SHADOW FALLING
Scorpius Syndrome
Book 2
New York Times Bestselling Author
Rebecca Zanetti
“Thrilling post-apocalyptic romance at its dark, sizzling
best!”
—Lara Adrian
Before
the Scorpius Syndrome tore through North America and nearly wiped out the
population, Vivienne Wellington was the FBI’s best profiler. The bacteria got
her anyway. But she survived. She recovered. And when she woke up from a
drug-nightmare of captivity, her trust in
her fellow man had gone from shaky at best to nonexistent. Her mysterious
rescuer wants to convince her he’s the exception. But no matter how tempting he
is, with his angel’s eyes and devil’s tongue, Vinnie knows she shouldn’t trust
him.
If
the FBI were still around they would rate Raze Shadow as one of the bad guys.
His military training can’t wipe out his association with the Mercenaries, the
most feared gang in a thousand miles. His loyalties are compromised. He won’t
even tell Vinnie his real name. But there’s no FBI in the new America of fear
and firepower, only instinct and risk. And the way his arms wrap around her
tells its own story. Whatever else Raze is concealing, he can’t hide his desire
. . .
“Sexy, tough, and deftly
sprinkled with dark humor.”
—New York Times bestselling
author Larissa Ione
Excerpt:
Vinnie closed her eyes and tried to even out her breath and fall asleep,
but the hard body enfolding her held too much intrigue. And he was hard. Smooth muscle,
powerful lines, sinewed and strong.
While many bodies had grown streamlined and become more powerful after
surviving Scorpius, Raze was all man, perfectly uninfected.
She’d seen pictures in sports magazines of bodies like his, but
she’d never had one wrapped around her before.
For once, she managed to keep her mouth closed and didn’t ask him
all the questions roaring through her damaged brain. He breathed softly against her hair, relaxed
in sleep and yet still somehow on alert.
She could feel his concentration, lumbering beneath the surface of
slumber.
He hadn’t wanted to comfort her, and she had felt his
hesitation. But something good lived in
Raze Shadow, and he’d been unable to turn away from a woman in pain.
Oh, a conflicting force drove Raze, and he hid it well. But at some point, his true agenda would
become clear.
See if
you can read his mind.
Vinnie’s eyelids slid open to see Lucinda perching cross-legged at
the edge of the bed. Shoot. She’d hoped somehow Raze’s presence would
keep the hallucinations at bay for the night.
“No,” she mouthed.
Lucinda shook long blond hair, and her dark blue eyes seemed to
deepen. “You can read minds now,” she
said, voicing one of Vinnie’s unspoken fears.
“No, I can’t,” Vinnie mouthed back, careful not to make a
sound. If Raze awoke and saw her talking
to imaginary people, he’d tell Jax, and then she wouldn’t get to work in
headquarters and be around people. “Go
away.”
Lucinda pursed her lips. “I
read minds my whole life.”
“You were schizophrenic,” Vinnie mouthed back. “It wasn’t real.”
“Now who’s seeing people who aren’t real?” Lucinda returned, smoothing down her long
velvet skirt. “Your father’s people hail
from mystic gypsies, and you know it.”
Vinnie rolled her eyes.
“We’re from Sweden.”
Her step-mother shook her head again. “No.
Your Great Grandma Vinilula was a gypsy.
My ancestors were gypsies, too.
That’s why your dad and I were drawn together.”
“You imagined that gypsy connection. Now go away.”
Vinnie closed her eyes. Lucinda
had died ten years ago in a mental hospital, when Vinnie was in her early
twenties. “You can bother me after I get
some sleep.” She yawned, and her jaw
cracked.
“I’m not leaving until you try to read his mind. He’s sexy.
I bet he’s dreaming about—”
“Fine.” Vinnie clenched her
jaw. “I’ll try.” She deepened her breath and tried to focus on
Raze’s mind.
Nothing. No sights, no
sounds, no images.
Relief washed through her, and she opened her eyes. “His mind is a steel trap.” There was no way she could read minds. All the images and thoughts lately that
weren’t her own were a byproduct of the truth serum drugs and not a new
ability. Thank goodness.
Lucinda crossed her arms over a fluffy peasant blouse. “Try again.”
