Special Chapter: The Beauty of Hell

Rory's Point of View

It's been a while since the first time I watched him from afar. I've seen him mature. I've seen him value the things around him. And those people that let him feel he's worth it. Despite how timid, shy, silent and blunt he is, that doesn't stop him from blending in with others.

When I saw him crying the night I first laid my eyes on him somehow made my heart melt. He's too adorable. I don't want to see him hurt. I wanted to protect him from everything who would try to harm him. I promised. I promised them that I will protect him even if it cost me my life.

I wasn't planning to approach him the first day of school, but I saw him how fear took over his system. Nakatitig lang siya sa babaeng bumagsak sa harapan niya mula sa rooftop ng building. I remained calm. The blood that scattered upon the floor smells so good. Pero pinigilan ko ang aking sarili.

"Hey, are you okay?" tinanong ko siya kaagad.

His knees and hands were trembling. Nakatingin lamang siya sa katawang nasa harapan niya. It's as if he was crucified from where he was standing. From unknown reason, kumirot bigla ang puso ko. I don't want him seeing these things. He's too innocent for this!

When I saw how his shoulders moved, I grab his hands and hug him tightly. Tama ako sa hinula ko nang biglang nabasa ang suot-suot kong t-shirt. But seconds later, humahagulgol na siya ng iyak. Of course, seeing someone died just in front of our two naked eyes, it is traumatizing.

Makaraan ang ilang segundo sa paghagulgol niya, bigla siyang tumingala roon sa rooftop. Sinundan ko ang tingin niya. I gritted my teeth when I saw someone's head peeking from the edge. Of course, I knew what kind of predator that killed this girl lying upon the ground, bathing her own blood.

I concluded that this wasn't a coincidence. This is intentional. Someone wanted Kai to witness this. I balled my palm and gritted my teeth in anger. For the last two years, I've been careful. To those who had the intent to harm him, all of them never had the chance to get near him. I maintained that way for two years. And now, this?!

Nagsidatingan naman ang mga pulis. At tila parang napagtanto niyang nakayakap siya sa akin. Kasing-bilis ng kabayong kumalas siya ng yakap. Sumalubong sa akin ang mga mata niya nang tumingin siya sa akin.

"I'm sorry for hugging you like that," hingi niya ng paumanhin.

I am aware of how beautiful he is. Pero hindi ko aakalaing mas guwapo siya sa malapitan. I've been alive for centuries, but I haven't had the chance to at least find someone as beautiful as him. Kai had a jet-black shag hair, tantalizing gray eyes, his tanned skin made him look hotter, a turned-up nose and a kissable downward-turned lips.

F*ck, get it together, Ry! I scolded myself. "It's fine," I sparingly answered.

For f*cking unknown reason, I couldn't stopped myself staring at him. At mukhang napansin niya 'yon. Bumagsak naman ang mata niya sa sahig dahil doon. Seconds later, inangat niya ang kaniyang tingin. Pero kaagad din naman siyang napahinto.

A sly smile plastered upon my lips when I realized where he was staring. "You look like a hungry wolf just now," I said.

He was quick to compose himself after hearing what I said. Pero pinasadahan niya pa rin ako ng tingin mula ulo hanggang paa. Hindi ko siya inistorbo, sa halip ay hinayaan ko na lamang siya.

Inilahad ko ang aking kamay. "My name's Rory Colmillos Del Grosso." Nakangiting pagpapakilala ko sa kaniya.

Hindi niya ako binigo't tinanggap niya ang aking kamay.

"Caelestis Reyan Gehenna."

Tinitigan ko lang siya. Ewan ko kung bakit hindi ko kayang iiwas ang mata ko. I wanted to stare him as long as I want. Or perhaps, nasanay na ako sa pagtingin sa kaniya kahit sa malayo? I gritted my teeth. And turned my back on him.

Nang hindi ko na naramdaman ang presensya niyang nakasunod sa akin, lumingon ako. Nagkasalubong ang aming mga mata. I raised my left eyebrow to get his attention.

"Aren't you late?" I asked.

Tila parang bumalik siya sa reyalidad nang marinig ang tinanong ko. Natataranta siyang sumunod sa akin. I stopped walking in the middle of the hallway when I realized he doesn't have the plan to walk beside me. Muli ko siyang tinapunan ng nagtatanong na tingin.

"Why are you doing behind my back? Walk with me," utos ko sa kaniya.

Nang sinunod niya ang aking sinabi ay ibinulsa ko ang aking kamay at taas-noong naglalakad. Habang siya naman ay pasimpleng pinasadahan ako ng tingin. I wanted to smile, but I only gritted my teeth to resist myself.

"Are you done?" tanong ko sa kaniya na hindi siya tinatapunan ng tingin. "Kanina pa kita napapansing nakatitig sa hitsura ko." This time, huminto ako sa paglalakad at hinarap siya.

