“And I'm telling you it’ll be fine! Just…trust me alright? You’ll see when we get there!”

“But uhh…don’t you think this is sort of…rushed? Why can’t we…hey! Don’t ignore me!”

It was another blistering afternoon, the massive interior of the mall feeling warm despite the abundant air conditioning, and expectedly desolate; with barely anyone around on a weekday, giving the two men plenty of space to be lax about their surroundings, the sounds of their argument echoing across the mall.

Johannes, despite his tall size and moderately good looks, was not a sociable person, preferring to keep to himself over socializing with others, busying himself with his passion for digital painting. One only needed to attempt a conversation with him to see how low his self esteem had become, with constant stutters and depressed sighs being the most you could ever get out of him.

In the duo, Hayden was the small one, making up for it with a big heart and equally annoying personality, at least it was to Johannes, his unlikely best friend since childhood. Despite the clashing nature of the two individuals, the two had stuck together through thick and thin, helping each other out whenever the need arose.

Despite his insistence that ‘getting laid’ wasn’t an issue, Hayden had dragged Johannes out of the house for a double date he’d set up the night before, much to his chagrin.

“H-How’d you even get to know these girls? Can we even trust them?”

“Relax Jo…I’ve known them for a long time! Besides, one of em’s a big fan of your work! Just smile and talk like you’re doing now and it’ll be alright!”

“A-A fan…I dunno…m-maybe-”

“Shush! Look there, see the ladies by the window! That’s them, remember, all smiles when we walk through these doors, got it? Who knows, maybe you’ll even get to show them that amazing mole of yours!”

By the time Johannes had snapped back to focus at the mention of his embarrassing birthmark, they were standing in front of a cafe, gulping as he glimpses the brunette and her blonde friend, chatting over a drink before they catch sight of him, the blondie seemingly recognizing him as her eyes widened with joy, squealing to her friend as she held her phone up, showing her something as she pointed excitedly at him, forcing his eyes away as he looked elsewhere, a blush on his face.

Before the jingle of the doors opening graces his ears, panic spiking inside him as he feels a strong tug on his sleeve, Hayden happily strolling into the cafe without even waiting for his response, seemingly enjoying the look of terror on his face.

About to give the cheeky man a piece of his mind, Johannes suddenly feels a chill run down his spine as his foot passes through into the cafe…only it wasn’t a cafe, at least, not anymore.

“Uhh…Hayden? Where are we?”

“I…I don’t know…weren’t we at the mall?”

“Don’t…think we’re anywhere near a mall right now…wherever this is…”

Passing through the entryway, the pair had suddenly found themselves in an entirely different place altogether, the sight of the two girls sitting in a modest cafe that awaited them through the glass replaced with an empty room that had victorian era styled dressings, cobwebs and the dust of ages coating every surface as a fog hung in the air.

It didn’t take long for Johannes to realize that they were trapped, turning around to find himself staring at a moldy wall instead of the door they had just come through, slapping his hands against the damp wallpaper in panic as he pushed in vain, hoping for a way out, only managing to stain his palms with brown mold instead.

“W-We’re trapped Hayden! T-This has to be a dream right? We’re no-”

Silenced as Hayden claps his hands on his friends shoulders with a hard shake, the pair look into each other's eyes. Johannes with fear and uncertainty, Hayden with confidence and hope.

“We’ll make it out of here alright? So just…shut up and follow my lead! Wherever we are…there’s gotta be a way out.”

Coming to his senses slightly with a few deep breaths, Johannes nods slowly, shaking his head as he looks away, scanning the room as he began to notice oddities with the furniture, seemingly locked down and preventing anyone from accessing drawers, shelves and even the curtains with everything being either tied down by worn dirty ropes that seemed overkill for the job or missing their knobs, only the mahogany door by the far end of the spacious room retaining it’s rusted handle.

Wherever this place was, Johannes felt like he could definitely take inspiration for a rather dreary piece of work, from the ropes that were thicker than his arms to the faded wallpaper devoured by mold, providing a rather oppressive atmosphere if the gloomy environment wasn’t enough…

Nodding his head once, more he steadies himself as Hayden turns around, walking slowly towards the only door they could see, beginning their exploration into the unknown…

–

What felt like hours would fly by with no results, the pair moving from tight lengthy corridors layered with ornate matting long eaten away to pretty much the same rooms again and again in a linear path, with slight differences in furnishing being the only sign that they weren’t running around in circles, all having the same issue of lacking a knob or handle to access their contents…if they could even get past the giant ropes that bound them shut to begin with, which thankfully hadn’t been obstructing any doors.

