It was a cold and windy October morning, you were meeting the love of your life Catherine; your quiet, independent and emotionally strong canine girlfriend, you met in the early spring when you saw her, she was sat outside a Japanese cherry blossom café, when her laptop got swiped from her table and you instinctively tackled the thief, when he dropped it, you picked up the laptop and returned it to her, she offered a coffee as a reward and the rest was history.

Today was Halloween, you'd seen kids and decorations all day the heavy rain and cold wind certainly added to the atmosphere to it all, like something ominous was around every corner. You finally reached the cafe where you were supposed to meet Catherine, she always dressed like she was working casual at a office, she wore her black rolled up sleeve button shirt and her black suit pants, her shiny Cleopatra hair style glistening from the light coming through the cafe window her deep sea blue eyes that pierced your soul, which was only accentuated by her ebony black eyeliner. You pull up a chair to an unreactive Catherine still looking out the window, and begin the conversation.

>Sorry if you were waiting, the rain always makes traffic a nightmare.

"..." Catherine unresponsive still looking out the window, you feel as if you've done something bad so you put your hand on her paw, the other paw was used to stir her coffee. She snaps out of daze by your touch

"Oh!~ jesus, you scared me! what's the matter with you" she grumbles and turns her attention to you

>"I'm sorry, you were just stareing into space". You give her a weak smile to make her feel better.

"Yeah I'm sorry- just... have a lot on my mind right now" she gives the same toothless smile as her way of of apologizing for snapping at you. She take a long sigh and puts her paw on your hand
"Anon; how long have we've been together?"
>Ummm, about eight months, why?
Catherine takes a sip for her coffee and draws another quick sigh.
"It certainly feels longer, doesn't it?, I don't know where the time went, feels like yesterday you were bringing me my stolen laptop back to me"
>"Your my hero" were you exact words I believe. Catherine gives out a warm stifled chuckle.
"Yeah, I remember, well it was true thought, you really did save me that day...why  you still wanted to be around me I'll never know. She takes a sad sip of her coffee and takes her paw away and wraps it round her coffee cup. Catherine was very cautious to ever let people see her showing emotion, when you first started seeing her, she was very reserved and emotionally blunt. She would look at you with bewilderment when you would walk in the rain without an umbrella letting the rain hit your face, or being the first one on the dancefloor not caring what other thought and dragging her with you. She certainly improved and through her usually cold looking demeanor you could see a sweet innocent girl to afraid to show you everything that she had to offer, like she was a hiding a deep dark secret inside her. She finished her coffee but before you can ask her if she wants a refill she puts her palm ontop of her eye's and slowly rocks her head from left to right.

"Oh, god, I'm sorry Anon I can't do this" 
>W-what?. Your sure she wasn't talking about you too, surely it was meeting today but your still taken back. She starts shivering and is talking with a lump in her throat
"I'm sorry, I just-I just can't do this anymore" Knowing what she's talking about you start to get choked up.
>"But-but, I don't understand we-we were going so well and now out of left field y-" you can't finish the sentence and cover your mouth to try and stop the trembling. Untill you break the silence of shivering exhales and runny noses.
 >"Can-can we at least talk about this I-love you Catherine please don't do this to me".

Before she can answer she drops the change on table and briskly walks away with the sound of platform shoes following behind her and is already outside. You dart out the cafe and chase after her the rain so heavy it could almost pull you down to the floor, you reach for Catherine's arm but she stops walking and snaps at you.
"Go Away Anon! I mean it" she's not sad anymore in fact she's angry, but you still have to talk to her about why she's doing this.
>Please!, Catherine!, just talk to me why!, why are you doing this!. You put your hand out put she bats it away, her claws scraping the top of your hand leaving small claw line cuts and drawing a little blood.
>Ow!, Catherine! What the fuck! that actually hurt!
She turns up a snarky, hate filled snarled up face.
"Awwww did the poor huumie woomie get a widdle scratch?" She  Mockingly growled. Her body hunched over. Her eyes stareing deep into you. 
>That's not funny, Catherine!. You've never scratched me before!
"Well, maybe if you weren't made of pink.disgusting. flabby skin you wouldn't feel anything" now, she has you rilled up to.
>What, it's my fault for having skin?; What's wrong with you! She cocks her head, her pupils slits her pearl white teeth on display.
"WelL... maybE if I waS with MY kind I wouldn't havE to worRY aboUt WeaK HumAns"
Her words sounded grumbled and filtered through a deep raspy voice
You start to get angry, but that last part felt worse then any physical cut even though your agruing it felt too far.

