Parasitic. Book One: The Awakening

By L R Buxton

This novella is my own unique take on the legend of the vampires, and intended to be the first in a series. Having seen the Anne Rice romantic style, the post-modernist Buffy angle and the technological slant of the underrated Channel 4 TV series 'Ultraviolet' (no connection with the Hollywood films) I wanted to do something rather different.

The bloodsuckers here are rather different, being the dying who have chosen to drink from a host rather than accept their fate. This provides the immortality of yore, but at a cost - as well as the usual aversion to sunlight the Parasites can't just feed off humanity at their will - the only blood they can stomach is unique to the one who 'sired' them in the first place. Such dependency leads to obsession and irrationality, which is made all the more complicated when the sire happens to be a friend or even a family member rather than a partner, and sometimes someone of a different gender than the Parasite would have previously been attracted to. Dominic is appreciative of the help of a sympathetic nurse, but later wonders if he is just being manipulated even by those who should technically be his allies.

Some of the most interesting ideas have grey areas, and I feel this is the case here: whilst Dominic remains a sympathetic character but then so does his friend, Ray Lewis, whose own affiliations lead to conflict with the man who had been his best friend in their army days. Amy, too, is no Nosferatu: she is a frightened, vulnerable young woman who is half mourning the loss of her mother and half wondering why her feelings towards her late mother and bereaved father are changing.

It's a grim but gripping tale, one of my darker ones, but with a smattering of my trademark humour provided by a simultaneous plotline (where a young lad tries to get to grips with his twin brother also being a Parasite). I like to think that the Parasitic series is a new tune played on an old fiddle, and to reach into an area that no other tale of the undead has quite covered.

• Language: English
• Publisher: L R Buxton
• Release date: Apr 1, 2024
• ISBN: 9798215117965

L R Buxton

I am a writer from the Midlands (born in Worcester) with a liking for classic farce, contemporary fantasy and psychological thrillers.I went to university in Southampton, which fuelled my ideas for the "Mandy And The Missing" series.Among my influences (from both the printed word and on-screen entertainment) I would count classic (1963-1989) Doctor Who, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, Ultraviolet (the TV series), JRR Tolkien, Tom Sharpe and Fritz Leiber. I also enjoy biogs of famous actors, musicians and authors.For my hobbies I enjoy motorsport, football, debate, politics, socialising, visiting interesting cathedrals and places of interest, and going to music gigs and literary festivals.

Book preview

Parasitic

Book One: The Awakening

Copyright 2020 Laurence Buxton.

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

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Chapter Guide

Prologue

Chapter One. ‘A Child’s Second Birth’

Chapter Two. ‘Recruiting Now’

Chapter Three. ‘Friend or foe?’

Chapter Four. ‘Joining The Team’

Chapter Five. ‘Unwelcome news’

Chapter Six. ‘Marked Men’

Chapter Seven. ‘Unwelcome Discoveries’

Chapter Eight. ‘A Fateful Decision’

Epilogue

About The Author and Other Books

Prologue

6.11pm, Tuesday 26/7/2022.

Dominic Taylor used to love this last stretch of road, the last before getting home to his family – but no longer. Not since last Thursday, when everything had changed forever…

Gingerly he eased his battle-stained red VW Golf into its usual spot in the hedge-lined tiny front drive, grateful as ever for its barely audible engine tone which he now extinguished completely. He never knew dealing with Amy becoming a Parasite would get this difficult. If she was asleep, which happened rarely, he might be alright. But if she was awake – and if she was thirsty – she would see him the way all of the Parasites did to their Hosts. As a vessel for blood, for sustenance, which only he could provide.

The four walls of his house no longer gave the comfort they once did, before his darling Caroline died and his only child had become that… thing. To his dismay he saw her peer at him from her bedroom whilst avoiding the direct sunlight – what had he told her about being careful? – and, through a crack, he saw her pale adolescent face stare out at him. His spirits always raised to see his little girl well, after all that had happened and might yet happen to them, but he also felt that recent creeping fear that trickled through his limbs and turned them cold.

