Hotel of Lost Souls

By H.S. Kallinger

Zack Henderson's life has never been interesting. He was an EMT-in-training on the day he boarded a train to escape the dreary Ohio winter for the warmth of Florida's tourist spots. Sarah and Jamie are excited college students on their way to fun and games and a break from the tedium of tests and professors.

When a villain holds his hand out, offering to save their lives—in exchange for those lives—what choice do they have but to take it? None of them ever imagined what fate had in store for them.

The question is: did they really survive?

Hotel of Lost Souls is the first novel from new author H.S. Kallinger. Set in a world where vampires are fact, warring and coexisting with humans throughout history, this Psychological Horror/Urban Fantasy novel follows the first person perspective of Zack Henderson as he suffers the dissolution of all he had believed and expected from his life. The focus is on three young adults who are captured, held against their will and develop Stockholm Syndrome.

• Language: English
• Publisher: H.S. Kallinger
• Release date: Dec 11, 2013
• ISBN: 9781310217081

H.S. Kallinger

H.S. Kallinger has been actively writing since they were 14 and was first published in a teaching magazine in high school. Their favorite subject tends to be vampires, which they have maintained an affinity for for more than half of their life (and long before it was 'cool'), although they love most of the fantasy and sci-fi genres. A scientist at heart, they love to consider the 'why' behind everything. The unifying theme to their works is LGBTQIA+ characters (or LGBT+ positive). They're currently a Criminal Justice major. They live in Kansas with their husband, four kids, pet rat, two kitties and sister's family who keep all the boogeymen at bay.If you follow the link to the print copies, you can read previews of the books. Unfortunately, I don't work in MS Word, so I have to upload here via ePub, and can't do preview chapters that way yet. Hopefully that will change soon!

Book preview

Chapter One

I boarded the train with about two dozen other students, looking ahead at a forty hour trip. If the train weren't nearly empty, I'd have said screw it. I'm not big on sunshine and heat. Plus, I'd ridden the train long-distance once before, and I'd had a girlfriend to get lost in that time. It had only been thirty-six hours, but it was so miserable.

I got an entire row to myself and knew that this trip would at least differ in that I would be able to sleep for more than two uncomfortable hours at a time. I plopped my bag under the seat in front of me and lifted the arms across the row. Three-thirty in the fucking morning? I don't think so. Sleeping was the best way to get through long, boring travel situations anyway. I was surrounded by bleary-eyed college students on our way to a much warmer climate, sick of the cold winter and looking forward to various warm-weather pursuits in the middle of December.

I laid across the seats, using my arm as a pillow and cursing the trains that charged for pillows and thin blankets. I tugged my trench coat over my shoulder and was glad I'd brought it for the cold travel, even if I wouldn't need it in Florida.

I was in the middle of taking a test that I'd taken a week before when my dream was torn to shreds as someone shook my shoulder and told me that we were in Virginia. I sat up with a groan. My whole body ached, and my stomach was growling. I couldn't believe I'd just slept for eleven straight hours. My whole schedule was going to be so screwed up!

I slid into my coat and grabbed my bag, hurrying along with the rest of the crowd for the bus that I was not looking forward to riding. My head was starting to pound from oversleeping, and I had planned to eat on the train before we got off. There was no way I could get food in the thirteen minutes I had to get my ass on the bus from the train.

I stumbled over the top stair on the bus into some guy who gave me a dirty look. I muttered an apology and slid into the nearest seat without looking. My hip bumped into another, so I turned to apologize again and froze.

A startled pair of beautiful dark green eyes peered at me past tousled red hair. My eyes automatically flicked downward to see the rest before I realized that my mouth was hanging open. I shut it and closed my eyes, ducking my head as though I hadn't just tried to figure out if she was a B or C cup and was just being shy.

I'm sorry, I said quietly. I'm just a klutz today.

I dropped my bag between my feet and kicked it forward.

Three AM doesn't look good on anyone, she replied, and my eyes roamed back up to her face with a blink after another quick glance to decide that she was probably a B. Realizing what she'd said, I quickly ran my hand through my hair, hoping it wasn't sticking out at every possible angle.

