Arlo James

See what it's like to be a vulture's lunch

Maybe he shouldn't have been so fascinated in her feline side and yet, well, cats were kind of interesting. After all, he'd thought Abby was a cat for.....longer then he liked to admit. Was it really his fault for not being able to identify a red panda? It wasn't exactly like they were common or anything right? Cadence hardly seemed exactly...thrilled with the conversation and yet she offered those answers all the same. Maybe she didn't like being a WereCat. Maybe she wanted to be a different animal. Did you even get to pick? Still, it was probably better then being a vampire. At least she didn't have to die. Arlo, for now, was quick to push those more disparaging thoughts aside as he picked at his meal. The Crusnik instead asking after one of those questions he'd been curious of for some time. When Cadance was shifted into her Were-form, did she see like a human or like a cat? Or maybe it was some combination of both. The dark-haired woman insisted that she saw like a human, only far more....advanced. Arlo glanced near expectantly towards her then, waiting for the woman to elaborate further on that feline sight nly to be interrupted by the near explosion of her phone. That chosen ringtone prompted Arlo's brow to raise ever so slightly and yet the vampire said nothing for now. The man merely continuing to contemplate his meal. Whoever was calling hardly seemed to prompt Cadences desire to answer. The woman very near aggressively ignoring whoever it was as Arlo reached for those Mozza sticks. These, he had decided, were far more impressive then the chicken. He'd take that home for Abigail. Cadence was right in that at least, Abby would probably love it. Maybe in fifty years or so he would have adapted to the meal.

That joke fell easily from his lips as he insisted Cadance enjoy hers all the same. The young woman assured him that in fifty years time that food would likely have been honed all the more an probably as inedible then as it was now. Arlo chuckled softly as he reached for another Mozza stick. Realistically, she was probably right. They were always changing food. Wy couldn't they just leave it as it was? Why was everything always changing? Christ, he was starting to think like Patrick had sounded. Maybe he was older then he thought. Arlo frowned lightly at the idea. His lips parted again, the vampire tasting those words on his tongue before that aggressive ringtone sounded again. Whoever that was really seemed to desire her attention. Arlo was near quick to insist he hardly minded if she needed to answer it. Business dinner or not he was hardly going to complain about her phone. Arlo, after all, by his very nature, was nothing if not a decidedly....relaxed individual in every sense of the word. Cadence had no sooner silenced that phone then it rung a third time. Was it some kind of emergency? Arlo was hardly oblivious to that...jump in her heart rate every time that phone rang. The near rapid beating was....more then it should have been for simple surprise at the sound of that kinda....angry ringtone Arlo was frankly surprised she had chosen. Why pick a ringtone that seemed to panic you so much? Maybe she should try something less ragey? Then again, it was far more likely to be whoever was ringing as opposed to the tone itself. That person so clearly someone Cadance wanted to ignore. Probably an ex. Had to be.

That conversation shifted back to business once more. Arlo was almost curious to know exactly what sort of music this club would let him play. Cadence so apparently content to give him near total artistic freedom. He could play to the crowd that way, find just the right vibe for what they wanted to hear. Hmmm, maybe he should take jobs like this more often. Not that most clubs could afford him. Cadance's place must have been doing really well even despite the pandemic. Cadence seemed almost thoughtful for a moment then before suddenly exclaiming she'd left one of those contracts for him to sign in the car. Arlo's shoulders lifted in any easy shrug, the crusnik hardly concerned with a small stroll to her car. Cadence gestured over her shoulder and towards those back streets. The woman managed to park in literally the shadiest part of the town and yet Arlo hardly gave that location a second thought. After all, it was hardly as if he had anything to fear from it, right? The vampire's hand lifted upward to summon that waitress as Cadance saw to paying. In Cash. Wow. She really must be doing well! Arlo, in that moment, was nothing if not oblivious to that ploy. Cadence's phone seemed to chime like a primary school orchestra. Those messages all but going berserk. Maybe she needed to look at a restraining order.

