Angelique inhaled, then blew it out. “I know she does. I feel that, too. I’m afraid that as soon as she laid her hands on the black diamond, she succumbed to the darkness within her.”
So not what Dalton wanted to hear, but what he feared had happened. “How bad is it?”
Angelique looked at him. “I don’t know yet. I need to see her.”
“If she’s moved over to the side of the Sons of Darkness-completely over to their side. .”
Michael trailed off, but Dalton knew what he meant. If Isabelle had gone evil, she was a threat to the Realm. She’d need to be eliminated.
“What?” Angelique asked. “Tell me.”
Ryder grasped her hand. “What Michael’s saying is that if she’s a demon, wholly demon, the Realm of Light will destroy her.”
She shuddered a breath, her wary gaze scanning the room. “You all will kill my sister.”
No one nodded, but they didn’t have to. They’d do what they had vowed to do to any demon. Dalton knew how hard this was for her. He didn’t want to think about it, either; he refused to contemplate the possibility.
“You didn’t kill Derek or Nic, and they are half-blood demons,” she argued.
“Angelique, we don’t yet know what’s happened to Isabelle,” Lou said. “Let’s hope she’s just like Derek and Nic, that she’s able to control the demon within her, just as you seem to be able to do.”
“Because if I can’t, you’ll destroy me, too.”
“I don’t think that’ll be necessary,” Lou countered with a faint smile. “You’ve exhibited no signs of allowing the demon blood in you to take over.”
“And neither will my sister.”
Dalton hoped that was the case. He didn’t want Isabelle to die. They didn’t know her like he did.
“We’re glad you came,” Mandy said, breaking the tension that surrounded them.
“You put your ass on the line to do it. Now that you’re here the Sons of Darkness are going to be gunning for you. That shows guts.” Derek nodded his appreciation of Angelique’s courage.
“I don’t know if it’s guts or just utter terror for my sister. I have to find her. She’s the only family I have left. Sitting at the castle unable to take part in this felt wrong. Not when I could be the catalyst to bring them out of hiding.”
Michael sighed. “Okay, now that you’re here and evidently insisting on staying, we’ll see what happens.”
Angelique exhaled in relief, glad she was going to be allowed to remain.
“Thank you. I know you were trying your best to keep me safe, and I appreciate it. But I think this is the best approach.” Especially knowing what could possibly happen to Izzy. She’d do anything to prevent it-if it wasn’t already too late.
“Your presence here will get the Sons of Darkness’ attention,” Lou said. “If they want you back, and we assume they do, then they should make their presence known more easily. And when they do, we can dispatch them and find our way to their hiding place.”
“And you think that’s where my sister is? Underground somewhere?”
“Possibly,” Michael said. “We know for a fact she’s here. As is the black diamond. Whether they’re underground or not is uncertain.”
Ryder pulled up a chair and sat next to Angelique.
“Now what?” she asked.
“We wait. See what happens.”
“This is interesting.”
Angelique looked up at Lou. He was poring over papers on the table. “What?”
“There’s an older part of the cemetery, closed and no longer in use.”
She and Ryder stood and moved over to the table. Angelique scanned the document. “This looks like an ancient blueprint.”
“Yes,” Lou said. “I was trying to plot out perimeter strategy, minus the cemetery, figuring those wouldn’t be utilized by the demons along with the church proper. But this part here I’m curious about.”
“I’ll go get Father Vintaldi,” Gina said, leaving the room.
“Something about the area bothering you, Lou?” Mandy asked.
“Yes. I feel a strong pull to that location.”
“But if it’s part of the cemetery, the demons wouldn’t use it, would they?” Dalton asked.
“I wouldn’t think so, unless the ground there hasn’t been consecrated.”
Gina returned with Father Vintaldi in tow.
“Is there something I can assist you with?” the priest asked.
“Father, we need to know about this area.” Lou pointed to the blueprints.
Father Vintaldi leaned over the table and studied them, then nodded. “Ah, yes, the old burial ground.”
“So it is holy ground.”
Father Vintaldi shook his head. “It is ancient ground, centuries old. The bodies once buried there were relocated to the new cemetery when the first church was built on this land in the 1700s.”
“Then there aren’t any bodies in that area.” Dalton looked down at the blueprint, then at Lou. “They might be there.”
Lou nodded. “It’s possible. And I do have a very strong feeling about the place.”
“It has lain untouched for a long time.” Father Vintaldi frowned. “Something about that place is evil. No one likes to go in there.”
“Evil? Padre, what do you mean?” Angelique asked.
“It is said that only the criminals were buried there. Without benefit of holy blessings. Vile, evil men who had been executed, as well as those who had been suspected of practicing the dark arts. They were buried without forgiveness.”
Angelique looked at Ryder. Without forgiveness. She knew what that meant.
“Of course, we eventually moved their remains to the new cemetery and provided them their absolution when we reburied them.”
“But the old burial ground had no consecrated graves, did it?” she asked.
Father Vintaldi shook his head. “No, it did not, I’m sorry to say.”
“What’s left in that area now, Father?” Michael asked.
“Just the empty graveyard and the old stone building that was once used as a holding place for the criminals. And for the executions.”
“Please, go on,” Michael said.
The priest nodded. “It is rumored the dark arts were practiced there, too. Rituals, worships of the devil, things that were forbidden.” Father Vintaldi crossed himself.
“That could be where they are,” Ryder said.
Lou nodded. “We need to get ready to go.”
“Time to weapon up.” Dalton turned and walked away, already heading for his laser.
As the hunters strapped on their holsters and loaded their weapons, Angelique felt a rush of adrenaline. She moved to Ryder’s side.
“You’re not leaving me here.” She didn’t care if she had to take them all on one by one. She wasn’t going to be left behind again. Too much was at stake.