by Jaci Burton
He sat. “If you wanted to discuss something, all you had to do was say so. You didn’t have to ply me with alcohol.”
“Right. Because you’re usually so open and talkative.”
He tilted his head. “You’re a real smart-ass, you know that?”
She looked away, but her lips curled. “You like me that way.”
She was right. He did prefer her this way to the sweet, accommodating woman she’d been earlier tonight. That Angelique had been alien to him. He liked her with a little sass. Maybe he could handle her better when she showed him some attitude.
“So what’s on your mind?”
“I’m worried.”
“About?”
“A lot of things. About what happened at the cottage. How that demon knew where to find me. And if they found me, they can find Isabelle.”
“Are you thinking something’s happened to her?”
“I’m trying not to think that, actually. But there has to be a good reason she has suddenly gone under the radar. And yes, she makes me nuts, but right now I need to know where she is.”
“Why now?”
“Because of what Bart said at the caves in Australia.”
“You’re wondering if your sister has some connection to the Sons of Darkness?”
She nodded, misery in her expression. “It wasn’t me. When I touched the black diamond, the light inside it extinguished. Then Bart said I wasn’t the one, almost as if he expected me to have some kind of magical power, as if he already knew I would.”
“That doesn’t mean Isabelle will, either.”
“True. But putting two and two together, Izzy and I are twins. What did the Sons of Darkness know about me, about us, that I’m unaware of?”
“Good question. Are you sure you don’t know anything?”
She narrowed her gaze in anger. “Please. Do you think I’d be a sitting duck if I was on the demons’ side? That that thing would have held my throat, demanding answers? I don’t know anything. I didn’t at the caves and I still don’t.”
Ryder didn’t know what to think. Demons liked to play games, and subterfuge was one of their favorites. Often what you saw wasn’t what you got. He wouldn’t put it past them to plant one of their own in the midst of the Realm of Light.
But gut instinct told him that wasn’t what was going on here, that Angie wasn’t involved with the demons. Not directly, anyway.
“I’m afraid Isabelle is the Queen of Darkness that Bart spoke about.”
Well, hit him over the head with a sledgehammer. Now they were getting somewhere. “Why would you think that?”
She leaned over, balancing her elbows on her knees and clasping her hands together, studying them, he supposed, so she wouldn’t have to meet his gaze. “Several reasons, actually. Because of Bart’s confusion about me and the black diamond, and because of Izzy’s behavior. It. . fits.”
“What do you mean, it fits?”
Her head shot up and her tortured eyes met his. “There’s a darkness in her. I’ve always known about it. She can be sweetness and light one minute, and turn on you the next. And when she does, she almost seems to enjoy it. I could understand it if it had just happened when we were kids, but it’s continued even into adulthood. It’s like she gets a perverse pleasure out of hurting people, especially me.”
“Sibling rivalry?”
Angie shook her head. “No. It’s much more than that. I can’t really explain it, Ryder. There’s a deviousness to her, an inherent. . evil. I can feel it. Sometimes she scares the hell out of me. And the older she gets, the more pronounced it’s gotten.”
“What kind of darkness?”
Angelique shrugged. “Her behavior. Her lack of scruples. She’ll hurt people without a second thought, with no remorse. She’ll take and take for her own gain without thinking of the repercussions.”
“She definitely sounds greedy.”
Angelique nodded. “Yes, but it goes beyond that. She wants to beat me, to stay a step ahead of me. It’s always been that way. She’d steal a treasure right out from under me if it meant she could win.”
“That still sounds more like sibling rivalry.”
She shook her head. “I used to think so, but she’s a successful archaeologist in her own right. She doesn’t need to be better than me. She’s already brilliant at what she does. She has this drive to be rich, famous, as if she wants everything. There’s nothing she won’t do to get what she wants. There’s no one she won’t destroy who stands in her way. She never gets close to people, never lets anyone in. She and I have a bond, but we’re sisters. And even then, she can be cold with me.
“I’ve always felt there was something different about her, but I denied it for so long. Until Australia. Then it hit me that she could have evil in her. But how? We’re twins, and I’m. . I’m not like that, Ryder.”
Ah, hell. The pain on her face was so intense it made his stomach hurt. He wanted to drop to his knees and gather her in his arms. Goddamn. He wanted to soothe her.
That so wasn’t his thing. Talking was better. Touching wasn’t a good idea. And he wasn’t a soother.
“We all have a dark side, Angie. It’s what we choose to do with it that makes us who we are.”
The look she gave him was so filled with question and need that he could feel it deep inside. It made him crave things he hadn’t craved in a very long time.
