Falling in Deep Collection Box Set

by Pauline Creeden

  Levi took a breath and let it out in a short puff. “Levi Cannon. Amos was my older brother.”

  “And you’re the one who done the killing.”

  Levi’s face darkened. “Those evil beings shouldn’t be allowed to live.”

  “It won’t bring him back, though, will it?” Melusine said quietly, the pain and guilt around her own loss still raw after all these years. “Your brother’s gone no matter how many monsters you slay.”

  “Are you judging me, Miss Doré? Because I’d say coming from a monster hunter such as yourself that takes a lot of nerve.” Levi’s whole body went taut, his eyes burning.

  Melusine thought of the key and the scales in her satin bag. “No,” she said truthfully. “No, I’m not.”

  The three of them looked down at the items on the counter and listened to the distant sounds of a fight somewhere on the street. Levi said, “Wrap them up for us. We’ll try what we can.”

  Once the items were in a bag, Melusine tapped her fingers against the counter. “It’s a Siren Eel. Good luck is not my calling card, so I’d be surprised if it’s any of the others.”

  Mr. Digby shook his head. “Then I hope you’re in no hurry to catch it. Without a mermaid for bait, it’ll be hard to find. Those creatures are smarter than they look.”

  While Levi tried to coerce the old man into searching the room again, sweat trickled down Melusine’s back. A sour taste rose into her mouth, and she swallowed it down with difficulty. Finally, she reached for her satin bag and dug a scale out of it, silently setting it on the counter.

  The men stopped arguing and looked down at the scale, up at her, then back to the scale again. When Mr. Digby picked it up to examine it, Levi whispered, “I should have known. That’s a mermaid scale. ”

  “Fin person,” said Melusine under her breath. “This particular one has two tails.”

  “Dear Mel.” Mr. Digby beamed. “Please tell me you have more of those. They’re priceless.”

  “They’re not for sale.”

  “The more I use, the more powerful the potion.” Mr. Digby could barely keep his hands from her bag.

  “I’ll give you six,” said Melusine. “And you’ll make the potion right here where we can see you do it.”

  Half an hour later, Melusine and Levi climbed up the stairs out of the underworld foundations and into the street. The stink of booze and vomit and sludge permeated the dark air.

  On the corner, a band of five rough-looking men stood sizing them up. As Melusine and Levi were about to walk past, the thugs stepped out in front of them.

  The biggest one had a long scar running from his temple to his neck. He tilted his head towards Levi. “Mighty fancy clothes for this part of town.”

  Levi looked down at his waistcoat and smoothed it with his hand. “How kind of you. I’ll give you my tailor’s name, if you’d like. His shop is just ‘round the corner.”

  One of the shorter ones chuckled, and Melusine noticed half his teeth were missing. He elbowed another man, who had a matted beard and arms the size of pillars. The bearded one addressed Levi. “Forget the tailor, pretty Mary, we want the clothes.”

  Levi nodded and unbuttoned his waistcoat, but before slipping it off his shoulders, he took his leather gloves from his pockets and put them on.

  The five men eyed each other, silently closing in on Melusine and Levi. “The clothes. And the girl.”

  Levi draped the waistcoat over one arm and tilted his head from side to side, considering. “I should warn you; the girl is more trouble than she’s worth.”

  The big one grinned. “But she’s such a bit of jam. I’ll take my chances.” He reached out to grab her, but he was too sure of himself, too slow. Melusine closed her hands around his fingers and bent them back until she heard a pop. He pulled back, swearing, tears in his eyes.

  “Warned you,” said Levi.

  Then it all happened at once. Two shorter ones and the bearded one went for Levi, who flipped his waistcoat over the shortest one’s head, blinding him. He kicked him in the kneecap, sent an elbow to the second guy’s chin and knocked the bearded one down with the sweep of his foot.

  The big man came back at Melusine, this time faster and with more determination while his tattooed buddy grabbed her upper arm, fingers digging into her flesh.

