Breath catching, she pretended to bite at his jaw before tucking herself against his chest, his legs on either side of her. He wrapped his arm around her again and felt his heart smile because embracing her this way felt just as good. They sat listening to the breeze and to the happy chirping of a cricket who didn't seem to realize this was the tail end of a North Dakota winter.

It was some time later that Ivy sat up on her knees and with her arms around his neck, leaned into him. Their kisses were slow, deep, playful. Stroking the roughness of his jaw, she said, "Can I shave you?"

"Is it too rough?" he murmured. "I can-"

"No, I want to do it."

Vasic took in the flush on her cheekbones, the sinful antic.i.p.ation in her eyes. "You've been reading more manuals," he accused.

"Actually, it was a historical romance novel." Another kiss as she pushed his raised knee down so she could straddle him. "This one scene just . . ." She shivered, her arms compressing her b.r.e.a.s.t.s from either side as she hugged herself. "So, can I?"

Vasic was many things. The one thing he was not was stupid. He said yes and didn't flinch when she produced an old-fashioned shaving kit, complete with a straight razor and a brush to lather up his jaw. Then she unb.u.t.toned her shirt.

An hour later, Vasic finished shaving the rest of his face himself while a naked Ivy sat on the counter trying to catch her breath. "I need to read these novels," he said, bending down to kiss her thigh once he'd completed the task.

She pushed at him with her foot, but it held no force. "I'm pa.s.sword protecting them." b.r.e.a.s.t.s rising and falling in a visual that he appreciated, she spread her thighs and drew him back against her. "You don't need any more ideas."

Vasic hauled her even closer, one arm around her back, the other- But he only had one arm now. So he adapted and used his Tk. That gave him an idea. Utilizing his ability to affect small, delicate things, he stroked telekinetic fingers through her l.a.b.i.a.

Ivy jerked, her fingernails digging into his shoulders. "Oh my G.o.d."

Taking the moan as encouragement, he did it again, dipping his head to suck on her nipples at the same time. Deciding the other one shouldn't have to wait, he split his attention and used telekinetic fingers to pluck at it. Have I told you how much I like my hobby?

Ivy's spine arched. "No," she gasped, "romance novels for you."

"I bet I can change your mind."

a a a EIGHT hours after losing the bet to Vasic in a delicious paroxysm of pleasure, Ivy sat down in a chair beside Zie Zen at his Lake Tahoe home. Her eyes were on Vasic where he stood in conversation with a DarkRiver soldier near the edge of Zie Zen's property line, the lake water beyond a silver mirror under the moonlight. Vasic was dressed in his Arrow uniform, the changeling in jeans and a faded sweatshirt. Their conversation appeared relaxed.

"He will be all right, Grandfather," she said, able to sense the concern Zie Zen would likely never put in words, having lived in Silence for too long.

The older man, his hand on the head of his cane, turned to look at her. "I had forgotten what it was to live with an empath."

"I don't mean to intrude," she said, uncertain about how to be with Zie Zen. He was so remote sometimes, and yet he loved Vasic with a quiet, painful intensity. "I don't seem to be able to filter out a certain level of my ability."

"And why should you? It would be equivalent to me having one of my eyes permanently shut." His gaze returned to Vasic. "He is meant for great things, my son."

The words used, she knew, were deliberate, a sign of what Vasic meant to Zie Zen. "He is a great man."

"Yet he ties himself to an empath, seeking only to make her path easier."

Ivy's hand tightened on the arm of the chair. "He's earned his peace." She would allow no one to take it from him. "Earned the right to a home and a life undefiled by blood."

"Some men are not meant for peace, for calm. Some men are built for war." Zie Zen's eyes pierced hers. "He's far stronger than he knows, able to fight with unrelenting fury for that in which he believes."

"I know." Even when Vasic had thought himself irreparably broken, he'd fought for his squad. "But he's walked that road most of his life. Don't you think he's done enough?" she pleaded, aware just how much Vasic respected his great-grandfather. "Or do you believe he must be stripped down to the bone?"

Zie Zen leaned back in his chair, hand flexing on the head of the cane. "If I say I believe he needs to fight on? If I ask him to shed more blood, walk once more in the darkness?"

Ivy's heart thudded, her own blood hot. "I won't allow anyone to hurt him, not even you." Never did she want to take this relationship from Vasic, but neither would she permit Zie Zen to use that relationship to destroy Vasic.

The elder's eyes met hers again, an odd light in them. "So, he's found a woman who will fight for him. Good." With that, he returned his gaze to the lake and to the two men who stood there. "Do you know what I would like to see before I die, Ivy Jane?"

Ivy shook her head, still stunned at the realization that it had all been a test. "What, Grandfather?"

"I would like to see my son laugh."

Ivy saw Vasic bend down to pet Rabbit when their pet ran over after investigating an interesting rock, and she felt her lips curve. "That," she said, "is a wish that will come true." Perhaps not today, or even tomorrow, but Vasic had joy in his heart now. It would one day color the air, of that she was certain.

