Blood Secrets

Even Monsters Slumber

Living for a thousand years was enough for Lorcan to build a reputation for himself. He has established quite a reputation that any vampire in the world--whoever gets a chance to encounter him--does everything to gain his favor.

He was the second among the five siblings, with Sebastian being the first. Sa kanilang lima, siya ang naturingang pinakadelikado. His two other siblings have been disobedient so he kept them somewhere, asleep and clueless about the threat that could wipe off the vampire population.

It takes quite a weapon to kill the Sylvaine vampires. They don't die by an ordinary stake through the heart, unlike ordinary vampires. It merely puts them to sleep, to desiccation. Iyon ang ginawa niya sa dalawa niyang kapatid. They were tucked away safely in a spelled coffin where they will be safe and undisturbed.

"It's safe here, Mr. Sylvaine," said the woman on the phone. Lorcan smiled as he drove down the road, miles away from St. Angeli.

"And you'd do well to take care of it, Annabeth. I'm coming to pick them up," he said. Hindi na siya naghintay ng sagot mula sa kabilang linya at agad na ibinaba ang telepono. He looked at the road ahead and saw the sign that says: Whitburry Isle, 5 kilometers ahead.

Hindi niya sinabi kay Sebastian ang plano niyang gawin. He told Nadia he was planning to kill the witches when in truth, he has other plans. The witches can wait. He has to wake his two siblings up. If they're going to face some strong witches, he needs the help of his other brothers. Of course, once they wake up, it won't be easy for him to convince them to help. But perhaps the prospect of the end of the vampire race could rile them up enough to side with him.

He gripped the wheel harder as he drove faster. Naalala na naman niya si Nadia. He felt bad that he had to do it for her. And that was saying something because he never felt bad for anything. He has no remorse and no conscience. But with Nadia, he has this annoying drive to do right by her.

Nadia might hate her forever but if it means he's going to save her from almost inevitable death, he couldn't care less. That's why he had to do what he did. He doesn't care about Kaiden. That man could die for all he cares, but seeing it would destroy Nadia, he couldn't touch the man.

The look in her eyes when he drove his hand straight to Kaiden's heart was something he couldn't get off his mind. He clenched her jaw and shook the thought. What's important is that Nadia is safe and tucked in the house and her boyfriend is taken care of.

He took his phone when he saw Sebastian calling. Does his brother know what he's actually planning to do? He answered the phone.

"Brother," he started. "Unless this is news that those witches are dead, I don't want to hear it."

"Where are you?" asked Sebastian. Lorcan smiled. The tone in his brother's voice makes him think that he's already suspecting about his plans and his whereabouts. There's no sense lying to Sebastian. He would find out about it, anyway.

And so he said, "I'm off to wake up our slumbering siblings."

"Lorcan," Sebastian called. "Are you sure this is the right move?"

Lorcan's grin grew wider. "I can't see any other way than this, brother. If we're about to get sent to a prison world, I might as well have our other siblings a taste of the world."

"You have other plans, Lorcan." Sebastian's voice contained enough edge for him to know that it would only take him a few wrong choices of words before Sebastian would come running after him.

Saglit naman siyang natahimik. Kailangan niyang makumbinsi si Sebastian sa nais niyang gawin ngayon.

"They've been daggered for almost a century, Sebastian," he said as though it would explain everything.

"You daggered them without conscience and if I don't know any better, I would have thought you felt condole. But no, Lorcan. You don't feel guilt so tell me--" Sebastian breathed, "--why do you intend to wake our brothers up?"

Saglit siyang natahimik sa tanong ng kanyang kapatid. As usual, Sebastian always sees through him. Then Sebastian spoke again.

"I think you remember very well brother the very reason why you daggered them in the first place. Grey and August are ticking bombs."

"If they are indeed ticking bombs, Sebastian. Don't you think right now is the perfect time for them to explode?"

He heard him sigh on the other line.

"Worry not, brother," he said as he stared at the road ahead. "I will make sure our little brothers will behave once I wake them up." Napangisi siya at saka pinatay ang tawag. He could only hope that Sebastian was convinced enough not to follow him to the Whitburry Isle and destroy all his plans.

The witches are a force to reckon with. The last thing they would ever want is the wrath of a witch. They have learned that lesson a thousand years ago. It was a witch who created the vampires and now, the descendants of the witch who cursed their family many years ago are back to put them in some kind of prison world. Just the thought of it makes him want to thrash the whole city and even the whole coven of witches. But he knows that if his anger gets the better of him, it would be his loss.

He drove until he reached Whitburry. Kailangan pa niyang magmaneho hanggang sa makarating siya sa kung saan ang daanan papunta sa isla. The town was eerily quiet. The kind of quiet is so familiar with as there had been several occasions where he was the cause of this kind of quietness. It was as if the people of the town knows the danger coming and thought better than to roam around. Although, he doesn't plan on touching anyone today. Ngayong araw, isa lang ang ipinunta niya sa lugar na ito.

"You're early, Mister Sylvaine," someone said behind him. He let out a grin before he turned to face Annabeth Dragna. The coven leader of the Whitburry coven of witches.

"I am here to pick my siblings up, Annabeth."

"I heard your request," said Annabeth. "However, I can't let them out without me putting a leash on their necks."

Kumunot ang noo ni Lorcan sa sinabi ng babae. Ngunit bago pa man siya makapagsalita ay nagpatuloy ito. "I know what your brothers are capable of doing, Lorcan. And as the coven leader of the Whitburry witches, it is my responsibility to keep watch over them so they won't be making the same mistake they did a century ago."

