Brazen and Wild

The wind whipped through my hair and billowed my dress. Swirling and howling around me as the darkness moved over the hills and valleys. The air was charged with electricity. In every direction, the paths and trails were empty. All inhabitants of the countryside knew what was coming and all its creatures rushed to hide in their homes and dens.

Except me.

I knew I should be afraid; I should be like everyone else; despite the warmth of the late June night, everyone else was behind locked and barred doors with the shutters double bolted against what was coming this night.

Instead of being afraid, I was excited, I was hot with fever, not from illness, but from anticipation, the anticipation of something not of this world, something wild and powerful, I was drawn to it despite the risk and very real danger.

I was drawn to this path, to this place. I had been warned, many times, even as late as yesterday in fact. I knew the stories, more than that, I knew them to be true because of what it had done to me.

This knowledge had been shared with a few villagers, spread by rumor and gossip. No doubt that number would grow by tomorrow.

I had heard the whispering and felt their stares. I knew there was no way to change their minds, any more than I would change mine. That's why as darkness approached, I walked alone, hurrying towards what I hoped would find me.

The first time, had it only been three months ago, was during the spring equinox. I had been unprepared, and surprised. I had fought. I think it had been surprised that I had fought, something it wasn't likely used to. I survived; its memory burned like fire in my blood. The memory had visited me every night since and each time made my body throb. Whatever it was had left a hunger in me, a deep all-powerful hunger that more than offset any fears I had. I knew it would want me again.

Barely twenty-one, an age at which most women were already married with several children, and I had no desire to be normal. Even before the first time, I knew that being "normal," was no path for me.

I paused, cresting the last hill. The valley spread before me, not a soul or creature in sight.

The night clouds seem to boil in the fading light of the setting sun. My lantern flickered but pierced the falling blackness that seemed to have an almost physical presence as it spread over the landscape.

I closed my eyes for a moment, remembering the power, the strength, the hot breath, the hardness, how tight it had been, and how deep and wide it had stretched me. The feeling of being ravished over and over again, so many times that afterward I could barely walk for days.

In all the stories I had listened to growing up of the creature, I had never heard of anyone describing my experience. All the stories were about missing people, missing livestock, and about a fearsome creature few had seen but that everyone knew to be real. Some said it had been a curse on this land for centuries, I never believe any of the stories ... until that night.

Remembering its appearance, now I didn't doubt the stories, but maybe because of what it did to me, I didn't see it as a curse. There was a humanity, a vitality to it, and a familiarity to it that I could not explain. I just knew the creature wasn't interested in killing me, I smiled at the night's darkness, no not killing me, breeding me maybe.

Still smiling, I hurried on through the growing blackness toward the spot. The danger, the sensuality, and the ravishment, all combined to make my body shiver uncontrollably in the anticipation of doing it again.

---

It was time again.

So soon.

It seemed to him like it was too soon to be happening again. Hadn't it only been days since the last time. The three months had flown by, and even without the calendar, he had known the equinox was coming. Despite his inexperience, he could feel its approach. He made his preparations, knowing it was even more important, especially after what happened last time.

That had been an accident, he told himself that she wasn't supposed to be there. He had never wanted her to know, he knew he couldn't protect her.

Still relatively new to all of this as he had been warned by his prefect. It had only been three years since his first transformation. The old man had told him that each time he would find it harder to restrain himself. He had said, only those with decades of experience might be able to control what happened. As a recent "member," the dying man said he would be lucky if he would even remember what happened the nights of the equinoxes.

He offered a warning, saying only with the rarest of "victims", would he be able to hold back his bloodlust, and even then, it would be a chancy thing. "Leave those you love; you cannot control what happens."

He knew he could not take the chance. But he did not leave. He could not leave her, she was different. Like the villagers, he was awed by her dark features and deep green eyes. Her beauty was as mysterious to him as was her love for him. Even before their first encounter, there were whispers that she was a witch. Most people just laughed; witches weren't real most would say. He smiled despite himself at the thought of her dancing naked around a cauldron. He knew the way she had been found that morning had changed many minds.

On the night of the most recent equinox, when the unspoken law said to be inside and hiding, it was obvious she had not heeded that unwritten rule. On a night when everyone knew about the evil that stalked the land, everyone knew that she had been out and survived, more just than survived.

She had been found the next morning by the local constable. Somehow the story had been revealed, some fact and some fiction. Apparently, the constable had spoken a few nights later in the pub. The word was, she had been found nude, passed out from being ravished, her body was unmarked except for the puffiness and redness common when a woman has been willingly engaged in carnal knowledge.

The constable must have had his tongue loosened by ale because word spread that she had been covered in dried semen, enough semen that she must have been taken by a dozen men, or one very large creature.

The gossip seekers made the story even better, and although he heard the rumors, around him no one said anything. As the village blacksmith, he was respected, bigger, and stronger than all of them with a reputation for a wicked temper.

Everyone knew, although in truth they had only been seeing each other for five months, Merinda was his. He would never describe her as his woman; Merinda was her own woman and completely unique. Maybe she was a witch, all he knew was that she was unlike anyone he had ever met. She had dealt with the gossip and innuendo as if it didn't bother her. She was different and he loved her even more for it.

