BLOOD SLAVES

CHAPTER 15 – CHEERS

Andi looked at the empty bottles scattered on the floor. Nakakailan na ba silang bote ng alak? Ilan na ba ang mga sinubukan nilang alak? Beer? Check. Brandy? Check. Wine? Check. Maru even went for another bottle of Vodka and was now drinking it. She was lying on the table, staring at the ceiling, while holding the bottle of Vodka on her right hand.

She looked at the speaker blasting a sad and depressing classical song and Maru was feeling it. Hindi na magugulat si Andi kung ang susunod na mangyari ay umiyak na lamang ang dalaga habang nakahiga sa lamesa.

"Naririnig mo ba 'yon, Andi? Iyan 'yong puso kong..." Huminga ito ng malalim at nagpatuloy sa pagtitig sa kisame. Andi was just looking at Maru. She was in a complete mess but she didn't say anything. It was Maru's moment and she was not going to ruin it.

Maya maya't ay bigla na lamang natawa ang dalaga. Umupo ito at tumingin kay Andi.

"I don't even know if my heart is beating. Did I mention that I died twice?" Muling natawa ng malakas si Maru at muling uminom ng alak.

Andi was keeping it low for the past two hours. She didn't say anything. She didn't do anything. She drank when Maru said she should drink. She would answer if it was needed. She just watched how Maru drowned herself with alcohol. And she couldn't get why the woman was doing this to herself. So, for the first time in two hours, she got interested about her life and finally asked.

"You died twice?"

Tumango ang dalaga. "Twice. First was for my family. The second was for him, for Raiden."

"Why are you doing this to yourself?"

The laughing face was nowhere to be seen. Bigla na lamang nagbago ang timpla ng hangin sa kuwarto.

"It's been... I don't know. Three weeks, I guess? Since I—I became like this."

"Like what?"

"Like them. A creature who feeds blood to live."

Andi looked at her straight in the eyes and from then, she knew what was going on with Maru.

"And you're not happy," Andi said and that made Maru smile.

"I am not happy right now," she answered while smiling. "I should be happy. I should be happy, right?"

Maru bit her lower lip and tried not to cry.

"Everything is just hard. And Raiden—God, he was always there for me. He is loving, gentle, and perfect. He helped me throughout this whole process and I am thankful for that—It's just I felt like I should be happy right now but—"

"You don't." Andi finished the sentence for her because Maru couldn't utter any word saying she was not happy with the whole situation.

"But why are you not happy?" Andi asked again. She made the decision to be with him, with the man she loved. So, why was she not happy with her situation at all?

Maru drank again on the bottle and wiped her lips using the back of her hand. She looked at the empty bottles and looked everywhere. Then her gaze finally stopped at Andi.

"Do you want to have a long bedtime story, Andi?"

Tumango ang dalaga.

"Do you want to see some skeletons in my closet?"

"Am I allowed to know that?"

"I am allowing you and you're gonna listen to a drunk woman. Can you do that?"

Ngumiti si Andi kay Maru. "I can."

"Good. Well, this is a long story, but where should we start?"

"From the beginning."

Then the two sat comfortably and began the story-telling. Maru would drink now and then but Andi just silently listened to Maru's story from beginning up until the end. When Maru was done with her story, they just remained silent. Andi was thinking about Maru's decision. It was rash, but she couldn't blame her at all. Kung siya ang nasa kalagayan ni Maru, kahit anong gawin niya ay hindi rin magiging payapa ang kanyang pamumuhay dahil sa totoong pagkatao ng kanyang mga magulang. She may be safe at first because of her parent's protection but sooner or later she would be in danger. Maybe it was luck that Raiden was there beside her when the incubi started targeting her.

"Did you regret it? Your decision?"

Maru smiled. "Are you kidding me? Of course not."

"But why are you still lonely?" Andi couldn't understand her a little. She could empathize with the loneliness because she knew how terrible it was to be alone. But Maru has Raiden and her parents who are loving and understandable.

"Because I am longing for normalcy, I guess. I love Raiden, I do. But I miss hanging out with my friends, going to school, and do normal and simple things. Kahit mababaw alam mo 'yon, masaya ka. I had a goal before. It was to finish university, find a job, not commit to any relationships after my bastard ex, be successful and enjoy life. Pero ngayon at naiiba na ako, para akong isang sanggol, na naging bata, na biglang tumanda, na naghahanap ng bagay kung saan ako dapat nararapat. Now that I am different, what should I do? What should be my next goal? This was like me when I was in high school na hindi ko malaman kung ano ang dapat na course na kukuhanin ko no'ng magka-college ako kasi hindi ko alam kung saan ako magaling."

Now she understood.

"You're frustrated that this is now your reality."

"This has always been my reality," Maru corrected. "It's just that I am not used to it... yet, so I'm venting. That's why I am mad."

"It's just been three weeks. It's not that easy."

"I know. And I'm going mad because I cannot be angry with Raiden, my family, or myself because we all chose this."

Hindi umimik si Andi at muling napaisip. If Maru did not choose Raiden's offer, she would die. And she didn't want to die so she chose the latter. If Maru didn't meet Raiden, sooner or later, she still would find herself entangled with these creatures because her parents are hunters. She would be confused about why those monsters were trying to kill her. Either way, she would still find herself dead. Lumaki si Maru na walang kamuwa-muwang sa realidad kung saan haka-haka lamang ang mga nilalang na 'to. How could she protect herself and her family in a human body? Train herself? That could work. But in the end, she was just a human and only death was her ending and she didn't want that.

Biglang napangiti si Andi.

"Did you plan all of this?"

Both stared at each other. Oh... Mas lalong napangiti si Andi.

Maru just laughed and shrugged.

"Maybe?" Maru gave her a vague answer and a mysterious smile.

