Venom of the Gods

by Sebastian Chase

  "Nothing, I guess. It's just more fun when two share them together, in my opinion."

  "I agree." She put the lid on and stored the jar in a small refrigerator, and then turned to face me. "Can I get a closer look at your fangs?"

  "Sure." I opened my mouth and felt her fingers lifting my upper lip slightly. She made a few startled sounds, and then pulled back.

  "Sharper for sure, but they look nearly identical to snake fangs. It's almost like you're a compilation of snake, feline, and human."

  "I am, plus a few others I imagine. Are we done?"

  "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to turn you into a science project. It's just so fascinating."

  "I understand, and I'm happy to help. I hope you can help me someday as well."

  "You're perfect. I don't see how I could help you?"

  "We'll talk about it later," I said, wanting to formulate my thoughts into a coherent plan before diving in headfirst.

  "Okay. Anything you want to tell me, please feel free to. You can trust me."

  "You sound like a used car salesperson."

  "Secretly, I am." Her smile was so sly that I wondered if she actually was. "Hey, one more thing before you go to bed, would it be possible to get a skin sample?"

  "You can try, but I wouldn't count on it." Undeterred, she opened a fresh scalpel blade and attached it to the handle.

  "I'll just scrape the surface. Okay?"

  "Sure," I said, holding out my arm. She slowly scraped the blade along my forearm and then peered at it closely.

  "Nothing," she said.

  "I didn't think there would be. Try harder." She did with the same results, and then looked at me baffled. I took the scalpel from her delicate fingers and sliced hard up my arm, but the blade just bent.

  "Your other name wouldn't happen to be Clark Kent, would it?" she asked.

  "Not that I remember." I handed the scalpel back. "Let's try this." I pressed a forefinger claw into the skin of the opposite arm and scratched upwards. A reddish line on my arm appeared but quickly vanished.

  "Damn!" she exclaimed. I lifted the finger and, under the claw, there was a trace of skin.

  "Scrape this off into a cup." She grabbed a sample bottle and used the bent scalpel to extract the skin samples.

  "How is this possible?" she asked when she was done.

  "The only thing that I know of that can hurt me, is either me, or someone else like me."

  "Unreal." She capped the bottle. "Okay, I'm done torturing you. Go take a nap. You must be exhausted after the day you've had."

  "To say the least. I went to bed last night a mortal, and now I'm a blood-sucking Clark Kent. Thanks for the hospitality, Karen. It really means a lot to me."

  "Oh, but you must be confused. I'm the one using you!"

  I smiled and said goodnight. Before leaving, I couldn't resist stealing a small kiss on her cheek. The pheromones she released were intoxicating, but before going down that road, I had other business to take care of.

  I left her to her work, but in the cool semi-darkness of my room, I heard when she tasted a drop of my venom. There was no shyness in her moans, almost as if she wanted me to hear. They took on an intense animal-like quality, not quite growling, but close. I considered checking on her, but just as I went to sit up, she became silent. Sleep would be impossible considering the images fluttering through my head.

  Chapter 7

  After several restless hours, I decided to rise as the moon made its way into the night sky. More out of habit than necessity, I switched the lamp on and picked up my cell phone, which I had turned to silent before lying down. It was late, and I had missed several texts and a couple of calls from Lori. I should have checked on her before deciding to rest. Cursing my lack of fatherly responsibility, I texted, asking if she was still up. She came back in seconds saying yes. I called her.

  "Dad! Where the hell have you been?" she scolded.

  "I'm sorry. I fell asleep." I couldn't tell her that I forgot promising to text. No matter what age they are, a woman can always make a man feel like a dope.

  "Fell asleep! I thought you were dead! Wait! You are dead! Why do you need to sleep?"

  "I don't know. Why do you sleep? Sometimes it's just nice to leave it all behind, I guess. I'm really sorry. Is there something urgent going on?"

  "Well, Mom's totally flaked out on me."

  "What do you mean?"

  "She got home from work and handed me a bag of McDonalds and a DVD, changed, and left. I haven't seen her since."

