Nightly Lessons Book I: The Book of Beginnings

[Peeker]

Janus gave a little frown. He hadn't realized it himself.... but he really did like the little puppy. Chewing his lip, the boy nodded at Mikeal. "I think I'd like that." Wow. Puppies were good at this whole... getting people to like them thing.

Did he really want to deal with the mess and the trouble a puppy like Klo could bring?

"Yeah.... I mean..." He reddened a little. "...how long does it take for.. um... when... would there be another litter of puppies?"

Razziel hadn't been breeding while Janus was there, so he didn't actually know that Hellhounds were true to their kind... and were really only like dogs in their shape. They bred far more quickly than normal dogs did... which was one of the reasons Caboose was happy that Mikeal got rid of the litter frequently.

[Kira_Wolf_Cub]

Mikeal laughed. The charm of the puppies easily won the boy over, just as Lucy had him. Now when he thought about it, Mikeal had to admit he was worried fro Bruja. Although Hellhounds lived long, they were not eternal. He knew Bruja was Razziel's third hound, and he had gotten Luct and Caboose just as he became a Worthy. And since Lucy was part of Bruja's last litter, it ment the dog was reaching the end of her life spand.

"Oh? Their breeding cycle... well. It differs time to time. It depends on hw long Lucy moans the lose of her pups. At the most two weeks. We'll know when they are mating when Caboose won't leave hLucy alone for a minute, you might have to sleep in my room again when that happens. That or lock your door at night, And she'll be carrying when their personas switch and Lucy becomes queen of the couch."

He watched Caboose finally rise up and tower over his pups,shaking the runt off his back. It landed with a heavy thub but was fine.

"Then... I'd say three weeks before Lucy is a mommy all over again," Mikeal thought. "A month and a half at the most. Of course, the same rules would go for you as they are for Alice. You'd have to take care of him and train him, or rather her in yor case."

[Peeker]

"Her, huh?" Janus blushed. It would be nice to have a dog of his own... a little cousin (or sister) to Klo. Janus was the younger fledgling compared to Alice, the younger brother compared to Mikeal, and the younger everything compared to Aleksandr or Razziel, or even this Lord Dimitrius...

It'd be nice to be older, for once.

"...Guess she can't be named 'Patricia', then... she's got to be my big sister." The boy gave a sad little smile, and carefully hefted a puppy with magic again, smiling as it yelped and whined. He didn't mind the tear that had leaked out of his eye. He missed his family... hopefully that wouldn't change, no matter how old he got.

"Maybe I'll look up some names online..." The boy said, before thinking and smirking: the puppy dipped in the air before he steadied it. "...or not." He shook his head a little. "Of all the days to slack off, huh?"

Now Janus was bothered. He didn't want to wait a month and a half! He wanted a puppy. ...rats! Now he had to do something after lessons... But what?

The boy smiled a little wider again, considering how he felt all of a sudden. "Now I feel restless. I'd kill for a water-gun, or a roller coaster, or something!" A chuckle. "Oh, wait, nevermind. I'm not six years old." He joked sarcastically, with a shake of his head. "Silly. I guess its the puppies. I just feel... energetic all of a sudden. I'm glad I don't have any other lessons today."

[Kira_Wolf_Cub]

Mikeal looked at Janus and smiled. He could understnad that Janus wished to be older then others. It was understandable. Like Alice, Janus had been taken before the courts out of the time space which where most of the humans they turned when taken and voted upon. They weren't planed turning, simply forced ones, so even to their years as fledglings, they were the youngest still.

Still it was a good thing they were still teens. younger children posed problems as they learned with the deaging spell back in the dark ages. It was easier to hunt humans and despite their size their lust for the crimson elixir was damn near unquantionable.

"Oh I don't Janus..." He watched as one of the pups began to rise again and chuckled as Caboose looked thankful. The male hound would probably be a little sore when Janus would get a puppy to keep. After all, it would mess with Lucy's cycle a little but then... it would be nice to have a small brake from a litter. And it could give Janus another way to get closer to Alice. "I'm sure Patricia would be a wonderful name for one of these little guys err.... I mean girls. I'm sure Alice would find it sweet."

Mikeal smiled more inworth now. The idea of Alice and Janus becoming close as friends was an important one for him. It was the bounding of two houses that had not been in each others favor since the Blood Wars. For the sons of Dornell to befriend the family of Rastline, not only would it be politicly in their favor, but if Janus needed help or protection from Razziel, Aleks and Dimitrius would most likely give it just because he was close to Alice, if Alice wasn't capable of givingit as well.

"Now I feel restless. I'd kill for a water-gun, or a roller coaster, or something!" A chuckle. "Oh, wait, nevermind. I'm not six years old." He joked sarcastically, with a shake of his head. "Silly. I guess its the puppies. I just feel... energetic all of a sudden. I'm glad I don't have any other lessons today."

