Nightmare in Steam (Alliance of Silver and Steam Book 1)

by Lexi Ostrow

  “We are going to need to have a little talk about all those inventions of yours, love. Some of them seem downright entertaining. Others deadly. I hope you don’t have one of those guns stashed under that dress.”

  She grinned at him. “You’re not going to find out. At least not right now. You’ve got your chance, Lucius. I want to get to know more about you and then I’ll decide if you were sincere here. I want you to be sincere.” She hadn’t meant to voice that last part out loud, but it was too late.

  “I am. I will be an open book. But tonight. Something tells me the cover of night will make our interactions by far easier. What would you say to a round of demon hunting?”

  Her eyes sparkled and she bit her lip. He couldn’t have known that all she’d ever wanted was a night out in the field. Or could he? The list of questions she needed to ask him kept growing. “Will you protect me, Lucius?”

  “Always.”

  She nodded and placed a quick kiss to his lips and began walking back to her parent’s estate. “Then meet me, half past nine round the side of the house.” He reached out and grabbed her wrist. Her body jerked backwards into his chest and he spun her around and kissed her. His lips pressed against hers and his hands tugged in her hair and then he was just gone, walking down the road and she was left standing there, fully ready to tell Felicia and Greyston to fuck off with their worries and give herself to a demon.

  Chapter 10

  “Don’t you think it would be by far easier if you would just commit some atrocious act, Muriel?” She walked around the other side of the angel tied to the chair and viciously jerked one single feather from the female’s wings. She was a warrior though and there was no howl of pain. To achieve that, Seraphina would have to work much harder. Something she didn’t mind at all.

  The angels hadn’t helped her when she’d asked for help retrieving Demetrious. In fact, they’d warned her of what falling would do to her and how she would never come back. Well they neglected to mention how she’d have the power to make them all pay for ignoring her. Had they just come with her, perhaps her love wouldn’t have found her grotesque. Truly, it was the angels fault the humans would die. Had she gotten Demetrious back she might be a different angel. But alas, she was a Fallen now and she would never look back, not until every last human lay dead on the ground and her army could move their true battle against the angels.

  “You are pathetic, Seraphina,” Muriel spat in her face and she twisted a hand, grabbing at least six feathers and pulled them out. A quiver went through Muriel’s body and Seraphina chuckled. The sound echoed off the rock walls and the stone floor.

  “Ah but not so pathetic that I’ve found plenty of ways to capture the most elusive demon of all, the angel.”

  “I was in the right place and the right time. You have no master plan worked out. We will not fall and by the time you are done with me, instead of aligned with your cause I will be broken, bloody and dead on this floor. You are nothing.” She did her best to raise her eyes and look into Seraphina’s.

  “It always amazes me how self righteous angels are. No wonder humans sought to raise you above the demons you really are.” She nodded toward Ian, the only Asag demon to ever exist and the basis behind a silly Sumerian myth. His snake like tongue flicked out and he tucked his black skin-like wings against his body and wandered through the small door, his big horns scraping the rock as he did so. “You see, I thought you’d think that. That this was a fool’s errand. I’m so sorry to be the one to break it to you. Angels can fall by the will and workings of others. You’d be amazed what it feels like to have the blood seeping down your back and your shoulders screaming in pain as the rooted feathers, the final ones to go, are pulled from your body.”

  “You’re speaking nonsense. I am sorry to see what has become of you. I know now why the blood drinking was forbidden. If it turns the strongest fighters into this, there would be no way to stop your kind of demon from taking over.” Her blue eyes shone fierce.

  Angels were always protecting. But they were protecting what they loved, humans. They were still demons, but they liked the comforts of the human race and would most likely always fight to keep them from being extinct.

  Izazal entered the small holding cell, a bare chested warrior with black eyes followed behind him, arms over his chest. “Thank you, Ian.” An intake of breath from Muriel sent waves of enjoyment through her. She turned to look at the angel even as the male walked toward the chair. “Well I see introductions aren’t need then. So glad you could recognize Izazal without his wings. You’ll also notice one important detail, he’s loyal to me.”

