Lumina Academy: Light and Shadow (Realm Series #1)

Chapter 30: Abduction

Chapter 30: Abduction
 
Unti-unti akong tumingin sa kaniya at nahigit na lamang ang hininga ko ng makita ko ang kaniyang nakapanghihinang titig. I don’t know what he wants from me and I can not read his expression—I will never know unless he will let me know. He was standing meters away from me but I still can feel his warm body and it makes me yearn for it.
 
Oh, deities! Why I am even feeling like this?!
 
“M-May kailangan ka?” I don’t know why I stuttered but I guess, that’s because of him and I could feel my heart beating so fast.
 
This feeling again…
 
He stayed staring at me and I can’t help but gulped because of his intense eyes looking at me until he started walking towards me. Hindi naman nakatakas sa mga mata ko ang paglusaw ng nyebe sa bawat dadaanan niya—it was clean, as in nawala ang nyebe sa daraanan niya kaya hindi siya nahirapan maglakad at mabilis na nakarating kung na saan man ako nakatayo.
 
Patungo pa lamang siya sa akin ngunit malinis na ang daan niya—kahit ang kinatatayuan ko ay nawala ang makapal na nyebe kaya naman nakaginhawa ang paa kong nilalamig na. I was amazed and I don’t know how he did that and I can even feel warm because his presence. I don’t feel cold anymore and it’s because of him which amazed me once more. This prince is really something else, I could say.
 
Nang na sa harapan na niya ako ay nabaling muli ang tingin ko sa kaniya at muli akong napalunok. Hindi ko alam kung ano ba ang kailangan sa akin ng prinsepe na ‘to. I didn’t expect him to follow me here. Kaya nga ako lumabas ay dahil gusto kong lumayo sa kanila—sa kaniya because I wanted to enjoy the snow here in this place.
 
“It’s cold…” he said while looking down at me. “It’s cold here outside,” he said again and he furrowed cutely and I can’t help but chuckle secretly.
 
Cute…
 
“I know… but I am enjoying it,” I said then I chuckle ng mapansin ko ang usok na lumalabas sa bibig ko sa tuwing magsasalita ako o tatawa.
 
“You’re cold…” he said again—like he’s pointing it out but I just shrugged.
 
Medyo nanginginig na ako dahil sa lamig ngunit siya na wala man lang suot na coat o kung ano mang panglaban sa lamig ay hindi man lang nilalamig. Ni wala ngang lumalabas na usok sa bibig niya sa tuwing nagsasalita o sa tuwing naglalabas siya ng hangin. He’s really the prince of fire and it feels good feeling his warmth in this cold place.
 
“It’s fine—I’m fine,” I said before catching snow and slightly giggled again. “What are you doing here anyway?” I asked after a couple of seconds. “You’re… looking for me?” I asked as I look at him wondering.
 
He stayed looking at me intently and for some reason, I don’t feel uncomfortable with the way he look at me and I just realized that my heart stopped from beating so fast and it came back to its normal beat—but giving me a calm, peace, and comfort and for some reason, I can also feel safe—and it started when the prince of fire already stood just a few meters away from me.
 
“Yes,” walang kagatol-katol na sagot nito na ikinatigil ko. I didn’t say anything but I look at him—asking why. “I want to dance you,” he answered and I didn’t see that coming. Lalo naman sa sunod niyang sinabi, “And I was going to ask you to be my date but I forgot about that when I saw that motherfucker kissed your forehead and even hug you,” he said and he maybe looks calm but I could feel his range and he sounds… jealous?
 
I blink numerous times and my lips were parted a bit because of what I heart. So, honest and straightforward. “Oh…” napakurap-kurap pa ako ng ilang beses at hindi ko alam ang sasabihin. “You… want me to be your… date?” Dahan-dahan kong tanong habang hindi pa rin ako makapaniwala sa sinabi niya.
 
Teka… nagseselos ba talaga siya? Pero… bakit?
 
he stared at me for awhile hanggang sa bigla na lang niyang inilahad ang kaniyang kamay sa harapan ko—just like what he did earlier. “Dance with me,” he said instead of answering my question and it sounds like an order na ikinanguso ko naman.
 
So bossy!
 
“What if I don’t want to?” I asked while being stubborn but I just noticed the side of his lips tugged up before getting my hand—oo, siya na ang kumuha mismo sa kamay ko at ako naman itong sunod-sunuran lang at gustong-gusto pa ang init ng kaniyang kamay! Lalo naman ang kuryenteng dumaloy ng malapat muli ang balat namin.
 
He holds my right hand while he put my other hand on his shoulder. My breath hitched because of what he did—especially when he put his hand on my waist and pulled me closer to him. I felt how warm his hand was and it feel good to hold it… again. Mas lalo niya akong nilapit sa kaniya—removing the remaining space between me and him kaya bumalik na naman ang mabilis na tibok ng aking puso.
 
