Awakened (Bloodline, #1)

Chapter 4

04: I Screamed at Our Enemies

My stomach churned as soon as we landed on something. Agad akong napaupo at napahawak sa tiyan ko dahil sa sobrang hilo. When I opened my eyes, I realized we were back in the inn.

"Irus," he called.

Kei immediately put the vial of blood in Irus mouth and he drank it in a second. I wasn't sure how I saw that in darkness but I knew what they were doing.

I was still a bit disoriented but I managed to stand properly. Tumayo rin sina Kei at Irus at pareho silang tumingin sa direksyon ko.

"W-what?"

"Oh, Lady, you're not going to like it."

The two approached me in a rush. Kei held my right arm while Irus stood behind me. Before I could ask what they were doing, a wave of nausea hit me and I realized he just did that freaking thing again. Everything spun and my vision turned black.

***

I swear I feel like dying every time he does that travel thing.

Hindi ko na sinubukan pang tumayo dahil hilung-hilo ako nang makarating kami sa kung saanman. My legs turned jelly and I collapsed against a tree trunk. Irus was worse. I could see smoke coming from his skin despite running toward a shaded area. Kei threw a thick and black cloak at his direction and he immediately hid his body in it.

"He will be fine," Kei said as we both stared at the black cloak.

Tiningnan ko naman siya nang masama. "Could you, at least, tell me beforehand if you're going to do that?"

He chuckled in return. "You should have gotten used to it already."

Hindi na ako nakasagot dahil naramdaman ko ang pag-ikot ng tiyan ko. Could an undead still feel this way?

He started setting up a camp. It was still noon so Irus wouldn't be useful in this case. Gumawa siya ng apoy pero napakunot ang noo ko nang sobrang laki ng kinalabasan no'n. Isa pa, tanghaling tapat pa lang. Why would he set up a fire?

"The Katteris' weakness is fire," he said as if he just read my mind. "We should set up some traps as well. They would be here before the sun sets."

Kinilabutan ako sa narinig ko. I still don't know what they could do but I'd rather not see it personally.

"Pero nakalayo naman na tayo, 'di ba?" I asked, hoping for some reassurance.

"Don't underestimate their sense of smell," he said, "especially since they have already got a whiff of your scent."

My body tensed upon hearing that. "D-do I really have a strong scent?"

Kung pwede lang paliguan ko ang sarili ko ng kung anong makakapagtago ng scent na tinutukoy nila ay ginawa ko na. I didn't want to be followed by those creatures.

"Oh, it's indeed a powerful one," he sneered, and I glared at him in return. "But don't worry. Yours seems to still be masked by that charm," sabay tingin niya sa bracelet ko.

Agad ko namang naalala sina Nana at Tata. Okay, now, it was weird calling them like that. Nang malaman kong hindi ko sila tunay na pamilya ay naging kumplikado na rin ang pakiramdam ko. My resolve was suddenly renewed. Kailangan ko silang makita dahil marami akong gustong itanong sa kanila.

"Hey," I called. "Do you know where they are right now?" tanong ko habang nakahawak sa bracelet ko.

He sat beside me. "I'm sure they're back in Vrivarya."