The Damascus Chronicles

by Dominic R. Daniels

  “Shut up you little bitch, you kiss your mamma with that mouth?” Michael mocked.

  “Go fuck yourself,” cried Morey, wriggling like a rat in a trap. Michael kicked Morey in his side. “Damn prick! You got blood on my three-hundred dollar slacks!” yelled Michael, wiping the blood off with a strange smile. Just as he was about to kill Morey, holding his pistol steady, the sounds of police sirens roared in the distance. “Shit,” grumbled Michael, knowing it was time to go. Suddenly, he looked at the window and saw a figure there. It was Serena, but not the one he knew. Her skin was white and her fangs were displayed in a mocking grin, ready for a bite. “You!” Michael said in shock. She jumped into the room and grabbed Morey, who was somehow still alive and began feeding his off blood, sinking her teeth greedily into his neck.

  “Hello baby,” said Serena, showing her fangs as blood covered her red lips.

  “What the hell!” Michael jumped out of the window, landing on a parked car below. He jumped off the car, but in a flash Serena was standing in front of him.

  “Miss me?” she leered.

  “What are you?” asked Michael, shocked by her bloody fangs. He squeezed off a shot at the devious she-devil. She drew near to him and easily dodged the bullets. Michael raised his gun in fear, clicking the empty gun. No bullets left. Serena pounced behind him, knocking the gun out of his hand.

  “What! No kiss this time?” said Serena, wrapping her arms around Michael. She sunk her fangs into his throat as she picked him up and flew both of them to a rooftop. She released her fangs. “You’re nearly dead, yeah lover, you got about a minute to live, tell me, tell me do you still want vengeance, I can give it to you, I can give you all your heart’s desires,” Serena whispered. “Yes,” gasped Michael, barely alive. Serena flew herself and Michael back to his apartment, where she laid him on the bed. Michael was very pale.

  “Drink Michael, drink my blood and live forever!” Serena slit into her chest over Michael’s lips, and grabbing her waist, Michael drank. He drank with an insatiable thirst.

  “Enough!” She pulled away. Pain shot through Michael’s body, his veins turning blue as the color in his face faded away, his heart pulsing a million beats at once, his eyes dilating. Everything was distorted; his vision was blurred and the room swerved, he felt drunk from Serena’s blood burning like venom through his veins as he yelled in pain. His life flashed before his eyes as he died in her arms. “I know what you crave most inside your soul. I saw that hunger inside you the first time I looked into your eyes, and so I shall give it to you, your bloodlust,” said Serena. Her eyes glowed red.

  Chapter 7: Rebirth

  As the moon began to rise, Michael woke disorientated and afraid, his head throbbing. He could barely remember what had happened the night before, but he was back home and in bed. Serena sat up beside him, naked. The bluish moonlight shimmered on her elegant pale skin.

  “What happened?” said Michael in a panic.

  “Are you all right? You passed out so I brought you back here,” answered Serena softly, wrapping her arms around his chest and kissing his neck gently.

  “No, I feel cold; my chest feels numb. What’s going on, what happened?” said Michael. Looking in the mirror he saw his eyes were now blue, his fingernails were sharp and long like claws, and his skin was pale.

  “Don’t worry; it happens to us all in the beginning,” said Serena. Looking in the mirror, Michael noticed two small holes in his throat, and touching them gently, he felt the deepness of the bite.

  “What the hell did you do to me?” Michael rubbed his eyes, looking in the mirror over his dresser.

  “I just gave you what you have always wanted, now enjoy it!”

  “I did not want this!” yelled Michael in anger. Serena zipped in front of him. “Yes you did, you wanted; you craved it, like how I craved you.” “What happened? I can’t remember,” asked Michael in fear and confusion.

  “You’re changing. Let’s just say – understand I have given you something so very few people are given.”

  “Oh yes, and what the hell is that?”

  “A gift,” said Serena.

  “Gift, what gift?” asked Michael, confused. “Immortality,” replied Serena with a cruel grin.

