Her Big Brother

Legaxy

Time flies so fast, and before I knew it, it was already dark.

I packed my stuff and got to say my usual goodbye to Ms. Dawn. Then, I changed into my casual outfit and once I dropped the uniform at the uniform shoot - going down to the laundry room, I exited the hotel.

Finally, time to go home.

Since it was a long distance between home and the hotel — seeing no cars or taxis around either and thanks to my overprotective parents; I never learned to drive, I texted my Dad for a ride home.

I waited for a reply but then quickly realized, he may be on overtime again at the Hue Kingdom.

Because the Vampire King stays as a hidden character and never leaves his chamber — unless necessary, my Dad fills in most of his 'Kingly' works. Specifically, handling the paperwork and security-related errands. Though, when things get serious and needed extensive research and/or further investigation, that would be the time the Vampire King comes in — and still drags my dad with him resulting in endless overtime.

Regardless of the reasons, I already took note of how busy my Dad was these past few days; he often comes home at midnight or around three in the morning.

... So, to be clear and short, I don't know if the old man could spare me that extra time right now.

I sighed at the thought.

Surprisingly, he texted back and I see a 'YES' on my screen.

I got excited and waited for him but once our Black SUV stopped in front of the employees' exit gate, I was shocked to see my brother, Seth, in the driver's seat.

..... Seth Deo Dyme, my big brother.

He's a vampire.

So you can imagine when he got out of the car and flashed his smile at me, that a lot of human girls instantly stopped what they were doing. Furthermore, as my brother started to walk toward me, I heard some of the girls squeal in excitement and there were too many chit-chats; they were like bees in a panic, buzzing endlessly around me.

As for the others, I was quick to catch them bringing out their phones and acting like Paparazzi; taking pictures of my oblivious brother while a few, I noticed, held their breaths.

This again...

I shortly frowned at the scene unfolding, which caught my brother's attention. He followed my line of sight and finally saw the crowd of women ogling at him. This, as he turn and took a peek, made the girls squeak and giggle like teenagers.

Some even wave shyly at him...

"Seems like I am becoming extremely famous with these girls nowadays, and this is only my second time picking you up... Too pretty am I?" Seth joked but I could not help but notice the uneasy tone as he let out a laugh.

"Tell me about it. Though, they're too much. Should I call the guards to protect you?"

My brother could only roll his eyes at my suggestion, "Am I that weak to you, Legaxy?"

"No... no, not weak," I paused and then stared directly at his face, "but afraid, yes. Yes, you are."

Not expecting the concerned remark, Seth stopped in his tracks; he was surprised. Yet, he recovered quickly and continued his walk toward me.

"You have a good eye," he stated as he came closer and started pulling me toward the car.

I smiled.

"Well, I learned from the best you know."

My brother could only nod at this and from there, the noise that was loud before began to grow quieter. However, this was only to a point of mere whispers; gossip, I believe. Hence, whatever it was these women are talking about, it brought goosebumps to my skin and uneasiness to my chest.

It made me question then my brother's smile — or simply what his presence could bring...

It was bizarre to think that everything about him captivated these ladies to the extent that they act like toddlers who have just seen a candy for the first time — and easily gets mad when somebody else took it.

Sure, it must be the looks, right?

I took a glance at Seth and quickly realized, it was barely part of the reason. Not that my brother is ugly or plain in my eyes — I surely could affirm how drop-dead gorgeous he is; brown hair, smooth white skin, pointed nose, masculine body, pretty green eyes, and a perfect white smile.

It's just that, brother or not, I don't have that instant attraction like these ladies have toward him; I simply do not feel anything. Confused enough, I'm human myself so his 'vampire beauty' should affect me as well, right?

Especially when that beauty holds 'magic' to it...

Not the kind of magic that is cast upon them by witches just so they become stunning to a human's eye but, more likely, an enchantment passed down to them by their bloodline.

As my Dad calls it, the 'Aurora's Kiss'.

"Hey, cheeky boo. What got you so quiet now?" Seth asked while playfully ruffling my hair.

"Kuya! (Big Brother in Filipino) I've been saving that for later!" I cried, hitting his arm.

He laughed, dodging my hand.

"Not tired of that hair, huh? I bet you look cuter in curls or waves... Matches your attitude."

"What attitude? And what's wrong with my straight hair now?" I asked, glaring at him.

"For the hundredth time Boo, straight locks do not match you. No offense but it makes you look old and nerdy... And boring," he murmured the last part, but I still heard it loud and clear.

I could only roll my eyes at him, quite offended.

At the same time, I momentarily caught a glimpse of human ladies still captivated by Seth's presence. I got distracted by this because I saw one lady — I recognized as one of our Front office staff, Maylene — almost trip, walking our way.

..... Now, do you see what I mean?

Cruel as it can be, and as much as I wanted to help my kind to snap out of the trance but that's how this Vampire magic works for mortals: It captures you without any warning, then engulfs you to the point that you cannot escape, until you finally get hurt — or be killed — without fully realizing it.

Sure it's an involuntary response of both the heart and mind — thanks to the strong magic quality of the attraction, but I fairly believe that you could only get hurt once you let the enchantment sink in more.

