Blood Secrets

The Lesser Evil

Matapos ang naging ekwentro nila kanina ni Kai sa isa sa mga Sylvaine, tumawag and tiyahin ni Leila sa kanila na si Esmeralda. Hindi siya makapaniwala sa sinabi ni Esmeralda sa kanya. Sinabi nito na ang pakay ng mga bampira kung bakit ninakaw ang mga dark objects at kung bakit dinukot ang mga lobo.

"Well, these rogue vampires will do us a favor if they succeed in killing one of the Sylvaines. Killing one of them would also mean the death of thousands of other vampires sired to him," Kai said as he was driving.

"And for them to succeed, they had to abduct young wolves who had just freshly turned and left them on the streets," she said. Natahimik naman si Kai.

Maya-maya pa ay nagsalita ito. "Alright, I'm sorry."

She leaned back in her seat and looked out the window. Hindi mawala sa isip niya ang nangyari kanina. She had just witnessed a vampire take his own heart out. Nobody--especially not a vampire--would do such a thing. It only meant that that vampire was compelled by that Sylvaine man who also threatened to wipe off her and Kai's existence if they don't leave the city.

Naramdaman naman niya ang kamay ni Kai sa kanya. Napatingin siya sa lalaki.

"All I am saying is, we can go home and tell Hera about everything we found here. Because we can't possibly go against a family of the strongest vampires in the world with just the two of us, Nads. It's suicide."

Hindi siya umimik. Inihinto ni Kai ang sasakyan sa gilid ng daan at saka humarap sa kanya.

"Nadia, you know who that man is. He's one of the Sylvaines. Nakita mo kung anong kaya nilang gawin. He compelled another vampire to take his own heart out! Another vampire! Ordinary vampires can only compel humans. We were lucky--"

"I will not be leaving this city unless I kill the vampire who was behind the abduction of those wolves."

Nakita naman niyang napapikit nang mariin si Kai. "These rogue vampires will be the ones who will kill one of the Sylvaines. I am not forgetting about the fact that they abducted those wolves. Ngunit hindi na natin maibabalik ang nangyari na. They have already found a way to kill a Sylvaine and I say we stay out of their way and let them deal with each other."

Napatingin siya sa lalaki at pinisil ang kamay nito. Nakita naman niyang naningkit ang mga mata ni Kai habang nakatingin sa kanya. Until there was a knowing look on his face as though he figured out what she was planning to do.

"Nadia, you can't mean--"

"Yes, Kai."

Umiling ang lalaki. "You can't be serious."

"I am serious and I don't have time to be joking about something like this," she said. "Think about it. The Sylvaines are the oldest family of vampires to ever walk the face of the earth. They have to have known...things."

"Like who killed your parents," added Kai at napapikit ito nang mariin. "You do realize that the man you're going to ask about the whereabouts of your parents' murderers had just threatened to kill you once he sees you again, right?"

Natahimik naman siya sa sinabi nito. Sa totoo lang ay wala pa siyang konkretong plano kung paano lalapitan ang lalaki na hindi siya nito mapapatay sa unang tingin pa lang. But she knew it's worth a shot. She just needed some leverage. Something that would make him pause and reconsider.

Akmang magsasalita na siya nang biglang tumunog ang kanyang cellphone. Nakita niyang si Hera iyon at kaagad niya itong sinagot.

"Hera," she said. "How's the situation there?"

"We're all good, Nads. Some of the headquarters men are stationed around the mountains for patrol and we have already warned the other packs to be cautious."

She nodded before she leaned back in her seat again. She gave Kai a look at agad din itong nagmaneho.

"I found something here in St. Angeli," she started. "Are you familiar with the Sylvaines?"

Tumahimik naman ang kabilang linya. "Yes, I am familiar."

"They are in St. Angeli. I met one of them. But before you freak out, I bear another piece of news." Napatingin siya sa gawi ni Kai at nakapokus lang ito sa pagmamaneho. "There are rogue vampires and witches conspiring against the Sylvaines. Their main goal is to kill the hybrid Sylvaine using the venoms they extracted from the wolves."

