End Game

Chapter 9 - The Start of Something New

ANG ESTRANGHERA ang kauna-unahang mortal na gumulat kay Claude dahil nabigo siyang basahin ang nilalaman ng isip nito sa kabila ng mura nitong edad. Ang pagkakaalam niya ay pinangalanan itong Isabella.

And judging by how massive Isabella had changed over the past eight years just proved that Claude had made the right decision when he allowed the Andersons to keep her.

Looking at Isabella now, no one would have imagined that she was the same helpless girl from before. Pero ang dugo nito noon ay hindi kasing bango gaya nang nalalanghap niya ngayon. And he wondered why.

Inangat ni Claude ang kanyang palad nang akmang haharangin ng kanyang mga bodyguard ang mga Anderson.

"It's okay. Let them come closer. I know them."

Halos magkasabay na inilagay nina Martin at Paulina ang mga kanang kamay ng mga ito sa kaliwang dibdib bago yumukod nang nasa harap niya na.

"It is an honor to meet you again, Young Master," halos magkasabay ding bati ng mga ito.

Ngumiti si Claude. "How have you been, Mr. and Mrs. Anderson?"

Nagliwanag ang anyo ng mag-asawa. It was obvious that raising the human did wonders to both of them.

"We are doing very well. And it's all thanks to your grace, Young Master," sagot ni Martin.

"Oh, please. Don't mention it. I did not even do that much."

"Siguro para sa 'yo ay maliit na bagay lamang iyon pero napakalaki ng kahulugan niyon para sa aming mag-asawa, Young Master. You gave me and my wife a reason to be thankful every day." Makahulugang ngumiti lang si Martin nang nalilitong nilingon ni Isabella ang ama.

This was a rare sight. Ang kilala ni Claude na Martin ay mahirap pangitiin. It seems that being a parent had made him softer.

"It was Young Master Claude who saved me and your mother in the past, Bella. It was a long story. I will tell you all about it one day."

"My goodness, where are our manners, Martin? I'm so sorry, Young Master. Hindi pa pala namin naipakilala nang maayos sa 'yo ang aming anak," para namang natarantang singit ni Paulina. Buong pagmamalaki na inakbayan nito ang anak. "This is Maria Isabella Anderson, our only child. Isabella, I want you to meet Young Master Claude McNiall, the sole descendant of McNiall Empire. Your father and Young Master's father go a long way back in the States when your father was still working for them. Ang pamilya nila ang tumulong sa amin ng Daddy mo noon, anak. We are who we are now because of their kindness to our family."

"You flatter me too much, Mrs. Anderson," sagot ni Claude bago ngumiti kay Isabella. For the first time, putting on a smile did not take an effort, na para bang napakanatural lang na bagay ang ngumiti sa harap ng dalaga. "It's nice to see you again, Isabella. You probably don't remember but we met when you were still a little girl."

"I've heard so many wonderful things about you from my parents, Sir. Actually, my Dad is one of your many fans. I'd always catch him watching your match," excited namang pagkukuwento ni Isabella. Nangingislap ang mga mata nito habang nakatingin sa kanya. "Nagpunta pa nga kami sa New York last year para mapanood ka pero hindi na kami nakalapit pa sa 'yo. You were surrounded by so many people at that time. But I was so glad that I came with him that day. It was my first time to watch something as thrilling as that. You are a marvelous car racer, Sir."

"Thank you. But please drop the 'Sir' thing. You can call me by my name."

Napasinghap ang mag-asawang Anderson. "But Young Master, calling you by your name would be-"

"I mean it. Isabella is free to call me by my name."

Gulat pa ring napatango na lang ang mag-asawa. Nagkibit-balikat siya. It was always the Elders who put too much meaning into the simplest things. As for racing, it was only a hobby for Claude. Ang totoong trabaho niya ay ang tugisin ang mga rebeldeng bampira. Kung nakita niya na noon pa si Isabella at nalanghap ang dugo nito, siguradong madi-distract lang siya gaya nang nangyayari ngayon. He might not even get to win the trophy.

