Visions of Heat

CHAPTER 26

Less than four hours later, Faith walked into a meeting room at DarkRiver's business headquarters, Vaughn by her side. Located near the bustle of Chinatown, the building was both central and heavily protected, not only by changeling strength but also by the human ability to blend in—thus hearing things most Psy thought secret. In turn, the people of the area looked to DarkRiver for reciprocal protection against gangs.

However, Faith's mind wasn't on security right then. She was, in fact, incapable of any rational thought. But she reacted almost automatically, years of training kicking in. "Hello, Father."

Anthony NightStar rose to his feet, but didn't approach her. "Hello, Faith."

Faith didn't know what to feel. She'd readied herself for being cut off from the Psy, contact with her forbidden under Council mandate.

Anthony's eyes flicked to Vaughn's silent presence. "Privacy may be in order."

She felt Vaughn bristle, but he let her answer for herself. "Vaughn is my mate. He's welcome to my secrets."

Anthony didn't press the issue, which wasn't surprising. Her father was an eminently logical man and had quickly understood that this issue was nonnegotiable. "Then let's talk."

She took a seat across the table from him and put a hand on Vaughn's arm in unspoken request. He acquiesced, sitting down to her right instead of standing like a jaguar just waiting for an excuse to pounce.

"Your defection has affected every aspect of the PsyClan."

"I know." Her choice had been the right one, but the far-reaching consequences continued to haunt her. "How much did the clan lose?" How many jobs had been affected? How many lives?

"Not as much as we would have had we not taken preemptive action."

She frowned and saw Anthony's eyes focus on the betraying gesture. "I thought Juniper wasn't yet forecasting with high accuracy."

Anthony shook his head. "She isn't. She's eight years old and nowhere near as skilled as you were at the same age."

Vaughn spoke for the first time. "She's a child. Let her be one."

"Our worlds are different, Mr. D'Angelo," Anthony responded, though he hadn't been told Vaughn's last name. "To let Juniper be a child as you suggest would leave her abilities untrained and unshielded, open to exploitation." He raised a hand to forestall comment. "Yes, the PsyClan will use her talents as we used Faith's, but we'll also undertake to ensure her welfare. In the past, before the PsyClans came into being, some F-Psy were kept captive by others of all races for personal gain."

"Father," Faith interrupted, "if not Juniper, then who?"

"You."

Vaughn's entire body went hunting-quiet beside her. She was glad. She knew the power of the PsyClan and exactly how far it would go to get its way.

"She's no longer yours." A human voice but a jaguar's lethal challenge.

"No. But her ability exists whether she's in the Net or not." Anthony didn't flinch. "She can be subcontracted to do the work for NightStar."

Faith had to catch her mouth from falling open. "But the Council—surely they've prohibited contact with me?"

"They tried." Anthony moved his attention from Vaughn to her. "However, NightStar is no Council puppet."

Vaughn leaned forward. "You told them to stick their prohibition where the sun don't shine." A faint note of respect had entered his tone.

"Crude, but correct. They are our Council, not our absolute rulers. And the pursuit of commerce is inviolate. Cutting off access to Faith would've affected thousands of businesses and none of those businesses was going to sit by and let that happen."

Faith's mind was spinning. "You want me to provide forecasts for NightStar's clients, with you as the go-between?"

"Yes. The PsyClan can afford to be seen working openly with you. The combined power of the businesses backing us, added to our strength as a family group, protects us from the Council."

That made sense. NightStar's history of producing F-Psy had earned it many allies. It knew a lot of secrets. And it never told. No matter who asked.

"The Council's already tried to kidnap me once." She would not ask the question that tormented her. Had her father known?

"That's been taken care of. In more ways than one. I have my doubts about their operatives ever being able to reach you"—he glanced at Vaughn, then back at her—"but if they do and anything happens to you, every business with an unfulfilled forecast will stop its tax payments."