>Come on, Catherine, that's a bit too far
"I NevEr LIked YOuR KInd YoU thInk I Could HavE LOvE SUch A Ugly WiErd RaCE ThE OnLy ReASOn I WaS witH YoU  I FelT SoRRy YOU DUMB. SKINNED. AAAPEE!
She practically howeld that last word it seemed to echo through the entire city, but you notice her voice is completely different, not just a change of tone but her speaking as well, and so you call her out on it.
>Catherine? I know my Catherine and she'd never say something like that to me! Who are you! 
Before you can get an answer you see a glimps of the Catherine you knew in her eyes but it doesn't last long as this new Catherine raises her arm and swipes at you knocking you to the floor and she charges away
"LEAVE. ME. ALONE!~"  too winded to get up and chase her, you lie there on the concrete floor, the rain washing over you, when you have you strength back you get up and head for Catherine's apartment.

When you arrive at Catherine's apartment it's starting to get dusk, the rain had already settled and the low winter sun was almost gone from the city skyline. You saw kids playing near apartments and decorations all round. You reach to Catherine's door but it was already open a jar, you slowly press on the door at creep in.
>Hello?, Catherine? You here?
There was no response, you look around the room was a tip clothes all over the room, the wardrobe and cupboard shelfs strand across the floor and all the mirrors were smashed by a blunt object, before you can look around you Catherine clothes stripped from her head dropping over the balcony rail, you didn't know what kind of emotional state she's in so like a deer in headlights you just watch, your broken out of your statue stance when her leg starts to lift, without thinking you run over and fling Catherine back to the floor she slides across the wooden floor she doesn't even acknowledge you, she just puts her hands in her face and uncontrollably weeps, your not sure what to do, until words start to come out of her crying wails.
"I'm sorry!, I'm sorry! I don't wanna do it! I don't wanna do it" she goes back to sobbing but you feel more comfortable to speak.
>Umm, Catherine? Is that you?
She suddenly stops and looks through her hands at you, it feels like Catherine and not that raging monster that was before. But she suddenly gets up from the floor her sorrow turns to anger and she storms at you pushing your chest baring her teeth
"Get out! Get out NOW!" She's angry but it's not as ferocious as before she's pushing you towards the door
You try to come up with anything to get her to stop.
>What's going on! Did someone break in.
It falls on deaf ears and your almost at the door.
"You can't help me, nobody can! I. don't. love. you. any.more" your out the door is followed by a slam, you left in the hallway trying to process what had happened. You rest your head on Catherine's door, trying anything to plea with her. With all this emotional running through Catherine you can't help but be drained by it all, the confusion and anger and fear you start to tear up you speak, hoping Catherine is behind the door with her ear pressed up against it. 
>Catherine... I'm sorry if I did something to make you like this...I just want to help, that's all I want to do, You'd always turn to me if you ever had a problem, now; I'm shut out and-and my baby girl is all alone and scared... I know you don't mean those things you said, please, please open the door...I-I don't wanna walk away...

