Turbulent Sea Read online

  Turbulent Sea

  By

  Christine Feehan

  Contents

  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

  "Christine Feehan has brought paranormal romance to a new high."

  --A Romance Review

  "The queen of paranormal romance."

  --USA Today

  Praise for the Drake Sisters novels

  SAFE HARBOR

  "Everything her fans have come to expect: action, gunplay, danger, bad guys, good guys, gorgeous women and magic... On top of that... is the intriguing mystery of the supermodel slasher... This winning series entry is sure to please devotees and shouldn't provide much difficulty for curious newbies."

  --Publishers Weekly

  "All I can say is--WOW! What a story! More than you ever expected for the Drake series. Safe Harbor is a highly emotional love story, but also one packed with more action and suspense than any previous Drake series tale... I can promise you will be thrilled by the time you reach the end... Don't even think of missing this one. It's absolutely terrific and quite deserving of a Perfect 10!"

  --Romance Reviews Today

  "Action-packed... Christine Feehan provides a bewitching Drake thriller starring the pair fans have waited for."

  --Midwest Book Review

  DANGEROUS TIDES

  "An excellent Drake Sisters tale."

  --The Best Reviews

  "Enchanting. Smart, suspenseful, incredibly erotic."

  --Romance Reviews Today

  "A tempting blend of paranormal romance and mystery."

  --Booklist

  "Resonate[s] with passion... rich with enchantment and spiced with danger. Pure magic!"

  --Romantic Times

  OCEANS OF FIRE

  "Christine Feehan boldly goes where no writer has ever gone... Erotic, exotic, suspenseful."

  --Fallen Angel Reviews

  "Brimming with exhilarating action sequences and sultry love scenes."

  --Publishers Weekly

  "[A] magical series about the sisters with something extra... Oceans of Fire is a rousing romantic thriller and a true classic!"

  --Romantic Times

  "Fascinating and mysterious... enjoy a little bit of magic, a dash of intrigue and all the romance to be found in Oceans of Fire."

  --Romance Reviews Today

  "Christine Feehan has brought paranormal romance to a new high with Oceans of Fire ... Plenty of spine-tingling action... and simmering passion."

  --A Romance Review

  "The Drake series is a complex blend of fantasy and suspense."

  --Booklist

  "Combining a touch of whimsical magic with a tense thriller... tremendous romantic suspense."

  --Midwest Book Review

  Further praise for the novels of THE REIGNING QUEEN OF PARANORMAL ROMANCE

  MIND GAME

  "Swift-moving and sexually-charged... electrifying."

  --Publishers Weekly

  "[A] compelling and spectacular series. The amazingly prolific author's ability to create captivating and adrenaline-raising worlds is unsurpassed."

  --Romantic Times

  "Explosive... An exciting, thrilling read... A phenomenal plot. Ms. Feehan has really outdone herself... The sexual chemistry is literally a scorcher... Mind Game is a definite page-turner."

  --Fallen Angel Reviews

  WILD RAIN

  "Readers... will be seduced by this erotic adventure."

  --Publishers Weekly

  "Ms. Feehan is unsurpassed in romantic fantasy; her imagination knows no bounds in creating unique and fresh tales that abound in steamy sensuality, fantastical imagery and lyrical prose."

  --Rendezvous

  "A powerful tale that pumps up the adrenaline... A fabulous jungle love story."

  --Midwest Book Review

  "Beautiful imagery, edge-of-your-seat suspense and passionate romance... The sex is spicy enough to singe your eyebrows."

  --Romance Reviews Today

  "[A] terrific new series... Fascinating."

  --Romantic Times

  SHADOW GAME

  "[A] swift, sensational offering... the sultry, spine-tingling kind of read that [Feehan's] fans will adore."

  --Publishers Weekly

  "Intense, sensual and mesmerizing... Feehan is a rising star in paranormal romance."

  --Library Journal

  "Never slows down until the final confrontation. The story line is fast-paced and loaded with action."

  --Midwest Book Review

  "Sizzling sex scenes both physical and telepathic pave the road to true love... Action, suspense and smart characters make this erotically charged romance an entertaining read."

  --Booklist

  "Feehan packs such a punch with this story it will leave one gasping for breath... Guaranteed not to disappoint, and will leave one begging for more. A must-read book, only cementing Ms. Feehan's position as a genre favorite for yet another round."

