Dark Visions



Dark Visions is a trilogy series written by the author L. J. Smith. The series was originally published as three books in 1994 (The Strange Power) and 1995 (The Possessed, The Passion), with an omnibus edition released in 2009.

Series Synopsis
The trilogy follows the protagonist, Kaitlyn Fairchild, a teenager with the ability to see the future, which she draws out as pictures. Her ability is deemed both a "gift" and a "curse", as she cannot control what visions come, and usually they speak of an impending tragedy.

However, Kaitlyn is soon offered the opportunity to attend the Zetes Institute, an organization for young people with psychic abilities such as herself. She accepts the offer, coming to live at the institute and meeting four others with gifts like herself: Anna, who can psychically communicate with animals, Lewis, a psychokinetic, Rob, a handsome and naive young man with the power to heal others, and Gabriel, a dark and mysterious youth with an initially unknown power, but one deemed very dangerous.

Despite the apparent ease in which she fits into the institute and her growing attraction to Rob, Kaitlyn and the others soon uncover a dark secret about the institute and its true purpose for wanting them.

The Strange Power


'''They said she had evil eyes. . .'''

Eyes that saw what was not meant to be seen. Kaitlyn Fairchild was frightened by her uncanny talent, by the prophetic drawings that isolated her at school. Until she was invited to California, to attend the Zetes institute with four other psychically gifted students, in return for a college scholarship. It was a chance to begin again, to belong; a great adventure, with the promise of romance. . . with Rob, irresistible, yet strangely innocent. . . with dark, enigmatic Gabriel. Until they learn the truth about an experiment that threatens their sanity, and their lives. All they have is each other, and a perilous psychic link that can save - or destroy - them all. ..

The Possessed


Kaitlyn, Anna, Lewis, Rob and Gabriel are now on the run from the Zetes Institute, hoping to find asylum. Kaitlyn soon begins having visions of a specific house situated on a white cliff, deducing that it may help them against Mr. Zetes, although the group has no idea where the house and cliff might be located. However, things begin to darken for the five fugitive psychics as Mr. Zetes sends ethereal creatures - "dark psychics" to deal with his wayward students. Furthermore, Gabriel's dark abilites are finally revealed: he is a psychic vampire, and must regularly feed on human energy to survive. To protect Gabriel, Kaitlyn offers herself as a donor for him, but things become complicated when the two, in spite of Kaitlyn's love for Rob, becoming attracted to one another.

The Passion


Kaitlyn and the others manage to acquire a key artifact that may help them in their struggle against Mr. Zetes, who had nearly obliterated their chance of defeating him in the previous book. In a stunning betrayal of the fugitive psychics, in spite of his infatuation with Kaitlyn, Gabriel has abandoned them and sided with the Zetes Institute, joining his group of corresponding dark psychics. Disbelieving Gabriel's defection, Kaitlyn leaves Rob, Anna and Lewis, and infiltrates the institute, feigning loyalty to Zetes herself and telling Gabriel she is in love with him to smooth her entry back. However, Kaitlyn must work to convince Zetes, Gabriel and the other members of the institute of her loyalty. Ultimately, Kaitlyn is forced to come to a final decision of who she really loves, Rob or Gabriel, and find some way to permanently shut down the dreaded Zetes Institute.

Trivia

 * L. J. Smith has started to write a sequel to the Dark Visions trilogy titled Blindsight.