Dulling the Pain

Twenty minutes' walk from camp, Manuel addressed thin air.

"You hear everything, don't you, Flora? Maybe not in the ship, but if you really are this world, you must be able to hear me right now."

No response. He didn't expect one.

"When Cap vanished, all Maria would tell me was that something went wrong. She hasn't said anything about what happened to Isaac. Flora, what happened to them? Where are they?"

A now-familiar feeling ran through his head.

"I'm not letting you into my mind again. Bring back Isaac! I need to know what's going on!" He didn't know if it was a mistake, showing emotion to a creature like Flora, but at this moment, he didn't care. "I just need to know if Isaac's okay."

He did not know it, but at that moment, Flora was preoccupied with another matter.

-- -- -- --

It wasn't enough.

Once more, the predator stalked an animal, circling around it from behind. Once more, it pounced at exactly the right moment, and once more, the warmth and taste of flesh momentarily overpowered its senses. But with each kill, the joy had lessened, and now the predator could not finish its meal.

It was difficult for the predator to remember a time when it had been called Davison, but it called upon those memories now, and it realized that it was not far from camp. It would not be safe to return now--not for the idea that was slowly forming in its mind--but if it circled around, then perhaps one of the trails of crushed flowers would be marked with a human scent . . .

-- -- -- --

By the time Manuel realized what had happened, he was already facedown on the ground.

The figure looming over him moved its weight just enough to roll him onto his back, but before he could stand, a single powerful paw slammed him to the ground again. The catlike beast leered at him, drawing out the moment.

It spoke, and though it talked without lips, he could understand its garbled words. "Your flesh will be sweet. So much sweeter than the animals . . ."

"Cap?" Manuel asked, as much confused as scared. "What the hell did Flora do to you?"

"I wanted to hunt. The big mind let me hunt. But it cheated me! They bleed and die, but they don't fear me!"

"Cap, this isn't you."

The predator made a sound very much like a laugh. "This was always me. The big mind just let it out. You fear me, don't you? I'm going to love your pain."

And at that moment, Flora screamed so loud that even Manuel could hear it.

-- -- -- --

You are a bringer of pain!

the voice shouted, and the predator barely maintained control of its bowels.

I didn't understand, because I couldn't understand. I didn't believe that any being could be like you!

No words would suffice, so the predator merely whimpered.

I won't let you hurt Manuel! He's a good person, even if he fears me. But you . . . You don't fear me enough!

At that, the tone of the voice suddenly changed.

Tell Manuel that I'm sorry. I forgot that I made his metal hurt.

"The big mind's sorry," the predator told Manuel, who at that point was clutching at his head.

Tell him that I'm going to stop you from ever hurting him again. And tell him that I have a gift for him, as an apology.

"She has a gift," the predator started to say, but its words were interrupted as its muzzle began to shrink. "She has a gift," it tried to say, but its voice cracked and heightened at the last word." "She has a--" but at that point, the compulsion to lick Manuel's face became impossible to resist.

The predator was aware that its body was shifting, becoming not only less monstrous, but smaller and more elegant. It was aware that its chest was beginning to expand, pushing out its nipples. It was aware when its cock shrank away, and when a new passage opened. But it had already forgotten whether these were bad things.

You know what he wants, don't you?

Flora asked.

I'm learning to recognize the way his body reacts when he looks at Maria. I don't think he's ever found the courage for your kind's rituals of love. You're going to initiate him, and you're going to love it.

The catgirl leaned low, rubbing her breasts across Manuel's chest, her hunger suddenly shifting in nature. Manuel was confused and frightened, but his pants began to tent at her touch, and she smiled as she tore at his clothing and freed his cock. She gave him no chance to escape before she could fit his shaft down her virgin passage.

He was soft at first, but he hardened as she shifted atop him, his own body rebelling against him. The feel of him inside her was more exquisite than any meat, and the sound of her purring drowned out his soft whimper. In time, he began to move with her.

When he came, she collapsed atop him, keeping him inside, enjoying the warmth of his flesh. Before she fell asleep on his body, she heard him speak a single phrase--one that stirred vague memories of another man, who'd worn a cross and had spoken it often.

"God help us all."