“You picked all that up last night?” Moira asked.
“I was in her mind for over an hour. It’s who she is and it’s pretty surface. When Kallen gets here, he’ll do a systematic interrogation. Then we’ll find out all the interesting detail stuff, like who sent her, their communication network, who their agents are. I’m going to use it as a learning experience, focus on the strategy and techniques. I’ve already wallowed in all the filth, I might as well get something out of it except an upset stomach.”
“Do you mind if I sit in?” Moira asked.
“Be my guest. She’s got enough pathologies to fill a textbook.”
While waiting for Kallen to arrive, Brenna excused herself to her room and changed her hair back to Moira’s again. Her curiosity was very much alive. Looking in the mirror, she noted that her eyebrows and eyelashes had changed color, as had the hair on her arms. Unzipping her pants, she saw that her patch was also changed. It was finer, silkier and auburn in color.
She knew what Rebecca and Moira wanted her to try, but the more she thought about it, the more convinced she became that it wouldn’t work. If she shifted her resonance to Rebecca’s, it wouldn’t change her bone structure, her height, the color of her skin or her chemistry. Those things were not a product of energy resonance. Hmmm … chemistry. Perhaps a look at Rebecca’s energy balances … that might be a productive line of research. She stored it away for future consideration.
The hair had worked, but she wasn’t sure that if she left her hair like this, whether it would grow out black or red. Another thing for future research. But the hair thing was pretty neat. When she had donned the Samantha construct, she had been disappointed that her hair wouldn’t bleach to Cindy’s strawberry blonde. At least, not without totally destroying it. Now she could experiment. With her alabaster complexion, she could wear any hair color.
When Kallen arrived, she changed her hair back to black and went down to meet him.
After consultation with Collin and Seamus, they decided to allow Carlos to attend the interrogation. He would be familiar with the people and places Carlotta knew. Besides, as their ally, he probably was a little bit curious as to who wanted him dead.
Convening in Carlotta’s cell, Kallen, Carlos, Moira, Brenna and Rebecca joined Danny, the Protector who was controlling her mind. Brenna gave Danny a break, sending him to get some sleep. They spent the afternoon sifting through her thoughts and memories, then retired for dinner to an Irish pub a few blocks from the Capitol. They walked, and everyone seemed grateful to get out and breathe some fresh air.
The bartender looked pleased but shocked when Brenna ordered an entire bottle of Midleton’s for the table. She did use her Gifts to influence a healthy discount, however.
“She’s a nasty bitch,” Kallen said, “but also a dumb one. It’s obvious her family doesn’t trust her with any knowledge that has any real value.”
“No,” Carlos agreed, “she’s not loved by her brothers, and now I see what kind of love she gets from her father.” He tossed down a shot. “I wonder how long it will take to wash this bad taste out of my mouth.”
“But we do know who sent her and why,” Rebecca offered. “True, it wouldn’t have taken a genius to figure it out, but we have rock-solid proof. So, what do we do with her?”
“My suggestion would be to impale her on the Washington Monument,” Kallen growled, tossing back his second shot, “but I know that’s not going to happen. It would be poetic justice, though.”
Brenna looked thoughtful. “Carlos, I don’t think we want to keep her. She’s really of no use to us. O’Donnell doesn’t do executions, either, though sometimes I wonder why not. But your father may be able to use her as leverage, as a hostage if nothing else. Do you want her?”
He took a deep breath, staring into the bottom of his empty shot glass. “Yes. I guess that’s a good suggestion. Probably better than dropping her in the ocean.” He filled his glass and knocked it back. “This stuff is damn smooth. How much is a bottle?”
“About a hundred fifty dollars in a liquor store. I talked him into a discount so only three hundred for this,” Brenna replied.
“You should buy your own pub, it would be cheaper. Yes, I’ll take her. I’ll arrange transportation to Quito and put her somewhere safe. Perhaps holding her hostage will improve her father’s behavior. Can you keep her for a couple of days?”
