Strength of a Vampire

The vampire Rix still searches for a safe place.

"Strength of a Vampire" picks up where "Being a Vampire" left off, with Rix once again in search of housing. His desperation for a safe haven leads him to a chaotic house filled with other vampires. Though Rix has always preferred independence, he forms unexpected bonds with the young vampires who share the house, each with their own struggles and stories. Among them, he finds a semblance of family.

Rix learns to respect the house leader, Bryer, who manages the unruly group with a firm but fair hand. Her leadership is tested as the COVID-19 pandemic progresses, making it increasingly difficult for the vampires to find sustenance and heightening tensions within the house.

As the summer of 2020 erupts into bedlam with nightly protests, the chaos offers an unexpected benefit for Rix—a perpetually full belly. Amid the crowds and the teargas, the protests become both a feeding ground and a backdrop for introspection. Rix begins to see the parallels between the human struggle for justice and his own quest for survival.

In the midst of this upheaval, Rix encounters a surprise that changes everything and offers him fragile hope. Just as things seem to be stabilizing, tragedy strikes. In the aftermath, Rix is forced to make a heartbreaking decision.

"Strength of a Vampire" is a tale of resilience, unexpected friendships, and the search for belonging in a world turned upside down. It explores themes of independence, leadership, and the power of unity in the face of adversity. For Rix, the path to finding his place in this new reality is fraught with challenges, but it is also filled with the potential for growth and redemption.

Genres: slice of life / dark literary / new weird.

Besides her new weird fiction fantasy series, Seattle Vampire Tales, queer author Ramona Ridgewell (she/her) has two poems in the speculative poetry anthology, "Eccentric Orbits Volume 4: An Anthology Of Science Fiction Poetry," (May, 2023), and two poems in "Eccentric Orbits 5: An Anthology of Science Fiction Poetry," (Summer, 2024). She co-edited "Two Hour Transport Anthology: 2," (August, 2024). This anthology contains an excerpt from her debut novel, "Being a Vampire ‐ Seattle Vampire Tales Book One," Intrepid Turtle Press (October 1, 2024).