It was getting dark quickly, but Mike knew the way back to Lavenguard. He trotted easily along the rough road, keeping his pace steady so that Brian would not have trouble staying on. "You OK back there, Brian?"
The boy mumbled something that sounded more like stable boy than his friend, and Mike realized Brian was drifting again. He could feel fingers working his mane and rubbing his back. It felt good, and there wasn't much Brian could do back there anyway except give him a furry back. Curious, he descried to see if the stable boy personality was more than just a desire to serve horses. "Hey, boy! What is your name?"
There was no answer at first, but then he heard a rougher boy's voice say 'Mika."
"How long have you worked for the wizard?"
"Couple hundred years, I think."
Mike grinned. "Guess you learned a lot about turning centaurs into horses in all that time."
"Uh-huh!" The boy sounded proud. "I changed bunches of half-horses into all horse. I'm real good at it!"
"So, you're gonna turn me into a horse, right?"
This time there was a pause, and the boy sounded a little confused. "Uh, yeah. You half horses don't usually like that."
""But you're gonna make me the biggest, best, most beautiful horse you ever made, right?"
"Yeah!" This time the boy sounded happy, and he threw his arms around Mike's human chest. "The best ever!"
Time to change gears. "Brian!"
"Huh? Who's Brian? My name is..." The boy eased back to sit. "Oh. right. Wow! The stable boy is so real! And the horse you are going to be - I can see you like the transformation was already done." His hands slid up and down Mike's back, warm and firm.
"Tell what I look like." Mike could see the dim lights of the town ahead. This was interesting, and the sensations from Brian's attentions were so pleasant.
"A huge Shire stallion, glossy black all over, with black feathering and even black eyes. Bigger than any other Shire, any other horse. Your mane and tail are like strands of black silk, almost floating, and your coat is shiny and smooth. Your cock hangs partway out, dripping semen from your huge balls."
"Sounds impressive. All black? How about teeth and stuff?" Brian was picturing he animal in his head - it was demonic with the solid black eyes, but he rather liked the image.
"Oh! Yeah!" Brian sounded enthusiastic. "That would be really impressive. And scary!"
They entered the outskirts of Lavengaurd and got some stares from inhabitants who were still wandering the streets. A couple grinned and waved to Brian. One man said "Good work, Mika! He'll be a fine one!"
Mike nodded as they passed. "Yeah, I'm going to be a magnificent demon Shire!"
That earned some more puzzled looks, but then smiles and nods of agreement.
As they approached the stable, Mike caught a strange shadow passing over his arms. Extending them out, he realized it wasn't shadow - his skin was turning obsidian black. They did not change shape or sprout hair, though, so he was more curious than worried. He stopped to look at his reflection in the water trough outside the main doors and was in time to see his eyes darken, then become solid black. It looked like he had been dipped in ink, and when he smiled his teeth and the insides of his mouth were also pitch black. It was strange and attractive at the same time.
He knocked on the doors with a black fist. After a moment, they slid open and the stable owner stared at them. "Mika? You brought the centaur back!"
Brian kept his arms around Mike's human chest. "Yeah! Can you please get Llandros to come to the stable?"
"OK. Take the beast to one of the big stalls. You can finish him up while I go over to the pub. The wizard should be there."
Mike trotted into the stable, feeling he calming effect of the animal control spells settle over him. They were stronger than he remembered, but it would not be that hard to resist. Brian guided him back to the stall he had been in earlier and hopped off. This felt almost like home, his equine scent still in the air from hours before.