Berkley 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
BONDS OF JUSTICE
PLAY OF PASSION
KISS OF SNOW
TANGLE OF NEED
HEART OF OBSIDIAN
SHIELD OF WINTER
SHARDS OF HOPE
ALLEGIANCE OF HONOR
Guild Hunter Series
ANGELS' BLOOD
ARCHANGEL'S KISS
ARCHANGEL'S CONSORT
ARCHANGEL'S BLADE
ARCHANGEL'S STORM
ARCHANGEL'S LEGION
ARCHANGEL'S SHADOWS
ARCHANGEL'S ENIGMA 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)
MUST LOVE HELLHOUNDS
(with Charlaine Harris, Ilona Andrews, and Meljean Brook)
BURNING UP
(with Angela Knight, Virginia Kantra, and Meljean Brook)
ANGELS OF DARKNESS
(with Ilona Andrews, Meljean Brook, and Sharon Shinn)
ANGELS' FLIGHT
WILD INVITATION
NIGHT SHIFT
(with Ilona Andrews, Lisa Shearin, and Milla Vane)
Specials
ANGELS' PAWN
ANGELS' DANCE
TEXTURE OF INTIMACY
DECLARATION OF COURTSHIP
WHISPER OF SIN
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Copyright (c) 2016 by Nalini Singh.
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Names: Singh, Nalini, 1977-author.
Title: Allegiance of honor / Nalini Singh.
Description: First Edition. | New York : Berkley Books, 2016. | Series: Psy-changeling novel
Identifiers: LCCN 2015050507 (print) | LCCN 2016006696 (ebook) | ISBN
9781101987766 (hardback) | ISBN 9781101987773 ()
Subjects: | BISAC: FICTION / Romance Paranormal. | FICTION Fantasy /
Paranormal. | GSAFD: Romantic suspense fiction. | Fantasy fiction.
Classification: LCC PR9639.4.S566 A77 2016 (print) | LCC PR9639.4.S566
(ebook) | DDC 823/.92--dc23
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2015050507
FIRST EDITION: June 2016
Cover art by Rita Frangie.
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.
Version_1
CONTENTS
Berkley titles by Nalini Singh
Title Page
Copyright
Cast of Characters
Author's Note
Tesseract
PART 1 Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Letters to Nina
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Letters to Nina
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Letters to Nina
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Letters to Nina
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
PART 2 Chapter 20
Letters to Nina
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Letters to Nina
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
PART 3 Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
PART 4 Chapter 33
Letters to Nina
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Letters to Nina
Chapter 36
Chapter 37
Chapter 38
PART 5 Chapter 39
Letters to Nina
Chapter 40
Chapter 41
Letters to Nina
Chapter 42
PART 6 Chapter 43
Chapter 44
Letters to Nina
Chapter 45
Chapter 46
Letters to Nina
Chapter 47
Letters to Nina
Chapter 48
PART 7 Chapter 49
Letters to Nina
Chapter 50
Letters to Nina
PART 8 Chapter 51
PART 9 Chapter 52
Chapter 53
Chapter 54
Chapter 55
Chapter 56
CAST OF CHARACTERS
In Alphabetical Order by First Name
Key: SD = SnowDancer Wolves, DR = DarkRiver Leopards, BC = BlackSea Changelings, RF = RainFire Leopards
Abbot Arrow, teleport-capable telekinetic (Tk), married and psychically bonded to Jaya Aden Kai Arrow, telepath (Tp), psychically bonded to Zaira Adria SD Senior Soldier, in permanent relationship with Riaz Amara Aleine Psy member of DR, former Council scientist, twin of Ashaya, mentally unstable Andrew "Drew" Kincaid SD Tracker, mated to Indigo, brother of Riley and Brenna Aneca Rat changeling, child
Annie Quinn Human member of DR, mated and married to Zach Anthony Kyriakus Former Psy Councilor, part of the Ruling Coalition, head of PsyClan NightStar, father of Faith, Tanique, and Marine (deceased) Ashaya Aleine Psy member of DR, former Council scientist, mated to Dorian, mother of Keenan, twin of Amara Ava SD, mated to Spencer, mother of Ben
