Tangle of Need (2012)
(Book 11 in the Psy-Changelings series)
A novel by Nalini Singh
CAST OF CHARACTERS
In alphabetical order by first name
Key: SD = SnowDancer Wolves DR = DarkRiver Leopards
Aden Arrow, Telepath (Tp)
Adria Morgan SD Senior Soldier
Alexei SD Lieutenant
Alice Eldridge Human scientist, in coma after a century in cryonic suspension
Amara Aleine Psy member of DR, former Council scientist, twin of Ashaya, mentally unstable
Anthony Kyriakus Psy Councilor, father of Faith
Ashaya Aleine Psy member of DR, former Council scientist, mated to Dorian, twin of Amara
Ava SD, maternal female, mother of Ben
Bastien DR, brother of Mercy
Bowen Security Chief, Human Alliance
Brenna Kincaid SD, tech, mated to Judd, sister of Andrew and Riley
Cooper SD Lieutenant, mated to Grace
Council (or Psy Council) The ruling Council of the Psy race
Dalton SD Librarian
Drew Kincaid (full name: Andrew) SD Soldier, mated to Indigo, brother of Riley and Brenna
Elias SD Senior Soldier, mated to Yuki, father of Sakura
Evangeline (Evie) Riviere SD, sister of Indigo, daughter of Tarah and Abel
Faith NightStar Psy member of DR, gift of Foresight (F), mated to Vaughn, daughter of Anthony
Felix SD, horticultural expert, submissive
Garrick Former alpha of SnowDancer, killed when the Psy psychically broke and programmed several of SnowDancer’s dominants to attack their own pack
Ghost Psy rebel
Hawke SD Alpha, mated to Sienna
Henry Scott Psy Councilor (presumed dead), leader of Pure Psy, husband of Shoshanna
Indigo Riviere SD Lieutenant, mated to Drew, sister of Evangeline
Jem (real name: Garnet) SD Lieutenant
Judd Lauren Psy member of SD, Lieutenant, mated to Brenna, uncle of Sienna, Toby, and Marlee
Kaleb Krychek Psy Councilor
Kenji SD Lieutenant
Kieran Human member of SD, Senior Soldier
Kit DR Novice Soldier
Lara SD Healer, mated to Walker Lauren
Lucas Hunter DR Alpha, mated to Sascha, father of Naya
Lucy SD, nurse, assistant to Lara
Maria SD Novice Soldier
Matthias SD Lieutenant
Max Shannon Human, Security chief for Nikita Duncan
Mercy Smith DR Sentinel, mated to Riley
Ming LeBon Psy Councilor
Nathan (Nate) Ryder DR Senior Sentinel, mated to Tamsyn, father of Roman and Julian
Nell SD Maternal dominant
Nikita Duncan Psy Councilor, mother of Sascha
Pierce SD Senior Soldier, based in Europe
Riaz Delgado SD Lieutenant
Riley Kincaid SD Lieutenant, mated to Mercy, brother of Drew and Brenna
Sam Human member of SD, Soldier
Sascha Duncan Psy member of DR, cardinal Empath (E), mated to Lucas, mother of Naya, daughter of Nikita
Shawnelle (Shawnie) SD juvenile
Shoshanna Scott Psy Councilor, wife of Henry
Sienna Lauren Psy member of SD, mated to Hawke, sister of Toby, niece of Judd and Walker
Tamsyn (Tammy) Ryder DR Healer, mated to Nathan, mother of Roman and Julian
Tatiana Rika-Smythe Psy Councilor
Tomás SD Lieutenant
Vasic Arrow, Teleporter (Tk-V)
Walker Lauren Psy member of SD, mated to Lara, father of Marlee, uncle of Sienna and Toby
WindHaven Falcons Allied to SnowDancer and DarkRiver
Eclipse
THE PSYNET IS a place of incomparable power and stark beauty, the millions of minds in the psychic network starbursts in the inky black. For the majority of Psy, it is their lifeline, as vital as air.
To disconnect from the Net is to die.
But as autumn whispers on the horizon in the year 2081, it is the Net itself that is dying. Stagnant rivers of rot snake ever deeper into the center, and it is a rot that twists and corrodes, damaging sense and reason to leave only unthinking menace behind.
If the Psy do not find a solution to this cancerous growth, the rot could soon begin to seep into the minds of those uplinked to the Net.
Or perhaps … it already has.
Chapter 1
RIAZ CAUGHT A flash of midnight hair and a long-legged stride and called out, “Indigo!” However, he realized his mistake the instant he turned the corner. “Adria.”
Eyes of deepest blue-violet met his, the frost in them threatening to give him hypothermia. “Indigo’s in her office.” The words were helpful, but the tone might as well have been a serrated blade.
That did it. “Did I kill your dog?”
Frown lines marred her smooth forehead. “Excuse me?”
God, that tone. “It’s the only reason,” he said, holding on to his temper by a very thin thread, “I can think of to explain why you’re so damn pissy with me.” Adria had been pulled into den territory during the hostilities with Councilor Henry Scott and his Pure Psy army a month ago and had remained behind to take up a permanent position as a senior soldier. She’d fought with focused determination by Riaz’s side, followed his orders on the field without hesitation.
However, off the field?
Ice.
Absolute.
Unrelenting.
Glacial enough to bite.
Folding his arms when she didn’t reply, he stepped into her personal space, caught the subtle scent of crushed berries and frost. A strangely delicate scent for this hard-ass of a woman, he thought, before his wolf’s anger overrode all else. “You haven’t answered my question.” It came out a growl.
Eyes steely, she stepped closer with a slow deliberation that was pure, calculated provocation. She was a tall woman, but he was taller. That didn’t seem to stop her from looking down her nose at him. “I didn’t realize,” she said in a voice so polite it drew blood, “that fawning over you was part of the job requirement.”
“Now I know who Indigo learned her mean face from.” But where his fellow lieutenant’s heart beat warm and generous beneath that tough exterior, he wasn’t sure Adria had any emotions that registered above zero on the thermometer.
Adria’s response was scalpel sharp. “I don’t know what she ever saw in you, but I suppose every woman has mistakes in her past.” The slightest change in her expression, the tiniest fracture, before it was sealed up again, her face an impenetrable mask.
Scowling, Riaz was about to tell her exactly what he thought of her and her judgmental gaze when his cell phone rang. He answered without moving an inch away from the woman who was sandpaper across his temper, rubbing him raw with her mere presence. “Yeah?”
“My office,” Hawke said. “Need you to head out, do a pickup.”
“Be there in two.” Snapping the phone shut, he closed the remaining distance between him and Adria, forcing her to tip back her head. “We will,” he said, realizing those striking blue eyes with an edge of purple had streaks of gold running through them, beautiful and exotic, “continue this later.”