Currents of Silver: Alliance of Silver and Steam Book 5

by Lexi Ostrow

  Slipping not one, but two, fingers inside her wet center he felt himself coming closer to the edge. Knowing a simple touch could bring such a fierce and sensual woman to her knees was intoxicating.

  “Sit across from,” his eyes flashed with hunger. “Please.”

  Letting her hand slip free of his shaft she sat back on the bench across from him, her skirts lifting as she spread her legs. “I had plans to seduce you, Hugo.” She breathed as he crossed the space, dropping a kiss on her inner thigh.

  “I promise you, you did.” He tugged her knickers aside and dragged his tongue across her center, dipping it betwixt her folds without shame. A rush of sweetness filled his mouth in the same instant a generous desire seemed to hit his nose. “I never dreamed I’d take you in the King’s carriage.”

  Sliding his tongue inside of her his dug his thumbs into her thigh, spreading her legs further to allow his tongue a better entrance. Her pleasure coated his tongue as she tried to squeeze her legs back together and arch of the seat. Applying a slight pressure he pushed her down, forcing her to remain on the seat as he continued to stroke and thrust in and out of her entrance.

  “Hugo. Hugo.” Whispered chants floated to his ears as she squirmed on the seat.

  Wantonly, she rocked and rolled her hips as she repeated his name over and over, until her hands tangled in his hair and began to drive his speed. With a control only a woman who knew her desires could execute, she drove his tongue in and out of her center, allowing him precious flicks of his tongue as she did so.

  One moment she was thrusting his head betwixt her thighs and the next, she’d released him completely. Pushing his thumb against her clit he suckled her folds, drawing a scream from his mate and he felt her pulse around him. Not wasting a drop, he licked and sucked until she stilled.

  “I am going to make you pay for such torture one night, but now I only wish to feel you inside of me, bringing me that same pleasure.” She rose, pushing him backwards with just her fingertips, straddling him when his arse hit the seat.

  “Good lord, there is something to be said for taunting you.” He smirked, helping her to grasp his shaft in her hand.

  With a devious glint in her eye, she sunk down upon his length. Her wetness coated him, dragging out a grunted sigh as she began to rock on him. Her palms were on his chest, pushing on him as she moved with precision. Though her eyes were closed, he could not bring himself to do the same. He wished to watch her, to see the pleasure dance over her expression.

  Taking her in his hands by way of her waist he began to rock his hips in conjunction with hers. She kept their pace slow, but not so slow he could not feel the rise of pleasure beginning in his chest. Each time she rose off his shaft to nearly the tip he felt as if he would explode.

  “You are going to kill me,” he breathed out, grinding his teeth together to try to keep his release at bay until she had hers.

  “Do you wish me to come?” she exhaled, not even looking at him.

  “I won’t until you do.” He grunted, gripping his fingers into her body to adjust her pace a touch. He prayed it was the truth as he could scarcely hold himself at bay.

  “Very well then,” she smirked at him, dropped a kiss to his lips and began to ride him wildly.

  Demure, sensual thrusts of her hips turned rapid fire, stealing his breath but not his desire. He matched her, stroke for stroke until he saw the tension in her cheeks as she tried to hold back. With one motion, he rubbed his finger over her nub, and she shattered. The mere sensation of her body as it milked his shaft would have been enough to send him over the edge, the hoarse way she cried his name seemed to make him explode.

  He followed her over the edge, his body slamming up to meet hers until they both began to take deep breaths.

  “I had not meant for such an encounter to occur.” She dropped a lazy kiss to his lips and climbed off his erection.

  “If it helps, I had meant for us to court one another in the traditional fashion, but I find you irrespirable.”

  “A girl could grow used to hearing such.” She sat next to him, smoothing out her skirts as she did.

  “Then she could positively grow old with me telling her how much I admire her.” He tucked a lock of hair behind her ears, shocked he could be so tender even those he still pulsed with his release as he tucked himself back in his knickers.

  “Are you falling for me, Hugo Clark?” confidence marked her words, but her eyes held her doubt.