Bastien Smith DR, mated to Kirby, in charge of DR's financial assets, brother of Mercy, Sage, and Grey Ben SD pup, son of Ava and Spencer Bowen "Bo" Knight Human Alliance Security Chief (and effective leader), brother of Lily Brenna Kincaid SD Tech, mated to Judd, sister of Riley and Andrew Carolina Arrow child
Clara Alvarez Manager of Haven, former Justice Psy (J) Clay DR Sentinel, mated to Talin, adopted children: Noor and Jon Cooper SD Lieutenant, mated to Grace
Council (or Psy Council) Former ruling council of the Psy race; no longer extant Cruz Forgotten child
Desiree (Dezi) DR Senior Soldier
Devraj "Dev" Santos Leader of the Forgotten, married and psychically bonded to Katya, guardian of Cruz Dorian DR Sentinel, mated to Ashaya, father to Keenan Elias (Eli) SD Senior Soldier, mated to Yuki, father of Sakura Emmett DR Senior Soldier, mated and married to Ria
Ena Mercant Psy, matriarch of Mercant family group
Evie Riviere SD, sister of Indigo
Faith NightStar Psy member of DR, cardinal foreseer (F), mated to Vaughn, daughter of Anthony, sis
ter of Tanique, cousin to Sahara Forgotten Psy who defected from the PsyNet at the dawn of Silence and intermingled with the human and changeling populations Grace SD Tech, mated to Cooper
Hawke SD Alpha, mated to Sienna
Indigo Riviere SD Lieutenant, mated to Andrew, sister of Evie Ivy Jane Zen President of the Empathic Collective, married and psychically bonded to Vasic Jamie DR Senior Soldier Jason DR medic-in-training
Jaya Empath, married and psychically bonded to Abbot Jojo RF cub
Jonquil "Jon" Duchslaya Forgotten teen, member of DR, adopted by Clay and Talin Judd Lauren SD Lieutenant, Psy, mated to Brenna, brother of Walker; uncle of Sienna, Toby, and Marlee Julian DR cub, twin of Roman, son of Nathan and Tamsyn Kaleb Krychek Cardinal (Tk), part of the Ruling Coalition, psychically bonded to Sahara Katya Haas Psy, former assistant to Ashaya Aleine, married and psychically bonded to Devraj Santos, guardian of Cruz Keenan Aleine Psy member of DR, child
Kirby DR, mated to Bastien, lynx changeling
Kit DR Soldier, brother of Rina
Lara SD Healer, mated to Walker, raising Marlee and Toby with Walker Leila Savea BC, marine biologist
Leon Kyriakus M-Psy, father of Sahara
Lily Human Alliance, sister of Bowen
Lucas Hunter DR Alpha, mated to Sascha, father of Naya Malachai BC, Lieutenant
Marlee Psy member of SD, daughter of Walker, cousin to Sienna and Toby Max Shannon Human, Security Chief for Nikita Duncan, married to Sophia Mercy Smith DR Sentinel, mated to Riley, sister of Bastien, Sage, and Grey Miane Leveque BC Alpha
Ming LeBon Former Psy Councilor, military mastermind, cardinal telepath (Tp) Nathan "Nate" Ryder DR Senior Sentinel, mated to Tamsyn, father of Roman and Julian Naya Hunter DR cub, daughter of Sascha and Lucas
Nikita Duncan Former Psy Councilor, part of the Ruling Coalition, mother of Sascha Noor Hassan Forgotten member of DR, adopted by Clay and Talin Pax Marshall Psy, Head of the Marshall Group
Remi RF Alpha
Ria Human member of DR, mated and married to Emmett, executive admin assistant to Lucas Riaz SD Lieutenant, in permanent relationship with Adria Riley Kincaid SD Senior Lieutenant, mated to Mercy, brother of Andrew and Brenna Rina DR Soldier, sister of Kit
Roman DR cub, twin of Julian, son of Nathan and Tamsyn Ruling Coalition Formed after the fall of Silence and of the Psy Council; composed of Kaleb Krychek, Nikita Duncan, Anthony Kyriakus, Ivy Jane Zen for the Empathic Collective, and Aden Kai for the Arrow Squad Sahara Kyriakus Psy (uncategorized designation), psychically bonded to Kaleb, daughter of Leon, niece of Anthony Kyriakus, cousin to Faith Sakura SD pup
