Luines - Book 1

Chapter 02: Officer Drake Corvin

Hal waited patiently in the pews of the Quiapo Church, a few meters away from the Black Nazarene. A line of people formed to view that image, or wipe a piece of cloth on its feet, hoping they'd be blessed. If blessings would come that easy, she would have done that every single day. The red curtains that cloaked the Nazarene shuffled with the fading spell of Zee's wind.

"I thought you'd be at school?" Officer Drake Corvin said, after sipping from a steaming cup of coffee. For a cop, he wasn't in his usual blue uniform. Today, he sported a worn out white shirt, tattered jeans, and his brown waves were tucked in a messy bun.

"I was going to but it's dad's death day. I didn't feel like it."

"Your mom would be furious, but hey, you're no longer the bunso. You're a full blown woman now." An etch of a smile appeared, revealing his set of fangs.

Hal arched her brows. "Come on. That trick worked on me when I was five. I'm mature now. So, why aren't you in uniform?"

He stretched his arms at the length of the pews and shook his head, "I'm doing detective work. Let's say I've been promoted to cases that involve people like me. So, what gives?"

"Luine."

"It still haunts you, huh?" He scratched his head, and shrugged too. "Remind me, how old were you then?"

"Basta! I was young then!" Hal sighed and continued in a slower tone, "It's been years ago but the nightmares won't stop, Drake. I just keep hearing the same damn thing over and over again." Hal grabbed Drake's coffee and took a sip of it. She choked in disgust and almost spat it out. "What in the hell did you put in here?"

"Highland Boar's Blood. I'm turning a new leaf and trying a more holistic approach." Drake grabbed his coffee back and took another sip.

"You moonlighting as a model too? Most of your kind usually prefer to be in the limelight. Vamps like you fill the mag covers and the movies ever since your kind could be seen in film."

"I for one hate it. Besides, I'm half lycan too, and most of the lycans are employed in police work. I guess I'm more lycan than vampire."

"You definitely are." Hal said, shaking her head. Drake Corvin was more muscular and stockier than the typical lean modelesque vampires, but he moved as agile and usually as refined as the vampires. "So, any leads about the human who killed my dad?"

"We got markings from the wand ages ago but, you know how the system works here; it's pretty slow. So, I asked some help from our suki, the fortune teller in the antique shop in Carriedo."

"And?"

"The wand wasn't owned by the diwata; she was just the courier. It's owned by a dark elf, Neon Requyem. A family heirloom dated during the 2100 War. According to our fortune teller friend, the wand had Luine ownerships in the past."

"And those Luines were either killed or eaten up by Bakunawa, if folktales were true." Hal said under her breath. She was hearing her mom in herself right now. Maybe, sitting in the very church she always prayed at made her do it. She was vexed, and stared back at Drake. "Do you believe in that fortune teller's shit?" Hal asked.

"She never failed me in my police work. Besides, we always have to pay a price for her accurate reading. Hence, she has a big shop full of weird junk. You could smell how old it is."

"Luckily, you don't smell your age." Hal said.

Drake Corvin wrapped his arm around her neck and knuckled her on the head. "Tease me one more time about my age, and I'll have you for breakfast."

Hal raised her brows, and he released his lock around her, as if an invisible hand pinned his hand towards the pew. "As you were saying?"

"You've gotten stronger! I'm impressed, bunso!" Drake took his arm back, and quickly ruffled his fingers through her hair. He beamed again, his fangs out, his hands behind his back.

"I forgive you. You owe me. And please, save me from going into your mind again. I don't wanna go through years of your messed up drama." She folded her arms as she waited, her mouth pursed tightly.

"Neon Requyem just transferred schools, and she moved to your campus. Looks like the stars are at your favor, bunso."

"Zee, let's go! GEOS, now!"