Uber Gothic--Industrial Sorcery Read online

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  eXtasy Books

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  Copyright ©2004 by Morgan Hawke

  First Published by eXtasy Books October 2004

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  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are products of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  Uber Gothic: Industrial Sorcery

  Copyright ã

  2004 Morgan Hawke

  ISBN: 1-55410-212-X

  Cover art by Angela Knight

  All rights reserved. Except for use in any review, the reproduction or utilization of this work in whole or in part in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means, now known or hereafter invented, is forbidden without the written permission of the publisher.

  Published by eXtasy Books, a division of Zumaya Publications, 2004

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  The Sorceress and the Vampire...

  Sygni found her quarry in the upper gallery before the window he had originally entered. He was facing inward with his arms outstretched between two of the big support pillars. The magic had solidified to appear as chains clasped tight around his powerful wrists, holding him fast between the pillars. Apparently he had felt the spell activate, because his inhuman speed had allowed him to turn around before the spell had fully ensnared him.

  He jerked back and forth in an attempt to break free, his jacket ripping under the bunching muscles at his shoulders. “Son of a bitch!"

  Sygni winced. He was obviously very strong, but her spells could hold demons. “Don't pull too much, you'll only hurt yourself."

  His head jerked up, and he glared at her. His black eyes were hot with fury but he stopped pulling at the chains. His voice rasped around overlong incisors. “Did you do this?"

  Sygni nodded. “I'm afraid so.” She couldn't stop looking at him. By Hela, he was handsome, fangs not withstanding. Even in anger, he moved with a feral muscular grace.

  He clenched his hands into fists. “Let me go."

  Sygni snorted. “Let you go? But I just caught you."

  "Do you have any idea what I am?"

  Sygni pursed her lips. “Well, you're not human."

  He nodded slowly. “You got that right, and if you know what's good for you, you'll let me go before I lose my temper."

  Sygni opened her eyes wide and clasped her hands together in mock fear. “Goodness, whatever will you do to me?"

  Galen leaned forward to the full extend of his chains. “First I'm going to jerk those tight leather pants down and spank that round bottom of yours, then I'm going to fuck you till you can't walk."

  Sygni couldn't stop her smile—or the sudden wet throb in her core. “Oh, that sounds kinky!"

  Galen nodded. “And if you take too much longer to let me go, I'm also going to take that pretty throat and slake my undead thirst on your blood."

  Sygni hissed. All of a sudden the shimmer of darkness she had been feeling in the handsome beast's aura made sense. “You're a vampire?"

  Galen nodded with satisfaction. “Yep. And I'm getting harder and hungrier by the second, sweet-cakes."

  Special Thanks

  To Angela Knight: for the Inspiration!

  (When I grow up, I wanna be just like you!)

  To Michelle Bailey: for your patience, and all the past midnight phone-calls.

  To Tina & Stef: for your unwavering faith in me.

  ~ One ~

  The enormous motorcycle howled in demented glee while flying with a vengeance down the gently winding drive skirting Century Park. Massive and aged maples lined the road blazing in autumn red and gold under the dying sun. Blood-tinted leaves whirled in the windstorm of the bike's passing.

  The feminine figure in skin-hugging leathers leaned into the bike's turns, riding with effortless mastery. Dead ahead, the gothic turrets and decorative arched buttresses adorning the small castle appeared, rising against the indigo sky.

  The bike roared into the broad castle courtyard and the rider braked with abrupt force. The bike skidded to the side with a stone-spitting tire-squeal and coughing snarl. Calmed to a rumbling purr, the bike inched over to the graceful curve of the portico steps.

  With a practiced flick of gloved fingers, the rider cut the engine off and engaged the kickstand with her booted toe. She tugged the sleek black helmet off and shook her head. Silver-blond waves tumbled past her leather-clad shoulders. She looked up just as the last of the sun gilded the circular stained-glass window set in the tallest tower. She swept a gloved hand across her brow and grinned. “Right on time."

  The castle's slender mistress stepped from the shadows of the castle's portico. Her hair spilled unbound beyond the plain silver band across her brow and fell in a sleek black curtain to her hips. Archaically resplendent in her black velvet and green satin Empire gown, she lifted the hem and descended the stone steps with practiced grace. Her leaf-green eyes danced with amusement. “Blessed Shadows, Sygni, you and your dramatic entrances."

  "Dramatic? Me?” Sygni raised a blond brow. “I don't wear clothes hundreds of years out of date just to be trendy, Mistress Morwyn.” She threw her leg over the bike's saddle and dropped toward the pavement. The knee-length skirts of her black leather motorcycle coat flared as she landed.

  Morwyn lifted her pointed chin and arched a black brow. “I'm the Arcanum librarian, I'm supposed to look this way, Miz Corporate Sorceress.” She glided around the bike with unconscious poise. “This is the biggest damn motorcycle I've ever seen. It looks like a cross between a Harley and something oriental. Is that a V6 engine block on that thing?"

  "Yes.” Sygni propped her helmet on the saddle. “It's a Valkyrie 2100. Honda makes them.” She tugged the zipper of her overcoat down and peeled out of it.

