Heart of Steel Read online

  Table of Contents

  Title Page

  Copyright Page

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Titles by Meljean Brook

  PRAISE FOR THE NOVELS OF MELJEAN BROOK

  The Iron Duke

  “I loved it! As far as I’m concerned, with The Iron Duke, Meljean Brook has brilliantly defined the new genre of steampunk romance. From now on, everyone will compare other writers in the genre to her.”

  —Jayne Ann Krentz, New York Times bestselling author

  “A stunning blend of steampunk setting and poignant romance—smart, sexy, breathtaking, and downright addicting. I’m ready for the next book or anything else Meljean Brook writes.”

  —Ilona Andrews, New York Times bestselling author

  “Engrossing steampunk adventure . . . [A] complex, gripping read.”

  —Publishers Weekly (starred review)

  “With adept writing and a flair for creating believable worlds, Brook’s first in the Iron Seas series showcases her masterful storytelling.”

  —Booklist

  “A high seas/airborne adventure that’s filled with zombies, pirates, and deadly betrayal. Along with the pulse-pounding adventure, there’s plenty of serious sizzle for readers to enjoy.”

  —RT Book Reviews (4½ stars)

  “I absolutely loved this book . . . Everything from characters to world was done with care and precision . . . Any current fan of Ms. Brook has to read this one, and those who aren’t fans should. Steampunk has never been written so well.”

  —Night Owl Reviews

  Demon Forged

  “Dark, rich, and sexy, every page makes me beg for more!”

  —Gena Showalter, New York Times bestselling author

  “Another fantastic book in a beautifully written series. [It] has all the elements I love in Meljean’s books—strong, gorgeously drawn characters, a world so real I totally believe it, and the punch of powerful emotion.”

  —Nalini Singh, New York Times bestselling author

  “A dark, gripping read . . . The characters are brilliant, and the breathtaking romance, vivid setting, and darkly delicious adventure will immerse readers in this spellbinding world until the satisfying conclusion.”

  —RT Book Reviews

  Demon Bound

  “An excellent entry in a great series . . . Another winner as the multifaceted Guardian saga continues to expand in complexity while remaining entertaining . . . As complex and beautifully done as always.”

  —Book Binge

  “Be prepared for more surprises and more revelations . . . Brook continues to deliver surprising characters, relationships, paranormal elements, and plot twists—the only thing that won’t surprise you is your total inability to put this book down.”

  —Alpha Heroes

  “Raises the bar on paranormal romance for sheer thrills, drama, and world-building, and hands-down cements Brook’s place at the top of her field.”

  —Romance Junkies

  Demon Night

  “Meljean is now officially one of my favorite authors. And this book’s hero? . . . I just went weak at the knees. And the love scenes—wow, just wow.”

  —Nalini Singh, New York Times bestselling author

  “This is the book for paranormal lovers. It is a phenomenal book by an author who knows how to give her readers exactly what they want. What Brook’s readers want is a story that is dangerous, sexy, scary, and smart. Demon Night delivers all that and more! . . . [It] is the epitome of what a paranormal romance should be! I didn’t want to put it down.”

  —Romance Reader at Heart

  “Poignant and compelling with lots of action, and it’s very sensual. You’ll fall in love with Charlie, and Ethan will cause your thermometer to blow its top. An excellent plot, wonderful dialogue . . . Don’t miss reading it or any of Meljean Brook’s other novels in this series.”

  —Fresh Fiction

  “An intense romance that will leave you breathless . . . I was drawn in from the first page.”

  —Romance Junkies

  Demon Moon

  “The fourth book in Meljean Brook’s Guardian series turns up the heat without losing any of the danger.”

  —Entertainment Weekly

  “A read that goes down hot and sweet—utterly unique—and one hell of a ride.”

  —Marjorie M. Liu, New York Times bestselling author

  “Sensual and intriguing, Demon Moon is a simply wonderful book. I was enthralled from the first page!”

  —Nalini Singh, New York Times bestselling author

  “Brings a unique freshness to the romantic fantasy realm . . . Action-packed from the onset.”

  —Midwest Book Review

  “I loved every moment of it.”

