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The virus had appeared as suddenly as it had spread. Despite the obvious side effects and visible symptoms, doctors had been unable to halt its quick distribution. The blatant changes it caused were what lead many to believe it had been engineered. The second sign was that while the virus couldn't self replicate in minor cases, it could only do so in fully changed individuals.

The changes in question were anatomical alterations that would leave a person looking like an anthropomorphic wolf or tiger. Everything from birds and bees to fish and whales had also been recorded with even some mythological creatures like dragons, gryphons and unicorns.

It transmitted through fluid transmission, and while a simple kiss or sweat contact only carried a few viral bodies, it still caused some minor changes. Usually it was only a small patch of irritated skin like a rash, with scales or fur appearing. It would revert after a few days as the virus was unable to make the changes permanent with so few traces in the body.

An inoculation was concocted and distributed freely, which was a first for some countries where healthcare was not free. The problem was that it would only slow the changes in full infections and lessen them in partial ones. However, this did permit the body to tolerate the alterations easier as the quick, full body conversions could be fatal if not handled carefully.

There was still widespread mistrust and bigotry against the infected. Homelessness became a common issue for them with many religious or uptight families disowning the afflicted in their midst, labelling them as monsters or deviants. Hate groups cropped up in many towns and cities, and while things started out with beatings and general abuse, they escalated quickly to murder in all of its grisly forms.

Progression was slow by many governments, with third world countries being the slowest to make any laws to protect their changed citizens. The United States the only remaining western country to make any substantial laws in their protection. That the President at the time of the outbreak being a massive bigot didn't help matters either.

Many other countries, like the United Kingdom and Australia, had laws enacted, but they were weak at best. The infected were seen more a second class-citizens citizens, and barely at that. Many of the Scandinavian countries had gone above and beyond to help their afflicted populations. Canada had been one of the first to take every action they could to help the infected. Protection laws and special housing rapidly introduced to help those who had nowhere to go.

Education became a concern for many parents. Not wanting their children to be at risk, most had pulled their children from schooling until changes were made. Some of the demands, though, such as segregated classes or entirely separated schooling for the infected were outright denied.

In universities entire dorm buildings were renovated to accommodate the afflicted: high grade filters on the air conditioning and ventilation systems, misting jets installed in selected rooms for the aquatic species, custom electrical work for power sockets and lighting, even larger doorways for the bigger subjects such as orcas, horses or dragons.

Sadly, bigotry still managed to find ways around the law as it always did. While violence was less likely, verbal and mental abuse were still common. As I walked through the university grounds towards my first class of the day, I could clearly spot the badly written words 'Furfags' and 'animal lovers' spray painted against the walls of the converted's dorm.

I could also see the cleaning crew hard at work removing worse stuff, one phrase having been almost completely removed except for the word 'freaks' still yet to be scrubbed away. I gave a hefty sigh, wishing it would stop already. They may not look the part entirely anymore, but the fact remained that they were still humans on the inside.

“Eric!" a voice called out, and I stopped mid-step to look for its source, managing to spot the charging dragon a second before it bowled me over. I groaned and rubbed the back of my head as I looked up at the large blue creature who looked down on me in excitement. Clearly this was someone who didn't realise the difference in size and weight.

“Eric! It's me! Sam!" he said excitedly. I blinked, finally recognising the voice of my childhood friend “Long time no see!"

“Y..yeah..it has been... can you get off me man?" I urged, giving him a shove but didn't manage to move him an inch. Dragon infected were usually around the size of horse but weighed half what would be expected. They were capable of flight due to their large wing span, strong wing muscles and hollow yet strong bones. Sam still weighed twice what I did, however, so my chances of moving him without a forklift were slim.

“Oh r...right sorry, got all excited." he answered, a light discolouration coming to his ears and he stepped carefully to one side. He even lowered his head down to help me up, like another person would do with their hand. I accepted the gesture, finding the texture of his scaled skin to be smoother than I had predicted.

I managed to get a better look at him once I was standing. Sam was short for a dragon infected, with his head sitting level with my own height of five foot ten. He was covered head to toe with deep blue scales, lighter blue scales covering his throat, chest, belly and undertail. His wings were folded against his back comfortably, their webbing the same light blue as his belly.

Bright golden eyes watched me carefully over a blunt muzzle full of sharp teeth. Atop his head sat a pair of horns that swept away from his temples up over the back of his skull. As per University policy and law requirements, little rubber caps were on the ends of his horns blunting them for the safety of others and University property.

He stood on four legs, his rear legs much like any animals with their digitigrade design and large paw-like feet. His forelegs were much like arms, his fore-paws even looking similar to hands, although his 'fingers' were more stubby than what I possessed.

His school bag hung around his neck, giving him easier access to its contents. The Education Department had experimented with saddlebag designs originally, however they proved to be too uncomfortable and difficult to get into without aid.

“So this is what happened over summer?" I asked him blankly as I dusted myself off “You just, dropped off of the face of the earth and come back like this? What in the world happened?"

He grumbled a little and motioned with his head towards a free park table. I sat on one of the benches while he had to sit at the end of the table, unable to use the chairs. He seemed to be thinking about what to say and was troubled by what was going through his mind.

“I..." he began, then gave a soft growl, hopefully at himself and not me. The last thing I wanted was to anger a dragon even if he was my best friend “Do you remember the shooting that happened just at the start of summer break?" I nodded, how could I not? It had happened in a packed shopping mall and made the evening news on every channel.

A group of anti-infected extremists had entered and started shooting the place up, gunning down any changed the could lay their eyes on and any who they spotted with them. It had been the greatest peacetime massacre that Canada had seen in 56 years. Ninety-four dead and over three hundred wounded. The shooters were taken out by snipers through an open skylight after a three hour siege.

“Yeah... there is even a memorial in your dorm building to it," I told him “I think the University even has a day for it."

