Page 22 of Devil Bound
I looked at the poodle.“So very responsible.”
11
Lionel
MiltonAvenuedidn’tgeta lot of traffic.Almost none.I knew, because I’d parked there, beyond the point where I thought I could be seen from the house.The dog was in the seat next to me, standing up as if this were some grand adventure, drool dripping from her mouth to the seat every couple of minutes.
“I’m sure he’s a dog person,” I told her.
The dog looked at me with beady eyes.
“You did really well, by the way.Thanks for saving me.It’s the no pet rule.If it weren’t for that, I’d take you.He has a big garden though.You’ll like it there.”
She growled; not so much a threat, more her normal state of being.I could appreciate that.There were days when I wished I could communicate only in growls.
“Here’s what we’ll do: If you don’t like it…you can’t call me if you don’t like it because you don’t have fucking thumbs.But there’s no reason why you wouldn’t like it.I’m not a dog person, you know?”
She stepped forward, putting her front paws on the dash as if she’d seen something out there that she didn’t like.
“He has good shoulders.I bet he’ll carry you around.Wouldn’t that be nice?To be carried places?”
She barked.Not a real bark, but this muffled sound.Perhaps there was a squirrel there, and she was establishing that it needed to be afraid of her.
“The one thing you cannot do is bite people.That’s really important.Especially not the Devil.He’s too sexy to get bitten.Although maybe one could nibble—no.Immortals are trouble.I shall not engage with trouble.I shall not think about engaging with trouble.”
The dog looked at me as if she’d understood every word.
“What?Trouble for me, I mean.Not for you.You’re going to be fine staying with the Devil.Be a nice dog, don’t bite him, and be sure to escape if he treats you badly.Although, it’s probably fine to bite his ass if he treats you badly.”
The dog looked away from me and huffed.Had I offended her?Unlikely.Dogs didn’t speak human.
I reached out and petted the fluff on her head.“I have to see Dr.Lily again.Isn’t that unfair?You saved me, and nothing really bad happened.Dr.Lily is going to ask me why I brought you here, and she’s going to say it’s because I want to get laid.By a certain someone.Which is categorically false.I mean, who’d want that, am I right?”
She huffed, giving me side-eye.
“You’re almost as bad as Dr.Lily.Just saying.”I took a deep breath.“Okay, let’s go.”
I started the car and drove a little farther until I could see the driveway and the front of the house.Once the car was in park, I picked up the dog and headed toward the door.
Lucifer answered pretty quickly after I rang the doorbell, and because life was fundamentally unjust, he looked like he’d just stepped off the set of some fashion shoot.I probably had lint in my hair.
“Nelly.Are you here to sell Girl Scout cookies to me?”
He grinned, leaned against the doorframe.
“Do I look like a Girl Scout to you?Don’t answer that.”I stroked the dog’s back and braced myself.“I need you to take this.”
“This dog?”
“Yes.”
He frowned.“I am not taking this.”
That was not an acceptable outcome.I’d been shivering on and off ever since the dog had saved my life, and the thought of what would happen to her if she didn’t find a place…
I lifted my chin and did my best to emulate Christine when she was talking to someone who was hindering an investigation.
“Look, Lucy, this poodle is fucking cursed.The curse kills whoever it touches, and the damn poodle loves biting people and spreading it.And my place has a no pets rule.”
