The Vampire Prince and the Vampire Hunter

Chapter 70

Peaceful night in Saphore

Clad

I hugged her tight and cried on her neck. Rinig na rinig ko ang gulo at ingay ng labanan nina Malcolm at ng dalawang natitirang Lancasters. Kaleb even revealed his true form dahil hindi nila kaya ang aking kapatid. He's a grown up man in disguise of a seven year old kid. Kung bakit, ay hindi ko alam.

Isang malakas na pagsabog ang naging hudyat ng katapusan ng labanan. Karina escaped, akay akay ang dalawang kapatid. Nabalot ng katahimikan ang paligid. Ramdam ko ang tingin na ipinupukol sa akin ngayon ni Malcolm, at sa katawang yakap yakap ko.

"Elizabeth?" I heard Morgan whispered as he tried to stand up. Sinundan iyon ng natatarantang galaw and the next thing I knew is...he, too, is holding Elizabeth's dead body near us. He tried to wake her up but it's no use. They will never wake up, Morgan.

Morgan shed a tear as he desperately demand answers for his questions.

"What happened! Anong nangyari sa kanila! Who did this to them!" Sigaw niya, and all I could do is close my eyes so tight.

Despite of the power I gained, I felt weak. Wala na akong lakas para magsalita o kumilos.

"Clad" i heard my brother called me, binuksan ko ang aking mata at matalim siyang tinitigan. He's standing a few feet away from us. Shocked, parang halos di makapaniwala na wala na ang babaeng pinag-aagawan naming dalawa.

I held Astrid's body closer to mine. If he thinks he can hold her, nagkakamali siya. Bago kami pumunta sa labanang ito, umiiyak si Astrid ng dahil sa kanya. She was hurt dahil sinaktan siya ni Malcolm kaya wala siyang karapatang hawakan siya ngayon. He doesn't have the right to grieve! Dahil ang tanging nagawa niya lamang sa mga huling sandali ni Astrid ay ang saktan at paiyakin ito.

"Stay away, Malcolm" I spat, "After all the pain you've caused her? Matapos mo siyang paiyakin? Sa tingin mo ba'y hahayaan pa kitang makalapit sa kanya? So you stay there! Far away from her" mariin kong sabi, dinungaw kong muli si Astrid and caressed her face, "She shouldn't have loved you. You don't deserve her" ani ko sabay lingon sa aking kapatid.

I saw how Malcolm clenched his jaw and hands as he stare blankly unto me. I coldly stared back. He didn't react. He didn't do anything but obey what I just told him. Hindi siya lumapit at pinanonood na lamang akong iyakan ang babaeng mahal na mahal niya at mahal na mahal ko rin but now she's gone. And it doesn't make sense at all!

Lumipas ang ilang minuto. Nag angat ako ng tingin sa kay Morgan na tumayo at nagtungo sa kabilang parte ng silid. May kung ano siyang pinulot roon. Iyong kwintas na suot ni Kaleb. He crushed it with his hands. And may naramdaman akong muling kakaibang lakas. It must've been his magic. Iyon marahil ang vial kung saan inilipat ni Kaleb ang magic ni Morgan tulad ng isinalaysay ni Elizabeth.

Bumalik rin siya agad at kinarga ang bangkay ni Eliz.

"We have to prepare their burial" aniya, and now that he said it, it finally felt real. Tumango ako at binuhat na  rin ang bangkay ni Astrid. Muling nagtama ang mata namin ni Malcolm. Umakto siyang sasaluhin si Astrid para bang kahit anong oras ay pwede ko itong mabitawan. I remained cold.

Now he's giving off emotions. He can no longer hold them in. He looked sad at mukhang gustong gusto niya nang agawin sa akin ang katawan ni Astrid. Naguilty ako sa pag aangkin sa kanya. She was no longer mine. She refused when I asked her. She was his but he doesn't deserve her kaya tama lang ito.

I comforted myself with that thought, 'Malcolm doesn't deserve her'

We went back to Vasil's house to prepare their burial. Si Morgan ang nagprovide ng lahat ng kailangan kung paano niya iyon nagawa ay di ko na nasundan. We put them in gold caskets with flower beds and we placed the caskets in the basement. We can't bury them. We don't want to. Morgan put a spell on their bodies para di ito magdecompose. Astrid looked so peaceful. Like she's just sleeping.

"This should be enough" ani Morgan at lumabas na sa basement. Sumunod ako at nagkasalubong kami ni Malcolm sa pinto.

"San na kayo tutungo?" He asked, if you think maiiwan ka dito at mabibigyan ng kalayaang lapitan siya nagkakamali ka Malcolm

"WE'RE going to General Zaragoza, WE'LL negotiate" I said coldly at nilagpasan siya. What I did to the hunters is not enough, ang nakalimutan lang nila ay ang tungkol sa aming anim. Alam pa rin nilang may mga bampira at hanggang ngayon ay pinaghahanap pa rin nila ang mga ito. Saphore is still not safe for all of  us, well not until we'll have a talk with the general.

"Malcolm!" Sigaw ko nang paglingon ko ay pipihitin niya na sana pabukas ang pinto, "Aalis na tayo" mariin kong sinabi.

Nilingon niya ako at bumaling muli sa pinto. I saw anger in his face when he turned to me again.

"Fine!" Padabog niyang sabi at saka ako nilagpasan. I watched him as he walked away. Again, the guilt is bugging me. Pero ayoko kasi lapitan niya si Astrid. Ayokong makita siyang iniiyakan o hinahalikan ang babaeng mahal na mahal ko. I'm still not ready for that. Not yet.

Can you wait brother? Can you wait until I moved on from her? It will probably take time. Wala eh, nahulog talaga ako sa kanya. But it will come. Lalo pa't alam ko sa sarili ko na ikaw ang talagang minamahal niya.

We talked to the general, at first umayaw siya sa proposition naming tatlo. And attempted to arrest us pero nang pinakitaan namin siya ng kung anong kaya naming gawin ay napapayag rin namin siya. And that was the start of a new beginning.

He let us live in Saphore in peace. Bumalik kami sa Bloodworth Mansion at doon nanirahan. Pumayag kaming ang mga tao na ang magpatakbo sa syudad. Kahit ang mga prodigies, Olivia and Ezekiel, ay pumayag rito. As long as hindi malalaman ng ibang mga taong naninirahan sa Saphore ang tungkol sa amin at di kami gagalawin ng mga hunters na may alam na.

Finally, we were given the chance to have a peaceful life, but it was at a time when we no longer know how to live.

--End of The Strygx--