"Ow! Easy, Heather. Your claws are sharp," said Jeremy, rubbing his back. He sat the vial of Polly's blood down on his desk.
"Sorry about that. It should feel better soon, " said Heather, as she continued to massage his back.
Jeremy had to admit she was right. It did feel good. The sharp sting was replaced with a pleasant warmth that spread across his back. It felt really good. His heart began to race a little and a renewed sense of energy pulsed through his body.
Heather discarded the empty syringe and watched Jeremy's back with excitement. It was working. She should never had doubted Jeremy's work. The experimental serum he had created was a success. She could feel his back puffing up and getting broader beneath her hands as she continued to massage his growing muscles.
"Um, whatever you are doing, don't stop," said Jeremy. "It feels fantastic!"
Heather could feel Jeremy's skin getting tough and leathery beneath her fingers. She was going to miss his soft skin, but she was looking forward to his new skin even more. She could barely contain her excitement. Heather could feel the bumps of spikes forming along his spine.
Jeremy sensed something was wrong. His heart was beating too fast. It felt like adrenaline was surging through his body. At first he thought he was having a heart attack. The stress and excessive caffeine certainly could have precipitated one. But then he felt his lab coat draw tightly against his back. He opened his eyes as he heard the coat begin to rip and tear. He stared down in shock at his hands. His fingers were swelling, merging into three large clawed digits.
"What... what did you do to me?" said Jeremy, almost in a whisper.
"Shh, shh, shh. Just relax. It will all be over soon. Don't fight it. Just relax and enjoy it, " said Heather as she continued to massage his back.
Jeremy's back was getting so tough... and big. Well, not too big. Just her size. It had been so long, so long alone and needy. Heather could hardly wait for him to finish changing.
Jeremy reached up and grabbed his head. He could feel his hair withering and falling away, his ears receding into his skull, the horns pushing out above his brow, spines erupting down the back of head and neck, and down his - Oh god, his nose! It hurt so much as his jaw expanded, pushing his flat nose out to the tip of his long snout.
Heather watched in fascination as Jeremy continued to change. It was happening so quickly now. Everything was happening at once. His body stretched longer and taller. Muscle and tissue packed onto his bulging thighs and arms. His clothes were nothing more than tattered rags hanging onto his scaly frame.
Jeremy pushed away from Heather and struggled to stand up. He collapsed on his hands and knees, his changing feet causing him to fall. He arched his back as his large tail grew out, getting longer and thicker. His feet cracked as they stretched, his toes merging into three digits while his big toe became a small dew claw.
Jeremy continued to pant as the changes finally stopped, resting in the nude on all fours. Heather could see his groin. She had never seen a dinosaur penis. She had no idea what to expect. But she had to see it. A long pink shaft emerged from a slit in his groin. It was thick, with the girth of horse, but the end was strangely tapered at the tip. Some fleshy protuberances lined the side, smaller ones at the tip. Could they be barbs or spines? Heather knew she should be worried but for some reason that only made her more excited.
Jeremy groaned a little as he stood up.
"What..."
He looked down at his hands, his changed body. Then he glared at Heather.
"What did you do to me!?" growled Jeremy.
"Now, take it easy, Jeremy. I wasn't trying to hurt you. I was trying to help. I did this for you, for us, " said Heather. Heather rushed up to him, pushing her body against his. She kissed him deeply. "I love you, Jeremy!"
Jeremy grabbed one of the horns on her head and pulled her away. He stared at her, breathing deeply. Heather felt nervous. She had never felt more vulnerable in her life. Then Jeremy suddenly kissed her back, just as deeply and passionately.
They fell to the floor with a loud thud, causing the ground to shake, a tangle of needy orifices and greedy limbs.
A security guard rushed in, alerted by the noise. He saw the two dinosaur hybrids making love on the floor of the lab, oblivious to his presence. He decided to come back and check on them later .... much later.
******************************************************************************************************************
Several hours later, Heather and Jeremy cuddled on the lab floor in post-coital bliss.
"So, you aren't mad at me?" asked Heather, nuzzling up to his chest.
"Are you kidding? I'm furious!" said Jeremy angrily.
Heather looked a little hurt.
"But I can't deny that I didn't consider it myself. I just didn't realize you felt this way," said Jeremy.
"Well, maybe if you ever bothered to think about anything other than your work," said Heather.
Jeremy held up his clawed hand.
"I don't think you have to worry about that much more. I can't do much with this," said Jeremy.
"You'll adapt. Or the engineers can rig something to help you, " said Heather.
"Yeah, but what will I do in the meantime? I guess Polly...." began Jeremy. "Oh no, what will I tell Polly?"
"Just tell her the truth. You chose to change for the one you love. It's romantic," said Heather.
"I hope she understands, " said Jeremy. "What am I going to tell Dr. Stein? This is going to be a little hard to explain."
Heather yawned. "I wouldn't worry. You are pretty smart. You will think of something. But I don't think he will mind. I couldn't think of a better candidate for my mate."
Heather drifted off to sleep, but Jeremy couldn't rest. He got up and began to pace around the lab.
Jeremy knew his conversion wouldn't go unreported for long. He had to think of something. He hoped he didn't get into too much trouble. The Animalian Council didn't seem that cruel. At worst he and Heather might face exile to one of the new colonies. That wouldn't be too bad, but he would miss Polly dearly.
Of course, that was if he told the truth. He could always lie and say he had an accidental exposure. But Horizon Labs had a flawless safety record and they didn't believe that a science experiment could ever go wrong. And there was the added fact that it would probably prevent him from ever setting foot in a lab again. He would never be able to cure his sister.
But as he stared at the sleeping form of Heather, he began to think - would that be so bad? If he had his family - Heather and Polly - what more did he need? He could always find work doing something else, maybe teaching.
The door the lab flung open and Dr. Stein barged in.
"Dr. Green?"
It was at just that moment that Jeremy realized he was standing nude before his boss. He did his best to cover up.
"Um, hello Dr. Stein. I am pleased to announce that the new Syntixisaurus rex serum is a success," said Jeremy with a weak smile. "Tada!"