Vampire's Pathos

Blood 12

It's been a week.

It's been a whole week since that encounter with Aerovan, and surprisingly, I'm still alive.

But that doesn't exactly mean that I'm actually safe from him, kasi alam kong gagamitin at gagamitin niya ako. Sadyang hindi ko lang alam yung ie-expect ko since there has been no movements or interactions between him and me..

After telling me that he wanted my blood last time, bigla nalang may dumating na lalaki mula sa likod niya.

I think the name was Kei..?

That guy purposely cuts Aerovann off by introducing himself, at pumagitna siya sa aming dalawa. He curtly bowed his head before me, bago niya kinuha yung kamay ko at hinalikan 'yon. Which was a bit unexpected, considering Aerovan's cold demeanor.

But I think rather than saving me from Aerovan, mas nararamdaman kong mas malakas yung intensyon niyang kainin ako ng buhay kaysa kay Aerovan.

You don't have to be smart to know that that person was a vampire too.

Matapos no'n, basta nalang nila akong iniwan since that Kei was looking for Aerovan because they both have somewhere they have to be.

And that's how the conversation ended.

Also, after the incident between me and Kate.. It didn't seem to lessen the disappearances of students, and most of them are being found dead or never at all.

There are fewer cases here, than in other places. Other than that, I also found out that there was at least an interval between missing students. It may be weeks, or at least a month.

Bago may maiitatalang nawawala ulit.

And it may only be a matter of time, before another vampire like Kate strikes again.

"Miss Eara?"

Natauhan naman ako kaagad nung narinig kong magsalita si Rion, at napatingin naman ako kaagad sa kanya.

"Hm? Ano ulit yung sabi mo?" Tanong ko sa kanya, because he was clearly speaking to me, pero masyado akong nalulunod sa mga problema ko kaya nawala yung atensyon ko sa kanya.

He looks at me, dissatisfied, bago siya napabuntong hininga.

"Sorry.. I'm just.." Napatigil ako sa pagsasalita kasi iniisip ko kung ano ba yung mga tamang salita para sabihin yung nangyayari sa akin.

Are there even right words for it?

"You can tell me."

Nakuha niya naman kaagad yung atensyon ko, and he looked so serious. It was like he was ready to accept whatever I was about to tell him.

He has never been this straight forward.

At most, this would've always been me, but here he was..

So serious, yet so sincere.

"Naguguluhan lang ako." I said with a half smile, and I saw his expression soften and turned a bit confused.

"Naguguluhan?" Ulit niya, and I nodded.

He didn't push the topic further, kasi mukhang nahalata niya naman na hindi ako magsasalita. Just like how I didn't ask before, he respected my decision.

Instead, inubos namin yung oras ng break sa pag uusap tungkol sa kung ano anong mga bagay.

That continued until may tumawag sa akin.

"Um, nandito po ba si Eara Laire Arella?" Lahat ng tao sa room napatingin sa labas ng pinto, and their heads soon turned around to look at me.

Kaya naman hindi na ako nagsayang ng oras, at tumayo ako sa kinauupuan ko.

"That's me."

Napatingin sa akin yung lalaking nasa pinto, bago siya muling nagsalita.

"You're being called to the principal's office."

Nagsimulang magbulungan yung mga studyante sa classroom, at nag aalala ng napatingin sa akin si Rion.

But even with all of that, medyo nakukuha ko naman na kung bakit ako napatawag.

It must be the work of Aerovan.

"May ginawa ka ba?" Rion asked, worried about me, and I just assured him.

"Wala." I said with a smile at iniwan ko si Rion, and while walking towards the door. I looked at that one person who was working behind all of this.

Kian Pierce Aerovan.

Medyo nagtaka nalang rin ako nung tumayo din siya, at tinungo ko nalang yung atensyon ko sa pinto kung nasaan yung tumawag sa akin.

It looks like the guy was ordered to lead me to the office, kaya naman sinundan ko nalang siya.

We walked until we reached the end of the hall at bumaba kami ng hagdan. After going down, hindi na ako nagulat nung nakita ko si Aerovan na nasa tabi lang ng isang pinto.

The door leading to the principal's office.

"Just make your way inside." Sambit nung lalaking naghatid sa akin at napatango nalang ako bago siya umalis.

Sunod akong napatingin kay Aerovan na nakatayo lang sa gilid, he was silently leaning his back on the wall with his eyes closed..

What does he want now?

Ang gusto kong itanong pero mas mabuti nalang yatang alamin ko nalang.

