Chapter 17: Last Training

"Then allow me to extinguish the fire, allow me to drown you— that you'd forget that you were burning."

Looking at his crimson eyes, I couldn't help but think if I deserved this. How could life bless me with a man so willing to give everything?

My hands were shaking when I touched his hands on my cheeks. "Y-you've seen it, Tobias. How can you still—" He cut me off by a kiss.

Ilang beses niya rin hinalikan ang mga luha ko sa pisngi ko. "I'd do everything in my power to get your revenge, and if this is too much for you, I'll ask Pryor or talk with Seth that we can't—" Nanlaki ang mga mata ko at umiling sa kanya.

"No. I am here to help Claret and Divina. I promised them."

Nakahawak pa rin ako sa mga kamay niyang nasa pisngi ko at unti-unti ko na iyong ibinaba. "Train me."

"A-are you still angry with me?"

I sighed and forced a smile, I could see how unsure Tobias was with that smile. Ngunit nasanay na akong agad ilabas ang mga ngiti kong pagkakatapos kong mag-isip ng mabibigat na bagay. It was somewhat my defense mechanism to stop myself for further burying myself into sadness.

"Paano ako magagalit nang matagal sa 'yo? You're handsome kaya. Sinuyo mo pa ako. Marupok ako, Mahal na Hari."

Tumayo na ako ngunit nanatiling magkahawak ang mga kamay namin. Hindi pa rin siya tumatayo. "Stand up, King Tobias, huwag mo akong sanayin sa ganyang posisyon. You look quite handsome from that angle. I might ask you—"

He stood up, his right hand was already under my chin, and he slightly tilted my head up. "Ask me, then, and I'll gladly oblige."

"Oh . . ."

He returned to his usual expression, looked around, let go of me, and walked towards my weapons— the arrows and the metal rings.

Pinanuod ko lang siyang kunin ang mga iyon bago siya bumalik at ibigay ang mga iyon sa akin. "We can train with your arrows."

I nodded.

Binigyan na ako ni Tobias ng distansya, at hinayaan niya akong ilagay muli sa balikat ko ang aking mga palaso.

I took my bow, pulled my arrow from the quiver, and outstretched my hand with my familiar form.

"Let me see your aim, Love. You have to hit the moving water," Tobias gently said.

Nasa likuran ni Tobias ang isa niyang kamay habang ang isa ay banayad na gumagalaw. The first movement of his hand, two consecutive water bursts surged to the air, I quickly released one arrow and pulled another one— both water bursts were hit.

I knew that the water burst was still slow.

"Nice one, Love. Again."

This time, Tobias summoned three water bursts, now at a long distance. I hit the first one, almost hit the second, and missed the third.

"It's alright, Love. Let's try again," he calmly said.

He summoned four water bursts, they were slower, but still at a long distance. I hit the first two but missed the other two.

"It's fine."

Paulit-ulit iyong ginawa ni Tobias hanggang sa maubos ang pana sa likuran ko. Maglalakad na sana ako para kunin ang mga naglakad na pana sa paligid nang ang gumagalaw na tubig na ni Tobias ang kumuha sa mga pana sa paligid at dinala ito sa harapan ko.

The arrows were drenched in water, but after a few movements of Tobias's hand, the water from the arrows was separated and burst into the air like crystal dust.

I sighed.

I couldn't help but get fascinated with his handsome face between the sprinkle of water droplets dancing between us, with his serious expression.

He's literally shining, shimmering, and splendid.

Life has been difficult for me, and now that I'd met someone who could literally distract me from the depths of my past. I should enjoy this.

Mas lalo akong napatitig ako kay Tobias, nakapaganda ng kapangyarihan niya at bagay na bagay sa kanya. His power could make anyone wet.

"Your power really suits you, Tobias."

"How?"

"Nakakabasa . . ."

"Of course, it's water."

I blinked, and shook my head, "Yes, o-of course."

"Let's try again, Love."

I bit my lower lip. He should call me Love sometimes. Huwag iyong ganito. Lalo na sa paraan nang pagbanggit niya noon na tila nasa malapit lang siya at ibinubulong sa akin.

Hindi ko na nagalaw ang kamay ko nang mag-angat siya muli ng magkasunod na tubig, lumingon siya sa akin na nagtataka. "Something is wrong, Love—"

"Stop calling me Love . . ."

"But you are my love, why would I stop? Let's do it again." Mahinahong sabi niya bago siya humarap sa unahan at magkumpas muli ng kamay niya.

