X- Aslan

Q stopped the truck when they got to the edge of the road. Doon na tumigil ang sementadong lupa at may bakod na nakaharang sa kanilang harapan na napapalibutan ng barbed wires.

There was a sign on their right bearing the words, Welcome to Aslan.

If this is their idea of welcome, I don't want to know what the unwelcome looks like.

Q's expression seemed like he was thinking what she was thinking too. His nostrils are wrinkled in distaste. "I think we need to travel on feet from here."

"Pretty much." she agreed, unbuckling her seat belt. Inabot niya mula sa back seat ang isang itim na backpack na naglalaman ng mga sandata at ilang packs ng dugo para sa kanya.

Nagsimula silang maglakad ni Quentin at maghanap ng mapagpapahingahan nang unti unti nang bumaba ang araw. Although Aspen was quite skilled in hunting at night, she needed to rest her bones that felt so stiff after being stuck inside Q's truck for almost a day and a half. She was saddled against a tree trunk when Q decided he wanted to take a run.

She rolled her shoulders and tried to take a nap instead. After getting a few hours of sleep and realized that Q hasn't come back yet, she started to come after him. He found him on his wolf form feeding from a dead coyote. Dahan dahan siyang lumapit dito para hindi maistorbo ang pagkain nito. When she got close enough to him, he whirled and growled which startled her.

Itinaas ni Aspen ang magkabilang kamay tanda ng pagsuko. "It's just me."

He slowly shifted back in his human form. She heard his bones cracking as it went back to its normal shape and size. She'll never get used to werewolves' freakiness.

"You shouldn't sneak on a feeding werewolf like that, I could have easily ripped you into half." he scolded while wiping blood off his face.

"You wish." nakatirik ang matang sambit niya.

He reached over his head to tie his shoulder length hair. "I'm serious, Aspen. Don't do that again."

"Right, Mr. Crabby pants." she rolled her eyes as they started to walk together. "What's with you? You just fed. Don't tell me, hindi ka pa nabusog sa coyote na yun?"

"The full moon's coming near," he pulled on his shirt that he dumped under a bush. "my appetite's being harder and harder to satiate."

"Oh."

"And werewolves are more sensitive these days, so, like I said, don't ever sneak up on me again like that if you want your limbs to stay attached to your body."

Nagkibit balikat na lamang siya. Nakaramdam na rin kasi siya ng bahagyang pagsakit ng tiyan niya at alam niyang kailangan na rin niyang uminom ng dugo. She's craving for a live prey. She missed the feeling of hunting.

She sniffed into the air. Damn. All she could smell were wild animals and grass and soil. Wala man lang bang naliligaw na hiker o lasing na siraulo sa paligid? She needed human blood. They walked around the forest, scouting for a prey. Quentin's getting alot crankier as the hours passed by. Siguro nga ay iyon ay epekto ng nalalapit na full moon gaya ng sabi nito. She's not used to him in this kind of mood.

They found a house at the edge of the forest as they wandered. Tiningnan siya ni Q at tumango na lamang sya. Those people inside would have to do. She's not gonna kill them anyway, just a pint of blood is all.

Ngunit bago pa man siya makalapit sa bahay ay nakarinig na siya ng mala hayop na pagungol. And she's pretty sure it's not coming from a coyote or a wild boar.

She saw the rogue leaped towards the house's door and Aspen was able to catch its neck mid air. They wrestled around the flower patch as she heard Q take his wolf form. Mariing ipinulupot niya ang braso sa leeg nito ngunit nagagawa parin nitong magpumiglas. She punched the rogue hard on its side. She landed several blows that she managed to injure it. Nang bumangon siya mula sa lupa ay agad niyang binunot ang baril sa tagiliran niya at bago pa man ito muli lumundag at hablutin siya ay tinutukan na niya ito. "Stay."

She pulled the trigger and ended the rogue's life. The bullet punched a hole in between its eyes. That's when she heard screaming from inside the house.

Agad siyang tumakbo patungo sa loob. She found Q fighting off another rogue. While there was one attacking a woman, she guessed she was the wife of the man lying lifeless on the floor of their bedroom.

"Shit!" agad niyang hinablot ang rogue palayo sa babae. She pressed the muzzle of her gun against its chest and fired it twice. She set aside the body and shot its head once again, just to make sure.

Dinaluhan niya ang babae at nakita ang sugat nito sa braso. She hissed. Pinunit niya ang laylayan ng damit niya at itinali iyon sa sugat ng babaeng panay ang iyak at tawag sa asawa nito. "Calm the fuck down. Your husband's dead, and you're next if you don't shut the fuck up!"

Nilingon niya si Quentin. May ilan pang mga rogues na sumugod dito at kailangan niya itong tulungan. Binalingan niya ang babae. "Stay here." tumango naman ito na panay parin ang hikbi.

