When Alycia and Reubert went back to the abandoned house. Alycia couldn't believe that the person she thought was dead for over a hundred years ago was alive all this time. Lahat nang makitang gamit ni Alycia ay kanyang pinaghahagis. She couldn't forget the fact that the Clements was the reason why his parents died of old age and depression because they were sought to protect their town until they die but it didn't even happen.
All this time, when she came back to this town every year, she doesn't have any that Edwardine was just under the ground, hid by the Clements to cover up their own failures.
Reubert stopped and comforted Alycia on what she's going through. He knew Edwardine, and of course the Clements dynasty because Alycia never failed to tell it to him. He understood what she was going through and all they could ever think was getting revenge to the Clements. Alycia lost everything and she couldn't foster herself all along. She need to find something to get her anger out and this time, she put it all out to those person who made her life miserable.
Reubert hugged her tightly and rested her head on his shoulder, he caressed his hands over her head and wave it with her hair. "You'll be fine, Alycia. Maybe this wasn't coming along with your plan, but remember there's still hope, okay?"
Alycia slowly pulled herself away from him and stared at his eyes and cupped his cheeks.
"You are the greatest that ever happened to me, Reubert. You might not know that."
Napangisi naman ang binata. "I'm happy also that you are the best thing that happened to me, Alycia. If it wasn't for you, I wouldn't be here with you. You put me out of my misery and it could be the death of me after all, and then you came, thought seeing you would be the last beautiful thing I would able to see, but you didn't make that happen when you made me immortal and be with you every single day. So, if you're thinking something that stops you, don't ever think about that again. We'll get through this together, okay?"
Alycia nodded to her boyfriend. "Of course, we will..."
"Can I hear you laugh and see you smile now?" he grinned, tickling her on her sides that made her laughed so hard.
Mabilis namang tumakbo si Alycia sa paligid at pilit na hinahabol ni Reubert. They both stumbled upon each other and fell to the ground.
She immediately grabbed his head and kissed him like there's no tomorrow. They headed to the bedroom then Reubert positioned on top of Alycia. When they felt like the urges were coming out of their body, they started removing their clothes off.
It was a moment of steamy sensation for both of them until Reubert landed beside Alycia, chasing his breath. They covered themselves with the comforter.
"Babe..." Alycia muttered. "What if we're already on the losing side?"
Napakunot-noo naman ang binata. "What made you say that?"
"In every time I wanted us to get stronger, lagi na lang palpak. First, I was trying to get the witch on our side whom I didn't even know was an Escott witch and the next is Chloei whom I just killed. I do really think that we did something wrong and I don't know what it is..."
"Maybe because those person doesn't mean to be on our side, babe..." Reubert said. "Think of this, if that witch was on our side, she wouldn't mess with Chloei, right? We choose the wrong person to be on our team or maybe, just the two of us were good to go through this, right? Hindi naman siguro natin sila kailangan para lang masabi nating malakas tayo? We couldn't live longer if we haven't got each other, right?"
Napatango si Alycia sa sinabi ng nobyo. "Maybe, you're right. Hindi naman natin kailangan ng ibang tao para lumakas pa tayo. We got something that they don't have. We're capable of something. I don't care if Edmond was teamed up with a wolf and a witch, that won't bother me because this is a vampire's war. Blood for blood."
"Now that's the attitude I've been wanting to see," Reubert smirked.
"Well, you lifted my mood up dear," Alycia chuckled.
"That's what I do, babe, to cheer you up."
"But there's one thing missing..." Alycia put her index finger on her lips and think of it right away. "I know, you know what I'm thinking..."
"I could already smell it, babe."
"That's the point dear," Alycia giggled. "I'm hungry and thirsty. Would you do the honor?"
Reubert stood up naked from the bed and he offered his hand for Alycia. They both were some clothes and get out of the abandoned house searching for their next victim. They don't want to get visible to everyone so they'll be doing it nicely and quietly. Not until they found a homeless sleeping on the pavement.
"Do you think he's an addict?" Reubert asked.
Alycia laughed. "I'm not sure... but that would taste good, right?"
"I agree," Reubert chuckled. "Should we wake him up?"
"Not necessary," Alycia smirked.
They went to the homeless man and didn't waste a single second and bit the man on his neck. Nagising at sumigaw naman ang lalaki. Tinakpan ni Alycia ang bibig nito at pinanood na lantakan ni Reubert uti. Sumunod din naman siya hangga't sa ma-satisfied na sila sa nainom nilang dugo. Wala nang buhay ang lalaki nang tingnan nila ito.
"Anong gagawin natin sa katawan nito?" tanong ni Reubert.
"Sunugin."
"That would be brutal, but I like it."
"But if you have some time to dig a grave for him, that would be good for the both of us."
"Sure, that'll be fine. I'll meet you at the house then."
When Alycia ran away and Reubert left with the dead body. He stared at it and thought that this man didn't deserve to die. Umikot ang ulo ni Reubert sa paligid upang magmanman hangga't sa kagatin nito ang kanyang pulso at pinaagos ang dugo papunta sa bibig ng lalaki.
Mayamaya lamang ay inubo ito, senyales nang muling pagkabuhay. Agad namang tinutok ni Reubert ang pulso niya sa lalaki upang iyon na ang dugong kanyang iinumin patuloy sa kanyang transition.
