said, standing with her partner. They threw down enough money for the drinks and a tip and stepped out into the humid night.

"Just a short walk," she said, offering her arm. They walked together quietly, bodies close and just enjoying each other's presence until Kari stopped before a small shop. It had no name or sign but light peeked out from behind thick, dark curtains. The address and picture matched. "In you go."

A chime above the door jingled and an old man looked up at both of them over reading glasses. He sat in the corner with a newspaper folded to the sport's section and his feet up on an empty chair. The old man looked up at a clock hanging on the wall and his wrinkled forehead scrunched for a moment.

"Ah, yes, right on time," he said, standing. "Are we ready? Who goes first?"

"She does," Kari said, pulling her partner forward.

"Traitor!" Beth hissed.

"Just making sure you actually do it."

They followed the man towards the back. He flipped more switches until the entire store was illuminated. His equipment gleamed brightly and she was pleased to see him grab a pair of fresh latex gloves from a nearby box.

"No allergies?" he asked, pausing before putting the gloves on.

"No," they both said together.

The man nodded, pulled the gloves over his hand and patted the padded table next to him. Beth walked to it, glanced at Kari and then turned to sit. The old man looked between them and then raised his eyebrows.

"No, sweetheart," she told her, laying her hand flat in a pushing motion. "You need to lie down on your stomach."

"I am

not

getting a tramp stamp," the small girl said, turning to her stomach.

"No," Kari said. She walked to the table and sat at a chair next to it. Slowly, she lifted the edge of her partner's dress.

"Where the hell are you putting it?!" Beth said, starting to turn. Her lover pushed her back down while pulling the waist of her panties lower over her ass.

"Be calm, girl," the tattoo artist said while gathering his tools. He ran water, testing it for warmth before wetting a towel to lay next to a large metal bowl. "You're taken, neither of us are each other's types and I'm about a hundred years old besides."

"Where is it going?" she hissed, clenching the edge of the table. Alcohol fumes wafted over to Kari and she waved a hand in front of her face.

"Listen," the girl whispered, leaning in. She licked her lips, glanced at the tattoo artist and leaned further until her red lips nearly brushed her lover's ears. "I just thought it'd be really sexy if we each got a small tattoo on our hips. Almost hips. Basically our hips. Matching. You can watch me when you're done. Just don't move or he'll mess up. I'll hold your hand."

"I. Hate. You," came the answering hiss. For such a small woman, her grip was crushing and their hands trembled.

"Do you need the design?" Kari asked. "I brought the drawing."

"No," the man said, testing his gun. "I know what I'm doing and I know what it should look like."

Rather than the hip, he started on the gentle curve of the girl's ass. She bit back a scream, glaring at her girlfriend. In return, Kari continued to whisper to her. Talking about their lives and plans for the future and anything she could to distract her. The tattoo was small but complex and resembled a Celtic braid inside two distorted ovals with two smaller circles beneath.

With a last, gentle wipe of the towel, the man checked his work and pronounced it finished. Beth swung her legs around, carefully lowering her the hem of her short dress with a grunt. "You said hip."

"Shouldn't she be wrapped?" Kari asked as she mounted the table.

"No, not for what I'm doing," the man said. "Same exact place?"

"Yes," she answered, hiking her own dress up while taking deep breaths. She reached out a hand and closed her eyes when she felt her girlfriend's small, strong fingers touch hers. The pain was sharp and intense and she buried her face and nose into the table.

"Just remember to breathe, miss," the man said gently.

---

"Did we get the same one?" Beth asked. She pressed fingers gingerly against her slim ass, feeling the throbbing soreness of it.

"Yeah," her girlfriend answered. She stepped lightly from one foot to the other while they waited for the driver to pick them up. The movement seemed to help and the pain was slowly fading.

"What does it mean?"

"It-" she paused. With everything else, she hadn't tried to come up with a good explanation for the design itself. She hadn't known what it'd look like. She'd just replied to the strange message that she was interested, gave account information when she had the money and then made sure they were free at the date and time she was given. "It's just an interesting design I saw and liked. I'll show you when we're home."

Beth leaned into her girlfriend, settling her head on the other girl's shoulder. Kari held her shoulders and then lowered her hand down her side until it slid against the tattoo beneath her dress. The small girl shivered and nuzzled into her.

"That feels good, babe," she said quietly. She tipped her head up and they kissed lightly and then passionately, turning to face each other. Beth pushed away gently, breathing heavily.

"Hah. Hah. Haaaaaw-" she moaned, gulping for air. "Where is our- oh, there."

A car pulled up to the curb and the woman within waved to both of them. Beth opened the back down and then lleaned forward, raising her hips with a seductive, backward glance. The edge of her tattoo was visible and appeared to glow silver in the light of the moon overhead. She knelt on the edge of the car's seat, wiggling her hips for a moment before crawling inside.

They sat close together, Beth behind the driver and her partner beside her. Kari slid a hand against the other woman's thigh and then beneath her dress when the girl opened her legs for her. She chatted politely with the driver while her long, delicate fingers slid against her lover's panties. Leaning over, she quickly nipped at Beth's ear and then surprised herself by licking the delicate skin. The smaller girl gasped and shuddered at the attention.

