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  Zain tried to speak again, but the man ignored him. “There is water in the kitchen. His food is on the counter. When you return, you will let yourself in. The door code is 56839. Do not forget it.”

  The vampire closed the door right in Zain’s face, leaving him dumbfounded. “When do you want me to come back and walk him again?” he asked, a little baffled. He waited, but there was only silence on the other side of the door.

  Well then.

  A quiet asshole was better than being attacked, but it wasn’t going to help him figure out where the hell the dog was or what kind of schedule it was on. Taking the absence of any other instructions as permission to wander around, Zain started exploring the house. Heading to the other end of the living room, he carefully pulled back the heavy curtains and looked out at a large, fenced in backyard.

  Nope, no dog there.

  After doing a quick lap through the kitchen and still coming up empty-handed, he was afraid it was some kind of game or trap. Dogs were never this quiet when someone new was in their space.

  Making his way down the hall, he ignored the room that the vampire had gone into and checked the other doors. Linen closet, bathroom, plain bedroom…

  He was just about ready to give up when he opened the last door to see a dark room, the curtains drawn. The quiet sound of movement let him know he’d finally found the dog.

  “There you are, Pup. I was beginning to think you didn’t exist.” Patting the wall, Zain searched for a light switch. The vampire hadn’t said the dog was dangerous, but it wouldn’t hurt to be careful. Zain kept talking, trying to get the dog used to the sound of his voice — and his presence. “I’m going to take you on a walk and we’re going to play. How does that sound?”

  When his hand finally found the switch and the lights came on, it took his eyes a moment to adjust… His brain took a lot longer.

  “What the—”

  It wasn’t some fancy pure breed dog with more fluff than sense. It wasn’t a big guard dog that would try and eat him… It wasn’t even a mixed-blooded stray.

  It was a man.

  Well, more accurately, it was a gagged man with a tail that wasn’t coming from a plug in his ass.

  “You’re not a dog.” Okay, maybe not the most intelligent thing he could have said, and since the guy had a tail, it may not have even been entirely accurate but still… It wasn’t what he’d signed up for.

  The man-dog-thing just cocked his head and looked at Zain like he was a moron, practically telegraphing it with his expression. It was a weird contrast to the drool gathered at the corners of his mouth and sliding down his chin like he really was just another panting dog.

  Rich people were crazy.

  His first thought was to leave the way he’d come and forget the half-man with the tail, but then guilt took over. He needed to go outside, to be walked. Zain wasn’t sure how to classify the man… dog… thing that was in the kennel, but it was clear Caleb was nervous, uncomfortable in the stark kennel, and turned on.

  The hard-on he was sporting and the scent of precum were hard to miss, and for some reason, his own cock stirred.

  Not sure he was making the right decision, Zain closed the bedroom door behind himself and walked over to the kennel. The ball gag the guy was wearing kept him from being able to bark or respond verbally, but his eyes flashed and the intelligence behind them was unmistakable.

  Was he worried about what Zain would think?

  It would be a legitimate concern, especially if he needed to… do what dogs normally did when they were walked. With the mitts on his hands and the gag in his mouth, getting out of the cage would be impossible without someone to let him out, so Zain doubted he could just take care of those needs himself.

  Sitting down on the floor beside the metal kennel, Zain tried to project the same calm authority that he would with a regular dog — or a regular person. Ignoring the fact that it was weird, he tried to figure out what to do next.

  “I’m here to walk you and play.” It felt strange to say that to a person, except this person’s head jerked and his tail wagged. “I saw that, Pup. I bet you like to play.”

  The tail gave another swift twitch before it curled close around Caleb’s body as he laid down low on the crate. Was he ashamed of his reactions? The erection he’d been sporting was now hidden from view, but that hadn’t lied. He was aroused but clearly conflicted over it… or over something.

  Zain knew he wasn’t the best with people, but he knew dogs — however unique the situation was. A very real tail, a collar around his neck, needing to be walked… That all added up to a dog, so that was how he was going to handle it.

