Heavy panting and foot falls that sounded as if they were almost skipping along the loose dirt of the forest floor. Jose Felino del Pino Dulce Hernandez was running for his life. His pursuer, a lanky tall man with long flowing red hair, was as fast as a cheetah which was surprising as he was human. On the other hand Jose was a feline beastman blessed with speed, strength, and agility but could not call on those abilities while in his human form. The only thing between Jose and his pursuer was pure adrenaline. But, the heightened excited adrenaline of a mad man was not to be underestimated. Dravon Saldorvio was closing in on him. 

"If only there were some water nearby," Jose thought as he ran frantically looking around for a pool of water he could splash into. "Ah!" Before Jose knew it he had run into a line of tall leafy bushes. Tripping over the roots he lost his balance. *KER-SPLASH!* Jose fell into the edge of a pond.

"I have you now," Dravon exclaimed, diving into the bush coming out the other side. He tackled Jose to the ground. The red haired man laughed maniacally. Then abruptly stopped looking down at his catch. He was sitting on a feline beast-man. Dravon's wide excited green eyes sobered as he stared into the eyes of the black haired beast-man.

"W-what the hell," the beast-man shouted.

Dravon looked at the feline he had pinned to the bank of the pond with a quizzical expression on his face. He looked very similar to the human he was chasing even down to the clothing the man had on but it couldn't be him. Perhaps if the beast-man weren't wearing a generic white work shirt and black trousers he could be more certain. Dravon leaned down sniffing the feline. Then for good measure licked him. "It's close but not the same at all," Dravon thought. The beast-man neither smelled like nor tasted like Jose. 

"Excuse me, sir. Have you seen a human run through here," Dravon asked, still looking around for signs of the man he was pursuing. 

"Get off or I'll throw you off!"

"Oh! Pardon me." Dravon quickly stood up off the beast-man then offered him a hand.

Hesitantly the feline took it. "Your human took off that way. The feline pointed in an arbitrary direction.

Dravon pet the beast-man on his head between the ears eliciting an involuntary purr. "My apologies for knocking you into the water." Dravon said, using the handkerchief he carried with him to wipe off the beast-man's face, then booped his nose. "Gotta run." Dravon took off in the direction the feline had pointed in. 

When the man was out of sight and earshot Jose let out a sigh of relief. Cursing he bent down to the water and vigorously washed his face. "All these years and never knew he was a racist. Then again I never knew he was a serial killer either," Jose thought. Right then he needed some place to go and that place was not home as the man who was chasing him lived next door. His girlfriend came to mind. Athena Silverne. Imagining her smiling face was a solace to the horror he had just experienced.

~ * ~

"What the hell, Jose," Athena nearly shouted when she opened her condo door.

The path from the door to the bathroom was paved with muddy shoes, socks, pants, shirt, and underwear. Fresh out of the shower her boyfriend was wearing her fluffy pink robe. His cat ears drooped.

Athena could tell something bad must have happened but she couldn't help being mad about the mess she had to tiptoe around to get into her home. "Start explaining, now," she demanded, making her way over to him. 

"Babe, I… I don't know where to start. I feel so violated and betrayed. I'm terrified. I don't even know if coming here was the right choice. But I couldn't think of anywhere else to go." Jose's golden eyes teared up.

Athena wiped away the tears that were threatening to stream down his cheeks with the back of her right hand and put her arms around his neck. Leaning against him she stood on the tips of her toes touching her lips to his. Usually she didn't have to strain to kiss him but in his feline form he was quite a bit taller than she was. 

Wrapping his arms around her, Jose held her close, returning the gesture. 

Athena's porcelain complexion turned beet red. Her boyfriend was in her home wearing nothing but a bathrobe. Then she recalled what she knew about cat anatomy and any thought of things going beyond a peck on the lips completely left her mind. In his beast form he looked like a human with a tail and cat ears but his skin felt like the skin of a peach— slightly fuzzy, soft, almost like suede, very pleasant to the touch. In place of his human canines he had fangs. There were retractable claws in his fingers and toes, and paw pads on his feet that took on a more feline shape once he had transformed. She wasn't sure what that area looked like but if it was anything like a cat's there was no way she was going to conceive children with him while he was like this. Children? What was she even thinking? He had not even popped the question yet. Plus now was not the time for those kinds of thoughts.

Athena took Jose by the hand. "Come let's sit down." She led him over to the couch where they both sat down. He faced her taking her other hand in his. "Tell me what happened. Why are your clothes on the floor covered in mud?"

"Dravon tried to kill me."

"What!? Dravon from next door? Your best friend, Dravon, who you spent your last year of high school with? The Dravonf you pledged to go to the same college with? That Dravon?"

"Yes."

"No, there has to be some misunderstanding. There's no way–."

"Thea, please," Jose shouted, silencing her. He hadn't meant to yell but her unwillingness to accept the reality of the situation irritated him. But not as much as the low growl that accompanied his shout may have indicated to a human who didn't know better. Athena knew better but the fear was evident in her eyes and in her scent. "Please," Jose lowered himself against Athena.

