Chapter 9
“Yes, ma’am!” The two guys holding Dane snapped to it without missing a beat.
No second–guessing–they each smáshed a fist into one of Dane’s legs.
“Crack!” The sound of bones breaking bounced off the walls in the quiet blood–drawing room.
“Crack!” Another loud snap hit right after, cutting through the air.
The double whack of busted legs rang out like a firecracker in the dead silence.
“Guh!” The sharp pain jolted Dane awake, his eyes flying open.
Jax’s fist balled up tight, veins bulging.
“You devil!” he yelled, pissed beyond belief.
He’d figured Raven would back down once she heard about Dane’s dad’s rank.
He’d even imagined her playing it safe, maybe throwing out a half–hearted “sorry.”
But nope–she didn’t even flinch before telling them to trash his legs.
“Help… help me…” Madeline mumbled from the wall.
She was barely there, her voice fading into a weak whisper.
Then, with that last plea, her hand flopped down
The stunner who’d had Dane hooked was gone, just like that.
“All right, Zack needs some rest. We’re wrapping up for today,” Raven said, cool and collected as always.
“Oh, and one more thing–1 might let it go for now, but what you did to my brother? That’s not done,” she added.
“You’ve got three days. I want answers from the Grayson family, or I’ll drop by myself for a little talk,” she said, her voice turning frosty.
“See them out!” Raven waved a hand.
As she said it, the two guys next to Dane hoisted him up, dragging him out, his face dripping with sweat from the pain.
Ryan shot a look at Jax–whose glare could’ve sliced Raven in half–paused, then carefully nudged him toward the door.
At the doorway, Jax’s ice–cold eyes locked onto Raven.
“You want answers? Fine. Tomorrow, five p.m., base of Cloudridge. I’ll give you your answers–and a little ‘surprise‘ on the side.”
Raven raised an eyebrow. “Nice. But let’s get one thing straight–if your surprise sucks, I don’t care if the Grayson family’s got a brigadier general, or even a straight–up GENERAL. You’ll find out what happens when you mess with my brother.”
Jax’s glare turned murderous, like he was already seeing her six feet under.
Tomorrow, he’d show this cocky girl what a military brigadier general was really about.
“Boss, what about these doctors and nurses?” Brynjar asked, keeping his tone low and respectful.
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Brynjar glanced at the medical staff sprawled on the floor, finally catching their breath. He then looked to Raven with a nod.
Raven scanned them, cold as ever. “Kill them”
Her words slammed into the doctors and nurses like a truck, their hearts nearly giving out.
One glance at Madeline’s body nearby, and they knew she wasn’t messing around.
Brynjar hesitated, then gutsed up to push back.
“Boss, if we were overseas, no sweat. But taking out this many people in Vyrdenia? That might bring some heat.”
Raven’s eyes drifted back to the staff.
They squirmed under her stare, freaking out,
Raven scooped up her brother once his blood transfusion was done. Then she headed for the door.
“Break their hands and feet. Leave them outside,” she said over her shoulder.
“Yes, boss!” Brynjar snapped.
“No, please don’t…” the doctors and nurses begged, panic kicking in.
“Stay away from me–ahh!” one yelled, flailing to break free.
“Ahh!” Screams tore through the room, one after another.
Raven walked out of the blood–drawing
Raven stepped into the next room and the sound of
pained shouts trailing behind her.
the boy onto the bed.
The man with a blue ear stud hustled over to her.
helped her pin down a location once before.
“Boss, I found it,” he said. “The exact spot of that thing you’ve been chasing.”
Raven, usually chill as can be, perked up at that.
“Where?” she asked, her voice cutting straight to it.
She’d hurried her way back from the warzone overseas. Not for some fancy meeting. Not even to hash things out with her “sweet grandma,” Margaret Henderson.
Word was, the thing that could turn the battlefield upside down was right here in Vyrdenia.
With it, Vyrdenia could flip the game. No more taking hits from those foreign coalitions.
She’d roll with a million troops. Right up to those countries‘ front doors.
She’d show those cocky outsiders who really ran the show.
“The Henderson family’s got it,” Hugmuinn said, steady as always.
Raven grinned at that. “Well, how about that.”
She was headed to the Henderson family anyway. Even without this tip.
Five years ago, Grandma Margaret wanted to cozy up to the Jennings family’s colonel. She pushed her own daughter into marrying Gerald Jennings.
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That poor girl was the original owner of Raven’s body.
Gerald, that sixty–something sleaze, was a nightmare. So the girl took him out.
Then Margaret offed her own granddaughter. That’s when Raven stepped into the body.
She glanced at Zack on the bed. Even knocked out, his face was all scrunched with stress.
Five years back, Margaret killed her granddaughter.
Now, she’d bleed her grandson dry for the Grayson family. The old lady had a heart of ice.
“Mast… uh, General Valor, is your brother good?” someone asked, treading careful.
It was Jonah Yardley. The guy was twenty–eight and already a brigadier general. A total legend in the military.
But now, he stood in front of Raven, all jittery and respectful.
He knew her deal.
She joined Vyrdenia’s military at fourteen.
At fifteen, she handpicked nine soldiers. They built “Valhalla” overseas. It was one of the top forces in the world now.
Today, she’s a lieutenant general. Almost at the tip–top.
And him? Three years ago, he was one of her Valhalla boys.
Back then, Valhalla sent him to Vyrdenia’s military. He climbed to general.
Raven didn’t bite on his question.
“Let’s move,” she said instead. “We’re hitting the Henderson family.”
Jonah gave a quick nod and spun to his crew. Told them to spread the word.
“Tell the Henderson family I’m showing up at Margaret’s birthday party tonight,” he said, no nonsense.
Two minutes later, the Henderson family’s banquet hall was humming with chatter.
“Mother, good news!” a middle–aged man hollered, all pumped up.
Margaret was parked at the head of the room. She shot a frown at the guy barreling in.
“What’s the big deal? The Grayson family coughed up thirty grand? Whoop–de–doo. That money’s from my grandson’s blood. You’re not touching a cent,” she fired back.
The guy was the current head of the Henderson family. He shook his head, trying to catch his breath.
“Mom, it’s not about the thirty grand,” he said fast. “A big–time military guy’s coming to your party!”
Margaret’s hand froze on her lucky charm.
“A military big shot?” she asked, thrown off.
“Yeah! The guy who sent the message is Brigadier General Yardley’s right–hand man!” he shot back, dead certain.
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“Clack!”
Malcolm Henderson wrapped up talking. Margaret’s prized charm slipped right out of her hand.
But she didn’t give a damn. She jumped up, her voice buzzing with excitement.
“Are you sure?” she asked quick.
“I know General Yardley’s guy. It’s the real deal,” Malcolm said, solid as a rock.
Margaret’s breathing picked up.
She figured Jonah Yardley might actually roll up to the Henderson place.
And she bet he was coming to say happy birthday.
If Jonah showed, the Henderson family could hit the jackpot tonight.
The Hendersons would become one of Bastion’s clite family.
She’d been grinding for years for this. Nearly given up. Now it was going down. Margaret was shaking with excitement.
