End Game

Chapter 12 - The Power of Love

"I WOULD bet all my properties that aside from Isabella, you don't know any other actresses anymore," nang-aasar pang dagdag ni Arlan.

“That’s not true. I know some, too," agad na kontra ni Claude.

Ngumisi ang kanyang kaibigan. “Is that so? Then name another actress or actor that you know. It doesn’t matter which country they are from. Just name one. If you still can’t do that, then just tell me the title of the last movie or show that you’ve watched without your Isabella in it, Young Master.”

Arlan got him there. Totoong si Isabella lang ang nag-iisang artista na kilala niya. There were a few socialites he had bedded before. But he could not even remember their faces anymore. What were their names again?

“See? You could not give me even a single name.”

Claude just shrugged. Kinawayan niya ang waiter na isa ding bampira. Maagap na lumapit ito sa kanya at inabutan siya ng panibagong wine glass.

“You have mellowed down a bit, you know,” dagdag ni Arlan mayamaya. “In the past, whenever I tease you, you were so quick to kick me in the ass. And you always give off a murderous aura that’s why the other Vampires could not get close to you. But now, you know how to smile a little. That’s progress, Young Master.”

Mabilis na umiling si Claude nang akmang lalapit sa kanya ang mga kalahing babaeng bampira. Kahit pa dismayado, napilitang tumango ang mga ito kasabay nang pagyukod bago tumalikod. He didn’t want any woman in his bed tonight. Nilingon niya ang kaibigan nang marinig niya ang pagpalatak nito. “I would really have no choice but to kick your silly ass if you don’t stop spouting nonsense, Arlan.”

“All right. I will stop now.” Tumatawang itinaas pa nito ang mga kamay tanda ng pagsuko. “Sabi nga nila, magbiro ka na sa lahat ‘wag lang sa taong mas malakas pa sa ‘yo.”

Claude was taken aback. “You know how to speak Tagalog now?”

Kumindat ito. “Ever since your subordinates found out about the identity of your Keeper, they began learning Tagalog as well, so they could serve the future Queen better. I do know some words, but I’m not confident to speak the same language yet since my tongue still twist every time I would utter a Tagalog word.”

Future Queen? Sandaling pumait ang panlasa ni Claude sa narinig. Ang mga bampira mula sa second at third tier ay walang kakayahan na makaunawa agad ng mga lenggwahe mula sa iba’t ibang bansa. If they wanted to speak the language, they had to learn it. Hindi niya alam na may ganoong kalokohan palang ginagawa ang mga tauhan niya sa tuwing nakatalikod siya. Their efforts were useless, though. There was no way he would make Isabella their Vampire Queen.

Claude had a different plan. Pero hindi niya na kailangan pang ipaalam iyon sa iba. Kaya sa halip na itama ang mga ito ay nanahimik na lang siya. This would be better for Arabella anyway. Mas marami ang magpoprotekta rito, mas magiging panatag siyang ituloy ang kanyang plano. “Just think whatever you want, Arlan. I don’t really give a damn anymore.”

“Since I don’t think I can make you spill the beans tonight, then can you just give me your black sports car in return? I’ve liked it since the first time it was introduced in the market. But that baby was a limited edition. Only you, the Sire, the Dame, and the other members of the Council had it. I didn’t get to have one since it was now out of stock.”

Wala nang sali-salita pang inabot ni Claude sa kaibigan ang susi ng kanyang kotse. Napasipol ito.

“Whew! This must be the power of love, huh? Thank you very much, Young Master. Don’t worry about your precious human. I will treat her right, I promise.” Kumindat ito saka mabilis nang ibinulsa ang susi na para bang natatakot itong magbago pa ang isip niya. “Please tell her to meet me next Saturday in Manila. I will send the rest of the details to your assistant. But she better be there early. I will only be in Manila for a couple of hours. I can only spare that much time since I’m quite busy myself.”

“Don’t worry about it. I will bring her myself to your meeting place if I’d have to. But please make sure that Isabella would never find out about our connection. Find a way to contact her manager. Make it appear like it was you who wanted to meet her. I know that this is too much of a favor but I swear you will not regret it, Arlan. She’s really good. You know me. Even if Isabella is my Keeper, I will not vouch for her if she lacks the talent.”

“I know, Young Master.”

Ngumiti si Claude. “Thank you, Arlan. I mean it. This is very important for Isabella. This will make her really happy.”

Sa pagkakataong iyon ay nagseryoso na ang kaibigan. “I think you misunderstood me, Young Master. I am not doing this for her. I am doing this for you because as it turned out, her happiness is very important for you. What a lucky human. I hope she knows that.”

Arlan had a gift for discovering people’s talent. He only had to meet them once for him to know whether they were worth his attention or not. But Arabella had a bad sleeping habit. Sa oras na makatulog na ito, kahit pa ilang beses na tumunog ang alarm clock o kumatok ang maid nito, hindi ito nagigising. Her manager would not be able to pick her up since the latter was scheduled to visit a relative in the hospital today. He knew that much, dahil siya ang parating kino-contact ng Manager nito pagdating sa “alaga”.

Humugot nang marahas na hininga si Claude. When he saw another Rogue approaching, he extended his hand, raised his sword over his head, and cut his opponent down in a single, controlled motion. Normally, they would have to burn the enemies to make sure that their body parts would never regenerate again. Pero mula nang magkasundo ang mga bampira at lobo ilang dekada na ang nakararaan, nagdesisyon ang mga ito na makipagtulungan sa kanilang tugisin ang mga rebelde. Now, their weapons were laced with werewolf venom. Iyon ang dahilan kung bakit mas napadali ang pagtugis nila sa mga rebelde. Even their guns had bullets with their venom, too. But of course, only the Vampires from the first-tier could hold such weapons. The average Vampires did not have the capacity to handle them.

