(POV Maia)
The demon king is seldom wrong. He is right again this time because I do missed him. Ayoko man aminin, pero siya lang ang laman ng isip ko ever since na umalis ako ng Pilipinas.
Jared asked me to secretly bring the red and white medallion to his Uncle Syl and Uncle Quinn in Vienna. Alam ko, nasa Istanbul sila ngayon ni Cole at Maddie. Pabalik na sila sa Philippines, pero nag detour sila sa Singapore. Kung bakit sila nandoon, hindi ko din alam. Siguro may bagong puzzle na naman si Nameless sa kambal.
Pagdating ko sa Singapore airport, pinuntahan ko na agad si Jared sa isang famous island resort sa southern coast ng Singapore. He asked me to meet him there para sabay na kami umuwi sa Pinas.
I'm no on my way to their hotel, pero di ko inaasahan na makikita ko si Jared na naglalakad sa beach. He is wearing a black board shorts paired with his gorgeous half naked body. Kahit malayo siya sa akin,alam ko na si Jared yun kahit nakatalikod siya.
But Jared is not alone, may babaeng nakahawak sa braso niya. She's looks sporty with her two piece, and yet she has fine curves. They are walking on the sandy beach as if mag jowa sila.
Sino ang babaeng to? Chicks ni Jared? Nawala lang ako ng ilang araw, may kasama na agad na ibang babae?
Lumapit ako kay Jared. I need to know who the hell is this girl with him. When he noticed my presence, bigla siyang humarap sa akin as he removed his sunglasses. Obvious ang pagkagulat sa mukha niya nang makita ako.
"Maia? Why are you here?" tanong niya sa akin.
"You told me na sumunod ako dito di ba? Andito na ko," naka smile kong sagot sa kanya.
"Pero sabi mo bukas ka pa dadating?"
"I want to surprise you at mukhang effective naman. Namutla ka nga sa pagka gulat. Do I look someone from the afterlife?" I said as I gritted my teeth pero di pa rin nawawala ang ngiti sa mukha ko.
"Jared sino siya?" tanong ng babae na nakakapit pa din sa braso ni Jared.
Sino ako? Ako lang naman ang girlfriend ng lalakeng katabi mo!
Pero wait lang, sino ba talaga ko? Di nga pala ko girlfriend. Slave with benefits siguro pwede pa.
Tinignan ko lang mula ulo hanggang paa ang babaeng kaharap ko. I am never rude to anyone specially sa babae, but this girl annoys me to the bones. I composed myself bago ko pa sila masapok na dalawa,
"Jared, pupuntahan ko muna si Maddie. Alam ko nagtatampo siya at umalis ako last time ng walang paalam. Maiwan ko muna kayo," I said casually to him sabay alis.
Gusto ko mag apoy sa galit at gusto ko lunurin sila pareho sa beach pero di ko magawa dahil wala naman ako karapatan mag selos. Hindi naman ako girlfriend. Siguro nga may something sa amin ni Jared, pero we did not put any label on it.
Dumerecho ko sa hotel at nagrent ng isang room. I will talk to Maddie later pero sa ngayon, mas gusto ko maligo at matulog para makalimutan ang lahat ng inis ko sa demon king.
"Maia, wait!" sabi ni Jared sabay hawak sa braso ko bago ko pumasok ng hotel elevator.
"Yes, Jared? May kailangan ka ba?" tanong ko sabay pindot ng buttons sa elevator. Kulang na lang bumaon ang finger ko sa buttons sa gigil.
"Maia, let me explain some things to you."
"Ha? Explain what? Di naman ako humihingi ng paliwanag sayo ah?"
"That is Katerina Nieva. Siya yung sinapian ni Nameless sa Istanbul. I tried to compel her but it didn't fully work. Malamang dahil Nameless already compelled her."
"Ah ganun ba? Anong floor room niyo nila Maddie? Di ko alam kung saan so I just rented a room separately."
"Maia, the compulsion that I did seemed to backfire. After noon, Katerina keeps following me almost everywhere," sabi ni Jared at pinaliwanag niya kung paano niya nahanap si Katerina sa First Class cabin. He detailed kung paano siya sinapok ni Katerina sa mukha when he saw her laptop.
Ah sinapok ka pala? Baka gusto mo sapukin din kita?
"She felt sorry for what she did to me. Nang malaman niya na pupunta kami sa Singapore, she joined us. Cole thinks that we can still use her against Nameless. She's just being friendly, Maia. That's it, no more no less. I am not flirting with her."
"Is that so? Ikaw? Hindi nakikipag flirt sa isang sexy at magandang babae? I believe you, Jared," I sarcastically said as I smiled at him, yung smile na sobrang fake.
