Blood Blades

Chosen Family

"Sniff, sniff, sniff...huh?"
Blue eyes popped open on a creature that should not bear them. A 'rarity' they called it. But the dog knew better, even if the humans did not. A gift from a father long gone. A father that had tried to help her as an infant, and he had, ultimately leading to his demise. But he had rescued his unlikely child in the end.
The large animal lifted her snout again. There!..there was a definite change. Something had occurred-perhaps something to change her circumstances completely- again.
Blond-brown fur stood on end, in eager anticipation. To all human eyes some type of mix breed hunting dog. Definitely a mutt to them-if only they knew how close they were to the actual truth.
It was time to move on anyhow. She would miss the human family she chose, but fourteen years was pushing it a bit. In her entire adult life she had chosen her family-never knowing one of her own. There were many, and she remembered them all. Most were long gone, but she kept them close to her heart. So in a way, they were immortal too.
Being a dog, she had a strong affinity to humans, but their lives were too short. A drop in a endless ocean that was her life.
Now she must say goodbye to another. The downside of living in hiding in this strange time she was cast into-where she had been banished about one hundred and fifty years ago. What demons existed in this time were all in hiding, or had bred so many times with humans that the demon blood they may have possessed only showed in heightened senses in times of extreme stress. Most didn't even know about their demon heritage, but no matter how minuscule, she could smell the difference. Hunting dog indeed.
"Nova! Time for supper girl!"
Human, no trace of demon. Jim was his name. A good man, had three small girls when she arrived, now grown and gone. Poor fellow. She wished, as with every family from this strange time, that she could tell him the truth. But in this age, humans could be more sinister than any demon. She did not wish to be ripped apart by human scientists just to see how her body worked.
Nova was the name given to her by this family. She particularly liked this name-a good one compared to some of her previous names, but it was not her birth name. She wished she could tell Jim her real name-she had not heard it spoken by another in so long.
She possessed a strange name. The very last and only thing she had received from her mother. Karuma. Her mother had hoped all the naysayers that had opposed the union with her father received a boatload of bad karma, their just reward.
One more meal from Jim this evening, then she would be on her way. The scent was too compelling to ignore. It pulled at her demon heart. Too docile a life in these times for the restlessness of a demon. The demon within was smiling manically and rubbing it's clawed hands together, jowls dripping and fangs bared...It may not be such a good idea to return, the beast was extremely hard to control. Her dragon crystal, that had helped her repress the beast, was gone, taken upon her banishment. They were extremely difficult to obtain. She needed one from a strong dragon-no small fry, their crystals only helped a tiny bit. Large, old, and well experienced dragons were her target.
She could Serenade too. Songs to soothe the savage beast. But, as with small dragon crystals, the effects of Serenading was only temporary, and took time to complete. The gift to Serenade came from her father's side of the family, her mother being the demon hunter.
Half demon Karuma. Yet, no human blood pumped through her veins. Elves may be a part of human fantasy, just like dragons, but to Karuma, they were all too real. They were gone now, she bore the last of the elven blood in this world. When they all went to fairy, going underground forevermore, they had left her behind. They would never take an abomination along. At least after they left they no longer hunted her.
"Here you go, girl," Jim said as he walked out of the house. Walking over, he placed the bowl of food in front of her.
She ate quickly, then walked to the front door where Jim had returned after feeding her. She lifted a paw and scratched at the door.
Jim popped out and said, "Finished already?"
As an answer, she sat in front of him, eyes full of sadness. He really was a good man.
"What's the matter, Nova?"Jim asked as he knelt down to her and patted her head.
No tail wag. If a dog could cry, she would have. She turned and licked his hand.
"Must be just feeling your age today," he said as he walked over to scoop up her bowl. "Why don't you lie down and get some rest, you might feel better," he suggested and turned and went back in the house.
Goodbye, my friend. I shall miss you, Karuma thought. She turned her nose to the scent in the wind and walked away from another life.