Immortal Sacrifice: #4 The Curse of the Templars

Read Immortal Sacrifice: #4 The Curse of the Templars for Free Online

Book: Read Immortal Sacrifice: #4 The Curse of the Templars for Free Online
Authors: Claire Ashgrove
reply. He drummed his fingers on his knee, tapped his foot. Then, with a thoughtful cock of his head, he said, “’Tis too quiet.”
    Indeed too quiet for a city that housed both a seraph and one of the eight sacred relics Azazel coveted. Caradoc’s hands tightened on the wheel as he murmured, “Aye.”
    The villa rose up from the high, vegetation covered, Mount Pellegrino, a luxurious monstrosity overlooking the sea. Caradoc pulled into the main drive, avoided the valet, and continued on to the parking lot. He nosed into a narrow space designed for the smaller, more efficient European cars than the American SUV, and shut the engine off.
    Behind him, Tane reached over the seat into the cargo bay to retrieve their swords. He passed Caradoc’s and Gareth’s forward, then all three climbed out into the late twilight. Two steps away from the vehicle, Caradoc wrinkled his nose against a blast of stinking decay. He stilled, one hand on the hilt of his broadsword, the other on his sheath, prepared to draw his weapon.
    From the shadows at the rear of the villa, two yellowish-green eyes glinted. Nytyms. Simple beasts designed by Azazel. More annoyance to the Templar than any real threat. Caradoc took a purposeful step forward.
    A heavy hand clapped onto his shoulder, stilling him in his tracks. He gave Gareth a quizzical frown.
    Gareth returned the silent inquiry with a firm shake of his head. “You were ordered not to fight, brother. Go inside. Tane and I will take care of eliminating the beasts.”
    Every year Caradoc had spent at arms and all the training he had amassed rose up in violent protest. A nytym could not harm his soul. Nor could a handful of demons. He had not accumulated that much darkness. To turn away from his calling defied every law he had sworn to uphold when he took his vows and accepted immortality.
    Still, he had not made a habit of ignoring Mikhail’s orders, no matter how despicable they might be. Summoning every vile oath he knew, he cursed his commander and the rest of the archangels for this unfair limitation.
    Then, he cursed them all again.
    Disgusted with his forced helplessness, he stormed inside the hotel. How the archangels expected him to defend Isabelle if he could not wield his sword, he did not know. Yet one thing was certain—he would not allow Gareth or Tane to protect the woman sworn to him. ’Twas one duty he was not willing to forfeit. Even if it meant he forever lost his soul.

 
     
    Chapter 4

     
     
    Isabelle paced in front of her bed’s footboard in her room at the Villa Igiea Hilton. Too wound into knots to consider sitting, let alone eating, she gnawed down one fingernail after another while her thoughts ping-ponged against her skull. Paul had her daughter. Caradoc wanted to see her. September might be in danger. Caradoc was in the same hotel. No two more conflicting issues could reside in her heart.
    Anger over his audacity had given her the strength to make it to the hotel without breaking down. But now, as silence filled her ears, Paul Reid’s kidnapping left her on the verge of hysterics.
    If she’d taken September along with her, as she briefly discussed with Rosa, Paul wouldn’t have her locked away God-knows-where. That idea, however, had given way to practicality—Isabelle couldn’t focus on bidding on antiquities with a three-year-old in tow. September might be mild mannered and twice as intelligent as her young age, but she was still a toddler, and sitting still through hours and hours of auctioneering would push all of September’s buttons. So Isabelle left her daughter with Rosa.
    Rosa who was…
    Grimacing, Isabelle shoved the thought away. Allowing her imagination to envision what had happened to Rosa would push her over the edge. Rosa was every bit as much family as September.
    Isabelle stopped before the wide window overlooking the terraced gardens and pushed the thin sheer aside. She set a hand on the clear pane, staring at the lush greenery. Maybe

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