I Thirst for You — Chapter 12 - Honeysuckle Sweet

Arissa went to look at it and scrutinized its contents.

“I don’t know, ” she shrugged her shoulders. “A semi-liquid filling perhaps?”

“It is crimson red, ” Amanda pointed, remembering how the Vitalis Master used to mention the color in their second meeting days ago.

“Yeah, speaking of which, ” Arissa straightened and then closed the fridge. “The Family loves the color red. Almost all interior of the rooms here has that shade of color.”

It sure looks like it, Amanda voiced in her thoughts. From the carpet to most of the wall painting, and to every piece of furniture, the red shade was ever-present.

“That’s probably their Family color, ” she surmised audibly to the maid.

“I think so. I still have a lot to learn actually. They are one very secretive family if you ask me.”

Amanda smiled at her and decided to scan the room again.

“What’s that door for?” she said when her eyes fell on the heavy-looking black wood.

“Oh, that?” Arissa stepped forward. “That’s the door to the throne hall.”

Amanda couldn’t help but stare at the inanimate object more. Something was pulling her there. She just didn’t know what it was.

“Can I? I mean, if it’s not against the rules.”

Arissa waved a hand.

“You’re silly Miss Cait. Of course not! Here, come!” she urged her forward, smiling.

When she opened the black intricately carved door, she let Amanda step in first.

They admitted themselves inside amidst the lack of lighting save from the small dots of soft sunlight piercing through the stained glass windows. There were colossal chandeliers of the best workmanship hanging in the ceiling, unlighted. Due to this, almost all corners of the hall were dark including the audience side of it and the dais.

Most especially the dais.

Still with this, Amanda and the maid went forward. They stopped beside one of the hall’s massive pillars and continued to gawk.

“Magnificent isn’t it?” Arissa asked.

“Yeah, like a real throne hall, ” Amanda whispered. There was so much pride in the maid’s eyes that she could easily see and understand. This castle really was one-of-a-kind.

“It is a real throne hall, Miss Cait, ” the maid corrected. “Master Cord just doesn’t admit audiences in here except for his family. It is a shame he doesn’t hold parties in here.”

“This would be more beautiful if sunlight touches the floor. This place needs that as it is too gloomy looking, ” Amanda commented.

“Maybe you can suggest that to Master Cord, Miss Cait.”

“Huh, ” Amanda released an airy laugh. “I’d rather not. The man’s too uptight with his preferences.”

And then there was a loud clearing of a throat successfully catching both of the women’s attention.

“Didn’t I tell you about choosing your words carefully Amanda?” From the shadow-consumed dais, Cord’s voice sounded.

Both Amanda and Arissa turned with a start.

As if magic, the shadow dispersed and a beam of sunlight shot through directly towards the dais spotlighting the one who sat in the throne seat.

“Oh sheeznits, ” muttered Arissa, feeling embarrassed and at the same time frightened after seeing her Master.

She attempted a curtsy quickly, looking at Amanda in the corner of her eyes hoping she would do the same but she didn’t.

Amanda just stood stiff on the spot. Her breath caught in her throat and her eyes locked on his grand state.

“Leave Arissa, ” Cord ordered to which the maid speedily granted after mumbling an ‘excuse me’ on Amanda’s way.

***

Silence was the first thing that greeted the two occupants after Arissa closed the door.

After inhaling a good amount of air, Amanda was able to get the courage to ask him.

“You’ve been here all along?”

Cord, still sitting comfortably in his throne, placed a finger under his clean-shaven chin.

“I was sleeping until your voices woke me up, ” he informed, partly annoyed.

Where? Where was he sleeping? The thought crossed Amanda’s mind. She couldn’t believe that he was asleep in his chair. She couldn’t even believe that he was present inside the throne room when in fact she didn’t notice him at all earlier.

But even so, she knew that she was the trespasser, so there was no other way she could do than to be polite.

“My apologies, ” she said, bowing her head even though she hadn’t done it ever in her life to anyone. “I’ll leave too so that you can resume your sleep.”

She stepped to the side, aiming to exit the hall as soon as possible, but Cord stopped her.

“No, stay, ” he said, his voice giving off authority.

Amanda had no choice but to oblige. She was still, after all, his guest.

“I’m awake now. I’d like for a morning drink of something honeysuckle sweet if you may.”

The corner of her eyes flinched upon hearing it. It was almost a demand.

“I’m not your servant, ” she announced. “You know I can’t fetch that Mister Vitalis. Do you want me to tell Arissa instead?”

“No, you don’t need to, ” Cord stated and then ran his finger along his mouth’s opening lightly touching something there. Something hidden. Something white and pointed. “Because what I want to drink is here in front of me, ” he added without a thought as his gaze fell on the length of Amanda’s neck. “I want to drink you, Amanda.”

