City of Light & Steam Read online

  Hello Dear Reader,

  If you are reading this, I underwent virus testing and was down for nearly 2 weeks. Unfortunately, I missed the deadline to swap the manuscript. The story below is complete in story, but did not receive the final line edit that has since occurred. If you see this, please reach out to me for the final file, as it likely still uploading as I wait! My sincerest apologies, the virus waits for no man and I was thankfully proven negative and able to get back to work and out of my head to complete the edit!

  Chapter One

  Steam. Electricity. Blood.

  The streets of London ran on three things.

  Raven tucked a stray strand of black hair behind her ear as she looked out over the darkened street. The lamps neither flickered with an oil flame nor buzzed with the low wattage of electrical output. When the sun went down, the city locked its doors, closed its windows, and lay down to pray.

  Prayers that had no place in the world they lived in.

  Raven had long since accepted the fate of her city. Of the world as a whole – a fact that never stopped her from wishing there was more that could be done. More that could be created to prevent the bloodthirsty creatures that stalked the night from further ravaging the world. More that she could do to help.

  Twelve years had come and gone since a virus struck her unshakeable city and dropped it to its knees. The once bright future was cast in blood and darkness. The crown toppled, and the Great Guilds were forced to combine their talents to save their city from the hell that had been unleashed. For a time, steam and electricity had not rivaled for world domination but collaborated on tools to save their world. That ended when betrayal struck both guilds, leaving them to fight the war separately.

  “Three years,” Raven breathed out. Her body heat fogged over the window of the fifth story chamber she stood in as she watched in the darkness for a sign of the beasts they’d long ago began calling Vampires. Creatures who required human blood to survive as the illness poisoned their blood and left it deoxygenated and dead. Monsters whose skin burned in bright sunlight leaving them little better than their mythological counterparts.

  Nothing moved in the early shadows of night, but there were plenty more hours in the evening before Raven would believe they were safe when the sun rose once more.

  Her sigh echoed in the emptiness of her quarters. Not for the first time, she wished her life had gone differently. Had she been a peasant, there would have been nothing for her to take over after her father and two brothers had been murdered by the sick. “Yet, you were not. You were born into a brood of scientists who ran one of the two Great Guilds. Your fate is sealed. There’s no room for wishes or dreams in this life.”

  Her eyes continued to scan the visible part of the street, but her thoughts were vivid enough to render her nothing more than a zombie as she stared out the glass panel. Chills over her body as she remembered the moment the Constable had brought news of multiple deaths. Raven had scarcely closed the door when the Guild came calling. She was to lead. She was to offer hope in a world cloaked in despair.

  “And all you’ve ever wanted was to run away and find some corner of the world not yet touched by blackness.”

  “Lady Nightingale,” a gruff voice called through the door, barely audible due to her distance across the room.

  “Nigel,” Raven turned, knowing full well if the Board President who governed the Steam Guild was arriving at such a late hour he did not bring good news.

  “Good eve, Lady Nightingale. I apologize for approaching at the start of nightfall.”

  Meaning you’re sorry you’re putting us both at potential risk of being attacked and possibly killed.

  “How can I help you, Lord Rodenham?”

  “We grow nervous. The vampire attacks are moving closer to the city. Soon, London will be as dangerous as any outlying area. We need to hurry. We understand we may only guide your choices, but it is our request that you allow us to offer you a suggestion.”

  We – as in the board. Raking her nails through her hair, Raven’s lip curled into a snarl before she responded, utterly unable to control her outrage at the situation. “Do you think I can magically conjure a device that would protect us? That I am able to make something appear from thin air when I have been trying for months and when my family tried for years before me?”

  “I didn’t mean to imply that. I simply meant the board is concerned —”

  “Yes, well,” her hands clenched around the top of her wooden desk chair. “Return to your ilk and tell the board to pull funds. I’m certain there are few others save for the Steam Guild that can help. I’d wager the money will be back rather swiftly as King Clarence is unlikely to allow us to fumble long.”

  “It was not meant to be a threat, Lady Nightingale. It is simply that we are scared. You’ve seen them moving on many occasions, of that I am certain.” There was no need to indicate he meant the sick and not the board. “Just last week, guards found three youths completely drained outside the city walls. It is only a matter of time before they come for us all.”

  “Which is why we stay indoors and travel only with steammobiles and trains. We are fast and efficient with our devices, but I assure you, there is little we can create that will bring protection. A steaming vat of boiled water deters them no more than it would the healthy peasant.”

  “There must be something the guild can create.”

  “We have been tasked with keeping the city safe, we do this by creating transportation that allows for a measure of safety. We do not create weapons, not any longer.”

  The silent suggestion hung in the air – she could go to the Electric Guild. No one who associated with the Steam Guild had any dealings with the other Great Guild. Betrayal separated the genius minds of the two guilds. A person from one even being near the other was an act of disloyalty, which often resulted in the loss of a skilled guild member.