“Yeah... well I was there..." he replied. I couldn't help but gasp, eyes going wide at this revelation “It was... no... won't talk about that... anyway... I helped get an injured pregnant shifted canine to safety. I had been working in a clothing store and she had been the only customer at the time. She had told me she was due any day and was expecting a little son. The gunmen walked past, shot her in the gut and moved on like it was nothing... I didn't have time to put gloves on or anything I just... did what I thought I needed to, pulling her into the back room and putting pressure on her wound."

He took a shuddering breath, eyes boring holes into the table as he recalled the events, possibly with painful clarity. “It was hard trying to keep her quiet... for her own safety and mine, she could have attracted the gunmen back to finish the job. I did what I could to keep her comfortable and let her know I was there to help but... my attempts to help her were futile... she died from internal bleeding just as help arrived..."

I couldn't imagine what that must have been like, watching someone die before your very eyes and in fear for your own life. Managing to keep them holding on only to lose their fight just as aid turned up. I could barely fathom how he managed to hold himself together enough to tell me any of this, but I decided not to voice my concerns and let him continue.

“I began changing that night..." he finally pressed on. “Mum had scolded and berated me for being so stupid as to not wear gloves but was glad I was safe. Dad was... well you know what he is like, he still lives up to his nickname of the 'Vulcan'. Anyway, the scales started showing at around midnight... I had hoped that it would end at that but it continued to progress... by the time Mum found me the next morning I was already growing my wings and tail. She flipped... and within ten minutes I was on the streets..."

It wasn't surprising to me that his mother had kicked him out, she was a conservative Christian to the extreme. She had ruled the house with an iron fist and what she said was always the last word in anything. I had never felt comfortable around her, feeling like she was always judging me for the very way I breathed.

“I was found a few hours later by the husband of the woman I tried to save. He had gotten my details from the police and had come to thank me for being there for her. I hadn't gone far; just to the park down the road. Remember that one with the tree house we used to fall out of? Yeah, that one. By the time he found me I was almost fully covered in scales, my pants and shirt didn't fit due to my tail and wings so I was laying on them. I have been living with him the last few months. He took me in and helped me through my shift, he even helped me with my adaptation classes. Apparently he has some connections with the Dean here and managed to get me a scholarship."

That was a surprise. I had never believed that the 'knight in shining armour' type of people really existed. In my experience, those who acted like that were always after something and only acted out of self interest. A great example in my books was most major religions who only wanted to help you if it got them money and good publicity.

“He even took me to the funeral for his wife and son... sadly the child hadn't survived either... and while I had thought to say no... I decided that I needed be there for him like he was for me, you know?" he finally finished.

I nodded and smiled giving, him a pat to his shoulder trying to comfort him as best I could. I never realised how bad someone's life could turn in such a short amount of time all from trying to save a person's life.

“Well... you're here now... and while you probably won't fit into my dorm room... feel free to contact me if you want company." I told him supportively as I gave him my mobile number. I was his friend, I wouldn't abandon him like his parents had. However as I watched him smile I could see there was still pain in his eyes, the event clearly weighing heavily on his mind. One didn't need to be trained in psychiatry to know that PTSD was a thing.

“So what are you here to study?" I asked, trying to get on a different topic of conversation. He gave a soft chuckle and his smile seemed to turn more genuine.

“I'm going to be doing a law degree," he said as he unzipped his bag and rummaged through it pulling out a law textbook “With my major in Infected law. How about you?"

“Wow... that's... you're going to be busy aren't you?" I respond with a chuckle, looking at the book before he tucked it away again “I'm going for a business degree, I still have my eyes set on having my own hotel one day."

“Geez still? You've been after that since you were twelve!" he retorted with a light laugh, making me roll my eyes.

“Yeah well... I may not become some bigshot lawyer like you, but I will get there eventually!" I told him confidently and gave him a light punch to his shoulder “You may even stay there one day!"

“Hah! Doubt it! I have class!"

Our banter continued like that for a few hours untill we decided we should get something to eat. I was surprised when he offered to let me ride on his back, which would became a common occurrence whenever we went anywhere together. He always seemed so happy when he was carrying me on his shoulders, head held high with pride and confidence, yet his eyes still seemed to show some level of pain that I couldn't explain away.

Despite being so busy with our lessons and studying, we still tried to make time to socialise. It was usually in the form of studying together. On the oval in the sun on warm days and in the library on the colder, wetter ones.

Despite being a reptile he was still hot blooded, actually running hotter than I did, meaning even snowy days posed little issue for him. He did wear a scarf on the coldest days, but when I asked about it he said it was for show. “There is such a thing as fashion you know!" he had told me with sass and flair.

Sadly, others around the university had not been blind to our close friendship. The usual jocks find every way they could think of to insult us from afar. It didn't surprise us that they were human, the changed being very open and accepting usually, and we tended to mingle better with them.

It was getting into winter when I got the text message from Sam late one night. It was a simple room number and the words 'I need you'. That made me hesitate, but it was a call for help that I couldn't ignore. I had offered to be there when he needed me most so I dressed thickly and trudged out into the snow.

I knew well where his dorm was by then and rang the late bell. I was greeted by the R.A., a female panther who could be kind and caring one moment and vicious the next. Supposedly, she had a right hook that could flatten a rhino and I personally had no interest in finding out if that story was true.

She was noticeably confused but after showing her the simple text and telling her I was his friend she let me in. I was escorted to his room, the hallways wide and doors easily nine foot high making that walk slightly intimidating so late at night. I stood to one side as she knocked politely on his door while keeping an eye on me.

“Sammy? You awake sweety? There's an Eric out here saying you summoned him," she called out to him and there was a shuffling from inside.

“Yeah, let him in Sally, thank you," came his simple reply. Nodding, she smiled sweetly and unlocked the door before stepping back to permit me entrance.

I stepped into the dark room, the only light being from the open window and closed the door behind me making sure I locked it. I was starting to get concerned by all the theatrics, but figured he had a good reason. I spotted him laying on what could only be described as a giant pet bed, eyes reflecting the light watching me in the dark.

“Hey Sam, whats up?" I asked as I walked over.

