Sōl et Luna

secundus

Sōl et Luna: Primum Tempus

     It’s a cold and breezy night. Almost everyone is wearing a thick coat, even Apollo Altair Anghel, the 112-year-old vampire king who has been king all his life. But he’s just wearing one for fun. He likes dressing up as a human. He also enjoys doing human activities and just like any other human, he’s now in a bar with a cold Godfather; a mixture of Scotch whiskey and amaretto almond liqueur in a whiskey glass.

     He’s been out for three days already. Alam niyang anumang oras ay hahanapin na rin siya ng mga tauhan ng palasyo kapag hindi na siya mapagtakpan nina Alphaeus.

     Alphaeus Aeolus Ariesen, Alric Andrius Alcaraz, and Altheide Augustus Andreev are his only friends in the world—besides his twin brother Aeneas. If only there are other titles in his kingdom, he’s certain that his friends would be counts and lords as they are filthy rich. Not as rich as them, the Anghels, but still, bloody rich.

     “Do you play poker?”

     Nabaling ang tingin ni Apollo sa nagsalita. This girl is pretty. She’s wearing nice pink clothes and a white fur jacket, and her face is covered with beautiful makeup. Uminom muna siya at saka sumagot.

     “Sorry, no.”

     The woman stared at his dazzling blue eyes and thought to herself, God, they are beautiful. Apollo can surely hypnotize anyone for he has vampire powers but he doesn’t need to use them with this woman, his enticing ocean blue eyes are enough.

     When the girl finally came back to her senses, she frowned.

     “E, ‘di puso ko lang paglalaruan mo?” banat nito habang nakanguso pa na ikinangisi ni Apollo. Inilapag niya ang baso sa counter saka nakangising sumagot sa dalaga.

     “Well, I wouldn’t say no to that.”

     The girl gasped in disbelief.

     “What a jerk!” she exclaimed and walked away. Napailing-iling na lang si Apollo at muling kinuha ang inumin saka uminom ulit. Women are confusing.

     “You know that’s not how you treat a lady, Apollo,” lapit ni Aeneas sa kapatid habang may hawak-hawak na baso ng alak. Hindi na nagulat si Apollo. The moment Aeneas walked inside the bar, he already sensed him.

     “What the heck do I know about ladies, Aeneas? The only ones I get to be with are you, Amadeus, Alphaeus, Alric, and Gus. I only know how much Alric uses the word ‘goddamn’ and ‘fuck’ for Alph.”

     Napailing-iling na lang si Aeneas. The king has a point.

     “Wait, do you know anything about women?” tanong ni Apollo sa kakambal. Napapantastikuhan niya itong tinitigan.

     “Of course,” sagot naman ni Aeneas at nagsimula na siyang pangaralan ang kapatid tungkol sa tamang pakikitungo sa isang babae ngunit agad din namang nawala ang atensyon sa kaniya ni Apollo. Apollo has the attention span of a fruit fly.

     Just across the counter, Apollo sees a beautiful young lady; laughing and chatting with a man with the same amber eyes as hers. Apollo finds the lady alluring, he can smell her tantalizing scent from his seat and her eyes are also captivating even though they haven’t met Apollo’s blue ones yet.

     Nang makitang sinenyasan ng babae ang kausap nitong lalaki na kausapin na ang babaeng hindi kalayuan kung nasaan sila ay agad na nataranta si Apollo. Mag-isa na ang babae, he has to make his move.