The Darkest Touch dh-3 Read online

  “Stay.”

  His one-word command both bristled and intrigued. “Why?”

  “I want to talk to you.”

  He was sitting in one of the reading chairs by the fireplace. She walked over and took a seat on the sofa across from him.

  “I said something to upset you in your room. Tell me what it was.”

  She wasn’t prepared to have this conversation with him. Besides, what would be the point? She couldn’t make him accept what she was. Then again, she wasn’t the coy type-never had been.

  “You hurt me, but it’s really not your fault.”

  He frowned. “Okay, I don’t get that. Could you be more specific?”

  “I know. It’s hard to explain. I guess I needed you to still want me, even though you know I have this demon blood in me. I needed you to accept me anyway, and you didn’t. But I understand why you wouldn’t, so it’s okay.”

  He stared at her for the longest time without saying a word. She shifted, growing uncomfortable under his scrutiny.

  “You think I don’t want you.”

  “Yes.” No. I think you don’t love me. God, why were they having this conversation? She couldn’t tell him that.

  He stood and came over to her, knelt in front of her.

  “It’s more than that, isn’t it?”

  She paused, held her breath, then let it out. “Yes.”

  “Then tell me.”

  “You talked about Nic and Derek, about how they were loved. .”

  “Oh. And I didn’t say I cared about you.”

  She felt the smile curve her lips. “You’re perceptive.”

  “Not perceptive enough, apparently. I’m a jackass. I’m sorry. It probably came across that they could find someone to care about, but you couldn’t. That’s not what I meant, Angie.”

  “I know. I should know better, it’s just-”

  “Don’t make excuses for me. I’m the one who fucked this all up.” He took her hands in his. “Look. I’ll be as honest as I can be. I do care about you. A lot. But I can’t love anyone. Love scares the shit out of me. It did a number on my mother and I run like hell from it. I always have.”

  That was one hell of an admission, and whether he realized it or not, he’d just told her plenty. Her heart swelled. “You’re not your father, Ryder.” She swept a lock of dark hair away from his face. “I really don’t believe you’re anything like him, even though you fear you are. Would your father have put himself in the position you’re in right now, spilling his feelings to a woman?”

  He smirked. “Hell, no.”

  “Revealing your emotions makes you vulnerable. I can’t see your father-at least, not the man you’ve described to me-doing that. I think there’s a lot more of your mother in you than your father.”

  “Maybe.” He shrugged. “She was always open and honest. And he hurt her because of it; used it against her.”

  “Not everyone who says how they feel gets hurt. At some point, if you want to live a normal life-if you want that chance at happiness-you have to learn to trust. It’s who you trust that’s the key.”

  “Can I trust you, Angie?”

  His voice had lowered, causing a trembling in her lower belly, especially since his hands had started moving from her knees up to her thighs. Heat rose to her chest, her breasts swelling and her nipples tightening against her thin tank top. Her shorts offered no protection against his questing fingers, which crawled their way ever nearer her quickly melting core.

  “Yes,” she whispered, nearly out of breath. “You can trust me. Can I trust you?”

  “You’d be a fool to trust me,” he said with a wicked grin. “Do you have any idea what I want to do with you right now?”

  Her heart pounded, picking up a ramming rate that slammed against her ribs. “Well, I’m no psychic but I have a pretty good idea. But Ryder, the door’s open. We’re in a place where anyone could walk in.”

  “I don’t care. I want you. Right here.”

  He drew her legs apart and crawled between them, giving her no time to protest. Not that she would have. Not when his body pressed down on her, pushing her back against the couch. Then his mouth was on hers and she moaned against his questing heat, opening her lips to invite his tongue inside.

  Hot, wet, needy, she licked at him, whimpered, surprising herself at the flare of desire so strong she no longer cared where they were or who could walk in. Passion took control, and she tangled her fingers in his hair and held on tight as he worked magic with his mouth. With every velvet stroke he told her how desperately he needed her. And she answered, lifting her hips, melting inside, wanting him so badly the flames consumed her.

  Ryder dragged his lips from hers, pulled back enough so she could see his face, the harsh lines near the corners of his eyes as he stared down at her. He reached for the waistband of her shorts and jerked them down.

  Oh, my. He really was going to do this right here in the library, with the doors wide open. Excitement drilled through her veins. She tugged her bottom lip between her teeth and lifted her hips. He dragged her shorts off, keeping his focus on her face.

  “Hurry,” she whispered, not certain if she was more concerned about someone walking in or if she simply needed him inside her.

  He unzipped his pants, pushed them down his hips and pulled her to the end of the sofa. With one thrust, he was buried inside, filling her, expanding inside her in a way that shocked her.

  Sensation exploded as she pulsed around him. He paused, not moving, and she felt every nerve ending pulse.

