Chapter 30 - CHAPTER 29: Dog Betrayals & Bat Crashes!

🧛Lean's POV:

Ok, so after the mutt stormed out of the apartment—because apparently he hated the doggy bone and mango dog treats I got him—he started chasing me around like some deranged werewolf (which… fair, he is one).

But mid-chase, I panicked and tossed one of those treats into his mouth. And guess what? He stopped.

Then he started chewing it, making a face like Gordon Ramsay judging a MasterChef disaster. His eyes flew open, and suddenly—bam—he grabbed the whole packet of mango treats, stuffed a few more in his mouth, and bolted away like a shamed Victorian lady caught without her gloves.

I knew he liked it. A dog is a dog—whether it's a Chihuahua or a Big, Grumpy, Hot Wolf.

Anyway—good news! I got permission to work. Wolf pact rules: I work, and the police don't show up at his door. A deal is a deal.

So, I tossed on one of his hoodies (yeah, it's oversized, and sure, I've got my own—but his smell like Wolf and Grump, so I'm stealing it).

Alright, Vamps is off to work! …Wait—cookies for BunBun first. Priorities.

🐺 Dominic's POV:

How dare that low-on-hemoglobin bat bring dog treats for me!! I'm a wolf, not some fluffy lap pooch you carry in a purse!

…Ok yeah, these taste amazing.

Damn it. I need more.

How shameless am I?!

No, no, I can't eat these in college. If someone catches me, they'll call me some kind of creep with a dog-food fetish.

But… yeah… at least he cared enough to get them. It's his first earning too. He could've bought himself something—fancy boba, new nail polish, whatever chaos he's into. But no. His brain went—

"Yes! I got money! Let's get my Puppers some treats!"

Idiot.

Why am I even into this kid?

Ok, Dom, don't blush. Don't—

Why the hell is Ray running?

"HEY, Ray!! Where the fuck are you—"

Oh.

Ohhh.

Linda's chasing him down the street like a raging bull.

"Bastard! How dare you call me fat!"

"You told me to be honest, love! Sorry—"

RIP.

Thirty strands of hair gone. Just like that.

Agh. Women.

Well… at least my one's a dude.

Ok, here we go—

Stratton Public College.

First period: English Literature.

The worst way to start a Monday.

Mr. Wood's voice is just a distant hum in the background as I stare out the window. I'm not zoning out because I'm tired. No — I'm zoning out because my brain has apparently decided to return last night's memory of Lean that oversized mosquito, holding my life hostage like it's a priceless artifact.

"Young man!"

I blink back to reality. Mr. Wood is glaring at me over his glasses.

"Would you care to tell the class why you're staring into space instead of analyzing Wordsworth?"

I almost say because Wordsworth never met a vampire who can burn pancakes and my patience in equal measure, but I bite my tongue.

"Just… appreciating nature, like Wordsworth appreciated daffodils" I mutter. He doesn't look convinced, but he moves on.

Second period: Surprise Math Test.

If this had been a month ago, I'd have been dead meat. But Lean's been tutoring me in the evenings — well, tutoring me between making sarcastic comments, stealing my snacks, and resting his cold toes on me — and apparently some of it stuck. I actually understand half these equations.

When Ms. Patel hands me back the graded paper later, her eyebrows lift.

"B+? That's an improvement, Quinn."

Damn right it is. Lean's gonna hear about this one.

Third period: Football Practice.

The air smells like fresh-cut grass and ego. Coach barks orders, I sprint, tackle, score, repeat. By the end, I'm soaked in sweat, my lungs are on fire, and Coach actually claps me on the back.

"That's the Quinn I want on the team!"

Yeah, well… guess having a vampire constantly challenge your reflexes makes you faster.

Between drills, I flirt with a couple of girls near the stands. "Looking good babes!" Muscle memory, really — I've been doing it for years. They laugh, flip their hair, give me that look. I walk away smirking… but it fades quick. Feels cheap now. Feels wrong. Lean's face pops into my head, and suddenly I'm just annoyed with myself.

Lunchtime. Cafeteria.

I'm starving. I sneak a hand into my hoodie pocket and pull out the pack of… dog treats. Yeah, yeah. I like them, alright? High protein, crunchy, no judgement. Except when Matt almost catches me mid-bite.

"Uh… is that…?"

"chicken jerky," I say instantly. He shrugs and moves on. Close call.

Fourth period: History.

Finally, my turf. I roll out my presentation on The Effects of World War II on the Colonies of Britain. I've got the timeline down, the maps, the visuals. By the time I finish, even Mr. Daniels looks impressed, he is my favorite professor out there.

"Excellent work, Dominic. Very well-researched."

I nod, pretending it's no big deal, but… okay, it's a little bit of a big deal.

Fifth period: Geography.

Skipped. Don't care. Extra football practice calls.

