Gilded Hearts (The Shadow Guild Series) (13 page)

Dammit, she hated whenever he’d bring that up. So she’d made a few impulsive decisions growing up, ones that had gotten her in over her head. She would have found a way to get herself out of those messes. Eventually. “Fine. But don’t expect me to lie down and behave like a good little debutante.”

“I wouldn’t dream of it, Pip.”

They’d kept primarily to the less crowded alleys and side streets. When they had no choice but to use the main street, Samuel kept her close to the buildings and pressed against his side. In other circumstances it would have been wonderful being so close to him, the heat from his body soaking into her. But he was worried and she knew her nervousness would be bleeding out of her, making Samuel even tenser. It would be fine. They’d get to the location and she’d be able to catch her breath and get her head sorted.

They were about to cross the street to avoid a crowd when the ground beneath them began to rumble. People scattered, the crowd thinning immediately as whole groups ducked into buildings.

The Administrators were coming.

Piper hated when the others treated her like a girl. While she might be one, there wasn’t a lot she couldn’t handle. Hell, Jones was more apt to panic than her. And there was that one time she’d punched Acolyte Masters in the nose when he’d been teasing Jones…

Still, when the three boys circled around her, acting as a barrier between her and the passing group of Administrators, she didn’t mind.

“They don’t look that scary.” She wrapped her fingers around Samuel’s arm. “What do they do?”

“Keep your voice down, Pip.” Samuel bumped Dennison’s shoulder. “And you stop staring.”

Dennison ignored him. “Master Ryerson told me they are like the police. They do things that the Archives need done, but don’t want to involve outsiders.”

“I heard they torture archivists who step out of line. Chase down acolytes and apprentices who try to escape.” Jones shuffled a bit closer to Piper and reached for her hand. “I don’t think anyone could escape from here.”

“Not true.”

The three turned and looked at Samuel. Piper was surprised to see he was still staring where the Administrators had disappeared. “What do you mean?”

“Some people get out. They don’t get chased either.”

“They might get out and they might be left alone,” Dennison broke ranks and stepped away from them, “but have no doubt that they are keeping tabs on them. They’re only gone because they’re allowed to.”

Huge metal horses, steam rolling from their wide unmoving nostrils, plodded up the road behind them. The windows lowered and a long metal spyglass stuck out from within the carriage. She watched for a moment as it moved up and down, scanning the crowd. The Administrators would have an unobstructed view of the streets around them, making it impossible to miss Sam and Piper. Dennison had told her once about a set of goggles that the Hudson’s Bay Company had created, ones that allowed the detection of an individual, singling them out from a group based on the identification of their cells. He hadn’t gone into the details of the science behind the invention, and Piper hadn’t asked. Now she cursed herself for not being more diligent.

The carriage approached, giving them little time to escape. Ignoring Samuel’s startled protests, she pulled him into a crowded pub, keeping them near the door.

“They have means of identifying people regardless of any costumes or disguises. If we stayed outside and had crossed their path, the goggles would identify us as archivists.”

Sam looked through the window before lifting his wrist strap and pressing several buttons. Frowning, he shook his head. “How is that even possible?”

“I don’t understand all of the technology, but enough to know we need to wait.” Piper could tell he wasn’t at all convinced. “I’ve been told it has something to do with our blood. We cast off invisible waves because of elements in our bodies, and everyone’s waves are unique as fingerprints. They are detectable by the goggles.”

“Will we be safe in here?”

“I’m not sure. I tuned Dennison out when he got blathering on about it for too long. I believe they need to actually inspect your person in order to identify you. The walls should be enough of a barrier.” She hoped.

One of these days she’d learn to pay better attention.

Still, when the carriage crawled past the pub, Piper held her breath and waited. Piper peered around Samuel and looked out the window. Sunlight glinted off the metal fringe on the horse’s head. The sparkle rivaled only that of the red glow in its eyes. “Dammit.”

“What?”

“The horse. It’s… looking at us.”

Samuel spun them around so he could see out. The horse lifted its head, turning so it was clear the creature saw them. Samuel held a breath.

As a child, Piper had believed the horses actually had the spirit of an animal trapped within the metal casing. Foolish and yet easy to believe when one looked into the creature’s red iris.

They could be trapped like me.

“No, no, no, boy,” Samuel whispered. “You take them away, boy. That’s it.”

The horse let out a burst of steam through its nose. The eyes flared bright red for a moment, before it turned back to face the road and continued on at a faster pace.

“Wait.” He monitored his wrist strap for several more seconds before his body relaxed. “They’re gone.”

“How did you do that?” It was unbelievable. Those automatons weren’t alive; they shouldn’t be able to hear or be influenced by a person.

Piper’s breath caught in her chest when she looked up and realized how close she was to him. She’d wrapped her hands into the folds of his greatcoat as she’d leaned back against the wall. The position had the unfortunate side effect of pressing her body against his in the most wanton of ways.

“I don’t know.” His shrug had his body shifting against her. “The metal animals have always listened to me.”

It was difficult to ignore Annie’s soft encouragements in her head.
Kiss him. Press against his cock to see how much he wants you. Do it, do it, do it.
Lord, she wanted to. Thoughts of Samuel had haunted her nights after he’d left, eliciting feelings from her body that Piper didn’t know how to handle. But Annie did, and was making free with explicit advice about just how she would
handle
Sam, given the opportunity.

Piper was impulsive on a good day. Having the wanton urges of a prostitute rattling around her head was making it especially challenging to keep her nature in check.

“We should go.” Reaching up, Samuel brushed a lock of her hair from her face. “We should… I need to get you safe.”