"How many?" Vaughn asked, when she remained silent.

"Faith's waiting list currently exceeds a thousand. The Council's reach is vast, but even it can't police that many renegades, especially when they include most of our major corporations. Like I said, business is inviolate."

"How sure are you of that?" Vaughn pushed.

"If the Council harms her—as she will inevitably be harmed in any attempt to capture her—it'll be seen as a violation of the basic law that rules our race: no interference with family groups or business. That will not be tolerated. All the Councilors have been informed of that by the corporations associated with their own family groups."

"You won't stop the Council from 'rehabilitating' your own, but you'll draw the line at business interference?" Vaughn shook his head. "Hell of a list of priorities."

"But good for Faith in this case."

"I'm forecasting different things now," she said quietly.

Anthony nodded. "Understood. We're asking you to provide regular business ones as well, unless you can't access those abilities any longer."

"So the rich can prosper?" Vaughn asked, but she didn't hear any animosity It was almost as if he were trying to get a feel for her father as he would another animal.

"You're a predator, Mr. D'Angelo, at the top of the food chain. In the business world, the same rules apply."

"Survival of the fittest." Vaughn turned and ran his hand down her hair in a public caress that was as tender as it was possessive. "So, Red, what's the verdict?"

"I can provide the forecasts without problem, but I need time to think," she said past the lump in her throat. How could he do this to her without even trying? "But one thing I do know is that if I do this, I expect far more by way of profits than I was previously getting." She was happy to be in a situation where she could strengthen the financial position of her new family. Money was power the Psy understood.

But she also wanted the money for a far more subversive plan. Barely an inkling at present, it was an idea that could change the Psy from within. An idea that might save those like her cousin Sahara, people who'd disappeared into the mystery of the Net, but might still be alive. Caged. Brutalized for their abilities.

"You are my daughter. I expected nothing less." If Anthony hadn't been Psy, she'd have said he was proud.

"And if Faith accepts, she won't be going anywhere," Vaughn added. "All attempts at visions will be undertaken in DarkRiver territory."

"No records, no monitors." She was through with being violated.

"Your safety?"

Vaughn leaned forward. "Leave that to me."

Anthony took a moment to consider that before nodding. "Take care of her. She's invaluable."

"Actually, to the PsyClan and to you, my worth is quantifiable." Faith smiled, but it was colored by sadness not joy. Then Vaughn's hand slipped under her hair to curve over her neck and the heavy warmth was a reassurance that to someone at least, she truly was invaluable.

"Not as my daughter."

She was disappointed. "Father, don't try such psychological tricks on me—they are beneath you. If you cared that much about your children, you would've hunted down Marine's killer and you would've learned the name of your Caribbean son."

"I don't understand your reference to your sister's murder. She was an unfortunate victim of the human and changeling appetite for violence."

Faith saw that he truly had no knowledge of the facts, but she couldn't speak of that pain. It was too raw, too fresh. Vaughn spoke for her. "It was one of the Psy. Probably one of your Council's pet killers. What we haven't been able to figure out is why she might've been targeted when she was in the inner circle."

"I see." Anthony's voice remained toneless, but what he said next was nothing expected. "As for your other question— his name is Tanique Gray. He turns twenty-two in three months. Though not an F designation as his mother hoped for, he has a Gradient 9 ability in psychometrics, the first Ps-Psy born into our line in centuries.

"I've seen him twice a year since his birth, per the clause I inserted into the reproduction contract. He has your bone structure, but of course, it is Marine whom he favors most."

Faith wanted to believe it was nothing more than a clever ploy to win her heart and make her malleable to his requests, but somehow knew it wasn't. "Why?" Why go against Psy Protocol, against everything he'd ever taught her?

"Loyalty is not guaranteed by birth. You were such a perfect Psy."

And he'd believed she might see his choices as flaws.

Without giving her a chance to answer, he stood. "Never forget that half your genetic material came from me. Perhaps even the part that gave you your conscience."