Opening the next door, Johannes immediately takes note of the large imposing figure depicted on an aged painting, the woman’s otherworldly features hidden by stains and patches of the same brown mold that seemed to infest every surface.

But enough was visible for the two to be certain that the woman in the painting was not human, causing a garish difference between the Victorian architecture and the seemingly regal looking monster-alien woman in the frame.

Looking further though, it was basically the same room as the ones they had already come across, only longer, with no furniture besides what looked like an abandoned dog house neatly tucked away in the corner, its interior clouded in unnatural darkness.

“The heck is this room for? Is that a kennel? And that painting…her eyes are empty…not as empty as yours though!”

“Haha…more importantly though…what is she wearing? Where does the cloth end and the body begin? It’s like she’s a part of it!”

“S-Seriously, are you faking that whole stutter shtick? You sound way different whenever it comes to art! Anyway, let’s just go on ahead, don’t see anything out of the ordinary here…”

“Agreed…”

As the two spoke, the unease on their faces were evident, sweat beading their foreheads as an unseen force bears down on them, radiating from the painting like a bad odor, invisible eyes now on them as their conversation comes to a close, hurriedly rushing past the unusually wide room in an effort to quickly move out of sight of the strange painting, knowing there was no way back for them if they turned around.

But as they were about to reach the other end of the room, a soft giggle rings out from behind them, sounding like something out of a nightmare with its eerie grating quality.

Shoved towards the door, Hayden had no time to react as he watched Johannes fall to the ground, tendrils snaking around and constricting him in their grip, shadowy limbs glistening with the stars of the galaxy as they rose and fell around the struggling man, another wave splitting from the main mass and heading straight for Hayden.

He didn’t even have the time to say anything as he quickly opens the door, glimpsing one last look at his friend as he pushes it shut once more, a look of relief on his pained face as the arms begin to drag him toward the waiting mouth of the kennel they had emerged from.

“Goddamnit Jo! Why’d you have to go and do that! Fuck!”

Left alone with the relentless banging of the arms behind him as they struggled to break through the beefy wooden barricade, Hayden could only slump to the ground as the pounding stopped, silence returning once more, refusing to believe that his friend had been taken from him in the blink of an eye.

But behind the door, what awaited the now despondent Johannes wasn’t certain death, but an entirely different fate neither of them could have expected, the last vestiges of the tall human man vanishing past the kennel doors and into the murky black depths…

–

This is it…this is how I die…

Those were the words running through his head as he felt the stinging cold of the dark eat away at him, the arms vice like grip ensuring no escape was possible as they seemed to sap him of his strength, eyes glued to the patterns of constellations and nebulae within their featureless black surface.

In his supposed last moments, no flash of light with a reel of Johannes’ life would play. He was simply alone, surrounded by darkness with the chilling embrace of death all around him…but he had done some good by saving Hayden right? That was worth something at least.

Unaware he was still alive, the reclusive man simply laid still, mind drifting to sleep as he gave up all hope, taking comfort in his ‘last act’ and wishing Hayden the best in escaping this accursed place.

But in his moment of fragility, the unseen force hiding within the shadows takes it’s chance, the void beginning to bubble and seethe with negative energy as Johanne’s empty eyes catch sight of magenta hued orbs beginning to float and dance around him, were these angels here to bring him to the afterlife? Or were they the envoys of Hell sent to drag him to an eternity of suffering?

That was when he began to think about what had led him down this path in the first place, he died saving his best friend…the same friend who he’d met back then during kindergarten…the same friend that had bullied him back then…before reaching out to him in an act of forgiveness so they could be ‘buddies’…at least that was how he remembered it.

Don’t lie to me! W-was this really…how we met? But wasn’t Hayden…he was always my friend…

As he viewed memories of Hayden bullying him up to the point where he had abandoned him to the shadowy tendrils, Johannes couldn’t help but feel a spark of anger ignite inside of him even as he struggled to hold fast to his belief that Hayden was a friend. The memories of all the times he’d dragged him out of his house for the most random of reasons still resisting the corrosive taint.