Less than a month ago, he had set the massive ring in the wall. He had sworn his lifelong friend, the village mason, to secrecy and even then, the man had barely agreed to help. Even as good a blacksmith as he was, it had taken him almost a month to mold the iron into this ring along with the chains and manacles. It was overbuilt, he told himself nothing could overcome this. He would be safe, everyone would be safe, and then maybe the stories would die away for her. With each tick of the clock towards darkness, his words, and thoughts of confidence in his preparations ebbed and fear began to creep down his spine that it would not be enough.

---

Despite the growing coolness of the night, my body was covered in sweat and moisture. The fear, the anticipation, and yes, the excitement and overwhelming longing for what was to come were blinding me to the very real danger as I approached the place where I encountered the creature the first time.

Then it had been by accident, I was caught in the open, not believing in the actual danger. All my life I had refused to believe the stories the villagers whispered late at night. I thought I could take care of myself; I had been on my own since I was a child and I figured I was tougher than most people gave me credit for.

Thinking back now, I had been so naïve, I knew I had been so incredibly lucky just to survive, but in every night since, my dreams had been haunted by what happened and what it did to me. I knew it was wrong, but I wanted to feel like that again.

I knew the villagers thought me to be a witch or the very least a non-believer. Even before the constable's stories had made the rounds, I heard the whispers and saw all the looks, but frankly, I didn't care. I could almost hear the wives scolding their husbands for looking at my boobs or my ass as I walked by. What could I say, I loved men; for most of my life, as many as I could, and even a few women.

I worked hard to build on what nature provided for me, I was tall, just under six feet. Most would describe me as attractive and if anyone had a body designed for sex, I did. I enjoyed sex, giving, and receiving, there was little I hadn't tried, and so much more I wanted to do. Although I will admit, what happened that night on the path was unlike any other experience I could have ever imagined.

I was in relationship. Almost as big as the creature, when I met him only months ago, I knew I had found a real man. His sexual appetites were as powerful as mine, our times together always left me totally ravished and spent, as was he. Many times, it was just us, sometimes we included other men, some women, or combinations of both. Our relationship was without boundaries, perhaps, the villagers didn't think me a witch as much as I they considered me the blacksmith's bitch or whore. Either way, I did not care, I did what I wanted with whomever I wanted, period.

He and I were different but neither minded.

Tonight, dressed or barely so in a short lace and silk dress I had prepared myself for what I thought would happen. It was remnants of a much finer evening gown, cut and modified by my own hand, especially for tonight. Undergarments, left in my room, would have only been in the way. As such the wind billowed and swirled exploring my secret places like a thousand soft fingers through and under the thin fabric, all of which only added to my feelings, desire, hunger, and lust.

The clearing was ahead near the bottom of the valley; the silver moon just starting to appear on the horizon, I could see it, and my pulse quickened, it would be soon.

---

If the chains held, he knew he would need help to get free in the morning; however, at this moment getting free was the last thing on his mind. Satisfied that all his preparations were ready, he fastened the heavy manacles around his wrists and ankles and then took a moment to take a deep breath.

His clothes were sweaty and stained from the iron ring and heavy chains. Almost exhausted even for him, he knew time was short to make everything secure before the sun set completely. As the moon began to rise, already he felt the approaching storm inside himself. Leaning against the stone wall he looked up at the cold ring and wondered if it would be enough. With the final lock, he allowed himself a moment to relax, silently praying it would be enough.

He thought about her, and like every time he closed his eyes, her image filled his senses. Long dark curls and the greenest eyes ever. What she saw in him, he could never figure out, with her beauty and sense of adventure, he knew she could have any man or woman she desired. She was more like a gypsy than the other women in the town. Her past suitors included eligible bachelors from royalty to merchants. So many women younger than her had already been married, yet she had waited, laughing sometimes that she had been waiting for him. Even without his darkness, she was his main weakness. He longed for a life together with her.

He knew that chance encounter with that old man had changed everything. It had been a curse before he met Merinda, now truly appreciating the danger to both him and her he could hardly stand it. He would never forgive himself if the creature harmed her, he was afraid the creature would turn on her, despite what happened the first time.

His thoughts were suddenly pierced by sharp pain, it was beginning, it was always the same. He braced himself for the onslaught, wanting and needing to keep some vestige of control, he could already sense her presence even this far away. As much as he wanted her and needed her, he wished she was further away, so far that he could not detect her. He said a silent prayer that he would retain enough control that she would survive again.

Three months ago, the memories still haunted him, he had been so afraid and so powerless to do anything. Afraid the rage would make him destroy her as the prefect had warned if he persisted in the relationship with her.

The warning echoed in his brain, "Know you are infected, there is no cure, you must forsake those you love, they will be on your mind and also on the creature's mind too. You are both linked, and most of the time it is you that is in control, although you can always feel it; however, with every equinox, you will change, and it will be in control, it may not even be aware you exist. You cannot keep anyone you love safe and protected from it. Few people could possibly survive an encounter, I have only heard of one ever surviving for as long as I have had this curse, trust me, I would save you the pain I have gone through."

