Ryder’s sitting at one of the outside tables of the cafe, staring at his takeaway cup of coffee like it has all the answers. Sierra pauses for a moment, her heart feeling as conflicted as his expression.
She knows she’s gone in too fast. She knows she’s in deeper than she could ever have anticipated. She knows all this is hanging on nothing but hope. But there’s something about Ryder…
He looks up as if he sensed her presence. He slowly comes to his feet, unfolding the whole delicious length of him. “Hey.”
She walks toward him, feeling as if each step is bringing her world into alignment. “Hey.”
They stop with only a couple of feet between them. She wants to touch him. To kiss him. And yet, there’s so much they need to talk about. Their last words were an argument. The stakes keep climbing when it comes to the Grail.
Ryder is still working for Kane.
His gaze flickers to her lips, and that’s all it takes. Sierra practically leaps into his arms, her mouth seeking his. She gasps when she finds him, something beautiful scorching her the moment they touch. He’s just as hungry and desperate as she is. Their lips devour, feeding the passion they’ve discovered and tumbling into it.
Ryder pulls back just as Sierra’s hands slip up the back of his t-shirt. “We need to talk.”
“My lips are busy,” she murmurs.
He grins. “And they’re amazing and delicious and very distracting.”
Sierra grins back. For some reason, his sweet words always ground her. In fact, it’s his flashes of honesty that give her hope. Someone like Kane could never have her feeling like this. Could never convince her there’s a good heart beneath his actions.
She steps out of his arms, already missing the contact. “You’re right, we need to talk. But I want you to know before we start, that I’m falling for you, Ryder.”
His eyes widen at her words and Sierra’s almost surprised she said them. But despite being blurted impulsively, she doesn’t regret it. They’re the truth. And Ryder needs to know.
“I’ve already fallen for you,” he says quietly, with that heart-tugging honesty of his. “But it hasn’t changed anything.”
“I don’t believe that,” she says, shaking her head. “It’s changed everything.”
How can they be fighting on opposite sides when this amazing, delicate, explosive emotion has been born between them?
Ryder’s eyes close, his face looking pained. Sierra almost moves closer, the need to hold him practically an ache, but she can’t. Not until he acknowledges this.
How else can they move forward? How else can she ever trust him with more than just her body?
“Hey, Sierra.” Nim’s voice snaps both their heads in the direction she called from, and they instinctively take a step back.
Nim waves, Blaise beside her as they approach.
“Hey, you two,” Sierra says as they reach them. “We were just…talking.”
“I could see that,” says Blaise, her eyes shrewd. “About Ryder’s involvement in all this?”
Sierra suppresses a frown, Blaise’s choice of words making her uneasy. “Essentially.”
“I’ve been glad I could help,” he says easily.
“So have we. But we don’t need you anymore, Ryder,” Blaise says, steel laced through her voice as she looks at Sierra. “Our need to share information has ended.”
“What?” Sierra demands. “This isn’t what we discussed.”
“This is what we’re here to talk about,” Nim says, uncharacteristically subdued. “Now that we know where we need to go, we can’t take him with us.”
Because if he gets hold of the Grail first, he’ll hand it straight to Kane.
A desperate, fluttery feeling takes flight in Sierra’s stomach. “But, he has Kane’s books—”
“And like you said, he’s removed pages on Hell’s Gates. We have everything we need, Sierra.”
“Look,” Ryder says easily. “We’ve got as far as we have because we worked together. Going separate ways too soon seems foolish.”
“Sorry, but you’re not coming to Damascus with us,” Nim says.
Sierra blinks, trying to process what’s just happened. She thought she had more time with Ryder. She’d already imagined him coming to Damascus with them, all working on the same side.
“Hey, guys,” comes David’s voice. “Sorry we’re late. Mikki’s flight was delayed.”
They all turn to see David and Mikki approaching. They’re holding hands and beaming, clueless to the painful moment they just interrupted. Sierra, Blaise and Nim glance at each other. They didn’t know Mikki would be here.
David grins. “We have some great news we had to share.”
Mikki waves at Blaise and Nim, almost pulls up a smile for Sierra, then turns to Ryder. “Hi, Keith. I didn’t expect you to be here.”
Ryder stiffens. “I’m sorry, you must have me mixed up with someone else.”
David looks at his girlfriend quizzically. “This is Ryder, not Keith. They don’t even look alike.”
Mikki frowns. “How many Keiths were in your class?”
“Just one,” replies David, looking a little embarrassed.
“Well, this is definitely Keith. He’s the one who told me you were meeting up with Sierra at that abandoned building.”
Sierra watches Ryder carefully as he shakes his head. “Well, I must have a doppelganger somewhere, because I’m afraid we’ve never met.”
Mikki narrows her eyes. “I have a very good memory for faces.” She turns to Sierra. “You should be careful who you’re getting yourself mixed up with.”
“You know what?” David says with false brightness. “Maybe we’ll come back later.”
He tugs on Mikki’s hand. She looks like she’s going to object, but then she lets him pull her away. With a last glance at Ryder, she turns and they head back to the parking lot.
Blaise’s hands go to her hips. “What was that about?”
Ryder lifts his hands, holding them palms out. “I have no idea.”
Sierra frowns. “Mikki shouldn’t have been here in the first place. She knows nothing about all of this.”
In fact, Sierra wouldn’t put it past Mikki to try to ruin any chance she had at finding a shred of happiness.
“It’s fine,” says Ryder. “Maybe the three of you should talk.”
