Prince of Hearts (33 page)

"We have urgent business here, Tia," Rowan said with equal exasperation. "Can't you see we've company?" He gestured at the Duke.

Lady Christiana looked unimpressed with the Duke's presence, which raised her considerably in Sasha's estimation.

The Duke, who was finishing off his latest glass of vodka, quirked a brow at Rowan. "Can't
you
see Lady Christiana has been shot?" he retorted mildly.

Sasha finally noticed the blood seeping through Christiana's fingers as she clutched her side. The Inspector started in her direction as if to rush to her aid, but he stopped abruptly and flew to the other side of the room, averting his face. But not before Sasha had seen the glow in his eyes and the glint of his fangs.

That was certainly not a good reaction in a room full of Elders, and the Inspector knew it. Fortunately for Drexler, Sasha was the only one who seemed to notice his reaction in the ensuing chaos, and Sasha wasn't about to give the Inspector away. He trusted a damned vampire more than the Elders.

With a harsh oath, Rowan rushed to Christiana and guided her towards a chair. She attempted to wave off his attentions. "I'm fine. Truly. You know I'll heal shortly," she protested. "It's only bleeding because I had to
run
here from our townhouse. You really should check your Tickers!"

"Who the devil shot you?" Rowan cried.

"Charles Netherfield! He's gone mad! He's kidnapped Aline!"

Sasha's heart stopped. Literally stopped for several seconds while he struggled to absorb this news. He could feel the blood draining from his face and a horrible pit begin to form in his gut, growing deeper by the second, and filled with dread.

"I think we've found your brother, Franco," Brightlingsea said in a weary tone.

"Netherfield?" Rowan exclaimed. "That stuffy old archaeologist?"

"Who studies ancient
Egypt
, and the god Osiris," Sasha said grimly. "How could we not realize something so obvious?" He crossed the room and clutched Christiana's shoulder. "Did he say where he was taking her? What he wanted?"

"Aside from shooting me, he didn't make much of an attempt to communicate," she shot back wryly. "The Hendrixes were with him. I think Theodora may be a vampire, by the by." She took the handkerchief Rowan had provided her and clamped it against her side. Her usually beautiful features were taut with unspoken pain. It had to be excruciating, but she was enduring it stoically. "Perhaps if you check your wireless, like I suggested? In case he's tried to contact you. If your
urgent
business can be interrupted, that is," she bit out waspishly.

Everyone in the room, including the Duke, did as told. Sasha pushed aside layers of detritus atop his desk before he unearthed his wireless device. None of the unspooled messages were from the bone-hunter, however. In a fit of frustration and rising terror, he swept the contents of his desk to the floor with a loud curse, startling everyone in the room.

Fyodor was the one to tap him on the shoulder and point urgently at the post box, where the latest tube still lay after its noisy arrival had nearly spurred him to violence. He rushed over, opened up the glass door, and pulled out the tube. He ripped it open and unfolded the note with trembling fingers. His heart sank.

I have your whore. You have my heart. Bring it to me alone, and I'll let her live. We await you at the air docks. Osiris.

He balled up the letter in his fist, reluctant to let the others read its contents. That this psychopath dared to call Finch a whore was the last straw. He would see the bone-hunter dead, if it was the last thing he ever did.

And it might very well be.

Chapter 13

Parliament fell in line with the rest of Europe when it passed a bill in both Houses yesterday, banning Dirigibles and Dirigible-like conveyances from Her Majesty’s Skies. The agile, swift vehicles, which proved so valuable for Allied Forces during the War, have become a threat to National Security, according to Officials. Dirigibles have been instrumental in the rise of Piracy across the Empire, as well as the recent airborne violence between gangs in Britain’s cities …

-from
The London Post-Dispatch,
1871

ALINE tested the strength of the ropes binding her wrists to the post of the airship. Charlie – or Salerno – paced the deck, pistol in hand, as they waited for their quarry to arrive. Theodora stood on the other side of Salerno, her attention fixed on Aline to the exclusion of all else. She reminded Aline of a barely leashed wolf, ready to pounce on her prey if given the slightest opportunity.

