Alphas and Airships: A Steampunk Fairy Tale (Steampunk Red Riding Hood Book 2)

by Melanie Karsak

  I stood just outside the stones. I felt their energy, their vibration. All the hair on my arms had risen. My palms itched. Scanning the stones, I didn’t see Skollson anywhere.

  “Sorry about the ship. Couldn’t let you just run off like that,” I called. “Shame though.”

  I began to move slowly around the tall monoliths. The stones, which were a few feet taller than me and twice as wide, could easily hide a man.

  There was no reply.

  Damn.

  I’d hoped that would provoke him.

  “And your crew. Sorry about that too. Looks like Shadow Watch has them rounded up save a few stragglers. We’ll be sending you back to Oslo.”

  “I’m never going back,” the wolf growled in reply.

  Ah, touched a nerve. “No? Nothing for you there? Alpha issues, I suppose.”

  No answer.

  I moved slowly around the stones. Where was he hiding?

  “Ah, not an alpha issue? Probably a bitch then. I have to tell you, I haven’t met a bitch I like yet. Troublesome lot. I can understand your troubles.”

  “You don’t know anything,” Skollson grumbled in reply.

  A moment later, a bright, fast-flying object appeared in the air before me. The clockwork fairy fluttered a moment in the air in front of me then zipped into the stones. I saw her fly around each of the monoliths then move toward the tomb at the center. She zipped around it the returned to me, floating in the air before me once more.

  I had never, ever, seen a fairy in my life. Hell, I didn’t know if such things existed or not. Where Lily Stargazer had acquired the clockwork creature, I had no idea, but the tiny, metallic fairy in front of me was very clearly motioning toward the center tomb.

  I inclined my head to her.

  She bowed to me then sped off in a glimmer of light back toward the Aphrodite.

  I turned and stepped into the standing stones. Once again, my palms and the bottoms of my feet began to itch. The sensation of energy surrounded me.

  Skollson was probably armed. He definitely was going to try to kill me and escape. But he was also injured.

  “Come on, Zayde, let’s talk. You don’t want to go back. I really don’t want to have to kill you. What am I going to do with you?”

  A soft wind blew then. But oddly, it didn’t blow across the field. Rather, the breeze came from within the stones themselves. This time, however, it carried a foul smell. A nasty stench of sulfur and decay wafted out of the tomb.

  “To us. Give him to us,” a hissing voice called.

  Oh, damn. Not again.

  I approached the tomb from the back.

  I could just catch Skollson’s light breathing inside.

  I jumped up onto the capstone of the tomb. Crossing my arms, I inhaled deeply then blew out the air. I tapped my foot. Now what?

  “Come on, Zayde. No ideas?” I asked.

  Below me, hiding within the tomb, I heard Skollson swear.

  “Hey, Zayde, let me ask you something. What’s a fylgja?”

  “What?” he huffed.

  “A fylgja?”

  “Follower. Supernatural follower.”

  Ah. “Like an unkindness of ravens.”

  He huffed again but didn’t reply.

  “So, how long have you been a werewolf?” I asked.

  “Too long.”

  “What were you before that?”

  “It doesn’t matter anymore.”

  “Doesn’t it? I mean, if you were a cobbler then turned into a werewolf, I think that would make a difference. What if you were a page, a farmer, a soldier, or a sailor? Hell, maybe you were an artisan or a poet. Doesn’t who you were shape who you are now? I mean, you’re still one of us, just not quite the same, right? Why don’t you come out, and we can chat about your future?”

  “If I come out, you’ll die.”

  “We’ll see. Come on out. Let’s talk. You’ll find I’m quite reasonable.”

  “Tell that to Fenton.”

  “Well, he tried to make it personal. I’m not reasonable when it gets personal. A simple hustler is another thing entirely.”

  I trained my gun on the exit of the tomb and waited.

  But I didn’t have to wait long.

  A moment later, the rocks under me shifted as the wolf put his back into the capstone, pushing it sideways. I jumped off just as the capstone tilted. The stone slid to the side but did not fall off.

