Angela nodded and turned to Tara. “Ask for your justice and we shall consider it.”

  “I can’t pay y-you,” Tara stammered.

  “We wouldn’t take it even if you could,” Jennifer assured her. Now that the boss had made the choice, she would do the other parts of her duty as Angela’s right hand. “I’m Jennifer. Who is it that you wish my boss to put out execution orders for?”

  In the second vehicle, Charlie looked over at Tracy with glowing orbs. “Stay close to camp for a while.”

  Tracy nodded, shuddering. “I will. My word.”

  Charlie placed a hand over hers, connecting their minds.

  Tracy gasped. “You’re not supposed to know about that yet!”

  Charlie chuckled, eyes still crimson. “I’m her son. I have a lot of gifts too.”

  For a brief second, Tracy wished she had the powers. Then she remembered how haunted Angela had looked at mess last night and decided her life was okay right now. In time, this run would be a hard memory and a badge of honor. She’d done more than her duty.

  In the third vehicle, the vet perked up, listening eagerly to the woman try to barter with Angela. He waited almost breathlessly for Angela to make the choice. If she said no, he would remain in the shadows. If she said yes, that would be the start of her sword of justice being sent out to cleanse the land, as she’d promised. He would be able to serve her openly then, alongside her other adoring killers.

  In the last vehicle, Samantha’s shoulders stayed tense.

  Neil didn’t comment. He shook his head when Jeremy, who had come to stand watch by her door, started to tap on the window.

  A moment later, Sam let out a sigh of relief. “She said no. We’re okay for–” Sam paused. “Damn. She scanned the kid.”

  “What does it mean?” Neil finally asked, flashing gestures to fill Jeremy in.

  “The boss is going to ask us to do something. It’s just as hard as what we’re leaving behind.”

  “Is it worth it?”

  Sam looked at him with the determination he’d come to respect more than her courage.

  “Only if you kill them all. If you miss a single target, we’ll be at war again, only with my kind this time.”

  End of Book 5

  What would you like to do now?

  View the next book in this series. (You can download a PDF of the first chapter free!) The title is Carved in Stone.

  Report an error in this book

  Read the Deleted Scenes

  Read the note from the author

  Read a LAW Wednesday Blog post

  Listen to a free audiobook sample of this series

  Read another book by Angela White:

  -Bone Dust & Beginnings

  -The Change: A Fight for Freedom

  Be emailed when Angela has a new release

  Have this book digitally autographed

  There is a wonderful site called Authorgraph that allows me to sign ebooks for readers, plus leave a short message. Cool, right? Just sign up (also free) and search for my name. Here’s the link: www.Authorgraph.com

  Go to all books by Angela White section

  Go back to the beginning of this book

  From the Author

  Dear Reader,

  Another LAW book has ended. Sorry about that. You know what Riddick says: “It all had to end some time.” I do hope you enjoyed this edition. In the next book, we’re going to see how Safe Haven gets their shelter ready for the long winter that’s coming, while forging a new place in the minds and hearts of their fellow survivors. Angela isn’t going to be satisfied until she’s improved their lives and if that means killing a few to save the many, we’ve already seen that she’ll do it.

  I’m off to format now and find an Advil. I think I dropped my fingers a week ago and I should probably try finding them. You folks have a wonderful week and remember:

  “Respect the stone. Love the stone.”

  Snicker.

  Dear Beta readers.

  I. Love .You.

  Honest. Thank you for all your help!

  Waving at you,

  Angie

  Deleted Scene #1

  Inside the camper, Charlie leaned further over the edge to gently scrub the front of Tracy’s over-soaped hair. He was watching the water run down the crack between her damp, towel-covered breasts.

  Tracy slid under the water and let their hands rub as they rinsed her hair. It was a morning ritual that Charlie had begged her for and she’d found no reason to deny him such a simple turn-on. She was covered and there was a wall between them.

  “I could be over it in a second,” he whispered in her ear, feeling the need for more this time. She’d said she wouldn’t let him touch her yet, but the rebellious teenage hormones inside said he could change her mind.

  Tracy felt his power swirl over her and settle down against her back as she turned toward him to protest.

  He closed his eyes and the sensation grew stronger, as if he were standing behind her. He brought those mental arms up and slowly ran them over her shoulders.

  The towel slid from her wet body, and they both froze as need and fear filled the camper.

  “It’s okay,” she soothed, aware of nipples like rocks. “Breathe, honey.”

  Charlie laughed, unable to keep the presence behind her as he took in her glistening body without clothes.

  Tracy held still, letting him view what he was eventually going to have. “You like?”

  Charlie nodded, sweat breaking out on his neck.

  Tracy knew she shouldn’t encourage him at all in this moment and still found herself saying,” Make it quick or we’ll get caught.”

  Charlie’s eyes widened as he picked the images from her mind. He hesitated, not sure if her viewing that part of him was good idea. What if he wasn’t built the way she was used to?

  Tracy sensed his withdraw and understood as much as a female could. She leaned against the wall and rested her cheek against his. “I won’t look, okay?”

