Chapter 5

I awoke alone, she had gone back to whereever she slept and left me to recover from my experience.

I could barely move from my bed as my entire body seemed to be one great big sore muscle, I had stiff muscles in places I didn't even know about.

Even my willie was exhausted, she had truly worn me out.

I just lay in my bed much of the day, dozing between naps if you will.

Becoming ravenously hungry and having to pee like a race horse is what finally got me out of bed.

My sweatpants and the tee shirt were now history.

She had torn them off of me the night before, in a frightening display of power and control.

Her claws, driven by her powerful muscles, had cut through the knit fabric with surgical precision and deftly removed the offending garments.

After using the makeshift privy I had rigged up, I encountered Mary as she performed her daily ritual of hiding the Hellhound's tracks.

She smiled at me and said a cheery, "Good afternoon, an' how are ya feelen?"

I thought briefly and replied, "Like I got run over by a lorry a couple of times."

Mary smiled and said,"She's inside if you wish ter see 'er. I think you tewthree have much ter talk abart."

I thanked Mary and entered the small cottage.

She was sitting at the table and sipping tea.

I smiled at the sight of her hands, capable of tearing through doors and windows, handling something so delicate as a tea cup.

She smiled at my approach and looked up at me as I leaned over her for a brief kiss.

As I straightened up again she said,"Mum made a couple of rashers of bacon and some home fried potatoes. I'm afraid you'll have to settle for tea as we have no coffee, not even instant."

I helped myself and as I settled down across from her she asked,"And how are you, this afternoon?"

I smiled and replied, "Other than being stiff and sore all over, I am wonderful!"

Her eyes smouldered in merriment and she said, "I'm glad to hear it, I feared I may have nearly killed you last night."

I chuckled and retorted,"You did, nearly kill me last night, and I shall treasure the memory for as long as I live!"

She giggled and said happily, "It was wonderful for me too and I'll try not to ruin your clothes in the future. It was my first time and I was just so...Eager..."

I was surprised to hear her admission of innocence and at the look on my face, she commented."I was destined to slay the 'lord of the manor'. The last lord saw me when I was a child and he died soon after, mother thought I had slain him and kept me hidden away because of my appearance."

She held out her massive hand and flexed her clawed fingers, she muttered, "I've never actually seen what I look like, I can guess from what my hands tell me and I know humans don't have fur or a tail like I do. Mother never allowed me near any mirrors, so I don't really know."

She looked at me calmly and said evenly, "When I first saw you, I recognized your bloodline and was ready to attack you at my first opportunity. Then I saw your kindness towards my mother.

"I became very confused, you were supposed to be this cold hearted and cruel man deserving of death, yet you talked to her politely and gave her the right to live here as long as she wished. You even brought her extra food to help feed me while you were away, and you made her laugh!"

She shook her marvelous head and said softly, "How can I attack someone who has been kind to my aged mother? Who cares for me? To do that, I would have to become the monster I appear to be."

Having finished her tea, she smiled as I refilled her cup.

She added a dollop of cream and a lump of sugar before stirring her tea with a delicate precision, which fascinated me because her hands, capable of such strength, were being so gentle.

She looked at me and asked, "So, now what do we do? I don't think the likelihood of us becoming lovers was taken into consideration when the blood oath was sworn."

I sipped at my own tea and said carefully,"We play it by ear as a musician would say. Six months ago I had no idea this place even existed. Both of my parents are gone now and I have no siblings, the house was all mine.

"I had a good job working for the City of -, twenty years more and I was set for retirement. Easy peasy.

Four months ago, I get this registered letter from a British attorney's office.

Today I am now 'lord of the manor' for a family that has nearly died out.

"I'm sitting in a small cottage outside this big old house I can't live in, at least not yet, and I am talking to that most fascinating of creatures, a pretty girl with whom I recently shared an incredible experience."

I grinned at her and quipped,"Feel free to pinch me any time, I must be dreaming!"

The Hell hound grinned, showing a lot of her impressive dentition, and reached out with thumb and forefinger to do what I had jokingly requested.

"Hey now! "I squawked, "You could hurt somebody with those!"

She giggled merrily and said teasingly, "Careful what you wish for, I just may grant it!"

