Monsterstruck

Chapter XXIII: Clandestine Connections

            The atmosphere in Boracay was undeniably easy, aside from beach bumming and party hopping, there were other leisure activities for those who were adventure driven, like this growing fad “Mambo Number 5” which was a little bit of boating, surfing, mountain biking, trekking and a little bit of golf.  Blaze engaged himself in those adventures being the usual adrenaline rush seeker he was. He asked Vylet to join him and she seemed to be inclined with the idea.

            Meanwhile, Vygnet and Rachelle were now clad in their swimsuit pieces and ready to laze under the sun.

        “Have you guys seen Vylet anywhere?’ Craig asked.

        “Yes, I think she’s with Blaze. I heard that Blaze asked her to try the Mambo Number 5.” Vygnet retorted.

        “Does that Blaze dude is also courting her?” Rachelle asked in her most innocent air as she put on a sunblock.

        “Kind of.” Craig shot back glumly.

        “Hey babe, you want to try the banana boat ride?”  Jake prompted to Rachelle.

        “Oh yes!” Rachelle replied bubbling with buoyancy as her sultry eyes lit up.

        “Have fun you guys,” Craig bid to the couple as they headed to the banana boat ride.

        “You look bummed out.” Vygnet noted.

        “Not really,”

        “Would you mind applying some at my back?”  Vygnet prompted as she handed him a sunblock.

        “Sure,” he mouthed thoughtlessly.

        Vygnet tied hair hair up in a bun as she flopped herself on the pristine sand. Craig’s touch sent a tingling sensation all over her as he applied the sunblock onto her olive skin. She gradually closed her eyes as she relished this moment.

        “Would that be enough?” Craig asked stiffly.

            Vygnet didn’t answer.

        “Vygnet?”

        “Uh… sorry.  Would you put some more in my calves?” Vygnet wheedled.

        Craig did as he was told, besides he was feeling bummed out already without having Vylet around and the thought of her having fun with Blaze was grinding off his gears.

        “Craig, can I ask you something?” Vygnet suddenly rose and turned to face him

        “What is it?”

        “What is it about her that made you drawn to her?” Vygnet asked laced with jealousy.

        A shred of amorous feelings filled his thoughts as Vygnet’s question swirled in his head.

        “Do I need to answer that Vygnet?”

        “Yes.”

        “I nailed down a lot of reasons in my head and also in my heart on why I feel such things about her, but the only reason I could give you is simply because she is Vylet, and I love everything about her.” Craig replied with a blissful glint in his eyes.

        Vygnet raised her brows. “Everything about her huh, we’ll see about that,” she said with a wicked glint in her eyes.

        “Yes, everything about her.” He reiterated.

         “I just hope nothing could break you on how you feel about her.” She retorted as an impish grin plastered across her face.

        “Yeah, nothing Vygnet, not even fate,” he blurted out in a compelling tone.

        Vygnet choked on his belligerence, on how he sounded compelling. Someday you’ll gonna eat your words, Craig. She thought wistfully as she let her gaze in the crowd. She blinked for a moment when she caught a glimpse of him, along the fleeting crowd, with his acoustic guitar cradled in his bare chest.

        “Craig, I think I just saw Paul…” Vygnet drawled.

        “Paul? Where?”  Craig followed her gaze and sure enough, it was really Paul with his hair now in a mohawk updo.  Vygnet wove in among the passing crowd to holla at Paul as she heard Craig calling after her.

        “Paul!” Vygnet yelled.

        Paul whirled around and came face-to-face with her.

        “Vygnet,” his voice sounded dry.

        “Hi, how have you been? I didn’t expect that I will see you here!” Vygnet said hastily.

        Paul stared at her for a moment, she still hadn’t changed for she still looked alluring and hot as he mused at her glorious figure, and he almost lose his grip. His lips curled into a smirk.

        “Me too, are you with the Clamor?”  Paul speculated.

        “Yeah. Come with me, Craig is over there.” She seized his hands and dragged him towards their spot.

Paul drew it back. “Vygnet,”

        “Any problem? Don’t you want to be acquainted with your former bandmates?”

