The Price of Possession by Dakota Brown (universal ebook reader txt) 📗

Therefore, it took me a moment to notice somethingstaring back at me.

"What the hell is that?" I blurted out.

Chapter 9

Sabian

We all stared at the creature perched on Chris'sdoorstep. It was small, fluffy, yellowish in color, and clearly demonic as itwrinkled its lips at us before wagging its small, fluffy tail. What the hellwas that thing?

And then I realized that hell was the right word. Thatwas the earthly form the hellhound sent by my prince had chosen. What in theblack abyss was it?

I traded a look with the vampire while Chris continuedto stare, dumbfounded.

Mal tilted his head in a question and I nodded. Heburst out laughing.

"Seriously?"

I shrugged. "They can choose whatever canine formthey like on this plane. Once they choose, they're generally stuck with it,however."

"That's a Pomeranian," Chris sputtered.

"It's a hellhound," I offered.

"No." She shook her head vehemently. "Just...No.I'm not having a...a... purse..." She couldn't even seem to get the wordsout.

I wasn't sure what she was trying to say, but thehorrified disbelief on her face made me chuckle.

I wasn't sure how I'd actually fallen in love with ahuman, but there was no denying that's what I felt for my exorcist. While mykind typically dealt in lust and fed off of feelings like love, they didn'tusually fall themselves, but I surely had. I didn't even mind.

"A purse dog!" she finally gasped out.

The pom-hellhound growled at her.

"No!"

It pranced forward on its tiny feet and lifted itsleg. By the time I figured out what the damn thing was doing, it was too late.It, well, clearly a he, peed on Chris' leg.

"What!"

Mal grabbed her before she could punt the tiny dog.

"You will not come in the house if you can notbehave!" She was still nearly shrieking. As much as a woman like Chriswould ever shriek.

At least she'd gone from no, to you have to behave tocome inside. The hellhound would have to agree to her commands to start thebond a hellhound had with his owner.

"Chris, he was marking his territory. He won't doit again, but he did have to get his scent on you."

"By peeing on me?" She glared at the tinycreature.

The pom-hellhound sat, not even trying to lookcontrite.

"Okay, do all Pomeranians have red in their eyes,or is it just this one?" Chris asked.

"While I believe they are all truly demonic innature," Mal said with a laugh. "I think ours is probably the onlyone that is truly a demon in disguise. They normally only have red eyes whenthe light hits them right."

Chris groaned and leaned her forehead against Mal's shoulder.

"How is something this tiny supposed to help us?"Probably her last-ditch effort to send it away.

"It will have a hellhound shape that is much moreformidable," I supplied, trying, and probably failing, to keep myamusement out of my voice.

"Why couldn't it have been a German Shepherd?"She sounded defeated. I almost felt bad for her, but I suspected it was becauseshe was exhausted.

"Your leg would be a lot wetter if it had been,"Mal stated gently.

Chris just sighed. "If you're coming in thehouse, you have to behave yourself. No peeing on things or crapping inside. Noeating anything but actual food inside, or outside. I do not need vet bills. Dohellhounds have vet bills? Don't get on the table, or things like that. You'rewelcome on the couch, of course. And, uh, no excessive barking."

The pom-hellhound wagged its tail as if in agreement.

"Am I forgetting anything?"

"Act like a housebroke, trained, well-mannereddog," I supplied.

The pom-hellhound turned its reddish gaze on me in acondescending glare.

"Yes, everything Sabian just said."

The creature huffed in annoyance, but finally waggedits tail again.

"Fine, if you agree to all that, you can come in."Chris trudged into the house, dumped her coat, kicked off her shoes, and wenttoward the living area.

Mal picked up her jacket from the floor and hung itfor her.

The pom-hellhound trotted into the living area behindChris and by the time I got there, he had curled up on her lap on the couch.

She had basically collapsed onto the couch, staring atthe ceiling. "Fuck," she muttered.

I sat down on one side of her, and Mal took the other.For a while we all just sat there, but finally Chris sighed.

"I really should get some sleep. I want the twoof you for breakfast, and I won't have any energy if I don't get a few hours ofrest."

Her nonchalant way of telling us she wanted us in themorning sent a jolt through me, and I could sense that she'd both surprised andaroused the vampire, too.

"And then, maybe real breakfast." She lookedhopefully at Mal who laughed in reply.

"Whatever you desire, my dear exorcist."

She grinned. "Bed, right now. Well, a shower, thenbed. Maybe some cuddles. Sleep, sex, food. Repeat over and over again."

I laughed. "I like the sound of that." Howhad I gotten so lucky as to be rescued by this delicious human, and then alsodesired by her, as well. Really desired, not just because of what I was. Icould tell the different flavors of desire from anyone I fed from, and hers wasthe purest of true desire, not simple lust. Potent, and addictive.

Mal stood and offered her a hand. I watched how hetreated her, determined to offer her the same respect and courtesy. He likelyknew far more about how to treat a woman when in an actual relationship, and Iwas eager to learn. I hoped one day that I could have that with Chris, too. Iknew Mal and Chris were still figuring out their own relationship, buthopefully there was room for both of us in her heart.

The creature on Chris's lap hopped to the ground andfollowed as Mal led Chris to her bedroom.

There was more to the hellhound than Chris and Malknew, but as long as he didn't get overly possessive, at least where Mal and Iwere concerned, I wasn't going to let it bother me.

I had no idea what the creature's feelings on beinghere were. Did it want to be here? Or was it simply under orders? That wouldcertainly affect his attitude toward Chris, but I had no doubt