Vinnie held her meager possessions in a canvas bag near the sliding glass door, her eyes closed, her breath even. In for seven counts, out for eleven. She’d learned the trick while earning her doctorate, and she’d relied on it more than once during her time working for the FBI.

Her eyelids slowly opened. The storm had ebbed, leaving tracks of churning gray clouds separated by startling blue sky. The LA summer would soon arrive, and rain would be a distant and fond memory.

Water was scarce.

But now, with the sun trying valiantly to shine down, the scraggly weeds and crumbling asphalt road only appeared all the more despondent. As if even nature didn’t want to try to exist within the enclosed barbed-wire fence.

A lone flower, purple and attached to what must be a weed, bloomed in the middle of the overgrown path to the road.

Vinnie studied the brave petals. The flower reminded her of a poster she’d seen in an FBI office a lifetime ago—the caption had been something about perseverance, with a flower growing from a rock cliff.

Her very life existed on a damn cliff these days, and she was no flower. Not even close.

Whispers tickled through her mind in different voices and she shoved them away. Her heart rate picked up. The drugs the president had forced on her had affected her brain, and this was just another aftereffect. The voices would be gone soon.

They had to be.

Or maybe the drugs had changed her brain chemistry enough that she’d go insane from the misfiring of neurons. Totally possible.

She’d studied the insane partly out of curiosity and partly because her aunt had killed herself after a horrible bout of depression. Vinnie had been five years old and hadn’t understood the facts until much later in childhood—and then she’d been fascinated with psychology in general.

That fascination was turned into determination by the brutal death of her mother at the hands of a serial killer.

Raze came into view from around a corner, moving in that smooth lope that fascinated her. She had no doubt he’d purposely let her see him just to keep from startling her. If Raze Shadow wanted to sneak up on a person, he’d do so without any warning.

She shivered and yanked open the door with one hand. The glass fought her, scraping along small rocks and dirt until finally giving in with a shudder.

He reached her, still wearing the dark jeans and black shirt from the night before. The clothing accentuated hard muscle and long lines, and the gun at his hip gave him the look of a vigilante soldier.

Which was who he’d become in this new world.

“You ready?” he asked, stopping a few feet away.

She swallowed. “Yes, but I need more details.”

One dark eyebrow rose. “I’m escorting you to headquarters, where you won’t be so alone and can deal with your issues. You start work there today anyway.”

She shook her head. “No. I meant, where am I sleeping?” Warmth climbed into her face. Yes, she could’ve worded that better, but her skin heated whenever the man was near, and she couldn’t help her thoughts. Hell, she couldn’t stop any of the thoughts zinging through her drug-addled gray matter. “Is there an apartment at Vanguard headquarters available?”

His gaze darkened. “They’re trying to find you a place, but if they can’t figure it out, you can have mine. I’ll bunk with another soldier.”

She blinked. Well, geez. Talk about not even trying to get into her pants. Not that she wanted any pressure right now, but it’d be nice if the guy at least noticed she had working girl parts. “That’s perfect. Thank you.”

He gestured her ahead of him after quickly scouting the area. “Let’s move.”

She deserted the tenement building without a backward glance, stepping through the damp weeds to follow him onto the road heading north along the fence line. Stacks of tires, turned over semis, and old vans lined the street outside the fence, forming a makeshift barrier from attackers.

The minute they reached the end of the building, Raze turned her onto another old road toward the middle of the territory. Away from the boundary and danger. They moved past more apartments and barrels set out to catch rainwater before reaching an old gymnasium that now served as a mess hall. The main medical facility was located next to it in a weathered brick building that had once been an elementary school.

At this early dawn hour, only patrolling soldiers were up and about. Raze gave a guy nod to a couple and they returned the gesture.

Men of few words, definitely.

She stepped over a large puddle as they turned again, maneuvering down a street between row houses and a rambling building now serving as training facilities. It used to be a bunch of old businesses. The silence began to wear on her. “Are you training scavengers today?”

“No.”

She nodded and tried to let the silence stand. Nope. “What are you doing today?”

“Probably scouting outer territory for threats.” He blinked several times, as if finally sensing her discomfort. “Um. So, you’re a profiler? I mean, you were a profiler?”