“I... I can't..." he started, then released a long drawn-out whine, his eyes turning away to look at the corner of the room “I can't stop seeing it."

“Seeing what?" I pressed as I stopped next to his bed.

“Th...th...that day... of her... and me... and them and... and..." another long drawn out whine escaped him followed by another. It was then I realised he was crying, in his own, unique way anyway.

It clicked in my head after a few moments what he was talking about, I wondered how long he had been suffering in silence. I had seen signs, small cracks in the facade he kept up, showing some of the pain he was dealing with, yet here I was getting confirmation of just how bad he really was and I felt my heart break for him.

Kneeling down, I gently stroked over his head and neck, giving soft coos and hushes trying to sooth him somehow. It felt odd treating him like an animal, but it was the only way I could think to act at the time. I wondered if his adopted father knew how bad his dragon's state of mind was, but with how well Sam seemed to be able to hide it, I doubted he had any inkling.

“What can I do to help you Sam?" I asked softly, drawing his eyes away from the corner holding some surprise.

“Can you... stay with me tonight? Please?" he asked, tone almost pleading and I couldn't help the small chuckle that left my throat.

“Never thought I would see the day when a big mighty dragon would be pleading for me to stay the night with him." I said. Embarrassment flushed over his face “Roll onto your back dude, the bed may be comfortable for you but it won't be for me"

He nodded, doing as I asked. I shucked my heavy coat and shoes, climbing atop him to lay over his belly and stomach. He was surprisingly soft, comfortable and quite warm. He wrapped his fore-claws around me holding me close as he gave another soft whimper.

“Thank you," he said softly, drawing a smile from my face.

“Sleep Sam, if you need to wake me to talk, do so. I'm here for you." I told him as compassionately as I could. He nodded and hugged me a little tighter before we tried for sleep, somehow managing to doze off like that.

It became a pattern that continued on for a few weeks. He would have his nightmares and summon me to his dorm. We quickly found different positions that we could lay in which we were more comfortable than that awkward first night. The next day he would take me back to my own dorm after a day of spending time together doing anything that tickled our fancy.

Neither of us realised the budding relationship untill it was too late. He had asked me, yet again, to spend the night with him and I arrived, as always, to find him waiting for me, a soft whine escaping his throat. However after our conversation and we got comfortable, his large head turned to look at me to bid me a good night.

Before he had pulled away, I reached up, cupped his chin, and kissed him on the lips. It was after we broke that small lip-to-lip contact we realised what had just happened. I pulled away quickly and scrambled trying to get up and quickly leave, but was pinned by a heavy, sharply clawed fore-paw.

“Stop!" Sam ordered simply as he looked down at me. A squeak escaped my throat and I rapidly stopped all movements, looking up at those bright golden eyes. It was my turn to be shivering in fear as I looked up at what I imagined to be a very angry dragon.

“P...Please don't hurt me! I...I'll go! You wont see me again! J...just don't hurt m..." I pleaded only to be cut off.

“Stop talking Eric." came the next command silencing my throat. His great head came closer and all I could picture was the very painful death by mauling I was about to receive. I clenched my eyes shut awaiting the first agonising bite but it never came, instead I felt his lips once more on mine. My eyes opened in shock, able to make out some of the fine scales that coated his muzzle, his own latching onto mine once they met.

We broke after only a few moments, but the simple act had caused an epiphany for the two of us. We hadn't seen the relationship building but after that kiss, we had a chance to look back on it. All of our actions together and towards each other, the strange feelings when we were apart. The signs were all there, we had just never noticed or connected them before.

“Lets... just sleep for now Eric." he suggested and he manipulated me back into the position I had been in before; laying down against his side with him curled up behind me, his great head laying just above my own on the edge of the bed. I nodded and gave a soft sigh as I got comfortable once again, the feel of his lips still lingering on mine.

“Sam... did I just get infected?" I asked him, and was rewarded with a deep chuckle from his large chest.

“Potentially, you are inoculated, and I'm sure you have a strong immune system," he answered honestly. “You know as well as I do that you won't get more than a small change... possibly just a change of skin tone, maybe some fur or scales but nothing as extensive as my own change." I nodded and gave a sigh, a smile creeping onto my face.

“Was totally worth it." I replied and couldn't stop my own laugh if I tried. “How many people could say they kissed a dragon and lived to tell the tale?" He joined in on my laugh a moment later and banged me on the head with his chin.

“You better not," he warned mirthfully. I reached up to rub at his cheek gently.

“Don't worry, I don't kiss and tell," I told him rousing more laughter from the pair of us.

Sleep that night was the best I could ever remember having and it was probably the same for Sam, if I had to guess. It turned out I had been infected, a patch of skin on my neck growing short, thick brown fur.

The teaching doctors saw this as a great chance to show the early stages of infection and temporary change. I even learned that the virus causes a random, different transformation for each person. Using Sam and myself as examples, they explained that while Sam was a dragon, his parents could have been rats, or elephants, or dolphins if they had been infected.

As for my own change it was impossible for them to determine from what they saw what I could have potentially changed into. One student made the offhand comment that due to its position and appearance it looked like a furry hickey. The class erupted into laughter much to my embarrassment, a deep blush covering my cheeks.

Once the class had been settled the teachers gave the expected lecture about personal safety and protection. The virus was being seen more as an STD but with more obvious signs of who was infectious and who wasn't. As such they recommended speciality condoms once could get that were more like rubber pants, to shower frequently if in contact with a species that could sweat, and keep kissing to a minimum.

They did give us more “private" instructions after the class was finished, yet it was still just as embarrassing. The doctors recommended if we did get to that level of intimacy not to let Sam penetrate. Their reasoning being he was so much larger than I was that he would cause me severe trauma if he did.

Admittedly, we hadn't even thought of that, having only just verged onto this newly bloomed relationship together. We had been mainly focused on our own feelings towards each other more than anything intimate. They instructed that cheek kissing should be fine as long as Sam wasn't licking my cheeks.