She was about to launch herself into battle when the dead husband attacked her. Bumagsak silang dalawa sa sahig ay panay ang singhal nito sa kanya. He's drooling black stuff and he's clearly not normal anymore. Nahawa na rin ito sa rogue na kumagat dito. "Dammit! Why can't you just remain dead, you sonuvabitch!" tinuhod niya ito sa sikmura saka ito itinulak palayo sa kanya. Nadampot niya ang isang kahoy na nagmula sa mesang binaksakan niya at iyon ang itinarak sa leeg nito. Nangisay ang lalaki at muling namatay.

Lumingon siya just in time para makitang binali ni Q ang leeg ng isang rogue sabay kalmot sa dibdib ng isa pa. She got up, picked her gun and shot the two rogues in the head for good measure.

Bumalik sa normal na anyo niya si Q. "We got a big problem here. They are starting to attack humans."

"Yeah, no shit." she gestured towards the dead husband. "He turned. Not an hour after he was bitten. That motherfcker became a rogue. What the hell!"

"I know. The other one turned, too."

"Balls!"

Q settled his eyes on the wailing woman. "What are we going to do with her?"

"She's been bitten as well." nagtagis ang bagang ni Aspen.

"Maybe there's something we could do."

She sneered. "Yeah, wait until she turns and have our own asses bitten as well." she cocked her gun and pointed it at the woman.

"Please! Please, hwag mo akong sasaktan!" iyak ng babae.

"I'm so sorry, miss." she offered her a wry smile.

Aspen saw Q look away as she fired her gun. She wasn't that heartless, really. But someone has to do the job.

They had to burn the house down after making sure that all rogues are dead. Hindi talaga gusto ni Aspen ang mga nangyayari, specially the cleaning up part. Hindi na siya magtataka kung marami pang cases na ganito ang nangyayari sa buong Aslan.

"This is insane, A." komento ni Quentin. "There must be a whole lot of those freaking monsters out there. The people in this town are not safe."

"Tell me about it." she said as they watch the house burn into ashes. "Welcome to fucking Aslan, indeed."

"We need to see the coven immediately. Do they even know the extent of this crisis?" patuloy na pagsasalita ni Aspen habang naglalakad sila ni Q.

"Aren't we going to wait for your friends?" tinagpas nito ang sangang nakaharang sa daan nila gamit ang isang jungle bolo. "Your mate will be so pissed pag hindi ka tumupad sa usapan."

She raised an eyebrow at him. "And since when did you care about what Xavier will think?"

"I just think it would be wiser to meet up with them first." nagpatuloy lamang ito sa paglalakad. "We don't know these vampires, Aspen. They might be hostile or something."

Nagkibit balikat siya. "What a pussy."

Bumaling sa kanya ang lalaki at tinitigan siya ng masama. "I'm just looking after you. Ayokong mapahamak ka dahil sa pagiging impulsive mo."

"I am so not impulsive!"

"Reckless. Sloppy. Volatile." sambit nito at tinalikuran na siya. Agad naman siyang sumunod.

"I am not--" she gritted her teeth at his impudence. "whatever! At least I'm not a pussy."

"Call me whatever you want. I just need you to be safe."

Hindi na siya kumibo at ganoon rin naman ito. He's taking Xav's warning too seriously. She thought. Ngunit sa isang banda ay tama rin naman ito. She just doesn't want to admit it. It would be a thoughtless thing to do. Maigi nang may sigurado silang back up sakaling may mangyaring hindi maganda.

But what's taking them so long? Base sa usapan nila ni Xavier ay dapat kanina pa sila nagkita ng mga ito.

Nagpatuloy ang paglalakad nila ni Q hanggang sa abutin silang muli ng dilim sa daan. Nakarating na sila sa town proper ng Aslan. It wasn't the most welcoming town really. Dahil halos wala na ngang tao na makikita sa paligid. It's like the inhabitants fled out of fear dahil halos walang nadala ang mga ito. Now Aslan is almost like a ghost town. Iminabuti nila ni Q na maghanap ng matutuluyan hanggang sa magumaga. It really is not safe to be outside lalo na't nagkalat ang mga rogue sa paligid.

They were about to approach an inn when they heard a guttural sound coming from behind. Mabilis na pumihit si Aspen at nakita ang may apat na Rogue sa likuran nila. Looking so feral and hungry.

She groaned. "God darn it. Can't we get at least one good night's sleep just for once?"

"Be careful, Aspen, I don't think this is your ordinary rogue."

She curled her gloved hands on her side. Yeah, no shit. They are vampire rogues. She didn't have to have a degree in Harvard to tell apart human mutated rogue from vampire ones. Vampire rogues have longer fangs, and are more vicious looking.

