Quicksilver Soul

by Christine d'Abo

  “I have always had an attraction to women whose breasts could fit perfectly into one hand. It gives me the opportunity to tease,” he sucked the peak hard into his mouth, torturing the end with his tongue before pulling back with a wet pop. “I love to tease.”

  “You’re a complete bastard.” She squeezed her fingers into his hair, ensuring he wouldn’t move away before she achieved her release. “More.”

  “I wish we were back at your rooms. I’ve heard the George Inn has wonderful facilities. Comfortable beds. I would keep you in it all day long so I might lick and taste every inch of your body.”

  She moaned, dropping her forehead to the top of his. “Please.”

  Emmet increased the pressure on her clitoris, rubbing it in soft circles. “I want to feel your legs around my body as I push my cock into you. I want to be the one who takes your maidenhead.”

  Any witty remarks she normally would retort with refused to form. She could feel and hear the wetness between her legs, knew her body was ready and willing to allow him to do exactly what he was describing. The thick cock she’d touched minutes ago would pierce her body in the most pleasurable way possible.

  “Would you like that? Would you want to feel me inside you?”

  “Yes.” She shuddered, her body inching its way closer to release. “Yes.”

  “When we get out of here. The second we are both safe, I plan to do just that. Against a wall, in a bed, on the floor. I’m growing less particular by the second. Consider yourself warned.”

  Without further discussion, Emmet increased the pressure again, this time matching the flicks of his tongue against her nipple perfectly with the circles on her clit. Nicola’s mind shut down, words and logic meant nothing in the face of such overwhelming physical sensations. The beats grew in strength as the tingles of pleasure rose. On and on he brought her closer to the edge, until her body couldn’t stop shaking. Without thinking, she sucked in a gasp, needing the moan. He covered her mouth with his free hand, a silent reminder of how dangerous their interlude was.

  Not that she cared, not while he was playing her body so perfectly. She’d never felt this intensity before, had never been able to give herself this amazing release she’d heard whispered about in the dark of night by those more experienced than herself. But now she understood, knew that it was possible, knew that Emmet had a level of experience she hadn’t considered before. And while he might not know her, he knew enough to take control and give her this.

  “I’m… I…” She whispered against his hand, her words muffled. It didn’t matter, as he seemed to understand.

  In the next moment, he increased the pressure one final time. It was too much for her to manage. Squeezing her eyes closed, Nicola bit down on the heel of his hand as waves of pleasure crashed through her body. He pressed her forward, on and on until the sensations crested then subsided.

  “So beautiful.” He pulled his hand away from her mouth and lifted his head to claim a kiss. “Unexpected.”

  She didn’t know what he meant by that, and, quite frankly, she didn’t care just then. Even as her body still shook from its release, she knew she needed to reciprocate. With a quick glance to the hallway to ensure they were still alone, she pushed him back against the bed, reversing their earlier positions.

  “I’m not sure how best to do this.”

  “You don’t need to.”

  She rolled her eyes and continued her earlier task of opening up the front of his trousers. “Don’t be so noble. I believe you renounced such sentiments when you joined the guild.”

  Emmet sucked in a gasp as she wrapped her fingers around the bulge in his undergarments. The fabric had grown damp near the tip of his cock, allowing some of the flesh to be seen through the transparent cotton. He covered her hand with his own, stopping her and forcing her to look him in the eyes.

  “Have you touched a man like this before?”

  “I told you, I’m a virgin.”

  “That doesn’t mean you haven’t done this.”

  Oh. She hadn’t considered that. “No. I’ve… never really had much interest in men before now.”

  “Have you seen a man’s cock before?” There was something about the bluntness of his speech that sent another tremor of pleasure racing through her. Words failed her, forcing her to shake her head.

  “Relax your grip and let me free myself.” He waited for her to comply before adjusting his clothing and slowly releasing his shaft to the cold air.

  Oh my. She swallowed hard, her mouth suddenly watering. “You are an impressive man, Mr. Dennison.”

  He cocked an eyebrow. “And what is your basis for comparison, Miss Tesla?”

  “Woman’s intuition.” If any of the engineers back at the HBC were in possession of such a wonderfully proportioned member, Nicola would fall over dead from shock. Mind you, it would explain a thing or two about Anderson and the comment he’d made regarding Simon. “May I?”

  He didn’t move as she wrapped her fingers around the heated shaft, or even when she gave him a tentative stroke. It wasn’t until she set an easy pace that he seemed to be unable to resist any longer. On the next down stroke, he bucked his hips to meet her hand. It forced the tip of his cock to grow ever redder in color and damper.

  “You are a wicked woman.” He threw his arm across his eyes and turned his face away from her. “God help the men of this world.”

  It was mesmerizing watching him. She couldn’t help but categorize the reactions of his body as she touched him. The gentle hitch in his breathing was the most fascinating thing she’d witnessed when she twisted her hand just so. The flush that covered his throat and chest renewed her arousal, especially as she leaned in and placed a kiss on his bare skin. The idea of kissing his stomach, licking the tip of his cock, running her hands through the thick hair between his legs, shouldn’t hold appeal, but it was growing increasingly difficult to ignore those thoughts.

