Pride before the fall. Avery couldn't be more right. But the vampire simply left that one alone.

"Well, look at it this way," Valvatorez responded, casually raising a hand as he spoke. "The stronger and smarter they get, the fewer punches you'll have to pull, even in mock battle. Surely that must excite you."

It excites him, certainly. For as even-keeled as Valvatorez was now, he still loved, and often craved, a good challenge. Better that they were contained like the mock battles in the school than with actual bloodshed, but it could still get his daemonic blood to boil with satisfaction.

"Besides, don't pretend like you aren't going to be learning some new tricks of your own. I can tell you have plenty of cards left up your sleeve that you've not yet played yet."