"One thing, Cornelius. What do you know what other people don't have a fucking any idea of?" Ully asked as they were leaving the Freymount Academy. Binalot naman sila ng malamig na ihip ng hangin pagkalabas ng building. Madilim sa paligid at ang ilaw lamang ng mga poste ang nagsisilbing liwanag sa paligid. Ully was still curious, wanted to fill all the his mind with answers, but he wouldn't find it anywhere. Ully was still shocked that vampires are real and that they looked really young for a hundred years old.

Elius smirked, wanting to fill his curiosity though it's too early and he might be confused and dazzled if all the Freymount's secrets were all told at once.

"You know what, it is hard to tell how this creatures still lived with us up to this day cause they had the reason, that before boring humans, vampires, werewolves, witches and other supernatural creatures existed and own the earth but now... they are all gone and in minimal count they are existed."

Ully took a deep breath. "Do you drink?" he asked Elius, out of nowhere. "I think I need a drink after all of this."

He nodded and laughed a little. "I do and I know a bar where they serve good beer."

"I'd loved that," Ully grinned.

Elius and Ully walked their way to the bar he was talking about. Ully was still thinking where would the vampire brought Stella away but giving assurance from Elius, made him not to worry about it in the meantime. The bar is a few blocks away from the centennial park, some people are getting in and out of it. Maybe just to have fun and get off some loads of their stresses. Ully couldn't hold his excitement upon entering the bar. He sees various faces, men and women who shared drinks with each other. He even steals glances at those lovers who are kissing publicly and wasn't bothered by people around. 

"If you can't take all of this, maybe a drink will suffice it," Elius said, tapping his shoulder. "What do you want? Just a beer?" he said when they reached the bar counter.

He shrugged off. "Yeah, maybe a beer will do."

Elius noded. "I'll get a beer for you then," he said and turned to the barista and requested for their drink. He goes for a light one, Heineken. He doesn't need too much weight on his head now. Just to wash it away in the meantime.

"Cornelius," Ully called him, he then looked at him. "I'll just go to the restroom for now. I'll be back quick."

"Sure! Just don't get lost like Stella did the other night. It's on the right end corner. And your beer will be waiting here for you."

Ully left Elius at the bar counter and find his way in the direction he was told, leading to the restroom. Hindi pa rin makapaniwala si Ully sa mga nalalaman nila. He was expecting something to tell from the town but digging down to its core was almost too much for him to contain. This town is far from being at its peace because behind every celebration they do were dark secrets lying six feet from the ground.

While heading to the restroom, Ully bumped into someone who's heading the opposite way. He looked back and apologized but the man just ignored him. Napahawak na lamang siya sa balikat niya dahil medyo malakas ang pagkakabunggo sa kanya. He shouldn't be the one apologizing though.

When he got into the restroom, agad-agad naman itong pumasok sa loob. The smell wasn't that bad, hindi katulad ng ibang public restroom na papasok ka pa lamang ay masusuka ka na kaagad. This was different and was maintained. He entered the first cubicle. While peeing, he heard some little noise in the next cubicle. Mabilis namang pumasok sa isip nito ang kakaibang nangyayari doon. Kaya agad niyang kinalabog ang katabing cubicle.

"Ano ba! Nasa public restroom kayo! Get your own room for Pete's sake!" he shouted and in sudden, padabog na bumukas ang pinto ng katabing pinto at natigilan na lamang panandalian si Ully.

Nang matapos ay lumabas ito, kasabay nang makita niya ang lalaking papalabas ng cubicle na hawak-hawak ang leeg nito. Napailing na lamang ito.

"Lulong sa alak," he whispered and headed to the sink to wash his hands and on the reflection of the mirror, the man dropped on the floor losing his consciousness. "And I'm out of here..." he said and run out of the restroom.

While Elius was waiting for Ully, he felt something weird. Tumaas ang balahibo nito sa kanyang braso at namintig ang kanyang tanga sa buong paligid. But then, he thought it was nothing. Nilagok na lamang niya ang isang bote ng beer. Walang hingahan niya iyong ininom at nang maubos niya iyon ay um-order pa muli siya ng isang bote.

Pagkarating ni Ully ay nagulat pa ito sa ginawa ni Elius. "Oh, akala ko, isang bote lang?"

Natawa at napailing na lamang ito sa kanya. "Well, who would even stopped me, right?" dahilan naman nito. Ngunit bumalik ang pagtaas ng balahibo nito, sa pagkakataong ito ay tumalikod na siya at naningkit ang mga mata para hanapin ang mga kakaibang pakiramdam na bumabalot sa kapaligiran. Napansin din naman ni Ully iyon. He reached out his shoulder but he jerked it away.

