Part 7: Research. Research. Research.
Big thanks to neuroparenthetical for helping edit my story.
Chapter 19
Traveling back from the quarry was as uneventful as one would expect, except that I had a six-foot tall, gray-skinned, gray-furred lycan hellhound pawing at my dick every few minutes, asking if it was time to mate again. Luckily it was a short trip, so I didn't have to fend her off for too long. We parked in the garage, hoping to avoid attention. Not only did I have an inhuman-looking guest, but I was also shirtless; my new wings had shredded yet another one.
"Ok, it looks like no one is back," I said as I looked around the house. "Since it is three in the afternoon, I figure we should have the house to ourselves for at least two hours."
"Okay good," Rayna said, taking a theatrical whiff, "because you, Master, smell like a wet dog. And you, Azura - you stink as well. Both of you need a shower."
"Shower?" Azura asked, as if she didn't know what that word meant.
"Come on." Rayna grabbed Azura and led her upstairs.
We headed to my mother's bathroom, which had a much bigger shower area and a bench seat. Azura was clearly going to need some help. As it turned out, she also needed some encouragement. Rayna's smirk had almost engulfed her entire face by the time she left the two of us alone in the bathroom.
"But Pack Master," Azura whined, "Azura is pretty clean. No need to get wet." She sounded terrified. It reminded me of an old beagle I'd had when I was a kid. He was fun, playful, and so full of spirit, but when it came time to bathe him, he ran for the hills. It was a nightmare trying to get him in the bath. Thankfully, I could converse with Azura. I supposed that I could also just give her orders, but I decided to try something a bit subtler first.
"But don't you want to please your Pack Master?" I asked.
"Yes, Azura wants to please Pack Master," she eagerly replied. "Azura wants to please Pack Master very much." Suddenly, she sounded like a dog yipping to have fun with its owner - appropriate, considering.
"Okay, well, your Pack Master is very pleased when his slaves are nice and clean," I told her. For a good long while, her eyes went back and forth between me and the shower, as if in deep thought.
Then, with a defeated sigh, and the ears on the top of her head going flat, she said, "Okay, Pack Master, Azura will clean herself."
She moved towards the shower, but I stopped her. I reached in, set the temperature, and turned on the water. She was a little startled by that, but also fascinated. I tested the water with my hand until I was satisfied, then led her in. Using the rainshower head and wand, I managed to spray away the top layer of filth that clung to her skin and fur. A puddle of black soot, grime, dirt, and what I assumed was old, dried blood began to pool around the shower floor. I still didn't know the specifics of how Azura had lived day-to-day on that hellish plane - if there even were days there - but the foul, black mixture below us started to fill in some blanks.
Azura mostly managed to sit still while I washed her. There was some squirming; she didn't seem to like getting wet. I felt a sudden rush of pity for her. Her new life, on a new plane, with a new master, was going to include a lot of showers and baths. I decided to ease the transition. I went inside of her mind, which was very easy now that she was both my familiar and my slave. I planted a simple command: that she would enjoy the feeling of warm, running water on her skin. It took hold instantly, and as soon as it did, her body relaxed. Her anxiety and discomfort were gone, and the water itself was able to do its work and unwind her muscles a bit. As I continued to wash her, she even sighed in relief a few times.
"Looks like you have things at hand, Master," Rayna said, popping her head back into the master bathroom.
"Yes," Azura chimed in. "Pack Master's hands are wonderful, and this water feels so good against Azura's skin." She smiled and wagged her tail, which thumped against the seat.
"Oh don't I know it," Rayna chuckled. "Anyway, me and Ella are leaving. We have a few things to do."
"Oh?" I asked. "Such as?"
"You know, give Ella's mom first and last month's rent for the room I probably won't need, since I plan on sleeping right next to you, Master."
"Ohh can Azura sleep next to Pack Master too? Can she? Can she?" Azura perked right up, nearly jumping up to her feet.
"Of course she can!" Rayna replied. "But Master, with all these women you are adding to your harem, you might want to get a much bigger bed."
She wasn't wrong. My full-size bed wasn't meant for two, let alone three or four - especially if one of those three or four was a six-foot-tall hellhound in human form.
"I will think about that," I said to her while still working on Azura's hair. With the dirt and grime finally washed away, the bulk of her once-dull-gray hair was now shiny, and had a subtle blue tint to it. Toward the tips, the blue became more pronounced and quite vibrant, matching her flames and her eyes.
"Is there anywhere else you're planning to go?" I asked Rayna.
"Well, to the grocery store to stock back up, since we've been eating so much food around here. With another mouth to feed - especially hers - it would be wise to buy extra, too."
"And why is that?" I asked.
"Because, Master," she replied, "hellhounds live by the three 'F's"
"The what?"
"The three 'F's, Master: fighting, feasting, and, most importantly, fucking. Once a female hellhound has found her alpha, her sex drive is almost bottomless. Non-stop mating, as they say."
"Mate?" Azura echoed immediately. "Is Pack Master ready to mate with Azura? Please, Pack Master, Azura is ready." Azura started squirming again, and I knew it wasn't from discomfort.
"Ya," I said, "maybe after we finish our shower. We still need to shampoo your hair."
"Fine, Azura will wait." She sounded deflated, but she stopped squirming.
"Well, I'm off," Rayna said. "Is there anything you want from the store?"
"Ya," I said, looking at a very-naked Azura. "Clothes? I don't think she can conjure them up like you can."
"Fine, Master, I'll look for something in her size," Rayna said. "Besides, it might give Ella an excuse to buy Mr. Smuckers some clothes of his own."
I'd almost forgotten about that little guy - Rayna's new familiar, assigned to Ella to help protect her. I shook my head, wondering what embarrassing outfits Ella wanted to dress him up in. Then I wondered where, exactly, she was going to find those outfits.
Rayna asked for a goodbye kiss, which brought me out of my reverie. I obliged with a simple, but very sensual kiss. Her soft, full lips grazed my wet ones. The smell of roasted cinnamon permeated my senses before we finally separated.
"I'll leave something for Azura to wear on the bed before we go," she said, "though I'm going to have to choose between 'flattering' and 'actually fits.' See you soon, Master." She smiled, and, with a noticeable sway of her hips, sauntered out of the bathroom.
I turned back to Azura. She was looking at me while chewing her lower lip, as though deep in thought. I was about to inquire, but she quickly looked away, like she was embarrassed by something. I let it go and proceeded to shampoo her hair. I used my mother's tea tree shampoo, which, according to the bottle, was supposed to cleanse the hair and scalp while also making the hair extremely soft. Figuring it was the best option for Azura, I poured out a considerable amount and spread it everywhere on her where there was fur.