Tobias looked practically calm after that sudden outburst of emotions between us. Kung titingnan kaming dalawa ay tila walang nakitang nakaraan, walang nangyaring pagmamakaawa, at maging pagluha. Maybe because Tobias and I might have been living in two different worlds, but we've been used to situations where we needed to bring those walls up after breaking down.

Hindi ko na nabilang kung gaano katagal ang oras na inilagi namin doon ni Tobias sa pag-e-ensayo, at natigil lang kami nang biglang may lumabas nang liwanag sa dulo ng aking pana nang sandaling bitawan ko iyon.

It was the color of his eyes.

"W-what was that?"

A small smile crept on his lips. "A symbol that you're a goddess from the mirror— and you're mine."

***

Hindi ko na nakita pa sina Seth at Divina ng araw na iyon, at maging ng ikalawang araw ng aking pag-e-ensayo. Inakala ko ay nagagawa ng paraan si Pryor para masira ang araw ko, ngunit hindi ko na rin siya nakita pa sa palasyo.

Ngayon ay naroon kami sa silid kung nasaan ang ilang babaylan ng Parsua Deltora, sinabi sa akin ni Tobias na maaari ang mga itong may idagdag sa aking mga pana upang hindi ko lubos gamitin ang kapangyarihan ko.

Tobias noticed that after I used one of my arrows accompanied by a green light, there was a sudden decline in my strength, that's why Tobias thought of an idea that would help me with my arrows. He never tried to offer my metal rings again, but I hid it inside my go-to bag from one of the priestesses. It's a magical bag that could bring weapons— bigger weapons, even if it looked like it could only bring a few books.

"I should have this in the human world, Tobias. Hindi na siguro ako nahirapan magbuhat-buhat." Natutuwang sabi ko habang kapwa kami nakatungaw sa ginagawa ng mga babaylan sa harapan namin.

Apat na babaylan ng Parsua Deltora ang nakahilera sa mahabang lamesa habang abala ang kanilang mga nagliliwanag na kamay sa kagamitan na maaari kong itali sa aking mga pana.

Hindi siya sumagot sa akin, lumingon ako sa kanya ngunit ang mga mata niya ay nakatuon doon sa kanyang mga babaylan.

I noticed that after he'd seen my past, the familiar smile on his face disappeared. Nanatili na lang siyang seryoso. Hindi ko tuloy alam kung ano ang tumatakbo sa isip niya. In a short period of time, I'd already learned how to close our mind link, now how I wished I could invade his.

Siguro ay napansin na ni Tobias ang pagtitig ko sa kanya. "Kezalli . . ."

I blinked, smiled awkwardly, and looked at the priestesses.

Nang matapos ang mga babaylan ay bumalik kaming muli ni Tobias sa lugar na maraming talon at tinulungan niya akong gamitin ang mga palaso ko na may kasamang mga kagamitang ginawa para sa akin ng mga babaylan.

There were some explosives, smoke, poisons, and another unexpected trick that I didn't expect that my arrows and my strength could pull off.

"You're naturally talented, Kezalli. Hindi man lang ako nahihirapan na turuan ka."

"It's not talent," I quickly replied.

Huli na para bawiin ko ang sinabi ko nang matigil si Tobias at mapatitig muli sa akin. I grinned and even waved both of my hands. "No. I am not sad. M-masaya akong hindi na kita pinahihirapan. This is our last day of training, right? I should give you a gift. Thank you so much!" Sunod-sunod iyong sinabi ko para mabago ang usapan.

I hated it when he looked at me with guilt in his eyes. It wasn't his fault that I entered the underground world in the human world. It was my choice.

"Of course, you'll give me a gift. I don't think it's going to be good for us if we leave the castle without getting the best source of strength that every vampire couple should have," he said casually as he waved his hand in the air.

I gulped. "Y-yes . . ."

Tobias trained me so well. Kung dati ay hindi ko na kailangan gumalaw sa posisyon ko, dahil sa paglayo at pagbilis ng bawat paglabas ng tubig sa paligid ko, kailangan ko nang tumakbo nang mabilis. Minsan ay kailangan ko pang gumulong at tumalon dahil kailangan kong abutan ang bigla na lang lumalabas na tubig.

Dahil sa pagod ko ay napahiga na lang ako sa sahig, naghalo na ang tubig at pawis sa katawan ko. Mabibigat ang paghinga ko habang naririnig ko ang mga hakbang ni Tobias patungo sa akin.

He looked over me. "We can stop from here, Love."