  A surge of adrenaline buzzed in her ears as she stepped forward, closing the distance between her and the big guy’s scarred face. His tattooed friend still had a hold of her, so she thrust her forearm upward, the bones in her wrist clipping that man in the throat. He immediately lost his grip and began to sputter. The big guy was on her now and she elbowed him in the soft spot right under his ribs. He bent over, grunting. A swift knee to his trinkets and he was down.

  She reached for the throwing star in her shoulder strap and sent it right into the tattooed man’s shoe. She then pulled out the dragon spear, but the guy was hopping around, whimpering. No need to waste a good weapon.

  “Not another move,” she said, though a part of her was sorry it was over so fast.

  Next to her, Levi had his pistol out and pointed at the men. On the ground near his feet was an abandoned knife and the bag of bait from Mr. Digby. He picked up both and smiled. “We’ll be on our way now.”

  The five ruffians did nothing as the two of them backed away. Once they were out of sight, Levi stuffed his gun back into the holster under his shirt.

  Silence followed the two of them down the street. Finally, Levi turned to Melusine. “Are you hurt?”

  Melusine shook her head, then, in spite of herself, laughed aloud. “Did you see the big one’s face? Ha! That’s what he gets for calling me ‘bit of jam’!”

  Levi chuckled. “Yes. I’d think you’re more of a marmalade – tangy and sour. An acquired taste.”

  “Mr. Cannon, be careful what you say. I’m still looking for a fight.” The smile on Melusine’s lips grew wider, and she was surprised at how wonderful it felt tugging at her lips. When was the last time she’d genuinely laughed?

  “A bare knuckled brawl? Not something I take part in very often.” Levi slipped the gloves off of his hands, showing her a deep gouge in the leather, then a pink line on the fleshy part of his palm. “Good for grabbing blades, if you’re able to avoid the sharpest parts.”

  “Am I supposed to be impressed, Mr. Cannon?”

  They were in front of her building now, the night at its darkest point. She expected Levi to come back with a flip comment, something to annoy her. But instead, when he spoke his voice was low and serious. “You were magnificent back there, Miss Doré. I know I kid you and your work, but all kidding aside, I’m honored to carry out this job with you. In fact, I very much look forward to it.”

  Melusine felt a tightening under her breastbone and a swooping in her stomach. For once, she did not have a sarcastic response at the ready. She opened her mouth, but no sound came out. Levi reached out and brushed a long strand of hair from her face, his fingers leaving a trail of warmth along her cheek and temple. He leaned closer to her, ever so slowly, until she was surrounded in his licorice and cedar wood scent, until his lips just barely brushed hers. His one hand moved behind her head, gently grasping her hair. His other hand moved to her hip, shifting her corset just enough that the sachet with the remaining scales pressed against her chest.

  Abruptly, she stepped back and untangled herself from Levi’s hold. “Goodnight, Mr. Cannon,” she said, keeping her voice as steady and cold as possible. “I trust you’ll understand if I ask you to give me the bottles of potion; you already have the key to the submersible—I cannot allow you to have the bait as well.” She held out her hand and waited.

  Confusion clouded Levi’s eyes for a mere second, but then he nodded. “Of course.” He gave her the sachet without touching her skin with his own. “I’ll see you in the morning at the boat docking? Nine o’clock? We’ll need the sunlight in order to see better under the water.”

  “Until then.” Melusine raced up the rickety stairs to
her building, not daring to look back. She ignored Mrs. Steed’s cries of, “Quiet, girl!” as she slammed the door and ran to her room. Once inside, Melusine nearly fell onto her cot. Her breaths came quick and uneven, her hands shook, and unshed tears clawed at the back of her throat.

  Dear God, was she mad? How could she have let her guard down for even a moment? She KNEW how dangerous it was for her…and for him.

  She undressed and slipped into a thin chemise to sleep in. It covered her top half, but left her thighs bare. The u-shaped scars on her skin there shone scarlet in the moonlight. She opened the silk bag that held the key, ribbons and scales. Half the scales were now pounded into a powder. The remaining scales she took out and lined them up with the triangular welts on her legs.

  They matched perfectly.

