Blood Bond

By Celine Chatillon

Edwin Carstairs travels to Liverpool out of duty only to discover desire in the arms of the wildly sensual Ophelia Jones and her darkly exotic employer known simply as Hamlet. When a vampire hunter threatens to destroy Hamlet, the three lovers’ blood bond is tested. Will Edwin be able to save his Kindred sire and return home in time to see the 1904 World’s Fair?

• Language: English
• Publisher: eXtasy Books Inc
• Release date: Oct 14, 2012
• ISBN: 9781771113021

Book preview

Is eternal life, lust and love worth dying for?

Edwin Carstairs travels to Liverpool out of duty only to discover desire in the arms of the wildly sensual Ophelia Jones and her darkly exotic employer known simply as Hamlet. When a vampire hunter threatens to destroy Hamlet, the three lovers’ blood bond is tested. Will Edwin be able to save his Kindred sire and return home in time to see the 1904 World’s Fair?

The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. Criminal copyright infringement, including infringement without monetary gain, is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to 5 years in federal prison and a fine of $250,000.

Please purchase only authorized electronic editions, and do not participate in or encourage the electronic piracy of copyrighted materials. Your support of the author’s rights is appreciated.

This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

Blood Bond

Copyright © 2012 Celine Chatillon

ISBN: 978-1-77111-302-1

Cover art by Carmen Waters

All rights reserved. Except for use in any review, the reproduction or utilization of this work in whole or in part in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means, now known or hereafter invented, is forbidden without the written permission of the publisher.

Published by eXtasy Books

Look for us online at:

www.eXtasybooks.com

Smashwords Edition

Blood Bond

The Kindred Book Two

By

Celine Chatillon

In memory of daytime television’s greatest vampire ever, Barnabas Collins, the true star of Dark Shadows. Rest in peace, Jonathan Frid.

Prologue

April 3, 1904

My dear George—

Please don’t think this missive a misguided attempt by some unknown person or persons to comfort you during a time of great loss. I swear to you that I am your brother Edwin. The date above is correct. You will notice that my handwriting is as it has always been—horribly formed and rather hurried in its execution. This letter is no joke, no mean-spirited prank. I am very much still here on earth with you and Mama and Papa, but it will take some explaining to tell you why I am writing you at this time rather than immediately coming to see you all in person…

Chapter One Liverpool, England, ten months earlier

Edwin Carstairs swallowed hard as he looked up at the forbidding edifice in front of him. Such a long way from home… Why had he agreed to travel to England from St. Louis to aid his distant cousin’s business? He was a recent college graduate in architecture, not a shipper and financier like his father. What could he possibly learn from this experience overseas? What could he do to help his relatives’ flagging commerce? Design a new office building?

Eh, guv’ner, you that Carstairs bloke they’s been expectin’?

Edwin turned around and stared at the dirty-faced, rag-tag urchin with the horrendous Liverpuddlian accent.

Yes, I’m Carstairs. Do you work for Mr. Beecham?

The boy of about twelve shrugged. Sometimes.

Edwin didn’t know how to interpret that comment. The urchin turned and dashed down the street toward the docks, yelling, He’s here! He’s here!

A moment later a rather roundish gentleman in a bowler hat came strolling casually up the street. There was little denying the family resemblance, as they shared the same light brown hair, gray eyes and fair complexion despite the Englishman’s stoutness and well-developed waistline compared to Edwin’s tall, thin carriage. His cousin removed a stump of a cigar from his fleshy lips and thrust out a pudgy hand.

Bertram Beecham, at your service. You’re my long-lost American cousin, I take it?

Yes, I am. Edwin tried in vain to slip his hand out of Beecham’s monstrous grip but to no use. Beecham pumped his arm more vigorously than a rusting water pump on a thirsty summer’s day. I believe my father wrote and told you I was coming?

Good ol’ Edgar—how is the bastard? Beecham smacked him on the back, spat in the gutter and grinned. ‘Ere! Don’t act so shocked, son. Eddie was great imbiber and gambler. We had a grand ol’ time last time he was in jolly ol’ England, grand it was. He put an overfriendly arm around Edwin and lowered his voice. You don’t mind if I call you Eddie as well? You can call me Bertie.

Edwin didn’t care for casualness from perfect strangers, no matter if they were distant relations or not. But he dare not make an enemy out of Bertie Beecham on the first day, as Edwin knew his father would hear of it if he did. There would be no end to the scolding. He took a deep breath and forced a smile.

That’s fine by me.

The first day he struggled, the first week he managed okay, and by the end of three weeks Edwin had learned to work beside his English cousin with a minimum of grief. Eventually he had been given a project that he could really sink his teeth into—designing a new dock for Beecham’s Trans-Atlantic Shipping. Happy to finally be able to use