Blood and Kisses

Chapter VII

Aspen was lost for words after hearing what Maxwell said. Halos maubos ang sangkatauhan? Nang dahil sa isang out of control na hybrid?

She couldn't imagine that. All of them strive to achieve balance on earth. Kailangan may sapat na dami ng bampira, sapat na dami ng hunters at higit sa lahat sapat na dami ng mga tao para mamintena ang balanse sa mundo. Pero kung mauubos ang tao? How will they survive? Mauubos ang mga bampirang gaya niya. At ano? Mga hunters lang ang matitira, ganon?

That hardly seems fair!

"T-this monster.. What is he like? Does he transform into something or w-what..?" nanginginig ang mga kamay ni Aspen. She doesn't even know where to put them so that Maxwell wouldn't see. Natatakot siya. Whatever this monster is. It poses a threat to humankind and to their existence.

"I honestly don't know, Aspen.." he studied her face. Mababakas din sa mukha nito ang matinding takot.

"H-how did they kill it?"

Napailing ito.

"What?"

"They are not entirely sure if they really killed it or not. Like I said, nagtulungan ang mga hunter at bampira, pero ang lakas ng nilalang na 'to.." humugot ng malalim na hininga si Maxwell. "No one could match him. Kaunti na lang ang bilang nila nang mga panahon na 'yon. They were able to injure it and lock it up somewhere.."

"Lock it up somewhere?" Aspen asked incredulously.

"Yes.." tumango ito. "You see, this creature is invinsible. There's no way to kill it given their numbers. They thought that if they starve him, he will eventually die."

Napasimangot si Aspen. "But what if it didn't die?"

Muli ay napailing si Maxwell. "Then it didn't. Nakakulong siya, Aspen."

"Pero kung ganoon nga siya kalakas, paano sila nakakasiguro na hindi siya makakatakas?"

"Because he's weak!" Maxwell slumped his shoulders. "Listen, they said they couldn't kill him. He's powerful. The only comfort we have at this moment is he's locked away somewhere. Withering. Hungry. Weak."

"Ayun na nga ang punto ko, Maxwell. He's hungry." aniya. "That's the strongest motivation a vampire has. Mas nagugutom kami, mas nakakaisip kami ng paraan para makakain. Natatakot ako na baka umabot siya sa sukdulan at makawala siya sa pinagkulungan sa kanya dahil sa gutom na 'yon. Saan siya nakakulong?"

"I don't know."

"What?!"

Punyetang lalaki 'to. Napakahaba ng kwento, kulang kulang naman ang detalye!

"Only the ancient ones know about him!" pinigilan siya nito bago pa man siya makatayo. "Aspen, that was a thousand years ago! There's a reason why only the ancient ones knows about it! Hindi nila ipinasa ang kaalaman na ito sa buong komunidad dahil ayaw nila ng gulo. They don't want a mass hysteria. Things are under control. Kung makakawala man siya, dapat noon pa! He's not strong enough to let himself out. Walang basehan ang pag-aalala mo."

"How can you believe that? Things are under control my ass!" maigting na protesta niya. "Kung sila lang ang may alam nito, how come ikaw, alam mo?"

He blew out an exasperated breath. "I was in Egypt when I found out about this. I met a shaman and she taught me about the history of our race."

Aspen did not press for more. Nanatiling nakakunot ang noo niya dala ng labis na pag-aalala.

"Hindi si Drakkar ang dapat nating alalahanin ngayon. However, itong sinasabi mong lalaki na nakilala mo, he might turn out like Drakkar, kung hindi natin pipigilan ngayon pa lang."

Nag angat siya ng paningin kay Maxwell. "So, what do you suggest we do?"

Biglang bumilis ang t***k ng puso ni Aspen. She doesn't have to ask him what they have to do. It is clear that if Xavier was a threat, he has to be annihilated. But can she bring herself to do that? She doesn't think so.

