MINE

Chapter Twenty Six

I was going in and out of consciousness. I was not sure if I already died, or if everything was just a dream. Would I wake up out of this painful nightmare?

The pain started spreading on my entire body as I sprawled on the concrete dirt. Life was slowly slipping away from me as I continued to breathe in a steady rhythm. The more I tried to move, the more the pain intensified.

How many injuries did I received? Five to six bullets on my back. A cracked rib due to my attacker's constant stomping on my chest. A dislocated knee joint when he fired another bullet on my right leg. And probably I sustained a broken jaw bone as well when my assailant forcefully twisted my face to witness Stephen crying from anguish every time they hurt me.

Alam kong nasasaktan si Stephen tuwing pinagsisipa ako at pinagtatadyakan. At alam kong sinisisi niya ang kanyang sarili dahil wala siyang magawa kundi panoorin ako habang sinasaktan ng mga taga Order.

Nakita kong iginapos nila si Stephen at pinilit isakay sa kanilang sasakyan nang inakala nila na patay na ako.

Ngunit hindi pa ako patay.

Matinding galit sa aking puso ang nararamdaman ko ngayon dahil sa ginawa nilang pagpapahirap kay Stephen. Kakayanin ni Stephen ang pisikal na sakit na matatamo niya laban sa mga kalaban namin, ngunit ang makita akong sinasaktan ay nagdulot ng mas matinding sakit sa kanya.

Magbabayad sila. Everyone of them. From those filthy vampires to those humans working for the Order. Hindi ko sila mapapatawad dahil sa sakit na ibinigay nila kay Stephen. I would haunt them down. Even from the afterlife, I would not take rest until they'd pay for what they did to me, to us.

I coughed out more blood. Why was death taking too long to take me?

Revenge. It was all I could think of while waiting for death to come. Pero nang unti-unti akong nahimasmasan, alam kong mali pa rin ang maghiganti. Walang maidudulot ang paghihiganti kundi walang hanggang bigat ng kalooban.

Si Stephen, alam kong dalawa lamang ang kanyang patutunguhan—ang maghiganti sa pumatay sa akin, o ang sundan ako sa mundo ng kamatayan. Ayokong mahantong siya sa ganoong sitwasyon, ngunit wala akong magawa.

Unti-unting humihina ang tibok ng aking puso. Unti-unting dumidilim ang aking paningin. Marahan kong ipinikit ang aking mga mata upang isuko ang sarili kay kamatayan.

"Didn't know you were that easy to give up."

I tried to fight again to remain my consciousness as I tried to identify whose voice it was.

"Akala ko pa naman ay palaban ka. Madali ka rin palang sumuko sa kakaunting bala at mahinang pagsisipa na ginawa sa 'yo."

I blinked slowly, trying to make my vision clear. And when I saw him looming over my almost lifeless body, I felt rage overcame my helplessness. Traitor! I tried to say but no voice came out from me.

"I should just let you die," ang sabi pa ni Devon. "But I will not." Lumuhod ito sa tabi ko. "Kung sasagutin mo ako ng tama, kung maibibigay mo ang kasagutang nais kong marinig, bubuhayin kita."

Did he mean...? Was he going to make me...?

"Yes, my dear future great-grandniece. I will finally make you one of us. Oh joy, what a dream come true!" sarkastikong sabi niya. "Ngayon, sagutin mo na ang iyong great-granduncle at nang matapos na ang iyong paghihirap. Convince me—why will I allow you to live?"

Sa malapitan, kitang-kita ko ang kulay ng kanyang mga mata. Magkatulad sila ni Stephen. The same coffee brown eyes. But in those brown eyes, there was something ruthless and sinister shinning from those brown orbs.