The Moonlight Daughters

Moonlight

Sherdel has got bored. He was inside a restaurant wherein he was at the table prepared exclusively for him and for someone he's waiting for. It was about half an hour since he arrived, yet she was not there yet. He placed his flexed right arm on top of the table and he leaned his cheek on its folded down fingers. More minutes had passed, he got more bored. He lifted his left arm slightly just enough to see his wristwatch wrapped around his wrist. It was already a quarter to ten. He put it down then he yawned. He looked around hoping that she was in there looking for the table prepared for them.

Suddenly, a girl sat down across him. He got startled. He didn't saw her coming.

"Hi!" she immediately greeted.

Sherdel smiled. It seems like his father was right. She's prettier than Alexa.

"I am Cathryn, just call me Cat," she introduced herself.

Sherdel remained quiet for a few seconds.

"Sherdel," he responded.

"So, the rumors are true," she smiled.

"That what?" Sherdel narrowed his eyes.

"That you are snobby," she answered.

"Thank you."

She giggled afterward. Sherdel smirked.

"I'm sorry if I am late."

"It's okay. Where have you been, though?"

She smiled at him. But Sherdel didn't show her any reaction on his face. He just nodded his head then he bit his lips.

"So...shall we order?" she asked.

He nod again, without speaking an answer. He looked at the menu.

Cat sneered then she looked down on the menu that she was holding.

****

On that same night, at the Acosta Mansion...

Ramsel was on the veranda connected to his room. He wore no shirt to cover his upper body. He was wearing shorts. He was standing near the railing. Looking up to the bright full moon. He's staring at it as he absorbs the energy emitting from it. It felt so good and so powerful. The energy was strong that he was encouraged to stimulate his Lignodon instincts. His skin hairs slowly turning brown and grow, his eyes were blue, his canines were getting sharper and longer. He just let the change be despite he was in a house with a dozen of people.

But then, someone at the veranda just beside from the veranda where he was, he sensed a strong presence of a person who just arrived there. He immediately halts his mutation. He looked to see who could it be.

It was Seline. She's getting closer to the barricade. She hadn't noticed that there was someone at the other side. Her eyes were looking up to the bright moon. She placed her hands on its railings just when she got close to it.

His heart got frightened. Afraid that she might discover his secret. And so, he froze himself and make sure that he avoids any motion so that she won't notice.

He closed his eyes. Then he tried to bring himself back to normal. To his surprise, his form refuses to bring him back to his normal human form. He slowly and carefully looked down to check his arms - it's still hairy.

"Oh, for the love of God!" he mouthed.

He checked the girl on the other side. She didn't move. He sighed in relief. Meanwhile, she got her eyes off the moon. She looked down to look at the view of the backyard while being stricken by the moonbeam.

Ramsel immediately ducked just when he saw her moved her head.

Luna turned her head and looked over the veranda beside where she was at. She noticed that there's something moved. She began to wonder what was it.

Ramsel, hiding behind the huge vase next to the railing, was trying to bring himself back to normal. Yet, the energy he was trying to release refuses to get out of his body.

"Why doesn't it work..." he shook his arms. "What the hell is she doing here?" he wondered.

Seline ignored what she had noticed. Instead, she looked up to the moon again.

"The moon is so pretty," she smiled.

She raised up her right arm. She faced her palms up into the moon, at the same time, it covered the moon from her view. She closed her eyes then she began to concentrate. Every drop of water around her unexpectedly arose into the air.

Ramsel saw the water in the glass on top of the table standing next to him. The water slowly rising in the air. He widened his eyes in horror at the same time he was amazed. He slowly stood up, his eyes narrowed and he brought his eyebrows near each other, while his jaw dropped. He was wondering what the heck in the world was happening to the water. Then he realized that not only the water from the glass was afloat. He looked to his left, he saw tiny droplets of water scattered and already afloat in the air. He looked to the right, the droplets were surrounding him. He turned around, he got further surprised.

He saw Seline closing her eyes and her arm raised towards the sky. She was just calm and didn't move an inch. She was standing there, smiling as the moonlight drops on her. She didn't care about the water surrounding both of them.