  Mostly. His own body didn’t seem to see Caleb as just a dog…

  “It’s okay if you want to play. We’re going to go run around outside, and I heard you have toys we can play with.” Keeping his voice low and non-threatening, he kept talking.

  Some dogs took to strangers right away and some needed more time. From the way Caleb was curled around himself at the back of the kennel, Zain assumed it would take a while for Caleb to relax. Since he was Zain’s only client, he wasn’t in a rush. He kept going. “Come here and show me your pretty tail. Once we get to know each other, I’ll open the door and we’ll go play.”

  The tail twitched again.

  Caleb’s brows pulled together and even though his mouth was distorted because of the gag, Zain knew he was frowning, probably upset at the way his body betrayed him. “Come here, Pup. I know you want to go run around outside and have fun. After you play and get some exercise, you can lay around in the sun. I’ll see if you have a brush. I bet that would feel good.”

  Dogs liked to play and chase balls and be groomed. Zain could only guess that Caleb would like it too. If the guy spent all his time as a pup, it would only make sense.

  “Show me what a good boy you are. Come here, Pup. I want to pet that pretty tail.”

  Okay, that sounded dirtier than he’d intended.

  He was a werewolf, not a freak. Dogs weren’t sexy, but the naked guy with the tail wasn’t exactly a dog… so he didn’t have to feel bad about his own half-hard cock, no matter how many times he went back and forth about just what Caleb was… Right?

  Evidently not, if the scent of sheer need filling the air was any indication.

  Caleb gave a low whine, and his hips jerked in a way that let Zain know he was rubbing his cock against the floor.

  Naked pup, horny pup…

  What exactly had the vampire meant when he’d said to play with Caleb?

  Before he could even try to guess, his mental wandering into weird shit that was still entirely too sexy was halted as Caleb moved closer to Zain. There wasn’t much room in the kennel for him to move around, but as he inched over, it was clear that to the pup, he was crossing a great divide.

  “Good boy. That’s a pretty pup. We’re going to have so much fun.” He really needed to figure out the vampire’s definition of play — and what proper toys were, for that matter. As Caleb closed the final inches and pressed his side against the kennel, Zain smiled. “That’s a good boy.”

  Zain tentatively stuck several fingers through the side and did his best to pet the pup. Caleb slowly relaxed into Zain’s touch, closing his eyes and letting his body uncurl from the tight ball he’d pressed himself into.

  “Does that feel good?” Not expecting a response, Zain smiled anyway when Caleb made a low huffing noise. If the way he pressed in close was any indication, he was clearly starved for attention. “Think of how good it’s going to feel when we’re outside and you can stretch out. Show me how good it feels… Show me what a good pup you are. Wag your tail for me.”

  The tail was fascinating and arousing all at once. Zain just wasn’t sure why.

  Caleb gave him a look, and he was so clearly not amused that Zain blinked, almost pulling his hand back in case the hostility in those eyes led to… Well, he wasn’t sure what the pup could do, muzzled and mitted, but he didn’t want to find out.r />
  Even through the anger, it was clear he was a wounded pup, and the tail might be some kind of trigger for the dog… man, but the way he’d reacted previously said just as much as the anger did.

  Zain wouldn’t meet the angry pup with more anger; that wasn’t the way to handle a frightened dog, but he wasn’t going to back down. He needed to establish that right off the bat.

  “You can pretend to be a big bad Doberman with me, but I saw the way you rubbed your cock against the floor. I don’t know if you think I’m teasing or not, but I don’t think there’s anything wrong with doing what gets you off. This world’s gone to shit, and if this makes you happy, then go for it.”

  The past decade hadn’t exactly been kind to humans, after all. He’d had to grow up so much faster than a normal nine-year-old, and some days, he felt positively ancient.

  “But you’re not going to hide behind anger with me. You’re not just a dog who has a limited way of expressing himself. I can see the intelligence behind those eyes.” Zain still wasn’t sure what the hell he’d stumbled into, but he wasn’t going to have an aggressive pup on his hands. They had to get past that before he released Caleb from his kennel.

