For the second time in recent memory, Abigail found herself in a new bed. Silk sheets entombed her body as she sank delicately into the feathery mattress. The bite of the chill air was held at bay among the generous thick covers. She felt groggy, disconnected from reality. Desperately, she struggled to rouse. Sleep threatened to drag her back into its warm comforting grasp.

Almost reluctantly, she won her personal battle. Slowly sitting up, she rubbed the sleep from her eyes. The feathery comforter collapsed onto her hips. Abigail leaned forward, covers strained around her nude body.

"I hope I have not disturbed you." A deep, low, voice emerged from the big windowsill that occupied a generous portion of the austere bedroom.

Abigail immediately spun toward the sound, twisting her upper body to face the large bedroom window. Despite his impossibly large frame, sitting comfortably on the banister of the bedroom windowsill sat the beast that had rescued her earlier.

Abigail recognized him immediately as the castle's formerly human prince, Reynauld.

In his monstrous form (was it a dire-wolf, or some other creature of fantasy, Abigail wondered), the creature was easily over seven feet tall. His face had the brutal features of a feral wolf, complete with a large snout and jagged teeth. His body was covered in thick brown fur, save for an exposed chest where powerful muscles bulged with power and strength.

Abigail couldn't help but stare at the creature's impressive build. His eyes sparkled a ruby red, lids heavy with worry and concern. Despite the initial shock of seeing the creature in her bedroom, Abigail felt herself relax at the beasts presence.

She remembered how it felt being held in those mighty arms last night. Within the creature's iron-clad grasp was an overwhelming feeling of safety and comfort. She remembered being protected, wrapped in the safe arms of the creature in front of her. The ferocity of his might and the size of his frame didn't scare her at all. She felt destined for him. It was as if he was her mate.

Abigail relaxed into the bed, slouching comfortably into the sheets. She made no effort to cover herself, her virgin breasts erect and proud on her slim frame, nipples stiff beacons of sensuality awake from the morning chill. She moved a stray hair from her face, enjoying the beast's eyes as they wandered slowly over her virile young body. They drank in her pale skin, drove along her red hair, and lingered over the subtle pink of her areolas.

The large beast's golden brown fur glowed yellow, outlined by the morning sun's rays. His muscular chest swelled as he breathed, a low growl escaped his massive jaws. Scars from the recent altercation covered his body. Angry red slashes adorned a bruised and battered physique.

"I am sorry to have dragged you into this." With considerable effort, the beast broke his gaze from the young woman on the bed, casting his eyes instead to the gardens outside the window. He slouched against the window pane, her once stalwart protector now a shell of his former confident self. Abigail could see he bore a heavy burden. One that weighed significantly on his broad shoulders.

She could see the intense pain on his face. The massive creature stared out the enormous window onto the palace gardens below. But he didn't see the carefully manicured plants, trees, and bushes. Abigail could tell his mind was elsewhere, lost to a haunting memory. A secret he carefully guarded.

Abigail was suddenly aware of an aching desire below the sheets. Gently she reached her hand under the covers. Her fingers began a cautious exploration of her lower mound. She found it was still sore and aching from the previous night. Abigail grimaced as she risked a finger. Her tender folds quivered at the touch, puffy and fragile from the violent mating of last night.

"They weren't always like that." The beast's words interrupted her thoughts. The pain in her lower area was suddenly forgotten as the creature began once more to speak.

There was a time when all of the subjects of this castle were civilized creatures, not like the beasts you met the night before. It didn't start out that way, of course. The madness, I mean. It is a slow, vile thing. We didn't lose sight of who we were even after the change. At least, that was how it was at first.

Abandoning any pretense of modesty, Abigail rose quickly from the bed. The covers crumpled, abandoned on the bed, her sex boldly visible. She didn't mind the nakedness; she often wore nothing at night, especially in her own bed. Besides, the creature had not taken his eyes off the window, allowing Abigail her modesty despite her actions.

Abigail took several bold steps toward the beast, closing the gap from the bed in seconds. Her hand traveled gently along the creature's chest. Fingers explored his muscular frame, gently moving along the scars that bettered his body, still wet from fresh blood. The wounds were a painful reminder of her previous carelessness.

