Cogs in Time Anthology (The Steamworks Series Book 1) Read online

  “I’m so sorry about Margaret.” Astrid knew the last woman that had been killed associated with the women. As the words escaped her mouth, a veil of gloom descended upon the women. An eerie silence filled the courtyard.

  Finally, one of the older women spoke. “Margaret’s death was merciless. The Society had better reign in its rogue vampire. Or we will.” The woman’s eyes quivered with wet tears of anger.

  Astrid looked into the eyes of all five women. Hard eyes. Pained eyes. A rage brewed behind them, ignited by the atrocities committed against their friend. Astrid knew these were not idle threats, and the woman meant every word she uttered. It would not be long before the women of the East End took matters into their own hands.

  Astrid nodded empathetically. In the strange blue glow of the darkening courtyard, she found herself drawn into an unspoken pact with the women. She felt their loss and craved justice for them. A kinship filled the spaces between them.

  “Would you like to come with me, Timothy?” she asked without thinking. Before she finished her sentence, she knew what he wanted. For as she spoke, his hand crept slowly up to that of the older woman next to him until the woman’s liver spotted hand securely enveloped his.

  As he shook his head, a young girl sitting on the bench answered for him. “He’ll be fine here with us. Don’t you worry. We look after our own here.”

  ***

  Luca had grown into a strapping young vampire, aloof and independent, a true member of his clan. After the birth of Draegan, he had never seen his mother again, but had participated in the upbringing of his young brother. Draegan was very unlike him. Luca was respectful and thoughtful, while Draegan was rebellious and aggressive. Worse, Draegan hated the weak and simpering human race.

  Luca read the contents of the letter he’d just received and wondered how he possibly shared a mother with Draegan. They had been brought up in exactly the same manner and both received the teachings of the Society. Both took the Vow of Peace.

  Luca viewed the Society as a Church-like entity. He also believed vampires were super human, and as such, had responsibilities towards the less fortunate human race. For Draegan, the reverence towards the Society was misplaced. He believed the power of the vampires should eliminate the weaker race and expunge them. Draegan believed the Vow of Peace weakened the vampires to a subservient role, unworthy of their genetically enhanced greatness.

  In the letter Luca held from his brother, Draegan hinted of the killings.

  Humans are stupid and weak! They don’t deserve to share our world any longer. We are creatures, superior in mind and body, capable of erasing the little minded humans—gnats in our god-like society. And it’s fun, brother. A good hunt keeps the senses keen.

  Luca mouthed the words drafted by his brother’s hand. A knot rose in his chest as the words spoke of Draegan’s tyrannical desires. Closing his eyes, he began to hum in a low tone. He could see his brother pen the letter, blood fresh on his mouth. Luca could feel the euphoria of his brother as he wiped his face, licking his fingers.

  Oh my God! What has Draegan done? Luca flew from the room, the letter fluttered behind him in his right hand as he ran to Mordecai’s office.

  Mordecai was lost in thought when Luca entered, unannounced, and threw the letter on his desk.

  “Read it.” Luca’s blue eyes blazed with anger.

  Mordecai placed his hand atop the black-penned missive. Without reading the words, he felt the aura of the letter. He had known both Luca and Draegan from their entry into the world. A vision began to form. A young boy’s memory slid from the paper and took shape as Mordecai closed his eyes.

  Mordecai then saw the face behind the robes.

  ***

  Luca reached London’s East End only to hear the sounds of sobbing nearby. Slowly, he inched towards the sound, hiding in the shadows of the streetlights. A group of women sat huddled together in a courtyard, past a narrow alley, with a little boy. His sharp sight could distinguish, through the darkness, the slightest deviations in colors and shades. He saw gaudy clothes, torn and dirty, worn by heavily painted women.

  Soon the women were laughing, wiping the tears of relief from their eyes as the young boy sat with his soup. Luca stood transfixed by their sudden change in mood as he heard a carriage in the street behind him.

