“Good. I’ll continue on this for now until we know what the hell is going on. I’m also working on a bit of a backup plan.” She winked at him. “Just in case things take a turn for the worse.”
“Don’t do anything stupid. The Administrators will be out looking for us. It’s only a matter of time before they—”
A clang echoed through the large warehouse space, grabbing everyone’s attention. After several heartbeats, Keegan appeared from around the pile of scrap in the far corner. Shit, Emmet had forgotten about him, that he’d even been present in the room. The gangly waif of a boy was carrying a large curved sheet of metal. Ignoring the guards, he drifted toward them, staggering unsteadily as he weaved his way through the clutter of the room.
Nicola set the panel on Emmet’s lap and turned. “Keegan? Are you well?”
The boy said nothing, stopping far closer to her than Emmet cared for. He cocked his head to the side, as though he was taking mental measurements, finally nodding after a time.
Nicola looked once more at Emmet. “Keegan?”
The boy stepped close and pressed the curved metal against Nicola’s chest. She froze as the color drained from her face. No, this isn’t for her. It can’t be.
“Keegan,” he said as softly as he could manage, “that’s a very nice piece of metal.”
“I knew I forgot something, but I didn’t know what until I saw her.”
Nicola sucked in a short little breath, as though she was terrified to move away. He wanted nothing more than to wrap his arms around her, calm her, take her as far away from here as he could so nothing would be able to hurt her. Jerking hard on the restraints eradicated any remaining thoughts of escape.
Best to try a different approach. “What did you forget? It looks perfect to me. The metal is smooth, polished. Hell, I can see my reflection. Looks like I’m in desperate need of a shave.”
If Keegan heard him, the boy didn’t acknowledge him. “You see, it was right there, but I never really spend much time lookin’ at ladies. The gents on the street don’t like it when Underlings like me turn our eyes to their women. So it’s best not to look. But I like lookin’ at you, Miss Nicola.”
“I… I like looking at you too, Keegan.” Her voice shook as she spoke. “What did you forget?”
“The breasts.” He looked up, wide-eyed. “Pardon, Miss Nicola. I know it’s not polite to speak about the body to a lady, but we’re workin’ together, so I thought it was okay. I forgot to add a place for the breasts. No one will know she’s a she otherwise. I need to fix that. I’ll need more metal. This won’t be big enough” In the same dreamlike state, he turned and shuffled away. “Breasts,” and he giggled. “Bubbies. Boobs.”
They watched him disappear once more to the back of the work area, off to add breasts to his creation. Nicola let out a stuttered breath. “I’d best get back to work.”
“It might not be what you think it is.” It was an almost lie, but one he didn’t mind saying. “We don’t have all the facts yet.”
She looked at him quickly, before turning away. “I know you’re not that much of a fool. He’s building an automaton for my memories. Thomas plans to kill me.”
* * *
Keegan was so excited about the completion of the chest plate. He still didn’t know why he hadn’t thought of adding breasts before today. Of course she needed to have them; he was right when he’d told Nicola that they were needed so the world knew she was a she. Mr. Edison would appreciate his attention to details, might even reward him.
His hands were shoved deep into his pockets, though they continued to shake even there. It was why he’d been forced to stop working. His fingers couldn’t hold the iron needed to solder the connectors to the chest plate. If they weren’t exactly right, the cogs wouldn’t do what he wanted, the metal wouldn’t dance in exactly the right way, and she would be wrong.
There was no way he’d let that happen.
He continued to wander down the hallway that the guard had pointed him toward. Mr. Edison was somewhere down here, and that meant his treats would be here too. He always felt better once he’d had a few of his treats in his tummy. It was better than a hot bowl of stew and some beer to warm him up and settle his nerves.
A soft murmur reached his ears, and Keegan slowed down to try to detect where it was coming from. There were several doors along this way, all of them closed. Mr. Edison could be behind any one of them, conducting very important business. He wouldn’t appreciate Keegan interrupting something simply so he could have more treats. No, it was best to wait here until he came out and then ask.