Muling napasulyap si Claude sa kanyang wristwatch. It was now five minutes before six. He immediately deflected the attack of the Rogue with his sword. He redirected the attack by pushing the bastard’s sword with his before he moved in to attack him and gave him a downward cut along the center of his body.

Hindi pa man nahuhugot ni Claude ang kanyang espada sa katawan ng Rogue ay agad nang sumugod sa kanya ang isa pang lalaki. Sinipa niya palayo ang katawan ng naunang lalaki saka mabilis na umatras palayo sa panibagong umaatake sa kanya. He took one more step back before he countered-attack and cut both of the man’s arms with his sword. When the latter tried to do a turning kick, he leaned back to dodge it and made a spinning kick of his own. Tinamaan ito sa panga. Humagis ang katawan nito sa pinto bago paupong bumagsak. Gumuhit ang matinding kirot sa anyo nito. Hindi niya na ito binigyan pa ng pagkakataon na makabangon. Sa isang kisapmata ay nakalapit siya sa kinaroroonan nito. Duguan na ang lalaki at pasinghap-singhap. Pero hindi nakaramdam ng awa si Claude. How could he? These bastards’ human victims were in a worse condition.

Instead of showing mercy, Claude gave him a tiger hook. It was a strike using the space between his thumb and index finger. His fingers were rigid as he attacked the guy’s trachea. It was a move that incapacitated him. Nang tumayo siya ay hindi na nakagalaw pa ang lalaki. There was only one more Rogue left in his area. Nang makita niyang papatakas na ito, mabilis nang initsa niya sa dibdib nito ang hawak na espada. Nang makita niyang nagsisimula nang maging abo ang mga rebelde, saka siya lumabas ng warehouse at sinalubong ang mga kasamahan na ang assigned area ay ang mga kalapit na lugar.

Agad na sumaludo ang mga ito sa kanya. Pare-parehong pawisan at hinihingal ang mga ito habang ang ilan ay sugatan.

“You all did well. Thank you for today, soldiers.” Binalingan ni Claude ang bagong dating na si Raven na sa ibang area din naka-assign. “You know what to do. Send the injured back to our headquarters immediately. Take good care of them. Make sure to attend to their needs. Call me if something comes up. It’s six o’clock now. I have to return to Manila now.”

“Are you okay, Young Master?” sa halip ay puno ng pag-aalalang tanong nito. “The warehouse has the greatest number of Rogues. And you dealt with them alone. The Sire strictly told me to be with you all the time. If he would find out what you did today just to make this assignment end faster than usual, he would freak out. I could end up losing not only my job but my head as well, Young Master.”

Tumawa si Claude. “Don’t worry, the Sire would not know any of these if you would not tell him. So, as long as this thing remain between us, your head will be safe. I have to go now.”

Mabilis na nag-teleport si Claude at dumeretso na muna sa kanyang mansion sa Manila para maligo at magpalit ng damit. The last thing he would want was to show in front of Isabella’s doorstep with blood on his clothes. Nang matapos ay muli siyang nag-teleport. Sumunod na lumitaw siya sa harap ng apartment nito. She trusted him with her key a year ago since he always had to show up in her apartment to serve as her human alarm clock during important occasions.

Nang buksan niya ang pinto, muling sumalubong sa kanya ang napakakulay na apartment ni Isabella mula sa wallpaper, throw pillows, carpet, mga kurtina, at iba pa. He had not slept for two days and seeing those colors was making him feel dizzy. Malakas na ipinilig ni Claude ang ulo saka dumeretso sa kuwarto ng dalaga at kumatok roon. As expected, she was too immersed in her sleep that she didn’t get to open the door for him.

Muling napailing si Claude bago inilapag sa dining area ang mga pagkain na ipinahanda niya sa Chef sa kanyang mansion. Isa-isang inihanda niya na ang mga iyon sa mesa bago pumasok sa kuwarto ni Isabella. Sumalubong sa kanya ang hindi mabilang na mga stuff toy doon. They were simply everywhere. Sa couch, sa kama, at pati sa carpet. Who would have thought that this was what the famous Isabella Anderson was in real life? And who would have thought that he would go to such extreme lengths just to be with her?

Pagkatapos nang naging pagkikita nila sa hotel inauguration, nagpunta si Claude sa Spain para sa panibagong hunting mission. Inakala niyang sa oras na lumayo siya kay Isabella, eventually ay malilimutan niya rin ito at ang mga emosyon na ipinaramdam nito sa kanya. But he just ended up fooling himself. There was no way that a Vampire could forget. He could not even lay a hand on another woman without remembering the sensation that he had felt when he touched Isabella.

It was pure torture.

Pagkalipas ng isang buwan, nagdesisyon si Claude na bumalik sa Pilipinas. He stayed in the country for good and studied in the same University in Manila to get closer to Isabella. Hanggang ngayon ay naaalala niya pa rin ang naging pagtawa ng kanyang mga magulang nang malaman ng mga ito ang ginawa niya. They knew in an instant that it was because he had found his Keeper.

“Only a Keeper could make you do those things,” nangingiti pang sinabi ng Sire.

Before Claude became an international car racer, he was a hunter, a pilot, a captain of the ship, a traveler, a businessman. Name it and he had tried it. Ilang beses siyang nag-aral ng iba’t ibang kurso dahil marami siyang naging bakanteng oras. And that included Isabella’s course at that time which was Business Management.

“See? I told you so. I’ve lost count of how many times you’ve laughed over my relationship with your mother but you were even worse than me. At least, I didn’t have to chase her that far,” dagdag pa ng Sire. “I can’t believe you would be studying the same thing all over again! You are hilarious, son. And to think that you were once the professor of the same course!”