Chapter 2.2:

I wasn't able to scream nor utter my shock when I get to see him fully. My eyes shamelessly wandered on his face, feasting the glorious features that are owned by the man before me. His thick-arched eyebrows complimented his majestic eyes that, from what I remembered being at the shade of sincere red, though now in sterling gray that completely stole my breath away. My heart pounded ferociously when my view progressed lower his narrowed nose up until his uneven lips as if it was kissed by the cherry and baptized with his ancestors’ delicate touch. His sharp and defined jaw clenched that it made me woke up from my pleasure daze.

Tumingala ako, noon lang din napansin ang katangkaran niya. Ang paningin ko ay hanggang baba niya lamang, kinakailangan niya pang tumungo upang makasalubong ang mga mata kong nag-aabang na masulyapan niya. At noong nangyari 'yon ay muli na naman akong binawain ng karapatang huminga. His obsidian eyes are like set of black holes, slowly alluring and pulling me to the unknown. Kumurap-kurap ako at tumikhim upang gising ang sarili.

"A-Anong gi-ginagawa—"

He suddenly placed his calloused hand on my mouth to stop me from talking, earning another gasp from me. His forehead creased and he evenly tilted his head to gaze at me visibly. It was only then when I realized how close our gap is… that my chest is already touching his.

"Choose. Are you to be hushed or be executed by the Leda?" aniya. "The nymphs may have let your trespassing pass but the Leda won't."

I murmured my reply but it only got drowned by my own understanding as he didn't even remove his hand to let me talk. Umangat ang kamay ko at hinawakan ang palapulsuhan niya para alisin iyon ngunit tinaliman niya lamang ako ng tingin at umiling.

"I have figured that the anielas summoned you here. You are not to be slaughtered."

I grunted and once again pulled his hand away from my mouth. His forehead creased once more but he slowly removed it then, allowing me to finally talk.

I swallowed and averted my gaze apart from him for the abrupter awkwardness. I embraced my body, realizing that I was just wearing my robe and nothing underneath it! Nabasa pa ako kanina kaya't halos magpakita na ang balat ko sa silk na tela ng aking suot. Tumikhim akong muli at bahagyang itinaas ang hintuturo para marahan siyang itulak palayo.

"What are you doing?"

Nakagat ko ang ibabang labi ko noong hawakan niya ang kamay ko at ibinaba iyon, at saka siya lumapit muli na halos siksikin na ako sa pwesto! The peaks of my bosom were already in contact with his chest! Something warm was mounting up in my stomach, making me feel more agitated.

"L-Layo ka—"

"You will be seen."

"H-Huh? A-Ano..." I cleared my throat and shifted a little as I try to form the right words. "I'm n-not comfortable w-with this."

"You'd rather be seen, then?"

"Huh?"

"Alright." He nodded his head and faintly snickered. "I'm leaving. Keep yourself safe from harm."

Huh!?

Nanlaki ang mga mata ko noong mapagtanto ang kaniyang sinabi. Kaya't agad ko siyang hinawakan sa braso at hinila noong akma na siyang uurong paalis. Nakita ko ang bahagya niyang pagkagitla at marahan pang bumuka ang labi habang tinititigan ako.

Naiiyak akong umiling at humigpit ang kapit sa kaniya. Hindi ko man siya kilala at wala man akong malaking tiwala sa kaniya ay ang hindi niya pananakit sa akin noong may tiyansa siya ay sapat na. Wala akong alam sa kagubatan na ito at hindi ko alam ang daan pabalik! Ayokong maiwang mag-isa!

"H-Help me."

His orbs stirred for a deeper shade of color as if he was affected by the words that I've uttered. I didn't know that I was to behold something more enchanting when he blinked once, and his eyes shifted into the tone that I first saw. The color of blood willed me breathless and frozen. It was aching to see yet mesmerizing to ken and grasp.

He moved closer that I had to step back too until my back caught the tree again. He dipped his head and his eyes settled on my neck, gleaming with a passionate desire that also screams greed.

"Can I taste you, then?"

Nahugot ko ang aking hininga at manghang napatitig sa kaniya. I don’t know what genus of charm sought me that I didn’t restrain him when his hand landed on my waist. Unti-unting umangat ito at napapikit ako sa sensasyong naramdaman noong masanggi niya ang gilid ng aking dibdib. I gasped and peered up because of the tension that's swelling inside me, especially when his hand settled on my nape and tilted my head. I almost succumbed to the sensation of lust as I felt his breath on my skin and I was late to realize that he already bent over to reach me when he planted a soothing kiss on my neck!

"A-Anong ginagawa m-mo?"

"Just one bite, just one…" he drawled.

