Page 29 of The Hellhound's Mate
Oisian wiggled and stumbled over to her, looking like a giant puppy and whimpering with the need to be petted. I wanted to do the same, but feared looking like him in front of Ambrose. And I couldn’t release him yet. Not yet.
“Is that really your mother?” Ambrose asked.
I nodded, unable to speak or tear my gaze from her.
“You look like her.”
Did I? While most of her was dark gray skin and human features, where she had fur on her head, arms, and six bare breasts was midnight black, like mine. She didn’t have the glow of hellfire within her, but her eyes were like fiery embers. Perhaps he meant the way her fangs showed when she smiled.
“Saph, I’m fine.” Ambrose gave me a little shove. “Go give your mom a kiss.”
He didn’t sound like he was judging Oisian for how he couldn’t seem to stop jumping up to lick Mother’s cheeks and make her laugh. As I rushed over to do the same, I dearly hoped Ambrose wouldn’t mind my ridiculous behavior.
Mother laughed and tried to pet me, too, as I joined Oisian in greeting her. “Silly pups,” she said, and I did feel like the years had melted away and I was again a wiggly puppy begging for her attention.
“I sent Gaufrid back to Hell,” Oisian said excitedly, and I couldn’t fault him wanting her praise.
Mother nodded. “Gaufrid was wreaking havoc in Hell before he found his way back up here. I’ve contained him myself this time. Now, he’ll never get away.”
She patted her belly and a face appeared like it was trying to push free of her skin. While my bite could send a soul to hell, hers could imprison it forever within her gut. Gaufrid would never be free again.
“You deserve rewards,” she went on, “for doing what we failed to do a second time.”
Rewards? That gave me pause. Last time, my reward had been relocation and the promise of an easier life. Until Ambrose, it had been an existence. Easier, yes, but not better. Not until he arrived. Was relocation to be my reward again?
I opened my mouth to refuse, but Oisian spoke first.
“I want to go home,” he said quietly. “My fire’s gone out. I’ve lost the will.”
Mother pulled him in close and kissed his forehead. “I know, baby. It’s alright. Come home and rest. We’ll find something else for you.”
Oisian sighed, and I watched him melt into Mother. Was that how his soul would return? It looked painless and freeing. I silently said goodbye and let him go.
Mother looked to me. “Now for you, dear one.”
“I won’t l-leave A-Ambrose,” I said, though my voice shook.
She cupped my face in her giant hands. “Of course not. You’ll stay here and know the love and joy you’ve found with your mate. And to make sure you can be fully amongst these humans, I’m giving you a new form.”
I’d scarcely managed to wonder what she meant before a firestorm raged from the top of my head down to my toes. It felt like every cell in me screamed and changed, my voice stolen away so I couldn’t cry out with them. At least it was quick, but when it was over, I felt a shocking panic building inside as I looked down at myself and saw only pale bare skin.
“Oh, my fuck! What did youdoto him?”
That was Ambrose stalking over with rage radiating from his every clenched muscle. I made to reach for him, but the sight of a furless arm with claw-free fingers made me pull away and whimper.
“Look at him! He’s horrified. You can’t do this to him!”
“But he’ll need this form to remain here with you,” Mother insisted. “Would you condemn him to the shadows for the rest of his life?”
“At least give him the choice,” Ambrose pleaded, his eyes full of tears as he looked at me. “Let him be himself when he can and pretend he’s human when he has to.”
I tried to smile at him, so relieved to know he understood. “If this form is what I have to be, I’ll learn to accept it. But my mate fell in love with me as a hellhound, and I don’t want to lose that part of me.” I looked back to Mother, hoping she wouldn’t turn on me for rejecting her gift.
She looked disappointed but she nodded. “Then it’s a form you can take at will,” she said and passed her hand along my hairless back.
The screaming pain returned, but I welcomed it since it meant I was becoming myself again. In a moment, though I was panting and shaky at the end, I was my hellhound self—fur, claws, and fangs restored.
Ambrose crashed into me, nearly climbing me in his quest to hug my neck and hold on. I grabbed him close, and we held each other tightly. Into the ruff of my neck, he said, “I can’t lose my great black beast.”