The door swings open and Catherine lunges into your chest, she cries and cries grabbing hold of your back, squeezing her paws.
"A-Anon!, don't do this!, Don't do this I love you!. I love you more than anything. She lifts her head from you chest and looks into your eyes, there lined with tears you kiss her cheek and rest you head on her shoulder.
>It's okay, it's okay, I'm here, just...let us go inside.
You wrap you arm round her waist and bring her inside, Catherine is exhausted from all the crying, you put her in her bathroom robes and place her on the bed, you let her rest for a while, she finally wakes up, the sunlight is sparce and has almost gone you can hear the kids giggling and laughing down below from the open windows. She stretches up and looks around then her eyes focus on the open balcony doors. You sit on edge of the bed and hold her paw.
>Hello sleepy head!, You start to rub behind her ear
"Mmmm~, Hi, baby, I needed that, I *yawn* haven't slept since in two days". You stop scratching her ear, and lean back in shock of her statement.
>You haven't what! 
She sits up in bed, and puts her paw on your cheek gently massaging it
"I need to tell you something, but know;I really do love you Anon, and would never want anything bad to happen to you".
You put you hand on her paw that's on your cheek,
>What's going on Catherine?
She looks down on her bed and slinks out of it walking over to the balcony and wraps her robes tightly looking at the last few moments of sunlight left. And lefts out and defeated sign.
"Every year, on Halloween, at midnight, I'm plauged to forever turn...God! How do I even!"
You quickly say something so she doesn't stop mid flow.
>No, no, it's okay please I wanna know,
She looks at you with sympathy and then looks up into sky.
"When the time strikes dead on midnight, I have a need for blood, it doesn't matter what kind, I need red blooded meat...my father told me about his ancestors used to not eat meat on Halloween as a religious gesture, of course being canines it was easier said then done, but they did it, but the locals weren't having any of it, any even though they never had any red blooded food, it didn't stop the towns men for persecuting him when a murderer happened on that night when he was put to the stake to be burned alive on Halloween for a murder he didn't commit he vowed revenge in the afterlife to have his bloody prey every Halloween; my father broke the cycle when he didn't get his pound of flesh on Halloween, and he never had it happen to him again. But...I could never...I could never."
Catherine starts to get chocked up again, you rush over to her and put your arm around her waist and you both look out into the moonlight glistened skyline.
"I could never break the cycle" she has a tear in her eyes and rests her head on your shoulder. "I would be with lovers in the night...and then I-"
She starts to softly cry, but your sure if she could she wouldn't stop. But it soon subsides and she's back to confessing.

"And then I would be covered in blood the next morning not knowing what has happened but having to live what I'd done, I've had to move so many times, had to distance my self from everybody else, but then I met you..."
She turns to face you, her eyes scan your face with a soft smile.
"I just couldn't bare to leave you, I kept telling myself "you have to end it" but I just kept putting it off over and over again just enjoying our time, our laughs, our cries, when we made love... then, the next thing I know....we here." She goes back to looking over to the skyline. You rub her back in small circles and try to give her words of comfort.
>So, if you don't have meat tonight, the curse placed on you will be lifted and you won't turn into a monster?.
She gently nods to affirm. "Yeah that's what my father said, but Anon, how I'm I going to stop myself for eating meat".
You put your hands on her shoulders and give her a confident smile.

>Easy, I've seen a few horror films in my time, I'll do what they do and keep you locked up.
Catherine gives you a unamused look and flicks her ears.
"....Anon please tell me your joking."
You start shaking her shoulders excited in your fool proof plan.
>No!, C'mon Catherine, Trust me, it will work, I promise. She rolls her eyes but is silent to quarrel.
"Ok, but, what happens in the film's when they're tied up, don't they-".
You've already left the apartment as soon as her lips said "ok", you rush to your local hardware store and buy rope and hammer and nails, the kids are out in there costumes, with there family and friends, you would have considered it cute, but your still filled with dread at what will happen and midnight. When you get back to the apartment it's mid evening and what's left are the adults heading to Halloween themed parties. You go inside Catherine's apartment.

>Okay honey~ I got the stuff...now where should I...yeah this will do.
You seen the head and foot board for the bed some sliver metal design of pipe shaped curves with glass shaped diamonds on each stump. You start to tie the rope on two of the snake like pipes in the headrest when Catherine puts her arms around you from behind, you stop what your doing and turn around she leans in and gives you all long passion filled kiss and after a while she pulls away.
"I really love you, I can't tell you that enough that fact you'd go to all this trouble for me is-,"
You rub the top of head and look into her heavily blue eyes.
>I know you do Catherine, I love you too and having to rid you from this curse is the cost of loving you then so be it.
You finished applying the ropes and hammered wood on the door. It's now late evening, all the parties have stopped just the sound of the wind and city life to the soundtrack of this ordeal. Catherine slinks her arms and feet into the loops of the rope and she tries to get comfortable.

