The morning light cascaded through the windows as Raze paced the conference room like a caged animal. He needed to go, and now, but that would be a colossal mistake. In a world filled with Rippers, displaced gang members, and wild animals . . . darkness was his only ally. The sun had only been up for a couple of hours, but if he looked at the map of Santa Barbara for one more minute, he was going to start yelling his head off.

His night of wild sex with Vinnie had taken the edge off physically, but now his chest ached. What the hell was he going to do with her? She’d burrowed so far inside him, he didn’t feel whole unless she was next to him. For hours after they’d returned to the apartment, he’d listened to her sleep.

Leaving her had pissed him right off, even though he’d headed straight to work. Now he could barely concentrate. So he pivoted on one boot and headed through the building to the infirmary.

Tace looked up from the receptionist counter. Lines of fatigue cut into the sides of his mouth, and red colored the whites of his eyes. “Do you have an appointment, sir?”

Raze snorted. “You look like shit.”

“Can’t sleep.” Tace pushed back from the desk. “Since Scorpius, I can’t sleep. Lynne thinks it has something to do with the lack of vitamin B during the initial infection.”

Raze winced. “Don’t people need sleep to keep sane?”

“Yep. Maybe that’s part of the insanity issue, you know? Lack of sleep.” Tace stood and turned back toward the examination rooms. “Jax said you wanna get tagged.”

Raze faltered. “Um, yeah, but I’d rather you had some rest first.”

Tace chuckled. “Don’t be a pussy. I’ve drawn the Vanguard tat on at least two dozen bodies and won’t screw up your pretty skin.”

Raze’s steps slowed, but he continued on. In case he didn’t make it back from the Merc attack, he wanted to belong. A little ink in his skin didn’t change much, but at least he’d be part of Vanguard for a few hours. It had been so long since he’d belonged anywhere. “All right.” He entered the room and sat on a torn examination table that had lost most of its padding. “Just don’t screw it up.”

Tace opened a worn cardboard box and drew out ink and needles. “We actually raided a top-of-the-line shop a few blocks over, so no worries. The Vanguard tat will look good. Where do you want it?”

“Left bicep.” Raze yanked off his shirt.

“I could do a sleeve on your right forearm to cover the burn scars,” Tace said casually, wiping off Raze’s arm with a cloth that almost appeared clean. “What’s the story there?”

Raze glanced down. “Barn fire. I was twelve and Moe was eight. She was playing inside, and I went in after her. A burning rafter fell, broke my arm, and burned me to shit.” Maureen had been nearly inconsolable, and had spent the entire time he’d been in a cast bringing him presents and haranguing their mother to make more cookies.

“You grew up on a farm?” Tace asked.

“Yeah. Wyoming.” Raze held still as Tace went to work on his other arm.

Jax loped into the room and flipped a chair around to straddle it. “Gettin’ the tat, huh?”

Heat threatened to climb into Raze’s face. “Yeah. I said I was going to. It’s definite.”

Jax studied him, gaze intent. “Good.”

Tace kept working. “We’ll get your sister back. She’s okay, and we’ll get her. Family.”

Raze nodded, his chest heating. Family. With every stitch of ink, Vanguard was becoming family as well. “You’ll like Maureen. She’s smart and fearless.” From day one, when he’d looked at the tiny pink bundle, he’d vowed to protect her. “She has to be safe.”

“She will be, brother.” Jax said the words, his dark eyes nearly glowing.

Brother. Yeah. Raze leaned back and let Tace work away. Nearly three hours later, he’d been tagged. He glanced at the intricate and strong lines. “That’s that, then.” It meant more than he could say that Jax and Tace had stayed with him the entire time. Sami had poked her head in, nodded approval, and returned to scouting duty.

He had a home.

Shrugging his shirt on, he finally relaxed into the new reality. “I should get to work.”

April Snyder suddenly hovered at the doorway. “Jax? Do you have a minute?”

“Yeah.” Jax pushed off the chair and turned it. “Have a seat. Let’s hear it.” He waited until April sat before bellowing, “Vinnie? Get down here.”

Vinnie strode inside wearing a pretty pink blouse and dark jeans. “For goodness’ sake. Stop yelling.”

“Sorry.” The Vanguard leader strode toward the far side of the room to lean against the wall. “April? How was church?”

The petite brunette scrunched up her face. “Different. I mean, the sermon was strong, and the reverend very charismatic. But the message was one of survival at all costs.”

Raze tried not to focus on Vinnie as she stood in the doorway, her attention on April. In the light of day, she was even sexier than the night before. Just the thought of him taking her against that brick wall hardened his groin. Things had changed.

Jax mulled over the situation. “Did he threaten violence?”

