✔ How To Tame A Succubus

[24] Merlin

"So, Nian is actually like, what? 30 years old? Dude, even that doesn't make any sense. Baka naman mali ang nakita mo sa reenactment ritual?" Johannes said before taking a sip on his second glass of brandy. "Alam mo naman ang mga lumang spell books, they be all powerful and shit but they're prone to mess with your head... You know what I'm taking about, right?"

Tinitigan ko lang ang alak sa harapan namin. Hindi pa rin nababawasan ang laman ng baso ko. Drinking alcohol isn't something unfamiliar to me, but I'm in no mood tonight. Hanggang ngayon, kahit na sinubukang gamutin nina Johannes at Vela ang likod ko (with a mixture of magic and first aid), hindi pa rin nawawala ang sakit.

"I've seen her enough times in the past four years to recognize her features, Johannes. Hindi ko rin maintindihan ang mga nangyayari rito, pero kailangan kong linawan ang lahat ng ito... I won't let the person who killed my brother go unpunished. I've planned my revenge for the past ten years---"

"And yet, all your plans are crumbling before your eyes."

Tumalim ang mga mata ko kay Johannes. Mukha namang hindi siya apektado nito at nagpatuloy lang sa pag-inom. "Truth hurts, but that's just something we all need to accept, Merlin. Hindi lahat ay aayon sa mga plano natin. Sometimes we just need to live with it and see where the flow of events take us."

"Wow. Bakit nga ulit kita kaibigan?"

"Di ko rin alam. If I knew you were this problematic, matagal na sana akong nagpa-refund sa tadhana."

We both laughed at that. And it felt---dare I say it---good to finally be able to talk about these things with him.

I guess everything in the past 24-hours finally took it's toll on me---the payment to the Supplier, the ritual, the spells, and the attack.

Nanghihina pa rin ang katawan ko kahit pa nakaidlip na rin ako kanina. Tuluyan nang nawalan ng epekto ang pills at bumalik na sa dati ang mga hitsura namin. It served its purpose, though. Johannes was able to smuggle us into the casino undetected by the other wizards who're regulars here.

I can't imagine going through another fight anyway, not after almost dying a while ago.

Sa tabi ko, napansin kong tahimik lang na nanonood ng television si Vela. Sa tulong ni Johannes, napabalik na rin namin ang boses niya. I took a moment to stare at her profile, the brown hair earlier made her look more human. Ngayong bumalik na sa dati nitong kulay ang kanyang buhok, I realized black suits her better.

And that's the thing about Vela---she was never one to shy away from her true nature. Accepting who she is. Confidently knowing what she wants.

Naalala ko na naman na kamuntikan na siyang napahamak kanina.

"Lambkin, are you---?"

My stomach growled. It was loud enough to be noticeable, that's for sure.

'Shit. Bakit ngayon pa?'

Napalingon sa'kin ang succubus at ngumiti nang nakakaloko. "Aw, did staring at me for too long made you hungry, dear? Sana sinabi mo agad! I could've fed all your deepest and kinkiest desires..."

"I like you better when you were silent."

"So, you admit you like me?"

She started crawling towards me on the couch. Slow and sensual movements that would make any human delirious with lust. Hindi ako nag-iwas ng tingin nang tuluyan na siyang pumaibabaw sa'kin. Lumawak ang kanyang ngiti na mukhang may masamang balak. Hindi ako umimik nang bumulong si Vela sa tainga ko.

Vela's eyes sparkled in mischief, like a child given sweets before dinner.

"Are you finally done rejecting me, Merlin? Hmm. Naging tao ka na ba, at naaakit ka na sa'kin?"

Three, two, one...

"WOY! RATED SPG 'YAN! KUNG GAGAWA KAYO NG MILAGRO, 'WAG DITO SA OPISINA KO!"

I hushed him and gestured to the unconscious Geniana who laid on the couch across from ours.

