harley westward

No black magic can control me and no curse can let you own me

Harley would have given her left arm to see the look on Darcy's face when she told him he was fired. Oh, how irked the cowboy would be! Yet pissing him off was never her problem. That lay within the power to placate the prickly man. She probably shouldn't be goading the vampire with such devastating fangs that were nothing short of weapons. The man that believed to hold her so-called leash. Like anyone could truly tame the wildcat she was. Although she hated that bite. Fucking vampires with the biting. That was something, she would rather avoid if she could. Her mind was haunted by it. Enough Harley. The woman scolded herself internally, willing those unsavoury thoughts to get swept under the rug where they belonged. After all, it was far more enjoyable imaging the southern vampire waiting in a lonely dark alleyway, twiddling his thumbs. How would he ever entertain himself? Wait.. don't answer that. The thought of some poor unsuspecting victim crossed her mind. No he wouldn't. He would be too focused on making sure she didn't royally fuck this up. Judging... by the thoughts within her mind. Sympathy was dangerous with this given task... Was there a way to fuck this up.. On purpose without getting caught? Was... it worth it? To risk her own life for another vampire she didn't even know. Could she live with it? Arlo didn't seem like the rest, that she was sure. Of course, it was doomed to only get worse, the woman destined to pity the very man that was supposed to be her mark. Of course it had to get complicated. It always fucking did. Worse yet, she liked him. Sure, he was a little helpless... but damn he didn't deserve whatever terrible fate Risque and Darcy had for him. She was sure of that.

That ordeal with the waitress only confirmed that Arlo didn't have a chance in hell of survival in the hellish pits of Syn. The conversation shifted to music, how long it had been to simply talk about something she liked. Someone she could share a common interest with. How trivial it seemed when you waded hip-deep in alligator-infested waters. Conversation about music..and yet how the woman valued it all the same even if she valued survival more. Yet somethings were simply in her blood. In that, Arlo could probably understand. The raven-haired woman nodded in agreement to Arlo's words, that intelligence shone through his words. He nailed it right on the head, summarizing exactly how she felt on the matter. "Yeah you get it. Its how it should be. There doesn't need to be any more carbon copies in the world anyways. I will respect the hell out of any artist that pushes those boundaries even just a little." She gently shook her head from left to right. "I did write my own songs, what was the point of singing someone else's story when I have my own to tell. The heart is in the lyrics. I even have that little black book every artist has one somewhere hidden away.. You know the book that no one can touch unless they value their appendages or their life...There is way too much personal shit in that book." She snorted in amusement.

"Does it ever feel weird hearing your songs sung completely different than how you intended them too?" She was curious on his take of it, that question stemming from genuine curiosity. She should have kept things shallow as a puddle and yet.. Here she was having an honest as hell conversation. Little did she know the more they spoke... the more difficult the inevitable was going to be. Especially when the man spoke about his precious little panda. Oh god, if she got him killed.. Or had a part in it. There would be no coming back from it. She was sure. Hello... head.. Aren't you supposed to be in the game? Of course.. That would be too easy. Nothing about this was easy.

Every lie that slipped past her lips felt like biting into a handful of rusted jagged nails. What disturbed her more was how quickly she could form them. The woman who once valued honesty was lying through her teeth. Those necessary lies she had to lay down on the table, like a deceptive temptress. It really wasn't her scene. It was a real dick move for starters. Yet she couldn't seem to pry her eyes off that picture of the happy couple... It was too cute, too sweet. The way he spoke about her indicated it was the real deal. Love.. that shit didn't come around that often, not the real kind anyway. She offered those seemingly deflated words of a hardened hearted girl like her would have... that the adorable little couple pictures were far too sweet for her liking. Like chowing down on 50 pounds of candy floss sweet. That said something. But the reality of the matter was... she couldn't stand to look at the faces of the lives she was supposed to destroy. This wasn't some monster she was after. However, it seemed to cling on to those very words she hadn't intended him to.

"Yes.. a girl like me." She insisted with a dismissive shrug. Part of her felt almost inclined to that honesty. Which made what she was forced to become so much worse, something she hated, a good liar. Even still she dressed those words in a little bite of honesty all the same. "I'm a cat.. My other side. Felines are known to be complex creatures. Maybe that's it."

Yet the last bit of his words caused her to frown,her dark brows stitched together. She hardly expected... those genuine words to k.o. Her right then and there. Wasn't it true though? Like any of the past men in her life knew anything about sacrifice. Even though it was so carefully disguised and manipulated to appear to be so. But that did not matter now. Nor could she look at that vampire in the face without feeling sick to the marrow. Love. She knew it existed and yet.. Maybe.. For some.. For the creatures with reckless souls.. It was unobtainable. Like some people were destined to preserve love for others and yet never drink from the same cup. Love made you dumb anyways. Right? That answer... was not one she was sure she could believe totally.. And yet since she was already playing the role of the liar. She shook her head, her raven locks brushed against the exposed skin of her shoulders a scoff of disbelief on her lips."You? A bad boy, I suppose I shouldn't be surprised. All you needed was a little love to soften those rough edges huh?" He was not at all what she expected. Perhaps in a world full of finetuned bullshit... that was a good thing. Ah but for the foolishly in love. Those people.. People like Arlo.. Isolt.. Sterling. They had a hope in the world and a hell of a lot to lose. Maybe in another life if she could find belief in anything... even something as colourful as reincarnation. But belief these days was a glorified graveyard.

