𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐓𝐖𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐘-𝐒𝐈𝐗:
Ang alamat ng sukubo at iba pang kuwento
The Legend of the Succubus and other tales
(1982-1986)

DENALI, ALASKA, is nothing but a winter beauty. Where the sky and earth blend in shades of white and silver under the northern lights' dancing hues with the ethereal colors of green, purple, pink, and sometimes red sweep and gently swirl in luminous waves. The colors shift and ripple as if the sky is breathing. It's a whimsical sight to witness.

The family had moved to Denali about five years ago. Anchorage was comfortable and easy to blend in, but they outstayed their welcome, even though their chosen occupations are spread out to different areas of the city. Many didn't know that they were related; some are beginning to become curious about how they retained their unchanging youthful appearance after eight years. So, unfortunately, they have to move and won't be seeing Anchorage any time soon.

Tanya invited them to stay for a few years and wouldn't take no for an answer. Carlisle couldn't decline her, so he agreed to her invitation after the family agreed—with Edward's strenuous protest of disagreement to make their new residence with the Denalis. Edward is tired of subtly avoiding Tanya's interest, and her affections are certainly not reciprocated; he can't straightforwardly tell her that he isn't interested to avoid hurting her feelings.

The Denali Coven has an interesting history. It all started with their old coven leader, Sasha, a thousand years ago. Sasha was the one who turned Kate, Irina, and the now coven leader, Tanya. The four women lived in the village in peace. The mortals worshiped them as if they were divine godly beings because of their immortal beauty and enchanting seduction. They lived prosperous lives with the mortals' offerings and willingness to be fed on. They were happy, content, and, most of all, satisfied with their way of life—at least for Kate, Irina, and Tanya.

They didn't know that Sasha was longing to be a mother. Reproduction was impossible for immortal vampires as their systems were no longer alive. Childbearing was one of many sacrifices that they made when the three sisters accepted the immortality Sasha had offered them, but it looks like Sasha was not really in terms of immortality's conditions.

Sasha kept a horrible secret that would be her demise. She had turned a child into a vampire, Vasili. A young one would not be able to control his thirst. The women's paradise soon turned into hell. Every mortal in the village had been murdered, drained of blood and life. The three women were surprised by what Sasha had done; it explained why Sasha had been disappearing and a set of odd exchanges.

The Volturi had heard of it, the bloodshed. It's their duty to protect the secrecy of their kind. The guards soon captured them. Aro had looked into their memories and pardoned Tanya, Kate, and Irina for their ignorance of what their coven leader had done, but they were proven innocent of the crime. For Sasha, however, she could not escape the fate of death bestowed upon her by the kings.

Creating an immortal child, the most heinous crime of their kind.

Sasha and Vasili had been burned to death, and with it, so was the happiness of the sisters. They grieved Sasha, and they felt anger and hatred. Kate understood what the Volturi had done. She's an obeyer of law and order. Vampires have a law that ensures that their kind will remain in the shadows forever, hidden from humans. She thought that Sasha understood what it meant to be immortal. She felt angry that Sasha had committed a crime that almost caused all of them their immortality, but at the same time, all she could think about was how she longed to have Sasha in their lives again. Kate owed her immortal life to her, and now that Sasha is gone, could immortality remove the achness of her grief?

Tanya and Irina felt disbelief. Sasha had taught them of the law—she was a guard of the Volturi until she had left. Sasha has always boasted of the wonders of immortality, the beauty of everlasting life, and the erasure of death; it was her promise to them. To feel power and be youthful forever. Now, what is it for? The one who gathered them as a family with hopes and ambitions of living immortality with luxury was gone; their home was destroyed, and the mortals who worshiped no longer breathed. How could they ever restart without the help of their older sister?