Doesn't seem to have had a negative impact on you, I said and then looked away. I hadn't meant that to sound like I was coming on to her. Oh, well, what's done is done. I either blew it or I didn't, but I only had about an hour and a half to make it up.

Thanks, she said, and I risked looking back. She was smiling in that way which is almost a laugh, and I grinned back at her. My name is Sarah.

She pushed her hair behind her ear in a gesture I always loved when girls did.

I'm Zack, I answered, shaking the hand she held out to me.

And you're in my seat, said another girl's voice. I turned, feeling my heart sink. It sped up a little at the beautiful blonde in front of me. Now this one had a nice set on her, and they were right in my face. Definitely a double-D.

Oh, Jamie, Sarah said, this is Zack.

Hi, I said automatically, holding out my hand.

Good-bye, Zack, Jamie replied. I lowered my hand and reached for my bag to move.

Jamie, you can sit behind us, Sarah told her. It's only an hour and a half, and this poor clumsy boy might break something if he tries to stand up.

My ears started burning, and I tried to laugh the blush away, but I let go of my bag.

Fine, Jamie sighed and swung around into the empty seat right behind us.

So what's your major? Sarah asked, poking me in the arm.

"Oh, I'm studying to be an Emergency Medical Technician, not actually in college anymore, I said. You?"

The bus's brakes hissed, and with a small lurch, we started moving. Jamie had to move over to let another girl sit next to her. The girl wasn't particularly noteworthy. She was wearing sunglasses and headphones and seemed intent on ignoring everyone around her. Too much like me for my tastes.

I'm an art major, she answered, and I tried to avoid smirking. Something must have shown on my face because she rolled her eyes and said, Yeah, yeah, I know. But I'm minoring in education. I've never planned to be some famous artist, just to teach it.

Do you have a portfolio I could look at? I asked. I'd dated a couple art girls, and one of the pros was that they usually had a decent amount of talent, and while I've never had much of a discerning eye, I like art. I never understood why one person would make it big and another who seemed to have as much, if not more, talent didn't.

I don't think we know each other well enough for that, she said with a wink. By the way, what did you decide?

Huh? On what? I asked, completely confused.

About my boobs? You had enough of a look. What do you think? She tilted her head to the side, and I had a moment to decide if I was too intimidated or if I should just answer honestly.

Oh, he's speechless, Jamie said, leaning over Sarah's shoulder.

I'd guess a large B or a small C, I answered, irritated by the blonde. Depending on how Sarah responded, I might actually like her.

Not a bad guess, Sarah said with a smile. Now whose are better? Mine or Jamie's?

Ah, I'm not falling for that, I said, sitting back. Besides, who can judge while you've got shirts on?

Jamie burst out laughing and fell back against her seat. Sarah laughed silently, then licked her lips and grinned at me.

Okay, Sarah said.

Okay? I repeated, confused again.

Okay, you can see my portfolio, she clarified, picking up a portfolio case from the floor. She opened it and handed me a sketchbook.

I opened it, and my mouth dropped open. I closed it halfway and looked up at Sarah, who tilted her head and gave me a lopsided, expectant smile. I blinked a few times and then looked back down. The picture was pornographic, no other word for it, and as photo realistic as you could get with a pencil. The bus bumped, and I tried to ignore the pain that radiated through my back.

You plan on teaching kids this? I asked, shaking my head in amusement. My hair flopped into my eyes, and I ran my fingers through it again. She laughed, and I flipped the page. This one was of Jamie, and it made me think that I wouldn't be able to give Sarah the winning prize on breasts. Unless it was just on drawing them. I flipped again, and the style changed abruptly. It was a comic, in Dark Horse style and as good as anything I'd ever seen.

These are insane, I said. You sure you want to teach? You could go work for some major comics with this much talent.

Artists are a dime a dozen, Sarah answered as I read her story. And girl artists even more so. Well, outside of manga, which I'm not really interested in.

If you say so, I dismissed, then laughed at the comic. Did you write the dialog?

That was me, Jamie piped up. Ah, figures, I thought.

You two been friends long? I asked.

Since junior high, Sarah answered predictably. They seemed like the kind of girls that were 'best friends forever.'