We were released to go back to our classes and studies, deciding to keep our building attraction for each other as secret as possible. We lounged together in the library to study before he had to attend an afternoon lecture, leaving me to walk back to my dorm on my own.

The afternoon was cool, air crisp. Fresh snow from the previous nights flurry crunched under my shoes as I walked. Lost in my own thoughts I moved on auto pilot while I contemplated just when my friendship with Sam had begun to progress so far. Had it been in years past while we were still seeing each other at school on a daily basis? Or was it something that had taken root since coming to University?

I honestly couldn't tell where the friendship had ended and relationship had begun. Not that I was complaining, for some reason it just felt... right. I was broken out of my thinking by a fist to the face, sending me sprawling to the ground.

“Well, well, well, if it isn't the pervert we were looking for," a voice said from above me and I looked up to see several of the school jocks stepping over. The one speaking was named Josh and he was the quarterback for the Universities football team. Many in the University saw him as a walking mound of muscles with the intelligence of a squashed potato. He still had a big following regardless, and to his sides were the other meatheads on the team. Behind them were their girlfriends, the leaders of the cheerleader squad.

The rumour mill and general gossip around the campus was that he and his cronies had been responsible for several violent attacks on some of the smaller infected students. It was also alleged that they were responsible for the graffiti and hate filled messages sent to infected students. There had been talk that he had started an underground hate group in the university and had been planning something big.

“Heard you have been spending time at the uni's zoo. Can see by that fuzz on your neck you decided to get freaky with one huh?" he said using the slur name for the infected's dorm building “Looks like we need to remind you of a few things. The bible says “those who lie with a beast should be stoned" well we don't have stones, but our fists should be enough! Boys, lets show this fucking freak what happens to those who sleep with monsters!"

As the fists and kicks started flying in my direction, the girls started cheering and egging them on. My screams were silenced when a well directed kick knocked the air out of my lungs, only made worse when a follow up kick impacted my ribs. Their time as football players had paid off in their favour and the impact managed to break at least one rib. I was clinging onto consciousness when I heard a roar and then stampeding feet racing towards us.

Jack swore and tried to make a run for it. Thinking fast, I grabbed his leg causing him to fall, face turning to look at me in anger.

“Let me the fuck go!" he ordered and I simply shook my head at him.

“N...No chance J..Jack..." I replied and coughed heavily “Th...This time you w...will get yo...your just rewards!" he pulled his free foot back and aimed to kick me in the face but it was stopped by a thick, red-scaled leg that stomped down in the way. My gaze drifted up to the university's lead professor of infected studies, a large male dragon infected named Professor Lekker, and he looked anything but happy.

“Again Mr Preston?" he asked as he gripped at Jacks shirt with one of his fore-claws and hefted him up. “Here I was wanting to show the Dean the advances we have made to helping our infected students, and we find you beating up another student for simply associating with one."

I felt hands land on my side and I jerked to face their owner. Above me hovered Dean Cilia Westerlan. She was pretty by all accounts, despite her age, and had a mind as sharp as a razor, making her a formidable opponent in a debate. While she was Dean and technically didn't need to she did still teach in psychiatry and mental health, being one of the foremost in her fields.

“Shh, stay still, I have called an ambulance," she instructed. I nodded relaxing as best I could, and tried to fight the urge to cough as she checked over my chest carefully and lifted her hand showing off three fingers “They should be here soon... how many fingers am I holding up?"

“Th...Three," I answered, before finally coughing and wheezed for breath. A crowd started to build a reasonable distance away, all craning their necks to get a look at what was going on “Y..You know that i...is a stupid test D...Dean... everyone always holds up three."

“Well that at last proves your head is okay. I don't have a torch to check your eyes right now so I had to make due." she responded with a chuckle and smile then ran her fingers over the fur on my neck “Did one of them cause this?"

“N...No M...Miss." I replied, blushing a little, to which she simply nodded giving a light, almost knowing smile.

“Let me go you fucking lizard! My father will..." Jack threatened, struggling to get free from the dragon's grasp. Mr Lekker giving a snarl at the insult and dragged Jack to be nose to nose with him.

“Do what Mr Preston?" Dean Cilia asked, her tone light and professional, yet held a frightening amount of darkness despite her calm demeanour “Have a professor fired for stopping his son from killing another student? There are some things even he can't save you from."

“What shall I do with him, Ma'am?" Professor Lekker asked, not breaking eye contact with the jock or the subtle growl in his voice.

“Take him to head office and notify the police," She answered simply to which Jack started swearing and hurling insults again “Make sure security puts him in handcuffs, and a gag if he doesn't shut up." the dragon nodded, attention breaking from his prey for a moment as the paramedics arrived, rushing up with a gurney. I could tell from a distance that two of the three were fellow students and I nearly released a groan when I realised I would be handled in the teaching hospital attached to the University.

The Dean tried to disperse the crowd as the Professor walked away with Jack as I was being tended to, the crowd not breaking up as had been requested of it till I was being moved away and loaded into a waiting ambulance. They had cut my shirt open to get a better look at my chest and were aiding my breathing with a hand respirator, soon replaced with the built in one once I was in the ambulance.

I was put through more embarrassing checkups than I cared to admit once I was at the hospital. I was stripped and put in a gown, then given x-rays to diagnose how bad the damage to my chest was. While my rib had broken, it hadn't split, remaining reasonably in place. They inspected my neck again, then other areas I never got an answer as to why they were checking.

They decided to keep me overnight. As I settled in to sleep, I was surprised that Sam hadn't come to see me. News travels fast in a University, even one as large as ours, but seeing as our relationship was being kept as secret as possible by us, I assumed he hadn't been notified yet.

When I awoke in the morning he was waiting for me, sitting by the window and looking sorry for himself, more so than when he had had a bout of PTSD. His presence however cheered me up and I noticed a fresh set of my clothes sat on a chair next to him. How he had gotten into my room to get them confused me a little but I was glad for that simple act of kindness.

“Hey there," I called out to him drawing his attention “Frowning only makes more wrinkles."

