The Darkest Touch

“Good question,” Ryder replied. “Because we aren’t inside anymore.” He smelled dirt, and trees, and even beyond the smoke, the freshness of air. Outside air.

“Another of the Sons of Darkness’ magic tricks?” Mandy asked. “Like what they did with the caves in Australia?”

“Hell if I know,” Ryder asked, turning to Angie.

But she was already moving through the smoke, disappearing into the thick mist.

And if it was mist, not smoke, then Ryder needed to stop her, before she walked into the midst of materializing demons. They didn’t even know where they were yet.

“Angie.”

She didn’t stop.

He grabbed her arm. “Slow down, darlin’. Where are you going?”

It took her a few seconds to drag her gaze away from the thick smoke ahead. Her eyes were unfocused as she looked at him, then back at the mist.

“Angie, what’s wrong?”

“Isabelle is on the other side. So is the black diamond. It’s calling to me. I. . I need to go, right now.”

She turned to walk away, but Ryder kept firm hold of her arm.

“Wait. You said the black diamond is calling to you?”

She frowned. “No. I said I feel Isabelle. She’s reaching out to me in some way. I need to go to her.”

That was not what she’d said. She tried to pull away, but he held firm.

“Hang on. Let’s stop, plan this out.”

She looked down where he had a grip on her upper arm, then back up at him. “No. We’ve planned enough. It’s time to go, Ryder. No more waiting.”

Tension rocketed up her arm, her muscles stiffening when he refused to yield.

“Ryder. Let me go.”

“I’m sorry, darlin’. I can’t do that.” He intended to hold her, to figure out what she’d just said, what was going on with her. Something wasn’t right.

That is, until she turned on him, her eyes gone bloodred. With triple her usual strength, she jerked her arm from his hold, and in a voice that could only be described as deep and demonic, she grasped his forearm in a crushing grip. “No. It’s time for you to let me go.”

Ah, shit. He knew the bad stuff was coming, but he hadn’t expected this.

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

Something had swirled its way inside Angelique, consuming her with evil from the inside out.

She knew the demon within her had been pressing hard to break free. Desperate to get to Isabelle, she’d allowed the sensations to envelop her, hoping they would give her some insight into what was going on with her sister. But she’d hurt Ryder in the process, and that was unacceptable. That had stopped her cold, frightened her. The capacity for what she could do. .

Dear God help her.

Fighting the sweet malevolence-it was so strong, so easy to let it run wild-she tamped it down, forcing it back to the recesses, like shutting a prison cell door. It was still there-she could see it-but for now, it was contained.

Relief filled her. She could master this evil inside her. At least for now.

“I’m sorry.” She let go of his arm, hating that she could already see the dark imprint of her hand there. He was strong-muscular. It took a lot for her to mark him. “Ryder, I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean that.”

“It’s okay.” He cupped her cheek, his tenderness more than she deserved. He seemed more worried than angry. “You’re upset and you need to see Isabelle. I’d fight anyone who got in the way of someone I loved.”

She nodded, grateful for his forgiveness when she couldn’t forgive herself. Her stomach twisted in pain. How could she hurt him? Did Ryder see his father in her, in what she’d just done? She’d been so cold, had known what she was doing, what she’d said to him, what she’d done to him. . and yet she hadn’t stopped.

No. She had stopped. That was the difference. She had stopped it, right?

“Don’t,” Ryder warned, his gaze narrowing as if he knew her train of thought. “I love you. You’re desperate to get to your sister. And I’m a tough guy. I can take what you dish out.”

“Is everything okay?” Michael hustled up beside them.

Ryder nodded. “Fine. We’re just strategizing the approach to going through that smoke and had a disagreement about the best way to handle it. Angie wanted to barge through it and I convinced her we needed to think this out first. But it’s her sister-you know how it is.”

He wasn’t going to tell Michael about what she’d just done. She so didn’t deserve Ryder’s faith in her.

“I understand. But Ryder’s right. You needed to wait for the rest of us so we can push in together. You don’t know what’s on the other side.”