  “What! You must think I’m crazy! Why didn’t you just kill me? Why, why this!”

  “Because, I saw the pain that haunts you. You want revenge for the death of your sister, that’s why you go out night after night doing what you do,” said Serena.

  “How do you know who I really am or what my feelings are? What if I’m just another cold-blooded killer?”

  “I know you have a humble heart; I felt that in you when we made love that night, even though you have chosen to do what you do. I care about you, and maybe I’m a little selfish too.”

  “You know nothing about me. You’re just a thief,” retorted Michael.

  “I’m not just a thief, I’m the best,” said Serena. “Also, you saved my life that’s why I couldn’t kill you.”

  “There’s also another reason, isn’t there? Isn’t there!” Michael exclaimed.

  “Yes,” Serena paused, looking deep into his eyes. ”I think I’ve fallen for you.”

  “So what do you want from me, I’m surprised, shocked but surprised,” Michael said.

  “Do you want me to lie to you, or do you want the truth?” said Serena bluntly.

  “No, just I thought it would take some time, you know, normal relationships don’t blossom this fast and not in this way, especially with me being turned into a vampire!”

  “Don’t be too alarmed. I know it seems strange at first, but in many ways you’ll be stronger and faster than you were before, and you’ll be immune from sickness, and possess great powers.”

  “It hurts like hell,” said Michael, feeling his muscles tighten.

  “The pain will cease in a few hours. You’re body is slowly dying, but don’t worry because we never grow old,” said Serena.

  “You mean I’m dead, is that what you’re telling me?” retorted Michael.

  “Undead actually. Get used to it.”

  “What do mean undead? Get used to it?”

  “Do you believe in the supernatural?” asked Serena.

  “You mean vampires, werewolves, monsters, all that jazz? You mean they really exist?” Michael was now curious.

  “Yes, but not like it’s played out to be. Imagine; just imagine if you will, living a life with without the suffering of most human beings, no longer a slave to the expectations of mankind’s society. You are now higher up on the food chain, a work of art, darling,” said Serena.

  “This is so unreal, but, I feel good,” said Michael as a rush of energy surged through his body.

  “After all, you wish to fill the bittersweet craving of revenge, come on, you know you do. I could see that you in your eyes when you were looking at the picture of your sister. I could sense that she was wronged in some way. All a guy like yourself has to ask is, what do you have to lose? Nothing really.”

  Michael split in two a heavy wooden table in the corner with his fist, his face grinning with delight over this power he now possessed. “You have a point, maybe this could work out after all.”

  “You see, your powers are already beginning to take form,” said Serena.

  “I like it.” Michael smiled wickedly.

  “Why shouldn’t you?” Serena pushed him onto the bed, slowly kissing him passionately on the lips. “You’re damn good,” said Michael, responding to her.

  “You’re not bad yourself,” Serena replied. They kissed deeply. The chimes on the clock struck two am as Michael fell asleep in Serena’s arms.

  The next night Michael woke with a thirst he had never known. The streets of Sin City called to him.

  Part 2: The Dark Gift

  Chapter 8: “Let the Hunt Begin”

  The night was warm and inviting. A new world was waiting for Michael. He hadn’t known what love was until he gave himself to Serena and she gave her
self to him.

  He was very hungry and needed to go out and feed, so the two lovers hit the streets. The scent of blood was everywhere; ordinary mortals passed it by. Michael’s senses were sharp and he was surprised to feel an odd presence from a stranger walking past them.

  “Don’t worry, our kind is everywhere. It’s a curse for any of us to harm our own,” said Serena. “You felt him too?” asked Michael.

  “No, but I could tell. The dark gifts we each possess can differ. Understand this though – one gift each of us possesses is the natural ability to detect our own kind by scent. There are many different types of our kind. For example, look at that whore and man on the corner. Her scent tells me she is a succubus vampire, and she will drain her lover tonight while sleeping with him, draining all of his pranic and sexual energy. Then she will kill him.”

