Old Lady of the Iron Crown

y P

of my pillow, my face settling into an emotionl

sis as the hydraulic ramp descended into the s

cing fuel, and cold steel flooded the cabin, ins

e mountain-a multi-level underground citadel guarded by blast doors, a

rigid, silent formation along the perimeter, their

to step down onto t

resident did no

s belt, ripped open his weathered cut, and dragge

son blood welled up, splash

ng thunder: "The pure blood of the Cross has returned! Anyone who draws breath again

hundred voices roared in

undred blades slicing into palms

st chest patches in an ancient, sacred blood oath of

ammed again

pire, and every single soul in this fortres

massive, ink-covered shadow

his massive, tattooed arms beneath my blanket and scooping

irectly against my ear, his deep baritone se

ed neck, breathing in his intoxicating blend

protested loudly, shoving his way past Ryder.

thout breaking stride, using his massive shoulder

e shot back, grabbing the handles of the twin bassinet pod with an exaggerated, coc

is jaw tight enough to crack a tooth, his glare b

r," Ryder warned in a venomous, clinical purr, "I will perso

around me with possessive, terrifying gentleness

aster suite lined with floor-to-ceiling ball

ash away the grime and dried blood of labor, dressing me

to high-tech warming crib

ing terror in my throat vanished, replaced b

ounded at the

lves, but Ryder slipped through the threshold with smooth eleg

eir faces with a click that so

chair up to the bedside and offering a spoonful to my

dded toward the slim black tablet r

mirk. He tapped the screen, bringing up a

ry," he whispered. "Live surveillance fr

e was slumped on a tattered leather couch,

straddling his lap, giggling as her red-tippe

e prospect Viper had sent to execute me stumbled in,

Viper barked, shoving Sierra of

to his knees on the

ome guy... some guy in a tailored suit and gold glasses came in.

He smashed his glass tumbler onto the concre

usly in the ribs. "You let a soft-handed civilian beat you

ubbing Viper's arm wit

bably slept with some downtown court orderly to play tough.

hing heavily. "A court clerk... That bitch thin

gainst his chest. "She won't last forty-eight hours before she comes crawling

er, scouts reported massive convoy movement on the south pass. Thr

ismissive hand,

yover town like ours. They're moving cartel contraband to th

whiskey, taking a long pull b

tow yard and scrap shop. If anyone sees Roxy Cross on our asphalt, kick he

screen, killing

ntrast between Viper's pathetic delusions an

he plush pillows. "You knew, didn't you? Abo

light glinted off his gold-rimmed gla

, Roxy," Ryder said, his voice d

you could route military-grade data through state fiber for thre

ou were shielding my trace. But..

d until his lips hovered barely an inch fro

me federal task forces got within three hops of your server, I rerouted their ping into dead-end

ssive, reverent fire ignit

burner phone, all the pieces clicked. The ghost I've been guarding in the dark for three yea

iver rippled t

the dark all alone, this brilliant, lethal mastermind h

k down doors," I said, my voice hardening into

th fierce, dark pride.

e the b

ce from his vest and

ate line. It rang onc

ntly over the line. "Ready t

echoing with the lethal calm of an

ery word dripping with venomous amusement. "Bring your pathetic contra