A witch's leash on his brothers. He doesn't like it, considering the fact that their main enemy at the moment is witches.

"Have you heard about the three witch coven?" he said and the mere mention of it, Annabeth instantly paled. But aside from that, there was nothing else on her. Not even a hint of surprise. As if answering his silent question, Annabeth looked at her.

"WItches talk, Lorcan. Our ancestors talk to. I heard they came to St. Angeli and I know that is the reason why you want to wake your brothers. Despite what they had done before to this town, have you ever wondered why I agreed to wake them up now?"

Before he could answer, Annabeth went on, "It's because the Whitbury witches still have the sense of balance in the supernatural world. I don't want the three witch coven to succeed in their plan. However, for me to ensure that your siblings will not run wild, I will have to watch over them."

He doesn't like the idea of it but he doesn't have much choice. Either they wake up on a leash or not wake up at all.

"Fine," he said. "You watch over them. And good luck with the babysitting." At naglakad na siya patungo sa masukal na gubat papunta sa isla kung saan natutulog ang dalawa niyang kapatid.

***

The forest was quiet. It was still the same as the last time he came here a hundred years ago. The time when he had to dagger Grey and August. The Whitburry coven of witches has been watching over the desiccating corpse of his brothers. Protecting it with a spell to avoid certain people waking them up.

The Whitburry Isle is a small island connected to the mainland. It's a sacred piece of land as it is where Whitburry's ancestors are buried. Napatingin siya sa kanyang braso nanag maramdamang nananayo ang kanyang balahibo. Witches despise vampires. Although there are some they can tolerate but others despise the Sylvaines. Their family is particularly good at making enemies so he's not surprised. He could also feel the ancestors don't like him being on the Isle.

Annabeth stopped walking and he did the same. Nakarating na sila sa gitna ng isla kung saan nakikita niya ang isang matayog na arko na gawa sa bato. The stone arch looked untouched as vines of blooming flowers snaked through the whole of it. In the middle of it is a set of steps that leads down to the ground. A passage he is familiar with.

Annabeth looked at him. "My ancestors do not like you being here," she said.

He scoffed. "They don't like anyone being here."

"But this is different, Mr. Sylvaine. They are still hesitating whether we should wake your brothers up. I managed to convince them that I will watch over your two brothers but it's not a guarantee that they will interfere if they see something they don't like."

Napangisi siya sa gawi ni Annabeth bago niya inilibot ang kanyang paningin sa paligid.

"My brothers are going to fight with me to defeat a certain coven of witches. Now, I have heard you despise this the coven of three as well. I know why. Your coven is one of the few covens who are renegades. You have vampire blood in you. When these three witches succeed, it would also make you cease to exist, am I right?"

There was a deafening quiet and unnatural stillness that would have sent an ordinary person scrambling but he knows what he was doing. He braced himself for what came next. Whispers disturbed the whole forest and the gush of wind was enough to knock down someone.

"I will kill these witches and my brothers are going to help me," he said. It was then that the whispers stopped and the wind disappeared, replaced with the natural quiet of the forest. Napatingin siya sa gawi ni Annabeth and the woman's silence was enough to tell him that it is time to do what needs to be done.

Naunang maglakad si Annabeth at sumunod naman siya. They went down the set of stairs and their steps echoed with the darkness. As they walked deeper, the torches started to light their path one by one. He never gets tired of witch spectacle--whether it's directed to him or not. And he might be a little envious of witches who have vampire blood. Renegades, they call themselves. Creatures that tip the supernatural balance. They're not supposed to exist and they make up for their abnormal existence by being strict when it comes to maintaining the balance of the supernatural world.

Nakarating sila sa ibaba. The place smelled like soil and damp clothes. Nagpatuloy sa paglalakad si Annabeth at sumunod naman siya, leisurely walking along the dark tunnels as though he was strolling in the park. He doesn't know how he would feel waking up his brothers but whether he likes it or not doesn't matter. What matters is that they will defeat their enemies.

When they reached deep enough in the dark tunnels, Annabeth stopped. He did the same. Then he marveled at the sight in front of him. Two dark brown and shiny coffins lie in the middle of a circular space. Around it is water so blue it could have been majestic except for the fact that it could melt anyone to nothing.

Annabeth positioned herself in the center and raised both her arms. He stood back and watch.

"Phasmatos patefacio velo," chanted Annabeth. She recited the spell a few times before he felt the ground shake. Then he saw the waters around the coffins start to boil. His brows furrowed. He looked at Annabeth and was about to speak when the majestic blue water turned brown. Like it had just been stirred with mud.

Annabeth sighed and turned to look at him before she said, "The waters are safe. You can now wake your brothers."

Then she turned and left, leaving him with the desiccating corpses of his brothers. He could hear Annabeth's footsteps slowly getting away. He then walked towards the waters and stood there for a while. Reaching from the pockets of his coat, he took out a blood bag. It's dangerous to have his brothers well-fed. Not at this state. Kailangan lang niya ng kaunting dugo para magising ang mga ito. It's been a century since they had their proper meal.

He stepped into the cold water. For a moment, he tried to feel the water as if it was going to melt him. Witches are as cunning as they are powerful. When he was sure the waters are indeed safe, he continued walking toward the coffins. Nang makarating siya doon ay agad niyang binuksan ang unang kabaong. The dagger protruded from his chest. Grey looked dull and gray.

He moved to the other coffin and August looked the same. He opened the blood bag in him and placed a drop on his brothers' lips. His hands then moved to grab the hilt of the daggers.

"Rise and shine, brothers. We have a whole species of vampires to save," he said before he pulled the two daggers from his brothers' chests.