Strangers in the Night Read online

  STRANGERS in the NIGHT

  LINDA HOWARD

  Lisa Litwack

  Kazutomo Kawai

  Photonica

  POCKET BOOKS, a division of Simon & Schuster, Inc.

  1230 Avenue of the Americas,

  New York, NY 10020

  POCKET BOOKS

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  The sale of this book without its cover is unauthorized. If you purchased this book without a cover, you should be aware that it was reported to the publisher as “unsold and destroyed.” Neither the author nor the publisher has received payment for the sale of this “stripped book.”

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents 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.

  POCKET BOOKS, a division of Simon & Schuster, Inc. 1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020

  www.SimonandSchuster.com

  Lake of Dreams copyright © 1995 by Linda Howington

  White Out copyright © 1997 by Linda Howington

  Blue Moon copyright © 1999 by Linda Howington

  Originally published in hardcover in 2001 by Pocket Books

  All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book or portions thereof in any form whatsoever. For information address Pocket Books, 1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020

  ISBN: 0-7434-4426-4

  eISBN: 978-1-439-10777-5

  ISBN 978-0-743-44426-2

  First Pocket Books paperback printing November 2002

  10 9 8 7 6 5

  POCKET and colophon are registered trademarks of Simon & Schuster, Inc.

  For information regarding special discounts for bulk purchases, please contact Simon & Schuster Special Sales it 1-800-456-6798 or [email protected]

  Cover design by Lisa Litwack; front cover photo © Kazutomo Kawai/Photonica

  Printed in the U.S.A.

  These titles were previously published individually by Pocket Books

  Contents

  Lake of Dreams

  Blue Moon

  White Out

  $7.99 U.S.

  $11 99 CAN.

  LOOK FOR THESE HEART-POUNDING

  NOVELS FROM

  LINDA HOWARD

  She’s hunting for a mate—and there’s

  no more playing it safe.

  OPEN SEASON

  “A thriller…with deftness and charm.”

  —The Orlando Sentinel (FL)

  Handsome, rich, sexy, deadly….

  MR. PERFECT

  “Sexy fun.”

  — People

  … and don’t miss

  ALL THE QUEEN’S MEN

  NOW YOU SEE HER

  KILL AND TELL SON OF THE MORNING

  HEART OF FIRE

  AFTER THE NIGHT

  All available from Pocket Books

  PRAISE FOR THE SENSATIONAL

  NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLERS OF

  LINDA HOWARD

  OPEN SEASON

  “A perfect mystery for a late summer weekend. It’s part romance with a dollop of suspense.”

  — The Globe & Mail (Toronto)

  “This book is a masterpiece. Howard hooks us with a devastating opening prologue, then paints such visual pictures of her characters that they live.”

  — Rendezvous

  “The irrepressible Daisy Minor has a way of freshening everything.”

  — The Palm Beach Post

  “This lighthearted novel takes a dark turn when Daisy herself becomes prey.”

  — People

  “A modern-day version of the fairy tale about the ugly duckling that grows into a magnificent swan….”

  —The Orlando Sentinel (FL)

  MR. PERFECT

  “A frolicsome mystery…. Jaine Bright lives up to her name: she’s as bright—and explosive—as a firecracker.”

  — People

  “Mr. Perfect really scores…. Part romance novel, part psychological thriller, [it] is both a frightening and funny look at the plight of the modern woman searching for an ideal mate.”

  — New York Post

  “There is nothing quite like a sexy and suspenseful story by the amazing Linda Howard! … Funny, exciting, gripping, and sensuous…. One of her all-time best!”

  — Romantic Times

  ALL THE QUEEN’S MEN

  “A high-suspense romance…. Howard’s trademark darkly sensual style and intense, layered plot will delight her fans.”

  — Booklist

  “Ms. Howard has made the character [of John Medina] irresistible…. A fascinating novel of suspense and sensual tension.”

  — Rendezvous

  “Heart-pounding sensuality and gripping tension made it impossible to put this page-turner down until the very end…. John Medina is quite a hero.”

  — Old Book Barn Gazette

  “[A] sexy thriller…. Another explosive hit.”

  — Romantic Times

  “Watching [hero John Medina] in action, à la James Bond, is exhilarating….”

  —Amazon.com

  NOW YOU SEE HER

  “Steamy romance morphs into murder mystery….”

  — People

  “An eerie, passionate, and thrilling tale….”

  — Romantic Times

  “Sensual, page-turning.”

  —Amazon.com

  KILL AND TELL

  “Linda Howard meshes hot sex, emotional impact, and gripping tension in this perfect example of what romantic suspense ought to be.”

  — Publishers Weekly (starred review)

  “A riveting masterpiece of suspense. Linda Howard is a superbly original storyteller.”

  —Iris Johansen, New York Times bestselling author of Body of Lies

  SON OF THE MORNING

  “Linda Howard offers a romantic time-travel thriller with a fascinating premise … gripping passages and steamy sex.”

  — Publishers Weekly

  “A complex tale that’s rich with detail, powerful characters and stunning sensuality…. It’s no wonder that Linda Howard is the best of the best.”

  —CompuServe Romance Reviews

  Also by Linda Howard

  A Lady of the West

  Angel Creek

  The Touch of Fire

  Heart of Fire

  Dream Man

  After the Night

  Shades of Twilight

  Son of the Morning

  Kill and Tell

  Now You See Her

  All the Queen’s Men

  Mr. Perfect

  Open Season

  Published by POCKET BOOKS

  LINDA HOWARD

  STRANGERS

  in the

  NIGHT

  Lake of Dreams

  Blue Moon

  White Out

  LAKE OF DREAMS

  1

  His eyes were like jewels, aquamarines as deep and vivid as the sea, burning through the mist that enveloped him. They glittered down at her, the expression in them so intense that she was frightened, and struggled briefly in his grasp. He soothed her, his voice rough with passion as he controlled her struggles, stroking and caressing until she was once more quivering with delight, straining upward to meet him. His hips hammered rhythmically at her, driving deep. His powerful body was bare, his iron muscles moving like oiled silk under his sweaty skin. The mist from the lake swirled so thickly around them that she couldn’t see him clearly, could only feel him, inside and without, possessing her so fiercely and completely that she knew she would n