  --The Best Reviews

  Titles by Christine Feehan

  PREDATORY GAME

  DEADLY GAME

  CONSPIRACY GAME

  NIGHT GAME

  MIND GAME

  SHADOW GAME

  TURBULENT SEA

  SAFE HARBOR

  DANGEROUS TIDES

  OCEANS OF FIRE

  WILD RAIN

  DARK HUNGER

  DARK POSSESSION

  DARK CELEBRATION

  DARK DEMON

  DARK SECRET

  DARK DESTINY

  DARK MELODY

  DARK SYMPHONY

  DARK GUARDIAN

  DARK LEGEND

  DARK FIRE

  DARK CHALLENGE

  DARK MAGIC

  DARK GOLD

  DARK DESIRE

  DARK PRINCE

  THE BERKLEY PUBLISHING GROUP

  Published by the Penguin Croup

  Penguin Group (USA) Inc.

  375 Hudson Street. New York, New York 10014. USA Penguin Group (Canada). 90 Eglinton Avenue Hast. 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 Ply. 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 0632. 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.

  TURBULENT SEA

  mass-market A Jove Book / published by arrangement with the author

  PRINTING HISTORY

  Jove mass-market edi
tion / August 2008

  Copyright (c) 2008 by Christine Feehan.

  Excerpt from Dark Curse copyright (c) 2008 by Christine Feehan.

  Cover art by Dan O'Leary.

  Cover handletiering by Ron Zinn.

  Cover design by George Long.

  Text design by Kristin del Rosario.

  ISBN: 978-0-515-14506-9

  JOVE(r)

  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.

  PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

  For my parents,

  Mark and Nancy King,

  who taught all of us how to love

  FOR MY READERS

  Be sure to write to Christine at [email protected] to get a FREE exclusive screen saver and join the PRIVATE e-mail list to receive an announcement when Christine's books are released.

  ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

  As with any book, I have many people to thank: Domini Stottsberry, who did so much research and worked hard to pull this book together; Cheryl Wilson, an amazing friend and writer even under stressful circumstances. I owe a lot to Rich Campbell, bass guitarist for the band America, who graciously took time out of his busy schedule and gave me so much help, attempting to teach me about touring and life on the road. If I have made any mistakes, they're mine alone, as he was out touring and I couldn't double-check everything. Last, but not least, Jeri Stahl, retired Aurora, Colorado, police detective, now doing consulting work for Denver, who answered all my questions patiently and worked through my scenes with astonishing clarity.

  Chapter 1

  JOLEY Drake stared in a kind of sick dread at the mob of people crowding the gates and fence. She had forgotten what after parties were like, or maybe she'd just blocked them out. Women pushed against the car windows, lifting their tops and mashing their bare breasts against the tinted panes. Some waved thong underwear in various colors. They shoved at the car, pulling on door handles and screaming. She doubted any of those women knew who was in the vehicle, but they were clearly willing to sell themselves to get an invite inside.

  "My God, Steve," Joley muttered to her driver, "sex, drugs and rock and roll are such a cliche, but it's so true." Even to herself she sounded jaded.

  Steve Brinkley's gaze met hers in the rearview mirror. "You stopped coming to these things years ago; what made you change your mind tonight? I was shocked when I got your call."

  That was a question she didn't want to answer, not even to herself--especially to herself. She pushed her forehead into her palm. "I haven't been to one of these in so long, I let everything but the music just fade away. I didn't want to think about what goes on, but now that I'm here, I might just throw up." She meant to sound light, joking, but the pounding on the hood and the hands trying to yank open doors were impossible to ignore.

  She felt like an animal trapped in a cage. It was surprising how often she felt that way. And if the mob knew who was inside, they would have begun dismantling the car to get at her.

  She hadn't wanted to remember this part of her life. Those first heady months as a megastar, when everything she wanted, or needed, or even thought of was handed to her and the band--that had been so long ago, a dream come true that had quickly turned to a nightmare she tried to forget.

  She had been born with a legacy of gifts, but even she had been overtaken by the magnitude of what was offered to her in that first flush of success, being treated like a star, godlike, given anything, wanted everywhere. Like so many stars before her, she'd fallen into the trap of selfish egotism, believing she deserved to be treated differently.

  Being a Drake with special gifts prevented her from using anything poisonous to her body, but her band hadn't been so lucky. She'd seen the results, and more than once had walked into a hotel room to find naked bodies writhing everywhere and drugs and alcohol flowing freely. Her boys, as she called them, were more than just friends--almost family--and the excesses of alcohol, drugs and women crawling over one another for a chance to be with a member of a band, to do anything for him, had nearly destroyed their minds and their lives.

