“Really?” Her eyes widened. “From who?”
Lucifer had been very clear on this point when briefing him. “Satan sent it.”
“Santa?”
“Satan.”
“That’s what I said. Santa.”
He rolled his eyes. “Whatever. Says to tell you he got your letter, and this is just the start to fulfilling your demands.”
“Santa sent you to help. Meaning you must be an elf,” she exclaimed. “You’re taller than expected. Where’s your tassels and bells?”
He blinked. Not something he did often since his eyes didn’t give a shit if he lubricated or not. “Do I look like a fucking elf?”
“Language! Tiny ears,” she chided, finger wagging. Not a good thing to do in front of a possibly hungry puppy.
“Listen, lady. Fuck is a word like any other. Get over it.”
“I don’t want Miguel to have a potty mouth.”
“Then teach him not to say bad things.” Seemed pretty easy to him.
“But that would be stifling his expression. Best if he never learns them in the first place.”
He stared at her. “Lady, you are all kinds of special.”
“Thank you.” She beamed. “So, tell me more about what Santa sent. And before Christmas, too. How absolutely lovely of him especially since I’m sure he’s very busy. Thank him for me, please.”
Marduke winced, imagining the Dark Lord’s reply to that. “Yeah, let’s save the thanks. He’d prefer not to have them.”
“How noble. I don’t suppose you could give him a hug from me, then?”
“No. Let’s get to business. This dog is for you.” He set the gift on the floor. where it sat at attention, alert, not that you could tell with its floppy ears. Some kind of defect compared to the other hounds and why he’d chosen it for this task.
“Oh, it’s just darling.”
“Yeah, you might want to hold off on that thought. This here is a special breed of dog.”
“I’m sure it is. So cute.” She dropped to rub the puppy’s head. It craned and gave Marduke a what-the-fuck look.
“It’s a trained killer.”
“This sweet thing? No way.” She kissed its nose and stood. “But adorable as it is, I’m afraid I can’t take the puppy.”
“Oh yes you are.”
She shook her head. “Our apartment lease specifically states no pets.”
“This isn’t negotiable. You are keeping the dog and will learn how to control it.”
“Control?” She recoiled. “It’s a living creature with free will.”
“Like the will to tear out your throat,” he muttered.
“Excuse me?”
“Nothing. Fuck.”
“Language.”
He glowered.
She smiled.
Marduke’s frown deepened as the young boy approached and put his hand on the dog, then sat beside it and put his whole arm around.
The women’s face melted, and a hint of tears brimmed as she looked at him and said, “We’re keeping it. What’s its name?”
7
