Chapter 1

There was trouble in her city, and Elizabeth wouldn’t stand for it.

Strictly speaking, the city did not belong to her. Well over a hundred thousand people lived there, cheerfully oblivious to her existence. They had no idea that Elizabeth was amongst them, watching them scurry about their lives day after day. Didn’t matter. Deep down it would always be her city to Elizabeth.

There was nothing quite like walking through the downtown on a warm summer’s day, listening to the thoughts of her people. And if she reached out now and again to make the occasional change to someone’s mind, it was all harmless fun, right?

She wasn’t supposed to think like that. Just because she’d been assigned to watch over the city didn’t make it hers. The conclave would never approve of that attitude, and if they ever realized how Elizabeth felt she’d be in a lot of trouble. A stern tongue lashing at least, but more likely they’d take her city away. A forced reassignment to some backwoods hellhole. Better they never found out, then.

That did limit the fun she could have. Especially now, with her young protege here in the car. Elizabeth spared a glance at the driver’s seat. Lisa Andrews was a serious faced young woman. Her bright green eyes, particularly striking when focused on you, were locked straight ahead. Her hair, normally long and flowing, was tied up in a severe professional style. Somehow it made her more intense than normal. She was clothed in matching business attire, as was Elizabeth for that matter.

Normally, it didn’t really matter what they wore. With their abilities, either could walk naked through a crowd without anyone blinking an eye. Heck, Elizabeth had done exactly that once just to prove she could. That, and for the thrill of it. Today was different. Today they were hunting another controller.

“Anything yet?” Lisa asked.

Elizabeth hadn’t felt anything, but stretched out once more to check the sensors.

“Nothing since this morning,” Elizabeth told her, “but keep heading downtown. He’s been showing up a lot more frequently, and I think he’s ready to stick his neck out.”

For the past month and a half, they’d been tracking a rogue controller. He was good, at least for someone unaffiliated and presumably untrained. There weren’t a ton of those anymore. Most new controllers were spotted early. With advanced warning and a bit of help, they could be eased carefully into their new abilities. Most of the time. Even today, some still came into their powers without help. It was rarely a pretty picture.

Lisa didn’t get it, not really. She’d been one of the lucky ones, the sort whose potential was spotted earlier than most. Before her powers began to manifest, she’d had a patient mentor there to prepare her for what was to come.

Not so Elizabeth. She remembered all too well how frightening it was to develop these strange new abilities. Powers she didn’t understand and couldn’t quite control. The worst of it was the voices, the constant stream of unspoken thoughts surrounding her. Hearing them was bad enough, but it got worse. Before she realized it, those voices had slowly started changing. Bit by bit, everyone’s thoughts started marching in lockstep, a terrifying uniformity of purpose centered around pleasing herself. Some might have found that a dream come true, but to a young woman just wanting to be normal, it was hell.

The temple changed that. They’d taken her in, fixed what she’d unwittingly done. They taught her to control her powers, and better yet, that those powers didn’t make her a freak.

A tug at her mind interrupted Elizabeth’s thoughts. The detectors had found something.

“There, did you feel that?” Elizabeth asked. Lisa shook her head, but Elizabeth was hardly surprised. For all that Lisa was talented, one could become too focused. Try as she might, the girl just didn’t have much in the way of periphery awareness.

“Hang on,” said Elizabeth, “I’ll see if I can get a read on his position. She concentrated, scanning for some sign of resonance. Any clue towards their quarry’s location. Elizabeth was far better at this than Lisa. Not that Lisa set a high bar for wide area searches, but it was something Elizabeth excelled in.

Not everyone reacted to their new powers with fear. There were some, far too many, who saw Elizabeth’s hell as their own heaven. That was what they were after. An untaught wildling that thought the world existed solely for his own pleasure. He’d been discreet so far, but getting bolder by the day. Before long he’d cause some serious damage, and she wasn’t about to allow that. Not in her city.

Focusing intently, Elizabeth picked up the trail. There! She had him.

“Take the next exit, then-” shaking off the fog of her concentration, Elizabeth still sensed it coming. Lisa, focused Lisa, did not.

“Shit!” Lisa said, jerking the wheel to the side, just barely avoiding the car that swerved in front of them. The other driver slammed their horn, blaring loudly as they cut past to the onramp. Though she missed the car, Lisa wasn’t so lucky with the railing. With a painful jolt they were both thrown into their seatbelts.

Rubbing her shoulder, Elizabeth watched a trickle steam rise from their car’s crumpled front. She turned, looking at her pupil.

Lisa cringed, shrugging her shoulders plaintively.

“Oops?”

