Page 117 of Howl You Doin?
“Howlongwill he be like this?”
Odette shrugs. “Could be an hour, could be a few days.”
I groan and rub at my forehead, wondering how in the hell I’m going to keep the hotel functioning without Connor. My heart begins to thunder, and I suck in a few short breaths to keep from panicking and revealing my freaky little lycan alter-ego to the class. I can just see myself trying to explain to Maria that it’s me, and I’m not here to eat her.
Fear spreads at the thought of others questioning where he’s gone. Oh my god, what about when Allan starts asking questions?
“Who’s a cute puppy, who’s a cutey?! What’s his name?” Maria asks, breaking me out of my nightmare.
“Asshole, most of the time,” Odette mutters so only I can hear.
I shoot her a glare, appalled at her antics.
“His name is Roofus.” Her soft, cultured tone rings out in the parlor room, the sound fake to my ears. “Rhymes with Doofus.”
I wheeze. Okay, that was kind of funny.
I stare, completely dismayed, as Maria kneels on the floor with him and scratches at Connor’s neck. He seems to adore it, his tail wagging with his butt planted firmly on the carpeted floor. My brow furrows and my stomach dips when the tiny puppy bends to start licking at his balls, and then—nope. Can’t let him.
“No, no, Doofus. I mean Roofus.” My face heats with shame as I try to cover my blunder.
Odette cackles with glee as I scoop up the little dog into my arms again, and stare into his blue eyes. His fluffy tail starts wagging, and he tries to lick wildly at my face, right after he licked where he shouldn’t have!
“Oh god, there’s not a thought in his head.”
I set him back down when he won’t settle, letting him check out the room, while praying he doesn’t decide to pee anywhere. Too late. He lifts a leg against a chair leg.
“I was only joking. Just give it an hour, okay?” Odette says, making me want to throw another candlestick at her head. “Jeez, people act like magic is easy or something, and it’s not.”
I scramble to the door the moment I see Connor’s little puppy butt escaping from the room. Wondering where he is trying to head off to, I cinch my robe tightly at my waist and follow him.I am not dressed for this crap.
He’s quicker than I think when he starts sprinting fast, rushing through the hallways like his life depends on it. He never looks back at me while I try to catch him until we come upon the entrance hall of the castle.
The double doors near the grand entryway open and Connor barrels outside, yipping happily.
“Stop him!” I shout, terrified that he will somehow get lost outdoors.
I run at full speed, uncaring who sees.
“Whose dog is this?”
A pissed-off looking Vlad stands on the doorstep with a very happy Connor in his grip. His tiny puppy tail is wagging for all to see, while Vlad holds him by the neck with a look of pure disgust on his face. At least it’s by the scruff, and it doesn’t appear to be hurting him.
“Awww, he’s so cute,” Aubrey says, standing at Vlad’s side, trying to pet him as Connor wiggles to lick at Vlad’s cheek.
“Why is there a new dog at the castle?” Vlad asks again, and I wonder how in the hell I ever thought he was human. “Wasn’t one enough? Especially since the last one had such large, ugly, bulging eyes.”
I’m sure he’s talking about Fifi the pug, and to his credit, the dog did have protruding, soulless eyes that peered into your very being.
I go to tell him it’s Connor, just as he starts peeing all over Vlad’s nice suit.
Aubrey gasps and covers her mouth with a palm, her expression equally shocked and delighted.
An inhuman growl erupts from Vlad, and it’s my turn to gasp when Connor manages to swipe a lick at his face, just before Vlad turns and heads straight for the shallow side of the moat.
“Wait, no!” I shout, but it’s too late.
I groan and squeeze my eyes closed when the incensed vampire dips my puppified mate into the water for a quick bath. This cannot be real life.