Naglakad ako papalapit sa kaniya. Habang siya naman ay atras nang atras. Hanggang sa bumangga na lamang ang likuran niya sa dingding. Damn it! He's f*cking cute! Dahil sa katangkaran ko, nakatingala siya sa akin para matignan ako.

"You find me alluring?" I seductively asked.

Napaiwas kaaagad siya ng tingin dahil sa mga sumunod na sinabi ko. Nakita ko pa ang paggalaw ng kaniyang panga. It's as if he is teetering to confess or not. Nabagot kaagad ako dahil sa tagal niyang sumagot. And my forehead furrowed impetuously.

"No," he emotionlessly responded.

I was caught off guard. I didn't see that coming. Hinatid ko siya ng tingin na nagmamadaling talikuran ako.

Halos lahat ng atensyon ko ay nasa kay Kai. I don't want to lose him in my sight. Or perhaps, at least sensing his presence. I already scolded myself for my actions I showed to Kai. I wasn't supposed to flirt like that. To someone that is under my protection. To someone that I promised to protect.

I am sure that if the world knows his existence, they will come for him. The witches will act violently. The werewolves will use him against his family. And the vampires might use him for their own gain.

I don't want to ruin what his parents planned for him. Kahit na selfish man isipin, pero ginawa nila ito para sa kapakanan ni Kai. Maraming mga bagay na hindi dapat malaman ni Kai. There are things in the world that must be remained secret for our own safety.

As much as I can, I will do everything to stay him away from the truth. Pero kapag malalaman niya ang katotohanan at hindi ko na kaya pang i-deny, hindi ko rin naman ito ipagkakait. Next Monday would be full moon, which means, it is the night for werewolves.

And I will be extra careful not to bitten by their kind. Because werewolf bite is fatal to vampires. There's no cure for that. Magha-hallucinate ang isang bampira kapag nakagat ng isang taong-lobo hanggang sa malagutan ng hininga.

Plus, it would be dangerous for Kai as well. Kaya dapat lang akong mag-ingat. I am sure that one pack of werewolves will coming for him. Tumingin ako sa kinauupuan ni Kai. Subalit nabaling ang aking buong atensyon nang maramdaman ko ang matang nakatitig sa akin.

He made a signal. Tumayo siya at nagpaalam kina Kai at Hecate. Dire-diretso lang ang kaniyang lakad tungo sa toilet ng cafeteria. Seconds later, tumayo na rin ako. Sumunod kung nasaan si Lupus. Pagkarating at pagkapasok ko'y kaagad niya akong sinakal.

But I was quick to kick his knee. Dahilan para mabitawan niya ako. When he tried to strangle me once more, inunahan ko na siya. Hindi na siya makaapak sa lupa dahil hawak-hawak ko ang kaniyang leeg.

I locked the door to avoid someone seeing us. Binitawan ko siya nang ma-satisfied ako sa pagsakal sa kaniya. He then fell his knee upon the floor, catching his breath.

"You should be careful what you are asking, wolf," I coldly said. "You are facing an original vampire," pagbabanta ko sa kaniya.

Nang maibalik na ang hanging pinagkait ko sa kaniya, tumayo siya sa pagkakaluhod. Tinignan niya ako nang masama pagkatapos.

"Tama nga ang sabi-sabi nila. Original vampires are as arrogant as ever. They always get what they wanted," he commented.

I laugh sarcastically. "We've been here since the year 950, boy. We've seen how empires to empires destroy each other. We've seen how anger, greed, and insecurity consumed the mortals," I responded.

Matapos marinig niya ang sinabi ko, iniwas niya ang kaniyang tingin.

"What the hell are you doing here in Luna Roja, Del Grosso?" I was a little bit annoyed by his tone.

I scoff. "Are you seriously asking me that right now, Sanchez?" Nadidismaya kong tanong pabalik. "First and foremost, my family was born here in Luna Roja. Did you forget that? You are not the only one who is originated in this place."

I gritted my teeth when I heard him laugh.

"We both know the answer to my question, Del Grosso," madiing wika niya sa akin. Habang tinignan niya ako sa mata. "And befriending him? You and your kind always gets into my nerves." His anger prevails.

I looked at him in disbelief. "Oh please, do not start, Sanchez," pinagbantaan ko siya ulit. "You are just fulfilling your duty as a Gamma. But I promised in front of your Alpha to protect him from those who desired to harm him."

Natahimik siya nang ilang segundo. Sunod-sunod ang pinakawalan niyang buntong-hininga. Alam kong wala silang magagawa kapag involve na ang kanilang leader.

"You may have the blessing of our late Alpha, you still can't change how I hate your kind," he said before excusing himself.

