She does not know.
Mathias waved him away. Thats all. Go round up the Anarki. Im expecting company soon. Youll greet them, I hope.
Shock shot her an evil grin. With great pleasure.
Sydney watched him with horror as he strode out, long leather duster trailing behind him.
As soon as he was gone, Mathias snatched the Doomsday Diary off of her lap and rose, his long stride eating up the space to the door out of the makeshift office. The moment Mathias stepped over the threshold, he cursed.
The book reappeared on her lap.
When he turned back to her, he fixed his stare on the diary, then lifted his terrible gaze to her. The force of his anger was like a missile. Even across the room, she knew the fury rimming his eyes with red could be fatal.
He took a deep breath. Another. Then strode across the room again in measured steps and sat on the sofa once more. Its because youre female. Damn Morganna. Did a woman give this book to you?
She wanted to tell him to go to hell, but hed kill her for it. At the very least she had to stay alive long enough to help any of the Doomsday Brethren who came.
Yes.
Human?
I believe so.
Even more puzzling . . . Mathias sat back against the red velvet sofa, looking perplexed. Suddenly, he snapped.
Moments later, a bony woman with glossy black hair and black-rimmed brown eyes glided to his side. She wore a blue bra that supported pert breasts, but was cut low, nearly exposing her hard nipples. Her matching knickers were nearly transparent.
Sir? she breathed.
He stood and dropped an open-mouthed kiss on her neck, his thumb idly strumming her taut nipple. She keened and writhed under his touch. Surely he was forcing her response by magical means, because the wizard made Sydneys skin crawl. When he caressed her hip and buttocks, pulling her close, the woman lifted her leg over his hip and writhed sinuously.
They needed privacy. If she had to watch another moment, she would be ill.
Rhea, be a good girl and grab that book from the humans lap.
With an absent nod, the thin woman slinked across the distance between. Sydney clutched the book. The woman tugged, but Sydney refused to let go. Once she did, she was pretty sure shed lose control of the Doomsday Diary. Mathias had it right; the little journal didnt seem fussy about which woman handled it.
Let go, Mathias instructed.
Sod off.
Youll pay for that backtalk.
Mathias flicked his hand in her direction and the scorching bomb burst under her skin again. Reflexively, she released the book and doubled over, clutching her stomach. Oh God, she was going to die at the hands of this madman.
Take the book to my bedroom, sweet. Ill join you there.
The tall woman smiled, and Sydney wondered if shed lost her bleeding mind. Likely so. Rhea strutted toward the door on four-inch stilettos, as if shed been born on them. When she reached the door, she strode through with her head held high, then kept walkingtaking the book with her. This time, it didnt reappear on Sydneys lap.
Sydneys stomach sank. Shed lost magickinds greatest weapon and put it in the hands of a madman whod likely use it to kill her and all the Doomsday Brethren, including Caden. Her reckless need to tell the story, her voracious curiosity to explore the amazing world of magic had been her downfall. Why hadnt she listened?
It was her last thought before darkness overtook her.
After free-falling through black weightless space, Caden slammed to the ground in a cold field. Fresh snow had fallen and seeped under his clothes. Every exhalation misted the chilly air. The crisp smells reminded him of the north country. He had no idea how far hed traveled, but he closed his eyes, feeling for Sydney, and knew he was closer.
Her earlier panic had been replaced with a muffled unease, as if she had a disturbed sleep. Now he prayed it was slumber, not something tragic.
He followed the feel of Sydney, closer, closer with each step through the dark. He almost thanked the snow for lighting his way with the reflective moonlight.
Through spindly trees, he saw a huge estate rise in the distance. More Italian Renaissance than Middle Ages, the beautiful limestone glowed in the golden light as pristine snow surrounded it. She was in there, his Sydney. He knew it, just like he knew if he took too many more steps around the perimeter, he could set off magical traps.
He took a deep breath, closed his eyes. He was a trained
soldier, often able to find and disable security. Mathiass would be magical, but should be disarmable. Thinking with his magical senses would be critical.
Magic buzzed through his system, raced through his veins. His legs were a bit wobbly after the teleport, and this level of energy wasnt going to last. But he had to endure until he saved Sydney.
Caden skirted the perimeter of the building, looking for traps and holes in the security. A few feet ahead, he encountered a wall, presumably for humans since it did nothing more than put off a keep out vibe. It included a very mild electrical surgemore than enough to deter a normal human.
Too bad for Mathias he wasnt normal anymore.
Closing his eyes, Caden let his senses crawl around the wall. About ten feet high. Simple.
While he didnt know the limits of his magic, there was nothing he couldnt do if it helped him reach Sydney. For all he knew, he was bloody Superman. When he was a tot, his mother had certainly made it sound as if he would be. Besides, hed already performed some magic. Lifting Sydneys password off her computer at Out of This Realm, sending a wall of glass flying into Anarki when the Doomsday Brethren had attacked Mathias. How hard could leaping a wall be?
Squeezing his eyes shut tight, he jumpedand quickly discovered that when he tapped into his magic, jumping tenfoot walls was no problem. One step closer to Sydney.
Moments later, Caden noticed a shifting of the air. Then he saw something unexpected. Someone.
Shock strode toward him as if rising up out of the mist. Even at night, he wore those blasted sunglasses, so Caden had no idea what he was thinking. Hed never really trusted the sod, and now that the man had all but stolen his brothers mate away, he didnt trust Shock at all.
Youre here for Sydney. Ill sneak you past the alarms and take you to her.
Why should I trust you? You had Anka under your roof and in your bed for days and told no one. Nor did you return her to my brother.
She was mine before your brother stole her from me, he growled. I owe Lucan nothing. She was abducted and hurt on his watch. It wont happen on mine.