Dominic, reaching into the back for the two bags of groceries and hauling them over the front seats, eased his lean body out of the car and locked the door, clicking the button, and stepped toward the small semi-detached abode. He turned the key in the lock.

As soon as he got inside Amy ran down the steep, heavily burgundy-carpeted stairs toward him – a blur of pale blue cotton, grey denims and her mother’s long, flowing blonde hair, nothing on her feet. Her limbs were angular, her manner nervous. There was a trace of anger and impatience in her expression, as well as relief.

My… God! Where’ve you been, Dad!? She looked suspiciously at him.

He held her, albeit a little limply, with a plastic bag of shopping biting into the underside of each of his hands. He didn’t feel as comfortable doing this as he used to. He had feelings about how this had all happened – complicated feelings.

The usual, Amy. The usual…

As long as you’ve not been with no-one else first…

Her grip was stronger than ever. Army past or no that he’d experienced, it almost squeezed the life out of him.

Hey! he said finally, with forced jollity. You can cut me in two, you know…

Thought you were supposed to be stronger than that she intoned sulkily. She let go, but her stare was still upon him.

Having put them down to embrace his daughter awkwardly he picked the bags back up and put them on the counter, feeling the burning of his circulation returning. He could feel his stomach rumbling, and not just from nerves. I could eat a horse…

Yeah I’m hungry too she said quietly, again without breaking her stare.

He felt nervous. He knew what this meant…

We’ll talk about that in a minute. I’m going to make something for myself first… he said, turning back to the counter, and taking out the frozen items first: the meat, the apples, the burgers, the diced vegetables and most importantly the bag of ice for his scotch, which was what he wanted right now more than food.

Having put those away he fished in the carrier bags and brought out the fresh vegetables. And the processed chicken and ham, and the Caesar salad dressing. He’d make up a salad for his dinner: with the sweet potato it’d be good for the carbs. God knows it was difficult enough now to get time away from the house to keep his physique…

But – but Dad!? She looked thoughtful, and had her finger to her mouth, even as she gazed down at his shoes.

What is it, Amy? He sighed, stroking his close-cut black beard as he gazed down at her downcast expression.

I – it’s been a long day, Dad.

Yes, for you and me both. He continued to put the shopping away as if he hadn’t heard her point.

Dom – please! she said, more insistently, her use of his abbreviated first name antagonising him. Her body language was crooked – needy. I need – to drink.

He stopped putting the cans of soup in the top cupboard and slowly walked to her, and put a hand on her athletic shoulder, though his fingertips felt moist and his nerves palpable.

I told you to call me Dad, not Dom. And I think it’d be better when my sugar levels are up…

No, Dad… now…

He tried to rebuff her. No…

But she had his arm in hers, and it felt more wiry and strong than ever. Dad!

Within a moment she had wrestled with him and got him to the wall, bruising his back. He felt unsettled at a strength he’d barely come across in his army days.

Amy, stop…

But, grabbing his arm tighter than ever, she had bitten him. He felt the puncture of her teeth entering, his blood drain, his little girl feeding from him once more. Vainly he tried to fight the familiar panic in his heart, the tensing of his sinews and tendons…

When she had finished she looked up at him, her mouth still red.

Mmm… she hissed. You’re right, Dad. You do taste different when you’re hungry… Her eyes were cold, her skin pale and feverish from her desire.

As her eyes looked into his with delight he tried not to betray what was going through his own mind, apart from the prickling pain of the puncture wounds and the greater sting of humiliation. Dominic was focused on protecting his daughter from the dangers that lay out there, but who would protect him from her?

Chapter One. ‘A Child’s Second Birth’

Thursday 21/7/2022. 9.01pm.