  The longer she spent in his company, the more she was growing attached to this infuriatingly stubborn man.

  Nicola started when he reached down quickly and squeezed his hand over her own. He took over the pace, until the strokes flew over his cock at such a pace she was certain he’d come to harm. But when he bucked his hips one final time and come exploded from him, she could see that pain was the furthest thing away from what he was feeling.

  His cock pulsed in her hand even once his essence had stopped coming. She stopped her strokes, but didn’t release him, enjoying the sensations of his member softening in her grasp. They were still alone, still cocooned in their cell safe from Thomas, his plans, the archivists, and the Company. Right now, in this moment, they were Nicola and Emmet—a woman and a man, and nothing more.

  Letting his arm fall from his face, he looked at her, heavy lidded. “As I said, unexpected.”

  She chuckled, because she had no idea how else to respond to such an unusual statement. “We need to clean you up.”

  “There is still some water in my glass. I can use some of the fabric from my shirt.”

  They spoke very little as they wiped away the evidence of their interlude. The silence made her once more aware of the dangerous nature of their situation. They could have been found out far too easily, giving Thomas an extra bit of information that he would use to torture them with. While she would never say anything to Emmet, she’d never forgive herself if anything bad happened to him as a result of her actions. Now with her clothing righted and her brain once more engaged, Nicola knew this couldn’t happen again.

  “I—”

  Emmet silenced her with a kiss. “I know. It’s too dangerous.”

  How was he able to do that? “I’m sorry.”

  “I don’t regret it. Not for a single second.” His thumbs brushed her cheeks one final time before he put some distance between them. “Just remember my promise.”

  “Pardon?”

  “The moment we are free from here, I will be taking you to the closest bed and ravaging you.”

&n
bsp; There was nothing menacing in his words, though her body trembled at their intensity. “I look forward to it.”

  She just hoped she lived long enough to see that day come to pass.

  * * *

  Keegan stood a little way down the hall and listened. Nicola and the man had stopped talking. He’d been so tired after working for so long that for once he thought he’d be able to sleep. At first he wasn’t certain what he saw as he stepped into view of their cell, but Nicola moaned and then he knew. He’d heard the whores out on the streets sometimes, knew they had a john with them, and he would turn tail and run. He didn’t run this time though, his curiosity having gotten the better of him.

  It was strange, seeing them grinding and kissing the way they were. He’d thought they didn’t like each other from the way they spoke. Mind, he knew that people didn’t always mean what they said to others. Maybe Mr. Edison would want to know this? If he could actually remember, he’d try to mention it to him tomorrow.

  After a time of quiet, he shuffled back up the hallway, making some more noise than normal. When he got to his room, Nicola was sitting on the edge of her bed and the man, Dennison, was leaning against the opposite wall.

  Neither of them spoke as he slipped into his room, though Nicola gave him a small wave. He still liked her. He’d have to try to get the automaton to wave the way she does. It would be nice to see when he finally got her up and running.

  Yes, he’d do that in the morning.

  Chapter Eleven

  Nicola didn’t think it was possible to lose track of time, but that’s exactly what happened after a while. The guards would rouse them from their cell to work, leaving them in the workshop until she could barely keep her eyes open, before dragging them back. Emmet didn’t seem as affected by the monotony of it all, didn’t seem to mind the lack of sunlight or outside stimulation. Whether it was from all his time living in the Archives, or if he was simply better at hiding his emotions than she was, Nicola wasn’t certain.

  Thomas had appeared to abandon them as well. She wasn’t certain which made her more nervous, having him watch or not knowing what he was doing. Keegan didn’t seem to have any more insight than she did as to the whereabouts of their employer.

  She looked over to where the boy was currently installing several cogs into an elaborate casing. Over the past few days she’d slowly made her way over to see exactly what it was he was doing. The work was flawless from what she could tell, even though the connections were so tiny she wasn’t certain how he was able to do the work without the aid of a magnifying glass. It was strange to watch him work, the metal seemingly jumping into place with only the barest of touches.

  Her own project was moving along far faster than she wanted. Now that the basic electronics of the control panel were set, it was simply a matter of connecting the leads and securing them to their posts. The extra Parkesine Thomas had provided to her made it simple to shape and install the indicator lights. From appearances, everything looked to be finished.

  The guts of the machine would prove a more difficult challenge.

  “Mr. Dennison?” She made sure to keep her voice as bland as possible. It was becoming increasingly difficult to keep her detached façade the more time she spent with him. “Might I have a word?”

  “I’m locked to a post. I can’t exactly walk away, Miss Tesla.”

  Oh, now he was simply being rude. Ignoring the barb, she hefted up the panel and carried it over to his chair. She couldn’t imagine how frustrating it must be for him, tied up day after day with no opportunity to stretch mentally or physically. If she were in his position, she wasn’t certain she’d be able to maintain the same level of restraint he’d show thus far.

  “Now, now, Mr. Dennison, I’m simply in need of your opinion. There’s no reason to take that tone of voice with me.”