I understand why Lupus acted like that. Mabigat ang responsibilidad na nakaatang sa kaniyang mga balikat. Kailangan niyang maging mapagmatyag sa lahat ng oras.

He is a Gamma Werewolf. As far as I can remember, a Gamma is the Alpha's right hand enforcer. If the pack is in the peril, he will be the one to protect them. Baka pati pagkamatay ng Alpha nila ay sinisisi niya ang sarili.

Currently, nandito ako sa bubong ng technology department building namin. Hinihintay si Kai. Kitang-kita ko naman ang field ng campus. Naglalaro ng soccer si Lupus with his team. Napatayo ako sa pagkakaupo nang marinig ko ang boses ni Kai.

Naunang lumabas si Kai sa classroom at naglakad na ngayon sa hallway. Habang ako naman ay sinusundan siya. Lumukso ako sa kabilang bubong. Hanggang sa makalabas si Kai sa gate. Nakatayo na ako ngayon sa sanga ng isang malaking kahoy. Pinagmamasdan lahat ng kilos niya.

Pero napaalerto na lamang ako nang biglang narinig ko ang mga mabibigat na paghinga niya. Nakatingin siya diretso roon sa mini-forest. Shit! Napamura na lamang ako sa aking isipan nang makita ko ang lobong nakamasid sa kaniya.

Pupuntahan ko na sana siya nang biglang sumulpot sa likuran niya si Lupus. I gritted my teeth when I saw Kai fell his knees upon the ground, crying. It must've been shuddering for him. Gusto ko siyang lapitan, pero pinigilan ko na lamang ang aking sarili.

"I give that chance to you, Sanchez," I whispered.

Nang makaalis na si Kai ay umalis na rin si Lupus. He give Kai a good comfort. I appreciate it. Lumukso ako sa sangang aking pinagpapatungan. Tinungo ko ang mini-forest dahil hanggang sa makaalis si Kai ay nandito pa rin ang presensya nito.

I was about to enter the mini-forest when an old woman suddenly appeared. Nakasuot na ito ng damit. I was quick to bow my head when I realized who she is.

"Del Grosso," she sweetly said. "Thank you for fulfilling your promise to my daughter, but you don't have to continue this. The Crescents will take over," she authoritatively added.

"With all due respect, madame, I won't stop until I am sure he's safe," I responded.

She hummed. "A Del Grosso," she sparingly answered while nodding. "Well then, I will be watching," she added and once again transformed with her will into a wolf-like creature.

She glanced at me with her yellow eyes before sprinting into the darkness.

✢

"What are you doing here, Kai?" tanong ko kaagad sa kaniya nang makalapit siya sa akin.

I am still guilty after compelling him to forget what he heard from me while I was confronting Chavez earlier. But I did what I needed to do. It is for his own safety.

"Umm, ano kasi . . ." utal-utal niyang saad. Kitang-kita ko pa kung paano namula ang tenga niya. Nagpakawala naman siya ng buntong-hininga bago napagdesisyunang sabihin sa akin ang gusto niyang sabihin kanina pa. "Salamat pala dahil kanina. Saka sorry dahil sa akin naglilinis ka ngayon at hindi ka pa nakapasok sa klase."

Nakapikit pa siya nang sabihin 'yon sa akin. Habang ako naman ay hindi napigilang mapangiti.

"Cute," I chuckled.

But I was quick to realized what I said. Mukhang medyo napalakas ang pagkasabi ko. Mabilis akong bumalik sa pagpunas ng lamesa. What the f*ck is that, Ry?! Seconds later, nakatayo pa rin siya sa likuran ko. Tila naghihintay sa susunod kong sasabihin.

"If you're sorry, go out with me later."

Of course, nagulat siya sa sinabi ko. We even exchanged our numbers. Pagkatapos ay umalis siya. Habang ako naman ay tila parang hindi makapaniwala sa sinabi ko. Nang makauwi ako sa bahay ay kaagad kong tinawagan si Rojo.

Ang kapatid ko na sumunod sa akin. After our call, he agreed to go back home here in Luna Roja. Currently nasa Dupont kasi siya.

Dumating ako sa Durada Café fifteen minutes before our call time. Surprisingly, naunang dumating dito si Kai. My world stopped when I saw him wearing a black and white checkered long sleeve polo.

Kapansin-pansin naman ang suot niyang black short above his knee. At ang puting sneakers. I gritted my teeth because of the view. His hair perfectly comb, and his perfume that smells like a gentle berries.

"You can now sit, Kai."

Tila parang nabalik siya sa reyalidad nang marinig ang boses ko. He is staring at me earlier. Pinasadahan niya ako ng tingin dahilan para mapangiti ako nang matamis kanina. I will never be tired of his gaze. Napamura na lamang ako nang biglang sumikdo ang aking malamig na puso.

Gotta admit, he is dangerously beautiful.