A/N:   To my babydolls, sa unang pahina pa lang ng bobelang ito, ipinaliwanag ko na na iba ang atake ko rito kumpara sa ibang naisulat ko. Nag-e-explore pa lamang naman ako kung tatanggapin ng mga mambabasa ang istilo ng pagsusulat ko rito. Pero paalala lang po –no holds barred ako rito at sa susunod na chapter. So if hindi mo pa keri ang mga bed scene, h'wag mo nang ituloy ang pagbabasa, okay? Ayokong i-pollute ang innocent mind mo. Okay, bebe love? ❤️ ;)

***

There was something with the way he said it. It was not like before.

Dati, no'ng sinabi niya ang mga salitang iyon, may halo itong galit at panibugho. But now, he sounded different. There was despair in his voice—desperation and a need to be accepted.

Naupo siya sa may sofa sa kanyang likuran, sumandal at napapikit ng mga mata. Para siyang pagod at may mabigat na saloobing dinadala. Nakita kong ipinatong niya ang kanyang kamay sa arm rest. Ito'y nakakuyom na para bang pinipigilan niya ang kanyang mga kamay, at marahil ang kanyang sarili na rin, na gumawa ng isang bagay.

"I'm so hungry, Elizabeth... So damn hungry," bulong pa nito. "But I can't even drink from you. I'm afraid of hurting you..."

Hindi ko siya maintindihan. Bakit nagkakaganitong bigla si Stephen? At sa hitsura pa nga nito, mukhang ilang araw na siyang hindi nakakainom ng dugo.

"I tried to drink from the others," patuloy pa nito. "But I just can't do it... Nothing could ever be as sweet as your blood..."

Hindi nito sinubukang uminom sa iba? Ano ba ang nangyayari kay Stephen?

Ang utak ko'y nagbubunyi na nagdurusa ang bampirang may kasalanan sa aking masalimuot na katayuan ngayon, ngunit hindi ko alam kung bakit sa isang bahagi ng puso ko ay may kirot akong nadarama. Naaawa ako sa kanya.

He looked so lost and helpless.

At hindi ko namalayan na umalis na pala ako sa kama at nilapitan si Stephen. Napaupo ako sa sahig sa may harapan niya. Nakapikit pa rin ang mga mata nito. Nagdadalawang isip ako kung hahawakan ko ba siya o hindi, ngunit nanaiig ang kagustuhan kong damayan siya sa kung ano man ang kanyang pinagdaraanan.

Ipinatong ko ang aking kamay sa kanyang tuhod. "Stephen... What's wrong?"

Minulat niya ang kanyang mga mata. Naroon pa rin ang matinding kalungkutan at paghihinagpis. "Is this what happens to those who chose to cheat death by becoming a vampire? Is this my punishment, for my crimes? Is this what I get because of her death?"

Marahil ay tinutukoy niya ang pagkamatay ni Eliza. Marahil ay hanggang ngayon ay hindi pa rin niya malimot ang alaala ng pag-ibig niya para sa dating kasintahan. "Stephen... It's not your fault."

"You don't understand."

"Then make me understand."

Narinig ko ang pagbuntong-hininga niya. Ang akala ko ay itataboy ako ni Stephen, o kaya naman ay mananahimik lamang ito. Ngunit napapikit siyang muli at nagsimulang magsalita. "I loved her. I tried to give her everything she wanted. Pero hindi pa rin sapat para sa kanya ang mga bagay na kaya kong ibigay. That's why I gambled whatever money I have left to venture it in business, hoping that one day I could be as rich as her family. Doon ko nakilala si Devon—naging business partner ko siya. Sa mga panahong iyon, hindi ko alam na isa palang bampira si Devon."

Iba ang pagkakasalaysay sa akin ni Marcus sa mga pangyayari. Ngunit tikom-bibig lamang ako at hinayang magsalita si Stephen.

He moved slightly forward and his eyes began to blaze with pure hatred. "Ngunit hindi makapaghintay si Eliza na makamit ko ang tagumpay at karangyaan sa buhay. Kaya naman ay nakipaghiwalay siya sa akin upang magpakasal sa mayamang lalaking napili ng kanyang mga magulang. And you know what happened, Elizabeth?"

"What happened?"

"Pinuntahan ko siya sa kanilang tahanan. Nagmakaawa ako sa kanya." I saw him clenching his jaw and in between gritted teeth he said, "Me, Stepehen Villaroyal, begged at her feet not to leave me."

"Oh Stephen..." My heart twisted with sorrow as I imagined Stephen kneeling down before Eliza, begging her to take him back in her life. Oh, how I hated Eliza! Hindi ba niya nakita ang pagpupursigi ni Stephen na magkaroon ng magandang buhay para sa kanilang dalawa? How could she do that to Stephen?

