Lucifer's Heaven: A Dark Mafia Romance (FAS1)

Chapter 2: Blood

“Who are you?” the words slipped out of my tongue before I could even think twice. 

He tilted his head to the side, allowing the moonlight to touch my face. Mas idiniin ko ang sarili sa pinto nang hindi siya sumagot. I felt like burning. I cringed as my sweat from my nape ran down my spine. I loudly gulped and again try my luck. 

“W-who are you?”

He couldn’t be the same man after me. Impossible. I know those men were dangerous but why does he seem more dangerous than any of them, than any other creature I know. He was himself a danger. I was afraid I’m right and he’s actually standing in front of me.

“Who are you?” he asked back. Again, I cringed from the coldness of his voice. Cold and deep and rough. 

Maingay akong lumunok. I stared at his forehead, not in his eyes. I didn’t even know if he had eyes. Sure he has. But the darkness won't allow me to see his face clearly. 

“What are you doing here?” I croaked. Hindi ko alam kung bakit pero mas matindi ang takot na nararamdaman ko ngayon kumpara sa takot na naramdaman ko kanina sa mga taong humahabol sa akin.

I've witnessed the most frightening moments of my life: the condo, my boyfriend, and those men. This guy, this stranger, doing nothing similar to what those men did, causes me to ridiculously shudder in fear. Why? 

His head moved, he shook it and firmly pressed both of his palms flat on the door and either side of me. “What are you doing here?”

I bit my inside cheek. Mariin kong kinuyom ang aking kamao. I gathered all my already losing strength and pushed him hard. I gasped when he didn't even move an inch. Sa isang mabilis na galaw ay naikulong niya akong muli, with both of my arms now above my head. Nanginig ako sa pagkakariin ng hawak niya sa akin. His hands were warm, huge yet rough. Unlike Christian's. He was always soft and gentle to me.

“Take care of yourself, baby.”

Kinagat ko ang pang-ibabang labi ko bilang pagpipigil sa anumang emosyon. Christian's words give me strength. Mahirap lalo na dahil nakasanayan ko na palagi siyang nariyan para sa akin. But I needed to. I needed to take care of myself, to protect myself.

“This is my room,” I bravely said with firmness in my voice. “I just checked in here and so this is my room.”

That sound again. Is he laughing or what? Muli akong nangilabot. Nanginig ang tuhod at pilit akong kumawala sa mahigpit niyang pagkakahawak. Ngunit sa bawat pagpupumiglas ay lalo akong nasasaktan.

“Let go of me!” I shouted to his face. Nakaramdam ako nang kaunting gaan sa kalooban dahil sa pagsigaw. “Let go or I'll call security!”

He arched his brow. I noticed it. Those thick and dark eyebrows of him. “And you think I'll let you do that? Or if you do, you think they could be of any help to you? Hmm?”

I know he's just whispering. His breath tickled me whenever it touched my face. But his voice, it sounds as if coming from somewhere deep and far — and yet loud enough to hear and make you feel on your knees. 

Hindi ako sumagot. Sa sobrang lapit niya, kaunti na lang at talagang mauubusan na ako ng hangin sa baga. Kaya nang pakawalan at talikuran niya ay nakahinga ako ng maluwag. Nanatili akong nakasandal sa pintuan. Pakiramdam ko ay mas lalo akong ninanakawan ng lakas dahil sa presensya ng lalaking ito.

“Listen,” he said with his back facing me. "I'll ask you and you must answer me with all honesty." 

Hindi ko pinagtuunang pansin ang sinabi niya. Holding the door handle, I was already planning my way out without him noticing me. Alam kong hindi ako ang dapat na umalis dito. But watching his silhouette in this dark room, he obviously belonged here. He belonged to anywhere dark and dangerous and it’s palpable. 

I heard a click from his direction and saw the small light coming from his lighter. Gamit iyon ay sinindihan niya ang sigarilyong nakaipit sa kanyang mga labi. Maingay akong lumunok habang pinapanood siya. 

