M I L L E R

Natigilan si Axel bago lumingon sa amin. Nakataas ang isang kilay niya. "Who's an alpha?" aniya. He might look uninterested but I can still see that he is curious.

Saglit na tumingin sa akin si Mateo sabay sabi ng, "Miller is."

"No...No. No, that's... Oh, goodness!" Para bang nag-loading ang isipan ni Axel bago ito tuluyang napagtanto. He reacted so surprised that he even immediately walks back to us with big steps.

He gasped as he once again asked, "Miller, you're an alpha? How? Ho-How sure are you?"

I can see na medyo nakaangat ang dalawang dulo ng kanyang bibig. Pinipigilan niyang ngumiti at hindi muna maging sobrang saya at umasa.

"Uhm, it just happened, I guess? I really don't know at first, pero si Mateo ang nagsabi sa akin. And then I just realized the flavor when he mentioned the fruit's name."

"A pomegranate. He described it to me and confirmed that he is an alpha."

"Really? But how? Uh—are you feeling well? But shouldn't you be in your last phase now?"

"Last phase?"

Anong last phase? May last phase pa? I don't know about the last phase. Bakit hindi nila ito sinabi sa akin noon?

"There's a last phase?" tanong ni Mateo.

Now I am more confused. Mukhang pati si Mateo ay wala ring ideya kung ano ang last phase.

"It's what it is called. The last phase is the last part of the vampirization process," Axel began. "During my experiments, I noticed the humans are having the greatest difficulty of fighting their lust against blood before they grow their fangs and develop red eyes."

Oh. Now that Axel has mentioned it, I don't think that I have the lust over blood. I find it sweet but I am not drawn by it. Not attracted at all. Pero baka kasi malayo pa talaga ako sa pagiging bampira?

"What do you mean?" tanong ko. "Kasi kung ako ang tatanungin ay wala naman akong nararamdaman na mali. Of course, except to those significant changes with my senses but other than that ay wala namang iba," pahayag ko.

"Hm. I also thought the same. Don't worry, every information we have about vampirization is still subjected to changes. I also just recalled that there was a vampirized human who did not really lust for blood but..." natigilan si Axel na para bang inaalala kung ano ang susunod na nangyari. "But that man went missing after a few days."

"Oh, you were talking about the human your stepfather bit by accident as he claimed it to be?"

Tumango si Axel. "It was my first time to see a vampirized human. There was no reason for it at that time and we were just guiding him with the raw knowledge we had."

"Now that you mentioned it, the Supreme also suspected that it was around that time when Ronaldo was starting to show opposition to him."

"Is he saying that it was then when Ronaldo discovered that he can create his own army of vampires through humans? And that person was later vampirized as an alpha?"

They both are now in-depth with their conversation. Hindi ko sila maintindihan. Malay ko ba kung kailan nangyari ang mga tinutukoy nila. Seeing that they are bunch of immortals, who know if that human became a vampire eon ago.

"Okay. If it's it. I have no choice but to check your blood Miller. Allow me to get a blood sample to test later, hm?" Saad niya sa akin.

Tumango lang din naman ako. Alam naman ata ni Axel ang ginagawa niya.

"But!" malakas na bigkas ni Axel. "It doesn't matter if you are an alpha. You are not allowed to join the battle."

Nagpalitan kami ng tingin ni Mateo sa biglaang pagbanggit ni Axel sa paksa na akala namin ay nakalimutan na niya.

I was caught off guard that time at hindi na nakapag-protesta pa. Nagpatuloy na lang din silang dalawa ni Mateo sa pag-uusap tungkol sa mga nangyaring pananakop ni Ronaldo sa mga teritoryo nila. Habang naiwan ako sa higaan ko.

Kung hindi siguro dahil sa pag-aaral ko ay baka hindi ko na masisilayan pa ang sikat ng araw. Sa mansyon na ito, mas aktibo ang mga tao sa gabi. It turns out that the sparring that they do earlier is only the ending part of their training. Their real training and the main events always happen at night time. Mukhang ganito talaga ang body clock ng isang bampira.

