Chapter Three

It was all about politics in the vampire world. Maybe it had something to do with the fact that they were human once. During the transformation from man to monster maybe vampires brought over some of what they were into what they became. Save for humans, vampires are the only other species that has no qualms about screwing over their own. Even full-fledged demons tolerate each other.

The major difference between mankind and vampire politics was the fact that humans voted a candidate into office, whereas vampires killed their competition. When Uno eliminated the rival leader, he automatically assumed control over his adversary’s clan. It expanded his turf. Uno now governed the entire Metropolitan Detroit regions. All supernatural entities entering his turf had to answer to Uno if they violated any laws. If those entities came in hopes of committing crimes, be it robbery, murder or mayhem, they had to first inform Uno of their intentions. He of course took a sizable percentage of whatever was profited from their endeavors.

Vampires could never have enough. They always had to expand their turf—always had to try to manipulate events in the human world—always had to step on toes to get what they wanted. So it came to no surprise to me that Uno wanted to become a god. What did strike me as odd was Sekhmet.

Shape-shifter and bloodsuckers have worked together for ages. The myth of vampires turning into animals or becoming fog was because of their association with shape-shifters. The only true transformation a vampire could perform was to make themselves younger. The only wrinkled bloodsuckers you saw nowadays were elders within the Set Amentet and that was only to make themselves look wiser among their subordinates.

Shape-shifters always had to have something to gain when they worked with others. And there didn’t seem to be any benefits for Sekhmet in Uno’s gaining godhood status. It wasn’t like a shape-shifter needed riches or even craved power.

Curiosity got the better of me and I glanced her way. “I understand what Uno wants, but what do you get out of this Sekhmet?”

Her black wings fluttered excitedly. “When was the last time there was a major shakeup in the vampire world?”

I thought about her question. “The Dark Age, of course.”

She clapped her hands like I won a prize. “You should have been there, Moon. It was glorious.”

In all of history there was only one period where bloodsuckers were ruled by a king with a single agenda. Being a hunter of supernatural artifacts I’m privy to historical accounts that unless you’re in the know, the rest of the world has no clue about. Schools lecture that the Dark Age was the result of the church trying to prevent the teaching of science. But that wasn’t exactly the truth. The church tried to stop the expansion of the vampire kingdom.

 Scholars in that period denied the existence of monsters and tried to explain the supernatural away with rational thoughts and reasoning. Vampires took advantage, influencing science and art in hopes of weakening all religions. If they could eliminate fates and hope, nothing could stand in their way of making the world their giant food court. But religious institutions fought back. Vampires battled humans openly across Europe. Though bloodsuckers had the greater strength, mankind had the greater number.

Between bloodsuckers and humans, millions had died. Among those numbers the vampire king was killed effectively ending the alliance between all the clans. The vampires turned their energies amongst themselves trying to assume control of the clans. The numbers of deaths grew in even greater number. Mankind’s singular thirst for dominion over the world was the only thing that ended the chaos between the clans, forcing the vampires into hiding.

“I still don’t get your involvement,” I said.

“Imagine what mayhem Uno will cause when he becomes a god,” The shape-shifter said, her wings fluttered again. She soared a few inches off the oak desk, her face twisted as if she was experiencing an orgasm. “The clans will fight back unwilling to give up their control, unwilling to follow one leader again. Many will die under his boots. And all the while I will see it all. It will be so glorious.”

 I looked at Uno questioningly.

He smiled. “Does that satisfy your curiosity? For her it is simple. She enjoys watching death. For me, I want to rule.”

“You’re both crackpots,” I said. “And I won’t work for either of you. Thanks for the money.” I whirled around to go.

Hammer blocked the door.

The retractable blade came out.

“I will pay you one millions dollars to retrieve the relics,” Uno said.

I retracted the blade.

Glancing over a shoulder I stared into his black eyes and smiled. “Perhaps I was a bit hasty in my decision of not working for vampires.” A million bucks could go a long way in settling a lot of my old debts and still leave me with enough to take a long vacation in a place far away from the life I live. Besides, I didn’t give a damn about how many bloodsuckers would die should Uno become a god. I took back that thought. I really did give a damn, the more the merrier I’d say.

“There’s one condition,” I said.

Uno considered me. “What’s that exactly?”

“I want the million upfront.”

Uno laughed. “Are you insane, Moon? No businessman in his right mind would pay that much money without seeing results first.”

“You brought me here, remember? That means you already know I can get the job done, otherwise, your shape-shifting necrophilia girlfriend wouldn’t have stopped you from killing me.”

“Good point,” Uno replied pointedly.

“I’m not his girlfriend,” Sekhmet said smiling, her bare feet landing back on the desk. “But as far as being necrophilia, I can live with that.”

“So what’s it going to be, Uno?”

“You don’t trust me?”

“To pay me a million bucks? Hell no.”

Uno opened a drawer in his desk. “Will a check suffice?”

I lifted an eyebrow. “Do I look stupid?”

Cash was all I ever dealt with when it came to supernatural beings. It wasn’t that I thought their checks would bounce. It had more to do with the ink they wrote their names in. Say for example Uno signed the check in blood, when I placed my signature on the back of the check to cash it, Uno could literally own my soul.

He closed the drawer and stood. He turned around and stared at a blank spot on the wall. He uttered a magical chant. A wall safe materialized in the empty space. The lock turned by itself and the door flew open without assistance. I’ve seen that parlor trick done a thousand times before. I’m sure it would have impressed a few folks, but I’ve seen a man swallow his own body whole. Now that was impressive.

When Uno turned around he dropped one tied bundle of cash on the table. I glanced down at the money and then back at him. “I said a million.”

He smiled. “Look again, smart guy.”

I picked up the bundle. The face on the top bill was President Woodrow Wilson. The large figures on all four corners specified $10,000. My mouth dropped opened.

“There are one hundred of those in that stack, Moon. You have your million,” Uno said. “Do we have a deal?”

Without bothering to count it, I happily stuffed the money in my pocket and then reached across the desk. His beefy hand took mine. I said, “By the end of the week, Uno, you’ll be a god.”