M I L L E R

"So... in the end, y-you told the Supreme without my permission."

Bumuntong-hininga naman si Mateo sabay pikit ng mata, he then immediately opened his eyes and uttered,"Yes, I thought that we can no longer hesitate. The Supreme is pleased with Miller's cooperation. Good thing he is a smart person. He knows what's the right thing to do."

Hindi muna sumagot si Axel. He just looked down, tila ba sumusuko na siya. Pero bigla niya ulit inangat ang ulo niya at tumingin sa akin.

"Miller, do you know what it implies if the Supreme discovered about you?" he demanded.

I did not reply. I have one thing in mind pero hindi ko rin alam kung tama. And the vampires always surprises me. It's a waste to guess about it. Sa palagay ko may tsansa na iba ang magiging sagot.

"He won't let you go, Miller," sambit niya. "The other vampirized humans might have their own choice to stay or leave, but you are a different case. The Supreme will use you to gain answers behind vampirization. Why did you agree? You can just refuse and be free. He's a kind person, he will let you be if you refuse him."

Why did I agree? Oo nga naman, bakit nga ba? I was just thinking about him. I was thinking that there was no other choice. Totoo rin naman. Pagod na akong maghabol. Pagod na akong sumalo sa responsibilidad ni Dad.

I might be a cold person, yet I hate that I can't cut my attachment to other people. I... I just hate being kind.

Hindi ako sumagot. I can't reply him with my disoriented thoughts. Ang gulo-gulo pa ng isipan ko, baka lumala lang ang sitwasyon at magkaroon ng hindi pagkakaintindihan dahil dito.

Tumabi si Mateo. Hinayaan niya akong makapasok sa silid at lumapit kay Axel. Although I did not get any closer than a meter and half as I can still perceive his disappointed aura.

"It's his decision," tugon ni Mateo matapos ang mahabang katahimikan. "Why do you care about his decision?"

Axel jolted, as if Mateo has uttered a word that caused an epiphany for him. Gayunpaman ay mabilis din itong nawala nang bumagsak ang balikat niya at bumuga siya ng hangin sa ilong.

Umiwas siya ng tingin, and with a hint of reluctance he said, "I... I don't want to be burdened..." He gasped. He must have realized that he just thought out loud. "I mean... I only meant that it was me who brought him under these circumstances. I made him a vampire."

I clenched my fist. I hate that I can see through his lies. Halatang-halata na sinasabi niya na ayaw niyang madagdagan ang pasanin niya. Siguro nga malaki ang kontribusyon niya sa aksidenteng pagkakakagat niya sa akin. But if they say that a vampire's instinct to obtain blood is beyond the control of the vampire himself, doesn't it make the both of us the victims? We are just unlucky to get caught up in such situation.

"It's fine. I don't blame you," I said.

How is it still fine, Miller? I questioned myself. But even I can't say... yet.

"I must leave first. I still have a few things to arrange with the newbie alphas," Mateo mentioned before he left the room.

The room became quiet. Ako at si Axel na lang ang naiwan sa loob. The room is too big for two people yet the silence is suffocating. I wanted to start a conversation but I am not the talkative type. I am never good at starting one so I decided to get used to the silence kung saan talaga ako magaling.

But then the silence was broken by a sharp noise. Napalingon ako sa bed side table kung saan nanggagaling ang ingay. Napaatras ako ng isang hakbang sa gulat habang kalmado naman na inabot ni Axel ang drawer ng lamesa. He pulled it out and a tiny bronze clock appeared in his hand after he pushed it back close.

"Sorry. It must have surprised you." Nagmamadali niyang pinindot ang itaas nito sanhi para tumigil ang matinis nitong ingay.

"An alarm?" I briefly asked.

"Yup. I had Martin set an alarm for me to when I should be drinking human blood again." Luminga-linga siya. Hindi ko alam kung ano ang hinahanap niya pero mukhang wala ito rito sa loob.

At sa palagay ko ay alam ko kung ano ito.

Tatayo na sana siya nang magsalita ako. "Uhm, naghahanap ka ba ng dugo?"

He paused his feet as he nodded. "Uh-huh. Since I have the hemlock's poison in me, my body demands more blood. It's the poison's doing to make a vampire lose control of himself. Martin must have forgotten about my drin–"

"I can lend you some," mabilis kong alok.

"Excuse me?"

"I-I said, I can lend you some blood," paglilinaw ko.

"But you're not a human anymore, Miller," saad ni Axel.

"Ang sabi sa akin ng Supreme ay hindi pa raw ako purong bampira. Hindi pa tapos ang vampirization ko. Also, if no one has told you yet, the blood you drank last time was from me. I still have human blood in me..." paliwanag ko sa kanya. Although I am not sure if he will believe me.

"Oh. So the Supreme assessed the vampire essence inside you. Th-That's great. But we have blood packs here. I won't have to bite you if I have th–"

"Hindi ba't may kakulangan kayo sa dugo ng tao? Bakit hindi niyo na lang tipirin 'yun at inumin na lang ang akin?" I stubbornly said, insisting to have him my blood.

Nagdadalawang-isip pa rin si Axel. Pero nang humakbang ako at umupo sa bakanteng espasyo sa gilid ng kanyang kama. Bahagya siyang umatras at hindi na tuluyang nakalayo pa nang inilagad ko sa kanya ang kaliwa kong braso.

"You can have it. I am not forcing myself. Really," pamimilit ko sa kanya.

It's such a hypocrisy that I am casually offering him my arm as if it is a piece of meat. The type of attitude that I used to hate about vampires.

He is still reluctant pero nakita ko ang paglunok niya ng laway na tila ba natatakam din siya. Kita ko na pinipigilan niya pa rin ang sarili niya kaya umusog pa ako ng konti patungo sa kanya. I reached for his hand and grabbed him closer.

