[ Rafa laughs at that notion of a victim. Adam is no victim of his. For one thing, Adam still has all his own blood running through his veins.
Rafa thinks about that, and then follows it through. He imagines this boy drinking from him, and wonders if that hint of magic is strong enough to protect him from thralldom. Perhaps it would be. Perhaps they should try to find out. Perhaps Rafa should try to drink from him, first, just to see how strong that hint is. If it's enough to make the blood palatable, or if it still tastes like poison. He'd like to know.
His eyes have travelled to Adam's neck, fixing on the vein there. He moves them back to the boy's face, meeting his eyes. Adam has fine features, and many freckles. Probably too many to count. Distracting. ]
I am not picking on you. And I do not care about money. [ He has plenty of it. He's been alive for a long time, and he'd inherited a fortune that had been gathering interest for longer than that. ] I was in a difficult spot. Faeries are wilful creatures, hard to kill. Even a fire will not always do it.
Your car was near, and available. And I will confess, easy to replace. It was not personal. [ But he pauses, then, and smiles. ] Now it is.
What? [ His voice is too loud for the time of night and he seems to realise it, wincing when his anger gets the better of him. He tries not to think of how easy that is nowadays, how the venom inside of him grows and grows and grows. ]
Okay, fuck this. [ His hand searches for his cell phone tucked away in his jeans and he's moving, his back to Rafa and his body propelling him towards St. Agnes. He needs to call the cops. He needs to call Gansey. Because even if the supernatural world is true and real to him there are just some things he cannot deal with.
Being alone in the dark with a maniac who crashed his car to kill a fucking faery is one of them. ]
[ This boy is difficult. Rafa sighs, and then moves quickly in front of him. His movements are too fast for the human eye to track, and as he passes, he snatches that phone, and ends whatever call had been starting. It would be easy enough to leave, but he's not done with this yet. With a sweep of his thumb, he turns the device off entirely. ]
You do not think.
[ He lifts an eyebrow, and tosses the phone back. ]
What will you tell them? Human authorities do not take well to tales of faeries, and they will find no trace of me. It would be unwise to get yourself in trouble out of spite.
[ He almost fumbles when he catches the phone, his heart thudding in his chest because he couldn't afford a new one had he missed. For a moment he just stares at it in his hands, his mind ticking over. The other boy had moved too fast and even with Adam's hearing problems it had been supernatural. He couldn't have run like that. And so he can only tuck his phone carefully away, his arms crossing over his chest to keep the Virginia chill out as he lifts his gaze. ]
I wouldn't have mentioned the faeries. [ A pause and an almost birdlike tip of his head. ] Unless it would have gotten you sectioned.
[ It's out before he even means it. But he is, Cabeswater will keep him safe as long as he has work to do. Fixing the ley line, setting the world to rights, that's what he is needed for. His free will is captive until then. ]
And I don't believe in faeries.
[ But maybe the second statement comes too late. ]
[ The words come out soft. Protected from what? Not from faeries in particular, if he's claiming he doesn't believe in them. Perhaps protected in general. Rafa might like to test that theory. That artery is still drawing his eye.
Later. ]
Whether you believe in them or not does not undo their reality. They will like that scent of magic on you. It may even draw them out. I did wonder why they stopped here.
[ This draws a smile, though not a pleasant one. It's the first time Rafa has looked like the predator he is. His fangs aren't showing, but they might as well be. ]
This rabble? They are footsoldiers. They could not take me.
[ Though, they are strong. Enough of them would give him problems. He is alone tonight. Still... ]
And their Queen is not with them. The fae would not be your allies, Adam. You are human. Despite your 'protection.'
[ It's enough. Adam knows what it's like to be hunted. He knows what it's like to want to keep himself from that. His blood boils with it, the desire to just keep living, to avoid being hit, to survive. ]
Then why stand here? Why not get the hell out? Why text me and taunt me because you destroyed my car? If there are creatures after you, shouldn't you be running?
So I could have avoided standing out in the street at who the fuck knows when o'clock at night? So I could be in my bed sleeping and not out here listening to a lunatic talk about faeries and magic? Yes. I would have preferred you not to tell me. It would have been a normal crime then.
[ Rafa watches him for a moment, silently assessing him. Still, there's so much anger. The boy resonates with it. His blood would probably taste of it, if the magical taint did not drown that out.
Rafa knows where he lives already. He can bring a new car there. Besides that, he has the boy's scent now, and since he knows his general area, Adam will not be hard to find. The corners of his mouth tick up in a little smile. ]
Sleep soundly, Adam.
