Daphne & Talia, Part II: The Manticore's Misadventure by Doombeez,

Forget everything that you think you know about myths and monsters.

...No, that sounds horribly grandiose. I need to dial it back a little.

There comes a time in every person’s life when they see their path set forward for them, illuminated by a glorious light of… glory…

No. That isn’t better.

Take heed and bear witness, mortals, for you are about to behold a tale like no other! A tale of tragedy, romance, and… um…

Oh, hells with it.

My name is Talia. I am a manticore and this is the story of how I met the love of my life.

Somewhere in all of the world, we manticores have our Prey, the one we are destined to hunt. We do not know how they are chosen or where they come from, but that has always been the way of things. Typically a human—though I did have a cousin who bonded with one of Fae heritage. I’m not sure how different it was; we don’t talk much. I hope she’s doing okay.

I’m getting side-tracked, though. I’m trying to collect my thoughts here, and sometimes I just have too many of them!

There is no way of knowing when or where you will find your Prey. It will happen when the fates decree that it’s time for you to cross paths. That’s what my mother always told me. My sire was her Prey ages ago, just as it was with her mother and sire, and so on and so forth.

But of course, whether they be man or monster, there is a constant among all people everywhere: nobody listens to their mother.

When I came of age, I decided that the whole Prey deal was a load of minotaur crap, and decided to go off and live my own life, which is how I ended up living in an apartment in Toronto. And it was pretty great! At least, I thought so at the time.

And then, of course, I found my Prey.

To say that our first meeting did not go well would be an understatement. Look, in my defense, I didn’t interact with many humans, and their social systems are hard! How was I supposed to know that she was going to react badly to my attempt to form a bond with her?

Okay, so it might have looked, to an outside observer, like I was going to swallow her alive. In retrospect, I can see how she might have thought that.

I thought the story was going to end there, but by the grace of the gods, she decided to give me another chance. We got to talking, and as the humans say, one thing led to another! We ended up bonding, as I took her into my body and we became one, if only temporarily.

I was hoping that would be the happy ending of our story. But it turned out that it was only the beginning of a new chapter, and that chapter began with her screaming and hitting me with a pillow.

~*~

Daphne let out a string of multicultural profanities as she assaulted the large monster-woman whose body she was wholly inside of about ten minutes prior. She was naked, glistening with various fluids, and—most pressingly—still attached to said monster-woman, by means of a fleshy cord that ran from Daphne’s navel to her tail.

“What! The hell! Do you mean! A week!?” shouted Daphne, each pause punctuated with a swing of the pillow she had grasped.

“Give or take a couple of days?” said Talia, who was weathering the downy assault with good humor. “It’s not an exact sort of thing!”

Daphne growled as the onslaught continued. “How the hell am I supposed to explain this to my manager!” she shrieked. “Oh, sorry, I can’t come in for the next week, I’m tied to a manticore who I just had a one night stand with! You know how it is!”

“Yes, I can see how that would sound bad,” said Talia, who was twiddling her fingers together, her eyes wide and watery. “I’m so sorry! I didn’t think this through! I was just so excited to bond with you!”

Daphne paused mid-swing, looking into those deep golden eyes, which were doing their best impression of a puppy seeking forgiveness for soiling the carpet. Despite her monstrous features, there was something undeniably soft about her.

Daphne sighed and tossed the pillow aside. “I can’t believe you,” she said. “How could you just… just do… do the… woo…” She put a hand to her temple and started to wobble from side to side before falling forward, into Talia’s waiting arms. The manticore proceeded to clutch Daphne to her incredibly fluffy ruff.

“Why do I feel so dizzy?” murmured Daphne.

“I was always told that the first bond takes a lot out of the Prey,” said Talia, running a hand over Daphne’s back. “Especially when we’re separated. You will feel better if I let you back inside for a spell.”

“Back inside?” said Daphne. “You mean… inside of your—”

“My tail, yes.”

Daphne groaned. “So this is how it’s gonna be, huh?” she murmured. “This is my life now? Fine, let me in, I’m cold anyway.”

Talia let out a delighted little squeak. “Just relax, my Prey.”

“Still not crazy about being called that, just FYI.”

“Sorry!”

Laying back, Talia relaxed and let her tail open up, and Daphne felt herself being reeled back in, the inhuman appendage swallowing her feet and legs first. She had to admit, it did feel rather nice, like a strange combination of a tight sleeping bag and a warm bath. When she was just about chest deep, an electronic chirp rang out.

“Oh crap, that’s my phone,” said Daphne, trying and failing to wriggle out. “I told a friend to check on me if she didn’t hear back from me after last night!”

Talia looked over to where Daphne’s jeans had landed. Carefully - and somewhat clumsily, with Daphne’s head and shoulders still protruding from her tail - Talia got up and inched over to the pile, gingerly extracting her smartphone from a pocket. The messaging app was open, and a message could be seen.

GOATMOM44: so how did ya date go??

GOATMOM44: u there?

GOATMOM44: gurl???

GOATMOM44: if I dont hear back from u in an hour im callin the cops

“Who is this mother of goats?” asked Talia, cocking her head. Daphne’s phone looked comically small in her enormous, clawed hands.

“My friend from the cryptid forum,” said Daphne, still wiggling. “Come on, let me—”

“What is a cryptid?”

“You know, like, creatures that people don’t think exist? Like the chupacabra, the Jersey Devil, the Mothman…”

“... But all of those things do exist.”

Daphne stopped struggling for a moment. “What, seriously?” she said. “Holy shit. Not important right now, though!”

“Oh, yes! Do not worry, I shall reassure your friend!” said Talia, looking back down at the phone.

z0inksdaph: hellloo! i m fime!

GOATMOM44: ...u feelin ok there? z0inksdaph: Hahaha pefrvect as alwasy just tlkin w my bestiiie on tis tiny keybrd abut creetues thst don't exist

GOATMOM44: ...gurl how wasted r u??

“Give me that!” said Daphne, who had finally managed to work an arm free and retrieved the phone.

z0inksdaph: whoo yeah sorry, date went well, partied a lil bit too hard, wooooo, ill tell u all about it l8r!

