Held Captive

Chapter 9-Radimir Henderson

Jaku niku kyō shoku.
The weak are meat; the strong eat.

-Japanese Proverb

Chapter 9

(3rd person POV)

Radimir saw that. The split second Eve looked at his lips and gulped.

He smirked at the thought. He has been dying for this moment. To trap her. To make her his prey.

"Why so nervous, Eva?" But this girl in front of him is brave. Hindi niya pinapakitang natatakot siya. Hindi niya pinapahalatang kinakabahan siya.

Eve Williams is a puzzle to him. One he'd want to devour his time fitting and piecing together.

Or slowly taking a part. Piece by piece. Until there was nothing left to her.

"Why did you trick me Eva? Why did you give me that fake necklace?" Mashumigpit ang kapit niya sa lamesa nang maalala ang pangyayaring iyon. That is the very first time that he was tricked. And worst, by a girl.

That is a hard slap to his face.

"So what can you offer in exchange of the necklace?" He moved his face closer to Eve. He looked at her lips. "Maybe a kiss will do?"

Unexpectedly, he saw her look at his lips too. Her gaze stayed at his lips longer than necessary.

An invitation.

He was about to kiss her when she said her next words. "And if you move even a centimeter closer, I will hurt you. I will pour that hot coffee on your face. I may not kill you, but I swear I will put you in pain."

Rad was taken back.

Her words are far different from her.

Who told you the idea of curly blonde girls giggling across the streets? Eve Williams is different. She is pointing daggers at him through her looks but still.. she managed to look pretty.

Fair skin. Curly blonde hair. Captivating eyes. Kissable lips.

Oh, but those combinations are not the ones that got his attention.

Eve is brave and stupid. His kind of combination. His kind of playmate.

But Rad is not in for a play right now. He was given a task that's why he's here. The king of Tenebrous had assigned Rad the most adventurous assignment so far.

"I don't want to waste energy, Eva. Please cooperate." Binigyan lang siya ni Eve ng nagtatakang tingin pero hindi nagsalita.

"I will take you to Tenebrous Palace. You will be my captive." He saw the shock in her face before she masked it once more. She put on a brave face. "You will be my prisoner."

The next thing he knew, Eve poured the hot coffee on his shirt.

"Hey!" She kicked his thigh and managed to escape his trap. Agad-agad tumakbo si Eve papalayo sa kaniya at nagbabalak tumakas. The rain is still pouring so hard. Thunders roar as lightning strikes.

Radimir has no choice. Hinubad niya ang T shirt niya na natapunan ng kape at tiniis ang lamig.

"I will find you Eva! You cannot escape from me!" Sigaw niya nang hindi niya na makita ang dalaga pero alam niya na nagtatago lang siya sa kung saan man.

He underestimated her on the Lieutenant Street, he will never underestimate her again.

He is not capable of doing the same mistake twice.

Pinasok niya lahat ng kwarto ngunit walang Eve siyang nakita. Napalingon siya sa taas nang may marinig siyang ingay.

"I'm coming, Eva!" Umakyat siya sa hagdan at talagang nilakasan niya ang footsteps niya.

He likes this process. Instilling fear to people. Making them afraid and scared.

Thrilling.

Adventurous.

Oh, but Eve is different. He doesn't want her afraid. He just wanted to have an effect on her. Because as far as he knew, that girl is not affected by him. And he wants to affect her in any way he can.

Huminto siya sa unang pinto at dahan-dahan itong binuksan. Storage room. Sinuri niya ang paligid at nung nakasiguro siyang wala si Eve doon, lumabas na siya at malakas na sinarado ang pinto.

"Hear that Eva? I'm going to the next room!" He chuckled. "Oh, how I love playing games with you, Eva. Hide and seek, eh?"

But instead of going to the next room, he opened the third room. His body is hummed with excitement. Thanks for the king of Tenebrous. Best task so far.

I want you to get Eve Williams. Held her captive. Make her a prisoner. We will use her. We will use her against the Safronov.

Iyon ang eksaktong salita ng hari sa kaniya. And he is very happy to obliged.

He scanned the third room. And he realized that it is her room. A big picture is hanged on the wall. It is a picture of a young girl with an older woman beside her. And with certain clarity, he realized that the young girl is Eve.

Cute. He chuckled. How can an innocent cute child grow to become a dangerous attractive agent?

He scanned the room. He opened her closet. Cat suits and casual clothes were organized in a pile. Too organized, he noticed.

He opened the other drawer and closed it immediately. For goodness' sake! He didn't mean to see those things! He didn't want to take a peek on those things! Inside the closet is her underwears and napkins arranged in a neat pile. And he didn't mean to intrude a very private property of her.

Sunod niyang napansin ang mga libro na nasa bedside table niya. Those are the books in Percy Jackson series. Napagtanto niya rin na apat na libro lang ito, siguro hindi niya pa nabibili yung panglima na libro.

Wala unusual sa kwarto niya kaya lumabas na siya dito at muli niyang sinarado nang marahas ang pinto.

Pumasok siya sa kwarto na nilagpasan niya kanina at napansin niyang isa itong guest room.

Everything in this house is neat and organized. Ultimo alikabok ay mahihiyang pumasok sa kwarto na ito sa sobrang linis. Wala kang makikitang ni isang pagkakamali.

So you want organization and arrangement, Eva? Sorry. But I will give you a messy fight. One that you are not used to. One that is far from your comfort zone. He thought.

Muli na siyang lumabas at sinarado nang marahas ang pinto. Nakarinig na naman siya ng ingay sa pinakadulong pinto. Dumiretso siya sa pinakadulong kwarto at dahan-dahan itong binuksan.

Tumambad sa kaniya ang isang maduming kwarto. Nagkalat ang mga damit sa sahig. Puro alikabok at kung anu-anong bagay ang nakalagay lang sa kung saan-saan. Kakaiba ito sa lahat ng mga kwarto. Eto lang yung makalat. Eto lang yung hindi organize.

And from then Radimir knew that this is the room. This is the room where Eve is hidden.

Sinarado niya ang pinto at nilock ito. Nagsimula na siya sa paglalakad at paglilibot sa malaking kwarto.

"I know you're there Eva. Come. Fight me. Don't hide in the shadows."

"Ahhhh!" Napalingon si Rad sa sigaw na nanggagaling sa kaniyang likuran. And there, Eve Williams is running to him with a knife in her hand. Ready to stab him.

But she stops midway.

Biglang namula ang mga pisngi niya at umiwas ng tingin. Kumunot ang noo ni Radimir at tinignan ang sarili niya.

Ooohh. So Eve Williams is a conservative girl. Radimir almost forgot that he is shirtless right now, revealing his 6 pack abs.

"I'm sorry. You stained my shirt with your coffee. I have no choice but to remove it." He smiled sheepishly.

"No one's asking." She said in a very cold voice and starts to run again towards him.

Radimir prepares for the strike. As he watches this brave girl, ready to fight him, his task is becoming more and more difficult.

The words of the Tenebrous king continue to play in his mind.

KillEve Williams. I want you to get her. Held her captive. Makeher a prisoner. Because on the 15th of August, you will kill her. Kill herRadimir. Kill her.