Hindi ko alam kung bakit tila unti-unting nawawala ang aking galit para kay Stephen. Dahil ba sa nalaman ko ang kanyang malungkot na nakaraan? May kakaiba akong nararamdaman para sa kanya na hindi ko maintindihan. At ilang gabi ko na ring pinipilit ang sarili ko na alamin kung ano itong nararamdaman ko para sa kanya ngunit hanggang nagyon ay hindi ko pa rin matukoy kung ano ito.

"Then what happened?" pag-uudyok ko sa kanya na ituloy ang kanyang kuwento.

"His brothers beat me almost to the point of death and her father fired a gun at my chest."

Napasinghap ako sa narinig. Malayong-malayo nga ang mga kuwento sa akin ni Stephan kumpara sa sinabi ni Marcus. Sino ba ang nagsasabi ng totoo?

"And then they threw my body in the woods," patuloy niya. "Itinapon nila ako sa isang masukal na kagubatan at hinayaang mamatay, Elizabeth. They left me out there to die!"

Napahigpit ako sa pagkakahawak sa kanyang tuhod. No wonder Stephen became bitter and jaded.

Nakita kong huminga siya nang malalim upang pakalmahin ang sarili. "I was about to die when Devon found me. Tinanong niya ako kung gusto ko pang mabuhay. Hinang-hina na ako no'ng mga panahong iyon, ngunit nagawa ko pa ring tumango. At nang tinanong niya ako kung bakit gusto ko pang mabuhay, kahit kapos na ako sa hininga ay nagawa ko pa ring sambitin ang isang bagay na nag-uudyok sa aking mabuhay pa."

"What did you tell him?"

"Revenge," matigas nitong sagot. "I wanted revenge and retribution against them all."

Revenge. Tama nga ako. Paghihiganti ang bumabalot sa kanyang puso. Bigla kong naalaa ang sinabi sa akin ni Marcus.

"Maybe he bought you so he could have his vengeance on you since you remind him of Eliza."

Natatakot akong malaman kung ano ang mga sumunod na nangyari sa kanyang kuwento, kung papaano niya nakamit ang kanyang paghihiganti. But I still had to know. "P-pinatay mo ba sila?"

I was surprised when he suddenly barked a hollow laugh. "Is that what Marcus told you?"

Mali ba si Marcus? Tumango lamang ako.

"No, Elizabeth," tugon ni Stephen. "I did not kill them. What I did was worse. I made sure that they became poor—poor as a rat. Her family and her husband's family... Everyone of them. I bought their business, houses, all the properties they owned. And when I went to see Eliza one night, nagmakaawa siya sa aking tanggapin ko siyang muli sa buhay ko. Minamaltrato raw siya ng asawa niya. I thought I would feel a certain satisfaction seeing her grovelling on her knees, begging me to save her from her husband. But I just walked away, out of her life. And the next thing I knew, she killed herself."

She killed herself? Ibig sabihin...

Bakit ganoon? Why did I felt relieved upon hearing that Stephen was not a murderer that I thought he was? Bakit tila nag-iiba na ang pananaw ko para sa bampirang nasa harapan ko?

"Elizabeth..."

He cupped my chin with his fingers and tilted my face up until our eyes met. He inched his face closer to mine. I could almost feel his warm breath on my face.

"You are so beautiful... So damn beautiful..."

Then he closed the gap between our faces. I felt his tender lips on mine, giving me feathery light kisses that I never knew he was capable of giving. Ang mga naunang halik niya sa akin ay maparusa at marahas. Ngunit ngayon, ang halik niya ay banayad at nagdadala ng kakaibang kiliti sa aking katawan.

His lips felt so soft and I could not help it but to close my eyes and just savor the sweet taste of his mouth. I felt his tongue brushing along the contours of my lips until it slipped inside and explored my mouth. I moaned as my tongue met his in a sensual dance that sent white hot of electricity along my arms and spine.

Naramdaman ko ang mga kamay niya sa aking braso at hinila ako hanggang sa sabay kaming tumayo. Patuloy pa rin siya sa paghalik sa akin, at patuloy pa rin ako sa pagtugon sa kanyang mainit na halik. Gumapang ang kanyang kamay sa aking harapan at sinimulang buksan ang butones ng aking suot na blouse hanggang sa tuluyan na niya itong nabuksan.

I shrugged my blouse off and threw it on the floor. I wanted to feel my naked skin against his. I wanted him to touch me without any clothes to separate us.