Their grief had consumed them, and to cope, to feel the love that they had lost, they sought pleasure in the company of mortal men. They moved from one place to another with stories of the divine and glory, and soon enough, mortal men worshiped them at their feet, whispering promises of affection and endless praise for their youthful beauty. They drowned in sex and the pleasure that it brought as it temporarily removed their grief, but they realized that every mortal man that they had loved would perish. The pleasure of a vampire is too much for a vulnerable human. But they were in a state of grief and couldn't stop.

For centuries, the sisters had tried to control their thirst to continue searching for love. But all their love turned into grief. Those who had witnessed it wrote legends; for every residence the sisters took on, there were different versions of the legends of the Succubi. Some wrote that they were angels turned into demons and were banished from heaven. In return, they sought vengeance amongst the men, luring them with seduction. Some wrote that they were dream walkers that lure men into their dreams and kill them once they reach the climax of their pleasure.

But in truth, the sisters had failed to quench their thirst and control their strength when having sex. They had grieved their lost lovers along with their older sister until Tanya had heard of Carlisle's practice of finding satisfaction with animal blood, and the sisters were all too willing to switch diets; they couldn't live with the fact that their loves had died in their hands in the most intimate setting. So they learned to control their thirst for blood and accepted their grief and their heavy guilt, and that is when they had successfully made love to their mortal partners, but soon realized that they could never turn them into vampires, and leaving them behind when the time comes, but they are satisfied with not killing them anymore.

The sisters settled in Denali, Alaska, in the early 18th century when they had bought a thousand acres of land. It was a free range for their hunting and was in no danger of trespassers as they were far away from the city and covered by the vast snow-covered mountains. Then, a few decades later, Eleazar and Carmen knocked on their doors, wanting to join their coven and practice their blood diet—they were directed by Carlisle, Tanya who owed Carlisle their new way of replenishing their thirst and accepted the couple and helped them with changing diets.

Eleazar was born in Granada, Spain. He was turned by a vampire who was pretending to be a priest in order to lure humans into the confessional. He was the unfortunate victim, but the vampire thought that he had killed Eleazar and fled the scene. He turned into a vampire alone with no knowledge of their kind until he recalled from the tales of his childhood about the creatures of the night. He read every myth and every legend until he came across one of the passages that contained information about an old coven that resided in Volterra, Italy. Wanting to learn more of their kind, he ventured for miles, and once he arrived at their doorstep, Aro had sensed his gift that Eleazar didn't even know himself. He was placed in one of the higher positions of the guards.

Eleazar's job was to detect gifts of vampire covens that would be deemed a threat and pass them to Aro. He was sent to different missions and locations along with the other guards. He was tasked to look for humans with dormant gifts to be an addition to the Volturi, and in one of his missions, he came across Carmen. They both instantly fell in love with each other and became mates. Eleazar had tried to balance his duties with the Volturi and his love life, but Carmen has always been trouble with the violence that Eleazar's missions bring; she persuaded Eleazar to leave the Volturi, and he asked Aro's permission to do so, reluctantly Aro agreed, he knew that a vampire's mate will always come first but in exchange for a promise that once Eleazar is needed in the Volturi, he will return, Eleazar agreed with his condition.

Eleazar and Carlisle knew each other because they both served the Volturi. Eleazar was saddened by the news when he learned that Carlisle had left abruptly; he considered him his greatest friend, but Eleazar understood that the three Kings often tested Carlisle's restraint from human blood. Eleazar was curious. Of course, he always was. He asked Carlisle about his diet, early life, and how he discovered it. He told Carmen of it, and she was convinced that abstaining from human blood would give them a sense of control once they tried to blend in with mortal society. It's one of the reasons she persuaded Eleazar to leave the Volturi. That is another way of living their immortal life. So when he left, Eleazar's first thought was Carlisle, and he wanted him and Carmen to join him. They did it for a few years but had trouble controlling their thirst. Carlisle was exposed to humans; it was his everyday life as a doctor. It was easier for him, but for Eleazar and Carmen, human society is not for them yet. So Carlisle suggested that they go to Denali, Alaska, as he knew another coven that practiced the same diet but in a much more isolated location, away from humans and from the temptation of human blood.

