Full

By Alexandra Robinson Gantt

Aysa is a supernatural apex predator. She has fed on human blood for years. But now, the humans are polluted and she is starving. Discover how she must collaborate with other predators and work with humans to survive in a toxic world. Full has elements of paranormal and science fiction with exotic characters and a fast paced plot. Overall, it is a fascinating commentary on health, food, class, technology, and the environment.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Alexandra Robinson Gantt
• Release date: Feb 16, 2018
• ISBN: 9781370331352

Book preview

CHAPTER ONE

AYSA

Eating is killing me. The blood is bad. It smells like chemicals. It tastes like cancer.

I look old and sick. I have pale wrinkled skin, blemishes, thinning hair, sore joints, aching muscles, and mental fog. I have felt miserable for decades.

My mother lived 962 years. She was beautiful on her last day. I am wasting away at the young age of 107 years.

The strongest of us have territories around remote groups of humans. The blood of the Isolated may be clean.

The blood of the Untouchables is pure. Unfortunately, they are protected and heavily guarded. The Untouchables know what is happening to us. They know the Havadahm are starving.

CHAPTER TWO

EEFA

I love waking up at noon and having breakfast on my private patio. It is delightful to feel the cool marble under my bare feet while sipping green drink and looking out at the meadow surrounding my wing of the Estate.

My parents hired Jude to serve as a chef at the Estate this season. Everything he creates is amazing. He includes at least twenty different types of vegetables in his daily menus. I love his use of spices, seeds, and nuts. His pheasant, quail, and venison dishes are very satisfying.

It is interesting to talk with Jude and learn about the food he crafts. Jude is the perfect servant.

CHAPTER THREE

JORIM AND AYSA

It is time to instigate a revolt among the humans, Jorim declares.

A violent regime change will not solve our problems, Aysa says.

You are right. I am not being realistic. I am not thinking clearly because I am starving, Jorim says.

I have a plan that will allow us to eat again, Aysa says.

Jorim is agitated. We cannot go to Bosq. There are too many Havadahm in the rainforests. You know about the cattle ranching. You realize the logging and mining companies are making the Isolated scarcer, he says.

We are going to stay here and feed from people who eat like the Isolated, Aysa says.

There are no people who eat like the Isolated in Metad. We live in a poisonous wasteland, Jorim says.

I found a way to enable us to feed from the people here, Aysa says.

Feeding from the people here is killing me. I will probably die slower if I don’t eat, Jorim says.

Aysa stares at her thin partner. We are going to heal our prey, she says.

Who exactly is our prey? Jorim asks.

There are human research studies called clinical trials. During clinical trials, humans stay all day and overnight in research facilities. The humans can be in the research facilities for months. The humans take experimental drugs in the research facilities. Scientists test how the human body reacts to the experimental drugs. Humans give a lot of their blood to the scientists for testing, Aysa says.

I am not going to infiltrate a research facility to feed on people who will make my organs burn. And, I am not going to steal any of the blood collected by the scientists. The blood will be more poisonous than the blood from the other humans living in Metad, Jorim says.

We are going to conduct a clinical trial in our own research facility. We are going to pay humans to stay in our research facility for months. We will tell the humans we are giving them an experimental drug. But, they will never receive an experimental drug. Instead, we will detox their bodies and collect their blood for feeding, Aysa says.

Jorim considers the plan. The Untouchables are clean despite living in this dirty world, he says.

Our humans will be in our research facility for months. We will control what goes into their bodies. We will hire a chef to prepare their meals. Our humans will detox with green drinks. Our humans will be fed organic vegetables and small amounts of clean game during their entire stay at the research facility, Aysa says.

How long have you been thinking about this plan? Jorim asks.

I was stalking a college student last month. I saw an advertisement on a screen in the campus student center. It was for a clinical trial. The advertisement suggested that students could be paid 300 cryptos to spend the week of spring break in a research facility. The clinical trial was testing an investigational weight loss drug, Aysa says.

How was the college student? Jorim asks.

He is living in a toxic apartment filled with noxious furniture and chemical ridden carpets. He sleeps on a mattress oozing chemical fumes. He is polluted. Feeding from him was painful, Aysa says.

We will require an unpolluted research facility. What do research facilities typically look like? Jorim asks.

They are like doctor’s offices and hospitals. They are filled with toxic flooring and poisonous drywall. The furniture causes cancer, Aysa says.

We can either build a new facility using clean materials or renovate an existing facility, Jorim says.

Pax will establish the facility and arrange the finances, Aysa says.

Pax has Untouchable clients. Can we trust him to keep this project secret? Jorim asks.

There is an incentive for his confidentiality and discretion. We will share clean blood with Pax, Aysa says.

The Untouchables pay Pax with vials of their clean blood. He already has clean blood, Jorim says.

His relationship with the Untouchables is unnatural. They are keeping him alive because he is a thousand years old and has managed the fortunes of the longest lineages in history. But, he really can’t last much longer without a larger supply of blood, Aysa says.

The Untouchables will kill us if they find out about this plan. Jorim pauses and continues, It doesn’t really matter. We are already dying.

CHAPTER FOUR

JUDE AND EEFA

Eefa enters the kitchen office. Jude smiles and greets Eefa warmly. I am happy to see you, he says.

I missed you while you were serving in the Empire, Eefa says.

Eefa is extremely wealthy. Her family dominates the finance, energy, chemical, and agribusiness industries. She looks gilded. She has golden hair and golden brown eyes. Her skin glows with a golden tan. She wears lustrous silk clothing and gold jewelry.

Jude does not understand why Eefa talks with him. He is flattered by her attention. He is also uncomfortable.

Are you planning our meals? Eefa asks casually.

The meals for this week are arranged. I am working on a menu for the Annual.

I hope to spend more time with you this summer, Eefa says.

Unfortunately, I will be leaving after the Annual, Jude says.

Eefa looks genuinely disappointed. Is another family competing with us for your services? she asks.

No. I need to spend the summer taking care of my mother. She has ovarian cancer, Jude says quietly.

I am sure she loves when you cook for her, Eefa says.

She is not interested in my cooking, Jude says.

Eefa is confused. What do you mean? We pay a fortune for your services, she says.

Most people eat differently than your family, Jude says.

Does your mother eat fast food? Eefa asks. Eefa is