  Morwyn propped her fists on her slim hips. “How the hell do you keep that bike upright? It looks too big to even get on."

  Sygni smiled. “Witchcraft.” She tossed the coat across the bike's saddle.

  "That's your answer for everything.” Morwyn rolled her eyes. “And knowing you, it's probably the honest truth."

  Sygni pursed her lips and nodded. “Pretty much.” She tugged at the bouquets of cream lace that spilled over her collar and wrists. She frowned. Perhaps this blouse hadn't been such a good idea for the hour-long drive. The silk was damned near transparent from perspiration and the cuffs had proved itchy under her overcoat. She straightened the lapels of her double-breasted leather jacket.

  Morwyn gave Sygni an obvious once over. “Damn, I like the solid black uber-chic fetish getup. Those thigh-high boots with all the buckles do nice things for your legs."

  Sygni snorted and readjusted the silver chain and the guard charm that encircled her hips. “Thanks, I think."

  "You're welcome.” Morwyn grinned and headed back up the c
astle steps. “That bike must have cost you a fortune!"

  "It did.” Sygni's long athletic strides had no difficulty keeping up with the shorter tread of the castle's mistress.

  Morwyn held the heavy oak door open for her guest. “How ever did you pay for that monstrosity?"

  Sygni ducked into the main entryway and grinned broadly. “Cash."

  Morwyn closed the door behind her with an echoing thud, and turned to look at her friend in blatant astonishment. “Satan's ass, girl, where the hell did you get that kind of money?” She started walking briskly.

  Sygni followed Morwyn down the hallway. “I was paid for a corporate-level job.” Her boot heels echoed sharply on the cobble-stoned floor as she passed a round table holding a writhing statue of indiscriminate gender.

  "Ah...” Morwyn led Sygni into the soaring main hall. Monstrous intricate and colorful tapestries draped the walls showing hunts, castles and fantastic beasts. A truly mammoth fireplace sinuous with marble statuary dwarfed the curved arch of a hollow round table that sat thirteen.

  Morwyn opened a narrow, peaked door on the left wall. “So spill it, Sygni, what did you do to get enough to pay cash for that bike?"

  Sygni snorted. “Nothing illegal, or even immoral."

  Morwyn grinned. “Really? That makes a nice change.” She led Sygni into a subdued and narrow stone hallway. Amber light spilled from tulip glass sconces along the walls of smooth stone blocks.

  Sygni's heels rapped on the flagstone. “You remember that big computer corporation that was in the news all last week?"

  Morwyn pulled opened another small door. “The internet company with the virus in their system that no one could do anything about? What was it ... oh, yeah, Asgard Online?"

  "That's the one.” Sygni followed her into a small, cozy room lined with bookshelves crammed with paperbacks. Two tall wingback chairs commanded the center of the room, framing a small round table set with a steaming teapot and two slightly cracked mugs. “Well, somebody smelled burning matches in the of the basement computer rooms..."

  "Burning matches?” Morwyn flounced into one of the overstuffed wingback chairs. She waved a hand at the matching chair on the other side of the table.

  "Yep.” Sygni dropped into the other chair. “As in, they smelled sulfur."

  "Sulfur?” Morwyn paused in the act of pouring tea. “Fire and brimstone sulfur? No way!"

  "Yes way.” Sygni stretched out her booted feet and snorted. “This time, it really was a case of AO-Hell. The virus was demonic in nature."

  "Demonic?” Morwyn passed a full mug to Sygni, then picked up her own mug.

  "Big time.” Sygni grinned broadly. “Apparently a disgruntled employee cast a possession on the damned server itself. I got the call on Wednesday."

  "What did you do?” Morwyn stirred sugar into her tea and reached for the cream.

  "I did a seven-point banishment.” Sygni sipped at her tea. “I got the demon, but they still lost the server."

  "They lost it?” Morwyn leaned forward in her chair. “How?"

  Sygni sighed dramatically. “Alas, demons are messy fixes.” She looked at her friend from the corner of her eye, barely containing her amusement. “When I removed the possession, the server melted into a huge pile of plastic. Smelled to the high heavens, too."

  Morwyn choked on her tea. “You melted their server, and they still paid you enough to buy that bike with cash?"

  "Oh, yes, they did.” Sygni delivered a sly smile. “When they bitched about the lost server, I told them that I had no problems bringing the demon back, only I would do it right and infect them all."

  Morwyn's mouth fell open. “Would you, really?"

  "Of course.” Sygni nodded. Damn straight she would have, though she preferred using a fire elemental, like an ifrit. Demons were notoriously unstable. “Remember that southern tire factory that slid into the swamp?"

  "Blood and night, that's right.” Morwyn winced. “They refused your fee because of the fire damage from the imp somebody set loose in there."

  Sygni narrowed her eyes and set her jaw. “That tire corporation will never ever cheat a professional sorceress again."

  Morwyn shook her head. “You are not a nice witch."

  Sygni smiled. “What a nice thing to say!"

  Morwyn raised a brow and a smile lifted at the corner of her mouth. “And I bet it sank on a weekend completely by accident?"

