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Crisp cursed under his breath as the car slowly rolled to a stop on the side of the road, the sound of crunching wet gravel barely audible over the din of the pouring rain. The needle had been pointing at 'E' for what seemed like an eternity but the map had proven useless. There had been nothing but forest-lined, dangerously narrow road and little else for miles. No towns. No fuel stations where there were supposed to be. The worry that he had somehow taken a wrong turn had gnawed at him for the past hour and a half but trying to turn around on such a winding, narrow, two-way road with next to zero visibility hadn't seemed like an option at the time. And now this.

Switching off the headlights, the wolf leaned back in his seat and closed his eyes. This wasn't turning out to be a great start to his mini-vacation. He had packed light in anticipation of an uneventful, chill road-trip that was supposed to have ended in the comfort of a nice hotel. A soft bed, clean sheets, a warm shower...

A growling sound interrupted and Crisp opened his eyes, staring up at the car roof as he rested his paws on his unhappy stomach. Yes, that too. Suddenly those sleazy-looking fast-food joints from hours back didn't seem so bad. The map had promised him many more options along the way. All lies.

A peal of thunder followed an impossibly bright flash, vibrating the car and its starving inhabitant. The storm that had been brewing on the horizon in a more happy leg of his trip was now in full force and it showed no sign of ebbing. If anything, the winds and sheets of rain were getting even worse. One thing was for certain; staying in a car in this kind of place was not an option. Anyone coming around the bend from the opposite direction would not be able see him in time to do anything about it. He had to get help. Even if it took hours for anything to arrive it'd be better than nothing.

The wolf squinted and turned his head slightly as the light from his cell phone assaulted his face. It took a second or two for his eyes to adjust but the sinking feeling in his stomach was justified once the blurry words came into focus. No Signal. Fuck. It was just his luck, not that it surprised him--out in the middle of god-knows-where stuck in a torrential downpour. The idea of staying the night, freezing and starving in a rain-shrouded death-trap was seeming more and more like a certainty instead of a worst-case scenario. Maybe he could try to walk to help?

The light in the cabin vanished as Crisp pocketed his phone and unbuckled his seat-belt. An oblong shadow in the floor of the passenger side sparked a small flicker of hope that evolved into a small, conciliatory grin. An umbrella. As ill prepared as he was he had at least thought to bring one of those. A voice in the back of his mind argued that he didn't think to bring it so much as forgot to remove it from the car the last time he had used it, but details like that were not going to ruin this small victory. Now all he needed was someplace to head to. The windows were almost useless, made opaque by the constant deluge, but in the blurry darkness something yellow caught his eye. Lights? Could it be lights up on the hill?

Crisp's grin widened into a smile. It seemed his luck wasn't all bad. He hadn't noticed it before, but on the horizon there seemed to be a large black mass that seemed darker than the blurry backdrop that surrounded it, and in that darkness existed small specks of light. Welcoming, warming, wonderful specks of light! Someone lived up there and they were home. Now all he had to do was make it there in one piece and he'd be on his way to that comfy hotel room in no time.

With one deft movement the wolf snatched the umbrella from the passenger side and cracked open his door. Immediately the cold spatter of rain tried to rush inside. Accepting the challenge, Crisp pushed the door wide with his foot and pierced the night with his trusty umbrella, pushing it open above him as he stood up. As soon as he was out of the car a savage gust of wind inverted the umbrella and ripped it clean from his paws, sending it sailing out over the road and into the forested darkness. The wolf stared blankly into the blackness across the street--completely soaked, head to toe, in a matter of seconds--before gritting his teeth and slamming the car door shut.

"FINE! TAKE IT!"

Turning and glancing in the direction of his destination, the faint lights seemed much farther away than they had when he wasn't shivering wet. It was too late to turn back now though, and with a determined frown Crisp headed off into the muddy underbrush.

The climb up the hill seemed to take hours. Swaying branches tore at his clothes and his shoes often lost traction in the slick stretches of mud. The dark building on the hill kept growing, ever larger, but it never seemed to get any closer. Over time it was apparent that this wasn't some hillside cottage. The lights could now be seen to exist on several levels--three or four stories at least--and the tops of what now looked like towering wings could be seen above the treetops. By the time the muddy canine made it to the clearing it was all he could do to not stand there and gawk at the enormous structure that stood before him amidst the pouring rain. It was a bloody castle! Out here in the middle of nowhere. A looming yet elegant beast of glass, wood, and stone that seemed as though it could house an army with room to spare. Across the clearing two giant wooden doors beckoned, and like a zombie homing in on its prey, Crisp shuffled and limped towards them with every last bit of his strength.

Staring up at the wooden portal the wolf wondered if anyone would even hear it if he knocked. He tried anyways, pounding the carved wood with his fist with as much fury as he could muster. The sound didn't even make a dent in the clamor of the storm. Shouting was out of the question as he could barely catch his breath from the climb. Instead, Crisp leaned against the door for a quick rest to figure things out, and with a yawning groan, the door began to budge.

The foyer was an immaculate, dark expanse. Stone walls stretched upwards into the heavens, curving into a vaulted ceiling, and were decorated with expensive-looking tapestries and the dim flickering of candles cradled in hurricane sconces. At the far end was an elegant double staircase that wrapped around on each side, like the kind he had often seen in movies. Red, velvety carpet cascaded down the steps and stretched across the room to where Crisp was standing, his eyes following it until they rested down at his feet. In the entire room nothing looked out of place, everything was neat and tasteful, (if not a little foreboding). All except the muddy puddle that the wolf had tracked in from the storm.

Crisp's cheeks took on a shade of crimson as he lifted a foot and examined the damage. The carpet looked like it probably cost more than a month's rent and for a moment he was thankful that there had been no one there to greet him. Not that it mattered. Judging by the size of the place they were sure to have a large staff to take care of such things.

Gingerly side-stepping off the carpet and onto the dark marble, the shivering wolf looked around again for any signs of life.

"Hello?"

His voice echoed hollowly throughout the foyer and was greeted only by a loud peal of thunder.

"Hello? Anybody home?"

Nothing. Just the roar of the wind and the rain pouring in behind him. Turning, and being careful not to step on the carpet again, Crisp pushed the large door shut. If nothing else, he could at least wait out the storm in this place. Maybe, if he found a high enough perch, he could get a cell signal and call someone to...

"Good gracious!"

The startled wolf jumped and let out a frightened yip as he spun around, emerald eyes wide and heart pounding in his chest. Standing a few feet away was a dark-furred wolf--tall, very tall, perhaps 6 and a half feet--wearing a fine black tuxedo and a smirk of amusement. One white-gloved paw held aloft a flickering lantern, the other was held across his chest; a clean, neatly folded, white towel draped over his arm.

"It appears we have a guest."

The voice was as fine and velvety, soothing in a way, and very deep--each sentence vibrating deeply, terminating almost in a purr. It took a moment for the gawking interloper to come back to his senses and realize what he must look like.

"I... uh... It was..."

The tall wolf's smirk stretched into a grin, his white fangs sparkling in the candlelight, sending a shiver down Crisp's spine.

"Where-ever are my manners! You must be chilled to the bone."

The click of impossibly-shined black shoes echoed across the marble floor as the dark-furred wolf approached, extended the towel in a flourish, and draped it over Crisp's shoulders.

"There now."

Crisp blushed, looking down and to the side as he hugged the warm towel around himself. The tall, handsome wolf was only inches away and Crisp couldn't remember the last time he ever saw someone so finely dressed. It made sense that a place like this would have a butler, but he didn't expect that it would be someone so--

"To what do we owe the pleasure?"