  “I believe I could be, Clara Burrowes. I absolutely believe I could be.”

  “Then I suppose we had best make certain to complete a current gun to destroy Dieargog so that we may return to this courtship.”

  He laughed, perplexed at how she could be so confident and yet so utterly demure at the same time. “I can think of a million reasons I would like to survive what is to come, and I would be lying if I did not say the most important was to get to know the woman I’m mated to better.”

  She slipped her fingers betwixt his and grinned. “What did you have in mind for this night?”

  The carriage stopped as if on cue and Hugo flushed. He’d forgotten that it would do so and was grateful they had ceased their bed play in time.

  “The theatre, my wonderful mate.” He stepped out as the footman opened the door and then offered her his hand. “Because every courtship should begin with a cultured night at the theater before dashing off to save mankind.”

  Fourteen

  “Are you ready then?” Lucius’ voice barely carried over the frigid winter wind.

  Clara’s hair whipped across her eyes despite being tied back in a tight chignon at the nape of her neck. Tears dripped down her face from the wind, and she dug around in her small satchel for her goggles. As she did so, she heard affirmative responses from the others around her, including Hugo.

  “Clara?” Odette pressed, lifting a brow in question.

  Tugging the goggles over her face, she stood straight. “Aye. Apologies, the wind was an annoyance.”

  “You will all be safe. You all must be safe. Eliza has made small updates to the engine of this airship and your journey will be shorter than anticipated.” Odette looked to the now demoted inventor as she spoke over the gale.

  “I am saddened that I will not be accompanying you to your destination. We have found that having an inventor does not bode well for battle.” Eliza smiled, looking directly at Clara. “Which is why I’m rather pleased we have someone that can double as both. Clara has been given a briefing on the airships new engine, and Lucius is informed as well. As captain and inventor, they will make certain the trip is smooth.”

  “Aye, dinnea she say that tha last time?” Kellan chuckled, though he appeared rather uncomfortable and was standing as far away from the airship as he could get.

  “Kellan, learn to let things go. You’re alive, and you got some strange love match out of it.” Lucius retorted.

  “As I was saying,” Eliza leveled a glare at her husband that could have been one of his worst nightmares by the way he twitched. “I’ve managed to enhance the engine with a little bit of the electricity Hugo came up with –”

  “That’s absurd!” Greyston growled. “Thomas will not attend on a vessel that has temperamental technology.”

  “Are you mad? Isn’t that what got us into this mess to begin with?” Layel bellowed, his words so loud the earth seemed to shake.

  “Corrections were made. There is a one time charge that will allow the vessel to move considerably quicker. It occurs only when the engine is first started. After speaking with Hugo, we realized where he went wrong and adjusted.” Eliza put her hands on her hips and fixed the Angel with a stare. “Besides, it’s not as if more damage could be done.”

  “You knew about this?” She was irked that he hadn’t shared that with her.

  “I knew her plan, yes. Just as she helped me see what went wrong with the light bulb. It will be easier for us to create an electrical weapon now.”

  She wasn’t certai
n why anger zipped through her as quickly as an electrical current, but she scowled and turned away from him. It felt like a betrayal, his work with Eliza. That is the mating speaking. She realized and uncrossed her arms. She felt ridiculous but wasn’t ready to apologize for it because, bond or not, she was annoyed he hadn’t shared it with her.

  “That is quite enough,” Odette shouted, drawing all eyes back to her. “This mission will take a week. I’m assigning Layel and Nathaniel to the mission as well. After further speaking with Seraphina, the more Angels present, the better it will go. She had Lucifer’s help weakening the beast before, I want to make certain this is well thought out.”

  “Bloody hell,” Thomas muttered, staring off at the ship. “I think I should have turned this opportunity down.”

  That drew a laugh from everyone, including Clara. Her friend was in all actuality, far too young to be on such a journey. It was not her place to tell her opinion to one of the most respected demons in existence.

  “If we are ready, I’d like to get this little party off to a start.” Lucius kissed Eliza and whispered something in her ear before stalking off the ramp up to the ship.