She pressed her body against the prince, her breasts spread around the creature's thick arm. Abigail rested her head gently against his shoulder. Her eyes closed, she took in his body heat, his fur, and his scent. She enjoyed the closeness and warmth that radiated from his feral body. Her nipples felt stiff and full against the creature's skin. Abigail felt a small familiar thrill, as her bare skin pressed so intimately against the creature's body. A tingling, electric buzz that begged for further exploration bloomed between her legs. The beast's massive hand, adorned with long claws, rested just below her pubic mound. Each gentle rub of her nipples against the creature's arm shot a sudden rush of pleasure through her breast, further drawing the heat from between her lower lips. She felt the brush of his hand against her inner thigh, her entrance became drenched with hot desire.

"Tell me, please." Abigail breathed into the creature's ear.

Though desperate to lose herself to the creature, she restrained her desire. She could see the pain of his movements, and the haunting sorrow in his voice. She wanted to unburden him, no matter what terrible truths his story might reveal.

The beast was silent for a time. She was unsure if he would continue his story or not. Was it to protect her, Abigail wondered. Or to protect him and his kingdom? Abigail rested her head against the prince's shoulder. Now assured that her request would go unanswered.

To her surprise, Reynauld suddenly broke his silence.

"It is not a memory I like to recount. However, I suppose I owe you that much." The beast turned to Abigail. A massive hand moved to her face, gently tilting her head to meet his penetrating gaze.

"And if by the time I am done, you wish to leave, I will do everything in my power to ensure your safe travel back to your home. I certainly owe you that much. Though I do wish you would stay. Stay with me."

Abigail was captivated by the beast's questioning eyes. She anxiously waited, the two of them bathed in the morning sun. She was lost in his powerful gaze, imprisoned by his passionate stare. Bewitched by the secrets that lay behind his lids.

Reynold began:

"It seems so long ago, but it couldn't have been more than a year or so prior. It was a crisp Autumn night, not un-similar to the one on which you both arrived at this castle. The change, that is our more animalistic forms, had fully taken place by this time. We were all adjusting to our radical new way of life.

"The transformation affected everyone differently. All the citizens of the castle had changed overnight into their bestial forms. However, I was the lone outlier. I wore my human form initially, only changing when my mood was elevated, whether by anger or lust.

"It was in this current state of affairs that my vassals convinced me that a splendid ball would be the cure for our current woes. I was no fool to assume it would fix our current predicament. But I had hoped it would at least elevate the citizen's moods. I wanted to provide hope, revelry, and fun, if only for a brief respite.

"One of the rather unexpected results of our change was a wild, uninhibited sex drive. Many of the females were in the throws of heat at this time. I observed once loyal spouses, that could barely restrain from throwing themselves against the young, virile males of the castle.

"And so I decided on a masquerade ball. An event unlike any before it. Celebrating and promoting the baser instincts of the creatures attending. It was to be a ball unlike any previous, celebrating the new beasts we had all become.

"That night was not one I would soon forget. The ballroom, the very one you visited earlier on your first night here, was packed with all manner of guests. All of them wore elaborate masks. Some were made of simple black silk. Others were elaborate constructs of gold or silver, embellished with fancy jewels or pearls.

"As the night continued and the drinks flowed, I witnessed all manner of sex and debauchery. Of course, it was not discouraged. In fact, it was the opposite. We all reveled in our sexuality. The dance floor became a twisting mass of bodies engaged in every sexual act you can imagine. The area was awash in intimate energy, and the sight and scent was addictive.

"Unlike the citizens of this castle, I am not always in the form you see me now. In fact, for the longest time, I wondered if I was truly under the same curse as my kingdom. But that question was answered soon enough, as that night was my first transformation. As I drank in the drinks of the evening and witnessed the erotic scenes that were unfolding before me, I felt the change for the first time.

