The room was a quiet corner of the manor. Wood and glass covered the walls. Each window was a cabinet door, books and scrolls littering every available surface on every available wall, save one. The floor was tidy, devoid of either a stray book or so much as a speck of dust.

The man lounged next to the singular window in the room. His muscular frame was barely contained behind a soft white linen shirt, his hair was short and combed meticulously backwards. In his left hand he held a small pen, tiny for the hand that held it. On his right was a notebook, a rather empty one, only the first dozen pages containing information.

With a precise stroke of the pen, the head of the science department underlined the first two words written on the first page of the notebook.

Rick Cross.

The sound that escaped his lips was not a happy one.

Behind him, the shadow of the curtain cast bulged and grew, a hooded figure emerging into the material plane. “Something bothering you?”

“For a man who’d caused so many ripples upon his arrival, he’s been annoyingly cautious.” He answered.

“Hm…” The Vampire leaned closer, approaching the side of the couch, stepping into the beam of sunlight to cast a shadow over his shoulder. “No word from the earl of Balet?”

“Tylen has been uncharacteristically quiet. Normally he would have sent word to the King.” A slight frown as he wrote another note into the notebook.

“Has this offworlder warranted your frustration?”

“He tamed a Tigress on his own, and she shifted into a Sabertooth shortly after.” He contemplated the words for a moment, glancing over his shoulder and meeting the blood-red eyes of the ageless maiden. “But you knew this.”

“That I have.” She reached out to the notebook, her hand being swatted away by the man before she’d snatch it out of his fingers. “But is it worth your personal time?”

“Tylen’s silence has prompted it. After confirmation of Mister Cross’ arrival in Balet, no further news has been shared.” His finger tapped against the card cover of the notebook. “That means something about this offworlder has made Tylen extremely cautious.” Another pause, brows furrowed. “If I am to use Mister Cross, I need more information.”

“Do you have to, though?”

“He is a pure-blooded human, and has already shown potential. The subjugation of White Claw is proof enough. He is a prime option out of the offworlder group.”

“Then, perhaps, I may have something for you.” She wrapped her arms around his neck.

The man remained calm, even as the Vampire licked his throat.

“You?”

“There was a change of plans on our end.”

“I figured that would be the case. The King deployed the royal knights.”

“I wonder how he found out a Vampire was part of the attack?” Her voice was cold, her fangs scrapping his flesh.

“What makes you think he did?”

“The knights deployed to block all routes south from the capital. My agent and her companion found no safe way to move through undetected.” The pressure increased, her mouth locking against the pulse of his artery. The rhythm was steady and calm, unperturbed. “They are headed eastward.”

He didn’t nod so much as affirm the words. “Planning to trick the knights into thinking they’re going to leave the kingdom towards Coven?”

“It is so much fun talking with you, you catch on quickly.”

“Does this mean they will head to Balet?”

The Vampire traced a finger up to his jaw, pushing his head to lean to the side. “The revised plan would have them avoid such a large city, but…”

“But?”

“But I might change their orders… for a price.”

A sigh. “I cannot promise I’ll be able to put a gap on the net for them to slip through.”

“And yet you’ve not denied me.”

“Your stunt in the collar production facility went too far. You were supposed to only take a maiden.”

“And I did.”

“It wasn’t meant to be a human forcefully turned!” His eyes burned with an angry chill, his heart pumped faster for only a second.

Her tongue tasted his skin, cool, wet and slimy. “Was that why you informed the King how he could block my girl?”

“You haven’t paid from your end yet.” His heartbeat had not changed, slow, in control. “Your stunt would not warrant that loss, not when I can use it to charge you more.”

She pulled away, leaving behind a wet patch on his muscular neck he ignored. She sauntered back into the shadows of the personal library. They seemed to swallow her, reducing her body to a silhouette and two red eyes. “You’re asking to have my agent put herself at risk with no benefit.”

“That would be unwise of me.” His gaze returned to the notebook in his hands. “But she is traveling with someone else who is not a part of your little… clan. A Sabertooth. I take it you’ve made friends with the tribes?”

The eyes widened ever so slightly. “How…?”

Whether he had an answer to her question or not, he gave none. He kept his gaze on the pen, slowly marking the passage of time with quiet taps. Until, finally, the Vampire spoke again.

“Not while he is a guest of the earl. And it cannot delay the operation.”

He flipped the notebook open once more, flipping to an empty page as he began to write. “I do hope to hear news of your half of our deal. Soon.”

Within seconds, he was the only one left in the library, and he could return to the focus of his attention. His time, however, was interrupted by a soft knock at the door. He closed the notebook, loud enough the one outside would hear. Three seconds, and the door opened. The maiden wore the standard maid uniform. Carrying a simple envelope, she placed the piece of paper on the small table next to him. A respectful bow followed, and she turned to leave.

The envelope’s color, yellow, betrayed the importance of its contents. But he did not open it, not right away. He already knew what was contained within. Its presence was more of a formality to signify the beginning. The stone that had been thrown, one that would trigger the avalanche that had been building over the past thirty years. The solution to …?

He wanted to savor the moment.

What were the odds? He dared not even try to guess. There was little doubt it would be anything other than an infinitesimal number proximate to zero. It was hard to not believe in some destiny when presented with such a fortunate turn of events. The unwanted guest was removed from his thoughts before he could indulge them.

It did not matter what fate had in store, he would push onward.

Reaching out, he opened the envelope, confirming its contents.

It was little more than a simple written message. The confirmation, an update in status, of a contingency of knights having reached their destination and begun their journey with some very special guests.

The man grinned as he savored the irony.

Earl Tylen Vitchatt, lover of peace and one of the strongest proponents for a peaceful reform of the kingdom’s laws, had just lit the fire that would consume the kingdom.

A grand pyre to save humanity.