But as Johannes fights a mental battle, the darkness around him begins to bubble, goopy strings of black sludge beginning to reach out and stab into him, tearing through jeans and overalls as they pierce skin, staining the surrounding body an inky black as Johannes writhes in pain and fury, struggling with the growing fire inside him as his body ignites, gaining muscle mass and losing fat as if his very being fueled the angry red flames that licked the air.

The corrupt ooze seeps deeper into his body, pale skin rendered hairless and dyed a dark greyish color as his widened eyes follow suit, bloodshot pupils being the only sign of life as he opens his mouth in response to the feeling of his body being broken down, letting out a bestial roar as fangs glimmer in the ominous red glow of the cinders beginning to erupt from the corners of his eyes as the fabric of his now ill-fitting clothes begin to burn up into ash, heatwaves radiating from the shifting flesh beneath as Johannes arches his back into the air with a sickening crack, letting out another cry of pain, this time in a higher tone as his bones shatter and reform into new shapes; spine snapping inward, leg bones breaking into triple jointed limbs tipped with massive hooked claws, hands disfiguring into paws tipped with thin, dark iron razors as tufts of hair more reminiscent of wolf fur explodes across his changing body, tipped with dull crimson for extra flair as he soon sports a thick layer of fur that served to cover him up as best as possible, leaving a little space between his legs for the future use it would see.

With his spine bent into a lovely S-curve, Johannes slams his heart shaped ass into the floor with a loud smack, a drawn out groan of pleasure escaping soft lips as he feels his chest begin to itch unbearably, reaching a shivering paw to cup a hefty breast, large blades poking at darkened nipples as flesh and nerves build behind them, blossoming forth into a pair of milk filled double-D’s in his arms, Johannes’ voice now clearly that of a woman’s with the removal of his adam’s apple, leaving his neck slender and thin, connected to a face that fit well with the titillating voice currently moaning and yelling out in unrestrained pleasure, slender almonds blinking rapidly, red pupils rolled up into the head as a long, wet tongue lolled in the air with each release of pleasure.

In his head, the fight had long been forgotten, struggling to even remember Hayden’s name as his face flickered in and out of mind, the steady buildup of anger continuing to increase alongside the unbearable urge to masturbate, his hands rendered useless as the oversized limbs couldn’t get a proper grip, resorting to the use of his fattened thighs to relieve himself as he squirmed on the ground, bathed in dark sludge.

By now, the former human looked more like a curvaceous werewolf as a large bushy tail forces its way out of his rear, causing him to roll onto his side to give the new appendage some breathing room, the sight of his erect penis beginning to retreat inwards visible for a moment as the long flexible tail finishes growing, swaying gently in the air to match the long wild mane of hair that fell from his head, the previously brown strands now burnt a charred black and growing long enough to frame his lovely face as it tapers off above his heart shaped ass.

Forget human, with the jiggling orbs on his chest and the hourglass figure he now possessed, Johannes could qualify for being a full fledged woman in her prime, were it not for the throbbing erect penis still sticking out defiantly between his legs, steadily shrinking as a wet slurp heralded the disappearance of his tesicles, slurping into the moist opening beginning to materialize beneath the fleshy rod, unable to do anything as he laid there panting, his body exhausted by the ongoing changes, seductive eyes watching with fear and excitement before another tingle of electricity runs through his new body.

As a surprised “ooh?” escapes Johannes, a sound more akin to a dog than a human rings through the void as his dwindling manhood let’s out it’s last money shot, thrusting her hips into the air as white stains contrast against smooth ebony skin, the newborn woman struggling to sit upright in the throes of her first orgasm, arms twitching in the afterglow as she eyed the last remnants of her old manhood settling neatly atop the puckering slit between her legs, poking curiously at the dripping opening and enjoying each tingle of electricity that shot through her and into the aching womb beneath her pulsing belly, empty eyes fluttering half open as a ditzy giggle leaks from her slack jaws.

