Shadow Falling

She didn’t obey.

  Hadn’t they had a nice talk about her obeying him? From now on, she was to fucking stay in Vanguard territory, away from threats. Greyson could’ve killed them by shooting the tires. Oh, the Merc leader was going to die and painfully.

  Vinnie groaned.

  Raze stopped and dropped to his knees, holding her as Sami stopped a few yards ahead. “Vinnie? Open your eyes, sweetheart.”

  Her dark eyelashes twitched, and her eyes opened, filling with tears. “Raze,” she whispered.

  He pulled her into his chest, and some of the rock caught in his chest eased. “You okay?”

  “No,” she sniffed, putting one hand to her temple. “My head hurts.” She blinked several times and looked around. “Did we get Maureen?”

  “No.” Raze stood back up, the blood roaring through his veins. “We will, though.” He moved back into a fast walk and followed Sami through back alleys and deserted streets, keeping his ears focused for any threat. After about a mile, Vinnie struggled in his arms. “I think I can walk,” she said.

  He looked down and studied her. Good color, clear eyes. If she walked, then his hands would be free for defense. “Okay.” He set her on her feet and waited until she’d gained her balance. “You good?”

  “Yes.” She turned toward Sami. “Let’s go.”

  It took several hours, but they finally reached the Civic Center, where Jax and Tace were impatiently searching the area.

  “About fucking time,” Jax muttered, glancing up at the rapidly lightening sky.

  Raze nodded.

  “Keep to back roads and away from streets,” Jax ordered. “Too many gang members cover this area still.”

  They all piled into the truck while Jax jumped back on his bike.

  Raze sat with Vinnie on his lap. “How’s your head?” he asked.

  “Fine,” Vinnie said, rubbing her temples. “I’m so sorry we didn’t get Maureen.”

  Tace jerked the wheel to the right to avoid a dead dog, and Raze tightened his hold on Vinnie. “We will.” At that point, Greyson Storm was gonna die.

  They made it to Vanguard around noon. After making sure Vinnie was all right, Raze talked her into sleeping for the rest of the day. Sami also headed to bed to recuperate.

  While Raze wanted to rest, his mind was too alert, so he spent the entire remainder of the day planning an attack on Merc territory. They’d go in the next night, when everyone had recovered, and there would be no mercy.

  Night had fallen, and he still didn’t want to go to sleep. Every time he tried to shut his eyes, he saw his sister’s desperate face. So he once again scrutinized the satellite map taped to the whiteboard in the conference room. Approaching Greyson from the beach was a dangerous idea. Rooftops would be better, but with Grey’s history as a sniper, he probably had all the vantage points covered.

  “How’s Vinnie?” Jax asked, crossing into the room with two glasses of what looked like whiskey. The Vanguard leader had been absent most of the day, dealing with different scavenger groups.

  “Vinnie is better. Headache, but Tace doesn’t think she has a concussion.” Raze scrubbed his whiskered chin. At some point, he was going to have to shave. “She’s still sleeping and should be all right tomorrow.”

  Jax studied him. “It’s almost ten at night. Have you eaten today?”

  “Not hungry.”

  “Fine.” Jax slid a glass across the table. “Nourishment.”

  Raze grasped the glass and downed the alcohol. It splashed into his empty stomach and burned. “Thanks.”

  “You okay, Shadow?”

  “Yes.” He partially turned to face the Vanguard leader head-on. A slow burn was building inside him, and at some point, he was going to detonate. For now, he had himself under control, and he could plan. If he just kept his emotions tamped down, he could do this. “I may try to hit Greyson from the rooftops.”

  Jax studied the picture. “Where’d we get satellite pics?”

  “Byron found them in the loot from the inner city library.” The same stack of materials in which Raze had discovered the books written by Vinnie.

  “Ah.” Jax stepped up to the image. “You could go rooftop after rooftop, but here you’re going to have to descend and then climb this fence.” He pointed out the area. “It’s the only way to reach the beach house, if that’s where he’s really keeping your sister.”

  “Yeah.”

  Jax shook his head. “I’m really sorry we didn’t get her, man.”

  “I will,” Raze said, his jaw hurting from clenching it so hard.

