The Vampire and the Paramedic

Extreme Medical Services #0.5

by Jamie Davis

Monsters. Paramedics. Forbidden Love.

Creatures of myth and legend secretly live among us. Even so Vampire James Lee never thought he would need to call a paramedic. When his werewolf right-hand man Rudy is nearly killed in a car accident, his life and his secret are saved by young paramedic Brynne Garvey.

Now, as James helps Brynne learn more about her patients in his Unusual parallel world, he realizes his desire. Even after sixteen centuries, James discovers there is more in life and love to experience than he has ever felt before.

"The Vampire and the Paramedic" is the prequel to the paranormal medical fantasy series "Extreme Medical Services." If you're looking for an exceptional twist on the typical vampire romance storyline, then you'll love this wonderful, fun, and wild ambulance ride from real-life paramedic Jamie Davis.

Dive into this perilous world with Brynne and James-get your free copy of this captivating novel today

Read more about James, Brynne, and newbie paramedic Dean Flynn in "Extreme Medical Services, Book 1" available now wherever you buy ebooks or on Kindle and as a physical book at Amazon.com.

Genres: Paranormal, Fantasy, Vampires, Urban Fantasy, Supernatural, Romance, Audiobook

116 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 15, 2015

About the author

Jamie Davis is a nurse, retired paramedic, author, and nationally recognized medical educator who began teaching new emergency responders as a training officer for his local EMS program. He loves everything fantasy and sci-fi and especially the places where stories intersect with his love of medicine or gaming.

Jamie lives in a home in the woods in Maryland with his wife, three children, and dog. He is an avid gamer, preferring historical and fantasy miniature gaming, as well as tabletop games. He writes LitRPG, GameLit, urban, and contemporary paranormal fantasy stories, among other things. His Future Race Game rules were written to satisfy a desire to play a version of the pod races from Star Wars episode 1.

He loves hearing from readers and going to cons and events where he meets up with fans. Reach out and say "hi.” Visit JamieDavisBooks.com for more books, free offers and more!

Reviews

[Jackie Faye · Rating 4 out of 5]

Okay, so I grabbed this thinking it was going to cheesy as hell, but I wound up being pleasantly surprised by how much I actually enjoyed it. It has kind of a True Blood/General Hospital feel to it, following a paramedic by the name of Brynne who is part of a pilot program to provide medical services to the paranormal folk who try to fly under the radar. And the amazing thing is, she's actually believable as one. She doesn't lose her head when confronted with the weird, she doesn't make stupid decisions, and she's capable of keeping her shit wired tight when she's scared.

It's also an interesting take on the "supernatural beings attempt to coexist with humans" storyline, without going overboard on the soap opera.

[Teresa (blewballoon) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Um, okay. Not bad, but this was a bit clinical (haha, a medical pun). I don't know how much of that was intentional due to being in James's perspective to illustrate how his mentality would be as an incredibly old vampire, or maybe it's just the author's style. Either way, the tone is somewhat terse. I also didn't appreciate how much James had to "not like other girls" the titular paramedic. "It has been so long since I've known such a competent and capable human woman." Repeat Repeat.

I did like the premise very much of a human paramedic team that was training to take care of the hidden supernatural creatures in their area. Great concept and a great setting for a romance, I just didn't really feel any depth.

Content Warnings:
Graphic: Medical content, Pregnancy (there's one graphic child birth scene)
Moderate: Blood, Car accident, Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Violence, Stalking, Alcohol

[Sam Bradley · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a prequel to Book I in the "Extreme Medical" series. I rather wish I had read this first as it explains much about two of the key characters and their relationship - the paramedic and the vampire. In general, this series is fun and refreshing - very different that any other books you will read on paramedics or paranormal beings. Jamie creates a world where "Unusuals" live among humans, but blend in so well as to be unnoticed my most humans. Brynne Garvey is a paramedic who is assigned to Station "U", which caters to this population.

The interesting thing about this prequel is that is is written in the first person of the Vampire Lord who will become involved with Brynne. The world Jamie exposes to is almost believable. I noticed I started looking at people in the grocery story quite differently. In both books (so far), Jamie introduces us to characters who are engaging and even humorous while dark things happen in the background. As a nurse and a paramedic, Jamie uses his medical expertise to create a realistic vision of what treating vampires, werewolves (who tend to shift when their sugar is low), fairies, sirens and even zombies (some of whom are excellent cooks) would be like for a paramedic.