  She shrugged and felt her cheeks warm. “During a national holiday. It wasn't the employees’ fault that their bosses were shit-heels."

  "You and your ‘no innocent bystanders’ policy.” Morwyn shook her head and smiled. “That's so sweet."

  "Okay, yeah, whatever ... Let's not tarnish my pristine bad-ass reputation.” Sygni set her mug firmly on the small table between them. “So, why did you call me all the way out here to your gothic monstrosity?"

  Morwyn stuck out her bottom lip in a pout. “Hey, this castle came all the way from Ireland!"

  Sygni gave her a level look. “I know. I helped bring it here, remember? So, what's the deal?"

  Morwyn bit her lip. “I think I have a ghost."

  Sygni snorted and leaned back in her chair. “This is a real castle, aren't you supposed to have one?"

  "I can deal with a nice quiet haunt, but this ghost is noisy. It's been getting quieter, but it's still knocking things over and breaking the occasional window.” Morwyn set her mug down with a thump. “I've tried every haunt-repelling spell I have, but I can't keep it out."

  Sygni raised her brow. “You mean it isn't here all the time?"

  Morwyn shook her head. “Nope, it pops in after sunset and crashes around the whole damn castle until dawn, then leaves.” She groaned. “I haven't been able to get a decent night's sleep all week!"

  Sygni tapped a finger on the small table. “You sure it's a ghost? It sounds more like a burglar that can't find what he's looking for."

  "Not one of the servants has seen it.” She shook her head. “We've chased it a few times, but it's always one room ahead. If it's not a ghost, it's too damned fast to be a normal human."

  Sygni leaned forward. This was beginning to sound interesting. “Where does it concentrate its actions?"

  Morwyn waved her hand. “The library floors and the long gallery."

  Sygni licked her lips. “That definitely sounds like a thief to me, not necessarily human, but still a thief."

  Morwyn frowned. “A thief? What could it be after?"

  Sygni gave her a disgusted look. “Hello? You only have the most complete arcane library in the eastern seaboard!"

  Morwyn raised her brow. “Next to you."

  "I just have some of the good stuff.” Sygni shrugged and felt her cheeks warm. Only because she had been taking some of Morwyn's more exotic volumes as payment for the occasional magical job. She shook her head. “But no one knows about my collection. Yours is a matter of public record."

  Morwyn leaned forward in her chair. “Does this mean you'll take a look?"

  Sygni shrugged. “Sure.” Catching and holding one unsuspecting thief, human or otherwise, shouldn't be too much of a strain on her abilities. It might even prove entertaining. She grinned. “But if I catch your thief, I want my pick of one of the books in return."

  Morwyn scowled. “You already have my most precious books."

  Sygni peered at the shelves of paperbacks. “I was thinking of the fiction section this time."

  "Oh!” Morwyn blinked then grinned. “Well, as long as I've already read it, we're good."

  Sygni cast a sly look at her friend, knowing that her greed was written all over her face. “Do you have the latest by Angela Knight?"

  "Ah! I just finished that one! Love her sci-fi vamps.” Morwyn nodded and smiled. “It's all yours."

  Sygni held out her hand and grinned. “You got a deal."

  * * * *

  Moonlight crept across the stone floor of the castle's long-pillared gallery.

  Sygni lounged in deep shadow
against the wall wreathed in 'don't notice me' spell-craft. She was bored out of her mind.

  Something rattled softly outside.

  Huh? Sygni jerked alert and peered at the tall row of arched windows open wide to the night.

  A pair of masculine hands grabbed onto the castle's broad stone windowsill. A strikingly handsome if harshly carved face lifted above the sill framed in long midnight hair.

  Sygni raised her brows. How in Hell did he get way up here on the third floor from the outside? Did he actually climb?

  He lunged up and crouched on the stone sill, balancing carefully in old-style cowboy boots. His broad shoulders and biceps barely fit into his antique biker's jacket. Muscular thighs bulged in very tight, very faded jeans. Outlined in moonlight, he shimmered with an aura of otherworldly shadow. His black eyes glimmered lambent green from reflected light like a cat.

  Well damn, he looks tasty! Sygni stared with interest. This was no chain-rattling poltergeist, but definitely not a human either.

  The man suddenly disappeared then reappeared, standing in the middle of the gallery.

  Sygni's brows shot up. Whoa ... He had moved too fast for her eyes to catch. No wonder they hadn't been able to chase him down.

  The intruder swept his long hair back with both hands. Abruptly he lifted his head, peering suspiciously into the shadows. He frowned as his eyes passed right over her twice.

  Sygni smiled. Pretty-boy knows somebody is close by, but I doubt he knows enough mage-craft to penetrate one of my spells.

  He scowled, turned and disappeared.

  Fucker is really fast. Not that it will do him any good. She smiled and waited to see which of the doorway alerts he was going to trip.

  A shimmer jangled across her senses.

  Ah, he's in the library, one floor down. Somewhat amused, she headed down to the second-level library. It wasn't as if he could leave, every door and window in the place was threaded and webbed with her 'No exit here' spell. Now that he was inside, he was hers. She licked her lips. Whatever he was, he was one beautiful beast she couldn't wait to tame.