"Whoa! Hey! Wait!" Jose had pressed his full weight onto Athena pushing her down onto the sofa until he was lying on top of her with his head resting against her stomach. 

Jose was trying to make himself small, calm her down as well as himself but he could tell from the change in her scent that instead he had ended up somehow arousing her. Jose hadn't meant to do that either. He should have asked if she was okay with what he was doing before pinning her down out of nowhere, but the thought hadn't occurred to him. Luckily she seemed to really REALLY be into it. "I'm sorry. But, please. I need you to understand that man has never been my friend. All this time… All this time he has never been my friend!" What he said was contextually true but in his heart it felt like Dravon had died instead of having turned on him. Instead of trying to kill him for nothing more than the pleasure of doing so. Another sharp growl. This time he felt her arms tighten around him. Tears streamed from his eyes as he sobbed uncontrollably.

The reality of the situation sinking in Athena's first thought was to call the police. But that didn't seem to be what was most important in that moment. Jose needed her. She could see his tail irritately flicking under her robe. She bet it was probably prickly and bushy too. "Tell me what happened."

~ * ~

Although they worked different jobs Jose and Dravon arrived home around the same time. It wasn't unusual for them to see each other along the way or as they were exiting their respective vehicles. This particular day Jose had arrived home before Dravon and was outside in his bunny slippers collecting his mail from the large mailbox at the edge of his yard when his best friend pulled into his driveway.

Dravon got out of his car and leaned forward with his arms resting atop the shiny black exterior of his freshly washed sedan. "Looks like you got home before me today."

"As usual. You drive the speed of a turtle."

"Ha! Oh really?"

"Another Bed, Bath, and Beyond. You want it?".

"Nah, I throw those out. Say want to come over for dinner?"

Jose continued to file through the various junk that was stuffed in his mailbox. "Not entertaining any ladies tonight?" 

Dravon took his hair down out of the sleek braided ponytail that concealed its full length which appeared only to be shoulder length while it was up. With a shake of his head the loose locks of his hair fell past his hips. The red hue of his hair looked like it was on fire beneath the late afternoon sun. "Not tonight."

Not any night. Although he was a very attractive man Jose had never once heard him talk of being interested in any women nor seen him with any women. For a while he thought any day now Dravon would come out of the closet. But, it had been seven years and not once had Jose ever caught him giving himself or any other guy the queer eye. It made him Wonder if his friend would ever find anyone special to share his life like he had with Athena. It made him worry about how their relationship would change once he was married and Dravon was not and nowhere near being so. He was a little weary from staring at broken code for over eight hours but soon these days would probably be few and far in between. By next month he would have enough saved up for a proper engagement ring and to pay for a decent enough wedding. Athena was his Queen and he wanted to treat her as such. He wouldn't be able to afford her a Vera Wang wedding dress but it wouldn't be one of those off the rack ones either. 

He and Dravon shared their backyards. There was even a cute stone path connecting their back doors. From the outside looking in it might have seemed that Dravon and Jose were the ones in love. Jose was imaging their kids running back and forth between their houses. But that wasn't how things were going. Perhaps Dre would be all right with being the cool uncle?

"Well," Dravon prompted.

"Wha," Jose uttered coming out of his daydream.

"I asked if you wanted to come over for dinner. Then you were just staring off into space."

"Yeah, man. Let me put this stuff away. I'll be right over." Jose trotted up his driveway to the garage can where it sat until collection day and dropped the junk mail inside. Being careful not to slip he jogged back down the driveway to Dravon's house and entered the back door. 

Dravon was standing at his wine cabinet looking over his ample selection when Jose entered the kitchen.

"So what are we making tonight," Jose asked as he walked over to the sink, rolled up his sleeves and began to wash his hands.

"We? I'm doing all the cooking tonight,"Dravon said, pulling an expensive bottle of wine from his collection.

"Whoa, is that the Beaulieu? The same bottle you had a hissy fit over when I merely suggested opening it?"

"Yeah, well… today is special," Dravon said, retrieving two wine glasses from the cabinet.

"Oh? Did you get a promotion or something?"

"No." Dravon gave a full pour to both glasses. 

"A girlfriend?"

Dravon handed one of the glasses to Jose. "No. Let's go sit down in the living room."

"Boyfriend," Jose asked once they were both seated. 

Dravon laughed, "No."

"Then what, man? What is so big we had to sit down before you would tell me?"

 Dravon chuckled. "The last night of our friendship."

"Wha…" Jose felt his heart lurch.

"Don't think I haven't noticed. You've been worried about me. Your not so subtle hints that I should find someone."

"Dude, is that really why you don't want to be friends anymore?" Jose felt as if the room were spinning. 

"No, calm down." Dravon crossed his legs. "We'll always be together. But, I know you have been planning to propose to that girlfriend of yours. So, to keep things from getting complicated I thought it time to let go of our relationship as it is now."

