The Evil's Bite

Kabanata 24

Dhampyr

Hindi ko alam kung bakit ko ito nararamdaman. Hindi ako makatulog dahil sa bigat at sakit na aking nararamdaman sa aking dibdib.

Kahit na ang bigat at ang sakit ng aking dinaramdam ay pinilit kong lumabas sa kwarto ni Matheus dahil sa pag-aakala kong ang kwartong iyon ang dahilan ng pagbigat ang aking pakiramdam. Hindi pala.

Batid ko'y hindi ako makakatulog ngayong gabi, hindi dahil sa ayaw ko kundi dahil sa dinaramdam ko ngayon, lubusan na akong pinagpapawisan. Nakayakap ako ngayon sa unan dahil sa sobrang bigat at sakit ng aking dibdib.

My chest continues to ache but I'm trying to ease by massaging my chest using my hand. Hindi ko mabatid kong bakit ko nararamdam Ito. Hindi man ito bago sa akin dahil sa pagkakaalala ko ay naramdaman ko rin ito noong araw na hinalikan ako ni Sebastian.

Akala ko ay magtatagal ang bigat at sakit na aking naramdam sa aking dibdib, ngunit naglaho ito pagkatapos ng ilang oras. I need to find Matheus. Kahit mabigat pa ang aking pakiramdam ay pinilit kong bumangon at tumayo. My vision is a bit blurry and I feel like I'm about to pass out when the door in my room suddenly opened. I hazily saw someone rushed to me.

"I'm sorry." He hugs me so tight at first but slowly loosen his hug like he realized something.

"Are you alright?" I can now clearly see his eyes. I can see that he's worried.

"No." I answered truthfully. Itutulak ko na sana siya nang bigla niya akong kinarga patungo sa kama.

"I-" Hindi na lamang nagprotesta sa ginawa nito. Pinaupo niya ako sa gilid ng kama at tinabihan niya ako. We are now facing each other.

"C-Can you please do something to cut or to end that mate thing?!" Begging. I am really begging right now. I'm not dumb, I know that this is related to a mate thing.

"I can't. No one can end it." Malamig na sagot nito.

"But I don't want to stay here..." Napayuko ako at malalim na huminga. "I can't—"

"Naiintindihan ko." Napaangat ako sa sinabi nito.

"I won't force you to be my queen or my wife. Alam ko na nakasanayan mo ang buhay sa mundo ng mga tao. I know you were shocked— I am sorry. But I want you to stay here for your safety. I can't protect you if you are far from me."

"Protect me? Para saan? Hindi ko kailangan ng proteksyon mo. Ang kailangan ko lang ay makauwi sa mundo ng mga tao kasama ang lola ko!" Hindi ko namalayan na tumaas na pala ang boses ko, pero wala akong pakialam.

He did not respond—he was staring at me. Something hot rushed into my veins.

I sighed. Was that a mate thing? I hate this!

"You're a dhampir. You're not safe in the mortal world. When the time comes... you'll crave for blood."

"What?" Sumasakit na ang ulo ko!

"Dhampir. It means half human and half vampire."

"Yeah! I know that I am not dumb! But me? Dhampir? Sabi mo bampira ako tapos ngayon dhampir? I don't think so! I am full blooded human, I can survive without blood. Nabuhay nga ako ng labing-walong taon na walang dugo!"

"You are a dhampir for now but you're going to be a vampire if you accept me as your mate. But I know you don't want me, I won't force you." Kalmadong sabi nito.

"Pero paanong naging dhampir ako? Ibig bang sabihin non ay isa sa magulang ko ay bampira?"

"Your mother was a dhampir and your grandmother is a vampire."

"Si lola? Pero bakit siya sa mundo ng mga tao nakatira?" Dahil ba kay lolo kung bakit mas pinili ni ang manatili sa mundo ng mga tao?

"Your grandma's mate was a human. She chose your grandfather over her family here." Bakit mas pinili ni lola si lolo kaysa sa pamilya niya?

"It's a mate thing, you can't understand." May kung tuno ng pagkasalita nito.

"Yeah, I can't."

"But why my grandmother never told me this? Baka gawa-gawa mo lang ito para hindi ako umalis sa mundong ito?"

He sighed. "No, but I will do anything to make you stay here. I don't care if you won't accept me as your mate but I want you to accept my offer to stay here. Don't you dare try to escape, it's not safe for you."

Tumayo na ito at nagtungo sa pintuan. Bago pa man siya tuluyang lumabas ay humarap ito pabalik sa direksyon ko. Parang may kung anong tinitignan ito sa direksyon ko.

Isang iglap ay isang dangkal na lamang ang distansya naming dalawa.

"Anong ginagawa mo." Sinubukan ko siyang itulak ngunit parang itong pader na hindi natitinag.

"Let me?" Hindi iyong simpleng tanong, parang nanghihingi ito ng permiso.

Napakunot ako ng aking nuo nang hindi ko makuha ang ibig sabihin nito.

I just gasped when he used his finger to tucked my hair in my ear. Ang aking buhok sa leeg ay dahan-dahang niyang pinalis gamit ang kanyang daliri patungo sa aking likod.

My neck is now exposed.

"W-What are you doing?" Parang bulong na lamang ang lumabas sa aking mga labi. Our faces are just inches away. I am staring at him, but he's not staring at me, instead he is staring at my neck. I don't know what's on my neck? Is he a maniac or craving for blood? Oh no!

I flinched when I felt his fingers caressing my neck. "It's still visible."

I saw him smirked when he said that. At ngayon at nagtagpo na ang mga mata naman.

"It's beautiful." He's not referring to me.

I don't know. There's something on him that I can't explain. His eyes makes me weak, his touch... it's feels familiar, so familiar. His lips... no...

Iniwas ko ang aking tingin doon at yumuko ngunit hinuli nito ang aking baba para i-angat ang aking paningin.

"Stop it," I told him when our eyes met again. I am trying to be strong, but why does he make me feel weak?

"Just look at me. I promise I won't take advantage of you. You can stare all you want, roam your eyes every inch of me. I don't care. Just don't ignore or fight that feeling you are having right now. You know I can feel it, and it hurts me if you try to deny that feeling. Just---" I heard him mutter a curse napahilamos at tumayo.

"I am sorry. Like I've said, I won't force you to accept me as your mate. Just stay here. Don't worry. I won't bug you every day. I have duties. Just stay here in my castle, you have your grandmother. You'll be safe here."