The Dark of You

Prologue

Aswang? Bampira? Serial Killer? O bagong uri ng sindikato nga ba?

Five missing persons now identified as vampire victims!

#PrayForNuevaEsperanza trends after the news on Dr. Ibarra's death.

Is it still safe to live in Nueva Esperanza?

Nueva Esperanza nababalot na ng kababalaghan!

Those were just a few of the topics circulating in Nueva Esperanza. Everyone is scared, a lot were killed yet the culprit behind it is still unknown.

Regina smirks when the woman she's been expecting enters the coffee shop and rushes towards the busy policeman at the other table.

The woman was Narda.

"Ano na ba ang balita? May bago na bang leads?" she heard her ask the police, undoubtedly someone close to her.

She knew this was going to happen, she has been following Narda's whereabouts for quite some time now, an obvious reason why she was here.

"Apparently, 'yung binalita kanina, hindi 'yun unang beses na nangyari 'yung ganung klaseng pagpatay—na tinatanggal ang puso nila. Meron ding nangyari noon pa na hindi lang naibalita. Malamang hinarang ni Mayor." The policeman answered as he handed over the files he was skimming.

Regina sat there still, listening to the conversation of the two; the police's anonymous informant who's the reason why the news about the vampire victims blew up, the recently reported dead bodies to which she took part, and the alarming ripped-off heart killings that were seen in the news about an hour ago—all clear to her even with her distance.

"Karamihan sa reported missing persons sa amin, lumalabas ngayon na patay na at pare-parehas lang ng mismong dahilan ng pagkamatay, naubusan ng dugo dahil sa pagkaka-kagat sa leeg nila."

"Labing-apat na ang namatay. At Nueva Esperanza pa lang ito 'di ba?"

"Oo, hindi pa kasama dyan 'yung napagusapan natin na pinatay naman sa ibang lugar. Hindi rin sigurado na labing-apat lang talaga. Baka mas marami pa."

"Hindi lang iisa ang gumagawa nito. Baka tatlo? Tatlong grupo. Pansinin mo Brian, dalawa 'yung paraan nila ng pagpatay: 'yung una, kumakagat lang sa leeg. Pero sa mga kumakagat sa leeg, may dalawa pang klase: ''yung una, puro babae lang ang binibiktima at 'yung isa naman—puro mga kabataan."

Hearing those from Narda made her smirk. It amazes her how eager this human is to know more about the killings, how obsessed she is with her, and the idea of what she is–a vampire.

It feels so nice knowing she is one of the reasons for Narda's sleepless nights.

"Itong pangalawa naman: 'yung binalita kanina, masyadong brutal ang pagpatay sa kanila. Sinasadya talaga na—na kunin 'yung puso sa katawan nila at—'yun mismo ang ikinamamatay nila." voice was shaking.

The look on Narda's face while saying those made her feel a different kind of pleasure. This ain't the first time she saw that look from her; it was the same expression she witnessed the time they had an encounter.

And that encounter was the reason why Narda became her obsession. Since that day, all she ever wanted was to get close to the human and she knows that just stalking her is not enough.

"Pero parang wala namang pattern sa killings, hindi tulad ng sa mga nauna. Parang kung matripan lang nila na kunin 'yung puso, 'yun na 'yon. Ganu'n sila kawalang-awa, Brian." 

And that's her cue.

She stood up, slowly clapping her hands as she approached the two.

"I must say, I am very impressed!" she said, receiving nothing from them but confused looks.

"Sorry, I can't help but listen to your conversation. I think you were right about your findings. I mean, there's no way na iisa lang ang gumawa ng lahat ng 'yun, right? And you also noticed their killing patterns." she still didn't earn an answer from the two, they probably were caught off guard.

It's fine, she wasn't expecting it anyway.

"Do you know what's common about the victims of the brutal killings?" She looked around before leaning towards them and whispered: "They are all... virgins."

She tried to hide her smile at Narda's priceless reaction to what she just revealed.

"You seem alarmed, lady. Are you still—"

"Sandali, paano mo naman nalaman ang bagay na 'yan? At teka, hindi ka dapat nakikisali sa usapan namin." The policeman interrupted. It made her giggle.

"Well, let's just say that like you, I am also interested in the reported killings. I did my own research." she winked and turned to Narda again.

Their eyes met.

One.

Two.

Five.

Five seconds lasted before they broke contact. Regina was the first one who looked away.

"Good luck. Sana makahanap pa kayo ng leads sa kaso." she turned her back on them and smirked.

It was just a joke, she wasn't serious about what she just said.

But it worked, didn't it?

Narda's conclusion on the killing patterns is not even that accurate.

What Regina wanted is for the human to get puzzled about her.

That was part of her plan.

But Narda ain't no ordinary human, she's a human with a Martean blood.

And the whole vampire clan is after her.

__________

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, events, and incidents are the products of the author's imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

The Dark of You | A Darlentina / Reginarda AU

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