Novels by Yourlazyblackcat

Tahimik ang buong silid matapos marinig ang sinabi ni Professor Elias. Wala ni isa sa kanila ang agad na nagsalita dahil alam nilang hindi simpleng pagpili ang hinihingi sa kanila. Hindi ito tungkol sa tapang o sakripisyo lamang. Isa itong desisyong maaaring tuluyang magbago sa buhay ng lahat ng naroroon.Patuloy ang pagyanig ng pasilidad habang paulit-ulit na kumikislap ang mga pulang ilaw sa kisame. Ang ugong ng Core ay mas malakas na ngayon, halos maramdaman nila ang vibration nito sa kanilang mga dibdib. Sa bawat segundong lumilipas ay mas lumalapit ang sistema sa ganap na activation."Core synchronization... ninety-nine percent."Napahigpit ang hawak ni Alex sa kamay ni Dera."Hahanap tayo ng ibang paraan."Matigas niyang sabi."Kailangan may ibang paraan."Ngunit kahit sinasabi niya iyon, alam niyang wala nang oras.Tahimik na lumapit si Genesis Zero sa gitna ng silid. Sa unang pagkakataon mula nang makilala nila siya ay tila may kapayapaan sa kanyang mukha."Meron."Mahina niya

Nanatiling nakatayo si Dera sa harap ng lumang drawing habang hindi pa rin humuhupa ang mabilis na pagtibok ng kanyang puso. Hindi niya maalis ang tingin sa dalawang batang babae na magkahawak ang kamay at sa maliit na batang lalaking nakaguhit sa gilid nila. Pakiramdam niya ay parang may kung anong humihila sa kanya pabalik sa nakaraan, isang nakaraan na matagal nang pilit itinago sa kanyang isipan. Habang hawak niya ang lumang papel ay mas lalo pang luminaw ang alaalang kanina lamang ay isang malabong larawan. Ngayon ay para na siyang nanonood ng isang eksenang tunay na nangyari.Sa loob ng kanyang alaala ay isang malawak na puting silid ang unti-unting lumitaw. Maliwanag ang mga ilaw sa kisame, malamig ang sahig, at sa bawat sulok ay may mga lalaking nakasuot ng puting laboratory coats na seryosong pinagmamasdan ang tatlong batang naglalaro sa gitna ng silid. Sa kabila ng kakaibang lugar ay maririnig ang masasayang tawanan ng dalawang batang babae habang nagtutulakan sila sa maliit

Tahimik ang buong laboratory habang unti-unting lumalabas ang matangkad na pigura mula sa makapal na usok. Hindi ito nagmamadali, ngunit bawat hakbang nito ay sinasabayan ng mahinang pagyanig ng sahig, dahilan upang lalong bumigat ang pakiramdam ng lahat. Nakasuot ito ng mahabang itim na tactical coat na halos natatakpan ang buong katawan, at ang mukha nito ay bahagyang natatakpan ng anino dahil sa mahinang ilaw ng pasilidad. Walang anumang ekspresyon ang mababakas dito, ngunit sapat na ang malamig nitong presensya upang maramdaman nilang hindi ito ordinaryong tao.Nanigas si Dr. Evelyn habang nakatitig sa lalaki. Hindi niya namalayang nanginginig na pala ang kanyang mga kamay, at ang kulay ng kanyang mukha ay unti-unting nawala. Napansin iyon ni Jian kaya mabilis siyang lumapit. "Kilala mo siya?" mahina niyang tanong. Hindi agad sumagot si Evelyn. Pilit muna niyang pinakalma ang kanyang paghinga bago siya marahang tumango. "Akala ko..." halos pabulong niyang sabi. "...akala ko hindi

Parang huminto ang oras sa loob ng laboratory nang marinig nila ang salitang iyon. Lahat ay napatingin sa matandang babaeng nakatayo sa bukana ng pinto, suot ang kupas na puting laboratory coat na puno ng mantsa at bakas ng mahabang panahon ng pagkakakulong. Gusot ang kanyang mahabang buhok at halatang nanghihina ang kanyang katawan, ngunit sa kabila ng pagod na nakaukit sa kanyang mukha ay malinaw ang mga luhang patuloy na pumapatak habang nakatingin kay Dera. Hindi iyon tingin ng isang siyentista sa kanyang eksperimento. Hindi rin iyon tingin ng isang estranghero. Punong-puno iyon ng pangungulila, pagsisisi, at pagmamahal na tila dalawampung taon niyang kinimkim.Napaatras si Dera habang hindi maalis ang tingin sa babae. "A-Anak?" mahina niyang ulit, halos hindi lumabas ang boses niya. Agad namang tumayo sa kanyang harapan si Alex bilang proteksyon, hindi dahil sigurado siyang kaaway ang babae, kundi dahil hindi na niya kayang magtiwala sa sinuman sa loob ng pasilidad na iyon. Simul