Christian never smoke. Never did he let me close to any smokers. The smoke. Kinuyom ang kamao ko nang maamoy iyon. I thought smoking was not allowed in a hotel room. But this guy was not into obeying rules. He lives to give them; to demand his own rules.

I gulped. Isang beses ko siyang muling sinulyapan. I could only see the side of his face, his pointed nose. 

Please, don't let him notice me. I prayed silently, fully aware I was praying that same mantra just hours ago.

I glanced down at my bag lying on the carpeted floor. With my hand still on the doorknob, I bent my knees to get it but not before taking a deep breath. Ngunit bago pa iyon magawa ay natigilan ako nang mapansin ang paggalaw ng lalaki. I thought he was going to face me again, but no. He inhaled on his cigarette before exhaling all the smoke out his mouth, spreading around the room, assailing my nostrils, and suffocating me.

“Ready?”

My knees shook. Mabuti na lamang na nakahawak pa ako sa doorknob. Kung hindi ay malamang na napaluhod na ako sa sahig. He didn't look at me. He was busy playing with the smoke and looking around the room but me. Ganunpaman pakiramdam ko ay nakikita niya ang bawat paggalaw ko. Pakiramdam ko rin ay naririnig niya bawat malalim kong paghinga. But that's impossible. Kaya muli ay sinubukan kong kunin ang aking bag. 

“First question,”

Sa ganoong sitwasyon ay naabutan niya ako. Humarap siya sa akin and I swear I saw something red in the place where his eyes should be. If that's because of the dim lights here, I was not sure. 

Mabilis akong tumuwid sa pagkakatayo nang humakbang siya palapit. Mahigpit kong hinawakan ang bag at ang doorknob.

“What are you doing?” He glanced down on my bag.

I didn’t think that's supposed to be his 'first question'. I didn't answer. Pilit akong nag-iisip ng posibleng paraan para makatakas ngunit hindi ko magawa. His presence won't allow me to even think straight. 

But still, I pretended. I tried hard pretending I was brave enough facing him. “I should ask you the question. What are you doing here?”

His neck made a little sound after cranking it on his side. “I said I'll ask you a question. I, not you,” he quietly snarled. 

I swallowed hard, making my eyes watered after feeling how dried my throat is. “I-I told you. I checked in here and they led me to this room. I don't know what's wrong but they should have told me this room is already occupied.”

“Because you asked for the safest and secluded room.”

What? 

So they're calling this place the safest? Even him without here, the ambiance of this room would never feel safe. 

I pursed my lips and looked up at him with wide eyes. Paano niya nalaman? Siya ba ang tinawagan ng nasa front desk kanina? ni Miss Perez? Kaya ba ganoon na lamang ang panginginig niya habang kausap ang nasa kabilang linya?

“Are you the manager? the...” Natigil ako nang mabilis siyang muling lumapit at marahas na hinawakan ang braso ko. The cigarette was gone and I didn’t know where he had placed it. He reeked of smoke and mint if that's how a smoke smelled like.

"I hate repeating myself but let me remind you that I should be the one asking you questions, not the other way around.” He barely shook his head.

Umiwas ako ng tingin at pilit na pinigilan ang maubo dahil sa usok. I slightly nodded. I couldn’t scream for help. Hindi ko alam kung dahil siguradong walang makaririnig sa akin mula rito o dahil hindi ko iyon magawa sa harapan ng lalaking ito.

He drastically let go of my arm. The bag on my hand felt heavy but I didn't let it slip off my grip. Pinanood ko ang kamay niya na naglalaro sa gilid ng kanyang baywang. His fingers were moving with a rhythm only him knows. It couldn’t be a gun, right? 

“You're running from whom?”

Sinalubong ko ang kanyang tingin. How come again he knows? It's so frustrating!

“Answer.”