Eleazar and Carmen were a new beginning for the sisters, a fresh start. Their coven was complete; they created a bond that they thought they wouldn't be able to have because of their vampiric nature, and the sisters couldn't help but once again feel the contentment that they had lost along with Sasha.

Corazon was fond of them, Kate the most. Of course, her first impression was they were the most beautiful women she had come across; Rosalie could pass off as a Denali sister if she wanted to because she equaled their beauty.

Tanya has long, strawberry-blonde hair that flows in loose waves. Her topaz eyes are striking and vibrant, giving her a warm yet otherworldly appearance that compliments her pale and flawless skin. Her slender, tall build gives her a commanding presence as a coven leader. Her heart-shaped face and features are delicate yet pronounced.

Kate or Katrina's facial features are sharp and striking, with a more defined, angular face than Tanya's. She looks strong and confident, which matches her bold personality. Kate's wheat blonde hair is long and sleek with piercing and observing topaz eyes and pale luminous skin.

Irina has a gentle look in her eyes and a sensitive nature. Like her sisters, she is blonde, though her hair is darker and more ashy than Kate and Tanya's brighter shades. Her hair is long and flows down her back, adding to her refined and regal appearance. Her skin is pale, smooth, and flawless. Out of the three of them, she's the quiet one with her soft features but more serious than Tanya's. She has an air of sorrow and quiet beauty about her, which contrasts with her sisters' more playful or confident demeanors.

It was no surprise when Eleazar and Carmen talked to Corazon in Spanish. Eleazar's dark brown hair style perfectly gave him a more refined appearance. His skin is warm, and his tan complexion reflects his Spanish heritage with a chiseled and angular face, high cheekbones, and a strong jawline. He's tall and composed and has a stately and intellectual presence, which he had gained from his stay with the Volturi as one of their guards.

Carmen is also beautiful. Corazon loved the color of her skin, rich tan skin with olive undertones that compliment her long, black hair that falls in luxurious waves. Her hair is thick and lustrous, with natural volume cascading down her back. She was almost similar to Esme in that she had a naturally warm smile and a softly shaped face but with strong, feminine features. Her large, expressive topaz eyes reflect her energetic personality yet graceful and nurturing presence.

The Denalis were welcoming and kind. They had prepared for their guests and built additional cabins for the new vampires that had joined after their previous stay. Privacy is always a must for them, especially for the couples; unfortunately for Edward, he has no choice but to reside in the main house with the sisters.

Corazon liked them, especially with their stories of their time and the history that they had witnessed. They were bold women, confident in their appearance, and unapologetic regarding their sexuality.

And Corazon thinks that she and the sisters would get along perfectly.

•| ⊱✿⊰ |•

THE SCENT OF PINE AND FRESH SNOW, MINGLING WITH THE CRACKLING WARMTH OF THE BONFIRE, is the perfect setup for telling scary stories. One thing that Corazon is keen on is sharing the stories that her parents told her when she was a child.

Philippine mythology has been a big part of her and her sibling's childhood and became of great interest to her when she became a vampire; it just confirms her suspicion that the world is full of the unknown. The myths often circulated in the countryside and are used as scary stories to make children behave, but Corazon has had her fair share of the truth when it comes to creatures that are not truly myths.

Gathered beneath a canopy of stars, surrounded by the towering silhouettes of evergreens. The flickering flames danced across their marble-like skin. Corazon began her story, "When my mother was pregnant with my younger sister, Carmelita, my father was always so protective of her, especially during the night; he wouldn't sleep until the sun rises; he had a bolo knife with him throughout the night. Before we go to bed, he'll instruct us to close the window and barricade it."

The listeners were engrossed. Something about the way that Corazon told her story captured their attention. "My brothers told me it's because of a creature called the manananggal. It's an evil spirit that wanders around at night, her torso detached from the lower half of their body, and then takes flight with its big wings to eat infants."

