✔ How To Tame A Succubus

[14] Vela

Well, if I knew Merlin had this wild side to him earlier, baka hindi na ako naghintay ng summoning spell para puntahan siya.

"JUMP!"

He's nuts. Undeniably and irresistibly out of his mind for jumping out of a castle window and dragging me with him.

But I don't mind. In fact, he looks hotter when he's crazy. O baka ganito lang talaga ang type ko sa mga lalaki? Yung akala mo green flag pero red talaga sa loob. Parang pakwan lang.

From behind us, I can hear the crowd of trolls and wizards on the chase. Masyado na akong abala sa pagtakbo at sa pag-appreciate ng init ng kamay ng wizard in training na nakahawak sa'kin. Noong nakalabas na kami sa kastilyo ng Nightspell, sinalubong kami ng lamig ng gabi at ilang floating lanterns na hugis pusa. I can almost hear these creepy cat lights meowing at me when we passed by!

"At paano tayo babalik ng Eastwood?"

I called out, hating the way my feet already hurt. Can you really blame me? Naka-heels ako! At hindi ideal ang tumakbo nang naka-heels sa damuhan. Every girl knows that. It's complete torture, and I vow to get back on my wizard for making me run a mile here!

"Through a portal, lambkin. Wala namang ibang paraan para makalabas sa dimensyon ng Nightspell."

I rolled my eyes despite our situation.

"Nasa kabilang direksyon ang portal na pinasukan natin! Nasobrahan ka na ba sa alak?"

He looked at me over his shoulder and grinned.

"Who said that's the only one?"

Okay, he looks sexier with this mischievous side. Inaamin ko na. In fact, it turns me on even more. I licked my lips, being denied for so long. Nang mapansin siguro ni Merlin na may puso na ang mga mata ko sa kanya, he sighed and quickly dismissed it.

"Stop looking at me like that."

"Like what?"

"Like you want to undress me this instant. Alam mo naman sigurong nasa panganib pa tayo, hindi ba?"

"Kapag wala na ba tayo sa panganib, magpapaakit ka na sa'kin?"

"Fuck."

"Me."

"VELA!"

"Yes, daddy?"

He glared at me while I smirked. Mark my words, this mortal will succumb to my will.

Hindi nagtagal, nakarating na rin kami sa portal na tinutukoy niya. It was hidden behind a couple of bushes on the outskirts of the castle. Malapit lang ito sa isang patag na lupain na may mga dummy at target na nakaukit sa mga puno. Mukhang dito nagte-training ang mga witch at wizard wanna-be's ng Nightspell. Beside me, Merlin was crouched down, busy uncovering the portal that was hidden by the leaves and murmuring a spell I couldn't comprehend.

"I discovered this by accident. Ang hinala namin ni Johannes ay ginamit ito ng ilang mga pasaway na estudyanteng gustong mag-cutting sa klase nila. The professors don't know about this, so they won't try to block the transmission through this portal, unlike the main entrance we used earlier," he explained.

Maya-maya pa, lumiwanag ang maliit na portal na nakaukit sa lupa. Light swirled within the circle like liquid, urging us to pass through.

Merlin took my hand and led me first.

'What a gentleman, indeed. Maginoo, pero excited na akong makita siyang bastos.'

I internally laughed like a mad woman before I passed through the portal. Soon after, Merlin followed and we emerged back at that park in Eastwood. Para kaming iniluwa ng lupa, katabi ng malaking puno ng acacia sa sentro ng plaza. Night Raven ang tawag nila sa lugar na ito, kung tama ang pagkakaalala ko.

"Well, that was fun. Ito na ba ang parteng hahalikan mo ako o papakawalan mo ako?" I sarcastically said and glanced at my companion.

Nakahilig na ang ulo ni Merlin sa puno, his eyes closed as he breathed heavily. Muntikan na akong naawa sa kanya kung hindi lang dumako ang mga mata ko sa polo niyang babad na sa pawis. The outline of his muscular chest and torso visible from this angle, as the perspiration made the material cling on to him like second skin. Napakagat na lang ako ng labi.

"You look quite uncomfortable in those clothes, darling. Want me to help you out of them?" I purred.

He frowned at my attempt.

"Tama ka na. Let's just go home.. With the entire wizarding community chasing after us, we don't have much time."

"Aren't you gonna miss Nightspell, though?"

I honestly don't know why I asked and why I care.

"Never had any attachments with that school. Wala na rin naman akong balak bumalik at paniguradong nai-disqualify na nila ako hindi lang sa scholarship, kung 'di pati sa completion ceremony next month. With the commotion I caused, everyone in that realm probably hates me right now." With difficulty, Merlin stood on his feet and dusted off his crimson robe. "You see, I've learned to accept the worst case scenarios, so that nothing can disappoint me anymore."

Hindi na ako nagsalita.

Hindi ako tao, at hindi ako kailanman magiging tao...pero matagal ko nang kilala ang mga tao dahil trabaho kong kilalanin ang kanilang mga emosyon. And I'm not even talking about the lust and deepest desires, but the ones that people try to hide from plain sight. At kahit na anong pagrarason o pangga-gaslight ang gawin ni Merlin sa kanyang sarili, I know for a fact that he's miserable. He wanted that life---a life where he accepted that scholarship and graduated Nightspell to be a formal wizard.

And a small part of him still do.

Pero ipinagpalit niya ang lahat ng iyon sa kagustuhan niyang makapaghiganti. He carefully crafted a mask to keep not only others out, but to keep his real emotions in...

Chained, bound, forgotten.

I feel sorry for him, really. And maybe that sympathy is the reason why I didn't open up the topic of releasing me from our magical chain again. Hinayaan ko na siyang tangayin ako sa isang taxi. Hinayaan ko siyang makaidlip sa byahe nang hindi ko ginagambala o sinusubukang buksan ang zipper ng pantalon niya (sorry, succubus habits).

I sighed.

"This is just too much for a succubus."

"Losing your touch already?"

Napapitlag ako nang marinig ko ang boses ng taxi driver. I squinted at his face, trying to get a clearer view of him from the rearview mirror but it was too dark. Mahinang natawa ang driver at ipinagpatuloy, "Creatures like you aren't meant to be chained, Vela. Nangyayari na ang ikinakatakot mo, unti-unti nang humihina ang kapangyarihan mo bilang isang succubus...and you know very well that your power ties to your own existence."

Chills ran up my spine.

"P-Paano mo alam 'to?!"

"Shhh," he placed a finger to his lips. "You don't want to wake up the wizard, do you? Alam kong hanggang ngayon ay gusto mong lutasin ang sarili mong misteryoso---kung bakit 'immune' sa charms mo ang lalaking 'yan. We both know that he's the reason why you're suffering right now, depraved and barely even surviving."

Napahalukipkip ako.

It's useless denying what he just said... Because he's right. Hindi ko maipagkakailang humihina na ang influence ko dahil sa kontrata at kadena ko kay Merlin. At the same time, I am dying to know how he escapes my seduction. Because if I can't seduce anyone and I can't seduce him, then why am I even a succubus? This makes my head hurt.

"And what do you propose I do, Mr. Taxi driver?"

I can almost hear him smirk at my question.

"Let's make a deal..."

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