        “Vygnet I still have to rehearse. My bandmates are waiting for me.”

        “Bandmates huh?  You… are now in another band?” She drawled, creasing her forehead.

        Suddenly Craig’s voice broke off. “Paul, it’s nice to see you again.” Craig greeted.

        “Likewise, Craig.” Paul replied in tentative friendliness as they shook their hands.

        “Gotta go guys, my Red Pistols family are all holed up in our place, so see you when I see you.”

        “You are now in Red Pistols? You can’t be serious dude!  I still remember how you hate the front man way back then!”  Craig exclaimed as he c****d his head sideward in disbelief.

        “Well Tyrone is not that awful, and we have this tight brotherhood.” Paul said with a sharp edge in his voice as he looked at Vygnet.

        “That’s why you disappeared without having a word? Since when you joined them?” Vygnet asked in a tad sour voice.

        “Since god-knows-when,” he replied cryptically and pivoted in his heel. “Bye guys, just regards to my former bandmates.” He said and waved goodbye to them.

        Vygnet and Craig exchanged puzzled look as they watched him stormed off.

        “What’s up with him?”

        “I don’t know what we have done to him to treat us coldly.  I didn’t kick him out of the band right? He’s the one who quit and now he’s in Red Pistols and he even spazzed out to us their tight brotherhood?” Craig sneered.

        “It’s indeed hard to read Paul.” Vygnet remarked as her face twisted into confusion slits. She remembered him sulking on how she was determined to win Craig, he didn’t show any spec of support on his fancy about Craig, now she was having this hunch that maybe Paul secretly holds grudges against Craig. She felt a twinge of guilt the last time they had a heated argument over the coffee shop and since then Paul didn’t bother to see her.

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        “I had a blast, that whole Mambo No.5 sapped my strength.” Vylet deadpanned as they walked along the shoreline.

        “I told you, glad that you enjoyed it.” Blaze retorted.

        As they walked along the shoreline, a gaunt looking woman approached Vylet and abruptly seized her arms and gawked at her.

        “Hey who are you?” Blaze snapped as he yanked the woman’s hand away from Vylet.

        “Purple aura. I never thought this paradise will be filled with such beings you are!” The woman’s pale brown eyes darted to Blaze, and she grew misshapen upon seeing him.

        “Gray…” she muttered, wearing a horrid stricken face as he flinched from them. Vylet went agape as the woman left. She knew what she was babbling about, because she just said straight to her face the color of her aura, a yoma’s aura which varies in purple, burgundy and gray… and hers was purple and did she hear it right? Blaze’s aura was gray!

        “Some lunatic people around,” Blaze mumbled trying to conceal his guilt.

        “Come on, let’s just head back to the hotel.” Blaze admonished.

        “Blaze,” she called flatly as she heaved a sigh.

        “What? Are you still bothered by that lunatic woman?” Blaze bristled.

        “She’s not lunatic, she’s somewhat a clairvoyant! She can read our auras! Did you hear what she just said? I have a purple aura and yours is gray,” she blurted out as her heart beat hyperactively.

        “All I know is you have a purple hair and that’s it.” He retorted.

        “Blaze!  Those colors of an aura are in hum…”  She trailed off and snapped her mouth shut as she realized that Blaze didn’t have any idea what she was.

        “Vylet, I know you’re pretty tired, stop overthinking about that woman’s lunacy, let’s just enjoy our trip here, okay?”

        “Vylet!” Craig called as he rushed towards them.

        “Cr…aig,” her voice cracked.

        “She’s pretty tired.” Blaze said in preamble.

        “I think so,” Craig noted as he mused over her panic- stricken face. Blaze looked at her with a wave of guilt spurring on him.

        “Gotta chow down, I’m already hungry.” Blaze muttered.

        “How about you Vylet? Aren’t hungry yet?” Craig prompted.

        “No, I’m not yet starving. I just want to rest a bit. Would you guys mind?”

        “It’s okay, take your time.” Craig replied with a brief smile.

        “Thanks,” she curtsied and went to her room.

