Too late, Arrike realized that the woman opposite him was actually thinking about what he said. His usual company would only take to heart the various compliments he paid them, and would ignore pretty much anything else he said. He could speak honestly, drop the facade, and they would think he was just being silly or something of that sort. He'd have to be more careful with what he said around Lucy. He had the reputation of an arrogant, self-centered vampire to uphold after all.
"You want an admiral quality?" He laughed, although it wasn't exactly the happy sort of laugh. "Good luck with that one. Those who tried to find good in me were quickly discouraged. Although I suppose you'd like to be given thanks for your willingness to rise above our first encounter?" He spoke in a tone of voice that was dangerously close to mocking as he said, "I thank you, my lady, for the chance to redeem myself. Although I apologize if I'll be unable to make good on that." He simply shrugged off her comment about parents, trying to keep emotionless and not feel any sort of sorrow or pity for her. She didn't seem the type to want pity, anyways. "People leave, they die, they change. It's a part of life. Just as my parents being overbearing is a part of life. I wasn't saying that I blamed anything on them - I was giving the perspective of those trying to explain why I am the way I am. I guess some people just want to find the good in everything and everyone. They can't believe that anything - even a vampire - can truly just be 'bad' without having had any sort of circumstance to make it that way."
He couldn't help but laugh as she spoke of him driving people away. "Ah, that's where you're wrong. You know, when I first began acting out, I had thought that would be the case. I'd be able to drive people away and live in peace. But apparently chivalry is overrated these days. Women seem to want someone to boss them around, treat them like property, disrespect them. Plus, there's always young adult women who want to get back at daddy dearest for being overly protective by sleeping with a thousand year old heartthrob vampire."
Arrike's eyebrows raised. He certainly had not expected her to say anything like that. "Is that so?" He allowed his eyes to slowly roam over her body, down and then back up to settle at a place that was below eye-level. He was testing the waters, seeing how she would react. She had given him permission to look, but did she really mean it?
For the first time since meeting her, the vampire offered Lucy a genuine smile. "Sounds like a wonderful plan. Maybe I'll actually end up getting some good publicity at the end of all of this after all."
"You want an admiral quality?" He laughed, although it wasn't exactly the happy sort of laugh. "Good luck with that one. Those who tried to find good in me were quickly discouraged. Although I suppose you'd like to be given thanks for your willingness to rise above our first encounter?" He spoke in a tone of voice that was dangerously close to mocking as he said, "I thank you, my lady, for the chance to redeem myself. Although I apologize if I'll be unable to make good on that." He simply shrugged off her comment about parents, trying to keep emotionless and not feel any sort of sorrow or pity for her. She didn't seem the type to want pity, anyways. "People leave, they die, they change. It's a part of life. Just as my parents being overbearing is a part of life. I wasn't saying that I blamed anything on them - I was giving the perspective of those trying to explain why I am the way I am. I guess some people just want to find the good in everything and everyone. They can't believe that anything - even a vampire - can truly just be 'bad' without having had any sort of circumstance to make it that way."
He couldn't help but laugh as she spoke of him driving people away. "Ah, that's where you're wrong. You know, when I first began acting out, I had thought that would be the case. I'd be able to drive people away and live in peace. But apparently chivalry is overrated these days. Women seem to want someone to boss them around, treat them like property, disrespect them. Plus, there's always young adult women who want to get back at daddy dearest for being overly protective by sleeping with a thousand year old heartthrob vampire."
Arrike's eyebrows raised. He certainly had not expected her to say anything like that. "Is that so?" He allowed his eyes to slowly roam over her body, down and then back up to settle at a place that was below eye-level. He was testing the waters, seeing how she would react. She had given him permission to look, but did she really mean it?
For the first time since meeting her, the vampire offered Lucy a genuine smile. "Sounds like a wonderful plan. Maybe I'll actually end up getting some good publicity at the end of all of this after all."