  Most of the band members lost families to that lifestyle. It hadn't taken Joley long to become disgusted with the way they were all living. She'd walked out, turning her back on music--on the band--on fame. They knew it was her voice that had taken them to the top and without her the band would topple quickly. In the end, her manager and the band members had convinced her they would set rules and abide by them.

  Joley knew she couldn't dictate to the band, but she could establish guidelines she could live with. She didn't ever pretend not to have a wild streak, but that didn't include illegal substances or sexual orgies. And it certainly didn't include underage boys or girls performing sexual favors and getting totally wasted with her band. The terms had been agreed to, and Joley rarely went to parties other than with the band immediately afterward. And she never went where someone might be providing all the things she'd most objected to--until now--until tonight.

  "Why do you suppose these women feel the need to service bands? What do they really get out of it, Steve?" she asked her driver. "Because I don't understand. They line up to give the band and even the roadies blowjobs. Actually stand in line in the halls, hoping to get the chance. They don't really care if anyone knows their name."

  "I don't know, Joley. I don't really understand half of what people do or why they do it."

  The guards pushed the crowds back to make room so the car could approach the high, wrought iron gates. All of the guards were carrying guns--and not just polite police-issue handguns beneath smooth jackets either. Those were semiautomatic weapons cradled in their beefy arms, right out in the open like in some gangster film. Joley's stomach lurched as she observed the guards through the tinted glass. These weren't rented security--these men were the real deal--professionals every last one of them. They didn't wear boredom on their faces; they wore masks, and their eyes were flat and cold. She knew if she were to reach out and touch one of them, even lightly, she'd feel the chill of death.

  Her cell phone went off, interrupting her train of thought. Flipping it open with a little grimace, she answered. "Gloria, I told you I'd take care of it. I'm getting Logan now. You dragged me out of bed and I said I'd do it, so give me some time and I'll have him there." She knew she sounded bitchy, but really. Gloria Brady, the mother of Lucy Brady, psycho-stalker from hell, every band's worst nightmare come true, was once again demanding to speak with her sax player, Logan Voight. He'd had a brief encounter with Gloria's daughter, making the mistake of seeing her more than once, and now Lucy and her demented ways would haunt him forever.

  Joley snapped the phone closed and shoved it into her pocket. She'd been pacing her hotel room when the first frantic call from Gloria came in. Joley had latched on to the excuse, dragging her driver out in the middle of the night, lying to herself that she was coming to the party to deliver the message to Logan and see to it personally that he took care of the problem. Now that she was here, she realized how utterly stupid she'd been. Others might look at the guards and think they were cool; she looked at them and wondered how many people they'd killed.

  A guard tapped her window, making her jump, motioning for her to let him see her. Her driver objected, but she rolled down the window and peered at the guard so he could visually identify her. She saw the instant flash of recognition. Joley Drake, legendary singer known simply as Joley. For one brief moment she thought he might ask for her autograph, but he recovered and waved her through the gates.

  Sergei Nikitin had been inviting her to his parties for months, but she always made excuses not to go. Sergei was a wealthy man who ran in the in circles. He knew politicians and celebrities of every kind. He maintained the public image of a ch
arming businessman who liked the good life and surrounded himself with household names--movie stars, race car drivers, sports figures, models, public figures and of course the most famous bands.

  Very few people knew he was reputed to be a Russian mobster with a violent, bloody past and a penchant for making his enemies disappear. Most of those who had heard the rumors thought they only added to his mystique. It seemed inconceivable that the suave, charming businessman might actually order vicious, sadistic deaths to further his already abundant wealth--to everybody but those in law enforcement--and Joley--thanks to her brother-in-law, who was a sheriff.

  "Just stop here," she instructed and waited until Steve had pulled to the side of the drive, still a distance from the house, before opening the door. She remained in the seat, hesitating.

  The party was in full swing. Music blasted from the house, filling the air around it. Joley could almost feel the building expanding and contracting with every boom of the bass. Even the windows vibrated. She sat in the car with the door open and studied the house. Nikitin would know she'd come. His security people would have radioed the house immediately so Nikitin could be ready to greet her. It would be a victory of sorts for him. Finally. Joley Drake. He'd been pursuing her for months. Another celebrity he could be photographed with.

  "Are you getting out, Joley?" Steve asked.

  She met the driver's eyes in the rearview mirror and made a face. "I don't know. Maybe. Do you mind just waiting, Steve? I feel bad for dragging you out tonight."