“Eric! You're awake!" he exclaimed. I spotted his flinch as he wanted to move over to me but stopped himself “I... I'm sorry... this is all my fault."

“How is it your fault?" I asked and used the remote on the side of the bed to lift myself into a sitting position “Neither of us could have known this would happen. This sort of behaviour normally stops after high school."

“But still..." he tried to argue and I lifted my hand to stop him.

“Stop Sam, you have nothing to be sorry for, now come here so I can give at least your head a hug." I instructed him and held my hand out him “Just don't push into me okay? My ribs aren't the best at the moment."

He hesitated again, but finally walked over and placed his head into my waiting arms, letting me hug him and give a soft kiss between his horns. He gave a soft whine, sounding somewhere between one of relief and sadness.

“Thank you for coming to see me," I praised him with a smile. “And for bringing me some clothes... how did you get them? You can't fit into my dorm."

“I had your RA get them," he answered pulling, away from the hug to look back at them “He was very understanding when I said you were in here and told him what happened. He hopes you will be okay."

“Hopefully I will be out of here soon... but that's up to the doctors to decide... thankfully I am being handled by one of the qualified doctors, not a trainee." I told him and sighed “I guess the University wants to handle this carefully and properly."

“A hate group sprouting up under their noses and assaulting students? I guess they would." he replied with a chuckle. His smile, as fake as it seemed, brought one to my own face and I placed my forehead between his horns. He gave a confused chirping sound but didn't move away, letting me draw comfort from the small contact.

When the doctor checked in on me half an hour later with a small gaggle of students behind him, I was back in more jovial spirits. Sam sat by the window once more as they checked me over, showing off all of the bruises my skin was covered in. As he poked at each one I winced a little but he explained to his students that it was a good sign.

The doctor explained that I should take it easy for four to six weeks: no heavy lifting, keep exercise to a minimum, take deep breaths not shallow ones, avoid laying on my side or front and avoid fatty and spicy food. After the checkup I was prescribed painkillers and anti-inflammatories and was told I could return to my dorm.

Sam politely looked out the window as I dressed although I did joke that I saw him naked all the time, so it didn't bother me too much if he saw me. Truthfully it was hard NOT to see him naked. Clothing for dragons was something that was considered either unnecessary or was ridiculously expensive and uncomfortable for them to wear.

Once out of the hospital he lowered himself down next to me and simply smiled, looking up at me. It was a position he hadn't taken in a while, at least not since we discovered that I could climb on his back while he was standing.

“Hop on Eric," he offered, great tail wagging behind him “It...it's the least I can do."

“Just so we are sure," I said as I started manoeuvring myself into place “You are not going to be flying." he just started chuckling and looked back at me.

“No, if I was bigger then maybe but right now I couldn't carry myself and you while flying," he replied, still smiling.

“Hey are you calling me fat?" I mocked back at him “Cos it sounds like you are calling me fat!"

“No, never," he retorted picking up on the jab and he stood up carefully “Although maybe you could lose a few kilos."

“Cheeky lizard, you're lucky I like you so much." I told him with a fake threat as I gave his neck a light slap. He started walking, after making sure I was comfortable, carrying me with ease and taking on his usual posture whenever he carried me, his head held high and smile on his face.

“Oh? And just how much do you like me?" he asked. I could tell he was trying to dig for more information out of me than that one question was worded for. The relationship we shared coming back to mind causing me to smile and press my face to his neck, giving a soft kiss to the scales there.

“I think we both know just how much I like you," I answered cryptically, making him chuckle in reply “And I think we both know just how much you like me."

We walked in silence from then on, heading back to my dorm building where he dropped me off at the door. We decided that we wouldn't sleep together as we had been for a while. It was impossible for me to get comfortable on my side due to my ribs and we hadn't yet found a position to sleep with me on my back.

He would meet me every day and carry me to lessons or to the library where we would study together. If he had afternoon classes I would remain in the library untill he collected me and returned me to my dorm. However, that didn't mean that the memories and nightmares wouldn't return to haunt him. On those nights he would call my phone through WiFi and we would spend hours talking and eventually fall asleep listening to each other breathe. The next morning he would be eagerly awaiting me and we would embrace tightly before going about our usual university student lifestyle.

On weekends when we didn't have classes and decided not to study, we would wander out to the nearby shopping district and browse the shops. We rarely bought anything unless we spotted something we really wanted or as a joke gift for each other.

By the time Christmas approached and I had recovered enough I had practically moved into his dorm room with him. Neither of us were religious by any means, yet had decided to celebrate the season regardless. He found the tree and I decorated it along with his room. When I found we had spare tinsel I wrapped it around his horns (much to his chagrin), yet he seemed to tolerate it for my sake.

We got used to the occasional patch of brown fur that cropped up on my body. Every time we would berate ourselves for it and not kiss again until it was gone, upon which a new patch would crop up. Thankfully, with it being middle of winter, it was easy enough to keep covered up unless it was on an obvious place like my face. However, over time the patch grew larger as my body got used to the virus and seemed to accept the small changes being done to it.

Christmas itself was an interesting affair. My parents had decided to stay away and simply call, saying they were dumping money into my account so I could buy myself something nice. His adoptive father on the other hand turned up, surprising the both of us when I opened the door to see an elderly doberman infected standing behind it.

His name was Mark and he was just as shocked as we were when I had been the one to open the door. He didn't seem to believe our story that we were just friends, but took it all in his stride. I had been preparing a roast dinner for the two of us when he turned up, but thankfully was able to make it stretch to feed three.

He turned out to be extremely friendly and open, someone who was easy to get along with and who could talk about almost any topic with ease. He exclaimed that he was so proud that Sam was doing well in his classes, and even if they weren't related by blood, he still considered the lumbering dragon to be his son in almost every sense of the word. Much like my own parents, however, he did express irritation that Sam rarely called him.

Mark, as it turned out, was reasonably well-off, having invested wisely before and after the initial outbreak of the virus. However the reason for Sam's scholarship had been to prove that an infected could get one and that Sam could make it in the world without his help financially. Sure, he helped pay for the dragon's general living allowances and occasional trips to the shops but that was all he paid for.

The gifts we got each other were just as silly as the ones we got when we would go shopping together, bringing us to laughter with each one we opened. From pet toys and treats to little statues or school supplies, we hadn't taken it seriously in any way.

One exception was an accessory he wore all the time from that day on: A collar I had gotten for him. It was a deep purple fabric with reflective stitching and it stood out against his scales. A tag hung from the D-ring in the shape of a dragon head with his name engraved proudly into the polished silver.

I had originally gotten it as a joke, telling him he was my dragon and you should always collar your dragons. At the time we had laughed, but when I confronted him on always wearing it a week later he told me, with no joking in his voice, that he was my dragon so he should be collared.

Our university schedule got more and more busy as summer started to approach, once again leaving us tired and stressed. The patches of fur appeared rarely now as we barely got time to study, let alone each other. We still slept together in his bed, now a larger model which Mark had gotten for Sam coupled with some suspicious messages about needing it.

The first weekend of summer break found us once more in his dorm room together. We had spent the week winding down and relaxing not having to worry about anything other than our summer projects. A new patch of fur covered the middle of my chest and despite it being easy to hide, when I was with Sam I didn't mind going without a shirt.

Something had been building between us for some time, a tension that seemed to accumulate in the room that neither of us were aware of. That night we laid on his bed together playing video games. Well, it was more I played them and he watched. It was near impossible for him to play them with his fore-claws as they were simply too large and clumsy to use the controllers.

One of his claws idly scratched and rubbed through the fur on my chest. It was an act he enjoyed doing from time to time due to the fur feeling different and interesting against his scales. His absent-minded rubbing soon drifted south, whether by design or by accident I don't think I will ever know. As he progressed to rubbing over my stomach I shifted my position to lean more back against him.

Once I realised he was rubbing over my hard, tented crotch, I paused the game I was playing and looked up at him. He seemed confused as to why I had stopped. I reached up and pulled him in for a kiss. He seemed to realise what he was doing and stopped himself, pulling his claw away.

“Hey, I didn't say stop did I?" I asked rhetorically and he gave a soft rumble of denial.

“But... you..." he tried to protest, only drawing a chuckle from me. I grabbed his fore-paw and returned it to its previous position.

“If I am honest Sam... I think we both knew where this relationship was going to go from the minute it began," I told him honestly. I exhaled a shaky, if excited, breath. “And I think it is time we crossed that final hurdle."

“I... don't want to hurt you..." he responded softly. “and... if I...we... the change will hurt you."

“Sammy," I soothed softly, rubbing at his cheek using the nickname that his RA had given him and gave a light chuckle “We both know it is an inevitability, I am stronger than I look and it would be best to do it while I have time to get used to the change before classes begin anew." I reached my foot out carefully and gently rubbed my toes over the slit on his crotch, where his own shaft was hidden, getting a needy whine out of my dragon.

Sam returned to rubbing at my crotch, his claw stroking at my erection through my tented jeans. I gave a soft moan against his muzzle and pressed in for another kiss, this time trying to slip my smaller tongue into his maw.

His lips parted to permit my tongue entrance, while his own, much larger split tongue touched mine tentatively. It all felt like some kind of taboo, especially with the knowledge that it would lead to my infection and change. It was both scary and exciting at the same time knowing that within the next week I would no longer be fully human. That notion only seemed to inflame our desire for each other, spurring us on.

I reached down and started to undo my fly, tugging my pants off to let them fall to the floor. A growl emanated from his throat as my pants slid away, somewhere between amusement and something I could only guess was lust. Our hesitations dissipate as my state of dress reduced, our kiss becoming more heated and his groping more blatant.

I tried to return the attention with my foot against his slit again, however I stopped when I felt something hard and slimy poke at it. Breaking our kiss I looked down to see he was rapidly erecting from his slit. It was a first for me, seeing his shaft. It was bright red, two foot long, tapered, as thick as a beer can with three ridges on the bottom and a swelling at its base.

It was also intimidating to look at. I wondered how we would even make this all work. It was certainly a sight to behold, but I knew there was no way my body could accommodate something of that size without plenty of practice. He gave a churring noise as I felt and saw his paw get a grip of my underwear and he started to pull.

“You've seen mine, now it's only fair." he rumbled before tearing the garment from my body. Compared to his my shaft was puny. Six inches long and about an inch thick with copious foreskin covering the head. He seemed to have no gripes about it however, a claw teasing along its length and extracting a fresh moan from my lips.

“I still can't believe we are doing this," he said as he continued to tease me, rolling my balls gently between two clawed digits.

“I know," I breathed out, lifting his face once more so I could look into his eyes. “But I wouldn't want to do it with anyone else." I returned to kissing him deeply, letting his huge tongue invade my mouth this time.

“How are we going to do this?" he asked after he broke the kiss, sounding concerned. “You...I'm too big for you safely." Well, at least he had realised that as well as I. It was a shame that with all the studying we had done, neither of us had contemplated looking into this.

An idea sprang to mind, one that I never thought I would enact. Truth be told, I had also never dreamed I would be laying naked in bed with a dragon, about to have sex with them, a MALE dragon at that. I pulled away from him causing a confused rumble to escape him but I just silenced him with a soft 'shh'.

“I'm not going anywhere" I told him before repositioning myself, now laying so my head was at his belly. I reached out to grab at his length, giving it a long, teasing stroke, eliciting a moaning growl from him.

“This position should work shouldn't it?" I asked him, and got a soft chuckle in return “We can tend to each other this way." he rumbled an acknowledgement and leaned down to start licking at my own shaft.

As I moaned I decided I didn't want to be outdone by him and pulled his tip to my lips. I hesitated for a second knowing that there would be no going back from this. I hoped he wouldn't lose himself in it and try to bury his full length into my throat. That act would surely prove fatal. I licked my lips a little before placing them over his shaft and sucked his cock into my mouth.

