Rachel Blake, an aura-reader who was raised in a Harmonic Enlightenment community, has had enough of trying to fit into the mainstream life. Her attempt at working at a para- psychology clinic is unsuccessful, so she reluctantly returns to Rainshadow Island to live in the cottage and to run the bookstore/café left to her by her aunts. Rachel is still dealing with what happened the last time she was on the island. She wandered into the forbidden Preserve late one afternoon, then emerged the next morning with no memory of the night spent there. It's amazing she survived, since most people who enter, never return. Since that experience, dark nightmares have haunted Rachel's dreams, and she doesn't know where she found the small amount of rainstones she brought back with her.

Harry Sebastian has arrived on the island to investigate problems with the paranormal energy fence protecting the perimeter of the Preserve, which the Sebastian family has owned for generations. Many years ago, Harry's family brought three chunks of gray crystals through the Curtain from the Old World and hid them on Rainshadow. It's been the responsibility of their descendants to protect the rocks. But when Harry goes to the cave where they were hidden, he finds they've been stolen. He now knows the reason for the high energy within the Preserve. And he's sure something very dangerous is going to occur, which will affect not only the Preserve, but the entire island.

Harry believes someone local is involved with what's happening, so he approaches Rachel to ask for her help as an aura-reader. She doesn't believe anyone on the island is causing problems in the Preserve, but she can't turn Harry down. Their strong sexual attraction only enhances Rachel's resolve to help Harry. Once they've started the investigation, there's no turning back, especially when an attempt is made on Harry's life. Someone evil is convinced there's a treasure trove of Alien artifacts within the Preserve and they will stop at nothing to acquire them. The outcome is a matter of life or death, with the future of Rainshadow at stake.

Jayne Castle starts her impressive new futuristic Rainshadow trilogy with an exciting and inventive romantic suspense. THE LOST NIGHT reconnects characters from past Harmony stories, as well as linking it with the other books in the long-running paranormal Arcane Society series. I have never missed reading a book in this fabulous series, whether written by Jayne Castle set in the future, Jayne Ann Krentz set in the present, or Amanda Quick set in the past. I highly recommend THE LOST NIGHT, as well as all the other Arcane books, and anxiously await the next installment.

Book Summary

Even the mysterious world of Harmony has people who don't quite fit in. They're drawn to places like Rainshadow Island, a beautiful sanctuary where anyone can feel safe-- and where secretes are closely guarded... Schooled in an exotic form of martial arts, and with the ability to detect the auras of dangerous psychic criminals, Rachel Blake and her dust bunny companion have found peace and quiet on Rainshadow Island, operating a bookstore and cafe. But her tranquil new life is thrown into chaos when Harry Sebastian, the descendant of a notorious pirate, arrives to investigate strange developments in the privately owned woods known as the Preserve. Immediately drawn to the amber-eyed woman, Harry must tread carefully. While Rachel's special talents can help him track down dangerous rogues who have violated the Preserve, they can also sense the heart of darkness within him. But desire can weaken the toughest of defenses--and leave even the strongest mean wanting more...