If you want a departure from the everyday, start here, then jump into the first of the series. Let Jamie take you to a new and unusual place that will make you clamor for Book II.

[Silver James · Rating 3 out of 5]

As a retired first responder and now writer of things paranormal, I'm always intrigued by stories combining both "worlds." The author, James Davis, is a first responder and the world he created, the intersections between paranormals and emergency personnel was well executed and a lot of fun. This is the prequel to the series so I suggest reading it to get the world building and insight into the some of the characters. It was fun to read and I enjoyed it. When time and the TBR pile allows, I'll be jumping back into this world for further installments.

[Jim Kratzok · Rating 2 out of 5]

Rather a disappointment

I like a good vampire njvel as much as anyone but this wasn't it. The story had potential but the phrasing was awkward and was too wordy. If the story had been edited more and cut out unnecessary stuff it would have flowed better. Example: why is it necessary to point out that the main character, James, unlocked his car by pressing a button on his key fob? Seriously, how else would he do it? The days of using a key in a physical lock are over unless the car is fairly old. The author could have written that James unlocked the car.... The method is implied and the reader can fill in the rest. There's too much detail covering mundane things.

[Audrey · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a prequel, and I haven’t read any of the main series yet, but I wasn’t lost or anything. In this little story, a vampire becomes smitten with a paramedic after she helps him and his werewolf friend after a car wreck. The story is his courtship of her. He works to understand her and be honest about himself with her. There’s no real major conflict; just a cute little story about a realistic relationship. There are some issues with editing (spelling, punctuation, etc.)

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Move over Charlaine Harris you have a competition. I don't really read vampire books because a lot of them are cheesy and have the same story line but this book was different. James Lee and a werewolf are in a car accident. James contemplates on whether he should pick up his friend and run to the hospital or wait on an ambulance. In comes Brynne shortly after the phone call. She takes care of his friend, rides in the ambulance to the hospital and talks to James for a bit. James and his friends are considered unusuals who live among regular people. He is trying to start a program that the medical field understands the needs of his people and he noticed in Brynne that she is a strong person and would like to see her head up the group. So David takes her about town and introduces her to several people. Things happen and Brynne becomes the talk of the town.

I enjoyed the writing and the banter that went on between James and his friends and Brynne and her friends. They all try to get along but of course we know that there will be trouble. Read the book because it's a quick read.

[NormaCenva · Rating 4 out of 5]

Actual Rating 3.5 Stars:

This was actually really good. I only got my hands on it now, as I am on my way to re-read the whole of the series (again!). Loved it. Answered some of the questions I had about a specific plot point in the main series. It was a nice read.

[Paulina · Rating 3 out of 5]

A nice start to the series, though the dialogue felt a little stiff. But looking forward to next in this series!

[Emmalynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was surprisingly good. Not action packed but steady. It’s more of a slow burn between Byrne and James as he introduces her to his world. It’s short and cute

[Bejeweled Cat · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It is a prequel to the Extreme Medical Services series and really made me want to continue to the next book. It starts with a bang, well, a car wreck actually. A very special paramedic unit is called in, one that deals with the supernatural community or Unusuals as they are called. The vampire lord of the city, James, and his were compatriot were involved in the accident, though only Rudy the werewolf was injured. James is impressed with the service and the paramedic, becoming involved with both. Through a series of outings (ie; dates) designed to educate Brynne about the Unusual world, they draw closer together. It is a sweet romance, with gradual relationship growth and no sex. The Extreme Paramedic is built around a different protagonist so I am very interested in seeing how the series actually progresses. I will admit I don't care for the cover, it doesn't fit the book at all!

[Craig · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very enjoyable

I enjoyed the book. One of the reasons I enjoy fiction is Becaue it allows you to think about differences and interactions in people in ways you normally wouldn't have thought of.

The world that Jamie is creating is going to have many options and ways to address personal beliefs and cultural beliefs at the same time. Having spent 20+ years of my life on the streets as a paramedic it starts with a foundation that I am comfortable in. In health care we treat the person in front of, no matter who or what they are.

I'd like to think that I'd be as open minded if I was in Brynnne shoes.

Thanks Jamie.

P.s. I'm looking forward to a short story about the djinn giving a wish and how it turns out.

