Adventures with Ladies of a Monstrous Persuasion
by Godric Damp Esq.
Chapter 1 - Lights in Darkness
The last years of the 19th century drew to a close, the cold autumnal light began to fade as I squelched through the endless English marshes of the Norfolk Broads. On my seemingly futile quest searching for the mysterious Long Legged Red Wibblesnatch that had consumed much of my years and money. Occasionally I would hear a rustle in the reeds or a strange call on the wind, but it would just be a common creature like a Bittern or Water Vole. As the rain started to patter against my face, I sighed as I realized it was time to retire to my lodgings at the Butchered Calf Inn, I had made no progress and the cold water was chilling my bones. My fisherman's waders sucked through the mud as headed towards the distant spire of St Ermentrude, the parish church of the tiny village of Hellington, which had been my home for the past week.
I turned up the hood of my traveling cloak as the rain began to hammer down and reflected upon my follies. My fruitless searching for undiscovered species of the British Isles had made me the butt of many jokes at the Museum of Natural History and had me thrown out of the Royal Geographical Society. But I persevered, I had decided to find something or die trying. Though if this rain kept up, I was like to. As I approached the village, I rounded the churchyard and looked up at the grim shadow of the church through the wall of rain. A soft glow of candlelight lit up the stained glass windows, but none of that blessed warmth touched the world outside. As i gazed in rapture at the church I glimpsed a peculiar sight. Just visible through the storm, two fiery lights glowing a dim red were visible, peering around the corner of the church.
They seemed to see me watching them and suddenly vanished, as if turning to run around the far side of the church. My curiosity roused, I vaulted the church wall and landed heavily on the far side, clumsily slipping in the mud. With a grunt I lifted myself back up and tried to quietly follow the lights, unfortunately by boots were squelching so loud any stealth proved pointless. As I looked down the side of the church, I caught a glimpse of the lights peering from behind a buttress. I edged forward and then froze as a deep growl rippled through the sound of the rain. Of course it was only then I remembered one of the local legends of this part of East England. Black Shuck, a monstrous hell hound with eyes of fire, which haunted lonely churchyards ready to drag sinners off to eternal damnation. I was starting to reconsider my curiosity, I was hardly superstitious, but those lights really did look like eyes. I glanced towards the welcoming glow of the nearby Inn across the common and started to slowly edge backwards. The growl came again, deeper and more guttural, like it was rising from hell itself. Then like an express train it hurtled towards me.
With a hellish roar it crashed into me, smashing me to the ground. I fought for consciousness as my head smacked against the church, but the ungodly smell of rotten meat from the monster's maw snapped me awake. Pointed canine teeth filled my vision, as sharp claws raked my chest as if searching for my heart with manic desperation. Suddenly the beast stopped, its mouth closed shut and it flaming eyes went wide. There was a strange squeak and then suddenly the creature sneezed. It reeled backwards from the force, though its eyes squeezed shut, twin jets of flame escaped from under its eyelids. Collapsing on its rump on the ground, the creature shook itself and struggled to get up. As the pounding rain hammered us it was clear the fight had gone out it and with a whimper it fell back shaking against the cold. I sat there stunned, blinking through the rain as I stared at the hapless creature, which began to curl up against the elements. I slowly edged forwards, my scientific curiosity spiking again and this peculiar sight. It in turn drew away from me, the flames barely flickering in its wide fear filled eyes. The enveloping darkness and it's impossibly black fur, meant i could barely make out the thing's shape. But as I moved closer I realised it wasn't a hound or even a wolf or fox, it was a woman!
I shook my head, it ached but I don't think I hit it hard enough to lose my senses. But looking at her feminine curv... (This was no time for such vulgar thinking), it was clear that she was at least in part a woman. With a murmur she slumped sideways and lay in the mud, rain coursing through her fur as she feebly tried to move. She looked so small, huddled in the dark, I felt a great wave of pity and a sense of chivalrousness surged through me. Pulling off my traveling cloak, I wrapped it around her and lifted her into my arms. "It's okay I won't hurt you" I said as she groaned quietly and snuggled against my chest. I strode, (okay staggered) as fast as I could towards the Inn, glancing in the window the bar was full of locals hiding from the rain. I didn't want them to get a good look at her, they were a crass and superstitious lot and I worried at what they might do to her. I tried to stand her up, but her feet wouldn't carry her weight, so I lifted her under the arm in a position which I hoped would look like to drunks supporting each other. Making sure the cloak was well fastened and the hood well down, I eased open the door. Staggering in, I tried to go as quietly and quickly as possible. The initial din of the bar immediately quietened, I could feel their eyes watching us, but I kept going, keeping focused on the door to the stairs. From the sniggers and joking mutters, it seemed they thought I was bringing home some local strumpet and I was glad for their foul minds. I dragged her upstairs to my room and unceremoniously plonked her in an armchair, I threw a blanket over her and changed out my soaked clothes. I was too tired to care if she saw me, I toweled down and threw on something warm. Taking a bunch of towels I approached her, she was dozing sweetly in the warmth of the fire with a slight smile on her dark lips. I heated some water in a brass kettle over the fire, then filling a bowl I proceed to clean and dry my new charge.
