The suspicion behind Reese's curiosity stopped as soon as the girl looked at Reese straight in the eyes.
Her eyes widened as soon as she saw the person she knew when she used to live as a mortal, the person whom she used to trust… It was her best friend, Faith.
Reese couldn't say anything in front of her best friend. Faith was in shock after seeing the person who disappeared for four years, who wouldn't? She must have been scared, she must have been confused with what's happening and all.
"What are you waiting for, Rebecca?" Lord Alaric asked Reese, smirking. "Do what you have to do and prove to us that you really are a vampire." Lord Alaric added.
Reese felt cold, she felt like the place started getting all tight. She can't do that to her own best friend, she can't kill her.
Faith looked at Reese as if she heard something that was hard to believe, and it hurts that they finally saw each other after four years but then she's going to end their meeting by killing her in front of her elders and Kier.
"You're… a vampire…?" Faith said in a low voice as she stopped herself from sobbing after seeing Reese.
Matigas na tinignan ni Reese ang kaibigan at pinipilit ang sarili na hindi maluha sa nangyayari, she can't even answer such a simple question. Patagong kinuyon ni Reese ang kamay niya at dahan-dahan na tinignan si Kier.
"Is there something that's stopping you from drinking this helpless girl's blood, Rebecca?" Lord Alaric asked her with a hint of mockery.
"If you want us to see your ability as the daughter of a high-rank vampire, then show us. Right now." Dagdag naman ni Lord Corbin.
Napayuko si Reese at patagong kinagat ang pang-ibabang labi. "I can't do it, my lord." Mahinang saad ni Reese. "I've already drank my fair share of blood, my lord and I think it would be too much for me to have if I drink this girl's blood." Pagdadahilan ni Reese sa mga ito.
"Well, does having too much matter?" Nakangiting saad ni Lord Corbin. "Unless… you're hiding something from your elders."
Hindi na alam ni Reese kung ano ang gagawin niya sa sitwasyon na ito. She can't just bluntly tell them that she knows Faith, that she lived once as a human and the fact that she's a half-human --- not a pure one.
Hindi na nakasagot pa si Reese sa mga ito at nanatili lang siyang nakatingin sa naguguluhan na kaibigan. She can't come up with anything, the only choice she has to make is to kill Faith- but how could she do that?
Nabigla na lang si Reese nang biglaang lumapit si Lord Corbin sa kanya at hinila si Faith patayo at hinawi ang buhok na nakatakip sa leeg nito. Reese could clearly see the sadness in Faith's eyes, she could even see how scared her best friend was.
"If you won't do it, then…" Lord Corbin showed his fangs. "I'll be the one to feed myself with her blood and give her to the guests outside so they can feast on her."
"No, please, no! Help me, Re…" Faith begged.
Lord Corbin was about to bite Faith when Reese stopped him with a heavy heart.
"I'll do it myself, my lord." Mahinang saad ni Reese at nawalan ang ekspresyon niya sa mukha.
A smile crept on Lord Corbin's lips and he pushed Faith on the ground too hard that it made her whimper in pain.
"Good." Masayang saad ni Lord Corbin. "Go on, we'll be watching you." Dagdag nitong saad.
Dahan-dahan na bumaba si Reese para lapitan si Faith na umiiyak sa harap niya. Reese had no other choice but to do it.
As soon as her eyes met Faith's, Reese couldn't feel anything and from that moment on she realized the difference of the life she chose that the ones she had before.
Reese opened her mouth and her fangs were there and it terrified Faith for a moment but when Reese saw her stopped crying, she then leaned toward her neck.
"I'm sorry, Faith…" Reese whispered before she bites Faith's neck drinking every single ounce of blood in her body.
The taste of the blood was bitter for Reese, and as soon as Faith lost consciousness, Reese stood and she felt that there was still blood dripping from her lips as soon as she stood.
With a stern expression in her face, Reese looked at Lord Alaric and Lord Corbin as soon as she finished drinking Faith's blood.
"Does this prove what I am, my lord?" Reese asked in a low voice.
Lord Corbin and Lord Alaric laughed, they both laughed so hard to the point that Reese doesn't know how to make herself calm down anymore.
"Did you really think that we're stupid? Akala mo hindi namin alam?" Lord Corbin said as he took out a knife on his pocket. "We know the fact that your mother's a human- that you're not a pure blood vampire, Rebecca."
Hindi makapaniwala na tinignan ni Reese si Lord Corbin at nanatiling blanko ang ekspresyon niya dahil sa narinig.
"I presume you know what will happen if you won't do the things that you're supposed to do, Rebecca. You better marry a pure-blood vampire to continue ruling the Reklavion or face death in an instant." Wika ni Lord Alaric na ikinathimik ni Reese.
Lord Corbin looked at Faith, who was unconscious on the floor. "I also won't allow a human to stay here. Would you like to kill her yourself or not?" Lord Corbin asked.
But Reese couldn't answer such a question. She can't kill her best friend herself.
"Fine. I'll do it myself." Saad ni Lord Corbin na mayroong ngiti sa labi.
Lord Corbin did not waste any minute and he, himself, stabbed Faith to kill her for sure.
As soon as Lord Corbin stabbed Faith to make sure she won't get to open her eyes once again, Lord Corbin pointed the knife coated with Faith's blood at Reese with a smile.
"See you around, Rebecca." Saad nito at pinunas sa panyo ang dugo sa kutsilyo nito.
Reese forced her eyes shut when Lord Corbin and Lord Alaric left the room. A tear fell from Reese's eyes and she opened them and looked at Kier who was silent the whole time.
She also looked at her best friend, who was already lifeless.
"Look, Reese, I'm sorry ---"
Hindi niya hinintay na Reese si Kier sa pagsasalita at kaagad na lumabas siya sa kuwartong iyon na mabigat ang loob at nandadalamhati. Mabilis ang ginawa niyang paglalakad papunta sa hardin sa likod ng mansyon, hawak-hawak niya ang laylayan ng damit niya para hindi niya iyon maapakan.
Huminto siya sa kalagitnaan ng hardin at dahan-dahan na napaluhod dahil sa bigat na nararamdaman.
This place is hell. She once again saw her best friend, but she also killed her best friend herself. She really is the monster she kept on denying herself to be. This is what she is and it scares her.
She wiped the side of her lips and looked at the blood on her fingers while shaking. She can't simply forget what just happened and they were really testing her and the things she could do just for the Reklavion.
The wind was a bit strong that Reese could feel it's coldness despite getting all covered up. Reese couldn't definitely stop herself from shaking and it traumatizes her.
Dahan-dahan na nagtaas tingin si Reese at natigilan nang makita ang lumang pintuan na tinitignan niya kahapon. The pain that she felt on her chest yesterday came back as soon as her eyes met the ood wooden door in front of her.
Inalalalayan niya ang sarili niya sa pagtayo at dahan-dahan na lumapit sa pintuan na nakatago sa mga halaman at mga ubas.
Reese pushed the vines away and as soon as she saw the door's lock, she gently pushed it open and the pain started to hurt more. It's as if something's suffocating her.
She pushed the door open and she froze as soon as she saw all the dead roses inside the dark room. Mayroon din nakasabit sa pader na kung ano at nakatakip iyon sa itim na tela.
Dahan-dahan na lumapit si Reese sa tela at hinawakan ang dulo ng laylayan na iyon. Hinila iyon ni Reese at nang malaglag ang tela na iyon ay kaagad na bumungad ang malaking picture frame at nanigas si Reese sa kinatatayuan nang makita ng malapitan ang litrato.
For four years, this was the photo that Reese longed to see herself. The colored photo of her mother and father.