Moonlight & Mechanicals (18 page)

“If you insist.” He winced as she plunked them carelessly on the bedside table, but then he realized their clothing was strewn all over the room. Oh—and down in the study as well. Apparently with her, he forgot to be fastidious. He shrugged his shoulders to help as she pulled his braces off along with his shirt.

Moving together, they made short work of the rest of their clothing. Liam held her at arm’s length for just a moment, wanting to admire the perfection that was Wink. She was taller than most women, with sleek curves and supple muscles. Her breasts were small, but high and firm, and so perfect his fangs ached.

“You’re beautiful,” she said huskily, echoing his thoughts. She ran one hand down his chest to his waist. “Everything I imagined you would be.”

Liam shook his head. Why couldn’t she see him for the animal he was? He kept his lips closed to hide his fangs. He’d never had this problem with another woman—only with her did his wolf threaten to emerge.

Then her fingers brushed his lips. “Let me see them.” He shook his head, but she cupped his chin. “Please. I’m not afraid of your wolf, Liam. I’ve seen him before, remember? He saved my life.”

Eight years ago, she’d been held prisoner by a crazed vampyre. Desperate to save her, Liam had gone into the battle in wolf form, and he supposed he had contributed to the victory, along with Merrick, Caroline and even Wink herself. Still, he hated to think of her witnessing that side of him. He shook his head again.

“Fine. Then just kiss me.” She stepped into his arms and pulled his head down to hers.

“That I could do all night.”

Those were the last words either of them spoke for quite some time. Liam lost himself in the sensations of her soft lips and strong hands, a surprisingly erotic combination. He pulled her down to the bed beside him and took the time to run his hands and his lips over every inch of her skin, especially the scars. Each one of those made him want to howl with fury, and yet he was proud of her. Despite everything she’d faced, she’d survived. Even more, for tonight, she was his. He wasn’t foolish enough to waste that opportunity.

When he took her nipple into his mouth she cried out. Her tone held just enough surprise for him to realize that even if she’d done this before, her partner hadn’t bothered to teach her much. So Liam set out to rectify the unknown idiot’s oversight. Despite his own urgency, he took his time, paying tribute to first one breast and then the other. Meanwhile he brought his hand down to the coppery curls between her legs and cupped her, finding her deliciously damp.

Her breathy moans urged him on as he suckled her and stroked her sex. When her hips began to grind against his hand, he pressed harder, finding the nub at her core and caressing it firmly. Wink screamed his name and shattered, her legs clamping tight around his wrist, holding him in place. The ecstasy on her face was the most beautiful thing he’d ever seen.

Petting her softly to bring her down, he moved up her body to kiss her lips. “Ready?”

“Please.” She opened her legs again and looped her arms around his neck. Her eyes were wide and utterly devoid of fear or nerves as she gazed up into his.

With all the patience he could muster, Liam covered her and slid into her welcoming heat—or he tried to. She was tighter than he’d expected and he had to push against an unexpected bit of resistance. When he did, seating himself deep inside her, he felt something tear, just a bit, and saw the wince of pain she tried to hide.

Whatever experience she’d had, certainly hadn’t been much. Had she lied? Liam looked into her face and she smiled. “That’s nice.” Her legs came up to cradle him and she licked her lips. He found he didn’t care if she’d fibbed her way into his bed. Cautiously, he started to move, wary of causing her further pain.

She met each of his movements with her own, her short nails digging into the skin of his shoulders. Liam was so primed for her that he wasn’t going to last long, and he wanted to bring her pleasure again first. He angled himself to rub against her clitoris with each thrust, and lowered his mouth to the side of her neck. She’d liked being kissed there before.

Ah, yes.
She whimpered and arched her throat to give him room. When Liam felt her climax begin, he forced back his own. But another instinct overpowered him. As she convulsed around his cock, he buried his fangs into the lithe muscle at the top of her shoulder, marking her skin.

Well, hell.
He certainly hadn’t planned on
that.
Wink spasmed again, and this time Liam couldn’t wait. He wrenched himself out of her arms and body and spent himself on the sheets.

When he was done, he rolled to his back and took her into his arms, cradling her close. He kissed her gently, trying not to let her see just how badly she’d shaken his world.

