[h3] Cason [/h3]

Cason smiled, pleased that she agreed to take his hand.  He pulled her to his side as she stood, seeing the nervousness on her face, “I promise…I’m not going to let them hurt you.”

He spoke the words with a serious look on his face, reaching a hand up to quickly brush his thumb down her chin in an attempt to elicit a smile.  He then turned to the front door, bringing her along with him as he turned the door knob, and swung the door open.

Sarah quickly turned her head, and peeked around the door facing as they approached.  She stood about a half a foot below Cason’s eye level, her smoky hair whipping around as the chilly night air washed over them.

“Hey, darlin’.”, Cason almost cooed to her as he stepped over the threshold of the door, and onto the small porch.  She backed up as he pulled Esme through the doorway with him, bringing her in front of Sarah.  Her appearance was akin to a Doberman Pinscher, made of smoke and glowing red eyes as she pulled her lips back to show her teeth, “This is Esme.  I know…she’s a human.  But you need to protect her, at all cost.  No matter what you see.  No matter where I go.  You watch her.”

Sarah turned her gaze to Esme, stepping forward with a small thud and bowing her head.  Cason didn’t stop his orders as she did so, bringing his hand to her snout, “And anything that tries to get into this house, or near her, that doesn’t smell like I do…destroy.”

Sarah growled, almost excited at the permission to kill something.  She kept her bowed stance in front of Esme, as Cason reached down for Esme’s hand.  He yanked her forward, placing her hand amongst the wisping smoke atop Sarah’s head, allowing her to pet the hellhound, something humans never were allowed to do, or they would be torn to shreds.

“She can’t hurt you now, even if she wanted to.  Even the guy I stole her from, as a puppy, has no say, here.”