Decimandria: Fangs of Anger

Chapter 7: Change

Where was he? Where was he? Too long. He'd been gone too long. What had happened? Something must've happened? He wouldn't be gone for this long if nothing had. Should I go after him? Is he in trouble? But what in the world could give him trouble? Where was he?

Sierra Voidfire paced across the hall while these thoughts raced across her mind. Her beloved Lord Valentine hadn't returned for a few weeks and she was losing her mind. Suddenly, as if in answer to her prayers, there was the familiar, faint boom! of space being ripped apart and a yellow portal opened up in the middle of the hall. Sierra instantly turned to it, her eyes gleaming with hope. And, as her heart skipped a beat, she saw the tall figure of Lord Valentine walk out of the portal. 

But something was wrong. Lord Valentine's eyes were troubled...extremely troubled. And...excited? What had happened? Where'd he been?

Valentine saw the familiar hall of one of his mansion with unseeing eyes. The trip to Barfoss had been deeply concerning. He still wasn't completely sure that the family he saw there were really the people they appeared to be. Maybe he wanted them to be...

"My...my Lord." said a faint voice behind him. He turned around to look. Sierra was standing there in a black gown, looking up with devoted, yet anxious violet eyes. For a second he just stared at her as a stream of a re-realization flowed through him, reminding him of his roles and responsibilities as the ruler of all vampires. It lasted only a second, but it was enough for Sierra to catch.  

"Are...are you okay, my Lord." asked Sierra, worried. "You look worried. Did something happen." 

Her caring eyes, filled with concern and love, made Valentine smile. I really am lucky. "No, no. Nothing much." he put his hands on her shoulder and pulled her closer. "I'm fine." 

Sierra was blushing, almost radiating with the heat from her cheeks. But her mind was not at completely at ease yet. Valentine saw that, and guiltily remembered that he'd left her on a mission he'd almost forgotten about. He vowed to never let that happen again. Before his Elder Vampire could speak, he let go of her and casually waved his hand to make the wine bottle fly out of the cabinet and pour him a drink. 

"So, how goes the Woodland Walkers case, Sierra?" he asked, handing her a wine glass. With what's happening in Barfoss, I need to tie up all these petty things as quickly as possible.

Sierra sensed that Valentine didn't want to talk about why he'd been so distracted when he came through, and she respected him too much to press him. She forced herself to smile for his sake.

"I...er...not much progress, my Lord." said Sierra, suddenly a little worried that she'd done nothing at all these past few weeks. "The werewolves, four of the five werewolves you're interested in that is, went out to a wendigo settlement north of the village. I had them under observation the whole time. There they apparently got some intel on the fact that it was the Deadtail werewolf pack, their western neighbors who actually perpetrated the massacre. So, now they're on their way there, all thrilled by the idea of killing the entire pack. It'll take them a couple of weeks to get there though."

Valentine just stared at her dumbfounded. Have I been too soft on Sierra? "So, you mean to say,  all we, as in The Order, have done, is observe these four werewolves this entire time?" asked Valentine, his voice calm for now, as he walked to his royal, wooden desk and leaned against it.

"Yes, my Lord." answered Sierra proudly. "I had them under observation every single minute of every day. We didn't-" 

Suddenly, Valentine snapped and punched his ornate desk so fast Sierra didn't even see. There was a muffled crack like sound was trying to catch up and the desk split down the middle into two pieces. Sierra recoiled in shock at Valentine's anger. "I'm disappointed in Sierra." he said crossly, his eyes flashing red for a second. "I didn't realize you were this incapable."