He continued to look around until the sound of Mr. Edison’s voice grew louder. There it was, the door. Now all he had to do was stay small and be patient. He was good at that, had been forced to learn it quickly as an Underling, else Glyn would land a slap to his face. He’d only made that mistake once before he learned. Small and patient.
Time held little meaning for him since he’d come to the warehouse with Mr. Edison. He wouldn’t have known if it had been minutes or hours that slipped by while he stood in the hall. Eventually, the door opened and one of the men was thrown out, his body landing against the wall with a wet sound. Mr. Edison emerged, his entire focus locked on the man as he strode to where he lay and kicked him hard.
“You’ve failed me for the last time.” Mr. Edison kicked the unmoving man once more. “If she dies—”
Keegan must have made a sound, because one moment Mr. Edison was facing the wall and in the next he spun around to face Keegan so fast and smoothly that it made his tummy sour.
“What are you doing here, boy?” There was something in his voice, a note similar to how he was at the workshop—angry and mean. Like Glyn. “Speak!”
Keegan couldn’t help but look at the unmoving man on the floor. There was a piece of him that knew he should be upset by what he saw. And still he wasn’t. Keegan forced his gaze back to his employer’s. “Mr. Edison, my hands won’t stop shaking. I was working, but I didn’t want to make a mistake. So I thought if I could have a few of those treats. Not a whole bag, I know I haven’t earned those yet, but just a few, it would help. I can get so much more done when I’ve had my treats.”
Mr. Edison opened his mouth to speak, but no words came out. He closed the distance between them and placed a hand on Keegan’s shoulder. “Let me see your hands.”
He pulled the left one from his pocket and held it up. It was the better of the two. He didn’t want Mr. Edison to think he was too bad off. Then maybe he wouldn’t want him anymore. That he’d find another boy who could make the metal dance in just the right way and he’d leave Keegan alone once more.
“It’s just a little shake. Just a little bit. But I don’t want te make a mistake. I’d do anything te be so good for you, sir.”
Mr. Edison took his hand in his, giving it a little pat. “Yes, just a little shake. Nothing that a treat won’t fix up.”
The tight knot in his chest relaxed and Keegan knew he’d be able to keep working. Everything would be fine. “Thank you, Mr. Edison.”
The arm across his shoulder, directing him away from the secret room, was a pleasant warm weight. Yes, Mr. Edison still liked him and that was the best feeling in the world. Almost as good as the sweets.
“You’re a good worker, son. But I want you to stay away from here. Understand? Don’t come back down this hallway unless I tell you specifically.”
“Yes, Mr. Edison. Sir?” He looked up, surprised when he noticed the same strange aura around Mr. Edison. “I was busy building the automaton but then I finally realized I’d forgotten. I gave her breasts. Is that all right? She’s a she and should look like one.”
If he was shocked by the announcement, his employer gave no indication. “Breasts, you say? Yes, that seems to be the right thing to do. That is exactly right, exactly what I was hoping for. You’ve earned yourself another treat and an extra roll for your supper.”
Well then. This was turning out to be a good
day. A very good day indeed.
Chapter Ten
It was full dark when they were escorted back to their cell. Nicola’s back ached from the uncomfortable angle that she’d been hunched in for hours on end. It wasn’t the sort of thing that normally bothered her, or that she’d even be aware of. Ever since Keegan had placed that metal casing against her chest and declared that it needed breasts, Nicola hadn’t been able to relax.
Food had been left for both of them this time, a reward of sorts she suspected for the progress they’d made. Emmet took his plate and moved to the far side of their small cell, giving her a bit of space and time to think. She wasn’t certain how he knew that’s what she needed just then, but the gesture was appreciated.
She was building a machine that would be used to pull her memories from her head and embed them into an automaton.