"What are you saying? I don't understand." Jose could hear his heart beating. His vision went hazy, then nothing.

~ * ~

"Hm?" Jose woke up sometime later. There was the feeling of concrete against his face and the smell of rust maybe? "Hrrrmmm!" There was a gag in his mouth. Jose tried to scream but the thick cloth that was stuffed in his mouth muffled any sound he made to almost nothing. In the background he could hear the methodic grinding of metal that stopped as soon as he started making noise.

"Ah, you're awake now."

There was a flurry of confusion when Jose looked up to see his best friend staring down at him. At first Jose thought he was on the floor but it became clear that he was on a platform of some kind. His heart pounded rapidly in his chest as Dravon leaned down to lick him.

"Mmm, I knew the first time I tasted you I had to have you."

The first time? What was he talking about? Jose wanted to break free of his restraints and run but he couldn't even lift his head. He found it tiring to even blink.

First I had to make sure you were well aged and seasoned. It was fate that I met you at just the right time before this world tainted you. Your flavoring is unique and special. I knew I would have to take my time with you; make sure you didn't eat or drink too much of anything that would change how you taste. Mmm, my sweet Jose. I can't wait to cut into you."

What was he saying? Was he for real? No, this had to be some horrible prank. He'd be angry. Dre would repeatedly apologize and try to make it up to him. He would still be angry for a while but eventually forgive him. And everything would be copacetic again.

"I want to enjoy all the parts of you I can while you're still alive," Dravon said, giving Jose's crotch a firm tug. He then jabbed a syringe into Jose's arm. Once several vials were filled up Dravon took the last one and poured it into his mouth. "Magnificent. I knew you'd be worth the wait."

Dude was definitely NOT joking. Jose started screaming even more. 

Dravon frowned. "You seem displeased. I told you we would always be together. Your skin, your blood, and your bones will nourish me for many days to come. I will consume every part of you until we are one. Your body will be no more but you will live on inside of me."

Jose still couldn't move but he felt the feeling coming back into his pinky finger and wiggled it. 

Dravon sighed then walked away. "The drug should wear off by morning. Try not to move around too much or you'll fall and hurt yourself. Neither of us wants that. Let's spend as much quality time together as we can before the big chop," Dravon said before turning out the light. "Must save on of the electricity use. I'm sure you understand. Goodnight, Jose."

Jose heard a heavy metal door close and lock. The flavorful aroma of spices in the air clashed against the dire situation he was in. Every fiber of his being screamed at him to rest but the anxiousness he felt, the fight or flight he felt railed against that. Eventually exhaustion won and his heavy eyelids fell shut. 

Jose woke up his heart racing in his chest. How long had he been asleep? It didn't matter. It was long enough that whatever Dravon had drugged him with wore off. He could move again. Remembering that he was on some kind of counter. Jose did not dare risk falling on the floor by wiggling or twisting about. He didn't even know if the counter he was on was surrounded by bear traps or not. Besides, accidentally landing on his head wasn't appealing. But, he couldn't just lay there until Dravon returned to do whatever he was going to do to him. In the pitch dark room Jose couldn't get any clues as to what he could do to escape. If only his sweat were enough for him to transform. For a moment Jose thought about urinating on himself but recalled an unpleasant memory that reminded him that taking such action would do no good. He needed actual water. Of course he remembered from his elementary school science lessons that the air held plenty of water, but the molecules were too far spread apart and he could not activate his transformation without a good splash. But, maybe, just maybe, if he focused enough he could probably will his hands to transform long enough to make use of his claws. Thankfully, Dravon had not invested in one of those tables with metal clamps or even leather straps to secure his victims. 

Victims? He seemed too well prepared and ready for Jose to have been the first but then again he said he had been waiting. Jose moaned. What good would those kinds of thoughts do, especial now? It didn't matter either way one victim or many Dravon was a murderous psychopath. Jose twisted his wrist against the ropes making them sore. It wasn't working. 

" Damn it," Jose thought frustratedly. He had always wished he was fully human and not some weird throwback result of recessive genes. Now he wished he was a full beastman. He craved the physical traits and strength of those ancestors more in that moment than he had in his entire life. He felt shame and regret for hating that side of himself, for hiding it away even from the man he thought was his best friend. Then suddenly aching pain coursed through his arms feeling as if it shot out of his fingertips. 

*SNAP! SNAP!*

Jose wasted no time slicing apart the ropes that bound his wrists and ankles. He didn't know If the transformation would last for seconds, minutes or hours. He carefully placed one foot onto the floor, then the other. He slid across it in the direction. He heard the door close in the previous night. Feeling along the wall. He found it then sat on the floor and waited behind it. He stifled a groan as his claws receded and his hands returned to their human form.

When Dravon returned he turned on the light and was perplexed to find the countertop empty. Before he knew it, Jose had tackled him to the floor. The shorter man wasted no time climbing the ladder that 

led down to the room he was in only to have his ankle grabbed as he ascended. Jose kicked Dravon, causing him to let go and buying himself precious time.