GOATMOM44: you sure ur ok? z0inksdaph: 

GOATMOM44: k cool but i want deets when ur up to it

Daphne let out a sigh of relief as Goatmom signed off. “Dodged a bullet there,” she said.

“Do you mind if I finish taking you inside of me?” said Talia, who was starting to fidget. “It is somewhat uncomfortable keeping you halfway like this.”

“Oh, uh, sure,” said Daphne. “Can’t you just, like, leave my head out? It was fine when I was sleeping, but I don’t know how I feel about spending my day in a biological sensory deprivation tank.”

Talia smiled, reaching up to give Daphne’s cheek a stroke. “That will not be a problem, my… Daphne. The bond has many benefits to it, after all. Now relax, please.”

Having no real choice but to take her word for it, Daphne relaxed, and she felt Talia’s inner muscles begin to undulate, sucking her chest and shoulders and finally her head inside. As her tail mouth… pussy… thing closed up over the top of her head, darkness fell over her once again, and she wondered what, exactly, the ‘benefits’ were that Talia was talking about.

Then, suddenly, Daphne felt a strong tingle in her belly, right about in the spot where the cord was bound to her navel. It almost felt like pins and needles. Then there was a flash of light in Daphne’s vision, and she was momentarily blinded, until an image coalesced before her eyes.

It was… Talia’s bedroom.

‘How do you feel, my pr…. etty girl?’

‘Nice save,’ Daphne replied. Wait, how did she reply? ‘Are you talking into my mind?’

‘I am communicating with you through our bond, yes,’ echoed Talia’s voice in her mind. It had a strange reverb to it, like she was speaking through a cardboard tube, but it was clear as a bell.

‘And through our bond, I am letting my senses be your senses,’ Talia went on. ‘You will see what I see, hear what I hear, feel what I feel!’

And Talia got up and moved around. It was so strange, seeing through the eyes of a person but not being in control of their actions. She could feel the tension in Talia’s back as she got up and stretched. hear the muffled sounds of the city outside, and see everything before the manticore’s eyes.

Talia turned to look into a full-length mirror that was on the bedroom wall. She proceeded to wink and shoot a thumbs up.

‘How do you feel?’ said Talia, reaching back to give the subtle bulge in her tail a stroke.

‘Cozy, I suppose,’ Daphne replied. ‘This is seriously going to take some getting used to. Guess I’ll have at least a week to get used to it. Thanks again for that, by the way.’

Talia’s features fell as Daphne admonished her. ‘I really am sorry. Mother always told me that I was too impulsive for my own good.’

‘It’s fine, it’s fine. What’s done is done now, we just need to deal with it. And speaking of dealing with it: there’s still the problem of me needing to work tonight! I know you can glamer yourself up, but even if you can let me out for my whole shift, I don’t know how I’m going to explain the large woman who has to stay within six feet of me at all times! Am I supposed to tell them that I got a reverse restraining order?’

Talia was scratching her head thoughtfully. Then her eyes lit up, and Daphne could practically see the cartoon light bulb clicking on above her head.

‘You are quite correct about my glamer!’ she said. Though perhaps ‘said’ isn’t the right word, since her mouth wasn’t moving as she formed the words. ‘When do you need to be at your place of work?’

‘Look at a clock, would you?’

Talia did as instructed. They had gotten in pretty “late” by Daphne’s usual standards, and it looked like the bonding had taken a lot out of both of them, since she had slept for most of the day.

‘In about half an hour, actually.’

‘Give me a moment, please.’

Then Talia looked straight ahead, her lips silently moving as she made a series of complicated hand gestures. Daphne felt a strange shiver down both of their spines.

‘There we are, perfect!’

‘What do you mean, perfect? You didn’t do anything!’

‘Oh yes, I suppose it makes sense that you would not see it. You can see right through my glamer! Hold on, let me get your phone.’

Talia went and retrieved the device, and after a few false starts, she managed to activate the camera app and set it to selfie mode. And the person looking back at them on the screen was… Daphne.

‘Are you… me?’

‘I altered my glamer to look like you, yes! Now I can go to work for you, and nobody will know it isn’t you!’

‘...Why do I suddenly feel like I’m in a sitcom plot? Well, I don’t have any better ideas, so this is going to have to do. I’m going to go out on a limb and assume you’ve never had a job before?’

‘I’ll have you know that I’ve frequently performed tasks in exchange for goods and services! Is that not the very definition of a job?’

‘Right, right, but have you ever worked in customer service?’

The manticore looked sheepish. ‘...well, now that you say it, I suppose that I have not.’

‘That’s what I thought. Right, if we’re going to do this, you’re going to need to do exactly as I say.’

‘You make coffee, yes? That cannot be difficult! It’s just a beverage, right? ...How do you make coffee, anyway?’

‘...It’s gonna be a long shift.’

‘I promise I’ll do my best!’ said Talia, giving the mirror a thumbs up. ‘Shall we be off, then?’

She took a few steps, slowly at first, and a bit unsteady on her feet.

‘...are YOU hung over? What’s happening there?’

‘Sorry, I’m just getting used to your weight inside of me! Hold on.’ She took a few more steps before finding her equilibrium. ‘Right, time to go to work!’

‘Aren’t you going to put, like, clothes on or something?’

‘Why would I wear clothes when my glamer will simply appear to be wearing them?’

‘... So, that wasn’t just a thing you do when you’re out on the prowl. You never wear clothes? What do you do when it gets cold?’

‘I never get cold. My body always perfectly regulates its temperature.’

‘Huh. That’s… okay, you know what, if I could get away with it, I’d never wear clothes anywhere either.’

‘You see? Now come on, I have caffeinated beverages to dispense!’

‘It’s gonna be a really long shift.’

Now that she had hyped herself up, Talia made for the window. She did mention that she barely ever used her door. With catlike grace, she climbed out onto the fire escape, closed the window behind her, and then, with only a moment’s hesitation, took a giant leap. Daphne started to internally scream as she felt the wind rush against Talia’s body, but Talia herself barely gave it a thought as she grabbed onto the opposite building with her claws and scrabbled up the side and onto the roof.

‘Is this really how you get around?’

