Chapter One

Venus

Shortly After Lemon's Kidnapping…

"Are you sure you know where you're going?" Piston, annoying bastard, was like gnat buzzing around my head. I could bat him away, but he kept coming back for more. So I chose to ignore him.

It was dead of night with waning crescent moon. Cloud cover made even that light minimal. Ripper and Wylde, with Salvation's Bane MC and Iron Tzars MC, had been working on finding Victor Zaitsev ever since Victor's men nabbed Lemon thinking she was me. But I'd been searching for that motherfucker long before Lemon's abduction. Twenty years longer. Since before my sister, Millie, met and attached herself to Shadow from Bones MC. Before me, Millie, and Shadow made it back from Poland with our little sister, Katya. Why? Because he is bastard who needs to die.

Victor forced me into a splinter of FSB. Which is basically same as KGB. Just different letters. And not as open about their heavy handedness. His intention was to have someone on inside to keep him out of trouble. Once in the FSB, though, they made me into something… more. One of many killers, but even more than that. I was their secret asset. The assassin to send when all others failed. Training was brutal. Work, even more so. I became very good at what they tasked me with. Too good.

"If you're not sure, I can always call in backup."

Fucking Piston. He knew very well I didn't need backup. He wanted me to engage with him and I refused. Instead of taking hint, Piston kept coming back for more. Like gnat I thought of before.

"Too many people here as it is," I muttered, never taking my eyes off my target. We were in middle of nowhere, Western Montana. It was privately owned stretch of forest land over thousand square miles. Small cabin sat in middle of woods as out of place as hunting cabin in middle of suburbia. While able to fall off grid, whoever built it would still have comforts of good old U. S. of A. Roughing it, this place was not. More like rich man's idea of roughing it. There were even solar panels set up outside cabin along with gas tank.

Piston said nothing. Just put his field glasses to his face and surveyed area in direction I was looking. "Never met a woman as prickly as you."

"Never met man who can't take hint like you. If you can't see target, stay out of my way. Last thing I need is to have to tell Rocket I killed you because you were stupid."

That shut him up. Of course, Piston was just as likely to be smirking at me as he was to be angry with me for my outburst. I could have glanced at him to find out, but I could just make out silhouette of man in open window of cabin.

I dressed head to toe in pink. Every day. Hair, nails, clothing, even my bike was pink. It had been my pink Harley that had made Victor's men believe Lemon was me. But reason I did was because I had to wear pink contacts. I had to wear pink contacts because contacts themselves were sophisticated surveillance equipment that enhanced my vision in both bright and dark conditions. Is long explanation, but basically, I could see like spy camera. I could zoom in or pan out as long as something was in my field of vision. Came in handy in combat. And spying. Only problem was they tinted my eyes bright pink. So, all the unnecessary pink was to conceal the necessary pink.

And no. The FSB didn't have such things. I got them from man who helped me once. I helped him back until the balance tipped in my favor. Now, he is one of very few people outside of motorcycle clubs I've worked with I can call friend. No, it was more than that. All those men and women were sem'ya . Family. Giovanni Romano was too. Not that'd I'd ever tell him that. Man was too arrogant as it was.

"Oh, I can see it fine. I'm just hopin' and prayin' to the sweet baby Jesus in the manger you don't honestly believe it's gonna be this easy to catch this fucker."

I didn't acknowledge Piston, but I had same concern he did. I could see Victor in that house. Just by small window in front. This situation was most definitely a set up. From this angle I couldn't see anything obvious, so I'd have to prepare for the un obvious.

"Stay out of my way, Piston." I put as much command and venom in my voice as I could, hoping stubborn bastard would understand I meant business. "No one asked you to come along. I've been doing this by myself for very long time."

"Surprised you lasted a week without a keeper." I could hear amusement in his voice and wanted to scratch his eyeballs out. Something else about me to stick out. My fingernails were filed into nearly razor-sharp two-inch-long daggers. Pink, of course. I used them like weapons they were. Just as I was trained.

