off each time she used that word in relation to herself.
“I know.” She ran her hand over his back as she lifted her face to smile up at him. “I wouldn’t dare argue with an alpha cat.”
He nipped at her lower lip. “Smart-ass.”
Eyes dancing, she kissed him all slow and sexy. Only when they were both breathless did she break the kiss to continue speaking. “Mother told me to start teaching Naya mental discipline.”
His hackles rose. “Why do you sound like you’re considering it?”
“Right now,” Sascha said, “Naya is curious about everyone and anything, and I would never attempt to suppress that. But she’s also dangerously open. Not only have I not taught her to be careful who she connects with telepathically or to never connect to strange minds without my permission—”
“As we’ve taught her not to go with strangers.” Lucas’s bunched-up muscles began to relax.
Sascha nodded. “I was so intent on not suffocating her in any way, in giving her the psychic freedom I never had, that I went too far in the other direction.”
“I understand, kitten.” Lucas had to constantly fight his own overprotective urges. “If I could, I’d wrap you both in cotton wool.” As well as every single vulnerable member of his pack. “You help me deal with that. I’ll help you deal with this.”
Lines of strain fading from her expression, Sascha said, “Mother gave me a number of tips about how to teach Naya what she needs, but I thought I’d speak to Shaya as well.” A long pause, Sascha placing her head against his shoulder as they swayed to the music. “Nikita kept me safe, but it hurt. Ashaya is doing the same for Keenan without damaging him. He’s a psychically strong and disciplined child who’s lost none of his personality or joy.”
Lucas dropped a kiss on her hair. “There’s also the fact that she’s guiding and teaching him while he’s living in a changeling pack.” Nikita had never had to deal with a child who was surrounded by primal and unrestrained emotion on a daily basis, rather than by the icy discipline of Psy under Silence.
“Yes, you’re right. Several of Nikita’s techniques would collapse under non-Silent conditions.”
“You should talk to the Laurens, too.” Walker Lauren, in particular, had been dealing with children outside the PsyNet and outside Silence, for longer than anyone else Lucas knew. Judd’s brother had also been a teacher in the PsyNet.
Sascha nodded before leaning back to look at him once more, her arms hooked around his neck and her lips swollen from his kiss. “We have to write a whole new rule book, don’t we?”
Lucas’s panther rumbled awake deep in his chest. “That’s what rebels do.” And Sascha Duncan, cardinal empath, mate to an alpha, and mother to a Psy-Changeling child, was the rebel who’d blown the PsyNet wide open.
Letters to Nina
From the private diaries of Father Xavier Perez
June 1, 2080
Nina,
My first friend, the one I once tried to assassinate. His life changed drastically some time ago. He was ripped out of one world and had to learn to exist in another, and for a while, I feared he wouldn’t adapt. But he did and here’s how. This man I once saw as cold as ice now loves a woman as deeply and as passionately as I love you.
I feel such joy for him, Nina. To see the look in his eyes, that is hope. The same God that took you away from me has given him this chance. He doesn’t agree with me, of course. He isn’t a man of faith. He believes in honor and in fidelity and in standing behind your actions rather than putting faith in some “otherworldly entity.”
The arguments and conversations we have, Nina. You would love it. He accepts me for who I am and I do the same for him and our other friend, and all three of us, we challenge one another. Your beautiful mind is all that’s missing.
Even after so much time has passed, I still hope for you. But then I realize that if you’re alive, you’ve chosen not to come to me and my heart shatters. Say you’re not angry with me, Nina. Please. I could not bear it if you had forsaken me.
Xavier
Chapter 47
TEN IN THE evening in Venice and Bowen Knight was tapping his finger on his desk as he read through the latest report from the implant team when he received a message on his phone. He didn’t immediately recognize the sender—not unusual, since everyone