My name is Sterling, I am a Hellhound a member of the Royal Guard in Purgatory and a vicious killer. I and my Friends have been sent to earth because Demons are possessing Mortals and torturing them and the people and animals around them. We heard of a Healer a Jin believed to be a member of an extinct race; with the ability to heal anything except decapitation. We seek her out. I want this beautiful woman but since we do not court in Purgatory and I am new speaking England I am having trouble talking to and romancing her. Still who would want a man that is constantly damaged in battle for protecting members of another race?
“What is all this excitement that the humans have going on called Christmas? I went to town to buy supplies, and everyone I encountered seemed to be excited about preparing and decorating and wrappers of some sort,” said Steel walking in the door. He had newly arrived from Purgatory to the human realm. Hellhounds had first arrived to fight a war with demons. All secret of course, because no one wanted to deal with human panic and interferences. Since they remained in the human realm, they were slowly learning human ways so they could blend in.
“Calm down, they are not going to attack or anything. It is a human ritual they do once a year. A celebration of, wait let me explain it so that you can understand. It is like us celebrating the birth of our king’s son. You have heard of Jesus, God’s son, that was born on Earth. They celebrate on the day they think is his birthday.” Stacking a sandwich with meats from four different bowls, Iron added a slice of pastrami and two slices of the olive loaf on top of turkey, ham, and pork. Iron was standing at the kitchen bar with enough food spread out before them for a large banquet. As a hellhound of six and a half feet, broad shoulders and heavy with muscle, Iron, like Steel himself, needed a lot of protein to keep him strong and in good fighting condition.
“Oh him, yeah I heard, but why make such a fuss, Jesus doesn’t on his actual birthday?” He pointed at the food on the bar. “Are you going hunting tonight?” A group of them had started a base near Atlanta where there were a lot of places for demons to hide. The streets of Atlanta had a lot of places for them to do their evil works.
“Sure, I had to get prepared.” He paused, took a deep breath and exhaled. “The fuss is an excuse to party everywhere around the whole of Earth at the same time. They celebrate for the whole month. It is a form of worship. Think of the vibes they get up in the heavenly realm. And the demons are going to be mixed in the crowds, torturing, and killing for their own pleasure. Which is where we come in, we are going to be busy this month. You had better fill up on protein, too.” He took his sandwich on a paper plate to the microwave. “I love these modern gadgets,” he said sarcastically punching buttons. “They are nowhere near as good as what we have back home, but when in the human realm we must learn how to use their stuff.” The machine clicked, clacked, hummed, and whined before it dinged and he opened it up. “Two minutes, can you believe it takes that long.” Iron set the plate on the table and sat on a chair at the same time. Dressed in all black, both hellhounds were ready to fight at an instant’s notice with the knives they had stored on their bodies. They had rented the mansion at the edge of town furnished so they would have all the human things to appear normal. He smashed the sandwich with his fist and then began eating.
Steel turned his back. He had to learn their language, but he could not stand watching anyone eat while in human form. It was going to take some time to adjust.
Steel strolled to the bar where the meat was spread in bowls. He glanced at Iron chewing and looked away. They were accustomed to having a larger mouth and did not remember to take smaller bites. Steel picked up a chunk of pastrami, rolled it and shoved it in his mouth. “Smaller bites,” he reminded, working the chunk of meat between his teeth.
Iron swallowed. “Do not talk with your mouth filled with food. You going out tonight?” He smashed the sandwich again. “I think my mouth is not big enough for this.” He looked so frustrated it was comical, like a big pup.
“Transform, you dolt.”
“Hey, name calling is rude.”
“You have caught on to this language well.”
“Yeah I like this one the best, it has more range of words. Then, of course, the words sometimes have whole new meanings depending on how you say it or with what.” He flashed into a large hound that barely resembled an English bulldog. Placing his large paws on the tabletop, he returned to eating with more grace.
Steel smiled at him then turned around and picked up another slice of meat, rolled it and took a bite. He swallowed and, before taking another bite, said, “I am not much of a bread eater.” They ate in silence for a moment before Iron began speaking in his mind.
I have asked Shank to go after the healer.
Steel had hair the color of stainless steel, and he had always been a pinch envious since Iron’s was the color of the black iron he had been named after. He had never been happy with his dark coloring. “When will he leave?” Steel finished the ham and reached for the turkey.
Said he had to do something first. He did not give me a time frame. He flashed back to human form. “We are still waiting on an address from Purgatory.”
