She wished Dalton were here. Of all people, he was the one to offer her comfort. She felt safe with him. She could crawl into his lap and his arms would wrap around her, shield her from this hurt, from the evil.
Dalton could protect her. She didn’t understand why, but she knew he could. He’d betrayed her, and yet she felt comforted whenever he was near. How fucked-up was that?
Still, there had been. . something between them. A spark, a connection. He seemed to understand the darkness. And he didn’t judge her for it.
She needed to talk to him. Why hadn’t she let him help her? Why had she let her pride and hurt get in the way of reaching out to him? Now she needed him and he wasn’t here.
“Help me,” she said to the empty room, clutching the sides of her head.
Find your way back to Dalton. He’s your salvation.
No. Look at the diamond. Touch it. See how close it is? Everything you’ve wanted can be yours. Think of Atlantis. You can have it all. Everyone who said you couldn’t-all you’ve been denied-will be yours. Fame, riches, all the dark delights you desire.
Don’t do it, Isabelle. Find Dalton. Dalton can save you.
“Stop it!” She cupped her ears, trying to drown out the voices.
Pain ripped inside her, tearing her in two. And still, the voices inside her head wouldn’t go away. Conflicting, they pulled at her, leading her down different roads.
She lifted her head, studied the black diamond. From an archaeological standpoint, it wasn’t at all remarkable. It looked like a huge chunk of coal, a disappointing lump in her stocking at Christmas, albeit a rather oversized one.
Why did everyone place such importance on it? It was just a rock. A dead, lifeless hunk of granite and sand. Void of life or any magic, it couldn’t do her any harm. They were wrong. Nothing was going to happen. She’d prove it.
Then they’d let her go.
She stood, tossed the blanket to the ledge, refusing to let fear rule her. She’d never been afraid-of anything-and refused to start now.
Okay, so she’d never been faced with demons before. Dear Lord in heaven, could they really be evil incarnate? Had she actually stood alone in a room with sons of the devil? And where was she, anyway?
Too many questions. Focus on one task at a time, Isabelle. Just like you’re working a dig. Back to the rock.
She took one step, waiting to see if it would. . come to life.
Nothing happened. It sat there on the table, lifeless.
What did she expect? For it to jump at her?
Honestly.
Approaching the table, she rested her hip against it.
There. Now she was inches from it, and felt no spark, no life emanating from the black diamond.
“This is ridiculous.” She reached out and placed her hands over the rock.
She could have sworn it moved, but that had to be her imagination.
But then she heard a distinctive hum, low at first, then gradually growing in intensity. And under her palms, a vibration.
She hadn’t imagined that. It was real.
Her hands were glued to the black diamond, her gaze mesmerized as the lifeless rock began to glow from within. First the tiny pinprick of a sapphire blue light, then as it spread throughout the stone, brightening to an ocean blue.
It was the most beautiful thing she’d ever seen. And when she felt tiny electric sparks shooting out from the diamond into her hand, felt the power of it enter her, she sensed no fear.
It was giving her energy, empowering her, welcoming her. How could she be afraid of something like that?
And yet, something within it both compelled and repulsed her, as if there were a life force buried within this rock that wanted out.
Wanted her.
Was this the prophecy her mother had spoken of in her diary? That she would one day take that final step into darkness?
Her mother feared that evil would consume her.
As Isabelle watched, mesmerized by the swirling blue light within the diamond, feeling its strength merge with hers, she was afraid her mother was right.
Because while the light absorbed into her, she was engulfed by darkness.
And she liked it.
Angelique paced the tiny room, wondering if this was going to be her prison, anticipating the moment demons would walk through the door and. .
And what? Kill her? Use her and Isabelle to make the black diamond spring to life? She didn’t think that was why she was there. She had a suspicion, and she didn’t like it.
She wrapped her arms around her middle and resumed her pacing, trying to stay focused, to imagine the possibilities of rescue by the Realm of Light. They were going to find her. They weren’t going to just leave her here in this. .
Wherever here was. She remembered walking out of the church, the black diamond in the bag on her shoulder. Then demons attacked, and she backed up to give Ryder room to fight. In an instant, demons surrounded her with their icy hands, pulling her with them until everything went dark.
Then nothing else until she woke in this cold, barren room with no windows and no freaking door. How did she even get in here? She wished she knew something, had contact at least with Isabelle.
But that wasn’t going to happen. Her sister wasn’t here. Whatever building this was, Izzy wasn’t here. She felt it, knew it to be true.
And the darkness in her sister was growing.
The black diamond had roared to life again.
The sudden realization shocked her, raising goose bumps on her already chilled skin.
Isabelle was with the black diamond. Her sister had touched it, had brought it to life.
How did Angelique know this? How could she feel her sister, and more important, the black diamond?
Because she’d laid her hands on it in the cave when it was alive and glowing? Had that made her somehow. . part of it?
She shuddered at the thought. There was evil in that thing. She remembered how it felt to lay her hands on it, the seductive sense of power it held. She hadn’t wanted to let go; she was both enraptured and horrified by the gem. Thank God Ryder had been there to pull her away from it.
But had she been somehow linked to it? Or was her link to Isabelle, and that’s how she knew?
Because this was way more than simply a feeling. She could almost see her sister, her eyes wide with a sense of power and madness as she laid her hands over the black diamond. And whatever force lived within the black diamond was trying to embed itself within Isabelle, sharing its power with her.
Please, Isabelle. Fight it. Don’t give in.
Angelique leaned against the wall and sank to the floor, wishing she could summon the same powers she’d used against that demon who’d tried to kill Ryder. Where was all that strength now? She’d pounded and pushed against the wall for hours, with no success.