‘Oh yes,’ said Talia, as she got settled on the roof. ‘The rooftops are so much less crowded than the streets, after all! My glamer makes me look human, but I can still bump into people. It’s much easier this way. Now, where was your coffee shop again?’

‘It’s at the corner of Maplewood and 45th. Do you know where that is, or…’

‘I can find it quickly enough!’

And Talia took off running, vaulting gracefully to the next rooftop, using her wings and tail for balance. Daphne was barely aware of the motion, nestled so tightly inside of Talia’s body; her muscles seemed to be natural shock absorbers. Indeed, the only sensations she was aware of were those that she was sharing with Talia. And as she jumped from roof to roof, Daphne had to admit that those were some pretty good sensations. At first she had been a bit apprehensive. After all, if the manticore were to slip and fall, then she didn’t want to take any bets on how that would end for her. But that didn’t seem to be any concern of Talia’s. She traversed the rooftops like she had done it a thousand times before, which she probably had.

It sure as hell beat taking the subway.

‘Ah, is that it?’

Daphne was snapped back to reality by Talia’s voice echoing in her mind. She focused her attention on Talia’s field of view, and sure enough, she could see the large sign for The Wide-Eye Roast. The huge stylized eyeball on the front was hard to miss, even from up here.

With her destination confirmed, Talia climbed down off the edge of a rooftop, scuttling down the wall until she landed securely on the ground, then she got up and dusted herself off.

‘Right then. I will go into the coffee shop and I will be you. Easy-peasy!’

‘Did you really just say “easy-peasy”?’

‘I picked it up from TV. Do people not say that anymore?’

‘People do. I don’t. Try not to. And don’t smile too much. I’m not really a smiler.’

‘That’s a shame. I bet you have a very nice smile!’

Daphne very strongly hoped that, with the way that their senses were linked, Talia couldn’t feel her blushing right now.

‘Not important right now. Come on, my shift starts in like ten minutes.’

Talia made for the door, needing to duck under the frame in order to get inside. Daphne had to wonder how that looked from the outside. The counter was being overseen by the night shift manager. He was middle-aged, white, and the general vibe he tended to put out, with his horn-rimmed glasses and hair perpetually in a gray-streaked bun, was ‘aging hipster.’ Currently he was reading a fashion magazine and barely paying attention to anything else.

“Greetings, friend!” said Talia, brightly.

‘His name is Earl, and he’s not your friend. Acquaintance at best. Dial it back a bit.’

Earl looked up, adjusting his glasses a bit as he gave Talia an even look.

“You’re in early today,” he said. “Normally I don’t see you until the minute your shift’s due to start.”

Talia cleared her throat. “Yes, well… some days you just have to get up and go, right?”

“If you say so.” Earl rolled his eyes, then pulled off his apron and balled it up. “Look, I’ve got an errand to run. The custom e-juice blend I ordered got held up at the shipping store on the other side of town and I need to go sign it out before they close in two hours, or else I’ll have to wait until next Monday. You can mind the shop by yourself for that long, yeah?”

“Absolutely!” said Talia brightly. “You can count on Daphne!”

Earl gave her a flat look. She cleared her throat nervously.

“I mean, uh, fine. Whatever. That’s cool. I’m cool.”

‘For fuck’s sake…’

“You feeling alright there, Daph?”

“I’m fine,” said Talia quickly. “Just, uh, rough night last night.”

“Yes, well, just don’t burn down the shop while I’m gone.”

With that, Earl grabbed his keys and made a beeline out the door, leaving Talia alone in the shop, inasmuch as she counted as alone.

‘I think that went pretty well!’

‘Don’t be too pleased with yourself, you’ve been in the store for two minutes. Luckily, we don’t tend to get a ton of customers over the night shift, but there’s going to be some.’

‘I can do this!’ Talia made her way behind the counter, keeping her wings and tail folded up close to her body so as not to knock anything over. She walked very slowly and carefully, like she was treading through a minefield.

‘Alright, I am ready to make some coffee! What do I do now?’

‘Right now we just sit back and pray that nobody else decides to come in tonight.’

But unfortunately, since the universe is not without a sense of humor, the door jingled at precisely that moment, as a young man in a hoodie approached the counter.

“Yo, can I just get a black coffee, large, to go?”

“Coming right up, good sir!” said Talia. “I mean, sure. Whatever.”

‘Don’t try so hard. Just try and talk naturally to them.’

‘That is how I talk naturally!’

‘... Let’s just make the coffee.’

This was the part that Daphne had been dreading. Fortunately, the shop’s equipment was made to be foolproof. They weren’t a big chain, but nor were they especially fancy. They were here for people that wanted coffee at ungodly hours of the night, and those people typically weren’t picky.

‘Okay, so. The morning shift usually grinds all the beans for the day, so we don’t have to do that. Just listen to me carefully. First, measure out a scoop of the coffee. It’s in those big tubs over there. He didn’t specify what kind of coffee, so just give him the medium roast…’

Talia listened to the instructions carefully, and while Daphne had been secretly worried about how those large hands of hers would do the job. But in fact, despite Talia’s difficulties with using her phone, those claws of hers were quite dextrous. She went slowly and carefully, and though she didn’t have the practiced ease that came with years of brewing, she managed to make a perfectly serviceable cup of coffee.

“Thanks, dude,” said the young man, paying for his cup and scooting out the door, just in time for another customer—an older woman with a shock of pink-dyed hair—to take his place.

‘Making coffee isn’t so bad!’ thought Talia, as the woman squinted at the menu. ‘I think I’ve got a handle on this!’

“Yeah, can I get a grande half-caff soy mocha with extra whip, and a drizzle of caramel?”

Talia stared blank-eyed at the woman.

‘I understood some of those words.’

‘Just take it slowly and from the top.’

This took a bit more doing. There were a lot of components and, since Daphne usually relied more on muscle memory than anything else, there were a few false starts as Talia attempted to mix coffee, steam milk, and assemble a melange of components. It was like instructing somebody on how to defuse a bomb over the phone. The fact that Talia’s hands were trembling didn’t make it any easier.

‘Okay, now, be careful with the steamer-’

‘Ow!’

