THE DEVIL'S VOW

Kabanata 1

HANGING on the ceiling like she always does, Agatha stared at the target from the open window. Mabuti na lamang mataas at matibay ang kisame ng hall. Nakakapaglambitin siya gamit ang kanyang aerial silk habang naglalaro ng baril.

Agatha found an obsession with aerial dance when she was ten. A year before she realized guns can be her bestfriends, too. From the semi-automatic Beretta she first fired to the heavy rifles she loves to use during extreme encounters with her Papa's enemies, Agatha kept it all in her bedroom, next to her vanity wall and walk in closet.

Right. She does have two walk in closets. Ang isa ay naglalaman ng mga mamahaling damit, bags, sapatos at alahas, ang isa ay puno ng iba't-ibang klase ng baril, patalim, at anumang maaari niyang magamit sa pakikipaglaban. From the spy stuff given by the Wildflower Organization to the personalized items she paid for lots of money, it's all in her favorite closet.

Hindi na bago kay Agatha ang masalimuot na mundo. Nawala ang kanyang ina sa kanila dahil sa gulong mayroon na kahit kailan, hindi naman nasugpo ng batas. Justice has its favorites and Agatha knew they don't belong on that list. Kailangan niyang magpalakas at kumapit sa makapangyarihang mga tao upang mabigay niya ang hustisya sa kanyang amang pinatay ng lalakeng tinuring nitong anak.

"I still don't understand why that curtain is called aerial silk. It's not even made of silk."

Napatingin si Agatha sa lalakeng ngayon ay nakasandal na sa isang poste. Nakatiklop ang mga braso nito sa tapat ng dibdib at ang masungit na mga kilay ay bahagyang tumikwas na tila seryoso ito sa sinambit.

Ngumisi siya at niliyad ang ulo. "I still don't understand why you still call those wrinkled muscles inside your skull brain when it's clearly not useful, Chivas." 

"Ha ha. Funny, Agatha."

Inirapan niya na lamang ito habang nakangisi bago niya binalik ang atensyon sa target ilang metro ang layo mula sa kanyang pwesto. Hinintay niyang maging steady ang kanyang katawang naka-hang gamit ang tela at nang hindi na naging malikot ang kanyang indayog, pinaputok niya ang kanyang paboritong handgun habang nasa ganoong posisyon.

Three bullets hit the target's bull's eye, but two just hit the jaw part. She groaned. Kung naririto si Giovanni, tatawanan siya no'n.

Oh, right. She remembers. Si Giovanni nga pala ang hina-hunting niya dahil ito ang pumatay sa kanyang ama. Kung hindi lang dahil kay Clary at sa misyong mas importante kaysa sa pagpatay kay Giovanni, matagal na niya itong tinumba.

Agatha put her handgun on her thigh garter before she swirled down. Her bare feet felt the cold marble, the exact spot where she first learned how to fire a gun with Giovanni and Clary.

"Nasaan si Clary?" Malamig niyang tanong kay Chivas. Ang tuta ng kanyang ama noon na hanggang ngayon ay bumubuntot pa rin sa kanya kahit ilang beses na niyang pinalalayas.

"Umalis kanina pa. Hindi nagsabi kung saan nagpunta."

Agatha rolled her eyes. "Kailan ba 'yon nagsabi kung saan pupunta? For sure she's going to see that motherfucker again. Ang tigas talaga ng ulo."

Umismid si Chivas habang sinasabayan siyang maglakad pabalik ng mansyon. "Wala namang palaki si Sir Manuel na hindi matigas ang ulo."

"Oh, right and you're the best example." Inirapan niya ito. "I'm flying to Rome tonight for my assignment. I'll leave you some dog food here so don't you dare follow and wag your tail when I'm in the middle of fucking someone's brain. Got it?"

"Nope." He popped the p.

Tumalim ang tingin ni Agatha rito ngunit kahit yata anong sungit niya kay Chivas ay hindi talaga ito masisindak o maski mapipikon man lamang.

Chivas is almost three years younger than her and his features are too soft that sometimes Agatha wonders why her punches don't ruin his looks no matter how hard she swings her hand. He's the typical boy-next-door, naka-undercut ang buhok na itim, bilugan ang mga mata na tila laging nakangiti. 

The type which she clearly hates. Para sa kanya ay mas attractive ang mga lalakeng matikas, mapanganib, at tila hindi basta nasisindak. Not that she likes toxic men. It's just easier for her to avoid them when they're like...that.

Mahirap namang sindakin si Chivas, ngunit ang katigasan nito ng ulo, hindi nakaka-in love para kay Agatha. Nakakapikon dahil tila ba isa itong tuta na nang maranasang maitsahan ng buto ay naging tapat na sa nagbigay. In her case, it's her father who fed Chivas some bones.

"Stay a mile away from me while I'm in Rome, Chivas or I will feed you with bullets." 

"Sweet. Hindi ba nasabi ng boss mong may special pass ako para mapanood nang live ang mga action scenes mo?"

She clenched her jaw. "Gago. If you will compromise my mission again, I swear, ibabaon kita nang buhay sa tabi ng Santo Papa."

Sumipol ito. "You can't do that."

"At bakit?" Tumaas ang kanyang kilay.

"Because you'll burn in holy places, Agatha."

Tuluyang naningkit ang mga mata ni Agatha. "Lumayas ka nga muna sa harap ko, Chivas bago kita tirisin."