  “You could go on the guild’s behalf.” Nigel’s voice was quieter with the suggestion than his previous statements. The bewildered look splashed across his face, and the way his eyebrows up showed he knew the folly he spoke of.

  Still, she was intrigued.

  Stepping out from behind the chair, Raven took the two steps around to the front of her desk and allowed herself to lean against it, bracing herself on her wrists. “Why on earth would I do that? It was my family who received the ax of treachery, my family who was forced to pick up the pieces from the incident.” An incident your father took knowledge of to his grave.

  “Because your father is gone. The secret died with him, and working together with our foe might be the safest way to restore the world to its former glory. To save everyone from the threat that continues to grow.”

  A sigh filtered through the room, and it took Raven a moment before she was aware it had come from her. She wanted peace and quiet, not leadership. If a treaty allowed them to destroy the vampires quicker, it would get her what she wanted. An alliance might be what the world needed most, even if it only involved a handful of the people in the world.

  You’ve been down this road a decent number of times. You know why you do not see it through. The thought was, of course, one she’d had before – a half dozen times, actually. For nearly a year, Raven wished things were different due to a weapon she had quickly drawn up in a mead-induced stupor one night when she had been mourning her family. She needed the electrical skill she did not have to pull it off. Yet, Raven never dared to see it through.

  She was afraid to learn of the secret that tore the Great Guilds apart in a time of war, and even more afraid her rival would kill her on sight and seize the Steam Guild.

  “Lady Nightingale?” Nigel cleared his throat. Concern shone out of the depths of his amber
eyes, but something else lingered there, defeat.

  Raven’s shoulder sagged. She forced herself to say the words she feared nearly as much as a vampire attack. “I will go to them. If the board is willing to seek out their help, it is my duty to act with the board’s best interest, as it is likely in everyone’s best interest.”

  “When will you go?” Urgency rode the man’s tone.

  “Tonight. I will take our fastest mobile and our top guards. They are likely to acknowledge my sincerity if I make the journey at a dangerous hour.”

  “My Lady, even for you, it is far too dangerous an undertaking. I was not coming with suggestion you endanger your wellbeing. You are all that remains of the Nightingale Family, the first family to create steam power nearly three decades ago. You must be cautious.” His face grew pallid as his hands reached out to hers and took hold of them. “You are the legacy of this guild. Go at dawn or send another in your stead this night.”

  His concern was touching, especially as the board had shown little interest in her leadership for the past three years.

  “I must do it. A leader makes sacrifices. I know if Christopher Abbott came to me at any time in the eve I would trust his words. I have hope he sees matters the same way.” She began to push the lever down on the gear powered communication device that would spin the line of cogs hidden in the wall and send her voice into the next room, but she paused. “Thank you for your concern, Nigel. Please let the board members know I am doing my best with this matter, should I not return.” A bitter taste filled her mouth, but the words had to be spoken. “You’re dismissed.”

  His eyes flickered with concern, but he merely nodded his head and turned to leave. Raven waited until the door clicked closed behind him before starting the transmission to her assistant.

  “Levi?”

  “Yes, Raven?” The thick northern accent answered quickly, as it always did and without any respect for her station because of their relationship.

  “I am to go on a grave errand this eve. Please ready the gamma-mobile as its engine is the most superior we have at this moment. Alert the guards that I shall need four of them to accompany me. I will not force any, but I will need four.”

  “Raven, that is unwise. The sun has been down for nearly an hour. The beasts will come out soon enough. They are within the city, scurrying like the vermin they are.”

  “Which is precisely why I need our quickest transport and armed guards.”

  “Raven . . .”

  “Levi, you are letting our comradery get in the way of your duty. I am the head of the guild, and that means I am to be respected, not questioned.”

  For the first time in three years, her closest friend did not respond swiftly. A moment of silence made Raven wonder if the cogs had stopped spinning and destroyed the connection – or if Levi had purposefully removed his finger from the switch he needed to push.

  “Levi?”

  “Yes, Raven. I will ensure things are ready in ten minutes. The sooner you leave, the safer you will be along the way. It is not my place to ask —”

  “To the Electric Guild. It is time to mend old wounds and see that our city is safe once more.” She sounded a far cry more assured than the slight shake in her knees indicated, but it was her responsibility to be strong.

  “Ten minutes, Raven. If they turn you out . . . if they don’t answer . . .”

  “I understand, Levi. Thank you for your concern.” Pulling her finger off the control, she finally allowed herself to fall into her father’s oversized chair. “This could be the end.” Her gaze turned to the looking glass affixed to the wall, and she stared at her reflection.

  Had she been any other woman, and not a leader of the Great Guild, her appearances would have had her married off years ago. Her thick black hair curled effortlessly at the tips – a feat that the steam iron allowed her to create. Her dark green eyes were etched with fear, and her rose painted lips were downturned in a frown.

  “You could bring end to the feud this night.”

  The echo provided by her empty chamber brought her little comfort.