I remarked suddenly, "I just realized I don't even know your name, your mom never mentioned any name and I'd been hoping I wouldn't have to ask."

She smiled and replied softly, "It's Branwen, which means fair raven in Welsh."

"It certainly fits, " I replied, "Your fur is almost black, it is glossy and you're very pretty."

I chuckled and remarked, "I can only imagine the reaction if you showed up at a furry convention. What with that being your natural appearance, they'd be green with envy."

Branwen raised one luxurious eyebrow and asked, "Furry convention? What is a 'furry convention'?"

I grinned and said, "It's a convention where like minded people get together, wear fake fur costumes and get all silly with each other. Some of them even have sex while in costume."

Branwen looked at me as if I'd gone balmy and said, "That makes no sense at all!"

She looked at me askance and declared, "Don't tell me you're into that?"

I laughed and replied, "Not hardly! I have gone to conventions where people will dress up as their favorite characters from movies, TV, comic books, what have you. Me? I go to look at the crowds."

I paused a moment and said hesitantly, "I hope I haven't said anything too weird for you."

I glanced around and spotted a small, old fashioned tube type TV sitting near their sofa.

"Does that work?" I asked.

"Yes, it does. I watch it to hear how people talk and I practice speaking like they do." replied Branwen.

"That explains why you're so much easier to understand." I replied with a smile, "Your mom's accent can be pretty tough on me to understand."

Branwen giggled and retorted, "Around here, you're the one with the funny accent. This is Wales, not California."

The cottage door opened and Mary shuffled in.

I rose from my seat and got out another tea cup and saucer for her.

As she sat down carefully, I set the tea cup before her and after she had placed her tea leaves in the cup, I poured the hot water while she stirred.

I resumed my seat while she methodically dosed her tea with cream and a lump of sugar, then took a tentative sip.

'Like mother, like daughter' I thought as Mary sighed in satisfaction.

Mary smiled and said,"I never thought I'd see such a sight as me baby sitten an' talken with someone other than me. 'specially not a gentleman caller!"

I grinned and commented, "I don't know if I'd go that far in describing me."

Mary retorted, "Nonsense! Yer mower of a gentleman than most I've encountered who 'ad titles aft their names. That lawyerly fellow would have tossed me out if you hadn't ignored his advice."

She chuckled and said,"The luke on his face when you gave me the roight ter stay here. If me own mom hadn't learned me ter be polite, I'd have loffed."

I chuckled and remarked, "Yeah, he was questioning my sanity, even if he didn't actually say it."

I glanced out the window sighed and said,"This day is pretty much shot to hell as far as getting anything accomplished. I hadn't figured on spending a day recuperating from a wonderful experience, when my original plan was to go looking at some used trucks."

At Branwen's puzzled expression, I replied,"I need a light truck or what you'd call a lorry for hauling my bike and getting building materials. Eventually I'm gonna want to live in something a little more comfy than a converted old hen house or whatever lived in that old shed. Especially now that we're together."

Branwen squealed in delight and came over to me for one of her memorable hugs, her luxurious tail wagging in her happiness.

Mary laughed and said,"Wetch fer that tail dear, you'll knock things over."

When Branwen had calmed down and was seated again even if her tail still threatened to begin wagging again at the first opportunity.

Mary asked, "What abart the 'owse?"

I sighed and said glumly, "The house, in fact this whole complex, is a 'listed building' that means I can't just go around knocking holes in the walls, nor can I add or take away anything from this building. I can make repairs and maintain the place, but that's about it."

I smiled and said drily,"It's really almost like being presented with a white elephant, I'm kinda stuck with it and can only hope it doesn't beggar me."

I grinned and said, "Now that I know I won't be getting attacked, I can take a little time and really look at these buildings."

Branwen smirked and broke into the giggles, then said gaily,"You're not out of danger yet! I'm the 'Hellhound' remember? You'll never know when I might decide to attack!"

Her wonderful eyes were definitely smouldering while she said it.

I grinned and replied,"Oh, I'll know it all right, lord knows you let me know about it last night! I'm still recovering from the shock...In a good way of course!"

That evening I made a few calls about the used trucks I had seen in the adverts and was setting up appointments to see and test drive them before making any decisions.

While I was doing this, Branwen was curled up on my bed wearing little more than some panties and one of my tee shirts, her breasts stretching the knitted material in a most delightful way.

