DINNER AND HOUSE TOUR-E

Astrid waited for Ace outside of his room door, tapping her foot on the plush carpet. She heard a voice coughing and looked up to see Butler Lionel staring at her strangely. He was pushing a trolly of food towards a room.

`It was just an act, Mr Lionel. I mean Mr Ace requested me to help him get rid of the date', she shrugged her shoulder. She knew the butler cared for wellbeing, being her customer for over a year.

`Oh dear, Mr Ace is getting bolder and bolder with his actions. He almost got me today. May I ask of you, Ms Astrid?' Butler Lionel looked in the direction of the room door, expecting Ace to come out.

`Do you love him Ms Astrid?', he almost lost his footing when he saw Ace giving him a cold stare, enough to send a shiver at the back of his spine. When did the door open? These vampires are going to get him killed one day.

`Mr. Lionel, Ace?', Astrid was pleased to see Ace. She was getting hungry. She stood straight and straightened her clothes.

`I have the perfect answer for you Butler Lionel', Ace kept an eye on him and trust Astrid by the wall, pinning her with his body, instantly feeling her warmth. He brushes her hair aside and kisses her earlobe softly, before proceeding to lick the back of her earlobe languidly. Astrid sighed and closed her eyes. With the right amount of passion mixed with a dash of lust, he works his way down her neck and stops at her collar bone, knowing full well she is waiting for her lips to be ravaged.

He releases her abruptly and crosses his hands at Butler Lionel, who had his mouth open. Astrid realized Ace left him hanging and that got her mad, she turned the tables and pinned him before kissing him hard on his lips, Ace had the audacity to open his eyes and wink at Butler Lionel, who quickly knocked on Ms Roselle's room. That got both Ace and Astrid riled up as both made a run to the stairs, shrieking and laughing at the same time.

'That is the most embarrassing thing I did back there', Astrid climbed down the stairs with Ace behind her. 

'He was getting on my nerves'. Ace spoke lazily, grinning at her.

Astrid's stomach grumbled and she fastens her steps towards the kitchen.

`So what do we have for dinner?', Ace spoke with a straight face.

`What took you guys so long?', Hadwin munched on his carrot, grimacing at the taste.

`Long day at work, long shower', Astrid spoke and her eyes darted to Ace who looked as if nothing had happened. She needs to ask him, why he kept kissing her in private and remain nonchalant in public. Even in front of his siblings?

`Astrid, the butler prepared macaroni and cheese for you. And I think he got a caramel cake and fruit punch for dessert,' Hadwin opened a steel dome and pushed her dish to her.

Astrid bumped her shoulder with Hadwin and smiled graciously at him. She ate her meal and texted pop of her update at the Wagner. She wanted to speak to Enlil badly but did not know how to without bypassing her pop.

`Astrid, what were you guys up to? Just now?', he pointed to Ace and Astrid using his fork.

`You mean after fornicating or before?', Abigail asked innocently.

`Excuse me?', Astrid was flushed with her bluntness. She noted all of them were quite forward with their speech, leaving little room for imagination.

`Can we talk after we finish this meal? I promised to Astrid a tour of our mansion'. Ace spoke while cutting his steak elegantly.

All 3 siblings and Astrid ate in relative silence until Butler Lionel made his presence known and scowled at Ace.

`Do you want me to repeat it again, Lionel? I swear to God I will not hesitate to do it at this instant!', Ace boomed, irritated with the butler's nosy character.

`Ace, for God's sake, don't be a dick,' Astrid quickly closed her mouth with her palms realizing she spoke too much too fast. Ace glared at her.

`Whoa, you learned fast. High five, Astrid', Hadwin slapped his hands with Astrid who looked visibly scared of Ace now. She refused to look at his direction and turned her body to face Hadwin. Abigail who was observing them both kicked Ace under the table and Ace tore his gaze away from Astrid. 

Ace was giving Astrid a murderous glare, clearly unhappy at being called a dick. I need to have a word with her later. 

Abigail told him to relax and finish their meal, saying she will join them later.

`Can we tour the basement first?', Hadwin asked.

`No, stupid who goes to the dungeon first. You show Astrid all the pleasant looking rooms before going down there.', Abigail answered.

`What goes in the basement?', she whispered.

`Ignore them, it's the best part', Ace assured.

