Larry wakes up to the clanging of metal cage doors and incessant barking. There’s a soft blanket under his head and he realizes he’s reclining on a raised bed in a small cell with a locked cage door at the front.
He jumps off the bed with a start as memories come flooding back. Jesse, Carb, Cerri. The Universum. The last battle. His return to DEAF to receive a new assignment.
Ah, shit. He’s already back on earth, just in time for his new Familiar gig. And what creature’s body have they stuck me in this time, Larry wonders with some trepidation. Not a cat. Please, not a cat.
He repeats the ‘not a cat’ mantra and pads over to drink from the dented bowl by the wall. A loud growl escapes him when he spies his new Familiar form in the reflective surface at the bottom of the stainless-steel bowl. Double shit. Not a cat, but almost as bad. Okay, definitely as bad. Worse, even. Larry shakes his head in disgust. Did he really have to back-talk his Familiar case manager at DEAF? Again? They’d had a mutually antagonistic relationship for centuries. And boy, did that demon know how to get even.
Looking back at Larry from the bottom of the shiny metal bowl was a small white poodle with bright pink ears. Damn it! He really needed to learn when to keep his mouth shut.
Sure, he'd learned a lot during his last Familiar gig, including not to be so cynical and detached and to trust others, especially his magical partner. But he'd certainly not learned to curb his snarky attitude. He sighs, then laps at the clear water, drinking his fill. At least he’s not a cat, he consoles himself.
He knows he was lucky with his last Familiar form. His usual case manager had been out sick the last time he returned to DEAF for a new Familiar assignment. The pretty demon subbing for his nemesis had been easy to sweet-talk. He’d told her that he ‘needed’ his next form to be a massive—and very handsome Rottweiler-Pitt mix. She had obliged him.
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Larry smiles at the fond memory, water dripping from his long, narrow muzzle as he finishes his drink. Form changes always leave him thirsty. At least he had had a century as a handsome and huge hunk of a canine. He would just have to power through this Familiar gig in this floofy pink-eared poodle body. Dammit.
He considers filing a grievance with DEAF, but that would only make things worse. He might wind up as a toad if he wasn’t careful. Shuddering, he remembers another time, several centuries before, when he’d mouthed off to his case manager. He'd hated his Familiar gig as a cat ... especially one assigned to a witch during the Burning Times. Talk about true suckage. At least he’s in a dog form this time. Larry sighs and shakes his head and his long pink ears flap against his face.
Speaking of cats, Larry hears faint meows coming from down the hall. He recognizes those feline cries. Carb had come through. Midnight's kittens are safe here at the shelter until their new magical partners find them. At least he knows where he is now. Furry Friends Animal Rescue—and prison, Larry morosely amends.
He'll have to deal with his new Familiar form. But he knows he’s still a rough, tough junk-yard dog inside. He'll just have to make sure his new magical partner knows that, while he may look like a pretty boy on the outside, he has the heart of a ‘real’ dog. Then he snorts when he remembers his case manager's briefing about his upcoming assignment.
His new partner isn’t even aware of the supernatural world. Yet. It’s Larry's job to protect her until her magical heritage finds her. Great. A newbie.
A low, musical voice startles Larry from his dismal musings. "Oh, my god! You're adorable! Look at those pink ears on you! And the pink tail, too. What happened to bring you in here, cutie?"
Larry tries not to roll his eyes. So, his freaking tail is pink, too. Instead, resigning himself to his new reality, he plasters on a doggie smile and approaches the cage door. He eyes his new magical partner with interest. She is attractive, with long, black hair and green eyes set above high cheekbones. Her mouth curves in a kind smile, and her eyes sparkle with delighted amusement.
Remembering the hard-earned lessons of his past life, Larry silently repeats his new mantras. Trust. Verify. Teamwork. He wags his tail and grins a wide doggie smile, then slips his paw through the cage door. The magical Familiar bond snaps firmly into place when the kind lady wraps Larry’s paw gently in her hand.