Which brought me back to Victor. He wasn't nearly as smart as he thought he was. I gave myself about a thirty percent chance of killing him tonight, but I also thought it very likely I'd shake his confidence enough for him to rush to put distance between me and him. Victor would make mistake, and Wylde or Ripper would have him. Assuming I was right and he knew I was after him. If he did, he'd be ready to get away. Of course, if Piston hadn't been on my ass, I'd have put my chances at fifty-fifty.

"Cost me this kill and you won't last another hour, let alone week."

Without acknowledging him further, I moved from my scouting position and toward cabin. I didn't have to look at him to hear his amused chuckle. I decided then that, no matter what, once I finished here, I was going to kill Piston.

The darkness was full of night noises. Bugs, frogs, and occasional cry of owl or small animal punctuated darkness. That was good because it meant everyone here was in house and not disturbing nature. It didn't miss my notice that, even though Piston often annoyed me, he'd managed to not announce his presence to wildlife around us. I didn't want to admire him for that, but it had been my experience that not many warriors could lie in wait long periods without disturbing creatures around him. Piston could. Even when he interacted with me, he managed to keep his energy low or something. It was almost like he was part of nature itself and I was the intruder.

Once closer to cabin, I circled around back. There wasn't window or back door, but was easier to slide underneath. Building was set on slope, so one side was about three feet above the ground, held by posts at corners.

I rolled under crawlspace. As I suspected, even though this place was built with comfort in mind, there was still rustic, authentic feel about the place. As such, wood board floor had gaps and made it easier to see who was inside and where they were.

Victor !

He was here. Figure in window was, indeed, Victor. So many lives he'd ruined. He'd terrorized Katya. Millie, too. I certainly hadn't been his only victim. Even now, he managed to control my life. He'd sent his men to get me. They took my young friend, Lemon, instead. It made me want to put distance between me, Salvation's Bane, and Grim Road. Which just pissed me off even more. Because, while I loved all old ladies of every club I'd spent time in, Lemon was one woman who truly got me. Even more than my own sister. I'd never told her about my life before and she'd never asked, but Lemon just knew . She was more intuitive than any woman her age had right to be and it made me want to make sure she was always this confident. I felt almost… motherly toward younger woman. It brought out in me Russian mother bear.

I rolled out from under cabin and to my feet. Darting around building, I took step forward, getting ready to kick in door when solid body shoved me to the side and I fell. Piston rolled to his feet, putting himself between me and threat I hadn't seen.

The fight was immediate and intense. Both men threw series of complicated punches and kicks. Like style of fighting Millie used. There were no rules to this fight other than to stay alive.

For some reason, I hesitated. I glanced at Piston who was holding his own. Though the two men seemed to be equal in skill, Piston was by far stronger physically. He was also vicious like I'd never realized. That brief moment cost me.

Victor saw me and drew his weapon. I sprinted few feet separating us and kicked out just before gun went off. I hit his hand so his aim went to the left, the gun flying across the yard. There was muffled grunt and I froze split second before whipping around to see if he'd hit Piston. Moment I did, Victor shoved past me, pushing me hard enough to make me stumble forward two steps. And he was gone.

Rage washed over me, through me. He'd been right here ! Piston dropped body of man he'd fought and stalked toward me. I was so angry I wanted to lash out, to kill everyone in my way. It was past time Victor died and I'd been so fucking close!

But thing that overpowered all my anger, was fear. Fear knowing Victor had hit Piston. That Piston could have been seriously hurt or dead. Fucking man had gotten under my skin but good. So much so that thought of him in danger overrode all the instincts I had telling me to hunt and kill Victor. I'd literally spent lifetime hunting this guy down. Since I was barely out of my teens when he'd sold me to FSB in exchange for whatever favors he'd wanted. Even when I'd lived in his house with my mother and sisters, I'd known I'd have to kill him some day. This had been closest I'd been to him in at least decade. Who knew when I'd ever have this chance again? Fear of waiting another ten years for the opportunity to kill Victor fed my anger, but gave the emotion different target.

"Are you hit?" I snapped out the question.

Piston brought his hand to his shoulder and it came back sticky with blood. He shrugged. "Just a scratch. He grazed me but blew the head off the other guy."

