Nalini Singh - Tangle of Need

In alphabetical order by first name

Key: SD = SnowDancer Wolves DR = DarkRiver Leopards

Aden Arrow, Telepath (Tp)

Adria Morgan SD Senior Soldier

Alexei SD Lieutenant

Alice Eldridge Human scientist, in coma after a century in cryonic suspension

Amara Aleine Psy member of DR, former Council scientist, twin of Ashaya, mentally unstable

Anthony Kyriakus Psy Councilor, father of Faith

Ashaya Aleine Psy member of DR, former Council scientist, mated to Dorian, twin of Amara

Ava SD, maternal female, mother of Ben

Bastien DR, brother of Mercy

Bowen Security Chief, Human Alliance

Brenna Kincaid SD, tech, mated to Judd, sister of Andrew and Riley

Cooper SD Lieutenant, mated to Grace

Council (or Psy Council) The ruling Council of the Psy race

Dalton SD Librarian

Drew Kincaid (full name: Andrew) SD Soldier, mated to Indigo, brother of Riley and Brenna

Elias SD Senior Soldier, mated to Yuki, father of Sakura

Evangeline (Evie) Riviere SD, sister of Indigo, daughter of Tarah and Abel

Faith NightStar Psy member of DR, gift of Foresight (F), mated to Vaughn, daughter of Anthony

Felix SD, horticultural expert, submissive

Garrick Former alpha of SnowDancer, killed when the Psy psychically broke and programmed several of SnowDancers dominants to attack their own pack

Ghost Psy rebel

Hawke SD Alpha, mated to Sienna

Henry Scott Psy Councilor (presumed dead), leader of Pure Psy, husband of Shoshanna

Indigo Riviere SD Lieutenant, mated to Drew, sister of Evangeline

Jem (real name: Garnet) SD Lieutenant

Judd Lauren Psy member of SD, Lieutenant, mated to Brenna, uncle of Sienna, Toby, and Marlee

Kaleb Krychek Psy Councilor

Kenji SD Lieutenant

Kieran Human member of SD, Senior Soldier

Kit DR Novice Soldier

Lara SD Healer, mated to Walker Lauren

Lucas Hunter DR Alpha, mated to Sascha, father of Naya

Lucy SD, nurse, assistant to Lara

Maria SD Novice Soldier

Matthias SD Lieutenant

Max Shannon Human, Security chief for Nikita Duncan

Mercy Smith DR Sentinel, mated to Riley

Ming LeBon Psy Councilor

Nathan (Nate) Ryder DR Senior Sentinel, mated to Tamsyn, father of Roman and Julian

Nell SD Maternal dominant

Nikita Duncan Psy Councilor, mother of Sascha

Pierce SD Senior Soldier, based in Europe

Riaz Delgado SD Lieutenant

Riley Kincaid SD Lieutenant, mated to Mercy, brother of Drew and Brenna

Sam Human member of SD, Soldier

Sascha Duncan Psy member of DR, cardinal Empath (E), mated to Lucas, mother of Naya, daughter of Nikita

Shawnelle (Shawnie) SD juvenile

Shoshanna Scott Psy Councilor, wife of Henry

Sienna Lauren Psy member of SD, mated to Hawke, sister of Toby, niece of Judd and Walker

Tamsyn (Tammy) Ryder DR Healer, mated to Nathan, mother of Roman and Julian

Tatiana Rika-Smythe Psy Councilor

Toms SD Lieutenant

Vasic Arrow, Teleporter (Tk-V)

Walker Lauren Psy member of SD, mated to Lara, father of Marlee, uncle of Sienna and Toby

WindHaven Falcons Allied to SnowDancer and DarkRiver

THE PSYNET IS a place of incomparable power and stark beauty, the millions of minds in the psychic network starbursts in the inky black. For the majority of Psy, it is their lifeline, as vital as air.

To disconnect from the Net is to die.

But as autumn whispers on the horizon in the year 2081, it is the Net itself that is dying. Stagnant rivers of rot snake ever deeper into the center, and it is a rot that twists and corrodes, damaging sense and reason to leave only unthinking menace behind.

If the Psy do not find a solution to this cancerous growth, the rot could soon begin to seep into the minds of those uplinked to the Net.

Or perhaps it already has.

RIAZ CAUGHT A flash of midnight hair and a long-legged stride and called out, Indigo! However, he realized his mistake the instant he turned the corner. Adria.

Eyes of deepest blue-violet met his, the frost in them threatening to give him hypothermia. Indigos in her office. The words were helpful, but the tone might as well have been a serrated blade.

That did it. Did I kill your dog?

Frown lines marred her smooth forehead. Excuse me?

God, that tone. Its the only reason, he said, holding on to his temper by a very thin thread, I can think of to explain why youre so damn pissy with me. Adria had been pulled into den territory during the hostilities with Councilor Henry Scott and his Pure Psy army a month ago and had remained behind to take up a permanent position as a senior soldier. Shed fought with focused determination by Riazs side, followed his orders on the field without hesitation.

However, off the field?

Ice.

Absolute.

Unrelenting.

Glacial enough to bite.

Folding his arms when she didnt reply, he stepped into her personal space, caught the subtle scent of crushed berries and frost. A strangely delicate scent for this hard-ass of a woman, he thought, before his wolfs anger overrode all else. You havent answered my question. It came out a growl.

Eyes steely, she stepped closer with a slow deliberation that was pure, calculated provocation. She was a tall woman, but he was taller. That didnt seem to stop her from looking down her nose at him. I didnt realize, she said in a voice so polite it drew blood, that fawning over you was part of the job requirement.

Now I know who Indigo learned her mean face from. But where his fellow lieutenants heart beat warm and generous beneath that tough exterior, he wasnt sure Adria had any emotions that registered above zero on the thermometer.

Adrias response was scalpel sharp. I dont know what she ever saw in you, but I suppose every woman has mistakes in her past. The slightest change in her expression, the tiniest fracture, before it was sealed up again, her face an impenetrable mask.

Scowling, Riaz was about to tell her exactly what he thought of her and her judgmental gaze when his cell phone rang. He answered without moving an inch away from the woman who was sandpaper across his temper, rubbing him raw with her mere presence. Yeah?

My office, Hawke said. Need you to head out, do a pickup.

Be there in two. Snapping the phone shut, he closed the remaining distance between him and Adria, forcing her to tip back her head. We will, he said, realizing those striking blue eyes with an edge of purple had streaks of gold running through them, beautiful and exotic, continue this later.

That was when Adrias cell phone rang. Yes? she answered, without breaking eye contact with the big, muscled wolf who thought he could intimidate her.