  I turned, taking aim at Skollson, just as his fist collided with my arm.

  At least he’d anticipated the fight.

  A moment later, he punched me hard in the ribs. It was all I could do not to throw up. From the searing pain, however, I knew he’d broken my bones. I stumbled backward. But, anticipating he’d throw another punch, I ducked around behind him. Turning, I kicked him in the back. He tumbled toward the rocks, barely stopping before he collided with a monolith.

  He turned. Growling, he advanced on me. I blocked with my left arm. And I was glad too. He had tried to take a bite out of me. His teeth connected with my silver vambrace. He recoiled in pain, his skin burning. He knees buckled out from under him.

  A cold breeze blew, the bad smell along with it. The nasty smells of sulfur and rot filled the air. And this time, I saw a glow within the tomb.

  “To us. Give him to us,” the voices called.

  Wherever these voices were coming from, it was decidedly not the same place I had sensed the last time I was here.

  I advanced on the wolf, kicking him over.

  My silver cuffs on his crewmate, I was either going to have to knock Zayde out or kill him. Twirling my gun in my hand, I decided to go with the former.

  The werewolf, who was bleeding profusely from his knee and his temple, the skin around his mouth red, backed toward the tombstone.

  The vile wind blew once more, and this time, I saw dark shadows moving under the tombstone. I saw their hunched, shadowed forms and round yellow eyes.

  “Zayde, stop,” I called, gasping when the shadowy forms of the small creatures reached out to grab him.

  “I won’t let you take me alive,” Zayde spat at me.

  “No. Wait. Stop,” I said, motioning toward the stones behind him.

  “To us. Give him to us, Clemeny Louvel,” the little voices said. And then, with long, claw-like hands, they grabbed him.

  “No,” I yelled.

  Turning my gun once more, I took aim, shooting at the unknown assailants.

  Zayde, still not understanding, threw himself flat on the ground. But the moment he did, he stared back into the tomb. His eyes went wide when he saw the creatures there.

  The little creatures shrieked. “A curse upon you, Clemeny Louvel,” one of then called then retreated into the shadows.

  I rushed across the grass and looked into the tombstone, my gun raised.

  They were gone. Whatever portal they had opened, they had already retreated back into it once more.

  Zayde looked up, staring from me to the stones. “Did you… Did you just save my life?” he asked.

  “Yes, and you’re welcome,” I said then turned and cold-cocked him with my gun.

  Chapter 22: Mighty Aphrodite

  I dragged the unconscious Viking to one of the standing stones. Digging into my bag, I pulled out the length of rope I carried. It would have to do for now. I tied the wolf to the stone. Then, pulling out the small bit of salt I always carried, I poured a circle around the werewolf. Whatever had come through those stones might come back. This would protect him.

  Once I had Zayde settled, I raced back across the grass toward the Aphrodite.

  Apparently, I was just in time too.

  While I’d had a bit of luck, things were not going so well for Harper.

  Not well at all.

  With my magnification scope, I saw that Harper was busy fleeing as five werewolves pursued her to the edge of the cliff.

  Hell’s bells.

  I’d left her alone for five minutes.

  I ran after her.
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  To my relief, I heard Orlando’s gun rattling from the deck of the airship. It appeared that they were trying to give Harper some cover so she could make an escape. To where, however, I wasn’t sure. If they lowered the airship for her to get on, the werewolves would just follow. Hell, they were better jumpers than humans. So that was not going to work. I hoped Lily would realize that. Chances were good she’d figure it out.

  With only a few bullets left, I raced after the werewolves. Harper must have winged a couple of them as they were running along slowly behind the rest of the pack.

  I paused and took aim at one of the werewolves who was moving like he’d already received a shot in the leg. Aiming at the other leg, I pulled the trigger.

  The wolf howled then went down.

  The others looked back but decided Harper was the better mark. She must have pissed them off. Either that or it was the red hair. For some reason, preternaturals really hated people with red hair. Which was ironic given that Cyril was the biggest red-haired nightmare I’d ever met.

