Alphadog

By Pete Blyth

Dave Kennedy doesn't think things can get any worse. His family are dead, he hates his job, and he just made a pass at Kathy, his best mate's girl. Then he wakes up to half an apocalypse.

With the world in ruins, the only person Dave has left to care about is Kathy. She hates him now, but he'll protect her regardless, or die trying.

To win their fight for survival, Dave and Kathy must first stop fighting each other. Nowhere is safe in landscape full of monsters, each driven to burn and kill by a raging hatred of humans. But are the monsters the only enemy? Dave and Kathy must discover who they can really trust, and the greatest danger maybe closer to home than they think.

What happens when Day of the Triffids meets Aliens ? Buy Alphadog today to find out.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Pete Blyth
• Release date: Mar 16, 2019
• ISBN: 9781386465300

Book preview

Chapter One

Making a pass at Kathy was monumentally stupid. If it hadn't saved our lives it would have been a serious mistake. It started, as these things tend to, with alcohol. Far too much alcohol. What happens at the conference stays at the conference is a convenient excuse, and god knows there was always enough room hopping at this one. The Funding Finding Fest, FFF. Find, fuck and forget.

However banging a stranger six ways to Saturday is one thing. Trying it with your best mate's fiancée is something else. Betrayal of the band of bro's or some such. Not that Kathy was any kind of ho if we take that remark to its logical conclusion.

Tell the truth though, I'd been betraying that code in my head for a long time. My life had turned into Jesse's girl and it was a lot less fun than Rick Springfield made out.

Rob, the best mate in question, should have been at the conference too, except that apparently it was coming out of both ends like a fountain, which was mental image I could have lived without. Norovirus he said, though personally my money was on too much beer, curry and a lack of arsed. So the boss had sent Kathy instead.

A god given chance for me to act like a complete and total prick, and I didn't need asking twice. I was cool. I was charming. I held the door for her and not just so I could check out her legs and ass. I chatted, I was proprietary in warding off other predatory males attracted by her dark flashing eyes and the mane of silky black hair, but that's what best mates do. Keep the circling sharks away from the girl friend whilst they act only from gallant and platonic motives... yeah, um right.

We sat together in the lectures, we paired up on the workshops, she laughed at my jokes, she listened to whatever half arsed anecdote was dribbling from my lips as I lost myself in her eyes and her smile.

Then on the third night there was the FFF dance. Black tie for the men. Kathy was wearing some kind of red silk choker dress, sheer stockings, strappy heels that matched the dress, and generally looked like she could launch several million ships. Just looking at her I could feel my pulse roaring in my ears, and my breath shortening to a rasp. I'd had to swallow moisture back into my mouth just to say hi.

So we'd drank, and we'd danced, and we'd drunk some more. Kathy could really handle her booze, and at some point we'd swapped from wine to spirits. Hard alcohol made Kathy giggly, and me lecherous. Shakespeare was half wrong when he said that strong drink gave the desire but took the ability. My ability was undimmed. Towards the end of the night the DJ moved from shattering beats to the slow stuff. What he classily called 'the erection section'. So we'd danced to Moon river, and Hello, and Wonderful tonight, and I'd had the inevitable reaction to having a beautiful women in my arms, and she'd either ignored it or taken it as a compliment.

The night ended, the lights came back on, and I'd necked my eleventeenth shot and told Kathy I'd walk her to her door. Lying to myself that my motives were gallant. The lift was packed and the press of bodies pushed us together. I put my arm around her shoulders and held her close. The way she snuggled in to me send fire through my veins. May be she was feeling it too, or may be that was just booze and lust talking.

By the time we'd swayed down the corridor to her door, our bodies bumping together with every step I wanted her so badly I was barely thinking rationally.

She slapped her key card into the lock and turned to face me. May be she was going to thank me for a lovely evening. Maybe she was going to suggest a nightcap. Hell may be she was going to ask me to stay. I'd never know because that was the moment I pushed her against the wall and kissed her hard on the mouth.