[ In the time it takes for Adam to blink, Rafa is gone. There's no sign of him on the street, and nothing to indicate where he's heading.
He had, however, passed by the car, and the force of him moving had put out the last of the dying flames. Adam will see him again.
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no subject
Rafa thinks about that, and then follows it through. He imagines this boy drinking from him, and wonders if that hint of magic is strong enough to protect him from thralldom. Perhaps it would be. Perhaps they should try to find out. Perhaps Rafa should try to drink from him, first, just to see how strong that hint is. If it's enough to make the blood palatable, or if it still tastes like poison. He'd like to know.
His eyes have travelled to Adam's neck, fixing on the vein there. He moves them back to the boy's face, meeting his eyes. Adam has fine features, and many freckles. Probably too many to count. Distracting. ]
I am not picking on you. And I do not care about money. [ He has plenty of it. He's been alive for a long time, and he'd inherited a fortune that had been gathering interest for longer than that. ] I was in a difficult spot. Faeries are wilful creatures, hard to kill. Even a fire will not always do it.
Your car was near, and available. And I will confess, easy to replace. It was not personal. [ But he pauses, then, and smiles. ] Now it is.
no subject
Okay, fuck this. [ His hand searches for his cell phone tucked away in his jeans and he's moving, his back to Rafa and his body propelling him towards St. Agnes. He needs to call the cops. He needs to call Gansey. Because even if the supernatural world is true and real to him there are just some things he cannot deal with.
Being alone in the dark with a maniac who crashed his car to kill a fucking faery is one of them. ]
no subject
You do not think.
[ He lifts an eyebrow, and tosses the phone back. ]
What will you tell them? Human authorities do not take well to tales of faeries, and they will find no trace of me. It would be unwise to get yourself in trouble out of spite.
no subject
I wouldn't have mentioned the faeries. [ A pause and an almost birdlike tip of his head. ] Unless it would have gotten you sectioned.
Who are you? What are you?
no subject
Something you have not seen. You are too new.
I am Rafaello d'Este. You should come away from here.
[ His words are gentler, now, though still insistent. His hand comes up, smoothing a wrinkle from his jacket. ]
There may be more of them.
no subject
[ It's out before he even means it. But he is, Cabeswater will keep him safe as long as he has work to do. Fixing the ley line, setting the world to rights, that's what he is needed for. His free will is captive until then. ]
And I don't believe in faeries.
[ But maybe the second statement comes too late. ]
no subject
Are you.
[ The words come out soft. Protected from what? Not from faeries in particular, if he's claiming he doesn't believe in them. Perhaps protected in general. Rafa might like to test that theory. That artery is still drawing his eye.
Later. ]
Whether you believe in them or not does not undo their reality. They will like that scent of magic on you. It may even draw them out. I did wonder why they stopped here.
no subject
[ It's mystical forest, it's greywaren, it's psychics, it's dead king. Henrietta is soaked in magic and at that Adam's not surprised. ]
Maybe I'd like to stick around and let them take you.
[ Even if he doesn't believe in faeries, revenge is palatable. ]
no subject
This rabble? They are footsoldiers. They could not take me.
[ Though, they are strong. Enough of them would give him problems. He is alone tonight. Still... ]
And their Queen is not with them. The fae would not be your allies, Adam. You are human. Despite your 'protection.'
no subject
Then why stand here? Why not get the hell out? Why text me and taunt me because you destroyed my car? If there are creatures after you, shouldn't you be running?
no subject
[ A question to answer a question. The real answer is a lot more simple. Because you're here, he thinks, and his face softens again. ]
Would you have preferred I not tell you?
no subject
[ And he wouldn't be drowning in the unknown. ]
Did you just want to gloat?
no subject
[ Rafa watches him for a moment, silently assessing him. Still, there's so much anger. The boy resonates with it. His blood would probably taste of it, if the magical taint did not drown that out.
Rafa knows where he lives already. He can bring a new car there. Besides that, he has the boy's scent now, and since he knows his general area, Adam will not be hard to find. The corners of his mouth tick up in a little smile. ]
Sleep soundly, Adam.
[ In the time it takes for Adam to blink, Rafa is gone. There's no sign of him on the street, and nothing to indicate where he's heading.
He had, however, passed by the car, and the force of him moving had put out the last of the dying flames. Adam will see him again.
But not tonight. ]