Keeping Cadence

by Piper J. Drake

  "None dead." She motioned for Minxy and Jonathan to follow their captain and took rear guard. "One will likely need a cane for the rest of his life though."

  "Better than dead." Captain Sharp dropped the volume of her words to a bare whisper. "We don't need the prices on our heads hiked up by leaving corpses for Her Majesty's men to find if we can help it."

  "True enough." Guilt still squeezed her chest. Not long ago, she'd been confined to a wheeled chair. Walking had been a dream back then.

  They all fell silent. The route back to the Vulpes involved dark alleys and climbing a few more fire escapes to run the rooftops. All along the way, Jonathan kept his tongue and did as he was told. Twice more they ran into batches of trouble.

  "It's like they decided they had to catch us at all costs." Minxy spit on the cobbles after the last scuffle.

  "You lose a tooth?" Cadence eyed her shipmate.

  "Nah. But that last idjit cut my lip." Minxy dabbed at her mouth with her sleeve. "You going to kiss it better?"

  "Have a glass of scotch. It'll disinfect it better than a kiss." Cadence pondered the search parties they were seeing in the alleyways and on the side streets. Too many for a pair of gunrunners and her crew mates. Another airship might come after them on a grudge but they wouldn't put this much effort into it once the ambush failed. Too much chance of attracting attention from the authorities. "They're not after us. They're after Jonathan."

  Captain Sharp paused to glance back over her shoulder at them all. After a moment, she faced front again and continued on. "Get to the ship first, then we start with the questions."

  Chapter 5

  "Now what do we do with you?"

  Staring down the barrel of Captain Sharp's pistol, Jonathan swallowed hard. Words usually came fairly easily to him. Funny how they scattered when he needed them most. "Take me to Paris?"

  Captain Sharp raised a single eyebrow. "And why would we want to do that?"

  So many reasons tumbled through his mind, but the ones he needed to give had to matter to Captain Sharp and her crew.

  What mattered to an airship captain?

  "Dodgson only paid you half in advance, didn't he?"

  "And what if he did?" Captain Sharp cocked the hammer of the pistol and tipped her head to one side.

  "You're out the other half. Our destination was Paris, the Exposition Universelle." The French words tripped across his tongue. Damn it all, he had better pronunciation.

  Slightly behind and to one side of Captain Sharp, Cadence leaned back against the cabin wall. Her face expressionless but he thought he saw a hint of interest spark in her blue eyes.

  "There will be over fifty thousand exhibitors there from France, Britain, even the United States and Canada. The business opportunities could be endless for both of us."

  "You want to showcase your invention." Cadence crossed her arms, the effect distracting as her ample assets were even further accentuated.

  Jonathan closed his eyes. It wouldn't be wise to lust after her at the current moment, as much as he wanted to.

  "Dodgson likely wanted to sell it to the highest bidder here, in Britain. The immediate sale was a sure thing with any number of buyers, including the military." He spoke slowly, choosing his words carefully as he went. "He didn't see the bigger picture."

  "There isn't much bigger than Exposition Universelle. This year's will be quite a lot more than anything held to date and several times larger than the one held a little over ten years ago." Cadence shrugged, her chemise slipping off one creamy white shoulder. "How is it that a clankerton from a small town knows anything about what it was like, or what this new one will be?"

  "And do tell us why we care before my arm gets too tired." Captain Sharp's tone left room for no doubt. He had very little time.

  "It would be mutually beneficial, especially if I can build my machine aboard your ship on the way there."

  "Unless you have what you need squirreled away on your body, I'd like to know how you'd manage it." Captain Sharp's pistol never wavered.

  Cadence's stare didn't either.

  "The components are likely to be aboard the airship of the crew who attacked us. We could get them back." Oh, and he had better talk faster. "The rifles are aboard too. If your crew retrieves both, you can have the rifles, all of them. They'd be worth a small fortune at the Exposition. You'd make back what you were supposed to be paid and much more. When I've got my machine built, I could find a new sponsor and pay you at least what Dodgson paid as a second bonus."

