Semen

by C.C. Adams

One-night stands; lots of Londoners have had them. But when Vicki Henry joins their ranks, her carefree night of passion has a terrible consequence. After the act, she is leaking a fluid that looks ...unusual. Coupled with the growing signs of pregnancy and recurring nightmares, these raise disturbing questions for Vicki. just who was her partner? And what did he do to her? Assuming he was human at all?

83 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 11, 2020

About the author

London native C.C. Adams is the horror/dark fiction author behind books such as But Worse Will Come, Misery And Other Lines, and Downwind, Alice. His work appears in publications such as Weirdbook Magazine, DeadSteam, and Corona Books of Horror Stories.

A member of the Horror Writers Association, he still lives in the capital. He lifts weights, cooks - and looks for the perfect quote to set off the next dark delicacy.

Reviews

[Benjamin Langley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I mean, a title like that is going to grab the attention, isn’t it? You might not be surprised to find that it’s a story that starts with a one-night stand, and from there, things get messy…
Wait, no, not like that. Well, a little bit like that…
So Vicki and Luke spend the night together, and Vicki gets more than she bargained for in this psychological horror in which the fallout from that night threatens Vicki’s friendships, and her sanity. The character are all well developed and Adams’ version of London feels authentic. I can see why people say he’s got a knack for creating urban horror landscapes.
I perhaps would have liked to see a little more from the ending to really hammer that scene home, but it’s a small gripe about an enjoyable novella.

[Christopher Teague · Rating 4 out of 5]

With such a title, you would think that this sounds like an 80s trashy horror novel... well, there is definitely an 80s horror vibe in the story, but the writing and setting is contemporary with wholly believable characters, and I thoroughly enjoyed reading it.

The protagonist - Vicki Henry - is an 'everywoman' living and working in London who meets a mystery man; Adams draws her life and friends superbly and handles her emotive predicament without bias. The horror is regular, but it doesn't burden the story, although there are a couple of squirmy moments.

Recommended.