  "Did you try to call her?" I was certain that I knew where Sara was—rubbing wet sticks with Mitch.

  "Yeah, and had to leave messages."

  "Lori, I have to tell you something." I paused, trying to find delicacy, but ultimately decided the truth was best. "I think your mom is seeing someone." I had to tell her because I knew Sara would bleed it out forever and cause our daughter to worry every night.

  "Are you serious?"

  "I heard her talking to him on the phone."

  "Oh, Dad…I’m so sorry."

  "It's okay, but thanks. Look, I was just on my way to have a little talk with the guy, and if your mom's there, I'll make sure she heads home. Okay?"

  "Dad, I want to live with you!"

  "That's a definite possibility, but first I have to take care of a few things."

  "Soon, please?"

  "Soon. Now let me go track down your mother."

  "I love you."

  "I love you, too."

  My wife with Mitch was not okay. I hung up enraged. Not only had she cheated on me, but now she was also abandoning her daughter for the fling.

  I slipped into my clothes, put on shoes, and walked to the window. After pulling the cord to open the blinds, a view of manicured grounds and the twinkling lights of houses farther downhill greeted me. Karen had to have a gardener, because there was no way she could have kept up with the several acres of plush foliage by herself.

  I slid the window to the side and pulled the clips to release the screen, setting it gently on the floor inside the room, careful so as not to draw Karen's attention. I assumed she wouldn't take kindly to a roommate who went out to settle scores from her home.

  Sticking my face out the open window, I inhaled the aroma of a million people. Remnant trails of barbecue smoke and fresh-cut grass, sweat, flowers, sex, pets, perfume…everything hit me at once, and everything was amazing.

  I planned on flying, but it had been decades since my last excursion. I looked down to the ground below, imagining how embarrassed I would be if the gardener found me sprawled in the shrubs. It's like riding a bicycle, I reminded myself.

  The energy in my body adjusted to my desires and my feet left the ground. I clenched my teeth, hovering just inside the window, and then willed myself forward. I slammed my head against the top of the window frame, cursed, and readjusted. Trying again, I found success, but as I left the house, the bedroom door burst open behind me.

  "Mike!" Karen cried out.

  "I'll be back! Have to check on my daughter!" I yelled, wondering what had alerted her. Not wanting to discuss my true intentions, I sailed away.

  I flew like a newborn hatchling at first. Drifted to the left, overcompensated to the right, sank too low, and then skyrocketed too high. After ten minutes of making my crooked way to Mitch's house, I started to get the hang of it again. I was having so much fun that I almost forgot about visiting Mitch and my wife. Almost.

  I soared up high and punched a hole in a small cloud, and then let myself fall forward into a dive, faster and faster until the air was screaming in my ears. I pulled to a sudden halt just outside Mitch's second floor bedroom window. It was dark and empty, lucky for him, so I glided down to the living room window and there I saw him and Sara.

  At first I was furious and nearly barged in to kill them, but then I stopped, realizing that this wasn't the barbaric days of old—I had the well-being of my daughter to think about. I watched them like a perverted voyeur, trying to get a firm
grip on my emotions. Sitting next to Mitch on the couch, Sara's smile was one that I hadn't seen for years. What had made her lose that smile with me, I wondered. Then, the dry-witted, nervous-talking accountant I had known in Mitch, reached to a glass vase on the coffee table, pulled out a red rose, and handed it to her with the goofiest looking grin I ever saw. She blushed, and then they kissed.

  I expected jealous rage to hit me, but it didn't. Instead, the realization dawned on me that Sara and I hadn't been happy for a long time. We had grown in different directions, and what I had taken for love during the past few years was really just a fear of change and instability, especially for our adopted child. Sara and I were finished a long time ago, but it had taken my awakening to realize it. So many chains of fear had held me firmly in place for years, but shrugging them off was becoming liberating.

  Ironically, I had come here planning to kill her lover, but instead found myself feeling happy for them. I was ready to let her go, and even without killing Mitch brutally. Perhaps thoughts of the possibilities with Karen were clouding my mind, but I didn't think so.

