“Thanks for not skimping.” Ryder took his glass, lifted it in a toast, and drained it with one gulp. The thick liquid burned on its way down, but felt good, instantly relieving some of the tightness in his chest.
“Better?”
“It will be after one more.”
Dalton poured. Ryder tossed it down, then wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. “Okay, now I might not kill someone.”
Dalton grinned. “Glad to hear it, since I’m the only one close by.” Dalton grabbed the bottle and they took their glasses, sitting in the two chairs by the window.
“We fucked up,” Ryder said, staring at the sofa where he and Angie had made love last night. He could still feel her skin under his hands, could still smell her. She was embedded in him-in his head and, goddamit, in his heart.
He cared about her. Did he love her? Is this what it felt like, this anguished pain deep in his gut? Like part of him was missing when she was away from him?
He didn’t know love. He hadn’t seen much of it in his lifetime. His mother protected him, but all he’d really seen from her was fear. But with Angie. . she’d shown love to him. The caring, the respect, the warmth and tenderness. She brought out a side of him he hadn’t known existed.
Love. The thought terrified him, yet he wanted Angelique back so he could explore more of it.
“The Sons of Darkness wanted that black diamond bad,” Dalton said, jolting him out of his thoughts.
Ryder stared at the shot glass. “I didn’t see it coming. I didn’t expect to see demons on the grounds of the church.”
“None of us did. It’s not your fault, Ryder.”
“Why would they take Angie? They already tried their experiment on her and the diamond in Australia, and it didn’t work. Isabelle I can understand, but not Angie.”
“I don’t know. Maybe they’re using her as leverage to gain Isabelle’s cooperation.”
Ryder nodded. “It’s possible.” He looked at Dalton. “Do you think the Realm will be able to pinpoint their location?”
“Yes, I do. They have people who can tune in to specific individuals’ psychic signatures. I’m sure Michael is working with them right now. We’ll find them.”
Ryder didn’t say anything. He wasn’t sure he believed it. All he felt was a sense of emptiness, of guilt. He should have taken care of Angie. Instead, he had let the demons take her. It was the same as thrusting her into their hands.
What was she thinking right now? What were they doing to her? Was she okay?
He lay his head in his hands.
“Ryder, if they don’t. . we will.”
That’s what he needed to hear. He lifted his head. “We’re destroying the black diamond. No experiments. That’s our leverage. Without it, Angie and Isabelle are unnecessary to the Sons of Darkness.”
Dalton’s gaze met his; he nodded. Just like that, they had an understanding. That was solid. Real. He believed Dalton.
The clock was ticking.
He grabbed the bottle and poured another shot.
“Okay, we have something.”
Ryder put the glass down and turned to Michael. “You found them?”
“One of our people picked up Angelique’s signature.”
“Isabelle?” Dalton asked.
Michael shook his head. “Nothing yet, but they’re still working on her. It’s possible they have her hidden beyond what we can pick up. We’re assuming they’re in the same location, so let’s start with Angelique.”
“Fine,” Ryder said. “Where?”
“It’s a remote castle, up the coast, much like this one.”
“Isn’t it unusual for them to be aboveground?” Ryder asked. “I thought they dwelled underground.”
“They do. And yes, it is. We don’t understand it, either. So we’ll just have to go check it out.”
Ryder hated when the bad guys didn’t operate according to standard. That signaled a trap. He didn’t like this.
“The castle is well protected,” Michael continued, “so we’ll need reinforcements. I’ve already alerted Lou. He’s bringing a few of the others. We’ll meet them at the castle.”
“Let’s weapon up,” Ryder said, already feeling the rush of impending battle, glad to be doing something other than drinking to drown the misery and guilt. Inactivity sucked.
Action rocked.
They were going to get Angelique.
“You know they’re coming,” Badon said.
“Of course I do.” Irritated, Tase let the flames lick out, one tendril of fire slapping like a whip toward his brother. Badon stepped back, avoiding that which would cause him excruciating pain.
Tase hated being second-guessed. His brothers needed to learn their place.
“I feel their power.”
“You underestimate ours, Badon. And especially mine.”
He knew exactly what he was doing. Of course they were coming.
His plan was working perfectly.
The Realm was stupid.
And in many ways, so were his brothers-the reason they had not been successful so far.
Was no one fit to lead but him? Could no one match his skills, his cunning? Could they not see what he was doing?
The Sons of Darkness were going to win. The Realm was chasing ghosts.
They’d figure it out soon enough.
“Go back to your assigned tasks, Badon. I have this covered.”
Badon hesitated as if he would speak further. Tase let him know of his displeasure by flaming the entire room. His brother made a hasty exit. Badon would have wounds from this.
Tase was sure his laughter rang in his brother’s ear all the way down the corridor.
Ryder studied the castle from their position several hundred yards away. A typical touristy-type place, built over an open, sandy beach, the crystal blue waters of the Ionian surrounding it.
From a battle perspective, it was well guarded. The beach was easy to watch, so no doubt the castle had been intended as a lookout for attacks from the sea. No one could bring a boat up onto the beach without being seen from the castle turrets. Water on three sides, a hilly expanse of brush, cactus, and insurmountable wall on the other.
Not impossible, but not easy, either.
“We come at it from the hill,” Ryder said. “Through the brush.”
“Cactus,” Dalton pointed out.
“Yeah. Sucks, but doable. It’s dense, but we can weave our way through it, especially if we stay low. There are fewer stickers near the ground.”
“Sounds delightful,” Mandy said. “I’ve always wanted cactus stickers in my ass.”
Trace snorted. “I can pull those out for you, love.”
Mandy rolled her eyes. “Keep dreamin’, stud.”
Ryder checked his watch. “When are the others arriving?”
“Soon,” Michael said.