Luck Be a Lady Pirate by Catherine Stein

Author:Catherine Stein [Stein, Catherine]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: steampunk, steampunk romance, romance, adventure, fantasy, fantasy romance, historical romance, historical fantasy, historical fiction, sapphic, sapphic romance
ISBN: 9781949862423
Publisher: Catherine Stein, LLC
Published: 2023-01-27T20:05:34+00:00

20

Lina dashed across the street after Yvette, narrowly avoiding an onrushing steam car. The driver honked, and Yvette made a rude gesture in reply. They’d been in Manhattan for less than an hour, and already she strode around as if she owned the place.

“Maybe you could attempt to befriend Tagget,” Lina suggested. “If he believed he could trust you, perhaps he would share the information.”

Yvette cast a frown at Lina, but didn’t slow her rapid pace. “How could I do that?”

“I don’t know yet. It was only an idea, since you said you liked him. You could befriend his wife, too. She’s an artist, and according to rumor she’s terribly scandalous. I expect you might like her.”

Yvette shrugged. “I am not good at making friends.”

“Nonsense.” Yvette had plenty of friends. All the women on her ship. Sabine. Nora. Her contacts in various ports. “You befriended me easily enough.”

Yvette’s brows knit together, but she didn’t reply.

“We are friends, aren’t we?” Lina prompted. She’d been trying for days now to behave cordially without flirting. Friends in public, lovers in private. It seemed the best way to adhere to the contract they’d signed.

“Perhaps,” Yvette finally answered.

So much for easing Lina’s doubts. Maybe Yvette couldn’t quite categorize their relationship either. It could explain her recent avoidance.

Or maybe she’s simply done with you, as both friend and lover.

No. That couldn’t be. They’d been getting on well this morning, even when they disagreed. Working together.

“I cannot spend time making friends with rich people,” Yvette declared. “Our enemy could catch up at any moment.”

Lina nodded. She needed to stop trying to analyze everything and just accept this peculiar partnership as it was. “Abandon the termite question and make a new plan?”

“Yes. Set a trap.”

“Sounds dangerous. I hate it.” Before Yvette could argue, Lina added, “But it’s better than letting them attack us unprepared.”

Yvette grinned. “I like that you are saying ‘us.’ You are really part of the crew now.”

“I…” No woman left behind. “I suppose—”

A large, dark shadow passed overhead. Lina looked up instinctively, expecting a low-flying airship or an ominous raincloud.

“Hell and damn and blast!” Yvette cursed, breaking into a run.

Lina stumbled after, glancing up as she ran, trying to form a clear picture of the… thing circling above them. It was made of metal, with wings and multiple limbs, but with the sun reflecting off its surface, she couldn’t make out more than that.

“Look out!” someone shouted.

“A monster!”

“Run! Run!”

The creature swooped lower, then dove for the street, coming in so fast Lina covered her head and ducked. The ground trembled as it landed somewhere behind her.

Lina and Yvette both staggered to a halt and whirled around. The dragon was larger than any Lina had seen, at least twenty feet tall, with huge canvas wings stretched between iron bars. As it rose up onto its hind legs, the wings folded closed. Its body had an ursine shape, its front paws tipped with enormous, curving claws.

“Is that the bear that attacked you in Paris?” Lina gasped.

The monster swiped a paw at a nearby building, scoring the brick and shattering windows.

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