CHAPTER 9

"TELL ME everything." Wika ni Vladimir ng maka-upo sila sa bench ng isang park. Pareho silang may dalang Starbucks Java latte. "And don’t lie. Please? I really hate liars."

She took a deep breath before answering. "Vladimir, I have to lie in order to protect myself." Dumako ang tingin niya sa Bermuda grass na nasa harapan nila. "My name is Mary Kendra Bethany Madrigal Bathory, but I am known as Kendra for short. Mary was from my grandmother’s name and Bethany was my mother's name. I am the Princess of Bathory Kingdom, a small country that is rich in jewels and minerals. Kahit na maliit lang ang kaharian namin, other country respect us because of our wealth and war power. We are allied to our neighboring kingdoms. I just don’t understand why someone wants to hurt me and my Father."

Sadness dawned on her face. "Ni minsan walang minaltrato ang ama ko. Mabait kami sa mga tao ng kaharian namin. Lahat ay ginagawa namin para sa ikabubuti ng mga tao. As far as I can remember, all we did was for the best of the people in our Kingdom."

"Were you born and raised in Bathory?" Tanong ni Valadimir habang sumisimsim ng latte.

"Yes." She smiled, but it didn’t reach her eyes. "But even I was and raised in Bathory, my mother thought me the Filipino Language. She said to keep it in my heart because time will come that I will use that language. Nangyari nga ang sinabi ni Mommy pero wala na ito." She sighed. "I was fifteen years old when my mother was shot in the head. She was murdered in front of my father's eyes. Nahuli namin ang pumatay sa Ina ko at pinatawan ng kamatayan bilang kaparusahan. He killed the queen after all. But even after the execution of the murderer, my Father and I has never been the same. He becomes aloof and uncaring and I ... become a rebel. Partying all day and night. Drinking. Making out. And always the headline of the Newspapers." She gave out a short laugh. "I don’t know. Maybe that's my way of coping from my Mother's death. It hurts. And because Father can't take my very charming personality, he throws me here, in the Philippines. No allowance. No partying and specially, I have to keep to myself. Hindi puwedeng malaman ng kahit na sino ang totoo kong pagkatao sa hindi malamang kadahilanan, pero ngayon alam ko na. Mayroon palang gustong manakit sa akin kaya ginawa iyon ng ama ko. No one should know who I really am." She gestured her hands to him. "Well, not anymore. You know who I really am and I think that’s okay. At least that's what I think."

Pareho silang nawalan ng imik ni Vladimir. Nakatitig lang siya sa kawalan. Nasa isip niya ang napag-usapan nila kanina ng ama niya. Kung sino man ang taong iyon na nanakot sa kanya, nasisiguro niyang may kinalaman iyon sa kaharian nila.

"Don’t worry. I'll keep your secret." Narinig niyang sabi ni Vladimir.

She looked at him and smiled. "Thank you, Vlad. I appreciate it."

He smiled back. "I'll keep you safe too."

That made her feels especially. She felt a warm feeling inside her chest. Hindi niya napigilan ang sariling yakapin ang binata. She felt him stilled then a second later, he hugged her back.

"I really like you, Kendra." He pulled away from the hug. "Even after knowing that you're an unreachable star. I am just a commoner and you're a freaking royalty."

She rolled her eyes at him and messed his hair. "You're not a commoner. Okay? And even though I’m a Princess, I’m still me, Kendra, your secretary."

He chuckled. “Yeah. I can see that.”

Vladimir caresses her cheek. "I'm sorry, Kendra." He said then quickly pressed his lips on hers.

Sa sobrang gulat niya sa ginawa nito, she froze. All her senses receded. Tanging ang labi lang nito na nakalapat sa labi niya ang nararamdaman niya. Hindi niya alam kung ilang minuto ang lumipas bago pinakawalan nito ang mga labi niya.

As she looked at Vladimir's eyes, she didn’t know what to feel. She didn’t know what to say. All she does was gaped at the man who's looking intimately at her.

"Kendra..." He reached for her cheek then rubbed his thumb against her skin. "I'm sorry I did not ask for permission, but I am definitely not sorry for kissing you."

Napakurap-kurap siya at nag-iwas ng tingin. Hindi niya alam ang isasagot dito.

Nang lumipas ang ilang minuto na hindi pa siya nagsalita, tumayo ang binata.

"Come on. I'm going to take you home." Anito at hinawakan ang kamay niya at hinila siya patayo.

Nagpahila siya patungo sa sasakyan nito. Wala siyang imik habang nagmamaneho ito patungo sa bahay ng Lola niya. Maging ito man ay wala ring imik. They are both lost in their own thoughts.