Oh, deities! Oh, my hope!
 
“You have no choice, Princess Hope…” his deep voice lingered on my ears as he started to swayed his body at dahil hawak niya ako ay napasama na rin ako. “You owe something after all,” he said while the side of his lips still tugged up.
 
Ako naman ako napatitig sa kaniya habang nagtataka. I owe him something? What was that? “Na…naniningil ka…?” Mahina kong tanong. “At teka nga, ano namang ginawa ko para magka—” natigil na lamang ako ng mapansin kong ngumiti siya habang nakatingin pa rin sa akin.
 
“I carried you way back when ranking and I am telling you, Princess Hope… you’re heavy,” he said and there’s a playful smile in his lips na ikinataas ng kilay ko. Halata namang inaasar niya ako.
 
My heartbeat is calm again and I also feel comfortable.
 
“Hindi ko naman sinabi sa ‘yong buhatin mo ako. You volunteered to carry me kaya! And pwede ba, you have muscles and they are in the right places and you have enough strength to carry me! I am not that heavy for a man like you!” I said before I pouted and I just heard his sexy deep chuckle na ikina-bilis na naman ulit ng tibok ng puso ko.
 
OMG! Ikalma mo, heart!
 
Seeing him like this and hearing him chuckling makes my heart beats so fast and I can’t help but stare at him. Hindi ko alam ngunit mas lalo siyang guma-gwapo sa paningin ko. But I love his deep sexy voice but I don’t know if I would like how my heart reacts because of him. I don’t know anymore… I am confused about what I am feeling every time I see him… every time I know that he’s just around… every time that I am feeling his presence that gives me peace and comfort.
 
Especially when I am in his arms… when he’s holding my hands…
 
I feel safe when I am in his arms and every time he is holding my hands—I feel safe just by feeling his presence. Idagdag pa ang pag-react ng puso ko ng dahil sa kaniya. This is new to me… this man is putting my system into chaos and I just found myself being lost in his eyes… being drowned in his eyes… what is happening to me? What am I feeling? What are these feelings that I am feeling towards him? This is confusing me. Should I distance myself from him?
 
“Okay… I give up,” he said while smiling. “But you still owe me and you can repay me by dancing with me,” he continued and I pouted even more at hindi nakaligtas sa paningin ko ang pagtingin niya sa mga labi kong nakanguso ngayon.
 
His smile slowly faded while staring at my lips until I spoke. “We’re already dancing…” I pointed out which bring his smile back and look back at my eyes.
 
Inilipat niya ang kamay kong hawak niya sa kaniyang balikat until his both hands are already on my waist. My hands are both in his shoulder until I decided to intertwined my hands from his nape and because of what he did, he pulled me closer to him which made me lean on his broad chest. The side of my face was leaning in his chest and I just smiled when I heard how fast his heartbeat was—the same as my heartbeat.
 
Akala ko ako lang…
 
Parang nakayakap na kami sa isa’t isa—no, we’re really hugging each other while dancing without music. We’re under the moonlight while it’s snowing but I can no longer feel cold and it is because of him. He gives me warmth and it feels good that’s why I get closer to his body even more. Because of this feeling, I can’t help but close my eyes at ninamnam ang pakiramdam na binibigay niya ngayon sa akin. It was embarrassing but I was shameless right now.
 
It feels good being in the arms of the prince of fire…
 
“Still feeling cold, hmmm?” I heard him ask and I just smiled when I heard his soft and gentle tone that wasn’t new to me anymore.
 
“Not anymore…” you’re already here… mas hinigpitan ko pa ang pagkakayakap ko sa kaniya at gano’n din ang ginawa niya—yakap na tila ba tatakas ako ano mang oras.
 
Sinusulit ko na ang pangyayari na ‘to dahil kinabukasan ay mawawala na naman ang kakapalan ng mukha ko. I don’t know if I will like this feeling—a feeling that only the prince of fire could give. This is new to me but I think, I already know what I am feeling towards this prince. Is the feeling mutual? Siya naman ang lumalapit, hindi ako, eh…
 
I like this… we’re quiet but wasn’t awkward, instead, it’s comforting.
 
Akala ko ay mananatili kaming tahimik ngunit nagkamali ako dahil muli siyang nagsalita. “You and Azriel…” he said in a low voice and I can’t help but look up at him while frowning. “You two seems close…” he continued and stared at me and I noticed his jaw are clenching.
 
Ang klase ng tingin niya ay parang inaarok ako at hindi ko na naman magawang mabasa ang kaniyang ekspresyon. Is he keeps on thinking about that? “Yeah… we’re close—he’s like a brother to me that I never had,” I answered at hindi ko alam kung bakit tila gusto kong magpaliwanag sa kaniya habang nakatingin sa kaniyang ekspresyong hindi ko mabasa.
 
