A faint smell was wafting from the kitchen, signifying its presence. Not that Vadim 'cooked' in the least. Still, it was a kitchen and he had food. All at once, he jerked his head up, the sound of a footstep in the hall alerting him with a snap. Belle. His strides large and strong, the man whirled out of the room and into the hall. “Belle! You’re late for dinner!” he snapped. Which wasn’t true. He said six and the clock did not chime yet. As if to mock him, the clock tick-tocked in the distance, its lonely sound echoing through the otherwise quiet home.