Rising from his chair without warning, Zie Zen walked slowly into the house. Ivy didn't follow; he'd made no invitation, and like Vasic, he wasn't a man with whom you a.s.sumed any kind of acceptance. When he didn't return in the next five minutes, she walked down to the edge of the lake as Vasic and the changeling said their farewells.

a a a I would speak to you, my son.

Leaving Ivy and Rabbit searching the pebbles on the sh.o.r.eline for the best one to skim across the water, Vasic headed up to the porch. Zie Zen came out of the house at the same instant, something in his right hand.

"Grandfather." Vasic fought the urge to subtly stabilize the older man, aware Zie Zen would pick up on the interference and be offended by it. But Vasic couldn't keep silent. "You're leaning more heavily on your cane." And he was walking slower, his ruler-straight back beginning to bend.

"I am old," was the succinct answer. "And I am almost ready to go." Lowering himself into his chair, he waited for Vasic to take the one beside him. "Before Silence," he said, after he'd caught his breath, "some of us chose to marry. Though we may have been psychically bonded, to see my ring on my wife's finger, it meant something. To wear hers on mine, it meant even more."

Taking the small velvet box his great-grandfather held out, Vasic opened it to reveal two gold wedding bands, each one beautifully etched with intricate carvings. The hugeness of what he felt was a storm inside him, the words ones he couldn't say.

"Humor an old man and wear them." His great-grandfather closed his hand over Vasic's, Zie Zen's skin warm and papery, his grip strong. "Live your love into old age as I and my Sunny could not do."

Vasic? Ivy started back to the house. What's wrong?

Grandfather has given us a gift beyond price. He stood to catch her against him as she ran up to the porch, pressed his lips to her temple, and showed her the gift. Perhaps this wasn't how it was done, but this was Ivy, with whom he could do nothing wrong, make no mistakes, and so he simply asked, "Will you wear my ring, Ivy?" Will you permit me to wear yours?

A jerky nod against him, her eyes overflowing.

a a a TWO weeks later, the newly formed Empathic Collective unanimously voted Ivy in as president. Five other empaths from around the world, including Sascha Duncan, were voted in as her advisory board. Sahara Kyriakus was asked to continue on in her role as a specialist, and an invitation was extended to Alice Eldridge to come onboard as a consultant as and when she wished.

Both women accepted.

The initially suggested percentage to be paid into the Collective Fund by the membership was doubled after intense discussion, with the Es deciding they needed a powerful body that would lobby on their behalf.

The money was to be used not only to compensate those who worked for the organization, but to create secret bolt-holes for empaths and to finance the training compounds that were springing up around the world. It was also decided that the Ruling Coalition would be asked to kick in a percentage of overall tax revenue, given that it was the Es who were holding the Net together.

Of course, the empaths themselves hadn't come up with that little point.

"You're too inherently kind," Vasic had told her when he first suggested the idea. "Aside from possible anomalies, as occur with any population, you tend to think of others first and yourselves second."

It was as well they had the entire Arrow Squad on their side. The lethal group had quietly made it clear that anyone who wanted to take on the Es would have to go through them. While one-on-one partnerships were no longer possible, given the number of active Es, each and every empath had the direct contact details of at least three Arrows.

"It's a strange, beautiful alliance," Ivy said to her man as they sat on a dune in the desert under the golden rays of the setting sun, Rabbit's warm body beside her as he dozed after an active day.

"Me and you?"

"No, empaths and Arrows." Me and you? We're just beautiful.

No curve of his lips, but there was light in the winter frost, a deep happiness in the bond that tied them together.

"Ivy?"

"Hmm?"

"Have you ever thought of having children?"

Tumbling him to his back in the sand, to Rabbit's excited "woof," she kissed him all over the face, sensing his startled delight. "Yes, with you." It hadn't been a subject she'd ever thought about before him. Now . . . now she wanted her Arrow's babies. "What about you?"

He spread his hand on her lower back, eyes locked with hers. "I think . . . I'd like that, too." It was a wondering statement, as if he'd surprised himself. "But we'll have to wait until things are more stable."

"Our world's not yet ready," Ivy agreed. "I want our children to grow up happy and wild and-"

"Half-feral?"

Her heart clenched at the odd poignancy of those words. "Yes," she whispered, almost able to hear the raucous laughter and mischievous glee of the children they would one day have. "That sounds perfect to me."

It was a promise of joy, and one they sealed with a lingering kiss.

"Do you think our race will make it?" she asked later, after the sun had set, the desert draped in pale gray.

"We're clawing our way back-we'll never be what we once were, but that isn't the goal."

No, Ivy thought, it was to be better.

That night, she dreamed of a woman of infinite darkness. Her rage and loneliness was a crushing weight on Ivy's chest, but Ivy wasn't afraid. No, she was just sad. Holding out her hand, she felt the darkness brush past her senses with a malevolence that stole her breath . . . but it did her no harm. And as she slipped into a deeper sleep against the muscled warmth of her Arrow, she saw the now formless darkness intertwine with a river of starlight riven with translucent color.