Umalingawngaw ang malakas na pagyanig sa buong underground facility habang isa-isang kumikislap ang mga ilaw sa kisame. Ang mga glass tanks sa paligid ay bahagyang nanginginig, dahilan upang marinig ang mahinang pagkalansing ng mga bakal na nakakabit sa mga ito. Maging ang mga lumang dokumentong nakakalat sa sahig ay nagsimulang liparin ng malamig na hangin na tila nanggagaling sa mas malalim pang bahagi ng pasilidad. Walang nagsasalita sa loob ng ilang segundo dahil lahat sila ay sinusubukang unawain kung ano ang nangyayari, ngunit sa ekspresyon ni Jian ay halatang may ideya na siya kung ano ang sanhi ng biglaang pagyanig."Dera... lumayo ka muna sa kanya," seryosong sabi ni Jian habang dahan-dahang itinataas ang kanyang baril, kahit hindi niya ito direktang itinutok kay Subject D-18. Napatingin si Alex sa kanya, halatang naguguluhan sa bigla nitong pagbabago ng kilos. "Anong ibig mong sabihin?" tanong niya. Huminga nang malalim si Jian bago sumagot. "Kapag nagsama ang dalawa... may

Habang bumababa ang lumang elevator patungo sa pinakailalim ng pasilidad, ramdam ng lahat ang bigat ng katahimikan na tila sumasabay sa paggalaw ng makina. Ang tunog ng bakal na gumagalaw at ang mahinang ugong ng kuryente ang tanging maririnig habang unti-unting lumalalim ang kanilang pagbaba sa lupa, at sa bawat palapag na kanilang nalalagpasan ay mas lalo lamang bumibigat ang pakiramdam ni Alex dahil alam niyang sa ibaba ay hindi lamang si Dera ang naghihintay sa kanila kundi ang mas malaking katotohanan na matagal nang itinatago ng Project Orpheus. Mahigpit niyang hawak ang baril habang panaka-nakang sinusulyapan si Jian, na ngayon ay tahimik ngunit halatang tensyonado, parang bawat segundo ay may bumabalik na alaala sa kanya na pilit niyang iniiwasan.Sa kabilang banda, si Lora ay hindi mapakali habang nakatitig sa digital display ng elevator na patuloy na bumababa. Hindi niya alam kung ano ang mas nakakatakot ang ideya na baka nahuli na si Dera at nasasaktan na ito sa ibaba, o an

The road to Palermo was a jagged ribbon of asphalt carved into the limestone cliffs, the Tyrrhenian Sea churning below like a pot of black ink. Cali sat in the passenger seat of the armored SUV, her midnight-black suit crisp, her grumpy face illuminated by the rhythmic glow of the dashboard.Beside her, Devi drove with a ruthless, one-handed grip on the wheel. He didn’t look at the road his obsessive gaze flickered constantly to the side, checking the pulse point in Cali’s neck, the way her fingers curled around the pearl-handled derringer in her lap."You're too quiet, Cali baby," Devi murmured, his voice a low, vibrating rumble that fought the hum of the engine. "Usually, you’re telling me to drive into a ravine. This silence... it smells like a massacre."Cali didn't look at him. She stared at her reflection in the window a ghost in the glass. "I'm thinking about the second act, Devi. Tosca. It ends with a betrayal and a leap into the abyss. My father always loved the drama of it.