* * *

A little while later, Wink lay on her side, her head resting on Liam’s shoulder. His arms draped loosely around her and she played idly with the springy dark curls on his chest. As sated as she was, she ought to be sleepy, but time with him was too precious to waste sleeping. Besides, she needed to get home before too much longer. Carrying on a secret affair wasn’t going to be easy with all her siblings looking on.

“I didn’t know it could be like that,” she said. “Thank you. That was…amazing.”

Liam sighed and then said, “You’re right. It was.”

“Is it always like that for you?” She kissed his sweat-dampened skin.

He shook his head. “Never.” After a long pause, he twined his fingers about a lock of her hair. “Tell me something. You said you’d done this before, but you weren’t being entirely truthful, were you?”

“Drat, you weren’t supposed to be able to tell.” She’d bled that one time, but apparently she’d only been partially torn.

“Who was he?” Liam’s voice was gentle, almost a caress on her skin. “I don’t believe for a minute that you allowed someone to use you without it meaning something. Were you attacked?”

“No.” How much should she tell him? Not all of her past was pleasant.

He tugged on the curl he’d been twirling. “Did you love him?”

“Good lord, no.” Wink was stunned Liam would have even thought that. “I was fourteen years old. What would I have known about love?” She hadn’t met Liam until over a year later.

“Then why?”

“You want to hear the whole sordid story?” She tugged back on a whorl of chest hair. “Fine. I’d prefer to be honest with you, for as long as this relationship lasts. But it goes both ways. You have to answer my questions as well. Agreed?”

“Agreed.” He brought one hand up to cup her chin. “You can ask whatever you like. Later. Now tell me.”

“Nell and Piers lived with their mother until she died when Nell was ten and Piers was eight. When she died, their landlady sold Piers to a chimney sweep and gave Nell to an orphanage. The governors of the orphanage had an arrangement with a brothel, but Nell was lucky. Her mother and some other ghosts helped her escape.”

“I’m glad,” Liam said. “Nell is far too gentle a soul to have survived that kind of life.”

“She is. Which is why, once we found Piers, I was the one who had to bribe the guard. The sweep had an older boy who watched the others at night. Even ill as Piers was, the sweep didn’t want to give up any of his possessions. The older boy agreed to drug the sweep’s wine, but he demanded favors in return.” Wink shrugged. “Better me than Nell.”

“Your courage astounds me,” Liam said thickly. “But did he not finish? Or was he simply…unusually small?”

Wink laughed. The old memory was just that—a memory. Not something that still had any power over her. And in retrospect, it was sort of funny. “Oh, he finished. So fast he hadn’t even gotten his trousers off yet. He only managed to poke me with his fingers, but that was enough to make me bleed. I didn’t know it would happen again.”

He tugged her close for a lazy hug. “So technically speaking, you
were
a virgin. I should spank you for lying to me.”

“That wouldn’t be fair, now, would it? When you’re secretly pleased as punch that I did.” She rubbed her nose along his collarbone, loving his warm, spicy scent. “Besides, all these years, I considered myself ruined. At least now, I’ve gotten some enjoyment out of it. You are pleased, aren’t you? You don’t regret what just happened?”

He sighed deeply. “No. I’m not that big of a hypocrite. I probably ought to have regrets, but just now, I can’t seem to dredge any up. You’ve destroyed me, woman. I’m not sure I can even stand on my feet at the moment, let alone on my principles.”

“Your principles will just have to adapt.” She hid her smile against his skin. Then a worrisome thought struck her and she poked her head up so she could see his face. “That is, if you’re not done with me already. You aren’t, are you?”

Liam began to laugh. “My dear, I’m only getting started.” He drew her hand down his body, to feel his erection. The skin there was soft and silky over the solid flesh, and she couldn’t resist running her hand up and down his length. When she sighed, he said, “Well? You’re the one who swore you could keep up with me. Backing down already?”

She closed her fingers around him, or tried to. At his widest point, her fingers didn’t quite touch. Wanting to experiment further, she leaned over and licked his nipple, gratified when he shook. Apparently men enjoyed that too. “Not at all. I had no idea you could recover so quickly.”

