The Hot Zone (A Rainshadow Novel Book 3) Read online

  Praise for

  DECEPTION COVE

  “Returning to mysterious Rainshadow Island and the futuristic world of Harmony is always a thrilling adventure . . . The addition of characters from previous novels rounds out the enjoyable experience, making Deception Cove another wonderful addition to this entertaining series. Jayne Castle again proves her writing prowess with Deception Cove.”

  —Fresh Fiction

  “In her usual spot-on fashion, Jayne Ann Krentz, writing as Castle, serves up another riveting installment in her futuristic Harmony series, and the resulting fast-paced, witty, sexy romance is guaranteed to keep readers enthralled with its danger-spiked plot and compelling characters.”

  —Booklist

  “I’ve always enjoyed reading Jayne Castle, who also writes as Amanda Quick and Jayne Ann Krentz. Her fantasy paranormal books are a wonderful blend of paranormal romance and suspense with dollops of humor. Quick-witted characters, intriguing plot lines, and vivid world building makes each series an interesting, unique read . . . Castle continues to expand her world and draws on an engaging cast of characters to make it come further alive for her readers. Deception Cove certainly lived up to its name and I look forward to my next visit to Harmony.”

  —Smexy Books

  “Full of suspense, passion, and discoveries that both answer and leave more questions . . . I can’t wait for the next venture into this world. To say that I Joyfully Recommend this book as a must-read is putting it almost too simply, but I do wholeheartedly.”

  —Joyfully Reviewed

  “This author excels at creating realistic characters who beautifully complement one another with their very esoteric powers and work together to form a team that is more powerful than the sum of its parts. Another wonderful tale in an intriguing series.”

  —Night Owl Reviews

  “Three-word review: suspenseful, romantic, and entertaining . . . Fans of romantic suspense in a futuristic setting will enjoy Deception Cove and the Rainshadow series. You just have to meet a dust bunny! Four cups of coffee out of five.”

  —Caffeinated Book Reviewer

  THE LOST NIGHT

  “[Castle] has created a fully imagined futurist world in Harmony . . . The real achievement here, though, is something considerably more old-fashioned: the establishment of vital interactions between the characters, whether in love, hatred, or friendship.”

  —The Seattle Times

  “Castle’s deliciously dry sense of wit, delightfully amusing characters, and devilishly imaginative plot, spiked with plenty of thrilling twists and turns, all add up to another stellar romance from one of the genre’s most consistently entertaining writers.”

  —Booklist (starred review)

  “Another fascinating journey into the world of Harmony, complete with the author’s beloved dust bunnies . . . One can’t help but be enchanted by yet another mesmerizing tale set on the world of Harmony.”

  —Night Owl Reviews (Top Pick)

  “A mysterious island, a dangerous and unknown preserve, and a hot passion combine together in The Lost Night. I could see the sparks that came off of Rachel and Harry and knew this was going to be one hot book. It was in more ways than one . . . The wonderfully suspenseful plot, slight touch of humor, and exploding passion make The Lost Night a must-read for me.”

  —Joyfully Reviewed

  “Vivid world building . . . I never knew what to expect . . . A satisfying return to the world of Harmony, and I look forward to seeing what happens next on Rainshadow Island.”

  —The Bookpushers

  “Engaging characters.”

  —Fiction Vixen Book Reviews

  Praise for the novels of New York Times

  bestselling author Jayne Castle . . .

  “Castle is well known for her playful love stories, and this futuristic tale of romantic suspense runs delightfully true to form . . . An appealing, effervescent romance mildly spiced with paranormal fun, this novel won’t disappoint.”

  —Publishers Weekly

  “Writing under Jayne Castle, Jayne Ann Krentz takes her trademark combination of witty, upbeat action, lively sensuality, and appealing characters to [a] unique, synergistic world.”

  —Library Journal

  “Jayne Castle, one of the pioneers of the futuristic subgenre, continues to set the standard against which all other such books are judged.”

  —Affaire de Coeur

  “As always, the characterizations and plot blend perfectly for a thrilling, funny, and fully satisfying read.”

  —RT Book Reviews (4½ stars)

  . . . and Jayne Ann Krentz

  “Good fun.”

  —Cosmopolitan

  “Entertaining.”

  —People

  “Fast-moving . . . entertaining . . . highly successful.”

  —The Seattle Times

  “Fast-paced . . . interesting characters . . . A good time is had by the reader.”

  —Chicago Tribune

  “Along with Nora Roberts, Krentz is one of the most reliably satisfying romance writers publishing.”

  —Sunday Times (CA)

  “Jayne Ann Krentz is one of the hottest writers around.”