  Charlie was ecstatic when she turned around and gave him a pose that had been in his dreams for weeks. Matt had explained what would ease that distraction and it had only taken once to understand the attraction.

  Conscious of time ticking away, Charlie stepped into the stall with her.

  Angela motioned a guard over to keep people away from that camper and then headed for the front gate with guilt riding her harder than it already had been. Another piece of the darkness puzzle had cleared. It was heartbreaking.

  You could stop it, the witch stated quietly. Save her.

  No, I can’t, Angela responded. An amazing destiny waits for them, a lifetime of serving the greater good. I won’t interfere.

  The witch fell silent, worried about her host. Angela’s behavior was almost the complete opposite of how she’d been when the war came and the demon slipped back to resume studying the data scrolls she’d returned with. There was something going on that the witch hadn’t been told or allowed to see and it was terrifying. The darkness on Angela’s soul was growing and the witch had no idea what to do next. If Marc couldn’t help her, no one could. Donner would have her.

  Deleted Scene #2

  Shawn stared in surprise at the woman and her daughter. He could see the signs of abuse and desperation, of a long journey where they were likely the only survivors, but it was the glow around the woman that had snared his attention. He couldn’t look away from her.

  Tara stared back, also in shock. The stranger was cute and well-built from what she could see, but it was the warmth in his eyes already waiting to greet her that was startling. She didn’t know him. Did she?

  Shawn scooped up the little girl without much thought. She didn’t weigh much.

  The child slapped Shawn lightly on the cheek. “Hello!”

  Shawn recoiled, almost dropping her. “What the hell?”

  The little girl clung to his arm and managed to kick him in the shins.

  Shawn let go, hopping on one foot. “Stop it! No, really! Quit!”

  “Missy.”

  Tara’s voice slammed into Shawn like a bullet and he forgot to cover himself. The little girl shoved her knee up.

  Shawn hit the ground, still staring into Tara’s stunning brown eyes.

  Angela bent down to give the girl a short piggyback ride while Greg helped Shawn. He would need a minute to recover from that first meeting.

  Author’s Scratched Map

  All Angela White Books

  Life After War Series

  The Survivors

  Adrian’s Eagles

  Nuclear Ashes

  Dystopian Stand

  Fight for Survival

  Carved in Stone

  Shattered Dreams

  Dearly Departed

  LAW Backstories

  Marc and Angie

  Marc and Dog

  Related to LAW

  The Alexa’s Travels series

  Other Books by Angela White

  The Bachelor Battles Trilogy

  HOP-17: Human Origins Program

  Life After War

  Carved In Stone

  Book 6

  by

  Angela White

  Title: Carved in Stone

  Book 6 of the Life After War series

  New Edition: 2017

  Length: 796 pages

  Author: ©Angela White

  Publisher: C9 Publications

  ISBN#: 978-1-9459-2708-9

  Copyright © 1991 by Angela White.

  All rights reserved worldwide. No part of this publication may be replicated, redistributed, or given away in any form without the prior written consent of Angela White or C9 Publications. Made in the USA.

  C9 Publications

  http://www.c9publications.com/

  Table of Contents

  We’re Here

  Settlement

  Doggone Shame

  The First Morning

  One Bright Afternoon

  Flying High

  In The Dark

  Evening Blues

  Watch Your Six!

  Team Players

  Take the Shot

  One of Three

  Dangerous Distraction

  Healing

  Perception

  I’m Everywhere

  Everything You Expect

  Lurking

  Are You with Me?

  Teams and Schemes

  Other Plans

  Cold Shoulder

  Hot Flashes

  Buttons to Push

  Population Boom

  Panther Piss

  Life or Death

  Carved in Stone

  Close

  Extras Section

  Deleted Scenes

  -Up-to-date Eagle Teams list

  Settlement

  We came to these mountains in search of safety

  Desperate for the peace not found below

  We chose a place among the trees and cliffs

  And coaxed our herd to grow

  We carved our holes into the ground

  We took our comforts deep

  But the earth had little welcome

  And her anger, have we reaped!

  The brief calm vanished

  The wildcard outvoted

  Always in our own blood

  We end up coated

  The walls cry for souls

  Again sent out to roam

  Longing for a peaceful sun

  Among the relentless stone

  Chapter One

  We’re Here

  September 5th

  1

  In the last vehicle of the miles-long convoy, Samantha’s shoulders stayed tense. The woman and her child were trouble.

  Neil shook his head when Jeremy, who had come to stand by her door during the stop, started to tap on the window.

  A moment later, Samantha let out a sigh of relief.

  “She said no. We’re okay for… Wait.” Samantha paused. “Damn. She scanned the kid and found something.”

  “What does that mean?” Neil finally asked, flashing gestures to fill Jeremy in. He also subtly lowered the heat level. Sam was roasting him.

  “Angela’s going to ask us to do something,” Samantha answered vaguely. “It’s as hard as what we’ve left behind.”

