Blaze of Memory
Page 1
Table of Contents
Title Page
Copyright Page
Dedication
CHAPTER 1
CHAPTER 2
CHAPTER 3
CHAPTER 4
CHAPTER 5
CHAPTER 6
CHAPTER 7
CHAPTER 8
CHAPTER 9
CHAPTER 10
CHAPTER 11
CHAPTER 12
CHAPTER 13
CHAPTER 14
CHAPTER 15
CHAPTER 16
CHAPTER 17
CHAPTER 18
CHAPTER 19
CHAPTER 20
CHAPTER 21
CHAPTER 22
CHAPTER 23
CHAPTER 24
CHAPTER 25
CHAPTER 26
CHAPTER 27
CHAPTER 28
CHAPTER 29
CHAPTER 30
CHAPTER 31
CHAPTER 32
CHAPTER 33
CHAPTER 34
CHAPTER 35
CHAPTER 36
CHAPTER 37
CHAPTER 38
CHAPTER 39
CHAPTER 40
CHAPTER 41
CHAPTER 42
CHAPTER 43
CHAPTER 44
CHAPTER 45
CHAPTER 46
CHAPTER 47
CHAPTER 48
CHAPTER 49
CHAPTER 50
CHAPTER 51
CHAPTER 52
CHAPTER 53
CHAPTER 54
CHAPTER 55
CHAPTER 56
CHAPTER 1
JUSTICE
“A mesmerizing series.”
—The Road to Romance (Reviewer’s Choice Award)
Praise for
Hostage to Pleasure
“Singh is on the fast track to becoming a genre giant!”
—Romantic Times (Top Pick)
“Nalini Singh has penned another keeper . . . If you want a thrilling read with action, danger, passion, and drama, don’t miss Nalini Singh’s Hostage to Pleasure.”
—Romance Junkies
“I continue to be amazed by Singh’s ability to draw the reader into the Psy-Changeling world. There are few paranormal series out there that are as good as this one.”
—Book Binge
“An intriguing world that’s sure to keep readers coming back for more.”
—Darque Reviews
“This series just continues to get better and more vibrant as it goes ... Hostage to Pleasure is a must-read for any paranormal reader.”
—Night Owl Romance
Mine to Possess
“Singh has done it again. Mine to Possess grabs you and never lets you go. This may be the best book of an already outstanding series.”
—Fresh Fiction
“WOW! ‘Brilliant’ is the best description for Mine to Possess ... It just doesn’t get better than the best!”
—ParaNormal Romance Reviews
“Nalini Singh continues to dazzle and ensnare new readers with each addition to the Psy-Changeling series.”
—A Romance Review
“As plot points fall into place, it’s evident that clever, mega-talented Singh has truly spectacular things in store.”
—Romantic Times (4½ stars, Top Pick)
“This book was fast paced and riveting. I can truthfully say that once you start reading it, you’ll find it impossible to put down!”
—Publishers Weekly’s Beyond Her Book
“Ms. Singh’s world-building is as fascinating as the characters with whom she populates it.”
—The Eternal Night
“Nalini Singh has done it again . . . [A] must-read!”
—Fallen Angel Reviews (Recommended Read)
Caressed by Ice
“Craving the passionate and electrifying world created by the mega talented Singh? Your next fix is here! One of the most original and thrilling paranormal series on the market... Mind-blowing!”
—Romantic Times (4½ stars, Top Pick)
“A sensual, dangerous adventure not to be missed.”
—New York Times bestselling author Lora Leigh
“A compelling read with wonderfully developed characters and the strong world-building that has made Singh a star.”
—All About Romance
“With a truly inspired mix of passion and danger, this story will keep you on the edge of your seat. [It] will surely earn itself a place among your favorites.”
—Romance Reviews Today
“A wonderful story...I cannot recommend it highly enough!”
—ParaNormal Romance Reviews
“Paranormal romance at its best.”
—Publishers Weekly
Visions of Heat
“Breathtaking blend of passion, adventure, and the paranormal. I wished I lived in the world Singh has created. This is a keeper!”
—New York Times bestselling author Gena Showalter
“This author just moved to the top of my auto-buy list.”
—All About Romance
“Brace yourselves because... [it] will set all your senses ablaze and leave your fingers singed with each turn of the page. Visions of Heat is that intense!”
—Romance Junkies
“A page-turning sexy read that fans of paranormal romance are sure to devour.”
—The Romance Readers Connection
“In a genre filled with talent, Singh really stands out... This is one of the best paranormal series out there!”
—Romantic Times
Slave to Sensation
“I LOVE this book! It’s a must-read for all of my fans. Nalini Singh is a major new talent.”