Didn't start dating until last year, Jamie said. I stopped reading and looked up at Sarah.

Ahh, I sighed. So much for having a shot, huh?

I kept reading, but with a little less enthusiasm.

Who said that? Sarah asked. I looked up, feeling my, uh, hopes rising.

Okay, now you're just fucking with me, I said, and they both laughed. I finished up her sketchbook and handed it back to her.

Sorry. You are super cute and all, too, Sarah said. I felt my face burning again and shrugged, looking out the windows on the other side of the bus. Still, if you don't mind being friends with girls you can't screw, we can keep each other company on the next train. Well, if you're going through to Miami.

Yeah, what have I got to lose? I asked.

I was very glad that I'd made friends with the girls during the five hour layover in Richmond. Five hours is a deceptive amount of time for a layover. It sounds long enough to go do something, see something, but really, if you do, you run the risk of traffic or not getting back in time for some other reason, so, really, the safest bet is just to hang out at the station and wait for your ride.

However, it did offer an opportunity to eat—twice—which is something I did with enthusiasm. Sarah also turned out to be good at massage, and when she saw me hunched over, she harassed me into stretching and then rubbed out the rest of my sleep-induced pain in my back and neck.

I stopped thinking of Jamie as a bitch when I realized that I was hitting on her girl and categorized her in that spot in my head where I tend to put other guys who are dating a girl I want. I knew it was stupid, because they'd made it clear—well, mostly—that I didn't have a chance, but what's life without dreams?

When the train came in at nearly ten, several other passengers had started falling asleep, and I did my share of shaking a few shoulders to make sure no one missed the transfer. Just paying it forward for whoever was kind enough to wake me from my obscenely long sleep earlier.

This train was packed, unfortunately, and I was stuck sitting next to some strange guy who was playing a movie I couldn't hear on his laptop. I cursed not being able to afford booking a room, since twenty-one hours on a train is twenty-one hours regardless of your company. At least I had enough to afford the stupidly high food prices this time.

The girls fell asleep around midnight, leaving me with no one to talk to and the guy next to me snoring obnoxiously loud. It was dark, and I couldn't see anything outside. I had to lay my seat back to get away from the guy in front of me sleeping in his reclined chair. Whoever designed the seats didn't have anyone around or over six feet tall in mind, though, and I wasn't particularly comfortable, despite the train company's website's assurances that I would be.

I listened to music, read and checked my e-mail and Facebook through my phone, but when I checked the time, only three hours had passed, and I thought I was going to just start screaming. Instead, I got up and walked around the train and over to the food car, which had big observation windows... which showed the same blank, dark view as my car had. Still, it was basically deserted, and I was able to stretch out and sit up without two other guys I didn't even know practically in my lap, so it was a vast improvement.

There was a place to plug my phone in to charge, and I took advantage of it and played Bejeweled for an hour before turning on some porn... until I realized what a stupid idea that was. Frustrated and bored, I got up and started walking around again. I contemplated the bathroom and getting rid of my problem, but then I thought of how many other guys had probably done the same thing, and I went back to my seat, feeling grumpier than when I left. I was still not tired, either, and it was now 6 AM.

I watched the sun rise and couldn't complain about the view anymore. Just as I was starting to feel less like I wanted to jump off the moving train, I finally felt sleepy.

There was a lot of water all around me, and I was trying to find a door to get out before everything filled up and drowned me when I heard Sarah's voice.

Hey, are you going to sleep all day again? she asked. I looked for her in the room, confused, and then I recognized it as a dream, and I opened my eyes. I rubbed the sleep out of them and cursed myself for not putting on deodorant before I went to sleep. I pulled my arms close to my body and nodded to the girls. Sarah grinned back, and Jaime smirked.

Suspicious, I looked down at my crotch to check if she was seeing that I was tenting something awful, but my book was on my lap. I thanked God quietly and put my seat into a normal position, reaching for my bag to grab my shaving kit and the previously forgotten deodorant to go make myself feel as much like a human being as I could without the benefit of a full shower.

I held up the bag in explanation and left them to get cleaned up. I scratched at my stubble, wishing I'd thought to shave at the train station the day before. But it hadn't occurred to me, and now my face itched, and I felt grubby.

