Superheroes Kill Vampires

By Jeremiah Kleckner

Jeff Beal is unique. Balancing high school and a broken home, Jeff blows off steam by jumping rooftops and taking down bad guys under the name Cadet Trainee Alpha, apprentice to Dover City’s superhero, Force. And when gruesome murders grip the city in mortal terror, the heroes swear to put an end to the bloodshed. But the Vampire Lavinia is no ordinary killer. Now Jeff must use every resource at his disposal to hunt down the deadly vampire before the sun sets . . . because Superheroes Kill Vampires.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Jeremiah Kleckner
• Release date: Aug 10, 2022
• ISBN: 9781005807276

Jeremiah Kleckner

Jeremiah Kleckner has taught since 2005. During that time, he wrote several books and published short fiction in editions of Allegory, Frost Zone Zine, New American Legends, and Speculative North Magazine. Jeremiah lives in Jersey City with his wife, daughter, and an ever-increasing number of dogs and cats.

Book preview

Chapter 1

Whatever the security setup Hand’s Jewelry had, it did not include a silent alarm. It included a really loud alarm.

That idiot, Crank, tripped it in his eagerness to get to the good stuff. As a result, the crew would only get out with half the stash they’d planned on earlier.

Move it, move it, move it! Larry shouted as he, Crank, and Ortiz bagged as much as they could. We’ve only got five minutes tops before the cops show up!

He sprinted to the car, dumping his bag of jewelry in the trunk with the rest of what they’d grabbed.  At least Ortiz, their wheelman, was on the ball and had the engine revving, ready to roll.

A police cruiser pulled around the corner, tires squealing.  Lights flashed.  Sirens wailed.  

Ortiz stepped on the gas.

Larry cursed under his breath, then leaned out the passenger-side window and fired a couple shots as their car pulled away.

The chase was on.

At least he’d chosen a decent wheelman. Ortiz steered through red lights and around the evening traffic, swerving into an alley and ditch the cops who continued to fly down Thirty-Seventh Street. 

The alley’s dumpster and several garbage cans stopped their escape fast. The car scraped by, metal screaming against metal, but chugged to a stop one block later.

Fuel line got cut, Ortiz explained with a growl.

Alright, everybody get out, Larry ordered, pulling off his ski mask.  The cool night air kissed his sweating skin. Grab what we’ve got and follow me.

They emptied the trunk and hustled towards Thirty-Fifth. 

The area would be swarming with cops in minutes, but Larry knew a good dive that had sewer access over on Thirty-First. If they could make it there, they were home free.

He stopped short at the thirteen-foot chain linked fence.  It wasn’t here the last time he’d been in the neighborhood and it was going to be a real obstacle. 

Larry glanced back at the others. Ortiz was conspicuously absent. He must have ditched them. Screw him anyway.

What was that? Crank asked, still wearing his ski mask. 

Some clattering came from the rooftop, nothing to worry about. Larry reached into his bag and pulled out his bolt cutter. He’d make short work of the fence, then the two of them would be as good as gold.

Could it be her? Crank worried. 

Larry knew who ‘her’ was. Force. Dover City’s hero.

Naw, Larry argued as he continued clipping. Force doesn’t hang out on rooftops. If it was her we’d have been done at the car.

More clattering and thumping sounded from the rooftops. A cat shrieked.

Crank swore.  It’s got to be her!

Larry huffed.  He turned around, ready to tell the man to shut up when a dark figure dropped behind Crank’s wide frame. 

Crank shrieked and fired his .38 at the dark figure