Her lips felt just as I'd imagined them, soft, yielding and warm. Her mouth opened under mine and I plunged my tongue into it, sucking hers into mine. My right hand dropped to her thigh pulling her skirt up, fingers walking over her stocking top to the firm, soft, flesh of her thigh.

My cock was so hard it was painful, but my mind was in heaven, this was it, this was the moment that she'd realise that I was the man she really wanted. Hard on Rob but you can't argue with kismet.

It took me a moment to realise that she wasn't writhing in passion, she was struggling to push me off her. I pulled back, taking a step away then lost my balance, as she pushed my hard in the chest, sending me reeling against the wall.

No. Get your hands off me

Kathy.

I said no, Dave.

I pulled myself up against the wall, shame at what I'd nearly done washing over me. Kathy.. I... Shit what could I say? 'I know you want it too?' Jesus Christ. I wasn't that guy. My chin dropped to my chest. Kathy...

Just go, Dave. She pushed me towards the door You... I thought... I thought you were my friend and... and.. She took a shuddering breath. You disgust me.

I'm sorry I murmured as the door slammed in my face.

I disgusted her. Hell, I disgusted myself.

–

Back in my own room I pulled my jacket off and tossed it. Snapped off the fake bow tie, kicked off my shoes and fell back onto my bed.

My head span as soon as I rested it on the pillow, and I only just staggered to the toilet in time before my past came surging back to confront me. I gagged and hawked and spat.

Fucked that right up you silly bastard.

I pulled myself up by the sink and swilled a handful of water around my mouth. Fuck me. Staggered back to the bed and fell on to it.

Shit. I felt tears in my eyes. You stupid stupid bastard. I punched the wall next to the bed hard, feeling pain flash through my arm.

I wondered if she's tell Rob, then reproached myself for the selfishness of that thought. Rob and I went back to university. Whether she did or not I was going to have to tell him myself. Fuck it, it wasn't like he was perfect. I remembered Rob after Triple F a couple of years ago waving three sets of panties at me. Trophies. One a night. Remembered too that I'd said. What about Kathy? and he'd responded Don't be so wet, it’s not like I'm married to her.

But that was different.

More bile surged in my throat and I rolled over letting my vomit spill onto the floor.

I listened for a moment to the distant hum of traffic on the motorway, the clickety clack of a train passing through the station. Goods at this time of night I guessed. I smiled without pleasure. A midnight express, or a down bound train.

I pulled a miniature of bourbon from the minibar and chugged the lot. If I was lucky I'd vomit and die in my sleep. I rolled onto my side and burrowed into the pillows pulling the quilt over my body. I curled in to foetal position and sobbed myself to sleep, as the alcoholic stupor washed through my brain.

Chapter Two

It was the silence that woke me. My eyes clicked open, I winced at the bright light streaming through the shades. Dear god I felt rough. I rolled out of bed and swore as I landed on my knees in a puddle of sticky yellow drying vomit.

I pushed myself up, and wobbled to the bathroom. My mouth felt like something had gone in there to die. I grinned to myself as I remembered Rob telling me about the Beer Badger. The mythical creature that visited you in the middle of the night, drank all the booze and took a shit in your mouth before leaving. I'd had a flock of badgers in here last night, a fucking horde.

My tongue felt furry. I rubbed at it with the tooth brush before squirting toothpaste into my mouth and swallowing. The sensation made me gag, but my mouth tasted better afterwards.

I turned the cold tap on and took a long draught of water. Probably wasn't potable but I didn't give a shit. I'd have to get better to die. Rummaging in my wash kit I dug up some painkillers and swallowed four.

Sitting back on the bed I stripped off my dirty, vomit soaked clothes. Couldn't have Kathy seeing me like.... oh fuck no. No. No, No.. fucking hell. Sat in my pants and vest I reached for my mobile, and pressed the on button. No signal. Odd. I had four bars the day before. Fucking thing. I tossed it back onto the night stand and grabbed the internal phone, started to dial..