"And in other news today there was a serious crash on Spetchley Road just after 5pm. The car, driven by a 17 year old who had only just passed his test and with friends, lost control whilst on the wrong side of the road and came across the blue Nissan head-on. The driver of the speeding car and the other passengers, despite cuts, bruises and whiplash were not believed to be in serious danger, but the mother, who was believed to have just picked her daughter up from school are both in critical condition at Worcester Infirmary."

*

It had been just after 9pm when Ray Lewis came to the hospital.

Dom?

The locally-accented voice awoke Dominic Taylor from the weird limbo he had been existing in for the past 3 hours, and he focused on the plentiful figure of his old schoolmate in his grubby blue raincoat. He’d been in a daze.

The phone call… Mr Taylor? There’s been an accident… You need to come quickly…

Images had filled his head when he’d heard from the police: it had taken several minutes for him to seriously believe it wasn’t a prank. It wasn’t possible. Caz had only left to do the school run less than an hour ago! He’d wondered why she’d been late getting back, but there was always traffic. He hadn’t thought more of it. Caroline – Amy…

You’ll have to get the dinner, then! had been her last, spirited words to him before she’d put her tatty green mac on to collect their daughter from school, grabbing her keys from the kitchen counter and walking briskly to the front door. She’d picked up her pink and white umbrella from the coatstand where his tweed jacket hung. He’d told her he couldn’t go whilst the damn spreadsheet he’d been working on needed to be re-formatted.

He bit his fist in frustration. Oh God, he’d hoped it wouldn’t be the last difference of opinion they’d ever have!

Dominic knew that taking action when emotions were high was wrong, but he couldn’t get a taxi. He just couldn’t – he had to take control, to protect his family. He had to get there before something… happened…

He’d driven as quickly as he could, but aware that it was a busy time of day and the road was slippy from the rain. He kept his heart rate low and his pulse down, though the merciless pound of the windscreen wipers simply made him more tense. He’d almost run straight into the back of someone braking early for a red light, his heart pounding so hard he could barely hear.

It seemed like an age but he’d finally pulled into the hospital car park. Mercifully empty. He parked under a young, light grey sapling, that swayed almost mockingly over him in the growing breeze.

Dominic got out and walked as quickly as he could over to the large, impersonal glass-fronted building, passing under the blue signage. The last time he’d been here was Amy’s birth. He desperately fought the irrational fear of what this might portend. He soon reached reception, the whiteness of the counter, the walls and much of the paperwork and pills offset by the navy blue of the girls’ uniforms.

Miss!? he asked, looking down at her. She was young, blonde-haired and petit. My wife and daughter have been taken in after an – an accident. Taylor, Dominic Taylor.

*

On his arrival there had been a hug from Ray – a pure, loving bear hug from his oldest friend. Typical of the man.

Amid Dominic’s swirling, shattered emotions he’d had a series of recollections go through his mind. Not just the warmth from Ray, reflecting his loyal friendship from their service days. But the kind of pure emotion that he’d had from Amy when he’d announced he was going into the army, after wrestling with Caroline’s objections.

Caroline…

Thanks for coming Ray… Dominic said, the emotion evident in his own voice, the hunger and exhaustion kicking in, the blonde girl from earlier shuffling past silently but with a look of undisguised concern at him.

Ray’s broad, chubby yet hangdog face smiled with understanding but also creased with concern at his unusually vulnerable friend. He’d seen less of him since his army days had ended abruptly a couple of years ago – he had certainly filled out in the past few weeks – but he did appreciate he had at least come. Like old times! Amid these dark times this was one person whom he could rely on.

Don’t mention it, mate. Ray looked the way Dominic felt. I – I can’t believe what’s happened…

Y – yeah. Dom could feel his own eyes well up, as much as he didn’t like to show his feelings so openly, not like Ray did. Not even now.

So what – what happened…

Amy’s in… in critical condition, but – but stable.

And – and Caroline? Ray peered at his friend desperately.

Dominic, his shoulders slumped, could barely bring himself to look at his friend, though his eyes, which burned to the point of being painful, said it all. A