"You planned it, didn't you? The moment when you went to incubi's base."

Natahimik si Maru saglit habang nakatitig lamang kay Andi. Inaalala niya ang mga nangyari ng gabing iyon. Pati na rin ang hot sex nila ni Rai sa warehouse pagkabalik niya sa impyerno. Bigla siyang napangiti nang maalala iyon.

Bumuntong-hininga ito. "Ilang oras pa lang ang nakakalipas pero miss na miss ko na si Rai. Pati na rin 'yung t*** niya."

Andi blushed. Napakurap siya ng ilang beses nang marinig ang salitang 'yong galing sa dalaga. And Maru just blurted it out of nowhere. Maru giggled when she saw's Andi's shy face.

"And to answer your question, yes, I did plan it." Maru stopped talking as if she just remembered some bad memories.

"Let's say you listened to Raiden. You just stayed in the house while your parents and the Roscoe fought against the incubi. What do you think would happen?" Andi asked again.

"Incubi are also not dumb demons. They are under Lilith's commands. She is the brain. So, in order to get the orb, what do you think would happen?"

"Either Raiden got there in time, fought the incubi, and retrieved the orb from Livertons. One happy ending for my family and Roscoe. Or my parents and the Roscoe had to clean all the mess and would try their best to protect the orb. Either they survive the fight or die," Maru continued.

Huminga siya ng malalim. "And if I only sat there all by myself while they were fighting and risking their lives. And if we got to the worst scenario, I would have blamed myself for being weak and for not doing anything. I would hate myself. So, I chose to fight as well."

"Raiden was angry, my parents, and Trojan too. He said I didn't listen to him. My parents said I lied. Trojan said I acted recklessly. But if you're in a situation where death is the only option for you and the people around you..." Tumingin si Maru kay Andi at ngumiti. "Then yeah I can make dumb decisions. After all, I was only a human. I am not perfect."

Andi looked down at her hands. She observed her palm and the lines on it. She now understood everything. Because she, too, made dumb decisions where she almost got herself killed. But the difference for them both. Maru did it for her loved ones and herself. But her... she only did everything for herself and she didn't care about the consequences and results. As long as she was breathing, that's all that matters. She made wrong decisions and was haunted by them. And she would live with it until her death.

"How are they now, your parents? Any news from the incubi?"

Ngumiti si Maru. "They're living well and they are all safe. The orb got to the right hands, I guess. I haven't actually visited them since you know I am still adjusting. I'll drop by once I'm all good. After all, there is someone that I need to find. As for the incubi, that's Raiden's job right now."

Tumango na lamang si Andi sa dalaga. There was a long silence at first. Maru was just staring somewhere in the room while Andi was contemplating. But at the end, she finally made a decision. She would trust Maru. And she would like to know if Maru would accept her offer.

"Maru..." tawag ni Andi sa dalaga.

"Do you want to vent out?"

Tumango si Maru. "Yeah, I'd like to. But who should I be angry with?"

"Would you also like to test your new skills?"

Tumaas ang kilay ni Maru. "Skills?"

Tumango si Andi saka ito tumayo. Naglakad siya papalapit kay Maru at hinawakan niya ang kamay nito.

"You drank his blood, right?"

Dito na sumeryoso ang mukha ni Maru.

"And I heard that Freys are mixed-bloods," she almost whispered.

"What Raiden did, it was a gamble. You could die. In fact, you should've died. Because no human body can accept Frey's blood."

Maru's eyes wavered. How did she know all of this?

"It's a miracle. You're a miracle, Maru. If you have Raiden's blood, inherited some or maybe all of his power, then you should be afraid of yourself." Then Andi looked back at her again.

"So, would you like to see what power you possess?" Andi asked again.

If it's Maru, she could use her help and she could open up a bit, Andi thought. She would take a risk. Kahit na ulo niya ang nakataya dito. Dahil sa oras na bumalik si Raiden at Alexander, tiyak ay hindi siya basta-basta makakalaya sa mga ito. Lalong-lalo na kay Raiden.

Andi laid out her hand.

"If you'd like to vent out, see other realities and not just your own, and test your power as a vampire, take my hand and you'll see everything."

Tumingin si Maru kay Andi. Mula sa pagiging seryoso ay bigla na lamang na natawa ng malakas ang dalaga. She couldn't believe what she was hearing and seeing, from no other than Andi herself. Raiden told her that she is only a human but more special. She was saved by Alexander at the Underground. She was a blood slave and her unique blood makes her special. She is a weak prey that needs protection, that's what they all thought.

But from the very start, Andi accepted all her terms as if she already knew how to deal with a vampire. Maru is a new vampire and with one simple mistake, she could kill Andi. But Andi wasn't scared. She just sat there while she listened to Maru's rants. She knew right from the start that Andi was hiding something. She already caught her when they first met.

And now, what is this? An offer? From Andi? A human and a blood slave?

Interesting...

"Well, I told my story. It's time for you to tell me your story." Maru, without thinking twice, shook Andi's hand. It's now a deal.

"Then the details?"

"Tomorrow night, come with me and you'll see."

Maru crossed her arms and looked at Andi. Andi went back to her seat and sat like a doll.

"This is only our second meeting and yet you trust me? Why?"

"You just happened to be mad."

Muling natawa si Maru. "You're using me and my madness."

"You'll gain something too. You're curious. You need to vent out. And you love dangerous things."

Muling kinuha ni Maru ang bote ng alak at uminom. "Then it better be worth my time."

"I won't disappoint you."

Maru smirked. "Then tomorrow it is. But for now, let's drink, shall we?"

Kinuha ni Andi ang kanyang inumin at itinaas ito.

"Cheers, Maru."

Itinaas din ni Maru ang bote. "Cheers..."