The plate was a weight on her lap, and for the time being the temptations of food weren’t winning. Setting it aside, she rested her head in her hands and did her best to not think about the consequences of what she was doing. If she didn’t build his infernal machine, she was convinced they’d be killed and Thomas would find a way to construct it himself. She also couldn’t bear the idea of leaving Keegan behind. The longer she spent in his company the more she believed that he was under the influence of some sort of narcotic. It wasn’t at all the sort of thing Thomas had done in the past. She couldn’t imagine what had happened to change him from cutthroat businessman to this unfeeling monster. It must have been something terrible to push him so far over the edge.
“You need to eat.”
Nicola looked through her fingers at Emmet. Stubble now covered a generous portion of his face, giving him a rough and rugged look. He’d removed his cravat, exposing the entirety of his throat. Beautiful naked flesh that had never been a temptation to her before now. The memory of their kiss flared in her mind, shaking her body to life in a way she didn’t know how best to handle.
“I’m not hungry.” Lowering her gaze, she decided avoidance was the best option.
“That doesn’t matter. You need the food to keep your strength up. Edison will push you to your limits, you know that.”
“I’m not hungry.” Insufferable man.
She didn’t realized he had crossed the cell until he stood before her. Longer fingers pushed into her hair, encouraging her to look up. She didn’t want to. She was far too tired to resist him and the comfort she suspected she’d find in his arms.
“Miss Tesla…” His voice drifted off, waiting for her usual correction. But what did her name matter if her very essence was to be sucked from her brain?
“He’s going to kill me. He’s going to use that device to pull all my experiences, thoughts through that box and into the automaton. I won’t need to worry about eating then. I wonder if I’ll be able to feel anything at all?”
Emmet dropped to a squat, reached for her wrists, and pulled her hands away from her face. With nowhere left to hide, she was forced to look into his concerned eyes.
“You’re forgetting something critical.” His lips were tugged into a frown, though whatever was causing him distress wasn’t enough for him to look away. “Even if you successfully build that box, someone still needs to operate it.”
The meaning behind his words didn’t sink in immediately. It wasn’t until she really looked at his hazel irises, the perfect undisturbed depths of color, that she realized.
“You’d be the one to do it.”
“It’s why he went to the trouble of bringing me here rather than simply killing me, or leaving me behind. He knows that a regular untrained mind wouldn’t be able to survive the process of extracting the memories. He needed an archivist, and I seem to be the only one on hand.”
God, that made things so much worse. While she would be dead, Emmet would have to live with his actions. Knowing he was the one responsible would haunt him. She didn’t need him to say the words to know that.
Leaning in, she kissed him softly. “I’m so sorry.”
“I won’t do it. You need to know that regardless of what happens, I won’t hook you up to that box.”
“You might not have a choice. Either way, I’d be gone. If it’s going to happen, I’d feel better knowing it was you looking after me.”
Emmet gave his head a sharp shake. “The extraction process isn’t what you think. I won’t be simply transferring your thoughts into an automaton, and I’m still not convinced that is even possible. I pull your memories into my mind. I’ll be able to hear your voice in my head, your fears, everything. I have a friend who was stuck with the memories of a prostitute for several days. It was as though she had another living person in her body.”
The mere thought was horrifying to her. “But… how do you live that way?”
“We don’t. The extracting archivists have the memories purged from their brains, leaving permanent holes in their minds. It’s what leaves the ring in our eyes. If I were to do the extraction here, I would need to find a way back to the Archives before the process drove me mad.”
Nicola pulled back, but didn’t break contact completely. “I… I hadn’t realized that’s what they did to you. You mean your friend Jones—”
“Has a hole in his memory. So does my friend Piper, who was smart enough to walk away from the guild. Someday it will be my turn.” Emmet refused to back down and leaned closer, removing the breathing room she’d procured for herself. “I have no intention of you being my first extraction. Do you understand me? We’ll find some other way to handle this.”
“Yes.”
“Good.” His gaze dipped to her lips once more. “I’m going to kiss you now.”
