Heart Dance Read online

  Table of Contents

  Epigraph

  Title Page

  Copyright Page

  Dedication

  One

  Two

  Three

  Four

  Five

  Six

  Seven

  Eight

  Nine

  Ten

  Eleven

  Twelve

  Thirteen

  Fourteen

  Fifteen

  Sixteen

  Seventeen

  Eighteen

  Nineteen

  Twenty

  Twenty-one

  Twenty-two

  Twenty-three

  Twenty-four

  Twenty-five

  Twenty-six

  Twenty-seven

  Twenty-eight

  Twenty-nine

  Thirty

  Thirty-one

  Thirty-two

  Thirty-three

  Thirty-four

  Thirty-five

  Teaser chapter

  “If you’ve been waiting for someone to do futuristic romance right, you’re in luck. Robin D. Owens is the author for you.”

  —Jayne Castle

  Praise for the futuristic fantasy of Robin D. Owens

  Heart Quest

  “The romance is sensual and fun. . . . Ilex is a terrific hero.”

  —The Romance Reader

  “A terrific police procedural in a science fiction setting . . . Fans will cherish this fun entry while newcomers will go on a quest to find the backlist.” —Midwest Book Review

  Heart Choice

  “The romance is passionate, the characters engaging, and the society and setting exquisitely crafted.” —Booklist

  “Terrific writing with a very realistic and sensual romance make[s] Heart Choice a fantastic read.”

  —Romance Reviews Today

  “Maintaining the ‘world-building’ for science fiction and character-driven plot for romance is near impossible. Owens does it brilliantly.” —The Romance Reader

  “Well written, humor-laced, intellectually and emotionally involving. . . explores the true meaning of family and love.”

  —Library Journal

  “Heart Choice is a wonderful book to lose yourself in for a while! I’ll be anxiously awaiting the next book in this wonderfullyimaginative series.” —Romance Junkies

  Heart Duel

  “[A] sexy story . . . Readers will enjoy revisiting this fantasy-likeworld filled with paranormal talents.” —Booklist

  “An exhilarating love story . . . The delightful story line is cleverlyexecuted . . . Owens proves once again that she is among the top rung of fantasy romance authors with this fantastic tale.”

  —Harriet Klausner

  “With engaging characters, Robin D. Owens takes readers back to the magical world of Celta . . . The characters are engaging, drawing the reader into the story and into their lives. They are multilayered and complex and grow into exceptional people.”

  —Romance Reviews Today

  Heart Thief

  “This is what futuristic romance is all about. Robin D. Owens writes the kind of futuristic romance we’ve all been waiting to read. She provides a wonderful, gripping mix of passion, exotic futuristic settings, and edgy suspense. If you’ve been waiting for someone to do futuristic romance right, you’re in luck, Robin D. Owens is the author of you.” —Jayne Castle

  “The complex plot and rich characterizations, not to mention the sexy passion . . . make this a must-read . . . I just wish Robin D. Owens wrote faster. I hope she’s got a huge pile of ideas for future Celtan stories, and I for one can’t wait to go back.” —The Romance Reader

  “Owens spins an entrancing tale . . . Although the setting is fresh and totally captivating, it is the well-developed characters, both human and animal, that make this story memorable. Crafty villains, honorable, resourceful protagonists, and sentient pets drive the plot of this fast-paced, often suspenseful romantic adventure.As have others before her (e.g., Anne McCaffrey, Mar-ionZimmer Bradley), Owens has penned a stunning futuristic tale that reads like fantasy and is sure to have crossover appeal to both SF and fantasy fans.” —Library Journal

  “Owens has crafted a fine romance that is also a successful sciencefantasy yarn with terrific world-building.” —Booklist

  “A tremendous science-fiction romance that affirms what many fans thought after reading the prequel (HeartMate): that Robin D. Owens is one of the subgenre’s giant stars. The story line is faster than the speed of light, but more important is this world’s society seems so real that psychic powers feel genuine . . . [a] richly textured, other-planetary romance.” —BookBrowser

  Praise for HeartMate

  Winner of the 2002 RITA Award for Best Paranormal Romance by the Romance Writers of America

  “Engaging characters, effortless world-building, and a sizzling romance make this a novel that’s almost impossible to put down.” —The Romance Reader

  "Fantasy romance with a touch of mystery . . . Readers from the different genres will want Ms. Owens to return to Celta for more tales of HeartMates.” —Midwest Book Review

  "HeartMate is a dazzling debut novel. Robin D. Owens paints a world filled with characters who sweep readers into an unforgettableadventure with every delicious word, every breath, every beat of their hearts. Brava!”

  —Deb Stover, award-winning author of A Moment in Time

  “A gem of a story . . . sure to tickle your fancy.”