[Regina · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the first book in the series that I have read.
I really like the idea behind the story, and the characters were fun to spend my time with.
The writing was sometimes a bit slow for me (there are many thorough descriptions of mundane actions, along the lines of 'both characters get out of the car, then close the doors, character 1 locks the car with the key fob in his pocket...'), and a number of typos/mistakes were a bit distracting.

But all in all still an entertaining read, and I'd like to read at least the first book in the series proper.

[Cherita · Rating 5 out of 5]

Unusual

Super interesting. Can't wait to read the
next books! Ordinary events with unusual circumstances...what could be better? The writing is beautiful & disappears. Which any avid reader will tell you is where the magic happens :)

[Ericka Stutler · Rating 1 out of 5]

I got to the part where clueless guy gives capable girl a jeep for doing her job, and quit. Not my cup of tea.

[Nasya Wright · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was amazing! I loved it!

[Jessica (Read book. Repeat) · Rating 3 out of 5]

You can find this review and all of my others over at www.readbookrepeat.wordpress.com

Actual rating of 3.5

James and his good friend Rudy find themselves in a terrible situation when a truck runs into the car they are travelling in. Not knowing what else to do, and being afraid of forfeiting Rudy's life should he do nothing, James calls 911. It may seem like a no brainer in this situation, but there's something else, James is a vampire and Rudy is a werewolf. Calling 911 is a trial of sorts as there is a new faction in the paramedics that is dedicated to those who are...Unusual. It's because of this call out that James meets a Station U paramedic called Brynn. She expertly tends to Rudy's injuries and ensures his survival. James finds himself intrigued by the human paramedic and wants to know more about her. This story is centred around James, his newfound interest Brynn, and the Station U project.

I received this book in an email freebie, it seemed interesting so I figured why not. It was a fairly enjoyable read. Brynn is around 30 years old and works as a paramedic for the supernatural side of the unit. There's only a certain amount of people who are aware of the supernaturals that live alongside the humans, also known as Unusuals. James is a fairly old fashioned guy, I mean, if you'd lived as long as he has then you probably would be too. So when his normal ways of garnering affections from Brynn don't work how he planned, he has to come around to a more modern way of thinking. He does this by creating a type of internship program where Brynn will observe the Unusual community in order to learn more about them, and also to show that he supports the Station U project himself and has full faith in it.

The world building was done well, the little bits and pieces that Davis added to our world for this story blend seamlessly, and while there's not a whole lot that is different, it's still got some tweaks. I particularly like the Barrens, something about the more 'underground' and wild, old ways community just really struck a cord with me. I loved the way the story played out in this scene and I think it was brilliantly done.

I must admit, I was annoyed with both James and Brynn on separate occasions. James because come on, yes he's lived through many different eras, yes he's old - I mean, he's dead for crying out loud - yet he still has trouble with the whole 'don't buy a woman who was just doing her job a jeep' thing. While yes, I could see it from his perspective of wanting to reward her for her exceptional skills and quick thinking, but at the same time...he has to have SOME idea of the value of a dollar and realise what an extravagant gift a car is to give to someone who was JUST DOING THEIR JOB. And on the other hand, Brynn annoyed me in parts because she had the whole 'I'm a strong independent woman who don't need no man' mentality coming across. Yes, she's independent, yes she's strong, and of course we can see that she doesn't need anyone looking after her, but for some reason it just irked me when that part of her personality came out. Maybe I'M too old fashioned, like when someone offers you a gift, and you refuse on the grounds that it's too expensive, and they insist, I find it polite to just accept the gift even if it IS super over the top and you feel guilty about accepting such a lavish thing. I find it rude to make the giver feel embarrassed and shitty because you're adamant that you're not taking it. In the end, it's the thought that counts. So I was in a bit of a conundrum with these two characters at times.

I did really enjoy how the story lead us slowly through the exploration of these two people while they were getting to know each other, and I love how there wasn't really any 'filler' in the story. Even if weeks went by, the story was still centred on the growth of James' and Brynn's relationship which I enjoyed. Overall, I did really like both of their characters. You could tell that James was an old soul, and you could tell that Brynn was trying to learn as much as she could about this world that she seemed to be getting more involved with. Their totally different voices were fantastic. Sometimes and author can struggle to give characters defining personalities and voices, but Davis has it right!

