The promises of mRNA technology were widely accepted when people first started getting themselves genetically modified in the 2020's. At the time many of them saw themselves as getting vaccinated when then actual mechanism was to alter a person's DNA and make them genetically immune to different diseases.
This technology was a miracle for people who suffered from hereditary diseases like Sickle Cell Anemia and Tay Sachs. They'd get a shot and in a week or so their condition was cured. A lifetime of misery would be avoided and any children these people would have would inherit a genetic immunity to their parent's conditions.
What could go wrong, right?
As the technology became prevalent and more accessible there were countries and drug companies who would cut corners on their genetic concoctions by using non-human DNA when it was too difficult to accomplish a goal with human DNA.
One particular firm experimented with canine DNA to try and cure a form of eczema and the treatment worked with an amazing success rate! Every single person who was suffering from the crippling disease was utterly cured of their condition within a week of receiving a single shot!
In short order a lot of other companies also experimented with canine DNA to cure different problems. Sometimes they were successful and sometimes they were not.
No one noted any terrible side effects from these genetic manipulations. At least the side effects were not immediately apparent.
But as the people who received the treatments had children they discovered that sometimes there were traits passed along to their children. Some were benign and others were not, while some traits were not immediately apparent.
The changes from the canine sourced DNA ended up being the most pronounced of all the various non-human mRNA treatments. Most often the children were born with tails and this was easily remedied by surgeons as these children were born. Sometimes they were born with a full pelt of hair. Sometimes the kids were born with large canine teeth. Not all parents had the teeth removed.
There were also other changes.
One blessing in all of this was that Western society had progressed sufficiently that the affected children were not subjected to social discrimination. They were accepted and sometimes even celebrated for their attributes.
And that brings us to Lexi. Lexi had graduated from her university classes and had taken a job with the government performing some sort of vague task that even she thought an AI would do better. But it was a job and she was grateful for it.
It was also a job that would accommodate her particular side effect. Every six months or so Lexi would experience estrus. She'd go into heat and for about three weeks she'd have to deal with a powerful and constant state of intense sexual arousal.
During this time she'd stay home until the three weeks had passed and she could resume her normal activities. Lexi had been isolating herself ever since her first heat when she'd had puberty. Her parents had been mystified by Lexi's behavior but soon learned to deal with it by keeping her isolated so she didn't hump random men in the neighborhood.
When Lexi moved out on her own she learned new ways to deal with it. Saving up some of her money she bought a sex robot and during her heat she'd let it fuck her for hours on end. It wasn't entirely satisfying but it did the trick and she kept herself safe from her own impulses and drives.
And that's how it worked until she met Derek. He was her new colleague and like herself he had an equally vague job doing something of near irrelevance. But it was a job.
Derek shook her hand the first time she met him and she discovered what the term 'animal attraction' meant.
"Hi." she said as she took his hand.
He held her hand just a little too long before he said, "I'm sorry...yeah, hi!"
Lexi felt herself stir as she looked at him. He was lean and his face had an intensity to it. He had the piercing blue eyes of the husky that he was arguably descended from and there was something else that Lexi couldn't quite figure out.
Derek likewise felt something awaken in himself. He'd felt it once before when he was younger and his neighbor's daughter had electrified him. He tried to pursue the girl but her father soon moved away to keep her away from him.
And now he'd met Lexi.
One would have expected these two to come together as soon as they could yet they did not. Afraid of their own animalistic desires they avoided each other while almost always staring at each other. Even their coworkers thought the two of them needed to go out sometime and explore their feelings. It was that obvious.
It was just a few months later when Lexi's heat came on and she had to take time off. Before she left the office for her special needs time she couldn't help but stare at Derek with a deep desire. He felt her staring and he returned her gaze as he worked.
The following day Derek was almost distraught when Lexi didn't show up to work. He couldn't help himself as he made anxious whiny noises as he all bout mourned Lexi's absence.
It so happened that Monica was the manager for both Derek and Lexi. Monica had a touch of canine DNA herself and she could feel the tension between her subordinates and part of her wanted to see Derek and Lexi get together.
