The other buyers looked ogle-eyed at the ensuing scene before scramming away like they were set on fire. Thanatos stared at the barrel of the gun for a few moments before his eyes came wearily to rest on Sticky Vick.

‘So much for the whole book-covers-and-judging thing,’

“You some kinda cop?” Vick was demanding.

“Well,” Thanatos drawled indifferently, “Not really, no.”

“Man, you just made the biggest mistake of yo life! Comin’ up in my parts thinkin’ you can con me,” Vick punctuated his statements with wild flicks of his wrist, making the gun jolt back and forth, “No body makes a foo' outta Sticky Vick!”

“Now, see here Sticky,” Thanatos mumbled softly, his hands raising slowly in mollification. Any sudden movements from him could send the dealer off and litter Thanatos with holes. Maybe if the vampire could talk some sense into the man, it wouldn't come to that – not that Thanatos would die from a few measly bullets, however they still hurt. Perhaps Shade would appear at the opportune moment and take the crazy Asian out...

“I just want to talk to you Vicky-"

Somewhere down the street, a loud crash was heard and before the vampire could pull his own weapon, a gun fired out into the grubby night. The sounds of squealing girls and the clacking of cheap heals echoed from the other end of the alley way, near the strip joint. But Thanatos was barely cognoscente of the stirring cacophony as the sharp pain lacing through his abdomen sent shockwaves up his spine.

The vampire looked down at his striped shirt and discovered the material had been torn from where the bullet entered his stomach. He fingered the wound; the flesh was swollen and slightly sticky with blood.

If Thanatos were mortal, he’d be one dead fellow, but if the dealer wanted him dead then he was eighty years too late.



And that's it for now. It's not beta-read yet, my friend Ed is going to get the finished draft and spruce up all my silly mistakes. Maybe when it's done I'll post it on dA? That's if any of you actually like this sort of stuff though.