Corazon almost laughed when each of their faces morphed in disgust, "My brother said that the manananggal had a long, hollow tongue. They use it to puncture the womb of the sleeping pregnant woman and to suck out the fetus. One night, my family and I had an encounter. My father had heard the sounds that it made," Emmett glanced at his shoulder, feeling uneasy as he wrapped her arm around Rosalie's waist.

Corazon made a sound repeatedly as she abruptly stood up from her seat, "Tik-tik, tik-tik, tik-tik," Her voice was soft. Yet, each word carried the weight of the dark forests surrounding them. The trees loomed, their branches creaking in the wind. "My father called my brothers, and they began to scare it away by making loud sounds and shouting prayers. Then it was gone. It was a long night. It was said that the creature needs to find its lower half before the sun rises, or else it'll burn. To kill it, you need to find the lower half of the body and put salt on the flesh to prevent it from attaching itself back to the body." She finishes with a smile.

Tanya stares at her in awe and exclaims. "That's so interesting! Do you have any more?"

"I have plenty of stories," Corazon grins, and Eleazar says, "I do love hearing of different mythologies from other countries." Carmen laid her head down his lap, preparing to listen to more of Corazon's stories.

"Are you up for it, Emmett?" Corazon's eyes landed on Emmett, who seemed to want to go back to the main house; before he could answer, Rosalie nudged him and said, "Oh, he can; please do proceed," She urged with a nod of her head and Emmett pouted. Carlisle and Esme seemed to enjoy these nights, so they stayed, but Edward stood up.

"You're picturing all of the stories you want to tell, and jesus, do they look scary. It's ingrained in my brain. I can't have nightmares anymore, but if I do have, it'll look like those. I'll call it a night," Edward walked back to the main house with his hands buried in his pockets, Tanya made a longing look as she followed his figure, but she stayed.

Kate snickers as she sits crossed-legged, "What a baby." Tanya scoldingly nudges her, and Kate moves away from her and closer to Irina, who sits in silence.

Corazon then began another as she sat next to Jasper, "I think I've been surrounded by the supernatural all my life. My father had a gift of healing, a manggagamot or an albularyo as they call it, a witch healer or a folk healer. People often came to our house to ask for my father's help to cure a curse—kulam, a malady from greetings—na-bati or usog, or those who were given an illness by environmental spirits—engkantos. I was always curious about it; he was amazing the way he did it, and he even taught me how. He can cure illnesses that the doctors couldn't understand, but I was impressed when he used his magic." Jasper was subtly influencing the mood, adding a layer of tension and unease. The air grew thick, the scent of pine now mixed with something more foreboding, like a storm brewing in the distance.

"He would cut out two figures from a paper, a boy and a girl, he'll lay it down on the table, then he'll show his hands to us, proving that it's no trick, no strings, then he'll mutter something under his breath that we couldn't understand, then he'll lift his hands, the figures would move too like puppets on a string, but there was no string!" Corazon exclaims as she demonstrates what her father would do with his hands.

"He always told me that I would be able to do what he could do when the time was right and that he'd pass it onto me because I had the potential to use it—to heal. His anting-anting needs to be passed onto someone else, or when the time comes that he'll die, he'll have a hard time." A cold wind whispered through the tall trees of the Denali wilderness, rustling the branches as if the forest was leaning in to listen.

Corazon looked down at her hands as she fiddled with his fingers, feeling a little somber, "He said having a gift like his is not easy. Spirits often disturbed him, and many mangkukulam or dark witches wanted his power. But his magic often brought us luck because he used it for good. It's why our farming business was the most successful one in our province. Our farming fields were always fortunate when it came to harvest season, but that's not the only reason for our fortune," Corazon smiled again as Alice leaned forward with eagerness. She had a vision of it before this very moment, but it's nothing like reality.