Nang makarating sila sa gate ng Sunshine Ray subdivision, pinatigil niya sa pagmamaneho si Vladimir.

"Stop here. Maglalakad nalang ako patungo sa bahay." Aniya.

Vladimir faced her. "Kendra, if this is about the kiss—"

"It has nothing to do with that. Ayoko lang na malaman ni Lola na may alam ka. She will skin me alive." She smiled at him, it was a genuine. "Thanks for the ride by the way."

Mataman siyang tinitigan ng binata bago ito ngumiti. "You're welcome. Be safe, Princess."

That made her chuckled. "Be safe, Princess?" She mimicked him. "Vlad, you sound like a soldier in my Kingdom." Umiling-iling siya. "But yeah, I’ll be safe. For your sake."

Vladimir smiled widen. "Thank you."

She looked at him like she was reading him. "What happened to the Vlad, my flirty boss?"

He shrugged. "People change."

She just smiled at that. "Yeah. They do."

Lumabas siya ng sasakyan at mabilis na naglakad papasok sa subdivision. Nagpapasalamat siya na ang Lola niya ay nasa trabaho pa. Kailangan niyang maging handa bago pa siya nito i-interrogate.

Nasa silid na niya siya at naghahanda sa pagdating ng Lola niya ng makatanggap siya ng mensahe galing kay Lachlain. Inatake siya ng kaba ng mabasa niya ang mensahe nito. He texted his address! Oh my god! Mabilis niyang binura ang mensahe ng binata at inilagay ang cell phone sa night stand.

Hindi pa nagi-ilang minuto mula ng mag-text sa kanya si Lachlain, tumunog na naman ang cell phone niya. Sa pagkakataong ito, hindi na iyon mensahe kundi tawag na. Malakas ang tibok ng puso niya na tiningnan niya ang Caller I.D., nang makitang ang binata iyon, napakagat labi siya.

Kinakabahang sinagot niya ang tawag. “Hello?”

“Are you with Vladimir?” Iyon kaagad ang tanong nito ng sagutin niya ang tawag.

“Hindi.” Sagot niya. “Nasa bahay ako.”

“Oh. Good.” He sounds relieve about something. “Anyway, anong oras ka pupunta sa condo ko?”

Her hear beat quicken. “Ahm … around seven PM, I think.”

“Okay. I’ll wait for you.” He said. “Take care, Kendra.”

Be safe, Princess. Biglang pumasok sa isip niya ang sinabi ni Vladimir sa kanya nuong nasa sasakyang sila. Wala sa sariling napangiti at napailing-iling siya.

Tumikhim siya. “You too.” Aniya sa pormal na boses.

“Okay. Bye.”

“Bye.”

Akmang ibabalik niya ang cell phone sa night stand ng may yumakap sa kanya ng malakas mula sa likuran at tinakpan ang ilong niya gamit ang panyo. Nagpumiglas siya at lumaban hanggang sa maramdaman niyang unti-unting nawawala ang lakas niya. Halos mayanig ang katawan niya sa sobrang takot na nararamdaman. Kahit nararamdaman niyang nanghihina siya, pinindot niya ang isang numero sa speed dial niya. Hindi siya sigurado kong may natawagan ba siyang numero o wala. And just before she lost consciousness, she felt a needle pierce her neck.

VLADIMIR eyebrow furrowed when he heard his phone blasted the song ‘my song knows what you did in the dark’ by Fall Out Boy while on the way to his condo unit. That’s his ringtone. I wonder whose calling? Kinuha niya ang cell phone na nasa glove compartment at tiningnan kung sino ang tumatawag.

Mas lumalim ang gatla sa nuo niya ng makitang si Kendra ang tumatawag. Mabilis niyang sinagot ang tawag. “Hello, Kendra?”

Itinigil niya ang sasakyan sa gilid ng kalsada. “Kendra? Are you there?” Bigla siyang nakaradam ng kakaibang kaba ng walang marinig na boses mula sa kabilang linya.

“Kendra?” His heart was beating so fast. Fear was eating him. “Kendra, please say a fucking word—” His words hanged in the air when he heard something shattered in the other line.

Hindi na siya nag-isip pa, binuhay niya ang makina ng sasakyan at kinabig iyon pabalik sa Sunshine Ray Subdivision. Walang ibang laman ang isip niya kung hindi si Kendra. Baka may nangyari nang masama sa dalaga. Halos lumipad ang sasakyan niya patungo sa bahay ni Adeline Madrigal.  I hope I’m not too late! Fuck it!

Nang makarating siya roon, naka-bukas ang gate ng bahay. Fear sipped through every fiber of his being. Kung ano-ano na ang pumapasok na senaryo sa utak niya.

