A The Mark Of A Stallion Novel:CLAIMING THE VIRGIN'S BLOOD (Published)

Chapter 2.2

Tagaytay City, Philippines. July, 2015. Nine o' clock in the morning.

Sandro smiled contentedly. He was satisfied with the work of the advertising company that he had contracted to promote Montreal Museum. It was a full page advertisement of the new collections in the museum highlighting of course, the Viking drinking horn. He knew that few days from now, more calls from different institutions particularly schools and universities will swarm the museum's marketing office for reservations. Alam nyang ilang buwan lang at mababawi na niya ang nagastos sa ilang buwang paglilibot sa buong northern Europe kasama na ang halagang ipinambili niya ng mga bagong collections.

Dinarayo hindi lang sa buong Pilipinas ang Montreal Museum. Maging ang mga taga-ibang bansa ay pumupunta rito upang makita ang kakaibang koleksyon ng mga nagdaang panahon. He was personally managing his business. He only had one assistant to take over just in case he was abroad. He had few personnel in the marketing and accounting office and he just contracted two agencies for janitorial and security services. Big time na maituturing ang business niya pero konti lang ang expenses kumpara sa ibang klase ng negosyo. Lumalaki lang ang gastos niya kapag pumupunta siya sa ibang bansa para mamili ng pandagdag sa kanyang koleksyon. But he was doing it once or twice a year only. The other trips were purely for pleasures.

Few months ago, he had his mansion built few meters away from the museum. It was also perched inside the Montreal property. Kung pupunta ang isang turista sa People's Park o kaya naman ay sa Tagaytay Highlands, hindi maaaring hindi madadaanan ang pag-aari niyang ito na nasa kahabaan ng Sungay Road, Tagaytay. Mula sa mataas na kinalalagyan ng kanyang lupain ay kitang-kita ang napakagandang tanawin ng Taal lake at Taal volcano. This breathtaking view was known as 'the lake within a lake'.

Lumabas siya ng kanyang fully-air conditioned office room na nasa loob ng museum. Gusto niyang sumagap ng sariwang hangin. Masyadong malamig na kapag ganitong buwan ng Hulyo sa Tagaytay lalo pa at ang kanyang lugar ay nasa medyo elevated area. Isang dahilan din ang malamig na klima kung bakit pinagdarayo ang kanyang museum. Nananaig ang malamig na hangin sa sikat ng araw, masarap ito sa pakiramdam sa balat. It was clear and unpolluted.

He breathed a sigh while his eyes surveyed his kingdom. His land property in this place was around 200 hectares. The Montreal Museum was doing well aside from his other businesses making his name listed in the country's Ten Most Eligible Billionaires. And he was not only rich and famous, he was also described in the local and international magazines and articles as hot and devilishly handsome. But one rumor was already attached to his name Sandro Montreal, that he was an insatiable stallion. A lot of women were swooning and gushing him. Some even chased him.

He was thirty years old and no family of his own. But at his age, he had a great deal with different women for the most part of his adult life. Nakaligtaan ba niya ang paghahanap ng babaeng magiging kasama habambuhay o was he not really a marrying type? Kung bakit kasi sa dami ng babaeng nagdaan sa buhay niya ay wala siyang napili isa man sa mga ito upang pakasalan. He hadn't felt the need to take his relationships seriously. He chose to be contented with flings and one-night stands. He convinced himself that women and relationships were meant for temporary happiness. And with his money and stature, there's no reason for him to be alone and lonely.

Tinungo niya sa di kalayuan ang kuwadra ni Sleipner, ang kanyang Icelandic gray horse. Inilabas niya ito sa kwadra matapos hagpusin ng ilang beses ang malago at maganda nitong mane. He mounted on the back of the horse. Sleipner walked graciously. Maglilibot sila sa paligid ng malawak na Montreal property as their habit every morning.

Naramdaman niya ang paglapit ni Gab, ang kanyang assistant manager. "We are fully booked for the whole month of July, Sandro," panimula nito. They called each other in their first names. Sa tagal ng pagsasama nila bilang magkaibigan at magkatuwang sa museum, parang magkapatid na ang kanilang turingan. And he liked his hardwork and dedication. Mahusay at mapapagkatiwalaan ito. "For the first and second week, six state universities and colleges plus twelve private elementary and high schools will visit the museum. Then, a group of foreign bloggers, archeologists and historians were scheduled for the third week to see your latest collections. On the third week, there will be interviews to be conducted by two biggest tv networks in the country. The last week will be the start of the shooting of a Hollywood paranormal movie here, it will take around two to three weeks."