"Elius, anong meron?" taka niyang pagtatanong ngunit hindi siya nito pinapansin at nakatuon lamang ang atensyon sa paligid. "O-okay. Should I leave you alone?" aalis na sana si Ully sa tabi ni Elius pero mabilis na hinigit nito ang kanyang damit at hindi na ito tuluyang nakaalis. Ully was surprised and still in the dark of what was happening. "Ano bang meron?" he asked once again.

"Just don't leave, Ully," he warned, and he looked sideways just to see if something bad will happen and he's still trying to find out what could it be. Kumunot na lamang ang kanyang noo. Elius hand was still gripping on his shirt. "They are here."

Mas lalong nagtaka si Ully. "Who are you talking about, Elius?" but he didn't get an answer.

Ang sunod na lamang nangyari ay sunod-sunod na tumilapon ang bawat customer mula sa kanilang table. Everyone started to panic and run towards the exit. Ang iba ay hindi nakaligtas sa pag-atake ng mga blood-sucking creatures na ito. Ully also wanted to run and escape the place but Elius never leave him alone. Bumilis ang kabog ng dibdib ni Ully. He has no idea what to do now. He doesn't have the water that could save him.

Hindi nagtagal ay naging tahimik ang bar. Mula sa kaninang maingay at masaya ay nabalot ng katahimikan at takot. From a blur, the two creatures who happened to create the mess come at the view. Nasilayan ni Ully ang dalawang bampira and this time, he remembered their faces lalo na ang lalaking kasama nito. The one who almost attacked them.

"Get out of my bar!" isang lalaki ang tumayo mula sa pagkakatago nito at tinutok ang baril sa isa sa mga bampira. When the man pulled the trigger, the sound of the gun echoed and the bullet directly hit the girl's shoulder. At first, they thought they harmed her, but she just flinched.

"Smart," Alycia smirked. "A little ash of vervain won't stop me," she said as she pulled out the bullet from her shoulder. Ully was disgusted seeing how easy for her to do that. "Babe, feast him," she commanded, and immediately, Reubert moved quickly to the man lying down on the ground and suck his blood from his neck.

"Stop!" Cornelius shouted, he caught the attention vampire while Ully was sneaking to record the incident on his phone to be compiled to their proofs. 

Reubert stop sucking from the man, and Alycia crossed her arms, raising her brow looking at Elius. 

"Why are you still doing this? Why are you keep coming back to the place that doesn't even welcome you anymore?!"

Alycia phases fast into Elius face, nagulat na lamang siya na kaharap na niya ito. "And who are you to tell me things like that?" she said, and laughed afterwards. "Oh! I forgot, you're the mortal friend of the vampire whom I hated the most."

Napailing na lamang si Elius. "Hindi ka pa rin ba tapos? Hindi mo pa rin ba siya titigilan? Centuries had passed you're still following the ghost of Aletheia."

"It's Alycia now," she corrected. "And I couldn't just give up easily. He fucking killed me."

"Well... look at you now. You're still alive," Elius scoffed.

Alycia pushed him on his shoulder. "That's not a funny thing! I have lost my years trying to find my peace, but I couldn't do it without putting him down. It will be the only way I will leave this place and will never be back again."

"You think can do that?" Elius questioned.

She nodded, too determined. "I have been waiting for it for years so why can't I?"

"You mustn't know him very well."

"That's when you're wrong," she pointed out. "And you mustn't know me well, too, Elius."

She was about to catch his hand pero mabilis namang inilayo ni Elius iyon. "Do not touch me, or else you'll burn."

She laughed. "You bath on vervain? Don't tell me you did that trick again."

"What if I did?" he answered. "You don't wanna mess with me, Alycia."

Saglit lang din naman ay biglang lumapit si Reubert sa pwesto ng dalawa. He wiped his mouth covered with blood. He was like contented by drinking blood from an innocent man. "What do you want me to do with him, babe?" he asked.

Alycia slowly shook her head. "Nothing... for now. But to him, we can do something." 

Dinungaw ni Alycia ang nasa likod ni Elius na si Ully. Mas lalong napatago si Ully at ayaw na madawit sa sitwasyon. He's also trying to contact Stella's number but she's not answering and so in the end, he just left her a message. Kailangan na niya ang kaibigan niya. 

"I'm warning both of you. Don't touch him," pagbabanta ni Elius sa dalawang bampira. They were like a craving creature, their intimidating stance wasn't affecting him but Ully. "And if you did, a wooden stake would be directly hit your heart and you'll be gone to your existence."

"If that's what you want, but you won't like me when I get mad." Alycia's eyes turned dark and the veins from her eyes appeared, her fangs came out sharply, and just like that, a monster came out of her beautiful face.