Hadwin showed them their drawing room, music room (apparently all 3 of them play the piano and violin), and the kitchen. She was flabbergasted with the sheer size and the opulent display of wealth in their house. The decorations were modern and chic. For example, the music room was white marbled with pale grey curtains and beautiful wallpaper depicting a flight of nightingales.

The kitchen could easily fit 25 people at one go. She imagined herself and Ace on the countertop and blushed, something which Ace caught on and smirked. There was a cocktail bar, located at a corner of the hall. She saw colourful bottles of alcohol and Hadwin took great pride in explaining to them until Abigail stopped him and told him to get lost.

They went to the second floor, skipping the first floor which consisted of 12 bedrooms and toilets. The second floor housed Ace, Mr Wagner's office, and a library. There was a sewing room that Abigail told her Ms Roselle uses frequently to stitch and entertain the ladies who visit their house. Astrid felt guilty that she upset their mother, but Abigail assured she will be okay by tomorrow.

Lastly, they went to the basement which did not look like a basement at all. It was in a separate wing from the mansion. One had to walk to the left end of the dining and kitchen area to reach an annexe.

Astrid could not believe her eye when she saw the so-called basement. It looked more like a games arcade. There was a pool table, a dartboard area, a pinball machine, a fully equipped gym, a foosball table, a Pac man arcade machine, a ping pong table, and an entire section filled with board games and comfy looking couches and bean bag.

`Wow, I could stay here and make a Kim Kardashian out of me', Astrid spoke, and both the brothers laughed. Abigail rolled her eyes and went to the pinball machine.

`Check this out Astrid', Hadwin pointed to the board game wall and pressed a button. The board game wall caved in and out came a minibar, complete with disco lights. Astrid clapped her hands enthusiastically.

`Magic 101', Abigail spoke sarcastically.

`You party down here?', Astrid asked Hadwin.

`No, only on an important occasion. We always end up with missing or broken items after each party, so dad decided no parties here', Hadwin picked a ping pong ball and started playing with Ace. Both played well, and after observing their play for 10 minutes she felt dizzy having to turn her head left and right constantly.

She walked to the pool table and read the instructions. Hadwin sharpened a cue stick and pass one to Astrid. Astrid looked over her shoulder and saw Ace playing the pac man-machine.

`How do you use these and move them balls?', she questioned Hadwin.

Hadwin positioned her at a corner of the pool table and stood close behind her. He angled both her hands on the cue stick and bend their bodies to aim the white ball. He explained that physics and degrees are important in scoring a ball into the net. She nodded in understanding.

Hadwin aimed the cue ball and helped her to push the cue stick. He proceeded the game by teaching her hands-on, which she obliged. Ace who lost interest in the pac man stared in shock at the sight of Astrid's and Hadwin's body bend closely aiming at the pool table. He was practically glued to her. She squealed in delight when she pocketed a ball and hugged Hadwin lightly, who encouraged her to complete the game.

Ace was burning with jealousy.

`Jealous much?', Abigail grabbed his arm to play the dartboard. Ace kept mum.

`Its just Hadwin. Why bother?', Abigail aimed the first tip scoring a perfect score. Ace aimed his dart, but it fell on the lower side of the board, distracted by Astrid.

Astrid searched the room and caught Ace staring at her. She smiled at him, only then he relaxed, seeing her smile like there is no tomorrow. Her gesture assured his heart that she is for him, made only for him. He merely grinned and continued playing the dart, scoring perfectly. Damn, this girl is fucking his brain up in a positive way.

Astrid excused herself and walked to Ace, who passed her some darts and placed her back close to his chest, one hand holding her waist firmly.

He teased her by whispering corny jokes on her ears and used her hands to aim himself. Astrid had a feeling he was envious of Hadwin's close proximity with her at the pool table.

`You are harassing me openly', she whispered in his ear. He quickly nibbled her earlobe and aimed for the bull's eye.

`No, I am not. Look you won', Ace motioned her to look at the board. Abigail saw the mushy couple and made a gagged expression moving to the pool table to join Hadwin.

`No I can dart pretty well', she pushed his hands away. But when she tried to pry his hands off her waist, he relented and pressed her waist closer to him, her backside directly against his crotch. Astrid frowned.

`Ace, you are being clingy', she complained.

`Sorry, the blasted heart won't listen', he purred. Then an idea struck him.