The Infected

By Tori Drake

Derek is a people watcher. He hangs out in malls and bars, watching the interactions of others. Every now and then, he feels an irresistible compulsion to follow someone. On this night, he begins following a impossibly attractive woman that he spots in a night club.. The woman leaves and Derek begins to follow her out of curiosity. Who is she? What is she like? He begins trekking her every movement and realizes that she isn't just an ordinary woman, she's a vampire...A vampire who knows when she's being stalked.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Trellis Publishing
• Release date: Jul 13, 2021
• ISBN: 9798201149512

Book preview

Derek didn't like bars.

He would go to McGee's more out of social inducement than anything else. It was the bar of choice for everyone he had grown up with and he inherited the place much like some people inherit their religion or favorite team.

McDonald's has the garlic fries now, the patron next to him said.

They were two men, one with his hat on backwards and the other bald. They both wore Golden State Warriors basketball jerseys with the name Curry written on their back.

Derek looked up at the large screen TV in the corner, seeing the McDonald's commercial.

How is it? the man's friend asked.

It's alright, the man with his hat on backwards said. I like my fries crisp. But with garlic fries I think it should be sloppy and kinda greasy. This was not it. They just make the fries like they always do and doused it with enough garlic to kill a vampire.

Derek grew tired of their conversation and moved to another stall by himself, carrying his bottle of Corona. He took out his Smartphone and began surfing around the Internet.

He was weird that way. He didn't want to be alone so he went to the bar. But when he got there all he wanted was quiet.

Until a woman across the bar caught his eye. 

She sat at the edge of a larger group, the neon lights from the bar hitting her blonde hair just right. She chatted and laughed, adjusting the spaghetti strap of her dress. She stood up and swirled a glass of rosé around in her hand, motioning for one of the bar girls to give her a refill.

He could see she had striking blue eyes and pale skin. This contrasted starkly with her crimson lipstick and butterfly tattoos that adorned both her arms. She looked like Taylor Swift had the pop singer been raised in a trailer park.

Derek counted six women at the table. They all sipped spritzers and cocktails with little yellow and pink umbrellas, leaving little lipstick impressions on the rims of their glasses. A brief laugh erupted amongst the women and then the blond, arm in arm with a brunette who had been sitting next to her, crossed the bar to go to the bathroom.

Derek watched at how just about every man in the bar followed the two women with their eyes.

Derek sipped from his beer. He wanted to approach the blond woman but had never been any good as a pick-up artist.