Drained

by Coda Languez

Two detectives investigate the grisly murder of a suburban couple. At first, the primary suspect is their college-aged son. However, the evidence does not add up; the injuries, the damage to the home, and worse, a horrifying video denote that no human hands could've committed the crime.

The truth is much older and much more malicious than any human psychopath could be; humans are just mere cattle.

ebook

Published October 20, 2021

About the author

Coda Languez is a Software Engineer by the merciless light of day and an Artist/Author by the mischievous glow of moonlight. She harbors a passion for all things anime, horror, and comic-related, crowning her as a certified geek overlord in every realm imaginable. Drawing inspiration from the twisted visions of Satoshi Kon, Kouta Hirano, Francesca Lia Block, and Clive Barker, Coda concocts a literary potion of black comedy, horror, magic realism, and dark romance, ensuring that her readers' relationship with her morally ambiguous, sometimes outright nefarious protagonists remains deliciously 'it's complicated.'

When not conjuring code in her daytime techno-lair or weaving tales of psychologically unnerving romances and darkly humorous action after dusk, Coda can be found devouring anime epics, fantasy odysseys, and sci-fi adventures, or shamelessly surrendering to the siren call of competition reality TV (her secret indulgence). At the heart of her quirky universe, she is the proud matriarch to an endearing little human, two Pembroke Welsh Corgi jesters, one sassy shepherd-lab sovereign, and the partner-in-crime to a husband who navigates her whimsical chaos with a saint's patience.

For more info, check out Coda's social media @codalanguez.

Reviews

[Sherry Fundin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review coming

[Linda Collister · Rating 5 out of 5]

History has a way of repeating itself. This is especially true when no one believes it. The murders were the same as the case that forced Jim's grandfather into an asylum. Now history is being repeated and Jim and his partner John are in for a night of unexplainable terror. Vampires do exist and now their about to meet one but no one will listen to John and Jim is gone, accused of crimes he didn't commit. Is he even alive? A great short story.

[Gabi Porcz · Rating 4 out of 5]

The positives:
Enjoyable story, with history repeating itself.
Atmospheric settings.
A tranquil familial beginning which soon turns into a bloody nightmare.
A vicious, bloodthirsty little vampire girl. Seemingly so innocent in the beginning, yet that soon changes.

The negatives:
Grammatically, way too many errors. Missing words in some sentences while in others there were extra words, not relevant to the sentence, wedged in.
Some scenes were described in a rather confusing way, not making it clear to the reader who was doing what.

My overall rating, however, is a positive one.
I can overlook the negatives (to a point) and still enjoy a smooth, flowing story.
Pick this up if you're into vampire fiction where the antagonist is the epitome of true evil. Nothing sparkling or glimmering about this vampiric little lass, she is a pure bitch!

Four garlic cloves out of five.🧄🧄🧄🧄

[Sasha · Rating 4 out of 5]

An enjoyable quick read about two detectives trying to solve a horrendous family murder. They soon discover a cold case is linked and the suspect is otherworldly.

[Tammy Scheidt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Got this for free. I liked the short read. It wasn't what I expected but still an enjoyable read.

[Siddharth · Rating 4 out of 5]

A quick and enjoyable read.

[Dan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jim's grandfather knew there were vampires. His brother in blue, John, didn't. Until they encountered it themselves. Recommended. Very quick read.