“Ask Karen,” Brenna replied. “As of tomorrow, I’m outta here.”
“And where are you going?” Kallen asked.
A smile grew on Brenna’s face, until it lit up the room, “Shopping in New York.”
Kallen groaned.
~~~
CHAPTER 12
Shopping is better than sex. If you’re not satisfied after shopping, you can make an exchange for something you really like. – Adrienne Gusoff
The Clan’s social season ran from Thanksgiving until New Year. Thanksgiving was a family affair, family being rather loosely interpreted. Usually it included the top management of O’Donnell Group, various Clan members and employees who were special friends, and extended family. For Brenna, who had spent so much of her life alone, sixty or more people was a staggering number to consider as family. The week included several events in addition to Thanksgiving dinner, which was a formal white tie affair.
The next big event after that was the Solstice Ball, held on the Longest Night. The previous year it had been dubbed “The Dance of the Succubi”, as a record five succubi had attended. A formal ball in the nineteenth century tradition, it was a rather elegant bacchanal, very sedate and discreet, except for the cheering every time a gentleman led a lady up the stairs to the rooms set aside for casual dalliance.
The number of reservation requests had been so great this year that the available accommodations would never suffice. Brenna’s construction company had started breaking ground to build a new hotel in the valley in July, with a crash schedule to finish it by Thanksgiving. It would supply an additional one hundred rooms, and while she and her family thought it would sit vacant most of the year, it would supply jobs and additional income to valley residents just ahead of the holidays. The lasting benefit from Brenna’s and Seamus’ point of view is it would have three restaurants, three more than the valley had at present. Those they would try to operate year-round.
Christmas was far less formal, family and friends only, but required a huge amount of planning and shopping for someone who had as many friends as Brenna. The previous year she had spent over a hundred thousand dollars on Christmas presents. However, she had met a lot of people since then, some of whom were very special to her, and many of whom hoped they were.
New Year finished over a month of celebration and guests. There wasn’t a formal New Year’s ball, but Brenna would receive at least a dozen invitations to parties, and it would be rude for a girl to just show up in rags.
A trip to New York was an absolute must to replenish her wardrobe and do some Christmas shopping. Of course, shopping isn’t much fun alone, so she would be going with, or meeting, most of her close friends there. Rebecca had reserved the top two floors of a Clan hotel in midtown, and Siobhan and Irina had made reservations at all the trendiest restaurants months in advance. New York was big, brash, and arrogant, but it wasn’t prepared for what was about to hit it.
The record of five succubi at the Solstice Ball the previous year would be utterly crushed. Brenna’s cousin Morrighan was flying in from Ireland along with Siobhan’s mother Sinead. Marie de la Tour’s cousin Brigitte was coming in from Monaco, and Antonia’s daughter Victoria from Florence. They were all meeting in New York to have their gowns made.
Of course, the ball gown was only one of the dresses Brenna planned to buy. With her curvy body, she had almost all her clothes custom made. Prior to finding her family, she had been a poor college student, buying what she could afford off the rack. But no one made cheap clothes for a body such as hers. The previous year, she had gone wild, throwing out almost all her cloth
es and ordering new ones. The difference in both her look and her self-perception were enormous.
~~~
While not as well known as the French and Italian designers, Alice Callaghan was the premiere destination for Clan women wanting custom-made clothing.
When she first sat down with Brenna to go over her clothes list, Alice said with a smile, “I want to hear about your adventures and the progress you’re making with your training, and I probably won’t have time to do that later in the week. The last time we talked, you said you’d reorganized your mind, trying to take advantage of your Gift. So show me.”
Alice was one of Brenna’s tutors, a telepath with the O’Neill Gift for super shielding. Over one hundred thirty years old, her shields were diamond hard. An O’Neill had seventeen levels in their mind whereas all other telepaths had nine. It gave them flexibility to organize their minds in different ways, as well as additional ways to use their shields. After speaking with several people who had the Gift, Brenna had systematically reordered her mind and where her memories were stored.