  "That's promising." Captain Sharp uncocked her pistol and pointed it toward the ceiling.

  "We could use a decent engineer to take a look at the ship's workings too, Cap'n." Cadence's mouth pressed into a line and the life drained from her eyes until they were flat, heartless. "Plus, I wouldn't mind another shot at the airship crew who wanted to put holes in you."

  A shiver ran down Jonathan's spine. In that moment, he'd no doubt the beautiful redhead was a killer.

  "We do owe them a return of favor." Captain Sharp tapped her foot. "Can't have idiot pirates running around thinking they can just attack us and get away with naught but a lame sailor. They'd be challenging us left and right, probably at the worst times. We need to make it known that we don't fuck about."

  She paced the length of the cabin and back again, coming to a stop next to him.

  "You." She poked him in the shoulder. "You will tell us everything you know about Dodgson and the airship crew he hired to double-cross us. No dallying about with words, I'm betting the gunrunner is going to be after them as well. We'll want those rifles before the man gets his inventory back."

  He nodded.

  "We'll need a distraction too, Cap'n. They will be looking for him." Cadence pushed away from the wall and stepped over to a low table. Reaching beneath it, she brought out and unrolled a map. "I'd recommend not leaving him on the ship while we take action."

  "What'd you have in mind then, Cadence?"

  Since the captain strode over to the table, Jonathan felt safe enough to follow. The map spread out, showing New London in minute detail.

  Cadence leaned forward, blazing-red curls tumbling over one shoulder as she traced a finger over the docks. "Why don't we send him out as bait? Give them something to chase."

  Captain Sharp nodded. "It's an idea. I'm not sure our bait will make it back to us though, or come back to us even if he could."

  The two of them eyed him up and down.

  "Well, he's spry." Captain Sharp chewed on her lip. "And he's proved he can duck and cover quicker than most."

  "I won't let him out of my sight, Cap'n." Cadence straightened. "I'll take him out to play fox to the hounds while you and the girls loot their lair."

  "Just you?"

  Cadence tipped her head to the side. "Aw, we don't want to stack the odds too heavily in our favor. What fun would that be?"

  Captain Sharp snorted. "Only kill them if they almost kill you."

  Just how often did the Captain have to remind her not to kill anyone?

  "Aye, Cap'n."

  "All right, where are we going to stash him for now?"

  Cadence cleared her throat.

  A big grin spread across Captain Sharp's face. "All right, get on with you then. Make your plans and outfit him for the adventure. We'll set this in motion just before dawn."

  He'd definitely missed something. Seriously, women must have some sort of psychic rapport. It defied any rational man's logic.

  As he and Cadence stepped out of the Captain's quarters onto the upper deck, the full moon shone down almost as bright as day.

  "Come with me." She started down the steps to the main deck.

  "Was Captain Sharp really going to shoot me?"

  "Not likely." Cadence didn't turn as she gave him the reassurance. "Unless she really didn't like your answer."

  "I thought as much."

  When she hit the landing, she turned on her heel to face him. He stopped in his tracks, a breath away from h
er.

  A small smile played on her lips, plump and luscious. "On the other hand, if I ever draw my pistol it's because I do plan to shoot you, regardless of what you say. Just so we're clear."

  Cold washed over him for a moment as he considered the promise of death he'd heard in her tone. Then he remembered the softness of her skin under his hands and his blood warmed.

  "You don't kill without a reason."

  She blinked.

  "You're good at what you do, I can see that. So good, your captain thinks you need the reminders. You make everyone nervous." He caught one of her curls between his fingers, the strands silken soft. "I saw you back at the warehouse and at Mont Blanc. You hit the targets you aimed for and you never went for a kill, wouldn't, even when they tried to kill you. You could've killed them then. Most would say it was within your captain's rules. They almost killed you."