Saglit na natahimik ang kabilang linya kaya naman tinawag niya ulit ang pangalan ni Hera para makasigurong naroon pa ang babae.

"I also bear a piece of news." Sa tono ng boses ng kaibigan ay hindi niya maiwasang kabahan. "The headquarters have investigated too. And they found out that they are also going to use the wolves' venom to make another potion."

Her brows furrowed. "Another potion? For what?"

"The reason they took so many of our wolves was to extract so much venom. They can't mean to use it only as a poison for a hybrid. These rogue vampires you're talking about are planning to erase the existence of the Sylvaines and appoint a new stronger vampire as their leader. With the help of those rogue witches too, they are going to make a creature that's worse than a hybrid, Nadia."

Tila tumigil ang mundo niya sa narinig. A creature worse than a hybrid. A creature stronger than the Sylvaines. Her stomach turned leaden and she was sweating. Napansin naman ni Kai ang ang pagkabalisa niya nang ibaba niya ang telepono.

"What's wrong? What did she say?"

She looked at Kai before she said, "Hera said that these rogue vampires are not only making a poison for the hybrid. They are also making another potion to make a creature stronger than a hybrid. Stronger than any Sylvaines."

Nakita niyang napapikit nang mariin si Kai. "The headquarters conducted an investigation, then?"

She nodded. "This is bad. Having another creature worse than the man we encountered earlier, it's going to be a nightmare, Kai."

"We will have to kill the Sylvaines. If we kill them before the rogue vampires do, most of the vampires in the world would be erased."

"You are forgetting that they are not the only old family of vampires, Kai. You forgot that there are others we don't know anything about. Sabihin nalang natin na magtatagumpay tayong paslangin ang buong pamilya Sylvaine at lahat ng mga bampirang nilikha nila ay mamamatay din. Word will get out that there is a way to make a creature stronger than a hybrid. The remaining vampires will go through the ends of the earth to obtain it. Which means they will go after every wolf and every witch to obtain it."

Narinig niyang napamura si Kai. "So you're saying we're going to help the Sylvaines kill these rogue vampires?"

She nodded. "We have to stop the rogues before the other old vampires come sniffing around about what's going on here. They're both evils, Kai, but if I am going to choose, I'd rather help the Sylvaines stop the rogues rather than see an unknown creature walk this world. At saka, narinig mo naman ang sinabi ni Esme kanina, hindi ba? The Sylvaines are doing their job as the head of the vampire faction. They make sure vampires in St. Angeli are not making trouble."

"And yet they are making trouble."

"So are the other witches."

"Nads, please. Tell me we're leaving this place." She could hear the desperation in Kai's voice but she has already made up her mind.

"You know the whole reason why I trained to be a blood slayer, right?"

"To kill vampires and not help them. Yes, I remember, Nads."

Umiling naman siya. Naiintindihan niya kung saan nanggagaling ang inis ng kasintahan ngunit alam niyang ito ang pagkakataon niyang malaman kung sino ang pumaslang sa kanyang mga magulang.

"It's to know who killed my parents, Kai."

Naramdaman naman niyang hinawakan ng lalaki ang dalawang balikat niya. "You said so yourself, earlier. That they are the oldest vampires to have walked in this world. But what if they not only know things, Nads? What if they were the ones responsible for your parent's death?"

Hinawakan niya ang kamay ng lalaki na nasa kanyang balikat. "It's impossible."

"Paano ka nakasisiguro?" She could hear his frustration at humihigpit na rin ang hawak nito sa magkabilang balikat niya.

"Because I have a name. I know the name of the vampire who killed my parents. And he's not a Sylvaine."

***

Tahimik na nagmamaneho lang si Kai papunta sa lugar na sinabi niya.

Matapos niyang sabihin sa lalaki ang rebelasyon ay tumahimik ito at hindi na siya pinilit pa. She reached to touch his hand on the streering wheel.

