Malek Ackerman

You're my water. You're my wine.

Malek's brows flick up in amusement at Arlo who is certain that the elder vampire is joking. Yes, it was true, the man truly did enjoy his games but he doesn't comment on Arlo's words, instead he gives a shrug at the boy as if it said "believe me or don't" before he continues his casual stroll down the alleyway. The moment the young man relaxes in his presence, Mal is entirely aware, that tension breaking as Arlo follows him all the way to the park, their trek mostly silent. When they pause at the edge, Mal's hands removing themselves from his pockets, he gestures with one hand to the multitude of creatures in the area, commanding the boy to show him his little trick.

Curiously, his steely gray eyes focus on the boy, that predator that so lingers beneath all their skins wanting to tear its way free and take over the body. His eyes widen slightly as he watches Arlo get it under control, he had far more self-preservation than the vampire had given him credit for, most vampires his age tended to lower themselves to their baser side and let that animalistic side take over during the hunt.

When Arlo releases that web, he can't help but let that low whistle of appreciation flow through his teeth, returning Arlo's smile as the boy fetches his prey and brings it back to him. Inspecting the rabbit, he sighs as it's heart explodes and dies in his hands before he gives the now dead animal back to Arlo telling him to have a bite. As Arlo questions him, he merely flicks his gaze towards the man, shoving his hands in his pockets and giving him a small shrug, "It's not that I don't need as much blood as you or any other vampires, it's just that I have very good self-control. I've learned to survive on very little. You could say that I've learned to ignore my hunger to a point where I can go weeks without eating. Blood lust is what typically rules our brethren and I refuse to be like that," another shrug as he glances back at Arlo who know inspects the rabbit in his hands, debating on where he wants to bite it.

He allows a brief chuckle to escape his lips before Arlo lets his fangs sink into that still warm fresh. Brows raising, he's hopeful for a moment that he can stomach it until he's ripping it away from his face, those words of disgust falling from his lips. That grimace so dancing on his features, he's not prepared by the way Arlo shoves the rabbit back into his arms, barely pulling his hands out of his pockets in time to gather the tiny body in his arms before Arlo is sprinting away and hurling in the nearby bush. Sighing, he shifts the body in his hand as the boy finishes throwing up his guts, hand wiping across his mouth as he apologizes.

Strolling towards him, he fully inspects the boy and the blood on the ground, brows furrowed as he thinks. "You can't feed off humans either, can you?" he asks as he racks his brain for answers. It doesn't take long before he dredges up an ancient memory, of him visiting a coven that was entirely made up of vampires that fed each other. As always, Malek was curious, so he lived with them for some years before moving on, learning their culture and why they fed off each other. He was surprised to learn that they had all come together and formed a coven because they couldn't get the required nutrients they needed from any living animal, humans included. It was interesting, and though he never fed from another vampire, they still welcomed him as he did his research to satisfy his curiosity.

Now, he suspected Arlo was one of the same.

You're my whiskey. From time to time.