Nang tumigil sa pagsisip ng dugo ang lalaki at nagkatitigan silang dalawa ni Reubert. Mabilis na tumakas ang lalaki. Hindi naman nagawang sundan iyon ni Reubert kaya napailing na lamang ito. Humugot siya ng malalim na hininga at bumalik sa abandonadong bahay. Sinalubong din naman siya ni Alycia.
"Tapos mo na ang trabaho mo, babe?"
Tumango naman si Reubert at iniwas ang kanyang tingin. Tumabi naman siya kinahihigaan ni Alycia at hindi maalis sa isipan niya ang nangyari kanina. Hindi niya alam kung bakit niya naisipang gawin iyon. He shouldn't have a compassion to anyone pero bakit parang apektado siya ngayon? Siguro nga, minsan ay nananalaytay pa rin ang pagiging makatao ni Reubert kahit ilang taon na ang nakalilipas.
***
Nagising naman sina Stella at Ully nang maaga para maghanda ng kanilang almusal. Sabik silang dalawa na mag-ensayo upang mahasa ang kanilang mga abilidad. Habang kumakain ay nanonood sila ng TV at nasaktuhan pa nilang napanood ang isang tao na nasusunog.
"Bakit walang tumutulong sa lalaki para maapula ang apoy?" takang tanong ni Stella.
"Nakakapagtaka lang," ani Ully. "Naalala ko tuloy bigla 'yong nangyari kay Chloei. Hindi ko naman in-expect na sa isang bala lamang ng wooden bullet na 'yon ay namatay na siya. Gano'n pala kalupit 'yon."
"Mabuti na lang din ay hindi niya ipinutok kay Edmond."
"Tama. That'll definitely kill everyone on his bloodline."
Mayamaya lamang ay ikinabigla ng dalawa ang biglaang pagdating ni Elius na hawak pang plato ng pancake at tabi nito ay si Edmond. Tumuloy naman si Elius sa lamesa at pinagpatuloy ang pagkain. Buong pagtataka naman ng dalawa na kay-aga aga ay nasa kanilang kwarto na agad ang mga ito.
"Anong meron?" tanong ni Stella.
"Napanood niyo ba iyong balita?"
"Ayan ba?" Pagturo ni Stella sa TV. Sa taong nasusunog.
Tumapon naman ang atensyon ng tatlo roon at iyon ay ibinabalita ng local news ang karumal-dumal na pangyayari. Ngunit may ideya si Edmond sa napanonood nila ngayon.
"Anong naiisip mo, Ed?" tanong ni Stella.
"Tama nga rin ba ang nasa isip ko?" ani Elius.
"You might be right, El. Chloei died of the wooden bullet last night and she was burned into ashes. Gano'n din ang napanonood natin ngayon. He was burning because he could be a vampire. Ang isang bampira na walang suot na daylight ring ay imposible na makalabas ng dilim dahil panigurado'y masusunog sila sa sikat ng araw."
"Talaga ba?" ani Stella.
"Pa'no nangyari 'yon?" tanong ni Ully.
"Gaya nitong suot ko." Pinakita ni Edmond ang daylight ring na suot niya. "Alycia and Reubert have their own daylight rings. Mine was made a long time ago—before I even met Esmeralda. I also noticed Edwardine has one, but I have no idea how he got his. Pero wala nito sina Chloei at iyong lalaki so posible na isa nga iyong bampira at hindi isang suicidal trick."
"Kung hindi ikaw at si Edwardine na nakakulong sa basement. Sino namang gagawa no'n?"
"Baka galing ibang bayan?" Stella guessed.
Hindi naman nasagot ni Edmond ang tanong ng dalawa nang bumaling muli sila sa TV. Napagalaman nilang isang homeless ang lalaking nasunog ang buong katawan. Hindi man sigurado kung isa nga talaga itong bagong bampira pero hindi siya magkakamali na isa kina Alycia o Rebuert ang may kagagawan nito.
"This could be done by Alycia," ani Stella.
Pero mayamaya lamang ay ikinagulat ng lahat nang makita si Reubert sa tapat ng pinto. He couldn't come inside because he hasn't been invited in. Nanatili itong nakatayo sa labas.
"Anong ginagawa mo rito, Reubert?" tanong ni Edmond kanya.
"I'm gonna say it real quick," aniya at tila kinakabahan pa ito. "I'm the reason that the homeless man turned into a vampire. Last night, Alycia and I were searching for our victim to satisfy our hunger and we found him sleeping on the pavement. We feed on him and let him die, but I thought he didn't deserve it so I turned him one."
"So, that's why you're so quiet to me, babe?" Napalingon naman siya sa likuran niya at nakita niya si Alycia roon. Nabigla rin naman ang apat sa biglaang pagdating nito. "You just made big trouble."
"I'm sorry babe, it won't happen again," he pleaded.
Reubert immediately ran away then Alycia abruptly followed him wherever he went.
Naiwan naman ang apat na natulala na lang at saka natawa nang mapagtanto nilang hindi na nila kailangan pang pag-aksayahan ng panahon ang pangyayaring iyon. It wasn't their business and they will mind their own things to prepare for the incoming destruction.
"Okay, guys. I'll go somewhere to look for something we can use and once I got back, we'll start the training okay?"
Ully and Stella nodded. "Yes, master!"