  —Albuquerque Journal

  Titles by Jayne Ann Krentz writing as Jayne Castle

  THE HOT ZONE

  DECEPTION COVE

  THE LOST NIGHT

  CANYONS OF NIGHT

  MIDNIGHT CRYSTAL

  OBSIDIAN PREY

  DARK LIGHT

  SILVER MASTER

  GHOST HUNTER

  AFTER GLOW

  HARMONY

  AFTER DARK

  AMARYLLIS

  ZINNIA

  ORCHID

  The Guinevere Jones Titles

  Desperate and Deceptive

  The Guinevere Jones Collection, Volume 1

  THE DESPERATE GAME

  THE CHILLING DECEPTION

  Sinister and Fatal

  The Guinevere Jones Collection, Volume 2

  THE SINISTER TOUCH

  THE FATAL FORTUNE

  Titles by Jayne Ann Krentz writing as Amanda Quick

  OTHERWISE ENGAGED

  THE MYSTERY WOMAN

  CRYSTAL GARDENS

  QUICKSILVER

  BURNING LAMP

  THE PERFECT POISON

  THE THIRD CIRCLE

  THE RIVER KNOWS

  SECOND SIGHT

  LIE BY MOONLIGHT

  THE PAID COMPANION

  WAIT UNTIL MIDNIGHT

  LATE FOR THE WEDDING

  DON’T LOOK BACK

  SLIGHTLY SHADY

  WICKED WIDOW

  I THEE WED

  WITH THIS RING

  AFFAIR

  MISCHIEF

  MYSTIQUE

  MISTRESS

  DECEPTION

  DESIRE

  DANGEROUS

  RECKLESS

  RAVISHED

  RENDEZVOUS

  SCANDAL

  SURRENDER

  SEDUCTION

  Other titles by Jayne Ann Krentz

  RIVER ROAD

  DREAM EYES

  COPPER BEACH

  IN TOO DEEP

  FIRED UP

  RUNNING HOT

  SIZZLE AND BURN

  WHITE LIES

  ALL NIGHT LONG

  FALLING AWAKE

  TRUTH OR DARE

&
nbsp; LIGHT IN SHADOW

  SUMMER IN ECLIPSE BAY

  TOGETHER IN ECLIPSE BAY

  SMOKE IN MIRRORS

  LOST & FOUND

  DAWN IN ECLIPSE BAY

  SOFT FOCUS

  ECLIPSE BAY

  EYE OF THE BEHOLDER

  FLASH

  SHARP EDGES

  DEEP WATERS

  ABSOLUTELY, POSITIVELY

  TRUST ME

  GRAND PASSION

  HIDDEN TALENTS

  WILDEST HEARTS

  FAMILY MAN

  PERFECT PARTNERS

  SWEET FORTUNE

  SILVER LININGS

  THE GOLDEN CHANCE

  Specials

  THE SCARGILL COVE CASE FILES

  BRIDAL JITTERS

  (writing as Jayne Castle)

  Anthologies

  CHARMED

  (with Julie Beard, Lori Foster, and Eileen Wilks)

  Titles written by Jayne Ann Krentz and Jayne Castle

  NO GOING BACK

  THE BERKLEY PUBLISHING GROUP

  Published by the Penguin Group

  Penguin Group (USA) LLC

  375 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014

  USA • Canada • UK • Ireland • Australia • New Zealand • India • South Africa • China

  penguin.com

  A Penguin Random House Company

  THE HOT ZONE

  A Jove Book / published by arrangement with the author

  Copyright © 2014 by Jayne Ann Krentz.

  Penguin supports copyright. Copyright fuels creativity, encourages diverse voices, promotes free speech, and creates a vibrant culture. Thank you for buying an authorized edition of this book and for complying with copyright laws by not reproducing, scanning, or distributing any part of it in any form without permission. You are supporting writers and allowing Penguin to continue to publish books for every reader.

  Jove Books are published by The Berkley Publishing Group.

  JOVE® is a registered trademark of Penguin Group (USA) LLC.

  The “J” design is a trademark of Penguin Group (USA) LLC.

  For information, address: The Berkley Publishing Group,

  a division of Penguin Group (USA) LLC,

  375 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014.

  eBook ISBN: 978-0-698-14095-0

  PUBLISHING HISTORY

  Jove mass-market edition / September 2014

  Cover art by Craig White / Lott Reps.

  Cover handlettering by Ron Zinn.

  Cover design by George Long.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  Version_1

  For Lyle and friends: Party on!

  Contents

  Praise for Jayne Castle

  Titles by Jayne Castle

  Title Page

  Copyright

  Dedication

  A Note from Jayne

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Chapter 31

  Chapter 32

  Chapter 33

  Chapter 34

  Chapter 35

  Chapter 36

  Chapter 37

  Chapter 38

  Chapter 39

  Chapter 40

  Chapter 41

  Chapter 42

  Chapter 43

  A Note from Jayne

  Welcome back to Rainshadow Island on my other world—Harmony.

  Everyone on Rainshadow has a past; everyone has secrets. But none of those secrets is as dangerous as the ancient mysteries concealed inside the paranormal fence that guards the forbidden territory of the island known as the Preserve.