The air in the Sicilian villa was thick with the scent of lemon trees and ancient, cooling stone a sharp contrast to the metallic tang of blood that had followed them from Rome. Devi’s hand was a heavy, possessive weight on the small of Cali’s back as they stepped through the arched threshold of the master suite. He didn't just walk he claimed the space, his obsessive gaze never leaving the back of Cali's neck.Cali didn't look at the sprawling view of the Ionian Sea. She looked at the black sapphire on her finger, the thorn-edged band a constant reminder of the ruthless world she was now ruling. Her grumpy mask was firmly in place, her jaw set so tight it ached."You’re home, Cali baby," Devi murmured, his voice a low, vibrating rumble that made the fine hairs on her arms stand up."I’m in a cage with a better view, Devi. There’s a difference," she snapped, her mean eyes flashing as she turned to face him.Devi stepped into her space, his shadow swallowing her whole. He reached out

The road to Palermo was a jagged ribbon of asphalt carved into the limestone cliffs, the Tyrrhenian Sea churning below like a pot of black ink. Cali sat in the passenger seat of the armored SUV, her midnight-black suit crisp, her grumpy face illuminated by the rhythmic glow of the dashboard.Beside her, Devi drove with a ruthless, one-handed grip on the wheel. He didn’t look at the road his obsessive gaze flickered constantly to the side, checking the pulse point in Cali’s neck, the way her fingers curled around the pearl-handled derringer in her lap."You're too quiet, Cali baby," Devi murmured, his voice a low, vibrating rumble that fought the hum of the engine. "Usually, you’re telling me to drive into a ravine. This silence... it smells like a massacre."Cali didn't look at him. She stared at her reflection in the window a ghost in the glass. "I'm thinking about the second act, Devi. Tosca. It ends with a betrayal and a leap into the abyss. My father always loved the drama of it.

The air in the Sicilian villa was thick with the scent of lemon trees and ancient, cooling stone a sharp contrast to the metallic tang of blood that had followed them from Rome. Devi’s hand was a heavy, possessive weight on the small of Cali’s back as they stepped through the arched threshold of the master suite. He didn't just walk he claimed the space, his obsessive gaze never leaving the back of Cali's neck.Cali didn't look at the sprawling view of the Ionian Sea. She looked at the black sapphire on her finger, the thorn-edged band a constant reminder of the ruthless world she was now ruling. Her grumpy mask was firmly in place, her jaw set so tight it ached."You’re home, Cali baby," Devi murmured, his voice a low, vibrating rumble that made the fine hairs on her arms stand up."I’m in a cage with a better view, Devi. There’s a difference," she snapped, her mean eyes flashing as she turned to face him.Devi stepped into her space, his shadow swallowing her whole. He reached out

The Tuscan hills were a rolling sea of gold and silver-green, but to Cali, the landscape was a blur of high-speed curves and a rising, jagged fury. She sat in the back of the armored SUV, her hands steady as she checked the safety on the pearl-handled derringer. She was wearing Devi’s charcoal suit jacket over her own thin slip, a stark, masculine weight that smelled of his sandalwood and a decade of his obsession.Devi sat beside her, his silence a possessive weight. He didn't look at the horizon he looked at her profile, his thumb tracing the jagged scar on his own palm a reminder of a war he’d fought before she even knew his name."We're three minutes out, Cali baby," Devi murmured, his voice a low, vibrating rumble that cut through the sterile hum of the air conditioning. "Your mother is on the north terrace. She’s waiting for a wire transfer that isn't coming." Cali didn’t turn. Her grumpy mask was fixed, her jaw set in a line so hard it was a wonder it didn’t shatter. "I don'

The Roman skyline was a jagged crown of gold and smog as Cali stood on the rooftop of the Santoro safehouse. She was no longer the girl in the moth-eaten hoodie. She wore a tailored charcoal wool coat, the black sapphire on her finger catching the light of the rising sun.Behind her, the silk factory was still belching black smoke into the Trastevere district."The Commission is meeting at the Pantheon in an hour," Devi’s voice drifted from the shadows. He had cleaned the blood from his face, but the ruthless edge in his eyes remained. He walked toward her, his possessive stride slow, his gaze fixed on the back of her neck. "They think we’re dead, Cali baby. Or worse—they think we’re hiding."Cali didn't turn around. Her grumpy face was set in a mask of arctic stone. "Let them think what they want. By the time I’m done with the ledger I found in that lab, they won't be worried about our deaths. They’ll be worried about their own."She turned, her mean smirk flashing. "You didn't tel

The morning of Gwen's official takeover of the Vergara conglomerate arrived with a tension that could be felt throughout the entire city. While the corporate world expected a mourning sister, Gwen stepped out of the blacked-out Santori limousine looking like a woman who had just inherited a kingdom she had already conquered.However, she wasn't walking alone.Lucian followed her into the lobby of the Vergara headquarters like a lethal shadow. He was dressed in a charcoal suit that cost more than most people made in a decade, but he wasn't acting like a CEO today. He was acting like a bodyguard who had lost his mind. He kept his hand firmly on the small of Gwen's back, guiding her through the glass doors while his eyes scanned every employee with a look that suggested he was ready to fire them for simply breathing the same air as his wife."Lucian, you promised you would sit in the back and let me handle the board members," Gwen whispered as they entered the elevator. "You are goi