“Yes, except we’re not really called profilers.” That life already seemed so long ago. “I worked for the FBI Behavioral Analysis unit.” She missed her friends there, in fact. They’d all succumbed to Scorpius.

“Ah.” He gently pulled her to the right and away from a gaping pothole filled with rainwater. “You seem young to already be with the BAU.”

She nodded. “I was a special agent for three years, but I mainly worked on cold cases, not in the field. I had some luck with the cases and was fast-tracked to the BAU.” Her insight into the criminal mind had bordered on psychic even before Scorpius.

“Why the BAU?” he asked quietly.

“I wanted to make a difference to society, and with an analytical mind, I figured that was a good way to do it.” She gave her routine answer without a hitch in her breath.

He glanced sideways at her just as they reached another road and turned left to go by a warehouse that housed vehicles and fuel. The headquarters, where the elite soldiers lived, was next to it in a building of heavy red brick. “That’s not all, is it?”

She paused. Raze Shadow could see beneath the surface, now couldn’t he? “No. That’s not all.”

He took a step away from her, giving her space. “It’s none of my business.”

No, but something in her, something so alone, wanted to confide in him. Wanted to share. “Remember Scott Rysen out of Boston?”

Raze frowned. “The Back Alley Butcher?”

She sighed, her stomach turning over. “That’s what the press called him. My mother was his third victim when I was eight years old.”

“Ah, shit, Vinnie.” Raze ran a hand down her arm, slowing his stride.

Raze’s touch settled something inside her, and she breathed in his masculine scent.

“I’m sorry. Your dad?” he asked.

“Cop who threw himself into his work.” She forced a smile. Man, she’d loved her dad, even though he’d definitely had problems. “Died of cirrhosis of the liver a week after I graduated college.”

Sympathy glowed in Raze’s eyes. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s in the past.” She hustled her pace and stumbled over a pothole. Raze reached out to steady her. His hand, so large and heated, enclosed her upper arm. Tingles shot through her entire body. As soon as she’d righted herself, he released her and took his warmth with him. She frowned. Realization dawned. “You haven’t been infected, have you?”

He kept walking, scouting the area around them, even though they were inner territory. “No. Why?”

Because he rarely touched her. She shrugged her shoulders. Talk about ego. Maybe he just didn’t like her. Or perhaps he felt no attraction to her. “Just asking.”

“Why?” They reached the back entrance to the two-story building and he paused, turning to face her.

She swallowed and fought the urge to step back. He was just so . . . big. “The way you try to stay away from me, I, ah, was confused. I mean, it seems like we’re kind of friends, as much as you can have friends in this crazy lonely world these days, but you always back away, and I—”

He held up a hand. “Whoa.”

She winced, pricks of heat dancing through her. Man, why wouldn’t her mouth just stop? Before the drugs, she could’ve played poker with the best of them. She had been calm, cool, and totally in control. Now? She couldn’t even keep a thought to herself. “Sorry.”

He crossed muscled arms. “For what?”

Her mouth gaped open and she quickly shut it. Words tumbled out anyway. “For going on and on. For making you uncomfortable. For—”

“Whoa,” he whispered. Again.

The soft rasp licked down her body. She jerked her head, trying to find some control. “Sorry.” Turning to go, she tripped, and he reached out to steady her again. Somehow, his hold was both protective and restrictive.

He shook his head. “Vivienne, I’m not afraid of getting infected.”

Oh. An odd hurt spiraled through her chest. “I see.” So he just didn’t want to be around her.

“I know it’s going to happen at some point, but still, I’d like to hold off as long as possible.”

She nodded. Once a person survived the contagion, he was always a carrier and could infect other people, just like carriers of staph or MRSA could. Some people who survived the infection became sociopaths, some went as far as to become serial killers, while others did not change in a bad way. Many still changed, however. “Are you up to date on your vitamin B injections?” she asked.

“Yes.”

Well, good. For some reason, vitamin B helped the body protect itself from the worst of the Scorpius brain damage. Everyone took shots. Those who hadn’t been infected took them to build up B in case they got sick, and those who had already survived took the B to keep sane. After infection, extra B during the first twenty-four hours was crucial. Unfortunately, nobody knew how long the treatments had to go on.

Science and technology had ground to a halt as most of the world died.