  She could barely breathe. Ryder stared down at her, his eyes dark, intense, and so compelling. It was at these moments that he revealed so much to her with his eyes. He rested his palm under her breast, not even bothering to lift her shirt, but dragged his thumb over one erect nipple. She shuddered, feeling the sensation all the way to her toes.

  Then he moved against her, slow and easy, and it was maddening, as if he wanted to torment her with this rhythm.

  She lifted, grinding against him in a shameless way. She didn’t care; she was that desperate for the contact.

  “Please.”

  His lips curled in a devastating smile. Did he have any idea what that did to her? Her belly did flip-flops when he looked at her that way. God, the man radiated heat. And when he moved inside her, cupping his hands under her butt to draw her closer-oh, yes, that’s exactly what she needed. She fluttered around him, swept away by the pleasure he gave her. He hit the sweet spot and rubbed against her, smiling as she started to pulse wildly around him.

  “Come on,” he whispered.

  She gripped his shoulders, lifted, gritted her teeth to fight back a scream. Her whole body tightened as she climaxed with an out-of-control shudder. Ryder’s fingers dug into the soft flesh of her buttocks, holding her in his taut grip as she trembled and panted, taking him with her as she rocketed into a wild orgasm that left her breathless.

  Ryder lay on top of her-at least, the upper half of his body. She stroked his damp hair and smiled.

  Wow. That had been intense. And utterly pleasurable.

  And now she realized how vulnerable they were.

  “Ryder. We should get dressed.”

  He lifted, smiled at her. “I’m dressed.”

  She rolled her eyes and pushed at him. He moved away and she jumped up, grabbed her shorts, and put them on, her gaze focused on the doorway.

  “You’re safe, darlin’. No one came in.”

  “We were lucky,” she said, smoothing back her hair.

  “You enjoyed the danger.”

  She leveled a grin at him. “You’re right. I did.”

  He grabbed her, pulled her to him, and planted a long kiss on her lips that had her melting all over again. When he pulled away, she was shaking.

  “We should go to bed and get some sleep,” he said.

  She nodded and turned to follow him up the stairs toward the bedrooms, blissfully and ridiculously happy when he held her hand the entire way.
r />   She wanted to ask him, but she wouldn’t. It made her heart hurt she wanted it so badly, but she still wouldn’t ask.

  When he reached the door to her room, he turned the knob and pushed it open.

  She pivoted to say something, but he pushed her inside, followed her in, and used the heel of his boot to kick the door shut behind him.

  Angelique felt a thrill of happiness so intense it made her heart tumble. “What are you doing?” she asked.

  “I’m going to sleep with you. Do you have a problem with that?” He pulled his shirt off.

  She reached for the hem of her tank top, realizing as she did that she was falling madly in love with Ryder.

  Foolish. She knew it, but couldn’t help herself.

  “No. No problem at all.” She let her shorts drop to the floor, backed up to the bed and held her arms out to him.

  He followed, lifting his lips in that dangerous grin that melted her all over.

  This was the worst possible time in her life to fall in love. Especially with a man who’d made it clear he couldn’t love her.

  And she didn’t care. She’d love him anyway.

  For as long as they had.

  CHAPTER NINETEEN

  It shouldn’t take more than half a day at most to retrieve the black diamond and get back here,” Dalton said to Isabelle.

  She nodded. “I’ll be fine.”

  “I’ve made arrangements for you to wait in the chapel,” Michael said. “You’ll be safe in there. It’s the most sacred part of the castle.”

  “Whatever you think is best.”

  Angelique was worried about Isabelle. She looked pale. She kneeled down next to her. “Are you all right?”

  “I’m fine. I’m tired and a little freaked out by all this. I just want it to be over. Go get the black diamond so Michael can do his testing on me. Once we figure out whether or not I’m some freakazoid demon, I’ll feel better.”

  Angelique sighed and squeezed Isabelle’s fingers. “You’re no more freak than I am.”

  Isabelle snorted. “Whatever. Just go.”

  “Dalton, take Isabelle to the chapel,” Michael said. “We’ll start loading up the vehicle.”

  Dalton nodded. Isabelle frowned, but stood, letting go of Angelique’s fingers.

  “I’ll be back soon,” she said to Izzy, but her sister had already left the room.

  Angelique’s stomach tightened. She didn’t like this feeling.

  Dalton walked quietly alongside Isabelle, wishing there was something he could say to make her feel better.

  “I’m not going to lie to you,” he said.

  “Really? I don’t see why not. You did plenty of it before.”

  He stopped in the middle of the hall and grabbed her wrist, ever mindful of the zing of electricity that still existed between them. “I’m sorry. I did what I had to do.”