  “No. No it can’t be. Izazal we thought you were dead, but we never knew you were here.”

  The ex commander of the angel army leaned his neck to the right and left, cracking it as he did. “Well you lot never would have bothered to look.” While he spoke Seraphina brought down a scythe from the wall.

  “You wouldn’t believe how good he is in bed now that he’s Fallen.” She winked at the horrified angel tied to the chair and swung the scythe in a large arc, slicing through feathers, cutting all on her right wing in half. “You see, I don’t have to simply pluck the feathers out. In fact, I never do this all in one session. You’ll notice something as you sit there.” She paused as she brought the scythe down on the left wing and then threw it into the wall after slicing off the feathers. The scythe crashed to the ground and the angel twitched, she was finally shaken. “Your powers are essentially contained in your wings. You won’t be able to do much of anything until the blood clots on your shoulders and the magic rests within you once again. I will be right on the other side of that gate though and I would be honored to watch you try, Muriel.” She turned to walk away, never intending to fully break the angel in one go around.

  “This will not work. I might not be dead when it’s all over, but you can’t stop me from taking my own life the moment you set me free.”

  She didn’t need to turn around to know that Izazal had stroked a hand down his ex lover’s face before he spoke the next words. “When you have the blood of a Fallen Angel coursing through your body, you’ll see things differently. It works similar to Pure Angel blood, only it forms an addiction that leads to madness without a steady supply. A madness that you’ll do anything to sate and I promise you, when I’m busy fucking you as you feed from my vein you’ll be begging Seraphina to release you from your cell.”

  Seraphina heard the female angel whimper and smiled again. It wouldn’t matter how many feathers Izazal tore from her back. They’d spent centuries as lovers before Seraphina had captured him. She’d bet he’d have Muriel begging for him to fuck her long before he even touched another feather on her back. She walked gracefully down the hall and nodded as she passed Ian. The Asag Demon was one of her most loyal subjects as so few records existed of him she’d enjoyed setting him loose on the world and seeing what the humans thought of him.

  “Seraphina.” The raspy voice that signaled none other than a Stranglehold demon shouted out to her from across her office just as she stepped inside.

  “Arial. Dean. What?” She sat in her chair and folded her arms over her chest. She despised working with these two. But there were none better to act as enforcers than demons literally around for nothing more than to strangle things. Their intelligence left much to be desired, however.

  “Lucius, he isn’t following your directive.” Arial spoke and bowed his head to the floor, keeping his eyes there like the good little pet that he was.

  Her vision went red. The Nightmare Demon was becoming a thorn in her side. He’d been loyal for the most part. Until a few months ago when he found his mate. The idea aggravated her beyond belief. Angels were the only demons who had a human form that did not have a mate, whether they were Fallen or Pure. So learning that her favorite bed toy and assassin was not only sexually tied to another, but ignoring her was not the news she wanted. A glass vase went sailing and smashed into the wall, shattering glass over the brot
hers where they sat. Her palms slammed down onto her desk and she pushed off, standing behind it as she dared them to look her in the eyes.

  “Would one of you imbeciles care to explain why you are not dealing with it yourselves?”

  They exchanged a look before Dean spoke. “You ordered we were not be seen by humans in large numbers. He has been surrounded by them day and night. We are unable to enforce him unless you have changed your mind.”

  She blew out a long sigh. If humans learned about the existence of demons before she had time to quell their numbers it would be a disaster. There were hundreds of humans to every one demon and all they needed was the knowledge they were there and the whole thing would be over before it started. She supposed the Alliance kept it secret for the same reason. They probably felt the knowledge meant people would run amuck and that there were more demons than humans.

