“Who's A Good Boy? Who's A Good Boy? Yes You Are, Yes You Are!” I Rubbed The Stomach Of One Of The

“Who's a good boy? Who's a good boy? Yes you are, yes you are!” I rubbed the stomach of one of the infernal canines. The tiny growl he let out was as adorable as his smoldering red eyes. “You're a very good boy.”

“Hey, do you want to-” My brother walked outside looking at his phone. “WHAT IN THE EVERLASTING NAME OF ODIN ARE THOSE!?!”

He dropped his phone and reached for the knife on the side of his hip. I laughed and continued rubbing the demonic dog's belly, scratching behind one of its ears for good measure. It was really a good and adorable boy. I was going to miss him when it went back to hell. “Hell hounds. Someone sent them I guess.”

Another hound growled viciously and nipped at the elevated paw of the one I was petting. “Ophir, chill, I'll pet you in a moment. Now, what should I name you? How about... Starkbite!” Starkbite growled again, but it was more like content purring from a cat than threatening. I thought it was absolutely cute. I removed my hand from his stomach and scratched behind both of his ears. His smoke-like fur flared and his eyes seemed to burn. “Starkbite it is then, and Starky for short.”

I heard my brother pick up his fallen phone and go back inside all while mumbling something about demonic dogs and demon sisters. I giggled, I found great amusement in his disbelief and misery. I sat there petting both Ophir and Starkbite for hours while their third was fast asleep on my lap. I named her Zornaird, not only because she was a cute and adorable puppy, but also because she was cunning and swift as a snake. But it was mainly because of how adorable she was. I read in a book once that it meant “little hell flame.” I thought it suited her.

It had taken another hour or so for Starky to join Zornaird on my lap, both fast asleep. Ophir was close to joining them as a giant flame blazed from the ground in front of us, starting away her sleepiness. She growled a growl that was truly worthy of a hell hound and pushed me behind her after she woke up the other hounds. They all stared at the fire, posed and ready to attack. “Ah, they you three are. Did you get the human yet?”

Ophir snarled and lunged at the beings face. It had pure white scaly wings, tail, and horns that faded away to burning, blood red feathers. It looked humanoid, but it had four arms and legs with two faces on its head. Its teeth were sharp as the canines I came to love in the short amount of time I was with them. Only two things came to mind when I saw it. It must've been a demon. And my yard was never going to regrow that grass it had burned.

“Ophir. Yeild.” I was more than a little peeved and wanted answers. I moved to stand beside Zornaird as Ophir retreated back to my other side. I gave her a gentle stroke on the back as a way of saying good job. “What are you doing here?”

“I want your soul. Now tell me what you did to my hell hounds.” The demon looked pissed. I thought it was understandablely so. If, not one, but three of my dogs had abandoned me for someone they barely knew, I would be pissed too.

“I was simply petting them. They were too adorable not to. And I needed something to address them by so I didn't get confused between them and gave them names.” I chose to ignore the fact that it wanted my soul. That was a problem for later, I wanted to make a point that I did nothing to any of the demonic canines. “And if they really were your dogs, then why did they attack you?”

“Excuse me, I'm still stuck on the part where you gaVE THEM NAMES!” I shrugged, eyeing it warily. “You just bound your soul to three hell hounds. Fuck me taking it, they're going to tear it apart when you die.”

“Why did you-” But the demon had disappeared in a cloud of ash and what seemed to be ice. “Asshole.”

I still wanted to know why the hell it couldn't have just ash and ice cloud here in the first place instead of destroying my lawn. I also wanted to know what it wanted to do with my soul. Oh well, guess I might find out when I die.

I had a peaceful death. I was laying in my bed with my beautiful hell hounds when I passed in my sleep. It was nothing chaotic or noteworthy. It was very peaceful and I was perfectly okay with that.

What I did find to be chaotic though was after my death.

My hounds didn't try to eat my soul or even torture it. Instead, they pushed me up to this thing with three giant wings and multiple eyes. Its feathers appeared to be smoldering with flames. I quickly became confused because I recognized it as an angel, but one of the one from God's throne room.

I opened my mouth to ask what was happening, but I failed to find words in front of such an intimidating and beautiful being. It guided me along a path I can't remember into heaven. And my adorable infernal dogs trotted happily behind me as I entered.

I had so many questions to ask and too few answers.

You’ve always been good with animals. When a demon who wants your soul sends some hell hounds, you end up befriending the doggies.