"Kai?" she called. Hindi sumagot ang lalaki. "Kai, please. Talk to me."

Nagpakawala naman ng buntong-hininga ang lalaki bago nito ihinto muli ang sasakyan. He faced her and took her hand. "I understand your need to find your parents' murderers. But what you wanted to do is dangerous."

"I know," she said.

"But as much as I want to carry you and drag you out of this monster-swarmed city, I can't. And I wouldn't. So I will stay here and be with you."

Napangiti naman siya sa sinabi nito. She leaned close and gave him a kiss on the lips. "Thank you."

"Anything for you," he answered.

Nagpatuloy ang lalaki sa pagmamaneho papunta sa kung nasaan si Esme. Nakatanggap siya ng text message mula sa babae kanina. The message only said that she has something to say to her.

Nang makarating sila sa shop ni Esme. Ang una niyang napansin ay ang sirang knob ng pinto bago sila makapasok sa loob. Naabutan nila ang ang babae na abala sa kung ano man ang ginawaga nito. Alam niyang napansin ni Esme ang pagdating nila ngunit patuloy pa rin ito sa paglalagay ng mga bagay sa isang maliit na bag. Nagkatinginan naman sila ni Kai. Ngunit bago pa man siya makapagsalita ay naunahan na siya ng lalaki.

"The Sylvaine brothers stopped by earlier," Esme said before she turned to face them. "They are on going to kill all the rogues who are conspiring against him."

"Including the witches?"

"One of the Sylvaine brothers gave me his word that he will leave the witches for me to punish and they will take care of the vampires." Tumingin ang babae sa gawi nila. "I heard Lorcan Sylvaine threatened to kill you if you so much as show yourselves around here again. Why are you not leaving yet?"

She swallowed hard before she looked Esmeralda in the eyes. "Because I know something that will surely make him reconsider his threats."

Tumaas ang kilay ng babae. Kaya naman sinabi niya sa babae ang nalaman niya mula kay Hera. Matapos iyon ay nakita niyang namutla ito.

"Having the Sylvaines here in St. Angeli is like a ticking bomb. They are already enough to cause me so much anxiety. And now these rogues are planning to make someone worse?"

"That's why I am here to offer my help."

Nakita naman niyang napatingin ulit si Esme sa kanya. "Then you should tell him yourself about that piece of news. Assuming you'd be able to say it before he cuts your head off."

Hindi na lang niya pinansin ang sinabi ng babae sa kanya at nilabas niya ang kanyang mga bala. She placed them on the table. Nagtataka namang nakatingin sina Esme at Kai sa kanya.

"Leila told me about the azaleas," she said. "Now I want you to spell these bullets with azaleas. Because if I am going out there to kill some rogue vampires, I need more than just ordinary bullets."

Esme looked at her for a moment before she moved to the table and stared at the bullets. Inilagay din ni Kai ang ang mga bala nito sa mesa.

"Your organizations needs a witch," said Esme bago ito kumuha ng mga tuyong dahon sa isang garapon. She then sprinkled the dried leaves on the bullets before she placed her hand over the bullets and closed her eyes. She heard Esme mumble something. She has never seen a witch at work up close kaya naman hindi matanggal ang mga mata niya sa babae.

Maya-maya pa ay tumingin si Esme sa kanila. "It's done."

"How are azaleas more effective than fleurels?" tanong ni Kai. She took the bullets and put them inside her weapon.

"Fleurels have the natural properties to hurt ordinary vampires. But azaleas are more adept at witches' spells. You'd need azaleas to take on stronger vampires. Your organization needs to learn more." Esme smirked in their direction. Kai just nodded and placed the bullets inside his weapon.

Tumingin naman si Kai sa kanya. "So how do you plan on approaching a Sylvaine hybrid without him getting to us first?"

She c****d her weapon and looked at her boyfriend. "Approach him and shoot him if he comes to us and make him listen to what we have to say."