Strings and Chains (The Frey, #1)

24. I Have a Plan

Hinatid ako ni Rai hanggang sa entrance. Naglakad ako papasok sa hacienda ng mga Roscoe at pumasok sa bahay nila Trojan. Naabutan kong nasa sala sina Mama't Papa kasama sina Tito't Tita. 'Di ko naman makita sina Trojan at ang mga pinsan niya.

"Sit down, Maru." Nang marinig ko ang boses ni Mama ay kinabahan ako. The last time I saw my mom like this was when I almost drowned in the river. I was seven that time. I was playing with my friends at the river bank nang tumaas 'yong tubig. So I and my friends almost drowned. Buti na lang at nasagip kami agad ni Papa.

Umupo ako agad bago pa ako mabulyawan ni Mama.

"Let's get to the point, Maru. What else do you know?" tanong ni Mama sa akin kaya napalunok ako.

"Everything?" Hindi ko sure na sagot. I mean, hindi ako sure kung tama bang sumagot ako.

"And the man who saved us? What's your relationship with him?"

Dito na talaga ako kinabahan ng husto na kulang na lang tumalon ang puso ko palabas ng katawan ko. How should I answer that? Yes, mom. Actually, he's my boyfriend. Gugustuhin ko bang makita kung paano magratrat ng baril ang nanay ko sa harapan ko habang nakatutok 'yon sa 'kin? No. Sh-t. Kinakabahan talaga ako.

Tumingin ako kay Papa na tahimik lang. Pa, help me!

"Well..."

"Well what?" pagsusungit ni Mama sa 'kin.

Lumunok ako ulit at tumingin kay Mama. "Well, his name is Raiden."

"And?" 'Di ba talaga ako tatantanan ni Mama dito?

"He's my boyfriend," sagot ko. Palakasan na ng loob! Wala ng atrasan 'to! Nandito na tayo, eh. So let's all be honest nang matapos 'to. Mamamatay ako sa kaba!

Mamamatay na talaga ata ako sa kaba dahil walang imik si Mama.

"Raiden..." bulong niya. "Is it Raiden Frey we're talking about, Maru?" tanong sa akin ni Mama.

Kumunot-noo ako. "You know him?"

"Not him. His family and their reputation in the vampire race," sagot niya sa akin.

Muli akong napalunok. "What do you heard?" tanong ko.

"Well from what I heard, nasira na ang Aristokratos. Freys were seen by that time, so the hunters suspected they were the one who killed them. Now they're back as the leaders of the vampire community," paliwanag sa akin ni Mama.

Saan nakukuha ng mga hunters ang info na 'to?

"So you know everything. What else do you know?" tanong ni Mama sa akin. She can really read my expression. Wala akong kawala.

"Why is he here?"

Ayan na, the most important question. Why is Raiden here? I couldn't say na he's being punished. I know na bukod pa do'n may iba pang dahilan kung bakit nandito si Rai.

"He's with us for three years. He was the dog that I rescued at the shelter."

Nagulat si Mama sa sinabi ko. All this time may nakatirang bampira sa pamamahay ng isang hunter at wala silang kaalam-alam.

"Now that changes everything. But I'm still suspecting him. Vampires shouldn't be here. Vampires shouldn't be meddling with this problem," sagot ni Mama sa akin.

"Since you know everything, there's no point na itago pa namin sa 'yo 'to, so listen very carefully, Maru."

"We found the incubi's base. It is a warehouse not far from here," wika ni Mama.

I know their base from the very beginning. Dapat ba sinabi ko na lang agad para hindi sila nahirapan?

"We found Ana and Marian Liverton in the warehouse. We're not sure if they are still alive."