At times I felt like the story was lagging a big in pacing, but once things started to evolve more between the two characters, the pacing seemed to flow a lot better for me. I feel like at times the dialogue and sentences were too polished? With James I can understand as he's old world, but with Brynn I felt like her dialogue wasn't lax enough for her age. That's just me though.

I am interested to see where this story goes, so I'll be picking up the first book in the series once I whittle down this ridiculous TBR pile I've got going on. I feel that this was a good start to the series as it gives us insights into the beginning of what I'm assuming is a full blown relationship in the main series itself. It's nice to see where things started.

[Alex (Bri's Book Nook) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Vampire James needs to call a paramedic when his right-hand man/werewolf Rudy is almost killed in a car accident. Rudy's life is saved by a young paramedic named Brynne Garvey, and James is in debt to her. She refuses his extravagant gifts, but he starts to teach her how to treat her patients within the magical world. As Brynne has her eyes opened to the secret world around her, James finds himself becoming closer to her. 

I did not think that Extreme Medical Services was going to be like this at all. I thought it was going to be very technical, and just a lot of sadness and blood. I even thought that this book was just a special edition of the "regular" medical services series, like a Halloween edition. Boy, was I wrong!

The Extreme Medical Services series is about human doctors treating patients from the supernatural world and therefore trying to keep the peace between the human world and the supernatural world. This is a very unique concept that drew me in from the beginning. 

Secondly, I loved all the characters. Brynne was such a professional EMS and saved a man who she did not even know how to save. She was even willing to go into a world she knew nothing about in order to learn more about the people she might be saving the lives of in the future. It does have some romantic elements, but who wouldn't fall in love with a woman who was so kind, strong, and smart enough to take in all the information James was giving her in order to help his people. I did not mind the romance at all. 

Overall, this was an amazing prequel to the series. My views were completely changed, and I was ecstatic to realize that I had picked up the first book in the series at some point. I cannot wait to continue with this series. 

[Kayla · Rating 4 out of 5]

This novella is my first experience with Jamie Davis's work, and I have to say I'm quite pleased. I'm a bit of a sucker (pardon the pun) for good-guy vampires, and James (the titular vampire) is certainly one of those. I thoroughly enjoyed watching his reluctance to allow humans to provide medical care for the supernatural community ebb away as Brynne (the paramedic) proved herself competent, confident, level-headed, and open-minded.

One thing I found especially charming about The Vampire and the Paramedic was James's unfailing politeness and chivalry. There are so many romances out there with a "bad boy" as the male lead, and although I do enjoy those to an extent, they can get old when that's how everybody is writing their love stories. So it was a nice breath of fresh air to read a relationship that is so obviously full of mutual respect.

This was a delightful introduction to Extreme Medical Services, and I definitely plan to pick up the rest of the series.

[Nancy Foster · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have left this ARC waiting for ages and even though I really enjoyed book #1, it took me ages to read this prequel. Chapter 1 starts in a really high note. Vampire Lord James Lee and his second-in-command werewolf Rudy are hit by a drunk driver. James only suffered menial scrapes that heal instantly, but his friend has a life threatening arm injury that will require human medical attention to save his life. Worried humans would freak out if they discovered Rudy was a werewolf that could shift into his other form instantly, he calls a special ambulance unit that specializes in rather… Unusual patients and would not freak out.
After seeing how paramedic Brynne treats his close friend with so much professionalism, he soon realizes he both feels attracted to her and intrigued. After Brynne rejects a fancy sports car James wanted to gift her as a reward for her efforts, Rudy suggests he should find other more modern ways to get her to like him. He then starts putting a lot of money into the Unusual ambulance program and invites Brynne on a few casual dates as both a way to teach her more about the Unusual community living in Elk City and to get to know him on a more personal note so that she can see he isn’t as old fashioned and monstrous as she initially assumed. He only drinks blood from willing volunteers without risking their lives in exchange for a large sum of money, rues the Unusuals with justice and always treats Brynne with politeness.
I really enjoyed the prequel because I oved James’s character in book #1 after he has been dating Brynne for a couple of years and how Dean Flynn treats him poorly without giving him a chance to shine. I think he is my favorite character of the series and had a lot of fun reading this prequel.

