harley westward

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

Harley was forced to follow the ambling cowboy, moving with the gait of a professional drunk and yet it didn't stop him from getting to where he wanted to go. Where ever that was. Not that it mattered Harley was far too focused on his words. The man dropping random stories and knowledge like bread crumbs. She couldn't tell if they were at all useful and yet she ate it all up. It was the most talkative Darcy had been. The man deserved a medal for earning his personal best score of most consecutive minutes of not turning into a violent ass. Even still, there would be a part of her, yes, the part that very much liked being alive that seemed ever aware of the toothy predator she blindly followed into the night. That in itself possessed a serious hazard to her physical wellbeing considering it was a fucking miracle that neither of them had been hit with all the sudden jaywalking they did. Besides the angry honks that seemed to follow them into the darkness, no one bothered with them. It was for the better too. While that tentatively amicable southerner seemed far more tolerant with her, she wasn't sure if someone else might bring out that seething fury.

Darcy somehow managed to still speak cryptically of the anomaly that was Tobias. The raven haired were was forced to speed her gait, her short legs working in overtime to keep up with the vampire who seemed to have a single-minded purpose to reach some obscure destination that only he knew. She was able to catch those final words. He isn't special... he is just valuable. This seemed to cause a deep frown to mar her features. Now what the fuck was that supposed to mean? It was an answer he refused to offer her. It would seem the cowboy from hell was more than content to leave her with even more questions. Valuable how? Could he turn shit into gold? The train of thought had abruptly ended when they stopped. The road ended and somehow, they had made it to the beach, at least one of them. Had they really walked that long? How she felt like the derpy sidekick, or worse, a pet on a walk. The realization hadn't exactly dawned on her in that moment, the last thing she needed was to be instantly pissed off again.

However, it didn't go without notice that his demeanor appeared even more settled by the appearance of that beach as if the ocean along with Arlo's venom had placated him even further. Although she could not help but wonder why. It was unnerving to see that there wasn't a single person upon that beach. Or that Darcy seemed to be in his own little world as he aimlessly made his way to the water's edge, but not without deciding they needed to shed their shoes first. Somehow oblivious to moving cars but not to removing his shoes. This man. She would never understand the workings of his mind. This was just getting weirder by the moment. Then add that her mind was already reeling with the informational dump she was still trying to make sense of.

Her mind, hopelessly trying to pick apart and find something useful within the southern vampire's comments. It all came across like gibberish. Like she had to solve some great code in order to piece all those clues together. She refused to believe that it was all futile. Everything with Tobias had yet to add up. Yet there was little she could figure out now as she took in her surroundings and breathed in that familiar ocean scent. Those gemstone hued eyes, usually so astute could not help get lost in the sight of the swell of waves that looked inky black amidst the seafoam. The moon's silvery hue reflecting and shimmering off its surface, distorted within the churning waves. It was pretty. How her inner feline wished to revel in it. However, her bare feet sinking into the saturated sand that reminded her of memory foam would have to suffice for now.

She joined the vampire at the water's edge to where the sea water lapped and tickled the top of her foot, savouring in that feeling. She couldn't believe there wasn't another being for miles. It was rare to find any source of seclusion anywhere near the city and yet the pair was entirely left in peace. Well, as much peace as Harley could garner in the present company. But there was something different about Darcy. He seemed oddly content. Lost in a haze of a blanket of nostalgia that took him. Whatever crossed the man's mind was pleasant.

It was probably the most relaxed she had been with her vampire captor, even those tense shoulders dipped in relaxation, her own thoughts beginning to drift in a sweet melancholy. Surely, he didn't bring her here to kill her. He could have done that literally anywhere. Darcy was the first to break the silence between them, sharing an intimate story of Risque bringing him to a beach for the first time. It was certainly better than hearing how they went at it like animals... No, this story sounded sweet. So entirely unlike the vampires that she knew. It was then that she wondered if it were possible that they were different with one another in private. That maybe that relationship was some kind of true connection beyond whatever twisted attraction dynamic they had going on. Harley could not help but study Darcy freely then, especially while he was lost in thought, distracted by his own state of mind. He was so insanely high.. and yet in that moment he almost seemed blissfully calm. Maybe not quite human and yet... somehow, she could see qualities in him that were. Yet again capturing a rare glimpse of the man that could have been or at least the kind of man that he was before he was turned. It was like the cowboy could hear her thoughts as he brought up his father. A guy who sounded like a real prick from the few short words that were mentioned about him. It was clear that Darcy did not hold the man in high regard. She was quite certain he hated him. Even though the man was probably long gone.

Harley was unable to remain quiet, at least in that, easily allowing those unfiltered words to fall from her far too reckless tongue. Darcy's dad sounded like a real bastard. That much she could so easily deduce. She had expected a glare, or some kind of snappy retort to keep her mouth shut. She hadn't expected a genuine smile to curl upon the vampire's lips as if amused by her words. A true grin that wasn't prompted by her own perceived stupidity. That grin even revealed an unbidden glimpse of those sharpened fangs of his that glinted in the moon's ethereal light. The revealing of those fangs should have revealed him as the monster he was. Yet whether it was that smile, or the very details of his face, and scruffy windswept hair made him look the exact opposite. It was dangerous to lower your guard and yet she found it near impossible as she grinned too.

