Blood Secrets

No Way Out

"It's useless and you know it," said a voice.

Her head whipped towards the door of the prison cell and found Sebastian standing there, clad in his elegant three-piece suit. He was leaning on the door frame, looking at her as she was trying to remove the ropes tied around her wrists.

"Maybe you should watch out for your brother instead of me, Sebastian. He plans on killing those witches. Sigurado akong alam mong hindi magandang ideya iyon," she said. Her wrists were sore from all the rubbing she did.

"I know what he's going to do but between that and what you're planning to do, I think I should watch out for you," he said before he stepped inside the prison cell. He carries himself with such fluent grace, calm and collected, but even an ordinary person with no hint of supernatural trait would know that beneath all the grace lies a dangerous man that is willing to stain his hands with the blood of his enemies. One wrong move from her and she has no doubt she will end up dead.

"I have no idea why they are coming after me, Sebastian. I have no idea why these witches wanted me to be this prison world's foundation--"

"I have no idea about that either but one thing I know for sure is that when the witches set their eyes on something, they would work together to get it. If they think it's going to balance the supernatural world, their ancestors would help them get with it."

"Why me? Is it because I am half-wolf?"

Umiling naman si Sebastian. "There are a lot of half-bloods everywhere but they chose you. I think it all goes down to one thing: they know Lorcan fancies you."

Mas lalong kumunot ang noo niya. Lorcan had been quite vocal about his fondness for her. But she understood it has something to do with the fact that Lorcan likes to toy with her.

"I see you're confused," said Sebastian dahilan para mapatingin ulit siya sa lalaki.

"I don't think his fancying toward me would be enough reason for a coven of witches to make me a foundation of this prison world."

"I have thought about that and I think the same. However, there are no other reasons I could think of. Unless you have other supernatural blood in you aside from being a half-wolf."

She laughed bitterly. "I am a human and I just recently accepted the fact that I am also half-wolf. I can't take any more revelations about what possible supernatural blood I have in me."

Natahimik si Sebastian at nakita niyang nakatingin lang din ito sa kanya. But then her eyes widened as he looked at him. Hindi niya maintindihan ngunit sa ilang segundong nakatingin siya lalaki ay tila may nakita siyang kakaiba. It was too quick that she wasn't able to understand what it was exactly but she got most important bit of it.

"Step back, Sebastian," she said, her voice was uncharacteristically low. Nagtataka namang nakatingin sa gawi niya si Sebastian.

"I said step back!" she shouted and Sebastian obeyed what she said. He stepped aside and right after he did just that, something pierced the wall of the prison cell. A sharp spear with a chain on its tail. It's sharp enough to penetrate through walls and it did just that. If Sebastian hadn't stepped back he would have taken the hit and it wouldn't have been good. The spear pierced the wall on the other side.

Nanlalaki ang mga mata niyang nakatingin kay Sebastian at ganoon din ang lalaki sa kanya. And then right after, her heart skipped a beat. He know exactly who did it at bago pa man siya makapagsalita ay hinawakan na ni Sebastian ang kadena at hinila ito. He merely tugged it but the chain went wild and broken the wall completely.

The hole was big enough for her to see who was on the other side of the wall. Kaiden stood and his eyes were wide as they looked at her.

"Kai!"

Sebastian dropped the chain and stuffed his hand inside his pocket before he faced Kaiden. Kumakabog ang dibdib niya. The Sylvaines may be convinced not to kill her but she doesn't know how far it extends. Gusto niyang sigawan si Kai na tumakbo ngunit nagulatnalang siya nang biglang lumabas si Eleanor sa likruran nito.

"Before you plot your murderous intent, brother, I want to tell you that it was my idea to break the wall," Eleanor said as she stepped inside, maneuvering over the rubbles. Gaya niya ay tila nalilito din si Sebastian sa mga nangyayari.

"He's here to help," sabi ni Eleanor nang makapasok na ito.

She was informed that Eleanor would be taking care of Kai. Akala niya ay pipigilan ng babae si Kai na gumawa ng kahit ano na ikakasira ng plano nila kung ano man ito. She wasnt expecting for the two to...work together.

"What the hell is the meaning of this?" sabi ni Kai at nakatayo na ito sa likuran niya habang sinusubukang tanggalin ang tali sa kanyang mga kamay. Hindi niya namalayang nakalapit na pala ito.

