Taste of Poison

Kabanata 9

VBT

"What are your thoughts about vampires?" I asked Azar who's busy doing push-ups while I rode on his back.

Alas siyete nang sinundo niya ako sa condominium, isang oras iyon matapos kong mabasa at mapanood ang balita. While he was driving home, I saw some changes in the street. People were panicked buying. Some shops were already closed. Seeing those made my heart broke. We're facing a possible war.

"Thoughts?" tumigil siya saglit. "Well, I think vampires, in reality, are not much greater at all than humans. Or maybe... those vampires weren't really a vampire."

"The government already confirmed the existence of vampires with enough evidence. Hindi ka pa rin ba naniniwala?"

If you're a vampire itself, would you still pretend they don't exist even if you're one of them? Bumaba ako sa likod niya at kinuha ko ang tubig sa upuan doon. Umupo siya sa damuhan at pinunasan ang sarili ng towel.

"What did they say?"

I eyed him sharply. "Those vampires were infected."

"So, there's an existing virus, huh? May sinabi ba kung paano iyon nakakahawa? O kung nakakahawa?"

Tumayo siya at lumapit sa akin. Kinuha niya ang bottled water na hawak ko at uminom dito habang nakatingin sa mga mata ko. My eyes darted on his throat moving up and down. I'm having the urge to tiptoe and kiss his Adam apple. Iniwas ko ang tingin nang binaba na niya ang kamay na may hawak ng bote.

Kinuha ko ang towel sa kaniyang balikat. Tumungo ako sa likuran niya.

"If vampires were infected, of course there's a virus. Ang hindi ko alam ay kung nakakahawa 'yon o kung paano kung sakali man," pinunasan ko ang likod niya. "Maybe through a bite, or blood transfusion..."

His muscle flexed. Nahinto ang kamay ko sa pagpunas. Nakakainggit ang karampot na telang dumadampi sa katawan niya.

"Avoid going to bars at night starting now, Emory."

Sinilip ko siya. "Sa umaga at hapon ay puwede, ganoon ba?"

Humarap siya at hinuli ang palapulsuhan ko. My breathe hitch.

"Just stay at home. Kung gusto mo akong makita, call me and I'll be there. Huwag kang lumabas tuwing gabi."

"Vampires must stay away from my sight, Azar. I may look like a weak girl, but I'm a strong woman." Kumunot ang noo ko. "At ikaw? Gusto kong makita? Bakit? Sino ka ba?"

Nameywang siya sa harap ko at taas kilay akong tiningnan. Taas noo ko din siyang hinarap.

Nang nilapit niya ang mukha sa akin ay umatras din ang ulo ko. Natikom ko ang bibig dahil sa tingin na ginagawad niya.

"I'm just the guy you love to f**k?" Hindi pa siya sigurado.

Nanlaki ang mata ko. "Ang yabang mo! You should be proud because I chose you that night even when I had a lot of men waiting for their turn!" I fired back.

"Ang yabang ko?" Naguguluhan niyang sambit.

Tumango ako. "Oo! Alam naman nating dalawa na mas nasasarapan ka tuwing may nangyayari sa atin! Kaya huwag kang mayabang!"

"You know what? Hindi tama ang akusahan akong mayabang gayong ikaw ang nagmamayabang," mahinahon ang kaniyang boses. "Go inside my house. Asikasuhin mo ang iba-barbecue natin dahil kung hindi..." pinasadahan niya ako ng tingin.

"Ano?"

"Ikaw ang iba-barbecue ko..."

I pursed my lips. Ngayon ay napagtanto ko kung gaano kabata ang naging akto ko. Nasa seryosong kalagayan ang lahat pero ako ay naisingit pa ang kababalaghan. Umiling ako dahilan ng pagtaas niya ng kilay.

"Ano ang iniisip mo?"

Ngumuso ako. "Bampira... Sila na lang ang i-barbecue mo, sunugin mo na rin kasi kailangan."

His face became stoic. Humakbang siya at tumalikod. I remained standing, waiting for him to utter a word. He doesn't mind if we talk about vampires but once I started throwing s**t about them, he would turn stone cold.

I took a deep breath.

"You know... the perfume will be released sooner. Iyong naamoy mo sa akin noong una tayong nagkita, doon sa resto... it was called Vyn made by Vervain, a herbal which burnt vampire. But that perfume, if a vampire smelled it, they would cough..." I started.

"Is that why you doubted me?" mariin niyang sinabi.

Dahan-dahan akong tumango.

