Religous Differences

“I didn’t know dogs could handle subtlety,” I shoot back. That checks her attitude a bit, but I just played my only ace on a whim. She knows I know. “If you’re referring to Ms. Ferris’ former condition, I would appreciate it if the two of you put your differences aside,” the doctor explains. I glance at him and contemplate actually learning his name, just so I can know who to call an idiot. Werewolves and vampires had never been in the habit of getting along, to put it lightly. Ten thousand years of rape, murder, and slavery on both sides left us enemies by default. And that was back during the good days. “I’ve been around long enough to know she’s not my biggest fan. I got pricked up back in the sixties during the Vampire Enlightenment, so all the zealot nonsense never got stuffed into my head. I don’t have a problem with werewolves if she doesn’t have a problem with me. But I’m not your mortal pal either. I don’t get any more worked up about the people I killed than you do over the cows you butcher for dinner,” I explain dryly. The doctor is still as unphased as ever, but Ferris rolls her eyes. “What is a vampire doing living on the streets with two other hoods? Your whole Enlightenment sect went corporate a decade ago. What’s wrong, they got you working up the job ladder?” I take a long drag on my cigarette and contemplate the cards she’s laid down herself. “I deserted. Got sick of their bullshit. The religious folks, the Nod-worshippers, they tell themselves they have a right to kill people because vampires are chosen by the Gods. Supreme beings and all that. The Enlightenment shuffled all that up by isolating the virus that merges with us and really figuring out what the fuck was going on instead of that magic mumbo jumbo. Thing is, they just say we’re the supreme beings because the virus makes us genetically superior. Same bullshit to justify the same thing: staying alive,” I finish my speech and stub out my cigarette. Ferris offers me another and I accept. “So what do you believe justifies your actions to stay alive, Mr. Shade?” she asks. “I never really needed one until now,” I reply.