  Her nails dug into the wooden desk and she bared her fangs at the duo. “Do not question my directive. But do not ever wait to report to me. I want Greyston Westham dead for his betrayal. I want his soul trapped in the wall of my chambers, waiting for the day when I release them to torment the remaining humans.” She sat back down slowly and forced herself not to attack the idiots where they sat. “Get out of my sight before I decide your incompetence is punishable by execution.”

  They jumped up and comically slammed into one another as they rushed out of the door. She leaned back in her chair and snarled. “It’s a damn good thing your mate could be useful Lucius or this visit would be far more than social.”

  Chapter 11

  His nails bit into the palm of his hands and he had to unclench them to grab the shaving razor. It was always a waiting game it seemed. Wait for her to fall asleep, wait to meet her awake, wait to meet with her. Rage simmered just below the surface and Lucius was grateful they would be out hunting. He needed any excuse to demonstrate who he was to her. “A Casanova with a gambling addiction and a murderous streak, fantastic plan.” He grimaced as he dragged the straight edge over his face. A small trickle of blood slid down his chin and dripped into the washbasin.

  He wanted to be more than that to her. He wanted her to see more than the charm he held, more than the way he could charm the undergarments off ladies or some of the things he’d charmed gambling buddies into doing. He wanted to be better for her, to be someone she would allow to court her. It was the most foolish thing ever. He’d spent less than a day in her presence…while they were awake. Yet the spark of life she gave off was infectious and made him want to be around her long enough to soak it in himself. Her intelligence lit her eyes in a way that made him smile just being near her. And he wasn’t even touching upon the way the swell of her breasts pushed against her gowns or the way the blonde locks curled around her face, framing her like a portrait. She was everything a human male would want in a wife and yet they all ignored her because she liked to play in the grease and could probably outwit them during a game of chess. The thought angered him, though he should probably feel grateful to them for allowing him the chance.

  Lucius only owned two real suits and he’d worn them both in her presence already. The last thing he wanted was for her to be appalled by both his low societal rank and his species. His eyes traveled over to the inn’s bed where a chocolate brown suit with a pale green shirt lay across it. Fourteen pounds hadn’t seemed to be an issue to him when he’d purchased it. But he’d only thought to bring a mere twenty pounds. He ran a hand over the silken suit and realized he’d spent a colossal waste of coin. But it was important to impress her.

  The way her fear had wrapped around him near that manor had pissed him off like nothing else in his life. The look in her eyes was a combination of fear and disdain. He couldn’t help but wonder if Felicia had ever looked at Greyston that way and assumed she probably had. He grabbed the suit off the bed and stepped into the pants, tugging them up carefully so as not to damage them in anyway.

  “I do much prefer you removing those garments, Lucius.” The voice was sultry, like melted chocolate or the slide of fine wine down one’s throat. And it made his blood run cold.

  “Seraphina.” He hissed her name as he turned quickly to face her. There was no way he had the ability to confuse her. Angels were hard enough to trick when they were asleep, but to cause any mental frustration while she was awake, well it would take a far stronger demon than he was.

  “My, my, my isn’t that a little unwelcome.” She walked up to him and slid her hands down his bare chest.

  His body shivered, a grotesque look crossed his face. He didn’t like her touching him. It had to be the effect of the mating mark. Or maybe you simply like the touch of Eliza compared to pure evil. Her hand continued to trail over his chest and he did his best to not flinch as it ran over his cock through the thin pants and gently massaged a circle.

  “What do you want from me, Seraphina?” He spoke through clenched teeth as a feeling of nausea crept up through his body. She didn’t let up and thankfully his prick stayed flaccid. That was the last thing he wanted, to be aroused by her.

  She ran her tongue over his ear and blew against it, an action that at one time would have him coming in his trousers. But not now. Now his body shuddered and he felt his cock try to shrink away from her touch and for a brief moment he wondered if she meant to dismember him, starting there.

