M I L L E R

"They got Logan to replace Bernard."

"Buhay pa pala ang batang 'yan? Akala ko ay wala ng interes ang pamilya nila sa gulong ito."

"I was thinking the same thing. But he's as dumb. He has great strength but it's wasted by a pervert like him."

Nasa loob ako ng opisina ng Supreme ngayon. Kasama ko si Mateo. Parang kanina lang ay nasa loob pa ako ng silid namin ni Axel. I was just trying to calm myself after I got myself disappointed. And I also wanted some peace of mind. The victims kept asking some random stuff about what is this place for? Where are we? Or what is happening? Ah, they also kept asking if the people they see in the mansion are real vampires.

It's too troublesome to answer those questions.

But then Axel asked me to find Mateo to ask him question about the age and gender of the victims. At dahil alam ko na rin naman ang mga sagot ay ako na mismo ang tumugon sa kanya.

Yet, I caught Mateo standing outside the Supreme's room. He was staring at me then immediately bowed. It was just then when I realized that he was giving the salutation to the person behind me, which is the Supreme himself. Yumuko na rin ako. I was about to leave to stay in the comfortable bed when the Supreme called me and invited me in his room.

And that's how I ended up sitting in the Supreme's guest area, listening to him and Mateo talking about another vampire that I am not familiar with.

"Hmm... Sa palagay ko ay nagka-estrus Ronaldo kaya nanatili siyang tahimik sa kabila ng pagkasawi ng isa sa mga importante niyang tauhan."

"Is that what you guess, My Lord? Yet, why are they still operating? In the report I received from our comrades abroad. They still find vampirized in the remote areas of their assigned areas."

"Hindi malabo 'yan. Ronaldo is not the only person working and thinking over all his plans."

"Right. He got Aaron," pagsang-ayon ni Mateo sa Supreme.

Tila ba may pinindot silang switch sa katawan ko nang binanggit nila ang pangalang Aaron. Agad akong nagka-interes sa usapan nila.

Hindi ko makakalimutan ang pangalan ng tusong lalaking iyan. Siya ang nagdala kay Axel sa panganib. Hindi ko akalain na may malaking posisyon pala sa lamesa ng lider ng mga rebelde ang amain ni Axel.

"What is it about Aaron that makes Ronaldo trust him so much?"

Tumungo sa akin ang mga mata ng dalawang bampirang nag-uusap. Hindi nagbigay ng anuman na interes si Mateo sa akin. Wala sa kanyang mukha ang nagsasabi na sasagutin niya ang tanong ko. Meanwhile, it's the exact opposite with the Supreme. Lumiwanag ang mga mata niya at naka-angat ang kabilang gilid ng kanyang labi. He is obviously smirking looking so pleased that I have asked such question.

Ano ba ang mayroon sa tanong ko na iyon?

"Great question," he complimented me as he adjusted his buttocks in his seat. "Only few vampires knew the reason why those two get along so well despite of not having too much involvement with each other. Sa katunayan nga ay mas mahaba ang panahon na pinagsamahan namin ni Aaron... hindi kami gaanong malapit, pero may kaibigan akong sobrang lapit sa kanya."

I didn't really want to bother asking, yet my mouth just moved by itself and asked, "Who?"

"Axel's father..."

Oh. That kind of explains a little bit why he has such grudge to Axel. Hindi na ako nagsalita pa at hinintay na lang na magpatuloy ang Supreme.

"Malapit kong kaibigan ang ama ni Axel. Mas matanda siya ng ilang daang taon pero mabait siya at nirerespeto ng maraming bampira. Isa rin ang kanyang clan sa mga may malakas na paniniwala sa dugo ng mga orihinal na bampira. May kapatid ang ama ni Axel, at iyon si Aaron. Umalis siya sa poder ng mga Wesley sa ika isang daan at limampung taon niya. Simula noon ay hindi na namin siya nakita.

Lumitaw na lang siya noong pumanaw ang ama ni Axel at ang ina naman nito ang namuno. Naging sila at tumulong siya pamamahala ng clan. Hanggang sa naglaho ng parang bula ang clan lider ng mga Wesley... what went next is a history. Malamang ay nakwento na sa'yo ni Axel kung paano siya nilinlang ng kanyang amain."

Siguro nga sa mata ng marami ngayon ay ako ang pinakamalapit kay Axel. That goes the same to me. Naniniwala rin ako na higit pa sa tiwala sa Supreme na pinaka nirerespeto niya, o kay Mateo na malapit niyang kaibigan, ang meron siya sa akin. Ngunit eto... Malalaman ko na lang ang tungkol sa stepfather niya.

"Parehong inggit ang naglapit kay Ronaldo at Aaron. Hindi sila mahihinang bampira. Ngunit dahil sa alam nila na may taong mas nakakataas sa kanila ay pakiramdam nila na hindi sapat ang lakas na mayroon sila."

As I listened to the Supreme's story, I suddenly thought that it was not their fault that they are stronger than their brothers. Kagaya ng nabanggit kanina, mas matanda ng ilang daang taon ang ama ni Axel kaysa kay Aaron. Isn't it natural for the much older one to be stronger? Isa pa, sa kaso naman ng Supreme at ng adoptive brother niya, hindi naman kasalanan ng Supreme na nagmula siya sa angkan ng mga Lorenvetti. I heard that they are the descendant of the original vampire.

