“I’m going to sleep with you. Do you have a problem with that?” He pulled his shirt off.
She reached for the hem of her tank top, realizing as she did that she was falling madly in love with Ryder.
Foolish. She knew it, but couldn’t help herself.
“No. No problem at all.” She let her shorts drop to the floor, backed up to the bed and held her arms out to him.
He followed, lifting his lips in that dangerous grin that melted her all over.
This was the worst possible time in her life to fall in love. Especially with a man who’d made it clear he couldn’t love her.
And she didn’t care. She’d love him anyway.
For as long as they had.
CHAPTER NINETEEN
It shouldn’t take more than half a day at most to retrieve the black diamond and get back here,” Dalton said to Isabelle.
She nodded. “I’ll be fine.”
“I’ve made arrangements for you to wait in the chapel,” Michael said. “You’ll be safe in there. It’s the most sacred part of the castle.”
“Whatever you think is best.”
Angelique was worried about Isabelle. She looked pale. She kneeled down next to her. “Are you all right?”
“I’m fine. I’m tired and a little freaked out by all this. I just want it to be over. Go get the black diamond so Michael can do his testing on me. Once we figure out whether or not I’m some freakazoid demon, I’ll feel better.”
Angelique sighed and squeezed Isabelle’s fingers. “You’re no more freak than I am.”
Isabelle snorted. “Whatever. Just go.”
“Dalton, take Isabelle to the chapel,” Michael said. “We’ll start loading up the vehicle.”
Dalton nodded. Isabelle frowned, but stood, letting go of Angelique’s fingers.
“I’ll be back soon,” she said to Izzy, but her sister had already left the room.
Angelique’s stomach tightened. She didn’t like this feeling.
Dalton walked quietly alongside Isabelle, wishing there was something he could say to make her feel better.
“I’m not going to lie to you,” he said.
“Really? I don’t see why not. You did plenty of it before.”
He stopped in the middle of the hall and grabbed her wrist, ever mindful of the zing of electricity that still existed between them. “I’m sorry. I did what I had to do.”
She pulled her hand away and rubbed the spot on her wrist where he’d touched her. “And sex was part of that.”
“I’m not going to apologize for making love to you, Isabelle. And I think we both know this attraction is mutual. But it had nothing to do with my assignment. I did it because I wanted to.”
“If I’d known who you were it wouldn’t have happened. You used me. You had sex with me to get close to me so I’d trust you. You only wanted the book.”
Her pain stabbed at him. “Yes, I wanted the book. But I didn’t have to make love to you to get the book. I wanted you.”
“But it sure made it easier, didn’t it?”
“No, it actually made it more difficult.”
Her gaze held his for long seconds. He felt her hesitation, as if there was more she wanted to say. But she turned and started walking away. “Spare me your guilt trip, Dalton. You and the Realm of Light got what you wanted. I’m here, I’m your guinea pig. Just drop me off in the chapel and go get the black diamond.”
Dalton sighed and they resumed walking.
They arrived at the chapel and Dalton pushed open the heavy wooden doors and led Isabelle inside.
He hated seeing her like this, hated knowing he’d caused her such misery.
She took a seat on one of the old wood pews and stared straight ahead at the altar, refusing to acknowledge him.
“You need anything, there’ll be one of the Realm guards posted outside. Don’t leave this chapel until we get back. It’s for your safety.”
“Uh-huh.”
He wanted to hold her, to kiss her again. She’d been so vibrant, smiling, full of life when he’d met her. A mass of contradictions wrapped up in one compelling package. He’d wanted to know more about her, to take time to learn her.
Now she was like an empty shell.
He’d get the old Isabelle back. Even if it meant her walking away from him, he’d make sure she was happy again. Hopefully this test with the black diamond would help.
He walked out of the chapel and closed the door, nodding to the guard who took position at the doorway.
As he walked down the long hallway back to the castle, he felt empty inside. Just like Isabelle, he imagined.
Dalton wished things were different. But he of all people knew some things were set in stone and couldn’t be changed.
“I feel them both,” Tase said, allowing a sharp smile of satisfaction. He could taste the weakness within them at the same time he felt the power of the black diamond surging to life. “My fellow brothers, it’s time to move. They are vulnerable.”
“Our demons are in place and ready,” Aron said. “We can move in now.”
Tase raised his hand. “Be patient. Instruct them not to move too quickly.”
Aron frowned. “We can take them.”
Tase shook his head. “Not yet. One will come to us. All we have to do is wait. The other we will have to fight for. But wait until the time is right. Too soon and we will lose what we came for. I don’t want to do that.”
They were so close to having everything. Everything.
Soon the Realm would lose all they held dear.
And for the Sons of Darkness, supreme rule would begin.
As they approached the old church, Angelique felt a sense of peace settle over her. That’s how she’d known this would be the perfect spot to hide the black diamond. It had felt right, and when she’d met Father Vintaldi she’d known immediately she could trust him.
Though he was old-had to be in his seventies at least-Father Vintaldi looked healthy and robust and more than fit enough to defend his church. In fact, there was a sparkling vitality about him that made him look youthful. Maybe it was his engaging smile.
He’d welcomed her at the gates, brought her inside the church, and she’d been surrounded by a peaceful calm the entire time. She’d felt safe there, and knew the black diamond would be as well.
She’d confided in him that she was in trouble, that dark forces were after the rock-and really, that’s all it looked like, a useless rock. For all she knew he thought she was an utter lunatic, but he swore he’d hide it in the church until she returned for it, and he’d give it to no one but her.
She’d believed him.
“I can’t believe you handed over the black diamond to a stranger,” Ryder grumbled as they pulled up to the front gate.
The town was so small the road wasn’t even paved, and as they parked and got out, a hot breeze kicked up and a cloud of dust swirled around their feet.