Two digits down I dropped it back on to the rest and swore. What was I going to say Sorry I assaulted you. Can we forget about this and just be friends? Yeah that'd fly. I pressed my palms to my eyes until I saw fireworks. This wasn't who I was. I wasn't a #meetoo predator. I wished I was. I wished I knew how to handle this shit, what would a bad boy have done? Probably gone back down and picked up some boopsie who was there to pitch her product. Played the hey I'm a venture capitalist card. I can help you baby if you're grateful. A lot of that went on at Triple F.

That wasn't who I was though. Rob was the player in our partnership. I was the nice boy, the one who girls were friends with. The one who slept in the same bed without doing anything. I was a good guy. Yeah yeah yeah I thought, keep telling yourself that. No point in telling Kathy.

It hit me then that I'd never really be with her again. Sure I'd see her, I'd see her this morning, I'd see her at work, but she'd never see me as the nice guy I'd been. She'd always remember the drunken fumbling thug of the night before.

Fuck. I was going to have to leave. Leave my job, leave the area. There was no way I could stay and see contempt and hatred every day in those pretty eyes.

I reached for the phone again and dialled room service.

Fifteenth ring, still no answer. I dropped the handset. What was up with this fucking hotel? I looked at my watch. 2pm. Fucking two in the afternoon and they weren't answering the phone.

That was when I realised again how quiet it was.

–

Outside the hotel there was a big fuck off roundabout for shedding traffic onto the M4 for west and east, and onto an A road north. Behind the hotel sat the Bristol to London rail line. Fucking Swindon. The best thing about it was how easy it was to leave. Every other day the roar of traffic and the grind of trains had been deafening.

The only thing that was deafening now was the quiet. I pushed the blinds aside swearing as they tangled in my hungover hands. Pressing my forehead to the cool glass I looked out. Nothing. The only cars were still, nothing at all moved. No cars, no pedestrians, nothing.

What the actual? I sat back on the bed. I was probably dreaming I thought. May be if I go back to sleep, I can wake up for real.

Ten minutes of lying with my eyes closed told me that was stupid. I was as awake as I was ever going to be. Fuck it. Maybe there was a police incident or a road closure or something. I grabbed a pair of cords and a clean shirt and struggled into them, slipping on my shoes, and pocketing my keys.

Reception would know what was happening, and there better be a good explanation. I wasn't in the mood to be fucked about.

–

I paused outside Kathy's door, hand raised to knock but frozen to inaction by fear. I lowered it slowly. Pointless, fucking pointless. Why would she listen to anything I had to say? Hell why would she even open the door. I closed my eyes and wished again that I was a bastard who didn't care.

Something felt badly wrong, the hotel was quiet, room doors stood open, devoid of occupants. Where the fuck was everyone?

I took a deep breath and rapped my knuckles on the wood of her door. Nothing. Kathy I called. C'mon Kathy open up... please Still nothing. I briefly considered kicking it but I could see that going well. Yes officer, first he sexually assaulted me then he kicked my door in. I shook my head and walked away.

Descending the stairs to reception I though I heard a voice. Faint. I paused listening hard. Nothing. I turned and nearly jumped out of my skin at a figure next to me. Heart beating hard I realised it wasn't a person, just a mannequin. A woman's figure wearing glow in the dark lingerie. Trashy as fuck. I remembered the two girls pitching that product and wished again that I was the sort of guy to have asked them for a live action demonstration instead of hitting on the one girl I couldn't have.

Reception was empty, no one at the desk and the air was still, just the gentle mutter of a fan. The door to the car park stood ajar, and beyond it movement took my eye.

–

Big, grey/brown, furry and horrible. I had no idea what the fuck I was looking at, but whatever it was had someone pinned down on the tarmac just beyond the door. I stood frozen for a moment, my mind reeling through 'what the actual fuck mode' struggling to make sense of what my eyes were seeing.

The figure below punched ineffectually at it and tried to wrestle free. At that moment I saw the dark glossy hair and knew. I screamed and launched myself forward. I'd like to say that with Kathy in danger I didn't think twice, but the truth is I didn't think once, I just acted from the gut.

Taking the steps in two bounds I closed the range and took a flying leap at the attacker. My fingers scritched through the rough fur at its neck and my momentum rolled it off Kathy, before I hit the ground on my back with it on top of me.

