I sat down on a plant box beside the road. Madilim na ang paligid at wala dumadaang sasakyan. Wala na ring halos makita dahil sa kapal ng hamog sa paligid. Hindi ko na alam kung nasaan ako.
But I know I'm still in Baguio's city proper. Sumakay ako ng isang bus kanina nang magawa ko makaalis sa bunker at makakita nang highway papunta dito.
Panigurado nag-aalala na sina Van. Hindi ko na ginawa pang magpaalam, hindi rin naman siguradong papayagan umalis ako.
I sighed. My head is still throbbing with all that information that Van told me.
Rafaella's lover, the man that I saw in my visions was a vampire. Mama's own twin brother.
A prince. A literal prince.
And I didn't even know. I was kept on the tower for years, wala akong ibang magawa sa buhay ko noon kundi makinig lang sa mga usapan ng mga nasa paligid ko. Pero wala man lang akong nasasagap tungkol doon.
If he was really erased from all our record, what did he do to deserve it? Why would Mama let him be forgotten?
"Pierre..." I whispered.
It was his name. It's a common name back in France but hearing myself say it, may kakaiba yung dala sa pakiramdam ko.
He was Rafaella's lover, of course. If Bullet's theory was true, I must have said his name quite a thousand times before in my past life.
I sighed again.
Rafaella, sadly, fell inlove with the same man who ruined her, kaya pala pilit silang pinaghihiwalay ni Papa.
Then she tragically died.
Rafaella was tortured and raped, I knew it. Base yon sa nakita kong vision doon sa Hotel Carina noong nagpunta kami ni Bullet. Lumilinaw na ang lahat, napagtatagpi-tagpi ko na ang kwento nila.
And then, I became her, si Raprap. I was reborn. With her memories still within me to find that prince.
His prince.
I wonder what kind of person he is. Or did he came back like I did. If he did, where is he?
The cold wind crept in me, napayakap ako sa sarili. Manipis na dress lang suot ako, wala nang iba.
It wasn't as cold as Sanctuaire. But I was all alone and I'm freezing inside.
I just want is to end this. All the answers that I needed wasn't here. Nasa lugar na tinakasan ko. Nasa mga magulang ko all this time. Itinago nila sakin lahat. They knew everything but they choosed to be silent. I wanted to know why.
I somewhat deduces Papa's reason on keeping his past a secret. It might ruin his claim on the throne kapag nalaman ng karamihan na dati siyang tao at hindi pureblood.
I sighed again. And again.
Uuwi na talaga ako. Kailangan ko silang kausapin.
I can hitch a ride somewhere. They will take me anywhere I wanted without question if I use my pscych. Kaso wala namang sasakyang dumadaan nang ganitong oras, wala rin. Paulan na din. Nararamdaman ko ang mga patak noon sa akin.
Huminga ako nang malalim. Something hit my nose at hindi iyon maganda.
Stench of blood and grime. Nakakasuka.
Rogues. Human turned vampires that lost it's capabilty ito think. Nakikita ko ang mga anino nila sa gitna nang hamog. Parang mga zombie na naglalakad papalapit sa akin.
What the hell is happening?! Paano sila napunta dito? They are hunted down not only by the hunters, pati na rin ng mga kapwa naming mva vampires. They were a threat to our existence, di sila pwedeng magpagalagala nang ganito dahil baka makita sila ng mga ordinarykng tao.
I heard one them groaned. Alam kong ako ang puntirya nilang lapitan.
"Stop!" I ordered. They didn't.
I wanted to slap myself for my stupidity. I forgot. Hindi na nga pala nag fu-function ang utak nila. Kahit marinig nila ako at maintindihan, hindi iyon tatalab.
I have nowhere to run, may mga rogues ding papalapit sa bandang sa likod ko. Madami na sila.
I never felt fear like this. Wala akong laban dahil wala rin effect psych ko. Kayang-kaya nila akong lapain anytime.
Should I scream for help now? Dammit di pwede. Di pwedeng malaman ng mga tao ang tungkol sa existence namin.
The rogue groaned again.
Nagtataka lang ako dahil mabagal silang maglakad. They were supposed to be fast. Parang may pumipigil sa kanila.
Tama ang hinala ko. I saw a glimmer on their neck nang makalapit pa sila. May nakabit na collar katulad noon sa akin. Bahagya pa silang nangingig kapag humahakbang sila papalapit sa akin.
Somewhere, I can feel another presence. Mukhang nagco-control nga sa kanila at malapit lang ito. Nagtatago lang. Ano bang gusto nitong mangyari?
I panicky stepped back. One rogue suddenly lounged in. Kung hindi pa ako nadapa, malamang nakagat na nito ako. Bumaling sakin ang rogue at akmang susugod uli. Wala na akong nagawa kundi pumikit.
"Nia, get up!"
I heard him. I thought I was dreaming again.
The prince. He's here!
"Nia!" He shouted again. Napamulat naman ako ng mga mata.
Standing before me was Blade. Pinipigilan niya ang rogue na sasakmal sana sakin.
I can smell blood. His blood.
Mabilis akong tumayo pumunta sa likod niya. Mabilis namang umatras ang rouge sa amin.
"Blade, you're bleeding." May kagat na siya sa braso at malalim yon.
"Wala ito."
Was he using that Fullmoon again? Napatingin ako sa rogue, hindi naman ito apektado. Sa pagkakaalam ko, nakakalason ang Fullmoon sa mga vampire. Mamatay agad ang makakainom ng dugo ng gumagamit nito.
A thought flashed in my head. Yes it was toxic, but I've survived by Blade's blood. That means it wasn't the...
The rogue growled at us. This is not the right time think about it!
Blade drew his sword and and swiftly impaled it on the chest. Mabilis din nitong binunot iyon at tinulak na ito papalayo.
Lumalapit na ang iba pa. Mukhang alam na ni Blade na may nagko-control dito at pinakiramdaman pa ang paligid.
"Nia, use your psych." he ordered.
Why didn't I thought of it earlier!
"Show yourself!" I said out loud. I made sure anyone near us would hear it.
He did. I saw him behind on one of the pinetrees. Pero kasabay noon ang sabay-sabay na pagwawala ng mga rogue na nakapaligid samin. Nawalan na ito nang control at sumugod na samin ni Blade.
He pushed me away, on the ground at siya mag-isang umatake sa mga yon. Napatakip nalang ako ng tenga at napapikit. The stench of those rogues' blood and the sound of their cracking bones is overwhelming. But somehow felt familiar.
Have I experienced it before?
The blood flooding on my feet. The unbearable stench. The sound of clanking chains.
Suddenly I was on that Hotel again. I was naked, violated. Until he came...
"You're safe now..."