I pissed, shaved and washed up the best I could in the tight space and small sink before someone came knocking. I dried my face off with my dirty shirt and traded in for a clean one, then went back out to the train proper. I checked my phone for the time, and it was almost 3 PM.

Only four more hours, and then I'd be the hell out of here. I was hellbent on walking around Miami for the next two days at least; I felt so cooped up. I needed fresh air, and that sunshine didn't sound so bad after all. Unfortunately, I knew the sun would have set by the time we got there—damn winter hours—but that wasn't going to stop me.

Four hours passed a hell of a lot faster with the girls to talk to. We ate in the food car, then played rummy on a deck of cards I had with me. Playing a stripper deck with lesbians was good fun. They tried to get me to guess which of the nudie girls had tits like Sarah and laughed at my choices, but wouldn't tell me which one.

Sarah was sitting in Jamie's lap so I could sit in their row as we pulled into the train station. They were planning on hitting the Vizcaya Museum and Gardens in the morning, and I agreed to go with them. I admitted I hadn't even looked around to see what I wanted to do. I just wanted to get the hell out of Ohio.

I was about to stand up to grab my bag when the entire train shook and the lights went out. I dimly seemed to hear some bass rumble like thunder, and then I felt gravity pulling me toward the girls. Jamie held her hands out toward me to stop me from crushing her, and I put my hands out toward the window when I realized that Sarah's head was going to hit it right before I hit her. I grabbed her shoulder and pulled her toward me instead, twisting so that I hit the window. Her frightened face was the last thing I saw.

Chapter Two

The urge to throw up dragged me out of a dreamless sleep. I opened my eyes and panicked when I couldn't see anything and one of my eyes wouldn't open. I touched it and found it crusted over with something that ran up my forehead to a tender cut. Blood. My face was covered in blood. I rubbed the stuff off my eye and then tried to concentrate on trying to find out where I was.

Unfortunately, there was someone lying on top of me. I could see the outline of what looked like a girl's hair, and the memory of Sarah falling along with me returned. It was definitely Sarah, and she wasn't conscious. More body aches started cropping up, and I followed one to my wrist, where Jamie's head was resting, pressing it into the cracked glass behind. I must have flung out my arm when I twisted and protected her face from the glass, too.

I realized that I was lying on her arm as well, and I looked up to see the guy who had been sitting next to me, his eyes wide open and blank. I flinched away and tried to reorient to my surroundings. My right arm was free enough to to pull out my phone and open it, using the light to look around. The train car was on its side, and I was looking up at my seat on the wall, touching what was now the ceiling.

The guy lying on the glass above me had his head at a strange angle, and I figured his neck was broken, probably from the fall. He was spread out along the window where it had busted completely. It had fractured about two inches above me, leaving the girls and I on the only two solid pieces.

The wave of nausea built again, and I bit it back, not wanting to throw up all over Jamie or turn my head and either lie in my own vomit or end up with it all over my face. I had to move soon, or those options would be less 'optional' and more 'just going to happen.' I started shaking my torso, and Jamie groaned.

Jamie? I called softly. Jamie can you hear me?

Yeah, she groaned. Just stop shouting, please.

Sorry, I continued in a soft voice, But I need you to move before I throw up on your hair.

Jamie's eyes flew open, and she looked up at me. Her face went from the beginnings of disgust to shock and fear.

Don't panic, I said quickly, There's been an accident. Sarah and you are okay, I think. I'm pretty sure I'm okay. I have no idea about anyone else except that the guy I was sitting next to is dead. We need to move Sarah so I can check to make sure nothing is broken on me. I can't feel my legs very well, and I'm pretty much positive I have a concussion.

While I spoke, Jamie's features softened until she was calm. She briefly looked wildly around when I said 'dead,' but then she took a deep breath and nodded.

I'm going to try to sit up, she told me and then followed through. Sarah moaned, and her hand reached up to her forehead.

Hi, Sarah, I said calmly, hoping that she would respond the same way Jamie had. Instead, she coughed, and I was the one who panicked when I became conscious that she was going to hurl all over me. Sarah, please don't throw up on me!

