again.
The sheer white batiste had been fashioned into a simple
loose Grecian tunic, leaving one shoulder bare and falling
straight to the floor. Silver’s smooth golden skin, taut pink
nipples, all the secret places of her body, were only lightly
veiled and could be seen in all their ravishing loveliness. She
looked as wildly beautiful and shockingly desirable as a high
priestess in the temple of Aphrodite.
„Don’t just stand there. Put that goddamn cloak around
her!“ Nicholas’s harsh voice pulled Valentin’s gaze from Silver
to Nicholas’s face.
He inhaled sharply and hurriedly picked up Silver’s cloak
from the floor. Christ, he’d never seen Nicky look like that.
White-hot jealousy, anger, and desire blazed from him in
waves that were nearly tangible. „I’ll take her back to the
stateroom, Nicky.“ He took a step toward Silver, intending to
put the cloak around her.
She had no intention of letting him accomplish his aim. She
backed away from the table, her gaze still holding Nicholas’s
with defiance. „You don’t look pleased, Nicholas. Why is that?
I certainly don’t look like a frumpy schoolgirl.“
„Damn you,“ Nicholas said with soft violence. „Put that
cloak on!“
She shook her head, a reckless smile on her face as she
continued to back away. „I’m not uncomfortable like this. I’m
Apache, remember?“
Nicholas stood up so suddenly that his chair crashed to the
floor behind him. „Then, by God, you’d better learn to behave
like a white woman. I won’t have you stripping yourself for
every man to gape at like some – “ He broke off, his chest
rising and falling with the force of his breathing. „Put on that
cloak or I swear you’ll regret it, Silver.“
She laughed, the sound rising to ring around the white and
gold of the ceiling. „You cannot make me regret anything. You
are nothing to me, your highness.“
Then she was gone, flying down the length of the saloon
toward the door leading to the deck, her straight dark hair
streaming behind her in a wild, shining banner. She heard
Nicholas call her name, but she ignored it. Fierce joy was
surging through her veins. She had done it! She had bested
Nicholas and now she would complete her plan.
Cool night air struck her hot cheeks as she rushed out on
deck and ran toward the stairway leading to the boiler deck.
She glanced over her shoulder. Nicholas and Valentin had just
emerged from the saloon and were running after her.
She should take off the slippers, but there was no time. She
glanced over the rail at the shore that was scarcely forty yards
away. She had reached the boiler deck, but she couldn’t jump
here. It was too close to the paddle wheel. She streaked across
the deck, climbed up on the rail, and then slipped onto the
narrow ledge hanging over the water.
„Silver!“ Nicholas shouted.
She glanced back over her shoulder. His face was pale in
the moonlight. Strange, he didn’t look angry now as he ran
toward her. If she didn’t know better, she would swear his
expression reflected panic.
„Good-bye, Nicholas.“ She waved mockingly and then
dove into the waters of the Mississippi.
The river was cold and for a moment she lost her breath
and felt frightened. Then she struck out with swift strong
strokes toward the shadowy bank.
„You’re going after her?“ Valentin asked as he watched
Nicholas jerk off his boots and toss them aside.
„You’re damn right I’m going after her.“ Nicholas flung off
his coat and threw it on top of his boots. „If she makes it to
shore, she’ll disappear before we can launch a boat and get to
the bank.“
If. The qualifier caused an icy chill to chase through him.
Silver appeared to be swimming with exceptional strength, but
he had heard there were many dangers lurking in the river.
Whirlpools, currents… He climbed over the rail, his gaze
searching the water. Now that she had left the glowing
perimeter of the riverboat s lanterns, he could no longer see
her. Where the devil was she? Then he saw a gleam of
moonlight shining on a seal-wet head and felt a relief so
intense it made him dizzy.
He balanced on the ledge, keeping his gaze fixed
desperately on Silver. „Tell Robert to wait until dawn to send a
rescue party after us. We don’t want any more people than
necessary blundering around lost in that damn forest.“ He
dove into the river and struck out after Silver, cleaving the
water with powerful strokes. His heart was pounding with fear
as his eyes strained in the darkness. Incredibly, he found
himself muttering a prayer beneath his breath.
She was almost to the bank. Relief coursed through her,
revitalizing her tired muscles. Another fifteen yards and she
would be safe. She wanted to hurry, to strike out with greater
speed, but she knew she must hoard her strength.
She swam steadily, drawing closer, closer still. Soon she
would be there. Stroke, breathe deeply, another stroke, breathe
deeply, str –
Blackness! A gnarled, scaly monster bearing down on her!
There were no river monsters, she thought wildly, no
monsters here.
The monster struck! She gasped as an avalanche of pain
tumbled through her head. Dizziness. Pain. Blackness. She
must keep moving. But she couldn’t remember what to do,
how to move her arms. Panic ripped through her. She was
going to die. She was going to be with Rising Star. Oh, God,
she didn’t want to die!
„No!“ Her arms began to thrash wildly. She wanted to live.
There was something wonderful waiting for her. Something
that was meant to be… Someone…
The blackness returned and she fought against it. She
wouldn’t die. She was strong. She wouldn’t be destroyed when
that wonder was waiting for her.
Then the blackness deepened and the waters of the river
closed over her head. She sank slowly downward, a silent
scream of protest resounding through every cell of her being.
Nicholas!
Nicholas’s face was intent in the firelight, a slight frown
knitting his brow. His golden hair was touseled and a little
damp and he was wearing no shirt. That was strange, she
thought vaguely. She had never seen Nicholas when he was
not faultlessly dressed. „Where’s your shirt?“
His eyes flew up to meet hers and relief flooded his face.
„I’m sorry to appear with such a shocking lack of decorum,
but I thought you needed it more than I did,“ he said lightly.
„Your gown may have been eyecatching, but it gave you little
protection from the elements.“
She looked down at herself in surprise. She was wearing
his shirt. The linen of his white shirt was no longer crisp, but
wilted and slightly damp. She was barefoot and she could see
the yellow slippers she had worn lying watersoaked and ruined
on the bank a few yards away. „Why are we wet?“
His smile faded. „Don’t you remember?“
She tried to think. Something wonderful waiting for her.
Someone… She suddenly sat bolt upright. „The monster!“
„Lie back down,“ Nicholas said, trying to push her onto the
bed of moss and leaves. „There was no monster.“
„There was.“ She dazedly lifted her hand to her head. „I
saw it. Black and scaly and – “
„It was a log being carried by the current,“ Nicholas said.
„No monster. It struck you a glancing blow on the head and
stunned you.“ His lips tightened grimly. „But it was enough to