“We’ll find them.”
“How?” Ryder asked. “Are you going to gaze into a crystal ball and zoom into their whereabouts? Do you have some kind of sixth sense that links you to them? Tell me, Michael-how exactly do you plan to find them? Are you going to form a committee to discuss options?”
Ryder knew he was this close to losing it. Patience wasn’t his strength. He didn’t want to stand around and analyze this. He didn’t want to discuss it with the other Keepers. He wanted to get out there and find Angelique and her sister.
Frankly, the Sons of Darkness could keep the fucking black diamond.
He just wanted Angie back.
“Ryder, we’ll find them,” Michael said, his voice lowered. But Ryder knew counseling tactics when he heard them.
“I’m not going psycho on you, Michael, so you can quit using that tone with me. But I’m not going to sit here and wait. Come up with something or I’ll start digging holes in the earth and go down there and get her myself.”
“Ryder.” Michael approached, stopped in front of him. “We have people who can find them. Our Keepers and others in the Realm have certain. . talents.”
Ryder didn’t care if they were circus clowns, as long as they could locate Angelique. “Good. Find them.”
“Yes, sir. We’ll get right on that,” Michael said, his expression flat.
Ryder knew he was being insubordinate. He didn’t care. He felt responsible for Angie being taken. He’d take whatever punishment the Realm wanted to dish out for his defiance, as long as they located her-fast.
Dalton threw his arm around Ryder’s shoulder. “How about I take you upstairs for a drink?”
Ryder let out a sigh. “That’s not a bad idea.”
“I think it’s a great idea,” Michael said. “You both could stand to unwind. As soon as I know something, I’ll let you know. One drink only, though. We might have to move at any minute.”
“Gotcha,” Dalton said, spinning around with Ryder and leading him down the hall. “How about the rest of you?” he asked.
Mandy shook her head. “I’m going with Michael. I’ll let you all know what the Realm has in mind to find them.”
“I’d like to know that, too,” Ryder said, veering toward Mandy.
Dalton held firm to his shoulder. “You need to unwind a little. Mandy will keep us informed.”
Ryder hesitated, then nodded. “You’re probably right. I’d just be in the way right now.”
Trace shrugged. “I’m heading into the lab to see about weapons.”
“Guess it’s just you and me and that drink, then,” Dalton said.
Ryder felt the tension coiled inside him, ready to strike. He knew he was a danger to everyone around him right now, and Dalton was protecting the team by doing whatever it took to distract him.
Fine. Tequila. Whatever. He’d give Michael a few hours at most, then he was going hunting for Angelique on his own, and no one would stop him.
They headed upstairs to the library, where the wet bar was located.
“Shots?” Dalton asked.
“Hell, yeah.”
Dalton grabbed the bottle and two good-sized shot glasses from the wet bar, and poured to the top.
“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.”