Sabado ngayon at nagkataon na walang pasok. Para bang alam din ng katawan ko ang tungkol. I feel sleepy and tired maski wala pa akong ginagawa.

Mayamaya lang ay pumasok na si Axel bitbit ang isang bagay na mukhang syringe. It has a needle na akalaing singtaas ng gitnang daliri ko sa kamay.

"Oh. You're taking it now?" tanong ko.

Pumasok naman siya sa maliit kong silid at doon ako kinunan ng dugo. He did it painlessly... o baka naman sadyang hindi ko lang talaga naramdaman ang kirot dahil lumalakas na ang katawan ko.

After he got a sample, Mr. Martin went to gather it and left the room. Akala ko ay lalabas pa siya. But then I heard him enter the bathroom. I guess he is preparing to sleep.

I was just browsing on my phone when I remember another thing – hindi ko pa pala nakukumbinsi si Axel na hayaan akong lumaban. May pakiramdam kasi ako na doon talaga ako nararapat.

These past few days, my body aches for an action. Lumaki man ako sa mayamang pamilya. I might have lived the early years of my life as little Don Juan who has his servants behind him to do all the job for him, but the situation is different now. Nasanay na ang katawan ko na magbanat ng buto. Nag-gy-gym ako noon to build muscle, however, after not being able to afford the gym and falling into the bottom pit of poverty due to my father's negligence. I worked hard day and night, and now my body has begun to miss those painful days of part time jobs. Ilang mga araw pa nga lang ang lumilipas, and I am eager to work my muscles now.

Nang marinig ko ang pagbukas at pagsara ng pinto ng bathroom ay hinandan ko na ang sarili ko. I waited for at least a few minutes before going out.

As I went out, I saw Axel reading a book by the windows with the thick curtains down. Since Axel will be staying in the Red Mansion, he requested some additional furniture for him to have a comfortable stay. One of these additional pieces of furniture is a table and a pair of chairs.

"Axel... can we talk?" panimula ko.

Hindi rin naman siya nagdalawang-isip na ibaba ang kanyang binabasa na libro at tiningnan ako. He must be waiting for me to speak.

"About the fighting against the enemy, and the training. I am still interested in doing it."

He sighed as he was about to take his book again and get back to reading. Mabilis ko naman itong inabot at inilayo sa kanya at umupo sa bakanteng upuan na nasa harap niya lang. He just looked at me with glaring eyes. Pero mabilis rin itong nawala at bumuga siya ng hangin. He calmly crossed his arms at inayos ang pagkakaupo niya as he asked me, "What is it in fighting that you are getting interested with it?" He sounds like a mother trying to convince his son to stop fighting.

"Miller, it is so much better if you just stay still and do your part as my specimen. I know that you're thrilled that you are a vampire with all the superhuman abilities but promise. Walang ikakabuti sa'yo ang pagsali sa labanan."

I did not expect him to speak in another language. It is as if he really wanted me out of it. He even uses a language that, for him, will help me understand his intention easier.

Hindi naman sa hindi ko alam ito. But I am not entering a battle only because my body is looking for a muscle-pain. Hindi naman ako ganoon kababaw. I wanted to replace him if possible. But I can't tell that if I can't explain to him why I would want to replace him in the battlefield.

"If you're worried about the experiment, 'Wag kang mag-alala. I can do both. Tutulungan pa rin kita. I will still be your specimen."

"What? Do you think that's easy?" Saglit niyang iniwas ang tingin niya sa akin habang mabilis din na dinilaan ang kanyang labi, the he said, "Miller, there's more than being a vampire. You might be thinking that we are invincible but we are actually not."

"I know."

"If you know then why do you keep insisting?"

"Because I want you to stay out of it!" I uttered out of the intense moment.

Axel blinked in confusion. Mukhang hindi pa niya napo-proseso ang ibig kong ipahiwatig.

"W-Why would you want me out of it?" he asked carefully. "Miller. Between us, I am the pure vampire here... you were just an outsider not too long ago."