The smouldering gleam in her eyes told me that once I was finished with my calls, I was hers until morning.

Our coupling that night was at a more sedate pace, I was still pretty stiff from the night before so we spent much of the time snuggling together, luxuriating in each other's bodies between couplings.

Branwen was so incredibly sensual to me, what she lacked in experience, she made up for it in enthusiasm.

I took great delight in introducing her to the fleshly delights of oral sex, nearly getting my head crunched between her skull crushing thighs when she came, and she happily returned the favor.

It was nearly dawn when she rose from our bed and got dressed.

I sleepily asked, "Where're you going so early?"

Branwen looked at me with her eyes blazing merrily and said,"I'm not to spend the night with you until we marry. She didn't say I couldn't spend most of the night with you!"

She leaned over me and kissed me tenderly before returning to her mother's cottage and her own bed.

By mid afternoon I was getting frustrated, the trucks I had called about were either on their last legs mechanically or had already been sold.

After hearing the fourth variation that day of , "Sorry guvnor, that un's been sold, but we've got a loverly blue un' over here!"

I threw away the adverts and entered an Isuzu truck dealer's lot. I picked out a plain white double cab 4X4 model that I could fit a ladder rack to.

The bed was just wide enough to accept a 4X8 foot sheet of plywood with the tailgate down.

Driving it home I got thoroughly lost and spent a bunch of time pulling over and trying to make sense of the maps I had.

It was very educational.

Once I got near home, I stopped off at a pizza joint and picked up a large pepperoni pizza and some root beer for everyone.

Pulling up at the house, I got out the pizza and root beer.

I was heading towards Mary's cottage when a nightmarish form emerged from the shadows, It was Branwen wearing a white dress and welcoming me with open arms and a warm smile.

After a very nice hug and a sweet kiss she sniffed and asked, "What smells so good? Besides you, of course."

"Pepperoni pizza!" I declared, "I stopped and got some on the way home." handing her the box, she took it with a puzzled look on her adorable face and opened it up.

I quickly said, "There's enough for all of us. Now, let's get out of this night air!"

We entered Mary's cottage with our food and laid the pizza box on the small table.

Mary looked it over and smiled," You brought us a pizza, how sweet! I was wonderen what I was goin' ter make fer supper once you got home."

A short time later, the three of us were looking at the now empty pizza box.

Branwen had never eaten pizza before and wasn't sure how to approach one.

She waited 'til she saw me scoop up a slice and take a big bite before following my lead.

Mary insisted on eating her slices from a plate with a knife and fork, all very 'propah you know' while we stuffed our faces with our own slices.

The root beer was new to both of them and was greatly enjoyed.

Mary sat and enjoyed her after supper tea, while I took Branwen out for a spin in my new truck.

It was a first for her and she was very happy to be out in 'our new truck' as I put it.

We drove around for well over an hour, she enjoyed seeing the town and the other people without fear of being seen, while I gained more knowledge of the local roads.

Our lovemaking that night was both noisy and tumultuous.

I struggled to keep up with her sheer physicality and sexual demands.

Not that I'm complaining, but after having been with her a few times, I could never go back to a mere human woman.

Once you've gone Hellhound, you can never go back to a human, I guess.

Once again, I woke alone.

She was still obeying her mother's admonishment about sleeping with me, but not necessarily 'obeying it'.

It was that old 'spirit of the law' versus the 'letter of the law' thingy.

I was not about to argue.

With a breakfast and some instant coffee to fortify me. (Desperate times, blah, blah.) I set out for a portion of the barn complex that had been re-roofed fairly recently.

I tried every key I had and none of them fit the modern lock.

Not a problem, I thought as I removed the batting around one of the windows, took out the modern window and climbed inside.

I opened the door from the inside and replaced the window and batting.

I looked the place over and was delighted to see it had been converted into a spacious two bedroom apartment with its own bathroom.

Joy! No more crapping in a bucket and showering outside for me.

There was water and gas pressure and I soon had the water heater fired up and making hot water.

My naughty little mind envisioned my near future self soon cavorting in the shower with a nicely lathered up Branwen.

The power was off and a quick search found the main panel nearest the utility pole outside.

