Taming the Vampire

CHAPTER FORTY

M I L L E R

"Why are you trembling there?" I whispered to Kristoff with my lips tight, trying to appear quiet. Of course, he did not reply. Mukhang ayaw niyang magkamali sa harap ni Mateo kaya naman nang makita niya na palapit ito sa akin ay pumunta siya sa gilid. He also slightly bowed his head.

"What are you doing here?" tanong sa akin ni Mateo.

His left hand is inside his pocket and his stares look bored and annoyed. As if he found me bothersome to his sight.

"I came here with Axel."

His eyes are slowly sliding to my side. Perhaps he wanted to see the person on the bed. He then glanced back at me then said, "You are aware that this is a vampire's mansion, aren't you?"

"I know. I just have to see him fine."

Tumitig siya sa akin ng ilang segundo bago ako nilampasan. "Is he getting well?" rinig kong tanong niya kay Mr. Martin. "Tell me about the details."

Saglit ko lang siyang sinundan ng tingin. Mukhang mag-uusap lang sila ng ama ni Kristoff. Tinabihan ko na lang din si Kristoff sa gilid habang naghihintay. It seems like my status here is the same as Kristoff... No, I am even lower than Kristoff because I am not a vampire. If Kristoff is just a young vampire to them who is inexperience and not too knowledgeable than others, paano na lang kaya ako na isang mortal? An outsider and a completely different kind.

Kristoff sighed. "Buti na lang at hindi ito ang unang beses na nakita ka niya, Miller." He seems relieved.

"Hm. What's wrong kung ganun?"

"Uh... Uhm. He might have latched on you and throw you outside the mansion," Ang walang ka-filter-filter niyang sabi. "Buti nga at napaliwanag ni Master sa kanya kung sino ka."

"Ba't ka takot sa kanya?" Hindi na rin ako nagpasikot-sikot pa sa tanong ko. Base kasi sa reaksyon niya kanina ay para bang takot siyang mahanapan ng mali ni Mateo at mapagalitan.

Kristoff gasped. Mabilis niyang ipinatong sa sariling labi ang hintuturo niya. He let out a quiet shh, then with a silent voice he said, "Hindi mahilig makipag-usap sa ibang tao si Sir Mateo. Ayaw niya rin ng magulo at maingay. He is so quiet and stern that his calm face isn't screaming calmness anymore."

"Huh? So, what does it scream instead?"

"Cold."

"Cold, what?"

"Coldness. He is so cold. May iba nga snob ang tawag sa kanya."

Oh. Mukhang ayaw lang ni Kristoff sa mga tahimik na klase ng tao. Well, I am also the quiet type and unsociable. But maybe because I spend half my life with a privilege and had fun a little, it made me able to relate to some people. Ewan ko lang kung ano ang rason ni Mateo.

"Nakakatakot siya hindi ba?" tanong ni Kristoff na para bang hinihintay niya na sumang-ayon ako sa kanya.

I just shrugged as a response. I don't find Mateo scary. He might be serious but I understand that it is just his character.

"Miller."

Hindi na ulit nakapagsalita pa si Kristoff dahil sa pagtawag sa akin ni Mateo. Gumawi lang sa kanila ang tingin ko at nagpatuloy na siya sa pagsasalita. "How do you feel? Your body, don't you feel anything weird changes?"

"... I'm fine," I replied after evaluating myself quickly.

I do admit that there are some things that's weird to me lately. But if feeling much hunger is considered a weird change, maybe I have been a vampire a long time ago. At sa palagay ko hindi naman talaga soundproof ang mga kwarto sa unit ni Axel. It just so happened that it has been just the two of us there na sobrang tahimik ng bahay.