VISIONS OF HEAT

“Can you feel him?” The quiet question broke into her thoughts. She was shocked at how distracted she’d become from something so important. Vaughn did things to her she couldn’t control.

“The knowing works with my ability. It’s a kind of vision on a very deep psychic plane. I’m not telepathically connected to him.” That horror only happened during actual visions.

“Then how are you going to find him?”

“I’m going to send out my telepathic senses. I’m a Gradient 6 telepath.” Very powerful, though nowhere near where she estimated Judd to be. “If I brush up against other Psy, I’ll withdraw before they can get a lock on me.” She didn’t mention that some of those minds could track her very, very quickly.

“But if I touch him, I’ll attempt to pinpoint a physical location. It doesn’t really matter if I can’t—Judd can take the mental signature from my mind and use his stronger Tp abilities to zero in on the killer’s position.”

“I don’t like that damn Psy being in your mind.”

“Neither do I.” Faith didn’t think Judd was out to harm her, but he was an unknown, a rebel Arrow with undetermined loyalties. “It’ll be a surface link, a simple data transfer.”

“If he tries anything, use the bond.”

Her heart skipped a beat at the welcome reminder that she’d never be alone again. “I will. I’m going to begin the search now.” She ’pathed the same message to Judd.

I can see you. The masculine voice was so clear, her suspicions about Judd’s status on the Gradient solidified into certainty. The man might not have the night-sky eyes, but he had to be near cardinal strong. If you keep the scan radius small, I can pinpoint him almost immediately after you.

Faith whispered the suggestion to Vaughn. “We’ll have to change position and go out farther into the open as I scan. But it’ll give us an unmistakable target when we do find him. Judd won’t have to enter my mind, either.”

Vaughn’s answer was nothing she could’ve predicted. “Faith, this is your world. What option do you think will work best?”

“You won’t try to overrule me?”

“Only if your choice puts you in unnecessary danger.” The cat was in his voice, low and husky. “I can’t protect your mind, but I sure as hell will keep your body safe.”

She figured that was as good as it was going to get with her jaguar. “Then let’s do it. If I start to feel we’re getting too close and I can’t find him, we’ll stop. I don’t want to paint a bull’s-eye on myself.” For the first time in twenty-four years, she was truly alive, and she had no intention of changing that.





CHAPTER 24





“If this works like I think it will,” she said, “the second he feels me, he’ll try to connect and that should give Judd the opportunity he needs.”

“I can smell Judd. Tell him to make sure he’s well hidden. He doesn’t fit into this campus.”

“And you do?” She relayed the message.

“I’m the rough type the good girl always falls for,” he said, displaying a rare vein of humor. “That Psy just looks like he’s here to take someone out.”

Shaking her head, she sent out the first seeking touch. “Nothing.”

Vaughn silently picked out a spot closer to the building that housed the intended victim and she repeated the scan. “Nothing.”

Two more attempts produced the same frustrating result. Emotion definitely had a downside—an emotionless Psy would’ve continued scanning with mechanical precision until they achieved success. “Nothing, nothing, nothing!”

“I don’t want you any nearer the prey. If you know what he looks like, he might have seen you, too.”

“I hadn’t considered that, but if he is an F-Psy, that may be a possibility.”

“Whatever else he is, he’s also a coward,” Vaughn spit out. “They’re always dangerous when cornered.”

She agreed. Certain telepathic abilities could cause massive damage when used offensively. Judd was the perfect example. “Let me try one more sweep. I know he’s here.” Taking a deep breath, she spread out her senses. This one’s for you, Marine.

And there he was.

The darkness recognized her, too. Homing in on her position with frightening speed, it scrabbled for purchase into her mind. Gut instinct came to her aid—she snapped her entire psychic self into a tiny ball, burying it deep within the bond with Vaughn. Changeling wildness locked around her and the talons of darkness slipped away without finding purchase.

It had taken mere milliseconds, but when she opened her eyes, she felt as if she’d run a marathon. Vaughn’s body was so tense next to her that she knew he’d sensed the danger. “He’s a telepath with attacking capabilities. Foresight might be a secondary talent.”

She could see him now. He was standing a few easy meters from her, a tall male with Silent discipline stamped onto his handsome features. In his black suit and white shirt, he was just another anonymous Psy as he swept the area in an effort to find her. “Why doesn’t he look like a monster?”