“There was no recovery required.” Liam rolled over and covered her body with his. “When it comes to you, my body seems to believe I’m an untried boy again.”

“Mmm. Lucky me.” She arched up into his kiss and wrapped her legs around his, eager to have him filling her again. The spot on her shoulder where he’d bitten her tingled and she brushed his lips with her fingertip. “Why did you bite me?”

His gaze shuttered. “I’m sorry.”

Wink licked her lips. “Don’t be. I loved it. I just want to know why.”

He glanced away. “Instinct, I suppose. I warned you that my animal comes out when I become aroused.”

“Again, lucky me. Mmm… She arched into him as he thrust slowly into her core. “That must be awkward if you’re with a woman who doesn’t know what you are.”

He blushed. Liam the big bad wolf actually turned pink to the tips of his ears, surprising a laugh from Wink. “What? Why is that embarrassing? Come on, you promised to tell me the truth.”

“I don’t want to talk now.” He took her mouth then, leaving neither of them free to speak.

Wink forgot all about talking. She gave herself over completely to the sensation of being loved by Liam.

Later, they lay panting in each other’s arms.

“You realize,” he wheezed, “that even though I withdrew, there’s still a chance of consequences. You’ll tell me if any should arise.” It wasn’t a question. Autocratic Liam was back in full force.

Wink was too content to care. “Of course I’d tell you. It’s not likely, though. Mum made sure Nell and I knew more than the average girls, and don’t forget one of my closest friends is a physician. Geneva doesn’t believe in girls being ignorant either. This isn’t the right time of the month for me to conceive.” Her courses were due in just a few days—which would put a serious crimp in her plans to have Liam every night if she could.

“Again, you can’t be sure.” He stroked her back with one broad hand. “If we’re going to do this again, I’ll need to get some preventatives from the chemist. They’re still not entirely foolproof though.”

“I know.” She dropped a kiss on his shoulder. The idea of having Liam’s child didn’t frighten her in the slightest, but she still didn’t want him to marry her out of duty. She also hadn’t been lying to Liam. She really didn’t want children at quite this point in her life, though one or two later on might be nice, assuming he got over his fear of marriage. For now, she’d telephone Geneva—there were probably precautions she could take as well. “Very little in life is entirely foolproof. We’ll just have to be as careful as we can, and hope for the best.”

“Just so you know—if there is a child, we will marry,” he said. The words were so dragged out of him, it sounded like he was discussing his imminent execution.

“If you wish.” She wouldn’t fight him on that, though she’d be perfectly willing to go back to Hadrian Hall and raise the child herself without trapping him in a marriage he resented.

“But even if we do, we will not, cannot live together.” He sounded so lost and sad that she hurt for him. “I won’t let myself harm you, or possibly a helpless infant.”

“We won’t worry about it now.” She patted his chest, her mind racing. This was the big problem, the reason he was so afraid to marry. The poor man truly believed that utter nonsense. Well, at least now she knew what she was fighting. There would be time later to remind him he’d spent a great deal of time around the Hadrian brood, and he’d managed not to hurt one of them yet. Liam had fabulous family instincts. He just didn’t know it. “No point in borrowing trouble.”

“No, you’re right.” He sighed again, then disentangled himself from her and climbed out of the bed. “But unless we want trouble of a different kind, sooner rather than later, I need to take you home.”

“Bother.” He was right, though. Wink let him help her to her feet. Her muscles gave a little twinge, but she wasn’t overly sore.

An hour later, she was back in her own room, with none of her siblings the wiser. After a quick, quiet wash in the bathroom she shared with Nell, Wink fell into bed. Her body still hummed with pleasure. She’d broken down one of Liam’s barriers. Now to get to work on the others.

Chapter Ten

Wink’s soreness had mostly dissipated after her morning bath, so she was able to face her family at breakfast without visible discomfort. Unusually hungry after last night’s exercise, she piled eggs, bacon and toast on a plate and sat next to Nell. Dorothy wasn’t here, but she spent the night at Miss Julian’s now and again, and they’d all learned not to discuss it. Even their servants had been hand-picked for discretion, a necessity in an Order household.