Napasinghap ang mga naroong bisita nang makita ng mga itong inilahad ni Claude ang kanyang palad kay Isabella. She was the first single woman whom he had allowed to get closer to him tonight. Mas matagal din ang naging pag-uusap nila kumpara sa mismong host ng event na si Vincent.

Who would have thought that the girl from before would be this bubbly? In the past, no matter how Martin and Paulina tried to get her to talk, she would not budge as if she had a hearing problem.

"Oh, really? T-thank you, C-Claude," sagot ni Isabella pagkaraan nang ilang sandali. She was blushing. And what a lovely sight that was. "It was a shame that I could not remember anything about our first encounter. That must have been a wonderful memory, too," dagdag ng dalaga bago gumanti ng matamis na ngiti saka inabot ang kanyang kamay.

It was such an innocent smile, as innocent as her eyes.

Kumabog ang dibdib ni Claude sa sandaling naglapat ang kanilang mga kamay. It almost felt unreal. At the same time, the cravings he had felt a while ago intensified that he almost did not want to let go of her hand. But amid all the cravings, his soul felt unbelievably at peace tonight.

Iyon ang kauna-unahang beses na nangyari iyon kay Claude. Gulat na napatitig siya sa magkahawak pa rin nilang mga kamay.

What the heck was wrong with me? And what the heck was this feeling?

This Isabella Anderson... just who exactly was she?

"THERE will always be this one particular scent that only the Vampires could smell, Claude. And it was the scent of our Keeper.".

"No, it can't be," napailing na sinabi ni Claude. After a few minutes of meeting Isabella, he had to excuse himself and went to the helipad to be alone. Just looking at her without touching her was such a test of patience. And patience was never among his virtues. Whenever he needed a woman to let off some steam after the Rogue hunting, he never had a hard time. Karamihan sa mga ito, bampira man o hindi, ay agad na darating sa isang tawag niya lang.

That's why this extreme need inside Claude now to dominate someone was beyond him. It was so intense that he had to be away from Isabella otherwise, he might not be able to stop himself from snatching her away from the crowd, from touching her, from kissing her, and from doing more than that.

Ayaw niyang matakot sa kanya si Isabella. But God, he wanted her. Gusto niya ang dugo nito. He wanted all of her so badly. And it was driving him mad. Gusto niyang itago si Isabella mula sa lahat para walang ibang makakita at makarinig rito maliban sa kanya. Hindi niya gusto ang paraan ng pagtingin sa dalaga ng mga bisita sa ibaba. The hungry way men looked at her at the party was making him see red.

Pero wala siyang magawa. This helplessness was new to Claude. Nasanay siyang kontrolado niya ang halos lahat ng aspeto ng buhay niya. But now, he was becoming like this over a mere woman?

Noong bata pa si Claude, ilang beses niya nang narinig ang tungkol sa "fated pair". Madalas iyong usap-usapan lalo na ng mga babaeng bampira. Over the years, it became more known as a "Vampire's Keeper".

According to the Elders, every Vampire had a Keeper whom he or she would share an eternity with. Kahit sino ay puwedeng maging Keeper, bampira man, lobo, mage, o isang mortal. At sa oras na inumin ng bampira at Keeper ang dugo ng isa't isa, habang-buhay nang magsasama ang mga ito. Kung ang Keeper ay nagkataong mortal, mabubuhay ito nang hanggang kasing haba ng buhay ng nakalaang bampira para rito. But of course, that was after the blood sharing which was a sacred ritual for them.

"We cannot choose who our Keepers would be since we cannot choose who we fall in love with." Minsan nang sinabi iyon sa kanya ng Sire. "Once you find your Keeper, you will never feel attracted to anyone else anymore."

Tumawa si Claude. "Come on. That sounds straight from a movie, Sire. I think you've watched way too many strange movies with the Dame," naalala niyang sagot sa kanyang ama noon.

Ngumisi lang ang Sire. "You don't believe me, do you? I once had the same reaction until I met your mother. I am telling you, Keepers are real, son. Once you meet your Keeper, you will know that she is the right woman for you. Your heart will tell you. Every single part of your body will yearn for her and will scream for her name. It sounds absurd, right? But it is real. It happens."