In the haze of pleasure and pain, Johannes had long forgotten about the fight to keep her old memories intact, losing focus at one point when the pain of her snapping bones kicked in, finding it even harder to remember what she was feeling so angry about when the agony turned into bliss, her aching new limbs flexing as she tests her hind feet, finding the pleasant padding beneath them amazing to put pressure on as the pair of fluffy canine ears that had overtaken her former human ones  atop her head droops down lazily at the relaxing sensation.

She’d gotten so engrossed in the act that she hadn’t even realized she could now see clearly in the dark, her glasses having long since been burnt away with the rest of her clothes and possessions.

But arguably the worst effect was that she could barely process thoughts in her head, pure instinct being the only thing left guiding her actions as she continued to poke and prod at the slit, fluffy ears drooping over her head as her sensitive nose picks up the fishy scent of the white refuse all over her lower half as she scoops up a liberal amount with a claw, bringing it up to her lips as she gives it a cautionary lick, a satisfactory hum emanating from her throat as she stuffs it into her mouth, licking it clean and already wanting more as she goes straight to the source, flexible body allowing her to lick at her own groin as she cleaned herself up.

The Johannes of old would’ve been horrified at herself for acting like an animal, much less sampling their own semen, but this wasn’t Johannes anymore. And something inside her wanted more, to feel that explosion of pure ecstasy in every fiber of her being and another hefty serving of that delicious cream she just tasted.

A name no longer applied to the Hellhound currently scratching her head with her hind feet, with only remnants of the human formerly known as Johannes left floating around in her degraded brain, the ability to process equations and the joy felt at gracing their eyes on works of art long gone with the fragmented memories making no sense to her. She would rather take in the thrill of a hunt than find satisfaction drawing scribbles on a shiny screen thing she would’ve known was a computer…if she had a shred of education left in her, only able to string together rudimentary sentences.

The more she eyed her powerful body, rippling with muscle in all the right places, large rending claws that could tear anything apart and newly honed instincts common in her new monster lineage, the more she found herself wondering why she didn’t want to be who she was. The inability to tell what was true and what was false eating away at her insides, threatening to kill her libido as a frustrated growl escapes her lips, bushy tail thumping the ground in annoyance.

What bad about…me?

Before the air around her seemed to grow heavy, the orbs from earlier increasing in number as the darkness around the nameless Hellhound fills with constellations and nebulae, the patterns striking alarm bells in her head as she tenses up, fur standing on edge as her claws grow longer, flames intensifying around her as the overbearing presence makes its appearance, a blonde head rising out of the floor, it was a girl, bearing a slender figure that looked like she would shatter into a million pieces if she even tripped, clothed in strange garments that reminded one of a vagrant warrior, her body bearing more symbols and patterns that shifted and danced across her skin.

But despite her tiny stature, the strange girl radiated a deadly aura that had the Hellhound’s fight or flight instincts screaming at her to run, finding herself unable to do so as she sat there paralyzed, watching as the otherworldly figure stepped closer, realizing it wasn’t hair she sported but a seemingly living mass of minerals that shaped itself like a tied back ponytail, shivering as she glimpsed the razor sharp ends of the deadly hair.

Enraptured by the sight of the superior being, the Hellhound had no time to react as a dainty hand brushes against her forehead, knocking her back with a pained yelp as a large collar snaps tightly around her neck, messing with her fur and cinching the skin as she struggled to get it off, her superhuman strength doing little to break the binds as a searing pain halts her attempts at getting free, the frightened Hellhound whining in defeat as she struggled to get back and away from her tormentor, seemingly amused at her plight as she tugs at invisible chains, pulling the Hellhound to her feet as she smiled down at her, caressing her soft chin in one cold hand as a familiar voice echoes in her mind.

So much confusion and turmoil in you…poor thing, do you want it all to go away? Free to become the strong, beautiful Hound you were always meant to be?

She didn’t know what those words meant at all. But unlike the overbearing aura she radiated, her inner voice dripped with a motherly aura that she took greatly towards, offering her safety and warmth just by the tone alone as the white hot flashes of pain recede,  finding herself nodding slowly in agreement as she relaxes in her grip, letting her head nestle against the girl’s waist as she runs a cool hand through her fiery head, her fear slowly draining away as her mind seemed to enter a state of inner peace.

Before she felt a level of clarity she hadn’t experienced in…forever! No longer seeing the weird images of a man she didn’t know, a life she didn’t live, and things no Hellhound would ever do floating in her mind.

