Blood Count

Tom Kropp's novels all started as short stories he wrote that were published in well-known magazines such as Chiron Review, Churches Children and Daddies, Down in the Dirt, Horror Zine, Listening Eye, Evening Street Review, Freedom Fiction, Dark Harbor, Blood Moon Rising, Phantomania, J Journal, Lowlife Lit, Conceit, Muscle and Fitness, Outdoor Life and many other magazines.

In this story, Kole is a down on his luck recently paroled prisoner living in the ghetto. He's attacked and turned into a vampire but saved by a female vampire that asks for his help in finding someone named Tempest. Kole's savior is named Camilla, and she tells Kole of some prophesy that claims Tempest has been reincarnated. On Tempest's upcoming 18th birthday, she will remember her past life and her magic skills in that past life. In her past life, Tempest conjured a spell that allowed vampires to walk in sunlight. Camilla tells Kole that the only thing keeping the evil vampires from controlling the world is sunlight. Camilla wants to find Tempest and stop her from sharing that spell with anyone. But many other vampires want to find Tempest and have her perform the daylight spell on them.

Kole ends up finding out that Tempest is actually just an innocent 17-year-old kid and he choose to help her escape after she's nearly killed and turned into a vampire. Together they flee across the world from vampires, werewolves, ogres, witches and other supernatural beings that either want to kill her and keep her from sharing the spell or force her to use the spell on them.

When Tempest turns 18, she does regain her past life memories and sorcery skills. She performs the daylight magic spell on Kole and herself, so they can travel during daylight. Tempest then takes them through a dimensional doorway to another planet to escape all the supernatural beings that are after them on Earth.

On the new world there are monsters of all sorts from dragons to dinosaurs and lots of primitive violent humanoids, including giants. The pair find themselves involved in another war there between different humanoid species.