A Couple of Months Later
The grass outside of Finchley Animal Rescue looked even more forlorn in the deadness of winter.
The concrete of the building mirrored the colour of the grey sky.
Despite the cheerless environment and typical British winter gloom, Michelle was in excellent spirits.
Lavinia walked beside her, her long blonde hair buffeted by the bracing wind.
The vampire’s usually pale skin had gained the faintest edge of pink in the cold.
“Ready?” Lavinia asked, her mouth quirking up at the corners.
“Ready,” Michelle agreed.
They walked into the warmth of the rescue’s reception. A grey-haired woman sat behind the desk. It was the same person they’d talked to when they were here last time. Nasim—that was her name.
Nasim raised her head at the sound of the door opening. She looked at them for a moment and then smiled. “Paul’s girl! And her…housemate!”
Michelle laughed. They’d pretended to be housemates when they’d come here before, trying to find any clues that would bring them closer to the rogue warlock. It felt like a lifetime ago. “Partner, actually.” It gave her a little thrill to say those words.
“Of course, partner,” Nasim corrected herself with a twinkle in her eyes. “How can I help you ladies today?”
“We wanted to have another look at Dora,” Lavinia said.
“I knew it,” Nasim said with obvious glee.
“The missus has fallen for sweet Dora. I said to my colleague when you left last time, ‘those two will be back!’ And here you are!” Nasim led them out to the kennel, keeping up a steady stream of chatter.
Soon, they reached the part of the kennel they were aiming for.
Dora lay on a threadbare towel, her head heavy on her front paws.
Her single brown eye looked at the commotion outside the fence with mild interest.
“Let me get the gate for you,” Nasim said.
At the opening of the gate, Dora stood up and shook out her thick Shepherd coat. She plodded towards them, sniffing Michelle. Her tail wagged slightly.
Lavinia knelt down. Extended her hand. Dora looked at it with a measure of suspicion.
When Michelle had asked Lavinia whether she’d been open to adopting a pet, Lavinia had warned her that not all animals were willing to be around a vampire.
Something about a predator recognising another predator.
Still, Michelle could not get Dora out of her mind.
Somehow, the dog had already wormed its way into her heart, and she’d been keeping an eye on the rescue’s website, watching Dora remain unadopted.
Now that she had fully moved into Thornblood and had settled into a routine—albeit a very peculiar one in which she slept through most of the day and spent most of her nights with Lavinia—they were ready.
Dora’s nose rose in the air, her nostrils flaring. She sniffed Lavinia’s fingers. Then sneezed. Her brown eye blinked at them trustingly. She nudged Lavinia’s hand with her head.
“She wants you to pet her,” Michelle said.
“Oh,” Lavinia said in wonder. Her hand stroked Dora’s fur. “She’s so soft.”
“She’ll need plenty of brushing,” Nasim said matter-of-factly.
“Plenty of walks, too. She’s an older lady but she still has a lot of life in her.
Do you have some outdoor space for her to use?
” Michelle thought of the huge lawn surrounded by a man-high stone wall at Thornblood.
If the wall was good enough to keep vampires out, it was probably sufficient for a dog.
Dora would have several acres to explore safely.
“Yes,” she said simply.
“And holidays? Have you thought of who will take care of her then?”
“We’ve got options,” Michelle said. “Friends who will look after her.” A whole house of vampire friends.
A housekeeper, a groundskeeper. There would be many new people in Dora’s life.
She would have space to run, a warm place to sleep, and as much love as one human and her vampire partner could give a dog.
They watched as Dora closed her eye, leaning her body fully into Lavinia’s leg. Lavinia rubbed the dog’s flank, fondness shining through every movement. Michelle’s heart burst at the sweetness of the image. It was perfect.
“Can we take her home today?” she asked Nasim.
After a number of forms, it was done. The couple walked out of the rescue hand-in-hand, their new canine companion trotting beside them, ready to enjoy the rest of their lives together.