Like letting yourself be stabbed deeply by a knife...

Though, who am I to give criticism to these ladies, knowing all too well how immune I was towards the said spellbound?

However, is this really called immunity?

Or perhaps, this is just familiarity with my brother's features and presence. We did live under the same roof for as long as I could remember. So, maybe that was the reason I am not affected by the Vampire allure; I was used to it.

... Or is it, really?

"It's getting late, time to get you home." My big brother announced, snapping me out of my thoughts.

I could only nod at him and from there, we talked about our day. We got to joke and laugh around for a brief moment, while we casually settled ourselves inside the car.

At one point, Seth got to mention Dad...

"Kuya, what's Papa up to now? He's recently been coming home later than usual," I asked.

Seth shot me a confusing look as he took my backpack from me, "You don't remember?"

"Remember what?" I inquired innocently, which earned me a frown from him.

"What date is it today, Legaxy?" He asked, sounding mad.

I slowly gulped before muttering, "October 9th..."

"And what happens on October 9?" He promptly interrupted.

"Well, it's not your birthday so I... assume... that you are talking... about the mating season... for... wolves?"

"And?" Seth, not happy with the tease, now growled.

"And?" I tilted my head to the side in pure confusion.

Eventually, that got him furious...

"Whenever mating season comes, Legaxy, the Red Moon Ball is also up and about... That is why we have a busy schedule ahead of us due to the preparations," He declared, crossing his arms in front of his chest.

I made an 'Oh' face, and he did get it that I forgot the once-in-a-lifetime party of the Vampire-Witch race, where every single Vampire and Witch finds their RED — for werewolves, it's equal to 'mate'.

Seth let out a grunt.

"Now I honestly question which side you are on since you only remember the werewolf's mating season." He finally stated, now sounding upset.

Of course, he will be since he mentioned this to me, every year he joins the ball. And like every year, with stories of hope come stories of disappointment and frustration; Seth never found his Red.

I don't know why or how the process works for them, but sadly, my brother never gets a match... Not even once, if I may add.

He's already 28, and I don't know if he is still willing to look for his Red since he did end up choosing the security forces, where he guards and protects, over waiting for someone who never came.

Currently embarrassed, I bit my lip.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to forget. I've been a bit... unfocused lately. Hotel stuff." I apologized, chewing the inside of my lip as I abruptly recalled the heated morning meeting we have with Mr. Black.

It was so horrible to the point where I would rather be with the wicked witches during their witching hour than be with an angry werewolf in a closed space for two hours; it was safer that way.

Seth sighed and seeing how 'unfocused' I really was at that second, he became quiet for a while.

All of a sudden, he pinched my left cheek to look at him.

"Hey, it's alright cheeky boo. I'm not mad. I am just stressed... I guess it got the best of me." He paused and reached out for my hand in the back seat. "It's just... hard. And knowing it's a big day, everyone doesn't just expect it to be perfect. Rather, they WANT it to be perfect."

He let out a deep sigh after.

I only blinked a few times, getting off of the recollection I was having, before registering into Seth's apologetic eyes.

"That's why Dad didn't pick you up. Overtime again, but he said he was sorry." He added softly while rubbing my knuckles.

I nodded at him in understanding and finally, straightened myself in the back seat. As he did the same in the driver's seat and laid my backpack beside him, I caught him sniffing the air.

I could only scowl.

"Do you ever stop that, Kuya?"

He looked bewildered as he glanced my way, "What do you mean? This is protocol..."

"But you're off duty. It's not like somebody's going to jump out of the bushes and hurt us." I protested, scrunching my nose in the process.

He simply chuckled.

"It's better to be safe than never Legaxy. Besides, it's just a security check — not the hunting stance," He disclosed, finally starting the car and steering it to the highway.

"But..."

"You know pretty well that I will feel hell if I didn't do this perimeter check since we are at a place where EVERYONE IS WELCOME." He quickly interrupted me as he stresses out his point.

I clasped my mouth shut after hearing that and didn't argue further.

His right...

Mallow Hotel may be a sacred ground for everybody, and no one is allowed to fight here — unless granted by the head owner. But you never know what each dark mind can do. Particularly, a dark beast's mind who's being unintentionally provoked by its enemies.

With the sudden thought of it, fear lingered in the back of my mind.

"Not to mention," he paused and a dangerous grin appeared on his face as he glances at me through the driver's mirror, "I do love smelling your scent."

At first, I didn't think much about it and believing that it was just his normal teasing, I rolled my eyes at him.

"Shut up. You said no 'hunting stance'."

He laughed hard as we drove off and from there, I saw a hint of hunger in his eyes — from green to red — while peeking again at me in the mirror.

Oh, hell no.

"Seriously though, your scent could drive a Vampire crazy... That savory, sweet scent," he licked his lips and swallowed hard, "I know I would boo..."

His voice was playful at the end, but too low and husky — making me confirm he was hungry for blood.

I stiffened hearing that and like a switch, the memories of him almost killing me, played in the back of my head; replacing the fear I felt with panic.

"I wished you haven't said that Seth. Especially, when you're starving..." I muttered, nervously.