  Caleb eyed him for a moment, even doing the thing dogs did when they cocked their heads to the side. Zain had to suppress a smile, sure that the man-pup wouldn’t appreciate his amusement, but Caleb let out a sound that sounded almost like agreement — muffled as it was behind the gag. He went more willingly to the kennel’s opening, even going as far as to nudge against it with his nose. He pawed at it, then looked expectantly up at Zain.

  Zain had a feeling that releasing the pup — taking a step that was somehow significant for both of them — would either be the best decision of his life or the worst…

  He just wasn’t sure which.

  Determined to start things off on the right foot with the man-pup — whose behavior seemed to agree that he wanted to be treated more like a pup than a man — Zain moved to the front of the kennel. “Stay.” Explaining more than he would if the pup were a real dog, Zain continued, “When I open it, I want you to wait.”

  Caleb looked at him thoughtfully and seemed to make a conscious effort to relax his muscles. Between the mitts and the gag, there was only so much that could go wrong, but life had shown him how stupid that assumption could be.

  After all, it had only been one stupid assumption that had landed him in a werewolf pack… even though he wasn’t sure how dumb it really was, considering how much better his life was now.

  Working the latch, Zain let the door open several inches.

  Caleb waited.

  Zain’s excitement, or maybe just his nerves, were building, but he followed the instructions he’d been given. Fighting down his own concerns, because he refused to let the pup see how tense it was making him, Zain blocked the door with his body and tentatively reached a hand in.

  Caleb froze as Zain’s hand reached his head. Zain kept the caress light as he petted the pup’s hair. Zain couldn't help but stop and question if it would be called fur if he was a pup… and the thought sent a shiver through him.

  “That’s a good boy. We’re just going to get used to each other and then head outside.” As the slow touch continued, the pup gradually relaxed. He didn’t look comfortable, but the waves of nervous energy were subsiding. “That’s a good pup. I want to take a happy pup out to play.” Zain let his voice change to a soft, teasing sound to hopefully catch the pup’s interest and keep it. “Show me how excited you are to go outside.”

  Caleb lifted his head, nudging the drool-covered gag against his arm. He looked expectantly at Zain, then did it again before ducking his head down and rubbing the fastening of the ball gag against his skin as well. He let out a low whine, giving him the best… well, the best puppy eyes he’d seen from anyone who wasn’t an actual dog.

  He had to admit it was almost cute. Zain let his fingers trace over Caleb’s ears, almost like he would pet a real dog's. “You know that’s not what I want. How does a good pup show he’s happy?”

  Primarily, Zain wanted to make sure that Caleb wasn’t going to go feral on him. He was not going to go outside while trying to control a pissed off man-pup. But he also had to admit that the tail was fabulous enough to make him a little more careless than usual. Zain couldn’t wait to pet the pup more and feel the fur under his hand. Would it feel good to the pup? Did it have the same nerve endings a real dog’s did?

  Caleb kept those I’m-so-cute eyes trained on Zain, but half-heartedly gave his tail a wag.

  It was a deliberate enough movement that Zain knew it was Caleb’s agreement to hold his temper, but he wasn’t ready to let it go yet. “Oh, come on boy. Show me how happy you are? You’re going to play outside and we’re going to give you rubs. I bet you’re excited. Show me that pretty tail.”

  All right, maybe he was a little obsessed with the tail. But it didn’t matter what you said to dogs. It was all in how you said it, and he didn’t know enough about Caleb to talk about much else.

  Zain waited as Caleb seemed to debate what to do. If Zain had to guess, it seemed like Caleb had a really hard time with the idea that Zain liked his tail. Finally, Caleb gave it another wag and cocked his head again at Zain.

  “Such a pretty pup.” Zain let his voice fill with the honest emotion that was flowing through him. He had no idea what was going on, but Caleb was incredible, and he wasn’t going to try and hide that. He had a feeling the pup needed the honesty more than he needed the playing and the break from the kennel.