  “It’s a we situation. Let’s come up with an assault plan, and we’ll go in tomorrow night.” Jax drank down his whiskey in one smooth swallow. “I think a force of three: you, me, and Sami. I’d like to keep Tace here if possible, but I’m sure he’ll want to go.”

  “A combat medic’s needed more here,” Raze said. “Medical personnel—the ones trained with blood and guts—are few and far between. You’re right to try to protect him.”

  “He doesn’t like it.”

  “He likes shooting, hunting, and hard-core hand-to-hand,” Raze drawled. “Scorpius changed him, I’m sure.”

  Jax nodded. “How about you? How are you feeling?”

  “Fine, Mom.”

  “Seriously.”

  Raze settled his chest and took inventory. “I’m about at three-quarters strength, and my head aches constantly. My temper is right on the surface, but that could be stress about Maureen. I get tired easily—too easily—but my reflexes seem sharper.”

  “Yep. Scorpius. You’ll be at full strength and not need nearly as much rest as you used to . . . in about a couple of weeks.” Jax tapped a finger on the map. “I sent scouts out the minute we returned today to report back about Mercenary territory. In case a big move is made.”

  “I saw them go,” Raze said. “I appreciate it.”

  Jax shrugged. “If we’re going in, I’d like to at least have an idea of the lay of the land.”

  “You don’t have to go. This is my fight.” Raze stared back at the map.

  “You’re Vanguard. That makes it my fight.”

  Emotions roared to the surface, and Raze breathed out evenly. “Vanguard it is, then,” he said, feeling the words deeper than the moment. He wanted to belong, and he wanted to trust again. Hell. He needed to be part of something bigger than himself in this new and dangerous world. Better than himself. He glanced at the Vanguard tattoo winding over Jax’s shoulders. “I’d like to get tagged before we go.”

  Jax stilled and was silent for a moment. “You mean it?”

  Raze faced him fully, studying the lines. Vanguard was spelled out in gang-like font in the middle of a shield which was bisected by a sword. The handle of the sword, he noticed, was actually a scorpion. “I mean it. Full Vanguard tattoo.”

  Jax’s chin lifted. “Brothers, then. Good.” He smiled. “Let’s go find Tace. He’s an artist, but I have to warn you, these days he doesn’t mind inflicting a little pain.”

  Raze grimaced. “Great.” At least physical pain would distract him from the torturous images flowing through his brain. Would Greyson take last night’s failure out on Maureen? The Mercenary leader had threatened to kill her if Raze failed to cooperate.

  Was his little sister still breathing?

  Vinnie poked her head in. Bruises mottled her forehead, and a scrape lined her fragile jaw. “I just wanted to pop in and see how everyone is doing.” She spoke to Jax but kept her gaze on Raze, searching his face, no doubt for a hint that he was about to explode.

  Jax nodded.

  Raze crossed his arms. “I thought you were sleeping.”

  “I was, and then I decided I should get to work.” Her blue eyes held steely determination. “I’ll be in my office if either of you need me.” Just as she left, a ruckus sounded, and three scouts jogged into the room.

  “Byron?” Jax asked a young kid with fogging glasses.

  Byron frowned and shook out his wet hair. “We sco
uted Merc territory.” He faltered, his gaze going to Raze.

  “And?” Raze said, his chest becoming too tight for his skin.

  Byron looked at Jax.

  “Byron. What did you find?” Raze snapped.

  The kid paled. “We took to the alleys for better angles, and Jon went in from the beach. Behind the big house, where we think headquarters is, they were, um, burying somebody. In a makeshift cemetery.”

  There was a roaring in Raze’s ears. The kid’s mouth kept moving, but he couldn’t hear the words.

  Jax grabbed his arm. “We shot at soldiers last night, and it’s a dangerous world. We don’t know it was her.”

  “We need to go. Now.” Raze moved for the door.

  Jax yanked him back. “It’s too late tonight, and you know it. It’d be morning by the time we got there.”

  Raze fought him, and Jax shoved him against a wall. “Listen to me, Shadow. I know what I’m doing. We’ll prepare and go in first thing tomorrow night . . . under darkness.”

  Raze blinked and stopped fighting. “Maureen,” he whispered.