Picking up the organizer on the table, he turned to business again. "I'll await your decision—try not to take too long. If you're not going to accept, the clan needs to take other measures to forestall further loss, and you need to find another way to keep yourself safe from the Council in the long term."

Faith watched him walk to the door. "Wait!" Getting up, she made her way to him and then, for the first time in her adult life, she touched her father, hugging him quickly. He didn't return the gesture, but neither did he push her away. When she let him go, she searched his face and found the same blank slate she'd always seen. "Don't you want to break free?"

It seemed as if he wouldn't answer, but then he said, "If all the strong ones leave, then the Council will be completely without limits. I am precisely where I need to be."

"To do what?" Vaughn asked from behind her.

Anthony looked over her head to the jaguar who was her life. "That, Mr. D'Angelo, is not something you've earned the right to know." He left without another word, escorted out by Clay, who'd been standing watch outside the door.

"Your father is a very interesting man."

Faith turned. "Why do you say that?"

"Psy are hard to judge, but what I can say is that your father doesn't give off the stink most Psy do."

"Me?"

"You smell like my kind of sugar, Red." He grinned at her blush. "I want to lick you up from head to toe."

"We were talking about my father." She scowled, but there was lightning in her bloodstream.

"Your father doesn't stink. You and Sascha don't either." He scowled. "Come to think of it, neither does that damn Psy."

She didn't have to ask him to clarify. There was only one Psy who seemed to make him react so badly. "And?"

Scowl fading, he ran his fingers down her spine. "I have very little evidence to back it up, but I think the bad scent is a marker of complete immersion in Silence. Those who have some conscience left, some spark, some ability to break conditioning, don't smell."

She thought that over and whispered a single, shocking word, "Rebellion?"

"From within? It wouldn't surprise me—your Council's created the perfect environment for it. History paints them as a strong body, but one that had checks and balances. These days they're crossing line after line. Maybe they've crossed too far for some of their own."

"It'll take a long time even if it is happening." Though the commercial world had stayed its hand in regard to Faith, the Council wasn't something to be taken down without taking down Silence. And as Vaughn had pointed out, there were thousands, millions, who were completely conditioned and would die that way.

"It's a start."

She nodded, feeling hope for her people, her race. "Maybe that was why Marine died. Because she was somehow part of a rebellion and they found out." If that was true, then her sister's death hadn't been senseless. Her life had been lost in a battle no one knew was taking place. And she would honor that.

"I want to do the forecasts. As well as generating income for DarkRiver, it'll let me use skills I've spent a lifetime developing. More importantly, it'll allow me to keep in touch with Father." She looked to see how he was taking the news.

"I'm not going to stop you, Red. You're out of the Net. That's what matters."

"Maybe I can help change things from the outside as Father works on the inside." She believed in Anthony, this father she'd never known. Now she had the time and the opportunity. Without monitors, he might begin to trust her and they could speak about many things, perhaps even whispers of rebellion.

Two weeks later, Faith was glad to be alive and with Vaughn. Glad? That didn't begin to describe her utter and complete joy, her feeling of belonging, her delight in being with him. But... "I don't know how to be in this world," she whispered in the sultry darkness of their bed.

He turned to lie on his side, one arm under his head, the other stroking her hip almost absently. "I know, Red." He dropped a kiss on her nose, the gesture bringing a smile to her face. Only with her was he so tender. "I know what it's like to not quite fit. But you're strong. You'll find a way."

She hadn't expected him to say that, to lay the responsibility for her happiness in her own hands. "I've developed the ability to venture out sometimes, but I don't think I can ever live in a populated area."

"Baby, do I look like a city slicker to you?"

Her laugh was startled out of her. "Right. So that isn't going to be a problem?"

"No." The hand on her hip curved over her buttock and slid back.