  Chapter Four

  Melusine looked out the window. The sky above the smoke of the city was turning orange. She spotted the gigantic silver balloons of airships glinting in the rising sunlight. Below her, on the street, steam carriages hissed and sighed, carrying people from here to there. It was just dawn and already Chicago was full of life.

  Outside, she waited to cross the street as an entire house on rollers was being pulled down the road by live and metal horses. Rather than stay put and have their homes raised out of the muck, many wealthy people had decided to move the buildings themselves to a new (and more stable) location in the city. As the house rolled by, Melusine spotted a family sitting at the kitchen table eating breakfast, their routine not changed in the slightest by the fact that the house was swaying underneath them. Melusine smiled and shook her head. This was the sort of madness she loved about Chicago.

  Forgoing a carriage for a brisk walk, she kept pennies in her palm to pay the crossing sweepers. The homeless boys who cleared the corner of slop and mud brought a pang of kinship to her heart. She hadn’t swept dirt when she’d come to Chicago, but she knew what it was to rely on strangers’ generosity for her next meal.

  At the far end of Dearborn Park, dull, black metal trains lined up at the railroad station, chugging and gasping as they prepared to leave. Above her was the huge platform where airships docked briefly on their way to somewhere else.

  Melusine strode to the boating docks, squinting out at the huge expanse of Lake Michigan. The lake was an endless line of blue, meeting up with the sky at the horizon. There was little wind today, the waves soft hills instead of sharp cliffs.

  She heard the soft scuffle of shoes on the planks and said without turning around, “Good morning, Mr. Cannon.”

  Levi moved next to her, an amused smile on his lips. “How did you know it was me?”

  “The stink of self-importance gave you away.”

  Levi’s smile didn’t fall, but stayed fixed. Too fixed. “Shall we then, Miss Doré?” He led her further down the docks, past the sailing ships and the newest steamers. Here the mud and slime were worse than downtown, her feet nearly sinking below the surface with each step. Finally, they came to Sir Edwin Aldridge’s private mooring. Levi’s key opened the iron gate leading onto the jetty. The doorframe was wrought into twisted vines that ended in barbed points, deterring any intruders from trying to climb around the gate to the pier.

  The top half of the submarine shone copper and gold in the rising sun, a round metal ball with a large observation window at the front and a square hatch and long periscope at the top. At the back, the rudder stuck out like a fish’s tail, two large propeller wheels hugging its sides. But overall, it was not much larger than a marriage bed.

  Melusine’s belly rocked and her knees nearly gave out. But she locked them into place and stood in the slight breeze, deep breaths grounding her. She’d traipsed through a mountain pass infested with packs of spike-tailed dragons, she’d carved the beating heart out of a 400 year-old vampire, for pity’s sake. This should be easy. She was a professional. It didn’t matter that the quarters were so close. Or that Levi smelled so good. Or –

  “Gorgeous thing, isn’t she?” Levi commented as he opened the hatch. “I cannot wait to try her out.”

  Melusine took another breath and nodded. The craftsmanship was lovely. But the sub was just so small. She stood stock still while Levi held out his hand to help her inside.

  “Ahem,” he coughed. “Ladies first.”

  Melusine gestured down at her outfit of gas pipes and her armored corset. “I’m hardly a lady, Mr. Cannon.”

  His face broke into a grin and he pulled her forward so she could step inside the hatch. “Then this will be so much more fun than I’d anticipated,” he said, his mouth near her ear as he lowered her into the submersible.

  Inside, she had barely enough room to turn around. There were two narrow leather seats facing the observation window, a panel of levers and gauges and, on the floor, two sets of pedals. She sat down as he descended, spinning the wheel on the hatch above him to close it.

  When he had settled into his own seat, it was obvious that even leaning away from him, their bodies would be touching. His thigh grazed hers, as did his hip and shoulder.

  He pointed to the pedals. “A treadwheel powers the sub. Looks like we may have to get hot and sweaty, Miss Doré.”

  Levi flipped a lever and several switches. Then the both of them began to pedal. The water gave a good amount of resistance at first, but then the pedaling became easier as they moved further out into the lake and under the water.