I tried to twist away. When I realized that I was going to hit her head on the bottom of the chairs, I stopped and closed my eyes, waiting for her to finish, but she sat up and pushed away from us both instead and then threw up. The minute I smelled it, I rolled over, accidentally sticking my hand in her sick and threw up myself.

Oh god, oh god, oh god, Sarah was chanting next to me.

It's okay, Jamie said, and then she repeated what I'd told her. After throwing up again, Sarah nodded and sat up on her knees the best she could. Jamie had crawled up the seats and was sitting on the side of the aisle seat, looking down at us. I got up carefully and looked around. I had to step up adjacent to the body on the window above—next to—us. I was pretty disoriented, and trying to figure out directions inside a setup that my brain was screaming was wrong was making me feel sick again.

I noticed I still had vomit on my hand, and I looked at the dead body. I considered wiping my hand on him for a second; then I pulled off my shirt and used that to clean my hand and face before folding it over to offer to Sarah.

Thanks, Zack, she said in a cracked voice and wiped her mouth. She offered me the shirt back, and I tossed it on the broken glass. I stepped toward the top of the car that had become the wall and tried to make sense of the mess of bodies in front of me. My training told me that I needed to start checking for survivors. Bystander assistance could save lives, even from laypersons.

I need a flashlight, I said, picking up my bag and slinging it onto my back.

Here, Jamie said, pulling out her phone. It has a flashlight app.

She slid her finger along the screen and then tapped it, and a bright light illuminated the horror scene in front of us. Jamie screamed and dropped the phone. The light went out, but none of us moved to get it, and neither Sarah nor I could tell Jamie to stop screaming.

Vampires, Sarah whispered next to me.

Yeah, I confirmed, swallowing hard against my suddenly dry throat. Several of the people had clearly had their throats torn out, and I didn't want to move around and find out which ones right now. Vampires didn't have to scavenge, so I couldn't understand why they had done so here. My best guess is that they must have attacked the train.

"Why?" Sarah asked. Jamie had gone from screaming to sobbing, and Sarah turned to comfort her.

Because alive or dead, there are always criminals? I offered.

Actually, it was a recruitment drive. We did not personally blow up the train, a voice came from the darkness, and we all turned toward it. We merely saw an opportunity and took it.

Jamie's crying got louder and more panicked, and I stepped toward the voice, in front of the girls.

Oh, are you playing the hero? I love heroes. The flashlight came on from behind me and illuminated the vampire in front of me.

He smiled and held his arms out as though he was putting himself on display. He was wearing a black tank top and black jeans, which just made him appear to positively glow. He was as Aryan as they come, from his blond hair and blue eyes to his pale skin and Germanic face. I immediately wanted to punch him in his smug, pretty, narcissistic face. However, I wanted to live more than I wanted to give in to base jealousy.

Like what you see? he asked. Because I do.

He lowered his smirking face and shifted his posture to an aggressive stance: a prelude to a pounce.

Can't get anything consensual? I challenged, knowing that we had no chance if we ran. He turned his head to the side and opened his mouth to show fangs. His pupils reflected back the light like an animal.

Are you saying that you are not consenting? he asked, pulling himself up to stand at a few inches taller than me. Bastard. Couldn't he have at least been short?

Not really my thing, I answered.

What a pity. You are such a pretty thing, he said, stepping toward me. His hand was next to my brow, touching my hair, without me having seen the motion that brought him into my face. I jerked away, knocking the girls back. My heart slammed into my chest painfully and adrenaline flooded my system. No? How about you, girls? Are either one of you 'into' vampires?

Silence met his question, and he smiled knowingly. I turned to look at the girls, and they were both checking him out! What the hell? Here I was, trying to protect them, and they were groupies?

Shit, I said, stepping away from them.

I did not want anything to do with groupies.

Have fun, I growled. They both turned to me, and Sarah's face crumpled. I stopped. "What? I can't protect you if you want to go with him."

Maybe they just want you to come, too, the vampire said, touching my hair again. I shook my head.

Not happening. I may not be a big fan of the sun, but I do like food and having a heartbeat and all that, I said. The vampire took my hand and pressed it to his chest. A very slow, thready beat danced against my hand.