  The tail wagged again, probably to humor him, but Zain didn’t care. He let his hand slide down Caleb’s back, ignoring the smooth skin that sent conflicting messages through his body. Caleb arched into his touch for just a moment before he went still again.

  Not wanting to upset the pup, he eased back toward Caleb’s head. “That’s a good boy.” Zain glanced around and quickly found the leash. Stretching over to a small table beside the kennel, Zain grabbed the strip of leather and brought it back to the kennel. “Come on. Let’s go outside.”

  Caleb grew still as Zain hooked the buckle onto the collar around his neck. As Zain’s fingers brushed against the choke collar, he had a feeling he knew what the pup was worried about.

  “It’s okay, I’m not going to tug on it. Maybe we’ll see if your master has a different one… something more comfortable for a good pup like you.”

  Caleb gave him a dubious look, letting out a sound Zain was pretty sure translated into very human-like skepticism. But he wasn’t going to take it to heart. He knew actions spoke louder than words, especially to a pup… or to someone who’d given up that much control to another person.

  As Zain’s hands moved away from the collar, Caleb brushed his mouth against Zain’s fingers, reminding him of the gag. Should he take it off or leave it on?

  He knew the vampire might have had a good reason to put it on, but it was clear Caleb wanted it out. Decision made, Zain reached for the buckle. If he didn’t approve of something as a training device for real dogs, he wasn’t going to use it on the man-pup in front of him.

  The pup remained perfectly still as Zain eased the gag out of his mouth and set it down on the nearby table. He brought his hands back up to cup the pup’s face. “There we go. I bet that feels much better. Here, let’s get you cleaned up a bit.” Using the edge of his shirt, Zain wiped some of the drool from around the pup’s mouth. “That’s better, Pup. Let’s go.”

  Standing, Zain carefully held the leash so it wouldn’t tug on the collar. As he watched the pup slowly ease out of the kennel, he couldn’t help but feel that everything was changing right in front of him. He’d come to the house expecting to meet an excitable beagle or a lazy mutt, but instead, he’d met a beautiful, nervous pup who was more unique than anything he’d ever imagined.

  Chapter Three:

  Caleb

  The guy was weird.

  All right, so maybe Caleb resented him a little because he was treating him lik
e a real dog — right down to that annoying “let’s repeat this until you understand it because you’re not smart enough to bother using real words with” shit in that fake as fuck, diabetes-inducing voice. It was no doubt Liam’s doing, asshole that he was. He couldn’t decide whether he wanted to laugh or be pissed off by seeing the man treat him like he might a rabid dog.

  Fuck, had the drool started to look like froth? Did he look like he might have rabies?

  Did he actually have rabies?

  Oh, for fuck’s sake.

  Caleb was silent as he edged the rest of the way out of the kennel, working his jaw a little to try to ease some of the stiffness out of it. It hadn’t been in there too long, considering, but it was still uncomfortable. He hadn’t even been sure the weird guy was going to remove the gag, but now that he had…

  Would the guy muzzle him again if he decided to get mouthy?

  Probably. He’d just have to be quiet as long as he could.

  He huffed out a sigh as the man started to coax him outside. Was everyone in this world insane now? Did this seem… normal, somehow?

  “Who the fuck are you?” Caleb demanded.

  Well. He’d given it the old college try.

  The guy took a step back and gave him a curious look. “The dog walker.”

  Did he think Caleb was a total moron? He’d gotten that part. He gave the man a look that was decidedly unimpressed. In for a penny… “Uh… huh. And does the dog walker have a name, or do I just get to call you Weird Guy every time you call me Pup?”

  “If I had a tail that wagged when you called me Weird Guy, that would be okay, I guess.” Weird Guy gave him a long look before almost smiling.

  Oh, he wanted to try to say Caleb was the weird one, just because some crazy-ass vampire had tagged a tail onto him like they were playing an especially intense game of Pin the Tail on the Human. He made a face.

  “You like it when I call you Pup,” he said, but his voice was as gentle as the smile that had quirked onto his lips. “You liked it when I petted you and told you that we were going to play, too.”