Chapter 3 #2
The hound’s existence and his supplicant behavior made the shame even worse.
His size had shrunken down again, his body curled low to the ground, readying himself for pain as soon as Clairemont had mentioned the prod.
He couldn’t suppress the trembling in his muscles, or the fear telegraphing straight into the hollow of her chest.
“I’ll teach you the basic commands he already knows. First is heel. You don’t want him crowding your space or showing any dominance. Walk forward, jerk the leash, and give the command with authority,” Clairemont instructed.
“Will it shock him?”
“It’s a warning. If he doesn’t listen, he will receive a shock. There’s a trigger at the center of the cuff, hanging near your palm. Keep your thumb over it until he learns to obey you,” he said.
Elsie cleared her throat, smoothing away any errant emotions that might be showing on her face. She gave the leash a single, sharp snap.
“Heel,” she commanded, stepping forward.
The demon paced exactly two steps behind her.
The novelty wasn’t enough to mask the discomfort at having a massive demon stalking behind her.
She’d seen her mother’s shadow wolf attack her from the same position many times, and he was just angry. A terrified demon was far more deadly.
Clairemont had trained the hound to put his handler in a vulnerable position, driven by an inflated ego and false sense of superiority. She suspected it stemmed from the beastmaster’s need to be in charge, rather than rational thought.
They walked around the training grounds twice while the sky threatened heavier rain.
The wind picked up, tossing loose strands of her hair around.
Elsie experimented, stepping to the side, stopping, and backing up without a word or signal to the demon.
Everywhere she went, he stayed exactly where he’d been taught to be.
“Good boy,” she murmured, then raised her voice to be heard above the wind. “Simple enough. What’s the next command?”
“Down,” he answered. The demon dropped to his belly immediately. “Shock him.”
“What? Why?” Elsie demanded, narrowing her eyes. She wouldn’t comply, regardless of his reasoning. “He did what you told him.”
“He must only respond to his master, which is the person holding the leash. If he responds to anybody giving commands, he’ll be useless to you out in the field, and that’s the ultimate goal here, isn’t it? To make this hound fight your battles for you?” Clairemont questioned.
The way he worded it sat wrong with her. If the demon’s master was whoever held his leash, anyone could take control. Clairemont thought nothing of loyalty or earning trust and respect. He wanted a mindless beast controlled through fear.
“You don’t have to listen to him anymore. The leash doesn’t matter, you only have to listen to me,” Elsie said, too quietly for Clairemont to hear. She tugged at the leash, gently this time. “Heel.”
He responded exactly as she wished. She stopped. “Down.” He dropped. “Good boy.”
“Do not speak to him unless issuing a command. It will confuse him if he’s listening for new commands he won’t understand,” he sighed, as though he were speaking with a deliberately obtuse child.
Elsie frowned. Had the beastmaster never conversed with a demon?
How could he understand them if he wouldn’t even speak with them?
She kept doing whatever she wanted and continued getting perfect results. “We obviously have these two down, what’s next?”
“Present.”
“Okay… Present?” The hound sat on his haunches, then lifted his chin into the air. Elsie cocked her head and asked, “Is that what he’s supposed to do?”
“That command is for removing and reattaching the leash. It keeps his mind focused on obeying while putting his teeth out of harm's way.”
“I see. Have you worked with him off-leash?”
“Yes, within the confines of the arena. You are not prepared for–”
Elsie stood on her toes, reached up, and unleashed him. Clairemont sputtered for several seconds.
“Ch–Chantraine! Until you earn my express approval, you are not to take liberties with this demon! You must learn to control him on the leash first. Put it back on!” Clairemont demanded, his voice shrill.
Elsie couldn’t help but enjoy the quivering little shake in his voice. She held up her end of the lead. “This button is the remote, right?” she asked.
“Obviously. Now stop playing games.”
“Heel,” Elsie commanded. The hound hesitated for a fraction of a second, then followed. This limping, cowering creature needed compassion, not brutality. She pitied him, and she refused to rely on the leash to enforce her orders.
If this demon was going to be her companion, they might as well start building trust between them. He was cautious, but curious enough to listen. He stayed behind her, eyeing the remote in her hand.
Elsie turned back toward him. “I’d feel a lot more comfortable if you’d walk at my side,” she said. His lips curled ever so slightly, betraying his displeasure. It was nothing compared to the outright threats her mother’s shadow wolf had made in her childhood, but it was Clairemont’s last straw.