  —All About Romance

  “Fantastically drawn characters . . . and their passion for each other is palpable in each scene they share. It stews beneath the surface and when it finally reaches boiling point . . . OH WOW!”

  —Vampire Romance Books

  Demon Angel

  “I’ve never read anything like this book. Demon Angel is brilliant, heartbreaking, genre-bending—even, I dare say, epic. Simply put, I love it.”

  —Marjorie M. Liu, New York Times bestselling author

  “Brook has crafted a complex, interesting world that goes far beyond your usual . . . paranormal romance. Demon Angel truly soars.”

  —Jennifer Estep, author of Kiss of Frost

  “I can honestly say I haven’t read many books lately that have kept me guessing and wondering ‘what’s next,’ but this is one of them. [Brook has] created a unique and different world . . . Gritty and realistic . . . Incredibly inventive . . . This is a book which makes me think and think about it even days after finishing it.”

  —Dear Author

  “Enthralling . . . [A] delightful saga.”

  —The Best Reviews

  “Extremely engaging . . . A fiendishly good book. Demon Angel is outstanding.”

  —The Romance Reader

  “A surefire winner. This book will captivate you and leave you yearning for more. Don’t miss Demon Angel.”

  —Romance Reviews Today

  “A fascinating romantic fantasy with . . . a delightful pairing of star-crossed lovers.”

  —Midwest Book Review

  “Complex and compelling . . . A fabulous story.”

  —Joyfully Reviewed

  Titles by Meljean Brook

  DEMON ANGEL

  DEMON MOON

  DEMON NIGHT

  DEMON BOUND

  DEMON FORGED

  DEMON BLOOD

  DEMON MARKED

  THE IRON DUKE

  HEART OF STEEL

  Anthologies

  HOT SPELL

  (with Emma Holly, Lora Leigh, and Shiloh Walker)

  WILD THING

  (with Maggie Shayne, Marjorie M. Liu, and Alyssa Day)

  FIRST BLOOD

  (with Susan Sizemore, Erin McCarthy, and Chris Marie Green)

  MUST LOVE HELLHOUNDS

  (with Charlaine Harris, Nalini Singh, and Ilona Andrews)

  BURNING UP

  (with Angela Knight, Nalini Singh, and Virginia Kantra)

  ANGELS OF DARKNESS

  (with Nalini Singh, Ilona Andrews, and Sharon Shinn)

 
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  This book is an original publication of The Berkley Publishing Group.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental. The publisher does not have any control over and does not assume any responsibility for author or third-party websites or their content.

  Copyright © 2011 by Melissa Khan.

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  PRINTING HISTORY

  Berkley Sensation trade paperback edition / November 2011

  ISBN : 978-1-101-54567-6

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  ISBN : 978-1-101-54567-6

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  Archimedes Fox and the Last Adventure

  London, England

  May 23

  O! brilliant Zenobia,

  It is time to brush up on your knowledge of Venice, for I have determined that it will be the site of my next adventure. As a practical man of good sense and judgment, I am well aware that it might be my last adventure (as all of them might have been) so please forgo the warnings, lamentations over daft brothers, insults to my intellect, and etc. in your reply. The moment after I post this letter I will be en route to Bath, where I am boarding the first available passenger flight to the New World and the University in Wien, where I will waltz through their lovely map archives. Please pray that the airship does not combust over the Atlantic, that I do not have to share a cabin with a minister or one of those absurdists who believes he can discern a man’s character by studying the shape of his skull, and that we are not beset upon by pirates or mercenaries—unless that mercenary is she who freed us from patriarchal tyranny, because I would like to finally express our gratitude. I should do it while wearing my yellow waistcoat. Do you think she would fall immediately in love with me, or would I need to charm her for a full hour?

  I have delivered your manuscript to The Lamplighter Gazette and enclosed their bank check. You ought to begin asking them to pay in livre; English money is worth nothing, and will not be until they are better recovered from the Horde occupation.

  I am off! Yours,

  Archimedes

  P.S. You should title it Archimedes Fox and the Ravenous Cadavers of Venice.

