As the Sun hovered over the edge of the horizon, dusk slowly settled itself over of the remainder of the day. Strolling along the path at a leisurely tempo, Gabriel frowned down at the small Jack-Russell puppy pulling furiously at the end of his lead desperately trying to encourage his walker to increase the pace. “Considering that you have no idea and could not possibly comprehend where we are going, I am at a loss to why you would want to get there so quickly.” He snarled under his breath should anyone see him talking to an animal.

Casper, the six month old hell hound had belonged to Frank up until his unfortunate demise two months prior. During a case involving a human serial killer, Frank had the misfortune to interview a rather hostile witness, foolishly getting himself stabbed in the process.

It was five hours earlier that Frank’s now widowed wife had called Gabriel and hired him to raise her husband. The dog had come as part of the package. Annoyingly enough Tina had not even attempted to ask him for a favor, preferring to keep everything on a business level and hiring Gabe for his services. Is she had just asked, he would have gladly performed the ritual without charging. Tina however, had known Gabe a little to well and would have presumed that any request of that nature would have been ignored or simply laughed at.

The puppy up until now had been attempting to set a new record for barking without taking a breath. If the headache that was slowly building wasn’t enough, the small leather satchel Gabriel was wearing was now beginning to cut painfully through his thin suit jacket and into his shoulder as he made his way through the landscaped gardens and into the main graveyard. With a frustrated sigh Gabriel looked down at the small scrap of paper with Frank’s grave stone marker location. “Having friends just isn’t worth all the hassle.”

As Adriana walked toward the cemetery with her tools in a bag hung over her shoulder, she kept glancing around to make sure she wasn't being followed. Ever since she met Gerard Adriana felt different. She decided to concentrate on work tonight and not think of the night before where she was yet again rescued. Jinx, Jonathan you are oh so right she thought.

Through the last couple weeks, Adriana had seen the some of the animators around town, but a man with a rather adorable dog was there in the cemetery. Though you came across your occasional crazies out in the cemetery at night, he didn't come across as a crazy-most crazy people didn't wear suits, but with Adriana's luck lately he could be a nut job.

As Adraina walked past him toward the tombstone she was to meet her client at tonight she smiled at the man, she had some time to kill, she was really early tonight. Adriana squatted down at pet the adorable dog, "Hi! Aren't you adorable." She then looked up and smiled at the man attached to the dog, "Hello. He is very energetic." she said with a laugh.

With a sigh of relief, Gabriel finally found himself standing before his old friend’s tombstone, his silhouette falling lazily across the grave. With his headache now settling down to a dull throbbing at the back of his skull, and the sun making its final decent over the horizon he would soon be able to get to work.

Just then Casper decided to go into overdrive and started yapping wildly as he bounced at the end of his lead. Gabriel glared down at the puppy and was half a breath away from telling the stupid animal to silence itself when a comfortably familiar prickling of energy had the hairs on the back of his neck standing up on end.

It was the same feeling he had felt whenever his father had entered the room, bringing a small smile to the corner of his mouth. He turned curiously to find an attractive animator squatting before him, patting at a clearly over excited Casper. ‘You don’t see that every day’ he thought wryly to himself.

“If by energetic, you mean extremely noisy you’d be quite correct” Gabriel replied with a grin of his own as he looked down at the smiling face. “Of course if you’d be so kind in helping me to avoid a slowly developing migraine, I sure he’d love a chew.” He said while pulling a small bag of dog treats from the satchel hanging from his shoulder.

Adriana smiled at the man speaking of the noisy animal. Her smile widened as the man in front of her took out some treats. "I would love to qualm your headache." She took one of the offered treats and fed it to a the dog. She stood up and extended her arm, "I'm Adriana, your little friend seems to need a Prozac, what's his name?" she spoke with a laugh. After just speaking to the man in front of her, she understood why he may have a migraine soon, the dog did not stop barking unless you were paying all of your attention to him. Squatting yet again to bring the dog to a pant instead of a bark, she pet him so she could at least hear some of what the man spoke to her.

Since the night before, Adriana had kept her shields up and tight so she wouldn't be caught of guard and let another vampire know what she is. She had just let them down when she walked into the cemetery. She eyed his bag and assumed he was an animator here for business. "I am sorry to just up and interrupt you, are you waiting on someone?"

Gabriel smiled as Adriana introduced herself and offered a hand of friendship. Usually when he was working his mind would be fully focused upon the job with any distraction met with hostility and a volatile temper. Tonight however, the interruption was more than welcome considering the nature of the job.