"No. Let's practice some more."

Tumango siya sa akin at dumistansya siyang muli. It took us another few hours before I felt so exhausted that I couldn't stand anymore.

Binuhat na ako ni Tobias dahilan kung bakit nanlaki ang mga mata ko, dahil umaakyat na siya sa hagdan. "Ibaba mo na ako. I can walk."

"You can't."

I sighed. Hindi na ako nakipagtalo sa kanya at hinayaan ko ang sarili kong yumakap sa kanya. Namayani ang katahimikan sa pagitan namin habang marahan siyang humahakbang.

"You are really too good to be true, Tobias."

"Women from the human world can't really easily be convinced, right? That's what I noticed too with Claret and Naha."

Humiwalay ako sa pagkakayakap sa leeg niya at hinawakan ko ang magkabilang pisngi niya. Natigil sa paghakbang sa hagdan si Tobias. "Tobias, in the human world level, sobrang laki ng akwat natin, you're handsome, rich, may nine in— million. And you look at me with these green eyes as if you're so in love—"

"I am."

I felt a sudden shiver down my spine with those two words. Hindi ko man nakikita alam kong biglang nagningas ang mga mata ko. Mariin kong ikinagat ang pang-ibabang labi ko.

I buried my face on his neck, and my heart felt as if it was about to burst.

"You can bite me now. Come on, Love," he gently whispered. "S-sa kuwarto na lang."

He nodded.

Para akong batang inapi at pilit na isinisiksik ang sarili sa leeg ni Tobias habang marahan siyang naglalakad mula sa ilalim ng kanilang palasyo, sa pinaka-unahang pinto patungo sa malaking tanggapan nito, sa mahabang hagdan, at maging sa pasilyo patungo sa silid namin.

I could even hear the giggling of the palace maids as Tobias walked confidently into his castle with his mate in his arms. Sa sulok ng aking mata ay nakita ko pa si Seth na lalabas sana ng isang silid habang buhat si Divina na kausap niya, agad niyang tinakpan ang mata ng bata bago ito yumuko sa amin ni Tobias na hindi naman siya pinansin.

I thought Tobias would bring me into our room, but I found myself in the familiar bathroom where we first met. He continued his strides until we reached the middle of his steaming pool, the water level was reaching his chest as he guided my legs to wrap around his waist.

"I know that you need my blood to replenish your strength. Go on," Tobias gently pushed my head.

Kusa nang umawang ang mga labi ko at hindi na ako nag-aksaya ng minuto, at ikinagat ko na ang pangil ko sa kanya.

He groaned softly as I started sipping his blood, my legs wrapped tightly as his arms pulled me closer. I could hear his fast heartbeat, while his other hand was tenderly caressing my hair. As I gulped, his blood traveled from my mouth down to my throat, until it felt like every drop of it conquered my whole body. Suddenly, it felt like the water around us was burning— and for the very first time I never thought that burning was just in hell— sometimes it was Tobias's blood, his steaming water around us, his lips whispering to my ears, and his hands wandering around my body.

I want more . . . but I will kill him.

I forced myself to stop and distanced my fangs from his neck, tears streaming down my cheeks, from restraint, need, and hate for myself for being too emotional for the feelings that I still couldn't control.

Blood was still on my lips, ribbons of it were still traveling from the side of my lips to my chin to my neck, and my right arm was shaking as I wiped it against my lips. "What should I do? You taste so good, Love, you taste so good. I c-can't stop . . ." I choked, voice wavering, unable to contain my feelings.

"Oh gods . . ."

It wasn't just his eyes, Tobias bared his fangs as if he was about to bite my lips with them, and in a split second, we were not in the middle of the water. My body lay at the edge of the marbled bathpool.

Tobias was towering over me, with his arms pressed on the floor on either side of me.

Without a word, his long nails stripped my black suit into two, exposing everything in front of his burning eyes, he was kneeling between my legs as he pulled his shirt over his head.

I suddenly wanted to run my fingers on every line on his chest to his stomach, and before I could even reach him, he was back in the water soaking himself to his chest. I gasped as he pulled my legs, looking down at him between my thighs, he slowly wrapped his arms around it, kissing the side of my legs with his eyes closed. "You shouldn't have said that Love, now allow me to make you feel good . . . more."

That's how Tobias made me realize that I could be drowned— with his lips claiming me. With my eyes flaring, hands raking through his hair, and my hips moving with him. His tongue licking his lips, eyes as red as mine. "Sweet."