Samuel Rain Psy, genius, robotics engineer who developed experimental biofusion Sascha Duncan Psy member of DR, cardinal empath, mated to Lucas, mother of Naya, daughter of Nikita Sienna Psy member of SD, cardinal X, mated to Hawke, sister of Toby, niece of Judd and Walker Silver Mercant Psy, senior aide to Kaleb Krychek, in charge of worldwide rapid response emergency network that spans all three races Sophia Russo Former Justice Psy (J), married to Max Shannon, senior aide to Nikita Stefan (Tk), Commander of the deep-sea station Alaris Talin (Tally) Human member of DR, mated to Clay, adopted children: Noor and Jon Tamsyn "Tammy" Ryder DR Healer, mated to Nathan, mother of Roman and Julian Tanique Gray Psychometric, son of Anthony, brother of Faith Tavish Arrow child
Teijan Rat Alpha
Toby Lauren Psy member of SD, brother of Sienna, nephew of Judd and Walker, cousin to Marlee Vasic Zen Arrow, teleporter (Tk-V), married and psychically bonded to Ivy Jane, great-grandson of Zie Zen Vaughn DR Sentinel, mated to Faith, jaguar changeling Walker Lauren Psy member of SD, teacher, mated to Lara, father of Marlee, brother of Judd, uncle of Sienna and Toby Xavier Perez Human, priest, friend of Judd and Kaleb Yuki SD, lawyer, mated to Elias, mother of Sakura
Yuri Arrow, telepath
Zach DR Soldier, mated and married to Annie
Zaira Neve Arrow, telepath (combat), psychically bonded to Aden Zane Second in command of the Rats
Zie Zen Psy elder, great-grandfather of Vasic
AUTHOR'S NOTE
Dear Readers,
Thank you for coming with me on this journey into the Psy-Changeling world. It's been a wild and unpredictable ride, hasn't it? I've had so much fun, and with every new story, I've fallen more and more in love with this world and the characters who live in it.
Shards of Hope closed what I think of as the first arc, or season one, of the series, while also opening season two. Before we dive fully into the next arc, however, I want to take a look back and see how far the world and its characters have come since Slave to Sensation.
Not only that, but I want to explore the myriad connections that bind these disparate characters together. In writing this book, the hardest thing was not how to bring characters in so everyone had a chance to shine, but where--because there is never simply one connection. Each and every character is linked to multiple others through bonds of pack, of friendship, of blood, of loyalty, and of course, of love.
So this book, while continuing the Psy-Changeling storyline--because nothing is ever static in this world--is also a walk through the interconnected lives of many of the characters who've become important to us over the past books and novellas. With a cast this sprawling, not everyone gets a mention or page time in each book (imagine how long the books would be if that happened!), but in this story, we get an update on a whole lot of people.
Even then, not everything I wanted to add made it into this book, so I'll be sharing more than one deleted scene in my newsletter over the coming months. You can subscribe to the newsletter for free at my website: nalinisingh.com.
I hope you enjoy Allegiance of Honor--and here's to the next book and season two of the Psy-Changeling series.
~ Nalini
Tesseract NO ONE COULD'VE predicted this moment in time.
And, as the clock ticks onward in 2082, no one knows what is to come. The world has changed in countless ways since the day a cardinal empath sat across from a changeling alpha, the empath trying to hide her emotions, the alpha trying to see under her skin.
There has been war, destruction, piercing love.
Loyalties have been tested.
A way of life overturned.
Blood has run red as those who would hold on to power cut down innocent lives.
Soldiers have died.
Children have been born.
Bonds have formed.