Crisp blinked and looked up into the intense gaze of the butler. The dark wolf's eyes looked like sparkling pools of greenish red and staring into them made it hard to hold onto coherent thought.

"I... uh... it was..."

"Got lost in the storm?" offered the butler helpfully. "It is certainly quite a tempest, even for this time of year."

Crisp nodded and shifted, looking down and pointing the toes of his muddy shoes together as he tried to remember what he wanted to say.

"My car..."

The dark wolf smiled again, causing Crisp's ears to splay slightly.

"Oh yes, the roads out here tend to stretch on. You wouldn't be the first traveler to have put too much faith in their map."

Crisp looked up.

"But not to worry, you're here now."

A brief moment of silence passed before a belly-rumble betrayed the blushing guest.

"And it seems you are in need of refreshment," observed the butler, straightening and taking a few steps back.

"If you would, please, follow me."

Crisp's instincts told him to politely refuse but his stomach overruled any thoughts of etiquette. It was true that he was famished and he had no idea when he would get another chance at a meal. Though he did wonder, as he set off behind his guide, what kind of food the people who lived in places like this ate.

A few stone corridors and ornate doors later Crisp found himself standing in a brightly lit dining room, complete with crystal chandelier, a long-table decked out with sparkling candelabras, and a single place setting of fine silver. The butler stepped over to the side of the room and surveyed the table with an aloof yet calculating glance.

"You will be dining alone this evening, I'm afraid," began the butler as he motioned for his guest to sit at the table. The chair had already been pulled out as if he had been expected. "While it is custom that our honored guests be shown a place to freshen up before dining, I think tonight warrants an exception."

Crisp sat obediently, eyes shifting uneasily from the butler's unnerving grin to the carved crystal goblet that sat adjacent to his empty plate. Without a word, the butler moved forward and began to fill the goblet with red wine from a decanter that seemed to have materialized out of nowhere.

"After you have had your fill, please avail yourself of a warm soak in our bathes. Your room is being made as we speak and we will see about your vehicle in the morning..."

"Oh, well, I mean... that's okay. I don't want to be a bother. Do you think I can speak to the master of the house?"

The butler finished his pour and sat the decanter on the table before straightening and regarding Crisp with curious expression.

"Naturally."

"I don't want to impose. If I could just make a phone call..."

"That won't be possible, I'm afraid. You see, we do not have phone service presently."

Crisp frowned but it did make sense. The gale outside was more than strong enough to down a phone-line or two.

"And it is no imposition at all, I assure you. Why, what kind of host would send someone out into such inclement weather? Heavens no, think no more of it. Preparations have already been made."

Crisp nodded gratefully. While this place did seem a little strange, he couldn't deny that it was a great deal more impressive than the hotel that had awaited him. It was as if the storm had upgraded him right into a five-star establishment, and it certainly beat a night stranded out in his car.

"I will, however, have to insist on acquiring your footwear."

The butler gave a slight nod towards the mud-encrusted high-tops that were dripping on the floor.

Crisp turned and surveyed the muddy footprints that entered the room from the hall and felt a warm flush of embarrassment.

"I... I'm sorry about that... but I'd rather hold onto them if that's okay."

The butler's eyes remained fixed on Crisp's, and while the smile didn't change in the slightest, the gaze became much more intense.

"Don't be silly."

Crisp shifted in his seat, heat rising in his cheeks and a chill crawling down his spine. Something about the situation made him want to squirm and was causing his damp shorts to feel more restrictive, the middle of them starting to fill out in a socially mortifying way. His first instinct was to place his paws in his lap, cross his legs, or try to hide his unexplainable response under the table but instead he found himself obediently bending over in the chair and reaching for his shoelaces. The wetness and the mud made the knots difficult to loosen at first. In most other circumstances it would have been somewhat annoying but for the time being Crisp was glad for the extra delay, trying to will his firmness to dissipate before he had to expose himself again.

The first knot gave way, yielding to the silent drag of spun cotton sliding along itself and snaking through small metal eyelets. Bits of mud crumbled and fell to the floor as the lacing became more and more slack, freeing the tongue to be pulled away from the wet sock and allowing Crisp to slide his first foot free. He could still feel the unwavering gaze of the butler on him as he sat the first shoe to the side and started on the second. The subtle vibrations of the laces as they slid along each other was doing nothing to help the gray wolf with his predicament. Neither was trying to slow down the process in order to prolong it. Any slower and he feared that he would try the butler's patience more than he already had, and before he knew it, the second tongue was being peeled away from his wet sock and the shoe was pulled free to join its brother. With a fluid motion, Crisp straightened up in the chair, making sure to drag his paws up between his legs so that they were resting in his lap when he was upright. The effort did nothing to conceal the fact that he was now holding both paws over his bulge and he was sure it was obvious. He was blushing hard now, wishing he had never left the car.

"The socks too."

Crisp blinked and looked down at his colorful, wet socks. The shoes had spared them much of the mud, but not all of it, and if the butler had noticed his guest's predicament, he wasn't letting on. Obediently, the dinner guest bent over again and peeled each sock from his feet. They were his favorites--not just any run-of-the-mill socks--and they certainly weren't cheap. As he placed each one, balled up, into his shoes he silently prayed that they wouldn't be lost.

"There, now. Not to worry, I'll take good care of them for you."

The butler had produced a pair of white slippers from behind his back and placed them on the floor next to Crisp's chair before picking up the muddy, red high-tops, socks and all, as if he were picking up a dead rat by the tail. The calm, professional smile never left his face but it was obvious that he wanted as little contact as possible with the soiled objects.

"In the meantime, please enjoy our hospitality..."

Crisp glanced at the large, covered, silver dish in the center of the table before looking back at the butler who now had both gloved hands neatly folded in front of him.

The guest blinked. Where were his shoes?! Had the butler stowed them somewhere already? There was nowhere around to hide them. Maybe he had handed them off to someone. But to who? As far as Crisp could tell the butler seemed to be the only one home other than the absent master. It was as if his soiled footwear had just vanished into thin air!

"You will find the washroom on the second floor, just down the hall and on your right when facing north behind the small study on the third. Your bedroom will be on the third floor, the eighth door down from the seventh on the fifth..."

Crisp opened his mouth to interrupt but couldn't find a good opening. The butler's instructions were being given too fast and weren't making a lot of sense. That and he'd missed the first part entirely while wandering about his shoes.

"...when you see the bookcase you will want to make a right and follow the passage down to the end where you will find the second door from the window that has the oak end-table, not the cedar, in front of it. You can't miss it."

"But..."

"Clean towels and various necessities will be provided to you. If you need assistance you need only ring the bell."

"Could you repeat--"

"Oh! And how forgetful of me... The master study can be located on the fifth floor, just beneath the fourth towards the end of the hall on your right after making a left past the aforementioned window with the navy valance window-dressings, the tenth door down or eighth if you are coming from the east wing library, not counting the two doors to the stairwell on the south end, but I'm sure you're already one step ahead on that one."

The dark wolf offered the bewildered guest a wink before offering a deep bow.

"If there is nothing else I will take my leave."

Crisp's mind raced to find the right question but he didn't even know where to begin. The moment had already passed, however, as the butler straightened, turned, and began to leave the dining hall.

"Uh... wa... I..."

"I do hope you will forgive us for having such common fare," called the butler from over his shoulder, pausing to turn his head and lock eyes with his guest.