Ang aking mga kamay ay nakakuyom na sa kaniyang damit at nakapatong sa dibdib niya, hindi alam kung pipigilan siya dahil munting napapasinghap sa bawat dapo ng halik niya sa aking balat. Ang kaniyang kamay na nasa batok ko kanina ay gumalaw upang itabi ang robang suot ko, kung hindi ko iyon nahawakan ay baka nalaglag na iyon sa lupa at tuluyan na akong nahubaran!

"Did they summoned you for me, mortal?" he muttered nonchalantly as he gives feathery pecks on my neck. Slowly ascending, his lips grazed my jaw instead. "What for?"

"S-Stop... "

He smirked and dipped his head closer. He halted when his lips were an inch away from mine. Isang tulak lang ay mahahalikan niya na ako.

Nagkasalubong ang aming mga mata at namuo ang mainit na sensayon sa aking dibdib noong mabasa ang pananabik sa kaniya. Na para bang uhaw na uhaw siya at gutom na gutom. I gripped on his shirt tighter, unconsciously pulling him closer to me until I felt his lips faintly brushing mine.

Ngumisi siya at itinagilid ang ulo, dahilan kung bakit muling humaplos nang marahan ang labi niya sa akin. Hindi man nagdidikit ngunit parehas na nakikiramdam sa isa't isa.

"I thought you wanted me to stop?"

"What are you d-doing to me?"

"Hindi ba't ikaw ang humila sa akin?"

Napapikit ako at napahinga nang malalim, hindi alam kung bakit saglit na nanghina dahil tila may humaplos sa dibdib ko noong mag tagalog siya.

Umiling ako at lumunok sa pag-asang mawawala ang nakabarang kung ano sa aking lalamunan. Hindi ko alam kung bakit may nagtutulak sa aking hilahin siya at maramdaman. Hindi ko alam kung bakit may nagtutulak sa aking hawakan siya at payagan.

Ano 'tong nararamdaman ko? Hindi pamilyar ngunit tila kilala ng aking damdamin. Na sa halip na mabahala ay gusto pa siyang payagan...

"Rouze!"

Mabilis akong napatingala at napalingon sa direksyon kung saan ko narinig ang boses ng aking ama.

"Anak! Rouze!"

"Papa..." I mumbled.

Siguro'y dala na rin ng kaginhawaan at sa pag-asang mabilis na umusbong ay napaluha ako. Binitawan ko ang lalaki at pinahiran ang sunod-sunod na luhang pumatak.

"Rouze!" si Tito Yael.

Hinahanap na nila ako!

Nakangiti akong lumingon muli sa lalaki at agad na napansin ang naging distansya namin. Napawi ang kurba sa aking labi noong mapagtantong nasa kabilang puno na siya. His arms are crossed over his chest while his body is leaning on the tree. Inangat niya ang kaniyang dalawang kilay at munting lumitaw ang maiksing ngisi sa kaniyang labi.

He then mouthed, "Rouze..."

"Rouze! Anak!"

Muli akong napalingon sa direksyon kung saan nanggaling ang boses nila Papa. Hindi ako nabigo noong makita ang bulto ng kanilang mga katawan, sa kamay nila ay ang malinaw na flashlight na nagbibigay liwanag sa kanilang dinaraanan.

Hindi ko alam kung bakit hindi ako gumagalaw o tinatawag man lang sila upang humingi ng tulong. Sa halip ay nilingon ko muli ang lalaki, ngunit hindi ko akalain na bibigat ang nararamdaman ko sa aking dibdib noong wala na siya sa dating kinatatayuan! Bigo, inilibot ko ang paningin ko sa pag-asang mahanap siya.

Hindi ko nakuha ang kaniyang pangalan!

"Rouze!"

"Sinabi na kasing gumamit na tayo ng tien!"

"Tumigil ka, Yael! Hindi ka nakakatulong!"

"Sa lawak ng kagubatan na ito ay paniguradong hindi natin siya mahahanap agad!" argumento pa ni Tito. "Sigurado akong tinawag siya ng nga aniela! Hindi lang alam ni Rouze na ginamit niya ang sariling kakayahan para makarating sa kung saan man siya pinadala ng tadhana!"

"Ngunit hindi pa ito ang tamang oras! May pangakong binitawan si Lumina sa akin! May kasunduan kami!"

I gasped and rubbed my chest when I felt a strained feeling of a burnt wound screaming for recognition. I yelled in pain and knelt on the ground when I couldn't take the pain anymore. The next thing I knew, I was suddenly once more submerged deep into the river. Only then that I already lost my breath and was too frail to move my body and save myself from drowning. And the last thing that my eyes beheld was an umbra of a man, with his hand extending to reach mine before I succumbed to my consciousness.