Pinutol niya ang aming paghahalikan. Minulat ko ang aking mga mata at nakita kong mariin siyang nakatitig sa aking mukha. He circled his arms around me, unfastened my bra and removed it for me. Our gazes were still locked with each other while his hands slid from my shoulders, to my arms, going down to my waist and hips until he felt the clasp of my skirt. He undid the clasp and my skirt fell in a heap on the floor.

Muling naglapit ang aming mga labi at unti-unting naging mapusok ang kanyang paghalik sa akin. Tila siya'y sabik na sabik sa aking mga labi na para bang buong buhay niyang hinintay ang araw na ito. Ang kakaibang alab na unti-unting namuo sa aking katawan ay nagsimulang lumiyab. My skin felt hot. I felt on fire and it was starting to deliciously consume me whole.

I wrapped my arms around him. At naramdaman ko ang dahan-dahang pagtulak niya sa akin patalikod hanggang sa tumama ang likod ng aking mga tuhod sa paanan ng kama. He broke our kiss once again as he lowered me to the bed.

Tuluyan na akong napahiga sa kama at pumaibabaw si Stephen sa akin. "I can make you a happy woman, Elizabeth."

Tinitigan ko lamang siya; habol-habol ko pa rin ang aking hininga matapos ang aming paghahalikan. Ibinaba niya ang kanyang labi patungo sa aking leeg at sinimulan niya akong halikan doon. He slightly sucked my skin and jolts of wonderful electric current surged downwards, from my neck to my arms until it reached my abdomen. I felt warmth pooling in between my thighs as his lips went farther down until his warm mouth met my taut breast.

He started sucking it greedily. At hindi ko maiwasan ang umungol at i-arko ang aking likod at ibigay sa kanya ng buong-buo ang aking dibdib. Ang isang kamay naman niya ay hinihimas ang isa kong dibdib. He bit my nipple slightly and continued to suck it, and another hot flash of sensual need licked my entire being. At dahil sa kakaibang sarap na nararamdaman ko, ayokong itigil niya ang kanyang ginagawang pagsamba sa aking dibdib.

But it was as if he read my mind for he removed his mouth on my breast. Isang protestang ungol ang ginawa ko. Gusto kong ibalik niya ang kanyang mga ekspertong labi sa aking dibdib. Ngumisi lamang si Stephen at kitang-kita ko sa kanyang mga mata na para bang may binabalak itong gawin.

Muli niyang ibinalik ang kanyang labi sa aking katawan. He gave me a kiss between my breasts, then grazed his lips down to my abdomen, slighly sucking my skin in the process, and went lower still, until his breath was above the triangle between my thighs.

"I want you to watch me while I give you pleasure, Elizabeth," he rasped.

Isang tango ang sagot ko sa kanya. Hinila niya ang aking underwear pababa at pati iyon ay itinapon niya sa sahig.

"Spread your thighs for me, love," he ordered.

And I did. Ibinuka ko ang aking mga hita at napasinghap ako nang bigla niyang inilapit ang kanyang bibig sa aking pagkababae at sinimulan akong halikan doon. I felt his tongue flicked against that tiny bud down there and an incredible heat spread my body as I felt that wonderful and delicious sensation blossoming deep within me.

Gusto kong ipikit ang aking mga mata ngunit natatakot ako na baka itigil niya ang kanyang ginagawa. And so I watched him as his mouth consumed my needing core. I watched him as his wonderful tongue licked me hungrily. I watched him as he sucked my throbbing need until that delicious sensation intensified that I thought my body would explode anytime soon.

"Oh god... Stephen..." I moaned as I started to caress my own body.

"Do you like this, my sweet?" he said huskily.

"Yes... Oh god, please don't stop..."

He looked up at me, and I saw desire burining in his eyes. "I can give you more..."

I licked my lips with my hot tongue. "I want more..."

"I want you Elizabeth, all of you. Give yourself to me and I will give you everything that you want... everything that you need..."

Tama ba itong ginagawa ko? Alam kong dapat akong tumanggi. Ngunit parang may sariling pag-iisip ang aking katawan dahil hinahanap-hanap nito ang init ng katawan ni Stephen.

I wanted him so bad, my heart aches for him. Was this what made the other girls fall for Stephen? Pero gusto kong isipin na sa akin lamang niya ginagawa ang mga ito. I wanted to believe that I was the only one he wanted so much like this.

I saw the need in his eyes. I saw the intense passion that blazed in them. And as if I was hynoptized by his gaze, the smoke in my mind cleared and I made a decision I hoped I would not regret later on.

"I want you, too, Stephen. Please..." I begged.

And I saw Stephen's lips formed a triumphant smile.