‘I said to be careful! Easy now…’

But eventually, with a few false starts, they managed to get the order out.

“Sorry it took so long, ma’am,” said Talia, unable to hide the relief in her voice. The customer either didn’t notice or didn’t care as she paid and let herself out.

‘And you do this every night? You’re so amazing!’

‘It’s coffee making, not brain surgery. It’s really not that impressive.’

‘You sell yourself short!’

Daphne had to admit that it wasn’t the worst feeling in the world to have her meager accomplishments fawned over, especially when Talia sounded so damn genuine about it.

‘So what do we do now? There do not appear to be any more customers in the store.’

‘We wait for more customers. If you start to get bored, we can go and find something to clean, but all things considered, it might be for the best if we just take it easy.’

‘Hey, I can clean things! Probably!’

‘Let’s save that energy of yours. The night is young.’

‘Oh, fine.’

And so, Talia pulled up a stool that was slightly too small for her and waited.

‘So, what do you do when you don’t have customers or cleaning to do?’

‘I don’t know. Read, I guess? It’s not that interesting.’

‘I think the things you do are very interesting! And besides, I want to get to know you better! I want to know more things about you.’

‘Besides the fact that I fit snugly inside of your tail?’

‘I mean… that is very nice, but yes. Look, I know I’ve been really… intense about all of this, but if we are going to be bonded for at least a few days, I want to make the most of it. And if, after that, you wish to be parted and never see me again, then… then I will respect that! Can you be said to really care for someone if you’re not prepared to let them go, if that is what they truly wish?’

‘If you love somebody, set them free, right?’

‘Oh, that is a wonderful way of putting it!’

Daphne couldn’t help but laugh. ‘Yeah, it is. Somebody should write a song about that.’

The door jingled once again, and Daphne heard a familiar voice ring out via Talia’s ears. “Sister, you would not believe the night I had—”

Ash stood before them, and unlike the last time they had met, they were no longer fuzzy about the edges; the young punk was now clearly visible in all of their green-skinned, pointy-eared glory. And they were staring goggle-eyed at Talia.

‘... Tell me something, Talia,” said Daphne. ‘Do glamers work on non-humans?’

‘They typically do not.’

Ash moved faster than Daphne had ever seen them do so. From a pocket on their vest, they pulled out a switchblade and brandished it at Talia.

“Where the fuck is Daphne?” they snarled, their vibrant amber eyes flashing in the dim light.

Talia was rooted to the spot, rendered completely speechless. Daphne could feel the fear that was coursing through her veins, as well as the tightness all around her as Talia’s muscles clenched in panic.

‘Oh no, oh no, that’s a knife, what should I do, what should I do—’

‘Take their order! Quick!’ She relayed a quick set of instructions, and Talia found her voice.

“D-Double-brewed mocha with a shot of blueberry? You m-monster?”

Ash’s features softened, and they lowered the knife. “... Daph?”

‘Can you let me out? Just, like, a little bit?’

‘Hold on…’

Daphne felt the world go dark for a moment, and then she saw light as Talia’s began to push her forward, just enough for her to let her head and shoulders out of her tail. Judging from the view, she assumed that Talia had let her tail rest on the counter.

“Um… hi there, Ash,” said Daphne, flashing them a sheepish grin. “Sorry to, um, startle you.”

Ash looked positively dumbfounded. Then they burst out laughing all of a sudden.

“Guess you had a good night, then?” they said, barely able to get the words out.

“Oh, put a cork in it, Legolas,” she said, huffing. “We had a bit of a… miscommunication, and now I’m stuck like this for a bit.”

“Well, you look cozy, at least,” said Ash.

“I am very cozy,” said Talia, smiling brightly.

Daphne rolled her eyes. “Talia, Ash. Ash, Talia.”

“Charmed, I’m sure,” said Ash, reaching out to take Talia’s proffered hand. “A pleasure to make your acquaintance, O majestic and noble manticore.”

“Please don’t,” said Talia, blushing deeply. “If I wanted to be talked to like that, I’d have stayed with my mother.”

“You’re about as majestic as a startled pigeon,” said Daphne. As Ash started to laugh again, Daphne took a moment to stop and appreciate how bizarre this whole situation really was. “Alright, you can pull me back now. And make sure to wipe down the counter, who knows if this tail-goo of yours stains.”

Daphne felt Talia’s tail-flap-things close over her face as she was tugged back inside, and soon she was seeing through the manticore’s eyes once again.

“Well, I hope you two are very happy together,” said Ash, grinning ear to ear. “I don’t have much time to chat tonight, but we’ll have to catch up sometime. You know, once you can get away.”

With a little prompting from Daphne, Talia prepared Ash’s order and the elf was sent on their way.

‘You have good friends, Daphne,’ said Talia, as she busied herself wiping down the counter.

‘I do appreciate that they were willing to fight someone twice their size for me. But speaking of, why were you so scared? You’ve got claws!’

‘That was a knife! I’ve never had someone threaten me with a knife before! I don’t like violence!’

‘... You’re cute, you know that?’

‘I am?’ And Daphne could feel the secondhand warmth as Talia blushed hard.

‘We’ll discuss this later. Let’s just focus on getting through the shift. Earl should be back soon, and after that we can just—’

The door jingled once again, and a woman in a runner’s uniform came in, dabbing at her face with a washcloth.

“Oh, great, y’all are open?” she said.

“Um, yes, we are open,” said Talia. “Why do you—”

“HEY, EVERYONE!” she yelled out the door. “I FOUND SOMEPLACE THAT’S OPEN!”

And then she held the door as another runner made their way in. And then another. And another. It was like watching a clown car empty out as the little cafe was soon filled to capacity with sweaty runners.

“Boy, are we glad to see you!” said the woman who had initially come in, who formed the front of a line. “We are going to need a lot of coffee.”

‘... Oh, no.’

‘Don’t panic, do not panic,’ said Daphne urgently, though she was having some difficulty heeding this advice herself. She’d been a barista for years now, and even she would have balked at serving this many customers at one time alone.

‘Alright, we can do this,’ said Daphne.

‘Can we?’

‘Of course we can!’

