Blood and Kisses

Chapter V

Xavier had a lot of questions regarding his new found abilities and his new life. But Aspen wasn't in the mood to answer any of it. Hindi dahil wala siyang alam. His questions are quite simple. Mostly just about the existence of vampires. What other things vampires could do and such. Were there many of them out there? Are werewolves real?

She had to roll her eyes at his last question.

Dapat nga tinuturuan niya si Xav. It was her job as his creator to guide him in this new life. But for some reason, Aspen felt jealous.

Dati ay ganito rin siya kalakas. Pakiramdam niya tuloy, ninakaw sa kanya ni Xav ang lakas niya.

Bukod pa doon, this brute won't stop seducing her. Panay ang parinig nito ukol sa nangyari sa pagitan nila nang nagdaang gabi. At heto naman si Aspen, sobrang nadadala rito. If not for her thirst that's been nagging her lately, she might have given in.

Mukhang pati libido nito ay nagsimulang tumaas kasama ng ibang mga katangian nitong nag-heighten dala ng pagiging bampira nito.

Anyway, speaking of thirst, hindi na mapakali si Aspen, hinihintay niyang lumubog na nang husto ang araw upang makaalis na siya. She needed to drink blood. Isang maghapon na ang lumipas and Aspen felt like dying. Patuloy din siyang nanghihina at kung hindi pa niya alam na isa siyang imortal at ang tanging makakapatay lamang sa kanya ay ang pagtarak sa kanyang puso ay aakalain na talaga niyang katapusan na niya.

"Are you still okay?" concern na tanong ni Xavier sa kanya. "Can I get you something?" kagagaling lamang nito sa labas, gutom parin daw ito, nag-uwi ng maraming hamburger si gago. Sana mamatay siya sa dami ng cholesterol na nilantakan niya. Pero naalala niyang bampira na nga pala ito. Vampires don't just die from heart attacks and strokes.

Tough luck!

"No, leave me alone." She knew Xavier didn't do anything to intentionally harm her and yet she felt so much bitterness towards him. It isn't his fault she's a greedy little vampire. Kung hindi dahil sa kasibaan niya sa dugo ay marahil hindi niya sasapitin ito. She continued to eye the window and wish she could tell the sun to get lost already. Her thirst is beginning to bother her like a dull pain on her throat. She's unable to ignore it anymore.

Xav crouched in front of her and examined her gaunt face. It is only a day or so after she last fed and yet she seemed to have lost all the nutrients in her body. He touched her face and she stubbornly slapped his hand.

Walang nagawa iyon para tabigin ang kamay ng lalaki. Kung ordinaryong pagkakataon lamang sana iyon, malamang durog na ang mga buto nito sa kamay.

"You're dying.." his handsome face distorted with what she thought was grief.

"You think I don't know that?" she snapped.

"I can get you blood if you want-"

"You're kidding, right?" nakaismid na sabi niya. "Alam mo ba kung anong dapat gawin para makakuha ka ng dugo? You need to kill! Kaya mo ba 'yon?!"

He pursed his lips and stared grimly at her. "Then tell me how can I help you!" he said, sounding really desperate. "Maybe you could drink my blood or something?"

"Are you out of your mind? You're filthy blood did this to me! You're blood is poison!" that stopped him from saying anything more. For a while, he looked hurt. Muntik pang makaramdam ng konsensya si Aspen. Hanggang sa naging blangko na ang mukha nito.

He obviously couldn't do anything for her. He doesn't need blood, so he doesn't have an instinct to kill. Perhaps, he's still partly human. Ngunit paanong magiging mortal parin ito kung isinalin niya rito ang kanyang dugo? At narito ang mga katangian ng isang bampira, pwera na lang sa pagkauhaw sa dugo! Mariing isinara ni Aspen ang mga mata. She needed answers. The sooner the better.

Nanatili sa tabi niya si Xavier kahit pa hindi niya ito pinapansin. Makailang ulit nitong tinangka na hawakan ang kamay niya ngunit inangilan niya ito. Ano 'yon? For moral support?!

A few minutes later, nagkulay kahel na ang langit tanda na malapit nang lumubog ang araw. Xavier suddenly stood up which startled her.

"That's it. I'm gonna get you some blood."

Nagtungo ito sa kusina at sinundan niya ito ng tingin. He opened a drawer and pulled out a knife in there.

Nagtawa nang nagtawa si Aspen habang tinitingnan ang lalaki. Masama ang tingin na isinukli nito sa kanya. "You know nothing, Xavier." she said. She tried standing but couldn't seem to pull herself up. "A little help here?"

He rushed towards her and he helped her stand up. This guy is good person. Aspen doesn't have to know him for long before she realized that.

She felt his warm hand enveloping her skin just below her elbow. His breath fanned her neck as he helped her up. "Anong balak mong gawin, Aspen?" he pronounced her name as if he has known for a long time instead of just a day.

"Hahanap ako ng sagot."

"In that condition?" he asked incredulously.

"I have to."

"No." mariing tanggi nito. "I'll get you something to drink. You wait here." inalalayan siya nito sa couch na kanina lang ay binitbit nito ng isang kamay.

"I can manage, Xavier." she protested. "Kaya ko ang sarili ko."

"Hindi ako papayag, Aspen."

"I don't need your permission."

Napatiim bagang ito. "At least let me take you. Sasamahan kita. I can't just let you go like this."

Umirap si Aspen sa kasama. "For your information, I am one hundred and ninety seven years old, Xav. And I am a freakin vampire. Stop acting like a mother hen. Hindi ako sisiw!"

"Fine." he said, defeated. "Just promise me you'll be back."