"Yes... then your heartbeat made it worse. I heard nothing, Azar. I felt no pulse. You don't have garlic in your kitchen, your body felt so cold, then your white pale skin..."

There's no point in lying. If he would still try to deny it, which is I already foresee, he'd leave me no choice but to make a move. I wouldn't stand and listen to his lies.

I wasn't born to be a listener of a liar.

"If you doubted me, why are you still here? Kung sa simula pa lang naman pala ay nasa isip mo na baka isa akong bampira, why did you still choose to stay?"

He turned around to face me. I see nothing in his deep set of dark brown eyes. Malalim at matalim. Walang emosyon. Blanko. Pero bakit tila nangungusap ang tono ng boses niya?

"Because I..." tinitigan ko siya.

How should I answer his question?

I honestly don't know. Hindi ko alam kung alin ang totoo sa mga dahilan na naiisip ko. I was attracted, that was given. I'm seeking for the truth... if what I think about him is true or not. I was curious about the s****l world and I thought he could satisfy my curious mind.

Or maybe... by his touch and kisses, I stayed because I love how it affects me, it excites me... it ignites me.

Just like his name, it burns me. Fire.

I am catching fire. Catching Azar...

"Because you're the guy I'd love to fuck..." was the words that came out of my lips.

Sa umagang iyon ay hindi ako nagtagal sa pananatili kay Azar. Iniwan ko lahat ng dala kong gamit sa bahay ni Azar maliban sa bag ko na lagi kong dala at nagpahatid sa kaniya pabalik sa condo. He was silent the whole time.

"I'll come back after..." I told him when he stopped the car in front of the condominium building.

"Text me if you're done," walang lingon niyang sinabi.

Umiling ako. "Huwag mo na akong sunduin. I'll drive my way back to you," I unbuckled my seatbelt. "Babalik ako, worry not. Sumusunod ako sa usapan..." pero hindi pa rin siya lumilingon.

Malalim akong bumuntong hininga. Saglit ko pa siyang tinitigan bago ako lumapit sa kaniya, kinulong ko sa mga kamay ang mukha niya at iniharap sa akin.

"Az... look at me," ani ko nang sa ibang direksiyon nakatutok ang mga mata niya. I kissed his lips but nothing happened.

"You'll be late..." he whispered.

"Look at me first."

He stared at me softly. "What's stopping you from believing I'm a vampire?"

My lips parted. "Hindi pa rin ba tayo tapos sa usapang 'yan?"

Hinawakan niya ang kamay ko at dahan-dahan itong inalis sa mukha niya. Umayos siya ng upo at sa unahan tumingin. It felt so wrong talking about vampires if it has something to do with him. Strange. I looked away.

Why is he interested though? I wouldn't change my mind. They're monster... but once I find out about their origin, I may change my view about them. I hated how impulsive I was back then.

Kung alam ko kung paano sila nabuhay, hindi ganito kasama ang tingin ko sa mga bampira. That one incident really did change my life. Pero hindi pa rin naman mababago na ang mga bampira ay talaga nga namang demonyo.

If they're infected— like what the government revealed, and even if humans made them, the fact still remains. Sila pa rin ang pumapatay sa mga tao.

Humans became their prey. Their food... a blood bank. Was it their way to sent humans a message that they're trying to start a vwar? Sa pamamagitan ng pagpatay?

Where's their humanity?

"Your exposure to the sun, your reflection..." ang tanging sagot ko.

Humigit siya ng malalim na hininga. "If I'm a vampire, what would you do?"

"Run..." bulong ko.

I went out of Azar's car after answering his question. Agad niyang pinaharurot ang sasakyan pagbaba ko. I just watched his car until it was gone. Doon ko lang din pinakawalan ang paghinga kong kanina ko pa pinipigilan.

Kinuha ko ang sasakyan sa parking lot ng condominium at nagmaneho patungo sa bahay. Azar didn't leave my mind even when I arrived at home. His expression when I told him I would run if he's a vampire, his voice... everything. Did my answer hurts him? That's impossible.

Someone like him has no feelings. Malaki ang paniniwala ko na isa siyang immortal, kaya ngayon pa lang ay iniisip ko na wala siyang puso.

"Ry! Sorry na..." si Mallory.

Ginalaw ko ang balikat para mahulog ang baba niyang nakapatong doon. Nilayo niya naman iyon para lang kumapit sa braso ko habang naglalakad kami patungo sa sala ng bahay.

"Hindi naman kasi tayo nagkikita sa condo kaya hindi ko nasabi sa 'yo na umalis ako. Sorry na... mapapatawad pa ba?" ngumuso siya.

