VISIONS OF HEAT

“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.