Jaci Burton - Taken by Sin

He reached out, stroked his palm across her cheek. “Maybe it’s time you start believing in the light.”

“What if I don’t think I’m deserving of it?”

“Try harder. I believe in you. I believe we can take that darkness within you and make it manageable, so that you can control it and live a normal life.”

She smiled. “I’ll try harder.”

“That’s my girl.”

Thunder cracked and lightning lit up the dark sky. Isabelle jumped at the sound and Dalton held her tighter. He knew she was skittish, no doubt frightened, and probably confused as hell. The weather wasn’t helping, especially since the sky took that moment to open and dump its contents in a hellacious downpour, accompanied by nonstop arcing lightning and thunder so loud it hurt the ears.

“Let me show you something,” he said, backing away from her, but still holding on to her hand.

Dalton led her into the second bedroom, the one he’d taken as his own when they’d first arrived. He motioned for her to sit on the bed, then he went into the closet and dragged something out of the back, wrapped in an old, worn cloth.

“What’s that?”

He laid it on the bed and began to unwrap it, the cloth falling apart as he did.

Isabelle gasped as Dalton unveiled a sword, about a foot and a half long, gleaming bright in the semidarkness of the bedroom. The intricate scrolling pattern on the scabbard was like nothing she’d seen before, as was the writing on the blade.

“May I?” she asked.

He nodded, and she lifted the blade, which seemed so light, not heavy as she thought it would be. “This metal seems so unfamiliar. What is it?”

“Nothing that’s made on earth.”

Her gaze snapped to his and she laid the sword back on the bed. “What is that, Dalton?”

“It used to be mine. A long, long time ago. It’s the sword of the Guardians, a weapon we used to fight the darkness.”

She stared at it in awe. “To fight demons.”

“Yes.”

“Where did it come from?”

“It’s always been here. It was left behind when I was banished. And when I returned, I left it here.”

“When was the last time you used it?”

“That night I killed Ratineau.”

“So you used this sword to kill a human.”

He picked it up, his fingers curling lightly over the scabbard. “The sword lost its power that night, too, just like I did. But I’m hoping we can rectify that.”

“How?”

“With your blood. And mine.”

Isabelle tried not to let the tiny leap of fear show on her face. She meant what she said when she told Dalton she trusted him. She’d come this far with him. He knew what he was doing, and she was putting her life in his hands. She wouldn’t still be alive if it wasn’t for him, anyway.

“Okay. Do you want to explain how?”

“Georgie will help us. She’ll conduct a voodoo ceremony. During the ceremony, you and I will use the sword, slice into our hands, mingle our blood. And we will call upon the spirits to give you back your strength, your humanity, so you can fight the Sons of Darkness. Our request will be to empower you so that the human side of you becomes stronger than the demon side.”

“Georgie has that kind of power?”

“Alone? No. But with my help, yes.”

Isabelle leaned back against the bed, staring at him in wonder. “Every time we talk, I learn so many more of your secrets, and I’m just so amazed by you.”

He laid the sword down and reached for her hand, kissed her palm, tucked it between both of his. “I’m not a knight in shining armor, Isabelle. I’m a fallen angel. I’ve made more mistakes than I’ve done good. Don’t put me up on a pedestal because I’m more likely to disappoint you.”

Her bottom lip trembled and tears filled her eyes. “I think you’re too hard on yourself.” She raised up and kissed him, the brush of her lips so tender it made him ache inside. “I love you. You love me. There’s strength in that. We’ll figure this out together.”

That made the ache even more painful. This love, this human thing that he never quite understood, was becoming all too clear to him.

Losing it was going to kill him.

“The Realm will be here soon.”

She stilled, pulled back. “What? How do you know?”

“Logic. I worked with them long enough to know that after my call to Derek, it’s only a matter of time before they zero in our location and find us.”

Dalton saw the fear in her eyes, wished he hadn’t been the one to put it there, but he wasn’t going to hold back information any longer.

“So what does that mean? Should we pack up and go?”

He shook his head. “No. We stay. I’ll convince them that I had a good reason for what I did.”

“Will you explain that to them before or after they kill me?”

“I’m not going to let them kill you.”

“You’ll be using your amazing angel superpowers to prevent that, then.”

He smiled. “No. But they’re reasonable. They’re not going to come in with lasers blazing. Trust me, they’ll listen.”

“Uh-huh. I’d feel a lot better about that if we could do this whole ceremony thing before they got here.” She stood and began to pace in front of the bed, rubbing her temples as she walked. “Well, maybe. Maybe not.” She paused, turned to him. “Because if we do it, and it actually works, then you’ll leave. Shit. This sucks.”

He understood her feelings of ambiguity. He wanted it to work, too. And part of him didn’t because he wanted things to stay just as they were. “I know, babe.” He stood and grasped her arms, rubbed them. “I have to stay, to explain. I can’t be gone when they get here. I think we should wait.”

She tilted her head back, searched his face. “Oh, that’s right. Otherwise they’d only have my word. They’d never believe me.”

“I didn’t say that. If Lou were still alive, I think you’d have a really good shot at making him understand. He had an uncanny ability to sense things. He’d … know.

“But Lou is gone now. Given that, I think I’d rather stay and explain my reasoning. I’m the one who defied orders. I need to stand and face that. I need to make sure you’re protected.”

After he told the hunters all they needed to know, he and Isabelle would do the ceremony, which would hopefully work. Isabelle wouldn’t have to worry about not being able to handle her demon side. He’d at least be able to leave with some peace of mind about that. She’d be okay, be reunited with her sister. The Realm would take care of her. They’d have to, because he’d be gone, back where he belonged.

It’s what he’d wanted for so long, and it was within reach.

So why was he so damned miserable?

Michael sat with Derek, Gina, Ryder, and Angelique at a truck stop restaurant on the outskirts of Louisiana. He focused his attention on listening to Derek’s report, glad to have something to occupy his mind other than the sullen woman sitting next to him-the one who hadn’t said much to him all through the night.

When they left Florida, she’d tossed her gear in the SUV and tilted her seat back, promptly cutting off any conversation between them by going to sleep. Michael knew she needed the rest, considering what she’d been through, so he hadn’t bothered her.

Unfortunately, that left him alone with his thoughts, none of them good, most of them dealing with the master clusterfuck he’d started by having sex with one of his own team members. It got worse from there.

He’d stolen occasional glances at Mandy throughout the twelve-hour drive, but she hadn’t budged other than during the few stops they’d made to refuel, use the bathroom, and grab coffee.

Then she’d curled up and gone back to sleep. Or at least she’d feigned sleep. As restless as she’d seemed, Michael figured that was the excuse she used to keep from having a conversation with him.