The smell of freshly brewed Blue Mountain coffee and buttery croissants filled the room, but Gwen quickly realized she wasn't even allowed to reach for the tray sitting on the nightstand. Every time she tried to prop herself up on her elbows, Lucian's hands were there to gently but firmly push her back into the mountain of silk pillows. He looked refreshed, his dark hair damp from a recent shower, wearing nothing but a pair of low-slung silk pajama pants that showed off the sheer power of his physique."I can feed myself, Lucian," Gwen said with a weary sigh as she watched him meticulously cut a piece of fruit into a perfect, tiny square. "I am a grown woman and the CEO of a conglomerate, not a toddler."Lucian didn't even look up as he speared the fruit with a silver fork and brought it to her lips, his eyes shimmering with that terrifyingly sweet clinginess that had become his new default setting. "You are my wife, and since I am the reason your legs feel like jelly, it is my re

The air in the executive office became so cold it felt like the glass walls might shatter under the weight of Lucian’s silent fury. He watched the screen where Damian Lillard was standing behind a podium, looking somberly into the cameras as he spoke about Gwen’s delicate situation and the need for her protection. Lucian’s eyes were bloodshot and his lip curled back in a snarl that looked more animal than human, while his hands began to tremble with the urge to reach through the monitor and tear the other man apart."Look at him baby" Lucian whispered in a voice that was thick with a toxic mixture of mockery and murderous intent. "He looks like a puppy trying to howl at a lion. He thinks that by playing the gentleman he can win a single glance from you, but all he is doing is signing his own death warrant."Lucian suddenly grabbed the desk phone and punched in a series of numbers with a violent force, and within seconds he had the head of his media conglomerate on the line.He didn

The morning sun filtered through the heavy silk curtains of the master suite but Gwen was not allowed to see it because Lucian had spent the last hour burrowing his face into her neck and wrapping his limbs around her like a giant vine. Every time she tried to shift or reach for her phone to check the morning business news he would let out a low and disgruntled moan and pull her back against his chest with a strength that was impossible to fight."Stay still baby" he grumbled with a voice that was thick with sleep but still carried that edge of possessive authority. "The world doesn't need you today and the company can rot for all I care as long as you are right here where I can feel your heart beating against mine.""Lucian you have a board meeting at ten and I have a reputation to build" Gwen said while she tried to pry his iron-like arm from her waist but he only responded by nipping at her shoulder and tightening his hold until she was pinned beneath him. "If the most powerful

Gwen looked at her sister’s trembling form and then back at the man clinging to her arm like a giant possessive toddler and she realized that Kayla had already been thoroughly defeated by Lucian’s unfiltered mockery. There was no point in staying to kick a woman who was already drowning in the laughter of her peers so Gwen decided to indulge the man who was currently burning holes into the backs of every guest with his glare."Fine we can leave Lucian" Gwen whispered as she smoothed back a stray lock of his hair and saw his eyes instantly light up with a childish triumph that made him look far younger than twenty-eight. "But if we go home now you have to promise to stop pouting and behave yourself while the drivers are watching."Lucian didn't even give her a chance to say goodbye to the hosts before he was dragging her toward the exit with a strength that belied his whining persona. He stopped only once to look over his shoulder at Damian Lillard who had been watching from across

The morning of the grand gala arrived with a flurry of activity that Gwen had only ever seen in movies during her past life. The Santori villa was swarming with high-end stylists and makeup artists who moved with a frantic energy because they knew that displeasing Lucian was a career-ending mistake. Gwen sat in a plush velvet chair while three people worked on her hair and nails but her eyes were focused on the reflection of the man sitting on the sofa behind her.Lucian had not left the room for a single second since they woke up. He sat there with his laptop balanced on his knees but his gaze drifted toward her every few minutes with a sharp and possessive intensity that made the stylists tremble. Every time a male tailor got too close to Gwen to adjust the hem of her gown Lucian would let out a low and warning hum that made the poor man break into a cold sweat."You are making them nervous baby" Gwen said as she caught his eye in the mirror and offered him a small and knowing s