End Game

Chapter 15 - Back In His Arms

NAPAKATAGAL nang nabubuhay ni Claude sa mundo. That’s why this time, he did not have to look into this dummy’s head to find out what he was thinking or feeling. This weakling could not trick him. Hindi nagawang lapitan ng mga Rogue si Isabella noon dahil alam ng mga ito ang tungkol sa mga bampirang sundalo na in-assign niya sa dalaga na lihim na sumusubaybay rito.

They were guarding her twenty-four-seven and would have been successful in doing so if only Isabella did not get betrayed by the man she trusted the most.

“H-hindi ‘yan totoo,” sagot ni Luke kasabay nang pag-iwas ng tingin sa kanya. His voice lacked conviction, too, which only fueled Claude’s anger. Bumagsak ito sa sahig matapos niyang sipain sa sikmura. He gritted his teeth. Kung nagkataon lang na hindi mortal si Luke at may kakayahan na tapatan ang lakas niya, siguradong higit pa sa suntok at sipa ang gagawin niya. Luke and his family may have lost their company, which they deserved anyway, but Claude nearly lost a life.

He nearly lost his Keeper. And for Vampires, that was equivalent to death itself.

“I don’t give a damn about your crappy excuses, Reynolds. Ano man ang sabihin mo, hindi ka na namin paniniwalaan pa. Your words had lost their credibility the second you decided to hurt Isabella. Consider yourself lucky that I’m still letting you and your lover live, Reynolds. Ipagdasal mo na hindi na magkrus pa uli ang mga landas natin. Because the next time I see you, I will make sure to crush all the useless bones in your body.”

Patayo na sana si Luke nang mariing hawakan ni Claude ang ulo nito kaya muli rin itong bumagsak sa sahig. “And by the way, just so you know, your precious lover was behind all that act. He worked with those masked men you were talking about. Everything was a ploy to target you and Isabella. They may have different motives in doing so but they were in it together.”

Nanlaki ang mga mata nito. “I-imposible ang sinasabi mo. Hindi 'yan magagawa sa akin ni Jackson-

“Is that so? Then I dare you to try asking him about it once you come back to your lover’s nest. Tanungin mo siya kung paano nalaman ng mga lalaking ‘yon ang tungkol sa relasyon n’yong dalawa. And while you are on the subject, you can also ask him about the day he hired someone to assassinate Isabella. She would have died a long time ago if not for her bodyguards. He betrayed you from the beginning just to have you back. And karma is a b***h that’s why he was betrayed by those masked men afterwards.”

Nakatanggap lang si Claude ng kumpletong report tungkol kay Jackson isang araw matapos ang naging engkuwentro nito at ni Isabella sa mga Rogue. And he would have torn down all that crazy scumbag’s limbs if only the Sire did not personally stop him.

Tulala pa rin si Luke nang pakawalan niya ito. Sinikap nitong tumayo saka pilit na kumaripas ng takbo palayo sa kanya. Nakita niya pa kung paano ito nadapa sa corridor pero maagap na tumayo uli ito at muling tumakbo na para bang hinahabol ng napakaraming multo.

Nang muling mag-ring ang cell phone ni Claude, inayos niya na ang suot na suit. Pababa na sana siya nang bigla siyang makarinig ng paghikbi.

Sandali siyang naestatwa nang malingunan si Isabella na nakatitig sa kanya. Tears were streaming down her cheeks. Hindi niya alam kung narinig nito ang naging usapan nila ni Luke. Patuloy lang ito sa walang control na pag-iyak. Mabilis na tinakbo niya ang kinaroroonan ng dalaga. Claude’s eyes began to water and his hands were shaking when he took her in his arms.

For immortals like him, years were just like weeks. They passed by way too quickly.

But the past seven years that Isabella was lying down motionless, the years felt like eternity. Para bang napakahaba ng bawat araw. Each day passed by so slowly as if it was taunting him. Hindi niya alam kung ano ang nag-trigger para bigla na lang magising si Isabella nang araw na iyon. But whatever that was, he would be forever grateful for this miracle.

“Isabella, sweetheart, thank God you are awake now!” emosyonal na bulalas ni Martin bago nito nagmamadaling tinawag ang asawa. “Paulina, nasaan ka? Gising na ang anak natin! Come up here right now!”

