Silver Master Read online

  Praise for

  GHOST HUNTER

  “Bewitching…Castle’s new futuristic romance brilliantly blends exceptionally entertaining characters, witty prose, and a thrilling paranormal-tinged plot in a sublime novel of romantic suspense.”

  —Booklist

  “Cooper stole my heart. Elly was properly feisty. Their chemistry sparkles. Highly recommended…It’s J.A.K. at the top of her game.”

  —The Best Reviews

  “Jayne Castle has long been one of my favorite authors. With each story that she writes, her special touch enhances each page. Paranormal fans will rejoice at what she has put together in Ghost Hunter. This book is one that offers a wealth of intrigue, mystery, and all-out sexual chemistry. Those are trademark elements of a great author. Very highly recommended.”

  —MyShelf.com

  “We welcome back Jayne Castle (Jayne Ann Krentz) to the genre of paranormal romance in which she is one of the leading writers. If you love paranormal romances, Ghost Hunter is just the ticket for you this month.”

  —Romance Reviews Today

  “Sexual fireworks laced with humor equals fizz. Fizz is a trademark of author Jayne Castle aka Jayne Ann Krentz, and Ghost Hunter is volatile. Go for it!”

  —Reviewer’s Choice Reviews

  “As usual in a Castle/Krentz romance, you get plenty of steam, gripping emotion, and characters who come alive as you’re reading…This one’s earned four of Cupid’s five arrows.”

  —BellaOnline

  continued…

  “[A] deft combination of romance and suspense…Ghost Hunter is a page-turning winner. I finished it in one day and was sorry to see it end. I hope Ms. Castle plans to write more books in this fascinating world.”

  —A Romance Review

  “Returning to the planet Harmony, Castle adds intriguing new characters, including a fashion-conscious dust bunny, to her already captivating world. Characters with passion, dialogue with zip, and fast-moving action all add up to vintage Castle fun!”

  —Romantic Times (41/2 stars)

  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

  “A fun read, as are all [of] Castle/Krentz’s books.”

  —The Southern Pines (NC) Pilot

  “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 sub-genre, 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.”

  —Romantic Times (41?2 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

  “Quick and witty and the romance sizzles…Reads fast and will make you smile, wince, and sigh. What else could you want?”

  —The Columbia (SC) State

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

  —Sunday (CA) Times

  “An absolutely, positively fun read…Krentz’s characters are always people you’d like to meet for yourself and know more about.”

  —The Southern Pines (NC) Pilot

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

  —Albuquerque Journal

  “Pure pleasure.”

  —San Jose Mercury News

  Titles by Jayne Ann Krentz writing as Jayne Castle

  SILVER MASTER

  GHOST HUNTER

  AFTER GLOW

  HARMONY

  AFTER DARK

  AMARYLLIS

  ZINNIA

  ORCHID

  Titles by Jayne Ann Krentz writing as Amanda Quick

  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

  WHITE LIES

  ALL NIGHT LONG

  FALLING AWAKE

  TRUTH OR DARE

  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

  Anthologies

  CHARMED

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

  Titles written by Jayne Ann Krentz and Jayne Castle

  NO GOING BACK

  SILVER MASTER

  JAYNE CASTLE

  THE BERKLEY PUBLISHING GROUP

  Published by the Penguin Group

  Penguin Group (USA) Inc.

