Rune Magic

2-4: Surprise

.^^ Zaire ^^

— James —

Zetre yelped in surprise when Rafaela hugged him tightly, lifting him off the ground as she unbent her knees, standing to her full height. "Oh he's so cute!!! Hello little one!!! I am Rafaela Nero, and you are very welcome!!!"

"He does need air, though." I commented dryly.

She kissed his cheeks, and set him down carefully. "Would you like some food? I was just making late-night snacks, for Gabby and I!" She dragged us both through the parlor and into the kitchen, where we were sat down at the bar.

I laughed at Zetre's look of shock and awe. "We just ate at the House of Two Sisters, actually, It's date night. His curfew is in about an hour, so I decided to swing by here with Manny and his new special friend." I smirked at Emmanuel immediately choking out different excuses, before eventually stuttering to a stop.

Rafaela blinked at Maria. "Hmm... pretty. Brazilian?"

"Portuguese, actually, but I suppose it's close." She smiled at the taller woman sweetly.

"Hmm... Well, Manny is a Man, now, so enjoy him. His neck is ticklish, by the way." She winked, and then started cooking, warming up a pot of gumbo. "How was the Sisters, then? I've never been, myself, too fancy for me. They'd never let me in!" She laughed.

"It was great, I really enjoyed it. The band was good, and the company was better." I bumped Zetre's shoulder gently, and he blushed.

"But, we just ate, why are you-" he started to ask, then looked at me. "Oh... for him. Got it."

Rafaela laughed and set a large bowl in front of me. "Sí, he eats like every meal is his last. As a mother, and a chef, I appreciate that sort of enthusiasm!" She rustled my hair, then paused, and fixed it obsessively. "But you do look like a bag of knives, baby doll, sharp as hell! Is your tux made of gold thread?"

"It is, made it myself, thanks for noticing! Egyptian Gold, Obsidian, and Liquid Darkness!" I grinned and preened under her scrutiny.

She snorted. "If I didn't know better, I'd call you a little Cock Robin, but here we are anyway, Mister Sparrow. Now eat, and make your curfew! That's important, to gain trust with the parents." She nodded wisely.

I smiled and dug into the food, enjoying the simple dish. I paused, taking a drink from my flask, when I realized everyone was staring at me. "What?"

"You're glowing." Zetre said calmly.

I looked at my skin, and hummed at the golden armor that had appeared. "Well that's not supposed to happen... I didn't know this thing acted like an early warning system?"

A portal opened under me, on cue, and I growled, throttling the being that tried to drag me through. Several tentacles wrapped around my hands, trying to relieve the pressure, but I simply gripped harder, and dragged it through into this realm.

Rafaela gasped as the being, (reminiscent of some sort of Cthulhu-esque semi-humanoid,) came into view. "James! Let him go!!!" She snapped.

I blinked, and released his throat, but held him down with my knee. "Uhm... why? You want some information out of him?"

"Let him up!" She slapped the back of my head roughly, and gently helped the being up, speaking the language of the dead to him. "Zaire, I'm so sorry! If I'd have known you were coming, I would have warned them! Are you alright?"

"You know this creature? I meant no harm in defending myself... did I encroach on his Dimension, on accident?" I hummed thoughtfully.

"How? You didn't even open a portal." Zetre sighed.