  Luca heard footsteps crashing through the damp alley. He closed his eyes and began a low hum. He concentrated on each molecule of his body, changing his molecular frequency and wavelength to become invisible to the human eye. He stood there as part of the darkness, waiting for the footsteps to emerge.

  A beautiful young woman, in green, cut through the darkness. Luca gasped at her elegant beauty. Her face glowed, and she exuded a strange and serene calmness. The only sign of anxiety were her eyes. She seemed to search for something specific from the group as she walked closer. Her eyes probed the darkness in desperation. Finally, they rested on the young boy surrounded by the painted ladies. A look of relief washed over her—relief so strong he felt it in his own chest.

  He watched the strange women as they welcomed the beautiful creature into their fold. Luca soon felt the defiance and pain of the group. He felt a sense of oneness and partnership fill the courtyard. A magnetic force and strength emanated from the young woman in green. Her force was growing stronger.

  The angry voices of the women carried to him. “Margaret’s death was merciless. The Society had better reign in its rogue member. Or we will.”

  Luca stood in awe as they vowed to find the murderer of their friend. He saw the woman from the carriage nod, vowing her support.

  A warm sensation filled his chest as the woman in green turned to him. He found his ally.

  Chapter Four

  The Black Seam

  London 1860

  Astrid felt the stranger. She looked over her shoulder as she walked along the exquisitely manicured gardens of her family’s estate. She didn’t spot anyone, but she was certain of someone or something’s presence. As she strolled back to the west wing, she detected an imperceptible rustling of robes behind her. She stopped, calmly turning, fully prepared for whatever the sight might be.

  As she slowly turned, she felt a breeze against her cheek. She still saw nothing, but the rustling moved. As she turned her head, she gasped. A young male vampire stood at her side. His pale skin complemented his gray eyes, but what shocked her was his hair. Blonde. So blonde it was almost white. His membership in the Society was apparent by his black robes and large, silver and agate ring he wore on his left hand.

  “I am sorry to interrupt your morning walk.” His voice was heavy and low.

  Astrid’s skin rose along her back and neck.

  “I am Luca. I belong to the Society. Are you the lady of the house?”

  Astrid nodded. “This is my father’s house,” she stuttered, stunned by his sudden appearance.

  “I believe the young boy you have spoken with has been describing the vampire killer to you. I think I know who he might be.”

  Astrid emerged from her frightened haze as he spoke. Her thoughts raced. This must be the vampire who intruded into Timothy’s memory and now stalking me. Danger! Say nothing! The instant attraction she had felt for him dropped into the ground and merged with the wet and cold earth beneath her feet.

  “Are you planning to hurt him? I won’t let you!” She balled her tiny hands into fists and beat against his rock like chest.

  “No, of course not. I have taken the Vow of Peace. I have no desire to harm humans, especially the little ones.”

  “Well, one of you is harming humans. And it must stop! Who is this killer?” Her voice sounded doubtful as Luca’s face paled even further.

  “I believe it could be…someone quite close to me,” he whispered. “It may be my brother.”

  “Are you quite sure?” She stepped back to study the handsome stranger in front of her. “You must stop him immediately! His crimes will destroy the peace! Your brother is a murderer!”

  �
�He hinted of his hatred in a letter he wrote to me. I felt his crimes leap from the page. The heat of his bloodlust and sadism erupted with each curl of his script.”

  “Are you certain it was penned in your brother’s hand?”

  “Yes, I am a prophetic vampire and a member of The High Table. My powers are clear and proven to be without flaw. I need your help, and the help of your women friends from the East End.”

  Astrid looked into his face, alarmed at first, wondering how he knew about her association with the women from the courtyard.

  He smiled down at her. “I was there yesterday to investigate. You forget, I can read your mind. I heard your conversation.”

  Astrid felt a tight knot in her chest. “There is nothing more for me to tell you then, is there? You seem to have been following me around and reading me long enough to know everything, yes?” She felt her voice tighten and the pitch rise. She felt out of control and bewildered. She was washed in a rush of emotions, suddenly unstable, no longer tethered to her normally controlled self. She had always been able to deftly gauge her emotional reaction to every situation and keep impulsivity at bay. However, the male vampire, Luca, kept her on alert.

