Chapter 18 - Enemies As Best Partners In Bed

Chapter 18 - Enemies As Best Partners In Bed
Amanda lifted a brow. “You are joking right?” she said, casting him a look of disbelief. If she weren’t in a house full of vampires, she would have thought this as the most incredulous information she had received.

“No, I am not Cait, ” Matteo answered, raising the crystalline white rose to prove his point and to add to his claim of being a mage, he changed the shape of the long-stemmed rose.

From his right palm, there appeared a soft yellow-bluish light. It enveloped the whole rose and in a blink of an eye, it changed into a ring - a jaw-dropping one complete with diamonds on its band and in the center, the crystal white rose.

Amanda’s jaw didn’t drop however. She controlled herself from doing it and instead stepped back, acting unconcerned with the tantalizing object that may or may not be an engagement ring to seal her mother’s promise.

“All these time, ” she started, breath catching up in her throat, “you just posed as a normal man?”

“To protect you, yes, ” Matteo answered, curling his fingers with the ring inside, “and I have done a great job with it as you can see.” He looked at her from head to toe and smiled, pleased of how she had turned into a desirable woman. “By tomorrow, on your birthday, you will become a prime witch. A full-pledged one. Your ability will fully surface and you will be able to protect yourself from any harm and from the vampires that haunt your kind.”

A little bubble of happiness escaped from Amanda upon hearing the facts of her witchhood but quickly, it popped.

“That’s great news but Matteo...me...?” she pressed a finger on her chest and let out a huff, “as your bride? You aren’t going to take my mother’s promise seriously right?”

“Why not?” Matteo reached for her elbow and held it tightly as if afraid she might become a runaway bride. “You have been mine since the beginning Cait. Promised or not, I want you. I have only been keeping myself low, observing you from afar and trying to be as patient as I could be since your mother wanted you to live a normal life.”

He pulled her close in a heartbeat, chest to chest, something that Amanda wasn’t expecting. She leaned her head backward, out of his breathing range, as he continued.

“By tomorrow, your normal life will be gone. You’ll leave this place and be mine. Forget about the murder case. Forget about this silly protection program. These are just matters for the humans to fix.”

“Matt...” Amanda’s brows creased considerably, “this is...this is a lot to take in. I think we should slow dow-”

“Cait, I want you, ” he interrupted intentionally, telling her this for the second time. “Be with me. I’m done with waiting. I’m done with doing things slow.”

He bent his head lower, closer to her face. Amanda had to avoid him by angling it to the side.

“Matt...” she whispered, feeling uncomfortable now. Her body warmed, her breathing the same, but not because he brought her on fire. No. Not because of his touch. It was because of her anger simmering in the surface. She wasn’t just some damn chip to be bargained!

Insensitive, Matteo pursued his plan of kissing her. With his free hand, he pushed her back to him.

“Matt!” Amanda, not ready to feel his lips, shouted. With her palms, she pushed but couldn’t get enough safe distance from his face. “Stop this now!” she cried.

But Matteo continued.

“I said stop it!”

Finally, she was able to pull herself out of his embrace and gave him a frustrated glare.

Matteo was surprised at first, his hands frozen midair, but then his eyes thinned. He stared straight at her - at her flushed, angry form - and said with quiet rage in his voice, “You are hesitating, why?”

“I need space to think, ” she answered, not meeting his gaze.

“No, you don’t need it.”

“Yes, I do!”

“No, you don’t Caitlyn!”

“Yes, she does, ” came a low voice from the inside of the drawing room.

All heads quickly turned to the source and right then and there, Amanda’s eyes widened.

“Cord...!” she cried in her thoughts.

“Mister Vitalis?” Matteo stated in a question, eyeing the imposing man who still wore a blindfold just like in their first meeting, holding - to Amanda - a useless cane, and with his pet panther tagging along.

“I believe your visit is long overdue, Mr. Threvelli, ” Cord announced, his voice heavy with authority.

“Says who?” Matteo threw back, scowling.

“Says the rules of Chief Moretti, ” Cord supplied, voice turning lower and colder and sterner. “You aren’t even supposed to be here in the first place. To protect the safety of the witness, visitors aren’t allowed, but since you are here already, I have no choice but to impose a time limit.”

Matteo snorted. “You sure act your landlord part pretty well, Mister Vitalis.”