"And I would like to personally invite you to the evening's entertainment."

Something about the grin on the butler's face made Crisp uneasy.

"Enjoy your meal!"

And with that the butler turned and disappeared into the darkness of the hallway.

Crisp stared after him for a few more moments before glancing down at the floor and slipping on the white slippers. At least they were comfy. And with another low stomach growl the wolf shifted his attention back to the large, covered dish in the middle of the table. The butler hadn't said what was on the menu but by now it didn't matter. He wasn't sure what protocol was for something like this. If movies were to be trusted, usually there would be some sort of wait-staff to serve the meal. In the absence of that, however, Crisp decided to pick up his plate and a silver fork and make his way around the table. The cover was a little heavy due to its size but he was able to manage it without knocking over any candelabras and what greeted him was one of the most beautiful sights Crisp had seen in a long time. On the large, round, silver platter rested a piping hot, perfectly prepared pizza pie. Hints of oregano, garlic and basil drifted upwards on the faint wisps of steam and Crisp's mouth immediately began to water. Hotel be damned!

In a move that he was sure would get bad looks from the butler had he still been around, the starving house-guest leaned forward and snatched two large slices from the platter, long strands of cheese in tow as he dropped them onto his plate. A moment of indecision spanned two swings of a clock's pendulum before he reached forward and grabbed two more slices from the tray, and then one more for good measure, piling and transporting them back to his seat at the end of the table where a full goblet of wine awaited him.

The wolf's backside hadn't even hit the chair before a third of the first slice disappeared into his muzzle. The next five minutes were nothing but savory bliss; the entire ordeal with the car and the climb up the hill forgotten while he savagely tore through the stack of gooey warmth. It seemed like he had only just begun when Crisp found himself staring down at an empty plate. His voracious appetite was sated--no more interruptions from a growly belly--but the cheese-laden offering had left him thirsty.

Reaching for the goblet of wine, Crisp blinked as the cup slid just out of his reach. For a moment he thought he had imagined it, but the sway of the wine in the goblet suggested that it had just been moved. The wolf frowned. No, he had probably pushed it somehow and not realized it with how distracted he had been. Crisp reached for the goblet a second time and again it slid just out of his reach. Ears splaying, the wolf leaned back and glanced around the room suspiciously.

A small sound, like a faint giggle, floated through the air and the dinner guest's ears bolted upright, swiveling as he tried to pinpoint the origin.

"H... Hello?"

There was no reply, only the distant sounds of the storm outside.

Crisp glanced back at his goblet. Maybe he was more sleep deprived than he had thought. The wolf shook his head. Nothing a glass of wine, a warm bath, and a comfy bed wouldn't fix; and with one more stretch, reaching over his plate as far as he could, the guest made one last attempt for the cup, but right as his paw was about to make contact, the crystalline glass rocketed from the table, flew across the room, and smashed into the far wall.

Crisp jumped to his feet, almost knocking over his chair.

"What the?!"

The sound of giggling was unmistakable now, but this time it was coming from more than one direction.

"Hello?! Who's there?"

Again there was only silence. Silence and the slow dripping of wine from the red star-burst on the far wall.

Something wasn't right. Was this some kind of joke? A glance around the room didn't reveal any obvious signs of surveillance and it wouldn't make sense for some sort of prank show to be located out in the middle of nowhere, waiting for the minuscule chance of some traveler getting caught in a storm right at the bottom of this castle's particular hill. But the wine dripping from the wall and the loud crash was more than enough proof that this wasn't his imagination. Unless, of course, he had accidentally batted the cup from the table. But with that amount of force?

With one last glance the wolf decided that dinnertime had come to a close. The sooner he got cleaned up and headed to bed the better. Placing the chair back up to the table, Crisp turned and stared into the dark hallway before him, heaving a weary sigh. Now if he could just find the baths without getting lost.

Was it the eighth door from the fifth on the second floor or did it have something to do with an end-table? The wolf sighed to himself as he padded through the dimly-lit corridors. The wonder of climbing the ornate double-staircase had worn off a full half-hour ago and his damp clothes were starting to chafe. The pizza had been a welcome surprise and it was nice to be out of the storm. He hadn't planned, however, on spending the bulk of his evening shuffling about deserted hallways in house slippers and a bath towel like a mental patient. At the moment nothing seemed better than to sink gingerly into a nice, hot bath and forget the evening's troubles but at this rate he would be lucky to find the washroom by morning.

Crisp cursed the butler under his breath.

What kind of directions were those anyways? What kind of host rattles off a list of nonsense and then abandons their guest to wander around their house like a confused ghost? One thing was for sure, the butler's disappearing act wasn't going to slip his mind when he finally got the chance to speak to the master of the house. You'd think someone who could afford a place like this could hire decent help.

The damp wolf felt his shorts start to slip down his waist and paused for a moment to pull them up, surveying the stretch before him. It seemed like every several doors there was a small console table nestled against the wall, decked with a white silk runner that held the odd vase, candelabra, or curiosity. While it gave the hall a very elegant (if not mysterious) atmosphere, the sight couldn't help but make the wolf grit his teeth. That bastard of a butler had used a table as landmark in his twisted directions and the hallways were full of the damned things! It was becoming painfully clear that the glorified doorman was having a good laugh at his expense. It was yet another thing he was going to have to complain to the master about. If he ever got to see him, that is.

"If I ever find my way out of this goddamned maze."

"For shame!"

Crisp's ears bolted upright and the wolf spun around. The whisper had seemed to have come from only a few feet behind but there was nothing there--just more of the same tables, decor, and dark wooden doors. One thing did catch his attention, however. On the console table several yards back glittered a carved goblet that he could have sworn wasn't there before when he had walked past. The flickering of the candelabra that sat next to it sent prismatic reflections dancing on the opposite wall.

Crisp tentatively approached the table, eyes shifting on occasion to the shadowy areas of the hallway, half expecting to see someone crouched somewhere, watching him with interest. Looking down at the goblet it was immediately recognizable. The expensive chalice of crystal was exactly like the one that had been offered to him at dinner, and like the previous one, this goblet too was filled with deep, red wine. The wolf frowned, absentmindedly tugging this sagging shorts back up as he pondered the strangeness of this random event.

It was then that the wolf's eyes widened, his head jerking upright. This time it was unmistakable. His shorts were not that loose. He had felt a tug--as gentle as it was, but a tug nonetheless--pulling them a few inches down his backside. Tendrils of fear crawled down his spine, fur bristling as he slowly pulled his shorts up; heart pounding in his chest as he forced himself to turn and look over his shoulder. There was no one there but the unnerving feeling remained; a growing paranoia, as if he were surrounded by a host of invisible eyes, all waiting to see what he did next.

Crisp closed his eyes and tried to calm himself down. It was nothing, just his nerves. He was wet and his matted fur probably caught on his shorts somehow. Being lost in a place like this was bound to give anyone the creeps. Just a couple deep breaths and he would continue on to find that promised bath, or even just his bed by this point.

With one last deep breath the spooked canine opened his eyes and turned to walk away from the table. His first step was brought to an abrupt halt as his shorts were forcefully jerked straight down to his ankles, snagging his foot and sending him sprawling backwards. In his desperation the flailing wolf managed to grab the end of the console table but his paw found only the white runner which he pulled from the table as he collapsed, sending the wine-filled goblet flying over his head. The sound of yet another goblet shattering was muted as Crisp raised his paws over his face to protect himself from the candelabra that was teetering on the edge of the table over him. The rocking motion came to a standstill, leaving a frightened wolf staring up at the towering candles that had come a mere centimeter from falling over onto him, still gripping the silk runner which he had clenched tightly to his chest.