"It is not something I feel I can accurately put into words, but yet I will try. I was in the middle of my drink, observing the copulation of the human-beast hybrids on the dance floor. I remember witnessing a half woman/half calf in the throws of passion, taking the entire sex of a man-bull that she rode. She wore no dress, her breasts swinging with the efforts of her mating. Her hoves dug into the floor, throwing herself aginst the creature's member, pleasure consuming her senses. Her sexual fluids covered the beast's member, and a nearby creature took notice of the copulation.

"This creature was a large man-boar. He made quick work of removing his clothes, unzipping his pants to reveal a rigid spiral organ. Before I knew it, he positioned himself behind the rump of the female as she continued her fornication on the floor. The creature's sex darted out quickly, uncurling into a thin rod that promptly found the female's ass. With a loud grunt, he thrust himself fully into her back hole. Her rear bucked at his intrusion, though she made no protest. Instead, she bleated, giving voice to her passion as pain and pleasure mixed into her violent mating.

"The site awakened something primal in me. Before I could understand what was happening to me, I felt an explosive heat. It was unlike anything I had experienced before. It enveloped my body, consuming me. At the same time, I felt the heightened desire of all those around me. An erotic elixir of females in heat and males eager for release. My own member swelled, no longer able to be contained in my clothes. My entire body grew, muscles exploding from my physique, covered in fur and bestial instinct. I went from being a human, clothed in traditional attire, to the otherworldly beast you see before you. No fabric was left on me, torn apart from the violent, sudden transformation. I was the beast now, my sex of full display.

"After the transformation, I was filled with an unmistakable desire. I recognized it immediately. It was the desire to mate. I noted that the half female/half calf was now taking in the sex of a female centaur. The half woman, half horse was on its back, it's hind legs up, offering her wet lips to her willing partner. The female mate was eagerly eating out her partner, her tongue darting in and out of her sex. The centaur let out a loud neigh as she squirted eagerly into the willing calf's mouth.

"She eagerly licked up the creature's release. Licking her lips as the two male creatures quickened their pace in and out of her holes. With a loud roar they finished, emptying their seed into her body in a scene of unparalleled intimacy. She bleated as the creatures all came, adding their own orgasms to her own.

"During this, I felt my own sex reach its peak. It throbbed, desperate for release. No longer restricted by clothing, the organ stood proud and erect. Swelled to a thick 13 to 14 inches. Pre-cum glistened at the tip.

"Gazing across the field of bodies, a young half female/half faun caught my eye. She was the most beautiful creature I had laid eyes on that night. I recognized her immediately as the daughter of a castle maid. Even before the change, the young woman could command the attention of an entire room. I immediately recalled her name, Violet. This was the first ball she'd had the chance to attend, and her excitement was contagious.

"The cursed transformation that ravished her eighteen-year-old body had not marred her beauty in any noticeable way. The creature she became, a mix of young woman and young faun, was still breathtakingly beautiful.

"That night she wore a sparkling red dress that clung tight to her slender body. The ruby fabric was daringly sheer. It flowed over her body like syrup. Her short fur was a mixture of white stripes and golden brown patches.

"Violet's well-endowed chest pushed fiercely against the low-cut cleavage of the dress. Her nipples were erect against the thin fabric. Her lips ignited her face with dazzling red glossy lipstick. She had long, flowing crystal white hair with a golden orange streak that swayed and twirled as she danced with every creature at the ball. Her tail lifted up the back end of her dress, exposing the hint of her young mound and the twin globes of her buttocks.

"That evening I watched as a young well-endowed centaur took the young creature's virginity. The male beast trotted around the faun, his impressive member the size of a horse' sex hung ready just below his stomach. She eyed the creature, smiling while beckoning him over with a finger. Even though I was far from the pair, I could tell she burned with desire. My new form allowed me to sense things that would have been foreign to me before now. I could sense the desire in the air. She absolutely burned with the will to mate with the male before her. And so, with little warning, the centaur made his way behind her, rearing up and mounting the faun's ass, its member squeezing in between her cheeks. It didn't take but one or two thrusts from the centaur for him to find his prize.