Good girl…Feeling better now? 

And whatever she had done to her had left her able to interpret words once more, nodding eagerly as she crawled on all fours towards the mysterious girl she now identified as her Mistress, her instincts locking onto her as the Alpha in her tribe, the only one she needed to obey and respect. Being rewarded with another series of pats and ruffles as the same giggle she could remember hearing somewhere else graces her ears.

Ah! I almost forgot, a loyal Hound needs a name now doesn’t she? How does Josey sound? Short and sweet~

Ears perking up as she heard her Mistress bestowing her with a name, the Hellhound could only agree wholeheartedly as she wagged her tail excitedly, spurts of flame from the corners of her eyes showcasing her excitement  as a oval shaped doorway tears open in the void, a familiar room beyond the opening…and the scent of someone she recognized hiding behind the door that lay at the far end of the room.

That’s right Josey~ It’s a human! Consider him your reward for being such a good little girl!

Her senses overpowering her, Josey didn’t wait to listen to her Mistress’ last words before crawling out of the now tiny kennel as she forced her tight body through the gap, more accessories materializing over her as a crude iron cast bra top appears to provide her sagging tits with some much needed relief, accompanied by the rattle of rusted chains as the Hellhound crawled through the empty room, eyes locked on the door as she began to hear footsteps from behind the thick mahogany wood. Had the human heard her? She definitely did knock aside the kennel with her exit. Who could blame her for having a totally gorgeous ass that couldn’t fit through that narrow hole after all.

Tensing her lower body as her leg muscles tighten in tighten in preparation for a powerful leap that would send her tearing through the door, she can only hope the ensuing chase would be a worthwhile one, licking her fangs in anticipation before doubling back in shock as the door opened, the sight of the man standing before her leaving her stunned for a moment, had her prey gotten brave enough to attempt a last ditch attack? No matter, seeing her chance to pounce, the Hellhound immediately leaps into action, powerful hind legs propelling the furry beast forward as she tackles the man to the ground, cutting him off mid sentence as the two go tumbling a good distance away down the dusty floorboards.

With the dust settling, Josey begins her assault as she shreds the man’s clothes off of him, burning them away in her paws, leaving him stark naked as her plump rear presses down firmly against him, pinning him with her massive weight and a firm grip as she takes glee at the sight of the rather small man throwing punches at her hardened pecs, leering down at him with a perverted smile as her tongue razed the air, putting on a threatening display as fire flares from her eyes. His punches had stopped, but it wasn't because of fear, but at the sight of something between her legs.

Was this human so enraptured by the sight of a leaking vagina?

But as she followed his gaze, she noticed him staring at the dark mole barely visible against her ash gray skin, nestled just above her hairless vaginal lips, finding it adorable but nothing to marvel at. So why had this human taken such an interest in it? Looking back towards him, the once fearful expression he wore had been replaced with a look of disbelief mixed with relative calm, like he was both happy and sad to see her. Did she even know him?

“J-Jo? I-Is that…you?”

Hearing the man speak those words ignited a fire in her like no other, her grip strength unconsciously increasing as he begins to groan in discomfort, never letting his gaze break from her eyes as she bends over to sniff him out, ignoring his discomfort as she lets her breasts press against him, analytical eyes narrowing as she licks the man’s exposed skin, feeling him twitch and shiver as her steaming hot saliva stings him, giggling as she feels his manhood grow bigger with each exhale of steamy hot breath against his neck, steam brushing up against his ears.

“W…When did you g-get that good huh, Jo?”

Ignoring his words as she rose back up, Josey unclips her bra, letting the heavy hunk of iron fall to the floor and leaving her aching mammaries exposed, grinning as she noticed him eyeing her breasts, taking pride that her mate had noticed her sexual appeal. She didn’t care for words, only his response mattered when the time came for love making between a Hellhound and her chosen partner.

And with how wet she was down below, she couldn’t be more eager to get started.

By the end of it, she would have her answers whether he liked it or not; why she felt that kick in her chest whenever she gazed at him and more importantly, how he knew her name. She didn’t quite understand human communication habits but she had taken Jo to be a shortening of the name her Mistress had bestowed upon her.

This human was interesting, and Josey had no intent to ever let him out of her sight...

To Be Continued