Ready to get on with the day, Wink asked, “So how did last night’s investigation go?”

Tom looked smug, but sat silently while Jamie’s cheerfulness fairly bubbled over. “We saw him! And one of his metal men. They got away from us in a boat, but we’ve actually seen them.”

“Excellent,” Wink said. “Did it look like Lolly Archer’s drawing?”

Tom nodded. “Almost exactly. She’s good. She could make a living at that, instead of…”

“Prostitution,” Nell supplied. “And I’m sure she doesn’t realize that. Perhaps someone ought to speak with her.”

“I know the police use sketch artists. Perhaps Liam will know more about that sort of opportunity,” Wink said. It was a good notion—assuming Lolly didn’t prefer her current occupation. “Right now, I’m more interested in the man you said you saw. You’re sure he was involved?”

“He had a device in his hand,” Tom said. “With dials and knobs. Whenever he turned a dial, the man in the suit moved.”

“So he was controlling it.” Wink had seen toys like that, had made a few for her younger siblings that operated through wires connected to a control box. “So there must have been a wire connecting them.”

“I don’t think so,” Jamie said. “They were twenty yards or so apart at first. The man was down by the boat, while the creature started at the top of the steps. We did manage to rescue the man the creature was carrying, but it knocked Tom flying and fled.”

Nell gasped. “Tom, are you hurt?”

“Not to speak of,” he said. “A new bruise or two on my shoulder. Nothing you need to worry about. The important thing was that I’m sure it was a man wearing a suit. It covered his full body, but I’m sure I saw glints of skin between the seams. It was almost like a suit of armor, but one that somehow enhanced his strength as well as protected him.”

“And you didn’t see any wires, even up close?” Wink had watched Tom move. He wasn’t seriously injured, so she wasn’t going to fret. “Was the man you saved able to tell you anything?”

Jamie snorted. “Too drunk. Bet this morning he doesn’t even remember it.”

“A dock worker, I think,” Tom added. “Not a little man and quite strong, which matches the other victims. He was completely potted, though. Wouldn’t have put up much of a fight.”

“And where is he now?” Wink crunched on a rasher of bacon. It was amazingly tasty this morning. “You wouldn’t have just let him go.”

“Don’t be silly.” Jamie rolled his eyes. “Do we look like idiots? He’s in the holding cell in the basement of the Camelot Club.”

Wink glanced down at her empty plate. “Well, then what are we waiting for? Let’s go to work.”

“I’ll go fetch Liam and meet you there,” Jamie said. “I think he’ll want to be there when we question the man.”

Wink lifted one eyebrow. “Why not just telephone?”

Jamie shrugged. “I could use a brisk walk this morning. It will do me good.” He bolted from the room before anyone could say anything else.

Nell smiled and stood as well. “And I’m off as well. Just two more weeks at the Academy. I’ll miss it, but it will be a treat not to have classes and rehearsals every single day. If you come along now, Debbins can drop the two of you at the Club on his way home.”

“I’ll drive the steam car,” Tom said. He stood and kissed Nell’s cheek politely as she left the room. Then he turned to Wink, his face an emotionless mask. “Ready?”

“Of course.” She fetched her shawl and bonnet from Mountjoy in the hall and followed Tom out to the mews and his steam car. Once they were moving, she asked, “What was it you wanted to say to me without Nell around?”

He frowned. “Is everything all right with you?”

She willed herself not to blush. “Of course. Why wouldn’t it be?”

“Oh, I don’t know.” He kept his face forward, watching the road. “Possibly because you left a party the other night in rather a hurry. Or because you snuck out of the house after we left last night and didn’t return until after we did. I know you’re not playing games with Connor, so that leaves Liam.”

“And if I did go see Liam last night? It’s none of your business, is it?” Damn the complications that went along with having investigators in the family. “Say anything to him, and I swear I’ll shoot you in your sleep.”

Tom laughed. “I believe you. And no, I wasn’t planning to confront Liam. You’re both consenting adults. But regardless of blood or name, you’re my sister, and he’s my friend. I just want to be sure that nothing is wrong.”

“Thank you. I love you too.” She smiled. “For your information, nothing is wrong except for his stubborn belief that he can’t trust himself. He’ll get over that, I hope. In time.”