His eyes were mesmerized. He watched her skin reflect the moonlight, her hair flows as the wind blew. She had gotten prettier. Ramsel didn't mind the floating waters, instead, he appreciated them since they made themselves as background to the pretty girl. His heart raced faster, he couldn't explain it. It's not like the feeling he felt when he first met her. It wasn't a feeling of anxiety and suspicion but instead, it felt so good. He subconsciously smiled as he gazes at her. He didn't even know his body was mutating back to normal.

That moment stopped when...

Seline put his hand down then she held her head down. She immediately scanned at her surroundings as the waters drop like rain. She looked to the other veranda. No one was there...never knew that Ramsel lowered down to hide behind the vase. She sighed in relief. She smiled. Later, she went inside to the living room where the veranda was connected to.

Just when she entered, Ramsel rose up then he looked at the glass door entrance dividing the living room and the veranda. He sighed in relief. That was close. He thought she was about to see him mutating.

More importantly, he looked at the glass near him. It got refilled with water. Everything got wet, even his back and his some parts of his shorts. He wondered how did that phenomenon happen. Moreover, he wondered if Seline was involved in that phenomenon since she's the only one he suspects to possess something supernatural besides him and Ian.

****

In the hideout of the Idarugan...

Dionysus was alone in the living room, sitting on a wooden chair facing a small round table. His eyes were closed, meditating as he listens to some 90's music.

Meanwhile, he opened them when he sensed that someone was about to open the door. He turned his head to look who might it be. The door opened. Adan entered.

"It's nighttime. Are you going to sleep?" he wondered.

"In-mali ak sina ta wada di good news ko ay Apo Dionicio (I came here to tell you my report, Apo Dionicio."

Dionicio stood up.

"What report?" he asked.

Adan smirked. Then he moved to the left so that he won't block the doorway.

"Send him in!" he shouted.

Then, two people entered. They were carrying a person - a boy who was unconscious. One person was lifting his upper body. While the other one was lifting his feet.

They placed the unconscious body on the floor in front of their leader. After that, the carriers immediately walked out.

"Well. Well. Who's he?" he wondered.

Apo Dionysus..." Adan immediately responded.

"Meet Gisway. The Association's spy," he explained.

Dionicious immediately chuckled right after he heard Gisway's name. He looked at Adan with a sneer. Adan can tell that Dionysus is getting excited through his eyes.

Adan smiled as he felt the appreciation even though it didn't come out from the leader's mouth.

Dionysus looked down. He was circling around the boy. Examining his face.

"Prepare yourself, you son of a bitch."

****

Benjie knocked on the door of Cainnick's room.

"Come in!" someone inside responded.

He opened the door when he entered. He saw Cainnick lying on his bed while playing on his phone.

"Cainnick..." Benjie called.

"Po?" he looked at him.

"Can we talk?" he asked.

Cainnick sat down on the bed.

"Of course,'' he smiled.

Benjie sighed. He sat down on the left edge of the bed.

"Is this about awhile ago?" Cainnick asked.

Benjie bit his lips then he lowered his head.

"Don't worry too much about me. I am okay."

"I know," he nodded.

"Maybe I am paranoid sometimes but I have a reason why."

Cainnick breathes in deeply.

"I know. You are afraid to lose me too," Cainnick replied.

"I am afraid that maybe he'll attack you again and this time, you might not survive."

"Kuya--"

"Right now, I apologize to you. I am sorry for what happened these previous days. I am afraid that the reason that man was in there is because of me. They hurt you so that they will get what they want from me. As much as possible, I wanted to be with you all the time to protect you."

"I forgive you." He wrapped his arm around Benjie's shoulders. "I believe we are going to survive anyway. You know what, you are a brave strong man. That's why I wanted to be like you. "

Benjie smiled. He wrapped his arm around Cainnick's back.

"I promise you, I will make sure they will never going to touch you again."

"I know you can," Cainnick responded.

Benjie faintly chuckled. He removed his arm on Cainnick's back. Then he rubbed his hand against Cainnick's hair.

"Just they try," Benjie smirked.

Deep inside, Benjie was so worried about the safety of his little brother. He might not show it directly to Cainnick, but Cainnick can tell that he cares so much.

Cainnick nodded as he smiled while biting his lips.