Embracing the Burning Passion

16: Attack

Pagkatapos nilang bumisita at kausapin ang buong pack ay napagdesisyunan nilang umuwi muna at asikasuhin ang paglilipat. Ilang araw na rin silang malayo sa kanilang pack at hindi na kumportable si Alpha Ashton na malayo sa kan'yang asawa. Gustong magpaiwan ni Blake pero hindi siya pinayagan ng Alpha. Hindi rin ako pumayag dahil ano naman ang gagawin niya rito?

Nang makaalis sila at makausap ang pamilya ko at bumalik din ako sa tinitirhan kong malapit lang sa aking bar. Ilang araw akong hindi nakabisita roon at walang balita bukod sa paminsan-minsang text sa akin ni Arthur. Malaki naman ang tiwala ko sa mga empleyado ko pero mas mapapanatag ako kung naroon ako mismo sa lugar at nagtatrabaho.

Pagpasok ko pa lang sa loob ay napansin kong kakaunti lang ang tao sa loob. Mag-a-alas onse na. Dapat ay pasimula nang dumadami ang tao pero ngayon kaya nakakapagtakang hindi masyadong puno ang lugar. Maging sina Arthur ay hindi busy sa counter.

"Good evening, Ma'am," bati niya sa akin nang tumabi ako sa kan'ya.

"Kakaunti lang ang tao ngayon ah. May kakumpitensya na ba tayong bar at doon na sila tumatambay?" pabiro kong tanong.

"Hindi po, Ma'am. Ang rinig ko mula sa ibang costumer, maraming natatakot na lumabas dahil sa naririnig nilang mga atake. May iilang nabalita kasing nawawala at natagpuang patay nitong nakaraang apat na araw. Malapit lang sa lugar natin kaya mas nag-iingat sila ngayon," paliwanag niya.

My expression turned grim. Malayo ang pack ni Evren mula rito. Hindi ko inaasahang umabot na rito ang sinasabi nilang atake. Kung ganoon, masyadong seryoso na ito at kailangan ng aksyunan.

"Anong dahilan daw ng pagkamatay? O paano pinatay ang mga biktima?" seryoso kong tanong.

"Ang sabi, may kagat daw. Dalawang butas sa leeg. Biro nga nila, baka raw bampira ang may gawa no'n. Bukod kasi sa kagat, sobrang putla ng mga biktima. Parang inubusan ng dugo."

Kung ganoon ay tama nga ako. Umabot na dito ang sinasabing atake ni Evren. Pero ang nakakapagtaka, bakit meron dito pero sa ibang lugar, wala?

"Baka hindi muna tayo magbukas simula bukas. Mas prayoridad natin ang kaligtasan ng costumers natin. Hangga't may mga balitang ganito, ayaw kong lumalabas sila para lang mapuntahan ang bar natin. Baka may mangyari sa kanila pag-uwi o kahit ang papunta pa lang dito. Don't worry. You'll still be paid."

Ngumiti si Arthur saka tumango. Ilang oras pa, medyo dumami na ang tao. Hindi nga lang katulad noon pero mayroon pa rin. Hindi ko maiwasang kabahan dahil nandito sila. Alam kong business 'to... pero kapag ganitong pagkakataon na hindi namin alam kung anong nasa labas at kung ligtas bang makakauwi ang lahat, hindi ko maiwasang mangamba. I don't want any human to be involved with creatures like us... creatures who are not ordinary people.

And it was almost two in the morning when I felt something strange. Walang ibang hybrid sa loob ng bar at kung meron man, dapat kanina ko pa iyong napansin. But this... There is something weird happening. Nanimbalot ang aking balahibo habang pilit inaamoy kung ano iyong masangsang na amoy na napapansin ko. Alam kong wala iyon sa loob dahil hindi matapang ang amoy para mapansin din ng mga ordinaryong taong nandito sa bar.

Nangunot ang noo ko at nagpaalam kay Arthur. Masama ang pakiramdam ko tungkol dito. Hindi pangkaraniwang ang amoy na iyon at may posibilidad na isa iyon sa mga suspek sa atake.