  Samantha regarded him with the determination that he’d come to respect more than her courage. After listening to her tale of facing down Donner, both he and Jeremy had reevaluated their views of her as weaker. Their woman was an Eagle, a hunter, a sniper, and pregnant with twins. It was humbling.

  “Is it worth it?” Neil asked.

  “Only if you kill them all,” Samantha replied, a bit dazed from the clear connection to the future. Angela was usually the one to experience this and it was terrifying. “If you miss a single target, we’ll be at war again, only with my kind this time.”

  “What are you talking about?”

  Samantha knew Angela wouldn’t like it if she told all of the truth, so she settled for somewhere between. “It’s a future problem that you’ll either be asked to handle or overlook. I can’t tell which way she’ll go yet.”

  “Can you start from the beginning and speak slowly?” Neil asked, not meaning to be snarky. He’d just had enough secret plans to last a lifetime. They’d lost a lot of friends during the war with the government. Thanks to Angela’s plans, they didn’t have any missing members, but everyone was feeling the losses they’d taken–like Crista.

  “The woman we picked up has asked for sanctuary with Safe Haven. She also asked Angela to send out descendants to do battle with her former captors, who are chasing them. When these other descendants come, they’ll detect all our power and we’ll end up at war again. Only this time, it’ll be with magic instead of guns. The herd will have to run or they’ll be crushed between the two sides. If the new descendants come here, you have to disobey orders, Neil. Don’t let them go and gather their people. I don’t think we can win against that.”

  “They’ve sent a scouting team,” Neil guessed, hating the barren land around them. Where was all the life, the colors?

  “Yes, but don’t be fooled. The group Tara is currently describing to the boss is gifted beyond what we have in Safe Haven. Angela can’t stand alone against that type of power.”

  “Alone?”

  “These are trained fighters, Neil. The rest of us won’t even be able to damage them with magic.”

  “If we kill their scouts, won’t they come after us anyway?” he asked reasonably.

  “Angela didn’t search that far ahead, so I don’t have an answer.”

  “But you’re confident enough to ask me to go against my orders, my training, and my honor?”

  Samantha realized she wasn’t giving him enough details and said, “They’ll be too far from their own camp to call out. If you take them quickly, their people may never know we were even involved.”

  “We do know how to make it appear like someone else did it…” Neil snapped his mouth shut. He loved Samantha and he trusted her, but he wouldn’t make this choice in mere minutes.

  “Jeremy needs to know,” Samantha stated. “I’ll talk to Angela.”

  That made Neil feel better and he reached over to hold her hand. He loved having someone to do this with, to share the warm emotions that she’d had woken in him.

  Samantha swallowed a moan. She couldn’t get enough physical pleasure right now. Hunger and sleep were second to sex. Sam assumed it was a hormone thing, but she wasn’t about to dig into that. She wanted to enjoy herself. She had earned it.

  “Shower?” Neil asked knowingly. The heat in the cabin was intense.

  “Yes, please,” Samantha purred.

  Neil laughed, gesturing to Jeremy. “I’ll set it up.”

  2

  “She wants me to stay with you,” Shawn stated in the silent truck.

  Marc swung the big rig gently onto the final road that they needed to take to reach Pigeon Mountain. He understood Angela wanted him to make peace with Shawn (and Greg) for letting her sacrifice herself. Marc was still cold about it, but she had lived and come back to him, so forgiveness was possible. If she had died, the two men would have also.

  Marc sighed, tossing his rage into that strong mental cage he’d built for moments like this. He hadn’t used it upon first joining Safe Haven, but it was as necessary now as it had been on missions. Not paying attention was likely to get people killed.

  “What’s on her list, besides you and me?” Marc asked finally.

  Shawn had known, had been waiting for Marc’s quiet hatred, and he was relieved it wasn’t coming. There hadn’t been another choice. Stopping Angela wasn’t something mortal men could do, and Shawn was glad Marc had recognized that fact. “You have Point, evenings.”

  “Already figured that one,” Marc replied stiffly to let the man know that forgiveness hadn’t actually set in yet. “Next?”

  “I need to know your preferences for coffee and food, so I can get your trays right,” Shawn told him. “And what time for your wake up calls?”

  Marc looked over in wary confusion. “I get my own food and I use my own alarm. What’s going on?”

  “They didn’t tell you.” Shawn’s brows drew together “Figures I’d be hazed on my first time. Feel like one of the boys, now.”

  “Shawn?” Marc drew patience and Shawn’s attention simultaneously. “What are you talking about?”

  “Oh!” Shawn reddened a little. “I’m your new personal assistant. You get one when you’re the leader or XO.”

  “Kenn didn’t have one,” Marc reminded him distractedly. I didn’t expect a lackey. I’m forever underestimating her. That has to stop.

  “He had Zack,” Shawn answered, readjusting his Colt. “And good thing, cause no one else was going to volunteer.”

  Both men snickered. Kenn had regained a lot of the respect he’d lost, but his mistakes would always follow him. Safe Haven gave a second chance, a pass on most sins of the past, but the effects of transgressions committed in camp lasted a long time.