“All for the witness’ safety, ” Cord fired back, clutching his cane tightly all of a sudden. He could feel the irritation burning inside the man because of his sudden intrusion, but he just had to interrupt them. The measly human was about to kiss his -er- the woman dammit! He couldn’t let that happen again. He’d witnessed them share a kiss in the mountain summit some days back, he couldn’t bear to see another.

He then lifted his chin and called over his shoulder, “Jerome.”

Amanda, remaining wisely silent, saw the servant approach his Master and bowed low.

“Would you mind as to escort Mr. Threvelli out of the castle, please? He, ” Cord paused and shifted his head as if to look straight into Amanda’s way, “is done visiting.”

Audibly, Matteo hissed.

“No need. I’ll see myself out, ” he stated but before exiting, he looked at Amanda again and gave her a soft but half-pained expression. “Cait, advance happy birthday.”

Amanda nodded once and smiled a little. “Thank you Matt. I’ll call you tomorrow?”

“No, ” Matteo quickly replied. “I’ll be the one to call you. We aren’t done discussing our wedding.”

Amanda’s breath hitched. Without realizing it, she glanced at Cord who showed a zero expression except for his jaw tightening, and then to Matteo with eyes wide. She now noticed him looking at the Master with a considerable amount of hostility, something she didn’t expect at all.

Why would he? It wasn’t like Cord Vitalis could become his rival. It wasn’t like he wanted to marry her too.

Right?

Matteo walked out with long, confident strides and with the Head Majordomo close behind him. When they fully exited the drawing room, that’s the time she realized she needed to exit too.

With hasty strides she passed Cord, her eyes drawn downward and her breath intentionally held. She slipped the amulet conspicuously inside her jeans pocket, afraid that he’d confiscate the thing again.

“Where are you going Amanda? Dinner is ready, ” she suddenly heard him say.

Her heart spiked up another beat as she paused from walking.

What to do now? It was obvious they’ll have another heated discussion if she joins him in dinner. It was obvious he would interrogate her about Matteo and the topic she knew he had sneaked to listen. She wouldn’t want that to happen. She wasn’t ready at all, but turning him down meant turning his ire up.

“I’m not hungry, ” she mumbled a good excuse, “I think I’ll pass, but thank you for the invitation Cord, ” and did as much as she could to make her voice soft and pleading.

It probably was a good idea because Amanda didn’t hear his answer even after she completely left the drawing room.

She raced to the second floor stairs and made her way in her room in just half a minute in what would have been a two-minute walk. After taking a deep breath, she closed the bedroom door hoping to find some peace there. She certainly would want to piece all the facts together, make a good conclusion out of it, but what she didn’t expect was what happened next.

Someone stopped her on the spot with a firm grip on her left elbow. Instantly, she knew then who her intruder was.

Guess some peace and quiet no longer exists.

“We need to talk, ” was Cord’s swift directive, “and I don’t want you saying no.”

Amanda awarded him a frustrated stare and huffed.

Seriously. Can’t a woman have her alone time?!

“Fine. What do you want to talk about?” she asked whilst pulling her elbow out of his hold. She unfortunately failed in that department since Cord’s grip was unrelenting. Just so unrelenting.

“Who is that man to you?” he asked, the tone of his voice somewhat different than the usual, and if Amanda didn’t know any better, she would have thought of it as a tone of a jealous man.

“He’s my friend, ” she answered nonchalantly.

“Friend?” he echoed, lifting - to Amanda - a disbelieving brow.

“Yes, friend and don’t ask me why he claims to be my fiancé. I know you eavesdropped on us earlier. I know you heard my mother’s ridiculous promise to him.” She wrenched her elbow once again, but to no avail.

Cord, in response, pushed her against the door. She gasped.

“The question now is, ” he paused and longingly watched her mouth open, “would you marry him?”

Amanda’s forehead wrinkled. What an absurd question coming from a vampire.

But instead of avoiding answering him, she instead asked with a little bit of sass, “Why do you want to know? You want to be my wedding sponsor?”

It was a wrong move then.

Cord growled low and as quick as a wink, he wrapped an arm around her waist and pressed her chest against his own.

Amanda yelped in her thoughts. A wave of sensations flowed through every nerve of her body, both the good and the bad, but with his warm breath so close in her ear, the bad was all forgotten. Sweet tingles in her skin where his mouth almost touched were more noticeable and unmistakable and arresting, and it was enough to keep her wanting despite her better judgment.