Arlo's gaze shifted back towards the waitress as she returned, the Crusnik taking several moments to sign that napkin before handing it back to her, much to her utter delight, those squeals of joy echoed from behind her as she all but dashed inside. Her clear glee prompted another chuckle from the vampire as Cadnace insisted she was probably going to frame it

"It's just a napkin, but if something as easy as that makes her day, then hey, who am i to say no?"

That ready, warm grin found the man's features once more as he moved to rise from his chair, the pair falling into step beside one another as they headed for the car. The night was clear, mild, pleasant really. Arlo entirely happy to stroll along even if Cadance beside him seemed a little...tense. Was she afraid of the dark or something? The woman's demeanor hardly changed, rather, her heart rate did. Along with just how...wary she seemed. Maybe this was a really dodgy alleyway. It looked fine. I smelled kinda like vampires but that was hardly unusual either. Vampires were territorial after all. One of them probably strolled this alleyway a lot.

"Hey, are you okay? I'm not trying to get all vampire on you or anything but your heart rate is like really high."

Arlo hardly paused in his stride, the Cursnik eyed his companion curiously all the same. Even if he was willing to simply believe she just....didn't like alleyways. Maybe she was nervous to be alone with him and just didn't want to say it? Maybe she hadn't believed the whole Crusnik thing? Arlo's lips parted once more, the Crusnik commenting on the lack of sense in parking this far down an alleyway she seemed to be afraid off. Especially one that was, he was pretty sure, frequently used by vampires. Not that many seemed to like the taste of Were to begin with but hey, safety first. Cadence's tease that maybe he would get to eat after all prompted a soft snort of amusement to his lips. They walked further onward, down to the very back of that alleyway and towards a sporty looking red car. Hmm. It seemed the sort of thing someone into the club scene might drive. Cadence moved to hand him her leftovers then, Arlo reaching to take them politely as she fumbled for her keys- only to drop them accidentally. The Crusnik's blue gaze shifted downward, Arlo reached to bend and grab them for her before Cadance suddenly grabbed his shirt, her fingers fisting into the fabric.

"What are you- hey, ow!"

That sudden sting of pain in his right arm readily prompted the vampire to jolt backward, Cadence's hand in his shirt preventing him moving too far away as she all but hissed those sudden words towards him. Had she just stabbed him with a fucking pencil or soemthing? What even was that? Play dead? Oh hor fortunate that woman was that Arlo was, perhaps, the most.....tolerant vampire in the entire city. Those violent, instinctive reactions that dominated most vampiric beings so....lacking in the Crusnik. Arlo's inclined to react much more....human-like. The man appeared nothing short of baffled by the entire experience.

"What are you talking about? What did you just jab me with? That hurt. My arm feels all numb. Push you? Don't look at who in the eye? Is this one of those weird tv shows where I'm on camera because it's like a prank or something?"

Arlo's gaze glanced downward and towards his arm, that syringe mark having already healed and yet the entire limb felt...heavy. His fingers were almost sluggish to respond. As if his entire arm was...asleep. Had she hit a nerve or something? Don't be stupid. That singular phrase prompted Arlo's gaze to glance upward once more, meeting the violet of Cadance's own before the overwhelming scent of vampire seemed to strike him in a wave. Was this a....set up? Had it been all along? Was this woman helping him or not? So many vampires. That instinct to run was nothing short of potent. Arlo hardly inclined to fight of any kind when flight was a viable option. The soft sound of an empty syringe falling to the floor drew his attention. That sudden pain in his arm made sense now and yet....she'd only hit his arm. At least- that was the only part of his body that was numb. Had she missed that full injection on purpose. You'll know what to do. Arlo's lips parted once more to question that very thing and yet they were running out of time. Shit. Fuck. How did he always get into these situations? He'd left this world behind a long time ago. Arlo's gaze met Cadance's a final time in that distinctly silent and yet decidedly clear display of....trust. The Crusnik reached forward to shove her just like she'd ask. Arlo making every effort to make that collapse to the ground seem real. His eyes closing over.