  “Ye are all bonkers. I have respect fer ye, tis sure.” Kellan saluted and turned to his wife. “Dinnae make me have ta come fer ye, please.”

  Her laughter was delicate, like tinkling bells, and sent a shiver through Clara because it used to mean evil was coming. Seraphina and can travel through hell.

  “I will do my best, husband.”

  “Excuse me?” Clara blurted, realizing they had all missed something gravely important.

  “Go on,” Odette nodded.

  “If we know he is near Hell’s entrance, why do we not just go through Hell?”

  “You know the accords,” Philippe grumbled as if she were a young child on his last nerve.

  “Yes, but given the severity of the situation would it not make more sense to traverse Hell? Just revoke the no humans ruling for a short time?”

  Seraphina jerked her head side-to-side. “Tension runs high. Many do not wish for my rule. I will not disrespect them and risk a war by bringing a tribe of hunters through.” Her tone was sharp and left no room for further conversation. “Besides, I dare say that it would prove too difficult to knock out the Angels.”

  “Oh,” she uttered. Humiliation crept through her allowing a blush to rise to her cheeks. She had not thought of the new party members and their inability to enter Hell as Pure Angels. Seraphina herself suffered immensely traveling back and forth. “Apologies.”

  “None needed.” Odette let go of her husband’s hand with a small sigh that was inaudible, but visible. “Philippe will be attending as well. It pains me to send him anywhere near Hell after the memories it brings, but he insisted last eve that he go.” Her lips turned up in a small smile. “I believe his exact words were ‘the best hunter needs to protect them.’” Smirking, she kissed him. “Good luck to you all. Between my father and my husband, you are certainly in for a brilliant adventure, not to mention Seraphina.”

  Once more laughter filled the group. Odette walked to stand next to McKenna and Jacob who were attending on ceremony alone but appeared to wish to be anywhere but near the vessel like Kellan.

  Hugo slipped his hand into hers as the others boarded the ship, leaving only them.

  “Are you certain you are ready for this?” Her voice cracked as an image of him dead on the ground flashed through her mind. He wasn’t a hunter, and he’d certainly never been in battle.

  Hugo lifted her hand and dropped a soft kiss on the top of it. “I am as ready for this as I could ever be.” He gave her a small sideways smile and tugged her toward the vessel. “Come now. You cannot tell me you aren’t ecstatic to see the world from up high.”

  Grinning, she shook her head and allowed him to tug her up the metal ramp and into the airship. A gasp of awe escaped her as she looked around.

  “Has it always looked so splendid?” Twirling, she took in the height of the aluminum bubble they stood in.

  “That would’ve been something,” Greyston muttered, ushering Thomas to the back to rooms, leaving the rest of them.

  “Not in the slightest.” Philippe cracked a small smile. “These doors weren’t here, merely benches and a curtain for the water closet. A far cry nicer, and as unpleasant as this excursion is, I prefer it to the reason we lifted off decades ago.” He ran his hand down the metal side, a strange look of pain and longing dancing across his face. “It used to be made of suede if I’m not mistaken. Hardened, but still sheer and easy to penetrate.”

  “Aye, and by the likes of her bloody demons.” Lucius jerked a finger in Seraphina’s direction. “I’ll be headed to captain this beauty now. Should take us less than a week to journey there. Hopefully a far safer trip than the last time.”

  He turned and walked to the door at the farthest tip of the ship and went in, tugging it shut behind him with a rattling noise that settled through the space.

  “He is rather testy.” Seraphina’s smirk was downright evil as she looked after Lucius. “You’d think it hadn’t been over a decade since I was reformed to your side.” She shrugged. “I never expected us to get along and be mates, but a little trust would go a long way.”

  “A little trust to him is likely the size of the Americas,” Nathaniel joked as he stopped outside a room. “Do we take our pick?”

