2. Drake never had a family, and the only father figure he had was the old priest. With Sam pregnant, Drake struggles with his responsibilities of fatherhood, afraid that he won't be the man his child needs. What do you think makes a good father, or healthy family? What could Drake do to prepare for life as a father? Do you think his para-powers help him or hurt him in this regard?
3. Back at Rent-A-Kid, Luke and Lucy must adjust to a whole new regime as familiar faces are replaced by impersonal guards. Still, they refuse to tell Mr. Black anything about Sam. How would you have handled being questioned by authority in this manner? Do you agree with the revolt that started because of these changes?
4. Sam can sense someone is following them, and when they discover their apartment has been broken into, Drake leaves her to attack the man inside. Do you think Drake used too much force in subduing this man? What about when he killed the man who was about to kill Sam? Were Drake's actions justified, or do you think he should be held responsible for that death? Is it ever okay to take another person's life? If so, when?
5. Sam can control minds now, but she doesn't like to do it. Do you think she should be using her powers more, regardless of her personal ethics, in order to keep herself and her family safe? Or do you agree that those powers shouldn’t be messed with?
6. There are several villains in this book: The men who are after Sam and Drake, Mr. Black, at the Rent-A-Kid school, and ultimately the Seeker, who is controlling everything. At first, they all seem evil to the core, but Mr. Black and the Seeker have their own stories that have made them who they are. Did discovering more about their past change your feelings about them? Did it allow you to relate to them better?
7. Were you surprised to discover that Sam and the Seeker were related? How do you think this changes Sam's role in Rent-A-Kid and the bigger picture? Would that information have inspired you to think differently about your situation, if you'd been her?
8. When Sam, Drake and Brad are with Professor Shaw, he reveals his own involvement in trying to discover the secrets behind this organization. Does his desire to drop out of the public eye and become a reclusive make sense to you? Would you have responded differently had that happened to you?
9. At Rent-A-Kid, Mr. Black kills one young man when he discovers them dueling with their para-powers, and he beats up Lucy for failing at her mission. Given how powerful these teens are, and how dangerous their powers could be if they ever lost control, do you think there was any justification to his behavior? How else could he have handled the situation and still kept control of the school?
10. While in Russia, Luke and Lucy discovered a secret lab with some mutated creatures. Lucy befriended Adam and he saved her life and gave her a gift of the sphere. How do you feel about this friendship? Would you have trusted him in her position? What do you think Adam's motivation for helping her was?
11. When Sam and Drake are captured, Drake wants to push to break the Seeker's control over Mary. When he puts Mary at risk, Sam fights him and breaks the link, but also destroys Drake's powers in the process. Would you have risked your relationship to save someone who had spent years torturing you at school? Do you agree with Drake, that it was worth the risk to push Mary like that?
12. In the end, Drake disappears and leaves Sam and the unborn baby. What do you think his motivations were for leaving? Could you relate to him and his loss, or did you feel more strongly for Sam?
13. In the process of breaking free of Rent-A-Kid's control, Sam and her friends lose everything: their home, their belongings, other friends who perished in the fight. Was their fight for freedom worth so much loss? Why or why not?
FORBIDDEN LIFE
1. Each character in this book is put into a situation where they have to make some tough decisions that test their own moral compass. Which choices did you agree with? Which did you disagree with? Discuss (or consider) some examples of these choices.
2. In Forbidden Life, some 'bad' guys become 'good' guys, and some 'good' guys become 'bad' guys. What does this say about the nature of evil? Does this make morality ambiguous? Can you relate to the motivations behind the choices of Mr. Steele, Agent Simmons and Beleth? Who did you relate to the most?
3. Beleth didn't have a choice when Steele took control of him. Drake also found himself controlled by Steele at one point, and sabotaged Sam's attempt to kill her father. Should they be held responsible for their actions under these circumstances? Why or why not?
4. Lucy used her powers to keep Mr. K from telling her friends about the sphere. IPI used their influence to keep the truth of paranormals from the public. Were these choices right or wrong? Is it ever okay to censor others or prevent people from learning the truth about something? Did Mr. K have the right to tell Luke and Hunter about the sphere? Does IPI have the right to decide who knows about paranormals and who doesn't?