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Lestat was bored.
The streets were surprisingly empty, even for this time of night. And Louis was for once calling his bluff and enjoying a good book by the fire.
It was one of the nights he particularly missed having a dog. Dogs were happy to walk with you all night, listen to you in any language, and honestly the occasional game of fetch was entertaining when you could really make a dog work for it. Mojo had loved running after the kong when Lestat sent it flying a full city block. Though there had been the hasty improvised rescue when Lestat had misjudged and sent kong, and therefore dog, into the actual river.
Louis had busted a gut worthy of Lestat himself on seeing the mud and water drenched pair come in that night.
Lestat was about ready to turn back having reached a part of town still mostly vacant lots, industrial and derelicts when a car came screaming around a corner.
He stepped back into the shadows, watched a man get out of the car and toss a canvas bag into one of the lots and then get back into their car to drive away again.
Lestat resumed his intent to return home when he heard the whimper.
He followed the sound to the lot and the bag that had been dumped and opening it, found a young pup. It was a German Shepherd, old enough to have been weaned, but still with the awkward gangly limbs of a not fully grown dog.
The muzzle was tied shut with an extension cord tight enough that fur was already rubbed off in a couple spots. Even worse, thought Lestat, the dogs ribs showed through the fur.
Lestat broke the cord and freed the dogs mouth, and was rewarded with many happy kisses from the dog, which on inspection appeared to be a girl.
Lestat stood and started to walk, patting his thigh for the dog to follow him, which she did until it became clear she was too hurt and weak to keep up, and would only hurt herself more. But like all dogs would do so happily to be with her person until she couldn’t. Lestat might not be human anymore, but he was a person still, at least to this dog.
Lestat scooped her up in his arms and carried her home.
In the townhouse, Louis glanced up as Lestat set the dog on the floor. “Couché.” The blond commanded before disappearing into the attic.
“A dog?” Louis called out.
“I’ll explain later.”
Lestat reappeared with Mojo’s old bed, a couple toys and an old blanket, which he set up next to the fire and urged the dog to climb into.
Once Lestat was certain of her comfort, he stood up and looked at Louis, “I’m suddenly hungry. Care to join me?”
“I don’t kill human’s any more, I feed but I don’t kill.”
“Not even on a human that tied up the dog and left it to die in an abandoned part of town?”
Louis looked at the dog’s muzzle, looked at Lestat. “I don’t think I’m in the mood for garbage tonight. You have fun. I’ll make sure it’s comfortable.”
“I think I want to call her GrisGris.” Lestat said softly.
“GrisGris will be comfortable. Go be you. She’ll be here when you get back.”
Lestat smiled as Louis gave him a wink, and then stepped back outside.
He wasn’t bored anymore.