The Realm of Light, always on the ball as usual. “Thanks.”
“You know what you’re doing, Dalton?”
“I have a pretty good idea. I want to play along with her awhile.”
“Keep her close. We need to see if she has any connection or knowledge of the black diamond or the Sons of Darkness, and if she exhibits any demon behavior. Let me know if you find out anything.”
“What about Angelique?”
“Ryder’s with her. He’s watching over her now.”
“Don’t tell them I’ve found Isabelle. I want to do this on my own for a while, see what kind of situation we have here first before we reunite the sisters.”
Lou was silent for a moment. “Okay. I agree with that. It might work in our favor if Angelique still believes her sister is missing. She might give up the black diamond if she thinks the Realm of Light can help find Isabelle.”
“That’s what I like about you, Lou. You’re devious.”
Lou chuckled. “Not me. I leave that up to all of you.”
“Okay, I’m on it.”
“Work quickly. We don’t have much time.”
“I’ll do that.” Dalton hung up and headed to the boat.
Though that was an understatement. It was nearly as big as a freaking cruise ship, and docked off the harbor. He took the launch off the pier and headed to the yacht, shaking his head as the navigator approached the one-hundred-sixty-foot beauty. He didn’t know how the Realm of Light did it, and had never asked, but whatever any of the demon hunters needed-money, fake identities, props like this ostentatious floating city-one telephone call and within hours it appeared.
He’d been with the Realm for over ten years, and he’d seen money spent like water. They were well funded and he still didn’t know where it came from.
He knew this boat cost millions. Everything was polished to perfection, and there were so many rooms on the damn thing he could easily get lost, which meant he had some serious studying to do before Isabelle showed up. He was supposed to own this yacht. He’d better know it backwards and forwards before she got here.
And she
Isabelle needed him, more than she could possibly know. Once in her presence, it hadn’t taken him long to read her, to get a sense of what was going on beyond her dire financial situation. There were undercurrents of something that wasn’t quite. . right within her. He didn’t know exactly what, but he knew all about things that weren’t normal.
After all, he wasn’t exactly normal. So he was probably in the best position to figure out who. . or what. . Isabelle Deveraux really was.
“Tase, I must speak with you.”
Tase turned and his brother, Aron, took a couple steps back. Tase kept his expression devoid of the smile that wanted to creep out at Aron’s obvious displeasure with Tase’s heat.
His difference from his brothers had always put him at an advantage-one he never failed to use whenever they were together. It reminded them who was in charge. His heat where the others were cold had always kept him separate from the other Lords. It was his punishment from their father, this heat he must live with instead of their normal icy cold. He had sinned, had transgressed, and Father had punished him, made him burn for it. Instead of bemoaning his fate, he had used it, benefited from it. Now he led with it. It had made him a leader. Father was proud of him for living with his sin, for using it for his own gain.
“Go ahead,” Tase said.
“One of the new recruits has found Angelique.”
“And?”
“The recruit is injured.”
“I don’t care about that. What of Angelique? Did he bring her back? And the black diamond?”
“She didn’t have it at her home. He worked her mind, saw it was not there.”
“I see. Did she reveal where it was? And what of her sister?”
Aron shook his head. “Unfortunately, there was no time. He was interrupted and injured by a demon hunter and the recruit fled.”
“Fucking hell.” Frustration made the flames lick out around Tase. Aron took a couple more steps back.
“He, like all of them, is new at this; he doesn’t quite have his bearings yet. It will take a while for our new ones to understand.”
“I realize that. Still, we had her in our grasp. Why must I be surrounded by idiots?”
“Yes, this new tactic will require much patience on our part.”
Something Tase had had in short supply, ever since their brothers Bart and Ben had botched everything up, allowing their time in the human realm to make them grow soft, emotional. The Sons of Darkness had paid a great price for their brothers’ sins.
They had lost both Bart and Ben. They had lost their chance at converting Ben’s sons Derek and Dominic, half-human and half-demon, who would have made a fine contribution as new members of the Sons of Darkness. Instead, they now fought as demon hunters for the Realm of Light.
