Quicksilver Soul

by Christine d'Abo

“I know what.” He’d been dreaming of doing this very thing ever since he’d touched her back in the cell. “Relax.”

  He pushed her thighs apart, opening her up to him. She blushed, but didn’t look away from what he was doing. Always the curious one. So he held her gaze as he lowered his face to her pussy, stuck out his tongue, and licked a long, slow swipe up her clit.

  If he thought she’d been responsive before, that touch set her on fire. Her hips bucked and she squeezed her fingers into his hair, hard. Emmet leaned in and sucked hard on the swollen clit, torturing her with his tongue until her hips matched the punishing pace he set. It was only then that he pulled back and licked around the soft curls that covered her mound.

  When he brushed a finger along her entrance, Nicola’s back bowed off the bed. “God!”

  She was wet, ready for him to push into her and give her the pleasure they both wanted. But he wanted this to be a memory she’d never forget, needed to create something in his mind that would fill the gnawing void that now lived there, not a quick fuck. She was worth so much more than that.

  He pressed his finger in, felt the proof of her virginity before pushing past. He suckled her clit once more, this time moving his hand in rhythm to the beat. On and on he went until her moans stopped, her back bowed, and her muscles twitched madly around him. One moment she was silent, the next she cried out as her body spasmed around him. Her essence wet his hand, and he continued to pump her body until she collapsed to the bed.

  “No more.” And she jerked when his tongue touched her clit one last time.

  Emmet drew himself up and positioned himself between her thighs. He opened his mouth to ask her permission, to make sure that everything was still good, when she hooked her legs around his waist and tugged him forward. He lined himself up and with a slow, steady thrust forward, he filled her.

  If Nicola was in discomfort, she didn’t show it. Still, he held back as long as he could manage, giving her body a chance to adjust to him. He closed his eyes and let the sensations wash through him. This was Nicola’s body, holding him. Her sweat-soaked skin sliding against his. Her encouraging noises and gentle tugs wordlessly begged him to move. Sliding back, he thrust forward with more strength, filling her completely.

  “Fuck, Nikki.” He slipped his arms under her shoulders and pressed his face to the side of her neck. He wanted to remember this moment forever, but his mind couldn’t settle, couldn’t focus on one particular thing.

  “Yes.” She cupped the back of his head with her hand, her nails teasing the sensitive skin of his scalp.

  It was too much for him to hold back. The telltale tingle of pleasure began to build in his balls, and it wouldn’t be long before his orgasm came. He didn’t want to leave her, break the close connection and pull away. But if he didn’t the consequences could be more than either of them was prepared to deal with.

  Holding off as long as he could, Emmet pushed himself from her, took his cock in his hand, and spent himself on the sheets as a long moan ripped from him. When he finally opened his eyes, it was to come face to face with a confused Nicola. Her skin was flushed from where his body had rubbed against hers, her hair tussled, and she looked quite thoroughly fucked.

  “Why did you pull away?” With one simple question she’d gone back to being the scientist.

  The twinge of pain deep in his chest was easily ignored as he got up and cleaned himself off. “I didn’t think you’d want to bear my children. Always a possibility, you know.”

  “I’m not an idiot. I know how children are made.” She grabbed the sheet and tugged it over to cover her body. “I just… it seems a shame we had to end things that way.”

  “Practical.” He didn’t want to tell her what would happen if the Archives discovered one of their own had sired a child. The memories of Master Ryerson and the consequences of his actions were still too fresh to discuss. “You’ll be on your way back to Canada when this is all said and done. If you were with child, I wouldn’t be there to assist.”

  He should go back to the bed, pull her into his arms, and reassure her that everything was fine. They could spend the night in his bed, make love until dawn, and forget about everything. Instead, he retrieved a blanket from his cupboard, turned up the steam heat, and sat down beside her.