  375 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014, USA

  Penguin Group (Canada), 90 Eglinton Avenue East, Suite 700, Toronto, Ontario M4P 2Y3, Canada (a division of Pearson Penguin Canada Inc.) Penguin Books Ltd., 80 Strand, London WC2R 0RL, England Penguin Group Ireland, 25 St. Stephen’s Green, Dublin 2, Ireland (a division of Penguin Books Ltd.) Penguin Group (Australia), 250 Camberwell Road, Camberwell, Victoria 3124, Australia (a division of Pearson Australia Group Pty. Ltd.) Penguin Books India Pvt. Ltd., 11 Community Centre, Panchsheel Park, New Delhi—110 017, India Penguin Group (NZ), 67 Apollo Drive, Rosedale, North Shore 0745, Auckland, New Zealand (a division of Pearson New Zealand Ltd.) Penguin Books (South Africa) (Pty.) Ltd., 24 Sturdee Avenue, Rosebank, Johannesburg 2196, South Africa

  Penguin Books Ltd., Registered Offices: 80 Strand, London WC2R 0RL, England

  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. The publisher does not have any control over and does not assume any responsibility for author or third-party websites or their content.

  SILVER MASTER

  A Jove Book / published by arrangement with the author

  Copyright © 2007 by Jayne Ann Krentz.

  Excerpt from Sizzle and
Burn copyright © 2007 by Jayne Ann Krentz.

  Cover art by Franco Accornero.

  Cover handlettering by Ron Zinn.

  Cover design by George Long.

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author’s rights. Purchase only authorized editions.

  For information, address: The Berkley Publishing Group, a division of Penguin Group (USA) Inc., 375 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014.

  ISBN: 1-4295-4646-8

  JOVE®

  Jove Books are published by The Berkley Publishing Group, a division of Penguin Group (USA) Inc., 375 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014.

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

  The “J” design is a trademark belonging to Penguin Group (USA) Inc.

  Another one for those who

  love dust bunnies.

  Contents

  Prologue

  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

  Chapter 44

  A Note from Jayne

  Welcome back to my other world, Harmony.

  Two hundred years ago a vast energy Curtain opened in the vicinity of Earth, making interstellar travel practical for the first time. In typical human fashion, thousands of eager colonists packed up their stuff and lost no time heading out to create new homes and new societies on the unexplored worlds. Harmony was one of those worlds.

  The colonists brought with them all the comforts of home—sophisticated technology, centuries of art and literature, and the latest fashions. Trade through the Curtain flourished and made it possible to stay in touch with families back on Earth. It also allowed the colonists to keep their computers and high-tech gadgets working. Things went swell for a while.

  And then one day, without warning, the Curtain closed, disappearing as mysteriously as it had opened. Cut off from Earth, no longer able to obtain the tools and supplies needed to keep their high-tech lifestyle going, the colonists were abruptly thrown back to a far more primitive existence. Forget the latest Earth fashions; just staying alive suddenly became a major problem.

  But on Harmony folks did one of the things humans do best: they survived. It wasn’t easy, but two hundred years after the closing of the Curtain, the descendants of the First Generation colonists have fought their way back from the brink to a level of civilization roughly equivalent to the early twenty-first century on Earth.

  Here on Harmony, however, things are a little different, especially after dark. You’ve got those dangerously sexy ghost hunters, the creepy ruins of a long-vanished alien civilization, and a most unusual kind of pet. In addition, an increasingly wide variety of psychic powers are showing up in the population.

  Nevertheless, when it comes to love, some things never change….

  If, like me, you sometimes relish your romantic suspense with a paranormal twist, Harmony is the place for you.

  Love,

  Jayne

  Prologue

  HARMONY

  Two Hundred Years after the Closing of the Curtain…

  SHE HAD NEVER LIKED THE PARKING GARAGE, ESPECIALLY at night. It was dark and gloomy, and the disturbing echoes of the heels of her classic pumps on the concrete made her uneasy. Sometimes she heard other people’s footsteps as well.

  But tonight the garage was eerily silent. The instant the elevator doors opened she went briskly toward the space where her car was parked. She kept a tight grip on her purse and stayed as far away as possible from the dark canyons between the few remaining vehicles.

  Not that there had been any recent incidents reported, she reminded herself. Several months ago a rash of car prowls had caused management to tighten building security for a while. The guards had caught the thieves in short order. Unfortunately, the new security staff had been let go in an economy move a few weeks later.