The silence that followed was deafening and Crisp didn't dare move as he tried to come back to his senses. The candle-light flickered and a small rivulet of hot wax liberated itself from one of the sticks, dripping down onto the wolf's bare inner thigh. The burning snapped him back to the present and elicited a yelp. A faint chorus of giggling swirled about on the evening air as Crisp squirmed backwards away from the table. The cooling pain of the wax on his inner thigh had caused the bulge in his now-exposed underwear to twitch and start to grow; something made even worse by the snickering of unseen beings. There was no denying it now. He was not alone.

Crisp sat upright and tossed the silk runner to the side as his cheeks began to match the color of the wine that stained his bath towel. As he struggled to pull back up his shorts and hide his shame the giggling around him only grew louder. It was almost tangible now, and as he scrambled to his feet there was only one thought on his mind: He had to get the hell out of here. Bolting down the hall the wolf began to tug and shake on the handle of each door he passed. The rattling of wood and locks echoed in the hall but by now he didn't care. He needed a way out. To find the master of this place. Anything! The laughter was following behind him. It didn't matter if he woke the whole county in the process. Why are all these damned doors locked?!

Finally a door gave way, swinging wide as Crisp nearly tugged it off its hinges. Scrambling inside, he pulled it shut with all his might and slammed an old metal bolt into place, panting and leaning up against the barrier. The giggling that had been pursuing him faded on the other side, giving the ragged guest a moment to catch his breath.

A few moments passed before Crisp became aware of the excessive humidity, drawing his attention to the room behind him. The view caused the ragged wolf to slide down into a sitting position and hang his head, chuckling to himself; part out of exasperation and part out of sheer thankfulness. The room was tiled with smooth, dark flagstones, large mirrors and wash basins illuminated by candlelight on the side wall, and at the far end, recessed into the floor beneath a rain-spattered window, was a large rectangle pool of steaming, swirling, beautiful water. He had finally found it. He was in the castle baths.

It took very little time for the wolf to accept the steam-shrouded pool's beckoning call. Stripping his damp shirt and shorts from his body felt very liberating. Memories of being dry in his car felt like weeks ago and anticipation of a warm soak, safe on this side of a locked door...

Crisp pulled down his damp underwear, allowing his full wolfhood to spring free from its confines, and tested the swirling waters with a toe. Sweet bliss! Slowly the rest of him followed, the waterline of the hot tub swallowing him as he sank into its relaxing embrace. The feeling of the warm water surrounding his erect member drew a pleasurable sigh from the weary traveler as he came to rest, reclining so that only his head remained above the surface. Almost without thinking, an errant paw found its way to the pulsing, sensitive flesh, and gripping it, he decided to give himself a few, slow strokes.

A low rumble was followed by another sigh. The temptation to help himself relax even further was strong, but he didn't want to do anything that might leave an embarrassing mess for his host to have to clean up. Then again... The idea of that asshole butler having to clean up after him brought a wicked smile to Crisp's face. He liked the idea, and two more languid strokes brought him closer to the point of no return. However, he knew that it would be some poor maid, not he butler, who would be tasked with such a thing and so, reluctantly, the wolf released himself and closed his eyes, surrendering himself to the healing warmth of the bath.

***

Crisp's head jerked upright with a start. He hadn't even noticed dozing off. How long had it been? The swirling water was still quite warm. Had this been a hotel bathtub he would have woken up freezing cold, the relaxation undone. Thankfully that wasn't the case.

"So this is how the upper class live," the wolf thought to himself as he yawned and lifted his arms from the water in a long, satisfying stretch. He could certainly get used to this.

A rolling current of warm water traced along the wolf's inner thighs and brushed along the underside of his member, eliciting a low rumble of appreciation. If he could relax like this every night...

The thought trailed off, replaced with a small gasp. The current that had so suggestively teased him earlier seemed to circle back, almost as if an invisible, elemental paw had encircled his growing warmth, giving it a stroke from tip to base. Again the wolf's mind returned to earlier thoughts, his right paw twitching on the side of the bath's edge as he considered taking care of his rekindled arousal. The caress of the water's currents and the soft, billows of steam clouded his mind, melting the concerns that had stopped him before his small nap. Slowly warm fingers wrapped around his shaft, gripping him tightly--giving him a firm squeeze. A lustful sigh sent wisps of steam curling over the water's surface as it began to gently sway and lap at the edges of the pool, disturbed by the long, sensual strokes that caused Crisp to squirm. It wasn't taking much. As he felt the soft warmth slide over his tip, circling around, and sliding back down the wolf gripped the side of the bath and whimpered, thrusting involuntarily into the insistent paw. His balls were already beginning to tighten in anticipation and a hint of a smile broke through the soft panting. He couldn't believe he was doing this--pawing himself off in some stranger's bath. He was so close now just a little bit further and he would be over the edge. It was then, on the brink, that Crisp realized that both of his paws were out of the water, holding tightly to the stone lip of the bath.

"Jesus!"

Water splashed violently as the wolf thrashed, scrambled backwards, and pulled himself up and out of the heated pool, drawing his legs up against his chest before scooting away further and hauling himself upright. He half-expected a tentacle or a paw or something to reach out of the water to pull him back in but the surface simply resumed its lazy spirals.

The wet wolf was panting, dripping, and fully erect. He had been right on the edge, and if it weren't for the fright he would have filled the water with his hot seed. It still felt as if he might climax anyways, without even touching himself, but instead the wolf caught some movement out of his peripheral vision. Glancing over in its direction, Crisp saw a grinning goat face staring at him from a cleared space in a fogged-over mirror and his heart seized in his chest.

The room was filled with giggling as the face in the mirror vanished. The wolf covered his erection with both paws and blushed brightly as his eyes darted around the room. It was just like before. He had almost forgotten. There was something very wrong with this place. He had to find the master and try to make that phone call because there was no way in hell he was going to spend the night in this haunted...

The giggling abruptly faded into an eerie silence.

Crisp stood still for a moment, straining his ears, but it seemed like he was once again alone. The suddenness of it bothered him, but at least he didn't feel like he was being watched anymore. Across the way, sitting on a stool in front of a wash basin sat a pile of neatly folded linen which the wolf discovered to be a clean towel, his laundered underwear, a white bath robe as well as the house slippers. The rest of his clothes, however, were gone.

Crisp frowned as he quickly toweled himself off and pulled on his underwear. Had the butler or some maid come into the room while he was dozing? Naked in the bath? The wolf's cheeks turned pink at the idea but glancing across the room at the door he could tell that the bolt was still in place.

Back in the hallway, the white-robed guest set off to find his bedroom. The robe, as it turned out, was extremely comfortable and it was good to be dry again. If the butler or a maid had taken and laundered his clothes, it was likely that they would be placed in his room. At least, that is what Crisp hoped. Once he got his clothes and his cell-phone back he could see about finding the owner.

***

Crisp groaned aloud in the darkness, head throbbing and body feeling as if he had been hit by a train. The pain forced his drowsy eyes into a squint as he tried to will them to focus. Everything was still so blurry and when he tried to raise a paw to rub at them the wolf discovered that he could not move. What had happened? The pounding in his skull was making recall a struggle. He had remembered leaving the bath. The cool of the hallway contrasting with the warm humidity of the bath chamber was still fresh in his mind. There were many more locked doors--wandering about through corridors, ascending and descending staircases. He had grown to hate the halls and their gloomy enchantments. Every console table seemed suspicious to him now and every draft that whispered through the corridors made him jump. There had been no giggling on this particular quest but he could never really tell if the whispers he kept hearing were real or a figment of his growing paranoia.