He heard me and the fright in my voice was his realization; His once hungry features immediately drop and turned into pure shock.

"Shit! I'm so sorry cheeky boo, I didn't realize I was..."

"Don't worry about it, shit happens," I managed to interrupt with a steady voice as I flash a smile at him through the rearview mirror — trying to hide the horror I was feeling. "Do you need to feed? We could stop, and I will let you go hunt..."

"No, no, I can wait," he cut me off, breathing hard. "Mom, she - she will be disappointed if we don't eat dinner."

He added, slowly calming down now while his eyes, still shifting from red to green which means he was fighting for control...

I just nodded and we both became silent for a while; waiting for him to thoroughly calm down.

"So, could I safely conclude that the reason why you are planning on leaving home is... us? We scare you far too much, don't we?" He queried in a miserable tone, breaking the silence that long crept between us.

I shook my head in a 'NO' and surprisingly, smiled as I thought about his outcome about me leaving home.

"Of course not, silly," I replied, smiling wider at him in the mirror since I notice he was relaxed now; his eyes were in their normal shade of green. "It's just the idea of independence Seth. Besides, no one in this family likes the idea of me driving."

I suddenly pouted at the thought.

He laughed, fully breaking the tension that we were feeling at the moment.

"True. You're too clumsy for driving."

I raised an eyebrow at him, "Ah, thanks for the vote of confidence?"

He laughed harder.

I rolled my eyes at him, and this time, out of entertainment.

"How's Howard and Axel by the way?" I inquired, immediately changing the topic.

He stopped laughing and instantly, a wide smile was plastered on his face.

"The boys are great actually. Howard got promoted to Major in the Vampire Army. Axel, on the other hand, has been recently chosen as the Head of the Witch Coven Ministry," he proudly stated.

I smiled at the news myself.

Like Seth, my other two brothers work for the Hue Kingdom and currently living there; leaving me with our parents...

Well, all my family members work at the Hue Kingdom, except for me because as clear as day I am prey there. But it doesn't matter where they are, or what work they had. As long as they are happy with their chosen career paths and the home they are currently living in, then I'm happy as well.

Especially with the guys...

They happen to be troublemakers from the past and now hearing how they got what they want and blossomed from there, kinda made me want to tear up.

I was just so proud of them.

That reminds me though, what about Seth's — especially with the ongoing ball? He used to be on royal guarding duties whenever this ball occurs...

So is he still doing it?

"What about you? How's work for you?" I eyed him curiously, waiting for his response.

Surprisingly, Seth stiffened at my question. He didn't turn, say or answer the simple question I asked. He just kept on driving, eyes very focused now on the road.

Huh, funny...

"Not that you want to talk about..." I stated nonchalantly.

"No, it's fine," he cut me off for the second time, voice low but too dark with emotion I don't even know existed within him; he sounded 'feral'...

For that, I waited for a continuation.

He sighed once and, finally, talked.

"To be honest, I'm not liking the new assignment given to me by the Kingdom."

My forehead wrinkled in confusion.

"Why?"

He hesitated at first. His eyes were checking me in the mirror — as if I was somewhat ready or not, before shaking his head; he was having an internal battle with his mind.

I glare at him to continue, which he, thankfully, obliged.

"First, I was not supposed to tell you anything — not yet, because the whole family should be around. And second, I'm planning to communicate this matter this weekend, for Howard and Axel will be present at dinner. That's all I could tell, no more."

He quickly explained, eyeing me once again through the mirror.

I gave him my best 'beg' face for more information, and he rolled his eyes at me.

"Goddess, you're so pushy!" He muttered, almost growling, "Fine, since you pleaded, I'll tell you one thing and one thing only — and sure enough, you will never going to like it."

I became perplexed at this.

"What do you mean? You know Kuya, you always share everything with me — FIRST." I pointed out, pouting at him, "Do you hate your job now that you will only give me clues instead of details? And why would I never like it? I mean, I am always fascinated by everything you do. Especially, when it comes to your work."

He shot me a small smile.

"Oh boo, thank you. And hey, I still love my job — always have. However, there were some changes that I need to work on and to be followed soon. Rules, to be exact, that is on strict compliance." He responded carefully and there I noticed him chewing his inside cheek.

"Changes? What changes?"

I never knew the Hue Kingdom could do that. As far as I've known, they have never changed anything before, particularly, their legislation.

Well, this is a first...

The real question though, is what made them change their lawful ways?

Before I could formulate an answer, Seth's heavy exhale caught my attention.

"The concept now is that I'm not guarding any royal people. Well, not until the Red Moon Ball ends."

His voice here, once more, dark and husky. I looked more baffled than before.

"Oh, congratulations... I guess." I stated, wrinkling my forehead, "But, if you don't mind me asking, who are you guarding now Kuya?"

At the exact time, as I popped that question out, the car came to a stop at our front lawn. When he turned and stared at me, the cheerful Seth faded, and in its place was a deadly poker face of a soldier.

His eyes were burning glossy red again and since the moon was full and bright tonight, the color red glowed dangerously, making me freeze in my seat.

All of a sudden, and in a husky tone, he mumbled, "You."