  I ran past the wolf I shot. He was lying in the grass holding his legs and cursing at me.

  I waived to him. “I’ll be back,” I called then rushed toward the others.

  Harper was running out of ground fast.

  Orlando’s gun rattled then fell silent.

  There was a flurry of activity aboard the Aphrodite, but I couldn’t see what was happening.

  A moment later, the airship lifted.

  Harper slowed to a stop as her only means of escape evaporated before her eyes.

  Dammit, dammit, dammit.

  I aimed at the werewolf closest to me and shot, but he was too far away.

  He looked back at me, his eyes wild, red flames bouncing. But then he turned and headed after Harper.

  The first wolf reached her.

  My lungs burned in my chest, and my heart beat hard.

  Dammit, she was going to get killed.

  Harper threw a punch. The hit landed so well it surprised the wolf and me. The wolf stumbled back, clutching his nose.

  “Harper,” a female voice yelled from above. I looked to see the hatch on the bottom of the airship Aphrodite was open. Angus and the black-haired girl who operated the balloon were just inside.

  A moment later, a figure dropped out of the bottom of the airship.

  Attached to a lead of rope, the young girl who’d been working the balloon swung from the belly of the airship toward my partner.

  Lily Stargazer raced to the rail of the ship. “Georgia,” she screamed, a look of shock on her face.

  A split second later, she disappeared back onto the airship.

  Georgia swung low, reaching out and snatching Harper from the ground.

  “Now, Angus,” the girl yelled the moment she’d grabbed my partner.

  I heard the winch on the gears of the airship grind, and a moment later, Harper and Georgia were pulled back up into the airship. The airship quickly ascended.

  One of the wolves jumped and grabbed at them, pulling off Harper’s red cape in the process, but nothing more.

  My partner was safe.

  Which was fabulous.

  Except that left me alone with four angry werewolves.

  Chapter 23: Run Clemeny Run

  I slowed to a stop.

  The werewolves turned and looked at me.

  I smiled, gave them a little wave, then turned and ran.

  All I needed to do was outpace them one at a time. I could take them out one at a time. Okay, sure, one of my guns was completely empty. The second? I had at least two shots left. Surely there were two shots in there.

  I ran past the werewolf whose leg I shot once more. Grinning, I waved to him again.

  Running ahead as best I could, I turned and shot.

  Not expecting the move, I managed to hit the wolf closest to me in his upper thigh. He went down with a wince.

  This, however, just seemed to make the others mad. They ran faster.

  I took aim at the second brute.

  Click.

  Okay, there was only one shot left in there.

  Not good.

  If I got myself killed in front of Lily Stargazer, I was never going to forgive myself.

  For once, I turned and ran away from the danger. As I raced along, I realized I was out of options. I was going to have to fight them hand to hand. I cast a gaze up at the sky. The Aphrodite was turning back, but not fast enough.

  I slowed to a stop then turned.

  Pulling out my blade. My thoughts went to my grand-mère. This was what she always feared. This.

  I readied myself as the first werewolf approached. There were only three. I could handle three.

  A moment later, however, I heard the rattle of a gun.

  I looked up.

  To my great surprise, another airship had descended from the clouds. It was held aloft by the red balloon of a Red Cape Society airship. And there, gun in hand, was Agent Hunter.

  I almost swooned.

  Almost.

  Okay, maybe I swooned a little.

  I turned and looked back at the werewolves who stared up at the airship. They cast a glance from the airship to me and then they turned tail and ran.

  Ugh. So much running.

  Slipping down ropes, half a dozen Red Capes suddenly appeared. Passing me, they raced after the wolves.

  Pausing to catch my breath, I looked up to see Agent Hunter slide down a rope. He crossed the grass and joined me.

  “Thought you could use a little backup,” he said with a smirk.

  Nope, not swooning again.

  “What? I had this handled.”

  “Was that the Jacobite I saw on fire?”

  “Maybe. But I wasn’t on the Jacobite. I was on the Aphrodite. And we shot down the Fenrir.”

  “Where’s Harper?”