"Mmmm~ maybe I needed a different kind of meat tonight"
You tie her snout for good measure. And so, you pull up a chair and wait;a few hours pass, it's now 11:12 and there's no sign of any happenings, just Catherine tied up and helpless. You sit back and think about your great plan for tonight, but your eyes drift over to the one small detail you forgot to block The balcony window; before you can think, your alarm on your phone starts beeping, it is now midnight.

You stare at Catherine waiting for something to happen but nothing happens, but just to be sure you go and get some rope to tie round the balcony door handles when you hear muffled voice.
"Oh Anon, thank God nothing happened! I was so scared, can you untie me now please" you joyfully go to untie her foot when something stops you, you feel uneasy.
"C'mon honey, I'm ok, we're totally and completely safe"
No, something is off, Catherine's being to cool about this. You stand up and get a baseball bat she used for protection and head to tie up the balcony windows, Catherine's eyes following you across the apartment, she starts pleading again.

"Come on Anon, I'm all tied up~ you like your girls all tied up and helplesS"
You get closer to the bed.
"Yeah, that's RighT AnOn, coMe over HeRE AnD RavISH MEE!" Her pupils turn into predatory slits, her snout snarled up and crumpled looking, her teeth showing in the corners of her mouth, she starts squirming about and rattels the bed violently the sound of the growling and rattling filling the room, your adrenaline is pumping ready for anything, but nothing does, Catherine let's out a muffled scream and flops lifelessly onto the bed, she stays like it for a few moments, but not being fooled again you stand far away and check  the time on your phone, her trying to break free took up and hour.

 You wait longer but she's still not moving. The time is 2:12pm, you worrying gets the better of you. You slowly walk over to the bed.
>Umm, Catherine you ok?
No response, you get closer to Catherine's face, and try to look at her face, suddenly a tail smacks you in the face Catherine eyes come to life, that deathly look piercing you, she starts to open her snout as hard as possible, her bloodthirsty scream hidden by the rope, it suddenly snaps of like a rubber band and she's howling and growling she's not talking anymore she's like a feral creature, you back away in safety, but with her free mouth she bites the rope holding her left arm hostage, you quickly grab you bat and smack her as hard as you can, even though it looked and had acted like Catherine you had no guilt in doing what you were doing, it was like before a completely different entity was in front of you.

She yelps and starts yapping at the metal bat, you swipe again but she catches it in her mouth and shakes it, you have to wrestle a game of tug of war with it but her strength is too much she shakes it harder and pushes you back sliding across the floor, she now has her left arm free, you start to reach for your bat but she keeps swiping her arm frantically, you reach for a piece of wood and slam it hard ontop of Catherine's head it stops her momentarily you hold it vertically and aim for her forehead hopefully knocking her out you take a few steps back and charge and push right into her temple, she whispers and her head goes limp.

 You don't thinks she's playing this time. Exhausted you sit on the floor, your bat tightly held in your arms like a newborn baby. You watch Catherine to see if something will happen, for a while it doesn't your to exhausted from fighting to get up from the floor. You eyes feel heavy, your body aches, you start to lie flat on the floor and close your eyes.

When you wake up, you quickly remember why you felt tired, the room is very dim, the moon has gone behind the clouds, you check your phone for a light source and the time; it's now 5:48pm you switch on the ceiling light when your hear loud thuds get closer before you can react your pushed against the wall to a now free Catherine, you hold her snarling snout away snapping away trying to bite you, with your free legs you knee Catherine she's winded you reach for the bat, you strike it across her back you lift it up high above your head to strike again but she trips you up, she grabs the bar with her paw and throws it towards the balcony door and shatters the window, Catherine looks over to the balcony contemplating whether or not to head there, you grab a statue near the light switch and smack it over the back of her neck. It knocks her off balance, you quickly grab something large, and rectangular on a shelf. She turns round and lunges at you with her claws but she stops dead in her tracks, frozen and fixated on what you have in your hands.