  Shoulder to shoulder, thigh to thigh they stayed until Emmet took her hand in his. “I’ve never been very good with people. My friend Piper once called me a hedgehog, prickly and defensive. I… I try to be better. To let people in. But it’s hard. I’m sorry for that.”

  She gave his hand a squeeze. “I’m not the easiest woman in the world to get along with. I’m too fixated on my projects to see the world around me sometimes. Thomas once called me selfish.” She smiled, but looked away. “What will they do with him?”

  “Keep him in custody for the time being. We might need him to find Keegan and his automaton.”

  Nodding, she finally turned back to face him. There was something in her eyes, an emotion he didn’t want to name, that same flicker he’d catch from her when she thought he wasn’t looking. He ignored it now they way he had before.

  “What about us?” Her voice was soft, but strong. “What do we do about this thing between us?”

  For the first time in a long while, Emmet was torn between his heart and his duty. He knew what he wanted more than anything, but this wasn’t the right time. It might never be. “For now, I suggest we keep things as they were. Once we’ve found the boy, then perhaps.”

  “Yes. Perhaps.”

  She leaned her head on his shoulder and for a while, Emmet relaxed and prayed the world could take care of itself.

  * * *

  Keegan woke up coated in sweat. Swallowing the air in large gulps, he frantically looked around the room. Nothing. There was nothing there. Ignoring the chill in the air, he stumbled from the cot and made his way to the window. Mary had stayed out in the courtyard while the boys had come back into the building. She was too large and heavy to be adequately supported by the worn floorboards. It hadn’t felt right to keep her apart, but he wouldn’t risk her being close either. Glyn had wanted to take Mary apart, to sell her for scrap, but Keegan had quickly put an end to that line of thinking when Mary lifted Glyn once more from the ground and gave him a shake.

  Oh, Glyn had been downright terrified at the abrupt shift in his position with the Underlings. It wasn’t all fear in his demeanor when Mary had finally set him down and the boys had in no uncertain terms made Keegan their new leader. Glyn wasn’t fool enough to argue with them, but Keegan knew well enough to keep his eyes open, certain there would be eventual retribution.

  It was full day now, and sunlight washed the courtyard. Mary wasn’t immediately visible, and for a moment he thought Glyn had somehow managed to get rid of her. But before he could move away to find out what had happened, a glint from the far corner caught his attention.

  There she was, hiding from sight behind a mountain of scrap. He smiled when she looked up and gave him a little wave. Everything was fine. She’d still be there to help him take his retribution, unleash the payment for every wrong this city had put against him. It was going to be fine.

  If he could simply get rested enough to make things better. With shaking hands he pushed his hair from his face, surprised by the sweat that came away on his fingers. Maybe he was getting sick? It was possible, though Mr. Edison had taken good care of him, providing decent food and water. Keegan missed his sweets, though. He would need to send one of the boys out to discover where he could get more. He should do that now. Yes, he’d get his own sweets, then they’d finalize their plan to use Mary against New London. Today, everything would finally come together. He’d get his revenge.

  Chapter Eighteen

  The room was a hive of activity around Nicola as members of the King’s Sentry and the Archives buzzed around her. She’d had little to add to the conversations, though she had no choice but to listen having been christened the official representative of the Hudso
n’s Bay Company in this crisis.

  The focus had been to track where Keegan had gone and disable the automaton before something terrible happened. While some of the Sentry dismissed how much trouble one boy and a robot could get into, the rest of them knew that given the condition Keegan was in when he left, things had the opportunity to go poorly before any of them could stop it. Currently, Emmet was arguing with the lone government official about the idiocy of sweeping the streets collecting every waif of a boy they could find.

  “Do you honestly think for a moment you’ll be able to find a boy who’s successfully lived on the streets for years?”

  The man, rail thin and pinched nosed, snorted dismissively. “Do you think so little of the Sentry? Unlike your guild, they know their duties and perform them admirably.”