  Still though, Sara had a child at home who was worried sick about her. While I decided not to slash her and Mitch apart, I did want to remind her of Lori, not to mention win some sort of liberal custody of our daughter. Standing on the front stoop, I snapped away the fangs and rang the doorbell. Inside, I heard what was probably the glass vase fall over with a clang. It must have surprised them quite a bit to have a visitor at this late hour. The best was yet to come. I saw the peephole go dark and gave a big smile.

  "Oh shit, it's Mike!" My ears picked up Mitch's hushed, but panicked voice.

  "Mike? My husband?"

  "Yeah!"

  "Oh, no! He said he might try and stay with you!"

  "Hide! You've got to hide! Upstairs in the bedroom. I'll get rid of him!" I heard the pitter-patter of feet going up the stairs. In a twisted way, I found this fun—a sort of reward for her betrayal. The door crept open and his nervous eyes peered around the edge.

  "Mike?" His voice quivered.

  "Hi, Mitch. Sorry for the late house call. Mind if I come in?"

  "Well, it's a little late and…"

  "Thanks," I cut him off and barged in, not hindered by the silly belief that vampires had to be invited in. "You've always been a great friend." He closed the door behind us. I turned to face him, and tried to look grim and sad.

  "Listen, Mike, I heard that you and Sara were having problems, but you can't stay here. I'm sorry."

  "Wow. News travels fast. Who told you?"

  "Well, uh, I called your house tonight looking for you, but Sara said you had left. She told me."

  "We don't have a landline, just cells. You called Sara?"

  "Um, yeah, by mistake. You know how those touch screens are." He chuckled, trying to hide his nervousness, but sweat formed on his brow.

  "Oh. Okay. To be honest, I'm not here to ask for a place to stay. I'm looking for Sara. Have you seen her?" This threw him for a loop.

  "Uh, no. Why? Is everything okay?"

  "Our daughter is worried sick about her and said she couldn't get through earlier to Sara's phone."

  "Sorry, I have no idea where she could be." His fidgeting almost made me laugh because it reminded me of the pee-pee dance Lori used to do when she was young.

  "Maybe I should try her again." I pulled out my cell and his face dropped. I dialed, hoping she didn't have her phone on vibrate. A few seconds later, we heard the musical chime of a phone coming from the kitchen. I looked at Mitch.

  "That's strange," he said. "My phone rang at the same time. I'll be back." The lies people can come up with to protect their other lies always amazed me. I followed him to the kitchen, letting the phone ring the entire time. Stepping in behind him, I watched as he reached into a purse.

  "Wow, Mitch. Since when did you start carrying one of those?" I hung up, silencing the room. He froze; still bent over, hand in the bag. "So what is it this time? You liked my wife's purse so much you went out and bought one for yourself?" He stood and slowly turned around.

  "Look, this isn't what you think."

  "I know she's here."

  "She's not."

  "Give it up." He looked to the back door as if contemplating escape, and then back at me.

  "Mike, I'm sorry." At least he was kind enough to say that, but he still deserved something. I raced towards him with blinding speed, grabbed his neck with one hand, and slammed him into the wall.

  "You back-stabbing asshole!" I yelled. I lifted him off the ground a foot, and then let my eyes flash yellow briefly. Just enough to freak him out, but also make him doubt what he had seen the next morning. It worked. A wet stain formed in the crotch of his pants.

  "She cheated on me with you?" I said. "Pathetic. You're worth each other." I lowered him down and put my mouth close to his ear. "But you better take care of her or I will kill you. Got it?" I released him and watched him hack and gasp. "Got it?" I asked again, when he finished.

  "Yes, yes. Shit! What the fuck!" he whined.

  "Shut up." I left him and walked back to the living room and up the stairs.

  "What are you doing?" Mitch asked, racing after me. I didn't answer.

  I went into the master bedroom and switched on the lights. Empty. I sniffed and then opened the closet door. Huddled in the far corner was Sara. She looked scared, almost like a child fearing an impending spanking.

  "Some fine woman you are," I said. "You had to have heard your boyfriend get the piss scared out of him, and here you hide. Are you also hiding from your daughter? She's been trying to reach you all night."