The cowboy even continued his line of thought, giving Harley another rare glimpse into the man himself. Wow, Arlo's venom was priceless. If it could turn even the foulest of creatures into something softer. However, one minute Darcy was talking about his family life and the next he was rambling out birth control during his time, or rather the lack of it. He spoke so plainly about his family situation. Harley's nose wrinkled at the comment that women did not have the gall to say no to her man. There was no holding back that soft scoff, a mere huff of air. Clearly they hadn't met her. Although she couldn't help but wonder if Darcy's mom was a far more passive creature, especially in the face of a poor choice in husband that was clearly an unpalatable dickhead. She detested the thought of someone not having any say, to feel so meek and small with no voice. It was clear that Darcy's home life for him and his siblings seemed far off from a loving home. However, the spitfire chose not to remain silent. "I would have the gall." Harley uttered with resolve. "I would have the gall to kick any man's balls so hard that they would be choking on them for a week if they thought to touch me without my consent." She took pride in that, even though there was a far darker story behind it, that maybe she had once not exactly felt that way. She could remember that precise moment and she couldn't help but wonder if Darcy knew of it. Or if Risque had kept her mouth shut of what she had seen. In spite of it, she tipped her chin up as she said it, eyes narrowed as they took on a fiery resolve. She was a fighter, even to the point of her own detriment. But at least she could say that she had spine. She doubted that it would matter what time period she was born in, that resolve and fire within her very blood would surely remain.

It was probably why it was so difficult for people like her, it was far easier to go with the grain than against it. However, Darcy didn't comment, his mind already latching onto another thought that was whipping within the depths of his mind. How she wanted to ask him more about that life before his transformation. Wanted to find out more about that family he spoke of... But the man was already lost again as he abruptly began to wander right by her like she was nothing more than a ghost.

So much for that.. A surprising rich, masculine hum soon came from him as she was once again forced to follow him. That was when that hum had become words, his rumbling voice actually carrying a tune. Harley was so stunned that she nearly lost her footing. The vampire was singing. His accent was almost completely gone except for the occasional word. Even more surprising was that she recognized the song. Killer Queen. He had a nice voice, she had to give him that. How she never would have imagined him to be a good singer of all things. However, he was right back to ignoring her and soon the song faded from his lips, even though the song was so terribly contagious that she almost finished his lyrics. It was so painfully obvious who that song had been about. Shocking silence filtered through the space between them after the final note of the song was sung and the world returned like it never happened at all. Once more, the sounds of the beach and whistling wind was all she could hear.

Harely had to admit, that as nice as that little memory stroll on the beach was she could not understand for the life of her.. why? Why were they here? Was it because of the memory of Risque? Or was it something else?

Why take her here in this desolate place? It certainly wasn't just to sing and tell her stories. However, his answer was simple and far too obvious of one that she did not expect from him. It was far too easy to expect something far more nefarious. Her question seemed to prompt Darcy's heavy stare, his gaze latching with her own, like she had missed the most obvious thing in the world. That look could make anyone feel a little dumb, she was sure. The look he shot her with was brief as he peered upward to look at the nighttime sky. His features were bathed in pale moonlight as if searching for something up there. Or soaking it in. Could vampires feel the moon's glow like she could feel the heat from the sun? She wondered.

Harley's mind was left once more to her own silent contemplation before he broke the silence again. The sound of her name caught her off guard even if it wasn't uttered with its usual harsh reprimand. The mismatched hue of his eyes once more returned to her, almost expectantly. "Yeah?" She inquired. He had her complete attention.

His words seemed to startle her more than anything else he had ever said. Her mouth hung open for a good long second before closing it, searching for some hidden meaning behind his words. Perhaps some hidden threat within them. He was letting her go? Just like that? There had to be something that she was missing. Her purple gaze narrowed on him as if looking for a lie and finding none. He didn't need to tell her twice. Freedom, temporary as it was... was within her reach. She would be a fool not to grab it and run like hell. "Sure thing... oh and Darcy?" She tried not to sound too eager.. That question on her tongue seemed to linger on her tongue, causing a frown, deciding against it as she shook her head for good measure."Oh, nevermind.. Later Jaws." What was she to say? Goodbyes were awkward to begin with.. But a goodbye to the southern vampire seemed even worse somehow. She turned on toes without any further preamble, trudging through the thick sand that certainly slowed her movements, with hands shoved into the pockets of her favourite leather jacket.

It was all in her head, but she was certain she could still feel the predator she had just given her back to. She waited a while, long enough that she was sure Darcy couldn't see that she stole a single glance over her shoulder just to be sure he wasn't actually there. What a weird night, but she could live with that. Arlo survived and so did she. The only casualty was the takeout.. the were-feline thought to herself as she made her way to where her boots and socks waited, uncaring that the sand was trapped between her toes... The raven-haired woman reached down to put them on, hesitating for a moment as she couldn't help but eye the pair of boots that were just sitting there. Darcy's boots. It would be a shame should some misfortune came upon them. Oh she considered it.. Considered it so hard.

Hmm. He wouldn't remember this night, right? Somehow imagining the vampire shoeless in the city seemed to amuse her. Maybe if she moved them a little.. No harm... no foul. What he didn't remember certainly could not hurt anyone. She left out the man's socks, deciding at the last minute to leave him with something, deciding not to be a complete terror. But the boots could be hers for a little while. Payment for eating her leftover food.

She held those boots so delicately, so carefully by the laces, cautious to not get her scent anywhere else before she moved contently through the barren sidewalks and back to that alley. It was satisfying to see that the vampires hadn't moved at all.

With a smirk on her lips, she placed those boots with her least favourite unconscious vampire. The jerk who kept bumping into her on purpose. Trying to be all alpha male... It was the small things that made you feel alive. There wasn't much more that she could ask for in that moment. Maybe, besides getting that Queen song out of her head. The song that she sang contently to herself as she walked back to her car.

It was a shame she wouldn't be able to watch it all play out but she was sure it would be spectacular and that suited her just fine.