Tainted Blood by Martin Sharlow Read Free Book Online

stupid that he felt a bit embarrassed as well as irritated as he heard the clerk giggle as he walked away. He wanted to turn around and tell her, “Yes, actually,” but he knew that would just be a mistake.
     
    Anyway, it really didn't matter what she thought. Brian was sure she would scoff if he told her he was a vampire, so what was the point? Now all he needed to do was go collect his money from the table, cash out and go buy some silver.
     
    The blonde guy named Daniel was already gone when he got back to the table. He could tell that the dealer had been taking out his blinds while he was gone, as his stack wasn't as full as he remembered. That shouldn't be too much of a problem he thought. It shouldn't be too hard to make back whatever he lost later. That was, as long as he didn't run into anymore cheaters.
     
    The casino gift shop was small and crowded with all types of knick-knacks. Just getting inside the door without knocking anything over turned out to be a challenge. Brian supposed that it would have been easier to do if it hadn't been for the couple that had insisted on getting out just as he went in. Oh well, he guessed the people must have been in a hurry.
     
    The shop clerk informed him that the only actual silver they had were the silver plated spoons that they sold to the tourists. The things were so tiny that Brian doubted they could be used for much of anything, let alone stabbing a giant werewolf in the heart. Nevertheless, he decided he would feel better carrying something made of silver, rather than go outside holding nothing. Maybe at the very least it would burn the wolf at its touch, like some of those TV shows he'd been watching lately. He didn't remember that happening in his last encounter with one, but...that had been much smaller.
     
    Before heading back to his apartment at the motel, Brian made a stop at a local pawn shop in Reno. The cabby knew of a place he was sure would have at least some silver rings. He even said that he knew of a few recent people desperate for cash after losing badly at the casino that he took there to hock their jewelery. To the cabby’s credit, he was right, the shop was full of silver rings and bracelets that Brian could use if he knew how to melt them down and recast them into some sort of weapon.
     
    The shows always make it look so simple to melt down silver and recast it into silver bullets. Brian shook his head at the thought. Hell, I don't even know how to make a knife, let alone bullets.
     
    In desperation he waved down the clerk, who seemed to be pretty absorbed into some sports magazine he was reading. The man smelled of old coffee and cigarettes as he walked up to Brian. He leaned across the counter towards Brian, making him feel a bit uncomfortable.
     
    “Yes sir, can I help you?” He said, as he put on that used car salesman look. Brian wasn't sure exactly what that look was, but it was the first thing that came to mind as the clerk opened his mouth and began to speak.
     
    “Ahm, yes, I'm loo--” Brian began before being cut off by the smelly old clerk.
     
    “After all, it's not like I was doing anything important, like maybe trying to pick my horses before the next race or anything.” The man said in what now Brian recognized as a Brooklyn accent. He was pretty sure the man had not started with it, but actually evolved into it as he slowly built up momentum.
     
    “Alright--” Brian tried to respond.
     
    “So please, go right on and tell me what you need! I'm sure whatever trinket or bauble you want to sell me is more than worth my time and my money.” The man just stopped, folded his hands in front of himself and leaned on his elbows, so that he was literally stretched out across the counter and looking up at Brian’s face. It was the weirdest sensation Brian ever had, looking down in the now blank face of this clerk. He wondered if the owner knew how this guy acted or talked to the customers.
     
    He was about to say that, when