“Just… friends? Nothing more?” He asked again na lalo kong ikinakunot ng nuo.
 
I nodded while staring at him—trying to read him. “Oo…” sagot ko at pakiramdam ko ay hindi pa siya mananahimik dahil sa sagot ko kaya dinagdagan ko ulit. For this prince’s peace of mind. “We have no feelings for each other, prince of fire. He’s like a brother to me and I am like his little sister—nothing more, nothing less,” I explained and I don’t even know why I am explaining.
 
Unti-unti naman siyang tumango at tila nakahinga pa siya ng maluwag. “That’s good then…” he said before he buried his face on my neck na ikinabilis ng tibok ng puso ko.
 
Nahigit ko ang aking hininga dahil sa kaniyang ginawa at hindi na ako magtataka kung marinig man niya ang malakas na tibok ng aking puso. Especially, when he inhaled my scent—inaamoy niya ang leeg ko! Mas lalo pa niya akong inilapit sa kaniya and he keeps on inhaling my scent until I felt him smiled and all I know was that my heart is thumping so fast!
 
“Finally… you’re one of the Alphas now…”
 
***
 
Hawak-hawak ko ang laylayan ng gown ko ay tinakbo ko ang mahabang daan ng palasyong ito. Hindi ko alam kung saan ito patungo ngunit dito ako dinadala ng mga paa ko. It’s been thirty minutes since Aiden and I danced under the moonlight and after that, I told him to go back inside the palace ngunit hinatid niya lamang ako bago umalis at wala akong ideya kung saan siya nagpunta.
 
Malaki na siya at kaya niya ang sarili niya.
 
Now, it’s been thirty minutes since we parted our ways and the celebration was still on going but since I felt something is not right, umalis ako kung saan pinagdadausan ang selebrasyon at tanging sinabi lamang na mag-C-CR ako. I keep telling myself, ‘trust your instincts’, kaya heto ako ngayon, hindi alam kung saan patungo.
 
I need to get where my instincts will lead me.
 
Kanina pa ako tumatakbo at napapagod na rin ako. Ramdam ko na rin na may paltos na ako sa paa pero wala akong time para tanggalin ang high heels ko. Hanggang sa lumiko ako sa madilim na pasilyo at tanging ang liwanag lamang ng buwan ang nagsisilbing liwanag ko sa madilim na kapaligiran. I don’t know why this part of the palace was dark and there’s nothing in here—even torches or anything that could light this place up.
 
Until I stopped in front of a double door and inhale first a couple of times before I opened the it ngunit nasilaw na lamang ako dahil sa liwanag pagkabukas ko ng pinto. Hinarang ko ang isang kamay ko sa harapan ko upang panglaban sa liwanag na nakasisilaw. Hanggang sa may maaninag akong bulto ng isang lalaki at nakatalikod ito sa akin. Until I noticed the circular motion na parang portal ito at hindi nga ako nagkamali, portal nga ito.
 
But this portal is different from the portal that I’m used to—this portal was changing into different colors and it gives a different feeling for me. Natulos ako sa kinatatayuan dahil sa nakikita ko ngayon and what’s happening right now gives me different feeling. Danger. As I realized it, I just heard the familiar voice of a man.
 
“Fuck!”
 
When I looked at his direction again, I just saw him slowly eating by the portal at parang hindi siya makagalaw. He can’t do anything and the portal is slowly eating him. Dalawa ang portal na nakabukas at isa sa mga ‘to ay pilit siyang ipinapa-pasok at hindi ko mapigilang kabahan.
 
No… Aiden!
 
“Damn it!”
 
Someone can open the other realms’ portal!
 
If that’s the case then I don’t know if I can help Aiden not to get swallowed by the portal. Whoever the host was, siguradong alam na alam na niya kung paano kontrolin ang kaniyang kapangyarihan. However, I don’t think that he or she is a good immortal and I can’t help but feel anxious because of that idea.
 
“Aiden!” I run towards him at tila nagulat naman siya—kitang-kita ‘yon sa kaniyang mukha.
 
“Fuck! Get out of here!” He said but I didn’t listen to him—I won’t listen to him!
 
“No!”  As I said that, I hold his shoulders and pushed him at hinayaan ang sariling masama sa kaniya.
 
It’s now or never.
 
Alam kong nagulat siya pero hindi siya makagalaw kaya wala na siyang nagawa pa. If I wouldn’t push him, he will die in no time that’s why the better option was to push him and be with him—kung papalarin. But I do hope that we’re still together after this. Walang kasiguraduhan but a lady can hope. I sneaked my hands in his neck as we let the portal swallow us.
 
Please… I wanted to be this prince of fire…
 
***