I know that. I am pretty sure that I did not forget about that.

Magsasalita pa sana pero tumayo si Axel. Medyo pagewang-gewang siya na tumayo sa kanyang upuan.

"I still won't allow you to fight, Miller. It's too dangerous for you. I won't be able to handle it if something happens to you."

Kinuha niya ang kanyang libro na hawak ko. With him standing in front of me, he looked down as he told me, "We are still unsure about the effect of the process in your mortal body. Research will take years to finish. So, you should just behave and listen to m—"

I would like to listen to him more when his knees suddenly gave out. Bigla na lang siyang natumba sa tapat ko. Mabuti na lang at mabilis kong nasalo ang magkabila niyang braso. And just as I caught him, I felt his skin burning like the freshly heated pot in a stove.

"Axel, you're burning with fever!"

"I-I know. You... don't have to...sh...out," he said in between his heavy breathing, wincing and groaning at the same time.

"Anong nangyari? Is this the poison's doing?"

"Augh...y-y-yes." Mahigpit siyang kumapit sa braso ko. Kaagad ko naman siyang binuhat at inilapag sa kama niya.

"Uminom ka na ba ng dugo? Is the poison acting up kasi hindi ka nakainom ng dugo?"

"No... I just had... it before taking my bath."

So, why is this happening to him? Bakit nilalagnat pa rin siya.

Saglit sana akong aalis para tumawag ng tulong nang maramdaman ko ang mahinang pag-higit niya sa sleeves ng sweater ko.

"D-Don't... Don't leave me," he said, almost in a whispering manner.

I got to see that reddened face of him, hindi dahil sa umiinom siya ng dugo ko, but because he is sick.

Sa palagay ko ay ayaw niyang malaman ng iba na may bagong sintomas na naman na lumabas gawa ng lason. Because for sure, if Martin and Mateo would know they will tell the Supreme about it. At pagbabawalan na talaga si Axel na tumulong sa opisina nito. Baka nga hindi na siya papalabasin pa sa silid na ito.

Nagbuntong-hininga ako at nanatili na lang sa loob. There's nothing I can do about it if he doesn't want to tell the others.

"Paano ka? Magiging maayos ka lang ba? Nilalagnat ka pa rin."

"Yes. I'll be fine... This. This is just a fever." Tinitigan niya ako gamit ang kalahating nakapikit na niyang mga mata. "I'm not that fragile, Miller. You can leave me... a...alone now. I will be only needing a... a sleep."

Sa bawat pagsasalita niya ay rinig na rinig ko ang paghihikahos niya. Para bang kagagaling niya lang sa isang marathon.

His face is as red as an apple yet his lips have the crack literally the same as a dry land. And his hands and whole body are shaking as if he is in the cold and chilling North Pole. He is in a really bad shape.

Hindi ko siya pwedeng hayaan na lang na mag-isa. Axel is literally getting more and more weaker every single day.

Naalala ko nung tinanong ko siya kung kailan matatapos ang antidote na nasa laboratory niya. And he told me that it still needed at least a month or so. Hindi pa man dumadaan ang dalawang linggo yet he looks like this already. Imagine how he would be in a few more days.

"Hey..." ani ko as I walked around the bed and climbed from the opposite side.

"W-What are you... What are you doing?" ani ni Axel habang tinutulak ang sarili para tumayo. Pero kahit anong gawin niya ay mahina at nanginginig pa rin ang mga braso niya. So, he remained lying in bed.

"Let me be. You don't want me to join the battle. Maybe you can just let me take care of you. Hindi na kita pipilitin tungkol doon, basta hayaan mo lang ako na gawin ito ngayon."

At the very least, this is the only thing I know I can do at this moment. I don't know how a vampire's body temperature works and who knows what will happen to him while I am inside my little space. It is better to stay still as close as possible.

Tumabi ako sa kanya.

With at least an arm away from each other, I close my eyes as I uttered, "Dito ako matutulog. Babantayan kita."