He dropped his satchel to the ground then returned Adrianna's gesture with a firm but relaxed handshake. “I’m Gabriel and my noisy little companion for this evening goes by Casper.” The small dog was clearly enjoying Adrianna’s attention, his barking now replaced with the occasional excited yip.

“So what brings you to the Lady tonight, visiting a friend or on the job?” He asked with a knowing glance at the bag on Adrianna’s shoulder.

As he introduced himself as Gabriel, Adriana nodded and smiled down at Casper. As he asked his question, her smile faltered a bit, then c aught where his gaze landed- her bag. That had her relax a bit, I am way too paranoid.

"I am working tonight, I am quite a bit early and Casper just happened to catch my ear. And you, Gabriel? A leisurely stroll through the cemetery with your little friend or working as well?"

Adrianna smiled at Gabriel, but the momentary frown upon her face did not go unnoticed. Gabe was unsure what he may have said to elicit such a reaction, but something had clearly spooked the young woman. He genuinely hoped it wasn’t due to the reputation that had recently become attached to his name.

Pretending not to have noticed her pause, Gabriel feigned innocence and proceeded to continue the conversation. “It’s funny that you should ask actually. On any other night I would have said that I was working, but today is both a mix of business and a somewhat macabre pleasure.” Gabe wore an evil smile spread across his face which slowly melted into a friendly grin.

“To be honest I’m here to see an old friend. As for waiting, he’s unlikely to turn up until I call him.” He said with a chuckle as he patted the tombstone that he was standing by.

Adriana couldn't help but let out a nice laugh as Gabriel referred to raising an old friend. Hoping he wouldn't find it offending, Adriana composed herself, "I am sorry for your loss."

She took a glance down at her watch and decided she should head toward the headstone soon. "Gabriel, it was very nice meeting you. I am sure in our line of work, we will be seeing each other sooner or later." She flashed a smile at him, "I must head off to work now." Bending down she pet Casper one more time saying goodbye to him as well as she walked deeper into the cemetery to await her client.

Gabriel couldn’t help but smile at Adrianna’s infectious laugh, pleasantly surprised by her show of concern. “Thank you.” His voice full of genuine warm emotion at the thoughtful words.

Casper had now settled himself down, not evening making a sound as Adrianna petted him one final time. Not surprising really, there had been enough sedative in that dog chew to knock out a small rhino. It was probably a good thing that Adrianna had chosen that moment to say farewell.

Once again alone by the grave, Gabriel knelt down and rummaged in his satchel for a small glass vial. Popping the cap, he poured a little of the vials clear liquid onto his fingers then applied it to his forehead and both his eye lids.

"Pine scent of rosemary for memory, cinnamon and cloves for preservation, sage for wisdom, and thyme to bind it all together.” He mumbled beneath his breath as he glanced at the sleeping puppy beside him.

“Time to go to work Casper.” Said Gabriel in a voice strangely devoid of emotion, which was a perfect match for the blank expression on his face. From within his satchel he pulled out a wickedly sharp curved blade that appeared to glow from within as it reflected the moonlight along its length.

.........................................

They sat with their backs against the tombstone, legs out in front of them. To passers by it would have been an odd sight to see the two men wearing expensive suits, one immaculately groomed and the other covered in dirt from where he had dug himself from his grave. To add to an already bizarre scene, it appeared as if the two were playing a game of cards.

“I still can’t believe you killed my dog,” Complained Frank as he took another two playing cards from the top of the deck. “And I certainly don’t remember you being so bloody ruthless.”

Gabriel eyed the limp form of the now deceased puppy and gave a small shrug of his shoulders. “You’ve been dead for two months, you’re memories still a bit fried. I’m sure that it will all come back.” As he prodded his foot gently into Casper’s side. “Besides he had a congenital heart problem. The vet gave him two months, so its was either this or having him put down. This made more sense to me.”

“Humph.” Was Frank’s only response as he helped himself to another card. If his eyes hadn’t sunken back into his head they would have been twinkling as his pale hands placed the cards down before him. “I win.” He smiled through browning teeth. “Looks like you’ll be visiting me once a month as per the terms of the game.”

“You got it Frank.” Laughed Gabriel as he reached up, pulling himself to his feet with the aid of the tombstone. “But now I’m afraid it’s back in the hole for you. And Frank, do me a favor before you go, take the little guy with you.” He said with a quick glance in the direction of Casper.

"No problem Gabe." Replied Frank with a sad smile as he tucked Casper under his arm. "You take care of yourself and I'll see you next month."

"See you then Frank, and if you're lucky I'll even bring my father along and make it a threesome." And with that Frank and Casper disappeared beneath the soil to leave Gabe alone with a single tear streaking down his cheek.