"Mal, let go. Ayos lang," sinabi ko.

Ngumisi siya at bumitaw na rin.

Nadatnan ko ang lahat sa sala, si Mama Astrid sa pang-isahang sofa sa gitna. Si Kuya Aamon at Simeon ay nasa isang pahabang sofa, kami ni Mallory sa isa pa na kaharap lang nila. Sa gitna ay ang mesa na may mga pamilyar na boteng nakapatong.

Kumuha doon si Mallory ng isa.

"We'll distribute it for free, Tita?"

Umiling si Mama. "No, we will just lower the price. Iyong kayang bilhin ng lahat. Wala tayong problema sa stocks dahil patuloy ang paggawa ng Vyn sa lahat ng branches locally and internationally."

"Why not for free, Tita?"

Tumaas ang kilay niya. "I'm running a company, nagpapa-sweldo ako, Mallory. Hindi ko gagawin ang obligasyon ng gobyerno."

"We're here because?" dahan-dahan kong sinabi.

Mama Astrid chuckled. Tila nahulaan ang pagka-inip ko.

"About the issue today..." she became serious. "It's true that vampires were infected by this certain virus called VBT or Vampire's Blood Transfusion. The virus was found thirty-six years ago. For now, no one knows about the existence of the virus or where it came from."

"Even vampires?" Si Mallory na naging seryoso na rin.

"There are some vampires, those oldies but I bet they're dead by now."

"But people learned the existence of vampires, Ma... how would they protect themselves? Hindi namang puwede na ang Vervain lang ang panlaban natin," ani ko.

"Safety measures, it will be announced tomorrow. Nasabihan na rin naman ang lahat na huwag lumabas ng gabi dahil iyon ang oras ng mga bampira," nilingon niya sina Simeon. "If you happen to encounter one, use what you've learned when you were still hunting demons years ago."

I still have my archer in my condo unit and some alternative. A steak knife, silvers, Vyn...

"Pero hindi naman po lahat ay nakikinig, Tita Astrid. Some would try to defy the law..."

"Disciple, Mallory. If they want to live longer, they must follow the rules."

"What about Vwar? Is it possible to happen?" I curiously asked.

"Walang mangyayaring digmaan kung walang maglalabas ng nasabing virus, Emory. Vampires way of killing is brutal, kinukuha nila ang puso ng biktima nito. Hindi iyon mabubuhay kahit ibalik o painumin nila ng dugo ang taong butas na ang dibdib."

"Paano mahahawa ang isang tao, Ma?"

"Through blood..." she paused. "And no, hindi nabubuhay ang patay kung iyon ang iniisip niyo. Those vampires were dying before they became infected. Noong tao pa sila't malapit nang mamatay, VBT was the key to prolong their life."

"So, vampires weren't dead?"

Umiling si Mama Astrid. "No, Emory. Their heart beat, but there's always an exception, honey."

"Like what?" Kunot ang noo ko.

"I don't know, you tell me."

I swallowed hard.

"Is it curable?" I asked in a low voice.

"That I can't tell you..."

My brows furrowed. "It was announced, too. About the cure..."

"You believed it?"

So, it was just a lie? The government lied. What do I expect? Tumawa ako at umiling. Lumipad na naman ang isipan ko kay Azar.

Was I wrong? Was I harsh towards Azar? I was just being doubtful and it was I thought, his fault. Binibigyan niya ako ng dahilan para kwestyunin ang katauhan niya. Hindi ko naman iyon kasalanan, 'di ba? Nais ko lang naman malaman at ma-kompirma kung tama ang hinala ko tungkol kay Azar. If he would just tell me the truth, hindi na sana ako nag-iisip ng kung anuman tungkol sa kaniya.

He was practically giving me clues and all but he just couldn't bring himself to admit it! Maybe he's really a vampire but he wanted me to discover the truth by myself.

"We'll release the Vyn tomorrow to the public markets..." I heard her say.

I composed myself. "Bakit kailangan pang malaman ng lahat ang tungkol sa mga bampira, Mama? Sabi mo nga, no one knows about the virus, hindi naman ito kakalat. Sa tingin ko ay hindi ito magiging dahilan ng pandemya."

"It was a message for vampires, Emory. For him to show up..."

Everything is just too unexpected. I really should have asked back then. Ngayon ay hindi ko alam kung paano tatanggapin ang mga nalaman ko. Virus. Vampires were infected because of VBT but no one knows where it came from. Kaya hindi ko rin masabi kung gawa ito ng tao o baka ay nakuha mula sa isang hayop.