        “You know what Rachelle, I felt the burning sensation when Craig touched me. He never fails to make me feel so uh, how do I put this?  Uhmm, elated?”

        Vylet overheard Vygnet outside the door gushing about something involving her and Craig. What was that? She could tell by her words that it was a steamy topic that made her ears ring.

        “Aroused would be an apt word for that, girl.” Rachelle retorted and they both laughed out. Vylet curled back her lips as she couldn’t contain anymore what she was hearing and knocked on the door.

        “Come in!” Rachelle coaxed.

        She nervously pushed the door open without looking at the two ladies.

        “Hi Vylet, how was the Mambo No. 5?” Vygnet asked with a forced smile.

        “It went fine, we had a blast.” Vylet said wryly and went to her bed.

        “I guess let’s leave her alone Vygnet, looks like she need some rest.” Rachelle piped in.

        Vygnet had this inkling that maybe Vylet was eavesdropping to their conversation a while ago. A wicked smile writhed across her face.

        “Going back to the topic Rachelle, does Jake makes you feel what Craig makes me feel?” Vygnet asked feistily, looking at Vylet whose back was turned against them.

        “Vygnet, I think it’s overboard to talk about that in here.” Rachelle hissed.

        “But why? We are all adults here,” she replied feistily.

          Vylet tried to snap her eyes shut, she wanted to shut everything out in this room, all she wanted was an immense silence to ease up her nerves and the chaos of her thoughts that weighed her weary soul. She wanted to lunge at Vygnet for being such a b***h towards her. She knew that Vygnet intentionally kept on pressing the topic to infuriate her or to dishearten her.

        “Oh sorry, I forgot someone in this room must be so naïve about this stuff.” Vygnet ranted.

        Vylet couldn’t contain it any longer and she got up from her bed. She faced Vygnet wearing her sarcastic sweet smile.

         “Me naïve about that stuff? I’m sorry Vygnet I think you’re barking the wrong tree.” Vylet said gutsily.

        “Oh, I’m quite impressed with that purple freak. Tell me what you know about intimacy.” Vygnet coaxed flagrantly.

        “Vygnet, cut it off!” Rachelle chastised.

        Vylet gulped for a moment as her eyes trained at her feisty expression. The inner monster in her was lumbering and about to unleash anytime.

        “You know what? I honestly don’t care about your escapades with Craig, on what you guys are doing behind my back. I hate to bounce this off to you, but I pity you Vygnet, you seem so desperate to win him, notwithstanding the fact that he’s not into you. Nevertheless, I’m quite impressed by your boldness. Try harder.” Vylet said boldly, smirking at her.

        Rachelle clutched her chest as she went agape by her words.  Vygnet’s fists were balled into tendons as anger started to radiate in her veins.

        She suddenly lunged at her, but Vylet caught her arm beforehand.

        “Don’t you dare b***h or you would be surprised on what I can do to you.” Vylet threatened, her catlike eyes were blazed with animosity. Vygnet mirrored the blazing intensity of her catlike eyes, as the muscles of their arms locked in its place. They felt a surge of power and revulsion when they caught each other’s arms. At some unknown reasons, Vylet felt something different, she gazed into her archenemy’s eyes as if she was reflecting herself toward her piercing cold eyes, and both hearts were sputtering. They couldn’t fathom out what they were seeing, like when they looked at each other’s piercing eyes, a rush of enigma filled both.

        Vygnet drew back her hands in a rigid motion and clenched her jaw.

        “We’ll see about that freaky monster.” Vygnet growled as she sauntered off the room.

        Rachelle threw Vylet an apologetic look and followed Vygnet.

        Vylet heaved a deep sigh as she felt her erratic breathing reverberating in her chest. What did she just call me? Freaky monster?  She took that slur figuratively and slumped herself in the feathery soft bed. How she admired herself to have the balls to defend her toward the bitchy attitude of Vygnet, on how she contained her monstrous spirit thwarting to burst from her outrage towards her.

         It was like some part of her soul was telling her that something about Vygnet was connected to her, she tried to tune every thread of those to her mind, her catlike eyes mirrored hers, her strength equaled hers, the surge of power she felt on her also mirrored hers.

