Esperanza

Chapter Two

A woman landed in his arms, a flailing scatter of limbs and flimsy pineapple cloth. He caught her easily, her huge dress disguising her lightweight.

“It's not every day that a thief delivers their selves to their impending doom,” he said. His eyes were at the book that she's clutching.

The girl suddenly struggled and kicked on his hold so he let her stand and shuffle away. Her large doe eyes quiver as her gaze is fixed on his face.

“Señor Sebastian—”

He heard his name came out from her lips.

Sebastian narrowed his eyes dangerously as he pace towards her, the woman stepped backward, hugging the book closer to her chest.

“You already know who I am, yet you dared to steal in my abode. Now, hand me the book that your reckless adventure earned you.”

She shook her head in denial. “Señor, my friend's life depends on this book. Could you please be generous and give this one to me? If not, I'll go buy this from you. Name your price, I have a lot of riches.”

Sebastian sneered at her thick face. He looked at her straight in her eyes and reached out with his mind to touch hers.

“Señorita, my riches couldn't be compared to yours, so I don't want it. And I don't care about your friend. Friar Damascus probably sent you here to steal my book. He's the only one who knew its existence.”

With that, he also added, “Too bad that your friend is a stupid one, she allowed that equally stupid friar to catch her. What's mine should be mine. Count yourself lucky that I'm in good mood today and I don't want to resort to violence. Now, hand me the book and you may go in one piece.”

Her bright cherry lips parted. She looked at him with haze in her eyes. The hands that clutching the Bible loosened, with a little deeper persuasion, he could get back the book.

Her dark lashes flutter and she was suddenly awake. Espe widened her eyes and finally snapped out of her trance.

“W-what are you doing to me?” she instantly scooted away from him, greatly alarmed.

“Y-you! I can feel that you're controlling my mind a while ago.” She made a grim face. “You're a vampire!”

Sebastian clicked his tongue. His mind control shattered.

“Si! Since you already know my secrets—” He paces towards her, his footsteps echoed. “It's no longer safe to keep you around.”

“Señor, why don't we trade?” the lady squared her shoulders and eyed him. Neither of the two retreated their gaze.

Sebastian quirk his brow.

Despite that she's near the Creator's doorstep, she still has the guts to trade with him. What an audacious human.

“I can't let my self die Señor, as I said, my friend life depends on your book. Why don't we trade your secrets with this book? Your secrets are safe with me. I'll mum that you're a vampire.”

His shoulder shook and a rough sound erupting from his mouth.

A burst of wild masculine laughter floated in the room, his laughter mixed up with the sounds of the party below. When he saw a scowl emerge on her face, Sebastian returned to himself quickly, sobering up.

What he'd heard was the funniest joke that he'd heard in his entire life.

Wasn't she's swindling him?

“Why don't I kill you, to keep them both, hmm?” He blinked, his thick, dark lashes shuttering his pale blue eyes.

The lady gritted her teeth. “Didn't I made myself clear? My friend's life is in danger and I'll buy this book to be fair to you.”

He gave her an amused looked that nearly had her outburst if she's not biting her lips.

Sebastian gave a dry chuckle and said: “My lady, you plan to steal it. If I didn't catch you on the act, you'd probably run away with it. So the answer is no.”

“Why not?” Frustration mixed with anger was starting to swirl in her voice.

Ignoring her comment, he sneered menacingly, his face was dripping with sarcasm, “I don't care and I don't give my concern to someone who's obviously can't give me benefits.” He made another step which earning another backward step from the woman.

She opens her mouth again.

Lately, he'd been gazing at her mouth. What nonsense she would say this time?

She sighed.

“Are you really not selling this Bible to me?” she's trying not her anger overwhelmed her, but her voice belied her rage.

“Woman, you already know the answer, yet you talked like a senile old man. The answer is still no.” Sebastian jeered.

“Well, since you feel that way, I'm sorry that I have to do this.”

He saw her flex her fingers. Sebastian arched his brow.

“Do what?”

***

Sebastian Bright turned the crystal brandy glass slowly between his large, callus hands. He studied the reflected glow of the flames within the heavily cut glass.

“Esperanza Salvador y Castillo, Toque alcalde mayor's daughter, Señor Marquez Salvador. Her friend is Alicia Beret, a Yankee.” Santo read the report.

“Tell me, why it has to be her? Why?” Sebastian's indolent and devilish baritone faintly echoed through the room. It was mumbling as audible as a mosquito, but each word could cut the heartstrings of beauties.

Too bad, but the beauty in the room was not around.

“The beast could only answer that question, Sebastian.” his Filipino friend replied.

“Oh?” Because it was nighttime, he didn't button up his nightgown, letting his muscular chest appear from time to time as he moved, giving him an unruly appearance.

“What’s that Yankee's problem that troublesome woman becomes involved?” he asked.

“Sebastian, she's a werewolf, like yourself. Friar Damascus caught her and used that to Señorita Espe to steal the Bible.”

He threw back his head and gulped down the brandy. “No, amigo. You're mistaken, she's a pure wolf while I'm mixed blood. A vampire mother with a werewolf as a father.”

“It doesn't make you a taboo, Baste.” Santo frowned. “It is only natural that your father searches for his Luna. It only turns out that she's a vampire.”

Sebastian gave a dry chuckle and put down the brandy glass on the side table of his bed. “You may take your leave Santo, I can barely manage now. She didn't use a destructive spell on me after all.”

That puny human wasn't a mere human at all.

She's a witch.

And that witch caught him off guard and cast him a binding spell. Making him immobile for a couple of hours.

Santo eyed him carefully, examining him thoroughly. When he saw that he's really alright, he nodded. Who could think that sweet looking señorita was a witch and armed with the arsenal of spells?

He was amused. “Don't worry my friend, I'll help you monitor those people if you want to. Adiós!”

Sebastian watched his friend marched off of his room. His face suddenly morphed into madness. His pale blue eyes turned to bright purple.

It was the wolf.

Every fiber of his muscles vibrates from his excitement. He had found her.

His Luna. Mine.

At the party a while ago, he sensed her presence but couldn't pinpoint her location among those ladies dancing but when he saw a woman leaving the ballroom, he felt his mate presence gone.

So out of curiosity, he wants it to check if it was coming from her, he followed her like a wolf uses stealth and cunning to hunt its prey.

And he found out that she's after one of his treasures.

Should he give thanks to Damascus for his greed? Or he should punish him?

Sebastian pulled the rope to call any maids nearby. “Has anyone there? Call Ramos immediately. I have something to order to him.”

Whatever the answer is, he should not let her escape from his grasp.

His Luna—