The wolf tugged at his bonds weakly, shifting in place on what felt like cool sheets. Both his wrists and his ankles were tied down. As best he could tell, he was on a bed. Yes... a bed! It was coming back to him. He had heard someone behind him. Footsteps. They had become so loud that they echoed in the hall--deliberate and steady. He had set of running, robe flowing behind him but no matter how fast he ran the steps seemed to get ever closer, even though they retained the same measured pace. Door after door he had jerked upon, praying that one would give and he could find refuge. His desperation was at its peak, the footfalls so close he could almost feel the invisible stalker breathing down his neck, when a door finally swung wide. The joy was brief--less than a fraction of a second--as he found himself teetering on the edge of a room that had no floor! Just a wide, yawning abyss. He had turned to look over his shoulder, but never got the chance to complete the movement as two, strong, invisible paws shoved him screaming into the void.

The fall had taken what seemed like forever. He had only been on the third floor, (or so he thought; It was getting hard to tell anymore,) but the drop had to have been at least ten stories. Eyes, wide with terror, saw the approach of a small rectangle in the rushing darkness, rapidly growing in size and rising up to meet him. A split second before impact he had realized that it was a bed and that was when everything had gone dark. But now, as his eyes adjusted, he found that he was lying face up; tied spread-eagle to the bed that had so brutally broken his fall.

Crisp lolled his head to the side, glancing at his right wrist.

With shoelaces?

The wolf gave a tug but the thin fetter held. Looking down over his exposed body he could barely make out that his ankles were bound with shoe-strings as well. They were such thin bindings but a few jerks proved them to be surprisingly strong.

A cool draft ruffled the wolf's fur. His robe had come undone during the chase and now it lay open beneath him, offering no protection from the evening chill. Only his underwear served as a barrier--his slippers had fallen free to god-knows-wear. Glancing up at the ceiling the wolf's eyebrows knit into a curious frown. It was just a normal ceiling. He didn't know what he had expected. A long tunnel? Was the whole thing imagined? The impossible events of the night... maybe he had been slipped something in the pizza he was served?

The thought sent an involuntary shiver down Crisp's spine. Had he been drugged? And if so, why had he been tied down to a bed? Images of that tall, dark wolf crawling over him, doing unspeakable things to him while he was unconscious was frightening but the growing tension under his one piece of clothing betrayed something else as well, causing the wolf to blush and try to push the thoughts from his mind.

"Ooohh."

The wolf's ears sprang to attention as he strained his neck trying to look around the room.

"H... hello? Anybody there?"

A cascade of giggles sparkled in the dark room like a wind-chime caught in a breeze, interspersed with a few interested whispers.

"Look at't! It gets bigger. Watch it grow!"

The voice had a thick Irish accent and Crisp's cheeks flushed a dark crimson as he struggled at his bonds and tried to shift his legs to hide his growing hardness. The shoelaces strained and tugged at the bedposts but the knots showed no sign of weakness.

"H... Hey..."

"Ooooh, yes! Just as you said it would! Oooh, and it twitches! Look at't twitch!"

A chorus of laughter filled the shadows that lurked along the walls and the wolf whimpered and jerked violently at his fetters. He wanted nothing more than to curl up into a ball--to wrap the robe around him so they wouldn't see but their laughter just caused him to grow harder and his struggling caused his cock to jump and strain at its confines, lifting the waistband away from his fur.

"Let me go... Untie me! Who... who are you?!"

"Feisty one in't he?"

"Are ya sure we should be do'n this? Tha Ma-- "

"Shhhhh! What are you on about? Don't give away tha happy end'n..."

More laughter rang out as the bewildered wolf tried to pinpoint the source of the voices.

"Oooh, wouldya look't thaht. It's start'n ta peek!"

Crisp whimpered as he felt his cock jerk against the fabric. The more he tried not to--the more he tried to ignore it--the more sensitive he became and the more he involuntarily flexed it. And the laughter... the ridicule...

With one strong twitch the wolf's cock slipped from its prison, the elastic band sliding half-way down his shaft to reveal his shame to the invisible audience that surrounded him, and the room became deathly quiet.

Seconds passed as the mortified wolf stared into the darkness with wide eyes. He could feel the presence of what seemed to be a dozen or more eyes, all fixated on him. No giggles. No laughter. The absence was many times more agonizing, when suddenly a shrill little voice broke the silence. What sounded like a young female, somewhere in the corner of the bedroom, drew in an incredulous gasp before exclaiming with an air of shock and disbelief:

"Naughty boy!"

The room erupted again as Crisp squeezed his eyes shut and shivered, the tip of his throbbing member dripping with precum.

"Cover yer eyes lass! Tis the shame of the whole nation waving his flag like that..."

Crisp whimpered and then started to growl, the embarrassment transforming and welling up within him like a raging storm and with one solid jerk, ripping at his right wrist's binding with all his might, the wolf felt a snap as the shoelace gave way. The unexpected movement must have caught his tormentors by surprise as for the first time that evening they became visible; little creatures dressed in suits of green or dark, shimmering reds scurried and fled from the room like mice scattering before a vengeful cat.

The tables had turned and the anger and frustration of the whole evening set the wolf in hot pursuit. Ripping free of the remaining laces, Crisp cursed and launched himself out of the bed in the direction of the door. The chase ended before it even began, however, as the wolf tripped over the belt of his untied bath robe and slammed sideways into a mahogany wardrobe. Falling onto his backside, the doors of the wardrobe burst open and buried the wolf under an avalanche of old shoes. The scent of musty leather and canvas filled the room and Crisp convulsed with a loud sneeze.

Sitting on the floor the flash of anger subsided just as quickly as it had come. Whatever those things were, they were not ghosts, and something about that offered some small amount of comfort. They were decidedly not normal, however, and...

The wolf blinked, his thoughts pulled back to the mound of footwear that covered his lap. What was the deal with all these shoes? There were many different styles, seemingly from different time periods. A few of them were missing laces, which explained the bindings from earlier, but it did beg the question as to who all of these belonged to and whether this castle was used to having guests.

Crisp swallowed. He didn't like the idea of that. People typically didn't leave places without their shoes.

The wolf shook the idea from his head. No. There was some explanation. Even so, he didn't like the idea of his favorite high-tops being added to this collection. Come to think of it, the butler had been fairly insistent on him removing his shoes for some reason.

Crisp frowned but the expression soon faded as he realized that anyone in their right mind would have asked a guest that looked like they climbed from a tar pit for their shoes. Especially after having tracked mud all over ornate, woven carpets.

Climbing out from under the shoes the wolf stood up and adjusted the belt of his bath robe so that it was no longer dragging the floor, noticing something beside the bed that he had completely missed in his fervor. Sitting on the floor were his red high-tops, as pristine as the day they were minted, as well as his freshly laundered socks. The robed guest moved over to sit on the bed and picked up a shoe to examine it more closely, eyebrows raising as he surveyed the butler's handiwork. There was not a single speck of dirt in even the smallest crevice and any small scuffs that Crisp had previously tried to remove were now completely absent.

