Shadow Falling (The Scorpius Syndrome #2) (18 page)

Lynne sighed against his jugular. “Come up with a better plan. Figure Raze out, help him, and then we all live happily ever after.”

Jax lifted her and turned for the bed. “At this point, I’m just glad we’re all still living.”

A crash banged against the wall. Jesus. Those two might kill each other, and then he wouldn’t have to worry about it, anyway.

Vinnie awoke
slowly, wrapped safely in warmth. Her eyelids slid open. Cracked ceiling, moldy smell, cold air. Oh. For the slightest of moments, she’d forgotten about Scorpius and the world pretty much ending. She stretched and caught herself. Whoa. Little aches and pains flared to life in unexpected places.

She smiled.

Then she stilled at finding Raze Shadow sitting across the room on the sofa, watching her. He’d pulled on a fresh-looking pair of dark jeans and a white T-shirt that clearly emphasized the muscles in his chest and arms. “Morning.” He didn’t smile.

She sat up and tucked the sheet around her. “Hi.” Her gaze barely met his, so she focused on his chin. What she wouldn’t give to see that dimple of his again. “How are you feeling?”

“Fine.”

Ah. “Headache?”

“No.” The
pinched skin around his eyes proclaimed that a clear lie.

“Muscle weakness?” she asked, her heart kicking strongly into gear. Her hands fluttered around the blankets.

“Nope.”

She breathed in and lifted her gaze. “Say what you need to say, Shadow.”

His chin lowered. “Excuse me?”

She faltered. This wasn’t how a morning after went, now was it? She’d never had a casual affair. Either he needed to crawl back in bed and vow his eternal love, or he needed to run out the door and avoid her like the rogue he was. But sitting there and watching her so calmly? Um, no. “You’re freaking me out.”

His lips came together, and a frown drew down his eyebrows. “Why?”

“Because you’re just sitting there.” Realization slapped her in the face. Oh. Maybe she was the one who was supposed to leave. It was his place. Heat spread from her chest into her face. “Um, give me a few minutes and I’ll get out of your hair.” He wouldn’t try to watch her dress, would he? She wasn’t even sure where she’d put her underwear. God, this was excruciating.

Lucinda hovered outside the defunct refrigerator, her white hair glowing. “I told you this would be a mistake.”

Vinnie looked up at the ceiling. Her stepmother was not there. She was
not
.

“Stop ignoring me. You made a mistake. Now tell him it’s over,” Lucinda snapped.

“He already knows that,” Vinnie whispered.

Raze cleared his throat. “What?”

“Nothing.” Now she was talking to her hallucinations in front of Raze. “That was fun—last night, I mean—but today it’s daytime, and let’s forget it.” She lowered her gaze to meet his and ignored the sight of Lucinda doing the cha-cha
by the counter. “I’m seeing things, and I’m hearing things, and you know this was a mistake. Nobody else knows, so let’s just pretend it didn’t happen. I’ll try to find a different place to stay, and if there isn’t one in headquarters, I’ll go back to my apartment. I actually didn’t mind—”

He launched himself off the sofa and reached her in two long strides, lifting her, sheet and all.

“Eek,” she murmured as he turned and sat with her in his lap. “Um—”

“I’m not sorry it happened,” he rumbled, his breath brushing her hair.

She blinked up at him, her traitorous body snuggling right in. “Yes, you are.”

He frowned again, giving him the look of a pissed-off warrior. “Last night doesn’t change anything, but I’m not sorry it happened.”

What in the world did that mean? Her ears rang. “Well, it changes things a little. We’ve seen each other naked. Although we could pretend we haven’t, we have, and I think that’s the very definition of change. I’m not—”

“Vinnie.”

She gulped in air. “There was a time I was almost laconic. I mean, I’d watch everything and everyone before making a sound. Methodical, you know? I liked to—”

“Vinnie.” His dimple winked again.

Fascinating. Totally fascinating. That dimple grounded her and gave her something to hold on to. Not many people had seen it, probably. “You’re patient.” Man, he held an abundance of patience and understanding.