—New York Times bestselling author Christine Feehan
“An electrifying collision of logic and emotion...An incredible world where fire and ice mix to create an unforgettable sensual eruption. Slave to Sensation is a volcanic start to a new series that’ll leave you craving more.”
—Romance Junkies
“AWESOME! . . .A purely mesmerizing book that surely stands out among the other paranormal books out there. Slave to Sensation is captivating from beginning to end. It’s a must-read for any paranormal fan!”
—Romance Reader at Heart
“Superb science fiction romance...Readers will enjoy Nalini Singh’s excellent futuristic thriller and demand more tales from this fascinating realm.”
—Midwest Book Review
“You won’t want to miss Slave to Sensation, the tremendous first book in the new Psy-Changeling series by Nalini Singh . . . I highly recommend this book and suggest you make room for it on your keeper shelf.”
—Romance Reviews Today
“A sensual romance set in an alternate reality America with just a bit of mystery to keep readers flipping pages. Character driven and well written, it’s not easy to put down at bedtime; it kept me reading well into the night.”
—Fresh Fiction
“A fresh, intriguing, and thought-provoking mythology and a very appealing cast of characters . . . I look forward to the next installment from this talented writer.”
—BookLoons
“A must even for those uninitiated in the paranormal genre. The story ends much too quickly, and the author’s magical writing conjures up sensual images and intense emotions that linger long after the last word is read.”
—Romantic Times
Berkley Sensation Titles by Nalini Singh
Psy-Changeling Series
SLAVE TO SENSATION
VISIONS OF HEAT
CARESSED BY ICE
MINE TO POSSESS
HOSTAGE TO PLEASURE
BRANDED BY FIRE
BLAZE OF MEMORY
Guild Hunter Series
ANGELS’ BLOOD
ANGELS’ PAWN
(A Berkley Sensation eSpecial)
Anthologies
AN ENCHANTED SEASON
(with Maggie Shayne, Erin McCarthy, and Jean Johnson)
THE MAGICAL CHRISTMAS CAT
(with Lora Leigh, Erin McCarthy, and Linda Winstead Jones)
THE BERKLEY PUBLISHING GROUP
Published by the Penguin Group
Penguin Group (USA) Inc.
375 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014, USA
Penguin Group (Canada), 90 Eglinton Avenue East, Suite 700, Toronto, Ontario M4P 2Y3, Canada
(a division of Pearson Penguin Canada Inc.)
Penguin Books Ltd., 80 Strand, London WC2R 0RL, England
Penguin Group Ireland, 25 St. Stephen’s Green, Dublin 2, Ireland (a division of Penguin Books Ltd.)
Penguin Group (Australia), 250 Camberwell Road, Camberwell, Victoria 3124, Australia
(a division of Pearson Australia Group Pty. Ltd.)
Penguin Books India Pvt. Ltd., 11 Community Centre, Panchsheel Park, New Delhi—110 017, India
Penguin Group (NZ), 67 Apollo Drive, Rosedale, North Shore 0632, New Zealand
(a division of Pearson New Zealand Ltd.)
Penguin Books (South Africa) (Pty.) Ltd., 24 Sturdee Avenue, Rosebank, Johannesburg 2196,
South Africa
Penguin Books Ltd., Registered Offices: 80 Strand, London WC2R 0RL, England
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental. The publisher does not have any control over and does not assume any responsibility for author or third-party websites or their content.
BLAZE OF MEMORY
A Berkley Sensation Book / published by arrangement with the author
PRINTING HISTORY
Berkley Sensation mass-market edition / November 2009
Copyright © 2009 by Nalini Singh.
All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form
without permission. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in
violation of the author’s rights. Purchase only authorized editions.
For information, address: The Berkley Publishing Group,
a division of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.,
375 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014.
eISBN : 978-1-101-14911-9
BERKLEY® SENSATION
Berkley Sensation Books are published by The Berkley Publishing Group,
a division of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.,
375 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014.
BERKLEY® SENSATION and the “B” design are trademarks of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.
http://us.penguingroup.com
To Anu fua, for loving books ... and for loving my books!
DEATH
Death followed the Forgotten like a scourge. Relentless. Without pity.
They’d sought to find hope when they dropped from the PsyNet, wanting only to build a new life away from the cold choices of their brethren. But the Psy in the Net, their hearts iced over with the emotionless chill of Silence, refused to let the dissidents go in peace—for the Forgotten, with their hopes and dreams of a better life, were a roadblock to the Psy goal of absolute power.