Hindi lang dahil alam niyang malakas si Xav. There's this connection she has with him. Hindi niya basta magawang ipagisangtabi iyon. She knew she couldn't just simply kill him without killing something within her, too. True, she just met him.. But..

"We have to kill him, Aspen. Habang kaya pa natin." Maxwell's face was devoid of any emotion. He reached out to touch Aspen's hand on the table which startled her. "I'm sorry," agad din nitong binawi ang kamay.

Pinakatitigan niya ang lalaki. That was the first time he ever made a voluntary skin contact with her. Unnecessary contact if she might add. Maxwell appears detached all the time, specially towards her. This was the first time he ever made such an act. Like, he cared for her?

Napailing siya. She doesn't need to dwell on Maxwell's behavior. Sabihin pang gusto niya ang pakiramdam na parang may totoong malasakit na ito sa kanya, hindi iyon ang dapat na iniisip niya ngayon.

"Pero may posibilidad na baka mamatay siya nang kusa, di ba?"

"Yes," tumatangong sagot nito. "Pero paano kung hindi siya mamatay, Aspen? Paano kung maging tulad siya ni Drakkar? We have to act now. We have to go ahead his transformation before it's too late."

Nakaramdam ng lungkot si Aspen.

"I know you feel a connection with him. You created him after all," he leaned towards her. "But he's dangerous, Aspen. He might cause another war. Hence, extinction of our kind. Yours and mine." pinagdiinan nito ang bawat salita.  "And you know that if the hunters find out what you did, they'd go after you."

She nodded. "I understand." then she became thoughtful. "Pero may flaws ang paliwanag mo tungkol kay Xavier."

"What do you mean?"

"He's immuned to my compulsion even before I gave him my blood. Plus you said, his hunter scent was masked by a vampire's blood? Paano mangyayari yun? Does it mean he's a hybrid before I even transformed him?" napaisip siya. "But he doesn't look and seem a vampire then. Ngayon lang naging evident ang pagiging bampira niya!"

"I don't know." Napaisip din ito. His eyes narrowed as he looked at her after a moment. "What if that vampire blood in his system was dormant?"

"You mean some vampire gave him blood and it didn't turn him?"

Tumango si Maxwell.

"But that's.."

"A long shot, I know," anito.

"I'm not even sure that could happen."

He fiddled with the handle of his cup. "But there's got to be an explanation, Aspen. That was all I could come up with. Besides, does it matter? Isa na siyang hybrid ngayon."

"Of course it matters, Maxwell!" kontra niya. "That only means someone tried to make a freakin hybrid! Maaaring alam ng bampira ng kung sino man nagbigay sa kanya ng dugo that he is a hunter. It seems Xavier doesn't know his ancestors very well. There's a big chance that he doesn't know he's a hunter. Besides, kung alam niya 'yon, dapat pinatay na niya ako habang tulog ako. But he didn't! And what's more perfect than a hunter who doesn't know he's one? Nakakita ng magandang oportunidad ang kung sino mang gumawa nito sa kanya. He or she wasn't successful though but what if that person tried to do it again? To a different hunter?"

Napaatras si Maxwell sa sinabi niya. "You could be right."

"We need to know who that is, and we need to stop him. Or her."

"I know this is hard for you, Aspen." hinawakan ni Maxwell ang kamay niya at muli ay napapitlag siya. What the hell?

Hinarap niya ito ng nakataas ang kilay. "What's gotten into you, Maxwell? Anong ibig sabihin ng paghawak hawak mo sa kamay ko?"

"Nothing," he said defensively. "I just thought you needed to be comforted."

"I don't f-cking need to be comforted! Damn it, I'm not Verena!" I lashed at him. We were on our way back to Xavier's apartment. Parehas silang napahinto sa paglalakad.

Aspen loved Verena. She was everything to her before Maxwell came into their lives. But she was nothing like her. Verena's compassionate but with all due respect to her memories, she's emotionally weak. Kita mo naman kung paano sila ipinahamak ng marupok nitong damdamin? Alam na nitong mapapahamak sila kung itutuloy niya ang pakikipagrelasyon kay Maxwell, ngunit itinuloy parin nito ang kahibangan na iyon. Nagpatalo ito sa puso nito!

