WIP Wednesdays: Voyage to Romance

Yay, I'm on schedule this week! So, did you know I have a steampunk themed series in the wings? Well, I do, and this week I'm sharing with you all a small snippet from that book. Enjoy!

Voyage to Romance

the Eurydice's Voyages 1

Snippet

Steam filled the air as Dillinger walked down the stone streets of the filthy, yet beautiful city. The spiraling stone, iron, and glass towers rose high around him as he followed the directions on the map given to him by Lilythia. He passed by men in tail coats and women in long layered dresses. Cars, their steam engines billowing white puffs of smoke out of tall exhaust pipes, honked and passed by on the streets. Every now and then an antique horse drawn carriage would pass by, but they were becoming rarer and rarer these days. 

“So sorry,” a page boy bowed after he slammed into Dillinger in his rush to complete an errand. Frantic green eyes looked up to him only to widen in fear. “I’m so sorry. Please sir, don’t…“

“Just go,” Dillinger cut him off before he could finish his plea for mercy. The boy bowed and quickly scampered around him and down the street. Dillinger sighed, it seemed even his face was recognizable. Pulling a cap from his back pocket, Dillinger set it low over his brow. He couldn’t afford to run into the police while on this little chore. No matter how ridiculous it was.

Seriously, why did they need this guy? It wasn’t like the engineers on the Eurydice didn’t do a just fine job keeping the ship running smoothly. What kind of talent exactly did this Roman guy possess that drew his captain to bringing him on board? 

Glancing down to the map he checked the street he was on. It seemed he’d arrived. The pub where he was supposed to be picking up this engineer at was around here somewhere. Withdrawing the picture he’d been provided, he looked at the black and white photo. At the least this Roman was a looker, though he couldn’t exactly tell what color his hair and eyes were in the photograph. When would they come out with color for these things?

A car squealed to a grinding stop across the street and several men jumped out, one remained behind. Looking to the sign above the establishment Dillinger sighed. It seemed his place of rendezvous was being robbed. Just his luck. 

“Oh well, nothing for it then,” Dillinger grumbled as he crossed the street quickly, pulling his pistol from its holster beneath his wool jacket. The wood and metal gun was heavy in his hand, providing a sense of comfort as he flicked off the safety. He could feel the pressure tank filling as he slid the hammer back.

“I knew I’d find you here,” a tall, rough looking fellow was saying with triumph as Dillinger entered the pub. “Looking for your next master to wag your tail for?”

“Just get lost already,” a man, shorter and wearing a large pair of goggles atop his head, waved the other off. He sounded entirely bored. “I don’t want anything to do with ya. Didn’t I make that clear when I left?”

“Yeah, well I’m not done with you,” the rough one snapped, yanking the guy up from the stool and slamming him to the bar.

Well, at least the place wasn’t being robbed. Not that this wasn’t any better. How was Dillinger supposed to have a conversation with someone with all this racket taking place? Holding his gun up, he fired one shot. The booming sound of the bullet exiting the gun and blowing a hole in the ceiling drew everyone’s attention to him. 

Tilting his cap up with a finger, Dillinger smiled darkly at the crowd of hooligans and patrons. “Do you mind? I’m supposed to meet someone here and you’re making a horrible scene.”