Free The Damascus Chronicles by Dominic R. Daniels Page A

a good idea,” said Michael.
    “What do you mean Mike, isn’t any time as good as the next?” said Sal curiously.
    “My mother’s sick in the hospital, and I promised I would visit her tomorrow,” said Michael. Of course, no one knew that Michael’s mother had died a month before of cancer.
    “Okay, you visit your mother, and we’ll call you in the evening,” said Jackie.
    “Hey who died and left you boss!” snapped an annoyed Sal.
    “Sal, shut the fuck up! With all the shit that you put us through, you’re lucky enough the Don didn’t let one of us castrate you for your fuckups!” yelled Jackie, pissed off.
    “Fuck you! You fatherless half-Irish bastard!”
    BAAAAM! Jackie slugged Sal in face and Sal’s big fat ass met the concrete pavement in less than a minute. “Never say that again!” Jackie ordered, angry as hell. Sal looked at Jackie as he sat up, wiping the blood from his lip, surprised at what had happened. Jackie helped him up. “Sorry Sal, sorry,” Jackie muttered as he hopped into his car, looking nervous and fearful for what he’d just done. Sal was amazed. Jackie sped off.
    “What the hell was that all about?” said Anthony, shocked.
    “Jackie’s dad left him and his mother when he was three. He hates his father, but I think he hates it more because he never had a father; that’s why he always looks up to me as a big brother,” said Michael.
    “My fucking ass! The kid fucking disrespects me like this, a made man!” bitched Sal.
    “Sal, shut up. You got what you deserved. See you tomorrow night,” said Michael coldly as he walked up the street. About a mile from home it hit him like a whirlwind. His stomach shrank, his eyes burned red and his fangs began to protrude. He threw up the blood that Serena had given him to drink as it did not agree with his system. Michael then realized he had not feed enough and with no criminal victim in sight it was awfully tempting to drain anyone walking down the street of his or her life force. He knew he wasn’t a vampire like Serena; he knew that inside his vampiric soul something darker and deadlier called. As he started to run through the streets he began to hear voices: “Take them, kill them, take them.” Michael shook these voices out of his mind, then lost his balance and fell on the street. “What’s happening to me?” Michael whispered. On a dark corner further up the street he managed to find a pet store that was closed for the night. His hunger was now growing insatiable as he drew closer to the entrance of the pet shop. A professional hit man, Michael knew to never leave evidence of his identity at the scene of any crime, and he picked the lock on the door wearing gloves he always carried in his pocket.
    As he entered the pet shop the place was quiet and peaceful with the sound of little grunts and snores that came from the animals in their cages and pens. Michael loved animals and doing this felt awful, but he would rather take the life of an innocent animal than an innocent human. Michael began to focus his vampiric mental energy through the entire shop. To be merciful he put the animals into a deep sleep; this way, it would be painless and quiet. As all the animals were in a catatonic sleep, he drained them of their life as he walked over to each one quietly. When he was finished, the corpses of dogs, cats, birds, and even the fish in their aquariums were left dead white, like statues. With his stamina fully restored, he switched the lock back in place with his lock pick on the pet shop door and walked the rest of the way home. It was 3:00 am when he silently opened the door to his apartment. Serena ran to him and kissed and hugged him. She looked disappointed and asked him with those eyes of hers “Where have you been?”
    Michael, reading her body language, responded; “Baby, it’s been a hell of a night.” The two undressed and lay down.
    “So tell me where you want to go someday to get away,” said Michael