  Fladstrand, Upper Peninsula, Denmark

  June 7

  My dearest brother,

  When you meet our favorite mercenary, I recommend wearing only your yellow waistcoat—her hysterical laughter will afford you another thirty seconds of life before she recovers her wits and runs you through.

  I will not stab you, but my hysterical laughter began at the word rational and continued on for a good hour after finishing your letter. Do you not remember that you considered Venice before? Not long after poor Bilson ran off, and you still feverish and vomiting from an assassin’s poison. Venice! you cried. Marco Polo was imprisoned there after he returned from the Mongol territories along the Silk Road, and in prison he penned his mad writings about the machines of war the Horde were creating! And then, Leonardo! While the Horde’s war machines were held back at the Hapsburg Wall, the great men of Europe convened in Venice, and da Vinci was among them, inventing weapons to hold back the Horde! Surely there must be something left in the city!

  How is it that you are as stupid now, in your full senses, as you were half out of your mind with sickness? Must I remind you that when the zombie infection came across the Hapsburg Wall and it was discovered that the creatures would not cross water, almost everyone in that region fled to Venice? Must I also remind you that blowing the bridges did not save them—and that once the infection reached the city, only the few who made it to a boat escaped? There is not a building or a foot of dry land in Venice that a zombie does not stand upon, and they are more numerous there than anywhere else in Europe. Only a few years ago, even you in all of your dim-witted, thick-skulled rationality deemed it too dangerous.

  No, I cannot believe that you’ve forgotten. So although you do not mention it, your Awful Dilemma must have raised its ugly head again. You must be desperate indeed. You also had planned to go to the Ivory Market, not to the New World after London. Did an assassin find you? It is the only explanation I can find for such a foolish move, even from you. Does he know the name you travel under now? Should I be looking out my window for a sign of the Horde’s elite guard?

  Lovingly,

  Zenobia

  P.S. I intend to call it Archimedes Fox and the Idiotic Impossible Quest. Anyway, there is no point. A survey by Bishop Mendi reported that most of the buildings along the canals were all underwater, as were the streets, and that zombies filled every inch of dry land. Overgrown with moss and vines, nothing on paper could possibly have survived. It is a fool’s errand, brother.

  Wien, Ludwig Principality, Johannesland

  June 27

  Z—

  Regarding the Awful Dilemma: So far, he has sent only bumbling fools to kill me. You know that he has much better at his disposal, who will not give any sign of their coming. I cannot return his goods, but returning their value may appease him—and I’m far more likely to find such a treasure in a city that I haven’t already picked over, and that wasn’t emptied while its population fled to the New World.

  Tomorrow I am bound for Copenhagen. A man claims that he’s developed a breathing device for underwater that doesn’t take two to operate. If I keep to the canals, I will avoid the zombies.

  What airship captain dared to take Bishop Mendi to Venice? My only worry was finding someone to take me directly to the city, because they must fly too close to Horde outposts and the occupied territories across the sea. Now you say someone did?

  Archimedes

  P.S. It will be Archimedes Fox and the Astonishing Discovery.

  Fladstrand

  July 3

  Idiot,

  By now you will have looked up the scientific article and know that Mendi was aboard Lady Corsair. Do not do the same, brother. You will never reach Venice. If you are lucky, she will only hang you naked and upside down from her bow like she did that Castilian comte—but more likely, she will open you from gut to gullet like she did Bloody Bartholomew, then feed your dismembered limbs to megalodons.

  Zenobia

  P.S. Archimedes Fox and the Merciless Mercenary.

  Copenhagen

  July 19

  O! doubting Zenobia,

  How will she kno
w who I am? Like you, I resemble our departed Mother, and no one suspects anything of Archimedes Fox, Adventurer. Even if I do see someone I knew, I no longer wear a beard and have dropped two stone since my last run to Horde territory.

  I have purchased the underwater breathing device, along with a glider contraption that converts into a waterproof satchel to carry any letters or writings, so that it is useful after I leave the airship rather than dead weight. I have already jumped from a balloon and the glider maneuvers perfectly. You can see for yourself when I visit next week. You will not be able to resist taking a jump.