Raphael? Why does that name sound oddly familiar? A light frown wrinkled Lia's forehead. She was sure she had heard someone call that name today but she couldn't quite put her finger on where she had heard it, a lot had happened today.

Just as she was about to go through today's event in her head, her mom appeared beside the strange guest and exclaimed happily,

"I see you have met Raphael , Asher's half-brother ! "

Bang ! She stiffened as an explosion went off in her head. Lia looked up and saw the faint sly smirk on Raphael's face and she knew at once, he knows she has figured him out.

She tried to withdraw her hands but he tugged on it and instead placed a kiss that sent goosebumps down her spine on the top of her palm saying " Nice to make your acquaintance, Lia . I hope we turn out to be very good, good , friends in the future "

"N-nice to meet you too, Raphael " Lia choked a reply and manage to force a fake yet stiff smile on her face. She couldn't afford to make her family suspicious of anything until she figures out what Raphael has in mind by coming here.

"I'm Trevor " Her brother said and Raphael had no choice than to let go of her hand and accept Trevor's and God knows how relieved she was.

"Come-on in, kids " Her mom welcomed them as Raphael shifted to the side but let his hand brush across Lia's arm, intentionally making her aware of him.

Though she was nervous but Lia kept a straight face and pretended nothing happened, her family's life was as stake here. If what Dan said was true, then Raphael was a madman who would go to any length to achieve what he wants.

"Mom, how did you two get to know each other cause I don't know you as someone who would intentionally let a stranger into the house? " Lia asked curiously but was tactically implying Raphael was not welcomed and how careless how mom was in accepting him.

Lia couldn't tell if her mom read between the lines, or was pretending she didn't , cause she said to Raphael humorously " My daughter has a good sense of humour doesn't she? "

"Yes, she has " Raphael smiled back with two prominent dimples appearing on his cheeks but his eyes was focused on Lia in such a way that a predator would stare at its prey and she didn't like it one bit.

"Raphael here saved me from a robbery attack on my way back from a grocery store and got harmed in my stead " Jenny finally explained and gestured to the cartoon adhesive bandage plastered under his jaw.

Lia rolled her eyes, she bet the wound must have healed eons ago after all it was just a cut . But what surprised her the most was how much he was able to hold back the wound from healing.

That cartoon sticking plaster was the same as the one in their first-aid kit which meant her mom must have taken him home and dressed the wound .

Asher had once told her that supernatural creatures who understood regeneration well could manipulate and use their healing process to their advantage.

She surmised that Raphael must have slowed down his healing process in order for her mom not to suspect a thing - the guy was really capable, she had to be wary of him.

"Thanks for saving my mom's life " Trevor thanked him properly like a gentleman would. Ever since their dad died, he has been trying to man up and fill in the role of a father in the family and so far it's being going well - except the times he feels he's now actually Lia's father and has the right to question her movements.

After accepting Trevor's gratitude, Raphael's gaze returned to her and Lia wondered if he was expecting the same thing from her but of course, she would never fail to meet his expectation - note the sarcasm.

"Thanks very much for staging such a great perform... " Lia faltered and then gasped, her hands flying to her mouth dramatically, pretending that she had mistakenly said something she wasn't supposed to say " I'm so sorry " She apologized with the meekest gaze ever .

"It's alright " Raphael laughed it off

"What I mean to say is that , I'm very thankful that you were there for my mom when we weren't . You are the perfect knight in shinning armor " She praised him with a smile that didn't reach her eyes.

"Now Lia, that's enough flattery for today.You don't want to overwhelm Raphael with your flatteries " Jenny laughed while hitting Raphael playfully on the chest .

A gesture which Trevor and Lia noticed cause their eyes met and held - What's so funny in what she just said? Was their mom outrightly flirting with Raphael? They both wondered.

"Wow " Their mom gasped checking out Raphael's arm muscle causing the kids to roll their eyes to the point of hurting. They knew their mom's fatal weakness was a handsome face.

Lia mentally retched , first it was Asher? now Raphael ? Who was going to be the next? Dan ? Zukai ?

Truthfully speaking, though Asher and Raphael were brothers but the only similarities between the both of them was the colour of their hair and shape of the eyes, nothing else.

Appearance-wise, Asher was more handsome but Raphael was more muscular and had a matured face thanks to the stubble outlining his jaw that truthfully heightened his features.

But Lia was now immune to all vampire's charm , their beauty was just a facade, a glamour that fades once the unsuspecting victim falls into their trap.

" Mom, I'll be going upstairs to change " Lia announced to the woman called her mom who was still flirting with her dangerous guest.

"Alright darling, just come down quickly cause the food is ready " She replied her and turned to face Raphael, asking " I hope you wouldn't mind having a meal with us?

" Well...? "

" Please, I insist " Her mom persuaded him

He broke into a smile " Sure, why not "

Lia shook her head and climbed the stairs to her room, thinking of ways to break those couples up. There was no way Raphael wanted something good with her mom, he was probably planning on getting to her through her mom

Lia opened the door but the moment she stepped into her room, the hairs on her body stood on edge. So she spun around but was startled by the sight before her.

The man standing right in front of her was of the same make and mold as Raphael who was currently entertaining her mom downstairs. What the f*ck is going on?

His lips twisted into a sardonic smile " We meet again, la mia bellezza "