  “Benjamin?” Stella’s voice drifted from the doorway of his laboratory.

  Rude or not, he did not take his gaze from the invention just under his fingers. He continued to stare through the magnifying glass at the tiny wires racing through the light bulb. It was too important to worry about offending his sister.

  “What?”

  “Night has fallen.”

  “Is there a point to your statement?”

  “I don’t know why I bother with you. You will always put work before your safety, before family.” Irritation resonated from where his younger sister stood just outside the chamber. Ben knew if he turned, he’d find her hands crossed haughtily over her chest, and foot might even be tapping a slow rhythm.

  “My job is about nothing but safety.” Again, he barely paid her any mind, turning the bulb over in his gloved hands, searching for any sign that the filament inside was producing heat, all he needed was a tiny orange glow.

  “You know what I mean, Benjamin. You should have left hours ago to return home.”

  “No, I should have found a solution hours ago, months ago. It’s unacceptable.”

  Stella’s sigh was the only indication he had that she’d moved closer. “Ben, you need to stop working like this. There are plenty of other inventors who could work on . . . whatever it is you’re working on.”

  Stella was the youngest in the Abbott line and the only woman. She was not trained in the skills of an electrician, and she had not been expected to take a post in the Electric Guild. Quite the opposite. Their mother had sent her up to the country for her schooling, hoping Stella would return with a handsome Earl or Duke by her side. Their mother hadn’t accounted for the small fact that her daughter liked other people’s daughters. Even in uncertain times where rules and regulations often fell by the wayside, leaving Stella to live the life of an old maid never to marry. Which apparently means she’s going to spend her life pestering you.

  “Stella, I have told you half a dozen times. I seek to create a light that will generate the force of the sun. It will be our best chance at driving back the race of sickly humans while the alchemists focus on a cure that I personally do not believe will ever see the light of day.” The irony brought a quick quirk of his lips that vanished the moment the filament he stared at flickered dark. Growling, Ben ripped the magnifying goggles off his face. “Stella Abbott!” The growl vibrated in the small chambers, and he felt it through his desk despite not realizing how loud he sneered.

  “Someone had to turn the lights off, dear brother. You need rest, and for the moment, you will be doing so from inside this guild.”

  “I do not need to rest. We both know I am the most qualified for this task.” He fixed a stare on her that had long since lost its effectiveness. “I am the only person left alive who made portable electricity work. I was scarcely ten and two then. I’ve come a long way. I will be the one to see this creation through.”

  “What you are is a prat. An absolutely selfish prat. You should have gone home hours ago. It’s not as if you do not have the entire set up there!”

  “You are the younger sibling, what gives you any right to mother me? Especially given as mother is alive and reasonably well in the America’s with father?” His scowl was heavy on his face, and he knew his sister was prepared to give him an earful by the glint in her dark blue eyes.

  “What gives me the right is family. Blood. Love. I will not see you work yourself into the ground. You must carry on our family line because I can promise you, I will not lay with a man simply to procreate.”

  It was his turn to sigh. His mother often brought up the topic to his sister. He found it utterly deplorable, but understood why his mother worried. “You know I would never dream of placing that on you. It is as unpleasing as me laying with a man.”

  “Then, you need to make changes, Brother.” The edge in her statement could not be unnoticed.


  Up until a fortnight and thirty-six hours ago, there had been three single, young Abbotts. Christopher, their elder cousin, was dead. He’d strayed too far from safety while traveling to Paris and he, and his automobile, had been attacked. The coroner deduced three vampires had attacked and killed the party of nine based on the variety of fang marks. Either way, his cousin was dead, and his cousin had been the most important of them all.

  Christopher had led the Electric Guild since his parents had passed, some of the few lucky to die from old age in such a dangerous world. They had been the original founders, and Christopher had been unanimously given the role as his sisters were happily living with their families in Italy and working with a smaller portion of the Electric Guild internationally. Due to Christopher’s status, the constable had gone directly to the guild with information of his death, and Ben and Stella chose to keep it a secret from the public. It had taken no coin, merely a mashing device, to keep the law keeper quiet.

  The two Great Guilds were all that gave people hope. Every so often, an invention was birthed that aided in safe living. The Steam Guild has provided countless speed integrations to their steammobiles and a small number of defensive mechanisms. The Electric Guild had created portable light, as candles and torches could easily be blown out, leaving humans helpless if they found themselves in the dark. Though it would not save them, it gave them means to attempt to flee.

  It was the Great Guilds that were indeed in charge of the city of London. The king was a figurehead at this point. If the public knew the current inventions had not been enough to save one of the most important people in London, chaos would erupt, and the vampires would no doubt have a constant supply of food in their wake.

  Christopher’s replacement would come in time, but unlike the Steam Guild and the monarchy, the Electric Guild voted on who would lead. If Ben were lucky, his name would never make it into the hat. Benjamin Abbott had far better things to be doing with his time than schmoozing the aristocracy for donations or making speeches that held little importance.