A couple of moments and a flipping of circuit breakers later, and I had lights.

I happily switched the lights on inside the apartment, and in an adjacent room I was eyeing as a workshop.

No more camping lanterns for me at night.

Realizing that I was very hungry, I entered Mary's cottage to tell them I was headed out to grab a bite for lunch.

They were quietly sitting and watching the small black and white TV they had.

There was a news report on BBC about a lamia appearing on an American TV talk show and how she handled a hostile religious fundamentalist guest, also appearing on the show.

The BBC commentator remarked about Americans having all the fun, while a video clip was played showing a small group of pythonesque women out shopping in Phoenix, Arizona and everyone seemed to accept them as being perfectly normal.

Clearing my throat for attention, I said, "I'mma grabbing some lunch, any requests?"

Branwen looked at me with a gleam in her smouldering eyes and declared, "Take me with you!"

I glanced at Mary who said quietly, "If America can have its fantastical creatures, so can Wales!"

Seeing that I was outvoted, I said, "Okay, if that's what you want. Just don't deliberately draw attention to yourself, you'll get it anyway."

With that, we got into our new truck and headed into town.

Sure enough, Branwen got noticed and cell phones came out for pictures of her in all her lupine glory.

A big German shepherd in a Volvo Estate Wagon next to us nearly lost his mind barking his fool head off.

When his owner looked over to see what her dog was barking at so furiously, she nearly crashed in her amazement at seeing Branwen.

Branwen naturally, thought it was hilarious and laughed 'til her ribs hurt.

Needless to say, we did not get out of the truck, but went through the drive thru lane at the burger joint.

It was just easier that way.

The young man working the window grinned at Branwen as he was handing us our order and said,"Wosh costume dude!"

She grinned back at him and waggled her ears to his astonishment.

We pulled out of there and made it back to the farm without being followed.

Parking our truck out of sight of the roadway, we entered Mary's cottage with our purchases from the burger joint.

While divvying up the food, I looked at the burger in my hand and muttered glumly, "Gawd I miss Tommy's! A double cheese burger slathered with Tommy's own recipe chili, so messy to eat, so bad for you and yet tastes sooo good!"

Branwen cocked her lupinesque head at an angle and said, "What is this 'Tommy's' you speak of, is there one nearby?"

I chuckled and replied,"If there was one my love, we'd have gone there instead of that mere shadow of an American burger joint we visited."

At her tolerant of my B.S. Look, I clarified, "They're mostly in the Los Angeles area, at least the ones I visited."

Mary looked up from her own burger and muttered,"Well, I loike it an' that's good enough fer me!"

We all chuckled and dug in with gusto.

After the food was gone and the waste was cleaned up, Mary asked,"Was there a commotion in town?"

Branwen chuckled briefly then winced, "My ribs are still a little sore from earlier. You tell her, I can't without laughing again."

At Mary's mystified look, I recounted the tale of our little jaunt into town.

Including the near melt down the German shepherd in the car next to us had and the reaction of the young man at the drive through window.

I remarked somewhat soberly,"The cat's or if you will, the Hellhound's out of the bag now. I'm afraid your days of anonymity are over, for good or ill. They'll turn this area upside down looking for you Branwen. Hopefully, it will get called a hoax and it will die down."

I spent the rest of the day moving my things from the shed and into the apartment.

Before long it had become my new home, within my new home.

I made a mental list of the appliances I would be needing.

The usual TV, stove, refrigerator, microwave and washer/dryer were tops on the list.

That night Branwen and I took our first shower together.

We used up a lot of shampoo on the furry coat that is covering most of her wonderful body, her thick hair and luxurious tail.

She loved every minute of it and I took every opportunity to caress and fondle her wonderful form.

It wasn't all one sided as she too, exacted her own forms of delightful revenge on my frail body.

Drying her off was even more fun as her glossy coat fluffed up while drying and I just could not resist the sly gropings and gentle caresses.

All the while knowing I would be paying for my temerity in a most delightful manner.

Once we entered the bedroom, she happily grinned at me and pounced.

Pinning me to my bed, she slowly ravished me while murmuring,"Did you honestly believe you could get away with teasing me like you did?"

I smiled at her and murmured in reply,"I teased you because I love how you always get even with me."

She smiled and we made love very deeply that night.