Lust Plague (Steamwork Chronicles) by Cari Silverwood Read Free Book Online

it all blew up around him, a heap of people, including Kaysana, would suffer. And that didn’t sit well with him. Neither did letting her go off to solve this by herself. She’d die alone. Scratch one trip back to base for reinforcements.
    This might be the only burning zomb around, but it also might not be. Murphy had made up a law about bad things like this happening. And the bad things always trumped the good ones.
    People and all their bullshit dealings might not be his thing, but that didn’t mean he hated everyone. He was kind of attached to most of the stuff in this universe. Trees, animals, free thought…yeah, especially the freedom.
    He blew out his cheeks. What am I going to do? Think I may have pissed her off a tad. If I just offer to help, will she kick me in the balls when I’m not looking?
    Without him thinking, his right hand curled tight. The tendons on his wrist stood up.
    Let it out, man. Breathe.
    Kicking her back would be bad karma. ’Sides, there were so many more interesting things he could do to her.
    He checked the shotgun, reloaded, spun the barrels for luck. “Where are you, lady?”

Chapter Five
    The goggles hampered her peripheral vision. Was something out there? Whatever it was, it wasn’t Sten. This thing moved fast and low. A wolf? His maybe? For a few seconds, the air seemed to echo with beastly sounds—the soft in and out of something breathing. Leaves crackled under heavy paws. Her blood chilled.
    Then…gone. Imagined? She had no clue. Perhaps the forest played tricks with her mind. She waited, swaying, sweat popping out on her brow that she couldn’t wipe off.
    Was it stalking her or just curious? Her heart beat like a maddened clock—way too fast when fear got the better of her. I’m an air fleet captain. I thrive on adversity . Still, it wore her down.
    As the light faded and the sky glimpsed through the treetops turned purplish orange, another regular crunching came to her ears, grew louder, traveling faster than she could, maybe jogging even—a human, a man from the heaviness. Sten?
    She halted, crouched, hiding where a tree and saplings grew near each other in a six-foot radius and ferns had sprung up, several feet high. Her bruised thighs cramped in protest, but she bit her lip and stifled a gasp.
    The creature was there too, same side but farther ahead. It turned toward her, came closer. Eyes gleamed in the half dark.
    Don’t panic.
    Decision time. Reveal herself to the man, who might be Sten, or stay silent and hope the animal didn’t attack. Of course, if this was Sten, the creature would surely be his wolf?
    But I don’t know it’s him, and I’m tied up and half-naked…and he’ll probably drag me back to base . She squeezed shut her eyes and calmed her breathing. Steady, no panicking. From the small noises the creature came nearer. Ten…fifteen feet away.
    No. I will not shout. No.
    The man’s footsteps seemed closer too. The animal stopped. Through the fine spray of a fern leaf, past some tree trunks, she could see the thing—a dark mass sitting on its haunches, like some ancient rock sculpture. Barely, just barely, she could see it breathe. A thick animal scent sifted through the pungent odors of earth and decaying leaf. The man stood rock still fifteen feet to the right. Definitely a man.
    Could he hear her? She clamped shut her mouth. Her heartbeats sounded loud as a drum. Leaves crackled under his foot, and now she smelled him too. Sweat, oil, leather, and a heavy, carnal scent. A big man. Unmistakable. Damn, it is him.
    Maybe the animal will run off if I wait, and then Sten might follow it? He doesn’t know I’m here . Her thighs trembled. She clenched, unclenched her fists where they were bound to her sides. Seeing through the goggles in the low light of dusk made everything sepia and foglike—ethereal.
    “I know you’re there, Kaysana.”
    The words struck like a spear through her middle.
    Disbelief gripped her. But she bit her lip, stayed