  “On the airship,” I said, pointing at the Aphrodite, which was coming up alongside the agency airship.

  “And Skollson?”

  “Left him tied to a rock over there,” I said, pointing to the standing stones as I tried to catch my breath.

  Agent Hunter chuckled. “I see,” he said then laced his hands behind his back. “Seems like you didn’t need me after all.”

  I grinned. “And why did you come, sir?”

  “Just… On a hunch.”

  “A hunch?”

  Agent Hunter shrugged, but a smile played on his lips all the same.

  “I like your hunches, Agent Hunter.”

  “I like your work, Agent Louvel.”

  “Shall we go clean up this mess?”

  “Before the moon comes out? Sounds like a grand idea.”

  Chapter 24: Gazing at Stars

  The rope ladder leading up to the Aphrodite wagged in the breeze. My fellow Red Capes rounded up the crew of the Fenrir, including Zayde Skollson, who looked in my direction when they loaded him aboard the agency airship. The expression on his face was an odd tangle of anger, annoyance, and gratitude.

  “Where are they headed?” I asked Agent Hunter.

  “Her Majesty wants them sent back to Oslo.”

  I sighed. “From what Lionheart told me, it’s likely they’ll just get a slap on the wrist. We could be plucking him out of the sky again very soon.”

  Agent Hunter gave Skollson a long look. “No. Something tells me he won’t be tempted to tangle with Little Red again.”

  “I’m the one with broken ribs. I’m not too keen on tangling with him again any time soon.”

  Agent Hunter eyed me carefully, his expression full of concern. “Are you serious?”

  I nodded, gently touching the ribs on my left side. “Yeah, definitely broken.”

  “We’ll get you to the surgeon in Edinburgh.”

  I shook my head. “If it’s all the same to you, I’m really, really ready to head back to London. I have someone there who can patch me up.”

  Agent Hunter smiled sympathetically at me. “As you wish.”

  Harper and the crew o
f the Aphrodite—save Angus who was still on the ship—made their way toward Agent Hunter and me.

  “And how was she?” Agent Hunter asked under his breath.

  I raised an eyebrow at him. Apparently, Harper and I weren’t the only ones who were star-struck. “Interesting.”

  He nodded. “That’s what I figured. And fast. You must have arrived right behind the Jacobite.”

  “That we did.”

  “Interesting indeed.”

  “You have no idea.” I smiled at the young woman who Lily Stargazer had called—well, more shouted—Georgia. “We owe you a huge debt of gratitude,” I told the girl. “You saved my partner’s life. Thank you.”

  Harper smiled generously at the girl.

  The girl shrugged. “Seemed like the right thing to do.”

  Lily gave her daughter an exasperated and mildly amused look. She shook her head.

  “Thank you for your help,” I said, turning to the airship racer. “You and your crew,” I said, turning to Orlando.

  He inclined his head to me.

  “Don’t forget what I told you,” I told Orlando.

  He huffed a laugh. “I’ll keep it in mind.”

  Lily turned to me. “Do you need a lift back to Edinburgh?”

  “We have another ship coming in,” Agent Hunter told her.

  She nodded. “All right. Then I assume Her Majesty will be satisfied?”

  Agent Hunter nodded.

  “Right. We’ll be off then. Agent Louvel,” Lily said with a grin, turning to me. “No offense, but I hope we don’t cross paths again any time soon.”

  I chuckled. “Understood. It… It was an honor to meet you.”

  She smirked. “Don’t get sentimental, Agent. It doesn’t suit you,” she said then turned to Harper. “Agent Harper.”

  Harper tried to say something, but it came out as a mangled mess that sounded something like, “BigyouthankfansorryI… Oh, bloody hell.”

  Lily laughed. “Nice to meet you too.”

  With that, Lily Stargazer motioned to her children, and the three of them headed back to the Aphrodite.

  “Well, I almost died, but the former crew of the Stargazer saved my life. So, that makes it about equal,” Harper said as she watched them head back to their ship.

  “It was quite the experience, to say the least,” I agreed.