The pups went wild. They rolled around, stormed toward Riona, and shrieked as if they were in the misery of an overdose of fun.
They tugged at Riona's sleeves and skirt, bounced off her shoulders, and even tried to use her head as a trampoline, all while pestering her to spill her secrets.
Riona, feeling like the coolest vampire on the block, casually brushed a non-existent speck of dust off her nose with a smug grin.
"Sorry, kiddos, but that's a top-secret vampire-only trick. However, I might be able to teach you some other killer moves if you're nice."
She had completely forgotten her earlier plan to smash anything in sight to blow off steam. Just minutes ago, she had sworn not to follow Thorin's plan of sharing her fighting techniques.
But the pups' adoration was like a mood booster shot straight to her ego. Suddenly, all her destructive impulses seemed to vanish, replaced by a warm, fuzzy feeling of self-satisfaction.