Bahagya akong napatalon. His voice was always full of authority, demanding. Mabilis akong umiling. Ayaw kong sumagot. Ayaw kong sabihin sa kanya. Iyon ang pangalawa at pangatlong dahilan ko. The first one is, I don't really know who I was running from.

“Hmm? Mute are we?” He again fiddled on his waist, on his belt. 

Please, not a gun.

“H-hindi ko alam.” I rapidly shook my head. “I d-do not know any of them.”

“Them,” he repeated.

I nodded. “Y-yes. There were ten of them... or more.”

“Can you remember their faces? Have you heard even one of their names?”

I looked confused and again shook my head, no. Bakit masyado siyang maraming tanong? At tila alam niya kung ano ang mga nangyari.

“Hmm?” he demanded an answer. This man was not used to a one-way conversation. Or maybe he was but he wanted an answer to his every question. Not a nod, and not even a shake of the head.

“Their faces were covered. They have masks.”

“Have any idea why?”

“Why?”

His knuckles moved as his grip on his waist tightened. Nagbalik-balik ang tingin ko roon at sa kanya. 

“Why are they after you? Why did they do that?”

That. He knows exactly what happened! “Who are you? You seem to know what happened...” And all of a sudden, this man is choking me to death with his huge left hand.

Nabitawan ko ang bag at ang doorknob para hawakan ang braso niya. I tried to lessen the pressure he was putting against me. Mangiyak-ngiyak na ako nang magsimulang mahirapang huminga. “L-let go.”

“No,” he quickly answered. 

Mas dumiin ang paghawak ko sa kanya at kahit ibaon ang mga kuko ko ay balewala lamang sa kanya! 

“P-please.”

He chuckled on my plea. Hindi ko alam kung ano ang nakatutuwa roon. 

“Please,” ulit ko.

Mas lalong dumiin ang kamay niya sa aking leeg. I didn’t know if I could survive this. So, I've been saved from those men to be killed by this monster?

Isang hikbi ang kumawala. I'm weak, Christian. I couldn’t take care of myself. I'm useless. I'm stupid. Hindi na kita matutulungan makuha ang hustisya dahil mahina ako.

“Ask me questions one more time and I'll kill you right away. Understand?” That's when I noticed the bright edge of a knife placed under my chin, forcing me to look up at him. 

Kinagat ko ang labi ko at marahang tumango. His constricting grip on my neck loosen a bit but I could still feel the knife firmly pointed on my skin. Tumingkayad ako para lamang maiwasan iyon pero mas lalo niyang idinidiin. “Y-yes.”

“So...” His hand around my neck let go.

Maluwag akong huminga, ilang beses na naubo sa harapan niya. Hindi siya umatras. The knife was still pressed under my chin. Nang bahagya akong kumilos ay naramdaman ko ang pagtusok noon sa balat ko. Ngumiwi ako sa sakit at hindi na gumalaw pa. 

“No one else follows you here?”

I barely shook my head because of the knife. “I guess so. Y-yes.” 

“You called for cops,” he stated.

Mabilis akong umiling at muling ngumiwi nang maramdamam ang tulis ng kutsilyo. “N-no. I don't have time t-to.”

He moved even more closer. He put his forearm on the door beside my head and leaned on me. The smell of the smoke was suffocating. But I couldn’t keep myself from smelling the mint from his breath. “You're not going to call the cops. Call no one for help.”

Not a question again. It's like he was giving me an idea of what I should do. Kung alam nga niya ang mga nangyari at dahil si Christian ang nagturo sa akin ng lugar na ito, they should help me. Dapat na tinutulungan nila akong magsumbong sa may awtoridad. 

“But I need to. I have to—" Mariin akong pumikit nang mas idiniin niya ang kutsilyo. 

“No calling cops,” a threatening demand. Mas lalo akong kinikilabutan sa takot sa kanya. 

