Collared

by Eli Ellsworth

  How Rick managed to become such good friends with Anri was anyone's guess, Rick's included.

  They had apparently met once as teens, at a party that Rick had absolutely no recollection of. Then once again in college, during a football game that Rick's team miraculously won... Yet even though Rick could remember the victory, he could not for the life of him remember Anri.

  Anri laughed, then lifted up his glass.

  "Hopefully I'm more memorable when I'm wearing a fancy suit, huh?"

  Rick wholeheartedly agreed. That fancy suit hugged Anri's figure well, clearly tailored to it. Rick was nearly blackout drunk at this point, Anri's calm composure a deep contrast. But even through the haze of drunkenness Rick could see the flush in Anri's cheeks, the unbuttoned collar... Anri looked down as he swirled the ice in his drink, and Rick was too distracted by the details of his eyelashes to finish the thought.

  Rick downed his cup.

  The next morning he and his massive hangover woke up in a fancy bed in an even fancier guest bedroom with absolutely no memory of Anri or any of his suits.

  Anri seemed more amused than anything during breakfast, but it took until Rick's memories of the previous night had returned for Rick to realize Anri had managed to make at least 5 jokes at Rick's expense - all before they'd even sat down at the table.

  Although he'd originally considered Anri a bit of a weirdo, Rick warmed up to him. Being rich helped, sure, but Anri's character had a kind of wildcard feel to it that Rick couldn't help but be attracted to. He wasn't mean or petty, but his dry humor and the way he could easily spin people around in circles just with his words... Occasionally, it was positively devilish. No wonder this man had managed to make billions in less than a decade.

  Today though, the only thing that mattered to Rick was that Anri had a penthouse with soundproofed walls and a serving staff that wouldn't be coming by until morning.

  Anri took the existence of werewolves, including Rick being one, pretty much in stride; even with the full moon being tomorrow. When Rick asked why he wasn't surprised, Anri smiled.

  "I've met one, you know," Anri said. "In the woods, when I was still young. It scared me half to death, but apparently I wasn't its prey that night."

  "Are you scared of me?" Rick asked.

  Anri turned to him and smiled.

  "No."

  ---

  "Aren't you afraid I'm making this entire thing up?" Rick asked as Anri bound his arms together. Anri smiled. He was wearing a gray three piece suit that matched his dark skin well. Although he'd freed up his weekend for Rick, the rest of the day had apparently been busy enough that Anri hadn't had time to change. Rick didn't mind the sight.

  "If you are... Well," Anri lifted Rick's hands and pressed them against the pillar Rick was being tied to, then worked on securing them. "I'd say you didn't need to try that hard to get me to tie you up."

  Rick snorted.

  "And," Anri said, tightening the ties around Rick's ankles, "if what you're saying is true, then," he stood up and lightly tugged on one of the ties. "I've got one hell of a safety measure."

  Rick smiled.

  Rick's ankles and wrists were restrained by soft leather cuffs and tied cross eagle to the pillar - Anri had initially suggested tying Rick to a chair, for comfort's sake, but Rick responded that sitting on chewed up scraps of wood wouldn't be very comfortable. On top of the cuffs, stronger restraints such as chains were added to make sure Rick was really staying put during the events of the night.

  Rick tugged at his restraints one last time, then nodded, satisfied.

  "You sure you're not attaching a werewolf to a load bearing pillar or something?" Rick asked. It was always good to check.

  "Oh please," Anri said, making an exaggeratedly insulted expression, "Like I'd do such a thing. No, the penthouse won't fall over even if you tore the entire pillar down. Though if your strength estimations are correct, we won't even need to worry."

  "Weeeell," Rick said, "Werewolf strength is kind of a difficult thing to predict. Aside from the phase of the moon, it also seems to depend on all sorts of astrological bullshit like the moon's current position in the sky versus other planets... I had a werewolf friend who had all his cycles figured out, but I can't say I really understand any of that myself."

  It was odd to remember his old friend, his pack mates...

  Way back then, he didn't need to worry about being restrained - he had a pack, hell he’d been the Alpha. On full moons, he would lead his pack on wild hunts across the forest in search of prey... Now though, everything was different.

  "Maybe you should hire an astrologist then," Anri said, smiling. He stepped towards Rick. "What are you so afraid of? What sorts of things do werewolves on the loose usually do?" He said it so lightly, not at all like a person who had seen a werewolf firsthand.

  Rick was acutely aware of the precise distance between the two of them, and the way it diminished as Anri leaned in closer. Anri seemed confident, as he always was, but also cautious, careful. He reached out his hand and with only the very tips of his fingers brushed Rick's chest. Rick stared at Anri and his heartbeat sped up just a touch. Nevertheless, with his hands where they were, Anri could likely feel the change.

  "Are you prone to ripping out hearts?" Anri asked, then suddenly jammed his fingers against Rick's ribs. Rick let out a surprised snort of laughter. He wiggled against the pillar as Anri tickled him.

  "Oh my god," Rick said, wheezing. "If I do get loose, I know whose heart I'm ripping out first!"