Elizabeth sighed. Just when they finally had a lead on the guy. Cars continued to zoom past their wreck. Elizabeth looked at them, weighing her options. Nah, they’d been on the trail this long already, a little longer wouldn’t hurt. Wasn’t worth hijacking someone’s car just so they could follow a faint lead. By the time they arrived, the trail would probably be cold anyways. No, she thought, we’re playing this one by the books. With another sigh, she pulled out out her phone and started dialing.

“Come on, out of my fucking way!” Tracy yelled. The last thing she needed today was for some asshole to run into her car. Barreling down the ramp, she just barely showed as she zipped past the stop sign. She was already running late for her big day, and it would be just her luck to miss the exit. Thank goodness she’d caught it in time. Why the hell were the road signs so crappy anyways?

The light ahead was turning yellow, and Tracy slammed the pedal to the floor. Some asshole honked as she drove through, but screw him anyways. This was the homestretch. The parking lot was already in sight, no more stupid lights to slow her down. Breathing deeply, Tracy forced herself to calm down.

Fighting an impulse to leap from her car as soon as it parked, she instead looked at the mirror for one last check of her hair and makeup. Impressions were important, and she wanted to make sure everything went perfect today. Glancing at her watch, Tracy was glad to see that she’d made it on time. Barely.

“Ok. Breath girl,” she told herself, “you’re doing fine.”

It was her first week on the job, and the last thing Tracy wanted was to make a bad impression by showing up late. For a freshman in political science, this internship was a killer opportunity. Sure, she’d been assigned to the “hospitality committee” run by the mayor’s stupid trophy wife, but it was a start. If nothing else, she’d get to rub elbows with the wives of a lot of big names. It was grating, but so long as she kept her head down and did a good job running these stupid “tea parties”, then it would open all sorts of opportunities next summer.

Tracy breezed past the front desk, heading to the conference room at a brisk walk. Outside the doors, Tracy took a couple deep breaths. Gathering her composure and putting a stupid grin on her face, she opened the door and stepped inside.

She heard them before the doors were even open. Dang, must be people here already to start setting up.

“Hi, Sorry I’m - oh!” Tracy gasped in shock. Her first sight walking into the room was a naked woman bent over the table with a guy pounding into her from behind.

Oh what the hell! This is what she got for working around a bunch of sleezbag government officials. They all thought with their dicks, every last one of them. It was obviously too much to ask that they show a little discretion, but couldn’t they have at least checked the schedule and picked a vacant room?

Wonderful, absolutely wonderful. Her first week, and already she had to chase away some asshole bureaucrat that though he was above the rules. With her luck, he’d probably be pissed off all summer, for no better reason than -

“Wait, what?” Tracy whispered. With dawning horror, she recognized the woman. Holy shit, that was the mayor’s wife. Tracy didn’t recognize the guy, but he sure as hell wasn’t the mayor.

Oh fuck, this was not something she wanted to get involved in. Time to back away, get out of here, and forget this ever happened.

Tracy inched her way back, feeling behind her for the door. Some perverse curiosity kept her eyes glued to the rutting couple as her hand fumbled for the knob. She had to get out of here. Now, before they noticed her. This was a scandal she wanted no part of.

Her fingers jiggled at the handle, but coordination to turn it escaped her. The woman’s chest slid against the table as he rammed into her. Tracy found her eyes drawn to the those breasts. Were they always that big?

Her hand slid away, falling to her sides as she became engrossed in the show before her. Tracy didn’t notice when she took the first step forward. Thoughts of leaving were slipping away, her attention too focused on what was in front of her.

Without realizing it, Tracy shrugged the jacket off her shoulders. It pooled into a pile behind her. What were these two thinking? Carrying on in such a public place was just asking to be caught. Her hands reached to her blouse, fingers undoing the buttons. Halfway to the table, it joined her jacket on the floor.

Then again, that was part of the attraction, wasn’t it? Her skirt came next, sliding down her hips to land at her feet. She stepped out of it and continued walking. There was something hot about the danger, the risk of being caught. A flick of the clasp, and her bra came off too. She tossed it behind her. Her breasts, which were perfectly adequate and she wasn’t at all self conscious about thank you for asking, hung free. By the time she reached the table, her body was completely bare.

The soft morning sunlight warmed her naked skin. Though she knew the windows were reflective, standing unclothed in front of them left her feeling exposed, but in a good sort of way.

The man finally looked at her. He smiled at her. Tracy flushed with relief. She hadn’t realized how nervous she was until that moment. She wanted him. Wanted him to want her. He was so strong, so commanding. Tracy was desperate for his approval.