demon up and over him, even as Ryder was sliding backward clear across the room. A loud crash as the thing hit the wall and Ryder slammed into a table. He winced at the pain, but shrugged it off and leaped to his feet.
The creature stood, limping, blood pouring from the wound at its chest. It was weakening and looked up at Ryder, surprise clearly showing on its face.
“What is in. . the knife?”
Ryder looked down at the blade, then smiled as he met the creature’s pained eyes. “Silver.”
The creature shook its head. “They told me I would live forever.” It looked down at its bloody hands, let out a roar of frustration, then disappeared in a cloud of smoke.
What the hell? Ryder stalked to the area where the thing had just stood. Nothing. Only a pool of blood.
He’d never seen any of the demons do shit like that before. He walked outside, looked in both directions, saw nothing, then shut the door behind him and hurried upstairs to Angelique. She was lying in bed, exactly as he had found her. She hadn’t moved and her eyes were still wide open. She had a vacant look, almost as if she was under some kind of spell. He dropped his weapons, sat on the edge of the bed, and grabbed her shoulders.
“Angelique.” He purposely kept his voice low. “Angie, it’s Ryder.”
She didn’t move, didn’t acknowledge his presence. This time, he shook her. “Hey, wake up. It’s over.”
Still no response. He finally lifted her, laid her head in the crook of his arms. “Angie, wake up.” He tapped her cheek, then slapped it lightly. “Come on. Snap out of this, goddamit.”
When he still didn’t get a response, he gave her one hard slap.
She gasped, then screamed, her hands coming up to palm his chest and push, hard. He didn’t let go.
“Come on, darlin’, it’s Ryder. It’s okay, it’s over. He’s gone.”
Still, she fought him, kicking her legs and feet underneath the covers, her eyes filled with terror. He held tight to her, bringing her up against him, wrapping his arms around her body. Her skin was ice cold. She was shaking, and he couldn’t imagine what she had gone through, having that thing put some kind of mind hold on her and then terrorize her like that.
Finally, she stopped fighting him, but she was still shivering. She pushed away, searching his face, her breathing harsh gasps. “Ryder.”
He nodded, realizing that with his night vision shades on he could see her, but she couldn’t see him. She needed the comfort of light. “Yeah. The lamp’s broken or I’d turn it on. But it’s me. Stay here and I’ll find the ceiling light switch.”
He left her for only a second. She was reluctant to let go of him. “I promise. I’m just going to get us some light.” She finally released her death grip on him. He found the switch, pulled off his glasses, and bathed the room in soft light.
Holy Christ. Her hair was a tangled dark mess around her face and shoulders, her eyes wide green pools of fear. The sheet had fallen to her waist, revealing small, upturned breasts-damn perfect, too-pink nipples and golden skin. His gaze shot back up to her stricken face and he hurried over to her side of the bed again. She was still shaking. He grabbed his jacket out of the bag at his feet and lifted her arms, sliding her into it, though he wasn’t sure if it was to warm her or cover her body from his gaping gaze.
“What. . what was that?” she asked, her voice a croaking whisper. “A demon?”
“I don’t know. I guess. Never seen one like that.”
“Me, either.” She was still breathing hard. He slid his fingers over her pulse. Too damn fast. He rubbed his thumb over her wrist. God, her hand was cold.
“He. . it wanted the black diamond.”
“I figured. Is it here, in this house?”
She shook her head, pieces of her hair sliding across her cheek as she dropped her head to her chin. “No. It’s not here.”
He should be pissed. He had a million questions to ask her, should tell her she got what she deserved after taking off with the black diamond. He had come for the same thing-to get it back. Now was the time to figure out where it was.
But looking at her shaking like this, he couldn’t do it. He had to get Angie out of this house, away from that thing and whatever else the Sons of Darkness were going to send her way. He had to contact the Realm of Light, report what he’d seen, gather some intelligence.
He had to protect Angie, before another of those creatures came back. Or something worse.
He was assigned to find and retrieve the black diamond. Find Angie and Isabelle.
He’d found Angie, so one step accomplished. But damn, he’d just stepped into a whole hell of a lot more.
Pandora’s box had opened, and he had a feeling he and Angie had just climbed right inside of it.
And despite his anger, his determination to keep his emotional distance, here he sat, with his arms wrapped around Angelique.
And dammit, it felt right.
Not good. Not good at all.
He pushed away and stood, looking down at her. “You okay now?”
She nodded, swung her legs over the bed. “I’ll be fine.”
“Get dressed. Pack what you can in five minutes. We’re getting out of here now before the Sons of Darkness send in round two.”