  The secrets of the Preserve have been locked away for centuries, but now some of them are coming to light—and they are dangerous, indeed.

  I hope you enjoy the Rainshadow novels.

  Chapter 1

  The dust bunny was back.

  Sedona heard the soft, muffled chortle and rushed to the barred door of the small, windowless chamber. The lab was deserted for the night but there was ample illumination. The Aliens had vanished a few thousand years ago but they had built their maze of underworld catacombs to last. And they had left the lights on. The quartz walls of the small cell and the chamber that housed Dr. Blankenship’s research equipment glowed with an acid-green radiance.

  Because of the constant light it was impossible to tell whether it was day or night up on the surface, but she was pretty sure it was night because Blankenship’s two seriously bulked-up assistants had left a while ago, talking about dinner. The pair had names but she had privately decided to call the one with the short, razor-cut hair Buzzkill. The other man had completely shaved his head. She had nicknamed him Hulk.

  They wore a lot of khaki and leather, but even without the clothing cues she would have known that they were ghost hunters. She had worked with Guild men often enough to recognize them when she saw them. One big clue was that they were obsessive about their amber. They wore amber in every conceivable way—in their belt buckles, in their earring studs, in the hilts of their knives. She knew they probably carried more amber as backup in their boots. No self-respecting Guild man ever went down into the catacombs without plenty of amber, and all of it was tuned. Good amber set to the correct frequencies was the only way to navigate in the heavy currents of senses-distorting psi that flooded the Alien tunnels. Lose your amber and you were lost forever.

  She heard another muffled chortle. This time it came from beneath one of the lab workbenches. There was a flash of motion near the floor. The dust bunny scurried out from under the bench and fluttered across the room to the door of the cell. He looked like a large ball of fuzzy dryer lint studded with a pair of baby blue eyes. There were six paws and a couple of ears but they were nearly invisible in the fluff of his fur.

  At some point she had decided to call him Lyle. She wasn’t sure why. The name just seemed to fit, and giving the dust bunny a name served to make him seem more real. She needed all the solid, tangible links to reality that she could get. Last night when Lyle had first appeared she had still been fighting her way up through the thick layers of the drugs that Blankenship used to keep her heavily sedated in a waking dreamstate. She had no idea how long she had been held prisoner. Her days and nights were filled with nightmares and disturbing visions.

  At first she had assumed that the dust bunny was just one more hallucination, albeit a comforting one. She had wondered if it was a sign that Blankenship’s experiments had finally pushed her over the precarious border between sanity and chaos.

  Lyle had appeared thrilled with the energy bar that she had given him from the stash in the cell. He had squeezed easily through the bars in the door and hopped up onto the cot. He had chattered at her with increasing urgency until
she finally realized that he was trying to get her to leave.

  “I can’t go anywhere,” she had explained. “The door’s locked.”

  She had sat beside him for a long time, taking comfort from him. He had departed shortly before Buzzkill and Hulk returned. There had followed another horrible day of Blankenship’s experiments. It had taken every ounce of willpower she had to fake the waking dreamstate. What she really wanted to do was scream her rage and claw Blankenship’s eyes out of his head.

  That night she had despaired of ever seeing Lyle again. But he was here. Her spirits soared.

  “Hi,” she whispered. She crouched and reached through the bars to pat Lyle. “Good to see you again, buddy.”

  Lyle rumbled. He had a small, shiny metallic object about an inch and a half long clutched in one paw. He fluttered through the bars, bounced up onto the cot, and waved the bright thing at her.

  “A gift in exchange for the energy bar?” she said. “Thank you.”

  When she took the present she saw that it was a small emergency firestarter. They were known as flickers and they were standard-issue emergency equipment for Guild men. Fire was one of the few useful sources of energy that worked in heavy psi environments because it could be made to burn across the spectrum from the normal into the paranormal. Sophisticated, high-tech gear like guns or computers either failed to function at all or else exploded in your hands.

  She considered the little flicker. A plan quickly formed in her head. It wasn’t much of a plan but when you were desperate, any sort of plan held a certain appeal. At most the flicker would generate only a spark of a flame. Still, that might be enough for her purposes.

  “Hmm.”

  Lyle muttered impatiently and bounced some more.

  “Yes, I know,” she said. “Time to get out of here. I don’t think I can get through another day pretending to be in a dreamstate.”

  When she had finally begun to drag herself out of the oppressive nightmare landscape she had intuitively known that she had to conceal her recovery. If Dr. Blankenship realized that she had awakened, he would very likely double the dose of whatever hallucinogen he was using on her.

  She considered her options. She had comprehended two facts yesterday during the course of the experiments. First, for whatever reason, Blankenship and his men were extremely wary around her. They evidently considered her dangerous. That was a good thing, she told herself, probably the only thing that had kept Buzzkill and Hulk from molesting her while she was in the dreamstate. But she dared not give them any reason to use physical restraints as well as medication to keep her under control.