If VBT was the key to prolong life, does it mean Azar was dying before he became a vampire? Well, that's just my theory. Hindi ko pa nasisiguro kung isa nga siyang bampira o taong tunay.

It could be genetic.

Napa-preno ako nang wala sa oras dahil sa naisip. Kanina pa ako umalis mula sa bahay at malayo na rin ang nabaybay ko. The talked with Mama Astrid went well. Pero may mga bagay akong hindi natanong, at nararamdaman ko ring may hindi pa siya sinasabi.

I am curious. Who was she talking about? Him...

Napatingin ako sa passenger window nang may humarurot na sasakyan doon. My forehead knotted. The car was familiar. The pace, too. Ganoon kabilis nag-maneho si Azar nang umalis siya matapos akong ihatid sa condo kanina.

I was about to drive again when my phone rang. Agad ko iyon kinuha at sinagot nang makita ang pangalan niya.

"Drive..." bungad niya.

I chuckled. "Ikaw 'yong dumaan? Para kang nasa karera sa bilis mong mag-maneho, Azar. Still sulking, huh?" Pang-aasar ko.

I watched as my fingers tapped the steering wheel.

"It's almost lunch, still up for barbecue?"

"Puwede bang mamayang hapon na 'yan? The sun is still out." I glanced at the sky through the wind shield. "Bakit hindi ka nasusunog? Bampira ka, 'di ba?" Biro ko.

I imagined his serious face. Gusto kong tumawa pero pinigilan ko ang sarili.

"Vampires burnt under the sun, I'm not. That means I'm not a vampire." Nahimigan ko ang irita sa kaniyang boses.

Napangisi ako. "Hindi mo sure..."

"I'm sure," he sighed. "Drive now. Nasusunog na ako sa tagal mo," pag-sakay niya.

Bahagya akong tumawa. "Patingin ng sunog."

"Emory," he warned.

Tuluyan na akong humagalpak sa tawa. "Oo na. I'm coming. Pikon mo..." Binaba ko na ang tawag pagkatapos.

I drove my car again. I wanted to wipe my smile out but I couldn't. Hindi ko alam kung bakit. One moment, I'm angry and doubtful. Then this, why am I smiling like a fool? Bumagal ang pagmamaneho ko nang makita si Azar sa gitna mismo ng kalsada. I turned off the engine.

His car was parked in the middle horizontally. He was leaning on the side door, sa driver seat habang nakatuon ang atensiyon sa hawak na cellphone. Naka-pamulsa siya sa suot niyang jeans. Napunta sa sasakyan ko ang tingin niya nang marinig ang pagdating ko.

"What is he? King of the Road?" bulalas ko bago lumabas ng sasakyan. Humalukipkip ako sa gilid.

Walang dumadaan na sasakyan kaya ang lakas ng loob niya.

He stood straight and walked towards me. Pati ang paglalakad niya ay napansin ko. It was manly... so sexy. Nahiya ang dress shirt na suot niya sa muscles niyang nagf-flex tuwing gumagalaw siya.

I faked a cough.

"I'm home..." I said playfully.

He narrowed his eyes at me. "Home?"

Nang tuluyan na siyang makalapit ay nilibot ko ang mga braso sa kaniyang beywang. I was looking up to him because of our height gap. Ang kaniyang mga kamay ay nasa gilid lang niya. Bahagya siyang nakayuko para matingnan din ako.

"Hindi ka naman nasunog, e. Nag-expect pa naman ako," I pursed my lips. "Umamin ka na kasi, Az. If you're a vampire, admit it."

"I'm a vampire," may kislap sa mga mata niya.

Umirap ako. Akma na akong bibitaw nang hinawakan niya ang gilid ng beywang ko. Napaigtad ako sa lamig na naramdaman.

"Bampira ako..." ulit niyang nakangisi naman.

"Sinungaling ka."

His forehead knotted, then he chuckled.

"Umamin na ako, pero hindi ka naniniwala. Kapag tinatanggi ko ang mga paratang mo, mas doon ka naniniwalang isa akong bampira," his eyes glint. "Saan ba ako dapat lumugar?"

I shook my head. "Wala kang lugar."

"The Nightvale, babe. Forgot already?"

I rolled my eyes again and put my head against his chest. Hinayaan niya ako roon. Pinakinggan at pinakiramdaman ko pero wala talaga. I just closed my eyes as I felt his grip tightened on the sides of my waist. I didn't bother his coldness and his kisses on the top of my head.

"Were you infected?" Marahan kong tanong.

If he is really infected, yes. I would run.