Blood Menace

10- Self to Blame

Palakad-lakad si Cole habang nakakrus ang kanyang mga braso sa kanyang dibdib.

Tryx was tucking in Kam in her bed. Kakabalik lang nila sa dorm room ng mga ito five minutes ago habang naiwan si Nova sa pangangalaga ni Erick.

Kam turned twelve mortals today. Twelve evil mortals who will turn into twelve evil Turned vampires. If they were evil before, they would be ten times more evil as Turned. That was just how vampirism works. Lahat intensified.

Ang sabi ni Kam, one of the men they met at the club, Jack, brought them back at the academy gates. Para silang basura na itinapon doon.

And Jack chose not to be turned. Pinilit daw ito ng girlfriend at ni Leo pero matigas itong huminde.

Walang ingay na lumabas ng kwarto ni Kam si Tryx.

"How is she?" tanong ni Cole.

"Sleeping," pabagsak na umupo si Tryx sa couch. "Why did this happen? Kapag nalaman ito nina Mr. and Mrs. Caedis, lagot talaga."

Cole wanted to ask why. Pero alam niyang hindi magkukwento si Tryx. This was Kam's secret to tell.

"We have to tell Director Brisbois."

Bumuga ng hangin si Tryx. Namomroblema talaga ito. "We do. Anyways, thanks for being here, Cole. I didn't know you cared about Kam."

Wala sa oras na napaubo si Cole.

Cared? Masyado naman yatang over dramatic 'yun.

"I was just being a responsible classmate to her and Nova. Kaya wala 'yun."

Humikab si Tryx. "Alright. Whatever you say."

"I better go now. Sana magiging okay lang sila."

"Bye," matamlay na sabi ni Tryx na hindi tumayo kaya lumabas na si Cole ng kwarto.

Dumeretso siya sa kwarto nila ni Deus at nadatnan niya ang nakakatandang kapatid na seryosong nagbabasa ng textbook nito sa living room.

"Wala kayong study session?" tanong niya. Usually kasi, kasama nito sina Tiana, Auberon at Gaius sa pagri-review.

Walang sagot mula kay Deus.

"Deus!" malakas niyang sigaw kaya gulat na napatingin sa kanya ang kapatid.

"Cole! K-Kanina ka pa?" gulat at taranta nitong tanong saka isinara ang textbook.

Tumayo si Deus at nagtungo sa maliit nilang kitchen at kumuha ng tubig kaya nasundan ito ni Cole ng tingin.

"What's wrong?" nag-alala naman siya bigla. Hindi normal kay Deus ang maging lutang.

"Nothing's wrong," sagot nito sabay hinga ng malalim.

"Deus, should Malik and I sneak on you and let him read your mind? I don't wanna do that but you have to tell us if you have a problem."

Tumangu-tango naman ito. "I'm sorry. I'm just confused. I saw Auberon and Gaius in the library. They were... hugging each other."

Kumunot naman agad ang noo niya. "Uhm... they're siblings so..." yeah, he didn't know what to say. Gaius was not a hugging kind of guy. Malamig pa ito sa freezer.

"It looked like an intimate hug."

Hindi alam ni Cole kung ano ang isasagot. Kahit na lumaking magkapatid ang dalawa, hindi pa rin magkadugo ang mga ito.

Deus groaned at messed his hair up. "Ano ba itong pinag-iisip ko? Why would I even think that my bestfriend would stab me in the back? I'm just being ridiculous."