Vampires Walk Among Us

You say vampires, and you've got my attention. In this short story compilation titled 'Walk Among Us' (2020), we have three novellas all about vampires. 

Besides Cassandra Khaw's 'Fine Print', we also have 'A Sheep Among Wolves' by Genevieve Gornichec, and Caitlin Starling's 'The Land of Milk and Honey'. (Reviews here, here and here.)

These stories are set within the world of RPG game 'The Masquerade'. You don't need to know the game to read these stories. You'll understand them anyway. But for fun, I hunted down the game to check it out. Hurhurhur. We are vampires, the Kindred of 13 Clans, split across Disciplines (different powers). We hunt each other, vampires hunters and an assortment of other Things. 

Genevieve Gornichec's 'A Sheep Among Wolves'

College student Clea Albright is struggling with depression and campus life in Genevieve Gornichec's 'A Sheep Among Wolves'. Her roommate Hannah isn't nice, and hangs out with mean people like Delaney. She found friends with common conversation topics and concerns in Jade (her fellow student) apparently), Finn, Ingrid and for the shortest week, Brendan. 

This narration is middling. Nothing unexpected, and reads tentative. It's a little slow getting to where it wants the readers to be. I was a tad impatient. It read like Finn and Ingrid ran a cult, then it seemed like they're recruiting people to scam other people. Well, I guess vampires have to make a living. Then Clea began following Finn's instructions to vandalize buildings and finally, to burn down a house in Cleveland when she went home for the holidays. 

Clea saw the fangs and the blistered flesh and dissipation of vampires in the sun. All the action happened in the last few pages of the story. It's Jade who's running the show, and cautious about who she turns to join their Kindred. Brendan was a sacrificial victim. Ingrid is simply the human slave. At the end, we learnt that Clea joined them. Unsurprising. And took revenge on Hannah and Delaney, of course. 

Cassandra Khaw's 'Fine Print'

I was rather tickled by protagonist Duke Guillo in this story. Yes, his first name is apparently Duke, and surname is Guillo; nothing aristocratic about this boy from Alabama. The author didn't make him likeable. He is a very obnoxious af tech bro. I wonder who he was modelled after. LOL The vampires needed a tech genius to join them to get by in this world. He wanted immortality and power. The contract he signed with this clan Ventrue-Camarilla, was iron-clad.

Every clause was met, ever sub-clause acknowledged and initialed. He saw no loopholes or any malignant terminology snuck in. Whoever the other party was, he'd said in his quiet, clipped tones, they were very careful to remain within the letter of Duke's stipulations.

"Nothing weird at all, then?" he asked his lawyer at the close of the call.

"Not unless you count the fact that they're firm about their restrictions lasting into perpetuity. Ordinarily, there's a statute of limitations. But—"

"It's fine," said Duke.

"It is anything but fine. The clauses extend to anyone else who might inherit or have any link to your assets, Mr Guillo," said his lawyer. 

He requested to be relocated to Iceland to indulge in his immortality. Reykjavik. I'm like, Iceland's sun never goes down in summer. Good luck. He also doesn't get that he can't have a Coke or a potato salad, and can only blood. Dohhhh. He isn't a prisoner of the Clan, but he is contractually bound, and those chains are worse. He was driven by hunger, and after a while, he had no choice but to accept his fate.  

It's like, 'Dude, you wanna be a vampire but you didn't read the fine print of all the terms that come along with it? You're an idiot.'

Caitlin Starling's 'The Land of Milk and Honey' 

Leigh Konopasek runs a small food and arts commune North Portland. It has been around for five years. There're about 150 members in this commune that is spread across about two hundred acres. The houses people live in in this commune aren't ramshackle huts; they're properly built with running water, electricity, and laundry facilities. Many people are on the waitlist to live in this commune. Portland. That's like the city of ethical farming, humane slaughter of animals, organic foods, whole foods, etc.

It opens with this pastoral feel and happy vibes, and we see a dedicated administrator balancing accounts, reviewing taxes and keeping the peace. Then readers wonder, why would you need to take the night shift? Why do these night shifts exist? 

I couldn't stop grinning at this line very early in the book when Leigh accepted Robin Joy's application to live in this commune and agreed to have her live in the same house. It's setting up the readers for something sinister. 

More laughter. We get along really well. That makes me uncomfortable, when I think about it too long, but why should it? I wouldn't be the first shepherd to have a favorite ewe. And it's not like I feel hungry when I look at her. 

Well, that's a lie. Of course I feel hungry.

This commune can feed its people, but it is nowhere near self-sufficient yet. There's plenty of blood donations going on in this commune. Luckily they have patrons who require these 'blood donations' and have a long-term contract with them. This 'commune' is really an experimental 'eco-village' and an ethical human blood farm. OMG. Remember 'Buffy' S3E9 'The Wish' (1998)? Yeah, this season has Cordelia and Anya. Humans were being rounded up to be farmed for their blood. And 'Daybreakers' (2010, The Spierig Brothers)?!

The story meanders a little and I wonder where it's going. Got a bit lost because nothing was really happening. There're other characters introduced. Lucille seems totally unnecessary, and oblivious, even though she keeps a hold over human 'retainers'. Work goes on, lambing goes on, blood gets taken, and contracts are fulfilled. 

Finally in a rage or whatever, Leigh kills Robin Joy. But did she? In a showdown with the big boss Prince, Leigh is told that her pastoral model isn't sustainable. She is allowed to continue to administer the farm-commune, but a new boss vampire Jolene Ladzka would run the show and make the business decisions. Ultimately, in the final game of thrones, Jolene manipulated the chess pieces and won. She erased Leigh's memories, made Robin Joy become a new ascendant to the Kindred, loyal only to her. Leigh lost this high stakes game. She keeps her farm and is still a manager there, but she has no more say over its ethics or the direction. Okaaaaayyy. Poor Leigh. I was a bit bored.