“Yes. It helps when stalking prey.” The dimple deepened. “I don’t mind you talking, but sometimes you forget to breathe, and I’d rather you didn’t pass out right now.”

“I didn’t used to babble,” she whispered. When would her brain return to normal?

“Never,” Lucinda said, stomping bright red boots toward
the door as Vinnie followed with her gaze. “I give up. You’re on your own.” Lucinda wisped out of sight.

Raze tightened his hold. “What are you looking at?”

Vinnie turned back from the door. “A hallucination.”

His frown flattened out and curved into a grin. “Oh.” He caressed the nape of her neck. “Is he better looking than me?”

“Nobody is better looking than you.” A blush warmed her cheekbones. “I mean—”

“Let’s leave it at that. Who are you seeing? And talking to?”

“My stepmother, Lucinda.” Vinnie sighed. “Before she died, we got along okay but weren’t really close. Now she won’t leave me alone.”

Raze leaned in and rubbed his chin on top of her head. “Maybe your brain is trying to tell you something.”

Yeah. To run like hell from the deadly soldier. “Perhaps, or maybe I’m just crazy. The drugs could’ve easily damaged my brain, which could lead to all sorts of disorders, including schizophrenia.” As he rubbed her head, she relaxed into his hard chest. “I guess it could take a while for the drugs to completely leave my system.”

“Let’s go with the positive thought.” Raze levered back and then swooped in, kissing her.

Tingles exploded down her body, and she kissed him back. Her body flushed, and her mind spun. Finally, he set her gently on the bed and stood. “I need to go figure some things out. What’s your plan today?”

Pleasure tickled through her. They were sharing their days. Like a couple. “I’m starting work today as a counselor.” In fact, she needed to get a move on.

He nodded and then paled.

She stood and inched toward him.

He swayed. “Shit.”

She jumped
out of bed and slid a shoulder beneath his arm. Yep. Scorpius sucked. “Not so tough now, are you?”

“No.” He shut his eyes.

She helped him back to the bed. “You did just come out of the most dangerous infection to ever plague humans.” How weak was he? God. Had she just totally taken advantage of an invalid? He sure hadn’t felt ill when he’d been hammering inside her.

He lay down and took several deep breaths. “I’m fine. Just not quite at full strength.”

Then they had to have sex when he was at 100 percent, because Raze at half strength had been freaking amazing. She shook her head to get rid of the thoughts and leaned over to feel his forehead. Perfectly cool. “You probably just need some soup. If I remember right—to be honest, I don’t remember everything—it took about a week for me to get my strength back after Scorpius. Maybe it was two weeks. I’m not—”

“Vinnie.”

She pressed her lips together. “Sorry,” she mumbled.

“Don’t be sorry.” He pressed the palm of his hand against his forehead. “Fuck. When does the headache go away?”

She tugged the loose blanket up and over his chest. “Not sure. It’s different for everyone, and most survivors get migraines once in a while.” She’d wanted to cut her head off during the last one. “They’re not that bad. You’ll be fine.”

“I’d kill for an aspirin.”

This was the first time Raze had allowed her to see any vulnerability in him. Her heart warmed, and she moved closer to him. The fever had shaken him, but soon he’d have all his defenses shored up again. “What’s your real name?”

“Raze.” His hand dropped to the covers.

She’d help him whether he liked it or not, but she needed something. A small token to show that she mattered. That
she was special to him. How pitiful was that? “Come on. Won’t you tell me?”

His lips twitched. “On the lives of my ancestors, my name really is Raze. My dad’s name was Ryan.”

“Um, okay.”

My mom had three great-uncles who helped to raise her way back when. Albert, Zeke, and Elton.”

Humor bubbled up through Vinnie. “Raze. She combined their first names to create yours.”

“Yes. In the military it turned out I was pretty good with a blade, so some rumor got started that Raze was a nickname for Razor, which it wasn’t.”

She smiled. “I won’t tell anybody, I promise.”

“I know.” With that small movement toward trust, Raze Shadow dropped into sleep.

