[Cyrene]

It took a moment for me to process what she had just said. Ilang segundo kaming nagkatitigan, bago ako matauhan.

They've know each other? Since. . . they were humans?

"Oh look, we're already here."

Hindi ko pa nagagawang makapagtanong kung ano ang ibig sabihin ni Kira, nalipat na ang mga atensyon namin. Napunta ang tingin ko sa harap nang huminto kami sa paglalakad.

Once again, mali ang inaakala ko. Inaasahan kong ang pinakamalaking estraktura rito sa district ang magsisilbing main base nila Kira, pero nagkakamali ako. Bagkus ay sumalubong sa amin ang isang ordinaryong cabin.

Pero nang binuksan ang pinto, hindi isang lounge o silid ang sumalubong sa amin, kung hindi isang malaki at mahabang hagdan—pababa.

Now this is the underground.

"I'll explain it along the way," ani ng kasama ko.

Naunang bumaba si Kira na sinundan ko, sa likod ko si Hunter at ang iba pa naming mga kasama.

"This organization was built over a century ago, it was around the same time when I became a vampire," panimula ni Kira. " Ever since then, nagpatuloy lang 'to at lumaki."

Tinapunan ko siya ng tingin. "You said that the people here knew about you before you turned into vampires. You turned into one over a century ago. Imposibleng naabutan ka ng lahat ng tao rito." Matalim ko siyang tinignan na kinangisi niya.

"Indeed, but before you come up with conclusions, allow me to finish first." Itinaas niya ang hintuturo niya, senyales na pinapaghintay ako.

Nagpatuloy kami sa pagbaba ng mahabang hagdanan. It's a spiral staircase, made of bricks. The walls are bricks too. Walang ilaw, walang kahit anong liwanag. Pero kitang-kita namin ang mga dinadaanan namin.

"It was the chief of this district who made this organization. . . and he was also a member of the association—a hunter, a captain."

I stopped taking a step after hearing what she said. I looked at her, astonished, dumbfounded.

"W-What?" I stuttered. It's not like me to lose my composure. Pero hindi pa 'ko tumatagal ng isang araw sa labas ng asosasyon, marami na 'kong nalalaman.

"W-Why, why would he betray the association like that?! Siding with vampires!" sunod kong tanong.

Saglit akong nilingon ng kausap ko. "You won't know what a father can do for his child."

I was taken aback. You mean-

Kira showed a smug face. "My father did that for me."

She looked amused seeing the expression I have on my face, before turning her back and continued walking.

Hindi pa 'ko kikilos sa pwesto ko kung hindi ako dinaanan ni Hunter. Kahit hindi makapaniwala sa nalaman, sumunod din ako kaagad sa paglalakad.

"He was a great hunter, but he can't just kill her precious daughter who got bitten." Naging patag na ang huling inapakan ni Kira, hudyat na nakababa na kami. She then glanced at the vampires behind me, Hunter's group.

Nauna sila sa akin maglakad. "It's the same thing for them."

Sinundan ng mga mata ko ang mga bampirang tinutukoy niya.

"We were children from this district, we were born here," ani Kira.

Isang underground base ang nasa ilalim ng district. Everything's made from bricks and some metals. Parang pinagtagpi-tagpi lang na mga bakal ang ginawang alalay ng estraktura.

Halatang minadali. . .

Isang pasilyo ang sunod naming dinaanan.

"Everyone was scared when our district got attacked, but they were too soft to kill us—those who got bitten. Including my father, who was supposed to save us but came too late."

Isang malaking telang pula ang nagsilbing takip sa dulo ng pasilyo. Hinawi ito ni Hunter na nangunguna na sa paglalakad.

Tila napaatras ako nang kaunti nang lumantad sa akin ang mga nasa loob. I was intimidated.

"And because of that, we're here." Kira's voice echoed in my ears.

Dozen pair of red crimson eyes met mine. Agad naming naagaw ang mga pansin ng mga bampirang nasa loob ng silid na may kani-kaniyang ginagawa. This place looks like an underground tavern, there's even a bar counter.

"Kira," salubong sa amin ng isang lalaki. Agad niyang nilapitan ang kasama ko.

Mabilis kong napasin ang tattoo niya na kapareho ng nasa dibdib ni Kira. Nakalagay rin sa dibdib niya 'to. Kitang-kita 'to dahil wala siyang suot na pantaas.

"Noir," salubong sa kaniya ni Kira.

Pagkalapit kaagad ng lalaki sa amin ay ako kaagad ang napansin niya. "A Nate," aniya.

Kira gave me a side look. "Yeah, a special Nate."

"Kumuha ka na naman ng Nate, parang kumukuha ka lang ng ligaw na pusa," ani Noir.

Nilapit ni Kira ang hintuturo niya sa lalaking kaharap. "What? They're almost alike," she teasingly answered. Dinaanan niya ang lalaki na sinundan ko.

I can feel Noir's look as I walk pass him, not just him, but everyone here is looking at me. Dumeretso si Kira sa bar counter at umupo. Sinenyasan niya 'ko na tumabi sa kaniya.

"Where was I- oh, yeah, about us." She gestured the vampire behind the counter. Isang kalbong bampira na may seryosong mukha. Kahit walang lumabas na salita sa bibig ng kasama ko ay nagawa niyang kumilos. He prepared us a drink.

"The people in the district couldn't kill us, nor my father. So as the chief, he suggested something," sambit ni Kira. Magkaharap kami at magkatingin sa isa't isa.

"And that is the organization," sagot ko.

She snapped her fingers. "Bingo," pagkumpirme niya. "Instead of killing us, they fed us—more like, tamed us. As if we're wild beasts-"

"Because that is what you are," pagputol ko sa sasabihin niya. Hindi nawala ang tingin kong matalim mula sa umpisa. "I've seen new born vampires, countless of times. Uhaw na uhaw sila, gutom na gutom. They're worst than beasts." May tono ang pananalita ko.

"It's the same for you." I winced. "How did your father endured that? There are dozens of you, he should've just killed you."

Inilabas ni Kira sa suot-suot niyang yukata ang smoking pipe niya. Lumapit ang lalaking nasa counter na tumigil sa pag-asikaso ng inumin para sindihan ito.

"I'm hurt. You talk as if you're not a new born yourself—you're a Nate." Kira's voice softened as if she's really hurt, but the expression on her face shows the opposite.

"I also told you, I was bitten by a pureblood," I answered with a monotone voice.

A pureblood's venom is different. . . which is also the reason why the survival rate after getting bitten is low.

Kira smoked first before talking again. She said it casually, that it caught me off guard.

"Well, we had different situations, but we're still the same." She gave me a teasing look. "I was also bitten by a pureblood, and I also survived. . . mainly because I was trained and I'm physically stronger than an ordinary person—because I was also a hunter."

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