Page 33 of The Vampire King's Victory

“Mistress.” Sophia rested her blond head against Seeyr’s side as cats mewed piteously for the Immortal’s attention.

Meffy was a light, asleep weight on Balthazar’s shoulder. He liked to think that Meffy was a much better behaved kitten than the others.

“You’ll make more, won’t you?” Fiona asked.

“Oh, yes, with all of humanity now as possible members--not to mention the vetting we’ll be doing at the… ah, well--let’s just say that I have a much better opportunity to find people like Sophia here who can stand the gift and the ages,” she said.

Balthazar drew in another draught of the place. He felt dizzy with it.

“There’s a smell, a scent to this place, isn’t there, Christian?” he asked as he looped his arm through his fledgling’s.

“A smell?” Christian tilted his head to the side and his nostrils flared. “I don’t… it smells fresher here, doesn’t it?”

“Yes, and there’s something indescribable!” Balthazar rubbed his thumb and forefingers of his right hand together. “I don’t know. I can’t quite quantify it.”

“Scents often can conjure up the most vivid memories,” Seeyr suggested. “You might remember some more things here.”

“Every street does give me this sense offamiliarity. Almost like I will turn down one and find myself,” Balthazar agreed.

Sophia had once more picked up the bags. Kittens were hanging off every part of her, but she managed to bobble to her feet.

“Can I teleport you to the Seeyr palace?” Fiona offered, almost a little shyly. Seeyr was impressive even though both women were Immortals.

“Oh, yes, dear, that would be most kind of you. I do find I am little tired yet,” Seeyr said with a welcoming smile.

“You’ll come back here and teleport us as well, won’t you, Fiona?” Balthazar asked.

She cast a look over her shoulder with her lips curling up. “You need the exercise. Besides, Arcius and I are going to stay here to welcome everyone from the House and help them with all the things. They’ll be the ones carrying something other than themselves.”

Balthazar had opened his mouth to object to the exercise comment, but she did have quite a good point about directing people. The whole House was frantically packing. It would be convenient to have Fiona and other Wyverns ferry people about.

Arcius smiled at him. “Besides, Balthazar, you and Christian should see the palacefirst, don’t you think?”

“I suppose. But I want you all there to--to--”

“Be amazed?” Christian offered.

“Yes! Glory in it! I want us all to glory in it!” Balthazar spread his free arm wide.

“I have my own palace to glory in.” Fiona gazed upon the aetherial structure that was the Wyvern palace in the distance.

“Yes, yes, but we must do mine first! Then we can admire yours,” Balthazar waved away the Wyvern Palace as if it were made of matchsticks.

Fiona laughed instead of becoming angry. She just shook her head. “Oh, Balthazar, may you never change!”

“I realize I am perfect as I am,” he agreed.

Christian snorted. Arcius pinched the top of his nose. He had a feeling he was being mocked.

Most definitely mocked. But I can show I am a bigger man.

“Your palace is amazing, Fiona. It really looks like it's floating there,” Balthazar admitted grudgingly, as he rubbed his cheek against Meffy’s softness. That took some of the edge off the mocking.

Her eyes went again to the needle-like towers. “Yes, it is. I just wish…”

She stopped and bit her lip as if she had revealed too much. He felt a wave of uncertainty from her. It was an overwhelming wave that he felt he might be crushed under.

“Don’t tell me you’re afraid to call it yours! You’re so used to organizing things, you’d be running that place even if you weren’t Wyvern!” Balthazar snorted, trying to express how capable she was at all times. Which had beenannoyingin the past when she wasn’t using that superpower to help him.

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