  “I don’t see why not,” Philippe motioned toward the second door near the front of the vessel. “That one belongs to Lucius so that he can be close to the helm at all times. I will take brief periods of control for him when he is to sleep.” He nodded at the door directly across from them. “As our only human couple, I suggest this room as it is in the only with a large enough bed and Eliza only put so many rooms into the space.”

  “Do we not need to fuel at any time?” Hugo asked, his mouth agape and his gaze bouncing around the ship.

  “The crystals do that. I do not know what Eliza did with your current, but there should be no need to touch the ground.” Layel slipped his hand into Nathaniel’s. “We will take this room and see you lot for a meal. Hugo, Clara, see to it that you work on that gun Odette asked of you.”

  “Yes, of course.” Hugo stammered, rubbing at his goggles as if checking to make sure they weren’t broken. “How does he expect me to work when I have so much to learn?”

  Clara froze. “Didn’t Eliza show you the ship three nights ago?”

  “Yes, but, well . . . I would like to poke around.”

  Laughing, she let go of his hand and twisted the closest doorknob. “How about you do nothing to inspire the wrath of any on board by messing about with the ship?”

  “You know, for a demon, you’re not a lot of fun.”

  Chuckling, she stepped inside and crooked her finger at him. “How about I show you ways in which I can be fun?”

  She heard him let out a low whistle before joining her in the small quarters.

  “Aye, mates, best to get out here . . . quickly!” Lucius’ voice echoed from the small box nearest the bed.

  Clara jumped, jerking the bedspread to cover her bare chest as she blinked sleep from her eyes.

  “What was that?” Hugo asked, his voice coming from the floor where he insisted on sleeping.

  “Seems Eliza also installed a communications system.” Shoving off the cover she dropped her feet to the floor and grabbed her watch. “Bloody hell, we’ve gotten less than three hours of sleep from tinkering with those blasted guns.”

  “Guns that know work,” Hugo added sounding rather cocky as he tugged his black trousers on.

  The sound of her pocket watch chiming snapped her out of her fuzzy state.

  “Demons.”

  She was already slipping a knife into her boots as he tugged his tunic on. Suddenly, she lost her balance and slammed into the small chamber’s wall, elbow first.

  “Oww, what in the devil was that?” She cried, rubbing her elbow before bending down to snatch up her skirts and tug th
em up over the boots.

  “Not again,” Philippe shouted, sounding as if he were out in the central space.

  “Hugo, go.” Grabbing the modified current gun off the nightstand, she threw it to him and scooped up her corset, syncing it into place in a rather messy fashion.

  When she looked up, she saw him ducking out of the door, and she wasted no time climbing over the large bed and exiting as well. As she did, the airship jolted, and the sound of falling rocks echoed in her ears.

  “Lucius!” Layel roared, flashing into the center. “No one look upon me.”

  Someone how the Angel had known none were wearing eyewear.

  “Mosterdoms,” Nathaniel uttered, turning away from the small port window.

  “What is that?” Hugo shouted.

  “Think of it as a flying rat . . . with two poisonous barbed tails and that walks upright like us.” Greyston growled, lifting his gun, and pointing it at the nearest window just as it shattered, showing him with glass.

  “Father!” Thomas shouted, but held his ground at the back of the ship.

  Clara hadn’t realized it, but the others were in a battle formation of sorts. All except for herself and Hugo. Looking at her mate, she felt sick. Terror was written all over his face; from the widened way he stared at the other side of the ship to the gaping of his mouth.

  “Everyone stay calm. Eliza has assured me we are safe.” Lucius spoke through the communication system once again. “But to be safe, if everyone could please go about grabbing any devices and weapons, oh and food, that we will need, that would be splendid.”

  The ship shuddered and felt as if a full caravan load of Mosterdoms had slammed into them. A hideous shriek sounded through the broken window.

  “Who in the bloody hell thinks they can attack a vessel I am traveling on!” Seraphina stalked over to the window.

  Clara didn’t wait to feel another attack. She bolted for her quarters, dragging out her pack and sliding it over her shoulders before scrambling to find Hugo’s on the side of the bed where he had lain. Their food and weapons lay within those satchels; they could not afford to lose them.