I wanted to contact Jacques, but I have to confirm my speculation first. I can't have him running from his pack to here for nothing, especially now that he's busy.

Dinala ako ng mga paa ko sa labas ng bar. Walang tao bukod sa security. I thought I would end up in the parking lot, but the scent only got stronger when I walked towards the back of the building.

Of course... If you want to kill someone, you'd choose a place that people rarely visit.

Malakas ang kabog ng puso ko habang dahan-dahang naglalakad papunta roon. Mas nagiging matapang ang masangsang na amoy habang papalapit ako kaya siguradong nandito iyon...

From a distance, I can hear someone's heavy breathing. There was a sound of someone whimpering and a sound of an animalistic growl. Pakiramdam ko ay lalabas na ang puso ko sa kaba habang magagaan ang lakad papunta sa likod. I only stopped walking when I could see them.

I could see them.

My breathing stopped when I actually saw the vampire sucking the blood out of its human victim. Pakiramdam ko ay biglang nag-shut down ang utak ko nang makita ang nangyayari.

Walang buhay nang nakahiga sa lupa ang isang babae, may kagat sa leeg at maputla. Habang ang isang kasama niyang lalaki ay kasalukuyang pinagpepyestahan ng... bampira...

Its eyes snapped to me, as if it could feel my presence immediately. My breathing hitched when its black eyes stared at mine. I could see no emotion- no soul- in it. It looked like a living corpse. Literally. Kung gaano kaganda tignan ang mga bampirang nakatira sa Vampire World ay ganoon naman kapangit ng itsura ng bampirang nasa harapan ko ngayon. Halos buto na ang katawan at hindi pangkaraniwang ang kaputlaan. Its long, sharp fangs look out of place of its deranged body.

"Fuck," I breathed and moved. My eyes immediately turned gold as I shifted into my wolf form.

The vampire smirked and threw the lifeless body of its victim to the ground. I was late, but I am not yet late in killing this crazy shit.

Bago pa man ako makalapit ay bigla rin siyang lumayo sa akin. Naging matunog ang paghalakhak nito sabay luwa ng dugong kinuha niya mula sa biktima. I growled, and it laughed louder. I lunged onto it but it moved away.

"An Alpha female..." Its voice was rough and groggy, almost unrecognizable.

My wolf growled again.

"Shush. Do you want the humans to hear you?" it mocked.

The thing looked weak but it moves faster than any usual being... like a vampire. I couldn't comprehend how this kind of creature-weak-looking-can move swiftly like an air. Looks can be deceiving, and this vampire is proving it.

"H'wag kang makialam. Gusto ko lang namang kumain," nanunuyang aniya.

My eyes glowed as I bare my fangs at him. I was mad. I was so mad that I blindly attacked the vampire. It tried to get away but I was faster than it. I was able to bit him and tear its arm, but it didn't scream in pain. Instead, it laughed hysterically.

"So tama nga sila. It's you... You're here," tila natutuwa niyang saad.

Hinihingal ako sa galit pero hindi ako gumalaw sa kinatatayuan. My big brown wolf stood in four paws while the thing's under me, an arm lost, already bleeding.

I growled. Baring my fangs, wanting to shut it up. Hindi ko siya maintindihan. It has been talking in riddles and I don't like it. It's like it knows something I don't- we don't.

"They'll come for you, Alpha Female... and our sacrifice will be worth it," nakangising aniya.

Sa sobrang inis ko ay pinatay ko siya. I tear him apart and I wasn't even sorry. My wolf was too angry to care.

I howled loudly and snapped my gaze to where an audience is watching. I felt it even before I attacked the vampire. It was just there... in the dark, watching. I couldn't see it despite my wolf's heightened senses. I only know it smells like the vampire I killed.

I felt it staring at me before disappearing. My wolf huffed. Something's telling me even if I try to go after it, I'll not catch the vampire. It felt way stronger than the one I killed. Something more... dangerous.

I shifted back to my human form and went to the backdoor where leads to my office. I was naked, and I can't let anyone see me like this.

After changing, I called Jacques and sent a distress signal through mindlink to my brother.

What happened has something to do with the ongoing investigation. This could lead us to somewhere... like finding out the real reason why this is happening.