Safe For Now

[Nox]

Sterling interrupted. Raffe's laugh against his lips left him wanting more. He stayed where he was for several beats longer before he looked at Sterling to see what she had managed to conjure. A simple ball of light was held above her hand. Nox couldn't help the grin that spread across his lips.

But just as he was about to congradulate her a pounding on the doors sounded. There might have been one while his lips were entangled with Raffe's but he didn't want to think about it. There were only a few people who'd be pounding on the front door, and the cops would be yelling 'open up, it's the police' so Nox knew it had to be Sterling's parents.

Nox took a deep breath and let out a long sigh, "Let's get this over with."

He stood up and walked the short distance to the front door and unlatched the locks before pushing open the door. Two very Russian parents glared at him. "You must be Sterling's parents. I'm Nox." He pushed the door open so they could come in and he could finish the introduction. Point at each in turn. "This is Raffe, and that's Juliana."

Nox closed the door behind them, their glare had switched from him to their daughter and then it was like a string was tied to their jaws as they saw the orb of light floating above Sterling's hand. "Sterling came to see me in the hospital and I found out she could channel. " Nox stumbled over the last word - he wouldn't call the little girl a god to her parents. They didn't need to hear his views on the subject. "I only brought her here because Juls can teach her - so she doesn't succumb to the sickness and die."

[Sterling]

Her parents looked like they had seen a ghost. Maybe they had? Sterling looked behind her but only Juls was standing there in the door way to the main club. There was no ghost. Nox of course started spouting off that she could die right away. They turned and looked at him like he was the enemy. Sterling didn't know what to do.

"She's fine now. But she has to be careful. The Atharim know what she is. They might hunt her. But if I get to him in time, I might stall that inevitable. We are all in danger from the Atharim, if they find out about us."

Sterling growled. "Shut up Nox!" He was making things worse. She walked over to him and pounded on his leg and then tried to make him go away. He looked down at her, a look of concentration on his face and then the power winked out of her and the light was gone. She found it but it was like trying to pound against a mirror. "What did you do?"

Sterling wanted to slap the grin that spread across his lips. "You will learn not to try to push me with your power Sterling. I'm not a little play thing." She looked up at him and frowned.

He looked at her parents with a smile. "Sterling has the ability to make you do what she wants. If she wants anymore help from Juls in learning her power she is not to use it on you or anyone again. She won't die from the power, but if she wants to know more she'll learn to behave. Or I might let the Atharim have her."

Sterling paled and Nox chuckled. She punched him again. "Ow. She can practice the orb and holding the power on her own but she shouldn't experiment." Nox was instructing her parents like they were students. Sterling growled and grabbed her parents hands tugged them towards the door.

"We are going now. He's not the boss of me. You don't even want him to see me." She wanted to add that little bit of power but she looked back at Nox and he was still grinning. She didn't do it, and her parents remained standing.

[Raffe]

A small orb of light floated triumphantly above Sterling’s hand, but the victory was robbed at the loud pounding at the doors. Raffe pushed himself up after Nox, noting the way Sterling’s expression abruptly dropped. He rubbed his arms, chilled, and braced himself for the awkwardness to come. As Nox went to open the doors, he glanced back at Juliana and mouthed a “thank you” with a quick grin. Then he turned to meet Sterling’s parents, offering a small wave as he was introduced. His hands didn’t stray to his bare throat, not wanting to draw attention to its scarring, but he was accurately aware of it. Especially as he swallowed drily at the stony greeting.

He winced at Nox’s frankness and slunk his hands into his pockets. Tried to clear his throat a little as a slow down there warning, but by then Sterling exploded, and he realised he was just going to have to let this play out. He peered at Juls again, wondering what she made of the whole thing, and then leaned his weight back against the wall.

Sterling tried to usher them out, but no-one moved. Raffe spoke quietly into the lull. “Do you want to come in and sit down to talk this through? We have coffee, if you like.”

[Nox]

Juls strood forward in her sweats and smiled at the parents of his cousin. "Don't mind Nox. He's a downer most of the time. All doom and gloom. He wasn't raised right." She glared at him and took Sterling's hand from her father. "Come inside and sit down. Raffe will get us some coffee and I'll explain. And Nox will take a chill pill and shut up for once." The glare extended towards him and he was of the mind to stay right where he was. It was the same look his mother would give him when he let his mouth run wild.

Sterling and her parents followed Juls into the club proper and Nox grinned at Raffe. "I'm going to grab the lotus, and take her too my room. Then I'm going to check my message. I'll be sending Dorian the coordinates here he said Cruz and his father could help me." Nox lifted his arm to indicate the injury. "Then I think I'm going to crash, but you are welcome to check on me and wake me up." He pressed a soft kiss to Raffe's lips. "I don't think Juls wants me talking to them anymore."

[[ Raffe is more than welcome to not go with Juls. Figured this was a good end for Nox at least. I can take Juls and Sterling off screen. So totally up to you. ]]