Q started shifting beside her and attacked at once. Muling napamura si Aspen at sumunod din dito. These rogues weren't as easy as the ones they fought in the forest. They seemed to be stronger and hungrier.

Bumagsak si Aspen sa sahig at kinubabawan ng isang rogue. Ikinalang niya ang braso sa leeg nito upang mapigilan ito sa paglapa sa kanya. Its black drool spilling over her chest and its claws are fighting to dig its way to her skin. Pilit niyang iniangat ang tuhod upang sikaran ito. Nagpalit sila ng posisyon saka niya ibinaon ang hawak na blade. "Ahhh!" sigaw niya saka pinugutan ito ng ulo.

Humihingal pa siya nang may isa nanamang sumugod mula sa likod niya. She tried to throw him off her but he wouldn't budge. Kung magpapatuloy ang ganitong posisyon nila ay hindi malayong makagat siya nito. Humakbang siya ng paatras at mariing isinalya ang rogue sa dingding sa likod nila. Pagkatapos ay iniuntog niya ang likuran ng sariling ulo sa mukha nito.

She scrambled away from the vampire rogue and pulled out her gun from her back and fired at it. That's when a force collided with her midsection and she felt pain so sharp and blinding on her side.

Pinatama niya ang siko niya sa rogue na nakayakap sa bewang niya. Bahagya nitong niluwagan ang kapit sa kanya. The rogue was able to throw her against the stack of boxes in one corner of the alley. She groaned as she staggered to get her bearings. She felt her blood trickle and blocked her right eye.

She knew she's bleeding from her side, too. Nakaramdam na siya ng matinding panghihina mula sa pagkaubos ng dugo niya. She unsheathed the blade Xavier strapped on her right hip. Hinigpitan niya ang hawak sa kutsilyo habang pinapakiramdaman kung saan magmumula ang kalaban. She could still hear Q fighting from a distance but she couldn't see him, too.

Pinahid niya ang dugo na humaharang sa paningin niya gamit ang braso. She tried to move forward amd winced when she felt a stabbing pain shoot towards her groin. Diyatat nabalian siya sa ginawang paghagis ng rogue sa kanya kanina.

Aspen heard it growl. Even as she whipped her head from side to side she couldn't see the goddamn creature. Panic started to rise to her throat, constricting it. She tried to calm herself. These ones aren't an easy opponent. Kung magpapadalus dalos siya ay tiyak na mamamatay siya.

Xav, I'm scared. She finally admitted. Kagat kagat niya ang pang ibaba niyang labi habang patuloy na pinipigilan ang sariling mawala sa konsentrasyon.

Pumikit siya at pinakiramdaman ang paligid. Pinakinggan ang bawat kaluskos at bawat paghinga sa paligid niya. Her heart was thumping hard against her ribs making it hard for her to hear things clearly.

Love..

Biglang nabuhayan ng loob si Aspen nang marinig ang boses ni Xavier sa isip niya. "Xav!"

You need to calm down. It wouldn't help you to be scared now. Just breathe. Concentrate on your surroundings. Use all your senses. Feel every tremor on your skin. You don't need your eyesight. You can do this, love. Hang on. I'm almost there.

Sinunod niya ang sabi nito sa kanya. Muli niyang ipinikit ang mata sinubukang gamitin ang iba pa niyang pandama. He's right. She could do this. She survived almost two hundred years of her existence relying on all her senses. Hindi siya bibiguin ng mga ito ngayon.

She heard the slightest sound of something dripping on the floor. Her skin prickled at the nearness of the enemy and she could definitely smell  rottenness coming from her behind.

Pumihit si Aspen at sinalo ang atake ng kalaban gamit ang kanyang kanang kamay. Saka niya itinarak ang kutsilyo sa tiyan nito. The creature wailed and tried to jerk out of her grip. But Aspen kept a steady pressure on its neck until the rogue went limp.

Good job. Xavier chuckled.

Ibinagsak niya ang labi nito sa sahig. Tinalikuran niya ito upang hanapin si Q at tulungan sa laban nito. She rounded by the corner and was greeted by three vampires. One had a claw against Q's neck. And dalawa naman ay nakahawak sa magkabilang kamay nito.

"Who the prick--" her eyes flashed in fury as she took on Q's unconscious body.

"Sino kayo at anong pakay ninyo sa teritoryo namin?"

She smirked irritatingly. "Is this really the type of welcome we're going to get from you? Really?"

"You better answer my question, woman." dumiin ang mga kuko ng bampira sa leeg ng duguan na si Q.

Aspen made a guttural sound on her throat. "Hindi ko gusto ng gulo," she said. "But you better let go of my friend or I will make sure to detach your useless head from your goddamn body."

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