Nightwalker’s Pet

As soon as they got onto the highway the dog sat up and stared out the window. After a moment his paw must have accidently hit the switch for the window and Andrea felt a blast of chill air. She reached to close it but before she could the dog stuck his head out the window. She glanced over and saw his big doggie grin, tongue hanging out and catching the wind.

Who could tamper with happiness like that? Andrea laughed to herself and decided to put up with the chill, leaving the window down all the way home.

She parked in the garage and used her automatic door opener to roll the door down before getting out of the car. The dog followed her inside and trotted into her living room as she hung her coat on a hook near the front door. He caught sight of her big screen TV and gave what sounded like a yelp of pleasure.

Andrea laughed. “You like television?” Again he turned his head at her and there seemed to be adoration in those brown eyes. She needed a moment to herself anyway. “Okay, I’ll turn it on for you but you have to stay off the couch.” Using the remote on the coffee table, she found some kind of nature channel program she thought he’d find interesting. The look he gave her didn’t seem happy but he lay on the floor to watch as a pair of lions trotted after a herd of zebras.

In her bathroom Andrea removed the dental appliance that covered her upper teeth and put it in to soak. Sighing, she examined the most visible signs of her condition, the slightly longer and very sharp fangs in her upper mouth. The appliance gave her a normal-looking mouth but wasn’t the most comfortable thing to wear. After changing from her work-clothes into sweats, she headed to the kitchen. As she passed the living room she noticed that the television channel was no longer showing zebras but a football game.

Curious, Andrea walked into the living room, expecting to find the dog with the remote in his mouth but the dog wasn’t on the floor anymore. He wasn’t on any of the chairs or any of the furniture. In fact, there was no sign of him.

On the other hand there was a naked man on the couch with the remote in his hand. His bandaged hand. A naked man with an impressive build, golden-brown hair and that bandaged hand. A mouthwatering man who turned to stare at her with big soulful brown eyes.

Andrea gaped at him. His eyes dropped to her mouth, widened and his mouth opened. They spoke nearly in unison. “You’re a…”

“Shapeshifter!” she said.

“Vampire!” he finished.