Chapter 12 - The Outsider

Amanda released a quick breath of disbelief. Her eyes did a double take at the tickets on her hand and then a smirk appeared on her lips.

“Wow, you’re actually coming with me? The Master of Vampires is actually coming with me?”

She couldn’t believe what she just heard. They hadn’t gone that far into their relationship, but she was sure he disliked traveling and meeting new people. If he did it so for her, then it was a grand gesture, but still it didn’t fail to amuse her.

Cord grinned at her, proud that he was able to elicit exactly the kind of response he expected. He opened his mouth to reply, but then was stopped short when the driver of the limousine buzzed his message through the intercom.

“Excuse, Master Cord, Miss Amanda, we have arrived.”

Amanda handed him back the tickets.

“Hold that for me,” Cord said and then opened the car door.

As soon as their feet touched the cobblestoned ground, Jerome who was waiting patiently for their arrival, stepped forward and neared his master.

“Master Cord, Pamela wants to talk to you,” he informed after doing a short bow towards Amanda.

“It could wait until tomorrow,” was Cord’s dismissive reply. He grabbed Amanda’s hand and off they climbed the stairs to the entrance door.

“No, it couldn’t,” Pamela stated, appearing from one of the columns near the door. She sent Cord a grave look, sending a silent message that she needed his attention stat.

Cord sensed the urgency and so he faced Amanda and said: “You go on ahead.”

Amanda was curious, but wasn’t in the mood to hear any problems pertaining to the vampires in the castle, so she agreed, giving him a nod.

“Amanda, it’s good to see you again,” Pamela neared her and gave a quick hug.

“Likewise, Pamela,” she smiled, noting the ungloved hands of the enchanting woman and just as expected, Amanda noticed the change of Pamela’s facial expression when their skins touched. From one that was passive earlier, a look of horror and sadness crossed her face now.

“Oh my, I’m sorry you had to experience that,” Pamela said, seeing Amanda’s harrowing accident in her mind’s eye right when she touched her.

Amanda managed to stabilize her voice. “It’s okay, it’s over now.”

“I’m glad you’re safe,” Pamela added.

“Thanks. I’ll go ahead.” After a final glance at Cord, Amanda climbed up the remaining stairs and disappeared into the foyer.

“Throne room now,” was Cord’s immediate order as he looked at Pamela. He used his shadows to teleport there and waited for his cousin to enter the throne room like any normal human being would. She didn’t have any transportation ability after all.

“What do you want to tell me?” he started once Pamela was inside the hall some few minutes later.

She sat on a chair offered by Jerome and stared at the chalice of crimson red liquid next to Cord’s seat. News traveled fast on the North Wing that the Vitalis Master had started taking blood in daily doses. Whether it was a good or a bad sign, it still remains to be seen for Pamela.

“Out of the four biters who escaped, I was able to read one who had valuable information in his system. It’s about Sir Alfort,” she started after taking her eyes off on the alluring drink.

“The traitor?” Cord said. There were three main traitors that had a hand on the incident last week and one of them was Sir Alfort, his father’s trusted adviser. The weasel.

“Sir Alfort seems to have an agenda of his own, Cord,” Pamela announced which to the latter wasn’t surprising at all. “He had been making rounds on all the North Wing vampires trying to get them into his favor. The escaped biter you killed yesterday was one of the few who joined his ridiculous crusade.”

“And what crusade are you talking about?” he asked. Now that was something worthwhile to hear.

“Something about ousting you from your position and getting your powers,” Pamela replied.

Cord gave out a short but cynical laugh. Her words were old news to him apparently.

“That had come and gone last week, cousin. It was a rather pathetic attempt and it failed,” he said.

“Yes, it appears that he took advantage of Garret’s hatred with you and rode along with the events last week,” Pamela agreed. She shifted on her seat and reached for the glass of champagne Jerome had offered earlier. She may be a vampire, but still she enjoyed the luxuries of the humans. She could down a number of champagne glasses in one go and not feel disgusted about it.

“An opportunistic man I see,” Cord remarked, his voice full of disdain on the man.

“But there’s more to this story, Cord,” Pamela added right after a sip of her champagne. “When I touched the escaped biter, I saw his mind’s eye. It seemed Sir Alfort had told his followers about an outsider willing to help them oust you. He said it was a full-proof plan.”

Cord’s curiosity rose. Who could this outsider be?

“I can read your mind. Yes, I also want to know who this outsider is, but I unfortunately couldn’t read more,” Pamela lowered her glass and released a sigh. “If only Sir Alfort is still alive.”

“But he is dead,” Cord reminded, “petrified to the bone due to Amanda’s spell.”

For the first time ever, Pamela felt a life was just wasted. How many secrets she could have unlocked if that weasel of a man was still standing and talking. Or well, at least breathing because she could well read his mind even if he was bedridden.

“Do you want me to investigate this further?” she asked, eyes beaming with anticipation. “Maybe your remaining subjects could give a clue.” She enjoyed doing the detective work more than the others and she’d likely fight for that job tooth and nail.

Cord nodded. “Do that, Pamela. It is imperative we know who this outsider is.”

“Do you think Sir Alfort was dealing with Matteo? He could be the outsider,” she deduced, her suggestion wasn’t impossible at all.

A few seconds of silence followed.

This was the second time the cockroach mage had been linked to Cord’s problems and he didn’t like it.

“It’s possible, but I want to keep an open mind and be ready for anything,” he answered. “While all I want is to step down in this throne and rid myself of my responsibilities as your Master, I still would want to keep my shadows with me. No one could handle these powers other than myself.”

“Of course, Cord. That’s exactly why you’re our Master.” A smile spread on Pamela’s face. “I’ll return once I get a breakthrough on this case.”

She gulped the rest of her champagne and started towards the door without waiting for Cord’s reply.

She didn’t need to. She knew he had been counting the seconds until the end of their conversation so that he could be with his witch again.