She turned toward the center door, a slider. “Well, then. Let’s go see if I have a place to live.” Steeling her shoulders, she took a step forward.

And forgot he still held her arm.

His grip didn’t lessen, so she had to step back to keep her balance. Slowly, with obvious gentleness, he turned her to face him.

She shivered in the cool air, which was such a contrast to the warmth of his touch. “It’s okay. No worries, Raze.”

His upper lip curved. “There are plenty of worries, Vivienne, but you infecting me ain’t one of them.” He rocked back on his heels, so damn solid in a world of uncertainties.

“Then why are you so distant?”

A veil dropped over his startling eyes. “I’m not distant, but I need freedom of movement in case an attack comes, which it often does.”

“Oh.” A warning whispered through her. Another voice, this one stronger than most. He wasn’t telling the truth. Well, not the whole truth. “Okay.” She didn’t have any reason to challenge him, and she couldn’t let anyone know what was going on with her brain or how she knew things she really shouldn’t. Hell, even she didn’t understand.

She’d survived Scorpius, which was known to alter brain chemistry. Then she’d been shot up with the most creative drugs ever used by the CIA, which definitely could have changed the way her neurons fired. Combine the two? Yeah. There was no telling how damaged, or changed, her brain was now.

On the bright side, she had no interest in killing victims or turning into a cannibal, so she wasn’t a Ripper.

Raze’s hold remained firm while he moved toward the door, and she fell into step, walking in front of him when he opened it. A former soup kitchen, the central ground floor room of headquarters now held a hodgepodge of tables and chairs. A long counter ran along the west wall, even now laden with unplugged Crock-Pots of some type of soup.

From the smell it was burned tomato, and only two people sat around a rickety old picnic table, empty bowls in front of them. Lynne Harmony and Jax Mercury.

Jax glanced up, his all-encompassing gaze hitting them both, flicking behind them, before returning to their faces. His coloring spoke of his Latin American heritage, while the glint in his eyes showed a predator, one trained and deadly. He’d put together the Vanguard territory to protect survivors when Los Angeles had fallen to Rippers, looters, and criminals. Rumor had it he had been a gangbanger growing up and then had joined the military when given the choice between Army or prison. “Mornin’.”

Raze nodded, while Vinnie forced a smile, her stomach twinging. What if Jax didn’t want her at headquarters? “Hello.”

“I heard you’re moving in,” Lynne said, the circles under her intelligent green eyes testifying that she’d probably been up all night working on her research to synthesize vitamin B in the body despite the meager equipment available.

“Um, yes. If that’s all right?” Vinnie halted near the table.

Lynne nodded, her fingers tapping on a bound-leather journal. “Makes sense, if you’re going to start helping with research. I could really use more information on the sociopathic mind.”

“Sure.” It’d be nice to be of value again. Vinnie tried to keep her eyes on Lynne’s face and not the telltale blue glow emanating from beneath her white T-shirt.

The former head of the CDC’s infectious disease unit, Lynne had contracted Scorpius and then been infected with an experimental strain of the bacterium that had turned her heart and surrounding arteries and veins blue. Many people mistakenly blamed her for the outbreak, and many others believed she somehow contained the cure.

All Vinnie knew was that Lynne and Jax had helped rescue her from the most powerful Ripper on the planet, and that secured her loyalty without question. “I’m, ah, not sure where I will be staying.”

Jax stood, grabbing both empty soup bowls. “You’re bunking with Raze. Only room available.” He turned and stalked across the room to dump the bowls in a rubber bin. “Raze? You done scouting?”

“No. I took a second shift that starts in thirty minutes.” Raze glanced at what appeared to be a military watch on his wrist.

Jax nodded. “I’ll be back to join you. This decision is on you and don’t forget it.”

“Copy that,” Raze said, his expression giving away nothing.

Vinnie looked from one to the other. Decision? Were they talking about her? She opened her mouth to ask, and a sharp shake of Raze’s head stopped her words in her throat.

Jax looked back at Lynne. “Blue? Get some damn sleep before you fall down.” He pivoted and headed toward his office and war room, which were connected by a newly cut door in the building.

Lynne stood, her lips twitching into a smile. “You smooth talker, you. Take me now.”

He stopped at the doorway, all hard-muscled male.

Vinnie swallowed, heat sliding down her back. Tension filled the air.