  Anri grinned at him and finally pulled his hand away. Although he was standing close, he seemed intent not to overstep his boundaries. His hand was hovering, as if trying to find a place to perch. Anri bit his lip. He placed his hand on the stone pillar and leaned in closer towards Rick.

  "Or are you more prone to ripping out someone's throat?" Anri said, leaning forward further, his lips nearly brushing against Rick's neck.

  Rick stared at Anri. He could feel the slow puffs of Anri's breath against his throat, and Rick's heartbeat sped up even more.

  Shit.

  Anri looked up from beneath his eyelashes. Rick could feel the blood of the beast rising within him, the harsh rhythm beating in his veins, across his torso and limbs. His senses heightened, although not to the extent they would later that night. He could feel Anri's heartbeat as if the other was pressed up against him, could feel the heat wafting from Anri's skin. He could even smell the shampoo Anri had used for his dark curls.

  It was getting harder to focus his thoughts. All he could do was stare at Anri, his eyes, his lips, the lines of his arms and his neck...

  "So?" Anri's voice woke Rick from his daze. Rick coughed, trying to remember the question.

  "No, uh, tearing people to pieces isn't usually a problem I have."

  "Oh?" Anri said. His voice seemed a little softer now. He pushed himself away from the pillar, then looked down. Rick followed his gaze. There was a very conspicuous tent in Rick's pants. "Will this be a problem, then?"

  Fuck. Rick grit his teeth.

  Rick's hands clenched into fists. He could feel his ears burning.

  "Not unless you make it into one," said Rick, stubbornly refusing to look at anything but Anri's shoulder.

  Anri shrugged. "Fair enough." He moved back. "Though I have to ask..."

  Anri tilted his head, and his face once again entered Rick's field of vision.

  "How coherent are you, in your werewolf form?" Anri finished.

  Rick looked at him in surprise.

  "It's... hard to tell. I don't always remember the night, and there aren't usually any humans around to retell their experience... I'm not a mindless beast, per se, but if you're looking for a conversational partner, you're shit outta luck."

  A slightly cr
ooked smile appeared on Anri's face.

  "So then, if you have anything, er... to request of me," Anri smiled brightly. "You should probably do so now. Don't want your night to be in any way uncomfortable!"

  That little shit.

  Anri turned around and walked to the dining table positioned in front of Rick. There, he started undressing. He removed his tie and loosened his collar, then shucked off his jacket. When he turned back around, Rick had to pretend he hadn't been staring at Anri's ass.

  Anri rolled up his sleeves and Rick got stuck in watching his long fingers move around - wait, god dammit, was he fantasizing about someone's arms? Damn, Anri was good at this. He let out a light laugh.

  "Well don't look so sullen!" Anri said. Rick raised his furrowed brows. "I'm here to help, remember? Anything you need or," Anri sat on the edge of the table, "want, I can provide you.” Anri smiled, and Rick's gaze shifted to Anri's now bare neck. A sliver of dark skin against the white of his shirt... Rick could feel the blood pumping through his veins.

  He took in a deep breath, then exhaled.

  Inhale, exhale.

  The ground seemed to shift beneath him; even with the feeling of the textured floor beneath his bare feet, he got the distinct sensation of floating.

  The image of the room in front of him - the dining table, Anri - shuddered and tilted, the corners of his vision oozing with black.

  He knew his hands were tied up, but he could've sworn he felt them at his sides.

  Inhale, inhale, inhale.

  He felt like his arms, his limbs, his torso, were moving around independently, unconnected. They turned and swirled in the gray muck, and Rick could no longer tell which way his head was.

  Exhale, exhale.

  It felt like he was rising up, his head and shoulders going past the ceiling and going straight up...

  A heavy hot pain in his shoulders brought him back to reality. He drew in a harsh breath through his teeth before the ache tore a wail out of him. It increased and decreased, flowing over him like waves in the sea. When he opened his eyes, he could see the room again. Anri had run up to him.

  "Is it starting? Are you alright?" Anri said, his voice echoing. Even as Rick's world faded, he was full of the sensation of Anri.

  "You smell like purple," was the last thing Rick remembered saying.

  --

  Anri shook Rick by the shoulders. He'd seen werewolf transformations on TV and such before, but it was nothing like seeing one in real life. For one thing, Rick had neglected to tell him much, if anything, about what a normal transformation would be like. Anri had no framework to tell if something went wrong. He had no idea if Rick's howling and yelling, before blacking out was normal.

  Anri tried to shake Rick awake again, but Rick's body shuddered, his muscles spasming. Anri stepped back and watched as the transformation happened. Rick's body grew bigger and his limbs longer, his jaws shifted in place, changing from human to canine.

  Yeah, Anri was glad he hadn't eaten much before this.

  The beast stood taller, taller than Rick had been. Clothes, torn to shreds by the pressure of the creature's growing body, hung off its shoulders and legs, parts having fallen to the floor.

  For a little while after the transformation had finished, the beast hung where it was bound, unmoving.

