Nightmare in Steam (Alliance of Silver and Steam Book 1)
Page 24
Her eyes flamed, a bright red under the crystalline grey blue. “Figure it out, Seraphina.” She picked up her crystal dagger from the table top, the one only pure angels could effectively wield and kill a demon with one stab. It’s pointed tip slipped across her arm and she felt nothing as the blood dripped out and steamed when it hit the table top. Bloodletting was frowned upon, but an easy way to relieve tension for any Angel. The tension poured out with her blood and when she touched the crystal to her arm to close the wound she felt better. More in control.
A knock at the door brought a smile to her face. She’d known sooner or later she would fail if she did not see to herself. Vanity was its own reward sometimes and her body was preventing her mind from seeking the proper solution. She pulled the straps from her gossamer gown down and let the bodice of her dress fall just below her breasts before tugging open the door. The big Inferno Demon smiled and when she put her hand on his bare chest he was already hot to the touch. She stepped up on tip toes to close the small gap and pressed her mouth to his. The heat from his body set hers on fire. His mouth devoured hers and she pulled him inside even as he shut the door closed.
His body tumbled with hers onto the bed and even as she threw her head back in ecstasy her eyes landed on the figment of her one true lover in the far corner of the room. She closed her eyes as the hot demon’s fingers entered her body and focused on finding her own release so that she could get back to work against the Alliance. But the whole time her body trembled with need and lust, her eyes were locked with her imagination’s version of Demetrious.
Epilogue
October
Her hands were slick with sweat as she went to stand by Felicia’s side. The date had been pushed back due to Lucius’ confinement and she had never heard the end of it from her friend. The fate of their wedding day seemed to rest on Eliza’s shoulders now as she walked down the center aisle of the palace.
The ridiculous flowing purple gown caused her to trip twice. Her face never hit the ground, but she could hear Lucius’ laughter over the organ music. Felicia looked stunning as she walked down the aisle. It was strange, seeing her friend in a delicate gown when she was all hard edges and work. Her eyes shifted to Greyston, who looked dapper in a black suit and tails with a purple vest himself. A small red rose was pinned to his suit jacket, roses that matched the arrangements at the end of the pews. He looked as though the sun had just come out in the night sky as he watched his bride move closer and closer to him, even though it was first thing after Sunday services. Her hair was twisted into a knot, with white daises interwoven in. Her gown was flowing, a silver silk instead of a pure white and perfectly molded to her body. Everyone could see all of Felicia’s slender curves and Eliza could only imagine that Greyston was liking their dress choice. The two of them had spent hours in the marketplace selecting the silk and finding the proper spinner.
Being Captain of the Royal Guard, the room was almost more stunning than the bride, with his highness sitting to Greyston’s left. White rose petals scattered all over the stone church floor and silken curtains had been draped over all the windows. Steven Parkes stood next to Greyston and Eliza laughed softly as he pinched Greyston’s arm when he didn’t take Felicia’s hand when she stopped at the alter. Everyone stood now, a sign of respect to the soon to be wedded couple. Gowns of all magnificence filled the room, as did top hats and canes. Even everyone from the guild had gotten dressed proper to celebrate such a high society wedding.
When Eliza heard the Bishop begin, her eyes left Felicia and Greyston, beautiful as they were, she only wanted to look at one person during a wedding, even if it was not her own ceremony. She looked to the front pew and smiled at Lucius. He looked splendid and she beamed with joy at her mate. He wore the same outfit from the day they met, only the vest was woven with black design work instead of a solid grey. His black eyes landed on hers and he nodded so small only she would have been able to see his head moved. He mouthed the words “I love you” and she wished she could return them, but she would do nothing to take the guests eyes off of Felicia. She and Greyston deserved this day. So many in the room had no clue as to what the groom truly was, but it was a day for celebrations when a man such as himself took a bride. Their courtship had surprised all members of society and they’d gone through hoops to shut those people up. Now it was time for them to celebrate, so she merely smiled back at her own mate.
Applause broke out in the room and echoed like thunder. She turned her head and saw the pair locked in a kiss, Felicia’s crystal veil being held back by Greyston’s large hand. Everyone laughed when the Bishop cleared his throat and the couple remained locked in a passionate kiss. There was no stopping an Incubus Demon and sooner or later Felicia would have to pull back or risk setting off a sexual frenzy. She laughed and stepped off the alter, walking toward Lucius who was already standing to grab her hands. He kissed her gently, he’d had impeccable manners that she had never seen coming.
“How is my lovely mate? Getting ideas of your own?” He winked at her and she elbowed him playfully.
