Mind Game
Table of Contents
ACCLAIM FOR CHRISTINE FEEHAN’S
Shadow Game
“Having fast made a name for herself in the vampire romance realm, Feehan now turns her attention to other supernatural powers in this swift, sensational offering . . . The sultry, spine-tingling kind of read that [Feehan’s] fans will adore.”—
Publishers Weekly
“One of the best current voices in the darker paranormal romance subgenre, Feehan has begun another series that, while lacking the fantasy feel of her Carpathian romances, is equally intense, sensual, and mesmerizing and might appeal especially to fans of futuristic romances. Known for her vampire tales, Feehan is a rising star in paranormal romance.” —
Library Journal
“Sizzling sex scenes both physical and telepathic pave the road to true love . . . Action, suspense, and smart characters make this erotically charged romance an entertaining read.”—
Booklist
“A very fast-paced action-packed thriller-love story all wrapped up into one . . . I highly recommend this book and will be adding it to my keeper’s shelf.”
“Feehan packs such a punch with this story it will leave one gasping for breath. She conquers yet another genre of romance with ease, proving why she is a master . . . Ms. Feehan wields the suspense blade with ease, keeping readers enthralled and teetering on the edge . . . Guaranteed not to disappoint, and will leave one begging for more. A must-read book, only cementing Ms. Feehan’s position as a genre favorite for yet another round.”
—
The Best Reviews
. . . AND THE NOVELS OF CHRISTINE FEEHAN
“Just as I begin to think the romance genre has nowhere else to run, I get to read something that takes another giant leap down a totally unknown road. Romance, suspense and intrigue, and the paranormal . . . combined to make one of the most delicious journeys I have had the pleasure of taking in a long, long time . . . Definitely something for everyone.”—
Romance and Friends
“Feehan’s newest is a skillful blend of supernatural thrills and romance that is sure to entice readers.”
—
Publishers Weekly
“If you are looking for something that is fun and different, pick up a copy of this book.”—
All About Romance
“This one is a keeper . . . I had a hard time putting [it] down . . . Don’t miss this book!”—
New-Age Bookshelf
“The characters and twists in this book held me on the edge of my seat the whole time I read it. If you’ve enjoyed Ms. Feehan’s previous novels, you will surely be captivated by this step into the world of Gothic romance . . . Once again, Ms. Feehan does not disappoint.”
—
Under the Covers Book Reviews
Titles by Christine Feehan
DARK SYMPHONY
SHADOW GAME
WILD RAIN
MIND GAME
If you purchased this book without a cover, you should be aware that this book is stolen property. It was reported as “unsold and destroyed” to the publisher, and neither the author nor the publisher has received any payment for this “stripped book.”
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.
MIND GAME
A Jove Book / published by arrangement with the author
PRINTING HISTORY
Jove edition / August 2004
Copyright © 2004 by Christine Feehan
All rights reserved.
This book, or parts thereof, may not be reproduced in any form
without permission. The scanning, uploading, and distribution of this
book via the Internet or via any other means without the permission of
the publisher is illegal and punishable by law. Please purchase only
authorized electronic editions, and do not participate in or
encourage electronic piracy of copyrighted materials.
Your support of the author’s rights is appreciated.
For information address: The Berkley Publishing Group,
a division of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.,
375 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014.
eISBN : 978-0-515-13809-2
A JOVE BOOK
®
Jove Books are published by The Berkley Publishing Group,
a division of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.,
375 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014.
JOVE and the “J” design are trademarks belonging to
Penguin Group (USA) Inc.
For my beloved sister Mary, with much love.
Hope always shines eternal, even in our darkest hour.
Somehow, you always have known that.
Be sure to write to Christine at christine@
christinefeehan.com
to get a FREE exclusive screen saver and join the PRIVATE email list to receive an announcement when Christine’s books are released.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Without two wonderful men this book would never have been written. I would like to thank Morey Sparks for all of his help and the many hours he spent talking to me about his experiences in the military. It wasn’t always easy, and I appreciate it.
Special thanks to Dr. Christopher Tong, coeditor of the “state of the art” series,
Artificial Intelligence in Engineering Design (volumes I, II,
and
III)
. He has also published books with such titles as
Beyond Believing, You CAN Take It with You,
and
Beyond Spiritual Correctness
. He has been a manager, consultant, teacher, and researcher at many well-known institutions including Rutgers, MIT, IBM Thomas J. Watson Research Center, Xerox Palo Alto Research Center, and Siemens Research. He was invaluable to me with his help on this book.