Among their numbers the defectors counted a large contingent of telepaths and medical specialists, men and women gifted in psychometry, foresight, and so much more. These powerful individuals, these rebels, stood as the only real psychic threat to the increasingly omnipotent Psy Council.
So the Council cut them down.
One by one.
Family by family.
Father. Mother. Child.
Again and again and again.
Until the Forgotten had to run, to hide.
In time, memories were lost, truths were concealed, and the Forgotten almost ceased to exist.
But old secrets cannot be kept forever. Now, in the final months of the year 2080, the dust is rising, light is shining through, and the Forgotten stand at a crossroads. To fight is to face death once more, perhaps the total annihilation of their kind. But to run . . . is that not also a kind of annihilation?
CHAPTER 1
She opened her eyes and for a second, it felt as if the world shifted. Those eyes, the ones looking back at her, they were brown, but it was a brown unlike any she’d ever seen. There was gold in there. Flecks of amber. And bronze. So many colors.
“She’s awake.”
That voice, she remembered that voice.
“Shh. I’ve got you.”
She swallowed, tried to find her own voice.
A raw hiss of air. Soundless. Without form.
The man with the brown eyes slipped a hand under her head and tilted it up as he put something to her lips.
Cold.
Ice.
She parted her lips, working desperately to melt the ice chips in her mouth. Her throat grew wet but it wasn’t enough. She needed water. Again, she attempted to speak. She couldn’t even hear herself, but he did.
“Sit up.”
It was like trying to swim through the most viscous of fluids—her bones were jelly, her muscles useless.
“Hold on.” He all but lifted her into a sitting position on the bed. Her heart thudded in her chest, a fluttering trapped bird.
Beat-beat.
Beat-beat.
Beat-beat.
Warm hands on her face, turning her head. His face shimmered into view, then twisted impossibly sideways.
“I don’t think the drugs are fully out of her system.” His voice was deep, reached deep, right into her beating, fluttering heart. “Have you got—thanks.” He raised something.
A cup.
Water.
She gripped his wrist, her fingers almost sliding off the vivid masculine heat of his skin.
He continued to hold the cup out of reach. “Slow. Understood?” It was less a question than an order—in a voice that said he was used to being obeyed.
She nodded and let him bring something to her lips. A straw.
Her hand tightened on him, she was so thirsty.
“Slow,” he repeated.
She sipped. Rich. Orange. Sweet. Despite the ruthless edge in her rescuer’s voice, she might’ve disobeyed and gulped, but her mouth wasn’t working right. She could barely draw up the thinnest of streams. But it was enough to soothe the raw flesh of her throat, fill the empty ache in her stomach.
She’d been hungry for so long.
A flash of something in the corner of her mind, too fast for her to grasp. And then she was staring into those strangely compelling eyes. But he wasn’t just eyes. He was clean, almost harsh lines and golden brown skin. Exotic eyes. Exotic skin.
His mouth moved.
Her eyes lingered on his lips. The lower one was a little fuller than seemed right on that uncompromisingly masculine face. But not soft. Never soft. This man, he was all hardness and command.
Another touch, fingers on her cheek. She blinked, focused on his lips again. Tried to hear.
“. . . name?”
She pushed away the juice and swallowed, dropping her hands to the sheets. He wanted to know her name. It was a reasonable question. She wanted to know his name, too. People always exchanged names when they met. It was normal.
Her fingers clenched on the soft cotton sheets.
Beat-beat.
Beat-beat.
Beat-beat.
That fluttering bird was back, trapped in her chest. How cruel.
Not normal.
“What’s your name?” His eyes were piercing in their directness, refusing to let her look away.
And she had to answer. “I don’t know.”
De
v looked into that cloudy hazel gaze and saw only a confused kind of fear. “Glen?”
Dr. Glen Herriford frowned from the other side of the bed. “Could be a side effect of the drugs. She was pretty doped up when she came in. Give it a few more hours.”
Nodding, Dev put the juice on the table and returned his attention to the woman. Her lashes were already dropping. Not saying anything, he helped her down into a position flat on her back. She was asleep moments later.
Jerking his head to the door, he walked out with Glen following. “What did you find in her system?”
“That’s the funny thing.” Glen tapped the electronic chart in his hand. “The chemicals all add up to plain old sleeping pills.”
“That’s not what it looks like.” She was too disoriented, her pupils hugely dilated.
“Unless . . .” Glen raised an eyebrow.
Dev’s mouth tightened. “Chance she did it to herself?”
“There’s always a chance—but someone dumped her in front of your apartment.”
“I went inside at ten p.m., came back out at ten fifteen.” He’d left his phone in the car, had been irritated at having to stop work to return to the garage. “She was unconscious when I found her.”