The Spiritglass Charade by Colleen Gleason Read Free Book Online Page B

’appens ’ere in the Underground Worl’ . . . not to be confused wi’ the Underground trains, ye savvy. Information gets t’me faster’n the pox gets spread in ’aymarket. I buy it, sell it, trade fer it—”
    â€œKill for it?”
    That dark gaze flashed to mine. “Per’aps that’s one question ye don’ wan’ t’be askin’ o’me, Evaline.”
    Despite the warning, warmth fluttered through my insides when he said my name, lingering over the syllables like a caress. He seemed to be trying to read my response. Myheart thudded hard, for I found it difficult to pull my eyes from his.
    Then sense rang in my head, and I turned away. I’d forgotten how improper and foolish it was for me to be alone with him. Or any man.
    I had nothing to fear from Pix. The only thing I risked by being here was my reputation. When I looked up again, he was still smiling—cool, and yet charming enough to make my bloody fickle heart skip a beat.
    But the most important thing was . . . the UnDead were back in London. A thrill of excitement rushed through me. Then a flicker of apprehension. I’d have the chance to prove myself worthy of the Venator title by slaying my first vampire.
    If I could do it.
    Of course I could do it. I
had
to do it.
    â€œAren’t ye thirsty? ’Ave a drink, ’ere, darlin’.” Pix gestured to the tankards of ale. “Ye can be sure I ain’t mollied with ’em, fer ye can choose which one t’drink. I’ll take either.”
    â€œNo thank you.”
    â€œPlease yerself, then, luv. And might I say, them daisy roots ye ’ave are some nobby nacks.”
    â€œDaisy roots?”
    He grinned, gesturing toward me with one of the tankards. “Daisy roots—daisies.
Boots
. Yer boots’re some nobby nacks, if I say. I find’em quite . . . mem’rable.”
    I stood, aware of his attention trailing along my leather-clad calves. Maybe it hadn’t been such a good ideato wear something so . . . daring. “I’ll be going, then. Apparently, despite your claim to know everything that happens in the Underground, you have no information about the vampires.”
    He didn’t move, but his expression changed from easy to sober. “Ver’ well. So much fer th’ sweet talkin’. It’s business on yer mind, and nuthin’ more, then.”
    He remained seated, even though I’d risen. That would have been a terrible breach of etiquette had we been in polite company. But social niceties were of no interest to Pix. I learned that the first time we met—when he pulled me up against him in a dark shadow. So that we not be seen—or so he’d claimed.
    And then there was the time he’d
kissed
me. My cheeks warmed. I drew in a deep breath and held it. Florence had taught me that little trick would quickly dissipate a blush.
    â€œIt’s always business on my mind, Pix. I’ve an important job to do—something the likes of you can’t understand.”
    A flash of something dark crossed his face, then was gone. “Right then . . . but a’fore I talk, ye tell me this, luv—if ye didn’t know about the vampires, wot’s brought ye ’ere t’Spitalfields, then?”
    Oh. Right. I dug in my skirt pocket and pulled out the sleek silver telephone-device and a white cord Dylan had also given me. “Do you know how to put electricity into this?”
    â€œWot the bloody ’ell is it?” He appeared unabashedly fascinated by the object.
    I wasn’t quite ready to hand it over. And I wasn’t ready to tell him it had come from the future, either. “You have your secrets, and I have mine. Can you put electricity into it or not?”
    Pix fixed me with an expression I’d never seen before. “That’s illegal, Evaline.”
    I held his gaze as my