Burdens to Bear
Hope you enjoyed! if not let me know what I can do better! o/
Oh my, it has been a long time since I last uploaded a story. I hope, that this one gets received well, but regardless I actually had fun writing this. hopefully this will become a regular thing :) I also stayed away from too much fantasy in this piece, and kept the scale smaller. this made it much easier to write, though I'm already thinking of ways to expand on the background. Ever the world builder I suppose.
But a crime drama! that's newish territory for me and modern day no less. I suppose I should get a little warning out of the way as well. There's going to be death in this short story. violence and (hopefully) some feels. be sure to check the tags. and as always the content published herein is completely fictional. Any semblance between actual events or people is unintentional and entirely coincidental.
The stench of burning rubber filled the air as a car, far too expensive for the neighborhood, came to a sudden halt. The hard bass stopped as a lone fox stepped out and closed the door. His "Lucky Pupper's Pizza" uniform looked just as out of place as the car. The fox didn't seem to care as he locked up and walked to the front door of a rundown apartment building. The roach motel for this particular job. The pizza boy rang up the buzzer and the security door popped right open. No call needed for a simple delivery boy.
The fox passed the front desk of the night watchman and gave him a nod "Greg" he said curtly.
"Eric" the bear replied gruffly as the vulpine made his way upstairs. The hallway was just as ugly as the exterior. Dirty green carpet stained with god knows what. Beige wallpaper that might have been attractive in the 50s when it was put up, but now only served to date the building with its ancient peeling appearance. The smell as well, that lovely aroma of roasting plastic mixed with medicine that can only come from the worst kinds of drugs.
Eric walked up to room 210 at the very end of the floor and raised his hand to knock. The door flung open before his fist connected. Inside, a wide-eyed Lemur looked the fox up and down with a joint hanging from his lip. The smell of Formaldehyde stung at the fox's nose, and caused it to curl in offense "Hey there, Large pepperoni and an order of wings?" Eric undid the Velcro of the oven-bag and placed his hand inside.
"I didn't order a fuckin pizza kiddo" said the lemur through hazed eyes. "At least I don't remember ordering one." The fox smiled brightly and placed the bag in the Lemur's hands.
"How weird, well, consider it on the house." Bewildered the man gazed down to the bag he was suddenly holding, he could just barely feel the muzzle of the nine millimeter that Eric was holding pressed against his abdomen. The mark looked up at the fox in realization. With that same cheerful smile still on his lips, Eric pumped three slugs into the man through the heavily padded bag. The Lemur fell back and landed with a thud. He didn't cry out or speak, he just slowly succumbed to his wounds and died. The vulpine coolly stepped inside the doorway and put another two slugs into his victim's head.
With his job done the fox took a few minutes to look around, snagging the guy's stash of drugs and any loose cash he had hanging around. He couldn't stay long, the rounds he shot into the mark's head would have undoubtedly passed through the floor and into the apartment below. Finally, he walked downstairs and back down to the bear. He slipped a small stack of cash to the guard who merely grunted. The todd took his leave back to his employer, It was time to get paid.
Another tire screech and the roaring engine of the car died right outside the front door of Scales: a nightclub that had been open since the 60s. Back then it had been an underground hook up joint for wealthy and elite gay guys, but gradually grew into a solid front for Eric's boss in the 90s when he took over the joint and started hiring dancers of any gender, and then pimping out said dancers along with other merchandise. The fox stepped out of his car and tossed the keys at a muscle-bound Hyena "Package for the big guy in there, make sure he gets it, Lou."
"Nice outfit 'pupper' you always dress up for work?" replied the buff meathead. Eric responded by kicking his leg out from under him as the goon sat in the car, causing him to stumble and fall out onto his side. "Ahhh fuck I just got this jacket dry-cleaned you little shit!"
"You'll take it out of my ass later anyway", replied the fox as he peered over his shoulder and sauntered his way into the club. The bouncer at the door didn't say a word as he walked in and quickly made his way into the back where the dancers were getting dressed before going on stage. Eric disrobed quickly, exposing his lithe swimmer's body. He had just a touch of muscle definition, but most of it was hidden to the naked eye by his black and orange fur. He wasn't tall, coming in at only 5'6 but the Todd never felt like his height was a disadvantage. If anything his short stature made his job a lot easier.
Backstage is where it all started, he used to be just another dancer, working to pay his college tuition. The boss always dealt straight with his dancers, but he had an eye for talent. Eric looked around, lots of merch on display, men, women, and everything in between. Anything a potential client could ever want. He was just waxing nostalgic before he realized he was still just standing there with his ass hanging in the breeze. The fox dressed in the clothes he'd worn earlier, a dark blue blazer over a blue silk shirt and a pair of slacks.
