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Blood of the Revenants #0.5
Michael
For readers who enjoy Anne Rice's morally complex characters, Donna Tartt's psychological depth, and Silvia Moreno-Garcia's atmospheric gothic storytelling comes a haunting exploration of the boundary between delusion and reality.
A Blood of the Revenants Novella (#0.5)
"If you gaze long enough into an abyss, the abyss will gaze back into you."
Years before Erin Conrad learned to hunt vampires, psychiatrist Dr David Sutherland thought he understood the difference between delusion and reality. Then Michael arrived – a patient with no memory, no surname, and a simple he is not human.
As their sessions progress, Michael's quiet certainty begins manifesting in ways that challenge everything David knows about medicine. When blood tests reveal anomalies and Michael demonstrates impossible abilities, David finds himself drawn into a mystery that threatens both his sanity and his life.
But some patients cannot be cured. Some truths are too dangerous to uncover. And some creatures, once awakened to their true nature, cannot be contained.
A haunting glimpse into the mind of a creature caught between memory and monster, Michael explores the dangerous territory where medicine meets the supernatural – and where a doctor's oath to "do no harm" becomes a luxury he can no longer afford.
Set in the world of The Gloaming, this standalone story can be read independently or as a companion to the Blood of the Revenants series.
N.B. Michael contains depictions of psychiatric themes, violence, and adult situations and is only recommended for readers 18+.
A Blood of the Revenants Novella (#0.5)
"If you gaze long enough into an abyss, the abyss will gaze back into you."
Years before Erin Conrad learned to hunt vampires, psychiatrist Dr David Sutherland thought he understood the difference between delusion and reality. Then Michael arrived – a patient with no memory, no surname, and a simple he is not human.
As their sessions progress, Michael's quiet certainty begins manifesting in ways that challenge everything David knows about medicine. When blood tests reveal anomalies and Michael demonstrates impossible abilities, David finds himself drawn into a mystery that threatens both his sanity and his life.
But some patients cannot be cured. Some truths are too dangerous to uncover. And some creatures, once awakened to their true nature, cannot be contained.
A haunting glimpse into the mind of a creature caught between memory and monster, Michael explores the dangerous territory where medicine meets the supernatural – and where a doctor's oath to "do no harm" becomes a luxury he can no longer afford.
Set in the world of The Gloaming, this standalone story can be read independently or as a companion to the Blood of the Revenants series.
N.B. Michael contains depictions of psychiatric themes, violence, and adult situations and is only recommended for readers 18+.
- GenresVampires
106 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 31, 2025
7 people want to read
About the author
Jamie Dalton
3 books24 followersJamie Dalton writes supernatural fiction steeped in gothic atmosphere, weaving vampire mythology with psychological depth and threads of history. With a background in English and Psychology, she crafts characters haunted as much by their pasts as by the monsters around them.
A lifelong devotee of vampire lore – from Buffy the Vampire Slayer to classic gothic fiction – Jamie’s work offers a darker, more human take on the genre. Her stories explore grief, identity, moral ambiguity, and the quiet cost of survival, trading glamour for something raw and real.
Rooted in her Scottish heritage and shaped by her home in Sheffield, she draws inspiration from curious snaggles of history and the depths of the city, writing about the fragile line between love and ruin.
The Gloaming is her debut novel and the first in the Blood of the Revenants series.
For information on upcoming releases, sign up for Jamie's newsletter: https://www.jamiedalton.co.uk/subscribe
TikTok: @jamiedaltonauthor
A lifelong devotee of vampire lore – from Buffy the Vampire Slayer to classic gothic fiction – Jamie’s work offers a darker, more human take on the genre. Her stories explore grief, identity, moral ambiguity, and the quiet cost of survival, trading glamour for something raw and real.
Rooted in her Scottish heritage and shaped by her home in Sheffield, she draws inspiration from curious snaggles of history and the depths of the city, writing about the fragile line between love and ruin.
The Gloaming is her debut novel and the first in the Blood of the Revenants series.
For information on upcoming releases, sign up for Jamie's newsletter: https://www.jamiedalton.co.uk/subscribe
TikTok: @jamiedaltonauthor
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Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
November 12, 2025
Set in the same world as The Gloaming and Blood of the Revenants, this novella turns the spotlight on Michael - a non-human patient with no memory and no surname. Told through the patient file notes of psychiatrist Dr David Sutherland, it offers a haunting, intimate glimpse into Michael’s fractured mind, his unsettling connections with other patients, and the chilling truth about his condition - one that the good doctor refuses to believe.