“No, ” Cord answered, blowing hot air into her skin at the same time, “I’m just clarifying it Amanda because I certainly don’t sense in you a desire to tie a knot with him.”

Amanda scoffed. “You do now do you, ” she stated, gazing at his glassy eyes void of the blindfold.

“I do, ” he answered low.

“And what do you sense in me now?” she thinned her eyes, analyzing him. “You know, just to make things clear.” She tried her best to control her voice from getting breathy than it normally should. Her fingers, although trembling, trailed along the collar of his coat. It was her boldest move, wildest even, playing a temptress impulsively and maybe even her unconscious invitation for him to advance.

Cord indeed took it as a much welcomed invitation.

“I sense you are still afraid of me, but at the same time, you are yearning for my touch.”

Amanda grinned. “Sounds like a bipolar to me.”

“Then we are both the same, ” Cord fired back. His right hand released her elbow and proceeded to sensually touch the border of her bottom lip. He smiled, pleased that she didn’t move her head away.

“Kiss me Amanda, ” he continued, “I can sense that you want to do it.”

She really wanted to, oh how much she wanted to, but in a passing second, she backpedaled.

“Let’s end this night Cord, ” she said moving her head away and clenching her jaw, “We are playing with fire we aren’t allowed to play.” She stepped sideways to escape his hold, but Cord tightly gripped her waist.

“Who says so?” he groaned.

“We are enemies.” She gave him a matter-of-a-fact stare.

“Ah, but enemies could also become allies, Amanda.” His mouth lowered near her ear again and continued suggestively, “The best ones.”

Amanda’s breath hitched. Her palms, in between their chests, pushed him lightly away. “Leave me be, please, ” she begged, making a strained face.

Cord’s jaw tightened. “No, I don’t want to. If I do, you’ll think of that man.”

With this Amanda was taken aback. “Are you jealous?” she asked before she could filter her words.

“I maybe a dark one but I can still feel Amanda, ” he answered vaguely. His nose breezed along her forehead, basking on her scent, and Amanda all but froze, feeling like floating with the clouds.

“You...you should go, ” she stated, voice trembling. “I promise I...I won’t think of him.”

Cord lightly shook his head. “Too late for you to say that, Sweetness.” Then, the inevitable happened.

“Co-!” Amanda squeaked, but was ultimately cut off when his mouth crashed on hers for the second time.

Slowly, he massaged her lips; leisurely claiming every inch of it, skimming the edges and sucking it full until his tongue entered.

Amanda released a pleasurable sound under her throat. This was the same with their first kiss. The only thing wrong about that was her not reciprocating him. But now, she could. She definitely could.

“Kiss me back, ” Cord groaned against her chin. His hands now moved to steady her head both in the back and front. “I know you want to, Amanda. Kiss me back.”

Tired of fighting off her desire, Amanda finally did, wrestling his mouth with great intensity.

Cord rejoiced.

For over a minute, they were like that, tasting, feeling and exploring each other. This was what they wanted all along. This was what they always longed for. It was a glorious moment that made them whole. It was an attraction beyond lust.

Their kissing ended them in bed. The foam dipped as their weights joined. Cord locked her in place with his knees and hands. Amanda, with her arms to the sides and her head surrounded by many pillows, cared less of being a prisoner.

“Moan my name, Amanda, ” Cord urged, his mouth now lapping her neck. He sensed her body close to erupting a collection of delightful sensations - sensations that he was proudly responsible for.

One thumb felt for her erect nipple under her worthless brassiere, under her worthless cotton blouse and this made her gasp.

“Ahhh..!”

“My name. Say my name, ” he, with his control waning, urged again. He felt for the opposite nipple, titillating it, arousing it to elicit the same hardness as its sister.

With this, Amanda could no longer hold herself. “Cord...” she breathed, her face turning even redder. “Cord, fuck! I...I hhh...ate you. I hate you!”

Definitely not the right words to say during a heated moment, but they were Amanda’s way of releasing the pent-up tension inside her.

She clenched her teeth, but not because of anger. It was because of embarrassment and the fact that she hated how he made her feel so good. Offering herself to her enemy may not be the best possible way for an attack, but hell, it felt right. So, so right.

Cord chuckled sexily, his lips grazing the tip of her nose. He liked just how feisty she was, acting tough and rebellious yet so responsive and accommodating under him.

“They say enemies are the best partners in bed, my witch, ” he stated, advancing one hand up to the tip of her blouse zipper. “Let’s find out if it is true.”