He cautiously entered the household and went to look for Kendra. Inisa-isa niya ang silid ng bahay hanggang sa mahanap niya ang kuwarto ng dalaga. Para siyang tinakasan ng lakas ng makita niya itong nakahandusay sa sahig. Kinakain ng takot ang nuong pagkatao niya habang nakatingin sa walang malay na katawan ng dalaga.

Wala sa sariling lumapit siya kay Kendra at pinangko ang dalaga at ihiniga sa kama nito. Kapagkuwan ay ipinalibot niya ang tingin sa kabuonan ng silid ni Kendra. Her phone was on the floor. Aside from that, wala namang iba pang kaka-iba sa silid. Hanggang sa dumako ang tingin niya sa night stand. Lumalim ang pagkakakunot ng nuo niya ng makakita ng syringe katabi niyon ay isang maliit na puting papel.

He quickly picked up the paper and read it.

Aww. Unrequited love hurts. Right, Vladimir? – K

He flipped the paper and there’s a message at the back too!

Wonder sex injectable. What could possible go wrong? - K

Nanghihinang napa-upo siya sa gilid ng kama at tiningnan si Kendra. Dammit! Nilukumos niya ang  papel at galit na itinapon iyon. He thought she’s safe in this household. He thought wrong!

Wonder sex injectable. He looked at Kendra with worry. Wonder sex injectable is a drug made by Bathory’s scientists. Sa pagkakaalam niya, it’s still under experiment. Sa mga hayop palang nila sinusubukan ang drug na ito. This drug can heighten someone’s sexual desire. Kapag nagising si Kendra, tanging sex lang ang nasa-isip nito. The drug would last up to 24-hours. Hindi puwedeng siya ang magisnan ng dalaga dahil alam niyang magsisisi ito kapag wala na ang epekto ng droga.

I have to take her to Lachlain. Something in him pained at what he thought but he quickly discarded it. This is for the best. Gusto ni Kendra si Lachlain, nakakasiguro siya roon. Mapapanatag ang kalooban nito kapag ang nakatalik nito ay ang matalik niyang kaibigan.

Mabilis niyang pinangko si Kendra at lumabas siya ng bahay habang karga-karga ang dalaga. Inilagay niya sa backset passenger seat ang dalaga at isinuot dito ang seat belt pagkatapos ay umikot siya patungo sa driver seat at pinaharurot ang sasakyan patungo sa Royal Condominium kung saan sila nakatira ni Lachlain.

THEY ARE not even half way to the Royal Condominium when Kendra woke up. Malakas siyang napamura ng makitang nagmulat ng mata ang dalaga.

“Oh no. This is not going to end well.” He muttered under his breath.

“Where am I?” Anang boses ni Kendra.

Itinigil niya ang sasakyan sa gilid ng kalsada at humarap sa dalaga. “We’re on the way to Lachlain’s condo.” It’s half the truth.

Kumunot ang nuo nito at sinapo ang ulo na parang nasasaktan. “No… nasa bahay ako— and then someone—someone…” Niyakap nito ang sarili at sinalubong ang mga mata niya. “What am I feeling this way? Vladimir— why does my body feel so hot all of the sudden? Why do I want to take your clothes off? Oh my god!” She looks horrified at what she said. “I did not say that! I’m so sorry. Hindi ko alam kung bakit ko ‘yon nasabi.”

Hinawakan niya si Kendra sa braso para sana pakalmahin ng bigla itong dumukwang palapit sa kanya at sinapo ang pisngi niya. He tried pulling away from her but before he can pull away, Kendra smiled seductively, making him goose bumps.

He controlled himself not to feel anything but failed. Ipokreto siya kung sasabihin niyang hindi nabuhay ang pagkalalaki niya ng lumapat ang kamay nito sa hita niya at gumapang iyon patungo sa gitnang bahagi ng hita niya.

“Kendra…” He breathes out, his body is shivering in lust. “No… this is not right.”

Kendra just smiled and then pressed her lips on his. His mind went black. Walang pumapasok sa isip niya. He really wanted to push Kendra away but he’s so stupid. He wanted the things he can’t have. He knew that Kendra’s heart belong to someone else, but he can’t stop himself from hoping that Kendra’s might have a change of heart.

He stupidly snaked his arm around her waist and deepened the kiss. Bahala na kung ano ang mangyayari bukas.

A/N: I am sorry everyone, walang update ngayon si Creed at Lockett. Babawi nalang ako next time. And then, baka hindi ako makapag-update hanggang January second week. Pupunta kasi kami sa Baguio at iiwan ko si Lappy ko. Pero makakaasa naman kayo na sa pagbalik ko, babaha ng update. Hehehe. Thank you everyone and may you have a Happy Holiday!