M I L L E R

Looking at Axel Wesley now, he truly has a handsome face even with his eyes closed. His hair is also longer and darker. Everything about his handsome features intensifies and becomes more... more divine.

How can a vampire look divine?

With his heavenly looks anyone who could see Axel Wesley in this state would think that he descended from the skies. A person that is not from earth. Ang mahaba at kulot niyang pilik mata at ang matangos niyang ilong, his heart shaped kissable lips and incredibly sharp facial features. He is a man, but still, he is beautiful.

Such heavenly beauty.

"Ito ba ang vampire appearance mo?" I wonder, then chuckled as I thought, "Kung hindi ko siguro alam na isa kang bampira baka inakala ko nang isa kang anghel na nahulog sa langit."

Napatingin ako sa malawak na salamin nang mapansin ang repleksyon ko mula rito.

Well, now that I think about it, I have a different type of handsomeness with this man here. I am the manly handsome and he is the pretty type of handsome. Awkward man na sabihin ko ito, but it's the truth.

Hm. Now that I think about it parang nakita ko na ang itsura niyang ito noon.

"Ah!" Oo nga pa! I was referring to the night when he fell into the alley. The first attempt of my extra service na naudlot dahil sa kanya.

Wait. That guy earlier na nagngangalang Kristoff also has a peculiar appearance. Tapos bigla na lang nagbago ng kulay mga mata niya.

How peculiar a vampire's appearance could get? I don't know. Nihindi ko nga alam na totoong may mga bampira sa mundo, and that they have abilities way beyond just simply turning themselves into a bat.

"Ha~ and now what? What if bukas ka pa magigising? Should I wait here until tomorrow?" I mumbled.

Just like that, I heard a grunting sound and a voice saying, "What if the answer is yes, would you really stay 'til tomorrow and be absent from school today?"

Napakunot ako ng noo.
"You're awake?"

"Uh-hmm."

"For how long?"

"Not quite long when you entered the room..." humikab si Axel tapos ay nagpatuloy rin sa pagsasalita, "I was just trying to return back to sleep when you and Martin entered."

"And you did not open your eyes?"

"You were quiet so I really tried to fall asleep. Then I felt the bullets of stares you are giving me. I cannot stand it anymore so..." He paused at bumangon na, "I opened my eyes."

Tch. Here I am thinking that he must be suffering from some painful wound or internal damage because of the poison.

"What are you looking at? Do you have anything else to ask?" tanong ni Axel habang inaayos ang nakusot na dulo ng puti niyang long sleeves. "Well, if you don't have one. Can I ask instead what you think about my appearance? You were looking at me intensely, it was hard to breathe."

Of course, I can't tell him what I was thinking a moment ago. Baka lumaki lang ang ulo niya. I quickly thought of other way to answer his question then said, "Kristoff... uh hindi ako sigurado if I should call him by his name but since I don't know any more than his name," I sighed then continued, "that guy named Kristoff has a weird appearance. He has white hair and blue pair of eyes, but when I saw those a second time — the eyes turned brown."

"Oh, so you met that child."

"Oo. What... What is he?"

"He is also a vampire." Ang walang pag-aalinlangan na sagot ni Axel. "A child. He is just a hundred years old. Very young and inexperienced."

"Dati ba siyang tao?"

Umiling si Axel. "No. His father is Martin, the butler who brought you here. You see, Miller, vampires have longer lifespans than humans so a hundred-year old vampire kid looks like in his early 20s rather than have his skin all wrinkled. His appearance is peculiar because he cannot control his instincts yet and erratically manages his abilities. Vampires can change their appearances and mimic humans. But it is only limited by changing one's eye, hair, and skin color, and the length of the hair and its type. We can't morph our body but this ability is enough to protect us and reveal who we are."

"So, are you saying na hindi niya talaga itsura 'yun?"

"Yup," he said as he nodded. "But you know Miller, you are a human. You don't have to ask questions about the vampires."

"Siguro nga tama ka pero sa tingin ko that's not totally the case anymore." Itinaas ni Axel ang kanyang kilay as if he is challenging me to reveal my card against him, "You see, Axel," sambit ko bilang panggagaya sa kanya, saka tumayo at naglakad patungo sa kanyang kama, "... I gave you my blood and saved you. I suppose that gives me the right to know what's going on."

