harley westward

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

Probably why she was single! The nerve of that fanged cowboy asshole did not go just go for the low blow of her love life or lack thereof it. She hardly hid the derisive scoff that fell from her lips. She could have a boyfriend. She could have plenty of boys.. none of them seemed right for her. Or maybe she was just irrevocably ruined by vampires. Maybe they had finally won. She wasn't that ride-off into the sunset kind of girl either.. especially with some macho, strong-armed man type that liked to scoop up poor women off their feet and walk them into some happily ever after... because apparently wooed women were not capable of walking themselves. She could have eye-rolled so hard she could have seen the back of her skull with her own ridiculous thoughts.... and yet she was not done with Darcy's comments. Not even close.

Darcy and his big fat opinion hardly mattered to her... no not even a morsel. He didn't at all strike a nerve. Nope. In fact, she put on her best haughty expression... knowing damn well her joke would go well over his head. That was the beauty with old vamps, they were so easy to fuck with. They rarely picked up on the jokes that somehow made them the joke. Or maybe she was just on some other level. Yeah, that was it. "Oh is that what you think? I'm single? In fact, I will have you know... I am actually very occupied with Ben and Jerry." Oh her endless well of sarcasm never dried. Why couldn't she stop? Thank fuck Darcy wasn't going to remember any of this. Ben and Jerry? Really? A tub of ice cream. "Besides, people call it all kinds of dumb shit. I am sure you even have a name for it. Don't southerners call sex... buttering their biscuit?" Whoever came up with that one.... Needed help. It was not sexy. Then again neither was the devil's tango. But hey that was not the point she was arguing here. Then again, what was the point?

Hearing all about Darcy and Risque's meeting, however, would be burned into her mind... They fucking like animals in a blood-soaked battlefield filled with corpses. She was not one to kink shame... but that did not scream relationship goals. Maybe it was just different for vampires. Nathaniel was fucked up.. But not like that.. right? Maybe it was only when two of the same species hooked up. Harley could not help that look of disgust... and awe. Was it wrong to be fascinated and grossed out at the same time? Darcy leaned back against that was as if reading her thoughts, as he told her not to look at him that way, as if she had truly offended him.

She was pretty sure what Risque and Darcy did and fucking like animals were two very different things. Or were they? She narrowed her gaze, boldly staring right into Darcy's own. His look almost seemed accusatory. Maybe she should have felt flattered. Or maybe she just needed to get the hell out of this alley. How relieved she was for his ever-shifting mind to shift to another topic, it was like it was unable to rest. Although, he seemed to light up like a Christmas tree when she offered that unintentional comment that he and Risque were perfect for one another. It probably hadn't meant to be a compliment.. But who was she to correct him? This night was not at all going at all like she thought it would. To her, he appeared almost boyish if not for the wicked fangs that were mostly concealed behind his lips that she could catch glimpses of as he spoke. However, it wasn't that she stared at.. It was the nonsensical ramblings about apples and pomegranates when it came to 'love' before that declaration that he would share that story about a tree again. Huh?

A puzzled expression took over, no one would even believe any of this. She was certain. He could keep the story about a tree to himself, she was positive she wouldn't understand it anyway. Harley forgot to keep tabs on the meal Darcy had entertained himself with. Harley didn't even notice that the pieces of chicken had been picked clean, leaving only a saucy bed of pasta he seemed less interested in. At least for the moment.. It didn't seem to take long at all for him to rediscover that like he hadn't at all realized it was there. It was the most bizarre thing that she couldn't help but wonder if that memory loss thing started to work? Was that venom moving through his system faster than it should? She hoped not.

Any effort in trying to claim her business expense however was met with a wall. Darcy apparently not that far gone to pull the wool over his eyes. How strange it could work on some things and not others. That rapid tension that had suddenly reared its ugly head far too late.. She was pushing it, she knew it.. But appeasing him, at least in that seemed to settle the vampire once more to that unique docile state, content to focus on that pasta as his meal of choice.