  “Sir Aldridge tells me we have a full two hours of air before we need to worry.” Levi was pedaling faster now, his leg rubbing against Melusine’s, creating a small inferno in the friction.

  “It’s a big lake. Two hours won’t get us far. We’ll need some luck if we’re to find the beast.” Melusine focused on the glass in front of her. They were still close enough to the surface for the water to remain murky, but the further they descended into colder water, the clearer it became.

  “Or we’ll be lucky and the creature will come to us.” Levi raised his eyebrows. “You did bring the bait?”

  Melusine pulled her chatelaine bit by bit out of her cleavage while Levi watched. The first length of chain held the bottle of gel. “Leviathan,” she said. The tin box was clasped to another part of chain. “Abaia.” Then came the flask. “Fystenean.” Finally, the last links of copper were attached to a small glass vial. Melusine held the shimmering powder a moment and swallowed. “Siren Eel,” she said, her voice breaking.

  Levi raised his eyebrows. “What else do you have hidden in there?”

  Melusine matched his look with her own. “Treasure beyond your wildest dreams, Mr. Cannon.”

  A wicked smile spread across his face. “I don’t doubt it.”

  A large perch swam past the observation window. Melusine studied the levers and buttons in front of them. “We’ll need to be ready. Where’s the harpoon on this vessel?”

  Levi motioned to a switch near his shins.

  “And the gun is here. I’ll be happy to let you do the shooting.” He grasped Melusine’s hand and guided her fingers between his knees to the long lever protruding from the control panel.

  Melusine ripped her hand from his and shook her head, her hair falling over her cheeks. “You are proof that wealth cannot buy class.” To her annoyance, Levi chuckled rather than take offense.

  They were now deep enough that the water was clear and they could see the gray expanse of clay-like sand at the bottom. And there, just ahead, in two large pieces, lay the remains of Sir Aldridge’s ship, My Lady.

  “Perfect place to start,” said Levi. “Wonder what was so attractive about Sir Eldridge’s boat for the beast…”

  Melusine swallowed a dry bubble of air. It seared as it went down her throat. It hadn’t occurred to her until now, but she’d been on both of Edwin’s downed ships recently. Edwin had shown them to her, said he’d named this particular one for her as it had just come out of the shipyard. He’d suggested that the money made on freight would keep her happy forever, if only she accepted his offer of marriage.

&
nbsp; She’d said no, but had walked every inch of those schooners all the same. How had she not realized that her scent alone could be his undoing? That her mere presence could bring on the wrath of a Siren Eel? She understood now, but could not share her thoughts with Levi. If anything, she’d have to throw him off the track.

  “Perhaps the smell of money attracts water monsters,” she said. “Sir Eldridge reeks of it.”

  The line of Levi’s mouth tightened. “Ah. I see, Sir Eldridge reeks of money and I of self-importance. Would it be possible, Miss Doré, that you disapprove of all gentlemen?”

  “I see very little difference between monsters and men.”

  Levi straightened his cravat. “Surely, men are better looking. At least you can give us that.”

  “Is it starting to stink in here?” Melusine waved her hand in front of her face. “Conceit has such a rotten odor—”

  “So does willful denial. And you smell strongly of it. Admit you’re attracted to me.”

  “We only have an hour and forty minutes of breathing time left, Mr. Cannon. I’m afraid all of your hot air will burn that up too quickly. For our own survival, why don’t you keep your mouth shut?” Melusine leaned away from Levi, though it was uncomfortable and difficult. Immediately, she missed the warm tingling she had gotten from being in contact with his thigh.

  Damn it all to pieces. Her body was a treacherous, traitorous thing.

  Levi didn’t look in the least perturbed. He held out his hand for the bottles of bait and she handed them to him, one by one.

  The sub had four mechanical appendages that allowed the vessel to either crawl upon the lake bottom or to grasp and hold items found in the water. Levi put a small bit of bait into the compartment that held the folded limbs and then released them. The gears clicked and whined, but eventually all four arms were fully extended, the different potions in their metal claws. As the bait spilled into the lake, the water in front of the window went from clear to cloudy.