"I know that!" nagtatagis ang bagang na sagot ni Maxwell.

"Then why?!"

"I just thought that this would be hard for you! You created him and I know for a fact what kind of bond the two of you have. Mahihirapan kang patayin siya, Aspen!"

"And holding my hand would make it easier for me?" she eyed him warily. Punyeta! Alam kong may gusto ako sa kanya pero hindi ako tanga. Hindi siya nabuhay sa mundo ng halos dalawang daang taon para maging naive! She knows something's up. Maxwell's been acting suspiciously. Pero malalaman ko rin kung ano man ang binabalak niya sa akin. Masama man iyon o mabuti.

Nagpatuloy siya sa paglalakad at naramdaman niya ang pagsunod ng lalaki sa kanya. "Stop following me, Maxwell. I made no promise to Verena that could stop me from killing you." banta niya rito.

"I told you," tahimik na sagot nito. "Sasamahan kita hanggang sa makabalik ka sa Xavier na 'yon."

"I'm not going to kill him, yet. I won't need your help."

"Why not?"

"Cause I said so." she answered without bothering to look at him. She increased her pace, she was almost running now. She doesn't know why she's so eager to get Maxwell out of her back. She just wanted to get the hell out of there.

Nagulat na lamang siya nang hagipin ni Maxwell ang braso niya. He spun her around and pulled her towards his body. Nahigit niya ang hininga. They were barely an inch apart, she could feel his warmth radiating from his body. He smelled so delicious, too. "You should kill him now, Aspen, before it's too late! You know the consequences!"

"Are you flirting with me, Maxwell Deleforte?" she asked smirking.

That seemed to faze him. "What are you saying? I'm not."

"Yes, you are." she rolled her eyes heavenwards. "You're flirting with me. Or maybe it was your subconcious? Why, you find me attractive now?"

Itinulak siya nito. "I am not even remotely close to finding you attractive, Aspen! The point here is-"

"You don't have to pull me close if you don't find me attractive, Maxwell," natatawang sabi niya sabay duro sa dibdib nito. "And the glint on your eyes. Hah! That gave you away!"

"There's no glint!" he protested.

"Yes there is." nilapitan niya ito at nginisihan. "They haven't been back since Verena died, but they certainly are back now."

He pushed her rather harshly. Hindi naman natinag si Aspen. "What's the matter, Maxwell? Can't take a little teasing?" nakangisi siya pero agad ding sumiryoso ang mukha. "You stop following me and ordering me around. Hindi ako susunod sa gusto mo. I will not kill Xav. At least not for now. And there's nothing you can do about that."

"Are you sure, Aspen? I can drive a stake to his heart when you're not looking." was his serious comeback.

Aspen bared her teeth and she turned ashen as she growl at him. "Do that and I will kill you!"

"I'm not scared of you." his face remained blank. He doesn't appear even a bit shaken from Aspen's warning.

"Don't try my patience, Maxwell. Hindi ako nagbibiro." dinakma niya ang braso ng lalaki at walang kahirap hirap na binali ang buto nito.

Napahiyaw si Maxwell sa sakit. True he has the strength of a dozen men but Aspen has the strength of fifty. Lalo na ngayon at malalim na ang gabi. Napadukdok sa sahig ang lalaki, sapo sapo nito ang baling braso.

"That ought to teach you to stop goading me, Max." malamig na sabi niya. "Alam mong higit pa riyan ang kaya kong gawin kaya kung ako sayo, tigilan mo ang pamumwisit sakin. I appreciate your help, but you do not call the shots here."

Mabilis na tinalikuran niya ito at nagmamadaling nag-iba ng daan. He could still follow her, afterall, hunters heal fast, too. Not as fast as vampires, though, pero mabuti na ang sigurado. Ililigaw muna niya ito bago niya balikan si Xavier.