  Anri had taken a cautious step forward when the werewolf twitched, then shifted, stretching out its overly long limbs. It yawned, then opened its eyes, yellow irises staring right at Anri. Anri hastily stepped back. Then, the werewolf noticed the chains binding its wrists and ankles. It howled, then began yanking on the chains, the sound of its efforts echoing off the walls of the room. Thank god the penthouse was soundproof.

  Anri resisted the urge to run to the other side of the room. The beast could not move from its position - Rick had taken the steps to ensure that. Yet as the wolf tugged on the chains, Anri's worry grew. The beast thrashed and howled, and pieces of dust began falling from the ceiling.

  Anri was safe there - he had to be. Rick tugged on his bonds, again and again, and Anri felt the tremors of his actions echo across the entire room - though that may have merely been Anri's beating heart.

  Anri had to be safe - Rick had promised-

  The werewolf's forceful pulls on the chains were starting to sound like the pounding of a hammer. The base of the column shook. Anri clenched his fists so hard his nails dug into his skin. The beast let out a howl and pulled, the muscles in its arms tensing and rippling, and much to Anri's horror, he could see the links in the chains bend. The creature tore the chains apart, the metal pieces clattering across the floor. Anri stepped back, hitting the edge of the table. Rick had said-

  Suddenly, the creature's legs caught in the ankle cuffs, and it fell over. A spark of hope awoke in Anri, but it was extinguished just as quickly when the creature leaned towards the cuffs and bent them open with its monstrous claws.

  It stood up and gazed at Anri. And then the monster snarled and leaped forward.

  Anri wanted to run, but his back hit the table. Before he could think to climb over it, the beast was upon him. Anri felt the air from his lungs being knocked out of him. One beastly hand landed on top of the table, the other pinned Anri to the table by his chest. The hand - paw, claw? - dug into his skin through the fabric of his shirt, and Anri held off a scream. The monster loomed over him, growling menacingly. Its upper lip curled, revealing a set of incredibly sharp teeth.

  "Rick!" Anri shouted, looking up at the beast. "Rick, it's me! Get a hold of yourself - please!" Anri's voice came out choked and quieter than he'd intended - it's hard to speak when so much weight is on you. He bet the beast - Rick, whatever - having been awoken bound and confused, had assumed Anri was at fault for its state. Which, well, Anri was, but that didn't mean he wanted Rick to deliver on his earlier promise of ripping out Anri's heart.

  The werewolf's eyes were so yellow, they almost seemed luminescent, the iris a miniscule dot in the middle. The beast snarled and opened its jaws, moving closer to Anri's head. Anri's heart was thrumming in his chest, its beat so loud he thought it might cover up all other sounds.

  Anri tried to remember anything he'd ever known about dogs. Anri drew in a deep breath and steeled himself.

  "Rick, down!" Anri shouted, putting as much strength behind the yell as he could muster. "Now!" He commanded, even as he felt his body shake from fear. He just needed to make sure the tremble didn't make it into his voice.

  Rick stopped briefly, blinking at Anri. A surge of adrenaline swept through Anri. He might survive this yet, even if he wasn't sure if his hands would ever stop shaking.

  "Rick, get off of me, now!" Anri shouted in a commanding voice. He'd be fine, he'd gotten out of situations worse than this - although they didn't usually involve werewolves. "Rick, go down!" Anri said with as much force as he possibly could. The werewolf looked at him, twitching its ears this way and that. Then slowly, cautiously, moved back.

  Once the werewolf's weight was lifted off of him, Anri drew in a shaky breath. He'd done the first step - now to make sure the werewolf didn't get the chance to maul him for the rest of the night.

  Anri sat up and looked straight at the werewolf.

  "Rick, down - sit!" Anri said, and with a slight amount of confusion, the werewolf obeyed and knelt in front of Anri.

  Even though he was scared out of his wits, Anri couldn't help feel a touch excited. Controlling a creature so much more powerful than yourself was... quite a bit exhilarating.

  "Rick," Anri began, speaking in a slightly gentler tone of voice. "Do you remember who I am? It's me, Anri."

  The werewolf blinked, then shook its head. Furrowed its brows. His eyes seemed to clear up slightly. Rick looked up at Anri, and now his bright yellow eyes had visible pupils. He let out a peculiar growl that turned to a whine halfway through. He tried to make a couple different sounds - and Anri suddenly realized what was happening.

  Rick was trying to speak through the jaws of an animal. He let out
a whine that almost sounded like '...ri' but it seemed that Rick was having too much trouble with the word for it to be understood just yet. Anri smiled.

  "Yes, I'm Anri." He said. "I'm here, Rick."

  Rick let out a faltering growl, trying to speak once more, but it was unintelligible. He seemed pretty restless there on the floor, yet he stayed put.

  Anri reached out his hand, hesitated, then touched the top of Rick's head. Although he seemed to be more of a confused puppy than a monster at the moment, it was hard to forget the terrifying force of nature he'd been just moments before. Rick butted his head against Anri's hand until Anri stroked him properly, and Anri smiled. He stroked Rick's fur, wondering what on earth he was going to do for the rest of the night.