The Formula One tires screeched against the asphalt as it swerved to the right of the practice track. Then, the same thing happened when it made a hard turn to the left. It became a known cycle of ear-splitting sound for at least ten minutes - a time most car racers deem lengthy for a test drive. Although it was a cold, gloomy evening, thick, white-to-gray smoke could be seen coming out under the engine of the race car. It wasn’t an alarming sight for the spectators however. No one wasn’t concerned when they knew who drove the said vehicle. They just watched in awe in the sidelines, watched with complete adoration on the driver pulling the shots. After about two laps of run, the race car finally stopped directly in its inspection area and out came the one who did it all: a woman, wearing a black full-face helmet and loose jumpsuit of red and white. The NASCAR mechanics call her, “The Empress Hand, &rdqu

Cord burst into his study, unable to take it anymore. Why did he tell the woman that? He had no obligation to explain himself to her, yet he did and rather too honestly! He gripped the head of his cane and threw it on the floor, the action of which made a loud metal thunk and then a smash of a glass he most thought from the vase next to his work desk. Owing it to his ability of hypersense and how he knew of the castle spaces by heart, he crossed the unlit room and shoved the thick curtain aside. Contrary to what the humans believed, the Vitalis Master, him, wasn’t even burned by the sunlight when it contacted his skin. The light unsettled him though, being that he was too attached with the shadows, but the discomfort wasn’t enough to halt him from approaching the casement window. Although he couldn’t see, he sensed that the woman and her friend were leaving via the car he had arranged. He felt the boili

“Mr. Vitalis!” Amanda’s eyes rounded. A surge of something that could be called a mix of alarm and excitement filled her whole body. Goosebumps erupted in her forearms and unconsciously, she pressed her personal bag closer against her abdomen in an attempt to halt the twisting of her stomach. She didn’t expect someone to be inside the limousine with her, more so she didn’t expect him to be the one sitting. Cord, though still in a blindfold, looked at her way like it was a casual thing for a blind man. With his left hand, he squeezed the handle of his cane when her scent filled the enclosed space. It tortured him immediately but he had already expected this when he decided to fetch her himself. It was a torture he was willing to receive forever, or at least while his charade lasts. “Good evening Amanda, ” he stated, managing his voice to c

Amanda woke up early the next morning feeling refreshed. With her night clothes on, she stood up and neared the French door of the balcony. The outside showed the cheerful sky of light blue and yellow-orange. She inhaled deeply and smiled. She maybe in the witness protection program, but that didn’t mean she can’t tour the castle grounds freely. Taking an early bath was the first step to it so she did that in a classy bathroom accessible just a few strides away from the bed. By the time she finished and exited with a towel wrapped around her body, breakfast was already laid in the coffee table, the bedroom door was open, the thick curtains were drawn to the sides, and the early morning light shone through. There was a new maid busily fixing her bedding, but she seemed to be immersed with the rock music in her headphones. “Uh, good morning?” Amanda stated, standing near the bat

Right after dinner, Amanda positioned her laptop in the mattress just like what she did last night. Noman was the first to pop in complete with a clear video feed of him in a moon-printed shirt. He waved a ‘hi’ on her way and Amanda returned a ‘hello’ back. Just as he was about to start his daily interrogations about her experiences in the castle, Matteo’s number flashed on her cellphone screen, registered as his eleventh attempt of call for the day. Amanda sighed and picked up the gadget lying next to the laptop. “I better take this call, Dom. I have been ignoring Matt since this morning, ” she said while sitting in her mattress, Indian style. Noman nodded. “Yeah, you should. I’ll just wait. I won’t log-out.” Amanda pressed the answer button and right then and there, Matteo’s worried but stiff voice flowed.