Dumilat ako at maingay na lumunok. “Christian. He told me to—"

“Christian,” he let the name roll on his tongue. “Christian?” Marahan akong tumango nang maging tanong iyon.

“Y-you know him?”

“Yes,” he answered as he moved the knife from my chin up to my cheek. I saw a glimpse of red on it. 

No, it can't be blood. It's just water, Vanna. Your own sweat but definitely not blood. 

“W-why...?” I quickly shook my thoughts away. I should stop asking him questions. I should keep that in mind if I wanted to live a bit longer. “I mean, uhm...”

“You're his fiancée.”

I nodded pero hindi ko maiwasan ang tapunan siya ng masamang tingin. He really seemed to know everything. “Are you his friend?”

He smirked, mocking my question. Again, the knife moved to the side of my face. Pilit mang iiwas ang mukha ay hindi ko magawa. Ramdam ko ang tulis noon sa aking balat. “I don't have friends.” He said it like it’s… nothing. No big deal. He has no friends and he’s fine with it. No self-pity.

“Then who are you?! How did you know everything? How...!” How stupid of me! 

Gumuhit ng linya ang kutsilyo sa aking pisngi ngunit hindi ko masyadong naramdaman ang sakit. Sobrang bilis niya iyong nagawa na hindi ko namalayan na nasugatan na ako. He's used doing this. Like this isn’t the first time he cut someone else’s skin! 

Hinawakan ko ang kaliwang pisngi. Saka ko naramdaman ang sakit dahil sa pagdampi ng sariling palad sa sugat. There's a liquid, a thick liquid and it smelled like blood. No! It's not blood, Vanna. It's not.

“Oops. You bleed yourself.”

I? So this is my fault now? Dinungaw ko ang aking palad. Kahit sa dilim ay kita ko ang matingkad na kulay noon. I bit my lower lip but couldn't stop it from trembling. My hands were shaking as well as my knees. I unbelievingly looked up at him.

His eyes. I could see them now. Or was that even really an eye? How come they were so dark, blazing and... red? 

I then looked at the knife still on his hand, pointing in my direction. But at least, not directed to my skin. 

Umiikot. Ang paligid ay umiikot. I didn’t know what's happening but everything was a mess. Muli kong dinungaw ang palad ko at mas lalo lang bumilis ang pag-ikot ng paligid. 

“B-blood.” Nanginginig ang buo kong katawan at ang pagbigay ng aking mga tuhod. I grasped on his forearm for support, the one which was not holding the knife. 

His frame was calloused and coarse. I still couldn’t believe this was happening. Who was this man? 

Dinungaw ko ang kutsilyong dumampi sa aking palad. The tip of it also has blood. My own blood.

No, not blood, please.

“Blood,” he whispered, confirming my thoughts.

I looked back at him with wide eyes. He looked down at me. We stared at each other while my lips were shaking. I wanted to say words I didn’t even know. Gusto nang pumikit ng mga mata ko pero hindi ko hinayaan. I continued looking up at him as he smirked villainously. And all I did was to scream after feeling the blade of his knife cut my palm! 

Hindi kaagad rumehistro sa akin ang nangyari. Hinawakan niya ang kamay kong nakakapit sa kanyang braso at marahas akong itinulak. I was dumbfounded that I absent-mindedly used my wounded palm for support. My palm stung so much when it touches the carpeted floor. 

Nanginginig kong pinagmasdan ang sugatang palad. Gamit ang kanang kamay ay sinubukan ko iyong hawakan ngunit hindi ko magawa. The blood poured from my hand down to the red carpet. 

Nanghihina man ay nag-angat ako ng tingin sa lalaki. He towered over me. He has dark radar around him that silently spoke danger, power, and blood. He was not human. He was a devil. At ngayon ko lang napagtanto kung sino siya.

While he stood in front of me, I was kneeling in front of him. This is ridiculous. I never worshipped him. Neither did I wish to meet him. But here I was. Here he was...

God's once-favorite angel, Lucifer.