Held Captive

Chapter 19-Bound To Him

Chapter 19

Nanigas ako sa kinatatayuan ko. Why will he make me stay? What is his plan?

Pagkatapos ng tatlong segundo ay nawala na agad ang mga agents ng Tenebrous. Pati yung mga sugatang kasama nila ay wala na rin. Kaming dalawa na lang ni Radimir ang natira dito.

"Long time no see." Casual niyang bati na parang walang nangyari kanina. Long time no see? Wala siyang kaalam-alam na kakakita lang namin kagabi. Hinarap ko siya. Nagtama ang mga paningin namin. Malayo pa rin ang distansya namin sa isa't isa. May sugat ako at puro lupa dahil kinalaban ko yung mga agents kanina. But I love having this look. It made me feel brave. It made me feel like a warrior.

"Yes. Long time no see." I responded. "And I hope it will still be longer."

"Longer?" Tumawa lang siya nang nakakatakot. "O baka kabaligtaran ang ibig mong sabihin?"

"You have too much confidence, Asad of Tenebrous."

He closed the distance between us. He held my right arm tight. I bit my lip fighting the urge to shout in pain.

Kanina pa siya ah. Nandiyan yung sugat ko oi!

"Does it hurt?" Tanong niya sa akin, kunwari concern pero hindi naman.

"What do you think?" Of course it hurts! Stupid Radimir.

Hinila niya ako papasok ng bahay ko na parang ako pa ang bisita sa sarili kong pamamahay.

"Sit." Utos niya pagkapasok namin. Ayoko sana siyang sundin para ipakita sa kaniya na hindi niya ko kayang utus-utusan pero pagod na rin ako kaya naupo na lang ako sa sofa na nasa sala.

"Where's your medicine kit?"

"I don't know. Hanapin mo."

"Eva." Pagbabanta niya.

"I'm telling the truth. Hindi ko talaga alam."

Binuksan niya lahat ng drawers sa sala hanggang sa mahanap niya na yung medicine kit. Umupo siya sa lamesa na nasa harapan ko.

"Give me your arm." Utos na naman niya and this time, hindi ko na siya sinunod.

"I don't want."

"You'll give it to me or I'll force you. Kaya kitang saktan ng walang pag-aalinlangan Eva." Something inside me.. breaks. I know he can hurt me without a second thought. I'm aware of that. Pero iba pala kapag sa kaniya mismo nanggaling. Sa huli ay inilahad ko rin sa kaniya yung braso ko na may sugat.

He leaned down, our foreheads almost touching.

"The wound is not that deep." Kinuha niya na yung mga gamit sa medicine kit at sinimulang gamutin ang sugat ko. Feeling him this close, I can feel my stomach doing a flip flopping inside. I can see the single strands of his eyelashes. His eyes. His nose. Then.. his lips.

Agad akong nag-iwas ng tingin. Scenes from last night keep rushing back in my mind. Swear, I will never accept a task involving bachelor's party AGAIN.

Pagkatapos niyang gamutin yung sugat ko ay binalik niya na yung medicine kit sa drawer. Nagtuloy-tuloy na siyang maglakad papunta sa pinto. Sandali yun na yun? Hindi ba kami magpapatayan? Hindi man lang ba niya ko ipoposas at dadalin sa lungga ng mga Tenebrous?

Nang malapit na siyang makalabas sa pinto, tinanong ko ang isang pinakawalang kwentang tanong sa kaniya.

"Wait. That's it? Not that I'm complaining but, you will not take me to Tenebrous Palace?" He stopped and turned his head toward me. A smirk is visible on his face.

"Why? Do you want me to take you to that place?"

"No. Curious lang ako kung bakit hindi mo ko pipiliting sumama sa'yo ngayon."

"I have many other tasks to do. At isa pa, malayo pa ang August 15. Enjoy your freedom while you can. Because when I come back, I will not be this generous to you again. When I come back, the monster will be back."

Brave and stupid, stupid, stupid.

Hindi niya ba alam na sa pag-alis niya ay magkakaroon na ko ng tyansa na makapagtago? Binibigyan niya lang ako ng tyansang makatakas. What a dummy.

"Well then," I said. "Thanks for the generosity, dummy."

Hindi ko mapigilang ngumiti. Stupid Radimir. Very stupid.

Mukhang napansin niya ang pagngiti ko. He moved so quick, he is just infront of the door a while back. And after a millisecond, he is now standing right infront of me. I didn't flinch, didn't even blink. If he meant to impress me, he'd have to do better than that.

"You're happy Eva, Why? You think I'm letting you escape? You think I'm giving you an opportunity to hide? Sorry but you're mistaken." Biglang naglaho ang ngiti ko. Nilagay niya ang hibla ng buhok ko sa likod ng aking tainga. Agad kong tinabig yung kamay niya.

"I'll come back and I'll find you. There is no place in this world that you can hide from me. You are bound to me Eva. Remember that. You are bound to me."

Pagkatapos niyang sabihin ang mga katagang yun ay umalis na siya sa harapan ko at lumabas ng pinto. Naiwan akong nakatulala doon at nakatitig sa kawalan.

There is no place in this world that you can hide from me.

And somehow deep inside my heart, I know I can't escape him. A whisper is telling me that I cannot hide from him no matter how hard I try.

And the weird part is, I'm fine with it. Goodness! Can you believe it? I'm okay with it.

What kind of creature am I for feeling this way?

~~

Nang maggagabi na ay nanatili ako dito sa bahay ko. Namiss kong magstay dito. Napagpasyahan ko rin na dito na ko matutulog.

This is what I want. Quiet place. Being alone. When I don't have to chitchat with people I barely know.

Nagluto ako ng pagkain ko at kumain mag-isa. Pagkatapos kong maligo at maglinis ng katawan ay humiga na ko sa kama ko.

Parang may mali. Bumangon ulit ako at chineck yung bedside table ko. May bagong libro na nakalagay doon.

The Lost Hero

Eto yung unang libro sa sequel series ng Percy Jackson. Yung Heroes of Olympus. Matagal ko na rin tong gustong basahin. Sino namang magbibigay sa akin nito? Well, bakit pa ba ko nagtatanong eh alam ko naman na kung sino. Kinuha ko yung libro at binuklat ito. May note na nakaipit sa unang pahina.

I hope you're done reading the book I gave you last time.

Enjoy reading while you're still alive.

-Rad

I don't know if this is just a reminder or a death threat.

Maybe both.

A reminder that Radimir is a Tenebrous. He's an enemy. That will never change.

A reminder that he is my killer. The hand that he used to cup my cheeks when we kissed is the same hand that he will use to choke me until I lose my breath.

My days are numbered. And an attraction to a harsh Tenebrous agent is the least that I need right now.