  Michael saw the man fall under the charms of the succubus’s lust right then, as she kissed him. Michael could see the victim’s life force slowly draining as they walked into a shady hotel. “Amazing,” he said, intrigued with this new breed of beings.

  “Anyway, you’ve seen me feeding on your blood and now you need to feed your hunger. I know the perfect place,” said Serena.

  “Without blood or life force energy, we die, it’s simple as that,” stated Serena.

  “Where are we going?” asked Michael.

  “Hunting.”

  Serena jumped onto the rooftop and Michael followed. Leaping from rooftop to rooftop he could see the psychedelic colors of vice glistening from the strip, his heart racing with strange excitement. Somehow, he was beginning to enjoy this new calling.

  “Let’s have some fun first. Tell me, do you like to dance?” asked Serena.

  “Shall we?” replied Michael. Serena slithered into position while Michael slid into battle mode, the two circling around each other gracefully as if they were in a choreographed dance.

  “I should warn you, I don’t mind hitting girls.”

  “All the more fun. Let’s see what you got, hot shot,” replied Serena.

  “Rah!” they both yelled as they clashed. Extending their claws they began to fight, dodging each other’s attacks swiftly. Serena flew around Michael, knocking him down.

  “Hey, no fair! Want to play rough, huh?”

  “I’m still waiting,” said Serena playfully. Michael jumped from one rooftop to the next, charging at Serena. She appeared in front him, trying to knock him down a second time, but she failed miserably as Michael kicked her, knocking her down to the ground. Getting up quickly she leaped off the rooftop, landing atop the bullet train that was moving on the rooftop bridges beneath them.

  “Not bad, little girl!” said Michael, dropping down to join her on the top of the moving train. “But it’s time to conclude this.”

  Serena flipped forward in an attempt to knock Michael off balance. Ducking, he grabbed her arm and swung her down hard on the steel roof of the train. “Damn, you’re good,” said Serena catching her breath.

  “Aha, I’m not as much of a weakling as you thought, you little tom girl,” laughed Michael. “Shut up,” Serena lightly giggled. “You’re good, but not good enough.” She flipped him on the train’s roof so that she was lying on top. They kissed.

  After helping him up, they jumped off the moving train onto the lower rooftop above an alley on Aspen Street. Serena’s ears rang; the call and taste of blood was near. “Hold up,” said Serena. She could hear something below.

  Chapter 9: Alley Assault

  Michael looked down and saw a group of drug dealers in the dark moon-lit alley. One of them was in the process of raping a girl who looked about 16, while the others were beating up her brother. “Give us the money you owe us you little brat!” yelled a tall one, flashing a gun in the kid’s face.

  “I couldn’t make the delivery on time, please don’t!” screamed the young man.

  “Too bad, you little shit!” said a fat one, bashing the kid the ground.

  “You know the deal: you deliver the goods, we get our money and you get a taste. You fuck us over, we fuck you over,” said the shortest one.

  “How about I cut that dress off your pretty little sister there!” The fat one grabbed the young girl and dragged her screaming to a far corner in the shadows.

  “No, please don’t! She’s just a kid, don’t!” The young man begged for mercy.

  “Boom!” A pistol fired, killing the young man. His brains splattered on the wall and the little girl screaming at seeing her brother murdered. Serena floated down silently behind the dealers and lunged from the shadows, grabbing the short one from behind and slitting his throat with her claws. She sunk her fangs into his jugular as the blood gushed out, his life drained.

  “Shit!” yelled the tall one, firing his gun at Serena, who easily dodged the shots. Michael grabbed the punk, lifting him up and grabbing the gun and crushing it. He ripped the flesh off the punk’s face with his claws and then fed off him, draining his life force.

  “What the hell?” screamed the fat one as Michael jumped in front of him. “Stay back you freaks, or I’ll kill her, I swear!” The fat one put his knife against the girl’s throat.

