Taming the Darkness (Series 3)

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

BILLIUS roared in fury when he found the car empty. Agad siyang binalot nang matinding pag-alala.

Narinig niya ang malakas na paghingi ng saklolo kanina ni Zenaia kaya agad siyang bumalik kung saan ito iniwan. He only left because he felt a familiar strong presence in this part of the woods and he knows who it is. Tiwala siya sa protective spell na inilagay ni Veseva kaya panatag siyang iniwan si Zenaia mag-isa. Pero pagkarating niya sa parte ng kakahuyang ito ay wala siyang naabutan na kahit sino.

He sniffed the air, he could only catch two strong scents; Zenaia's and a hybrid's. There is a particular scent only for hybrids that is why he knows that there was one in the area.

But why was there a hybrid? At sinong hybrid ito? For as far as he knows, there are just a few recorded hybrids existing right now, unless... it's one of Vein's experiments or, there are more hybrids out there, just keeping low profile.

Pinagmasdan niya ang kotse. There's a blood splatter on the side of his car, a deranged's. Mayroon ding nakakalat na abo sa paligid na nagsasabing may pumatay sa deranged na naroroon. Hindi niya maisip na si Zenaia ang gumawa niyon unless something else happened. Maari ring iyong hybrid ang pumatay sa deranged.

He clenched his teeth. He should've stayed beside her instead.

Hindi niya alam kung iniligtas lang ba si Zenaia ng hybrid at inilayo mula roon o, kalaban din ito.

He shouldn't have followed that presence. And speaking of that presence, he could also feel it here, it is very faint that he almost fail to notice it.

He gazed down at the ground and observe the pattern of dirt and dried leaves that have been slightly disturbed.

"He must be the one who took her and run away from here," gigil niyang sabi habang pinagmamasdan ang bahagyang bakat sa lupa na hindi magagawang makita ng ordinaryong mga mata lamang. Doon din patungo ang amoy ni Zenaia na unti-unti na ring nawawala.

He went back to the car and opened it to get his phone to call king Rex before moving out to search for her. Saka niya nakita ang sirang seatbelt. He growled angrily and picked up the broken belt where he could smell the scent that is much stronger inside. Dumiin ang pagkakahawak niya roon.

"Sin of Gluttony..." he hissed, his eyes turning into the shade of gold. "That bastard... I thought he's in Australia."

**

ILANG beses nang nakaikot sa kabuuan ng madilim na kuwarto si Zenaia pero wala siyang makitang ibang dadaanan bukod sa pintuan na naroon kung saan lumabas ang bampira. Ni wala man lang kahit maliit na bintana. She anxiously bite on her fingernails. Ni hindi rin niya alam kung ilang oras na siyang nakakulong sa loob ng kuwartong iyon. At malamang sa nag-aalala na nang sagad si Billius---well, that's what she'd like to think.

Literal na napatalon siya nang pabalyang bumukas ang pintuan. Tumama iyon sa pader dahilan upang maglikha nang nakabibinging ingay. Pumasok doon ang bampira na kumidnap sa kaniya. He approached her with quick long strides which made her step back away from him, her heart starting to pound against her chest with undeniable fear. Walang hirap siya nitong nalapitan at hinablot muli sa braso. Kinilabutan siya dahil sa sobrang lamig ng kamay nito na tila isang bakal sa tigas.

"S-Saan mo ako dadalhin? Anong gagawin mo sa akin?" Nahihintakutan niyang tanong. She tried to plant her feet firmly on the ground to stop him from moving her.

Hindi ito sumagot bagkus, ay kinaladkad lamang siya nito palabas ng kuwarto.

"Just keep your mouth shut!" he snapped at her.

'Ah, this one really has an attitude problem,' Hindi niya mapigilang maisip.

Nang makalabas sila sa loob ng kuwartong iyon ay bumungad sa kaniya ang isang madilim na pasilyo. Walang ilaw roon kung kaya't hindi niya makita ang dinadaanan nila. Ilang beses tuloy siyang napapatid samantalang dirediretso lamang ang bampira sa paglalakad at tila walang pakialam na nahihirapan siya. He has an enhanced eye sight, a reason why he doesn't have any difficulty seeing in the darkness. As for her, she felt like she had temporarily became blind.