  Setting the panel on his lap, the guts of the work exposed for his inspection, she crossed her arms and looked down at him. “I’ve managed the easy part. The connections have all fallen where they should. What I’m not certain of is how to proceed. As I mentioned to Thomas, I’ve never seen the inside of an extractor. I don’t have the foggiest idea where to go from here.”

  A part of her prayed he didn’t know anything beyond how to connect himself to the bloody box. The rest of her was far too pragmatic to believe that for even a moment. The members of the Archivist Guild prided themselves on gathering information. In the few short days she’d spent crawling around the inner workings of their central machine, she’d seen the lengths by which they impress upon their acolytes the importance of learning.

  Emmet’s jaw tightened as he stared at the wires. She knew he was making a decision, the same one she’d had to make herself. If he refused to share what he knew to help her make the extractor, she’d be forced to flail around until her failure was apparent. Thomas would have no use for them and they’d be disposed of. If he did help, then it was only a matter of time before she’d be killed and he’d be forced to take her memories.

  Either way, an unpleasant outcome for both of them.

  “I really can’t stand leaving a project half finished.” She cocked an eyebrow and gave him a look that was sure to annoy. “So do be a dear and tell me how to build this infernal thing. I’d rather not spend any more time in this blasted warehouse than necessary.”

  Emmet looked up, his frustration clear. “I’d be more than happy to assist, Miss Tesla. But I refuse to do so from this chair. If your former employer wants me to help, he will have to secure me to the bench so I can see what you are doing.”

  “All these demands.” Thomas’ voice filled the room. “I haven’t had such bothersome employees since my lab was blown skyward.”

  There was a time when the mention of her crimes would have had Nicola squirming. There was a time when the sound of Thomas’ voice sent fear knifing through her. No longer. With the exhaustion, hunger, and constant state of confusion regarding her feelings toward Emmet, she could no longer find the means to care.

  “It’s challenging to find good help when the working conditions are so poor,” she shot back at him. She grabbed the board from Emmet’s lap and strode back to her workbench. “Fine. If the two of you are going to continue to be difficult, I’ll simply muddle through on my own. Neither of you are allowed to complain about the length of time it’s taking me to finish.”

  “Now, my dear, I didn’t say I wouldn’t give in to Mr. Dennison’s request.” Thomas came up beside her, slapping her hand as she attempted to adjust a connection. “If you please.”

  He traced the paths of the wires, no doubt confirming that she was indeed doing her best work. If anyone would know what that was, it was Thomas. Although his ethics were questionable, his skill in engineering and knowledge of electronics was superb. She had no doubt that many of her inventions and ideas would have occurred to him in due time in the course of his tinkering. But Thomas was impatient and wanted his success to come as quickly as possible. No matter the cost.

  “Very good. I’m pleased to see your skills haven’t gone to waste over at the Company. It’s a shame they haven’t bothered to look for you since your untimely disappearance.”

  “You know them. A clockwerker is only as important as her last invention. They’ve had me doing cleanup duty for years now.”

  There’d been a time when Nicola had a romantic crush on Thomas. It was only after she’d learned of his relationship with Mary that those feelings evaporated into admiration. Even now, she couldn’t deny that Thomas was a good-looking man, strong in purpose and spirit, but her amorous feelings were long gone. She didn’t need a man at all, but if she were to have one he’d possess integrity, inner strength, and the ability to see her for who she truly was, and not simply a spirited woman with a spanner.

  “I’d heard as much. The Company has sent you scurrying here and there, from airship to outpost and back.”

  What neither Thomas nor anyone else was aware of were the additional assignments Simon had o
rdered her to conduct while making said repairs. The only thing more dangerous than being a spy for the government was being a spy for one’s employer.

  “Jonas, release Mr. Dennison and bring him here.”

  Instead of the relief she wanted to feel, a knot formed in the pit of her stomach. “I don’t actually require him to be here. I simply need him to answer some questions.”

  “I think it will do the two of you some good. It will give you an opportunity to work out this animosity you share.” Jonas brought Emmet to the bench and secured one leg chain to the post nearest the table. “Get a shorter set as well to secure one hand to the workbench. It would be a shame if you decided to leave us prematurely.”

  “And miss out on all this excitement? I wouldn’t dream of it.” Emmet held still while his chains were reset. When Emmet was standing so close to Thomas, the differences between them were startling. Thomas was handsome, his dark hair was neatly brushed, and his blue eyes sparkled. He was charismatic and had the ability to draw a person’s attention as he spoke. Even when he wasn’t talking, she could tell his mind never stopped working, calculating his next move.

  Emmet said little by comparison, but with a few careful movements, he could steal away the attention of those around him. He was physically larger than Thomas, stronger and by extension more dangerous. His hazel eyes were always moving, cataloguing his environment. She had no doubt he’d memorized everything he could of their surroundings. Trapped as he was, Emmet gave off the appearance of a man who would do whatever necessary to get free of their predicament.

  Thomas stepped back, giving them room. “I expect you to live up to your end, Mr. Dennison. I would hate for anything to happen to Nicola here.”