  “She’s okay,” Jax said, releasing him. “Greyson has nothing to gain by killing her and everything to win by keeping her alive. It wasn’t her.”

  The man was correct. It’d be suicide to try and take Greyson’s headquarters during daylight. Raze nodded numbly. He had to get out of there. Air. He needed air, damn it. “I’ll be back. Need to check the fence. We’ll work on a plan tomorrow morning and infiltrate Merc territory tomorrow night.” She had to be okay. He couldn’t have failed her. God, what if Moe was dead?

  It was his fault.

  He jerked free from Jax and all but ran out the door and into the rain.

  Vinnie hustled through Vanguard headquarters after Lynne had given her the bad news about the scouting party. The burial couldn’t have been for Maureen. It just couldn’t have been. Vinnie clomped through the rain to the outside fence and slipped through an opening.

  “Go back inside,” Jax said suddenly from her left.

  She yelped and jumped, catching her shoe on a rock as she came down.

  He sighed and grasped her elbow until she steadied her stance. “Like I said, get out of this crazy weather. Leave Shadow alone for the night.”

  “I can’t,” she faltered, unable to lie in the face of Jax’s hard gaze. “Which way did he go?”

  Jax studied her, rain sliding down the sharp contours of his face. The rain had slicked back his dark hair, giving him a predatory look that showed his rough upbringing. “I tracked him to the cemetery, and then he went to the abandoned apartment building across the way.”

  Vinnie wiped rain from her eyes. “You were covering his back.”

  Jax lifted a shoulder. “If I were covering yours, I’d force you back inside. Raze needs some alone time to deal with demons and plan for tomorrow night.”

  “I don’t need your help.” She gentled her statement with a smile. “Thank you anyway.”

  Jax shook his head. “You’re not mine to stop, but I wish you’d listen.”

  “Give me a break,” she muttered.

  He lifted a shoulder. “You don’t know guys like Raze, but I guess it’s time you did. I’ve given you my best advice. The area is secure, and you’ll be safe from Twenty or anybody else. Well, except for Raze and maybe that lion. But this is a mistake.”

  She lifted her head. “It’s my mistake to make.” He was wrong. He didn’t know Raze like she did. Even so, anxiety fluttered awake inside her abdomen. “Thanks, Jax.”

  He handed over a flashlight. “Try not to fall into a hole.”

  Without another word, he turned on his combat boot and strolled back inside.

  Vinnie sniffed and pushed sopping-wet hair from her forehead. Keeping the flashlight beam low on the ground, she moved carefully, acutely aware of each hole and shattered rock as she slid out of the main gate, which was slightly open but well-guarded. The guards didn’t stop her.

  She tripped and regained her balance. All she needed right now was to break an ankle. The rain assaulted her, and a chilled wind dug past her wet shirt to bite her skin. Yet she forged on, making it through the two lines of downed cars, giving a nod to each guard she passed. Nobody tried to stop her until she reached the far end of the biggest Mack truck.

  “This is a mistake,” Sami said, gun down, her head protected by a ball cap. “Trust me, girlfriend. Go wait in your nice, warm bedroom for your man to get his shit together. You can’t save him.”

  Vinnie paused. “None of us can save one another. I know that. But I can help him.”

  Sami snorted. “You don’t believe that.”

  “I do.” Vinnie patted Sami’s arm. “Thanks, though.” She pointed her flashlight back to the ground and ran across what probably was once a busy street in a downtrodden area. Her shoes squished in mud as she hurried by a burned-out truck. Should she go through the front door or the side fire escape? Probably the fire escape. Water splashed up her legs as she rushed toward the rear of the building and ran full force into Raze Shadow. She bounced off his hard chest, and only his hands on her arms kept her from falling on her butt.

  “What the fuck are you doing here?” His hands tightened until pain rippled through her forearms. He glanced over her shoulder. “Has there been a breach?”

  “No.” She gulped down air and shook rain from her hair. “I was looking for you.”

  He stilled. His head lowered. His gaze glittered through the rain. “I scouted for a few miles, just walking, and now I’m here trying to figure out how to take down this place without any explosives.”

  She swallowed. “You could burn it.”