It wrenched round in my arms and lunged at my neck. Fuck it was strong. I jammed my forearm across its throat just stopping its jaws closing on my windpipe. Fuck I was weak. Saliva drooled from the jaws above me splattering across my face. I snapped my skull up in a head butt, blatting my forehead into its snout. Shit that hurt. I tried to jam a thumb into its eye. No chance.

Claws ripped at my stomach and chest. I punched at it with my loose hand, but I wasn't winning this. Never happened that way in Hollywood. Run, Kathy I tried to shout but it came out more like a gurgle.

The jaws forced my arm down, yellow fangs reaching for my throat. I writhed on the tarmac feeling the skin on my shoulders tear. Never thought I'd go out like this.

A shadow moved above me and then my attacker howled in pain as a tree stake slammed down on it head. Once. Twice.

I forced a knee up and kicked it away. Rolling into a crouch.

Kathy danced forward and hit it a third time, swinging the stake like a bat, smashing the wood into its jaws, spraying shattered teeth and blood.

She brought the stake down again, but this time it splintered and split leaving her holding a stump. The beast lumbered towards her, a rumbling growl coming from its throat. As muscles tensed across it back to spring, I swept up the broken part of the stake and lunged forward desperately burying the jagged end in the back of its neck, red black blood spurting as I forced it down with my whole weight. Die, you bastard.

It howled again, sounding like metal scraping against concrete and bucked, throwing me off as it clawed at the wound. I rolled over twice and struggled back to my feet, crossing to Kathy's side

What the fuck is that thing? I gasped, wiping blood and drool from my face.

Things.

What?

She pointed Things. I turned to look, whatever the fuck they were four more were bounding across the car park towards us.

–

The oak doors of the hotel slammed shut with a reassuring thud. Sturdy. Proof even against nightmare werewolf beasts from hell. I shot the bolts top and bottom on the right hand door and scrabbled at the left. No bolts. Locks with a key. Shit and arse.

I jammed my shoulder to it, frantically looking around. I had no illusions about my ability to hold it shut for long.

Here Kathy ripped the fabric tape of the reception queue guide from its holder, just as the door shook under an impact from outside. I shoved back as hard as I could, fear giving me a desperate strength.

Kathy wrapped the tape round and round through the door handles and tied it tight. Should hold she gasped.

I nodded as the doors shook again. For a few minutes anyway. Til the handle fixings failed, or those bastard things came through a window.

Looking around I took a deep breath, trying to calm my racing heart. I wanted to ask what the fucking hell was going on, but panic wouldn't take us anywhere good. Deal with it I told myself. My eyes locked on Kathy's as the door shook again. Scuffed and bruised, strands of hair stuck to her face with sweat and blood, business suit torn, shoes missing. She still looked amazing to me.

Calm and functioning too. She wasn't the hysterical female who needs the big brave Dave to save her. Which was just as well. I was all out of heroism right now.

The door shook again, then slowly gave inwards an inch as the tape stretched.

I backed away watching at the handles began to bend under the pressure. Time to go.

Kathy turned on a heel looking at options. Kitchen.

Chapter Three

I remembered reading somewhere, probably in a one of Rob's trashy thrillers, that kitchen's were an arsenal for the creative. Whichever author said that had never been to this hotel. The expanse of bright scrubbed steel work benches were scattered with plastic glasses and plates of buffet from the night before, but there was a distinct lack of weaponry.

Course the heroes in those books were always ex special forces, or martial arts experts, or gang members who'd learnt to fight on the killing streets. I'd never read one where the hero was a mid thirties venture capitalist from the home counties. I wondered what Big Jack action hero would do. Probably pull a sub machine gun out of his arse and save the day and the get the girl. I was 0 for 2 so far.

I picked up a long metal handled pizza shovel and weighed in my hand. Tried to imagine using it like a club. Nah. I threaded it through the door handles on the swing doors instead. The bangs and crashes from the lobby suggested that it wouldn't be long until it was put to the test.

Kathy was on the far side of the room opening doors, Chiller, Freezer, Utility space. Searching for a way out.