The runner regarded the menu for a moment, then cleared her throat. “Can I get a venti half whole milk one-quarter 1% one-quarter non-fat extra hot split quad shots no-foam latte with two packets of splenda one sugar in the raw a touch of vanilla syrup and three short sprinkles of cinnamon?”

Talia stared dumbfounded.

The person behind her tapped her on the shoulder and they conferred for a moment.

“Also two London fogs—one regular and one decaf—one Dublin fog, and a mocha chai smoothie with a shot of whey protein.”

Talia looked down at the woman, and then over at the crowds assembling behind her.

‘...Is there a way out the back?’

‘There is not. Relax. It’s okay. I’ll walk you through this step by step and it’s going to be just fine.’

~*~

“... And that’s right about when the espresso machine exploded.”

The coffee shop was full of smoke. A number of runners clutching steaming cups were still milling about outside. A firefighter was asking them some questions. And Earl was pinching the bridge of his nose and taking deep, slow breaths. And none of them could hear Daphne’s incoherent screaming.

“I have no idea how I’m going to explain this,” said Earl, looking into the shop. “It’s a goddamn miracle that nothing else was damaged, but we’re going to have to have the whole store deep cleaned to get all the smoke out.”

“I’m sorry!” Talia yelped, before Daphne could stop her. “There were just so many people, and their orders were so complicated—”

Earl held up a silencing hand. “Whatever happens, happens,” he said, closing his eyes. “In all things, there is balance to be found. This too shall pass.”

‘What does that mean?’ thought Talia hurriedly.

‘I have no idea what half the shit Earl says means! Just smile and nod!’

Talia did just that.

“I can probably smooth this over with upper management,” said Earl, eyes still closed. “Probably. But it might be for the best if you take a few personal days. God willing, we’ll both still have a job at the end of the week. In the meantime, just… go enjoy the rest of your night. Inasmuch as that’s still possible.”

“Yes, sir.”

The second Earl’s attention was elsewhere, Talia scampered off down the nearest alley and collapsed against the wall.

‘I can’t believe this,’ thought Daphne. ‘Of all the nights.’

‘I’m so sorry! I never meant for any of this to happen!’

‘Yes, I’m sure you didn’t. How much longer do we have to be stuck like this again?’

Talia let out a deep sigh.

‘I don’t just mean about the coffee-making device. I just… I wanted everything about our bond to be special, and I’m just ruining your whole life!’

Part of Daphne wanted to agree with her. She had been more-or-less minding her own business, and then this winged monstrosity had ambushed her, they were stuck together, and now she may have very well lost her job.

But on the other hand, Daphne recognized that tone of (for lack of a better term) voice.

‘... Hey, you didn’t ruin my life,’ she replied. ‘Really, my life didn’t have much worth ruining. I sleep, I make coffee, and I spend the rest of the time on the internet. Whatever else this is, it’s not boring. I mean… maybe it didn’t go quite as I’d always imagined it, but I got to meet a real life cryptid! That’s pretty cool.’

Talia perked up a bit, raising her head. ‘You… really mean it?’

‘I really do. I mean, I wish the circumstances had been a little better, but I got to see something pretty cool. That’s not nothing.’

Talia immediately brightened up, standing tall. ‘Do you want to see something really cool?’

‘I mean… not like I’ve got anywhere better to be.’

The manticore let out a delighted squeal and began to scale the adjacent wall, and soon they were traversing rooftops once again, with much greater haste than before. Daphne could barely even follow what was going on.

‘Where are we even going?’

‘You’ll see! Just relax, it’s a bit of a long trip!’

Daphne shifted about in her snug surroundings. Despite the utter bizarreness of the situation, she couldn’t get over how nice it felt inside of Talia’s body, the warm, slick surroundings gently cradling her as it rhythmically tensed and relaxed. It was like an omnidirectional cuddle. Despite the speed at which Talia was moving, it wasn’t hard to just let herself relax and enjoy the ride.

~*~

Talia didn’t know how much time had passed when she felt Talia clench hard around her, startling her into wakefulness. ‘Ow! What gives?’

‘Sorry, I had to get your attention. Can you see?’

As Daphne came back to her senses, she focused on the sight through Talia’s eyes. They were out of the city proper now, in some kind of wooded area. A park, maybe? They were standing atop a cliff, looking over a wooded area. She could see the twinkling lights of the city proper in the distance.

‘Where are we? How far out of town did we go?’

‘Pretty far. I can move quite quickly when I want to, and I don’t get tired easily. This is one of my favorite spots.’

‘I can see why. The view is just incredible.’

‘Huh? Oh, yeah, I guess that’s pretty nice, but that’s not why.’

Before Daphne could ask for clarification, Talia stepped up onto the edge of the cliff, and through their shared senses, she could feel several of Talia’s muscles tensing up, then stretching out. She couldn’t quite place one sensation in particular, around her back… until she heard a rush of air, and realized that it was Talia’s wings unfurling.

‘Wait, what are you going to do?’ said Daphne, her heart racing.

‘Relax,’ said Talia. ‘I promised you that I wouldn’t do anything that would hurt you.’

And then Talia took a few steps back, inhaled deeply, then charged forward, running toward the edge of the cliff. Just before she reached it, she took a flying leap, spreading her wings out as far as they could go, and… took off through the air.

‘Holy shit. Holy shit. Holy shit. You’re flying!’

‘I’m gliding, silly. I did explain that.’

Daphne was at a total loss for words as Talia soared over the treetops. And as before, Daphne let herself share in all of Talia’s bodily sensations. Running over the rooftops had been a rush, to be sure, but it was nothing compared to this. Talia was (despite her pedantry) flying. And what’s more, Daphne was flying. In real time, she could feel every little thing about it that Talia felt, unencumbered by gravity as the wind rushed by her.

‘This is the most amazing thing I’ve ever felt!’

‘Whenever I’m feeling really sad or upset, I come out here and go gliding. It’s a good spot for it. Not many humans come out here.’

‘Yeah, I guess a glamor can only do so much if they see a person flying through the—wait, did you say not many humans? Are you saying that there are non-humans living out here?’

