Succubus Ascendant: An Urban Fantasy (The Telepathic Clans Saga Book 4) by BR Kingsolver
Authors: BR Kingsolver
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was held. When the house collapsed, they scooped up Hugh’s fighters that managed to crawl out of the wreckage.
As the emergency personnel showed up on the scene, the Protectors took control and directed the ambulances to the small hospital in Dunallen. Memories were implanted and the police and fire services believed that the house was unoccupied at the time of the “gas explosion.”
Between the hacking of Hugh’s computer network and the interrogations of the survivors, Collin was able to build a complete picture of Hugh’s operation. Over the following three days, Collin’s troops spread out and surrounded all of the safe houses and hiding places of Hugh’s forces in the Glasgow area. When they could, they quietly captured rebel fighters on their way in or out of such places.
A major force moved quietly toward the town of Ayr, south of Glasgow on the coast facing Northern Ireland. All indications were that Hugh was running his rebellion from an estate outside the town.
Collin’s strategy concerning the shipyard was working. Since cutting the utilities, over two hundred workers had come out and given themselves up. They told the Protectors that food was becoming a problem with no refrigeration. The more immediate problem was sanitation. With no working toilets, almost all of the few women inside came out.
Rebecca joined the force heading to Ayr. As she scrambled into a van filled with Protectors, she heard someone call her name. Turning, she saw Rhiannon running toward her.
“What are you doing here?” Rebecca asked.
“I flew in from Dublin. I heard that you’ve located Hugh O’Neill.”
“We think so,” Rebecca said cautiously.
Rhiannon looked into the van. “Teddy,” she said to a man sitting there, “catch the next ride.” She punctuated the order by gesturing with her thumb.
He blinked. “Who are you?”
“I’m Corwin O’Neill’s granddaughter. Out, or I’ll tell the world about what your mum used to do on Wednesday afternoons.”
Teddy’s eyes grew wide, and he scrambled out of the van.
“That’s a good boy,” Rhiannon said with a wink. “I’ll bring you some of those cookies you like when I get back.” She crawled into the van and took his seat.
* What was that about?* Rebecca asked as she got into the van.
* Teddy’s mum used to get together with Corwin on Wednesdays when Teddy’s da was in Derry on business. Corwin bought him off with cookies.*
*You’re shameless. Do you know that?*
*I didn’t ask for Corwin’s death gift, but knowledge isn’t any good unless you use it.*
*But ... blackmail?*
Rhiannon turned a beatific smile toward her, one that reminded Rebecca of the visions she’d seen of the Goddess.
*Rebecca, I’m a licensed private investigator. I’m not your run-of-the-mill blackmailer. I’m a professional.*
*I’ll remember that.*
They rode for an hour in silence, and then Rhiannon sent a spear thread into Rebecca’s mind, *You’re one of those people who can’t be blackmailed.*
* Why do you say that?* Rebecca asked.
* Did Brenna explain what happened when we shared Corwin’s death gift?*
*Not in detail, no. But I was there, and I’m linked to both of you. I could feel the chaos.*
Rhiannon laughed out loud.
*Chaos? You have no idea. Rebecca, when we shared Corwin’s mind, we also shared each other’s.*
Rebecca turned to her, mouth gaping.
* You called me shameless, but I’m really not. My skeletons are legion. Most people are that way. People don’t understand blackmail. You can only blackmail someone if you can find something they’re ashamed of. You have no shame.*
*You’ve been in Brenna’s mind and you think that?*
*You’re not the girl you used to be. The woman you are is shameless. You made a conscious decision to dump shame in the toilet and flush it. Instead of feeling shame, you just get angry at people who try to shame you.*
Rebecca thought about that for several minutes. *Is that what Brenna thinks?*
*It
As the emergency personnel showed up on the scene, the Protectors took control and directed the ambulances to the small hospital in Dunallen. Memories were implanted and the police and fire services believed that the house was unoccupied at the time of the “gas explosion.”
Between the hacking of Hugh’s computer network and the interrogations of the survivors, Collin was able to build a complete picture of Hugh’s operation. Over the following three days, Collin’s troops spread out and surrounded all of the safe houses and hiding places of Hugh’s forces in the Glasgow area. When they could, they quietly captured rebel fighters on their way in or out of such places.
A major force moved quietly toward the town of Ayr, south of Glasgow on the coast facing Northern Ireland. All indications were that Hugh was running his rebellion from an estate outside the town.
Collin’s strategy concerning the shipyard was working. Since cutting the utilities, over two hundred workers had come out and given themselves up. They told the Protectors that food was becoming a problem with no refrigeration. The more immediate problem was sanitation. With no working toilets, almost all of the few women inside came out.
Rebecca joined the force heading to Ayr. As she scrambled into a van filled with Protectors, she heard someone call her name. Turning, she saw Rhiannon running toward her.
“What are you doing here?” Rebecca asked.
“I flew in from Dublin. I heard that you’ve located Hugh O’Neill.”
“We think so,” Rebecca said cautiously.
Rhiannon looked into the van. “Teddy,” she said to a man sitting there, “catch the next ride.” She punctuated the order by gesturing with her thumb.
He blinked. “Who are you?”
“I’m Corwin O’Neill’s granddaughter. Out, or I’ll tell the world about what your mum used to do on Wednesday afternoons.”
Teddy’s eyes grew wide, and he scrambled out of the van.
“That’s a good boy,” Rhiannon said with a wink. “I’ll bring you some of those cookies you like when I get back.” She crawled into the van and took his seat.
* What was that about?* Rebecca asked as she got into the van.
* Teddy’s mum used to get together with Corwin on Wednesdays when Teddy’s da was in Derry on business. Corwin bought him off with cookies.*
*You’re shameless. Do you know that?*
*I didn’t ask for Corwin’s death gift, but knowledge isn’t any good unless you use it.*
*But ... blackmail?*
Rhiannon turned a beatific smile toward her, one that reminded Rebecca of the visions she’d seen of the Goddess.
*Rebecca, I’m a licensed private investigator. I’m not your run-of-the-mill blackmailer. I’m a professional.*
*I’ll remember that.*
They rode for an hour in silence, and then Rhiannon sent a spear thread into Rebecca’s mind, *You’re one of those people who can’t be blackmailed.*
* Why do you say that?* Rebecca asked.
* Did Brenna explain what happened when we shared Corwin’s death gift?*
*Not in detail, no. But I was there, and I’m linked to both of you. I could feel the chaos.*
Rhiannon laughed out loud.
*Chaos? You have no idea. Rebecca, when we shared Corwin’s mind, we also shared each other’s.*
Rebecca turned to her, mouth gaping.
* You called me shameless, but I’m really not. My skeletons are legion. Most people are that way. People don’t understand blackmail. You can only blackmail someone if you can find something they’re ashamed of. You have no shame.*
*You’ve been in Brenna’s mind and you think that?*
*You’re not the girl you used to be. The woman you are is shameless. You made a conscious decision to dump shame in the toilet and flush it. Instead of feeling shame, you just get angry at people who try to shame you.*
Rebecca thought about that for several minutes. *Is that what Brenna thinks?*
*It
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