“What do you mean by that?”
He should learn to keep his damn mouth shut, before he started spilling his guts to her. “Nothing. Some philosophical bullshit I read once. I thought it might help. Did it?”
She let out a soft laugh. “A little.”
He stood and walked to the window, looking out over the moonless night, wondering what he was doing in here with Angie when he should be outside.
Or maybe he just felt the need to escape, to gather some distance between them, before he did something really stupid, like try to comfort her. “I’d better get outside and patrol.” He turned back to her. “Look. We’ll find your sister and when we do, you’ll discover that she’s just fine. Quit worrying.”
“I’ll try.”
He slipped out the back door and shut it, filling his lungs with a deep breath of humid night air. The choking sweet smell of gardenias was making him sick, so he moved away from the house, keeping his focus on the surrounding terrain, searching for the signs of anything suspicious.
The night was dead quiet. Not even a ruffle of wind to shatter the silence.
It wasn’t quiet in his head, though. He took a quick glance to the house, spotting Angie through the kitchen window. She was doing dishes, a frown of deep concentration lining her forehead.
He hadn’t given her the answers she’d needed. Not that he’d had them, but he knew he’d walked out on her in the middle of a really important conversation. One she’d wanted to delve deeper into.
One he couldn’t handle. Because she’d started talking about bloodline, and darkness.
And that was a little too close to home for him. His own potential for violence, where it had come from, was a topic he didn’t discuss.
The strange thing was, he’d wanted to. Tonight, with Angie, as soon as she’d expressed concerns about Isabelle, he’d wanted to tell her about his own dark side.
Wouldn’t she have loved to hear some of those stories?
He shook his head. She’d wanted tenderness and understanding, not someone who would tell her that her sister probably was evil, that sometimes you couldn’t hide the darkness inside yourself.
Some were successful, some weren’t.
And some walked a tightrope, striking a careful balance, knowing that at any second they could fall.
Ryder walked the tightrope every damn day. He couldn’t offer Angie any sympathy because it wasn’t in his nature to give it. Maybe he really was just like his dad.
The light went out in the kitchen. He turned away from the window and stared out into the night, letting the darkness envelop him,
breathing out a sigh when he heard her footsteps approaching.
“Go inside, Angie.”
She sat next to him, her thigh brushing his. “We almost got somewhere tonight. You pulled back.”
“We didn’t get anywhere. I can’t give you what you need.”
“Because you don’t trust me.”
“Partly.”
“Because you think I don’t trust you?”
He turned to her. “What?”
“I revealed something to you tonight. A fear about my sister. Doesn’t that speak of trust?”
He was glad it was dark. The way she looked at him. . he could get so lost in her eyes. He didn’t want to. It made him feel weak and out of control.
“I’d trust you more if you told me where the black diamond was.” Keep it about business. That, he could control.
“I do trust you. As much as I can trust anyone. But my sister’s life is at stake here.”
“Then prove it.” This could be over quickly if she’d just tell him where the black diamond was.
“Ryder.” She leaned in, her breasts pressing against his arm, shocking the hell out of him by nearly climbing into his lap as her lips found his.
Maybe it was surprise that kept him immobile. He should have moved away. But hell, she offered. He took. Her mouth was spicy, hot and inviting. And he wanted in.
With a groan, he dragged her onto his lap and she tangled her fingers into his hair, deepening the kiss. He liked that, liked feeling her touch on him. Her body was soft against everything that was hard about him. And everything about him was damn hard right now. Instant rushes of heat and raw, steely power ignited a fuse that had laid dormant too long. One touch of her lips and he was on fire.
The part of him that knew this was a really bad idea disappeared, vanishing along with his reserves about keeping a professional distance. All he could think about now was getting her naked, touching the silk of her body, tasting her all over. Sinking into her and forgetting the darkness around them both.
Her lips were full, her tongue moist and searching as she entered his mouth, licking against his. She wanted more, and he wanted to give it to her.
But he also remembered trust. And darkness. And violence. And what could happen when you loved someone.
He grasped her arms and with a gentle tug, pushed her away.
She tilted her head, her eyes glazed with passion. A quick glance down her body showed tight, pointed nipples against her thin shirt. He wanted to touch, to taste, to take her over and over again.
Possession. He could feel it boiling up inside him, that overwhelming need to brand her and make her his. The need was almost violent.
Yeah, that had worked so well for his parents, hadn’t it?
He swallowed, his throat dry, his body taut with need. He couldn’t believe what he was about to do.
“Go back inside, Angie.”