Hope.

You are cordially invited to the wedding of Vasic Zen to Ivy Jane.

Invitation sent to every member of the Arrow Squad THEY MARRIED AS the apple trees opened their first blossoms, the gra.s.s an emerald green carpet beneath their feet. Vasic wore his Arrow uniform modified with a formal jacket in place of the lightweight armor. On his lapel was a pin: a black arrow entwined with the branches of an apple tree.

The handcrafted item had been a gift from Aden. Now the other man stood beside Vasic as Ivy's parents walked her up an aisle strewn with cherry blossoms another teleporter had brought in that morning. Ivy's dress was a light, gossamer creation of cream and lace; she had a ribbon in her hair and a bouquet of tiny peach roses in her hand.

Friends and family stood on every side.

Every member of the squad who wasn't on duty was in attendance. Ivy had invited the others to a special breakfast tomorrow, where she planned to make them try at least a bite of the wedding cake.

Dressed in a neat charcoal suit paired with a white shirt, Samuel Rain-infuriated because he'd so far failed to build Vasic a robotic arm that integrated into his damaged systems-blended in oddly well with the Arrows. The lethal men and women stood beside Ivy's friends from the settlement and the world.

Kaleb and Sahara were next to Judd Lauren and his changeling mate; Sascha, Lucas, and Alice nearby. A man with pale green eyes and dark blond hair introduced as Walker Lauren was also present, his healer mate at his side. Aden had spent an hour with Walker after asking Judd's brother to arrive early, their discussion intense even from a distance.

Dr. Bashir, the surgeon who'd operated on Vasic, stood proudly beside the two nurses, while Anthony Kyriakus had been invited as Zie Zen's guest-Zie Zen, whose last name Vasic had officially taken as his own in a quiet, powerful act of honor and of family. Eben and Jaya beamed at Ivy from near the front, and a washed and groomed Rabbit, his collar a debonair bow tie, stood quivering with excitement by Vasic. The air was filled with hope and love and promise.

I would've married you on Zie Zen's porch, Ivy said to the man who was hers, but there is something so special about this day, about the people around us.

Vasic took Ivy's hand when her parents handed it over, clasped it tightly. She was already his on the psychic plane, but this ceremony wasn't only about them. It was about every black-clad man and woman who stood in the orchard. It was about hope. And his fierce, generous Ivy knew that.

He married her with spring in the air, the sunshine a cool gold.

Kissing her to the quiet jubilation of their guests, his Ivy dressed in cream and lace, Vasic felt a wriggling at his foot and looked down to find Rabbit had squirmed his way between them, was now looking up. Ivy laughed, and it was the perfect music for their wedding day.

To be an Arrow has always been to protect our people. That mandate now requires the protection of designation E. As of this update, the empaths are the squad's top priority-any threat to an E is to be swiftly mitigated.

First Code of Arrows (Revised).

For too many years, others have made choices for us, and those choices have defined us in darkness. Today, we make a free choice. We cannot know where that choice will lead us, but one thing I know-this is a path of honor . . . and perhaps of redemption.

Aden Kai to the Arrow Squad, after a squad-wide consensus to update the Code When an Arrow gives his or her loyalty, it is carved in stone-only if that stone proves false ground, shattering from the corruption within, will he break the bond. For those who hold his loyalty, an Arrow will lay down his life without hesitation, stand in the path of a bullet or a blade, sacrifice every last drop of blood in his body.

We now hold the promise of an entire squad of Arrows, men and women who have vowed to act as our shields against violence. It is a gift that we must always cherish and never dishonor.

As such, our first law, decided after discussion across the entire collective, is this: No Arrow is to ever be used as a personal weapon by an E. No E is to ever use his or her connection to an Arrow to induce that Arrow to do harm to another living being for the E's personal gain (whether that gain is emotional, financial, psychic, or otherwise).

The Arrows are our partners and the relationship must be of mutual respect and trust if it is to grow ever stronger. Also, as in any partnership there must be give-and-take. The Arrows know only how to serve, how to give-it's time they learned how to receive as well. (A personal note on the latter point: They can be stubborn about this, but so can an E. Persevere. Trust me, it's worth it.) Memo from Ivy Jane Zen, President of the Empathic Collective, to its membership Dear V, I ate the whole box of Turkish Delight. Under no circ.u.mstances are you to bring me any more (this month at least). I have the self-control of a starving squirrel.

Rabbit also has no self-control and is currently lolling around deliriously in his bed after gorging on his treats.

Love,

Ivy.

p.s. I bought a new manual just for you. I haven't even opened it. Come home early.

Berkley t.i.tles by Nalini Singh.

Psy-Changeling Series.

SLAVE TO SENSATION.

VISIONS OF HEAT.

CARESSED BY ICE.