He looked up. Hindi siya nagpatalo sa akin at mariin din akong tinitigan ng diretso sa mata.

He scoffed. "Indeed, you saved me. But, you might have forgotten that I don't owe anything to you since I am paying you."

Bumitaw siya sa pagtitig sa akin at yumuko sa kanyang kama. Inabot niya ang maliit na lamesa sa tabi ng kama niya para kunin ang kanyang cellphone. "I'll wire you your payment, just send me your account number."

Sh*t. Paano ko nakalimutan ang tungkol sa bayad niya sa akin?

Dahil sa dami ng mga nangyayari ay hindi ko na alam kung ano pa ang uunahin kong isipin. I almost forgot the payment.

Inabot ni Axel Wesley ang cellphone. "I changed my mind. You can just type it here now." Kinuha ko rin naman ito at inilagay ang bank account number ko.

I know that this situation is beyond weird, but I need money.

"You look defeated," komento ni Axel.

Sino ba ang hindi kung bigla na lang ako natanggalan ng karapatan na magtanong simply because I need money. Simply because I sold my blood to him.

"It can't be helped, you are curious after all. If I were you, I would also wonder what's happening in this unknown society?"

"Forget about it. You were right. I came here for money..."

"Good. Thanks for understanding. Our society is quite similar to yours, humans. Except that we live longer and have special abilities. Our existence is not really a secret since humans know about vampires, and even tell tales about us. You have even witnessed some of them. It's just that, knowing beyond those things is dangerous for a sole human like you." Axel rustled in his bed and put down his feet, revealing his white legs with a few vein-like traces. "I know you are still curious but I suggest you keep your nose away from where it doesn't belong."

Ibang-iba na Axel Wesley ang nakikita ko ngayon. Malayo siya sa Axel na kilala kong sociable. Naglaho ang maliwanag at pagiging bukas niyang aura. It is as if there's blood around him, dark and thick, and he has these huge and tall bolds as his barrier around him. He has become someone emotionless. Pero ganyan din naman siya minsan. But this type of loss of emotion is sorrowful. As if he has experienced the worst in the world.

"By the way." Bumalik ako bigla sa realidad nang magsalita si Axel. "I don't want to admit it this way but since you decided to give me your blood, I think I must at least let you know about this."

"What is it now?"

Kinakabahan ako sa kung ano na naman ang posibleng lumabas sa bibig niya.

Sa dami pa naman ng kakaibang bagay na nasaksihan ko simula nang naging madalas ang pag-uusap namin ni Axel Wesley, hindi na ako magugulat kung bigla niya na sabihin na isa ring bampira ang presidente ng United States.

He sighed. I guess he is trying to prepare himself. "The truth is, I was lying about the vampirization research. Well... not entirely, we do really have research ongoing for that sector but we have yet to identify its cause. Since biting humans is prohibited, we can't use humans for our experiment and some humans who had gone to vampirization have various symptoms some are asymptomatic. So, it's hard to tell."

Bumuntong-hininga ako. "I kind of expected that," mabilis kong pag-amin.

"You do?" Axel smirked.

Tumango ako. "I thought that everything you said was a lie. I just did not think that you really have a research team though."

Yumuko si Axel at narinig ko ang malalim niyang paghinga. "I just recently established it, but... everything's so complicated... and you don't have to know about this anyway." Nag-inat siya ng kanyang mga braso bago tumayo at sinabi na, "For now, since the symptoms are unclear you can tell me anything that's weird or whatnot. But what's for sure is, it's better for you to continue your life as it always has been. Stay calm and take advantage of my money."

"What?"

"What I meant is to let me just drink your blood and pay you for it."

Pagkatapos ng pag-uusap namin ay umalis na ako.
Parang wala lang kakaibang nangyari.
Parang hindi ako nakakita ng dalawa bagong bampira.
Parang hindi ako nanggaling sa peligroso at misteryosong lugar.

Axel Wesley is really a whole puzzle. His existence only confuses me the more I know about him. But what's more confusing is for me to leave his mansion like I just left from my part time job at dawn.