A Dinner Date

"Cruel is effective."

She replied with a little chuckle, being cruel got the results she required with minimal effort.

"Soon he will be telling us the future of the country and we'll have all our future battle plans to win over that little brat in Kendrick.

"Very true." Cruelty was a very effective method of persuasion. One that he, too, used on occasion. Nothing worked quite as well as scaring or injuring someone enough to make them do as told.

Marcus barely gave a hum in response to the mention of the boy-king.

He had his own plans for the little brat in Kennedrick. Plans his mother didnt and would not know about. Only himself and one other person knew anything about this plan.

"Pre-dinner drinks are over now, wouldn't you agree? Bring out the main course." He wanted to sink his fangs into one of his mothers slaves.

"I do believe that you brought the main course with you. I can tell just by looking at him that you haven't even sampled Miriel yet, it's a shame, he was one of my favourites and you'll see why."

She replied, nodding for the small elf to sit up onto the table so Marcus could feed from him.

Another small elf padded out from behind the heavy curtain and prompted by a small gesture he sat in Cierra's lap, the Vampire wrapping her arms around him as she lay her head on his shoulder, pushing the robe he wore from his shoulder.

"You've fed from him already today," Marcus dismissed.

He planned to keep Miriel until he was of no use to him. He was going to keep the Elf in good health. That meant not over-feeding from him.

"I will see why in good time."

He tilted his head. "Fetch another blood-letter," he ordered the guard that stood at the door in silence.

"I am aware of that, though he would be fine to feed from again, provided that you fed him?"

She replied, raising and eyebrow at the man. Their slaves were in their care, Miriel was a more delicate creature than Sigil and it was clear from the boy's pale complexion that he hadn't been permitted to eat as of yet, Marcus was showing faults as a Master to a live-in already.

The guard nodded and returned moments later with a female roughly the same size as Miriel, quietly she padded up and sat up on the table.

Marcus' eyes turned down to the boy at the mention of being fed.

Oh, right, that needed to happen for people that weren't Vampires, didn't it? He was so used to Sigil going out and finding his own food that he hardly paid it a thought.

He'd have to remind himself to allow Miriel free reign to go down to the kitchens for food. This wasn't something he had had to think about in four hundred years.

Marcus' hands laid on the girl's thighs and parted them. He leaned down to press his nose against her inner thigh. Ah, the lush scent of the femoral artery.

Miriel looked up at the Prince somewhat sheepishly, he hasn't spoken up about needing to get food, he had been planning to go to the kitchen after relieving himself when he had returned to the pantry.

Obviously that plan hadn't gone as expected.

Cierra bit into the neck of the boy she was grasping onto, he gave a small yelp but settled quickly as she began to feed from him.

The girl parted her legs as Marcus touched them, chewing on her lip as she watched him smell her.

Marcus ran his tongue over her thigh firmly a few times before carefully pressing his fangs to the wet patch.

He was slow and careful as he bit into her.

He wasn't always as cruel as people thought he was. He didn't always want to hurt people with his fangs. It was just an inevitable thing.

He tried to be careful but it wasn't something he could help.

Despite Marcus being as careful as possible the girl's toes curled as her legs tensed at the bite of his fangs.

It was painful, more so when she was tense, it took a moment but her muscles relaxed as she let him feed more easily.

It wasn't common for Marcus to dine here, none of the slaves were accustomed to his bite.

Very few people were accustomed to his bite, slave or no.

It took a lot of time for people to become used to his bite. He couldn't remember how long it took Sigil to get used to it.

Once he had had his fill, the man carefully pulled his fangs from her thigh and lapped at the blood that beaded up.

The girl's lip quivered as she held back the pained little whimpers that came along with having those fangs buried in her leg.

A soft, relieved sigh sounded as he carefully pulled them out, it felt better already not having them in the wound.

Cierra didn't take long to finish her meal, she had been a little greedy and the boy got to his feet unsteadily, taking the girl's hand and helping her off of the table.

Marcus leaned back in his chair, painstakingly licking his lips to make sure they weren't bloodstained.

He was quite a vain person. He didn't like the thought of having an unsightly bloodstain from a meal on his face.

Usually Sigil would check him over and lick off any blood that had been clinging to his skin.

Once the Slaves had left Cierra sat back comfortably.

"So, now we have all of that out of the way tell me, did you enjoy the gift I picked out for you?"