Hearts have entwined.
Old enmities have been forgotten and there is a fragile peace . . . and the world stands at a critical crossroads.
Will the bonds hold?
Or will chaos reign?
PART 1
Chapter 1
LUCAS HUNTER, ALPHA of the DarkRiver leopards, ended the comm call with a touch of his index finger against the screen. The outwardly calm action belied his current state of mind: his jaw was a grim line, his claws shoving at the insides of his skin as the black panther within snarled.
He was still battling the urge to release that snarl when one of his sentinels stuck his head into the room. That room was Lucas's private office at the pack's Chinatown HQ, from where they ran their myriad business enterprises. Pitch-black hair and dark green eyes vivid against the deep brown of his skin, his shoulders solid, Clay was officially the Chief Construction Supervisor at DarkRiver Construction, but before that, he was one of the most trusted members of the pack, a man Lucas knew would always have his back.
Today, the sentinel was dressed as if he planned to go to a site, his pants of a tough black material appropriate for the outdoor environment and his T-shirt wild green with DarkRiver Construction in white on the back. But when he spoke, he said, "Jon and his friends found something down by the piers."
Lucas scowled, not in the mood for juvenile high jinks today. "Why aren't they in school?"
"Half day off. Some big citywide teachers meeting." Clay's right T-shirt sleeve lifted as he braced his hand against the doorjamb, revealing the slashing lines of the tat
too that echoed the hunter marks on the right side of Lucas's face. Lucas had been born with those jagged, primal marks that identified him as a changeling hunter, born with the ability to track down and execute changelings who'd gone rogue, submerging totally into the animal side of their nature.
Unlike wild animals, however, rogue changelings couldn't be left to roam, because despite their animal skin, they weren't animals. Rogues always came after the people they had loved when whole, as if part of them remembered who they'd once been and envied their packmates and lovers for still living that life. Lucas hadn't had to execute a rogue for over seven years, and he hoped that record held for another seven and another and another.
No alpha wanted to kill his people.
Clay's tattoo denoted something far different; like the rest of DarkRiver's sentinels, he'd had the mark inked as a silent symbol of his loyalty to Lucas. That loyalty was a truth Lucas never took for granted. An alpha who didn't value the respect of such strong men and women shouldn't be alpha.
"Anyway, I'm heading over to see what's up," Clay said now. "Kid sounds worried."
"I'll come with you." Lucas walked around his desk, shrugging his shoulders back to loosen muscles that had bunched up at the start of the comm call and stayed that way. "Could do with the fresh air. You want to walk?" It wasn't far to the waterfront.
Clay glanced at the heavy black watch strapped to his left wrist. "Better drive. I have to be at a work site within the hour."
"I'll walk back so you can head to the site straight after we speak to the boys." Sliding out his phone, Lucas sent a message as they walked out of the building and hopped in a pack vehicle.
The reply that made his phone buzz thirty seconds later helped with his feral tension. As did the emotions that kissed him through his mating bond with Sascha. Nothing calmed his panther as quickly as her touch. And though she was a woman who could heal emotional wounds, her empathic gift a treasured one, he knew she wasn't trying to manipulate or influence him. It was Sascha's love itself that settled him, along with the knowledge that she and their child were safe and sound.
Beside him, Clay stayed silent until after they'd pulled away from the HQ. That silence held no dark emotional undertones as it once had--the big, heavily muscled sentinel was simply quiet.
"A pool of silence," Lucas's mate had said not long ago, the white stars on black of her cardinal gaze lit with the sparks of color that appeared only in the eyes of empaths. "But it's not emptiness. Clay's just so calm, so centered, and so very, very content that I feel an untainted peace when I'm near him."
Clay hadn't always been that way. He'd come into DarkRiver as a strong but undisciplined eighteen-year-old who'd never before been part of a pack, who'd never even known another changeling leopard his entire existence. More than that, he'd spent years in juvenile detention. It had left him angry and lost and aggressive, a big, dangerous cat who'd had no idea how to handle either his strength or the fury riding him.