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Chapters (56)
  1. Cover
  2. Praise for the novels of Mia Sheridan
  3. About the Author
  4. NOTE TO READERS
  5. Dedication
  6. prologue
  7. chapter one
  8. chapter two
  9. chapter three
  10. chapter four
  11. chapter five
  12. chapter six
  13. chapter seven
  14. chapter eight
  15. chapter nine
  16. chapter ten
  17. chapter eleven
  18. chapter twelve
  19. chapter thirteen
  20. chapter fourteen
  21. chapter fifteen
  22. chapter sixteen
  23. chapter seventeen
  24. chapter eighteen
  25. chapter nineteen
  26. chapter twenty
  27. chapter twenty-one
  28. chapter twenty-two
  29. chapter twenty-three
  30. chapter twenty-four
  31. chapter twenty-five
  32. chapter twenty-six
  33. chapter twenty-seven
  34. chapter twenty-eight
  35. chapter twenty-nine
  36. chapter thirty
  37. chapter thirty-one
  38. chapter thirty-two
  39. chapter thirty-three
  40. chapter thirty-four
  41. chapter thirty-five
  42. chapter thirty-six
  43. chapter thirty-seven
  44. chapter thirty-eight
  45. chapter thirty-nine
  46. chapter forty
  47. chapter forty-one
  48. chapter forty-two
  49. chapter forty-three
  50. chapter forty-four
  51. chapter forty-five
  52. chapter forty-six
  53. chapter forty-seven
  54. chapter forty-eight
  55. epilogue
  56. acknowledgments

Asher smiled, and then turned, ducking around the building and into the foliage that ended near the front gate. I closed my eyes and hummed so quietly that no one who wasn’t standing an inch from me would have heard. I waited, my hands gripped together until I heard a loud rustle, a pop, and then a yell that was cut off by another pop.

I walked quickly around the guardhouse and to the gate where Asher was already standing. In my peripheral vision, I saw the two guards lying in a heap next to each other but didn’t turn my head.

Asher pulled the gate open, and I slipped through the small space. He closed it behind me and as he was closing it, I said, “Thank you so much. And good luck.” It seemed so inadequate, but it was all I had.

“You too,” he said and then he turned away, off to join the others. Off to fight.

I found the bike where he’d said it would be and then rolled it down the street, getting far enough away before swinging my leg over it and sitting down. Then I turned the ignition, the loud rumble in the midst of the silent night making me grimace.

I released the brake, the bike flying forward, wobbling momentarily as I emitted a high-pitched hiss, certain I was going to tumble off. But I gripped the handles, finding control and speeding off into the night. If I rode fast, and wasn’t stopped, I could be home before morning.

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chapter forty-seven

Tuck

The guards at the next barrier were jacked up on tension and power, and I got the inkling they were itching to shoot someone and at the smallest excuse would do so. I backtracked about a quarter mile and then veered off to the side where I’d seen a few others walking earlier, making their way around the guarded area even though there was only desert in that direction.

Those walking sent furtive glances in my direction, clutching their packs tightly, some holding weapons down at their sides, the threat clear. Even those who weren’t looking for trouble would protect what they had at all costs.

To my right was unforgiving terrain bereft of any sustenance and to my left a rocky embankment that led up to the guarded area, men with guns roaming the perimeter and watching from higher ground.