  —Anne Avery, author of All’s Fair

  “It shines, and fans will soon clamor for more . . . A definite keeper!” —The Bookdragon Review

  “This story is magical . . . doubly delicious as it will appeal to both lovers of fantasy and futuristic romance. Much room has been left for sequels.” —ParaNormal Romance Reviews

  Titles by Robin D. Owens

  HEARTMATE

  HEART THIEF

  HEART DUEL

  HEART CHOICE

  HEART QUEST

  HEART DANCE

  Anthologies

  WHAT DREAMS MAY COME

  (with Sherrilyn Kenyon and Rebecca York)

  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.)

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  (a division of Pearson Australia Group Pty. Ltd.)

  Penguin Books India Pvt. Ltd., 11 Community Centre, Panchsheel Park, New Delhi—110 017, India

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  (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.

  HEART DANCE

  A Berkley Sensation Book / published by arrangement with the author


  PRINTING HISTORY

  Berkley Sensation trade edition / July 2007

  Berkley Sensation mass-market edition / May 2008

  Copyright © 2007 by Robin D. Owens.

  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.

  eISBN : 978-1-4406-3217-4

  BERKLEY® SENSATION

  Berkley Sensation Books are published by The Berkley Publishing Group,

  a division of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.,

  375 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014.

  BERKLEY SENSATION and the “B” design are trademarks belonging to Penguin Group (USA) Inc.

  http://us.penguingroup.com

  To readers

  Characters

  Note: All previous heroes and heroines are HeartMates.

  Dufleur Thyme: Heroine of Heart Dance, Embroiderer and Experimenter with Time (Fam Fairyfoot).

  Dringal D’Thyme: WinterberryHeir, mother of Dufleur, cuz to D’Winterberry.

  Saille T’Willow: Hero of Heart Dance, FirstFamilies GreatLord and premier Matchmaker (Fam Myx).

  Arbusca Willow: Willow housekeeper, mother of Saille.

  D’Willow (Saille also): Saille T’Willow’s MotherDam (Grand-motheron Mother’s side), former GreatLady and Matchmaker, now in a cryonics tube in Nuada’s Sword, awaiting the cure of her disease.

  Ilex Winterberry: Hero of Heart Quest, a Guardsman, cuz to Dufleur Thyme, distant cuz to the Hollys (Fam Vertic).

  Trif Winterberry: Heroine of Heart Quest, Journeywoman musician,protégée of Passiflora D’Holly (Fam Greyku).

  D’Winterberry: Mother of Ilex and Meyar, cuz to Dringal Thyme.

  Meyar Winterberry: Brother to Ilex, cuz to Dufleur Thyme.

  Ruis Elder: Hero of Heart Thief, a Null who suppresses Flair, Captain of the Starship Nuada’s Sword (Fam Samba).

  Ailim Elder: Heroine of Heart Thief, SupremeJudge of Druida, telempath (Fam Primrose).

  Rand T’ Ash: Hero of HeartMate, Jeweler, armorer (Fam Zanth).

  Danith D’Ash: Heroine of HeartMate, Animal Healer, Verifier of Fams (Cat princess).

  Holm Holly (Jr.): Hero of Heart Duel, HollyHeir, warrior (Fam Meserv).

  Lark Holly: Heroine of Heart Duel, FirstLevel Healer (Fam Phyl).

  Passiflora Holly: Mother of Holm Jr., Composer.

  Holm Holly (Sr.): GreatLord, HeartMate of Passiflora, working to be Captain of the Councils.

  Tinne Holly: Second son of Passiflora and Holm Sr., will inherit the Green Knight Fencing and Fighting Salon.

  Genista Holly: Wife of Tinne Holly.

  Quert Apple (Sr.): GrandLord and painter, father of Passiflora Holly.

  Quert Apple (Jr.): Proprietor of Enlli Gallery, brother of Passiflora Holly.

  Note: Straif T’Blackthorn and Mitchella (Clover) D’Blackthorn, hero and heroine of Heart Choice, are only mentioned. Their adopted son, Antenn Blackthorn, is a dance partner of Dufleur Thyme.

  Huathe Hawthorn: GreatLord and current Captain of the Councils,father of Lark Holly.

  One

  DRUIDA CITY, CELTA

  405 Years After Colonization

  Winter, Morning before WorkBell

  Dufleur Thyme watched the fresh pinecone wither before her eyes and fall into dust. This experiment with time was not goingat all well.

  Not good, her FamCat, Fairyfoot, said telepathically. Fairyfoothad insisted on a cat tree the level of the table next to Dufleur’s chair. Her chair was scuffed wood. Fairyfoot’s perch was quilted velvet with gold-thread embroidered mice.

  “No, not good.” She wished she had her father’s notes.

  You want to reverse time.

  She knew what she wanted to do and didn’t need a cat to point it out, but managed to keep her comment between her teeth.

  With a Word she dismissed the clear forcefield around the tube holding the pinecone. The cylinder exploded, sparks flying.Dufleur flung her arms in front of her face, shoved back her chair. What had happened? And why now and never before?

  A yowl came from her left along with a nasty singeing odor. Fairyfoot was hopping around, the ends of her whiskers glowingred. Dufleur snapped her fingers, and the fire went out. Flakes of black fell away. “That was interesting,” she said.