Her heart kicked against her ribs. "But I want to be able to go into the city for longer periods if necessary. I want to have those shields. I'm working with Sascha and Tamsyn on them." The DarkRiver healer was psychic in a way that neither Psy had ever encountered. She understood the concepts of the Psy, but was not Psy, was utterly changeling, her ability to heal coming from the heart and soul.

Faith was a little intimidated by Tamsyn's strength, but like Sascha, the other woman exuded warmth and kindness. In contrast, Faith knew she appeared cold and standoffish. The leopards didn't offer her the same affection they gave each other, though she'd come to a point where she could bear some touch from others. "I don't know how to be with your pack. I don't think they like me."

"They don't know you," Vaughn said. "Liking comes with knowing. Trust comes with loyalty."

"But you're all so warm. I try, but sometimes ..."

"Red, the pack puts up with Clay. In comparison, you're a barrel of laughs."

She hit his chest with a closed fist. "Be serious."

"I am. DarkRiver has its loners, its quiet ones. They're liked as much as any other member—I'm living proof. Give them your loyalty, give them your heart, and they'll treasure it."

"Promise?"

"Promise."

She finally slept. Because Vaughn kept his promises.

At that same instant, a door slammed shut in the dark heart of the PsyNet.

"The situation with Faith NightStar needs to be addressed," Shoshanna said the second the Council was pronounced in session.

"We might have been able to pacify the NightStar Group if you hadn't taken unilateral action," Nikita retorted. "Anthony NightStar holds a substantial amount of power and he's decided to obstruct us."

"How certain is that?" Henry asked.

"The man was a Council candidate soon after my ascension." Marshall's statement was news to Nikita, but she had no doubts as to its veracity. "He turned it down, not because he didn't have the strength, but because he preferred running the NightStar Group. Anthony doesn't like bowing down to anyone."

"If he was a candidate, then he's aware of the realities of Council. Surely he can be talked around," Henry insisted.

"No, he can't." Male, cold, cutting, Kaleb Krychek was the newest member of the Council. "The Scotts' move against his daughter without his prior authorization put him into a situation where his power was questioned. He's reasserting it and will continue to do so. We've lost any goodwill we might've had with the NightStar Group."

A silence as everyone considered the implications of that.

Tatiana was the first to speak. "That is indeed unfortunate. NightStar is one of the leading families. As well as the favors they've done us, the income they control with their various alliances gives us a large portion of our tax revenue."

"Is it possible to remove Anthony NightStar from the equation?"

"Not without attracting the unwelcome attention of several other top-tier families." Nikita usually preferred the clean approach, but it would only cause more problems at this point. "I'm sure everyone understands why we don't want any additional scrutiny right now. We've had two recent incidents." First Enrique and then the Gradient 9 telepath who'd escaped his handlers before being found near a college campus in Napa, his mind permanently compromised.

"Would you care to explain yourself, Shoshanna." Marshall's words weren't a question.

"Someone had to make a move. We should've acted against Faith the second she dropped out of the Net. There was no reason to wait."

"There was every reason." Nikita closed her mental file on the NightStar Group. "She was deep in DarkRiver territory when she cut the link. Have you forgotten that piece of Enrique you got on your pillow only months ago?" The leopards and wolves had announced the former Councilor's death by sending flesh and blood souvenirs to the rest of them.

"If they were going to use what they know, they would've done so by now," was Shoshanna's answer.

"Or they could be sitting on it until it provides the biggest impact." Kaleb sounded nothing like a newcomer, the very reason he was Council. "They were right in this case—they had no need to tip their hand. None of us can argue that their point wasn't made."

"They might've taken out six men, but they won't be able to destroy a squadron," Henry responded. "We go in full force, pull her out, and destroy anyone who attempts a retrieval."

"Dental imprinting showed that a single cat executed all six soldiers." Ming broke his silence. "It was confirmed by three different M-Psy. Only one had fired a weapon. We were unable to check for the use of offensive psychic weapons— their brains were too badly crushed."