"Kai, are you okay?" tanong niya rito habang pinuputol na nito ang tali sa kanyang mga kamay. Nakita naman niyang hindi sila pinipigilan nina Sebastian at Eleanor.

"Ako dapat ang magtatanong niyan sa 'yo," sagot nito.

"I wasn't the one who almost got his heart taken out," she said and she wasn't expecting the edge of her voice. Naramdaman din iyon ni Kai dahil bahagya itong tumigil sa pagputol sa lubid. Maybe it was because she was pissed about how the situation turned out, that they got involved in another vampire situation, or maybe it was because she saw Kai today. Inaasahan niyang hindi na ito makakapunta sa kanya, which was better because she doesn't want to get him involved once again, and yet here he is. Or perhaps her annoyance stems from an entirely different reason. She eyed Eleanor who was looking at her with that smug expression she always wears.

Sa loob ng maliit na panahon na nakasama niya ang mga Sylvaines, kilala na niya si Eleanor. Though not thoroughly, she know some things about her and that includes the woman being not so patient, stubborn, and doesn't listen to reason. Hindi niya alam kung anong ginawa ni Kaiden para mapapayag ang babae.

"Why don't we just kill her? Without her, these crazy witches will not have any foundation to create this prison world. That would be so much easier," Eleanor said and for a moment, she felt so vulnerable and exposed dahil hindi pa rin natatanggal ni Kai sng lubid sa kanyang kamay. Eleanor could attack her any second and she is not fast enough to stop it.

"Eleanor, that is not what we agreed," saad ni Kai sa likuran niya. Sebastian looked at Eleanor and she looked at Kai behind her.

"What did you two agree on?" tanong niya.

Kai was silent as he continued to cut the ropes. When he finally cut it, he was still not saying a word.

"Kaiden, what is it?" tanong niya ulit. She doesn't have a good feeling about it. Idagdag pa na tila nagdadalwang-isip si Kai na sabihin sa kanya kung ano iyon.

She was about call him again but Eleanor stepped in. Ngunit bago pa man ito makapagsalita ay matalim itong tiningnan ni Kai dahilan para manahimik na rin si Eleanor.

Kai looked at her and held both her hands.

"I am here to help," he said. "I told them we will not be running. That we will help them with this mess until it gets solved. I agreed to stay here in St. Angeli until this gets better. I don't want to run while constantly looking behind our backs, Nads. I don't want that life for you. For us."

Gusto niyang maiyak sa sinabi ng lalaki sa kanya. But she knows he could see it in his eyes how she wanted to hug him. They settled with squeezing each other's hands.

Humarap naman siya sa dalawang bampirang naghihintay sa kanila.

"I get it that you will not kill me. But how can I be assured you will not change your mind?" she asked, eyeing Eleanor in particular as she said the last sentence. The woman rolled her eyes.

"Because they can't kill you," said a voice. Napatingin naman sila sa pintuan at nakitang nakatayo doon si Esme. Katabi nito si Leila at si Aedion. Tinutulungan nitong makatayo si Esme dahil tila nanghihina ito. She looked at Aedion and she understood why the man was there. If anything bad were to happen to Esme, the magical cloak she placed all over the mountain where his pack is wiill be broken. Which means there will be nothing in between the wolves and other threats.

Leila's eyes were filled with worry and uncertainty but as she looked at Esme, nakatingin lang ito sa kanya na para bang may gusto itong sabihin.

"What do you mean?" asked Eleanor.

Tumingin si Esme sa gawi ni Eleanor at sinabing, "Kung papatayin mo si Nadia, it will not stop them. Maghahanap lang sila ng ibang gagawin nilang kapalit niya. I am not certain why they choose Nadia but I have a feeling it has something to do with what she is. She has something in her that only they know because it makes them think she would be a good foundation for this prison world."

Esme looked at all of them. "If Nadia is dead, they're going to find someone else. Someone powerful. Lorcan Sylvaine would be the perfect substitute. He's a hybrid. The most powerful supernatural creature to ever exist as we know."

Silence filled the room. Despite the hatred Eleanor vocally shows toward her brother, Nadia could have sworn her face dropped. Sebastian looked troubled too.

Esme's face hardened. "If you kill Nadia, you will force these witches' hands to go after your brother instead."