“Perhaps.” Tom was silent for a moment. “Try not to hurt him, would you? He isn’t as invulnerable as he likes to think.”

Wink laughed. This was the most unusual conversation they’d ever had. “No, he’s not. I’ll do my best. I expected you to say that about Connor, you know. I am sorry I hurt him, but letting him keep hoping would have been even crueler. Marrying him when I don’t love him would be worse.”

“I know.” Tom chuckled as well, but there was an odd note in his voice that Wink couldn’t identify—almost a sadness, as if he’d resigned himself to something he could never have. That would bear more investigation at a later date. “Jamie told me about his vision. Hopefully Connor will meet his dark-haired beauty soon.”

“The sooner the better,” Wink said. “Now tell me all about this man you saw. It wasn’t Kersleigh, was it?”

“No.” Tom shook his head. “I don’t want to repeat myself. You can hear the whole story once we’re all together at the Club.”

* * *

Liam had just gotten to the Yard when a constable showed Jamie Hadrian into his office. With an air mask pushed carelessly up on his head, Jamie’s skin was flushed and his breathing was heavy, as if he’d run all the way here. The lad was smiling, though, so Liam’s heart rate returned to normal after a momentary spike.

“Well, what can I do for you?” He was having a hard time not smiling himself. Though he’d been awake much of the night by the time he took Wink home, he still felt more rested than he had in months.

Jamie gave him a brief rundown of his and Tom’s find in Wapping the night before. “Thought you might want to question the man alongside the Order.”

Liam nodded. “Let’s go.” He reached for his own mask and coat. “Are we walking?”

Jamie shook his head. “Let’s catch a hack. My treat.”

“Whatever you say.” Liam followed Jamie to the curb, where there was usually a cab or two waiting to be hired. Since Jamie rarely had money in his pocket, Liam knew he’d be paying himself, despite Jamie’s offer.

Once they were on their way, Jamie said, “You know, there’s something I’m curious about. When you turn into a wolf, do you ever, you know, lick yourself?”

Liam gaped. “What the hell brought that up?”

The boy shrugged. “One of the chaps at school was being a prat. Said if he was a werewolf, he’d never leave his room. I clocked him one, but after a bit, it sort of made sense and I wondered. You never say much about what it means to be a lycanthrope. Well?”

Liam doubled over laughing. Jamie had a way of lightening up the most serious moments. It was good to have the irreverent brat around. “No, I never have. Once when I was about fourteen, for a second or two, I thought about it, but the idea didn’t appeal. Sorry.” He just used his hand like every other man on the planet.

“Didn’t think so.” Jamie cocked his head. “So have you ever been with another wolf? Gone at it all four-legged and furry?”

“No again. Sorry.” Honestly the idea had never occurred to him—and the thought of his parents or his brother and sister-in-law having relations in wolf form wasn’t one he wanted in his head. “Apparently I’m more drearily respectable than I’d thought.”

“So it seems.” Jamie crossed his arms over his chest and quit smiling. “Now then, just what are your intentions toward Wink?”

Liam blinked. He’d have expected this from Merrick, or even Tom, but the stripling? Really, that was just too much. He bit his lip to keep from laughing yet again.

“We know she was with you last night.”

Well, that took some of the wind out of Liam’s sails. He didn’t want to insult the boy, but he didn’t want him confronting Wink about this either. He steadied his breathing, all traces of humor gone. “Yes, she came to talk to me last night. I assure you, I was as surprised as you were. After I scolded her for walking alone at night, we talked for a while and then I drove her home.” It was all true, even though he’d omitted a significant chunk of time in the middle.

Jamie nodded. “Wink doesn’t listen to anybody. Mum or Papa sometimes, but not even them often. She’s not as indestructible as she thinks she is, though.”

“Believe me, I know.” On that Liam could wholeheartedly agree.

Jamie went on, oblivious to Liam’s remark. “I mean—she could handle herself against footpads or vampyres. I’m not worried about that. She probably had Pippin with her, maybe even Lark. And she’d have been armed.”

“I didn’t see the bird, but Wink did have Piers’s steel dog with her. Let me guess. Nell’s little silver songbird is a weapon too.”