Jax turned around and studied Lynne for a moment. Then smoothly launching into motion, he retraced his steps, no expression on his hard-contoured face. The legends whispered about him far and wide, the dangerous leader of the Vanguard, the man who killed easily, could be seen in every step.

He reached Lynne, towering a good foot over the pale brunette.

Vinnie’s knees wobbled with the need to do something, but her feet remained frozen in place. She cut a glance at Raze, who was watching the two with heavy lids, appearing almost bored.

Vinnie turned back to Jax.

With a shockingly gentle movement, he slid a knuckle under Lynne’s chin and lifted her face. “I’m sorry. What I meant to say was that you’re working too hard, you need sleep, and I’m worried about you. If I lose you, there’s no fuckin’ reason to keep going.” Leaning down, he planted a soft kiss on her mouth, released her, and turned to head back to the doorway.

“That’s better,” Lynne called out, a pretty pink covering her cheeks just as he disappeared into the other part of the building.

Vinnie exhaled. Wow. All righty, then. Reality slammed her, and she turned to Raze. “I am not living with you.”

He glanced down, no expression on his face. “I know. I’ll move my things to Tace’s apartment later tonight.” He shared a look with Lynne. “It’s probably a good idea anyway.”

Lynne sobered. “Yes. It can’t hurt anything.”

Vinnie glanced from one to the other, easily catching undercurrents in the conversation. “Who’s Tace, and what’s wrong with him?”

“I’m the combat medic here, and I’m probably turning into a Ripper,” said a low voice with a Texan twang from her right.

She turned toward the western doorway, which also appeared newly cut into the wall, to see a six-foot, dark blond-haired, blue-eyed guy wearing a stethoscope and a black cowboy hat. “Oh. Hi.”

He lifted an eyebrow. “You don’t remember me.”

She blinked, her heart dropping. “No. Sorry.”

“It’s okay. Those drugs they pumped into you would scramble anyone’s brain. I was on the mission to find Lynne when we rescued you.” He leaned against the doorway, and the blue of his shirt enhanced the color of his eyes. “I’m glad you’re better.”

Was she better? Maybe not. “Thank you for the rescue.”

He half-bowed. “We’re here to help.”

She glanced from Raze to Lynne and then back to Tace. Well, if no explanation was coming, she’d just have to ask. “Why are you turning into a Ripper?”

“I was infected and we were out of vitamin B.” He lifted a large shoulder.

Her breath caught, but she tried to keep her expression merely interested. Vitamin B injections were crucial in the first twenty-four hours of infection, and only very rarely did a victim retain sanity without the B. “You seem to be doing all right and beating the odds.”

His upper lip quirked. “Thank you, ma’am, but I can assure you, I am not the same man I was. Not even close.”

Raze stepped alongside Vinnie. “As long as you’re not trying to take my skin and wear it as a suit, I don’t care if you’re a little off. Where did you get the hat?”

Tace ran a finger along the brim. “A couple of the kids found it scavenging near Malibu the other day.”

“They need to be careful over there. The rains are loosening the cliffs, and without a workforce to shore them up, those houses will soon be tumbling into the ocean.” Raze rubbed his chin. “We should hit the entire coast as soon as possible before we lose all those houses and anything useful remaining there.”

Tace nodded. “I agree. We’ll come up with a new plan tonight that incorporates that territory. Who knew the rain would be so terrible this year?”

“It just figures.” Raze gestured toward the door where Jax had disappeared. “I’ll show you your new digs, Vinnie.” His tone didn’t invite discussion or argument. Distance once again separated them, no matter how close they stood to each other.

Her knees weakened, but she began to maneuver through the mix of tables.

“Why don’t we meet in about an hour?” Lynne called after her. “Unless you wanted to go back to sleep?”

Not a chance. “I thought you were going to get some rest?” Vinnie asked. Jax Mercury had been fairly clear with his order, no matter how sweetly he’d ended up delivering it.

“Nope.” Lynne turned and walked toward Tace. “Come down when you’re ready and we’ll dig into your brain.”

Vinnie started and quickly recovered, not missing the narrowing of Raze’s eyes. “Ah, great. I’ll be down shortly.” Nobody, and that meant absolutely nobody, was going to dig into her brain. God only knew what they’d find.