The Cure

Chapter 11

     Donatien held the butcher’s throat tightly, his claws just barely puncturing the flesh. “So you’ll be delivering the blood tonight, hear me?” He hissed.

     The tiny office of the slaughter house was in ruin. Furniture and office supplies were strewn all over the floor. The owner’s office assistant lay dead in a pool of her own blood. The sounds of machinery on the killing floor below masked the sounds of violence in the offices above. Every few minutes the bellow of dying cattle would rise above the machines.

     The butcher gasped. “Yes sir.”

     “If I hear you’ve disappointed Mr. Almaeda, I’ll be back for you.” Donatien promised. He dropped the man and peered out the windows, looking down to the killing floor. The stench of death set his senses on fire. He closed his eyes and breathed deeply. The vampire had made a risky trip out of town during the middle of a thunderstorm. He had to be quick, his driver was waiting. The cloud cover wouldn’t stay forever. He had to be home before then.

     Donatien crouched over the secretary’s dead body and sucked the blood from the wound across her throat, the blood was still warm.

     The butcher cringed in disgust, stepping backwards, stifling his cry into his sleeve.

     Donatien was a little hungry, but what he really wanted to do was shove the last shred of terror into the butcher’s mind. He licked his lips, blood dripped off his chin and onto his black shirt. “Remember: a double order, tonight at eight.”

- - - - -

     Donatien arrived at the nightclub to ensure his threats were taken seriously. He met Antonio outside the back door. He shook his hand firmly. “I hope everything worked out.”

     Antonio laughed. “I don’t know how you do it, my man.” He placed a hand on Donatien’s back as they entered the building. “He didn’t even charge me for this one.”

     Donatien was pleased to hear. “Good.” He said. “I made it clear that angering vampires is much more dangerous than anything the slayers could do.”

     Antonio knew he could trust Donatien with any task. He had considered asking Donatien to work for him alone, but he knew the vampire was too faithful to his Master.

     The nightclub was buzzing tonight. It was early, so the dance floor wasn’t packed, but within another hour, it was guaranteed to be overflowing. The vampires walked to the bar. The bartender prepared Donatien a drink, which was much more delicious than the last time. Donatien always drank for free.

     Vampires glanced at Donatien as they walked by. He sat making small talk with Antonio, but he knew that he was attracting attention. Besides being dressed entirely in white, he was the most gorgeous being to ever grace this earth, in his own opinion. Donatien didn’t get out much now, following Asmodeus’ strict orders.

      Antonio decided to lead the conversation another way. “You know, if you worked for me, you could be here every night. I’m young; I know what it’s like to live in the modern world.”

     Donatien twitched. He was bored with the life style that Asmodeus had forced on him the past years, but he had sworn his life to the Ancient. “With all due respect, Mr. Almaeda, I would have to turn you down.” He said, taking a swig from his glass. Donatien would never serve a vampire younger than him; Antonio was barely a century old, less than half the age of Donatien. “I made my decision.” Donatien touched the tattoo on his arm, which was always hidden in public nowadays. “But, thank you for your offer.” He added politely.