She smoothed his hair back, and once his breathing deepened, she leaned over to place a small kiss on his forehead. God, he was beautiful. Making sure to be gentle, she traced the strong contours of his face. Native American markers shaped him; she’d have to ask him where he got the blue eyes.

Her body felt both satiated and a little sore. She grinned and hustled to get dressed in jeans and a light sweater, yanking her hair into a ponytail. After brushing her teeth, she gave one last, rather longing look at the sleeping warrior. Could he be hers? She wasn’t sure. Whatever secrets he held seemed to torture him.

She slipped out of the apartment and hurried down the hallway and stairs. The soup kitchen was nearly empty, while the smell of cooked cheese filled the room. Waving at a couple of men wiping card tables, picnic tables, and scrap tables, she headed into the infirmary. “Tace?”

Tace poked his head out of a back room, his hair ruffled. Was his hair getting darker? “You ready to get to work?”

“Yes.” She walked past the former reception area, past
the two examination rooms, and beyond Lynne’s lab to an office near the back door. Desk, shabby love seat, ragged rug over concrete, and an executive leather chair. She ran her hand over the buttery softness. “Nice.”

“We stole it from a former attorney’s office on the west side.” Tace looked around. “Will this do?”

“Yes.”

“Good.” He handed over a scratched clipboard holding lined school paper. “Here’s the list and order for today. I gave you an hour for lunch, and you end when you end. Some folks signed themselves up, and Jax ordered his top lieutenants to seek spots. I put us in.”

She read the list. “Jax believes in psychotherapy?”

“I think he believes folks need help, and you’re the best we’ve got. Plus, I’m sure he wants you to alert him with problems.” The Texan sauntered in and dropped into a chair. “Sami is late, so why don’t you do me first?”

Vinnie faltered and then followed him, sitting in the leather. It cupped her butt. “How are you feeling?”

He grinned, all charm. “I’m different since the infection, and I don’t really care about being different. I like how much faster my brain works, and I have quicker reflexes. In fact, I can see what has to be done without emotion.”

“So you think more than feel now, and you used to do the opposite.” Vinnie crossed her legs. “Does that worry you?”

“No.” His handsome face set into puzzled lines. “I’m not concerned. The reason I don’t want to be a Ripper is because then I’d have to kill or be killed, and that seems unnecessary, you know? Also, I have OCD now. It’s a pain in the ass.”

She reached for a pad of paper on the small table and started to scribble notes. “Do you have any urges or craving to harm people?”

“Nope. Not at all.” He sat back and extended his long legs. “Any urges I have are of the sexual nature.”

She paused
and took a moment to clear her throat. “How so?”

His expression didn’t falter. “I always liked women and sex, so it’s not that different. Let’s just say my tastes have turned a little darker.”

“Sadistic?” Vinnie didn’t like labeling anything, but Tace obviously wanted clear conclusions, and she needed answers.

He grimaced but didn’t blush. “I don’t know. One of the women I’ve been seeing likes it rough, and I’ve enjoyed her, where before I would’ve stayed clear.”

Vinnie nodded. “So long as it’s consensual, why not explore? Do you want her to, ah, get rough with you?”

His blue eyes twinkled. “No. I like dishing it out, and she enjoys getting her ass paddled, but there’s no emotion involved. Just sex.”

“She’s all right with that?” Vinnie asked.

Tace nodded. “Her rules, really. Said she’s not interested in emotion or entanglements because survival is all that matters.”

“Do you mind giving me her name?” Vinnie asked. She’d like to check on the woman to make sure Tace was giving the full truth.

“Julie Bernete. She’s one of the inner territory doctors,” Tace said smoothly. “Feel free to talk to her. I waive any confidentiality or stuff like that.”

“All right. How is this different from before Scorpius?” Vinnie leaned back to appear relaxed and promote trust.

Tace’s hands hung loosely between his knees. “Well, before, I’d wine and dine. Buy flowers, say ma’am a lot, and treat the woman like a princess. I mean, the end result was banging the headboard against the wall, but I never once went for the rougher stuff.”