damon marcello

Arlo looked surprised that he would even ask about money. Was he really that badly off to have to rob others for something as petty as money? Damon remembered well the days when it was hard to come by but then he'd never exactly lived in a poor setting. Even as a mortal, his family lived on a large plantation and had slaves and house servants. They were never exactly living in squallor. But when him and his brother sided with the supernatural during a town clean-up and their father shot them both, it kind of took them off the living will to get the family riches. So Damon and Stefan had to do for themselves in the afterlife. It didn't take them long to figure out that dead people had no need for money though and it was all too easy just to take what they wanted, whether it be money or whatever they wanted to buy with money. Over time, the money continued to add up and they were needing for nothing so it became something of a boredom thing and they didn't know what to do with it.

He couldn't help but chuckle when Arlo mentioned paying rent and other human burdens. He couldn't be serious, but when Damon turned to glance his way, he saw only stress in the vampire's features. So....he was serious. He smirked, his eyes rolling as he held out the envelope Arlo had tried to steal from Markus.

"You need the cash that bad? Here. I can pay Lucas myself. You know, if you joined a coven, these things would be a non-item for you. You would have a place to stay, free of charge. New clothes when you want, whatever home furnishings you could desire."

He followed Arlo's gaze to his shoes, his lips scowling in protest of the well worn leather. Did he not even bother to take the shoes from his victims when he was done feeding? He didn't seem to have morals about draining other vampires and stealing their paychecks but he wouldn't steal a pair of shoes? His priorities needed some re-working in Damon's opinion. He could tell Arlo was taken with his car and he loved to show it off. He would always cherish this gift above all others and not only because it was from the love of his life. He was a great collector of older things and muscle cars were always an added bonus. He watched Arlo roll his eyes and knew he needed more convincing on the whole embrace your inner vampire thing. Maybe he could share a little, prove he wasn't just throwing out garbage.

"This wasn't what I wanted at first, either. I didn't choose to be this way. I fell in love only to find out the woman I thought I knew so well was hiding a huge secret and messing with my mind literally so I couldn't remember every time she fed on me. She forced her blood on me and made me forget that too. I wasn't expecting to wake up after my dad shot me and my brother all those years ago. We were supposed to die. I didn't want to feed but my brother couldn't bear the thought of being alone for eternity."

He didn't have to say the rest, sure that Arlo would figure it out on his own. Stefan had forced him to drink from a human and finished the transformation. That's when Damon made a promise to his brother that he would torment him for the rest of his existence. He would never forgive him for making him go on living. For making him into this. Damon's eyes darkened as he remembered that day, staring blankly ahead, his jaw clenched tightly. His hands tightened on the leather steering wheel but after a few seconds, he composed himself and brushed the thoughts away with a sigh as he relaxed and flashed Arlo a smirk as if nothing had happened.

"You have to accept it or give up. No use in fighting your nature. You'll only let it consume you."

He could sense Arlo's skepticism when it came to Isolt. Who would have thought they'd come this far? That she'd say yes to a guy like him? He even had his doubts, but he knew that she meant everything to him. He put himself in danger more times than he could count, all for her. He never did that for anyone, not even Stefan most of the time. He always looked out for number one, but she changed that. She changed him. Arlo seemed relieved that he wasn't part of the mafia but he saw hesitation over being used to getting what he wanted. Did Arlo really think he was going to get him killed or something? He didn't want to lose his new companion for the night so early on. Davante was nowhere to be found and he was bored. He needed some guy time, no matter how he had to get it. At least Arlo did understand the idea, explaining that he knew about the heart slowing but that he only took enough to take the edge off. Damon's brows furrowed. He didn't understand this guy at all.

"What is it about vampire blood that quenches your thirst more than a human? Is it just the idea of killing them that scares you or is it a taste thing? I've never heard of this before, a vampire choosing to feed on other vampires."

He was curious, always had been. That was how he found himself wrapped up in Katherine and vampires to begin with. He was curious, plus she was beautiful and anything beautiful had to become his. He nodded.

"You've got the basic idea. When a human is losing too much blood, the heart will slow and the rhythm will become irregular because the heart isn't getting enough blood pressure to pump like it should. When that happens, you quit feeding and the human just feels very weak and tired. Usually they'll take themselves home and get a long nap, giving their body time to replenish and recover. Of course, it helps when you can wipe their memory after too so they forget it ever happened. Then there's no mental trauma to worry about. Oh, and you can take too much blood from a vampire, too. If they get drained, their body will start to desecate and they'll mummify. You want to leave a bunch of shriveled mummies lying around town, be my guest, but don't think hunters won't eventually get curious and come looking."

He wanted him to understand that even in hunting vampires, there was still risk, so if he fed from vampires hoping to keep a low profile, that wasn't going to work. He was slowly stripping away the motivations someone could have for feeding on vampires over humans. He didn't understand it at all but he had to know what drove Arlo. He liked knowing things. Arlo questioned where they were going and he shrugged as he pulled into a parking spot outside a strip club.

"The shady part of town, where people go when they want to be forgotten for the night. It's the perfect hunting grounds. Low lights, people too drugged out of their minds to notice things and the best part....enough alcohol to make even a vampire feel buzzed for a time. Tonight, I'll make it rain but next time, you're supplying some one's too."

He curled his lip up in a grin as he turned the car off and went to get out.