November 6, 2025
"By now, doubt was little more than a ghost in the back of my mind, barely seen or heard."
This novella is a haunting, intimate exploration into the tension between belief and skepticism, memory and truth, all while weaving a slow-burning, deeply engaging narrative. Dalton’s prose is beautifully precise, evoking darkness and wonder in the smallest details, especially when the pacing is deliberately languid.
Having inhaled The Gloaming earlier this year, I eagerly picked up Michael and was immediately drawn into Jamie Dalton’s rich, atmospheric world again. The story's reflective tone is a masterclass in subtlety and mood, exploring memory, identity, and the quiet, uncanny ways one life can touch another.
The clinical, careful writing style mingled with Dalton’s vernacular makes you feel as though you’re in a modern conversation with an ancient, unknowable being: an observer watching David as he, in turn, observes Michael. That layered distance is what makes the story so compelling. We’re never quite sure whose truth we’re reading, or how much is memory reshaping itself.
Set in 2015, that juxtaposition between Michael’s agelessness and the contemporary world adds such a fascinating tension. Dalton's capture of both men voice's feels authentic to their time and nature; David grounded in modern skepticism, Michael steeped in something timeless. And because these “sessions” are recorded entirely from David’s recollection, it opens up so many questions: when did he write this down? How much has been lost—or invented—in the telling?
Following Michael's journey from that first blur of memory, the slow uncovering of who ((or what)) he is, I would have loved glimpses into Michael’s POV, his thoughts, his growing awareness, the way memories returned, because Dalton’s writing makes you ache to see the story through his eyes.
The ending is elegantly vague, leaving room for imagination and lingering questions, and it stays with you long after the last page. Fans of The Gloaming will appreciate the subtle connections, especially the brief mention of Isabel, and newcomers might find themselves captivated by Dalton’s immersive gothic atmosphere.
Michael is a thoughtful, intimate read that showcases Dalton’s talent for character, mood, and mystery. I can’t wait to see where her world goes next.
This novella is a haunting, intimate exploration into the tension between belief and skepticism, memory and truth, all while weaving a slow-burning, deeply engaging narrative. Dalton’s prose is beautifully precise, evoking darkness and wonder in the smallest details, especially when the pacing is deliberately languid.
Having inhaled The Gloaming earlier this year, I eagerly picked up Michael and was immediately drawn into Jamie Dalton’s rich, atmospheric world again. The story's reflective tone is a masterclass in subtlety and mood, exploring memory, identity, and the quiet, uncanny ways one life can touch another.
The clinical, careful writing style mingled with Dalton’s vernacular makes you feel as though you’re in a modern conversation with an ancient, unknowable being: an observer watching David as he, in turn, observes Michael. That layered distance is what makes the story so compelling. We’re never quite sure whose truth we’re reading, or how much is memory reshaping itself.
Set in 2015, that juxtaposition between Michael’s agelessness and the contemporary world adds such a fascinating tension. Dalton's capture of both men voice's feels authentic to their time and nature; David grounded in modern skepticism, Michael steeped in something timeless. And because these “sessions” are recorded entirely from David’s recollection, it opens up so many questions: when did he write this down? How much has been lost—or invented—in the telling?
Following Michael's journey from that first blur of memory, the slow uncovering of who ((or what)) he is, I would have loved glimpses into Michael’s POV, his thoughts, his growing awareness, the way memories returned, because Dalton’s writing makes you ache to see the story through his eyes.
The ending is elegantly vague, leaving room for imagination and lingering questions, and it stays with you long after the last page. Fans of The Gloaming will appreciate the subtle connections, especially the brief mention of Isabel, and newcomers might find themselves captivated by Dalton’s immersive gothic atmosphere.
Michael is a thoughtful, intimate read that showcases Dalton’s talent for character, mood, and mystery. I can’t wait to see where her world goes next.
October 31, 2025
In the shadow-drenched halls of a psychiatric institution, a new kind of darkness resides. Jamie Dalton’s "Michael," a potent gothic novella and essential teaser for the upcoming Blood of the Revanants series, is a chilling descent into psychological horror and profound mystery.
The story centers on Michael, a man discovered coated in blood, his identity utterly erased. He becomes the patient—and perhaps the obsession—of psychiatrist Dr. David Sutherland. While the setting expertly explores the fragile boundaries of sanity and spotlights mental health with compassionate nuance, the novella quickly spirals into something far more ancient and terrifying.