It was an odd feeling having something that large and warm in my mouth, and flavor exploded across my taste buds as I licked over his length. It was musky and strong but not unpleasant, it sent a ripple of pleasure through my own body and I spurted pre against his tongue.

This in turn encouraged him to take my length into his maw, my whole length in one go. The sudden warmth and moisture caused me to groan loudly around his cock, getting a thick ooze of pre in return. It tasted oddly sweet and even stronger of his distinct and unique musk.

It quickly became my new favourite flavor and I doubled my efforts just to get more of it. My hands stroked over his length, teasing at his knot and the bulges on his shaft. I was unsure which one worked best, but it had the desired effect and I was soon drinking down his pre like I was a man dying of thirst.

I could tell he was enjoying what he was getting too, his tongue playing with and under my foreskin and occasionally lapping out to tease at my balls. It had, hopefully, the desired effect he sought as I started to gently hump at his face, sliding my cock back and forth between his lips.

As fun as it was we both knew it would end eventually, possibly sooner rather than later judging by the swelling of his knot. I gripped it tightly, causing him to growl out lustfully, and I could feel his hips gyrate forward ever so slightly showing he was getting close. I wasn't far off myself and it only took a few more licks and firm sucks on his behalf to send me over the edge.

I moaned loudly and pressed forward firmly with my hips, shooting my load into his maw and coating his tongue in my sticky load. I could feel the pull of each swallow he made before he pulled away from my shaft panting and groaning, giving soft whimpers at how close he was.

I redoubled my efforts, stroking his length with one hand while squeezing his knot with the other. This brought a needy, desperate whine from his throat but a soft growl following it which picked up in volume.

“Cum for me Sammy, change me!" I managed to order around my mouthful of cock, and that was all he needed. He pressed forward into my mouth a few inches before he gave a loud roar as his cock erupted.

His load quickly filled and overwhelmed my mouth, spilling from between my lips. It was thick, gloopy, tasting bitter and musky yet at the same time I couldn't stop swallowing it. Not because I couldn't but because I didn't want to. Each swallow seemed to make me feel complete, filling a hole in my being that I never knew I was missing.

When he eventually finished, I felt bloated, yet satisfied for the first time in a long time. My face was covered in his seed, which he helped clean away with his tongue. Once every drop was gone, I smiled up at him, pulling in in for another deep kiss as we basked in our respective afterglows.

“I love you, Sam," I told him, and he gave a soft yet comforting chuckle.

“And I love you too Chris... man, Mark is going to be pissed," he replied, and it was my turn to respond with a sleepy chuckle.

“My parents too," I added, but gave a pleased sigh “But it was so worth it," he simply replied with a pleased rumble, the two of us slipping off into slumber only a few minutes later, pressed closer together than we ever had been before.

A peaceful night's sleep was sadly, not something I was destined to enjoy that night. I woke in agony at around three AM, screaming out as my insides twisted and burned. My screams awoke Sam, who tried to help me settle, but rapidly ran out of options other than to call for an ambulance.

By time they had arrived, I was covered head to toe in brown fur, trace of white on my forehead down between my eyes. They didn't ask what had happened or what was going on, they didn't need to. They simply loaded me onto a gurney and whisked me away to the hospital. Sam wasn't permitted to follow, as being too big for the ambulance and not a relative disqualified him access to me.

I was pumped full of pain killers to numb the pain of my bones and muscles shifting and growing. I wasn't high as a kite on them yet the only answer I would give when they asked was for them to bring me my dragon.

The next day I was visited by the Dean and professor in charge of student affairs. I had started to grow a muzzle by that point, ears having moved half way up my head and I had gained around two foot in height. It was clear I was going to become an equine of some kind, but until it had run its course, we wouldn't know exactly what kind.

As for my visitors, they weren't surprised that someone in the University had fallen in love with, and been infected by, another student. They were, however, disappointed that we had begun the change without consulting them first. In the eyes of the watching world this event could be seen as proof that it was not safe for infected individuals to take part in mixed Universities and Colleges.

“This was my choice, I knew what I was getting myself into and I will not regret my actions now or ever. If anyone thinks that this is proof of anything to the effects that you are concerned, they can go get fucked," I told them, and then gave a smile at their stunned faces “You can even tell the prying press that if you would like, word for word."

By the third day, my changes had not still not finished, but I was permitted out of bed. My feet and legs had changed dramatically leaving me with hooves and a digitigrade stance. Balance was difficult at first, and I stumbled often, needing to grab hold of the bed or chairs to steady myself. They explained that once my tail grew in I would have better balance, but until then I would struggle especially due to the extra height I had gained throwing off my spacial awareness.

I had lost my pinkie fingers, having merged with my ring fingers. All of them had gained a tough, dark nail which covered the ends of each digit. My hands were still dexterous enough to pick up pins thankfully, but I did experience a reduction in sensation from my fingertips.

My muzzle had filled out, apparently nearing completion, and I was please to be informed I could still consume meat despite transforming into a herbivore species. According to the doctor, my intestinal system was still the same but was geared more towards fruits and vegetables. A change of diet was recommended, a decrease to my meat intake and increase of plant matter which I agreed was probably a good idea.

The fourth day, I was permitted to have visitors, my response to which was to message Sam instantly with my room number. He arrived twenty minutes later with Mark in tow. The two of them looked confused when they first walked in but once I greeted them with a heartfelt 'Hey Sammy' they knew who was sat upon the bed.

Mark, understandably, was irate about the whole situation, his expression and posture told me as much. However he remained quiet for a few minutes as I hugged my dragon lovingly around the neck and kissed him firmly on the lips. The show seemed to settle him somewhat but I knew the lecture was coming.

“How could you two be so stupid!?" he finally asked once we had parted. Sam changed from being cheerful to crestfallen in a near instant. I chuckled softly at his sudden change and gave his head a pat before turning back to Mark.

