Ramdam ni Bleik ang bawat sulyap ni Deus habang nagmamaneho ito ng kotse pabalik sa apartment building nila. Alam niyang nag-aalala ito. He already called Garren and made sure that they were safe inside their unit.
"All of you are staying with me. My underground apartment is more secured. Hindi nakakapasok doon ang walang access code," sabi nito.
Tahimik na tumango si Bleik. Nagtataka pa rin siya kung paano nalaman ng Silent Magic na isa siyang Vertex witch.
"Ano sa tingin mo ang kailangan nila sa akin?" mahina niyang tanong.
"What else? They want to sacrifice you. Vertex blood is powerful. Akala nila naubos na nila kayo but here you are, a living miracle."
"Papatayin nila ako," kinilabutan siya sa naisip. In-imagine niya ang sarili na nakaratay sa isang mesa habang nakagapos ang mga braso at binti. The hideous faces of Silent Magicians gathered around her and each one of them get to cut or stab her, one by one. And she die slowly.
She shivered.
"No. Hindi ko hahayaang mangyari 'yun," determinado ang boses ni Deus kaya nakaramdam siya ng relief.
It was still new to her. For four years, wala siyang masasandalan kahit na hirap na hirap na siya sa buhay. Nobody protected her. She had to fight alone.
But now? Hindi lang si Deus kundi maging si Garren din.
"Thank you, Deus," madamdamin niyang sabi at sinulyapan siya ng binata.
"No, thank you, Bleik. You just tried to help me. This should be my fight. Mine alone. Those vampires were my responsibility. Not yours. I should be the one rescuing them. I'm really sorry I got you involved."
"No. I wanted to be involved. I... I wanted to help you," hinawakan niya ang kanang braso nito na nakahawak sa manibela.
Sinulyapan siya nito saka mapait itong ngumiti pero mabilis din naman itong nag-iwas ng tingin. Binawi ni Bleik ang kanyang kamay at nang hindi na muling nagsalita si Deus ay tumingin na lamang siya sa labas ng bintana.
Kung titingnan ang paligid ay gan'on pa rin naman 'yun. The sky was gloomy, like always. People were busy walking to and fro.
Parang walang problema. The attack of Silent Magic to boarding schools a few weeks back seemed to be history for these people. The kidnap victims were mostly foreigners, galing sa ibang continents, kaya hindi nila ramdam na apektado sila. Nagpatuloy lang siya sa kanilang pang-araw-araw na buhay. Unlike before, wala na ring makikitang Silent Magicians na pagala-gala.
Nang makarating sila sa apartment building nila ay sinundo lang nila sina Garren at Kari saka sila nagtungo sa underground condominium ni Deus.
"Ano ba ang problema?" takang tanong ni Garren nang maipasok nito si Kari sa silid na gagamitin ng mag-ina. Inaantok pa kasi ang bata.
"We've been made. They know Bleik's secret," si Deus ang sumagot at mabilis na tumango si Bleik.
"Ha? Made? Sino ang gumawa sa atin?"
Natampal ni Bleik ang noo at napailing si Deus.
"We've been made, Garren. It means we've been found out. Our cover is blown," explain ni Bleik.
Napa-O naman si Garren. "Wait. Paano?"
"We don't know yet," sagot uli ni Deus na nagtungo sa kusina. Binuksan nito ang refrigerator saka kumuha roon ng isang bag ng dugo. "I need the three of you in here. Safe kayo rito. Excuse me, ladies. I suddenly feel famished," at pumasok na si Deus sa kwarto nito.
BINABASA MO ANG
CURSED
FantasyBleik had a wonderful family and friends. Everything was good. The boy she had a crush on had eyes on her too. But on the night of her eighteenth birthday, everything changed. She wasn't worthy to have everything she had. Now, she was alone.