Dinner is HERE!

Elias sank into a heavy silence, grappling with the weight of his recent action. He knew this wasn't an uncommon occurrence, but it didn't make it any less disturbing. Especially because it wasn't likely to be the last time he ever had to do this.

He rubbed his temples and finally spoke up, "Cassie, could you do us a favor and order some Chinese food?"

Cassie immediately rose from her seat, nodding, and asked, "Sure, what would you like, Young Master?"

Elias shrugged and casually gestured to Vasili, "Yo, what do you want?"

Without hesitation, Vasili replied, "I'd like some General Tso's, a couple of servings of dirty rice, and some of those Cream Cheese Wontons, please!"

As Cassie left to place the order, the VIP section filled with a new song, injecting "fresh energy" into the atmosphere.

During this silence, Vasili struggled to find a reason to voice his words of objections to Elias's actions. Elias's clear discomfort with the power he wielded weighed heavily on Vasili's mind. It reminded him of the age-old adages about power and responsibility. Those sayings sounded poetic until you were faced with the reality of choosing between your safety and the freedom of others.

Finally breaking the silence, Elias announced, "I'm assigning Cassie to you for your training, Vasili. She'll teach you the basics."

Maranda stood up in earnest, "Young Master, I would like to be the one to train him."

Elias cringed slightly at the title but gestured for Maranda to sit, saying, "Please, sit down. Of course, you are going to teach him how to fight."

Sebastian seized the moment, "Young Master, I could-" Elias interrupted him, "No, yes, no, that's not a good idea." After a moment of reflection, he clarified, "Okay, you can handle the etiquette basics. We are going to be spending a lot of time here in the club, and we're going to need help. But, you are not going to bastardize him like you do the servants."

Taking charge, Elias continued, "Sebastian, I need you to organize a high-priority rotating patrol."

Sebastian acknowledged, "Already in progress, Young Master."

Elias turned to Maranda, instructing her, "I need you to reach out to your network of Alphas. We need a Chimera teacher for Vasili."

Without waiting for confirmation, Elias addressed Vasili directly, "Once we get you trained to a basic level, you'll be able to handle yourself against most creatures. Your Dragon scales will give your enemies a helluva time."

Ideas raced through his mind, it was going to be a busy month, getting 'The Night's Delights' up and running for war usage. Elias wasn't sure what his father would find out there, but when he did, they'd be ready.

Elias issued a command, "We need more Warding. Call 'The Witch' and offer her open credit."

His underlings paused, prompting Elias to explain, "I refuse to live in a boring fortress, so I'll turn this place into one."

Sebastian nodded and quickly sought approval from the Master of the house for the plans.

Maranda smiled, seeing Elias finally putting his vast wealth to its intended use-protection.

Elias mused aloud, "I'm thinking of an 81-point Ward, layered thrice. It'd be 531,441 points of disruption. Expensive, but it'd be permanent."

Sebastian was amazed, "Young Master, no one has ever created such a Ward!"

Elias smirked, turned around, and revealed his plan, "Oh, that's right. But luckily for us, we have a Dragon who might be willing to help." Vasili's Dragon protested internally-Dragons weren't ingredient farms. The Ram, however, saw the practicality of the situation, while the Lion remained watchful, waiting for Elias to overstep and misuse their trust.

Vasili let the internal emotions wash off of him, quietly questioning, "What would you need?"

With his phone in hand, Elias showed Vasili a blueprint for some kind of circle and explained, "We'd require your blood, scales, and tears." Elias tried lightening the mood, teasing, "It's not that bad. We can watch some sad movies. Do you have any that make you cry?" He waved off any objections, almost bursting into laughter.

"See, most Dragons are incredibly possessive of their scales. It's irrational because they grow back. We need you to not be so...prideful," Elias remarked.

He went on, "Do you know how few Dragons there are? They number less than a thousand. They refuse to give up the most powerful alchemical ingredient in the world. So, inevitably, the immovable force meets an unstoppable object. Now, you don't need to worry, we Vampires have something called, 'Ethics', but a lot of independents don't give two shakes of a rat's tail."

That moment of uncertainty passed, and Vasili could understand their point, but the Dragon really didn't want to help. He'd put this on the emotional backburner for the moment.

Vasili asked, "Do you have any idea when I might get a phone? I need to let my boss know I won't be making it for overtime tomorrow... or ever."

Elias appeared surprised, "Oh, right. That would be considerate of you." He quickly sent some texts, assuring Vasili, "It's on its way!"

As Elias busied himself with his phone, Maranda struggled to send texts, and Sebastian was typing away at his oversized phone. Vasili couldn't help but notice the device and pondered, 'Must be the latest model. Is that pink?' He couldn't help but wonder.

Sebastian seemed unamused by the attention his phone was garnering and explained, "If you must know, it was a mistake. The 'Amazon' Rainforest sent the wrong color by mistake, and I refuse to order another one."

Vasili knew there was something more, 'Maybe he's gay? Or maybe he just likes pink, either way, hell of a butler.'

Cassie returned a few moments after that, carrying a massive tray with plates scattered upon it. Vasili stood up and undid the barrier at super speed, nearly making her drop the food as she sat it down on the "footrest/table" monstrosity that was in the middle of them all. Vasili couldn't help but complain, 'If it is a table, why is it so SHORT? But if it is a footrest, why is the thing so fucking tall?!' He hated weird tables.

The aroma of General Tso's chicken filled the air, and Vasili's mouth watered as he savored the scent of the steaming rice. He dug into the Cream Cheese Wontons with delight, noting that the cheese was still refreshingly cold.

Two plates of General Tso's, three servings of dirty rice, and nine wontons later, Vasili was completely satisfied. Leaning back in his comfortable chair, he resisted the urge to unbutton his jeans and soon succumbed to sleep.