Personally she had thought it was a brilliant idea, making the leader of her armies stronger would only benefit the kingdom, though the creature had been difficult to summon, it had taken her sorcerers days to get it here and even longer to contain the damned thing.

Marcus blinked slowly before realising what she was talking about.

He waved a hand. "I haven't found the time to see." Between spending time with Sigil and picking up Miriel, he hadn't the time to go out into the courtyard and check.

He didn't know what his mother had gotten for him.

"That's is a shame then."

She replied, running fingers through her glossy black hair.

"Be sure to go claim it soon, if it doesn't take a Master soon I doubt it will stay on this plane for long."

Those kinds of hellish creatures existed in another plane of existence, getting one here was difficult so she didn't want it returning before it was put to use.

"It will only obey who ever is the first to claim it by blood, no one has fed it yet, do doubt it is very pleased."

Alternate planes and blood claims.

That was some quite dark magic. It piqued his interest.

What could she have possibly gotten him? He felt a bit of childish excitement bubble up. It was rare Cierra got him gifts and, while this wasn't so much a gift but a demanded reward, he was still excited to see what she had gotten for him.

"I will go down tonight."

"See that you do, I don't want to see it causing chaos in my castle."

If it broke out of it's cage things could get very messy, such was the nature of these sorts of creatures.

She hadn't allowed Marcus to have pets when he was younger, the boy had been allowed to keep Sigil and that was enough, now was a good time to allow him one though.

At the mention of it causing chaos in her castle, Marcus' lips turned up into a dark little smirk.

Oh, she didn't want it loose and causing trouble, huh?

The man truly was trying to push his mother as far as he could. He wanted to see what she would do if she snapped. How bad could her temper get?

Cierra's eyes narrowed at Marcus' smirk, she hated it when he got that look on his face because she knew he was plotting something defiant and no doubt irritating.

"Go finish the summoning now, before I have it sent back."

She ordered, either he claimed it, or he would be refused it, it was simple as that.

"Mother, you're so impatient," Marcus tutted softly.

He loved seeing that glare on her face. The expression of an annoyed mother. He'd get her to snap eventually. Perhaps some time soon.

The Vampire stood and offered his arm to his mother.

"Would you like to accompany me?"

She gave a short nod and gripped his arm, pulling herself from her seat and moving to walk beside him.

"I think you are going to enjoy this."

She added with a little chuckle, it had all the qualities that she knew he some enjoyed.

It was wild but it would respond to him, loyal but bloodthirsty and violent by nature.

"Come, it's this way."

She guided toward the courtyard.

Marcus followed the woman at his usual almost lazy pace.

He took a glance back to make sure the Elf boy was following them.

"I do so hope I will enjoy it. A reward means little if I'm not going to enjoy having it." Thats what it was, after all. Why would he want a reward that he wouldn't enjoy?

Miriel was following behind them obediently however when they neared the courtyard a horrendous howl rattled through the corridor that left the small Elf almost cowering. That sound could leave even the bravest man shaken with fear, though the sound seemed to have little effect on the two Vampires.

Cierra smirked and pushed open the courtyard doors.

In the center of the immense courtyard sat a large cage, it's bars bent and buckling, barely contained within them sat a great beast.

Rows of large fangs lined it's mouth, its body looked almost emaciated but didn't seem at all weakened, it's skin held a blueish hue, visible beneath the thin layer of short fur, a thick mane ran down it's back and it's eyes shone a menacing shade of blue as it looked up at the newcomers.

It's large ears sat back as it took it deep breaths through it's inky nose, drawing in their scent and committing it to memory.

"Oh mother, you got me a puppy," Marcus crooned mockingly. "Really now, Rosalind will be upset. She's wanted a little puppy since she was at our ankles."

The Vampire strolled forwards slowly, his eyes alight with curiosity and excitement.

The beast was beautiful.

Marcus' tongue lashed over his lips in a familiar excited gesture.

Cierra gave an expression that showed just how little she cared about how Rosalind would feel about this.

She ignored his attempts of mockery and gave a nod.

"It's a yeth hound, they only hunt intelligent prey and detest other canines, though I wouldn't go as far as to call Lycans intelligent it should have fun hunting them down. It's howl wont effect Vampires or the undead, but you can see what it does to the living."

She laughed as she nodded back toward Miriel who was still frozen in place back in the corridor.

"Offer it your blood and it will obey you."