As she stroked her, Kari felt a wetness beginning to soak through the girl's panties over her lips. It started as a small spot but, as her fingers slid lazily between her sex, it spread, soaking her completely. Her palm pressed against the woman's thigh and she felt something moving, tickling her skin. She took her hand back, feeling around and her fingers brushed short, silky hair. Beth was leaning against her, panting harder and holding the arm Kari had between her thighs.

"Oh. Oh, baby," she moaned quietly, licking Kari's cheek. She nuzzled against her hair, steadying her arm and guiding her back to her clit. "I'm- I'm so- Ohhhh, yess, I'm so hot. So haaaaawww- So haaaaawt."

Kari pulled her fingers away to her girlfriend's disappointed sigh. Her nostrils flared at the scent on her fingertips and, before she could stop herself, she shoved her hand deep into her throat, sucking at the juices. It coated her mouth as she licked and swallowed and a heat flowed down her body. She took her fingers away and blushed, sneaking a look at the driver to make sure she didn't see. Her temples were throbbing with her heartbeat. The skin around her delicate nose pulled to her cheeks, widening her nose. She rubbed at it and then groaned, breathing deeply of her girlfriend's juices.

A strong musk filled the car and she had no idea how their driver could sit so casually. It was almost all she could think about in the confined space. She began to breathe in and out of her mouth. Sweat dotted her brow, slipping down her face and between her breasts. The drops teased her skin and the fine hairs sprouting lazily along her stomach. Even knowing ahead of time what was happening to her did nothing to lessen impact and she felt completely unprepared for the powerful urges coursing through her body.

Her concentration was broken when Beth gently took her ear in her mouth. Her ridged ear thinned as the girl gummed at it and she pulled, tugging at the tip until it lengthened. The girl's hot breath on her skin forced an electric shiver down her spine and she reached out, gripping the other woman's leg.

"Haawww!" Kari gasped, eyes widening as she turned to hide her face against the backseat. She felt both shame and excitement as the call was forced from her throat. The raw, animal sound thrilled her and she nearly called out again. Her still human ear expanded, sliding through her tightly coiled hair until the tip flopped. Small brown hairs grew from the edges. Beth leaned forward, pressing her lips against her lover's neck. Kari felt the girl's nose compress and the skin around her mouth softened into a smooth, velvety texture.

The car's brakes squealed as it came to a stop in front of their apartment building. They tumbled from the car with some forgotten muttered thanks to the driver. Beth led the way and a line of drool escaped Kari's mouth as she watched the girl's slim hips swaying. A bump formed beneath the tight fabric of the dress, right above the girl's ass. A few stray brown hairs stood out on her legs, highlighted against the apartment's street light.

"God, babe," Kari gasped. She lifted her face, her wide, flat nose scenting the air. "God. You look so haawww- so god damned haaaaaaaawt right now!"

They made their ways to the stairs and the tall girl cried out, stumbling and grabbing at the rail.

"Are- are you okay?" Beth asked, her dazed eyes trying to focus. Her mouth and jaw had widened and her blunt nose was black. Small white hairs grew from the light pink skin around her mouth.

Kari looked down at her foot. The high heel she wore on her right foot was on the tip of her foot. Her foot was stretched and she couldn't feel her big toe. She bent and her dress tore, ripping against her side while her breasts swelled, nearly overflowing her bra. The tall woman tumbled forward, caught off balance from the shift in weight but her grip held. She touched her toe and felt the thick nail that was spreading to the nearby toes, merging them both together. A small, shooting pain struck her left foot and she kicked her other heels off. Her foot clicked when she set it down, the nails already growing to form small hooves.

"Just- ha. Hah. Haaaaaww- just go on ahead," she panted. The pain subsided as quickly as it appeared and now, bent low, her lover's scent flooded her nose. She heard a high pitched whining noise deep in her head and her soft, long ears rotated forward. Her jaw pushed forward and she sneezed at the release in pressure. Wiping excess drool away, she waved her girlfriend forward.

The flat stomach she'd worked hard to maintain at the gym bulged and she felt a hot, pleasurable itch beneath the skin. Carefully, she brushed the skin and then trembled, collapsing to her knees. Her still forming hooved clacked loudly against the concrete. Two small dents formed above the bulge and the fabric grew wet above them.

Pushing herself up, the young woman awkwardly stepped up the stairs and through the open door of their apartment. She leaned against the wall of the hallway while she walked and her footsteps echoed loudly on the wood floor.

Beth waited in the living room, bent over the back of the couch with her ass in the air. Kari stared at her, licking her soft lips with a long, wet tongue. Thick hairs showed around the bottom of the small girl's panties, surrounding her swollen, wet sex. A long lump ran from the base of her spine, disappearing into the gap between her ass cheeks. The lump shifted and moved and, slowly, a furred tip slid forth, covering the other girl's sex. It began to swing back and forth, stirring the air and fanning her scent towards her lover.

"Unzip me?" Beth asked, standing. Her short dress stretched thin against the girl's waist. She'd been slim, almost boyish but the fabric expanded as she swelled - powerful muscles forming beneath the skin. The girl looked back. She had a short, wide muzzle coated in white fur. Her nose was moist and black and the fur on her face began to darken to brown as it spread around her eyes and into her scalp.