After dressing and making sure that the "delivery boy" clothes were back on a rack for someone else's routine, the fox made his way upstairs to his boss's office. "Heya sweetheart" the voice was Warm, a deep bass, like molten steel spilling over a drum. "Thank you for retrieving my property" Eric could make out the silhouette of a long pointed muzzle attached to an angular reptilian head that was crowned with two large horns.
"It was my pleasure boss", said the fox with a smile. The dragon behind the desk chuckled and stood, moving to one side of the room he opened up a safe hidden by a wall panel and pulled out two stacks of cash and brought them back to his desk where he dropped them with a thunk.
"Come here", said the drake as he leaned on the table. Eric obeyed, walking forward and taking hold of one of the piles of cash. As he was reaching for the second, the dragon's clawed hand wrapped itself around the smaller male's shoulder. He moved behind the fox and slowly draped his arms around his employee with a low rumble. Eric sighed softly and leaned back, pressing his head into his boss's chest.
Those arms snaked their way down until one rest on the fox's groin and the other pressed gently on his lower belly. "please..." huffed the vulpine as that hand slipped inside the waistband of his trousers and teased softly at the sheath it found there.
"I will" rumbled the dragon as he pushed the fox forward off of his chest. Eric waited for the moment when he would be pushed over that desk, his tail held high and feeling the pleasurable warmth of the dragon's length throbbing in him. But he was denied "...After, you do one little job first", said the dragon as he took a step back. Eric drew in a slow breath as he twisted around and leaned against the glass table, a frown worrying at his maw.
"Was wondering what the other stack was for", He said after taking a moment to light up a cigarette. "Who's the mark?", Eric added curtly. The dragon smiled, bemused. He then peered behind his fox employee through the large panoramic window and out on the floor.
"At the bar, last seat on the left. John Maddox, he's an old college buddy who thinks I owe him a favor". The fox peered out through the two way mirror onto the club. The space was separated into two levels, a ground floor where the entrance and bare was, and an open basement floor that was filled with people dancing to the beats from a particularly enthusiastic DJ. Fog,, lasers and bright LED's completed the picture.
At last, Eric caught sight of the man, he was a German Shephard, looked pretty suave and definitely out of place as a 40 something in a crowd of 20 somethings. "ah, I know him"
"Oh? How did you meet?"
"I never really met him, His wife, Julia, was my English 101 professor, and He was in sciences. They were really cute together, real loving couple. I can't imagine what he wants from you" said Eric as he too looked over at the man. From behind he appeared to be fit, tall broad shoulders. "He doesn't look like your type", said Eric. The older dragon laughed.
"Back then I'd fuck anything with a pulse, besides he's got a fat knot and a tight ass" However, after a moment The humor ran away from his bright red eyes. "Well... I'm glad you know his wife, makes my decision all the easier" Eric looked back at his boss, a brow raised quizzically. "He wants someone to kill Julia"
The Todd blinked, then frowned. "What? Why? That's so fucked. Come on I really liked her", Eric knew when he got mixed up in this business that there was a chance of this sort of thing happening. It didn't mean that he wasn't going to complain about it though. Thankfully, the dragon nodded in agreement.
"I do too, Julia and I were close as well back then. I'd never mark her" Eric sighed and relaxed. The drake's word was sacred, not just to him but all of his employees. "As for why I put out some feelers, apparently he's deep in debt. I couldn't find out why exactly but it seemed related to his work. Experiments on new drug trials or some crap."
"So he thinks you owe him because...?"
"He helped me get my kid into a very nice university that he happens to be the dean at", Eric recalled the mixed breed dragon with some pleasure, It had been a long time since he'd seen Joreck. "Says I owe him besides the hefty stack of cash I gave him", the drake had returned to his seat with a snort. "You know how I run things, No one is going to hold shit over me, and I don't murder people unless it's necessary", the drake leaned back into his chair and poured himself a glass.
"So... You want me to kill him instead?" the drake paused with the drink halfway to his lips. After a moment, he downed the entire glass.
"Ultimately, he wants to get rid of his wife, most people get a divorce, that's what I told him to do, but he's insistent that she dies, and he refuses to tell me why. Fuck that ", the boss refilled his glass, and this time sipped it. "I want you to fuck him, we'll record it and spread it around, she'll be gone the next day."