The violet-eyed were certainly did not expect that sudden declaration of marriage to Risque. Followed by other random topics that seemed to enter the vampire cowboy's mind with equal fleeting speed. It would seem that the man with such few words actually had a lot to say. The raven-haired woman could not help her amusement as a peal of laughter escaped her, unable to hold in the hilarity of that moment. What she didn't expect was for the cowboy to join her. He seemed almost... human. How were they actually getting along? How easy it was to forget who he was, what he was? He babbled away contently about that topic about casinos and the best way to avoid the petty gambling that seemed beneath him... but focused entirely on those high rollers. To do that cost..... millions? How much money did Darcy have? Was it Risque's? He said millions, right? How could he talk about it so casually, without even so much as blanching at the amount? Why was he so cheap? Just as she was about to comment, Darcy's mismatched eyes seemed to fog over as if lost to a distant thought of his own.

She'd lost him again. That was happening far too frequently.. Maybe he would just pass out soon. Then she could make her grand escape. A silence fell between them as Harley took that moment to study the vampire. Truly studied him in a way she hadn't been able to do before. How he hadn't noticed the intensity of that stare was a wonder. His features were what she focused on first... before she lowered it to the dim glint of that platinum chain around his throat. She hadn't recalled a time she hadn't seen it on him. She knew its cool feel upon her flesh, as much as she wanted to forget it.

Perhaps it was a topic she should have avoided and yet with his willingness to talk, there was no harm in questioning him in this state. However, that topic took a dark turn. She should have known better. Should have asked about anything else? He looked at her like she was a complete moron for missing something so blatantly obvious. The chain was a sign of ownership. The creatures that belonged to Risque had them. From obvious collars to brands, to cuffs. She'd seen it... but she never seemed to put two and two together. Maybe she should have. Maybe, she didn't want to. Her frown visibly deepened to match the darker thoughts that entered her mind that turned stormy while Darcy seemed nothing but content to reminisce over his own version of a collar. It was that warning for her not to be an idiot like Tetradore that drew her attention. When he said, idiot... did he really mean independent thinker?

Her darkening thoughts had triggered a hot wave of anger she had long held inside of herself. Until it was a realization that dawned upon her.. she was free from those brands of ownership. Surely that meant something significant. The petite woman rose to her feet in a huff, hands upon her hips as if to make herself feel taller and stronger. Darcy looked much smaller from that angle. She was not an employee, nor a pet. Not something to be owned. The declaration that burst from her lips was spoken with pride that she would later see as idiocy. Maybe she could find a loophole. Something.

Her eyes narrowed, her breathing shifted just so. Darcy's lazy expression shifted when suddenly the man suddenly lit up with laughter. He laughed unbidden that it sounded like it came from his gut. Was he really belly laughing at her? She hadn't expected him to find her funny at her own expense.. A burdensome sigh that almost left her was cut short by the sudden rustling in the dumpster that was heard over the final notes of Darcy's dying laugh... it was followed by a thud against metal. Were they not alone? Harley turned to stare down what had caused the noise... as an all-too-pissed-off raccoon begrudgingly crawled out of that metal container with more sass than she felt in that moment. He stared them both down with a severe case of some serious stink eye as if their presence intensely annoyed him. The angry beast chittered, which Harley could only deduce was insults in raccoon. The moment was brief as her attention once more found Darcy's far too amused features that still laughed at her. Although, she seemed far more concerned with that bandit cat thing at her back, that might maul her. She would be pissed off if she got rabies. Even though she already knew the first person she would bite. Any amusement she could have had by that bizarre instance was squashed by Darcy the moment he called her sweetheart. She was anything but sweet right now. Yup, if she got rabies.. She was definitely biting him.

