Table Of Content“Exceptional!”—Romantic Times “Enticing!”—Seattle Post-Intel igencer
“Spicy!”—Library Journal
“Heart-stopping!”—Publishers Weekly “Highly charged!”—Rendezvous Praise
for New York Times and USA Today bestsel ing author CHERRY ADAIR and
her irresistible romantic suspense novels BLACK MAGIC
“Adair keeps the pace brisk and the action vivid. This book should appeal to
readers who like bickering protagonists, plenty of sex, and a hero who always
comes to the rescue.”
—Publishers Weekly
“Adair’s version of wizards and magic makes a much-welcomed return in a hot
new adventure that brings estranged lovers back into contact.”
—Romantic Times
NIGHT SHADOW
“Smoothly blends sensuality and espionage. …”
—Publishers Weekly
“Pulse-pounding … al the danger, treachery, and romance a reader could wish
for. … Exceptional.”
—Romantic Times
“Cherry Adair’s intricately woven plot … wil make your pulse race and your
palms sweat.”
—Fresh Fiction
NIGHT SECRETS
“Tremendous!”
—Romantic Times
“The night sizzles to new heights in these novels of romantic suspense.”
—Fresh Fiction
WHITE HEAT
WHITE HEAT
“A steamy fusion of romance and heart-stopping suspense.”
—Publishers Weekly
“Heart-stopping adventure … spicy.”
—Library Journal
HOT ICE
“A relentless page-turner with plenty of enticing plot twists and turns.”
—Seattle Post-Intel igencer “A very sexy adventure that offers nonstop,
continent-hopping action from start to finish.”
—Library Journal
HIDE AND SEEK
“Cherry Adair stokes up the heat and intrigue in her adventurous thril er.”
—Romantic Times
“Wow, it’s gripping, sexy as al get out, and the characters wil send you into orbit
in steam heat … enough chil s to keep you on an adrenaline high for the duration
of the story.”
—The Bel es and Beaux of Romance “Ful of highly charged sensuality and
violence.”
—Rendezvous
“Outsize protagonists, super-nasty vil ains, and earthy sex scenes.”
—Publishers Weekly
“A reason to stay up way too late.”
—The Romance Journal
KISS AND TELL
“A sexy, snappy rol er-coaster ride!”
—New York Times bestsel ing author Susan Andersen “A true keeper.”
—Romantic Times
Also by Cherry Adair
Black Magic
Available from Pocket Star Books
Pocket Star Books
A Division of Simon & Schuster, Inc.
1230 Avenue of the Americas New York, NY 10020
www.SimonandSchuster.com
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either
are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any
resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely
coincidental.
Copyright © 2011 by Cherry Adair Al rights reserved, including the right to
reproduce this book or portions thereof in any form whatsoever. For information
address Pocket Books Subsidiary Rights Department, 1230 Avenue of the
Americas, New York, NY 10020
First Pocket Star Books paperback edition May 2011
POCKET STAR BOOKS and colophon are registered trademarks of Simon &
Schuster, Inc.
The Simon & Schuster Speakers Bureau can bring authors to your live event. For
more information or to book an event contact the Simon & Schuster Speakers
Bureau at 1-866-248-3049 or visit our website at www.simonspeakers.com.
Cover design by Lisa Litwack Cover il ustration by Craig White Manufactured
in the United States of America 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
ISBN 978-1-4391-5382-6
ISBN 978-1-4391-6711-3 (ebook)
For Virginia Finucane
I’m grateful every day for our friendship. The fact that you’re a talented and
gifted graphic artist and have given me an awesome website is icing on my cake.
gifted graphic artist and have given me an awesome website is icing on my cake.
Contents Acknowledgments
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
“In broad daylight?” This time his sarcasm came through loud and clear, and her
temperature spiked for a whole different reason.
“I haven’t thought it through,” she said through her teeth. “But yes, why not?”
“Because more than half the population in these parts are criminals of one sort or
the other; because three Americans, one of them a light-eyed blond woman, and
another injured, wil be picked off like they have targets on their backs. Because
we have no idea where the fuck the nearest vil age is, and Piñero could drive up
right behind us, and the next time she kidnaps us she won’t be so nice about it.
That enough reason for you?” She sagged back against the wal , feeling like a
punctured bal oon. “We aren’t going to fol ow the road?”
“Did you see a road?”
“No, but we got here, at least part of the way, on a paved road. I think I
remember the turns—”
“Or,” Zak cut in, “your fiendish plot works, the men are out of action, and we
take a short walk through the jungle until we hit the river. Hire a boat and have a
late steak dinner in Caracas tonight. Let me know when you’re ready to cast
your vote.” She was starting to real y hate him. “How far’s the river? Do you
even know which way it is? What if it’s a real y long walk?”
“Walking won’t kil us. What’s out there hunting at night wil . We have a narrow
window of opportunity before dark. Lie down; they’re coming back.” Fuming,
Acadia stretched out on the slab. She didn’t bother closing her eyes. Every time
she thought Zakary Stark was a nice guy, he did or said something obnoxious to
change her mind. The fact that he was al kinds of sexy, and turned her on
without trying to, was the irritating icing on the cake.
Gold Tooth shoved a plastic cup through the bars at Zak. He made a crude
suggestion that Acadia only vaguely understood, but her whole body flushed
with fiery humiliation.
A big fat steak dinner accompanied by about a gal on of ice water, in Caracas,
alone, sounded more and more appealing.
THE GUERRILLAS WERE DROPPING like flies, which surprised the hel out
of Zak. He would have thought the eyedrop thing was an urban legend, but
of Zak. He would have thought the eyedrop thing was an urban legend, but
damned if it wasn’t working.
Gideon had emptied the whole container of drops into their guards’ new bottle of
rum. Within an hour, most of the men were puking their guts out, two were
unconscious, and the rest seemed to be confused and lethargic as they staggered
into the trees clutching their bel ies. A bloodless coup.
“I can take some of the crap in your pockets, lighten the load some,” Zak
offered, glancing at Acadia over his shoulder.
She gave him a cool look. “The weight’s evenly distributed.” The woman went
from hot to cold and back again on a dime. He didn’t even try to figure her out.
The way she’d pul ed up her hair made her look like a sexy girl-next-door.
Which was, as any red-blooded man knew, the most dangerous and subversive
kind of female. He turned away from her smooth skin and the drugging
fragrance of jasmine.
Blue Bandana was trying to give his brother water. And failing. Gold Tooth
couldn’t hold the cup. Water splashed into the grass at his feet. Blue Bandana
went back for more. “Don’t be so fucking stubborn,” Zak told Acadia as he
tracked the last holdout, now carrying the almost-empty rum bottle, back to his
twin. Finish it, asshole. “You’re going to have to run.”
“And I wil . How long?”
Whatever. “Blue Bandana’s the holdout. He wasn’t drinking as much as the
others. We’l give him another fifteen minutes to catch up.” She lay back, closed
her eyes. “Wake me when it’s time to go.”
She was taking a nap? Now? Wel , at least she’d shut up for a while.
Zak turned back to observe the goings-on outside. Gold Tooth was out cold. His
twin chugged the remainder of the drugged rum and looked around, clearly
worried and confused as hel . A man stumbled out of the tree line, made it two
yards, and col apsed.
Zak knew for sure which direction they wouldn’t go: toward the entry point the
guerril as had chosen for their latrine.