He closed the distance between them, yanked the leash out of her hand, and slammed down the button.
The hound jerked as he was hit with the voltage; a low grunt escaped his throat when he hit the ground.
Clairemont struck him with the long metal rod, again and again until the hound stopped moving.
He lay there submissively, his eyes closed, belly up.
For a few seconds, Elsie’s mind blanked out, rendering her motionless as she watched in horror. He shocked the demon one more time, and Elsie snapped out of it, charging toward him. She tore the leash and remote out of his grasp, then shoved the beastmaster back several steps, glowering at him.
“What is wrong with you?” she demanded. His face darkened as he worked up to a tirade, but Elsie’s tolerance was at an end. Straightening, she let her face fall blank once more. She couldn’t let her emotions be a part of this. She had to be in full control.
“Your training and opinions are no longer required. How you managed to attain your position is beyond me. He isn’t a brainless beast, unlike you. I can find his stall in the barn myself,” Elsie said coldly.
“If he’s allowed to show you his teeth, he will do worse in the future,” Clairemont warned.
“I can handle him. I’ve killed demons stronger than this one,” she said, narrowing her eyes. He looked surprised, then scowled at her.
“Killing a demon is a far different task than taming one. Training with me is required,” Clairemont growled, making no move to reclaim the demon. He knew her reputation. She’d bury his still-bleeding corpse in a shallow grave, and people would merely ask what he’d done to insult her.
“I already own this demon, no requirements attached. He’s a gift. I’m taking him now. Do not touch my companion again. From now on, I will tend to his needs. This is a direct order. Failure to comply will result in disciplinary action.”
“I’ll be reporting this to the general,” he threatened. “Including the assault on my person.”
“Mordane knows my temper pretty well. I’m sure he’s been expecting you. Do you really think he’ll take your side, or do you just like to listen to yourself complain?” Elsie questioned.
Clairemont’s hands clenched into fists. The man wasn’t used to anyone ignoring his advice, but Elsie wasn’t backing down. She stared up at him defiantly, watching him turn on his heel and mutter to himself while gesturing wildly on his way back toward the barn.
“He won’t touch you again,” Elsie promised the hound. “You and I need to have a conversation about our future together.” She took a few steps away, but the demon didn’t budge. “Come on, puppy, I know you’re not brain-dead.”
He stared blankly ahead, and she sighed. Holding up the remote, she raised her eyebrows. The hound didn’t flinch, but he finally looked her way. “Be civil, I know you can understand me. I don’t want to use this, so don’t give me a reason to, okay?”
The demon fell into step, two paces behind her. “What did I say about walking beside me? I don’t trust you at my back,” she scolded. The hound’s head came level with her shoulder, but he kept his eye on her in case she changed her mind. His ears flopped to the sides, showing submission.
Elsie swallowed down her rage and guilt.
This creature was obviously resentful and angry, but he was also filled with fear.
A dangerous combination. Even a regular dog would snap in this situation.
Everything he’d endured had been done in her name.
She wouldn’t be surprised if he hated everything about her.
“I’m sorry he hurt you back there. I was trying to prove that you’re not a dumb animal who needs to be beaten to be controlled, and I didn’t anticipate his reaction.”
They walked in silence for a long moment before she tried again. “You should know I didn’t ask for this. Owning somebody- are they serious?! If I could, I’d let you go right now, but they’d track you down and kill you. Hell, they might even force me to be the one to do it.”
He offered a soft growl, and she nodded, agreeing with whatever the thought behind it was.
“An apology doesn’t fix what’s happened to you, and ignorance is a pathetic excuse for turning a blind eye. Our job is to protect humans. Demons who have done nothing to harm them shouldn’t have to suffer like this.” She ground her fist into her thigh as she walked.
They’d already made it halfway across the compound, and Elsie hadn’t needed to use the remote in her hand once. He hadn’t put a toe out of line. She didn’t trust this demon, but it was obvious Clairemont had been too harsh.
“It’s not a perfect arrangement, but I’ll treat you a lot better than he did. I can’t grant your freedom now, but we’ll work on a solution, and I won’t make you completely miserable until then. Cornick considers you my pet, but we’ll be coconspirators, figuring your way out of here.”