Blood Secrets

Bloody Invitation

Julian Cestmont. The name was unfamiliar but the Sylvaines, particularly Lorcan Sylvaine seemed like he knows the man personally.

They're all seated inside the sitting room. The shattered glass from the broken windows scattered on the floor. Eleanor and Sebastian had been bitten by the wolves but after drinking Lorcan's blood, they didn't look like they almost went through death's door.

The alpha of the Bloodbrook pack sat in the farthest corner. He was sitting confidently but warily. The other wolves have already gone back to the mountain and Esme sent other witches to surround the mountain.

Aedion was hesitant about it but after Esme showed enough evidence of her being offended, humingi ng pasensya si Aedion. Clearly, he shouldn't have underestimated what Esme could do knowing that the witch could snap their necks with a flick of her hand.

"And how do you know this man, Lorcan?" asked Sebastian. He was standing by the window, looking outside the house. His one hand was stuffed inside his pocket and his other was swirling the contents of his glass.

"Julian and I go way back. Remember that time when I was away for a century?"

"Happiest century of my life," said Eleanor, and Lorcan merely smiled.

"I've traveled for a century and within those years, I met Julian Cestmont," said Lorcan as though it was enough explanation.

"So what did you do to him that pushed him to lead a whole race of vampires conspiring to kill you?" asked Sebastian.

Nakinig naman silang lahat sa nais sabihin ni Lorcan. He was swirling the contents of his glass. Si Aedion naman ay tahimik pa rin sa gilid. Malamang ay nag-aalala pa rin ito sa mga lobo niya. But the witches of Esme have assured that no one will be able to step into the mountains. Not even the rogue ones.

"There once was a group of scientists, doctors--and other people who are quite curious about what vampires are and what they're capable of doing. I heard of them while I was on my travels and I decided to taunt them." Ngumisi si Lorcan sa gawi nila.

"One of these people is Julian Cestmont. He leads this group of people and his hatred toward vampires drew me toward him. I introduced myself. Did not say I'm a vampire of course but I made my way to the group. I was anticipating what he would look like when one of his trusted people turns out to be the one of the kind he hates the most." Tumingin siya kay Eleanor na hindi makapaniwalang nakatingin sa kanya.

Lorcan raised his glass in the air and said, "Before you give me that look, Eleanor, it's fair to say that my plan wasn't based on some groundless reason. He hates vampires and killed a lot of them. His laboratory experimented on vampires. Tortured them over and over just to see how fast they could heal when they are well fed compared to when they are not."

"And since when do you care if other vampires were tortured?" tanong naman ni Kai. "You made it clear that you're going to annihilate every single one who conspired against you."

"No matter how evil I may be in your eyes, Kaiden, there's still some part of me that hates torture. I saw how they slice up their stomach. Or stab their eyes. And the vampires were tied and unable to move. I watched in the side, pretending I was delighted as him. But I realized I could kill all of them. They're humans. I'm a vampire."

"So you killed them?" tanong niya.

Lorcan grinned in her direction. "Well, apparently, they knew I was a vampire before they let me in the group."

This time, Eleanor was laughing. "Look at that. The great Lorcan Sylvaines was duped."

"I think I duped them more. See, they thought I was an ordinary vampire. They failed to realize I'm a hybrid. A different breed. So when they injected me with fleurel, it didn't have any effect. I could still remember the look on his face when he realized they have no power over me. I broke free from the ties, bit my arm, forced him to drink my blood, and then snapped his neck. There is nothing more satisfying than him realizing he's becoming the kind he hates the most."

Napasapo naman siya sa kanyang noo. "Clearly you also failed to realize that when he's a vampire, he's also stronger and thus, actually stands a chance of killing you."

"For once, I agree with the blood slayer," Eleanor said. "I am really impressed at how skilled you are at making enemies, brother."

Ngumisi naman si Lorcan. His grin is starting to get on her nerves. "Good thing is, I know him. I know he likes to make a spectacle, a grand entrance. Which means that since he had already introduced himself, we have to expect he's going to proceed to the next step."