She inhaled, then blew it out, nodding, sucking her bottom lip between her teeth. She slid off his lap and without a word, turned away and walked toward the house.
He watched every step, the way her hips swayed, the way she held her head up high. She didn’t turn back to look at him as she opened the door and closed it behind her.
No, it wasn’t that he didn’t trust her.
He didn’t trust himself.
He knew exactly where the darkness lived. It lived inside him.
CHAPTER SEVEN
Out on the crystal clear waters of the Mediterranean, Isabelle could almost believe it was all hers. The yacht, the crew, the expensive diving equipment-all of it.
Someday, it would be. As soon as she found the underwater temples and made her fortune, she’d never have to rely on anyone else for assistance again.
Not even her sister. Then she could do it alone.
And maybe she should be alone.
“You’re deep in thought.”
She turned at the sound of Dalton’s voice, plastering on a bright smile. “I’m excited about the dive this morning. Just planning my strategy.”
“More likely planning how you’re going to spend that fortune you think you’re going to make when you find the temple.”
She laughed at the way he seemed to read her thoughts. She liked his honesty, and the fact he didn’t hold her treasure hunting against her, like Angelique always did. With Angie, she always felt like she should apologize for wanting. With Dalton, he seemed to enjoy her enthusiasm, her need for adventure, her honesty about wanting to find success.
Of course, she was lying to Dalton, but she was as honest with him as she could be. And she was relaxed with him, more so than she had been with anyone in a very long time.
“I don’t think I’m going to find the treasure. I know.”
“I like a self-confident woman.”
Just as she appreciated a gorgeous, rich man. “Are you diving with me today?” she asked, noticing he was wearing a wet suit. One that clung tight to his well-muscled body.
“Of course. I have to keep an eye on my investment, don’t I?”
“Bull. You’re diving for the adventure. You’re as interested in finding the temples as I am.”
He arched a brow. “I’ll have to make more of an attempt at being mysterious.”
She snorted, then turned to the railing, her nerves tingling as the yacht cut through the glassy water on its way to the designated location. When she felt the engine slow, she nearly jumped overboard in excitement, but maintained her outward composure. It wouldn’t do at all for Dalton to see her come undone. She was supposed to be a pro at this. But inside she bubbled over with a childlike thrill. This was her moment.
To calm herself down, she concentrated on inventorying everything for the dive. She focused on the tools, cameras, and equipment they’d be taking down with them.
Dalton was adept at ordering his crew. They moved like a well-oiled machine, lowering everything into the water.
Someday she’d be at the helm of her own crew, barking out orders. And they’d all jump.
She’d be their queen. They’d bow before her.
A thin veil of darkness covered her mind. She grasped the railing as a wave of dizziness overcame her.
Darkness. Queen. Minions bowing before her. Gruesome creatures, but they revered her. Sickening evil surged inside her. Everything was at her command. Wealth, immense power. She could control it all.
She blinked, biting back the bile rising in her throat.
Those weird visions again. That sense of evil, coating her like a splash of thick oil. She shuddered, shook it off.
Too much stress. Not enough sleep lately. She really needed to find this treasure so she could relax. She was starting to lose it.
It had nothing to do with the journal. Nothing at all to do with her mother’s words. She was imagining things.
Turning away from the railing, she focused on the tasks of getting ready for the dive. Soon, all was ready. She put on her tank and mask and lowered herself off the edge of the swim dock. Dalton followed, and they submerged, the crew following with the equipment.
Isabelle hadn’t done a huge amount of undersea exploration, but enough to be comfortable. And she’d always loved diving, had been enamored of the sea since she was a little girl, awestruck by the quiet solitude of blue water surrounding her.
No one had searched this particular area, concentrating instead at points northeast of their location. But she’d studied the area, the charts, the estimates, and knew where she wanted to start.
Call it a hunch, or whatever, but she’d been researching this for years. Others scoffed at her, but she’d done her homework. Anyway, that’s why she liked to work alone. She didn’t need the disdain of the scholarly types. This time she was going to find the temples. She was going to find Atlantis.
She knew this was her last chance.
Dalton stayed a bit behind Isabelle, content for now to observe her movements. She undulated through the water at a leisurely pace, her braided hair flowing behind her.
It was so dark they had to rely on lights to see. Isabelle dove low, skirting the sea floor but not disturbing the sandy bottom. Finally, she halted to inspect a large, odd-shaped boulder, then motioned for Dalton, who swam up beside her. She pointed to the boulder and quickly jotted something down on the waterproof whiteboard attached to her wrist.