"Hmm... The butler is good for something after-all," mused the wolf as he pulled on his socks and slid on his shoes. His clothes were still decidedly absent, probably still in the wash with as terrible as the mud stains must have been. But at least he could flee the castle in nothing but shoes and a bath robe if it came to it.

Over on the nightstand there was what appeared to be a place-card, folded to stand upright, and the wolf got up to go examine it. The paper was of a very fine grade, embossed around the edges with silver filigree, and in the center was hand-written calligraphy in a deep burgundy ink that read:

"You are cordially invited to join the Master in his study for a nightcap and to enjoy the evening's entertainment. We eagerly await your arrival. The events will commence at your earliest convenience."

Crisp sat the card back down on the end-table with a pensive look, wondering what exactly the 'evening entertainment' was going to be. However, the invitation did say that the Master would be in attendance, and that one small ray of hope was worth risking the maze of hallways again.

With a deep breath and renewed strength, the sore yet hopeful house-guest made his way out into the unknown.

***

The maze of hallways felt oddly quiet. He hadn't noticed it until it was absent but there had always seemed to have been something in the background, whether a whispering draft or a distant peal of thunder. Now it was just him and the occasional candelabra, flickering softly as if in silent meditation. By now the wolf was following the only bit of instruction he could remember from his meeting with the butler. The master study was supposed to be on the fifth floor. As far as he could tell, this was the fifth. There was also something about a window and navy curtains? He couldn't recall completely. If all else failed he could resort to what had worked so far and just try every door on the floor until he found the right one. If he was lucky the sound of revelry would eventually lead the way and he could finally meet the Master and get some help.

Walking by one of the many console tables that lined the hall, Crisp noticed something familiar out of the corner of his vision. Pausing, the wolf closed his eyes and tried to will himself to ignore it but curiosity pulled the winning straw and the robed guest looked over his right shoulder. He immediately wished he hadn't. Sitting on the edge of the table was that familiar crystal goblet, half-filled with red wine.

Okay Crisp, just ignore it. Once we find the study this will all be over.

With a deep breath he continued on. Door after door passed but each yielded no signs of life. Turning around a bend Crisp came to another dead stop. Two doors down, sitting on the edge of the console table was that very same glass of wine. Two steps back and a glance down the hallway from which he came revealed that the cup he had passed by was missing and the wolf heaved a heavy sigh. He knew what was coming. But they weren't going to get the last laugh. Slowly and deliberately the house guest made his way to the opposite side of the hall, giving the glass a wide berth as he passed on by. Not today, you bastards...

Footsteps in the distance seized Crisp's attention.

"Hello?"

No answer.

"Hello? Is anybody home?"

The sound of giggling wafted through the corridor as tiny voices called out, jovially skipping down the hall.

"Hewwo? Hewwo?"

Crisp's ears flattened as he stood there, glaring into the empty hallway as it mocked him.

"Hewwo?"

"Hewwo!"

"Anybody's home!"

"We're home! We're home!"

The sound of a cell phone's ringtone interrupted and the bewildered wolf felt the robe's pocket vibrate.

"What the hell?"

Reaching in, his paw felt the familiar form of his cell and the anger instantly melted into joy. He was getting a call! A signal! The excitement completely overshadowed questions of how his phone had ended up in his robe pocket in the first place. All he cared about now was the fact that he could blow this joint immediately, master or no.

The caller was listed as 'Unknown' but the excited wolf answered anyways.

"Hello?"

".... ....."

There was static or interference of some kind but just beyond it the wolf thought he could make out a voice.

"Hello? I can barely hear you..."

"H...Hewwo?"

Crisp pulled the phone away from his ear and stared at it.

"Hewwo? Hewwo?... Are you a home?"

Again the hallway burst into a fit of giggling and the wolf reared back, raising his phone above his head, barely catching himself before he smashed it into pieces on the stone floor. Instead, the anger surged though him, causing his fur to bristle as he yelled into the emptiness.

"YOU! YOU LITTLE..."

A myriad of curse words and foul names rushed through his mind but what came out was simply: "ASS!"

This reaction delighted his invisible tormentors but their cheering was cut short as the little footsteps scattered and fled before the charging wolf. Invisible or not Crisp was going to throttle the little things that had turned his night upside down for the past many--

Everything crumbled into slow-motion as Crisp's right leg jerked forward but was suddenly caught mid-stride. Forward momentum sent the wolf flying through the air like a tree that had just been felled, crashing head-first into the console table that was before him. Wincing in pain, the wolf flinched as he heard the familiar sound of shattering glass. Glancing down at his feet the problem was immediately evident. His shoelaces had been tied together--tied together in the middle of a full-on sprint--and a broken goblet of wine stained the stone next to his head.

"See? It has a bow!"

The voice was like that of a little girl's, sounding as if it was coming from the table-top over his head.

"Aye, that it does! A mighty fine one at that! Now let's be off. It's about to start! Shan't keep tha Master a'wait'n..."

The giggling receded into the distance as Crisp propped himself up against the wall and busied himself with untying the knot. It was an elegant weave that was, in fact, topped with an ornate bow. It would have been impressive if the wolf wasn't already so fed up with his situation and embarrassed at the fact that a little girl got the better of him. The remark about the Master and things about to start was at least a small bit of good news. It meant he was close.

After making sure his shoes were laced properly again, Crisp dusted himself off and noted for the first time that the window at the end of the hall had navy window treatments. The butler had mentioned something about that. Was this it? A tentative half-jog brought him up to a dark wooden door on the left-hand side. Behind it could be heard the sound of clinking and Crisp heaved a sigh of relief. Finally...

The door gave way easily and as it opened wide, so too did Crisp's mouth. The room was several stories high; a great, yawning treasury filled with mounds of gold coins, jewels, and ornaments in piles that stretched upwards towards the vaulted ceiling like glistening spires. Even though it was the middle of the night, golden rays of sunlight penetrated the stained-glass windows in the far wall, spreading prismatic beams over the glittering, shifting floor.

Crisp blinked. The floor. It was shifting. Something was moving beneath the sea of gold coins, slithering its way towards the door at an alarming pace. For a moment the gawking wolf just stood there, his body frozen in place as every last sinew in him yelled for him to run. Stumbling backwards, the wolf managed to slam the door shut--right as the shifting mound was about to reach the threshold--and fall backwards into the room across the way whose door was now open.

"At last!"

A great cheer swelled as the startled guest scrambled to his feet and wheeled around to face the source of the racket.

The room was a large study with massive bookshelves lining most of the walls. Tables of refreshments had been set up in the back, filled with all manner of cakes, treats, and drink; and hanging off of or sitting in every inch of space seemed to be a host of small creatures--goats, sheep, mice, dogs, cats--all of them dressed in various shades of green and dark red, chattering cheerfully amongst each other, occasionally making gestures towards the stunned interloper. In the center of the large study was an impressive leather armchair that had an ornate rug spread out before it that stretched to the fireplace at the front of the room, right next to where Crisp was standing. Reclining in the large chair was none other than the butler from before, eyes sparkling in the firelight and wearing a large, toothy grin.

"The evening's entertainment has arrived."

The words were an ominous purr that sent the smaller occupants of the room into a frenzy of applause. Crisp stood and faced the room with a dumbfounded expression. Where was the Master? Why was the butler sitting in the--

The dark wolf's grin spread even wider as the confusion on Crisp's face slowly faded into shock and realization. The reclining 'butler' was wearing a suit, nearly black, that shimmered sometimes green and sometimes red in the firelight. He now wore a top-hat of similar material and color, a broad burgundy ribbon encircling it near its base, and over his white gloved fingers glittered a couple large, golden signet rings that bore the crest that Crisp had seen repeated many times over his wanderings throughout the castle. In this moment he realized that the stranger had never referred to himself as a butler at all, and the strange look and reply that Crisp had received when he had asked him if he could speak to the Master suddenly made a lot of sense.