“Mark, if your late wife had still been human when you met her, would you have not wanted to be intimate with her?" I asked, knowing I was probably playing a bad card. It was an emotional play that I hoped would work out in my favour but knew I was stepping on shaky ground “It's the same for us... sure we didn't know we would ever end up in this position when we reunited at the start of the year but... this is the path we have chosen and will stick with it through to the end no matter the diversities we encounter." He sighed, staying silent for a moment before he just nodded, seemingly accepting my response.

“Look... I just wish you two had told me back at Christmas what was going on," he admitted as he found a seat and plopped down into it. “I knew something was going on but I didn't want to assume. You two were just too chummy, too close for 'just friends'... I think I deserve an explanation, from the beginning preferably."

We talked for the next two hours, explaining everything from being childhood friends to Sam's nightmares. That revelation only seemed to irritate him as he, like I, believed that the dragon should have let someone know sooner and been seeking professional help. He was happy, however, that his adopted son had managed to find someone who would love him regardless of his appearance or mental condition.

As we were finishing up our conversation my own parents came in. At first the excused themselves, thinking they had the wrong room, but quickly realised that, no, it was the correct room and the person on the bed was their son. That started up a whole new argument and session of berating, insults and frankly bad parenting if I was being honest.

Thanks to Mark, however, they did eventually calm down and accept that their son was a seven foot nine tall chestnut horse. It had taken twenty minutes for them to realise that despite my outward appearance, inside I was still their son. What followed was another, more abridged version of the story of how it had all happened and then the explanation of how they had found out.

It turned out that University policy was to inform the parents of any student who had needed to undergo a prolonged hospital visit. My previous overnight stay at the hospital had not been long enough to warrant the phone call. Seeing as this time I was having to remain hospitalised for almost a week, the call had been made but no details about my condition had passed to my parents.

On the final day of my stay in the hospital I was getting my final checkups to make sure the change had settled. The doctors were thorough with their checkups, checking my weight and height as well as making sure that I could walk, talk, eat, breathe, wag my tail and everything else they could possibly think to check for. Some of which were embarrassing like the seaman sample but thankfully I was permitted to do that privately behind closed doors.

It was also the first chance I had gotten to explore my new form. My fur was soft and shiny, eyes still green despite the equine shape to the pupil. What surprised (and oddly excited) me more was my new endowments. Equine in form and shape, safely nestled in a sheath till it was needed, it was now a foot long and several inches thick with a flare at the head and a medial ring half way down it's length.

Sam, Mark and my parents had gone shopping the night before when my size had been confirmed, and returned with clothing that morning before my checkups. They had replaced a majority of my wardrobe from shirts to shorts and underwear. The university had been forced to change my dorm room but thanks to Mark's close relations with the Dean, I was now housed with Sam.

Before I was permitted to return to our shared room, however, I had to have a visit from a farrier. He was another horse infected who happened to be attending the University as well; a dappled grey who had to teach me how to tend to my new hooves. He helped to fit me with my first set of shoes designed specifically for infected. They were made of a high impact rubber and could be slipped on and off with ease.

It was a requirement at the University that all equines be shod with rubber shoes to protect both themselves and the school's interiors. Metal shoes, while more durable and cheaper to produce, would only scratch up the flooring and the noise could get overwhelming at times. He did recommend I go without shoes as often as possible to maintain a healthy hoof-wall but said that there was little difference if I did or not.

Our room seemed more cramped with all of my stuff in it along side Sam's. We took our time going through most of it and disposed of what we didn't need. The bed they had supplied for me was returned as I would continue to sleep with Sam, and his was more than ample enough for the two of us. However, I held onto the desk and chair provided so I could have somewhere to sit and do my course work.

Over the next year, Sam and I only grew closer. Sam also grew larger so he was now even with my new height. We had managed to make things work intimately, especially with my new endowment. However when I came to the end of my enrolment it was a shaky time for the two of us. We didn't want to be separated but knew I couldn't remain on campus.

Mark played a huge role in my life over that year, and after I left university I moved in with him while I worked out what I wanted to do with my life. It had been a rocky time for me as employment in hospitality was difficult for infected. However, the canine surprised me once again and showed just how supportive he was of myself and Sam.

He had remembered from that Christmas conversation when I was still uninfected that I wished to own a hotel. He proved to be devious and to have many more connections than I had ever dreamt of when he told me that everything would be sorted, all I needed to do was pick a place and work out the building details.

Six months later, with Sam by my side, we broke ground on construction. A year after that, the worlds first hotel designed by and for changed persons opened. Aptly named The Barnyard Hotel. The only condition that Mark had given me was I could not fail and had to give him free lodging if he ever asked for it.

I had been careful with staffing, employing infected to do virtually everything except cook. That was the one industry other than medical that infected were forbidden to take part in for hygiene reasons. However, from house keeping to front desk clerks to security, all were infected of one form or another.

The guestbook had been filling up for months beforehand and read like a veritable who's who of Infected stars and celebrities. Opening night was a red carpet affair and I opened the doors with a grand ceremony involving the mayor to help officiate it. Sam stayed by my side throughout the evening and was positively handsome with his bow-tie and suit cuffs, although he did remind me of a Chippendale as that was all he was wearing.

Business never really dropped off, and we even hosted several conventions for the furry fandom to which there was always a massive turnout of both infected and humans. Once Sam finished University I already had a home waiting for us, and he moved in with great enthusiasm and no complaints.

While he never personally reached the great heights that he had expected, my dragon's law firm remained quite popular and handled any case for infected persons that were brought to it. Win or lose he fought for every client like it was life or death (and in some cases it was).

Yet despite how busy our lives were, we always made time for each other, and our families on the weekends. More often than not I would be giving them a room in my hotel, at my expense and letting them enjoy the facilities with us.

As we grew older, though, Sam and I realised that there was something missing in our lives. We decided to take a page from Marks book and adopted an infected, someone who we could call our child and hopefully would follow after us in one way or another. It took us several weeks of talking before we settled on a teenage lion named Andy who, like Sam, had been kicked out of home for accidentally being changed.

But that's a story for another time.