✔ How To Tame A Succubus

[15] Merlin

"KUYA!"

I was running down the hallway through the backdoor of our ancestral home. Alam kong pagagalitan ako mamaya dahil dumaan na naman ako sa bakuran namin, pero umaasa akong mas mananaig ang tuwa sa balitang dala ko. Being the excited kid that I was, I didn't even bother taking off my shoes. Hindi ko na rin muna inintindi ang kalam ng sikmura ko, knowing very well that my brother's already cooking dinner at this time.

"Kuya! Tingnan mo, nakakuha ako ng scholarship sa..."

Pero wala si Kuya Meric sa kusina.

I should've known he wasn't in here before I bursted through the doorway. Unlike other nights, there wasn't any steam from cooking or the smell of roasted meat he made a routine to cook every Friday night. Bakante rin ang lamesa, hindi pa naise-set up ang mga plato at kubyertos. Doon na ako nagtaka...

Anong oras na ba?

7:39 p.m.

Mas nakapagtataka.

'Baka naman nakatulog si kuya? O baka may lakad pala siyang hindi nasabi sa'kin?'

Instead of overthinking things, dumiretso ako sa refrigerator at kinuha ang karton ng gatas. I gulped it down and took it with me. Embarrassingly, I find comfort in drinking a glass of milk before going to bed. It's a childish habit of mine that didn't die along with our mother, a painful memory I'll someday bury at the deepest part of my mind. Hindi ko makakalimutan ang mga gabing magigising na lang ako sa gitna ng gabi at makakakita ng baso ng gatas sa mesa, hinahanda ni mama dahil alam niyang hirap akong makabalik ng tulog.

Dala-dala ang gatas at ang folder na inuwi ko galing school, naisipan kong manood na lang muna ng television habang naghihintay kay kuya.

'Baka maabutan ko pa ang paborito kong anime---'

That train of thought quickly evaporated the same time the milk splattered on the carpet. Hindi ko namalayang nabitiwan ko na pala ang karton, tuluyan nang humalo ang gatas sa dugong nagmantsa sa sahig.

A morbid white mixing with crimson red.

The image of my older brother's corpse laying in the middle of the living room.

There was so much blood.

"K-KUYA?!"

Seconds stretched into minutes.

I was paralyzed until reality stole me back.

Lumuhod ako sa tabi ng bangkay, nanginginig sa takot at nanghihina sa katotohanang wala na akong maramdamang pulso.

An agonized scream tore from my lips, tears ran down like a river. Pain ripped me apart from inside out, and it fucking hurts...

It fucking hurts so much.

My brother has been murdered.

I was left alone, sobbing and wanting to end my life too.

Noong mga sandaling 'yon, wala na akong pakialam sa folder na nabasa na rin ng gatas o ng dugo o ng pinaghalong likido ng dalawang ito. Wala na akong pakialam sa scholarship grant na ibinigay sa'kin ng isang pribadong high school sa Eastwood. I was barely in my adolescent years, a few months from entering high school at that point. Matutuwa sigurado si Kuya Meric kapag nalaman niyang may patutunguhan na ang buhay ko pagkatapos naming maulila sa magulang.

'Merlin, hindi mo dapat tinatapon ang buhay mo. Sayang ang lahi natin! Plan ahead. You're stronger than you think, so please promise me you'll continue to live, no matter what happens.'

His words from a few nights before his death still haunted me.

Nakakatakot isipin na malinaw pa rin sa alaala ko ang gabing 'yon, na para bang kahapon lang nangyari ang trahedya.

The dull remnant of magic on his corpse was the last thing I felt before I woke up.

.
.
.

I woke up, sweating and gasping for air. Napaupo ako sa kama, nararamdaman ang matamlay na pagsakit ng ulo ko. Shit. Anong oras na ba? Nang naglibot ako ng tingin, napansin kong madilim pa. Tanging ang ilaw ng poste sa tapat ng bintana ang nagbibigay-liwanag sa kwarto.

At... teka, kailan kami bumalik ng kwarto ko?

Vela.

I frowned. Why do I have a bad feeling about this?

"Having a bad dream, sleeping beauty?"

Muntikan na akong mahulog sa kama nang marinig ang mapang-akit na boses ng succubus sa tabi ko. I glared at her when I found her prompted against the mountain of pillows between us, wearing nothing but a red silk robe that hung a little too low on her neckline. Her cleavage on full display.

Tsk.

"Paano tayo nakauwi rito?"

Vela smiled.

"I'm not playing games."

"Either am I, love. Hindi mo naaalala? Noong nakabalik na tayo ng Eastwood, hinila mo 'ko sa pinakamalapit na bar at nag-party tayo buong magdamag. You drank so much so I had to use your magic broom and haul you through the window! Tapos..."

Parang kinakabahan ako, ah. Naningkit ang mga mata ko sa kanya.

"Tapos?"

Vela flashed me a devious smirk and started crawling towards me.

"...sabihin na lang natin na Rated SPG ang sumunod na nangyari. Do you want to see the video?"

"ANO?!"

Mabilis kong tiningnan ang sarili ko kung... kung may damit pa ba ako. I knew I was topless, but that's beside the point! I quickly checked beneath the bedsheets, cold sweat already on my forehead. Nang masigurado kong may saplot pa naman ako, I heard the devil laugh her heart out beside me. The chain between us clang with every movement she made.

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Para kang ninakawan ng virginity! You should've seen your face, darling!"

I glared daggers at her. Kung nakamamatay lang ang tingin, baka naka-schedule na ngayon ang burol ng succubus na ito.

Realization dawned upon her, making her stop in her fits of joy. Nagningning ang mga mata niya.

"Oh my... Wag mo sabihing isa ka ngang vir---!"

"That's enough."

Tinulak ko sa kama si Vela, she shrieked when her body rolled on the floor. Sumasakit lalo ang ulo ko sa isang ito! After conjuring a glass of milk and some medicine, tahimik na lang niya akong pinanood. Sa gilid ng mga mata ko, napansin kong napabuntong-hininga na lang ang succubus at naupo sa gilid ng kama. Thankfully, she didn't try anything on me. Yet.

"You're no fun! Tsk.. Nag-taxi tayo pauwi noong nawalan ka ng malay. Don't worry, wala akong balak sakyan ang magic walis mo unless necessary. It ruins my hair!"

"And my clothes?"

She rolled her pretty eyes. "Tinanggal ko lang ang robe at pang-itaas mo dahil matutuyuan ka na ng pawis kanina. You're gonna get sick if I let that happen."

"You had fun didn't you?" I accused.

She giggled. "It's a bonus. Your topless body is a fine sight, darling. And I've seen a lot of naked men in the past century, so that's a compliment."

I remained silent for a moment. Is Vela really capable of taking care of someone without an agenda?

Ang hirap maniwala. Nonetheless, at least she didn't do anything against my will.

"Thank you, lambkin."

Natulala si Vela sa sinabi ko. Bago pa man niya ako maasar tungkol dito, agad kong nilapag sa bedside table ang baso at bumalik ng pagkakahiga, tuluyan na siyang tinalikuran.

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