A Cordial Meeting

A sugar mantis twitched its antennae and scurried toward the exit along the seams between nougat floor tiles. Candy House still smelled as sweet as ever, but the little insect sensed something discordant beneath the sweetness and fled in a panic.

Smart and decisive, the young Vampire concluded.

Matthew stood behind his cousin, his eyes lowered and fixed on the shiny, button-sized insect. He watched it cross the seams between the nougat tiles, skirt a Mint Candy flowerpot, climb over the chocolate threshold, and finally vanish into a mound of whipped cream. A wistful satisfaction rose in his heart.

But he could not show a feeling so removed from the situation at hand. Instead, he had to keep the stiff smile on his face and convince everyone he was paying attention. That was no simple task, but for Matthew, trained as one of the Callan Family's elite, splitting his attention was a basic skill.

Even while his mind wandered, the young Vampire caught every word exchanged between his cousin and Mr. Sephrano.

"...We only bought this mansion this morning. Before we could even settle in, you showed up unannounced. Clearly, you care much more about Xiangqi Society than 3A. No wonder 3A Hunting Team slipped further down the rankings this year."

Seated behind a pale-yellow soda-cracker table, Sephrano spoke with heavy sarcasm, though his gloomy expression never changed. "What I'd really like to know is what gave you the courage to come here without twenty or thirty lackeys at your back... and with a wet-behind-the-ears little Vampire in tow."

At those last words, Sephrano's dark gaze turned to Matthew Callan. The young Vampire had already bristled at the insult, but that look sent a jolt through him. He remembered his cousin's earlier advice and managed not to do anything rude,