20 minutes passed, allowing just enough time for the big dog to drink a little more, and make him antsy while Eric "prepped". They had one of the girls invite him to one of the private lounges. There, Eric was waiting in a small velvet lined room hidden behind a curtain. As the big shepherd walked in the girl waved him goodbye, giving the todd a wink. "Mr. Maddox, take a seat please", said the todd gesturing to the spot next to him on the plush couch.
"Isn't this a little too public?" boomed the dog, he spoke in even tones that dripped with masculinity. Eric smiled and shook his head.
"You're in Mister Gulderson's establishment, in a private booth, with a lovely dancer, with the music outside drowning our conversation. It's quite perfect", he replied. It was a half-truth, they certainly did have spaces better suited for this sort of thing, but this dog wasn't going to get what he bargained for either.
This did seem to satisfy him though and the canine settled down beside Eric, sagging the couch down as he did, drawing the lighter built fox just a few inches closer to him. The fox smiled brightly and leaned against the back of the couch. He crossed a leg and turned his head toward the German shepherd resting it on the palm of his hand. Taking the cue, Maddox began. "I need to... have my wife taken care of."Eric hummed. This guy certainly was a cherry, never done a criminal act in his life. A cop would already have more than enough to bust him for that sentence. He was going to continue before the Todd interrupted.
"First, I do not care, and I don't want to know", said Eric as he held up a finger. "Second, We're doing something extremely fucked up and illegal, you never give too many details. Just give me a name and address and I'll figure out the rest." another finger, and this time Maddox moved to interrupt the fox, but Eric merely raised that third finger and spoke over the canine. "and third, we need to discuss payment."
That, shut the Shepherd up, he was frozen in confusion a moment then he leaned back into his seat a snarl on his muzzle. "That fucker Kraylan was supposed to pay you" the Todd reflexively twitched his hand to his waistband, a motion that the shepherd clearly caught because he swallowed hard enough for the big yena bouncer outside the curtain to hear.
"Mister Gulderson..." said the fox, as he regained control of his emotions "has given me the monetary payment, but I need something else to inspire me to work," said Eric. The canine didn't follow and remained silent, waiting for the hit-man to continue. "See, I'm what you might call a contractor, I set my own hours and wages. And today the wage was ten grand." the fox suddenly scooted himself over to the dog and leaned up against him. "And now, I just upped the cost" Maddox blinked and looked the fox up and down, backing away slightly from the other male. He was just going to ask how much when, again, the vulpine interrupted him "Your cock."
To his credit, the Shepherd jumped back when the fox went for his belt, causing the Todd to frown. "What's the matter, don't want to actually kill your wife?" the dog's ears slowly fell, pinning back tight against his head. "I'd do anything to-"
"Good, now shut up" replied the fox as he continued his work. In no time at all the Shepherd's pants were open, revealing the bulge of a fat sheath and a pair of orbs underneath both hidden by a pair of tight boxer briefs. "My, you're a big one", said the fox as he slipped off of the couch and onto his knees. He carefully peeled the jacket off his back and tossed it back where he was sitting before undoing the top button of his collar.
With a murr, he bent forward and pressed his nose against the dog's clothed sheath, and slowly dragged his tongue over his balls right up to the very tip. The heady aroma of male musk flooded his nose. He could taste him through the cotton. That coppery sting lingering on his taste buds until he pulled open the y shaped fly and gently released the older male's sheath and heavy balls out into the open. Eric licked his lips and dove in. he repeated the last action until he got to the tip of that sheath. Eric then pressed his lips around it and gave the tip a wet suckling kiss and pressed down. He could feel the soft flesh give, his mouth was quickly filled with warm dick. Above him, he heard the shepherd gasp and grip the couch with his fingers. Eric didn't ease up, sucking and licking the warm shaft until it swelled and stood stiff in the warm air.
Eric grinned and took hold of the older man's junk in his hand. He slowly pulled the loose skin of that sheath down until it hung up on the canine's knot. Curiosity winning out over the desire to tease, the Todd tugged more and more until finally the skin slipped passed and Maddox's rather large knot popped free. "mmm... you do have a fat one", said Eric. He shivered and raised a brow then unzipped his own pants and tugged them down.
Both of them stayed still for a moment, tension building up while the fox took him deep into his mouth, the pointed tip of his canine member tickling the back of Eric's throat, until at last he released him with a loud wet slurp, and stood up. The fox's own cock was peeking from its sheath. He turned around and sat down on the shepherd's lap, brushing his bushy tail along the dog's muzzle as he pressed his ass against the older man's cock. "don't be shy"
Maddox huffed and grabbed hold of the Todd's hips, holding him up as his cock slipped out between them. Eric could feel the tip digging into the fur of his ass, smearing it with little pearls of pre and spit. At last the tapered tip pressed against his pucker, causing the fox to hiss quietly. Eric eased himself down, feeling stretched pleasurably wide as he stuffed the canine's thick member under his tail. "Fuck you're slick, holy shit", said Maddox. The bigger dog was panting now, giving the fox reason to smile.