[Ann-Catherine Morner · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is confusing.
This is a prequel.
I read this first.
In my opinion, James, a vampire who is 1600+ years old is the Main Character.
I find James nice.
I don't 'buy' that he is out of thouch with the modern world.
Think about it.
He would have been born during the Völkerwanderungen. Sometimes called the Great Migrations in English. Anyone who survived that would clearly have seen more change to morals, culture and various government forms than the very young US has come up with... and is still quarreling about.
Still, I do 'get' that the author can't educate his readers on that and hope to sell at the same time.
Dear fellow readers, look up Völkerwanderung/Great Migrations. The migrations we see today, and worry about, are children's play compared with what happened then.
James understands the other characters much better than they understand him.

[Katherine · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fascinating opener to a series that brings to life this unique urban fantasy, mixing together the supernatural world with the medical world.

The two main characters, James and Brynne, are interesting and well formed. James is a centuries old vampire who acts off those many years of living, but is still in touch with the world of today. Brynne is a paramedic who is confident and capable, more than willing to do her job to help people, no matter who those people are. It was great watching them interact together, from the botched 'bribe' to the trip to the Barrens, and it makes me hungry for more in this series!

[TheBookishK9RN · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a wonderful and refreshing paranormal romance. I truly loved it. This is a prequel to the Extreme Medical Services series. I honestly didn't expect such a well written story with great characters. There are Unusuals living among us (all the mythical creatures are real). They have always been around but in today's world they are living parallel to us.James is Lord over his area and pilots a paramedic service geared toward Unusuals with the help of fellow Unusuals in the medical field. When he has to use the Unusual paramedic service to save a friend he meets Brynne and the sparks fly. It was fun reading how James introduces Brynne to the Unusual world and slowly court's her.

[Kathleen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a very nice little story that tells how Elk City EMS developed a speci
al unit to care for "Unusuals" i.e. vampires, lycans, fairies, et al. Vampire and overlord, James, is impressed with the way paramedic Brynne's great skills saved the life of his Lucas friend, Rudy. Based on that he arranges to create a special unit to care for the needs of his community. Along the way, romance begins to develop between James and Brynne. This story can be enjoyed by just about everyone as there is no cursing, graphic sex, or extreme violence. Once you read this little prequel book, you will want to go on and read the whole series.

[Rachel Lightfoot · Rating 4 out of 5]

I stumbled on this prequel through the author's newsletter, and boy, am I glad I decided to dive on in! I will say, this story does feel like a mere taste of what the series has in store and makes me think of a vignette rather than a novel in its own right, but it works for me. Scenes flowed perfectly into one another, making me want to read more and more until suddenly I reached the end (a tease in its own right!)

I'm looking forward to reading the next book and feel confident this one has set the stage beautifully for something great to come.

[Bridgett Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

I grabbed this because it was free and it was vampires. But this is so much more than I thought it would be. Brynne is a paramedic and James is a vampire. There’s a new medic force that deals with unusuals aka supernatural creatures. One night James calls on the service after a car accident leaves his friend Rudy fighting for his life. Soon Brynne is the go to paramedic for the unusual community. James May also
Be falling for her....
I just bought book 1 on the series. I’m definitely excited to see where this is going.

[T. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I downloaded The Vampire and the Paramedic as a free book from Amazon. This book is the prequel to the Extreme Medical Services series. Okay, there is so much with this book I would normally dislike-- especially the Tell, rather than Show narration. But! This author makes it work. The characters, Brynn and James, are interesting, and the overall concept of the paranormal EMT service is well-developed. I totally enjoyed the quirky storyline and couldn't wait to read Extreme Medical Services. Well done.

[Diana Blick · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have really enjoyed the extreme medical services books and this prequel gives some much needed background on a couple of important recurring characters. As always, the book is well written and the characters well developed, and I'm pretty sure have a unique focus. I'm not sure if I enjoy these more because I have a medical background, but I am sure that most anyone who likes paranormal books will love this and the rest of the series as well.

[April · Rating 5 out of 5]

After a freak accident leaves his werewolf friend in need of medical assistance, James the vampire finds himself smitten with the human paramedic named Brynne that saves his friends life. Who knew a vampire could find his unlife so fresh and exciting after over a thousand years? But how will Brynne react? She IS after all a paramedic specializing in assisting the unusual community. A lighthearted, easy read, and quite enjoyable!

[Ami · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is definitely an unusual direction in both medical and mythic creature literature than I read. That it is well-written with very interesting characters is a bonus to those differences. I enjoyed it very much and look forward to reading the series for which this is the prequel. I highly recommend it and hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this ebook from the author and this is my honest and freely given opinion.