Salerno had banished Theodora to the opposite side of the ship after she'd nearly succeeded in sinking her fangs into Aline's neck. Salerno hadn’t counted on Theodora's thirst for Aline's blood being so strong, and he was clearly annoyed at this added complication to his plans.

"Don't you dare drink her, Theodora," he'd warned after pulling the vampire off of Aline for the third time. "She's no use to me dead. You may have her once I have my heart, not before."

Aline's relief at Salerno's rescue was tempered by the fact that hers was only a temporary stay of execution. Once Salerno had what he wanted from the Professor, he planned on throwing her to the vampire. But she didn't think she'd care if she died at that point, since Sasha would be dead. Because of her.

And she would have to watch it all. She turned her attention to Dr. Hendrix, who was preparing for the upcoming surgery. She'd gleaned the fact that Dr. Hendrix was not an archaeologist at all, but rather a medical doctor. He'd been promised eternal life as a Bonded in exchange for his services as a surgeon. It seemed Dr. Hendrix planned to remove Sasha's mechanical heart on top of the table he was preparing.

Aline eyed the ancient, square metal box that was the focus of most of Dr. Hendrix's attention. According to the voluble Salerno, it was a box specially designed by Da Vinci that would store the heart once it was removed from Sasha's chest.

While he was still alive.

When she'd learned just exactly what Salerno and Dr. Hendrix had planned for the Professor, she'd nearly cast up her accounts.

Theodora darted in Aline's direction once more, unable to restrain herself, and Salerno intercepted her, striking her in the face with the butt of the pistol. Theodora flew backwards and landed against the side of the ship, the ugly tears to her flesh quickly healing. She glared at Salerno, her fangs descended, her eyes glowing with her thirst.

Aline's dread deepened.

"I'll cut your head off, see if I don't," Salerno hissed at her. "Stick to the plan."

"But she smells so good," Theodora whined. "Are you sure he'll come?"

"Oh, yes," Salerno said, throwing a dark look in Aline's direction. "He'll come for his whore. I made sure of his attachment to her."

Aline refused to show her fear, considerable though it was. She raised her chin defiantly and glared at her former fiancé.

"What does he see in her?" Theodora sneered. "Those spectacles!"

Aline turned her disdain on Theodora, though her pulse began to thud in her veins. The vampire scared her more than Salerno, considering her unpredictability, but Aline was fast losing her patience. Was it really necessary for Theodora to hurl such personal insults? "
You
seem to see something in me," Aline retorted. "At least in my blood."

Theodora growled her rage and started forward again. Salerno shot her in the arm, once again sending her crashing backwards against the rails. Salerno spun towards Aline with a furious expression. "I suggest keeping your mouth shut, if you want to live."

Aline only barely leashed her bitter retort that he planned on killing her anyway, so it hardly mattered. And she knew in the back of her mind that the best solution for the Professor would be for her to die before he arrived. Salerno would have no leverage against him, and he wouldn't have to trade his life for hers. The thought of her being the cause of Sasha's death was unbearable.

But she couldn’t quite work up the courage to tempt Theodora to do her worst. She could only hold onto her hope that somehow they both walked away from this.
Surely
Sasha would find a way to circumvent Salerno's evil scheme. He had Rowan, Fyodor and the Inspector on his side.
Surely
he would not be stupid enough to walk into Salerno's trap alone.

Or perhaps he would. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed movement towards the entrance to the ship. She swung her head around, her heart sinking as Sasha came into view. Alone. Wearing nothing but his shirtsleeves, the shadow of a beard on his grim-set face. He looked terrible – he looked absolutely lovely. Despite her deepening terror, she drank in the sight of him.

He was doing the same, his attention focused solely on her as he drew closer.

And she knew in that moment that if they both got out of this alive, nothing was going to keep her from his side. How silly she'd been to think she could let him go. But at the moment, she feared their chances of surviving were very slim. He just walked blithely up to her, ignoring the others, as if he'd no intention of fighting at all.

"Ah, lovely, the Tsarevich has arrived," Salerno said, moving next to her and cocking the pistol against her temple. "Stop where you are, if you please."

Sasha's nostrils flared and his amber eyes flashed with rage at Salerno's actions. He stopped a few lengths from them, his body tense. "I'm here. Let her go, you bastard."