'Maybe when you meet the right person?' She could have scoffed at that, yet she didn't. Yet.. maybe there would always be that part inside of her that longed for that kind of connection just as much as she was sceptical of it after being burned. "I'm not holding my breath though." She flashed him an easy-going grin as the conversation shifted to that menu and vampires... usual diet. Harley wanted to simply... suggest that.. Cadence/Harley here was not on the menu. That there was some blood on tap that should surely his vampiric urges should he have them. She really didn't want to take any chances here.. To make him extra irritable... when the time came to betray that overly trusting puppy dog that sat across from her.

He was.. A certifiable golden retriever boy. She never thought she'd think that about a vampire.. Even though he explained... that he was no ordinary vampire... It all made sense now.. Well sort of. It clicked within her mind suddenly. She hadn't expected for him to explain himself either. But he did. Going so far to even explain his venom. She was instantly captivated... He had venom enough to konk out a vampire. A vampire like Darcy maybe? "No wonder why they dislike you so much. Most vampires like to think they are top dog and then you come along. Does your venom work on just.. The pointy teeth types? Or would it work on a were like me?" This was good to know.. In case... yeah let's not think of it.

Then he mentioned something about a coven of witches? Like Sacrosanct needed any more bad guys. "A coven?? You need eyes on the back of your head to live in this damned city..." she scoffed as if surprised as if she didn't know any better.

To make matters worse he explained how hard it was to make friends. Like a famous musician somehow felt like a misfit. Weren't people dying to be his friend? He seemed like a nice enough guy. "I have a few good friends.. Its all I really need.." He hardly seemed to allow that sadness to linger at all.. Isn't that what most people wanted? Connection?

Arlo admitted that when he was human he would have eaten the whole menu. She couldn't really blame him. "I think it's a dude thing honestly and munchies don't help the situation at all." Harley added.

Now.. it was Harley's turn to get shit done.. She easily tracked a waitress down, willing to drag her there if she needed to. If there was a will there was always a way.

Maybe letting the vampire who hadn't eaten for who the fuck knew how long shouldn't have been the one to pick the dish.... Maybe just maybe.. They would have both been better off with her choosing.. You know.. The person with arguably normal tastebuds.

Scaloppina... has to be scallop penises or something... Or maybe they were just scallops. Italians loved to add.. A bunch of extra letters and a's at the end of things made just about anything sound... exotic. She was sure. "Well... I do know.. Pollo means chicken.. So I think we are safe on frog legs.." she added. "I think.. That is a french think. Although I heard people claim its like chicken, I don't buy it for a second." She added, leaning in slightly before leaning back into her chair.

Arlo continued on to speak of.... Vampirisms as Harley listened curiously before inquiring about her feline tendencies. She paused for a moment to consider. Of all the times she turned a little furry.. She hardly felt the want for the hunt. Sure.. things got a little questionable when the transition began. "I actually don't know.. Besides taking my steak rare.. I haven't really wanted anything living... I notice other things being a little different from before I was turned.. It weirds me out but if rubbing up on people sometimes is as bad as it gets.. I suppose I'll take it. Oh and I eat way more than I used to.. It's like my animal brain feels the need to stock up as if it doesn't know when its next meal will be even when I just went food shopping.." He really didn't need to know the other stuff... The appetizer soon came, those fried little mozza things.. Who could go wrong with fried cheese? Harley reached for one after the waitress left, dipping it into a little marinara.

"At least if you don't finish your food tonight, you can bring it home to your girlfriend and be the hero." Home.. Like... he would ever go to that place again if she did what she was supposed to. Fucking hell. This was not sitting well at all. It made her stomach feel like a vat of toxic nuclear waste. Yet... if she didn't play the trained... circus feline... Darcy would be certain home was the last place she would ever see.. Suddenly... food didn't seem appealing in the slightest. Yet the feline had an appetite for survival. Just how many had to suffer to ensure it?

The dishes fortunately did not take long to arrive. It was in record time in comparison to the service here! They placed the steaming dishes in front of each of them. Nothing weird.. Just a chicken thing and noodles.. Carb heaven. Harley's gaze lowered to peer at the dish as the waitress murmured something about enjoying the meal before returning back to work. It looked like the super fan got a case of cold feet. The food smelled good like Italian food should smell... garlicy and enough olive oil to fill a bottle.

"Alright..you first. You ordered." She nodded toward his big plate with a generous helping before him. She wondered if he'd spit it out in public if it tasted off. "I won't hold it against you if you spit it out. Well.. for long... in vampire terms."