Napamaang si Aspen dito. He looked at her with pleading eyes. He looked so sincere. Hindi lamang niya maintindihan kung bakit kailangan nitong sabihin iyon sa kanya. What kind of connection does she have with this guy? Why is there some kind of a pull between them?

She quickly dismissed the thought. She had more pressing issues in hand at walang lugar sa isip niya ang feelings niya sa nilalang na 'to. For all she know, it was just the connection a creator have to his newborn. Afterall, it was her blood that's running in his veins at the moment.

She reluctantly nodded.

Kung anuman ang matuklasan niya ay kakailanganin niyang makitang muli ang lalaki.

Nakarating si Aspen sa dati nyang tinutuluyan nang walang aberya. Bahagyang natagalan lamang siya dahil kinailangan niyang mag-abang ng taxi pabalik. Mabuti na lang at inabutan siya ng damuhong si Xavier. Isa pa, madilim na kaya walang nakapansin sa kanya, kahit pa nakasuot siya ng damit na panlalaki at susuray suray ang lakad. Hindi na rin naman nanguwestyon ang driver ng taxi dahil marahil inisip nitong lasing lang siya.

Natukso pa nga siyang sakmalin ang leeg nito gawa ng matinding pagkauhaw. Ngunit alam niyang delikado ang gagawin niya. Maaring may makakita sa gagawin niya rito at manganib pang lalo ang buhay niya.

Sapat na isang near death experience para sa linggong iyon.

Ang personal refrigirator niya ang una niyang pinuntahan nang makarating sa tinutuluyan. She was hoping the blood bags could somehow ease her thirst. Pinilas niya ang unang bag na nadampot niya. She still have five bags inside her fridge. She greedily drank the blood and was so troubled that it didn't give her even a fraction of the desired result.

"Damn it!"

Sunod sunod niyang ininom ang dugo mula sa blood bag ngunit nararamdaman parin niya ang pamilyar na kirot sa lalamunan niya. Hindi maaari ito! She couldn't hunt if she's weak like this! Hinang hina siya at ni hindi niya kayang tumayo nang diretso! After five units of blood! What the f**k? This is disturbing!

Pinilit ni Aspen na makatayo upang lumabas ng silid at maghanap ng buhay na biktima. Maybe she would be able to regain strength after that. Hopefully.

Before that, she went to her closet to get some new clothes. She wore her normal ensemble. Dark jeans, leather jacket and boots. Some of her burns from earlier are not yet completely healed. She needed to hide those.

Nang makalabas ay nagtuloy si Aspen sa isang alley. Halos walang tao doon at walang makakapansin kung may biktimahin man siya. She'd go for someone homeless or sick or whatever. She needs someone weak. Hindi niya kayang mambiktima ng normal na tao. She's too frail.

Habang naglalakad ay nakaramdam ng matinding pagkahilo si Aspen. She used to have perfect night vision but at that moment, her eyes got blurry and she felt like the world started spinning.

She swayed on her feet. She extended both her arms, trying to hold on to something and regain balance. But the spinning was too much! Pabagsak na siya sa lupa nang maramdaman niya ang mga bisig na iyon na pumulupot sa bewang niya. She was pulled against his hard chest and was laid gently to the ground. He cradled her head as she struggled to see his face.

"M-Maxwell.."

"What happened, Aspen?"

"I-I don't know.." garalgal ang boses na sagot niya.

"You look really sick. Have you fed?" bakas ang pag-aalala sa boses nito. She couldn't make anything off his face anymore due to her blurry eyesight.

"No.. I-"

Nagulat na lang siya ng bitawan siya ni Maxwell at nagmamadaling umalis ito. So much for the help. She thought. And went back to feeling sorry about herself when Maxwell came back after a few minutes. She really thought he's left her.

Sa pagbalik ni Maxwell ay may kasama na ito. Isang walang malay na lalaki. Ibinagsak nito iyon sa harapan niya. "Feed, Aspen."

She couldn't move a muscle.

She felt Maxwell's dread as he took the guy's severed arm towards her mouth. Natatakot itong mamatay siya. For some unknown reason. Alam ni Aspen na sa kabila ng pangako nito kay Verena, that he would keep her alive, she knew he wants her dead. That's what he was born for. To kill her.

Unti unting bumalik ang lakas niya nang matapos siya sa pag-inom ng dugo ng di kilalang lalaki. She thought she might have killed him. Muli siyang nakaramdam ng panlalamig.

"Is he..?"

Mapait na nag-iwas ng tingin si Maxwell. "That's the least of your worries now," he said. "He was dying anyway. Ilang araw na lang ang itatagal niya nang walang pagkain."

Still, Aspen hated herself for doing it.

"You did not kill him, Aspen. Ang kahirapan at kawalan ng makain ang pumatay sa kanya. Stop beating yourself up." Maxwell scolded. He remained standing in front her. Despite his defensive stance, she felt his concern.

"You have no problem killing before."

Mapait na ngumiti si Aspen. "I could say the same about you." hinila niya ang sariling patayo. Kahit paano ay gumaan na ang pakiramdam niya. She felt stronger now. "I made a promise like you."

Natahimik silang pareho. They were both just standing there motionless. She was contemplating on how she would tell Maxwell about what happened to her.

"Ilang araw kitang hindi nakita," anito. "Where have you been?"

Kahit hindi dapat ay bahagyang napangiti si Aspen. Totoo ba 'yon? He was actually looking for her? That's news. Ngunit saglit lamang iyon dahil agad niyang naalala si Xavier. The super vampire who doesn't crave blood.

At least not now.

"Aspen?" untag nito.

She looked at him and ground her teeth. "Maxwell.."

"What is it?"

"I think I created a monster."