The Devil's Hound Fell In Love

The sound of a heavy hand pats the side of his four-legged beast while it sleeps by his throne.  The red and black fur almost steel like raises up and down as it breathes.  Tired from another hunt....stealing hearts.  Its belly full with flesh and tears. His master only lets him sleep a little and shakes him back to life and says, "More".  The hound knew what that meant.  He has heard this word thousands of times before and expecting nothing less.  He is bound to fulfill his master's wish. The hound stands up, glares at his master and gets one last pat on the head before turning and running off with mission purposed gallops. 

"Who shall I hunt today?"

Browsing, sniffing, and licking his lips. Wait! Pause.  A scent he's never picked up before catches his attention. His ears stand up, his heartbeat picks up as he turns his head to find who this is.  A smell so captivating, a smell so pure, so new, unique in every sense of the word.

When his eyes sees who it is, his body freezes and melts altogether.  She was already looking at him.  This mighty hunter was spotted, compromised, taken.  Her face was not one of fright by his look, only a smile.  Before he knew it, she walked over and put her hand on his head. She was not afraid. What is this feeling taking over this dedicated soldier, he should have ripped her to pieces by now, yet he finds himself taken over by feelings he has only witnessed from his victims.  Is it possible he was capable of these very same feelings he hunted all this time.  Waves of this feeling crashed in, under her hand, her blue eyes, her warm hands.  Peace reverberated and pulled him down like an army taking down a wall, then, something he only did for his master he now did for her....he kneeled. She stroked his face.

"There now, you must be tired" she said.  "come with me, let's get you something to eat".  No leash, no collar, she just turned and walked.  His eyes widened.  He didn't realize he could follow her without being yanked around or commanded.  He was finally given... choice.  Choice to  be who he wanted to be, not who he was told to be. One step turned into 2, 2 into 4 and his feet followed hers. Intoxicated by her smell, his fur started to turn blue and purple instead of red and black.  He looked at his paw and saw this happening with awe.  He felt the skin of who he was forced to be start to lift.  His fur softened, brand new like a rebirth, an uncovering.  

Who is this woman? Why wasn't she afraid of what she saw? What made her know the real me was in there? What made her see right through this armor I've been wearing for 25 years.  As bewildered as he was, he still followed her.  She took him to her place of peace and fed him.  For the first time he ate food made of love, not fear and tears and he ate it all up like he's never had a real meal in his entire life.  She pat his back as he ate.  When he was done, he looked up at her and no longer was it fear and bewilderment but love, matching hers.  She did utter one command though.

"Now...Stay".