"Maia, you have to believe me. Sumama lang siya sa akin kanina na magstroll sa beach."
Believe you? Eh kulang na lang yakapin ka ng babaeng yun kanina eh!
"I don't care about you and Katerina. Malaki na kayo pareho, alam niyo na ang ginagawa niyo. Bakit nga pala andito kayo sa Singapore? Akala ko uuwi na kayo sa Pilipinas." nakangiti kong sagot sa kanya habang nasa elevator kami.
"Nothing in particular. Gusto ko lang mag vacation. We just recently graduated, we should treat ourselves."
Treat mo kaya ang puso ko nicely?
"Speaking of graduation, saan niyo balak mag work ni Maddie? And you're using your grandfather's private plane? Buti pinayagan kayo," tanong ko habang naglalakad kami sa corridor papunta sa kwarto ko.
"The plane is at our disposal if we are in a mission. Even our expenses in this luxury hotel are shouldered by my grandfather. Maddie will probably work in Vienna. Sa Pinas lang siguro ko, pero I can't focus on job hunting if Nameless is bothering us. Well, as if naman kailangan ko pa ng trabaho. I can snap my fingers and I can be the richest and most handsome man in Forbes magazine. I can command all my demon servants to give me their wealth."
"Bakit di mo gawin? Demon king ka di ba?"
"Papagalitan ako ng Lolo Rusty, though Uncle Quinn likes the idea."
"I met your Uncle Joaquin sa Vienna. He is funny, smart, and very adorable. He's a bachelor pala hanggang ngayon, bakit kaya hindi siya nag aasawa?"
"I don't know. He's my father's cousin. Pareho silang royal blood noong panahon ng mga Rajah at Sultan. I'm telling you, that man is more than five century old."
"I like old and mature men," nakangiti kong sagot sa kanya pagbukas ko ng pinto ng hotel room ko.
"He was a vampire, Maia. A royalty in the vampire world."
"So? He is human now. Sexy and handsome human for that matter. So paano Jared? Magpapahinga muna ko. Why don't you continue your beach stroll with Katerina? Puntahan ko na lang si Maddie at Cole later," sabi ko sabay pasok sa kwarto and I quickly closed the door bago makapasok si Jared.
Mukhang nag-eenjoy naman siya sa company ni Katerina habang wala ako, eh di magsama silang dalawa!
I decided to take advantage of the big circular bathtub of the suite. I rather stay in this bubble bath kaysa magpaaraw sa labas. Dadagdag ang init ng araw sa init ng ulo ko.
I closed my eyes habang nakalubog sa bubbly water. For minutes, the water soothed me and cooled my head. When I opened my eyes, nakatayo na si Jared sa harapan ko.
"What the hell! Paano ka nakapasok dito?"
"Maia, are you really asking me that?"
"Kailan ka pa nakatayo dyan?"
"Five minutes give or take. May kasama ka na, di mo pa din ako naramdaman? You're so oblivious."
Oblivious? Ako pa manhid? Bingo na talaga itong demon king na ito sa akin!
"I want to rest, Jared. Medyo pagod ako sa byahe. Alam mo na siguro kung paano lumabas."
Jared did not answer me at nagsimula na mag tanggal ng damit. Kahit naman pigilan ko siya, wala na din ako magagawa. He's already inside the bathtub in no time.
"May pag uutos ka ba at inistorbo mo ko?" inis kong tanong sa kanya. Kunwari hindi ako affected na bubbles lang ang nakatakip sa katawan namin.
"Meron..." he answered using his serious voice.
"Ano yun? Baka pwede matulog muna ko, saka mo ko utusan na parang katulo..."
"Make love to me..."
"Make love... Wwhhaat?"
"You heard me. I'm commanding you to make love to me. Do you think I'm just here for a bath? Come on, Maia. Ilang araw tayo di nagkita."
"Eh di ba may kasama ka naman na naka pulupot sayo? Obvious naman na gusto ka ng babaeng yun. Grabe makahawak sa braso mo. Bakit di ka sa kanya magpalipas ng mga cold summer nights mo!"
Jared just smiled at me. He quickly pulled my arm towards him at mabilis akong bumagsak sa dibdib niya.
"You're jealous and you're trying so hard to hide it," Jared whispered as he kissed my ears. His two hands are caressing my bare back.
"Jealous? No way, Jared," I answered as he continuously send wet kisses on my neck down to my shoulders. He cupped my face and our lips are almost touching.
"I missed you, Maia. And don't give me that bullshit that you don't missed me or you're not jealous. You may be a beautiful liar, but your body can't lie," he said before covering my lips with his.
I missed him, that's a fact. I'm jealous, that's, true. And I have fallen deeply and madly in love with him. It is no use to deny this to the demon king.