         Gradually, she had fallen asleep with all these chaos of her thoughts as she dreamt about a girl smiling faintly at her.

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         “The Clamor is also here in Bora. I’ve seen Craig lately.” Paul piped in to his bandmates who were now wolfing down their snacks.

        “So, who the hell cares if they’re here? They aren’t that big shit.” Tyrone replied mockingly.

        “Just do remember our pact, Paul. You belong to us, not to them. Don’t you dare bailing the s**t out on us.”  The ash blond haired keyboardist of the band, Zion reminded him sternly as he scooped some roasted white intestine and dipped it in a greenish sauce.

        “Relax you guys, Paul can’t go back from the way he used to be.” Bantered the redhead drummer of the Red Pistols, Leon.

        Suddenly, a tall brawny guy emerged from the doorway. He slammed each member into a high five and shot a pompous smile at each of them. His spiky black hair was gelled into an orderly spike and his smoldering black eyes were filled with glee.

        “How are my boys here doing?” Blaze asked in preamble.

        “Shut up you bandit, we’re pretty full here. Thanks for these meals.” Tyrone retorted.

        “Great, and how about this new guy over here?” His eyes flickered to Paul whose standing by the window.

        “How was Vygnet there?” Paul asked mutely.

        “I haven’t seen her a while ago as I chow down. Maybe flirting again with Craig,” Blaze replied as he shrugged off his shoulders.

        Paul just threw him a glacial look.

          “Listen guys, we have to be careful with our identity while we are here. Because there are a lot of cresclunar owners lurking around the vicinity of this place. Some of them can read auras and I’ve encountered one lately. She had read my aura as well as Vylet’s aura.”

        “Oh snap, how are we going to perform later on if that so?” Zion grumbled.

        “Blaze, you’ve got to back up on us.” Leon retorted.

        “Don’t panic. It’s gonna be alright, you got me.” Blaze assured.

        “So… did Vylet figure out what you really are? Man, I’m so anticipating that to happen!”  Tyrone crowed.

        “I didn’t think much of it. As long she’s a yoma, I got her. We belong to each other.” Blaze said in a compelling tone.

        “But there’s this Craig, who is always the apple of the discord,” Paul retorted as he grimaced upon saying his rival’s name.

        “Don’t worry Paul, Vygnet is all yours, knowing you guys are both yomas. Do you want me to tell her that you are a newly…”

        “Don’t you dare Blaze. I’ll punch you hard.” Paul threatened and collared him.

        “I can’t believe you’re still that wimp you are huh,” Blaze remarked, chuckling.

        “We both are Blaze. You are way p***y than I am.” Paul slurred looking at him darkly.

        Blaze pushed him with a great force and Paul fell on the floor. Blaze straddled on his chest, and they were grappling now on the floor, pummeling him with blows.

    “What made you say that you bastard, what made you say that huh?!” Blaze roared.

    “Because you don’t even have the balls to tell Vylet what you really are. You always act like her savior, but you can’t even save yourself with your cowardice when it comes to telling her the truth!” Paul muttered candidly.

    “Yeah Blaze, why don’t you tell Vylet the truth? Don’t tell me that you’re not allowed to tell to? f**k dude, no yoma imposed that rule. And besides, Vylet is already a yoma, so what holds you back?” Leon asked.

    “Hey guys, knock it off!” Tyrone shouted.

    “Funny how this bastard wussed out in admitting her real feelings for Vygnet, Why Paul, I already professed my feelings for Vylet, and you, you’re still stuck in there, still salivating for her with your jealousy over Craig.”

    “I’m willing to sacrifice Blaze, that’s how I love her so much. I’m willing to let her go if she really loves him. I’m not that fan of casting airs with such false hopes like yours. I am brave enough to face the reality no matter how much it hurts,” Paul rasped boldly.

    This made Blaze grew more infuriated as his rage seeped all over him and he transformed into a yoma.

    “What the hell is happening here?” A domineering voice thundered, and all heads swung rapidly at the doorway, it was Verona.