I raised my gun and aimed at Piston's face, cocking weapon. "You cost me important kill! Give me one good reason why I shouldn't blow your fucking head off right now!" Piston merely raised an eyebrow but said nothing. I was vibrating with rage. Never in my life had I been in this kind of situation and knew I wasn't going to pull the trigger. I never pulled my gun unless I intended to use it, but I knew as sure as I knew my own name I could never kill Piston.

With what I hoped was vicious snarl, I holstered my weapon. Just because I couldn't kill him didn't mean I couldn't kick him in the balls. Piston must have sensed what I was going to do because he took step back, angling his hips away from my dominant leg. Did my heart good.

"Fucking stubborn man!" I was over Piston following me, sticking his nose in my business. "I fucking had him!"

"You were gonna get yourself killed." Fucking man sounded all reasonable and shit when he was missing entire picture. He'd ripped off strip of cloth from hem of his T-shirt and wrapped it around wound on his shoulder. Wasn't great, but stemmed flow of blood.

"I wasn't in danger, ublyudok ! Do you not understand killing is what I do?"

"Completely." Did nothing faze the man? He stood squarely in front of me like fucking oak tree. Completely immovable. "Still don't mean I'm gonna stand by while someone comes up on your six with a fuckin' knife in hand ready to stab you in the kidney." Piston didn't raise his voice above low rumble. His tone of voice is one of many reasons Piston was so dangerous. One could never tell by sound of his voice or his expression exactly how upset he was.

"I knew he was there, sukin syn !" Sort of. But I wasn't letting up. "Him and another man in bushes! Same man who helped Victor escape!" I wanted to pull my hair out in frustration. I'd killed men for less, yet I hesitated with Piston? What was wrong with me? "I've been hunting Victor Zaitsev for half my life. I finally had him in my sights and you drew his attention. Do you even know how dangerous this man is? Yebat !"

"We can contain any damage he tries to do, Venus. Killing him is not worth you dying with him." How could man be so relaxed? Was like he could care less of work involved in getting this close to Victor.

"Do you not know who Zaitsev is? He has Salvation's Bane in his sights. My home! How long before he realizes his men had Lemon, your vice president, when they thought they'd captured me?"

"Not possible." Piston shrugged and shook his head. "We killed everyone involved in Lemon's kidnapping."

"Are you sure they didn't get any information out? Really fucking sure? Because if there was even picture of her to get through to Zaitsev, he will know about Grim Road and Iron Tzars and significance of both clubs." It was like man was daft or something.

He gave me an impatient look. "Of course, I know that. I also happen to believe there is safety in numbers. All three clubs are on alert after Lemon got kidnapped. Wylde got close to Zaitsev this time. He can do it again."

"Ugh!" I picked up brick laying on the porch and threw it at zasranets . "Go away! If I see you again, I kill you."

The fucking man just smirked at me. "You can try, baby girl."

I lunged for him. Which must have been exactly what he'd been going for because the second I was within striking distance, Piston grabbed one wrist and spun me around. He embraced me from behind, pinning my arms at my sides while his body surrounded mine. It was easy enough hold for me to get out of, but I couldn't seem to muster enough strength.

Anytime I'd found myself in this position with Piston, his wild, woodsy scent seemed to mesmerize me. All I wanted to do was to fall into him. Let him hold me in protective cocoon. Because with those big, brawny arms of his around me, I felt safer than I had in my entire life. It was like I'd finally found my true home. Even more so than with my sister, Millie or, more recently, Lemon. This man called to something primitive inside me that wanted his dominance. Just not at expense of my own.

I allowed contact far longer than I should have before stomping on his foot with my heeled boot. He grunted but didn't let go of me. Was still satisfying. Sort of.

"Not nice, Venus," Piston growled beside my ear. "I'll be punishin' you for that little stunt."

I gave him snort of derision. "You can try, baby boy ." I made sure to put as much of sneer into my voice as I could. I was highly skilled assassin. Sure, Piston was one hell of warrior, but he was no match for me. In few months he'd been glued to my side, I'd found he had many tells in battle. Killing him would be easy as taking candy from baby. And I would kill him. Soon. Any day now…