  She shrugged, flags of color staining her cheeks. "Even if they tried, it wasn't as if they came close."

  "I'm glad."

  "That I didn't kill them?"

  "Glad they didn't come close to harming you." He risked brushing his knuckles over her cheek as her blush deepened. "So, where are you going to stash me for the time being?"

  * * *

  Cadence bit her lower lip. A strange fluttering tickled her chest and she ducked her head to give herself a moment to gather her thoughts. She didn't trust herself to speak, not if she was going to say something inane. Instead she headed below decks and hoped he had the sense to follow.

  Jonathan proved yet again, he was a smart man.

  Striding down a central corridor directly below the captain's quarters, she passed several doors before coming to a stop.

  "These are guest quarters?" He'd stepped up so close behind her, his breath tickled the shell of her ear. The awareness of the heat of his body just behind her tightened things low in her belly.

  "Guest quarters are at the fore of the ship. Crew sleep below. These aft quarters are for senior crew members only." She opened the door and stepped inside, turning as he followed her to close the door behind him.

  "Cozy."

  It was. Her quarters were just large enough to contain her bunk and a couple of chests containing her personal belongings.

  "It's home." She stepped across the tiny space and began removing her weaponry, hanging each firearm with care.

  "Facta non Verba." Jonathan traced the words etched in the placard on the wall. "Motto from your family crest?"

  She shook her head. "Something my papa used to say."

  "Deeds, not words." He managed the translation with ease. "From what I've seen, you are certainly a woman of deeds. Uncommon and maybe even heroic?"

  Someone else might have laughed. No. The phrase meant too much to her. She even kept it close, burned into a leather cuff so she could wear it at all times. "There are too many honey-tongued people in this world doing more harm than good. Too many out there breaking their word. My honor is in my actions, not empty promises."

  And thanks to papa, she could take action.

  The mood had taken on a heavy tone and Jonathan cleared his throat. She didn't know what to say to lighten the moment, so she continued stowing her gear.

  "Impressive collection." When she sneaked a peek at him at her side, he was studying her small armory. "Not just pistols, but a couple of ray guns too. You even have the Snider-Enfield rifle. No wonder you could compare the Martini-Henry so readily."

  "I've got both now." Even she heard the pleasure in her voice and wasn't ashamed either. She'd snagged it fair and square. With luck, they'd have even more by morning.

  "Clever use of space, these hook and closures you've got here."

  She shrugged. "I need to be able to get to them quickly, but the sudden maneuvers of any airship means I had to secure them in place. Seemed like the best way to fit both requirements."

  He ran a hand over the very small table space she had along the wall and then the tiny drawers beneath. He opened each drawer to expose her carefully stowed ammunition and chuckled. "A place for everything?"

  "Best I can manage."

  He faced her then, and settled his hands at her waist. "And a place for me? At least for the time being?"

  "If you'd like." Anticipation quickened her pulse. She found a matching hunger in his gaze and when he bent his head, she met him midway in a kiss.

  Just as she remembered, or maybe better. His lips settled over hers with a light pressure and the tip of his tongue flicked against her mouth. She opened for him and he swept inside, tasting and teasing.

  Had she moaned? Maybe.

  His hands tightened, the heat of them seeping right through her corset to her skin. He pulled her close and she melded her body against his.

  He deepened the kiss then, feeding from her, sending her drowning. She slid her hands up his arms and over his shoulders, along the back of his neck until she'd buried her hands in his hair.

  When he let her up for air, he dropped his head to her neck and dragged hot kisses across her skin as she gasped.

  He groaned against her neck. "Can I have you? I need to have you."

  She cupped his face in her hands and kissed him in answer, nipping at his lips until he growled and captured her mouth again.

  He pressed her backwards then, until her calves hit the back of her bunk.

  "All right, then?"

  She nodded. "Just a bump, no harm done."

  "These really are tight quarters." He wrapped an arm around her waist and kissed her senseless as he lowered them both down on her bunk.