Crisp blushed profusely, wanting so badly to look away from those intense eyes but finding himself unable to do so. He could almost die of embarrassment, having treated the master of the castle as if he were the help and showing up to a party wearing nothing but underwear, a bath robe, and his high-tops.

Without a word the Master rose from his chair, (an action which reminded the guest once again of the vast difference in height), and looked his guest up and down. The mortified wolf hugged his robe tightly around himself, wishing that he too had the power of invisibility.

"It seems our guest is under-dressed..."

The Master took a few steps across the room, stopping just in front of Crisp and bent down, lifting Crisp's chin with a finger so that their muzzles were only inches apart.

"I trust you found the place to your liking?"

Crisp simply swallowed and stared back into the dark wolf's eyes.

A low chuckle sent a shiver through the smaller wolf who hugged the robe even tighter, hoping to god that it was hiding the involuntary swelling that lurked beneath.

The Master straightened and took a few steps back, extending his arm to indicate the host of attentive revelers behind him.

"And I trust you've already become acquainted with my friends..."

The crowd erupted into a loud cheer, frothy mugs clinking, and small outbursts of 'hewwo!' (among other things in an unknown language), that was eventually and quite rudely overridden with a loud and obnoxious exclamation:

"ASSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!"

The cheering fell silent--only a few giggles and some scandalous whispering--as the Master's eyes widened, eyebrows raising as the wolf turned his head to see which of the little revelers it had come from. A green-garbed goat holding a mug of ale grinned meekly and shrugged as his companions exchanged knowing glances and snickers.

"Good gracious," breathed the Master as he turned back to the impossibly red house-guest, one eyebrow raised and lips curled in amusement. "That answers that."

Crisp wanted to crawl into a hole in the ground.

Returning to his seat and placing a leg crosswise, the Master waved off one of his companions with a dismissive gesture.

"Bring our guest something to wear."

The robed wolf felt some small relief at the idea of being clothed again before hearing the master continue.

"...The green ones. After all, our guest is plenty red already."

A little sheep quickly scurried out of the room and into the treasury across the hall. Crisp's eyes widened, wondering if the little guy would be gobbled up but there were no sounds of struggle. A few moments later the door opened again and the little sheep emerged holding a pair of sparkling green shoes. The emerald footwear seemed to catch every errant ray of light and reminded Crisp very much of the room they were taken from.

The look of confusion on the guest's face only seemed to please the Master as he reclined and nodded to the little sheep who sat the shoes in front of Crisp and hurried to the back of the room.

"That'll do nicely."

Crisp blinked down at the shoes and then looked back up at the Master.

"I... I don't--"

The Master leaned forward in his chair and the room fell silent with anticipation.

"I need my..."

The dark wolf raised a gloved hand, cutting off Crisp mid-sentence, and intoned five words with a strange accent and with a wicked grin:

"Is binn béal ina thost."

Crisp felt his muzzle snap shut, and when he opened it again to speak, there was no sound.

Reclining once more, the Master nodded at the shoes on the floor expectantly.

Once again the gray wolf found himself kneeling down and untying his shoes. As he pulled at his laces the glittering of the green shoes caught his gaze. There was something strange about them--mesmerizing, as if he could fall into an emerald ocean if he leaned too far forward. Glancing up at his audience, as he pulled his feet from his high-tops, Crisp could see the eager anticipation across all of their faces, confirming that something wasn't quite right about what he was about to put on, but under the intent gaze of the Master he didn't feel like he had any choice.

Sliding his foot into the first shoe, Crisp felt something akin to soothing comfort. It didn't look like it from the outside, but this shoe was surprisingly nice to wear. The size seemed perfect for him--although a bit large-looking in the toe, the insides seemed to fit his foot perfectly. The second shoe slid on just as easily, a perfect fit, but once both were on his feet the cool, comfortable feeling instantly changed. A mild tingling sensation raced through his toes, around his ankles and up the pensive wolf's calves. A few of the spectators exchanged giddy glances and whispered in each other's ears. The little sheep girl giggled and leaned forward and Crisp gave the Master a worried look. The Master only smiled. There was no getting out of it. As he reached to tie the laces the cords sprang to life of their own accord, (nearly causing Crisp to fall onto his backside,) and pulled themselves taught before tying into two, perfectly symmetrical bows. And that is when it happened.

Tap.

Crisp blinked and looked down at his feet, trying to stand and steady himself, his robe falling open as he waved his arms about.

Tap... tick-tap.

The wolf's eyes widened. His feet were moving on their own. No... it was something else. The shoes?! A strange energy was welling up within his legs and the emerald shoes jerked his feet sporadically, forcing him to tap out a few beats on the sliver of stone floor between the rug and the crackling fireplace before planting themselves firmly on the ground. He could feel the sensation building within him as he wobbled in place, arms stretched out to his sides for balance, trying to hold very still. All eyes turned towards the Master whose burning gaze was almost lost beneath the shadow of his top-hat. A couple seconds passed in utter silence before he raised a gloved hand in the air and snapped his fingers.

"Let's Begin."

Immediately Crisp's feet sprang to life amidst the cheers and shouts of the little ones, tapping and clacking on the floor in an expertly executed jig. It was all Crisp could do to maintain his balance as he bobbed and danced before his captors. Wide, bewildered eyes glanced up at the Master who began to chuckle and clap his hands in a steady rhythm. The rest of the room joined in, raising in both volume and tempo. A few shouts of approval rang out and in response the shoes (and the wolf who wore them) executed a daring leap through the air, landing on his tip-toes, spinning, and flinging the wolf's torso downward, arms flying to the side in a deep, flamboyant bow.

Applause filled the room as the wolf's confusion began to melt into embarrassment.

"Music!" called the Master and a couple of goats at the back produced fiddles and began to play a happy, lilting tune in time with the audience's rhythmic clapping. The shoes happily obliged, darting to and fro without a care for the body that was attached to them, flinging the guest about like a Renaissance Faire puppet.

The robe offered little protection as it flapped about through the twirls and aerial displays and the cool air in his fur made the wolf very aware that he was entertaining the host in little more than his underwear, feeling very self-conscious and exposed. On every turn Crisp caught glimpses of his audience, some of whom were laughing heartily and pointing at him. The wolf wanted nothing more than to pull the robe around himself but any time he tried to reach for it the shoes would lurch in a different direction, almost sending him sprawling to the floor. Through the laughter and the music he could feel all of their gazes on his nakedness. All those judging eyes and laughing mouths. He wanted to shut his eyes as he felt the bulge in his underwear grow but he couldn't for fear of being sick.

By now the wolf's arousal was quite pronounced, as terribly obvious as his flushing cheeks as the shoes brought him out into the center of the carpet, putting their toy wolf on display. He was only four or five feet from the Master now and the guest watched helplessly as the dark one slowly twirled a card through his fingers. At first glance it seemed like an ornate playing card of some kind but the picture on its face depicted three people holding cups aloft in a kind of toast. The Master's eyes, however, never looked down at the card and instead were fixed hungrily on the one dancing before him, as if deciding on a course of action (or on a course for a meal).