After college, I hit the gym.

The guys there greet me like I just came back from the dead.

"Where the hell've you been?"

"Busy." (Translation: living with a chaotic vampire who keeps me up way too late.)

I go through my routine — bench press, deadlifts, squats, a few sets on the pull-up bar, some cable rows, and finishing with sprints on the treadmill. It feels good. My muscles ache in the right way.

On the way home, I grab a large cup of boba — strawberry, mango, and grape mix, for the Vampire, I get no-yeast bread puffs from the bakery. For me? Meat buns, chicken wrap And maybe… a protein shake.

Headphones in.

Playlist on.

Walking home as the sky turns gold, munching on the last crunchy piece from my pocket.

And for some reason, all I can think about is Lean's face when I hand him that boba.

He will be like

"Puppers you got it for me I love you!! I will give you belly rubs!!!" Ok I love belly rubs!! It's a secret, I bribe him with it to keep quiet for a minute! Fucking Batboy!!

🧛LEAN'S POV:

Ok! I miss him! sniff — yup, still smells like his musk on this hoodie. (Don't judge me. Wolves smell nice.)

I get to the shop and I'm greeted by Bunbun the CORGI.

"How's the good boy, Melm! Melm! Melm!"

I drop to my knees and give him belly rubs until he's flopping around like a pancake in a spin cycle. I even give him the cookies I bought for him.

Hehe… Puppers would be so jealous if he saw me belly rubbing another dog.

Olivia has to head out for some personal stuff, so she hands the shop — and Bunbun — over to me for the day.

Awkward. We've never been alone before. The dog's looking at me like I'm plotting to kidnap him.

He side-eyes me.

Then suddenly — bark! bark! — at a random husky outside the glass door.

"Get off my plants!! I pee there!! You wooly mammoth!" he's practically yelling.

The husky barks back: "Shut up, you bread loaf with short legs!" and, just to make his point, proudly pees on Bunbun's favorite bush while his human drags him away. "Son of a Woman!!" Bunbun snarls.

Dogs and their pee-marking obsession… ridiculous.

Wait. Does Puppers pee around the house to mark his "wolf territory"? …I have to ask him.

Anyway, work calls.

Fixed a kid's watch.

Revived a half-dead TV from the 90s.

Replaced the screen on a guy's iPad that his girlfriend smashed after he called her fat.

(Agh, women! At least mine's a dude.)

Then someone dragged in a fridge that needed its gas refilled. Add a couple more boring repair jobs, and the day's crawling along.

So I text Puppers:

Me: "Puppers!! Are you alive?"

Him: "Why the hell should I be dead!"

Me: "Well, someone might kidnap you!"

Him: "Don't worry, I'll bite their heads off. See ya later, I had a ppt. And… well, I don't actually like them, but I guess you brought them so… get some more dog food stuff. And again — I definitely don't like them, I'm a wolf!"

Hehe. He liked them.

I'm buying three different flavors before heading home.

Foolish Big Mutt!

🐺Dominic's POV:

Finally home.

I fish out the key, unlock the door, and call out,

"Vamps! I'm home!!"

Silence.

For a split second, my wolf brain jumps to he's dead, before I remember—oh right, he has a damn job now.

Still… it's weird walking into the apartment without a hyperactive vampire–slash–husky soul launching at me the moment I cross the threshold.

"Well… guess I'll grab a quick shower before he comes back. Then maybe we'll have one of those 'domestic chats over dinner' about our day."

Wait.

That sounded… suspiciously couple-y.

Yeah, nope. I just want to tell him about my day.

Why? Hell if I know.

I toss my bag, strip off my hoodie—

"Agh! What the—my back!!"

Something huge crashes onto me from the open back window, like a meteor made of pure chaos.

My claws are half a second from ripping it apart when it speaks:

"Agh, sorry, Puppers! I gotta practice my landing!"

…Of course.

Who else would it be?

🧛Lean's POV

Finally done! Twenty-four items fixed today, a few decent tips, and Olivia's back. Bunbun immediately tattled on me for refusing belly rubs for the 100th time because I was working—traitor fluff loaf.

Olivia, thankfully, was happy with my performance and handed me my pay—$100!

I spent $60 instantly on three mini packets of dog treats for Puppers: mango, vanilla, and a suspiciously yellow "Best Seller" packet. I have no idea what's in it, but if it's popular, maybe he'll like it. That leaves me with forty bucks.

Time to head home! It's already 7—Puppers must be home by now.

I transform into my bat form and take off, flapping into the twilight. On the way, I run into an old crow who's lost his way to his nest, so naturally, I have to help. His wife gave me a berry as thanks. Sweet lady.

"BYE MR. CAW! SEE YA LATER!" I yelled as I flew off again.

Ten minutes later, home is in sight. I'd left the back window open this morning so I could swoop right in.