Salerno laughed and signaled in Theodora's direction. The vampire had moved to the helm, and on Salerno's orders began to start the engines of the airship. Aline's stomach bottomed out with dread. If they managed to take to the skies, their chances of rescue were reduced to nil.

"Not yet, Tsarevich. She remains to ensure your cooperation through the procedure."

Sasha pounded his heart with his fist. "You can take the bloody thing, just let her go!" he cried.

"It doesn't work like that, I'm afraid," Salerno said as the motors whirred into life and the airship began to lurch upwards.

"He's going to kill me anyway, Sasha!" she cried out over the engine's roar. "Don't give him your heart!"

Salerno cuffed her on the temple with the pistol to shut her up, and her vision swam. She heard Sasha's anguished cry.

When the dizziness passed, she saw that Sasha had fallen to his knees and held a dagger to his own throat. She cried out in dismay. "Sasha, no!"

He looked at her with desperation and terror, shaking his head. His eyes were filled with unshed tears and fierce resolve. He was prepared to sacrifice himself. "If you spare her life and let her go now, I shall do it myself!" he cried.

Salerno laughed. "Such enthusiasm! Unfortunately, I cannot accept your generous offer. You must be alive for the procedure to work. Otherwise, the device will die with you. Throw aside your weapon, Tsarevich."

Sasha reluctantly cast the dagger away. "I'll do anything you want, just don't hurt her," he said.

Salerno gestured for him to move towards Dr. Hendrix's table. "This will not take long. Cooperate and I will set her free afterwards."

"Don’t believe him, Sasha!" she shouted, struggling against her bonds as the nausea rose in her. Judging from the state of her stomach, they were entirely airborne. Of all the times to get airsick! But her illness gave her a sudden inspiration to get free of her bonds. "Let me go!" she cried.

"Shut up, you bitch," Salerno muttered, pressing the pistol hard against her skin.

"I'm going to vomit," she retorted, bile rising in her throat. "I get airsick, remember?" She didn’t know what she’d do when she was free, but anything was better than remaining bound and helpless. She pretended to convulse, as if about to vomit on Salerno's boots.

Salerno cursed and jerked back.

"Let me loose," she said, "unless you want me to vomit all over you. What am I going to do? Where am I going to go? We're in the sky, Charlie."

He growled at her. "That's
not
my name."

She convulsed again, but Salerno pulled her upright. She felt the ropes come loose behind her, and then he was shoving her towards the side of the airship. This time, she really
was
sick over the railing.

When she finished, Salerno was eyeing her with disgust. Which was a good thing, since he was distracted from the dirigible coming up behind them. She'd noticed it over the side of the railing when she was casting up her accounts, and for the first time all night, she felt a glimmer of hope. She'd recognized Fyodor's familiar bulk on the foredeck of the approaching ship.

"Are you through?" Salerno bit out.

"For now," she said, clutching her stomach. She glanced at Sasha. He was sitting on the edge of Dr. Hendrix's table, watching them. Dr. Hendrix hovered at his side, looking a little green about the gills himself and uncertain what to do next.

"Well, get on with it!" Salerno demanded, jerking Aline forwards so he'd have a better view of the proceedings. They stopped near a hatch leading into the bowels of the airship, and he pressed her into the rusty hinges on the edge of the door to keep her still.

If Fyodor and the others planned on stopping this, they'd better arrive soon. The only thing she could do was buy as much time as possible.

"Dr. Hendrix," she cried, "are you really prepared to do this?"

The doctor ignored her, and Salerno laughed. "It's not his first time, my dear Miss Finch. He's been practicing his technique. Playing upon his conscience is useless."

This time, Aline's nausea wasn't caused by the lurching airship. "The lot of you are mad," she cried. "Sasha, don't do this! He'll kill me. He'll let Theodora drink me dry when he has what he wants."

"He has a gun to your head,
milaya
. What else can I do?"

She suspected he knew help was on the way and was playing along until it arrived, but she could tell by the bleak, determined look in his eyes that he was prepared to play along to the bitter end. Even if it meant lying there while Dr. Hendrix ripped his heart out of his chest, he'd do it. Noble, foolish man.