  “You’ll do best to not speak to me in such a tone. You are a lesser demon whom I’ve allowed to live because your cock suits me and your skills are not one a Fallen Angel can possess. But do not ever think you can speak to me in such a fashion. Especially given our past.” She let go of him completely and took a step back, perching on the edge of the bed. Her beauty rocked through him. There was no trace of the evil that lurked within. Her eyes even still shone with life and innocence. It would only be when she smiled that the darkness would seep out for people to see. “I’m here because we have a contract and I believe almost a week has passed since I demanded it of you.”

  Greyston. She was talking about why he had yet to murder Greyston. “I haven’t had the chance.”

  “Oh don’t be ridiculous. You think I don’t have eyes watching you? You think the beautiful whores you’ve bedded and the fine gentlemen you’ve swindled weren’t Fallen Angels? Well then I suppose this is an awakening for you Lucius Cooley Willan. I’ve always watched you. Just because you only saw Arial and Dean, doesn’t mean there aren’t more.” Her voice was cold, calculating. “So I know that you were with Greyston three nights ago. But more importantly than that, I know about a certain blonde inventor who you’ve become taken with.”

  The blood drained from his face and the room spun, his legs gave out and he found himself arse first next to Seraphina on the small bed. Eliza was in danger. He had to get her out of the city, out of the country if he could. Seraphina could follow him everywhere, but if there was a shot an angel would help transport Eliza from inside the Alliance she would be safe. Seraphina couldn’t follow her if she was moved without her seeing it happen because whatever bound her demons to her, she didn’t have anything from Eliza and the thought was a mercy. Seraphina could only follow him and he would not go with her, no matter what he wanted.

  “Before you even think it, there’s no chance of getting her to leave. An angel may have told the royals about the demon infestation a few decades back, but they will not get involved unless they are in danger.” So that was how the humans came to know of them. “Plus, I have no intention of harming the woman. For now.”

  “Why?” Asking her questions rarely led to answers, but he was too stunned by her admission of Eliza’s safety to think.

  “Because I find you more useful now than ever. You will have a way in.” Her red painted lips curved into the sickening smile that could make grown men and even higher demons cry.

  “I don’t have a choice?” He would find a way to thwart this newest attempt, but he would need a way completely out of her grasp. A way that would only come with an angel and aside from what she just told
him, he’d already known they help demons. So it wasn’t likely the fine feathered demons would come to him.

  “You already know the answer to that. It really is a marvelous plan. You have to earn her trust of course. You won’t learn any of the secrets if she believes you to be as deceitful and underhanded as you truly are. So you may have the day to change her mind. I will even supply a way for you to do so.” Seraphina rose off the bed, her dark red hair trailed behind her and the white silken dress she wore, to mock a Pure Angel’s garb, flowed effortlessly behind her. “Remember though, I’m watching you at every turn, Lucius, and if you dare to cross me, she will be the one that pays the price. Your penance will be a life without her as I am not yet through with you.”

  “If I do this, if I betray my mate and give you everything you need will I be free to be with her?” He would never do it, but Seraphina wouldn’t need to know that. He’d already frayed the nonexistent trust between Eliza and himself and he wouldn’t do it again. But if he could make it seem like he was doing so, feed Seraphina a little false information, a little misguidance, then he would play the game. Even if Eliza turned him away, he would have his freedom and she would be forever safe for as long as her human life continued.

  She bit her lip and chewed on it. The silence was deafening and he itched with need to wring his hands around her neck, but that would be futile.

  “Yes.” Nothing more was said, she opened whatever transport system angel power granted her and vanished from the room. Leaving him with more questions than answers.

  He finished dressing in silence. There couldn’t be too much longer to wait now, the sun was kissing the tops of the shops that he could see through the window. How could he pull off the biggest con he’d ever run when he had no way of telling his partner in crime that they were running a con? He rubbed his hands over his eyes and grabbed the tortoise shell walking stick he’d bought with the suit, he thought it made him appear distinguished, and headed out of the room. He wanted to be there when the sky turned black to get as much time with her as he possibly could.