"The faun initially grimaced with the thrust of the creature's massive rod. Her opening was already very wet, but despite her desire, she was still inexperienced and hesitant to the new experience. Nevertheless, she arched her back. Allowing the centaur access to her opening, she accepted his penetration with a sudden violent thrust.

"Bright red blood dotted the floor, covering the centaur's sex as he deflowered the girl. The faun bent down as the creature leaned his full weight into her, allowing for even easier, deeper penetration. Her gritted teeth turned to moans of pleasure as the beast worked its way in and out of her soaked passage. She lifted her head, meeting first the sight of my massive erection, then up to my face. The faun flashed me a sultry smile, taken by a wild sexual desire. She was willing me to join in. It was all the invitation that I needed.

"Before I knew it, I was beside her. She lifted her face, lustfully eyeing the massive member below my waist. She quickly took my balls into her mouth, one by one. Despite her inexperience, she sucked strongly on each, savoring the taste of my male sex. As the centaur continued his thrusting, pulling almost completely out before thrusting his entire length into her, the faun grunted as she took my member into her eager mouth.

"I could feel the warm wetness of her throat as she struggled with my massive size. I pushed gently at first, filling her with my full length. But as she wet my rod, I became incredibly aroused, and before long, I was thrusting into her face as if it was her womanhood instead, open and ready to receive me.

"She gurgled as I invaded her throat but eagerly took my member each time. I withdrew and thrust back again. I picked up speed, my sex fully coated in the faun's saliva, encouraged by her moans of pleasure. I felt my balls rise up into me, just before I released a massive load into her mouth. The faun moaned as she eagerly swallowed my seed. Gulp after gulp she greedily took in all of my release. With the last swallow, she took in a big breath of air. Smiling back at me, she finished by licking the length of me clean.

"My intoxication peaked not long after the other creatures began to get rowdy. I could see a male centaur enjoying the backside of a young half woman/half zebra. At the same time, a large elephant-man was thrusting his sex into her eager mouth. While they both violated her holes, another creature, a young half female/half jaguar sucked on an exposed nipple with zest while she explored her own lower pleasure. The moaning growls of sex punctuated the throws of passion as the creatures took turns penetrating the young female zebra woman in every position imaginable.

"After such a display of eroticism, I don't remember much else from the night. Too quickly, the spirits reached my head. I found myself slipping into the comforting darkness of sleep. It wasn't until the morning light from the next day bathed the ballroom in truth, that my eyes were opened to the horror that had transpired as I slept.

"In the middle of the dance floor, bathed in the light from a massive ball window, was the graceful young faun from the night before. Only this time she was covered in fresh crimson blood, clothes torn to shreds. I stumbled from where I had ended the night, closing the distance between me and the tender creature in an instant. My blood froze as I fully took in the site of the slaughter. The creature before me whose life was so viciously ended before her time.

"Claw marks and bites dotted her body, leaving no area unmolested. What little clothes adorned her body was ripped to shreds. Blood was everywhere. Around her body were the remnants of the massacre. Smashed wood, glass, and floor tiles were scattered about.

"I took my time taking in the scene. The path of destruction led to one of the giant windows of the ballroom. I followed the trail, noting the devastation of one of the grand ball-room windows. The display of carnage spilled out into the garden. Trampled trees and bushes bore the marks of the vagrant's path.

"I let out a growl that shook the castle. A couple of the groggy guests attempted to restrain me. But I was inconsolable. The scent of fresh blood, the sight of the savagery of the previous night had filled me with rage. I tore through the garden, tracking the scent of the animals that had committed the unspeakable act. Thick wood branches splintered from my claws as I let nothing impede my rampage.

"It wasn't long before I discovered my foes. A pack of now wild wolves, previous castle citizens, now feral, fangs bared and eyes wild. It was clear to me that little human thought remained. Their eyes glowed red, cloudy, lost with madness.

"A fight of fangs and claws ensued. Before it was over, I was covered in blood, the feral wolves broken before me. One of the creatures gurgled as it choked on the last of its life. The beast's jaws worked open and closed, struggling to speak. I'll never forget his final words.

"You...are no different than us. We all bleed the same, and you will succumb to your true nature."