“Naturally.” Jamie seemed surprised that Liam would even ask. “Wink built most of the animals before we left Wapping, you know. The only one she built later was the dog, because the kitten she made Piers first got destroyed.”

“That’s reassuring.” Liam willed Jamie to get to the point. He didn’t want to think about Wink and the others needing weapons.

“But she
can
be hurt. Her father, her natural father—well he wasn’t very trustworthy. I’d hate to see her get involved with another man who would take her for granted and neglect her.”

“Agreed.” Taking Wink for granted wouldn’t be easy to do. A man would have to be an idiot not to see what a gem he had in her.

“So you’re not taking advantage of her, then?” Jamie sighed. “Good. We like you—all of us. We won’t mind having you for a brother-in-law.”

“Wait just a minute.” Liam hadn’t said anything about marriage. “It isn’t that simple.”

Jamie lifted one eyebrow. “Then you are just using her?”

“I didn’t say that either.” Liam half wished the boy would shoot him and be done with it. “Stop trying to put words in my mouth.”

“If that’s all you put in your mouth, you won’t have any problems, now will you?” Jamie made a face. “Wait, I didn’t say that right. Damn it. You know what I mean.”

Liam took pity on the boy who was, after all, only trying to defend a sister he adored. “Look, Jamie, I can’t tell you exactly how things stand between me and Wink. Hell, I don’t even know that myself. What I will say is that anything happening between us is entirely of her choosing. I haven’t and never will lie to her or take advantage of her in any way. Does that suffice?” Though hadn’t last night been taking advantage of her? He couldn’t quite sort that out. Not yet. This depth of emotion he felt was too new and too raw to make any sense.

Jamie pursed his lips as he thought. After a moment, he nodded. “All right. Just be careful, would you please? We have a shady enough background, with everyone knowing we’re adopted but not knowing who our real parents were. If Wink’s reputation gets damaged, it won’t take much to turn the biddies of society against her.”

“I know. Believe me, I don’t intend to do anything that will cause her grief.” Except he already had, hadn’t he? When he’d made it clear they could never marry. And now he’d put even that resolution in jeopardy. If she conceived, they wouldn’t have a choice. That idea made his mouth go dry. He looked over at the boy across from him. “You haven’t had any visions, or anything, have you? Nothing that involves Wink?”
Like seeing her pregnant.

Jamie shook his head. “Not in ages. I just worry about her, that’s all.”

“Well then, that makes two of us.”

Jamie smiled and leaned back in his seat. “Good. Now, how are we going to question our drunkard?”

Their plans on that matter turned out to be pointless, because the man couldn’t remember anything after leaving his job on the docks the day before. After interrogating him for almost an hour, Liam and the others conceded defeat. Tom and Liam drove the man home while Wink and Connor started researching the list of names Liam had compiled from his “club meeting” the night before. Liam had no idea where Jamie had run off to.

“That’s a good idea to ask Lolly if she’d like work as a sketch artist,” Liam said after they’d dropped the near-victim at his lodging. “If you’d like, we can give her a trial run by asking her to draw up your suspect from last night. If it’s good, I can broach the subject with my superiors.” They’d ascertained that it wasn’t Kersleigh, or anyone else from the Prodigal’s Club, but had no clue as to who it could be.

“Good idea,” Tom said.

Liam waited for Tom to launch into a conversation similar to the one he’d already had with Jamie, but Tom surprised him by not saying a word about Wink. That was almost as disconcerting as being interrogated.

“Royal Ascot starts in just two days,” Tom said instead. “Are you going to the races?”

Liam nodded. “I wish I didn’t have to. I don’t really think there will be an attack, but I need to attend, just in case.”

“And your parents are going to be there.” Tom nodded. “Want me to come along for support?”

“I thought the duke was sending all hands?” Liam had understood that all the Knights available would be turned out in case of trouble. “Won’t you be there regardless?”

Tom shrugged. “Oh, I’ll be there, anyway. Just thought you’d like to know your friends are there for you.”

“Thanks,” Liam said. “I appreciate that.” It was a nice gesture, even though he didn’t think it would make a bit of difference in how things played out.