April shook her head. “No, but he did stress sacrifice. Of what kind, I don’t know.”

“What else?” Tace asked, standing and stretching his back.

“There’s a hierarchy,” April said. “The reverend is at the top, and he has four bishops who flank him—two on each side. Men only.” She leaned forward on the rickety chair. “There’s a study session for the men scheduled after church, and there are also women’s studies, but those are led by one of the bishops.”

“That’s odd,” Vinnie murmured. “Even the women’s studies aren’t led by women. Very odd.”

April nodded. “I thought so, too. You have to be a full member of the church to be invited to the studies as well as to other meetings I couldn’t quite get a handle on.”

“How do you become a full member of the church?” Vinnie asked, thoughts flitting across her face.

“I don’t know.” April flattened graceful hands on her jeans. “I went into the situation acting unsure if I wanted to be there, so I thought if I tried to become a full member all of a sudden, they’d be suspicious.”

“Good call,” Raze said, smiling.

She didn’t smile back. “Thanks.”

Had he ever seen the woman smile? Doubtful. Her eyes were so sad, his own chest hurt. “What happens next?” Raze asked.

She licked her lips. “Reverend Lighton asked if I’d like to meet with him tomorrow morning for coffee just to chat. I figure that’s the next step to joining the congregation.”

“How many people heard the sermon?” Vinnie asked.

April shook her head. “I don’t know. It took place in what used to be a common room in the middle apartment complex, and there were three sections, all separated by heavy curtains. I was in a small section for guests, and Violet sat with me. There were only eight of us there.”

“I don’t like the secrecy of that,” Jax muttered, a frown deepening between his eyes. “I need you to talk to Violet some more. They’re recruiting you, so wait until she approaches you, and then ask questions. She’ll expect you to be curious, so that’s okay. But don’t seek her out. Let her find you.”

“Okay.” April drew something out of her pocket.

“What’s that?” Vinnie asked, craning her head.

“A silver cross.” April opened her hand to show a small cross. “Lena gave it to me this morning before church.”

Vinnie smiled. “That was nice of her.”

April stared down at the jewelry. “Sure, but I didn’t tell Lena I was going to church. She had no clue.”

A chill scattered down Raze’s back.

Nobody spoke.

Maureen Shadow missed her knife. He’d confiscated the blade from her during their last altercation. So close. So damn close. The look on her brother’s face when he’d heard her voice would haunt her until the day she died. She should’ve killed Grey Storm the first chance she’d gotten.

As if she could.

She breathed out, her chest shuddering. How the hell could she get free? Moving to the open door of her room, she could see patrols already combing the beach. If she ran, they’d spot her within seconds.

Huffing out a breath, she sat on her bed in the Mercenary mansion, the outside French doors wide open, the ocean rolling in to the sand as if the world was all right again.

A knock on her door had her sitting bolt upright and stiffening her entire body. “Go fuck yourself,” she snapped.

Greyson Storm walked inside wearing faded jeans and a white tank top that did nothing but enhance the powerful muscles down his arms and chest. “That’s quite a mouth you’ve got on you.” His eyes sizzled a pissed-off combination of gray and green that sent a clear warning. “I’ve sent a scout to meet with your brother again.”

She crossed her arms. “You’re such a dick.”

He crossed his arms. “I liked your silent treatment better.”

“Too bad.” She glared at him. “Where are those girls from the other day? Do you enslave kids here?” The few soldiers she’d seen had all been men. What happened to the women? What would happen to her now?

“I don’t enslave anybody, and those girls are none of your business.” He leaned back against the door. “The scout is going to set up another exchange for Dr. Wellington, and this time, either it goes smoothly, or I plug your brother in the head with a nine mil. I like the smaller caliber. They bounce around a little.”

Her chin lowered. “I hope I’ll be the one carrying the bullet that gets you.”

“I doubt it.” He shrugged. “If you are, best of luck to you. Much better trained forces than you have tried.”

She shook her head. “I won’t cooperate with you.”

“I’m not giving you a choice.” He leaned against the doorjamb. “We’re scheduling another meet tomorrow night, and this is the last chance. If it goes south, I’m killing your brother and making sure you never step outside Merc territory again.”

She couldn’t read him well enough to know if he was bluffing or dead serious. “You told your scout you’d kill me.”

“I lied. You’re much too valuable to kill; we need food resources. However, I certainly don’t have to take the good care of you that I have.” He gestured around the comfortable room. “Believe me, there are far worse places I could put you.”

She stood and faced him. “If you harm my brother, I will never help you grow food.”

He jerked his head to the side in an oddly dangerous move. “You’d be surprised how easily I could make you want to please me.”