“E-excuse me?” Amanda’s voice stammered. She lifted a brow, showing her feisty self, but deep inside, her nerves trembled. What did he just say again? Surely, she heard it correctly. Surely she did!

Cord cleared his throat subtly. Instead of repeating what his stupid, stupid, traitorous mouth had just blurted out, he decided to admonish her. “You, woman, are treading on dangerous grounds. Had Lady Granger already told you about my castle rules?”

Amanda narrowed her eyes at him, calculating him. She heaved a breath and shoved his earlier words at the back of her mind. “Yes, she did, but she didn’t mention about not touring the throne hall.”

Cord sighed and closed his eyes briefly.

“Yes, of course. I should probably add that in the list.”

Amanda released an amused short laugh. “So I’m right. You really are an uptight person.”

Cord cocked a brow, his blindfolded eyes trained on her and her alone. “What else do you think I am?”

“You’re a recluse.”

“Hmmhh...” He gestured his hand for her to go on and Amanda did, having the courage to be frank.

“You like keeping info to yourself. You are a secretive guy.”

“That’s a given. It runs in the family, Sweetness. What else?”

This time, he stood up, and even without the support of his cane, he was able to manage nearing her with fluid, sure strides.

Amanda, for some reason, didn’t move. She felt her feet nailed on the floor.

“You-you have a ridiculous taste for pets. Hey! By the way, where is that panther?”

A curve of what looked like a smile appeared in Cord’s mouth.

“Hunting. Hungry like his Master, ” Cord replied. “What else Amanda? What else do you think of me?”

He continued closing in on her.

“And a ridiculous taste for clothes, ” she went on, with her voice in the borderline of trembling.

“I’d be willing to strip naked if that’s what you want, ” he suggested nonchalantly. “Maybe when you see what I look like under this coat, you’ll find it more...pleasing to the eye.”

Amanda immediately shook her head and blinked many times. “You know that’s not what I meant.”

“I know, ” Cord whispered.

When he was just inches away from her, she didn’t move. He didn’t know where she stood. He could always pass her by and walk straight towards the massive pillar behind her.

But.

But to her surprise, his right hand shot straight to her back and stayed there firmly as he pushed her against his chest.

Her breath hitched.

“Take your hand off me, Mister Vitalis, and step away, ” she ordered without missing a beat despite the hammering of her heart. Her hands remained in the sides, rigid, afraid to push him back. Afraid to touch him.

The muscles of Cord’s jaw tensed. Shit. The contact of their skin brought bolts of delightful electricity throughout his entire body. It fucked up his senses.

Could she feel this too? A thought crossed his mind.

Their eyes locked in an unblinking duel — or at least only on Amanda’s side for she was without a blindfold. She could feel his orbs trained straight on her though and this created so many unwelcomed emotions no man of proper eyes had ever done before.

He inhaled and exhaled, the warmth of his breath tickling Amanda’s face. She shuddered because of it.

He inhaled again, this time moving his nose a little towards her exposed neck. Shit. To him, the torment was unbelievably real.

He opened his mouth but it was not to welcome his stretching fangs. It was to respond with clarity, “I will, but promise me next time, please let your hair down. Cover that bewitching neck of yours.”

As quick as his hand came to slip around her back, it was the same when he released her. He turned around and urged himself back to the safety of his seat.

Amanda felt relief immediately wash through her, but she asked, “Why? What’s wrong with my neck?” genuinely innocent, and this made Cord pause abruptly from his walk.

“It’ll be the cause of someone’s downfall Amanda, of insanity, of all things fucked up, ” he answered over his shoulder.

“Oh, you love to speak in riddles huh?” she stated, taken aback by his choice of words. What did he mean by those, she didn’t know and she had no plan on finding out.

She watched him climbed up his regal seat as if it was normal for him. As if he wasn’t even blind at all.

“Go, Amanda...” he paused, - before I lose myself - “Before I tie you up against one of this hall’s pillars as punishment, ” he continued after choosing his words correctly.

She felt the burn in her cheeks then.

How could he say that?!

This time, as promised, he wasn’t acting rude, but he was threatening her like any Master would do to his subjects.

This got her all riled up.

With a huff, she stomped her foot and turned around. “No. Don’t worry, I’ll see myself out, ” she said without looking at his way.

***

Cord listened to her quick footsteps as she retreated. By the time the door of the servants’ kitchen slammed shut, he released a breath. A long, deep one.

As what his hands had been aching to do, he finally touched the woman for the first time.

For the very first time. And fuck, it felt so good.

His fangs extended, cutting his bottom lip twice. Blood trickled and he licked it clean without delay.

He palmed his face, his blindfold, his mouth and cursed under his breath, “Shit. Why did I touch her?”