I should just go inside.

Because even if I asked him that question, there's a huge possibility na hindi niya ako sasagutin. Nagsasayang lang ako ng oras kung mangyayari 'yon. Kaya naman hinawakan ko nalang yung knob ng pinto para makapasok na. And just when I was about to turn it, may kamay na pumigil sa akin.

I immediately looked to my side, at nakita ko nga si Aerovan. I saw his hand on my wrist, stopping me from opening the door.

"If he does something.. tell me."

I was taken aback by his strict voice and his sudden choice of words. Kahit ganoon yung pagkakasabi niya, I could feel that it wasn't out of worry at all. There was some other reason why, and I couldn't quite put my finger on it.

But it's there.

Dahan dahan nalang akong napatango, and he slowly lets my wrist go.

At saka ako tuluyang pumasok sa loob ng office.

Bakit kaya hindi nalang din siya pumasok kung iniisip niyang may mangyayari sa akin?

Napabuntong hinga nalang ako at saka ako napatingin sa harap ko, and I froze in my place.

After blinking for a few times, saka ko lang naalala na kamukha ni Aerovan yung principal. After looking at his smiley face, napatingin ako sa name plate na nakalagay sa table niya.

Kean Oliver Aerovan.

He's an Aerovan..

He might be.. or just like the other one.. a vampire.

I stood there for a moment and examined the whole place.

All the windows inside the room was covered with blinds, with little to none of the sun's light passing through.

The walls were painted dark red, and paired with bookshelves that looked like they haven't been touched for years. Other than that, there was a pile of papers behind him and a bunch of file cabinets too.

It was like a typical office.. pero may pagkakaiba..

Something felt eerie about this room..

Dahan dahan lang akong napalapit sa table niya, at nung makarating ako sa upuan na nasa harap lang nung table.

Napatigil ako.

Nag aalinlangan akong umupo dahil hindi ko gustong maging komportable. But.. is there even something comfortable in this situation?

I'm alone inside a room with a vampire.

Who knows what could happen?

But if something does happen to me..

May magagawa ba si Aerovan?

Aerovan didn't tell me to be careful, pero kung aalalahanin mo yung mga sinabi niya.

I might as well be.

"You don't have to be so guarded." My train of thoughts suddenly stopped nung narinig kong magsalita yung lalaki.

And he gestured for the seat just beside me.

"You can sit here. I don't bite like my brother, I promise." A little bit hesitant, sinunod ko nalang yung sinabi niya at umupo sa harapan niya.

But in his assurance to me, it answered one of my questions.

He is Kian Aerovan's brother.

"I'm sorry about my brother's aggression the other day, talagang masama lang yung araw niya kaya niya nagawa 'yon." Tahimik akong tumango sa sinabi niya, and he sounded just like a human.

Unlike Aerovan who always looked like everything is just in his way, this guy's personality is so different.

He's much more approachable, but..

I somehow get the feeling that he can't be trusted.

"So, Ms. Eara Laire Arella.. You know about our secret, right?" Even though he said it with a smile on his face, his sharp eyes was piercing.

Hindi ko alam kung anong sagot ang gusto niyang marinig sa akin, kaya basta basta nalang akong tumango.

"We're vampires."

Although we were inside a dim room, pinigilan ko yung sarili kong magulat nung makita ko yung mga mata niya.

His eyes were different.

His eyes weren't gold.. but it was green.

It shone like an emerald for a moment, before reverting back to a natural color.

"By Kian's orders, I'm about to tell anything you want to know about vampires."

He simply smiled like it was nothing, and this time nagulat na talaga ako.

By Kian's order..?

Anything?

They're willing to tell me that much?

But isn't it supposed to be a secret? Bakit ganoon nalang nila kadaling sasabihin sa akin ang tungkol sa kanila?

"I know you're confused, and believe me, ako rin." Napatingin nalang ulit ako sa lalaking nasa harapan ko, at saka siya napahawak sa ulo niya.

"Well, it has been a while since he wanted something. Kaya siguro nandito ako sa posisyon na 'to ngayon." He muttered under his breath, bago napatingin sa akin at napangiti.

The sharp look in his eyes disappeared and he was casually talking to me..

But what did he mean about he wanted something?

Yung kapatid niya ba yung tinutukoy niya?

"So, magtatanong ka ba?" Dahan dahan nalang akong napatango at kinalimutan yung mga iniisip ko.

And I silently thought about what question I should ask first, hanggang sa may tanong na pumasok sa utak ko.