End Game

Chapter 8 - Inner Beast

CLAUDE's brows furrowed while Raven was now enthusiastically scanning the female guests. Iginala niya ang tingin sa paligid kaya napansin niyang bukod sa kanya, wala nang iba pang nagre-react sa ganoon kabangong dugo.

So, it really was just me. What the heck? Does this mean that the myth about Keepers was true?

Before Claude could ask around, the subject of almost everyone's thoughts suddenly changed. It was now about the only daughter of Anderson Broadcasting Corporation.

Anderson... Saan na nga ba niya narinig ang apelyidong iyon?

He was still busy contemplating about that particular surname when he heard a woman's laughter. He felt a sudden jolt in his chest. At the same time, all his senses had activated. Something must be wrong with his ears because he felt like the woman's laughter sounded so much better than the orchestra playing around. And it was absurd since the best musicians in the country were gathered here tonight to join them in their revelry.

Nang muli niyang iginala ang tingin sa paligid, huminto ang mga mata niya sa isang partikular na babae. He finally saw something worth paying attention to. It was the woman who was wearing a halter-neck moss green long gown which suited her perfectly since it had the same color as her soulful eyes. The soft fabric emphasized the curves of her body with her every movement. Nakapusod ang buhok nito kaya malinaw na makikita ang makinis at malakrema nitong leeg.

The woman had the most enticing face Claude had ever seen. Napakakipot din ng baywang nito kaya sigurado siyang kaya niyang ipaikot doon ang isang braso. Her round, firm butt and full breasts were silently screaming to be noticed. Pero ang higit na nakakuha ng atensiyon niya ay ang magagandang mga mata nito.

Claude had lived long enough and had seen enough of this world. Pero iyon ang kauna-unahang pagkakataon na nakakita siya ng ganoong uri ng mga mata. There were no traces of darkness in them unlike most humans that he had met before. Some were even younger than her but their eyes and their thoughts were already darker than most people.

In fact, the woman's eyes were filled with fascination as if all she could see was the other side of the world: the brighter side, which meant that she was his exact opposite. Sa kabila niyon ay hindi niya magawang alisin rito ang kanyang mga mata.

"Young master, your phone has been ringing for quite some time now," narinig niyang sinabi ni Raven.

"lt's suddenly quiet," Claude murmured instead while his eyes remained on her. And it was true. Because suddenly, all the noises he had been hearing in his head were silenced as he stood there.

"No, it is not, Young Master. I can hear your phone. It's still ringing like crazy," Raven said. His confused voice was the only noise left that Claude could hear.

"Beautiful. Just beautiful," he murmured once again, still drawn by the dazzling beauty which was a few steps away from him.

He could not remember ever complimenting a woman like this before. Buong buhay niya, nasanay siyang napapalibutan ng naggagandahang mga babae pero walang epekto sa kanya ang mga ito maliban sa babaeng tinititigan niya ngayon.

Something about her seemed to be tempting the inner beast in him, the beast that suddenly wanted to be freed inside him. Nang mga sandaling iyon, alam niya, nararamdaman niya, na ang dugong nalalanghap niya ay nagmumula sa dalaga.

"Beautiful? Are you referring to your ring tone, young master?" patuloy ni Raven. "It sure is beautiful. Although it's a little annoying and-"

He glared at his assistant. "If you won't zip your mouth, I will zip it for you, Raven. But once I do, I swear you would not be able to use that goddamn mouth forever."

Nang sa wakas ay matahimik si Raven, nilingon ni Claude ang estranghera na patuloy pa rin na masayang nakikipagtawanan sa mga nakatatandang mortal na nakikipag-usap rito. Bigla ay natukso siyang ilayo ang dalaga sa lahat ng mga naroon para alamin kung anong lasa ng dugo nito. Would it taste as unique and as delicious as her scent? It was his first time to feel an intense craving to sink his fangs deep in the woman's neck as both of them lay naked on his bed...

Damn. He wanted her. He wanted her blood, he wanted that lovely smile of hers and her laughter to be exclusive for his eyes and ears only. He wanted more of her.

Hindi nagtagal ay naghinang ang kanilang mga mata. Her face lit up. Something about her felt familiar, pero hindi niya matandaan kung saan o kailan niya ito nakita. Nagsalubong ang mga kilay niya nang may panibagong pamilyar na pigura na nakita at bumulong sa tainga ng dalaga kaya pansamantalang naalis ang atensiyon nito mula sa kanya.

Minutes later and she was now heading towards Claude along with the people he finally recognized. It was Martin and Paulina. While she was getting closer and closer to him, images of a thin little girl flashed through his mind.

She was so young but her eyes looked so old as if she had been through the worst things in life already. Nakaupo ito sa malamig na sahig sa isang sulok ng madilim na kuwarto. Tahimik lang ito pero ang maliliit at payat na mga kamay nito ay nanginginig. Tagaktak din ang pawis ng bata pero hindi ito sumubok man lang na gumalaw o tumayo mula sa kinauupuan. She was about ten years old at that time, but she looked smaller than her age.

So, that little girl was a woman now? What an interesting development. Minsan pa ay napatunayan ni Claude kung gaano kabilis ang takbo ng oras pagdating sa mga mortal. She was pretty then but she was beautiful now. Kamuntik niya nang hindi makilala ang kauna-unahang mortal na nakakuha ng interes niya.

Malinaw pa sa alaala niya ang mga mata nito. Back then, she was not screaming for help, but he felt like it was her eyes that did the screaming for her.