"don't pop so soon big guy, we haven't even started", murred Eric. He grinned deviously as he looked over his shoulder and settled himself down onto the Shepherd's lap taking him to the knot in one smooth motion. The dog moaned lewdly, drawing a chuckle from the fox. "I'll give ya a sec.," said the fox. He'd prepared earlier, plenty of lube and a quick repayment for Lou's dry-cleaning was just enough. Even better, cumming earlier helped with his stamina giving him more than enough longevity to milk this particular stud dry.
And that's just what he was doing, resting his ass on that knot and squeezing. Not too hard, just enough to make the Canine drool and start to rock his hips into the Todd. "Christ... please"
"Of course" Cooed Eric as he slowly raised his hips and brought them back down against the dog's lap. He began fucking the man in earnest, taking the whole seven inches and clapping his ass hard against Maddox, clearly audible to anyone near, the only privacy afforded them being a curtain, but even this was false, being that cameras were recording the entire thing.
It wasn't long before Eric pulled off of his mark, "getting a little tired, here" the Todd leaned forward an placed his knees on the couch, resting his arms along the back. Maddox took the cue and stood up, his throbbing cock was quickly slid between the fox's plush butt cheeks. There was a moment of hesitation, right before the Shepherd plunged deep into Eric. The Todd gasped then slowly hummed and closed his eyes as the dog set into a hard and fast pace. The vulpine could feel the thick rod reaching deep into him, every time it throbbed, jetting hot pre into the warm confines of his body. And now that knot was knocking, demanding entry past a barrier that was rapidly crumbling.
With a last titanic heave the Maddox's knot slipped into the Fox's ass and he yelped, wincing in pain. "fffffffffuck me, ah..." the canine was doing just that, Eric looked back, his eyes half-lidded as he panted "Holy shit!" he could feel it, the thick bulb of flesh pulsing with each time the dog's heartbeat. Best yet, he wasn't done. Maddox kept thrusting, tugging and pulling that knotted cock only a few inches at a time. It was more than enough, every thrust massaged Eric's prostate as nothing else had and despite not meaning to, the fox was quickly approaching a heavenly release.
Without a warning, Maddox grunted and liquid fire erupted within the fox. Hot cum painted the walls of his ass, boiling away into his body with molten passion. Eric stifled a moan but failed clenching his fists as his cum dribbled freely from his cock, in a slow stream. The pair remained for sometime settling back onto the couch, tied and tired.
After a time Eric slipped free, and just lay there for a minute, leaving his ass hanging out as he dug into his pocket for his phone and opened up his texts
"All done here, got the vid and all?"
"Got it, finish up so we can release it"
He glanced up at the big dog, he looked absolutely miserable. Depressed and... crying? Somewhat stunned, the fox turned his attention back to the phone.
"Gimme a few"
"So... alright. You just fucked a smokin hot 26-year-old stripper that moonlights as a gun for hire in one of the nicest clubs in town. Why do you look so fucking depressed?"
Maddox was silent for a moment, then in an even tone said: "I still love her" Eric blinked, surprised with the answer, then he slowly narrowed his eyes
"Don't get cold feet now, I've already been paid", said the fox to which the Shepherd shook his head
"Never, she needs to die", said Maddox. Eric frowned, trying to puzzle it all in his head until finally, exasperated he tugged up his pants.
"Okay, because you actually got me to cum I'll bite. Why do you want to kill your wife?" For a long moment, there seemed to be nothing, pure silence despite the music and cheering outside their little curtain.
"She's dying", said the shepherd. Eric was puzzled for a minute, the next question on his lips just about to be fired off when the gears clicked in his head. Silence once again, this time lingering as Eric calculated this change. It seemed before that Maddox was just a dick that wanted a nagging wife gone for some insurance money. Now, it was a mercy killing. The Todd went to his phone once more.
"Things have changed. Meet in your office"
He rose to his feet, reached out and tugged the dog until he likewise rose "Come on, we're meeting Mr. Gulderson"
"Why the fuck didn't you tell me, John? You know I cared for Julia, You know I would have helped!" Eric had rarely ever seen his boss this out of his cool when it did happen, it was usually family related.
"Just like how you helped yourself into this place? Just how you help these... addicts get their shit? I know where your money comes from Kraylan, and so does Julie!" the Shepherd was standing, watching the dragon pace in agitation.
