Jaci Burton - Taken by Sin

“Isabelle, I’m here with you,” Dalton said. “You’re not alone. I won’t let anything hurt you. Never again.”

She believed him. But God, how could she do this? In theory it had sounded fine, but now, the demon inside her licked its lips in anticipation of freedom. She felt it banging against her soul, demanding its liberation. She knew how destructive that side of her was, how utterly evil.

“I won’t let you hurt anyone.”

She felt Dalton next to her, his hand entwined with hers, his warm breath ruffling her hair. His voice soothed her, gave her confidence.

“You know you can beat it. And you have me.”

“All right.” She sucked in a courage-inducing breath, and did what Dalton instructed her to do. She exhaled, closed her eyes, and gave herself up to the darkness. She let the demon inside her free.

As soon as she did, she realized something was terribly wrong. She no longer felt safe, no longer felt close to Dalton. It was as if a chasm had opened between them, tearing her away from him, away from everyone.

Now she was completely alone, lost in a void of darkness. Her eyes shot open and all she could see was blackness around her. No Dalton, no Georgie or her sister, no hunters. She had no idea where she was.

The demon within her was freed.

Dalton jerked next to her. She felt him, but couldn’t see him. She didn’t understand any of this. It was like she was suspended somewhere, with no ability to snap out of it and return to reality.

“Dalton?” She could still feel him next to her, his hand entwined with hers. She could feel the tension in his body, knew something had gone wrong, but she didn’t know what.

Then she heard it, faint at first, but growing stronger.

Laughter. A deep, rumbling sound that grew like the soft roll of thunder as it approached, growing louder until it became deafening. She shuddered at the malevolence in the tone.

“Welcome home, Dalton.”

She recognized that voice, and it sent a cold chill skittering down her spine. She’d heard it before, in Italy. Memories washed over her. She’d seen him in that room after she’d been kidnapped, and then again after she’d embraced the power of the black diamond.

Tase. Leader of the Sons of Darkness.

What did he mean by welcoming Dalton?

Then it hit her. Oh, God, no. The demon side of her celebrated. She watched it as if it wasn’t even a part of her any longer. And yet it was. It was her, joining in with the Sons of Darkness in rejoicing.

She’d been used.

They didn’t want her at all. Well, they did, but she hadn’t been the Sons of Darkness’ prime target.

They’d wanted Dalton, to lure him through her in order to bring him closer to the Sons of Darkness again.

She had to stop this. Somehow, she had to pull away from him, to end this now, before it was too late. Because if Dalton fell again, he would fail, he would be forever damned, and there would never be redemption for him.

Isabelle wouldn’t allow it.

Dalton knew the instant Isabelle let go of the stranglehold she’d held on her demon side. He felt the surge of energy inside her exploding outward, and inched closer to give her the strength she needed to fight this battle.

But something else came with it-something he’d feared might happen but had hoped wouldn’t surface: the Sons of Darkness. As soon as Isabelle’s dark side was free, the demon world sucked him into a vortex that he couldn’t battle, dragging him down into hellish remembrances alongside Isabelle, bringing him face-to-face with memories he’d vowed to forget, but never could.

“We’ve missed you in our world, Dalton. So glad to see you again. We knew someday you would come back to us.”

The sound of Tase’s voice evoked his hundred years in hell, a place he never wanted to revisit. Tase’s laughter was a slap of reality, a change in the game. Cold realization washed over him. This was a trap, a means to trick Isabelle into dragging him into this, too. The Sons of Darkness wanted it all. Which meant he had to think fast, before he lost Isabelle-and himself-forever.

“Come closer,” Tase said. “Let’s discuss how this will play out.”

Tase approached, and the remembered heat, the melting flesh, the years of terror, all came rushing back. Dalton pushed aside the horror to focus on a strategy. The most important thing was getting Isabelle away from Tase, making sure they didn’t reclaim her. She might be tied to them, but with the exchange of blood she was also tied to him now. And he had to hold tight to that bond with her, hope it would be enough-along with Georgie’s magic-to pull her away.

“What’s going on here? Why has everything stopped?”

Dalton could hear Michael’s voice, but could do nothing to reach back into reality to answer. He could feel Isabelle but couldn’t see her. Tase and the Sons of Darkness he could see all too clearly. It was like being suspended in a black void. They only let him see and feel what they wanted him to.

And he really hated them having the upper hand.

“You cannot interfere,” Georgie said. “The Realm cannot help Dalton now.”

“Dalton?” Michael asked. “You mean Isabelle.”

“This is Dalton’s ordeal,” Georgie explained. “He must stand this test alone.”

Georgie knew. Had she always known that this was his trial by fire? Would have been nice if she’d let him in on it. He would like to have been a little more prepared.

“You knew about this?” Michael asked.

“It’s not my place to interfere in what will be,” Georgie said. “I can only see it through, just as you will. I can protect you all from the dark forces. Dalton walked through fire before, and came through it. Perhaps he will again. I will offer my strength to him to aid him in what will come. He can draw from that if he needs it.”

Dalton would need it. Because he already knew what he’d have to do. He couldn’t live with himself if he chose his life over the woman he loved. He’d give up everything to save Isabelle. The Sons of Darkness could win. They’d capture his soul once again and heaven would be out of his reach. As long as Isabelle was saved, he could live with that outcome.

“Dalton?” Isabelle squeezed his hand. “Why can’t I see you?”

“Oh, the lovers wish to reunite?” Tase’s voice teased. “Yes, you two need to see each other, to see what’s about to happen.”

In an instant, Dalton could see Isabelle as well as touch her. He could see everyone. He and Isabelle still stood in the circle of dirt, but now there was a ring of flame around them, and everyone else stood outside. Anger and concern etched their faces. Weapons were drawn, but he knew it would do no good. He couldn’t worry about them right now, anyway. There was too much at stake.

Isabelle flew into his arms and he held her tight, burying his face in her neck. He closed his eyes and breathed her in. “We don’t have much time.”

She refused to let him go. “The demon side of me is out. I’m fighting it.”

“Don’t,” he said, prying his body away from her tight hold on him. “You need to let me have that part of you.”

She frowned. “I don’t understand.”

He tried a smile, needing to make certain he could reassure her. “I know you don’t. But you will. I’ll take care of it.”

“Ever the angelic one, aren’t you, Dalton? Making the supreme sacrifice for the one you love. You know it won’t help you. It won’t save Isabelle, either. We will have you both.”

Tase walked a circle around them. It was like being in the center of a bonfire. Dalton shored up his defenses, sending out cooling light to protect Isabelle and him. He would use whatever strength he had for however long he had it. Tase would have his fun soon enough. But not before Dalton freed Isabelle.