The Devil's Trap

Chapter 7: Blood Lust

"They willingly give their blood, Denise." He said with outmost calm. "A carnal need for a blood lust. They give me what I crave for and I do the same for them. It's a two way process."

Napa awang ang labi ko sa sinabi niya. Kung magsalita siya akala mo isang formal business venture ang pinaguusapan namin. I scoffed. Hindi niya ba naririnig ang lumalabas sa bibig niya?

"You think I would buy that crap?" Natigilan ako nang makita ang pagbabago ng expression niya. Not the right time for your rainbow colored vocabulary, Denise. Mas naging maingat ako sa sumunod kong salita. "Sino naman ang gagawa ng bagay na yan?"

"One of them is your friend."

He pointed it out with a raise eyebrow as if challenging me to tell him otherwise. Pakiramdam ko biglang tumahimik ang buong paligid dahil sa sinabi niya. Hindi ko magawang sumagot.

"They would do anything, Denise. Lust is inevitable. It's man's nature to crave for something unobtainable. The chase either scares you or excites you. It adds up to the thrill of the game."

I don't want the way he talks to me. Everything... seems normal to him. "So you use them, and they can use you?"

"A give and take relationship." At napatango siya na parang wala lang sa kanya ang lahat ng ito.

"And you kill them when you're done."

A sexy smile crossed his lips. "Aah, Denise. You're too naïve. Ini-isip ko palang ang mga bagay na ituturo ko sayo, napapangiti na ako." A wave of shiver ran down my spine.

"Alam na nila ang sekreto mo." I insist, more on to get back on track. "Kaya kapag natapos ka na, itatapon mo na sila."

Humalakhak siya. "And who would believe them? It's 21ST century, babe. Vampires don't exist." He shrugged unconcern. "If they want to follow those chic on insane asylums, I don't mind."

"We are the 21ST generation, Denise. We are almost human-like. The image of us you had in your minds, are all obsolete knowledge. The information you all know is as ancient as outdated software."

"W-What do you mean?" I can't help but stutter.

"All those information are all basic history levels. Pang grade school." Napangisi siya. "Fear of sunlight, immortality, those things that even for us, are legendary tales. They are all about true bloods. The purest of us. The century old elders."

This conversation is making my head float to nothingness. "Then what are you?" I asked.

"We are the generation farthest from them, gaining the label of vampires from human ancestors who are merely converted. True bloods nowadays are rare. Let's say, a fifteen percent of our entire population."

"But you can still do certain things."

"It's in our blood. We may be the most adaptable generation, but we still have those skills natural to us. It makes us what we are." He said. "Specially our lust for human blood. It's a natural craving."

Napasandal siya sa upuan niya.

"But only true bloods are allowed to freely acquire blood out of humans to sustain their race. We, on the other hand, have to wait for regular rations given by our human counterparts."

Napakurap ako sa sinabi niya. "Binibigyan namin kayo?"

"Come on, Denise. Do your research." He muttered. "May mga batas ang uri niyo at may mga batas kami na nagkakatugma para maging maayos ang pagsasama ng mga uri natin sa iisang lugar."

"You are not that special to have the world for yourself. In fact, you are the opposite of it. You are widespread in nature but weak." He emphasized. "Like a herd of antelopes in a field with a solitary tiger. It's as natural as the food chain. We need rules and agreements so all of us wouldn't be as vicious as those animals without rational thinking."