VAMPIRES! I can never get enough when it comes to vampires. In Vampires II, we have another collection that is full of such darkly fun tales that push the vampire lore to new heights!
Let’s dive in!
My Thoughts on Vampires II (Classic Monsters Book 4) edited by Kevin J. Kennedy –
My favorites from this collection include:
- Incident in a Drugstore Parking Lot by Lisa Morton
- Boys, You’re Welcome by Milan Kovačević
- Just A Drop by James Yates
- Ferals by Brian Moreland
Per usual, here are my thoughts on each tale!
What If? by Gareth Rees –
Running dangerously low on diapers, the husband goes to get a spare pack while the mother and baby stay home. When the husband comes back much later than anticipated, the wife is forced to ask, “What if…”
Only having one diaper left is a horror story in itself!! But my gosh, the tension that began once the husband was late had me so nervous!
Jump Scare by Loki DeWitt –
Jumping from a plane to take action during a war, this man realizes there’s something up there with them…
This was so nerve-racking! The fact that 98% of the story happens in the fall from the plane was wild!
The Last High Score by C. W. Stevenson –
When a man who has been living on the street is approached by an old friend, he brings him back to where he’s been staying to supposedly grab his things before going to lunch. But there are other lunch plans to be had…
What a wonderful setting this tale started with! This one plays out in the mind SO well. I need a Creepshow episode of this, please!!
Blood and Marshmallows by Mike Salt –
When a vampire near death catches a victim, he ends up at a campground and goes on a wild murder spree.
Oh my gosh, the bloodshed was so intense!! But oofh, the element of the family in this one hurt!
The Lucky Bride by William F. Gray –
Determined to stop their father from marrying his nurse while on his deathbed, these siblings return home to find much more horror than they anticipated.
My gosh, this just got worse and worse! What a terrifying situation. These poor siblings.
Hers by Christina Bergling –
When a one-night stand warns her that her friend is an emotional vampire, this woman is quick to deny it, but then cannot help but see it the next time they’re together. But that’s not the only toxic thing going on here…
Oh my gosh, the friend that invites you out only to bail on you over and over and over hit home. So glad life has moved past that! This story took such a dark turn!
Beside Me Singing in the Wilderness by Michael Wehunt –
Having reached an age where she is too tired to keep going, a woman travels back to a special place to lay her sister to rest before she finally rests herself.
What a tale of sisterhood and an eerie draw to something dark. This was a really unique take on the vampire!
Blood and Bullion by M.P. Norman –
When a squadron of men snatch a map in a way that was just too easy, only one hesitates, thinking it may be a bad idea. The rest are antsy for a payday.
The slow build-up to the action here is intense! Since you know the theme of this collection, you know what’s eventually coming, and it makes you want to scream at these guys to get out of there!
Unforgiven by Graham Masterton & Karolina Mogielska –
Returning home, this woman is shocked at what she returns to. But that’s not the only shock coming her way…
Oh, this was heartbreaking!
The Elementals by Candace Nola –
Determined to kill off the last of their kind, this character is on a high-stakes race to chase down the ones that are left. And they won’t fall for any tricks.
This was so tense! Set up with such dire consequences if the main character fails, I was on the edge of my seat!
Incident in a Drugstore Parking Lot by Lisa Morton –
After a war, people have come to live with vampires, but for how long?
OH MY GOSH. Obsessed with this one!!!!!
Lullabies of Milk and Blood by Jason R Frei –
When an old woman comes to their door in the middle of winter, this family lets her in. Not wanting to, but seeing no way to refuse, they allow her to care for their baby…
I was so nervous while reading this! That ending!
Vendetta by Dawn DeBraal –
After witnessing a terrible accident involving a boy, this vampire couple decides to make him part of their family. But soon the town is on edge…
Heartbreaking all around! Why did I get my hopes up so high for happiness here?!
Come One, Come All! See a Genuine Bloodsucker! by Viggy Parr Hampton –
Trapped and served up as a show at a carnival, this vampire wishes for death until life gives him a shot at freedom.
Woof. This poor character. My blood was boiling over his treatment.
Boys, You’re Welcome by Milan Kovačević –
Oh my gosh. No spoilers here. This was WILDLY fun and so so so dark. That ending!!
The Vampýr’s Grave by C L Raven –
After a healer does, the town begins to worry about her in the afterlife. When strange things start to occur, they know where to look first.
This was so dark and had such a deep sense of dread hanging over the whole tale. I was so nervous at what was to come.
Just A Drop by James Yates –
When assigned to be a mentor of a handsome newcomer in their AA group, this vampire knows this will be dangerous…
Obsessed with this story! This (below) was such a cool element to add! I love thinking that this could apply to all campfires I’ve read in other stories and that makes it even more fun:
Under the Hill by Bill Davidson –
Given a new and very secretive job, this soldier can’t believe what she’s walked into.
The tension here was so thick! This is one of those short stories that you can’t help but want more from!
Ferals by Brian Moreland –
Determined to get to safety at Graceland, this man and his dog are forced to walk across an abandoned car-filled bridge. Along this walk, they run into something worse than vampires… humans.
This tale had such a terrifying and fast-paced vibe! I love that this felt a bit like a zombie takeover with the hordes and just how many there were! This was so fun!
Holiday in Capiz by Ryan Colley –
When two strangers meet while journeying toward an isolated vacation, they’re just looking for rest. Of course, they find anything but…
Oh my gosh! I loved the little foreshadowing bits that were included before many things are spelled out for us while reading! This was so fun and so darkly intense! The scenes on the path are seared into my mind.
My Favorite Passages from Vampires II –
Hunger stripped memory the way fall stripped leaves from trees. What remained was instinct and pain.
– Blood and Marshmallows by Mike Salt
Fear spread fastest where people felt safe.
– Blood and Marshmallows by Mike Salt
But he also felt a faint itch at the back of his neck. It was the kind that came before ambushes, stormy weather, and things best left buried in graveyards.
He ignored it because greed, like war, made men stupid. And tonight, stupidity just might make them rich.
– Blood and Bullion by M.P. Norman
He would go farther south – maybe even to Mexico. There he would rekindle the old fire in himself. A fire that, by all accounts, was on its last breath. But can a fire of that kind really die?
– Boys, You’re Welcome by Milan Kovačević
That’s the curse of being turned at twenty: your mind ages, you learn, you grow, but your instincts? That little part inside of you, that drives your initial impulses. They stay stuck exactly where they were.
– Just A Drop by James Yates
My Final Thoughts on Vampires II –
When I read short story collections, I write my little recaps and notes as I go. When I was loading my notes for this blog post, I couldn’t help but laugh when I saw that I said “Oh my gosh” in my notes for EVERY SINGLE STORY. I edited to remove many of them, but a lot of them remain.
Needless to say, this collection was a HIT for me.
… and I feel like I’ve said that for another KJK collection. Readers, if you haven’t read any of these works yet, you gotta dive in!
Thanks for reading!
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