Maagap pa lang ay umalis na ako para mag grocery ng stocks ni Sage sa loob ng dalawang linggo. I already installed some camouflaged cameras sa loob ng mansion wherein I can easily access the feeds directly to my tablet. So far, tulog pa ang hari ng kadiliman sa guest room.
Pagbalik ko sa bahay, wala si Sage sa guest room kung saan siya natutulog about an hour ago. I accessed the feeds on my tablet, pero wala siya kahit saan. Umakyat ako sa kwarto ko, wala din siya. Pagkapunta ko bathroom, andoon ang walang hiya kong asawa, nakababad sa bath tub. Tanging ang umaapaw ng bubbles ang tumatakip sa kanya.
"Did I make you worry?" tanong niya sa akin habang nakapikit.
"Hindi naman..." sabay upo sa nakasaradong toilet bowl lid.
"Did you panic when you you are unable to find me using your hidden cameras?"
"No... My spells are too powerful for you to override."
Shit, alam niya na may hidden camera. Matalinong matsing talaga si Sage!
"You are underestimating me Reichel Amber."
"I am not underestimating you Sage. I always know that you are an intelligent man, that is why I created Plan A, B, C in case my spell failed."
"You are too determined to detain me here."
"Because in here, you are still human. You may have a demon heart, but you are human."
"You sound miserable. You missed your husband, don't you?" tanong niya sabay lingon sa akin.
"Yeah, I fucking missed him. But he's gone..."
"How I wish I can give him back to you, but I can't. He is no longer here inside me. I am totally different creature now Reichel Amber. Wala akong kahit anong memorya na minahal kita. Kung ano man ang pagmamahal ko sayo noon, wala ka ng aasahan na may natitira pa sa puso ko."
"I am quite aware of our situation. No need to fucking remind me that I am now facing a demon king."
"I want to say sorry, but I am not sorry. I want to feel sad for your suffering, but I am quite glad actually. Forget your husband, he is not coming back."
Sa mga oras na yun, hindi ko inaasahan na tutulo ang mga luha ko. I don't want to be vulnerable in front of him pero the realization na hindi na babalik si Sage hit me.
How can I change the heart of a demon king? It is like asking for a miracle that will never happen.
"Where do you think you are going?" tanong ni Sage bago ko lumabas ng bathroom.
"You made it clear to me yesterday that you don't want me here. Hindi rin kita gusto makasama. Your food supplies will last for two weeks, all set na ang lahat. Babalik na lang ako before ka maubusan ng pagkain."
Pero hinarang ni Sage ang dalawang braso niya sa pinto bago ko ito mabuksan. Walang pakialam kahit tumutulo ang sabon sa hubad niyang katawan niya.
"Hindi ka aalis..." mahina niyang sabi habang nakatitig sa akin.
"Mapipigilan mo ba ko?"
Hindi siya sumagot pero hinaplos niya dahan dahan ang pisngi ko as if alam niya na nasasaktan ako. He kissed my lips before tumulo ang namumuo ko na luha sa mata. It was a gentle kiss na parang galing kay Sage. I found myself wrapping my hands around his neck. He pulled me closer to him at wala akong pakialam kahit nakadikit ang damit ko sa basa niyang katawan.
Pero biglang sumikip ang dibdib ko at di ako makahinga. Tinulak ko ng bahagya si Sage at kitang kita ko na unti-unti niyang hinihigop ang life force ko. I can see a white smoke coming out from my mouth as if he is sucking my soul out of my body. I tried to resist and shove him away from me, pero nawalan ako ng lakas at bumagsak ang tuhod ko sa bathroom floor.
I looked at Sage at he looks satisfied with what he did. Lumabas siya ng bathroom at iniwan ako kahit nanghihina ako. Sinubukan ko siyang habulin kahit hirap ako maglakad. He used the power that he absorbed from me to break the invisible barrier on the door. Sa isang iglap, parang nag shatter ang barrier na tulad ng isang cracked glass at mabilis na nakalabas si Sage.
"Sage! No!" sigaw ko sa kanya habang binubuksan niya ang gate pero he just waved his hand and I stumbled a few metres away from him. Buti na lang sa grass lawn ako bumagsak.
"Goodbye Reichel Amber..." nakangiting sabi ni Sage na aktong lalabas sa gate kahit wala siyang kahit anong saplot.
In that moment, biglang nagkaroon ng whitish glow ang buong paligid at gumuhit ang kidlat sa kalangitan. Hindi na nakalabas pa si Sage dahil pagkahawak niya sa mismo sa pintuan ng gate, tumalsik siya ng napakalayo at bumagsak ang katawan niya isang glass table sa may garden.
"What the fuck is that Reichel Amber?" galit na tanong niya habang tinatanggal ang glass shreds sa katawan niya.
"I told you, I have Plan A, B and C."
"I should have killed you yesterday when you were sleeping in my arms."
"You should have fully abused my weakness yesterday, demon king. Just so you know, the house itself has a protective barrier. I also raised another layer of barrier around this property. And in case you bypassed all of them, the whole subdivision is trapped inside another barrier para di ka makatakas."
"Is that all you got?" inis na sabi ni Sage sabay pahid ng dugo sa labi niya.
"If all else fails, the two of us will be warped inside a world that I created and there is no escape from there until eternity. Kung mamatay ako sa loob ng mundong yun, you will be forever alone." sabi ko at pumasok ako sa loob para kunin ang bag at laptop ko.
"Paano mo nagawa to?" tanong ni Sage na sumusunod sa akin.
Duguan ang braso niya at may sugat sa mukha. Hirap siyang maglakad, malamang nabalian siya ng buto. He is trying to be strong, pero alam ko na nasaktan talaga siya sa impact niya sa glass table.
"Rave shared most of his powers to me. You may have the power of a demon queen, but I have the power of a guardian, plus include the fact na ako ang tagapagmana ng Punong Babaylan," sabi ko sa kanya sabay labas sa gate.
"Saan ka pupunta?"
"Do you think I will stay with you after you attempt to terminate me? Bahala ka mag-isa dyan. You have the option to stay outside the house, but the secondary barrier is far more powerful or dun ka sa loob ng bahay. The moment you entered the house again, the first barrier will be raised and will be strengthen twice as before," sabi ko sabay lakad palayo sa mansion.
"Reichel! Bumalik ka! Wag mo ko iwan mag-isa dito!" sigaw ni Sage nang makalayo na ako.
"Come back here and I will fucking end your pathetic life!"
"Fuck you Reichel Amber! You are such a low life creature!