Harley silently bristled as she glared and seethed as he explained she was nothing more than a slave. She didn't like where this was going. He claimed that the only reason why she didn't possess a sign of ownership was for the simple reason that her fate was undecided. He spoke like it was some blessing to be chosen.. To serve them. Like his species was somehow a gift to this earth rather than the curse it was. He claimed she better pray Risque decided to keep her.. or else... that gesture was clear, that universal sign of murder. So everything resulted in death. There was no true exit was there? The only way out was through a body bag. How determined she was that she would do whatever it took for that not to happen...

Harley's face paled as that alley felt smaller... like it could strangle the air from her lungs. She'd crossed her arms tightly, still attempting to appear defiant and not at all trying to comfort herself. Her gaze lowered to one of the fallen vampires who hadn't moved even to so much as twitch since they fell victim to Arlo's venom. It was Darcy's accented voice that drew her attention back to him. Was he consoling her? Holy fuck. Now she had seen it all. This deluded man somehow thought that her outburst was because she wanted a collar... that was what he gathered from her little freedom speech? She wanted so badly to scream and yet it was purposeless. A harsh sound of frustration escaped her as she rolled her eyes. She hated that word pet.

"You really are high if you think I am a pet." She meant for it to come out stronger than it did, instead, all it ended up was a low grumble of dissatisfaction before Darcy began to move. What? No. What was he doing? He wasn't supposed to get up. He could stay put.. Right there on the ground forever. Had she pissed him off? She didn't like this change of events that clearly were for the worse. She quickly looked for an opening to get out of dodge, but the sight of him even struggling to stand was far too.... Priceless. Even she could knock him over, she was sure. But Darcy at full height was enough to make most people feel short. He was once more a tower, a very unstable tower that might topple over at any second even though she took several steps away from him and hopefully not into a waiting rabid raccoon.

Somehow, he had just barely mastered the art of standing before he began to wander down that alley like someone that had hit the bar way too hard. Maybe he intended to leave her here. She had given him ample space... even kept her mouth shut as if he would suddenly forget her existence altogether.

Ah, but that required luck she did not possess. That impatient demand for her to follow like she was exactly what she told him she would never be. She should have known better. He seemed to eye his fallen comrades with little concern or an ounce of compassion, more than content to see them fry in the sun like they were disposable. It was clear he wouldn't so much as throw even a flimsy sheet of newspaper over their faces to help them from the blazing sun should they not wake up in time. Syn would have no vampires in their ranks come dawn, the thought barely touched her mind before Darcy became a man on a mission. He wanted to go somewhere.. His intent was clear, but where? Her lips tightened to a tight line of displeasure as she stepped around one of the vampires with a slight wariness that one of them might reach out and grab her like a zombie in some b-rated horror movie.

"You can barely even walk. You are going to get yourself..." Why was she helping him? If he was going to get himself killed she was damn well going to be there for it. "Where are you planning to go?" She questioned that she was certain he would dismiss.

It was then that his thick drawl found her the moment she ended up at his side. Not a single cat escaped Risque he spoke contently. With the exception of one. "What does she do? GPS track them all?" That thick sarcasm flowed from her, only half-serious. Was she bugged? Did those felines she helped free all... suffer their demise? Yet it was impossible to ignore the simple fact that Risque let one go. What did she have to do to make that happen? Her purple eye shifted to look at him sidelong with obvious curiosity. Maybe she shouldn't look that interested. "What do you mean she let one go?" She prompted. The cowboy easily and obliviously walking out into the street without even looking. She had never wanted a man to ever get hit by a semi-truck more than she did now... but not when he had knowledge she currently wanted. She stepped into that street after him with more caution than he did.

Tobias? Tetradore's beta? He was one of Risque's too? Huh? Now she had to know.

"Why did she let him go?" What was so special about Tobias? If he wanted her attention, he had it... fuck they were going to get hit by a car out here.. Someone nearly did, honking at them impatiently and yet she could hardly give a shit when he might actually tell her something useful.. But one way or another, she was going to find out.