Opening drawers at random I found cutlery, and glassware but jack all else. C'mon where were the knives? I couldn't see holding them off with a fusillade of Waterford crystal. The splintering crash of the main doors giving told me that time was nearly up. Claws skittered on the tiled corridor, then snorting and grunting immediately outside the door.

I yanked the last drawer out banging against the runner stops. Yes. Picked up a handy looking cleaver, like a short sword, and a nasty double sided carving knife for Kathy. Shoved a steak knife into my belt.

The swing doors shook at they were barged from outside. Wouldn't hold long. Come on Kathy shouted from the far side of the room, finally finding an exit. I ran after her down a tiled corridor to another portholed door. Banged through into a covered loading bay. I turned and slammed the door shut. Looked around for something to jam it with, and dragged a rusty yellow pump truck complete with pallet of sacks in front of it. Squeezing the handle to drop the pallet to the concrete floor took me back to university days when grafting in warehouses on the night shift was the best way to put cash in your pocket and beer on the table.

I gave the pallet a kick. That wasn't going anywhere. Safe for a little while.

Kathy had her ear to the roller door, trying to make out what if anything as outside.

I crossed to her side, flipped the knife in my hand and held it out handle first, here. I stood next to her and pressed my ear to the cold steel. Nothing, or nothing much. Even in these circumstances I was distracted by Kathy's perfume and the closeness of her body.

Without thinking I reached out and stroked her shoulder. She jerked away as though shocked. Don't fucking touch me.

Hey I stepped back whoa, I didn't mean... it’s just.

Grabbing a fist full of my shirt she shoved me hard against the door, dark eyes sparking as she spat out words between gritted teeth. What you did out there changes shit, get me? You don't touch me, not now, not ever. You lost that right last night.

I swallowed hard. I nearly fucking died for you, I wanted to say, doesn't that mean anything? In the face of her ferocity the words wouldn't come.

We're stuck with each other’ til we get out of this mess, she continued. After that I never want to see you again. Clear?

Tears welled in my eyes. I scuffed them away with my palm.

Clear? She asked again banging me against the shutters for emphasis.

I nodded miserably Clear.

–

The roller door clanked and creaked upward as I pulled the chain wincing at every squeak. A couple of foot up it jammed. Fucking thing. I gave it another hard tug. Nothing. Bollocks. I shot a look at Kathy and then laid down on the hard concrete and rolled under the door

Outside it was cold but clear. Winter sunshine trickling from the sky, no real warmth in it. An ideal day for a walk in the park and a cosy pub with a roaring fire. Less ideal for close combat with mental furry bastards. Hell the day had been nothing but a ration of shit, why should the weather be any different.

I dropped off the loading dock to the tarmac a few foot below. Instinctively I turned to offer Kathy a hand then jerked it back as I remembered. Looking around I could see we were behind the hotel, a bramble covered railway embankment bounding the north side.

A couple of delivery vans sat desolately on the lot, like dogs abandoned by their masters. I looked in each in turn. If luck were a lady there'd be keys. Of course there weren't. I didn't like my chances of hot wiring them, I had fuck all idea how. I was willing to bet it wasn't as easy as the movies made out.

I touched my trouser pocket gently with my left hand, checking my car keys were there. BMW M3 one year old, moved like a priest out of a brothel. Without a girl friend or any expensive vices I'd put a large chunk of last years bonus into the getting the car. Now was payback time. If we could get to it.

I moved to the corner of the building, right hand holding the cleaver ready to use. I could sense Kathy behind me. Could hear the gentle whisper of her breathing.

At the corner I pressed myself to the cold brick work and peaked round. Clear. A skip full of building waste sat at the next corner giving cover from the car park. I slid round the corner and crept towards it. Scuffing through the grit and broken glass I suddenly remembered that Kathy was without shoes. Fuck it, nothing I could do about that now.

We knelt behind the skip and I eased one eye round its rusting metal corner. I flashed on playing hide and seek as a kid, and choked on a laugh.

The hilarity died in my throat as I clocked a bunch of Furries, as I'd started to think of them, by the hotel doors. Three more