The urge to spout off platitudes, reassurances, died as quickly as it had arrived. They weren’t safe and wouldn’t be until they made their way to the location Dennison had provided. Never mind that Samuel was in every bit as much danger as she. More so if the Guild Masters learned the Archives machine had reached out to him.

Laughter around them jerked Piper back to the reality of their situation. Straightening, Piper stepped away. “I’m ready.”

The bright afternoon sun was starting its descent into evening by the time they dodged their way to the address Dennison had provided. They’d managed to avoid any additional sightings of the Administrators, though Piper would almost have preferred that to some of the things she’d caught a glimpse of as they’d moved: Children peddling wares that were little more than scraps of metal with a magnetic pulse through them, begging for pennies. Women whom Annie quickly identified as prostitutes, leading men into doorways to conduct their business. Thugs eyeing them as Samuel maneuvered them past gambling hells and other dubious establishments where she hadn’t a clue what went on within.

It was a relief when they finally turned the corner and Samuel turned to whisper, “It’s ahead.”

The building was a simple two-story house in a street of similar houses. Steam pipes ran along the outside of the gray stone, disappearing into the building near the roof. They’d have heat and lights, but the quality would be lacking. It wasn’t the most reputable-looking of establishments, though given their predicament Piper wasn’t about to protest. Dennison had sent them here, and despite everything she still trusted him.

Slipping into the side door, Samuel pulled his gun from his holster as he pushed her behind him. “Wait until I give you the all-clear.”

“Sam. I can defend myself.”

He spun around to face her, and for the first time since their reunion, Piper understood the steel that had grown within him, the core that he’d needed to forge to help survive and become the man standing before her. He was as much a killer as the man who’d taken Annie’s life. Piper straightened. While she wasn’t as experienced as he was with weapons, she was more than capable of defending herself. He needed to remember that.

“You’re an unarmed civilian and we’re heading into an unknown building. Stay behind me and no arguments. We don’t know what we’re walking into.”

She hated when he got like this, belligerent and unmovable. Reaching into her jacket, she felt for the small opening in the lining and withdrew the knife she’d hidden within.

“Not completely unarmed.” She smirked in the dim stairwell. “And I still remember how to fight. You taught me well enough.” He had insisted she learn, once upon a time, how to fend off unwanted advances.

The door was locked, but Dennison had had the foresight to include the key in the message tube. Samuel checked his wrist strap before he slid the key into place. He looked once more at the knife in her hand and frowned as he shook his head.

“Wait here,” his whisper barely reached her. “Watch the stairs.”

Piper held her breath as he opened the door and stepped into the room, gun held at the ready. His greatcoat swirled around his legs as he poked his head around the half-open door and marched farther forward. A noise from the bottom of the stairwell made her whirl around. Peering into the dark, she flexed her grip on the handle of the knife and did her best to relax her muscles. Being too tense made her sluggish and vulnerable to attack. Piper listened intently, but the noise didn’t repeat.

Don’t relent, girl. We’re far from safe.

They needed to get inside, safe and hidden before the Administrators found them. She knew they would rip Annie’s thoughts from her and take Samuel. Her chest tightened as it suddenly became hard to breathe. She wouldn’t let them take him. Not ever again.

She’d kill them first.

“It’s clear, Pip.”

With her eyes still searching the stairs, she stepped into the room backward, shutting the door before locking it securely. Pressing her forehead to the old wood, she let the tension that had grabbed hold of her body finally seep away.

“Are you well?”

Turning, she was shocked to see the discomfort on Samuel’s face. He looked as if he hadn’t slept for a month, his eyes circled with dark patches. She’d like nothing more than to give them both the chance to reconnect and see if there was a chance for their lives to move together once more. But life had a way of throwing even the simplest of wishes into chaos. They were in danger, and the short respite they’d find here wouldn’t be long enough for either of them.

Stop lying to yerself. You want to strip him of his fine clothing and see what you’ve been missing. You want to stretch out beside him and let that bloody gorgeous mouth lick and kiss your skin. Feel his hard cock press against your virgin quim until yer begging him to fuck you.

“I’m fine.” She closed her eyes and let out a huff. “I’m tired and hungry.” And apparently wanton. “Have a bit of a headache.”

Samuel made his way to the small cupboard. “There’s a loaf of bread here and salted beef. A little tea. You’ll be happy. There’s a tin of biscuits. Not much, but we won’t starve for tonight. If Dennison doesn’t show by noon tomorrow then we will do things my way.”

She was too tired to ask for the hows and whys of his plan just then. Instead, she pushed away from the door and set about exploring the small flat. There was a fireplace with a cooking plate, a hot water pipe and washbasin along the back wall, and a bed in the corner. She let her gaze linger on the simple mattress and quilt. If she was very lucky, the linen would be clean and vermin-free.

If you are very lucky, you’ll find yourself on your back with your ankles by your ears and yer sergeant fucking you.

“Shut up,” she whispered, pressing her hands to her ears.

She didn’t realize Samuel was so close until he gently took her wrists and pulled her hands down. “It’s her, isn’t it?”

Piper shook her head, but couldn’t dislodge the wave of Annie’s giggles echoing in her brain.

“Pip?” He gave her hands a squeeze.

“She’s whispering things to me. I don’t understand half of it, and it’s pissing me off.” Stepping against him, Piper looked down at where their hands joined. “I’m sorry.”

“For what?” Samuel ran his thumb across her index finger.

“Not going with you. Things could have been so different if I’d simply taken your hand and left that night.”

Pressing a kiss to the back of her hand, Samuel let out a soft growl. “Maybe. Or you might hate me now for making you leave a life you’d loved. We can’t live with what-ifs, Pip.”