Napakunot naman ang noo nilang lahat sa sinasabi ng lalaki. Magsasalita na sana siya nang biglang tumunog ang doorbell ng bahay. Nagkatinginan silang lahat at tumayo si Lorcan.

"I believe it is here," he said before he walked towards the door and opened it. Napatayo rin sila para tingnan kung sino iyon.

Nagulat naman siya nang makitang isang ordinaryong tao lang iyon.

"A tourist," said Esme.

May ibinigay ang lalaki na papel kay Lorcan at tinanggap naman ito ng huli. And then all of a sudden the man took a screwdriver before driving it straight to his neck. Napasinghap siya sa nakita. The man's blood gushed out of his neck and splattered some on Lorcan. Nang matumba ang lalaki sa sahig ay saka humarap si Lorcan sa kanila. His face was splattered with blood.

"I believe we have been invited to a certain dinner party," he said and then raised the paper which was also blood splattered.

***

"Absolutely not!" Kai stood in front of her while Lorcan just stared at him, amused at how he was so quick to stand and oppose.

"Naririnig mo ba ang sinasabi mo, Lorcan?"

"Yes, of course. But I don't care about your ideologies, Kaiden."

Tinuro na ni Kaiden si Lorcan. "You are not taking Nadia with you. It's going to be filled with a lot of vampires--"

"Of course not. There would be humans. It wouldn't be a vampire dinner party without compelled tourists."

"Exactly why Nadia isn't coming with you!"

"Isn't she a blood slayer?"

"Lorcan, I swear to god--"

"Swear all you want but I think Nadia dearest is the one who's going to make this decision, Kaiden. Not you." Lorcan looked at her and Kaiden whirled in her direction too. She could see the frustration in her boyfriend's eyes and the mockery in Lorcan's.

"Julian Cestmont have encountered a lot of vampires. One of them is Vancel Kimber. If you wish to know more about the vampire who killed your parents, you could ask him yourself." Lorcan smirked in her direction at alam niyang alam nito ang bagay na makakapagpapayag sa kanya. And Kaiden knows it too. Dahil nang sinabi iyon ni Lorcan ay nakita niyang nawala ang pag-asa sa mga mata ng lalaki.

Kai sat back down and faced Lorcan.

"No," she said. Napatingin naman ang dalawa sa kanya at siya naman ang tumayo. "I am not going there because he knows something about Vancel Kimber. I will come with you to stop this madness and you," she pointed to Lorcan, "know enough about Vancel Kimber that will satisfy my curiosity."

Tumingin siya sa gawi ni Kai. "One more thing," she said and reached for Kai's hand.

"He's coming with me."

Nakita naman niyang nakatingin lang sa kanila si Lorcan bago ito nagpakawala ng ngiti at saka tumayo. Magsasalita na sana ito nang maunahan ito ni Sebastian.

"We're all coming as well," Sebastian said. Lorcan merely looked at his brother and then to Eleanor who has her arms crossed.

"It can't be a vampire dinner party without me in it. I'm coming," saad ni Eleanor. Napatingin naman sila kay Esme.

"I will be coming as well."

Lorcan grinned in his direction. "Best you don't die during the party, Esmeralda. If you die, your coven will suffer and of course, the protective spell you placed on the wolves would be gone in an instant."

Esme shot Lorcan a deadly glare. "I know what's at stake and I think these vampires already know what I am capable of. They'd do well if they don't test me."

Sebastian let out a small smirk at that. Lorcan did the same. They should be assured. The strongest witch in the St. Angeli coven is on their side. But then again, she couldn't be too confident. Unless this certain Julian Cestmont is dead, the Sylvaines are at risk of being wiped out together with information of a certain vampire she was looking for. Hindi siya papayag na mangyayari iyon.

"That settles it," said Lorcan before he chugged the whole contents of his glass. "Do me a favor and don't let your asses get in trouble."