Crisp inhaled sharply as the jig brought him dangerously close to the one in the chair, his bulge a mere couple feet from the grinning host who had finally made his decision, gingerly setting the card on the arm of his chair before holding an empty hand aloft as if it were holding a glass. A mouse immediately appeared from behind the chair and placed a crystal goblet in his hand before vanishing again and the Master inclined his head to speak.

"I propose a toast!"

A loud cheer erupted as dozens of empty crystal goblets, just like the ones he had broken throughout the evening, were held aloft.

"To our guest! Who tirelessly graces us with his presence on this fine, stormy evening."

"Toooo our guest!"

"To the guest!"

"Who'd've guessed?"

"So well dressed!"

The cheers rang out but the glasses remained aloft; waiting; expectant.

The Master tilted his head and gave his ragged dancer a curious look, as if he were waiting for Crisp to fulfill some sort of duty the wolf was shamefully unaware of.

"Well?"

Like flickering fire the shoes jerked the wolf across the room, spinning him multiple times before darting for the door. For a brief moment of horror Crisp thought that he was going to be whisked away into the treasure room to become food for whatever lurked beneath the gold piles, but instead his dance angled him down the hallway towards an innate table that had appeared in the center. The table was filled with large, gorgeously crafted decanters of red wine--filled completely as if it were holding a wall of curving, sparkling, liquid ruby vases. The dance was bringing him closer and closer to the table, almost at a full sprint while still maintaining the grace and exactness of their tapping and stamping. So he was supposed to fill their glasses? But the shoes were not slowing, he was going too fast. At this rate--

Crisp opened his mouth to yell but again he made no sound as he smashed right into the center of the table. Although they couldn't see it, the sound brought mad cheers from the room at the end of the hall and the wolf, glass, and wine all fell to the floor. Only the shoes remained planted, still for only the tiniest of moments as the dazed wolf stared up at the hallway ceiling, robe completely soaked in wine as well as a few cuts and nicks from the jagged glass. The rest didn't last long, though, as a surge of energy shot up the wolf's legs and brought him from his back to a standing position in one powerful movement. Again the shoes set off, this time clicking and clacking their way back to the study where the dizzy canine found his audience still waiting with their glasses held high.

Wine had soaked the wolf and his clothing through and through. Even his underwear were now a bright crimson and as he resumed his place in the center of the rug, red droplets fell like rain and stained everything they touched.

The Master didn't seem to mind. Instead he leaned forward and beckoned to the crimson dancer who obediently tapped his way up to the lord of this domain. His bulge was now only inches from the dark one who looked it over with a hungry leer. Crisp gasped as the wolf reached for it, his cock twitching beneath the fabric, expecting the warm caress of that large paw at any moment; but instead, the Master's paw only brushed up against it before wrapping around the fabric of the underwear itself and bringing his glass up under Crisp's bulge, squeezing a steady stream of wine from the cloth.

Crisp swallowed, eyes wide as he watched the Master fill his glass and then release his underwear, leaning back and taking a several measured swallows as his eyes pierced into the house-guest's very soul. As soon as the drought was finished the rest of the host descended upon the wine-soaked wolf, stretching out his robe and wringing wine from every inch of him into their myriad crystal goblets.

The music was starting to change; morphing; wavering. Somehow ethereal and farther away as the air in the room became warm and thick. Small paws clamored over his body, every single inch except that aching thickness that yearned for release. Time had become more fluid and empty. The room was little more than laughter, unnerving grins, and crackling fire and the wolf's body ached with fatigue. Pieces of time, chunks of it, were lost into some unknown void--Crisp's life becoming one long, unending dance.

The haze was interrupted only by the intense gaze of the Master who stretched out a paw into the empty space and muttered some words that the fading guest couldn't quite make out. There was a small pop from behind him in the fireplace, startling him before his mind was melted with the feeling of something warm rubbing him though the cloth of his underwear. He could hear the taunts and the laughter as he let a whimper escape his lips, once again able to make sound yet unable to do much more. He was so tired... so very tired but so turned on, even for all the humiliation and embarrassment. He couldn't help it, he needed it. Needed release and once more he felt some invisible paw grasp his hot meat through the cloth and give it a gentle squeeze, followed by a long stroke.

Crisp whimpered pitifully, feet still moving in time to the warped fiddle music, and eyes staring back at the Master, cheeks flushing; begging. A toothy grin was followed by the Master leaning back in this chair, staring from the shadow beneath his top-hat. The invisible paw slowly vanished from Crisp's pulsing cock but the wolf couldn't stop himself from whimpering and thrusting into the air. A wave of laughter rolled through the room as the faltering wolf's cock strained against the cloth, his balls tightening as the ghost of that warm paw, fresh in his mind, made the captive spasm.

Starbursts of pleasure arced through the gray wolf's body as he felt himself climax inside his underwear. The bulge in the cloth visibly pulsed with each spurt of warm seed that escaped his thick cock, filling and soaking into the stained cloth. Shivers ran through tired arms and legs, the pleasure of release weakening his muscles as the room started to spin. Giggles and applause echoed off the walls of some distant chamber... a low, purring rumble of 'Bravo' flying out into the yawning void.

As the wolf felt his cock twitch with the last messy moments of his orgasm, the floor flew up to greet him, and with a loud thud, all went black.

***

Crisp yawned and stretched in the morning light. The sound of birds outside the window was musical and cheerful as the wolf's aching muscles flexed and relaxed. Sitting up, the wolf blinked a few times and looked around him. Every inch of him seemed to throb with subtle pain for some unknown reason. He was still wearing his socks and clothes, all clean and dry which seemed strange as he vaguely remembered crawling up a muddy hill the night before. Maybe he was getting it confused with a dream? Bits and pieces were coming back to him. His car had an issue. Ran out of gas maybe? And then his phone wasn't getting reception...

Crisp felt his pocket and settled a bit as the familiar shape of his cell filled his paw. Pulling it out he checked the signal. Full bars. Hmm... That was good at least. He'd probably call for some help when he got back to his car.

Slipping back on his shoes as he climbed out of bed made the traveler wince in pain. The climb must have been brutal! No wonder he had fallen asleep with his clothes on. He hoped that his friends hadn't worried too much. He'd have to make a mental note of giving them a heads up too.

Making his way through the hallways of the abandoned castle, the place looked like it hadn't been occupied in years. It was curious that he had even found a bed with a mattress much less one with some sheets on it. Such a strange place, but perhaps a neat story to tell his friends. Maybe he could take them back here sometime and they could explore the castle together. As he passed by the dining hall he felt a small chill run through him. The place was dusty and covered in cobwebs, but something about it... The wolf shook his head, trying to shrug off the feeling. For some reason he could see the place decked out in candelabra and silver place settings. Probably just one too many movies. This place was a little creepy, though.

Warm sun broke through the large wooden doors and Crisp inhaled the morning air deeply. It was a fine day for a road-trip and just another example of how wonderful the weather could be in this beautiful country. It was enough to lift anyone's mood, and with a bounce in his step the wolf fell flat on his face.

"Fuck!"

Crisp rubbed at his nose and curled up on the stone porch, glancing down at his shoes only to find their laces tied together in an intricate bow. Somewhere up above he could have sworn he heard a giggle, coming from one of the dark, empty windows and with a worried glance the wolf hurriedly untied and fixed his shoes. Something about this place was really starting to get to him and he wasn't going to stick around to find out what that might be. With one last look, the traveler started back down the path towards his car--at more of a jog than a walk--and resisting the strange urge to skip and tap on the gravel mid-stride.