"My father had helpers, duwendes, or dwarves. Their names were Dong, a boy, and Deng, a girl, they're together. Mischievous little creatures they are. They lived in our garden; my father created a little house for them, and my mother often sewed them little clothes and gave them food. But my parents often told us to stay away from them. They were sly and unpredictable. Although they helped my father when it comes to those who wish him illnesses, my father escaped death too many times because of them." Corazon then smiles. Every creak of a branch, every snap of a twig in the forest became amplified, each sound sending a ripple of awareness through them.

"But I was curious about them; I always saw my mother bring them food, so I decided to give them a treat. I went to their little house with bread in my hand, knocked on their little door, and saw them. My father told me that I have the ability to see creatures that aren't visible to anyone because of occurrences that happened when I was a kid that I couldn't remember,"

Corazon purses her lips to the side, eyebrows pinched together, "That memory of mine was a blur. I couldn't remember what happened next, but I remember my father scolding me about it. The dwarves wanted someone to play with, and if he hadn't interfered, I would have been lost for weeks."

"Where are they now?" Irina asks, voice almost a whisper against the cold wind.

"I don't know. The garden was empty when Jasper and I returned to my old home. I guess they're not there anymore." Corazon shrugged her shoulders, a little dismayed. She hoped that her father had moved the dwarves to their new house with them.

Her family owed the dwarves everything they had now. It's why her parents were able to send four of them to college in Manila at the same time to study at prestigious universities with college courses that are considered far more expensive than the rest with private housing.

"Do you have any more?" Aika asks with a grin, but she already knows the answer. They were all engrossed with Corazon's stories.

"In fact, I have, but I'll tell you only one more. We have plans tomorrow," Corazon reminds the woman with a pointed look.

"My brothers are adventurous, and they made me tag along with them because of my third eye so I can warn them instantly when spirits are following or messing with us." Corazon began, "My mother always orders them to harvest fruit from a tree in the forest that only a specific tree grew. We ventured out in the early morning, but what seemed like an easy journey—" Corazon shook her head as she recalled, "We got lost. It was an easy trail, but we couldn't find our way to the tree. We always came back to where we started, and that's where I sensed it, that something was watching us," The forest around them seemed to grow darker, as if it, too, had been sucked into her tale.

"I looked around, and that's where I saw the creature, tall, long-legged, hairy, and dark brute, sitting on a balete tree branch, observing us closely with dark red eyes. It radiated something darker, and smoke was coming out of its mouth; it was smoking tobacco." The wind picked up again, more insistent this time, and it howled through the trees like a distant wail.

The fire dimmed, flickering weakly, as if the darkness were swallowing it whole. "My father told me that when I see a creature that's not meant to be seen, I always make sure to not let them know that I saw them. So, I told my brothers to try and walk the trail again. When we were from a far distance from the tree. I told them to remove their clothes and turn them inside out. That's when they knew that something was playing with us. After that, we found the tree, quickly harvested the fruit, and went home. I told my mother about it, and she never asked us to go back." Corazon snapped her fingers, and they all snapped out of their focused and intense gazes.

"So, who wants to hunt?" Corazon stood up, clasping her hands together to her back.

"I think I have leftover glass in my bedroom. I think that'll do," Kate stands up and shakes her head, her expression a little disturbed as her gaze sets towards the dark woods before her. Rosalie shifted uneasily, "I think Emmett and I will call it a night, too," They stood up from their seats and walked toward their designated cabin. The sisters called it a night, too, but Carlisle and  Esme, Eleazar, and Carmen decided to enjoy the remaining fire. Alice and Aika were far too eager to hunt, both enjoying the scare.

Jasper looked at Corazon as they walked alongside, "Were the stories you told true?"

Corazon looked at him with a tilted head and a teasing smile, "Will you believe me when I say they are?"

Even Jasper couldn't entirely shake the feeling that, at this moment, beneath the stars and surrounded by nothing but nature, there were mysteries that even they, with their immortal senses, hadn't yet uncovered.

AUTHOR'S NOTE:

━━ Here are some images of some of the Philippine mythical creatures that I mentioned. There are plenty more, but these are the ones I chose because they're more well-known. You can look up for more!