The second book in #1 New York Times and USA Today bestselling author V.E. Schwab's beloved Villains series- a masterful tale of ambition, jealousy, and superpowers. A super-powered collision of extraordinary minds and vengeful intentions―V. E. Schwab returns with the thrilling follow-up to Vicious. Magneto and Professor X. Superman and Lex Luthor. Sydney and Serena Clarke. Victor Vale and Eli Ever. Great partnerships―now soured on the vine. But Marcella Riggins needs no one. Flush from her brush with death, she’s gained the control she always sought―and will use her newfound power to bring the city of Merit to its knees. She’ll do whatever it takes, from taking over the mob to collecting her own sidekicks, and even leveraging the two most infamous EOs, Victor Vale and Eli Ever, in a dangerous game of cat and mouse. With Marcella's rise, new enmities create surprising opportunity―and the stage of Merit will once again be set for a final, terrible reckoning. “In Vengeful , V.E. Schwab is at the top of her game, with twisty action, oddball family pairings and unexpected antiheroes you can’t help but root for.” ― Washington Post “Schwab's characters feel vital and real, never reduced to simple archetypes... In a genre that tends toward the flippant or pretentious, this is a rare superhero novel as epic and gripping as any classic comic. Schwab's tale of betrayal, self-hatred, and survival will resonate with superhero fans as well as readers who have never heard of Charles Xavier or Victor von Doom.” ― Publishers Weekly , starred review Praise for Vengeful "With all the knife-sharp thrill of its cinematic predecessor...fans of Vicious will be overjoyed to rediscover this exciting series."― Publishers Weekly , starred review “Readers won't be able to put down this dark and riveting tale of power and revenge.” ― Kirkus Reviews , starred review Praise for Vicious " Fresh, merciless, and, yes, vicious. Wow. " ―Mira Grant, New York Times bestselling author of the Newsflesh Trilogy "As epic and gripping as any classic comic...will resonate with superhero fans as well as readers who have never heard of Charles Xavier or Victor von Doom." ― Publishers Weekly , starred review "The writing and storycraft is Schwab's own superpower as this tale leaps of the page in all its dark, four-color comic-book glory." ―Chuck Wendig, New York Times bestselling author of Aftermath "Schwab's artful chronology-bending plotting rivals that of any Iain Banks novel, and her writing is a sly, cynical treat." ― Financial Times (UK) “ A fun, morally-flexible revenge tale that pits two mad scientists against each other.” ―Daniel H. Wilson, New York Times bestselling author of Robopocalypse “V.E. Schwab demonstrates real literary super powers with Vicious –a dynamic and original twist on what it means to be a hero and a villain. A killer from page one. Highly recommended!” ―Jonathan Maberry, New York Times bestselling author of Extinction Machine and Marvel Universe Vs The Avengers " Vicious is dark and intricate and daring, twisting back and forth through time and morality and life and death until you can't turn the pages fast enough. I loved it." ―Dan Wells, New York Times bestselling author of I Am Not a Serial Killer VICTORIA “V. E.” SCHWAB is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of more than twenty books. Schwab's series and standalone titles for readers of all ages have made her a major literary figure, whose notable works include the Villains series, the Shades of Magic universe, The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue , and Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil . When not haunting Paris streets or writing in the corner of her favorite coffee shop, she lives in Edinburgh, Scotland. Vengeful By Victoria Schwab, Miriam Weinberg Tom Doherty Associates Copyright © 2018 Victoria Schwab All rights reserved. ISBN: 978-0-7653-8752-3 Contents Title Page, Copyright Notice, Dedication, Epigraph, Genesis, 1. Resurrection, 2. Revelation, 3. Ascension, 4. Judgment Day, Exodus, A Message from Victor Vale, Chapter I, Teaser, Common Ground, Tor Books by V. E. Schwab, About the Author, Copyright, CHAPTER 1 RESURRECTION I FOUR WEEKS AGO HALLOWAY "I won't ask you again," said Victor Vale as the mechanic scrambled backward across the garage floor. Retreating — as if a few feet would make a difference. Victor followed slowly, steadily, watched as the man backed himself into a corner. Jack Linden was forty-three, with a five-o'clock shadow, grease under his nails, and the ability to fix things. "I already told you," said Linden, jumping nervously as his back came up against a half-built engine. "I can't do it —" "Don't lie to me," warned Victor. He flexed his fingers around the gun, and the air crackled with energy. Linden shuddered, biting back a scream. "I'm not!" yelped the mechanic. "I fix cars. I put engines back together. Not people. C