Waving the others back inside, Jack stepped down the one concrete stair to the pavement and went to stand a pace behind Scott. The other man probably knew he was there but was too stunned by what just happened to react. Resisting the urge to pull Scott into his arms, or to at least wrap his hand around the thick rope of Scott's braid, Jack took that moment to make sure things were safe. He'd been to Del Fantasma a number of times in the past few weeks, but he saw it all with new perspective. Now it was imperative that he knew each place someone could hide, where someone might try and ambush his treasure. He pushed out with magic so that he would be alerted if there was even a trace of paranormal activity in the vicinity. Other than the cars, a few rats in the distance, the passing cars and the ocean, nothing was amiss.

His survey of the surroundings took mere seconds, allowing him to step closer to Scott while he still stood, dumbfounded, staring after his brother. Scott was a small man, slimly built, and exquisite. His hair, Jack could now see properly, was auburn, the thick cap lighter than the threads that wove together to form his braid. Why the long hair? Jack wondered, his fingers just hovering over the warm hued strands that had escaped the base of the braid. Scott didn't seem the type for long hair. Jack didn't sense the vanity usually present in anyone who would bother with the care of long tresses. In fact, there was very little self-awareness emanating from Scott at all. He stood straight but with a forward angle to his neck, suggesting a habitual dip of his neck. He wore shy reserve as obviously as his light blue polo and neat jeans. It would have to be that reserve that had kept him pure enough to become the center of Jack's cursed world.

At last, Scott snapped out of his daze. He turned his head to the side, gaze tilted toward the pocked pavement beneath his feet. He spied Jack out of the corner of his eyes, but didn't face him. "What were you saying to him?"

Jack watched blue and pink lights from the Del Fantasma sign play across Scott's pale skin, the freckles not so evident here. "Which part?"

"All of it." Cautiously, Scott took a half step around, peeking briefly at Jack's face. "You ... accused him of bringing me here. You said I was in danger. Why?"

"I think you are in danger. There are things about your brother that I doubt he's told you."

"How do you know that? Have you met before?"

Jack took a deep breath, both to clear his thoughts and to fill his lungs with the sweet vanilla musk that clung to Scott. "Could we go back inside and sit down?"

"Why?"

"It'll take a lot of explaining.

Now Scott faced him fully, confusion twisting his delicate features. Despite that, Jack wanted to lick at the freckles mapping that pert little nose. "Who are you?"

Jack glanced toward the shaded area in the back where he'd had his earlier tryst. That seemed so long ago and it couldn't have been more than a half hour. He couldn't use it with Scott, not that way, but it could serve a purpose. He sighed and gestured that way. "Can I show you something?"