  Sergeant Hawkins was leaning against the wall beside Timmons. They were a veritable human wall, one merely large in stature, the other even more so. The sergeant had allowed the bickering to go on, but at the mention of his men, he cleared his throat. “I’ve sent the runners out to look for the boy, but most of the Underlings have gone into hiding.”

  “That’s bad news.” Emmet held on to the edge of the table, his fingers growing white from the force of his grip. “Keegan had been fed opium-laced sweets the entire time he was with Edison. No one knows the full extent of his addiction or what it will drive him to do. If the other boys have started to follow him—”

  “Then the city is at great risk of falling into chaos.” Sergeant Hawkins pushed away from the wall and strode across the room to a large map on the wall. “Timmons and I marked out where the Underlings normally work. There are pockets in the city, neighborhoods where the runners will occasionally pick them up.”

  “It’s completely random. We’ll never find him that way, especially if they move around from site to site.” Emmet moved to the map and Nicola couldn’t help but compare him to the sergeant. While both men were handsome, there was something about Hawkins that struck her as dark. Strange, given he’d been nothing but forthright and kind to her since her arrival.

  “No, it’s not.” All eyes turned to her, some questioning, some with a degree of hostility, but all curious. “It’s quite clear from where I’m sitting.”

  “Miss Tesla,” the government man—she couldn’t have been bothered to remember his name—waved his hand dismissively, “you’re not even from our city. I doubt any insights you could provide would be helpful.”

  Emmet’s gaze narrowed on the oaf of a man, and she could see he would have made a move for the man if it weren’t for Hawkins’ hand on his shoulder and his easy, “Steady now.”

  It had been a great many years since she’d been dismissed so easily by anyone. Crossing her arms, she lifted her feet so they rested on the edge of the table. “Well, then I’d hate to waste your time, sir. Sorry for the interruption, sergeant.”

  “Miss Tesla, we would appreciate your assistance. Sometimes a fresh perspective is the very best kind.” He released Emmet and stepped in front of the man. “Isn’t that right, Mr. Clements?”

  Rather than be cowed, Clements snorted. “I shouldn’t be surprised you’d take her side, Hawkins.”

  The tension in the air was thick enough to snap. Nicola caught Emmet’s gaze and nodded toward the map. “I’m surprised you don’t see it.”

  “See what?” He turned and she saw the tension bleed out of him. “All I see are circles where they are known to… oh. Of course. You really are quite brilliant, Miss Tesla.”

  “I know.” Hearing him say as much in a room full of strangers gave her a pleasant tingle. “But it’s nice of you to acknowledge the fact.”

  The room once again filled with mutters as everyone tried to see what was so obvious to her without admitting they couldn’t. It was a game she knew would drive the pompous of their gathering to distraction. As she looked around, she noticed a tall man standing outside in the hallway. He was slighter in frame than Emmet, and had a striking resemblance to Timmons.

  The man held up his hand in greeting, allowing his unbuttoned shirtsleeve to flap open. Her smile froze on her face when she caught sight of a tattoo, a stag’s head, done in heavy black lines on the pale skin. He didn’t move for a moment, ensuring she saw it, before letting his hand fall to his side.

  He was with the Company.

  “Excuse me, gentlemen.” She got to her feet, never breaking eye contact with the newcomer. “I need a moment of privacy.”

  “Where the bloody hell do you think you’re going, girl?” Clements got to his feet. “You expect us to believe you, then have you walk away when you don’t tell us what you know?”

  “The Underlings are somewhere in the void.” She nodded toward the map. “Mr. Dennison sees it as well as I do. I’m sure these men are more than capable of moving forward from here. I’m only an engineer, after all.”

  She ignored any further comments and the stares that followed her from the room, intent on meeting the onlooker. He was grinning as he rocked up onto the tips of his toes before landing flat once more. There weren’t many Company people out and around New London, which was the reason she’d been sent here in the first place to help repair the Archives. Which means, this could only be—

  “David Timmons, at your service.” He stuck out his hand and gave her a hearty shake. “Pleased to meet you, Miss Tesla.”