"Ahn!" he exclaimed. I must have pulled him quite forcefully.

Uhm, it sounds kind of weird. Pero hindi ko rin naman siya masisisi dahil ako naman ang humila sa kanya. Hindi ko na lang ito pinansin at pipilitin pa sana siya ulit na uminom. Kaso naunahan niya akong magsalita.

"I-I did not intend to sound like that," he stated with his head down. Para bang tinatago niya ang mukha niya sa akin.

Tinitigan ko lang ang tuktok ng ulo niya at sinabi na, "Sure." Hindi ko rin naman iniisip na sinandya niya 'yun. It was me who pulled him.

Ngunit mukhang hindi siya naniniwala sa akin. "Hey, I really don't intend to," pamimilit niya kahit na sumagot ba ako sa kanya.

Nakayuko pa rin siya at tahimik na hinihintay ang tugon ko. A few seconds pass and no one talked. Kaya naman sinabi ko na lang ulit na, "Oo nga. So, I said sure."

Inangat ni Axel ang kanyang ulo. Tiningnan niya ako tapos ay pinanliitan ng mata. He seems suspicious kahit na wala naman talagang dapat na pag-suspetsahan.

" I don't think..." he gestured then paused, "never mind." Umiwas na naman siya ng tingin sa akin and a slight awkwardness covered the room.

I know his voice was weird but I tried to ignore it. Now that he kept insisting that I thought it was intentional, I can't help but to be shy about it. It was a quiet squeal like a woman touched in her sensitive spot.

Pero I tried to brush it off. He must drink human blood now. Hindi ko dapat ito kalimutan. Kaya kinuha ko ulit ang kamay niya at ipinatonh ito sa braso ko. He looked around again and stared at his hand on top of my arm.

"Drink now. It's been a while since the alarm went off."

His eyes widened when I reminded him about that. Kahit na hindi siya sigurado ay kinuha pa rin ni Axel ang braso ko at tinapat ito sa bibig niya.

His hands are cold, and soft. Surprisingly light feeling despite being the one who is holding my arms.

He first glanced at me. Nag-aalangan pa rin siya pero nginitian ko lang siya.

"Nangangalay na ako," I said.

Mukhang epektibo rin naman ang sinabi ko dahil bumuka na ang kanyang bibig. Lumitaw ang dalawang matatalim niyang pangil. At kagay ng inaasahan, napakasakit ng pagbaon ng mga ito sa balat ko.

I have to hold my voice and felt his sucking again. He often bit me on my neck, minsan lang sa braso. At sa tuwing nangyayari naman ito ay wala akong oras para pagmasdan siya ng maigi. Pero sa pagkakataon na ito kung saan kaming dalawa lang ang nasa loob at mahinahon din siyang umiinom ay nasusulit ko ang pagtitig sa kanya.

He has long eyelashes, and I was not wrong to say that he is drinking with delight every time. His crimson-colored lips stuck on my skin are mesmerizing. And the familiar pleasurable feeling seems to rise in me again.

Ano kaya ang lasa ng dugo? Sa nakikita ko ay mukhang masarap ito. Axel's expression makes it delicious.

"Haa..." He breathed as soon as he was done drinking.

Kaagad ko naman na tinakpan ng panyo ang sugat ko. Pinunasan ko ang mga kumalat na pulang likido rito pero hindi pa man ito tuluyang nalilinis ay kapansin-pansin na ang pagsasara ng dalawang butas na sugat.

"You're body is really changing," komento ni Axel nang makita rin ang paghilom ng sugat ko.

"Uhm... Do you think you'll be okay? Baka mangayari na naman ang nangyari sa host club?" I was referring to the time he vomited because of my blood.

Ngumuya-nguya si Axel na para bang ninanamnam ang dugo sa kanyang labi. Tumaas-baba, kaliwa at kanan din ang mga mata niya na bago sinabi na, "I don't think I got the vampire blood this time."

"O-Oh," ani ko. This made me curious so I asked, "Ano ba ang lasa ng dugo? May pagkakaiba ba ang lasa ng dugo ng tao at bampira?"

He wiped his lips. But it only made the red ink smudged on his cheeks kaya tinulungan ko na siya at pinunasan ito gamit ang malinis na bahagi ng panyo ko. Axel looked confused pero kaagad din naman siyang umiwas at sinarili ang pagpupunas ng mukha. Sunod ko na lang narinig ang kanyang pagtikhim saka siya nagsalita.

"In terms of vampire and human blood, there is only one thing that sets them apart." Hindi ko binuksan ang bibig ko at hinintay lang na magpatuloy si Axel sa pagpapaliwanag. "That is the alcoholic taste. This is similar to the taste of fermented berry fruits. But if you are wondering how blood would taste for a vampire, it actually depends on the vampire himself."

That's strange. Sa lahat ng mga narinig kong kwento tungkol sa mga bampira ay wala pa akong narinig na ganito.

Oh. I also wonder kung totoo ba talaga na takot sa bawang ang mga bampira.

Axel continued. "You have heard about our rankings, right? The alpha, beta, and gamma?"

May gamma din ba? Hindi ko ito alam pero tumango pa rin ako since I knew of the first two.

"Right, your taste will depend on your strength. And rankings are measured by a vampire's strength. But it doesn't also mean that each type of vampire has similar flavors of blood, because each type has at least three varieties of flavors."

"Huh? I-I'm sorry, pero hindi ko gaanong nakuha." I looked away due to embarrassment.

I heard him chuckle so I glanced back. I caught a glimpse of his curved eyes, and smiling lips when he covered it and coughed. "It's okay. You will understand once you have your first drink of human blood."