“Isabella, how are you feeling?” masuyong tanong ni Claude habang nanatiling hysterical ang ama nito sa labas ng kuwarto. “May masakit ba sa ‘yo? Nagugutom ka ba? Nauuhaw? Is there anything you need? Tell me and I will get it for you right away.”

Hindi umimik si Isabella. She just looked at him, particularly to his neck. Sunod-sunod na napalunok ito bago gumanti ng yakap sa kanya. Seconds later and he felt something sharp prick his neck. It was her.

It was her… fangs.

Oo nga pala, muntik niya nang malimutan. His sweet, innocent Isabella was a Vampire now. Kahit na kaya pa rin nitong kumain ng pagkain ng mga mortal, hindi pa rin nito kayang tikisin ang dugo na sigurado siyang isinisigaw ngayon ng sistema nito. The allure of the blood, especially from a royal, was always too much for the beginners to handle.

“Your Highness, is it real? Did Belle really wake up-“ agad na nahinto si Paulina sa pagsasalita nang makita sila.

Hindi na huminto pa sa pag-ring ang cell phone ni Claude pero hindi niya pinigilan si Isabella. She was sucking his blood in a rather careless way that’s why it ached but he held it in. He pulled her head closer to him instead so she could get as much blood as she wanted. Even if he had injected her with his blood these past years to sustain her, nothing would still beat feeding directly from the veins, especially for fledglings like her.

Isabella was the first to feed on him. At wala siyang reklamo. Masaya siyang sa pagbabago nitong iyon, ang dugo niya ang unang natikman nito. He would not have it any other way around. With this, he no longer had to worry about her dying for not being able to complete the transition.

“Young Master!” anang bagong dating na si Raven. “I only went to a coffee shop for a while and something this huge already happened?”

Nalanghap siguro nito ang dugo niya mula sa labas. Nangyayari iyon tuwing may bampira mula sa Royal family na nasusugatan. All the Vampires in the vicinity would have a whiff of their blood.

“With all due respect, I get that you are over the moon because of this good news but you must have forgotten that no one is allowed to feed from a royal, Young Master,” nagpa-panic nang dagdag ni Raven. “This is a mistake. Mula sa third tier si Isabella. Hindi siya maaaring gumawa ng ganitong bagay sa miyembro ng royal family. Labag ito sa code ng mga-“

“Sshh. Isabella is my Keeper. It’s okay. Please leave us for a while, Raven. Mamaya na tayo mag-usap.”

If only they knew that Claude could let anything slide today if it meant seeing Isabella finally open her eyes. To hell about the code. All that mattered was that she was awake and was now back in his arms.

Bumuntong-hininga si Raven. “I guess this is as good as saying that I have to cancel all your meetings for today.”

“Yes, you should. You know the drill, Raven. I will be counting on you.”

“As you wish, Young Master. Ipapaalam ko kaagad sa Sire ang tungkol dito. And Lady Isabella, it’s good to see you alive and kicking again. Welcome back to the land of the living.”

Muli, hindi sumagot si Isabella. It was like she was trapped in her own little world. Pero normal lang iyon sa mga baguhang bampira. They would be too obsessed with blood at first that they would fail to recognize things the second they allow their thirst to take over their body. Being denied from feeding for seven years must have taken quite a toll on the logical side of her.

Claude closed his eyes to savor the feeling of having Isabella in his arms again even if his neck was beginning to feel numb. Humugot siya ng malalim na hininga habang marahang tinatapik-tapik ang likod ng dalaga para pakalmahin ito nang dumiin ang mga kuko nito sa kanyang leeg. He could feel his neck bleeding because of her nails as her fangs sank deeper and deeper in his skin. If she would not stop any minute now, she might end up sucking him dry.

Nang mahigit kalahating oras na ang lumipas mula nang makalabas sina Martin sa kuwarto, hinapit niya na ang baywang ni Isabella.

“Isabella, love, I think you’ve had more than enough. Are you feeling better now?”

That was when she finally stopped. Marahas na itinulak siya nito habang tumutulo pa ang dugo sa bibig nito. Nanlalaki ang mga matang tinitigan siya nito na para bang ngayon lang nagsisimulang pumasok sa isip nito ang mga nangyari. She stared at the blood on Claude’s neck and on the drops of blood on her hands.

And then she screamed.