  Tonight her own footfalls were the only ones she heard.

  She walked faster, all of her senses, normal as well as paranormal, fully alert.

  Her car was in sight now. She had her key ready in her hand.

  She sensed him when she went past the deep shadow cast by a support pillar. He was less than three paces away, waiting for her. The floodwaters of his twisted, unwholesome psychic energy lapped at her, a rising tide of rage that was just barely under control.

  Panic struck. She bolted toward the vehicle. Only a few more feet. If she could just get inside, get the door locked…

  But he was moving fast now, bounding forward like a great beast charging its prey. There was no need to look over her shoulder. She knew who he was. His heavy boots thudded on the concrete, running her down.

  She fled toward the car, but she knew she was not going to make it. He was too close, right on top of her.

  His arm snaked out and caught her by the throat, jerking her to a halt. He pulled her back hard against his big frame. She tried to scream, but he tightened his grip, choking her. She struggled wildly, kicking back with one foot.

  The heel of her shoe connected with his shin. She kicked back again, frantic.

  “Bitch.”

  He staggered a little, but he did not go down. He shook her, making her head spin. Then he slammed her hard, facedown, against the fender of her car.

  He ripped off her jacket, revealing the sleeveless camisole beneath.

  “Stupid bitch,” he said, his voice hoarse and ragged. “Did you really think I’d let you get away with saying no to me? No one says no to me. No one.”

  She realized then that the struggle was arousing him sexually. Her stomach churned. She tried to scream, but her voice was frozen in her throat.

  Out of the corner of her eye she saw him raise one hand. She realized he was holding a small object. The next thing she knew, he was pressing the syringe against her bare arm, just below her shoulder. She felt a sharp, stinging pain.

  A fresh wave of icy terror slammed through her, but she could not even lift a finger to defend herself.

  He held her pinned against the fender while the drug took effect. It didn’t take long. Within seconds an otherworldly sense of lethargy stole over her, sapping all of her physical energy. Her body folded in on itself, leaving her utterly limp, boneless.

  But the drug did not knock her out, not entirely. She remained dazed but semi-awake, trapped in a terrifying dreamlike state. She was aware of what was happening around her, but she was powerless to act.

  He picked her up, threw her over his shoulder, and carried her across the garage to where a large black car was parked. She heard the sound of the trunk being opened.

  Then she was inside the trunk, and the lid was coming down, leaving her frozen in the darkest night she had ever known.

  She had thought that her level of shock and horror could not c
limb any higher. She was wrong.

  Chapter 1

  LUNCH HAD NOT GONE WELL. THERE HAD BEEN AN UN fortunate scene that had resulted in a lot of disapproving glares and rude remarks from other restaurant patrons. She had been asked to pay her bill and leave immediately. Her request that the remainder of her salad be put into a carry-out bag had been met with icy refusal.

  Celinda was still fuming and still hungry when she opened the door of the office of Promises, Inc. Mostly she was angry at herself because she had been so embarrassed she had felt it necessary to leave a tip.

  Laura Gresley was at her post at the reception desk. Her customary smile—polite, professional, and polished—seemed slightly off. There was a forced quality about it.

  “Oh, good, you’re back, Celinda,” she said, clearly relieved. “I was about to call your personal phone.” She lowered her voice. “There are some people here to see you.”

  “Some people?” Normally clients came in alone, not in groups. “My next appointment isn’t until two thirty.”

  “These two don’t have an appointment,” Laura said with an ominous air.

  “But I don’t have room to squeeze in anyone who doesn’t already have an appointment. I’m booked solid this afternoon; you know that.”

  It was the wedding season, the most popular time of the year for formal Covenant Marriages. That meant that Promises, Inc., and other matchmaking agencies were swamped. The number of weddings taking place always produced a lot of new clients. It was simple physics: weddings inspired families to put a lot of pressure on relatives of a certain age who were still single. In desperation many of the pressured turned to agencies.