Table of Contents
Praise for HeartMate
Winner of the2002 RITA Award
for BestParanormal Romance
bythe Romance Writers of America
Fantasyromance with a touch of mystery... Readers from the different genres willwant Ms. Owens to return to Celta for more tales of HeartMates.
MidwestBook Review
HeartMateis a dazzling debut novel. Robin D. Owens paints a world filled with characterswho sweep readers into an unforgettable adventure with every delicious word,every breath, every beat of their hearts. Brava!
Deb Stover,award-winning author of A Moment in Time
Agem of a story... sure to tickle your fancy.
AnneAvery, author of Alls Fair
Asensuous and hilarious courtship... a fun readsexy in all the rightplaceswith a brooding hero to die for... Hope for more adventures on theplanet Celta.
RomanticTimes
Itshines and fans will soon clamor for more... A definite keeper!
TheBookdragon Review
Thisstory is magical... doubly delicious as it will appeal to both lovers offantasy and futuristic romance. Much room has been left for sequels.
PNRReviews
Titles by Robin D. Owens
HEARTMATE
HEARTTHIEF
Ifyou purchased this book without a cover, you should be aware that this book isstolen property. It was reported as unsold and destroyed to the publisher,and neither the author nor the publisher has received any payment for thisstripped book.
Thisis a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are theproduct of the authors imagination or are used fictitiously, and anyresemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events,or locales is entirely coincidental.
HEART THIEF
A Berkley Sensation Book / published by arrangementwith the author
PRINTING HISTORY Berkley Sensation edition / June2003
Copyright 2003 by Robin Owens
All rights reserved.
This book, or parts thereof, may not be reproducedin any form without permission. The scanning, uploading, and distribution ofthis book via the Internet or via any other means without the permission of thepublisher is illegal and punishable by law. Please purchase only authorizedelectronic editions, and do not participate in or encourage electronic piracyof copyrighted materials. Your support of the authors rights is appreciated.
For information address: The Berkley PublishingGroup, a division of Penguin Group (USA) Inc., 375 Hudson Street, New York, NewYork 10014.
eISBN : 978-0-425-19072-2
A BERKLEY SENSATION BOOK
Berkley Sensation Books are published by The BerkleyPublishing 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
Toall my friends online and off
whoread and write paranormal romance.
FromAustralia to Manitoba our passion
transcendsall boundaries.
Believein magic and reach for the stars!
andto
Mistral/Samba
whosprawled at my elbow and told me her adventures
Acknowledgments
Sincethis book went through five major revisions, I have a lot of people to thank.Naturally, all mistakes are mine.
Myfriends and coworkers on the project for keeping me sane: Joanne, Meraj,Sharon G., Sterritt, Teri, Kay, Laura Kenny (actress), Bill, Carew, Bob, John,DK, Dennis, Judy, Cherie.
InMemoriam: Sonya Roberts
Myfirst critique group, who suffered through three revisions: Anne, Diana www.dianarowe.com, Judy, Sharon www.sharomignerey.com, Steven;
Myother critiquers: Alice, Janet L., Leslee www.lesleebreene.com,Sue, Teresa, Monica, Linda H., Wendy, Eric, Charles, Joe, Margie, Donna, Chris,Stephanie, Tahtim, Janet M. www.millerclan.com/janetmiller,Margaret www.margaretmarr.com, Cate www.caterowan.com, Pam;
Roughdraft editors who cut the manuscript by a third: Anne, Liz R., Kay (CassieMiles), Peggy www.peggywaide.com;
Myreaders: Giselle and Morgan poodle experts, Anne Braude (Tal) for the brilliantinspiration of the mole; Ann (AnAlcha passion flower) members.aol.com/captnann/AnnJR.html;
AryavartaKumar who helped incredibly, and at the last minute, with nanotech data andbrainstorming www.nanoapex.com;
Myeditor, Cindy Hwang, for buying another book;
Myproofreader, Rose Beetem;
Thecats: Diva, Mistral (Samba), Maddox (Zanth), Muse (Princess), Black Pierre,Pinky (who is not my cat), and Sabrina puppy who lived with me a while andthought she was a cat.
Diva,I TOLD you Im SORRY I had to cut your scene! Ill have Lisa, ( www.lisacraig.com), put it up onmy website, I promise! And Straif Blackthorn deserves a high-maintenance,nagging, Queen of the Universe Fam Like you...
DivasScene www.robinowens.com
One
DRUIDACITY, CELTA, 400 Years After Colonization, Autumn
RuisElder stared out windows that faced the street, checking as he didseveral times a day that no strangers loitered nearby. No assassins orguardsmen hired by his uncle Bucus.
Ruis'sbirthright had been denied himhis rank as the Heir and ensuing Lord of aGreatHouse, and the estate itselfsomething he strove to forget. To remembermade him feel worthless. All he chose to recall was that he must always be onguard.
Hewent to his bedroom and reached through the open window. The wooden drying barthat extended into the courtyard from the rusty brick wall held his last goodshirt. He plucked the red silkeen from the hanger.
Thechill autumn air made him catch his breath. The deep blue of the sky with thedistant small white sun dazzled his eyes. He savored the sweet-sharp tang ofturning fall leaves as he turned from the window. The air felt good, and thesilkeen shirt sliding over his skin felt better.
He'dmoved into this apartment in the heat of late summer, and it was time to leave.He frowned. The intervals between his moves were getting shorter and shorter.
Stampinginto new black boots, Ruis let his gaze linger on the Earth Soil Analyzer,brought with the colonists to Celta. The machine would take more time, money,and knowledge to fix than he'd expected. He stopped himself from picking uptools to tinker with it once more. When he worked on ancient machines, he losthimself in the moment, able to forget his wretched past and ignore hisprecarious future. His fascination with artifacts that no one else cared aboutwas his salvation.
Hetore his gaze from the analyzer. Two Earthsun gems shone in the sunlight on thetable. Ruis grimaced. Stealing was a fact of his life since his defect in Flairpsipowerprecluded any normal work on Celta. When he was able to find a job, itwas as a common laborer. And laboring didn't pay enough to rescue the past.
Hetook the jewels, placed them in a wall crack, and brushed flaking grit from thesurrounding bricks to cover the gems. One Earthsun was for emergencies, forbribes and survival if his murderous uncle Bucus found him. The second was toacquire parts for Earth mechanicals, which Ruis collected from the corners ofabandoned warehouses. Ruis thought he, alone in every other way, was the onlyone on Celta who was interested in saving and restoring the old machines.
Thedoor burst open.
Guardsmenpoured into the room; two stumbled over each other, sprawling. Ruis lunged,aiming for a beefy man twice his weight. Ruis slammed a fist into the guard'sjaw. The man staggered back.
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