"Here I come!!"

Ah. Problem. I can't slow down. "No, no, no—still can't control my descent—I'm gonna craaaash—"

I'm basically a vampire-shaped SpaceX rocket failure.

Halfway through the window, I turn human—bad choice—because I land right on top of something warm, muscular, and very much alive.

"Agh! What the—my back!!" the something growls.

I immediately bury my face into the familiar shoulder blades.

"Agh, sorry, Puppers! I gotta practice my landing!"

Yup, almost got shredded in the process, but… totally worth it.

🐺Dominic's POV:

I somehow managed to stand up, and that rascal was already hugging me from behind, pressing his cold, damp face into my back like I'm his personal heater.

"Get the heck off me, you cold-blooded mammal of a bird!"

"But it's so comfy, Puppers!"

"Oh, you've left me no choice…"

I rolled my shoulders back, trapping the bat's pretty face right between my shoulder blades, and started grinding them onto his squishy cheeks.

"Pup—Puppers!! Agh! Ow! You're gonna crush my head!!"

"You didn't like that, huh?"

"You mean mutt!!!"

Next thing I know, the maniac clasps onto me from the back and starts running around the house — still with his face stuck between my shoulder blades.

"Stop running like a blind ostrich!!"

Of course, we ended up crashing into my damn fridge.

Great. Just great.

He's stronger than he knows, and he must never find that out.

"Are you planning to break all my bones tonight?!"

"You broke my heart, face it!"

"What—?! Why—?! How—?!"

I smacked my forehead. Hard.

"Fine! Just… just… settle down, alright? I'm going for a quick shower!"

"Can I join?"

"What the fu—"

I threw my hoodie over his face and bolted into the bathroom, trying very hard not to blush.

🧛Lean's POV:

Before I can even enjoy my triumph and safe landing, Puppers roars,

"Get the heck off me, you cold-blooded mammal of a bird!"

Rude.

"But it's so comfy, Puppers!" I mumble, burying my face deeper between his shoulder blades. His back is warm like a heated pillow, and after a long day at work, I deserve this.

"Oh, you've left me no choice," he mutters darkly.

And then — betrayal. My gorgeous face gets trapped between his shoulder blades, and he starts grinding them into my cheeks.

"Pup—Puppers!! Agh! Ow! You're gonna crush my head!!"

"You didn't like that, huh?" he smirks.

"You mean mutt!!!" I hiss, clutching him tighter in revenge. And then… I start running. Yes, running around the house with my face still lodged in the Shoulder Blade Prison of Doom™.

"Stop running like a blind ostrich!!" he yells.

We don't stop. Not until we slam into the fridge.

His fridge.

Oops.

He groans something about me breaking his bones.

"You broke my heart, face it!" I declare dramatically, because the truth must be told.

Somewhere between his forehead slam and his sigh, he says, "Fine! Just settle down. I'm going for a quick shower!"

I grin. "Can I join?"

The speed at which a hoodie flies onto my face is honestly impressive.

Anyway, let's get something—

agh, my head feels weird again!

I was about to sulk but, Maybe it's because I sniffed his grumpy musk too much.

"Ugh, why do I even feel chills now?"

No… this isn't the dramatic Lean chills.

This is molten. Wrong.

It feels like someone's lit a furnace inside my chest, and the flames are crawling outwards, licking every nerve, yet my skin feels chiller than the polar glaciers. Sweat slicks my skin, my shirt clinging like wet paper. My knees threaten to buckle, but they twitch instead, restless.

"Fuck… it hurts," I whisper, but my own voice sounds far away — muffled by the pounding in my ears.

Thud-thud-thud.

My heart is dead! But I can feel the undead soul of mine roaring, every beat sharper than the last, rattling my ribs, how does even an undead creature like me feel that!!

The air tastes like metal. My tongue feels too heavy. My nose searches for something warm! Something raw!

Dizziness surges in waves, making the walls bend and tilt. The fridge hum grows loud — no, not hum — growl. Everything is vibrating, alive.

"I have to move. I have to run. Before he comes back.

Before this happens".

But my body is betraying me.

Coldness floods my veins, freezing, pushing against my skin from the inside like I'm going to burst. My nails dig into my scalp as a sharp bang explodes behind my eyes.

My fangs ache — not just ache — pull, like they're being yanked out by invisible hands.

A primal, ancient whisper curls through my head, tightening my throat.

Something old!

Something primal!

I am it, I hate!

And it's clawing its way out.

My jaw clenches so hard I taste my cold blue blood.

My skin! It is Turning paper white! The world narrows to red pulses, my breath stuttering against the dark coldness. My eyes could now see the smallest movement in the far woods like a hunter born and crafted by the devil himself to bringing annihilation over the light.

I clutched the window fram hard enough to hear metal crushing crackles!

"I think I'm going to—"