I've seduced a lot of men in the past.

Well, "sleeping" men... but men, nonetheless.

But unlike my other sisters, I don't just pounce on every male in bed. Sabihan nyo na akong maarte, but I still have my own standards and criteria. Bukod sa age bracket (to which I prefer to bed adults rather than those horny teens and wrinkled old men), appearance (bakit masama bang pumili ng may hitsura?), and health (I think this is common sense; stamina is needed), isa rin sa tinitingnan ko ay ang kung anong uri sila ng nilalang.

Although we naturally have a strong affinity to human males, especially pure blooded ones, hindi namin maiwasang madiskubre ang ilang mga bagay sa kanilang pagkatao. For example, I've already slept with a man who didn't even know he had a quarter of werewolf's blood in his veins! If it wasn't for the full moon that triggered his animalistic behavior, I never would've figured it out. And don't get me started with that man downtown who was part shapeshifter...

Anyway, what I'm trying to say is since we have sensitive and inhuman senses, we can detect magic in a man's blood before intercourse even starts.

Kaya habang tinititigan ko ang tinawag niyang "Professor Greco"--who was also the professor who assisted the headmaster with his ceremonial robe--hindi ko maiwasang usisain ang pagkatao nito. Ilang metro ang layo niya sa kinauupuan namin, pero nararamdaman ko ang mahinang mahikang nananalaytay sa dugo ng wizard.

Comparing it with Merlin's, I was surprised to realize it was weaker.

This is gonna be an easy job, but I'll never admit that to my wizard.

"At talagang ipapamigay mo na ako sa iba?" I teased him, "Ouch. At akala ko pa man din may mutual understanding na tayong dalawa."

Ni hindi siya lumingon sa'kin.

"The only thing mutual between us is the fact that we're just using each other for selfish reasons. Aminin mo man o hindi pero alam kong naaaliw ka rin sa kontrata natin, lambkin." Merlin took a spoonful of yogurt, shoved it into his mouth, pulled out the spoon and started slowly licking it before gazing at me from the corner of his eyes. "I assume you've never encountered a man immune to your appeal until now?"

I glared. Damn that sinful tongue of his!

"Don't be too full of yourself, wizard. Sa oras na makakawala ako sa kadenang ito, you'll be sorry you even chained me in the first place! Mark my words, you'll be begging me to pleasure you..."

The tension grew between us. I was taken aback when Merlin put the spoon down and smirked.

"Really? I'm simply stating facts. Kanina mo pa ako tinitingnan na parang ako ang putaheng nakahain sa harapan mo, but the thing is: I am not attracted to you, at all. Kaya kung nabusog ka nang titigan ako, simulan na natin ang plano."

Bago pa man ako makasagot, tumayo na siya at hinila ako sa kadenang nakakonekta sa pulsuhan namin. Nauna na kaming lumabas ng dining hall at nagtungo sa isang madilim na pasilyo.

*

Hindi ko alam kung saan na naman ako tinatangay ng wizard in training na ito. The whole school was a damn maze with winding staircases, hidden passageways, and walls that whisper your darkest secrets. Hindi ito ang unang pagkakataong napadpad ako sa isang lugar na binubuhay ng mahika. In fact, there are plenty of crazy and haunted hotels in Tartarus, some managed by paranormal creatures themselves.

Being a demon who has no home, I've stayed in several bedspaces and rooms that would be any mortal ghost hunter's worst nightmares... beds that engulf you, carnivorous floorboards, bloody showers, and ghouls that play peek-a-boo during the darkest hours, to name a few.

Ang kakaiba lang sa luma at malamig na palasyo ng Nightspell ay mukhang 'di talaga natitinag ang mga pader sa mga bulong nila...

"...natatakot ako sa mangyayari kung magtatagal ang sitwasyon namin..."

"...being chained to this wizard in training is making me so impatient, and it doesn't help that he's devilishly attractive..."

"...humihina ang kapangyarihan ko..."

"...nalulungkot na ako sa buhay ko bilang isang succubus. Wala ba talagang tunay na magmamaha---?"

"SHUT UP!"