Humalakhak ito at pasipol-sipol na lumayas sa kanyang harap. Napabuga ng hangin si Agatha. Napakahusay talagang mambwisit ng isa pang palaki ng kanyang ama.

TONIGHT'S show is an acrobatic performance from a famous group that performs worldwide. Ngunit hindi dumalo si Agatha para lamang manood kung hindi para umagaw ng pwesto sa isa sa mga performers nang walang maghinalang naroroon siya para kumalabit ng gatilyo.

Tiffany Fleud, a well-known producer of unapproved and deadly type of cars will be attending the show to meet her new client. The client was only known as "Luce". Some said Luce was never seen by anyone before. Masyadong tago ang identity nito. Even Luce's gender is still unclassified.

Wearing some tiny piece of cloths, her red hair now dyed to be dark blue, Agatha went to the stage and held the aerial silk. Patay ang mga malalaking ilaw sa stage at tanging dim lights lamang sa pader ang nagsisilbing liwanag, ngunit hindi alam ni Agatha kung bakit sa kalagitnaan ng paghihintay niya ng tugtog, bigla siyang nakadama ng mga matang nakamasid sa kanya.

She turned her head to face the crowd, but in that moment in a sea of people, her pools met a pair of sinfully beautiful, magnetic blue eyes that seems to be staring back at her with the intensity she surely can never handle.

Hot, desirous, as if in his mind he's already looking underneath her skin to reach her soul. His stares are so powerful she almost missed the intro of the song. Ngunit kahit nagsisimula na siyang magperform, hindi niya maalis sa sarili ang epekto ng titig nito.

Habang nasa ere, muli siyang napabaling sa direksyon nito. Napaawang ang kanyang mga labi at ang puso niya, hindi niya naintindihan sa unang pagkakataon. It was as if her heartbeat increased but her breathing suddenly stopped. His effect is just too powerful she felt like she'll float even without the silk wrapping around her waist.

Unti-unting lumiwanag at naging sapat ang ilaw na humahalik sa mukha ng lalake. Napalunok si Agatha. He really is looking at her not in a careful way. Titig na tila nagbabanta, humahagod hanggang buto, at tumatagos sa kanyang mga laman.

Carnal desire and immesurable amount of admiration were sketched on the man's face. His features are intimidating in a sense, enthralling yet too fierce, as if he has the ability to crash someone's neck with his bare hands.

His eyebrows are thick and manly, almost meeting now while his protruding blue pools are gazing at her. Matangos ang ilong nito ang ang itaas na labi ay mas manipis kaysa sa pang-ibaba. His jawline are more defined with his well-groomed beard, and his hair is properly waxed as if just waiting to be ruined to complete the badass package.

Tumikhim si Agatha at sinubukang magfocus. She breathed in deeply, letting her rational brain work even when she can still feel the man's hot stares at her.

The sensual song she picked and was forcedly added to the playlist, turned her on in a wild way. Napaka-mapang-akit ng kanyang bawat galaw sa ere. Even her cartwheels are so precise and...seductive. Hindi niya maintindihan ngunit sa tuwing gumagalaw ang kanyang katawan sa ere, naiisip niya ang mainit na asul na mga matang labis ang pagkakatitig sa kanya.

Gumuhit ang mapang-akit na ngiting hindi sinasadya ni Agatha na ipakita nang sa muli niyang pagtitig sa lalake ay nakatiim-bagang na ito. His eyes are a bit quenching as if lust is slowly taking over his body. Uminit tuloy ang pakiramdam ni Agatha, ngunit nang makita niyang tumayo ito, napawi ang kurba sa kanyang mga labi.

He is so tall. His built and his posture show power and danger. Formal na itim na tuxedo ang suot nito ngunit nang mapansin ni Agatha ang hikaw sa kaliwa nitong tainga, napalunok siya.

The man spoke to some men in formal suits. Nawala na sa kanya ang atensyon nito kaya nagfocus siyang muli sa kanyang ginagawa habang hinihintay ang kanyang virtual partner na itimbre sa kanyang dumating na ang target.

She continued dancing in the air but when she swirled down and stopped midway, her body in an upside-down position while the aerial silk is wrapped around her thighs and waist, she gasped when the man walked towards the stage.

Nanlaki ang mga mata ni Agatha nang makitang nakatitig ito sa kanya, at nang huminto ito sa kanyang harap, tila tumigil ang tibok ng kanyang puso.

Sa kanyang posisyon ay magkatapat ang kanilang mga mukha kaya mas malaya nitang napagmasdan ang itsura nito. God, he isn't just dreamy. He is a combination of a sweet dream and a beautiful nightmare!

The man's eyes twinkled with lust and desire. Nagulat na lang si Agatha nang hawakan nito ang likod ng kanyang ulo saka nito nilapit ang mukha sa kanya upang magsalita. Ang mga tao, halatang nagulat at nagtataka sa nangyayari ngunit walang pakialam ang lalakeng nasa kanyang harap ngayon.

"I got business to attend to but I enjoyed the show." He said in a gentle tone, yet his masculine voice sent shivers down her spine.

She swallowed. "Do you usually interrupt shows to say you enjoyed it?"

Unti-unting kumurba ang mga labi ng lalake. "No, fermosa. Only when I want to bring home the performer."

Uminit ang kanyang pisngi. "And how many times have you done that, Mister?"

He licked his lower lip and gently bit it as desire flickered in his intense blue pools. "Just tonight, so there's no way I'm taking no for an answer...special agent Agatha Herodez."

Nawalan ng kulay ang mukha ni Agatha. Shit! He knows who she is!