A few months after the Outbreak...
Like many psychologists, Dr. Lucy Vivian was actively looking for the case study that would make her career. But Dr. Vivian wasn't looking for someone with a unique mental abnormality. Actually, her particular area of expertise was quite difference. Some psychologists specialized on particular emotions, mostly for combating problems like anger, fear, or depression. Dr. Vivian's specialty was love and the psychological ties closely related to it. Of course, that also included lust and the various obsessions people had with sex. Most of her colleagues called her work 'kinky' at their politest and tended to say...things best not mentioned in polite company at their rudest. Most people wouldn't Dr. Vivian's work very seriously, but she was determined to prove that this branch of psychology was as valid as any other.
Of course, finding a breakthrough was rather challenging. There were only so many surveys one could do without running into the same results over again. There wasn't much 'new' to be found in love. Technically, there were new fetishes popping up, but Dr. Vivian didn't think it would be prudent or tasteful to examine them. It seemed that her career had hit a brick wall and she was going to be a laughingstock of the psychology community.
But then the Animalian Outbreak occurred. Animals were becoming uplifted into humanoid beings and developing their own society. Humans were converting into similar creatures and joining them. And most intriguing to Dr. Vivian, there were quite a few uplifted and converted finding loving partners with each other. This is exactly the kind of breakthrough she had been hoping for. There was so much from these creatures' love and perhaps about human nature by extension. She took a plane to Nevada and made her way to Lyre.
Dr. Vivian kept her distance from the Animalians as she observed them. The Animalians would act differently if they knew they were being watched. Of course, Vivian wasn't so nosy as to spy on Animalians in private. He went to common public places they were known to visit and just observed them discreetly. She always had a book or two by her to make it look like she wasn't watching them. Vivian felt rather excited by this. She felt like a combination of an anthropologist and a zoologist observing an undiscovered tribe/species. There was just so much to learn from these animal people.
Vivian thought she was unnoticed by the Animalians in her observations when a voice with a soft Hispanic lilt asked, "What exactly are you doing?" Dr. Vivian jumped, having actually been reading from her book and looked up to see who had spoken. It was one of the Animalians, this one being a male bat. He was definitely not a fruit bat as his protruding fangs showed. Dr. Vivian was a little curious if he was a vampire bat, but she didn't want to jump to conclusions.
"I'm just reading here," said Vivian.
"You've been reading here for the last few days with the same books," said the bat, "And I think you've spent more time looking at the other people in this cafe than any actual reading."
"I'm don't know what you're talking about," said Vivian.
"I have heat sensors in my nose and very sharp hearing," said the bat flatly, "I can tell when you're lying."
Vivian cringed in chagrin and said, "Er, would you mind if we talked about this elsewhere?"
"If we must," said the bat.
==========
After going some distance away from the cafe, Dr. Vivian explained to the bat, whose name was Arthur and actually was a Common Vampire Bat, her research in Animalian socializing and her field of psychological expertise.
"You know, you could just ask," said Arthur.
"But if they knew they were being observed, they'd act differently," said Vivian.
"We're not trying to hide anything," said Arthur, "We have no reason to. We're open and honest."
"It's a common fact that animals, I mean, people act differently when they know they're being watched," said Vivian.
Arthur narrowed his eyes a bit and asked, "So which are we? Animal or people?"
"People obviously," said Vivian.
"You're not being honest," said Arthur, "Not just to me, but to yourself."
"How could you know that?" snapped Vivian.
"Because you may be studying Animalians but you don't really know them," said Arthur, "You see us as different from yourself, and we might be, but you treat us as animals to study instead of people to know."
"Well, it would be unprofessional to..." started Vivian before thinking better of it, "Perhaps you'd like to introduce me to some of your friends. As long as you don't bring up my research."
"I think I can arrange that," said Arthur.
==========
Dr. Vivian ended up spending a lot of time in Animalia, getting to know the different inhabitants. Over time, she saw that there really was a lot more to them than just being humanoid animals. They were a growing community that were unhampered by some of the vices of humanity like greed and hatred. Their society was one of tolerance and understanding and it made Vivian feel ashamed that she saw them as anything else.
She got to know the different Animalians rather well, especially Arthur. He was one of the zoo animals that had been uplifted and was still trying to find the right line of work for himself. Thankfully, the uplifting meant that he didn't have to subside solely on blood, which would put off many people. He was capable of eating meat, though he preferred very rare to the point of raw. But other than that, he was very charming.
Vivian admitted to herself that she had an attraction towards vampires. CLASSIC vampires that is. She couldn't stand the romantic rot that vampire literature has become in recent years. Vampires should be brooding, seductive, and darkly charming, not those angsty, domineering pretty boys that girls would rather read about these days. Vampires should burn in the sun, not sparkle like a supermodel. Vivian wondered how this younger generation could even stomach such tripe.