  Noooo, moaned Fairyfoot, racing through the only door of the secret room into Dufleur’s bedroom. My whiskers are ugly! Horrible,horrible, horrible! How am I to judge distances with damageto my whiskers? She jumped up and down and spat at her reflection in the spotted mirror on Dufleur’s bedroom closet door.

  “I’m sorry,” Dufleur said. Her stomach clenched. Is this what had happened to her father’s lab that fatal night? She shoved the thought aside; that would lead to emotion, and emotion had no place in touchy scientific experiments. “Want me to—”

  You have done enough. Fairyfoot plopped down and began meticulously stroking each whisker with a licked paw.

  Dufleur gulped and braced herself on the battered table set in the middle of the large stone room on the lowest level of D’Winterberry Residence. Now she became aware of muscles cramped from her work, eyes burning from her concentration. She wished she had the funds to leave this place and set up a proper lab, but the Family fortune was as ruined as her childhoodhome.

  With a writestick, she noted down the failed results. She hadn’t slowed time but had done the complete opposite, sped it up to such a rapid rate that the fresh spruce pinecone had disintegrated.There might be a use for this spell someday, if she could standardize it and incorporate it into an object people could use, but right now it was an incremental addition to her knowledge base and a failure of what she really wanted to do.

  A knock came at the door of her bedroom, beyond this hiddenroom she used for her illegal, secret experiments.

  Damn, her cuz, Guardsman Ilex Winterberry was here a littleearly to collect the gift she’d made for him and his wife.

  Using a voice-projection spell she called, “One moment!” Shrugging from her lab coat at a run, she flung it onto the chair, shot into her bedroom. Then she muttered a couplet to slide the stone door of the concealed room shut and grabbed her outdoor cloak.

  She opened the hall door to her cuz. “Greetyou,” she said, only a little out of breath.

  “Greetyou, cuz,” Ilex said, smiling. He was always smiling now, his serious nature lightened by his HeartBonding to the vivaciousand optimistic Trif Winterberry and with a baby on the way. “Trif sent me for the baby robe. Still six months before the child comes, and she’s wild to have the gown. And when she’s anxious, she gives me no peace.” He sniffed, and a puzzled look crossed his face.

  Oh, no! Dufleur’d forgotten he was sensitive to smells. With less care than she should have, she picked up the small gown she’d finished the night before and handed it to him.

  He held the robe by both tiny shoulders, studying the dark green, intricately embroidered pattern. “Exquisite. Simply exquisite.” He met her eyes. “This will be a treasured Family heirloom.”

  The kindness in his eyes, the affection emanating from him for her, closed her throat. “Thank you.” She’d wanted it to be perfect, so she’d used her Time Flair to add another dimension to her stitches, catching a little of the Time Wind in the garment.

  “You’re ready for work? Why don’t I walk you to the public carrier plinth?” He set the gown back in the box and sealed the lid with a tap of his finger.

  Was she acting suspicious? Guilty? He’d notice that, too.

  Fairyfoot hissed. He glanced down. “My apologies for rudeness,Fairyfoot. Greetyou.”

  Dufleur looked down at her Fam. H
er whiskers looked fine. One word about the experiments, and you find yourself a new FamWoman, she sent privately to the cat.

  Fairyfoot sniffed, then offered an ingratiating smile to Ilex. Doing anything interesting today, cuz Guardsman?

  Ilex looked at Dufleur with raised brows.

  She sighed. “Fairyfoot cannot resist the temptation of very costly thread. She has been banned from the work area of the embroidery shop.”

  I am an adventurous Cat. I could help you, Fairyfoot said, whiskers twitching. Tail high, she left the bedroom for the basement hallway. Dufleur exited the chamber and let Ilex shut the door behind her. He sent a glance around the bedroom, but she sensed he saw nothing out of place. Still, this was his childhoodhome. He might very well know of the secret room. She hurried to the stairs up to the main level entryway.

  “Dufleur?”

  Tensing, she turned back with a strained smile that froze on her face when she saw his fingers curve over the door latch. “Yes?”

  He said a short spell. “You forgot to spellshield your rooms.” Now his gaze was blank. “You might want to keep your personal things . . . personal.”

  Her heart thumped hard. Did he have any idea she was carrying on her father’s work? She wished she could do it openly, but that bitch D’Willow had made a mockery of her father’s name and experiments. If anyone knew she was as fascinatedwith time as he, she’d lose all credibility of being a sensible person, perhaps even her job. Perhaps this place where she lived and worked. Hot rage sizzled deep inside.

  Ilex cleared his throat. “Our mothers can . . . pry.”

  She forced herself to present a calm front, to pull her mind to this lesser concern and answer him. “They’re snoops, you mean.”

  His lips curved. “Yes.” The smile didn’t reach his eyes. Neitherof them had good relationships with their mothers, both of whom lived upstairs. Of course that was because neither of their mothers was a reasonable person. She spared him the knowledgethat his mother, D’Winterberry, was too deep into the yar-duanliquor addiction to leave her rooms anymore.