  She pulled her hand away and rubbed the spot on her wrist where he’d touched her. “And sex was part of that.”

  “I’m not going to apologize for making love to you, Isabelle. And I think we both know this attraction is mutual. But it had nothing to do with my assignment. I did it because I wanted to.”

  “If I’d known who you were it wouldn’t have happened. You used me. You had sex with me to get close to me so I’d trust you. You only wanted the book.”

  Her pain stabbed at him. “Yes, I wanted the book. But I didn’t have to make love to you to get the book. I wanted you.”

  “But it sure made it easier, didn’t it?”

  “No, it actually made it more difficult.”

  Her gaze held his for long seconds. He felt her hesitation, as if there was more she wanted to say. But she turned and started walking away. “Spare me your guilt trip, Dalton. You and the Realm of Light got what you wanted. I’m here, I’m your guinea pig. Just drop me off in the chapel and go get the black diamond.”

  Dalton sighed and they resumed walking.

  They arrived at the chapel and Dalton pushed open the heavy wooden doors and led Isabelle inside.

  He hated seeing her like this, hated knowing he’d caused her such misery.

  She took a seat on one of the old wood pews and stared straight ahead at the altar, refusing to acknowledge him.

  “You need anything, there’ll be one of the Realm guards posted outside. Don’t leave this chapel until we get back. It’s for your safety.”

  “Uh-huh.”

  He wanted to hold her, to kiss her again. She’d been so vibrant, smiling, full of life when he’d met her. A mass of contradictions wrapped up in one compelling package. He’d wanted to know more about her, to take time to learn her.

  Now she was like an empty shell.

  He’d get the old Isabelle back. Even if it meant her walking away from him, he’d make sure she was happy again. Hopefully this test with the black diamond would help.

  He walked out of the chapel and closed the door, nodding to the guard who took position at the doorway.

  As he walked down the long hallway back to the castle, he felt empty inside. Just like Isabelle, he imagined.

  Dalton wished things were different. But he of all people knew some things were set in stone and couldn’t be changed.

  “I feel them both,” Tase said, allowing a sharp smile of satisfaction. He could taste the weakness within them at the same time he felt the power of the black diamond surging to life. “My fellow brothers, it’s time to move. They are vulnerable.”

  “Our demons are in place and ready,” Aron said. “We can move in now.”

  Tase raised his hand. “Be patient. Instruct them not to move too quickly.”

  Aron frowned. “We can take them.”

  Tase shook his head. “Not yet. One will come to us. All we have to do is wait. The other we will have to fight for. But wait until the time is right. Too soon and we will lose what we came for. I don’t want to do that.”

  They were so close to having everything. Everything.

  Soon the Realm would lose all they held dear.

  And for the Sons of Darkness, supreme rule would begin.

  As they approached the old church, Angelique felt a sense of peace settle over her. That’s how she’d known this would be the perfect spot to hide the black diamond. It had felt right, and when she’d met Father Vintaldi she’d known immediately she could trust him.

  Though he was old-had to be in his seventies at least-Father Vintaldi looked healthy and robust and more than fit enough to defend his church. In fact, there was a sparkling vitality about him that made him look youthful. Maybe it was his engaging smile.

  He’d welcomed her at the gates, brought her inside the church, and she’d been surrounded by a peaceful calm the entire time. She’d felt safe there, and knew the black diamond would be as well.

  She’d confided in him that she was in trouble, that dark forces were after the rock-and really, that’s all it looked like, a useless rock. For all she knew he thought she was an utter lunatic, but he swore he’d hide it in the church until she returned for it, and he’d give it to no one but her.

  She’d believed him.

  “I can’t believe you handed over the black diamond to a stranger,” Ryder grumbled as they pulled up to the front gate.

  The town was so small the road wasn’t even paved, and as they parked and got out, a hot breeze kicked up and a cloud of dust swirled around their feet.

  “I went with my instincts, Ryder,” she explained. “Sometimes you just have to trust people.”

  He rolled his eyes at her as they pushed the ancient iron gates open. They gave with a rusty creak.

  The church stood proud and beautiful, its stone façade and white spire the tallest thing in the small town. Perched high on a hill overlooking-or, as it seemed, protecting-the homes and townspeople, it stood guarding the giant volcano Mount Etna, which towered over the church. As she stood back and admired the architecture, Angelique was awed by the fact that, despite constant eruptions and lava flow, this church had stood t
he test of time.

  They had just reached the double doors of the church when they opened. Father Vintaldi’s grin greeted her.

  “Miss Deveraux. So nice you have returned to us.”

  “Buona mattina, Padre,” she said. “Come siete?”

  “Benissimo. Fine. Fine.” He waved his hands, motioning them all toward him. “Come inside, per favore.”