  “I don’t think the brick would burn.” He studied her. “You left the safety of the compound by yourself in this weather?”

  “Um, yeah.” Her knees quivered. “I was looking for you.”

  He pivoted and lifted her up against the worn brick building, not very gently. “You were looking for me.” He leaned in, heat from his body giving warning instead of warmth. “Are you fucking kidding me?”

  “Nope.” She went for flip because he was scaring the ever-living shit out of her. Enough violence pulsated in his rigid muscles to make the air around them resonate with a tension rivaling the storm.

  Rain poured from the roof, landing next to them. “Why?” he asked.

  She shrugged, acutely aware of being a foot off the ground. Rough brick scratched her back, and rain smattered her head, but the only thing that mattered was Raze. “I thought you might need me.”

  He straightened. His eyebrows drew down, and he blinked. “What am I going to do with you?”

  She settled against the building and gripped his hips with her knees. Shrugging slightly from his hold, she pressed a hand over his heart. “Being so close to your sister and then losing her had to be terrifying. There aren’t any words to take the pain away.” Hell, she knew how bad life could cut. “You have to believe we’ll get her back.” Before meeting him, she wouldn’t have used those words.

  He studied her, a series of emotions finally crossing his face. Fury, pain, confusion. So many emotions and so quickly. His chin lowered. “Vinnie.” Then his lips were on hers. Not gentle and definitely not sweet. He kissed her so hard her head hit the wall, and still he pressed. She opened her mouth in defense, and he went deeper with a low groan.

  Rawness pulsed from him, digging through her, setting her on fire. Her mind reeled, and her body ruled. She shoved her hands beneath his shirt, caressing up, filling her palms with male and man. So much desperate strength.

  His tongue took hers, claiming her mouth in a way that even felt primitive. She gyrated against him, the ache between her legs demanding relief. Nobody had ever treated her with such roughness and desperation. As if he was claiming her on every level and giving himself back in ways he’d never be able to say.

  Only Raze Shadow could make her feel like this.

  He slapped a hand to the brick by her head, his mouth continuing the assa
ult; his free hand yanked down her wet shirt to palm her breast. Demanding and warm, he squeezed and then moved to her other breast. Electricity, sparking and alive, zipped down to burn her clit. Too much. Way too much.

  His teeth sank into her bottom lip. Excitement flared her nerves to the point of pain.

  She gyrated against him, her nails cutting into his chest. “Raze, please.”

  Through the scent of rain, he smelled wild and free. Totally male. He lifted her higher, and his mouth took her breast, sucking hard. Alive and rough, his tongue flicked her nipple before moving to the other one. “So fucking pretty,” he murmured against her. “Hold on.”

  Desire quivered her into a mass of need. Her feet hit the wet pavement, and he yanked her jeans down her legs. She scratched down his ripped abs and frantically released his belt, shoving down. He helped, kicking his pants to the side.

  Both hands grabbed her ass, she left the ground again, and he thrust himself inside her. Pain edged with carnal pleasure rippled inside her, and her internal walls gripped him tight in a hold that went beyond her mere body.

  She threw back her head, taking even more of him. All of him.

  “Look at me.” The fingers at her ass squeezed, and one brushed her anus.

  She stiffened, trying to focus, and opened her eyes. Everything in her stilled, quieted, as if waiting. He watched her, his eyes glittering with a light deeper than hunger.

  Balls-deep inside her, holding her against the wall, he took her mouth in a brutal kiss so deep a miniorgasm rocked through her core. His grip tightened, and he released her bruised mouth, his lips remaining a second away. “You came out here, Vinnie.”

  She blinked, her breasts aching. “I know,” she breathed.

  “Your choice, but there’s no going back.” His nose was so close it nearly touched hers, and everything—man, everything—glowed in his eyes. “Understand?”

  She did. On some level she couldn’t quantify, couldn’t explain, she knew exactly what he was claiming. “I understand,” she whispered.

  Satisfaction and determination were stamped hard on his deadly face. “Good. Every inch of you is mine. Get me?”

  It was a declaration she should fight. Reason with. But her body rioted, craving for him consuming all thought, and she tightened her sex around him. “Yes.”