Oh, but my heart does beat, Zack, the vampire said. I pulled my hand away, and he let it go. I saw shapes moving in the darkness behind him, and I sighed.

Can I please leave? I asked, trying to be polite. I didn't want to die, in any way, shape or form.

No, I am afraid that you cannot, the vampire answered, looking disappointed. I suppose he expected me to wonder how he knew my name, but I was sure one of the girls had probably said it, and vampires have their super hearing and all. However, his statement caused the hairs on my arms to raise, and my already aching heart sped like a bird's.

Why? I asked. I had a bizarre image of a mouse talking to a cat in much the way I was speaking to my own predator.

Because you are here. Because you know that we were not playing by the rules, and because you are afraid of me. I just cannot let you go, Zack. He slid his hands around my waist in a disturbing parody of how I used to sometimes hold my high school girlfriend, right down to putting his hands in my pockets. I tried to step away, but I felt like I was pressing against padded railing. I was trapped. My body provided the appropriate adrenaline reaction, and I used it.

I slammed my hands into his chest, threw myself back and slipped out of his grasp. I hit the ground hard, and my surroundings spun unpleasantly. A wave of nausea crept up on me, but I ignored it and rolled onto my hands and knees, pushing off the ground with my feet into a dead run.

I made it all of three steps before I tripped on a body. I lost all my semi-professional composure and screamed, shoving away from it and backpedaled until I hit another. I tried to get up to run again, and my face burned. I heard the sound of impact and became aware that I'd fallen several feet away. I touched my face and looked where I had been, to see the vampire. Had he slapped me?

Do not test me, Zack. It is your choice if this is pleasant or if it is lethal.

Pleasant? I yelled, my voice cracking with the stress. How is being held against my will by a vampire supposed to be pleasant?

The women have accepted their fate, the vampire answered, sweeping his hand back toward them.

I looked at them, and they were holding hands, clearly afraid. That's when I realized that I could see without the flashlight. A golden light illuminated everything in front of me. I looked up and saw the blaze spreading on the outside of the car. The girls followed my gaze and gasped. Sarah screamed and pulled Jamie toward the exit door away from the flames.

Oh, my, the vampire said softly.

An arm encircled my waist a second before I was pulled along toward Sarah and Jamie, and we were running behind them for only a blink. The vampire swept them up in his other arm, and then we were moving so fast that I couldn't see where we were anymore. I found myself clinging to my abductor, afraid of what would happen if I was dropped at the speed we were traveling. I watched in fascination as the darkness sped by.

I'd seen vampires move in movies and on television, but to actually be moving with one—it was a completely different experience. When they tried to show what it was like in movies, they always slowed it down so viewers wouldn't get motion sickness. I couldn't imagine getting sick from this, though; it was so fast that I barely felt like I was moving—it was more like lying against the floor when I was very tired.

When we stopped, I marveled that there wasn't some sense of it. We were going insanely fast, and then we weren't, as simple as that. My body didn't want to continue moving forward as it would after a car accident; it just stopped with my captor. I relaxed and let go of him. I felt Jamie let go of me. He looked me in the eyes and smiled. I looked away.

Look, I won't say anything. I don't even know your name, I told the vampire, once again trying to reason him into letting me go.

It is Lukas.

I... I stopped. Lukas watched me with interest. The girls were sitting on the ground, looking off in the distance. There's nothing I can say, is there?

Of course there is. There is plenty that you can say, Lukas said, amused.

Then tell me what to say that will get you to let me go, I pleaded. His eyes filled with sadness.

"Why do you wish to

Reviews for Hotel of Lost Souls

[Victoria Sheffield · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

These are the kinds of books I love, it's funny the best books always come with the unconventional covers. The author calls it horror says it's not romance, I think in need to cover herself from all the overly sensitive complainy people but to me it's Vampire Romance because you need the bad to make it good. Overly sappy kind vampires a be rather a bore and unrealistic. This wasn't very dark to me but it may definitely be to you, but I've read some pretty intense books. I loved it and I really hope this author has kept writing because I really enjoyed them and will work my way through the catalog now.