“Well that would be impossible as it’s been a little over four months since our first official meeting and someone has never asked.” She smiled and leaned to whisper in his ear, “I believe he thinks he has this one in the bag.” She winked at him as she pulled back and turned to look at Felicia and Greyston, who had finally broken apart in front of a very flustered Bishop.
Arms wrapped around her waist and she felt warm lips on her neck. “Well if that’s how you want to play it, love.” He spun her around to face him and kissed her. His lips were warm and felt like coming home. That’s what he was for her now, home. “How about you come and be my wife in the big old manor I purchased just doors down from Mr. and Mrs. Westham? I bet you ladies would love to sit for tea one day and demon hunt the next.” He laughed and it tickled her nose.
Her smile was all she was able to manage in the way of an answer and she leaned in and kissed him, just the same way Felicia had kissed Greyston before the Bishop.
This series blindsided me. I always read steampunk and was either fully enthralled, or shaking with a headache from trying to understand all the amazing things being done in the pages of the story. If not for SJ Davis’s anthology call for a short steampunk piece, the Alliance of Silver and Steam never would have been born and I never would have tried something I felt was impossible. I reached outside my comfort zone and fell in love with a cast of characters and a story line that I cannot wait to share with the world.
Thank you to my husband for sitting around doing nothing but talking names. Yes, in the end we found a name generator and yes whatever name you picked, like a good wife, I changed later the next day. But your support and willingness to help me figure out the world I was getting ready to live in means everything to me.
Finally a huge thank you to Dreams2Media. I cannot envision a more perfect cover for every book in the series. I had big dreams and you matched and superseded my expectations. Thank you so much.
Keep reading for a preview of Bite of Silver (Alliance of Silver & Steam Book 2) , coming February 8th, 2015.
Bite of Silver
The smile on Seraphina’s painted red lips was cold and yet, colder still by the time it reached her eyes.
“It has been a pleasure. An absolute pleasure.” Cruelty danced in her eyes as she turned her back on the Kappa demon leader and Lake Biwa.
“When will we have our payment?” The leader’s voice was raspy, much like the froglike creature he was.
She tensed at the question, as the ruler of Hell and all demons aside from Pure Angels, she didn’t get questioned often. Her hand twitched at her sides with the urge to simply kill him. But that wouldn’t help her with her plot to turn an Alliance of Silver and Steam member.
“It will come when the job is done. When Philippe Clemis has been bitten and I have proof, your kind will have a section of Hell to call home.” She hadn’t bothered to turn around and immediately flashed herse
lf away from the serene Japanese lake and back into her chambers.
She reached out over the mental bond she had with her Fallen Angels. It was a bond she only shared with those she created from her own blood and at present, there were twenty of them. She latched onto the link with her original turned victim, Izazal.
“ I need to exercise out my frustrations. See to it that an adequate demon is sent to my chambers quickly.” She would get no response from him, just his obedience, so she closed the mental link.
Her smile morphed into one that was decidedly more sensual as she turned and saw herself in the mirror. She trailed her hands over her body, delighted in the pleasure just the small touch brought her and sauntered over to the table beneath the mirror. She poured herself a glass of wine that was nearly as red as the paint on her lips and wrapped her lips over the glass and tipped it, drinking every last drop in one sip before gently setting the crystal glass down.
She stared at herself in the mirror. Her grey-blue eyes sparkled with delight and it was barely after nine a.m. “It would seem you have finally outsmarted the Alliance, Seraphina.” She grinned at her own praise.
It had taken her almost six months of research, but her dream of transforming an Alliance of Silver and Steam member into a demon she could have power over was delightful. The hardest part had been choosing the proper demon to do the task. She’d poured over her options for the better part of two months. There were so many options, but very few that had seemed undetectable enough to get the job done.
The Kappa demon, an old Japanese myth that the culture only got half right had been the best choice. The small froglike creatures lived outside of Hell as they weren’t a species that had earned their spot down there over the centuries. They lived in lakes and typically did nothing more than drown their victims. However, Seraphina knew that their bite could transform a human, and only a human, into their blood slaves. It was how their supposedly secured victims would come to the lake and the perfect way to steal a hunter. The blood slave would never change form and would have a decent amount of free will; until the Kappa demon that created them put out an order.
And the only order this one would be giving was to follow Seraphina’s every wish. Her body flared to life at the thought of the sensual Philippe Clemis servicing her body and her cause – to rid the Earth of humans so the demons could live topside without persecution. A small moan escaped her as she thought about his shoulder length black hair splayed out over her thighs as he pleasured her with his mouth.
He was the perfect choice for this experiment and she couldn’t wait to hold control over his mind.