Opening herself, Brenna showed Alice how she had shuffled things around, leaving nothing personal in the first nine layers of her mind. Academic knowledge, practical every-day knowledge, knowledge of acquaintances and places and things were stored there, but nothing that would give anyone an understanding of Brenna. Her emotions, loves, feelings, understandings and knowledge about O’Donnell, telepaths, and the people she loved were all buried under level ten. Between nine and ten was her trap, a place completely empty that could be used to capture a telepath’s mind. She had used it once, capturing the monster who was murdering succubi.
After a thorough inspection, Alice withdrew and nodded. “Very interesting. I assume you plan to teach this to your children? I thought so. It’s very efficient for a paranoid world.”
Alice checked the computer screen in front of her. “Now, your measurements haven’t changed an iota. What do you need?”
“First, I need gowns for the ball for these two women,” she handed Alice pictures of Margaret and Aislinn. “Their measurements are on the back. One is a new wilder, Jeremy’s lady, and she can’t be out in public. We can have Elise do the final fitting. The other is …”
“Aislinn O’Rourke,” Alice said, glancing at the back of the picture. “Are these measurements recent?” When Brenna said yes, Alice handed the picture back to her. “She hasn’t changed then. I have her measurements, though it’s been quite a while since she’s been here.”
“She’s working in Australia. It’s a long hike,” Brenna said.
“She’s a sweet girl. Did she express a color preference? No? Well, then she gets Alice’s choice. What else do you need?”
Brenna pulled out the ruined gown and showed it to her. “It was one of my favorites. I’d like one to replace it.”
“Blood? Not yours I hope?”
“Jeremy’s. He got shot but he’s recovering. He was protecting my date.”
“And you got the blood on you how?”
“Patching him up.”
“I see. Well, we can replace it. Half price. Now, Cindy called last week, and I understand the succubi are preparing a special show for us this year.” A wicked gleam lit her eyes, and her mouth crooked into a mischievous grin. “What did you have in mind? You have such deliciously naughty tastes.”
Brenna had started to design some of her own clothes, and Alice had worked closely with her to complete the designs. She had brought a couple of ideas with her, in addition to the one for her ball gown. Soon Alice was pulling out fabrics and they were deep in their discussions. One dress in particular Alice said would be ready for her last night out in New York. “I’ll work on it myself. I want to see it on you. My God, Brenna, I wish I had the gumption to wear something like that in public.”
~~~
Their last full day in New York, Brenna went to Alice’s shop to try on the special clubbing dress she’d had made. It fit like a glove, and Alice gave her a low wolf whistle. “I hope you don’t catch cold in that thing.”
“I’m a cryokinetic,” Brenna said with a smile. “I’ll adjust.”
Back at the hotel, she dressed for dinner and then waited for her suitemates to call for her before she made her entrance.
“Oh my God,” Rebecca breathed. “You’ve gone completely Hollywood. You could wear that to a porn flick premiere.”
Irina laughed, “I don’t believe you,” she said. “You’re going to have to fight off the men of your Protector team just to get out of the hotel.”
“It’s cheating,” Morrighan declared. “I want one.”
“Is it too much?” Brenna asked in a small voice.
“Yes,” her friends said in unison.
“Maybe I should change.”
“Oh, no,” Morrighan said, grabbing her by the arm, “I wouldn’t miss this show for the world.”
When Victoria saw it, she went back and changed into something almost as risqué. “I wouldn’t want you to catch cold alone,” she told Brenna with a smile.
Made from fine tight black lace in a twining rose pattern with thorns, Brenna’s dress was a mid-thigh length skin-tight LBD. It wasn’t lined. Her black bra and panties were the only things keeping it legal. New black knee boots with four-inch heels completed the outfit.
“It’s the ultimate succubus outfit,” Marie said.
“It’s illegal,” Callie said, crossing her arms and assuming a stern expression. “Go change. I’m not going out with you dressed like a streetwalker.
She was immediately outvoted by the others.
Antonia simply sat in a chair and laughed so hard she had to fix her makeup.