‘Oh, yes, of course. Not all of us like to live in the city, you know! Would you like to meet some friends of mine?’

‘You mean, non-human friends? … I don’t think I’ve ever wanted anything more.’

Talia let out a laugh, then banked hard to the left, spiraling through the air a few times and giving Daphne a brief sense of vertigo, before slowly fluttering down to the ground, only bumping into a few tree branches on the way down.

‘Ow, be careful! You’re not the only one feeling these sensations, you know!’

‘I’m sorry!’

Talia eventually touched down, giving her wings a few careful flaps before folding them up again.

‘I’m going to let you out for a bit, okay? I think this will be better for you if you see it with your own eyes.’

Bracing against a tree, Talia let her tail rest on the ground, took a deep breath, and let out a grunt as she started to push Daphne out of it. With a rather wet noise, it opened up and Daphne began to wriggle out of it.

“I feel like I’m being squeezed out of a toothpaste tube,” she groaned, as she pulled her legs free and got unsteadily to her feet. She was, unfortunately, still naked, and still covered with slick fluid. She shook herself off as best she could, and made a mental note to ask Talia to start bringing a towel with her when they went out and about.

“So where exactly are we, anyway?” said Daphne. To her, it just looked like a random patch of dark woods.

“Nowhere that humans have a name for,” said Talia. She cleared her throat, then let out a sharp whistle. “It’s okay to come out!” she called. “This one’s with me! She’s okay!”

From within a hollow in a tree, what looked like a cluster of blue fireflies shot out. They floated up to Daphne’s eye level and coalesced into a luminous sphere, which in turn unfolded itself into… a person. They were about twelve inches tall, with blue skin, bright, glowing eyes, and a number of insectile features, including a pair of long antennae and what looked like a chitinous coating on their spindly limbs, and they hovered before Daphne with a quartet of dragonfly-like wings. And their whole body gave off a faint blue glow.

Daphne felt rooted to the spot, unable to comprehend the sight before her. But if the appearance of the being before her had been a surprise, the words that came out of its mouth in a high, reedy voice were even more so.

“Well, shove me in a bottle and call me Tinkerbell,” she said, regarding Daphne with curiosity. “Either this human can see me or she’s just really into that tree over there. You found your Prey, Tally?”

“She doesn’t like being called that, Az,” said Talia. “But yes, I did.”

Az let out a sharp cackle, vibrating in midair. “What happened to it being an archaic concept unfit for modern ways of life, you big dingus?”

“Well, that’s what I thought until I met her!” said Talia, covering her face with her hands. “Don’t make fun of me!”

“I am going to make so much fun of you!” chirped Az. “So are you going to introduce us or is she just going to stand here and stare?”

“Az, this is Daphne. Daphne, this is Az.”

“Holy shit, she’s a pixie,” said Daphne, holding out her finger.

“Buy me a drink first, why don’t you?” said Az, giggling as she zoomed around Daphne’s head a few times before settling on Talia’s shoulder.

“Pixies are real,” said Daphne. “Holy shit.”

“Aww, she’s still fresh!” said Az, putting her hands on her cheeks. “Oh, that’s just adorable. I’m a sprite, thank you very much, pixies are completely different. But yeah, we’re totally real. Don’t ask us about the Tooth Fairy, that was a practical joke that got way out of hand.”

“Az and her hive have lived out in these woods for years,” said Talia, giving Az a pat on the head. The sprite let out a trill that reminded Daphne of a cicada’s song.

“Well, since you’re here, why don’t you stick around?” said Az. “Viri and Jenta brought us some of the good stuff and we’re gonna have a party!”

“The good stuff?” said Daphne. Just then, two more pixies—one purple and one green—came into view, toting a large amber-colored bottle between them.

“Is that… maple syrup?”

“The good stuff,” said Az, rubbing her hands together. “None of this corn syrup garbage here!”

“Sprites traditionally feed on flower nectar,” explained Talia. “So to them, maple syrup is—”

“The good stuff!” said the other two sprites in chorus. Daphne nodded in approval.

“And what exactly does one do at a sprite’s party?” she asked. “Pick flowers and collect toadstools?”

“We got a projector and Lord of the Rings!” yelped the green sprite.

“Extended editions!” added the purple one. “We do a shot every time Frodo should kiss Sam!”

Daphne looked up at Talia and gave her an incredulous look.

“Just because we live apart from the human world doesn’t mean we shouldn’t reap the benefits of it!” said Az, huffing and folding her arms. “They build strip malls over forests, we steal generators and DVDs. Fair trade!”

“I can’t argue with that,” said Daphne. “What the hell, count me in. Though, um, I don’t suppose one of you can steal me something to wear? It’s a little bit nippy out here.”

~*~

Three hours and forty-eight minutes later (give or take), Daphne was once again snug inside of Talia’s tail as she began to make her way back to her apartment. Daphne dozed for most of the transit, and wasn’t stirred until Talia gave her a little squeeze to get her attention.

‘Eh?’

‘We’re back. Do you want to come back out for a bit?’

‘Very much so, thank you.’

In what was very quickly becoming routine, much to her surprise, Daphne was pushed out of Talia’s tail. The two made themselves comfortable in Talia’s living room, as far apart as the connection between them would allow. A tense silence hung in the air between them. Talia was nervously twiddling her fingers together.

“So tonight has been interesting,” said Daphne, breaking the tension. “I’m still a little bit peeved at you for this whole… thing.”

“I know,” said Talia. “I’m not expecting you to… forgive me after all of this. But I figured, if we have to be bonded together for this time, then I want it to be as good of an experience as it can be. I don’t want your memories of the time we spent together to be all bad.”

“I just spent an evening watching Lord of the Rings with a bunch of pixies.”

“Sprites.”

“Whatever! My point is… I appreciate it. You didn’t have to do all this and you did. So thank you.”

Talia blushed deeply once again, covering her face. Daphne stood up, closed the distance between the two of them, and pulled Talia’s hands away.

“You’re cute as hell when you blush, you know that?” And then she kissed Talia hard. The manticore’s eyes went as wide as plates.

“...Daphne?”