"Wow!" he remarked. "Do we need to ask for additional security and janitorial personnel from agencies?"

"Definitely. But I will take charge of it."

"Job well done, Gab. Iyan ang gusto ko sa iyo, maaasahan ka lagi."

"Mukhang suwerte ang silver horn na nabili mo sa Denmark, Sandro. Mula nang dumating iyon dito ay hindi na tayo na-zero sa mga guests. Bawing-bawi mo na ang lahat ng expenses mo in just two months."

He cracked up. Mukhang may katotohanan ang mga sinabing iyon ng kaibigan. Ang silver horn ang pangunahing dahilan kung bakit pinagdarayo ang museum ngayon. Ang diumano'y sumpang bumabalot dito na ginamit naman niyang attraction upang kasabikan ito ng mga tao, gayundin ang magandang disenyo nito kabilang na ang mga mamahaling bato na nakapalamuti rito. He suddenly remembered Mr. Knudsen, the antique shop owner who told him about the curse of the horn. Mukhang kabaligtaran ang mga nangyayari ngayon sa kanyang negosyo. Then he wondered if the horn gave him the same fortune?

Gab politely excused himself and left. He heaved a sigh of relief. Now that everything seemed alright, it's time to focus on his other plan. The main reason why he cancelled his other trips in northern Europe and immediately returned to the Philippines. He called it Oplan Yvonne.

Actually, pagkadating na pagkadating niya sa Pilipinas, agad niyang tinawagan si Zach Santana upang tulungan siya na makontak ang babaeng gumugulo ngayon sa kanyang puso't isipan, si Yvonne Mitchell. Ngunit napag-alaman niyang kasalukuyang nasa Paris pala sito kasama si Lei. Sinubukan din niyang kontakin si Mia sa pamamagitan ng social media accounts nito ngunit kung sa anong dahilan ay tila dinededma siya ng half-sister na ito ni Lei.

He shrugged his shoulders. Anyway, maliit lang naman ang Pilipinas. And there were many ways to find a person if one really wanted. Pasasaan ba at mahahanap din niya ang Yvonne Mitchell na ito.

Ilang dipa lang ang layo niya sa museum kung kaya nakikita niya ang pagpasok sa higanteng gate ng limang tourist bus. Sa unahan ng bawat bus ay may banner na nakakabit. Ateneo De Manila University Field Trip.

Wala sa loob na minasdan niya ang mga estudyante sa kolehiyo na nagbababaan sa mga sasakyan. Mga lalaki at babae ang mga ito, at may mangilan-ngilang guro na kasama. Tahimik lang siyang nagmasid. It was just an ordinary view for him but not boring. Sanay na siya sa mga estudyanteng maiingay na dumarating at umaalis sa kanyang museum. Magsasalimbayan ang mga sitsit, saway at galit ng mga guro at minsan ng mga magulang sa mga estudyanteng makukulit. Papasok ang mga ito sa loob ng tatlong palapag na museum at mamamangha sa mga kakaibang koleksyon ng kanyang mga magulang kabilang na rin ang sa kanya. Pagkaraan ng dalawa o tatlong oras ay magsasawa rin ang mga ito pagkatapos ay magpapahinga o kakain sa malaking restaurant na nasa loob ng museum o di kaya ay mamamasyal sa paligid habang sinusuyod ng mga mata ang magagandang landscape na gawa ng mga kilalang landscape artist sa bansa.

Pabalik na sana siya sa kwadra upang painumin si Sleipnir nang mapukaw ang pansin niya ng kahulihang estudyante na kasalukuyang bumababa mula sa panglimang bus. He blinked his eyes several times. His heart suddenly thumped faster on his chest. What the heck?

This was the woman he had been planning to look for. Though it had been few months since the last time he saw her, he couldn't be wrong. Her pristine beauty was still familiar to him. Her long blonde hair that was billowing behind her back like a silky bandana, deep cerulean eyes, smooth white skin and slim but curvaceous body that had long been haunting and torturing his many sleepless snights. My God! How could she be so beautiful? How could she be so sexually attractive? His lethal weapon automatically sprung the moment she stepped out of the bus.

Yvonne Mitchell was here right now. Hindi na niya ito kailangang hanapin pa. She was here in his kingdom, walking graciously on his territory like a wild dream, a very beautiful dream that he would love to chase forever.