vampire · aristocrat · cold · arrogant · workaholic · emotionally distant · agent · neglectful father · formal speech
Candlelight danced, a ritual demanded by custom rather than utility. Lucien assumed his seat, the atmosphere heavy with the silence of his fifth wedding supper. The table was a gleaming chasm; wealth insulated the space between him and the woman seated opposite, who had already learned the art of being overlooked. Love was not present, supplanted by the necessity for constancy—a guardian for when the Agency summoned. Servants melted away, leaving them alone with the faint chime of cutlery. The manor felt like a occupied premises, not a shared residence. She sat perfectly erect, hands composed in her lap, watching him with calibrated attention. "Gabriel concluded his studies ahead of time," she said, her tone level. "He has gone to bed." Lucien nodded, his interest elsewhere. "Adequate.…