“No.” Vinnie closed her eyes
and wished the hallucination away. She knew
she should be worried about her tenuous mental state, but for the moment, she
just felt too warm and too good with the dangerous soldier holding her
close. Life sucked right now, so why not
take a pleasurable moment and enjoy it?
“If you’re going to sleep with that man, you should really wax your
legs,” Lucinda whispered.
“I’m not going to sleep with him,” Vinnie mumbled.
“You’re sleeping with him now.
I was talking about sleeping, and you were thinking about sex. Interesting,” Lucinda stage whispered.
Vinnie cringed and then remembered Raze couldn’t hear Lucinda. She
couldn’t even hear her step-mom since the woman didn’t exist. God, life had gotten confusing. Besides, sex was off the table. “He hasn’t been infected,” Vinnie mumbled.
“He will be.”
Vinnie’s eyelids opened again, but the end of the bed was now
empty. Well, it had been empty the
entire time, but at least she’d stopped seeing dead people. For now.
I see
dead people. The
line from a famous movie whispered through her mind, and she chuckled just like
an insane person would.
Raze murmured and pulled her even closer into his warmth, his long
length bracketing her. She wiggled a
bit and then stopped as her rear end brushed across a definite erection.
Whoa.
“Don’t worry about it,” Raze mumbled sleepily. “I’m too tired to do anything, so stop
talking to yourself and go to sleep.”
His breathing instantly leveled out.
She hadn’t exactly been talking to herself. Well, she had, but not really. Right?
“I’m crazy,” she whispered into the night.
For once, the night didn’t answer.
Review:
Shadow Falling is the second book in the Scorpius Syndrome series and is another action packed twisty ride.
Vivienne, 'Vinnie', is a former member of the FBI's BAU and has extensive knowledge in being able to read a person. She's also studied murderers, and sociopaths, and tons of other kinds of criminals so she's got a good idea of people and whether they are good or bad, truthful or lying. She's struggling after being rescued, struggling with her own demons, and the changes her body/mind has experienced while held prisoner. Vinnie is frightened, knowing that Atherton wants her back and will stop at nothing to get what he wants. But she finds herself drawn to Raze, the soldier who's taken to babysitting her and helping in his own way. She knows he's got secrets, but for some reason, she feels a bit of trust toward him, she's pulled to him by some invisible connection.
Raze is stuck in an untenable situation, damned if he does, damned if he doesn't. He doesn't want to do certain things, but ultimately feels as if he doesn't have a choice in the matter, it's a lose/lose scenario. He finds himself really like Vinnie, though he knows he shouldn't. Raze is keeping secrets, playing two sides trying to find a way out of his problem and then it all changes.
I loved the push and pull between Raze and Vinnie, they both have secrets and things they don't want to share, but yet they have a compelling need to know everything or as much as possible about the other. They have a connection that is growing.
Jax and Lynne continue to be forefront in research and trying to come up with a solution to the virus, something to help those infected from turning into Rippers or worse. Lynne wants Vinnie's help and thinks that between the two of them maybe they have some hope. I really enjoyed the interactions between these four, they work together well even with a lack of trust on parts.
Zanetti has created such an interesting post-apocolyptic world in this series and each story gets better while also giving us a little more information, shedding a brighter light on the state of the world and what people are becoming. The books are full of action, adreneline pumping moments, but also those rare emotional scenes where you get to see the true feelings of characters, the depth of their souls, their private fears brought to the surface.
I loved Vinnie and Raze and their journey together and can't wait to see what is in store for all for all of them in coming books.
About the Author:
New York Times bestselling author Rebecca Zanetti has worked as an art curator, Senate aide, lawyer, college professor, and a hearing examiner—only to culminate it all in stories about Alpha males and the women who claim them. She is a member of RWA, has won awards for her works throughout the industry, and has a journalism degree with a poly sci emphasis from Pepperdine University as well as a Juris Doctorate from the University of Idaho.
Growing up amid the glorious backdrops and winter wonderlands of the Pacific Northwest has given Rebecca fantastic scenery and adventures to weave into her stories. She resides in the wild north with her husband, children, and extended family who inspire her every day—or at the very least give her plenty of characters to write about.
Please visit Rebecca at www.rebeccazanetti.com.
Please visit Rebecca at www.rebeccazanetti.com.
Twitter at http://twitter.com/RebeccaZanetti
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