  “Oh, no! Please don’t misinterpret my intention. I was only following you because I needed to know the truth. I needed evidence. I need an ally. I apologize if you feel your privacy has been violated.” Luca sounded honest and sincere. His eyes were filled with the pain of knowing he had caused her grief.

  Astrid felt herself soften, but could not understand the effect Luca had upon her. Is this part of his telepathic manipulation? She shrugged off her bewilderment and focused on the immediate problem.

  “How do you think I can help you?” she found herself asking.

  “I want to trap Draegan. Then, perhaps, I can rehabilitate him.” Luca moved closer to her, his voice barely over a whisper.

  Astrid tried to direct her attention to what he said instead of how he smelled of pine trees and the rich texture of his voice. “Rehabilitate?” She scoffed. “He should be punished to the fullest extent of your law. He broke the Vow of Peace. He should never see the light of day. I thought the Society killed its mutants.”

  “Perhaps you don’t understand the punitive nature of Vampire Rehabilitation.”

  ***

  The figure wore the black robes and the silver ring of the Society, roaming the streets of the East End like a black ghost. His footsteps made no sound as he travelled, gliding a few inches above the ground. His heartbeat was lowered to a minimum to conserve his energy for the most opportune moment of the hunt.

  He closed his eyes and hummed, altering the frequency of his cell molecules to make himself invisible to the human eye. It is a gift to be the perfect creature. The only proof of his existence was the sound of the wind rustling through his satin robes.

  The next victim…so many choices. Hunting for human blood was a sport, a boost to his ego and a symbol of disregard of the Society. The Society whispered about his mental state. Saying that, in creating the perfect creature, they may have inadvertently added a viral strand to his DNA—one that might eventually manifest itself as mental instability. But Draegan believed he was stronger and smarter than all of the vampires, including Luca, for they only possessed one mutation. Draegan possessed both.

  Draegan had developed the genetic mutation for flight that allowed Society members to glide over the land instead of walking like the pathetic humans and making transportation quick. However, his biggest genetic research project was still in experimental stages—he was developing a theory of how a mutation, a genetic alteration, could change the sex of a vampire within the mother’s womb.

  Draegan knew this alteration would intrigue the Society. Recent Prophetics believed a female vampire would end their reign and bring destruction to their species. Most members panicked, yet Draegan knew the solution—simply curb the birth of female vampires. He proceeded to develop theories of altering the sex chromosomal pair, removing part of the XX combination and changing it to an XY, thus ensuring no female vampires would be born.

  Though Draegan was much applauded for his thought and scientific innovation, it was Luca who had been awarded a place at the High Table of the Society. Draegan’s rage knew no bounds as he saw his brother take his place at the High Table.

  Killing became a drug. Though humans volunteered their blood to the Society to keep the peace, a hunt was more pleasing to Draegan’s psyche. As he roamed the familiar streets of London’s slums looking for his next victim, he stepped deeper into that murky state of existence.

  Strangely, Draegan could not spot any of the familiar women that usually walked the evening streets. He had been tracking them, counting them and killing them off one by one. Carefully choosing who would be next and whose blood he would enjoy.

  An eerie quiet hung in the air, only the slight hiss of the gaslights broke the silence. The East End was not a place of silence; it was the hub of most of London’s degenerate activities. From drugs and cheap gin, to prostitution and gangs­—everything that the humans desired from the base perversity of their nature—found a home in the East End. It was for that very reason that Draegan selected it as his playground. For he knew that, while the rest of London slept under the violet night skies and gothic architecture, the East End would just be coming alive.

  It was out of place that the East End appeared to be like any other part of London. Its streets were clean and silent, except for the occasional nocturnal animal hissing into the night’s wind. Not a single human, male nor female, walked in the veiled air of night’s cloak.