  “Coward!” yelled Michael in rage. Michael zipped his pistol out, fired, and hit the target all in one move; the bullet went straight through the bastard’s head, a clean shot. The fat prick released the girl as he fell to the ground dead. Screaming hysterically and crying, the little girl ran to Michael, hugging him fiercely as if to release the trauma she had just been through.

  “Oh! Thank you!” cried the girl.

  “I’m not going to hurt you, kid,” said Michael. Looking over Michael’s shoulder as she hugged him she saw the corpse of her brother lying dead in the alley, a pool of blood surrounding his head. “Ricky!!!! Oh, God!” “Help!” screamed the little girl, she ran to her dead brother and clenched his body to her tightly; she could not let him go. The sounds of sirens ran from up the street.

  “There’s nothing you can do for her, come on we have to go now!” said Serena.

  “No, we can’t just leave her here,” said Michael. The sound of the sirens became louder. “Here, take this kid.” Michael handed her a card with Saint Mark’s Abbey Church on it.

  “What?”

  “Go to Father Paul, and stay there until the police call you. Tell him an old friend of his sent you. He’ll know, now go, you’ll be safe there from the streets,” instructed Michael.

  “Thanks,” cried the girl.

  “We have to go now!” yelled Serena. The two of them disappeared in the shadows, flying back to his place.

  Back at the downtown police station a priest was speaking with an officer who stood next to the young girl.

  “Thank you for bringing her in Father, we’ll take it from here.” The officer shook the priest’s hand and the priest left the room.

  “What did you see honey?” asked the officer. “The man in black, he saved me,” said the girl. “Who?” The officer asked. The girl could not say anymore; shock had caused her to black out. “Get a medic in here now!” yelled the officer.

  Chapter 10: “Humanity Resides Within”

  Michael and Serena ran into the Michael’s pad, breathless and irritated with each other’s actions.

  “You stupid idiot! You could have gotten us both killed!” yelled Serena in anger.

  “I couldn’t let that prick kill that girl, Serena, I couldn’t,” protested Michael. “Pathetic!” Serena spat.

  “What the hell is that supposed to mean!”

  “I said you’re pathetic.”

  “You’re a real heartless bitch!” retorted Michael.

  “What!” Serena yelled. “We are the shadows, the hidden; vampires do not interact in mortal affairs, do you understand? Never! Even what we witnessed tonight,” yelled Serena.

  “Even when an innocent teenage girl is being raped?” said Michael.

  “Yes, even in that case, we must not have contact with humans. Doing so could result in us being h
unted or killed. Those are the rules for our survival; we are immortal but not invincible.”

  “I refuse to follow some ancient code. My life is mine to rule and mine alone,” said Michael. “ You’re mine. I gave you your life.” Serena pushed Michael in frustration. “Without me you would be dead!”

  “And I saved yours, or do you forget that without me you’d be riddled with 38 caliber bullets back at Scarfo’s penthouse,” yelled Michael, grabbing her arm with anger, though he dropped her arm as he looked at her. Tears sprang to Serena’s eyes and she dropped to the floor crying. Michael left the apartment, slamming the door behind him; he sped off on his motorcycle, cruising to relieve his stress.

  Four hours later he came home, feeling guilty for confronting Serena. The apartment was quiet and dark; however, a light flickered from the living room where a small fire burned in the fireplace. Serena was on the couch curled up in a blanket, half asleep with a few books and a glass of red wine on the table in front of her.

  “She couldn’t handle it,” Michael said to himself before walking in. He quietly walked over to her on the couch, leaned over and kissed her softly on the forehead. Serena stirred slightly, happy to see that he came home, unlike all the others that had left her. “Hey,” she said softly, “I’m sorry.”

  “It’s okay,” said Michael.

  “No, you’re right, it was good to save that girl’s life. I forgot what it’s like to care about others; I forgot what it’s like to be human.” “Serena, I know that we’re expected to be hidden from the world, but please understand, even if we are no longer of this world, we can learn from the mistakes we make. Just because we are what we are does not mean that humanity is removed from us. It’s still in each of us.” Michael gently stroked her hair.