Blood Count

By Belinda Burke

Elisabeta may have gotten more than she bargained for when she agreed to stay on as Dr. Frankenstein’s assistant. Not only is her relationship with the doctor something to worry about – there are the students of his school for monsters, too. At the moment, her major concern is getting Frankenstein to agree to a trip with her. She wants to return to Earth, and visit with Dracula, her grandfather.

Frankenstein has decided to start a new experiment, using their journey as an opportunity to restrict Elisabeta’s access to blood. Stuck in a shuttle with a starving Vampire who is also his lover, the doctor may find himself pushed beyond his limits...or discover a truth that has nothing do with his hypothesis about blood and lust.

Is love only a chemical puzzle, something that dissolves if a single molecule moves out of place? Where does it come from...and having come, where does it lead?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Belinda Burke
• Release date: Oct 6, 2016
• ISBN: 9781370481408

Belinda Burke

I am author, storyteller, poet - property of one fiance, one cat, and one coffee addiction, perpetual insomniac, and resident of the New England coast! In my spare time I read anything I can get my hands on, and spend far too much time writing stories of the tantalizing, the tempted, and the taboo.I'm currently writing for Pride Publishing,and fulfilling my primary dream of authoring my own books after many years of writing on the sly. I welcome reviews, comments, critique, suggestions and even just friendly messages with no purpose, so don't be shy!

Book preview

Dr. Frankenstein’s Experiments

No. 2

BLOOD COUNT

Belinda Burke

First Edition

Blood Count © 2016 by Belinda Burke

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, corporations, institutions, organizations, events or locales in this novel are either the product of the author's imagination or, if real, used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons (living or dead) is entirely coincidental.

Please purchase only authorized editions and do not participate in or encourage electronic piracy of copyrightable materials.

For permission requests, email [e-mail]

Table of Contents

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Origin: The Beast and His Bride Preview

Chapter One

The door of Frankenstein’s sanctum, his innermost laboratory, slammed against the wall, and he looked up with annoyance. If he had jostled the specimen - but Elisabeta had come in a moment after he had replaced it in position.

The Vampire’s red eyes were glowing with irritation as he turned his attention to her. If you do not do something about dog-man —

Damian.

She growled as she stalked toward him. "Whichever! If you don’t do something about him and his new chew-toy playing in the kitchen, I -"

He held up a hand. Context, please. And there is already an error in your information.

What. Flat, irritated, her tone did not invite him to continue, but he ignored it.

The original data from experiment #321 is enough to show conclusively that it is the dog-man who is the…chew-toy in that relationship. Also their interaction continues to provide valuable information, though my study of canine versus human instincts will have to be postponed for a future time. This rash of mating acts among the students is… Then he paused, and turned to look at her fully. Why were you in the kitchen, Elisabeta?

She shrugged. "I was told there was cake. There was not. There was a great deal of naked, hairy man, but absolutely no confections."

And this is disappointing? Frankenstein tapped his fingers idly against the edge of the console, considering. I was not aware you consumed…

Food? Elisabeta narrowed her eyes at him. "I do not. Usually. But it was cake. Now the only thing I am absolutely sure of is that the kitchen counters are in need of sterilizing, though I did not stop long enough to tell Damian that he is the one who’s going to be doing it. She paused in her diatribe, looked askance at him. I have wondered increasingly since I arrived here exactly what kind of school it is you are running. Is it a dating service for monsters in disguise? Or maybe just a brothel."

It was Frankenstein’s turn to lift an eyebrow. An interesting statement, from the lady who enrolled here only to seduce her professor.

A prickling of flush, the faintest pink, tinted the cold paleness of her face. "I did not come to seduce you. I wanted to learn from you, and I have always wanted you, desired you in that way. She prodded his chest with one fingertip. Somehow I don’t think this is the same for the rest of your students and their…paramours."

He only shrugged. I have not had reason to complain. They know better than to break rules or interrupt my work, and how they choose to entertain themselves is otherwise not my business. He sent a glance her way, but it seemed to go unnoticed. You, Elisabeta, will have to take care of such troubles yourself.

Frankenstein leaned back in his chair and turned away from her again. Have I not given you the authority as my assistant?

She let out a long sigh and shook out her hair as if that shook away her tension. "Of course. But it is nonsense, you realize. This is why Adam is stuck doing all the real work around here. Don’t think I haven’t noticed that your poor Creation takes two thirds of your classes and handles the paperwork."

The doctor was already focusing over his specimen again, but Elisabeta’s fingers were on his back, moving over his shoulders, caressing, tempting, refusing to let him forget that she was there. Her want and her willingness grew more obvious each moment she hovered over him. What is this you are working on?

It was a surface question, only. She could have found out for herself by looking at the display beside her. The query was just a reason for her to press her breasts against his back, trail her fingers down his arms. A rejection problem prevents the molecular and electrochemical bonding of neural tissue from different subjects. I am attempting to overcome the effect by matching protein…ions…at the…

Elisabeta’s fingers were inside his jacket, her arms around his neck, her hands slipping down the front of his shirt, unfastening his buttons. She nipped his ear gently, barely enough to sting, and breathed words at him. Matching protein ions at the…?

He let out a breath. At the molecular level. What are you doing, Elisabeta? He got another nip before his answer. She had half the buttons of his