  “Timmons?”

  “Rory’s my brother. He normally likes to keep me as far away from the Tower as possible, but there was no way he could keep me from meeting you.” A burst of voices erupted from the room, drawing David’s attention. “We should find someplace more comfortable to talk. This really doesn’t have anything to do with that lot.”

  In other words, Company business. “Lead the way.”

  “I don’t think Samuel will mind if we borrow his office for a time. It’s just this way.”

  David walked with a spring in his step that was contagious. His excitement was palpable, as though he were some kind of mischief maker who’d been given free rein to create as much havoc as possible. Of course, Nicola instantly liked him for it.

  The office was simple, if not a bit cluttered. The large desk took up a generous portion of the room. It was close to the message tubes that ran throughout the city, connecting important government agencies with each other and their staff.

  David sat down on the desk and let his feet swing several times. “So. Giant robot running around New London?’

  She couldn’t help but chuckle. “Yes, it appears so.”

  “With the memories of a dead woman tumbling about inside the works?”

  “Yes, indeed.”

  “You didn’t build it?”

  “No, but I did build the extractor.”

  David hummed. “Life and death I assume?”

  “Naturally.”

  “Well then, that’s all the official stuff they told me I had to say.” He grinned, making his eyes sparkle. “Now the good stuff. The boy built it, eh?”

  The last thing she wanted to do was cause more trouble for Keegan than he was already in. “Unofficially?”

  David’s grin slipped. “I spent the better part of three years trapped in a slave camp following my duty for the Company. They decided it wasn’t good business to get me out, might damage their working relationships. I might still be there if it wasn’t for the assistance of a friend.”

  She’d heard rumors about a Company man who’d been taken back when she’d first joined and arrived in Canada. The idea of being held in such a place, something far more deadly than her own recent ordeal, terrified her.

  “But you got out.”

  “I did, and I left the official employment of the HBC. I would never, never do anything to put another soul through what I did. But I need to know the extent of risk that this city is under. The risk that my brother might be facing out there, and if there’s anything I can do to help him.”

  It was strange, she hadn’t noticed the mask he wore right away. David was
the type of man who used the force of his personality to hide what he was really thinking and feeling. He was a bit like Emmet then. She moved the chair that had been set to the side so it was directly in front of him and sat down.

  “The boy seems to have the ability to, well, talk to the metal. He is able to bend things internally, small pieces that would click into place without him touching. I only got to see him work closely a few times.”

  “Have you told anyone that? At the Company?” All traces of humor were gone. “If you haven’t, for the sake of the boy, don’t.”

  “My report to Simon is already late. I can delay things longer, leave out a few key bits of information.” Not that it would do them a lot of good. Simon had a way of discovering information hidden or otherwise. “Do you think they’ll take him?”

  “Take him and put him to work. A skill like that is worth more than any automaton he could have built. But I want to make sure he’s fine before something like that happens. See if alternatives are needed.”

  “You can do that?”

  “I can do a great many things, Miss Tesla.” This time when David smiled, there was no mistaking the metal behind his personality.

  The Company had been good to her over the years, and she’d had no reason to think they’d mistreat Keegan in the least. The thought of turning him over to this man who she’d only just met and didn’t know, let alone trust, didn’t sit well. David clapped his hands and jumped to the floor, the abrupt change in his personality making her head spin.

  “Nothing quite matters until we catch the boy and shut his automaton down.” With his hands laced behind his back, he begun to rock on his feet once more. “Need some help? Because I’m happy to enlist for the task.”

  “Oh, God, who let you in?” Nicola turned to see Timmons, Emmet, and Sergeant Hawkins standing in the doorway. Timmons pushed the others aside to advance on his brother, finger pointed. “I told you this is not your concern.”

  “Giant robot wandering around New London? You honestly thought I’d stay away?”