“Don’t act like you don’t know how I’m feeling,” said Daphne. “Being inside your tail like that, all… warm and wet and gooshy… I can’t do that all night and not feel something about it. I’ve been low-key riled up all night, and I need to do something about it. And I’ll bet anything you do too. Am I wrong?”

Still blushing, Talia shook her head.

“That’s what I thought,” said Daphne. “It’s like you said. We might as well make the most of the time we have.” Daphne kissed her again, and this time, Talia reciprocated, her long tongue slipping into Daphne’s mouth.

“... May I call you my Prey?” said Talia, breathlessly. “Just for tonight?”

Daphne laughed. “You’ve got a one-track mind,” she said. “Fine. Just for tonight. But right now, it’s time for the hunter to become the hunted.” With that, Daphne came closer, nuzzling her face into Talia’s ruff while she brought her hands around to grope at her breasts. Talia let out an adorable squeak as she was stimulated, and Daphne very much wanted her to continue making those noises. She knelt down before the seated manticore, putting herself at eye-level with her strange pseudo-penis, which was now fully hard.

“So I’ve been curious,” she said, giving it a squeeze. “If this isn’t a penis, then what’s this?” With her other hand, she gently fondled the fleshy sack hanging beneath it, and Talia started to squirm.

“That’s—nn—my egg-sac, of course!”

“Of course it is,” said Daphne, grinning. “And does it feel good when I do this?”

“Y-yes, very much so!”

Daphne continued to stroke and grope her, and the pussy-like opening at the tip of Talia’s member began to gape, dripping clear fluid. Daphne hadn’t had a lot of sexual partners in her time, but she had a pretty good idea of what people with penises liked. She could only assume that similar principles applied here, but it was worth trying. With that, she opened her mouth and engulfed as much of it as she could.

Her hypothesis was quickly confirmed as Talia started to yowl, her claws digging into the arm of the sofa. Daphne could feel it throbbing inside of her mouth and she began to bob, and she continued to stroke the considerable length that wouldn’t fit into her mouth.

“Nnn… my beautiful Prey,” moaned Talia, running a hand over Daphne’s head, gently as could be. “You make me feel so good…”

Daphne couldn’t respond verbally, but there were other ways to show that she appreciated the feedback. Unsure of how it would go over but feeling bold, she held Talia’s member steady and let her tongue slip into the opening. Talia let out a high-pitched squeal, her eyes rolling back and her muscles tensing.

Taking this as a good sign, Daphne kept up the pace, stroking the shaft, squeezing and caressing her sack, and letting her tongue dance around the strange opening. Talia soon went past the point of no return, gasping and moaning as she started to climax, filling Daphne’s mouth with… something. She could only guess at what it was, but she had to hope that it was nontoxic as she swallowed it down, not wasting a single drop. Satisfied, she withdrew her mouth and took in a deep breath.

“Guessing you enjoyed that, then?” said Daphne. Talia managed a weak nod.

“Well, get over it, because I’m not done with you yet.” Daphne couldn’t believe what she was about to ask of Talia… or maybe she could, considering the sort of day she’d been having. But there was no point in denying what she wanted.

“I want you to take me back inside of you,” said Daphne, gently tugging at the cord that linked them together. “All the way inside of you.”

That got Talia’s attention. She looked down at Daphne, eyes aglow with surprise.

“Are… are you sure?”

“I really am,” said Daphne. “It was absolutely bizarre and intense and I don’t think I was prepared for it last time. I don’t know if I’m prepared for it now. But it felt so, so good and I want to feel that again.”

Talia flashed a grin that could only be called predatory, as she stood up straight, scooping Daphne into her arms and carrying her into the bedroom, settling her down upon the bed. That tail of hers was now pointed straight at her, its “lips” open wide and dripping wet.

“You are mine, my Prey,” she said, leaning forward and giving Daphne a kiss on the forehead. “And I long to feel you struggle within me.”

“Oh no, the big scary monster is coming to devour me,” said Daphne, putting a hand on her forehead and dramatically swooning. “And I, a poor innocent maiden, am powerless to escape her clutches! What ever am I to do!”

Talia’s features cracked as she began to giggle. “You don’t have to lay it on that thick,” she said, flashing her a wink.

“Sorry, it’s my first time being somebody’s Prey, I’m not sure what’s expected of me.”

Talia’s grin returned, and she began to lower her tail down towards Daphne’s head. “You’re mine tonight, my Prey,” she purred, as it opened up wider and wider. And Daphne took a breath as she felt those lips close around her head, and she was enveloped by darkness and wetness.

She had thought that this part was becoming almost routine, but being swallowed head first was a completely different experience than coming in feet first. Feet first, it was like slipping into a pool a bit at a time; her body could get used to the idea before she fully committed to it and maybe get out if it got to be too much. Head first was more like diving into the deep end. There was no backing out now, even if she wanted to… and she very much did not want to.

Everything felt so much more intense, as she felt those powerful muscles pulling her in deeper and deeper, stretching around her shoulders as it pulled her in, a little bit at a time. Remembering what Talia had said about struggling, Daphne began to thrash and wiggle, and she could feel the pleasure that it brought to the manticore through their bond. If this was how swallowing somebody felt to her, then no wonder she was so eager to do it. Daphne couldn’t stop herself from moaning as more and more of her body was swallowed up, feeling her stomach, her hips, her legs sucked into the pulsing depths of Talia’s tail. Soon, she felt her tail-lips close up over the tips of her toes, but unlike when she was carried around throughout the day, Talia kept on going, pulling Daphne deeper and deeper… and sure enough, she soon felt a measure of resistance.

‘It is time, my prey. I will take you fully and completely inside of me, and we will truly be one. Are you ready?’

‘Fuck yes. Do it, please!’

And Talia felt something open up, and felt herself being squeezed through an opening even tighter than before. And somehow, it was different than the first time that had happened. That first time, Daphne was riding high on weird hormones and the thrill of a brand new experience. It was so unreal that she barely took any of the experience in. But now, she knew exactly what was happening to her, and she intended to enjoy every minute of it.