THE GHOSTWALKER CREED
We are the GhostWalkers, we live in the shadows
The sea, the earth, and the air are our domain
No fallen comrade will be left behind
We are loyalty and honor bound
We are invisible to our enemies and we destroy them where we find them
We believe in justice and we protect our country and those unable to protect themselves
What goes unseen, unheard, and unknown are GhostWalkers
There is honor in the shadows and it is us
We move in complete silence whether in jungle or desert
We walk among our enemy unseen and unheard
Striking without sound and scatter to the winds before they have knowledge of our existence
We gather information and wait with endless patience for that perfect moment to deliver swift justice
We are both merciful and merciless
We are relentless and implacable in our resolve
We are the GhostWalkers and the night is ours
Nox noctis est nostri
CHAPTER ONE
“She’s obviously not cooperating again,” Dr. Whitney grumbled and scribbled fiercely in his notebook, clearly somewhere between total exasperation and frustration. “Don’t let her have her toys again until she decides to work. I’ve had enough of her nonsense.”
The nurse hesitated. “Doctor, that isn’t a good idea with Dahlia. She can be very. . .” She paused, clearly searching for the right word. “Difficult.”
That caught his attention. He looked up from his papers, the impatience on his face changing to interest. “You’re afraid of her, Milly. She’s four years old, and you’re afraid of her. Why?” There was more than scientific interest in his tone. There was eagerness.
The nurse continued to watch the child through the glass window. The little girl had shiny black hair, thick and long and falling down her back in an unkempt, untidy mass. She sat on the floor rocking back and forth, clutching a small blanket to her and moaning softly. Her eyes were enormous, as black as midnight and as penetrating as steel. Milly Duboune winced visibly and looked away when the child turned those black, ancient eyes in her direction.
“She can’t see us through the glass,” Dr. Whitney pointed out.
“She knows we’re here.” The nurse dropped her voice to a whisper. “She’s dangerous, Doctor. No one wants to work with her. She won’t let us brush her hair or tell her to go to bed, and we can’t punish her.”
Dr. Whitney lifted an eyebrow, sheer arrogance crossing his face. “You’re all
that
afraid of this child? Why wasn’t I informed?”
Milly hesitated, fear etched on her face. “We knew you’d demand more from her. You have no idea what you’d unleash. You don’t pay any attention to them after you make your demands. She’s in terrible pain. We don’t blame her when she throws her tantrums. Ever since you insisted we separate the children, many are showing signs of extreme discomfort or, as in Dahlia’s case, a high level of pain. She can’t eat or sleep properly. She’s too sensitive to light and sound. She’s losing weight. Her pulse is too rapid, her heart rate up all the time. She cries even in her sleep. Not a child’s cry, but a cry of pain. Nothing we’ve tried has helped.”
“There’s no reason for her to be in pain,” Dr. Whitney snapped. “All of you coddle those children. They have a purpose, a much bigger purpose than you can imagine. Go back in there and tell her if she doesn’t cooperate, I’ll take all of the toys and her blanket away from her.”
“Not her blanket, Dr. Whitney, it’s all she clings to. It’s all the comfort she has.” The nurse shook her head forcefully and stepped back from the window. “If you want that blanket, you go take it away from her yourself.”
Dr. Whitney studied the desperation in the woman’s eyes with clinical detachment. He indicated for the nurse to reenter the room. “See if you can coax her to cooperate. What does she want the most?”
“To be put back in the same room with either Lily or Flame.”
“
Iris.
The child’s name is Iris, not Flame. Don’t indulge her personality simply because she has red hair. She already is more trouble than she’s worth with that temper of hers. The last thing we want is for Iris and this one,” he indicated the dark-haired little girl, “to get together. Go tell her she can spend time with Lily if what she does pleases me.”
Milly took a deep breath and pushed open the door to the small room. The doctor flicked a switch so he could hear the conversation between the nurse and the little girl.
“Dahlia? Look at me, honey,” Milly wheedled. “I have a surprise for you. Dr. Whitney said if you do something really good for him, you can spend time with Lily. Would you like that? To spend the rest of the evening with Lily?”
Dahlia clutched the raggedy blanket to her and nodded her head, her eyes solemn. The nurse knelt beside her and reached out her hand to smooth Dahlia’s hair away from her face. Immediately the little girl ducked, clearly unafraid, simply avoiding physical contact with her. Milly sighed and dropped her hand. “Okay, Dahlia. Try something with one of the balls. See if you can do something with them.”
