Decimandria: Fangs of Anger

Chapter 3: Preparations

"Well, may I still say that that trip was a waste of time, my Lord?" asked Sierra. The teleportation portal just closed behind them, and now the vampire party stood in the magnificent entrance hall of one of Valentine's mansion.

Valentine laughed. "No. I found it was quite...educating." 

"Really?" 

"Yes." answered Valentine. "Come on, let's get something to eat." Sierra nodded and followed Valentine to the left door leading to the huge dining room. The two guards pushed open the doors for them to reveal a huge, white, wooden grand table. Twenty chairs stood on each side, with the head having taller wings and backrest. 

A maid was standing inside and she bowed when the Valentine entered. "May I serve dinner, my Lord?" she asked, still bowed.

"Yes. Please." said Valentine. "What are we having for dinner though?"

"The kitchen has prepared Golden Goat cheese salad with fresh lettuce and cherries and truffle mushrooms for starters." answered the maid. "For the main course, we have dragon meat steak and crystallized fish from the Werber mountains. And desert is white cake with gold leaf and parfait made from the Duset strawberries." 

"Hmm, okay." said Valentine thoughtfully. 

"I...is there something not to your liking, my Lord?" asked the maid frantically straightening up. "Just give the word and I'll immed-" 

"Add some Sherry champagne to the menu, Mafi." said Valentine with a smile. 

"Huh? Er...yes. Yes, of course. At once, my Lord." Mafi the maid quickly rushed out to the wine cellar and Valentine went to sit at the head of the table. Sierra chose the seat to his right and and sat down too, longingly looking at the Vampire-Lord. 

"What's wrong, Sierra?" asked Valentine suddenly. He'd been staring at the grand chandelier hung from the roof and Sierra hadn't realized Valentine had noticed her staring. 

Sierra went red. "Er...noth...nothing...my...my Lord." she stammered. 

"You're clearly flustered." said Valentine. He looked down and locked her with his black eyes. "You're bothered about what I said at the village, aren't you?" 

Sierra shamefully looked down. 

Valentine snapped his fingers and waved his hand at the guards standing inside. They bowed and left the room, leaving Sierra and Valentine alone. 

"You think I don't trust you." said Valentine softly. 

"No! No...it's...it's not." stammered Sierra still not making eye contact. 

Valentine suddenly reached out, pulled Sierra towards him and kissed her. She almost squealed in shock, then felt him on her lips and melted into ecstasy, her eyes shut. 

After a few seconds, Valentine let go and pulled out of the embrace. Sierra, now even redder and flushed than before, looked down, too embarrassed to look at Valentine's face so close to her's. 

"I do trust you, Sierra." said Valentine quietly. "I don't think that you'll lose control like you did then. I know you've worked hard to get your emotions in control...I know you'll listen to me."

Sierra looked up. "Then why didn't you let me go to the village alone?" she asked pleadingly. 

Valentine grinned. "I wasn't lying to you, Sierra. I went to the village because I wanted to see those werewolves for myself...I wanted to see the pack. More importantly, I wanted to see that Arch Silverback."