Sierra’s about to object but she remains quiet. She needs to convince Blaise and Nim that Ryder just needs a little more time. “Okay. I’m sure everything will be fine.”
He nods, hesitates for a moment, then turns and strides away. Sierra watches him leave, chewing her lip. Things just keep getting complicated.
Nim’s brow is deeply scrunched. “What was that all about?”
“Another reason we can’t trust Ryder,” Blaise states. “And why he can’t work with us anymore.”
Sierra’s chest feels too tight. “Ryder isn’t the bad guy here. He’s been brainwashed.”
“Has he said he’s turned his back on Kane?” Blaise asks, one eyebrow arched.
“No.” Sierra lifts her chin. “Not yet.”
“And if he doesn’t?”
Blaise’s question punches Sierra right in the solar plexus. That’s an outcome she’s not willing to consider. Too much has happened. Too much emotion is involved.
Love has blossomed.
“Look, Sierra,” says Nim. “We’re talking about the Grail here. Something with the power to end the world as we know it.”
Before Sierra can answer, someone calls out her name. They turn to find David returning, for some reason waving his phone in the air.
“Where’s Mikki?” she asks.
“She went home, a bit pissed that I didn’t stick up for her more.”
Sierra almost rolls her eyes. Of course Mikki did.
“She said I always take your side,” David continues. He flushes. “And I think she’s right.”
“You shouldn’t have to take sides,” Sierra points out.
But David shakes his head. “I know, but I have been. I pulled her away instead of wondering why she was saying what she did.” He lifts his phone. “So I did a quick spot of research.”
Something in his tone has Sierra focusing on the screen of the cell. An image of Keith, a little more rounded than the one who was at her house. “So? He’s lost a few pounds.”
David scrolls back to the top, showing the heading of the article.
Young man’s tragic death. Community in mourning.
Sierra snatches the phone, eyes scanning the words. “Keith Evans…died on his way to his first day of grad school…struck by a drunk driver.”
“So who was the guy at your house?” Nim asks.
Sierra has no idea. She shoves the cell phone back at David. “I’m going to find out.”
“What?” he asks. “Where are you going?”
But she’s already walking away. “To get answers,” she throws over her shoulder.
As she arrives at Ryder’s apartment block, Sierra’s not sure if she’s annoyed that Blaise, Nim and David insisted on coming with her, or whether she’s grateful. Not that it matters—they didn’t really give her a choice.
It means that as she raps on the door, there are three people with her when she’s met with nothing but silence. Gritting her teeth, Sierra knocks again, this time a little louder.
Nothing.
“I don’t think he’s home,” says David.
“Thanks, David,” Sierra says wryly.
“We can come back later?” suggest Nim.
Sierra frowns. That means she’ll be carrying the edgy, uncomfortable feeling for who knows how long. “Like hell we will,” she mutters.
She grabs the door knocker and yanks it off.
“Hey!” David yelps in surprise. “No need to destroy the place.”
Ignoring him, she removes the spare key and jams it into the doorknob.
“You’re going in anyway?” he squeaks.
Deciding to let her actions speak for themselves, Sierra opens the door and enters. The place is empty, just like she knew it would be, and she hesitates for the first time.
“What exactly are we looking for?” asks Blaise.
“Keith Evans?” Sierra jokes, trying to cover up that she doesn’t have an answer to that question. What does she think she’s going to find with Ryder not here?
David pulls his phone out of his pocket. “I’m going to get the definition of break and enter,” he mutters.
Sierra takes one step then sees Ryder’s shirt is hanging over the arm of the couch. The dark blue shirt he wore to the frat party. The night they…
“You’re right, this is a bad idea,” she says, spinning on her heel.
But the expression on Blaise’s face has her pausing. “Blaise?”
Her friend’s eyes are wide as she stares at something on the table. “I’ve read about them, but I never thought I’d see one,” she says, her voice soft with a strange mix of horror and awe.
“See what?” Sierra turns back, following Blaise’s line of sight, then gasps.
A mask is sitting on the table. But it sure as hell isn’t one anyone would wear to a masquerade ball. Blaise moves toward it as if in a trance, picking it up to study it.
“What the fuck is that?” David half-shouts.
“Sh,” says Nim. “But yes, good question. What is that?”
Sierra joins Blaise, a wave of nausea climbing up her throat. Pale and wrinkled, it looks like it’s made of dehydrated skin.
Blaise turns it from side to side. “There are seven of these masks. They allow a person to take whatever shape or look they want.”
No, Sierra’s mind moans.
“And Kane has them,” Nim says, her own eyes wide.
No, she whimpers silently.
“Each mask corresponds to a Gate of Hell, and therefore also corresponds to the associated Sin. Legend says that the more a person wears it, the more they develop the attributes of that Sin.”
No, no, no.
David crosses his arms, taking a small step back as if he wants some distance between him and the mask. “Ryder used this to impersonate Keith.”
Sierra shakes her head. Denial is steadily building a fortress around her.
Nim holds her hand out. “Let me check.”
Blaise passes her the mask, and Nim takes it, her nose wrinkling slightly. She runs her hand over the wrinkled outer, then turns it over, exposing a darker, smoother lining. She closes her eyes, her brow wrinkling.
“The last person this mask shaped was that of a man,” she murmurs. She gasps, her eyes flying open. “A man a little shorter than Ryder. Light hair.”
Keith Evans.
And just like that, the fortress is destroyed. Sierra wraps her arms around herself, trying to give herself some sort of protection, but it’s useless.
Betrayal hits her with the force of a wrecking ball.
And it destroys her.