I gently ran a hot wet towel over her feet, cleaning the night's mud from between her toes, she twitched and sleepily giggled as stroked her pads. Then softy drying her with another towel, bringing a sheen to her silky soft fur. I worked my way up her calves and thighs, cleaning the fur, removing twigs from the tangles with my old comb. As I ran up her muscular legs, I came to a halt at her, err 'womanly areas.' Though I'm no stranger to the pleasures of a woman, I admit it had been a while and being this close set my heart pounding. Even though it was well covered by fur and thigh, I struggled to clear my head and I reminded myself that it would be unfitting of an English gentleman to take advantage of her in such state. A loud thump broke my reverie, worriedly looking up to see if she had seen my lurid gaze, I saw she was still asleep, though she was still smiling. A second thump sounded and I looked about for the source, I saw the cause as a third thump landed, it was her tail hitting the leather of the armchair. I don't know how I missed it before, but I was transfixed by it as it smacked its mud caked fur against the upholstery, leaving a splat mark each time. I cleaned her tail as best I could as the speed and velocity of its 'wags' increased.
Refocusing myself I continued on to her stomach, which though well-muscled seemed thin and made me wonder when she'd last eaten. I continued my slow methodical cleaning and started to move up her torso and came face to face with the smooth curves of her... her rather well formed breasts. My heart started pounding again, rivulets of rain still clung to her cleavage and I steeled myself, gently patted them away with the towel. Trying not to think about the dark nipples that poked up from beneath the fur. Even through the towel her breasts felt so warm and soft, my hands ached to caress them properly and it took every bit of willpower to pull myself away and focus on her long strong arms. Her hands were a mass of mud and as my towel cleaned her stubby fingers, I stroked the short sharp claws. I noticed there was dried blood on the tips, I felt a twinge in the scratches on my chest as I realized it was my own blood. The pads on her palms were cut and scarred, I gently tried to clean the cuts and then dried her long strong arms. I dabbed her neck and the top of her chest, trying to not think about her breasts below, I looked up and took a long admiring look at her frankly adorable face. The fur on the top of head was longer, but wasn't the length of a true ladies hair, closer to boys hair in length. I dried it gently, my comb struggling with the knots and breaking a few teeth in the process. She was almost done now and there was a definite smile on her lips now, with one of her upper canine teeth pinching her lower lip. As I looked away I glimpsed a slit of red light appear from under her eyelids, which vanished as I looked back. With a smile of my own, I gently dried her pointed dog like ears, stroking the tufts gently at the tips and then caressed the fur on her cheeks. Her eyes sleepily opened, the dancing flames matched the warm glow of the fire and complemented the warmth of her smile. She nuzzled into the towel, moving my hand to tussle her ear and run down the back of her head. We gazed at each other and I automatically leaned in closer, the flames in her eyes seemed to grow in intensity as I we came closer to touching. Then a deep growl came from her, startled a stood back, expecting a sudden attack. But instead of aggression, the look on her face was of complete embarrassment. Though the fur hid her blushes, her awkward eye and body movements made it clear that growl had come from her stomach, not her throat. I was about to calm her when my own stomach gurgled a reply, this time it was my turn to blush and we both looked at each other, then burst out laughing.
As her strange laugh subsided, I dried my eyes and said with a smile, "I'd better go and enquire about something to eat."
"Fo-od" she stammered nervously rubbing her belly. I was so startled that she could talk at all, that I stood there for a minute just staring at her.
"Stay there, I'll be right back," I forced out and since she didn't follow me, I assumed she understood. The pub bar was mostly empty now, but I managed to scrounge from the barmaid two bowls of a dubious stew, some stale bread and two flagons of ale. I'd no idea if she'd like any of this, but the inn had naught else, so it'd have to do. Leaving the barmaid and her amused smile behind, I returned to my room to find my guest drying the areas I hadn't been able to reach. It looked strangely sordid and I could feel myself blushing again, but she had eyes only for the tray of food. I placed it on small table between the two armchairs and sat down opposite her, motioning her to eat. She grabbed the bowl and tipped it into her mouth, pushing the meat and vegetables with her fingers. I ate a little more delicately, trying not to notice the splashes of gravy trickling between her breasts. Though she clearly noticed my gaze as she slowly ran her finger through the gravy, then delicately licked it off, giving me a sly smile as our eyes met.
Feeling fuller she stretched out, spreading her fingers and toes, arching her back in such a way that really accentuated her bosom. Before opening her mouth in a impossibly wide yawn, then snuggling into the armchair and closing her eyes. I watched her for a while, just seeing her so peaceful, a far cry from the beast that had attacked me earlier that night. I looked at the inviting bed that took up most of the room, it was tempting to just jump in a sleep, but my dubious chivalry reared its head and I knew she needed it more. I gently picked her up and lay her down on the badly stuffed mattress, she growled, twitching her ears in fitful dreams that tormented her. She felt very hot to touch and I cooled a flannel in water and lay it across her forehead. It seemed to calm her a little and as much as I was tempted to climb in a cuddle up to her, I knew I shouldn't. I dragged my aching body over to the armchairs and crashed down on one and swinging my feet on to the other, swinging a blanket over me I rapidly fell asleep into dreams of ladies of a monstrous persuasion.