What Makes a Monster

♱Thirty♱

"Are you hungry?" Lord Makai asks. "Should we eat before we return?"

"We?" I gesture between us, growing more confused when he nods. "Um...I don't think⁠—is that really appropriate, Your Grace?"

"If you are worried about table manners, there are restaurants with private rooms."

Private rooms? That makes it sound...weird. And by weird, I don't mean anything bad. Well, bad makes it even weirder. Just no. No private rooms with Lord Makai⁠—holy shit, that's worse!

"I'm fine with eating back at the estate," I say with what I hope to be a convincing smile. It's not, because Lord Makai ends up informing the driver to stop at a local restaurant. I sigh heavily. Why does he bother asking if he goes against my answers? Suppose he's used to that though. He always does what he wants anyways, must be nice to always be in charge.

"This is a bit excessive, isn't it?" I mutter under my breath, still opening the restaurant doors for Lord Makai.

"How so?" He asks, walking inside so that the entire place falls silent. All eyes are on us, the lords and ladies forgetting how to breathe upon seeing the famous vampire standing in the entryway.

"Getting a suit, shoes, a fancy pocket watch and now food? Let's just eat at the estate," I whisper, attempting to smile at those that look our way, but they give me the stink eye immediately. Wow, rude.

Lord Makai doesn't respond before a server escorts us upstairs to a private room, dark green in color with warm brown accents and windows taking up the entire wall, allowing us to peer across the city. From our seats, the castle is visible, nearly taking up the entire scenery. I don't think I've ever been so close to the gates before. I even spot guards patrolling and the tops of the trees in the garden peeking over the stone walls. The outside is lavish and spectacular. I doubt my own imagination could ever conjure what it looks like within.

It isn't until I catch a glimpse of Lord Makai taking a drink out of the corner of my eye that I remember I do have a job. I'm meant to be a butler, although I have no idea how to be one when I'm apparently supposed to be going out to eat with my employer.

Confused, and a bit troubled, I face Lord Makai and ask, "Would...would you like me to refill your drink, My Lord?"

A bottle of wine already sits on the table that the server must have poured earlier. Lord Makai snorts, probably due to my confused tone.

"We're here to have a meal, Wallace, no need to tend to me. There's a server for that," Lord Makai answers, holding up his glass before finishing it off.

"You're being awfully nice." I look around the room. "Is there something I don't know about?"

"What?"

"A prank, is this a prank?"

"Do I seem like the type to prank?"

"Yes, the absolute worst kind to prank, for sure."

Lord Makai smirks. "Well, I take that as a compliment then."

Seems this isn't a prank, although it sure as hell feels like one. Not that I'm complaining, today has been nice considering Lord Makai did apologize, I got an amazing pocket watch and am about to have a meal that I could never dream of affording. Speaking of food, I pick up the menu, but most of the words are foreign. I am still learning my own language so another is way out of my league.

I sigh and set the menu aside.

"What do you typically enjoy to eat?" Lord Makai asks. He's looking over the menu now.

"Nothing from a place like this. I can't even imagine what they have."

"Then are you allergic to anything?"