Hybrid

Chapter 24: Don't Stop

*Sky above me. Earth below me. Fire within me.*

With each step he made towards me, he gracefully shifted into his hound form. First was his eyes. Even in the dark, they shined brightly in the night. Then his arms changed. Starting at his fingertips, his skin turned even darker. It trailed up his arms to his shoulder, scales pushing through along the way.

He didn't stop as he shifted. He kept a steady pace towards me. The darkness moved across his chest and down his torso. My eyes widened as it continued downwards.

"Once you get used to it," his voice was scratchy "you will be able to fully change your human form without shifting into your hound." His legs and feet changed along with the rest of his body. His toes turning into claws like his hands. Once his human body was fully merged with his hound, he stood directly in front of me. I could reach out and touch him if I wanted to.

Did I want to?

My beast stared up at him in awe. We could be like that. She thought.

I pulled my eyes away from him, looking down at my own body. My arms were fully shifted already. Focusing on my chest, I tired to push my beast outwards at a steady pace. She nodded in my head, knowing what I was trying to do. It was harder than it looked though. Any leeway I gave her, she surged forward without control.

"It takes time to change like this." His hot breath washed over my face. "One step at a time girl." His claws reached out to my face, gently caressing my cheek. My body shuddered at his touch. My beast purring within me.

When he stepped back, I felt my whole body being pulled forward to him. His lack of touch made us cold. "Now change." He crouched down in from of me on his hands and knees. I could hear the sounds of bone breaking and reforming but no sounds of pain escaped his mouth. I watched as his human body morphed into his hound with ease.

Standing before me was no longer a man but a beast. His head coming up just below my chin. He was massive. I felt a slight nudge in my head and instinctively pushed back. His lips curled up in a silent snarl in response.

He's trying to mind link with us.

Oh.. oops. I hadn't gotten used to that yet. His hound just huffed in my direction and I felt it again. This time instead of pushing him out, I pulled him in.

'How else do you expect me to communicate with you girl if you don't link with me?' His hound turned away from me, but not without slapping my thigh with his tail. Pretty hard might I add.

I hissed at him and rubbed my leg. "I'm not used to the feeling of someone trying to invade my mind."

'Just change already.' He continued walking.

"Where are you going?"

He glanced back at me. 'Do you want me to watch you change as well?' I could see the smile in his eyes. 'That would make twice I've seen your naked body.'

My face reddened. Bastard. I quickly turned from him and walked behind a tree. I was pretty sure I heard a beast like chuckle come from him.

Letting my towel drop, I crouched low and tried to focus. I can do this. We can do this. I chanted over and over in my head. I could feel my skin starting to get tight. It was painful but no where near as painful as before.