I shouted out of frustration, trying to cover my ears to drown out the voices. Nang 'di pa rin gumana 'yon, sinipa ko na lang ang mga pader, na agad ko ring pinagsisihan. I howled in pain as my heels made my feet hurt so bad.

"Walls of Secrecy," my companion simply stated. "Designed to whisper your deepest and darkest secrets, either to make fun of you or to mentally torture you."

"At ngayon mo lang talaga sinasabi sa'kin? Tsk! These walls know too damn much," I complained but continued walking. Merlin's back was to me, at hindi ko naappreciate ang kanyang katawan dahil sa nakakairitang mga pader.

These walls that hit one or two secrets that I've been avoiding to acknowledge.

Of course, I chose to ignore them. Wala ako sa mood pakinggan ang mga sikretong wala rin namang pakinabang sa'kin kahit ibunyag ko ang mga ito...

Secrets are truths that you keep under lock and key, after all.

Sa wakas, narating na rin namin ang opisina sa dulo ng pasilyo. Merlin quietly whispered a spell on the doorknob and tapped his Elvian wand to it. Soon, we heard a soft click. He turned to me and nodded, "The chain will temporarily lengthen to give you enough freedom to do the job. Magtatago ako sa likod ng bookshelves, at hihintayin mo namang makatulog si Professor Greco pagkabalik niya ng opisina."

"At paano mo naman alam na makakatulog siya?"

"I've studied his routine. Palagi siyang natutulog sa trabaho tuwing ganitong oras," he smiled. The confidence in his voice made me agree to it. Maya-maya pa, umilaw ang kadena namin at humaba ito. From three meters, it stretched to about ten meters in length.

"When you're ready, try to ask him about his former student, Meric, and what he knows about his death... If he refuses to speak about him, ask what he wants with the Grimoire of Forbidden Spells."

"Meric... Is that your dead brother's name?"

"Yes."

Hindi na ako kumibo. Before I could identify the grief in his expression, Merlin redid his mask and focused on the job at hand.

Merlin hid behind the shelves and signalled me to conceal myself too.

I sighed and leaned against an adjacent marble column, just far enough to see the desk and await the professor's return.

Good thing my wizard knows that a succubus can only come in contact to a sleeping male. We need them unconscious to push through that boundary between demons and humans.

Kaya hindi nakakapagtakang halos maubos ang lakas ni Merlin noong tinawag at kinadena niya ako. He had to break through that barrier and bind me to his existence like an anchor.

Hindi ko alam kung gaano katagal kaming naghintay sa dilim. Tanging ang matamlay na liwanag mula sa lava lamp lang ang pumupuno sa opisina. From where I was standing, I can see Merlin's serious and determined face angled towards the door. Waiting to strike. A predator in the dark.

And there I saw the man who bounded me to execute his revenge.

'Ano bang nangyari...?' I wanted to ask him so badly, but I know this isn't the right time to do so.

This isn't the right time to ask about his story.

Ilang sandali pa, narinig ko na ang pagbubukas ng pinto. The ominous creaking noise disturbed the silence. Footsteps leisurely sounded nearer with every passing second. Huminga ako nang malalim at inayos ang black mini-dress sa katawan ko.

'This is just another seduction job, Vela. One you've already done a thousand times in the past...'

The wooden chair made a noise. A body rested, slowly succumbing to the peacefulness of the place. Pinakinggan ko ang mabibilis niyang paghinga... Mabibilis? Kumunot ang noo ko. Sa hindi maipaliwanag na dahilan, hindi stable ang breathing pattern ng mortal. This doesn't sound like someone who was about to fall asleep... Actually, it sounded like someone...

"Who's on the verge of death."

My eyes widened at the realization. Mabilis akong lumabas sa pinagtataguan ko at nilapitan ang propesor. Professor Greco almost fell from his seat. He couldn't see me yet since I'm still invisible and I haven't dominated his subconsciousness (because he wasn't asleep yet), but he clearly felt my presence. My eyes were glued on his pale face, ragged breaths, and the amount of blood seeping from his wounded chest.

Somebody attempted to murder him.

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