Blood Ties by Karen J. Carlisle

Author:Karen J. Carlisle
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Kraken Publishing
Published: 2023-09-17T00:00:00+00:00

THE LIGHT TUBE IN JACK’S cabin crackled and dimmed. It appeared the entire ship was in danger of technological failure. Jack lit the lamp on the side table.

Charlotte surveyed the sitting room, her gaze pausing on the unopened bottle of champagne and clean champagne flutes on the table by the settee.

“I thought you didn’t drink, Jack?” The corner of her lip curled.

He returned the smile.

“I believe I said it dulls the brain,” he replied.

Charlotte opened the bottle, filled two glasses and offered one to Jack.

She circled the room, glass in hand, and halted near the open door leading to the bedroom.

Jack’s mechanical hand twitched. The blade clicked in its sheath. His polite smile dropped. He hadn’t intended on inviting anyone into his sanctuary. He silently cursed. He’d left an experiment running whilst he had dinner.

He stepped in front of the door, blocking her view.

“I hadn’t expected company,” he said.

She clicked her tongue. “I assure you, I am not easily shocked.”

Jack slipped his hand around her waist, intending to sweep her away from his makeshift laboratory.

She kissed him on the cheek and unpinned her curls. Her hair caressed his neck, enveloping him in the aroma of honey and fine wine. He closed his eyes and breathed in the intoxicating perfume.

Charlotte clasped his hand with strong fingers, spun out of his embrace and glided through the doorway. Jack growled under his breath, yanked the glove off his mechanical hand and strode after her. He could not afford to have his work exposed or his samples corrupted.

Instead of a scream, Charlotte smiled. Jack hesitated, the blade tip resting on his fingertip, ready to strike.

“I thought you were a police surgeon?” she said.

“How did you—?” Jack frowned. “I never mentioned my occupation.”

“The steward knows everything.” She giggled. “I don’t seduce just anyone, my dear Jack.”

“I thought I was seducing you.” Jack closed the door behind him; it would help muffle the scream.

She laughed; this time it was no girlish giggle.

“That is what women like men to believe.” She placed her champagne glass on the workbench. “It’s less complicated that way.” She slipped off her long gloves, rolled them up and placed them next to her glass.

“Are you an experimental chemist?” She circled the workbench, halted on the opposite side, and examined the array of glass vials suspended from metal rods. Above it was a pear-shaped glass funnel, its dripper still containing remnants of a red liquid. She sniffed the vial below it, containing dark clumps, suspended in yellow liquid.

Jack hesitated.

She stiffened; her eyes widened.

No scream? Jack’s heart raced.

“I specialise in haematology,” he said. “That’s the study of—”

“Blood.” Her pupils flared.

“How did you know?”

“My dear, departed husband was a scientist. As was I.” She turned to examine the row of research books on the table under the window and ran her finger along the spine of a book. “I have a fascination for men of science.”

She glanced at his mechanical hand and smiled.

“I see your work pays well.” She returned her attention to the blood-filled vial.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.