  Having the weight of him all along the length of her body was a delicious feeling. His clever hands roamed over her, running down the sides of her waist and over her hips and back up again. He pressed her legs apart with his knee and settled his thigh between them.

  As he brushed his lips over hers, he rolled his hips, pressing his muscular thigh close between her legs. "I can feel you, hot, almost ready."

  Almost?

  The sound of his voice, dark and hungry, sent thrills down her spine. She was certain he could feel how wet she was even through her underclothes. Ready was the best word she could think of for the way she felt.

  "No rush, is there?" He chuckled and nipped her earlobe.

  She squeezed her thighs together around his and pressed her hips upward as she tightened her fingers around his biceps. "What are you waiting for?"

  "Not waiting, learning." His words fell against her skin in searing puffs of air, punctuated by gentle kisses along her neck and across her collarbone.

  His hands ran over her torso, lingering long enough for the warmth to seep through the layers of her corset and underlying chemise before moving lower to her hips. His fingertips brushed over the bare skin of her thighs in a feather-light touch.

  Her nipples hardened, becoming hypersensitive, until even the fine linen of her chemise was too rough. She drew in a breath, expanding her chest as much as she could within the usually comforting protection of her corset.

  "Let me help you." His weight lifted away and he tugged at her hands, lifted her back up to standing.

  Just as she got her feet under her, he kissed her deeply. So distracted by his lips, his exploring tongue, she almost lost track of his hands as they undid the ties to her corset and loosened the lacing. Her rib cage expanded, flooded her lungs with cool air, and he chuckled against her mouth, nibbled at her lower lip.

  "As much as I enjoy your corseted figure, I wonder why ladies wear these things all the time."

  Perhaps not a necessity for some, it was for her. She struggled to pull together a response, form words. "Back requires support through the longer days. Wouldn't be able to use my glider without the steel reinforcement in my corsets."

  "Ah." He nuzzled her neck as his nimble fingers popped the stays down the front of her corset, until the garment fell away. A gentle tug as he lifted her chemise and she raised her arms so he could slip it the rest of the way off. "Sensible, then. I like that."


  Like wasn't the word for how she enjoyed the way his hands closed over her freed breasts. He cupped them, teased her nipples with his thumbs until her knees weakened and she clutched at his waist.

  When he lowered her back onto her bunk, she attempted to draw him down with her, but instead he placed his hand flat on her chest and smoothly drew a line of heat along the front of her body. Lying still, she waited, captivated by the intensity in his gaze.

  In decisive moves, he located the ties to her skirt and pulled the slipknot free. Never taking his gaze from her, he slid her skirt down over her legs and tossed the garment away to join the rest of her clothes. Finally he broke their eye contact, and he studied her boots, lifting first one foot and then the other and caressing the length of each leg.

  "These are fine pieces of work." He caressed the minute dials and control panels on the outside of each boot. "I never imagined how incredibly hot you'd look with only these on."

  That wasn't quite true. She still wore her bloomers, custom-sewn silk. Like her skirts, she wore the bloomers short to avoid any hampering of movement in a fight. Still, she invested in the best of fabric. Only the best to wear against her most tender bits.

  As if he'd read her thoughts, his gaze settled on her final garment. "Well, of course, there're these too." He ran a finger under the gathered seam around one thigh.

  Even the simple touch sent thrills of pleasure running along her skin. A fresh burst of heat radiated from her core and she ached for him to touch her in other, more sensitive places.

  Hell, if she couldn't say it in her head, how was she going to tell him what she wanted?

  But she didn't need to. He'd begun kissing and licking the inside of her thigh, just above the top of her boot. His hands continued to caress her hips and bottom, warming the silk of her bloomers and teasing her skin with the smooth fabric. Just as he reached the juncture between her legs, he turned his head and applied equal attention to her other thigh.

  "Your skin tastes so good." He spread the fingers of each hand wide across her thighs, pressing them up and apart. "I want to taste all of you."