The words and cadence carried a vaguely sexual tone. Stockholm Syndrome. Yeah, that was it. She was actually starting to think she knew this bastard. “You’ve misread me,” she said smoothly. “Right now you hold the cards, I get that. But at some point, when you least suspect it, I’ll hold your life in my hands.”

His chin lowered, and interest flared in his eyes. “Do tell.”

“And I’ll let you drop right through,” she said.

He smiled then, a flash of amusement across his hard face. “Listen and listen good. We get to the meet, you behave and help get the doctor in the truck, and then you live a life of luxury here working on food.”

“You never intended to turn me over,” she murmured.

“No. Like I said, you’re too valuable.” He turned to go.

She coughed. “My brother will never let that happen. He’ll die before he lets you take either Dr. Wellington or me.”

Greyson looked over his shoulder, his jaw set. “I know.” He shut the door without another word, and his heavy boot steps echoed down the tile outside.

Vinnie eyed Raze’s new Vanguard tattoo with interest. While the skin was raised and red, the outline of the Vanguard symbol stood in proud relief. Maybe she’d get one, too. Perhaps on her lower back, right above her butt?

The outside door clanged. “Mercury? We have a visitor,” a male voice called out.

Jax frowned and headed out the door, followed by the rest of them.

They reached the entrance to the soup kitchen, the big one that looked out on what used to be a parking area. Two Vanguard soldiers flanked a tall black man dressed in bloody jeans and a ripped T-shirt.

“Who the hell are you?” Jax asked.

“Damon Winter,” the guy answered, his voice beyond deep. He appeared to be in his early thirties with angled features and a scar across his neck.

Jax moved closer, motioning April back. “What’s with the blood?”

Winter looked down at his jeans. “Ran into some trouble on the way here. Pack of Rippers.” He frowned, his dark eyes shadowed. “When did the crazy ones, the wild ones, start running in packs?”

Jax shook his head. “I’m about to shoot you so you don’t have to ponder philosophy.”

Winter nodded. “Fair enough. Greyson Storm sent me with a message. The meet is back on, at Merc territory this time. We figure you know where it is by now. If not, I’ll draw you a map.”

“Is my sister alive?” Raze asked, his voice vibrating.

Winter frowned. “Yeah, of course.”

“Who was buried earlier today?” Jax asked.

Winter blanched. “A couple of soldiers. Not Maureen. So listen, come to headquarters with the doc. If you don’t show with the doctor . . .”

“What?” Raze asked softly, stepping around Jax and heading toward the messenger. “What happens then?”

Winter smiled with smooth white teeth, flashing a dimple in his left cheek. “You must be Shadow. I’ve met your sister, and she has the same eyes.” He held up a hand when Raze pivoted to punch. “Literally. I’ve met her. As in ‘hi, how are you, I’m Damon.’ She’s fine, man. Not a bruise on her.”

Raze paused. “You could be lying.”

Winter sighed. “Yeah, I could, but I’m not. Grey has no desire to hurt her, but he’ll do what he has to do, so cooperating with him is your best bet.” He glanced around, and his gaze landed on Vinnie and April. “One of you the doc?”

Raze shook his head. “The doc didn’t make it last night.”

Winter rubbed the back of his neck. “Man, I hope that isn’t true. You need the doc, or Grey has no reason to keep your sister alive. I’m supposed to tell you that Greyson has to get a visual on the doc, or he’s ending your sister. You show up without the doctor, and it’s a done deal. Greyson doesn’t mess around, guys.”

“I’m the doctor.” Vinnie stepped forward, her voice sure and strong.

Raze cut her a hard look.

She ignored him. “Why does Greyson want the location for Zach Barter so badly?”

Winter grimaced. “The guy isn’t much for sharing, you know? I can give you my word that Greyson just wants to talk to you—that’s all he wants. But he’ll do anything to find Zach Barter. Who is the guy, anyway?”

Nobody answered him.

Jax nodded to the soldiers. “Take our new friend here downstairs.”

“To the gym?” Vinnie asked, moving forward.

Raze stopped her with a hand on her arm. “The gym is a nice place to talk.” Beyond the gym were a few old storage rooms that were used for different purposes. One even had a drain in the floor.

Winter stiffened and then eyed Vinnie. “There’s no need for torture, guys. I came with an offer for a second chance, and I’ve told you everything I know.”

“We’ll see.” Jax jerked his head, and the two soldiers grabbed Winter’s arms.

“Wait.” Vinnie tried to move forward again, but Raze pulled her to his side. “Don’t hurt him. That’s not who we are.”

The soldiers turned and propelled Winter through the mess hall and to the stairs leading to the basement. To the guy’s credit, he didn’t fight them.

Vinnie turned toward Raze, her mouth opened to argue, just as gunfire pattered from inner territory.