Arthur was an actual gentleman, in manner if not in upbringing. He was closer to Bram Stoker's original model, though thankfully not evil or unholy. His Hispanic accent also made him quite charming. Over time, Vivian found herself becoming more attracted to Arthur. She considered the possibility of becoming an Animalian herself. It seem unprofessional, but it would definitely be a way of observing them closely. Besides, she could feel a bond between her and Arthur. He was actually delighted when she brought up that possibility. It wouldn't take long for them to fill out the paperwork involved, even if it was for a double-dose to take her extra years off. But Vivian wasn't going to get her dosages in just any way. She wanted it to be very special.
==========
The white nightdress Lucy Vivian was wearing was very similar in appearance to those worn in Victorian England, though of a thinner material than what it would have been made up, to make it easier to rip. She paced her room, looking nervous, as if expecting someone. Just then, a low voice was heard. "Lucy...Lucy...open the window..." As if in a trance, Lucy walked to the window and opened. Arthur climbed through the window, wearing a cloak. "Are you ready, my dear?" asked Arthur.
"Yes, master," said Lucy in a dazed voice.
"Then you shall become my bride for eternity," said Arthur as he gripped her shoulders. He hesitated and asked, "Are you certain you wouldn't rather just kiss?"
Lucy gave him an annoyed look and said, "Yes, I wanted this specifically. Don't spoil my vampire fantasy."
"As you wish," said Arthur before leaning his head down towards Lucy's bare throat. Contrary to what some people would think, actual vampire bats don't actually suck blood. They scraped the skin with their sharp incisors and lapped up the blood, their saliva keeping the wound from coagulating and closing until they finished feeding. Arthur was very careful with nipping Lucy's neck, not wanting to cut open her artery by mistake. He licked the small wounds gently, enough to get his saliva into her system.
Lucy moaned as she felt her body start to change. Short grey fur was started to spread across her body. Her fingers grew longer as sharp claws emerged from the tips. Her feet grew too large for the slippers she was wearing and tore through as the toes grew claws and became more built for gripping. Her face distorted slightly as her nose grew larger and flatter, shifting into the iconic nose of a bat. Her ears were also expanding to a larger size as well. Her mouth itched as her teeth rearranged, her incisors becoming a lot sharper and her tongue more pointed. The biggest change was the pressure building up in her back. Her nightgown was quickly being torn open by the new limbs that were growing. It didn't take long before a pair of large bat wings to rip their way through her nightgown and spread to their full width.
Lucy allowed the nightgown to fall, relishing the cool air on her new fur. It was going to be harder to find a bra to get around her wings, but she didn't care at the moment. Her senses were more alive than ever before. Her hearing was sharper than she could imagine and she could sense the heat coming off of Arthur. Even her sight had improved quite a lot. The phrase 'blind as a bat' was actually a myth and in vampire bats actually had very acute sight.
"Well, you're certainly a vision," said Arthur with approval.
"Just wait until I quench my thirst," said Lucy before licking Arthur's chest. She was very careful with her new fangs. Her instincts told her what to do, but she didn't want to cut something important. She nicked the skin on Arthur's chest and started lapping at the blood that started flowing. It actually didn't taste bad to her, but she probably shouldn't make a habit of this. But this was enough to start her second phase. Her body became more invigorated as she grew younger. She hadn't been very old, only in her early 40's. But she didn't feel this good before. She certainly didn't have as impressive a figure either. Her breasts were regaining their firmness and swelling to a larger size. Her stomach became toned, her defined abs visible under her fur. The grey in her dark hair faded away, leaving her tresses pure raven black. And more importantly, a new heat entered her loins.
She looked up at Arthur and said, "I have a new thirst now. Can you help me quench it?"
"Of course, my heart's blood," said Arthur, easing her onto the bed. She positioned her wings so she could lay down comfortably. Arthur was soon on top of her and getting ready to enter. He was pretty well-hung for a bat, but male Animalinas were as well-endowed between their legs as females were on their chests. Then Arthur plunged and Lucy put all thoughts other than mating out of her head. She squeaked with pleasure as Arthur pounded into her. She was going to enjoy being the mate of a vampire bat.
==========
Now that Lucy was a member of Animalia, she needed a job there. Not wanting to broadcast her particular psychology research, she decided to open up a business that will allow her to see Animalian pairings often. A lingerie store didn't seem professional, but it was a lot more enjoyable than simply asking people how they feel and analyzing them. And Miss Vivian (as she liked to be called) got to analyze quite a lot of people who came into her Intimacy Boutique even if they didn't know it. There was a lot to be observed here for her research. But running the store was fun itself, especially with her mate helping her out. Miss Vivian wasn't just going to have one vampire fantasy. She and Arthur were living one practically every day, especially with the way she dressed.