"Oh?" Mikeal grinned and held up his hand, a faint blue color coming from it. "It can be arranged for you to be six again for the day, you know."

[Peeker]

Janus face looked deathly serious. He was surprised.

Had he forgotten that he'd been an eight-year-old before? Really? Had he forgotten how much he'd hated it?

The little vampire blushed. He realized he was giving serious thought to this. "...you gotta be kidding me..." he muttered to himself, staring at the floor. His hands were held up protectively, as though he could ward off the spell with them. How could he even consider being shrunk down again? Mikeal might take pictures! ...and he'd start to baby him! ...and he'd...hold him closer, because Janus wouldn't be ashamed to hug him so tightly...and if he did something stupid...well...the boy wouldn't mind it as much, because whenever he stopped aching, he'd be safe in Mikeal's arms...he'd...

The boy's expression pursed. He thought of home.

You have to be a big boy, now, Jakey. You've got to be a big boy because when momma gets tired, she can't always take care of you...

...how many times had he thought it? Never said it, but thought it: 'I don't wanna be a big boy anymore'.

"Oh..... oh no..." Janus looked at Mikeal almost hungrily. He wanted it... he just couldn't say it... couldn't admit it... ...couldn't risk it.

"I... I mean.... ....its.... its a great offer and all..... but... um...." He reached for an excuse. Anything. "Its... just.... um... too young? Yeah... I mean, I'm young enough and all.... really! I.. uh... We're fine just the way we are!"

He clapped his hands together. He regretted it, but he just had to change the topic. "So! What should we do, huh?"

[Kira_Wolf_Cub]

Mikeal's hand flickered for a second before the color faided. He knew something was off, that Janus was hiding something from him, but it asn't some naughty scret. He didn't press it since he felt Janus had the right to keep a few secrets of his own. Janus deserved his privacy.

"Of course we're fine the way we are, Janus. I didn't mean it in any offensive way..." Mikeal placed his hand on Janus' shoulder, reading the regret that flickered in the young brown eyes. "As for what we cshould do..."

Mikeal looked at the his door and willed it open letting Lucy rejoin them. She trotted over quickly and sniffed her puppies threw the gate, checking that they were alright, and woofed happily as she rubbed her head against Janus' hip.

"These two could use a good walk," Mikeal grinned as caboose instantly rose up and wagged his tail, followed with Lucy. "There's a wonderful park where we can talk them. And after wards you and I can have a rematch with the PS2. Sound good? Or is there something you would rather do?"

[Peeker]

"Oh! No... that's.. um... that's great!" The boy tried to push back his thoughts, giving Mikeal the best smile he could manage. Walking the dogs would be nice... as would playing some video games after he'd stretched his legs, gotten some air....

Sure, it would be nice to ride Lucy, just as it would be nice to walk her, but...

No. No-no. He had to focus. Couldn't be that stupid.... he really couldn't act like a little kid.

"I'll... um... get their leashes?" Janus suggested, hurrying over to the closet where they were kept without waiting for an answer.

[Kira_Wolf_Cub]

lucy woofed, looking at Mikeal annoyed at he wasn't confronting her tallest pup abou what was bothering him. Mikeal meerly looked at her though and uttered three words.

"Be my guest."

Giving off a snort as if to say 'Fine, I will', Lucy trotted after Janus. She stood behind him, unseen by the young vampire as he searched the closet for their leashes. Finally not waiting any longer, Lucy foced her head between Janus' legs and caused the young boy to suddenly jump in surprise as she forced him to take a few steps back.

Mikeal couldn't help it as he let Caboose out of the pen. It was comical to see Janus jump like that and because Lucy had such thick fur, it looked almost like the teen was riding her back slightly.

He started laughing.

[Peeker]

Janus blushed hotly, and pushed his hands down into the dog's thick fur, turning back to look at Mikeal, a huge fat grin on his face.

"I... um... missed you too, Lucy?" Janus suggested, wryly, somewhat trapped straddling the dog, unable to reach the leashes. He scratched the hound's ears.

Like he'd said: the dogs made you feel better about things. He still didn't think he could voice his thoughts out loud.. but at least he didn't feel as stressed by it, now.

[Kira_Wolf_Cub]

Mikeal smiled and willed over the leashes, jiggling the chains a little. Caboose promptly hoped up at Mikeal, his tail wagging maddly and happily while Lucy nearly knocked Janus over trying to back up and run over to Mikeal as well.

"Sorry about that, Janus," Mikeal tossed one chain over to Janus making Lucy turn and return to him. "When it comes to walks, they are fickle lovers. Down boy."

Finding their collars under the thick fur was a challenge of it's own with the two hounds. Lucy was excited again, happy to be able to get outside and away from her pups. Even she need space every once in a while.

"Now if you see a cat while we're walking Janus," Mikeal said calmly. "And she gives chase. Let. Go. Okay?"

Mikeal opened the door, barely getting out of the way as Lucy dragged Janus out and Caboose followed suit.