At dahil natigilan rin si Vela sa naging reaksyon ni Johannes, it gave me just enough time to grab her wrists and laugh at her shocked face. I gently pushed her off me, grinning at how annoyed she looked.

"Okay lang 'yan. Konti na lang at malapit na ako."

Eyes sparkled again.

"Malapit ka nang bumigay sa'kin~?"

"Hindi," paglilinaw ko at tumayo. "Konti na lang at malapit na akong himatayin sa gutom. Yow, dude! Got some pasta in your kitchen?"

Vela frowned.

Johannes sipped another glass and waved us off. "Yeah, go ahead. But hey, don't do anything nasty in there! Keep it PG-13!"

I rolled my eyes. At dahil wala na rin namang choice si Vela, she followed me into the adjacent room where Johannes' personal kitchen is. Sa dami ng pagkakataong tumatambay ako sa opisina niya, ngayon ko lang talaga na-appreciate ang kaartehan niyang maglagay ng kusina rito.

Habang nagluluto ng pasta, himalang tahimik lang akong tinititigan ni Vela. Nagpokus na lang ako sa ginagawa ko. Moments later while I was chopping some parsley, she finally decided to break the silence.

"Hey, Merlin! Bakit ba hindi ka naaakit sa'kin?"

"Are you really curious, or is it just your succubus ego speaking?"

Vela looked murderous. I laughed and garnished the two plates of pasta with parsley. I slid one in front of her and took a seat. Sinimulan ko nang kumain pero mukhang wala pa rin sa mood si Vela. Nang mapansin kong hindi niya pa rin ginagalaw ang pagkain niya, I lifted my fork and brought it to her lips.

"Fettuccine Alfredo. Try it."

She didn't.

"We don't eat human food, wizard."

"In training," I added before taking my fork away. Nang tapos na akong kumain, hindi ko maiwasang pansinin ang pagiging tahimik ni Vela. Hindi ko alam pero kanina pa ako may kutob dito. Earlier, she was "watching TV" but I can clearly tell her mind was elsewhere, drifting into who-knows-what thoughts she had.

"May problema ba?"

Matagal bago sumagot si Vela.

"Nakuha mo ang Grimoire of Forbidden Spells sa kapatid mo, 'di ba? Was it some kind of family heirloom?"

I put the fork down on my plate. I should've known she'd be curious with this, lalo't hindi siya makapagsalita noong pumunta kami sa dati naming bahay. Huminga ako nang malalim at sumandal sa upuan, the chain between us glowed under the table.

"Magic runs in our blood. That's why when my mother chose to marry an ordinary man and give up her witch education, kamuntikan na siyang na-disown ng mga lolo't lola namin. Pero dahil naging tradisyon nang ipasa ang Grimoire sa 'pinaka-gifted' sa bawat henerasyon, namana pa rin ito ni mama. She hated that thing and we didn't even know of its existence until Meric turned twelve, when he was first showing signs of magical talent. It was inevitable, my mother soon realized.

At first my brother didn't want to study magic, but my parents insisted him to. Just because of that damned book, he finally accepted it. I, on the otherhand, desperately just wanted to live a normal human life. Noong namatay ang mga magulang namin, sinubukan kong kumuha ng scholarships sa Eastwood. Alam ng kapatid ko na ayokong sumunod sa yapak niya o mag-aral sa Nightspell, and he respected that. So when he was murdered that night, I..."

Damn. Why am I even telling her all this? Hindi naman niya ako maiintindihan. Hindi ko namalayang nakakuyom na pala ang mga kamay ko.

But to my surprise, Vela was still listening. Her eyes bore into my very soul, and it felt as if she wanted to tell me something too.

"You were young, alone, and left with no choice. In order to get your revenge, you had to follow in the footsteps your brother left. Fit in his shoes and walk his path. Am I right?"

Silence.

I avoided her gaze and silently took our plates to the sink.

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