A little girl lay curled up in her bed, a soft blanket clutched in her small hands as she snored softly. Her deep sleep made her oblivious to her surroundings. A creature crept towards the bed. Its jaws dripping with blood and saliva. Its face was grotesque, stripped of flesh, hooks buried into its muscles. It had no eyes. The raw muscles covered where the orbs should have been. Its sharp teeth clicked slightly together as it came closer. The leather harness around its huge muscular body was studded with spikes. The creature was about the size of a jaguar, with huge paws equipped with sharp, bloody claws.
The girl slept on.
A growl rose in the creatures throat as it opened his jaw wide with a long hiss. Its claws dug into the soft carpet, its spine rippling as it readied itself to pounce. It jumped.
Ray woke with a start as the heavy body of the chatterbeast landed on her. A large breath of air escaped her lungs as the weight compressed her chest.
"Rascal! I can't breath!" Ray huffed out. The large beast quickly scampered off the little girl as she sat up, taking in big gulps of oxygen.
"What time is it anyway?" Ray looked at her watch. 0436. Ray let out an angry sigh and lay back down only to be prodded by the chatterbeast again.
"Rascal, it's only 4 in the morning!" She said, trying to ignore the persistent creature. The hellish dog growled and snarled, snapping its large, powerful jaws. Ray got up and stretched.
"I'm up, I'm up... now what?" Ray glanced at Rascal who started heading to the door before looking back. Ray followed, rubbing her tired eyes as they glanced around the darkness. She closed the door as she left her room. The setting changed almost instantly. The hallway she was now in was lined with chains and flash stuck to the walls. The screams of pain echoed through the corridor. Human limbs hug from the ceiling, most of which were covered by shadow. Ray ducked and weaved through the gory decorations, her eyes on the chatterbeast. She followed it through the hallway before they entered a small room. It was empty aside from a lone figure, standing in the middle of the room. He stood tall, shadow obscuring his features, but Ray knee who it was.
"Daddy, it's 4 in the morning..."
"I apologize, princess, but this could not wait. I was summoned and must take off. I need you to return to your mother's." The man said in a deep clear voice.
"But it's only Saturday morning... I was supposed to be with you all day today and tomorrow!" Ray felt her heart sink.
"I understand that, my precious shadow," The man stepped forward, into the dim light, the pins in his head reflecting the weak glow. His black, soulless eyes glanced down at Ray, and his face showed no emotion. "But understand that I have a job that cannot be postponed. As lead Cenobite, I am required to do my duties and have nothing stand in my way."
"I know..." Ray looked ashamed and glanced down at her feet. Pinhead placed a gentle hand on her head, right between her fox ears.
"Another time, princess." He said softly. Ray hugged him tightly before going back to her room, trying to hold back her tears. As soon as she got to her room, she curled up and let her tears fall. Rascal growled softly, its teeth chattering. The walls of her bedroom was cracked open, creating a doorway to another room. It, too, was a bedroom. But it wasn't the bedroom at her mother's house, it was larger, with a queen-sized bed. A figure slept on it, unaware of the portal to Hell that had opened in his bedroom wall. A dog lay at the foot of the bed, alert and looking at her. Ray stepped through, watching the wall close and return to normal once more. She walked to the bed, and without hesitation, crawled into it. The man it the bed awoke instantly and turned.
"Ray?" He was confused.
"Sorry... my dad was busy and I guess he sent me to you instead of my mama's by accident." Ray explained.
"I don't mind." The man wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close to him. Ray felt a purr start in her throat and she snuggled into him, surrounding herself in his scent.
"I love you, Damien," Ray said with a happy sigh.
"I love you too, Ray." The man replied. He gently kissed her head before closing his eyes. They were happy.
