highway to hell

“Do I have something in my teeth? Why are you looking at my like I have a second head?” She tilted her head back to match his. There was something about him that Mal felt was different but that happened with most people she was around in town. “Nice to meet you Nate Darcy.” 

‘’Because you keep being distracted like you have a second head.It doesn't happen often when someone converses with me, you see.’’ He explained with a grin. ‘’And it’s hardly ever nice to meet me, sunshine.’’

“Conner’s sort of…complicated.” Katherine said with a shrug, not really wanting to talk about him. Her relationship with her eldest brother had been strained ever since he got back and if she was honest with herself she still hadn’t fully forgiven him for leaving without a word. “I’m fine.” The brunette said instinctively. “I just uh…I’ve met Owain.” She hoped it would change the subject, because the one time she’d met Owain he hadn’t seemed like a completely psychopath. Adelaide on the other hand was a completely different story.

‘’Complicated. Huh. I know a bit about that one myself.’’ He told her with a regretful smile. His brows furrowed when she mentioned meeting his brother, and an unexplained feeling of unease clawed his way up his spine. ‘’I see. Owain Darcy. Ever the charmer, huh? Except for the whole responsible adult thing. That can get pretty old, pretty quick.’’ He grinned. ‘’I am more of a risk taker myself.’’ He told her. ‘’How about you?’’ He asked her with a look that said he was genuinely interested in her answer. ‘’I’d like to get to know you better, someday.’’ He told her with a small smile and a tilt of his head. He couldn’t help wondering whether she was anything like Sorcha. Being around her made him feel a mix of awe and melancholy, and he found he didn’t want to leave. For the first time in a couple hundred centuries, he wanted to stay right where he was and uncover the mystery that sat before him.

“Don’t worry, I can keep a secret,” Noah said with a small smile, absorbing the information. “What about the… other supernatural beings? Like witches, or banshees? Can you tell me about them too?” 

Nate smiled slyly at the boys request, but continued on, not pressing him for information about himself.  ‘’Witches and banshees both have aura perception. It allows them to feel all the nitty-gritty of someone’s energy. Banshees’ can do better with that skill, or so I hear. Sometimes can tell species apart.’’ He looked out the window, thinking for a moment. ‘’Banshees can also glamour themselves. You know, alter perception around them, make themselves look like somebody else. That one can be quite draining. There’s also the keening, which is a particularly nasty one if you ask me. It’s a wail that they use to protect themselves from danger, or when somebody who they’re related to or have a bond with dies. That’s why it’s so difficult to get vengeance on those fuckers.’’ He chuckled and shook his head. ‘’They have their weaknesses, however, like everyone.’’ He said, looking over at Noah thoughtfully. ‘’I wouldn’t go near silver if I was you.’’ He made the comment off-handedly, but with a knowing smirk and then quickly moved on. ‘’Banshees can be quite the handful. They can raise the dead, murder people, even hear the goddamn dead from the other side. Creepy - not to mention morbid.’’ He tapped a rhythm on the steering wheel as they neared his home. ‘’There’s a lot to know about witches - but the most important thing is, don’t piss them off. They hold a grudge like a bitch.’’

Mallory’s eyes widened in surprise when he leaned in closer and then her lips set into a confused frown. “I’m Mallory…I’ve always been Mallory. Fay. I’m Mallory Fay….who are you? Really?” She asked the same question back not really getting his meaning. 

‘’Hmm.’’ He took a step back and titled his head. ‘’Maybe I was wrong.’’ He said, more to himself than her. ‘’Something seemed..off.’’ After a while, e shrugged, getting out of his daze and sat down. ‘’I am Nate Darcy.’’

“Oh, yeah, awkward, see? Because I can’t legally drink…”

‘’Does nobody in this town have a fake ID? This is twenty-fifteen, people!’’

Smiling slightly, Katherine was a bit relieved by the slight change in the conversation. She still didn’t trust him, but at least his questioning had stopped for the moment. She was actually rather interested in his story mainly because she wanted answers herself and maybe he’d say something that would give her at least a hint. When he said his family was from Celtic Ireland, her interest was peeked. She knew her family had a past there as well, considering her father grew up there. After hearing Adelaide’s name she couldn’t stop her eyes from widening. Just the sound of her name caused Katherine to take a small step back. “I uh…have two brothers, Mason and Conner. ” That was all she could get out at the moment, but she tried to play it off and act like she was fine. 

He noticed the change in her demeanor, and his senses were suddenly alert. What was it that made her react? ‘’Yes, I met Conner. He’s.. somewhat of a gem.’’ He said with a tilt of his head and a smirk on his face. ‘’Are you alright?’’ He asked her, seeing how stunned she looked momentarily. ‘’You look like you’ve seen a ghost.’’ He said, wording the statement rather ironically, since that was exactly how he felt.

“Well go broaden them some where else, because I’m not interested.”

‘’Now, let’s not get rude around here. I am an upstanding citizen and deserve a little bit more respect around here, if I do say so myself.’’

“Impressive, or at least you think so. I personally don’t care. And if you are looking to be instigated, don’t come to me again.”

‘’It’s alright - you’re a bit too dead for my liking, if yu know what I mean.’’

‘Classified information. Really?” “What? I bet I could put up a fight.” She chuckled, she was definitely drunk now.

‘’Really.’’ He told her as he looked her over, noticing her sway. ‘’I think you should go a little easier on the bottle. No one that drunk is capable of putting up a fight.’’

“I don’t really think about it, I find that helps. If your mind is preoccupied….with stuff.” Mal cleared her throat looking around the store awkwardly. She didn’t mind the voices in her head but sometimes when she concentrated too much on them they grew too loud. “I um…can I help you with anything?” She asked. 

Nate furrowed his brows and cocked his head to the side, studying her. There was something - he just couldn’t put his finger on it. He leaned closer to the girl and asked, ‘’Who are you?’’ With curiosity in his voice. ‘’And what I mean by that is - who are you really?’’

“Um, yeah, dinner. A platonic dinner, between friends,” Haylee laughed awkwardly.

‘’Now that’s just disappointing.’’ He said while he shook his head. ‘’I think you’ll find I am not in a particular need for friends. At least not the kind who has platonic dinners. I am more of a drinks kind of guy.’’ 

“If you say so champ, and thank ya.”

‘’You seem far too happy for somebody who spends their life hunting down innocent chaps. ‘’

Shifting down lower in his seat, Noah kept his face composed. Nate didn’t know anything- not unless he’d been stalking him, and he wasn’t about to admit to anything, either. “You suck blood. Other than presumably being stronger and older, how different are the two?” He asked, genuinely curious. While he knew he had to tread lightly, he also knew that Nate would be a good source of information, and he didn’t want to let that go to waste. 

‘’I can compel other vamps, which comes in quite handy, as you’d guess. And there’s really only one way to kill us.’’ He smirked and looked over at Noah. ‘’I’d say that’s pretty impossible right this moment, though. Involves some pretty tricky witch business.’’ He shrugged. ‘’Other vampires can be staked with some wood, decapitated, burned - you know, all the fun stuff.’’ Nate narrowed his eyes and glanced over at the boy. ‘’I am assuming I won’t have to do any damage control because you let your mouth run wild. I am going to go for a gamble and won’t compel you to shut it because you seem smart, and I hope for both our sakes you don’t prove me wrong.’’