Now, when I think about those factors carefully, aren't those just useless envy? Since in the very beginning those two can't do anything about making themselves stronger or higher in position to those people who have lived and born earlier and more powerful than them.

"I didn't know that." Lumingon ako kay Mateo nang bigla siyang magsalita.

Oh. So, he was not aware of this as well.

Tumaas ang dalawang kilay ng Supreme. He must be surprised... probably.

"Ah. Hindi mo pa pala alam. Hm. Hindi rin pala ako sigurado kung alam din ni Axel ang tungkol dito. Hmm... Sa ngayon mas mabuti kung hindi muna kayo magsasalita tungkol kay Aaron." Nagkamot ng gilid ng ulo niya ang Supreme bago niya kusang pinalitan ang paksa ng usapan namin. "Pero kung tama man na matinding pagtutulungan ang ginagawa ng dalawa ngayon laban sa akin, wala na tayong magagawa. May kasama man o wala, gagawin pa rin ni Ronaldo ang lahat para mapatumba ako."

Tumango-tango si Mateo. "I also received words saying that those vampirized were bitten a month ago. Therefore, Ronaldo's men began collecting individuals even before his estrus came. I bet Aaron was only there to assist during their leader's absence."

"Sang-ayon ako. Kaya asahan natin na mas marami pa sa alam nating bilang ang mga vampirized na nalikha nila."

The two kept talking about strategies on how to rehabilitate those rescued vampirized. Dahil walang gamot ang kagat ng bampira ay kailangan silang bantayan ng maigi. Apparently, those rooms behind the walls are specially made for this.

"There are still vacant rooms to accommodate them, My Lord."

"Magaling. Kumusta naman ang pananaliksik ni Axel?"

Just when the last word left the Supreme's mouth a loud knock was heard inside the room.

"It's Axel Wesley, My Lord."

Ah. It's Axel. Tapos na siguro siya sa ginawa niyang testing sa mga biktima.

Napangiti ang Supreme sabay sabi ng, "Just in time... Pumasok ka, Axel."

Walang pag-aalinlangan na lumitaw sa gitna ng guest area ng silid ng Supreme si Axel. He gracefully bowed to salute him. At first, he was just fine staring with him and Mateo, but his face began to scream wonder when he found me sitting on the sofa behind him.

"What are you doing here?"

I gestured at the Supreme, then replied, "The Supreme made me come."

He glanced for a second to see if Lord Maximillian agreed. When he found him nodding while wearing a silly smile, my dear Axel couldn't help but to shake his head and proceed to do his purpose.

See? I was telling the truth.

Kasi kung hindi I wouldn't come and be bothered by the affairs they are discussing in front of me since like six minutes ago.

"Alright." He sighed. "I am here to state the result of the findings." May inabot siyang papel kay Mateo at sa Supreme bago siya muling nagsalita para ipaliwanag ang nasa papel, "it says that four were bitten two weeks ago, and two were only a week ago. Nonetheless, they are all in the first phase of the vampirization process. None of them are experiencing symptoms yet. The sickness they are experiencing is only a result of the poor facility they were held in and their fear. If attended carefully, they could live after they reach the final stage of the vampirization process."

"How big are their chances to live?" tanong ni Mateo na nasa papel pa rin ang mata.

"It varies, actually. But I found more or less 30% chance in the two of them, and the remaining have less than 10%. Yet, again, this is just the first phase. Those numbers could change for the better or worse as they come closer to the final stage."

Tumango-tango si Mateo. He then turned his head to me and said, "So far, your beloved is our best vampirized..."

Napansin ko ang pagliit ng mga mata ni Axel bago siya mahinahon na sumagot nga, "Yes..." Akala ko ay tapos na siya at hindi na matutuloy ang nagbabadyang pag-ulan ng matatalim na salita nang muling ibinuka ni Mateo ang kanyang bibig.

"Why are you giving me that glare? Don't tell me you're mad because I let Miller come along?"

Mukhang napansin din pala ni Mateo ang mga tingin sa kanya ni Axel.

Tumayo na ako. I don't want to be bothered by their quarrel. Isa pa, nangako rin ako kay Mateo na ako na ang bahala kay Axel kung sakali na magalit man ito sa kanya.

I held Axel's hand and whispered, "Let's go. It was me who insisted on coming, anyway."

I suddenly noticed him blushing. Although the wrapped perfectly fit between my fingers, his hands were trembling and incredibly warm.

Oh. Don't tell me he was shy?

Napansin ko rin na nakatitig siya sa Supreme.

Ah. He must be shy because the Supreme is in front of us. Sinuyod ko ang tingin niya. Doon ko pa lang nakita ang nakangiting mga mata at labi ni Lord Maximilian.

He seems glad to see our hands tightly connected.

Kung ganun ay wala na pala akong dapat na ipag-alala.

"Hey," I called him once more as I gently tugged his hand.

Axel suddenly raised his head. Magkatabi kami kaya kitang-kita ko ang pamumula ng pisngi niya. Mukhang hindi lang ang kamay niya ang mainit, ganun din pala ang kanyang pisngi.

Hinayaan ko lang siya at pinanood ang gagawin niya.

He glanced at Mateo. "For the record," with cold eyes he began talking, "Miller is an adult. I can't tie him up forever. He can do whatever he thinks is best for himself. As his l-lover, I can understand that."

And with that, I felt a pulling sensation in my entire body. Then the next thing I know is that Axel and I are back inside our room.

Oh. We just teleported.