‘Do it,’ she repeated. ‘Pull me in! Pull me all the way in! I want to be warm and safe inside of you…’

Wow, where had that come from? Was she just playing it up for Talia? Or was that how she truly felt, deep down inside? Those questions would have to wait until later, as Talia’s muscles squeezed her tighter and tighter, pulling her into that warm, cramped space. Daphne felt herself being pushed and pulled, a bit at a time… until finally, the tight sensation ceased, and she found herself curled up within the deepest reaches of Talia’s body, knees tight against her chest, and it felt soothing and comfortable, and at the same time, so intimate and sensual…

‘I can feel you, my Prey, and you feel so good…’

‘Look at yourself. I want to see.’

Daphne focused on seeing through Talia’s eyes as the manticore turned toward the mirror in her bedroom, and Daphne saw what Talia saw. Her belly was enormously distended, the skin tight and stretched around what could only be Daphne’s body. Daphne wiggled around, and she could see the surface of Talia’s belly distort from her movements. And that wasn’t all she noticed. Talia’s member began to throb to life once again.

‘Mmm… that feels good, does it?’

‘Yes… please, keep going!’

Daphne began to move around even harder, pressing and kicking the sides of her confines, and Talia began to moan. A hand flew to her member and she began to stroke it with wild abandon, and Daphne could feel the pleasure of this act as if she was doing it to her own body.

‘Nnn… you are… my Prey… my Prey, mine and mine alone, and I am going to keep you… forever!’

And Talia threw her head back and yowled as she climaxed, her member letting out a heavy spurt of clear fluid across the room, and hunter and prey alike rode it out as it resonated through Talia’s body.

As she came down from it, Talia sank back onto the bed, putting a hand on her belly and starting to rub it softly. Daphne could feel this too, and she felt herself relax.

‘Rest now, my Prey. I will keep you safe.’

And as Daphne, for the second time, felt herself drift off to sleep within Talia’s body, her final private thought to herself was: Why would I ever want to leave this?

~*~

A week can go by faster than one might think. Since the coffee shop was still being deep-cleaned, Daphne had a lot of time to spend getting to know Talia. She spent a lot of that time lightly dozing inside of her body, but besides that, Talia spent a great deal of time getting to know a side of her city that she’d never gotten to see before. She got to know a family of goblins that made their home in a local culvert, got a sandwich from a deli whose proprietor happened to be an ogre, and they had even taken a day trip to visit the small mermaid colony that made its home in Lake Simcoe.

But the week drew to a close, as all things must eventually do, and there came the moment that Daphne had been waiting for.

“Okay, are you ready? This is going to pinch a little.”

“I’m fine, just do it already.”

“Okay, okay! One, two…”

“Ow, fuck!”

Daphne rubbed around her navel, where there was now a discolored, bruise-like patch. She felt momentarily light-headed as the bond was broken, and judging by the way that she was wobbling, so was Talia.

“‘Pinch a little’ my ass,” grumbled Daphne.

“Sorry,” said Talia. “That’s what my mother always said…”

Daphne sighed. “It’s fine,” she said. “So… this is it, then, hmm?”

“This is it,” said Talia, nodding. “I meant what I said. If you never want to see me again, I understand. But… this week has been very special to me, so I got you something to remember me by.” From between the cushions of the sofa, Talia withdrew a manilla envelope and handed it to Daphne.

“What’s this?”

“I called my mother one night after you fell asleep,” said Talia, not quite meeting Daphne’s gaze. “She knows a lot of people, so I thought she might have a connection she could use, and, well… open it.”

Daphne carefully opened up the envelope. Inside of it was a glossy photograph. She recognized the image on it instantly; it was the iconic blurry still from the famous Patterson–Gimlin film, and there were words written about it, in large and blocky but very neat handwriting.

TO DAPHNE, MY BIGGEST FAN!!

–“BIGFOOT”

“You fucking didn’t,” said Daphne, unable to look away.

“I fucking did,” said Talia, smirking. It was the first time Daphne had ever heard her use profanity, and somehow she made it sound cute.

Daphne lunged forward and pulled the manticore into a tight hug. After a moment of surprise, she reciprocated.

“I… suppose this is goodbye, then,” said Talia, letting out a sigh.

Daphne looked up into Talia’s eyes. They were glistening, as if she was trying not to cry. And Daphne gave voice to a thought that had been slowly percolating all week.

“It doesn’t have to be.”

“Excuse me?”

Daphne pushed her away. “Look,” she said. “There’s a lot of stuff I’m working through. I’m not saying you’re getting a free pass or anything, and I’m definitely not going to promise that this will work out long- term.”

“But?” said Talia, her eyes now shining with hope.

“But I’m willing to give this whole… thing the old college try.” Talia opened her mouth to exclaim something, but Daphne held up a finger.

“ There’s going to be some ground rules,” she went on. “I am definitely not spending every waking moment bonded to you. I’m going to need some space. Definitely going to keep living in my own apartment for now.”

“Of course, anything you say!” said Talia, beaming brightly. “I will try my best to be respectful of your boundaries!”

“Good start,” said Daphne. “I’m still not sure how comfortable I am being your prey. But I’m willing to try being your girlfriend.”

And with that, Talia could no longer hold back. She let out a delighted squeal as she lifted Daphne off the ground, clutching her hard to her chest.

“Thank you so much for giving me a chance. I probably didn’t deserve it after the way we met.”

“Probably not, but I’m kind of a dumbass that way.”

~*~

And that was a little over five years ago. We just celebrated our anniversary! There’ve been ups and downs, of course, just like there are in any committed relationship, but I do my best, and we’re always learning from each-other.

Daphne moved into my apartment about a year after that. These days, we spend more time bonded together than not, though of course, she’s more than free to do whatever she pleases apart from me! But the more time we spend together, the more we find we love being so intimately connected, our thoughts and feelings together as one. It’s everything that I could have ever dreamed of. I am hers, and she is mine.

And she still lets me call her my Prey when we’re in private. Teehee~

I can’t recall a time when I’ve been happier, and I’d like to think that she feels the same way. But every relationship is full of new challenges, and there’s another one that’s going to come up sooner rather than later. And I still need to figure out how to tell her about that…

I am very nervous, but I believe in us. We’ll get through our challenges together.