***

Fleeing from Freymound Academy, he took Stella away and brought her somewhere he knows she would be safe. It is located in the middle of the forest, just a few meters away from the chieftain hall. There's a hidden treehouse above the branches that was built fifty years ago. It was his home, and no one knew about it even his human ally—Elius don't have an idea where it is located, but he knows he has a home somewhere in the forest.

From the dim corner of his space, he's watched her, waiting to get her consciousness back. For over the course of the years, he only wanted to help. He's not the bad guy, he's not a ripper anyone would think about.

He was just a vampire who wanted to live in normal life, but then they condemned his existence.

Hindi nagtagal ay unti-unti nagkakaroon ng malay si Stella. By the time she opened her eyes ay unang bumungad sa kanya ang dilim ng paligid. She's heard nothing but silence until she heard low breathing not far from where she is.

"You don't have to be afraid," he warned. His voice were deep, shy and timid. She couldn't even see his figure, the darkness covered him. "I'm not here to hurt you."

"W-Who are you?" she stuttered. "Why did you bring me here?"

"It's a long story..."

She creased her forehead and swallowed. "I-I love long stories," she mumbled. "Who are you? Can you please come closer to the light so I can see your face?"

"Just don't shout or get scared, okay?" babala muli nito. Napatango na lamang si Stella.

He then slowly move towards to the light—coming from the moon. Ang unang inaasahan niyang makikita ay ang hindi kaaya-aya nitong pagmumukha pero sa kakaunting liwanag ay naaninag niya ng maayos ang pagmumukha niyo. He doesn't looked like a monster at all.

"Sorry if I brought you here. But you knew Elius, right?" he asked, Stella nodded. "He has a lot of stories to tell and I do too. You're a journalist and could help me to prevail against the insanity of this town. Help me to save it."

"W-What are you talking about?"

"The prosperity they were talking about isn't gonna hold this town. Hundred of creatures will come to hunt everybody... and when that happened, there will be no memento this town will be left."

"I still don't get you..."

"You can help us and me to save this town... and also from her," He said, convincing her but then he thought it was too much for her so she's not following him. On the other hand, she received a message.

Stella read the message and it came from Ully. And when she's done reading it, her face plastered with worry.

"What does it say?"

"He says... may umatakeng mga bampira sa kanila sa isang bar. He mentioned they were Alycia and Reubert."

"Shit," he hissed. "I need to see them now," he said but before that, Stella caught his hand and he looked back at her. "I need to go alone. You'll be safe here. At least, just for the night."

She nodded and assured by his gestures. "Would you please tell me your name?"

"Edmond," he responded and right after, he vanished.

Mabilis namang napaisip si Stella sa pagpapakilala ng lalaking iyon. She had heard it but maybe some way similar to it. Hindi siya sigurado roon.

Hindi nagtagal ay mabilis na narating ni Edmond ang bar kung saan nangyari ang kaguluhan. And as expected when he came into the premises, he found the two rival vampires who tied two people on the chair.  It was Ully and his friend, Cornelius.

Mabilis na lumapit si Edmond kay Alycia, she gripped her neck against the wall. Ang inaasahan nito ay dapat masasaktan sa ginagawa ngunit tumawa pa ito sa kabila ng panggigigil ni Edmond sa kanya.

"Good to see you, Edmond," she smirked. "I've been waiting for this moment. It's been centuries. Why do you keep running away from me, huh?"

"You're the danger here, Alycia. I'm just keeping the place safe."

She laughed, evilly. "Wow! Parang ikaw pa ang nanirahan at ipinangak sa Freymount, where in fact, ikaw 'tong estranghero na nagdala muli ng kamalasan sa bayang ito."

"I didn't ask for it," he said, gritting his teeth. "But what I can do is to make this town safe from bad vampires like you."

"You can't stop me, Edmond. I'll be the one whose gonna stop you."

From that moment, Edmond didn't expect Reubert will attack behind his back. He pierced a wooden stake on his back and lose the grip on Alycia's neck. Stella kicked him and he flew across the room. They couldn't contain their happiness how they manifested their strength against him. It is like, this time, they are winning.

"And who do you say you are, Edmond?" Alycia challenged.

Pinilit ni Edmond ang bumangon. He didn't know how Alycia became stronger than him before. But on the other hand, everyone stopped as Ully raised his head from bowing down and somehow his eyes glowed in yellow. Alycia and Reubert looked at each other and immediately run off the premises. Not that long, Ully lost his consciousness again.

Edmond phased to Ully and helped him to get out of being tied, and also being done to Cornelius. He was so determined by what he sees.

He's coming out. He thought in his head. We'll be ready soon... I promise that.