Raven giggled.“Was that guy trying to come on to you?”
Maxim turned, and a metaphorical weight fell off his chest.Raven was patting the Shiba and smiling, and the dog was enjoying himself.
“Who knows.In their late middle age, some humans want all kinds of adventures.”
“Yeah.”Raven’s smile faltered, running off his face like blood off a sharp blade.“What are you going to do with this guy?”
Maxim looked at the leash.Keep him if he keeps you happy.“I don’t know.”
He took a step toward the Shiba, and the dog looked at the leash, growled and flashed teeth, then looked at Maxim with very expressive dog eyes, as if to say,you go ahead and try, see where that gets you.
Maxim groaned.Then he tossed the leash into the lake, which scared off three ducks hiding in the tall grass nearby.It was also littering.Maxim would have to make a donation to the park for that.
“Very well.Raven, shall we return and feed the dog back at the house?”
“I guess… Yeah.Sure.”
Shiba Inu were weird dogs.They were more like people than dogs, and this one was either a freeloader who’d spotted a good mark in Raven, or someone who knew where he was needed.Maxim hoped for the latter.
The Shiba stuck close to Raven as they walked home, alert as he kept pace.He sniffed the air, paying Maxim no mind at all.
“Do you think… Can vampires adopt dogs?Legally, I mean.”
Maxim shrugged.“Of course we can.That’s not what happened though.This one adopted you, and it appears the legalities of the matter don’t concern him in the least.”
“Me?”
Raven looked at Maxim.They were almost at the door, and here, 43 Ruthaven’s glass facade reflected the light, making Raven look brighter and younger at the same time.His eyes were a vivid blue with darker blues mixed up in there, like a still pool or a well-crafted jewel.
“Clearly.”
“But…”
Raven balled his hands, seemingly unable to think of anything else to say.
One elevator ride later, they were back at the penthouse.Maxim took in the scene waiting for them in one glance before moving into triage mode.
Heath was asleep on the couch.Jason was nowhere in sight, but thanks to his sensitive vampire hearing, Maxim could hear him retching in the bathroom.
The Shiba stepped up next to Maxim, examining the living room with what appeared to be a similar kind of acuity.He then sneezed, clearly unimpressed by the new living situation he’d arranged for himself.
Raven stopped next to the two of them, moving quietly still.“Should we…?”
Maxim sighed.“I’ll make coffee.Are you feeling thirsty?”
Raven shook his head.
“Okay.Coffee?”
“It’s too bitter for me.Could I maybe get some peppermint tea?”
Finally asking for something.“Sure.”
The dog made for one of the pillows that had ended up on the floor during the drunk movie night Jason and Heath had been having and lay down on it, making himself right at home.It appeared that for the time being, he was going to endure his new surroundings.
Raven sat down on the far corner of the couch to give Heath space, and Maxim went about making tea and coffee in the little kitchenette.
Heath has not yet woken drunk and in a foul mood, Raven smiled, and some human now believes I’m a model rather than a hunter.As these things go, not a bad morning’s labors, not at all.He opened one of the lesser-used overhead cupboards where the tea was.And we have peppermint.Let the smallest things help balance the scales.Let him find more smiles to share with the world.