  “How strange!” Draegan found himself exclaiming, his recently deepened voice giving away his maturity. “I had great plans for tonight. But it is as if someone is trying to foil my escapade.” Draegan emitted a low, guttural hum to try to find the aura of a possible tracker for a clue as to his desertion.

  Someone is hunting me. And I think I know who that might be… A sinister smile curled his dead gray lips. Draegan was not as beautiful as Luca. In fact, it was as if their mother has chosen all the goodness and beauty to be distilled into her firstborn, leaving nothing but sinister intelligence and perversity for her second.

  The Society whispered of Draegan’s instability, his school reports were marked with warnings of traits to watch for. The Society believed the genetic splicing technique, used when creating Draegan, affected his psyche in an adverse manner. No other “Perfect Vampires” were created again. The project had been immediately scrapped and labeled an unnecessary risk to the public health.

  Draegan heard the singing voices of women, talking and laughing from a neighboring street. Within seconds, his sharp hearing narrowed down the exact lane the women walked.

  Without so much as a shake of a single strand of hair, Draegan glided stealthily towards them. He moved like an animal, stalking its prey, completely without noise. Soon, the dark shape of his body, covered by the robe, vanished. He became invisible in the cool night air. Spaces in the fog were the only sign of his presence and movement.

  As he turned the corner, he saw the women ahead. A celebration was occurring around a big, grotesque fountain in the center of the wide road. A mermaid with flaming red eyes stood in its center, with a thin spout of water spitting from her open mouth. The fountain was blackened with age and soot, yet the children of the women enjoyed the waters.

  Draegan harbored doubts about it being a trap. To be safe, he held his breath and closed his eyes before he turned the corner. He activated sensors attached to his night vision goggles by telepathically adding another lens and turning the refraction. With them, he could detect infrared movement and look for signs of Luca, or any other vampire trying to find him. In short spurts, he covered the entire span of ground around him.

  No one. Of course Luca would not leave a spread of bait like these ladies in front of his only brother, a hungry lion.

  He slowly moved towards them, gliding invisibly and barely disturbing the air. His eyes traveled
through the group, scanning each face until he reached the one he fancied, a beautiful, elegant creature that stood like a swan.

  Astrid’s chocolate hair fell like cascading water down her shoulders onto the lavender, satin dress. She seemed innocent and devoid of the perversity that he smelled from the other women.

  He moved closer, drunken with her scent. His desire and hunger for her blood stirred within him. In jerky desperation, he wove through the crowd to his selected catch. His dark eyes focused on her pale features, and in a split second, he materialized next to her.

  Shrieks of women filled the air. Astrid looked Draegan straight in the eyes, her face remaining calm and serene. She had no fear of him.

  Was that a smile from her? Something is out of place. She doesn’t carry the smell of begging desperation. The rustling in the air behind him confirmed his thoughts. Luca. The bastard followed me. Draegan wasted no time. He grabbed Astrid by her wrists and bit into her neck.

  Astrid screamed.

  Yes, bitch. You will fear me. I like the taste of it. Draegan felt his robes being pulled from behind as he was thrown over the building. He landed upon the roof to view Luca as he materialized on the ground. Luca started to give chase, but stopped almost immediately. Draegan laughed. Pathetic Luca. Helping the human woman, are we?

  In the second Astrid fell, Draegan had disappeared, though his laugh echoed in his wake. Before Astrid’s eyes fully closed, Luca ran back and knelt by her, taking her in his arms to hold her. He tried to suck at the neck to obtain the venom, but her blood flow was too weakened from the attack.

  The scrambled decibels of voices dizzied her, but Luca’s voice surrounded her with calmness. “Lady West. Astrid! Look at me!” Luca’s face paled with guilt and anxiety. His plan to capture Draegan had failed and he had risked the life of the beautiful creature, to no avail.

  For Draegan, Astrid was as good as dead, he felt somewhat sated by her small amount of blood, but his biggest satisfaction was in outsmarting his older brother.