The old man continued, "I have done horrible things because I could not control the creature's rage and instincts, and now I have infected you, which only adds to my guilt. The infection cannot be controlled, when you were a child, you might have heard the legends, but the truth is much worse. There are fewer of us now, but we are real, and remember your loved ones cannot possibly survive."

The old man broke down in tears.

"Yet she had," he said now to the empty building, to the chains that held him.

Images of that night flooded his brain, the discovery, she wasn't supposed to be there, but her trip had ended early, and she was walking along that path. He smiled, she was fearless that one, such an incredible sense of adventure, then his mind darkened, recalling what had happened.

He remembered as it approached her on the path. She hadn't even been scared when it appeared, she had bravely, although in vain fought it off. It had toyed with her, as if on a whim; her clothes being torn by the powerful limbs and razor-sharp claws. He had silently screamed and tried to exercise whatever weak and limited influence he had. In the moonlight, her green eyes blazed, and her dark hair made her appear more like a powerful witch than the woman she was.

Before long, her clothes were tattered and mostly missing, yet only miraculously she was unharmed, not a scratch anywhere on her body. This had never happened before, usually, it was over in minutes, and the victim, animal, or human would be dead and be devoured without thought. When it had happened before he always wanted to crawl away and hide as the creature satisfied its bloodlust.

The creature treated her differently, it seemed to sense somehow, she was different. Perhaps at some base level, it sensed she wasn't afraid, he didn't dare think it had anything to do with him at the time, but now looking back, maybe. It took him a while to understand why, he remembered seeing her through their shared eyes. He remembered seeing her lean body with its toned muscles, her high full breasts, and shapely thighs, her curves, and her smooth hairless skin, as he thought slowly, he began to understand why the creature hadn't attacked.

The realization made him want to scream.

Previously he had never considered that the creature might have other needs. Each time before it had always been about killing and more killing, large, or small creatures, human or beast, it never discriminated. Although an unwilling observer, he felt some of what it felt. The redirected hunger, the powerful hormones, the desire, the need, and the lust. He remembered how he always felt when he took her, he recognized those feelings originating now deep within the creature, but at an intensity, he didn't think was possible.

He remembered like it was yesterday. The first time he begged her to stay away until after the equinox, but she didn't. That night seeing her and fighting with her, he thought it was too late, the creature looked at her with its pulse raging out of control, its senses were so much more in tune with nature, he had noticed her scent before, but it was driving the creature wild.

He knew she had been with many men; she was no blushing virgin; she was a woman who liked physical pleasure one on one or in groups. She was particularly good at it. Even before his infection, the local daughters of the villagers could not match his sexual needs, she had been the only one. Now with the infection, he was afraid, afraid because during the equinox his energies were magnified so much more.

He was amazed she wasn't afraid, everyone else always was. She seemed to understand the creature, even that night as it stood menacingly watching her nakedness.

He remembered her eyes taking in the enormous body, the broad shoulders, powerful arms with sharp claws, the powerful hind legs, not fully a man but not fully an animal, some kind of powerful hybrid, the term used by some locals was a werewolf, but even that wasn't how he would describe what the creature was. It was elemental, not of this world, but most would not appreciate the differences, particularly given the huge bushy black and grey tail.

There was something else he noticed her seeing, maybe for the first time.

Something he was more aware of than actually felt, but she saw it, he could tell by her growing eyes. Although covered in fur, she was transfixed by the creature's enormous cock and balls.

It was immense, shaped mostly like a man's equipment, just thicker and longer. Thinking back on it, he was surprised they were not more like the ones he had seen enough of them growing up on his father's farm. That night she could see everything was covered in wetness, clear pre-cum. While aware of what was happening, the creature's actions reminded him he was just along for the ride which only made him want to scream more.

It approached her, her eyes transfixed, her body seeming to understand as if under a spell. Under the creature's gaze and powerful presence, she knew to stop defending herself, she avoided direct eye contact and knelt in front of it.

The creature towered over her now, and although subordinate, somehow the creature seemed to respect her defiance and her proximity. It waited, displaying a level of patience he would have thought was impossible. He/it could feel her hot breath only inches from their now fully erect cock. He couldn't tell for sure, but he thought the creature closed its eyes as her warm and soft mouth struggled to close around the tip of its cock.

He screamed, tearing his mind away from the memory, as his body was gripped in the second of what would seem to be hundreds of spasms. It felt like he thought he could feel his very cells changing at a microscopic level, every fiber in my body seemed to cry out in protest as the waves intensified. A hideous howl screamed above the wind, as his body began to change.

Unseen, but painfully, his body was changing and mutating as the ancient infection began to work again. Feeding from the energy from an unknown dark mystic source, he was aware of every change. Hair grew and transformed into deep black and grey fur, and his skull and bones changed too, painfully, shapeshifting, and more screams, many more screams. His body grew, and limbs, muscles, and consciousness also changed. Soon he was unrecognizable, the old man said the only thing that would remain were the eyes, for some reason they stayed the same, albeit much more powerful.