By acclamation, it was decided to send Brenna and Victoria into the restaurant first. Everyone wanted to see the reactions. Brenna had to admit they were priceless. She definitely didn’t need to use any Influence to attract attention.
~~~
Planning for the repercussions of the O’Donnell-Vargas alliance was progressing, with Protectors all across the globe on alert and training intensively. Mexico didn’t have a resident Clan and was solidly in O’Donnell’s sphere of influence. Todd’s office in Dallas did over half of its business in Mexico and Central America. Collin sent a large contingent of Protectors to Mexico where they were undergoing jungle survival training under the supervision of Juan Gomez, Todd’s security chief, and Ramon de Vargas, Carlos’ uncle.
Everyone was tense, hoping war wouldn’t be necessary, but expecting the worst. Security at all Clan facilities was heightened, and Rebecca had cancelled all leaves, her full thirty-member team covering Brenna like a blanket day and night.
“Rebecca, I’m going to place you as the liaison between O’Donnell and Vargas,” Collin said. “We need someone in DC to do that, and your fluency in Spanish is an asset. But even more importantly, I need someone to keep close tabs on Carlos de Vargas.”
“Don’t trust him?” Rebecca asked, twirling a lock of hair around her finger.
“Concerned about cold feet,” Collin replied. “We’re new in this relationship, and I need someone to get to know him very well.”
Rebecca chuckled and lifted an eyebrow, “Exactly how well?”
“As well as you feel comfortable,” Collin laughed.
Rebecca didn’t tell him that ever since Samhain, Carlos de Vargas had become a major distraction. Watching him was one of her favorite pastimes, and the daydreams he inspired were not very professional.
From Carlos’ point of view, he was concerned about her youth and inexperience and approached Collin with his concerns.
“I realize she’s a favorite of yours, but I’d feel more comfortable with a more experienced officer,” he told Collin one afternoon over a beer. “Her knowledge seems sound, but there’s more to war than what you can read in a book.”
“She’s battle tested, more so than many of my older commanders,” Collin said. “Brenna seems to attract trouble. As for telepathic battle tactics, she may know more than I d
o. Don’t sell her short, Carlos. I wouldn’t put her in such a critical position if I wasn’t sure she could handle it.”
Carlos shook his head. “She’s just so young. I understand that you plan to leave her in charge here in Washington?”
“As head of our tactical forces, yes. Mike Riley is head of our security operations here, but he’s not a field officer. Rebecca will have older officers to advise her, and she’s smart enough to listen to them. She’s really not that young. Military organizations all over the world have officers her age leading men in battle.”
Carlos still looked skeptical. “I know intellectually that telepaths look younger than their ages, but she looks like a college girl. I was under the impression she rose so fast because of her relationship with Brenna.”
“She rose so fast because of her performance under fire and her intelligence. She’s smarter than either you or I.”
Carlos’ head snapped up, and he studied Collin, looking for a hint of insult.
A slight smile crossed Collin’s face. “When she took our War Strategy class, she beat the retired general who taught it in seven out of seven simulations. As to Brenna ... Rebecca’s the only one I can be sure Brenna will obey if there’s an actual assault on us here.”
“I’m not sure I understand,” Carlos said.
Collin leaned forward, holding Carlos’ eyes with his own. “Brenna is worth a regiment of Protectors, but her common sense is suspect. She’s likely to put herself in danger to protect an innocent. Rebecca’s common sense is rock solid, and she’s so protective of Brenna that she won’t let Brenna do something stupid.”
“So how does her being Brenna’s shadow affect her duties?”
“We try to keep Brenna and Seamus out of battle,” Collin said. “That doesn’t mean we won’t deploy a shadow. As long as Brenna is safe, it would be unproductive to hold Rebecca out of a fight. Jeremy Murphy is in overall charge of our operations here in the U.S. while I’m out of the country. He’ll be in West Virginia with Seamus.”
Succubus Rising, An Urban Fantasy (The Telepathic Clans Saga) Page 12