All the color ran from Luca’s face. “Nox.” He clawed Nox’s hand. “Let go.” Luca yanked but Nox jerked him forward.
Luca’s terrified gaze was inches from Nox, and he breathed in Luca’s rapid exhales.
“Nox, please let me go.”
He strained to open his fingers, but they were no longer his to command.
“Don’t let me down.” Koda sat. “I’m counting on you to protect him. And you will, won’t you?”
Why did he ask? It wasn’t as if Nox could tell him no. His very soul, whatever was left of it, belonged to the man in front of him. “Yes.”
Koda petted Nox’s cheek, his neck, his shoulder. The Anubis followed the path of Koda’s hand in a black wave. The change occurred without any pain, in a single fluid movement, rippling through Nox’s body, controlled by Koda. Had he ever been afraid of what the people around him could become?
Nox laid his head in Koda’s lap, and he ran his fingers through the thick fur now covering him. “You’re strong. You’re stronger than any of them. I can feel it.”
He shivered, the contact lighting up his body as if he’d buried his cock in Koda.
Another long caress from muzzle to shoulder, and the Anubis withdrew, leaving Nox soaked in sweat, his cock hard, and his body ravenous with the need to be closer.
“Don’t fight it.” Koda took off his shirt. “Don’t fight it, just let it happen.” He leaned over and brushed his lips across Nox’s mouth. “I’ve got you.”
*****
Any fear fled Luca, replaced by the odd calm he’d come to recognize. A kind of peace found in the knowledge he wasn’t in any danger.
He leaned closer.
Nox widened his eyes and shook his head.
“It’s okay.”
A sharp pop made Luca look up. The skin on Nox’s back split, his spine erupted through the muscle. Black oozed from the tissue, first liquid, then distinct threads. They filled in the gap, covered the wound, and spun into delicate hairs.
Nox jerked his right leg, his ankle contorted until the length of his foot doubled, then tripled. His toes spread. Long black nails punched through the end. The darkness flowed up the elongated limb, wrapping around his calf.
A thundering growl rolled from Nox’s chest. Strings of saliva hung from his chin.
More filaments poured down Nox’s arm. They crawled from the back of his hand to where he held Luca.
Thousands of static points danced where ever the strange substance touched. Luca slid the fingers of his free hand through the threads. They caressed each digit from the tip to his knuckle, vibrating with Nox’s fear.
No, not vibrating, broadcasting.
A tumbling tsunami of broken images, not even enough to piece together, crashed into Luca.
The threads swallowed his hand.
Luca gasped. Want, need, desire, and hunger followed the filaments riding up his arm to his shoulder. It lingered there, tapping the almost microscopic tips against his skin. The bizarre tingling sensation faded, and as quick as the stuff had rushed from Nox’s body, it retracted without leaving a mark.
Nox opened his grip and collapsed. Tears rolled down his cheek.
“You’re okay.” Luca shushed Nox and put a hand on his chest.
Nox shook.
“It’s gone, Nox. It stopped.”
Nox nodded, then turned on his side but couldn’t seem to lift himself up. Luca put an arm under him, and he flinched.