  She cowered, silent.

  "Get up!" I yelled. Slowly she did.

  "Is Lori okay?" she asked timidly as I led her out of the closet.

  "She's worried and scared. Her parents just separated today and one got kicked out—that would be me—and the other just vanished. Why didn't you answer her calls?" Mitch stumbled into the bedroom.

  "Sara, I'm sorry!" he exclaimed. She ignored him.

  "We were upstairs, and, well…I wasn't thinking of the phone to be honest."

  "Spare me the details," I said. "You could have checked in with her after."

  "I don't need to explain myself to you!" The Sara that I had grown used to returned, sharp as ever.

  "Fine. You can explain it to the court when I seek full custody."

  "You wouldn't."

  "You sent us down this road. I won't have my daughter forgotten while you go tramping around." She went to smack me, but I grabbed her hand before the strike. "Legally, when it comes down to the truth, that's what it is, adultery." She relaxed the offending hand.

  "What do you want?" she asked in defeat. I considered the offer for a moment, thinking that it was more of an opening than I had hoped possible.

  "I would like for you and pissy-pants here," I said, causing Mitch to place his hands over the wet spot. "To consider shacking up together, while I get to return home and live with our daughter. If she's okay with it, you can have a weekend every two weeks. Deal?"

  "Hell no! I want the house, custody, child-support, and alimony." I couldn't help but laugh.

  "All right my adulterous bitch, we'll let the court decide." I turned to leave.

  "Wait!" she cried. I stopped. "I can't give up the house, Mike. I'm not ready to move in with another guy again. Not for a while. But I'll give you custody during the week, and I get weekends." I took a moment to think, but more for effect, because that was the deal I originally wanted.

  "Fair enough," I replied at last. "As long as you go call Lori and let her know you're on your way home." While it was a good deal, I realized that I had put myself in the situation of being homeless with a child coming to live with me soon. I would have to remedy that fast.

  "And Mike," she said.

  "Yes?"

  "If you try to take advantage of me in any way, I'll burn you with your little secret."

  "Why, whatever are you talking ab
out? Stop thinking crazy. That won't help your cause at all," I said with a smile. She grunted and we walked downstairs while Mitch found some new pants.

  "Kiss?" I asked, reaching for the doorknob.

  "Fuck you."

  "You already have. I'll see you later." I left feeling that Sara and I were two enemies that had reached a fragile truce. One day, I hoped, we could at least be friends again.

  Once clear of the house, I sprang into the sky. There was one more stop to make before dawn, as I couldn't in good consciousness let Jack force his will on Cathy. I remembered from his first and only Christmas party—thrown only to impress his new wife no doubt—that his home wasn't far. I flew low and fast, grazing the treetops as the wind whipped through my hair.

  I intended on recruiting Jack's wife, Rita, to help reign in her husband by showing her the video. Between the image of his belly in the last frame and the fresh scratches down his neck, there should be enough to convince her that hubby had dastardly deeds on his mind. Maybe, I thought, she would even offer to reach out to Cathy and help her. One would think that after living for thousands of years, I wouldn't be so naïve. I was completely wrong about Rita.

  Chapter 8

  I made a rough landing in the grass behind Jack's house. Dizziness overcame me and I stumbled, almost falling to the ground. I had forgotten how much energy it took to fly, and hoped that my quest to right all the wrongs in a single night wouldn't come back to bite me.

  Pulling myself together, I walked through the yard to the basement level sliding-glass door. There were no drapes and the area appeared to be unfinished and used for storage. I tried the handle, but the door didn't budge. Opting for bravado over stealth, I busted through the thick glass with my fist. Reaching through the jagged hole, I pushed the lock up, slid the door open, and stepped inside.

  Standing still, listening, I heard an old woman's urgent-sounding voice coming from two floors up. She had heard the glass break and was trying to wake her husband. Vaguely, I heard the sound of Jack mumbling, probably just stirring from deep sleep. I considered my options and decided to not waste time playing cat and mouse by giving them the chance to run.