"John, money is money, I have influence too, there are surely experimental treatments th-"
"I was a tenured professor and am now currently the dean at one of the most prestigious medical universities in the world Kray. What do you think I've been doing!?", the Shepherd cried, cutting the drake off. He sagged, and leaned forward, bracing himself against the table as if the act had drained all the strength from him.
"It's not aggressive cancer, but every treatment has failed, it's slowly eating her alive and", He choked back a sob hid his eyes with a paw for a moment, he swallowed hard and resumed as if the break in his manner hadn't happened. "And she wants to die, but she can't do it. I tried, but I can't, every other doctor or medical professional that I trust has flat out refused. Kray, this is the only way I can help her now" Kraylan stopped his pacing as soon as he was interrupted, then, slowly sank back into his chair as Maddox explained the situation.
"Fuck", swore Kraylan as he once again took a glass and filled it. Once again it was gone in a few gulps. He refilled the glass and offered it to his friend, who took it and likewise slammed it down. "Alright... Alright. We'll take care of her."
It was a day later when a silver luxury sedan quietly parked in front of a modest house in a very quiet neighborhood. The lawns and gardens were fresh mowed and tended. The calming hiss morning sprinklers filled the air as three figures stepped out of the vehicle and walked calmly to the front door. It was a weekday, everyone in the neighborhood asleep. No one was there to see the party enter the Maddox's home. It was a somber walk inside and up the stairs. Eric paused to look around. The walls were painted a soft blue, almost the hue of the sky. Along the stairwell hung many framed pictures of Julia, John, and what the Todd assumed were their children.
It felt wrong to be here as if he were trespassing on someone's very private and personal life even though he'd been invited. Eric supposed, that it was the nature of his visit, as well as a string of guilt for the infidelity he'd caused. They opened the master bedroom. At least, it once was, now it had been turned into a hospital room. Life support equipment was posted all around a bed, beeping, hissing, and doing everything necessary to keep their patient alive.
Alive, however, seemed to be a cruel joke to the being that lay upon the soft cotton sheets. She looked nothing like Eric had remembered, a dog that was once bright and full of vigor reduced to a wirey frame barely seen beneath a pink gown. Her fur was only now starting to re-grow, a thin black fuzz over her dark skin. She looked less like a Belgian Shepherd and more like a Pharaoh Hound. In spite of this, Julia opened her eyes, one soft maple brown, the other clouded blue with cataracts. "Oh... guests? I'm sorry I should have made breakfast" she spoke with a fragile thin voice that barely cleared the noise of the machines. "Only, It's so early.", that was still the wit and humor of Eric's English teacher, he smiled despite the circumstances.
John stepped up and took her hand in his: "Julia, It's Kraylan, he's here to help us dear", the woman struggled to lift her head, her husband helping her. The dragon quickly went to her side and knelt down beside her bed. While the fox went around the other way.
"Oh, Well, I always did say you'd get me killed one day didn't I?" the dragon chuckled and placed an arm around Maddox. In the meanwhile, Eric had already withdrawn a syringe from her I.V and was packing it away. She must have heard the cap, for she slowly turned her head to the fox. "And who is this?" She and Eric locked eyes for a moment
"This is one of Kray's men. He's the one who...who will be helping you", said John as he struggled to keep it all together.
"Eric", she stated matter of factly. Her eyes suddenly brightening upon realizing that it was a former student of hers. The Vulpine blinked, surprised she had recognized him after some years. He smiled softly at her. However, as quickly as the realization came to Julia it went; her eyes open but unseeing as life fled its shell.
There was a long terrible silence that was only marred by the constant activity of the machines. Eric turned them off one by one until the quiet was broken with a choked sob that heralded the downpour of tears that Maddox had been holding for the benefit of his wife.
An hour later Kraylan and Eric had driven up into the hills above the city. The boss leaned against the wooden railing keeping people from going too far over the cliff at the lookout point, smoking a cigar. The fox stuck with his cigarettes, sitting on the hood of the car watching the pale blue sky turn to bright pink and fiery orange as the sun rose. "I want you to take some time off", Said the dragon, not turning around to look at the Todd.
"No shit", replied Eric as he took another drag. "It's not like we could have told her... right?", Said the fox. He turned his gaze towards Kraylan while the dragon stared at the dirt.
"It was a bad call, I fucked up." he then finally met Eric's eyes, "I'm sorry", said the dragon. He was sincere, Kraylan knew that he had let his feelings get the better of him, he at least had the integrity to admit that. And, Eric thought that was all anyone could ask of either of them.
"It's okay, just another burden to bear."