You take a look at what your holding; it's her laptop from when you to first met, she stares longingly at it. Stareing  face to face with the creature. You try talking to see if you can get Catherine deep down under this feral beast.

>Catherine...you remember, you remember me, she starts to whimper softly you wonder if you've beaten the night. But the calmness doesn't last long, like she remembers something awful her face snarls back up and starts growling you can't bring yourself to destroy the thing that brought you together, and drop it in the floor. And then you hatch an idea; What about dropping Catherine, you stand by the door,it's been bolted with a piece of wood, she swipes her paw and cuts open your shirt flying you through the door. Your left winded brusied and cuts on your chest, you scamper up the tower stairs, Catherine must be tired too or she's fighting it, as she slowly chases you. You finally reach  the rooftop, the birds started chirping, could it be the final hour of this terrible night you wonder but you can't think for long; you're bruised, tired, and bleeding, the love of your life, your girlfriend who would never hurt a fly has been possessed by a feral beast you'd had just enough of this shitty Halloween night.

You muster up your courage and stand by the edge of the rooftop your back facing the edge, Catherine bursts up onto the rooftop as well, you can faintly see an orange outline of rising sun she notices you and snarls and growls. You weren't scared anymore, you had a plan this time and antagonized her to make her more angry.
"I just had about enough of you bitch!"
She charges for you, you wait for the perfect moment to dodge, but the sun catches your eyes you put your hand up to block it, but then your suddenly off your feet your vision blocked by a hairy arm then your twirling in the air clenched tightly by Catherine, then, compete darkness.

You wake up in a hospital bed, IV drip and hooked to a heart monitor, it takes a second to process what's happening, then you remember Catherine you start panicking, your heart monitor beeping, then a doctor comes out.

"Ah, your awake good, I was wondering when you'd wake up" the anthro possum exclaims while looking through his notes.
>W-what happened, where I am, where's Catherine?. You sit up looking around you.
" Relax, Mr. Anon, you've had a nasty fall, must have been when you fought with the burglar"
>Burglar? You perplexed  respond to the doctor.
"Yes, you were fighting with a burglar when he ransacked your girlfriends apartment, you fought with the assailant and he fled, you then chased him to the roof, when he drew a knife and cut you, in defence you tackled the criminal and in the struggle you both fall, landing on top of him breaking your fall, he then slipped away into the morning sun"
>Burglar?, Knives? Who told you-
"Well that's the official statement your girlfriend gave. Your eyes practically burst opening them as wide as you did and grab the doctors tie.
>Catherine!? She's okay?!, Where is she!.
"She's fine ask her yourself; Catherine comes out from behind a surgical curtain, she's holding a bunch of flower's, and is looking at you with her soft blue eyes that seem like a lifetime ago, she drops them on a chair and dives onto you she kisses all over your face, before the doctor breaks you two up with his cough to remind you both that he's still here. 
"Um, doctor, could you please give us a minute please?." Catherine buries her snout into your cheek. The doctor gives a groan.

"Fine, I'll go get your release papers" Catherine moves her head and sits on the chair next to your bed.
>So, what happened? Did I do it?.
She gives a nod with a big smile on her face.
"Yeah, you did it, when I woke up I was outside my apartment and I was holding you in my arms. The fact you weren't headless gave me an idea that you'd done it, was it hard? I didn't hurt you too much did I?. She holds your hand and tightly squeezes it in fear of what happened.
>No, I managed to tie you down, but we were scrapping and I got tired, then I woke up and we fought and I got pushed through your door, I thought falling would wind you, but you ended up taking me with you.

She gets up from the chair and climbs on the bed with you.
"Oh my god, I'm so sorry, but...it's finally over you did it you saved me, I never have to think about leaving you again~" she snuggles under you chin and raps her arms round you, the doctor walks in on this personal moment and gives another awkward cough.

"Erm, yes, well, your free to go, you been through quite an ordeal Mr Anon, you were certainly the hero of the hour" he walks out the room and Catherine picks her head up from your chest and gives you a kiss on your lips.
"You sure are; My hero"

The end.