“Is that wise?”
“Most definitely not.”
Her eyes slipped closed as his nose brushed alongside hers. Gone was any hesitation she had from that first time. No, they were both rattled, scared of what might become of them, and Nicola knew if this was the location of her future death, she needed to take what solace she could in the arms of this strong, handsome man. To hell with what it did to her ability to concentrate. Little good her keen mind would be if Thomas got his way.
Unable to resist the temptation of his exposed throat any longer, she reached up, brushing her fingers across the warm skin, loving the way the muscles shifted as he swallowed. She pushed on, cupping his neck with her hand until her fingers tangled in the fringes of his hair. The hair was soft against her skin, which only served to encourage her to touch him more.
A moan slipped from her as Emmet mirrored her actions. With one hand cupping her head and the other sliding around the small of her back, it was easy to let him tug her forward until her knees touched the inside of his thighs. She’d never been this physically close to a man, nothing beyond the occasional brush of shoulders, arms, or legs. She’d never wanted to move forward with a physical relationship before now, not really. As Emmet deepened the kiss, their bodies increasing in contact, she knew this was exactly what she wanted. What she needed.
Letting her hand slip down to his waistcoat, she pulled open the buttons. As soon as the heavy material fell open, she tugged his shirt free from his trousers.
“We can’t.” He muttered against her mouth. “Not completely.”
“Want to touch you.” When the linen was free from its constraints, it was easy enough to run her hand across his stomach. Muscles and hair, heat and strength, sensations she memorized as best she could. While she might be a virgin, she wasn’t a complete innocent. Working day and night with men, even those who are reserved in sexual matters, one couldn’t help but pick up a few smatterings of information. Nicola knew if she were to cup the front of his trousers just here…
Emmet sucked in a sharp breath, before nipping her bottom lip. “Minx.”
“You like that?” It was obvious he did from the heavy weight of his erection in her hand, but the scientist in her craved the confirmation. “I don’t want to hurt you.”
“You can’t.” He lowered his face to
the side of her neck, kissing the sensitive skin. “You’re a virgin.”
“Yes.”
“You shouldn’t know these things.”
“And yet, I do.”
“You should be offended by these actions.”
“And yet, I’m not.”
His chuckle rocked her body and sent a wonderful tremor through her. “You must terrify the clockwerkers in Canada.”
“Daily.”
In one easy motion, Emmet pushed her down so her back was flat against the small bed, leaving her legs to dangle off the edge. It not only gave her a perfect view of his face, but of the hallway and Keegan’s room. They were alone, but it was unlikely they’d stay that way for long.
“Keep watch,” he whispered as he opened the front of her trousers. “Just watch and let me make you feel good.”
“But—”
“Don’t argue, Miss Tesla.”
“Nicola—Oh, God!”
In one easy motion, Emmet slid his hand into her trousers, pushing past the cotton undergarments and into the soft curls between her thighs. He shifted so he lay stretched out on the bed, his back to the cell door, protecting her from anyone who might happen to pass by. She was still able to see over his shoulder, though her attention had waned quickly given the wicked sensations he was pulling from her body with his fingers.
With his free hand, he opened the front of her shirt, undoing the buttons as far as her corset would allow. It was enough, allowing him access to her breasts and her hardened nipples.
“I’m smaller than most women.” She might be perfectly proportioned, but they were nothing that drew the attention of men. Before this moment, she’d always been thankful for that. Now, she hoped he wasn’t put off.
“I know many men who believe that a woman who is well endowed, whose breasts are bountiful to the point of barely being contained by their clothing, is the most perfect sight a man can behold. I am not of that opinion.”
His tongue brushed the peak at the same time his finger pushed further into the secret core between her legs that she’d touched a few times during the long, cold winter nights when her heart ached for human touch. The caress was soft, not enough to drive her mad, but certainly enough to nudge her in that direction. Despite the fear of discovery, Emmet appeared in no hurry to bring things to their pleasurable conclusion.
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