Dalton’s prose possesses a macabre elegance, weaving a short narrative that feels both vast and devastating. Every character is a portrait of vulnerability—a cast of the "beautifully broken"—and the poetic language elevates the story beyond a simple prelude. Readers of The Gloaming will recognize the dark lineage Michael shares, but the novella is brilliant in crafting a new question: How has Michael maintained his shred of humanity? His existence is a tantalizing paradox, hinting at deep conflicts that will certainly define the series' future.
"Michael" is a perfectly constructed piece of suspense, confirming that the most intriguing monsters are the ones struggling to remember who they were. This novella isn't just an appetizer; it’s a potentially necessary key to unlocking the secrets behind Erin and Nicholas’s story. If you’re preparing for the next chapter in 2026 with The Vanator, you simply cannot afford to miss this mesmerizing, unsettling, and highly impactful glimpse into the shadows.
The story centers on Michael, a man discovered coated in blood, his identity utterly erased. He becomes the patient—and perhaps the obsession—of psychiatrist Dr. David Sutherland. While the setting expertly explores the fragile boundaries of sanity and spotlights mental health with compassionate nuance, the novella quickly spirals into something far more ancient and terrifying.
Dalton’s prose possesses a macabre elegance, weaving a short narrative that feels both vast and devastating. Every character is a portrait of vulnerability—a cast of the "beautifully broken"—and the poetic language elevates the story beyond a simple prelude. Readers of The Gloaming will recognize the dark lineage Michael shares, but the novella is brilliant in crafting a new question: How has Michael maintained his shred of humanity? His existence is a tantalizing paradox, hinting at deep conflicts that will certainly define the series' future.
"Michael" is a perfectly constructed piece of suspense, confirming that the most intriguing monsters are the ones struggling to remember who they were. This novella isn't just an appetizer; it’s a potentially necessary key to unlocking the secrets behind Erin and Nicholas’s story. If you’re preparing for the next chapter in 2026 with The Vanator, you simply cannot afford to miss this mesmerizing, unsettling, and highly impactful glimpse into the shadows.
November 15, 2025
Dr Sutherland’s growing fixation with Michael starts to hinder his work with other patients & staff start to notice also but his obsession with solving the mystery that is Michael is fascinating, haunting & uncomfortable all at once. There are hints of the unknown, strange happenings & skin crawling moments. Just the way Michael looks at Dr Sutherland or the things he says really set you on edge.
I really loved the structure of the novella & the POV. It was unnerving & gave me an uneasy feeling in the best way.
The ending was fantastic & I loved it became almost a question of reality, like you know it happened but there was no evidence of it; a theme throughout the book. Thoroughly enjoyed it & cannot wait to carry on the series with The Vânător.
I really loved the structure of the novella & the POV. It was unnerving & gave me an uneasy feeling in the best way.
The ending was fantastic & I loved it became almost a question of reality, like you know it happened but there was no evidence of it; a theme throughout the book. Thoroughly enjoyed it & cannot wait to carry on the series with The Vânător.
December 10, 2025
I really loved this novella! The way it was told through the patient file notes of psychiatrist made it especially appealing and it gives tense, uneasy feeling in the bestest of ways.
"Michael" is an excellent standalone novella and beautiful companion to bring out more to the world of "Blood of the Revenants Series", and I cannot wait to see more of it in "The Vânător"!
"Michael" is an excellent standalone novella and beautiful companion to bring out more to the world of "Blood of the Revenants Series", and I cannot wait to see more of it in "The Vânător"!
November 11, 2025
A bite-sized gothic novella perfect for the long nights and dark days, Michael gives chills and thrills in all the right places.
Imagine Interview with the Vampire where the subject hides a millennia of secrets behind a mysterious agenda. We're drawn into Dr Sutherland's study (epic nod to Lost Boys with the name!) of a patient who's equal parts unsettling and magnetic, told through a lens guaranteed to make you question reality. And isn't that the beauty of a true gothic story?
Michael is an exceptional standalone novella and an artful companion read to enhance the narrative of the Blood of the Revenants Cycle, and I cannot WAIT to see more of these characters!!
Imagine Interview with the Vampire where the subject hides a millennia of secrets behind a mysterious agenda. We're drawn into Dr Sutherland's study (epic nod to Lost Boys with the name!) of a patient who's equal parts unsettling and magnetic, told through a lens guaranteed to make you question reality. And isn't that the beauty of a true gothic story?
Michael is an exceptional standalone novella and an artful companion read to enhance the narrative of the Blood of the Revenants Cycle, and I cannot WAIT to see more of these characters!!
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews