Gunshots waken Ian Tunbridge, an assistant curator of classical antiquities at the British Museum, on his first day on a dig in California. The only way to save his life is to run for it, but luck is not on his side. At least, not until he meets Lucas Arpini, the brash American photographer who seems to have some sort of clue what’s going on. Together, they’re supposed to be the tools in finding an artifact nobody believes is real -- nobody, that is, except Lucas and the man kidnaps them both.<br><br>Ian doesn’t know what to believe. His colleagues are dead, he’s injured, and he has no choice but to put his faith in a gorgeous stranger. Their escape should lead them straight to the police, but when Lucas shows him pieces of the puzzle they were meant to solve, Ian is too intrigued to walk away. He wants to solve the riddle as badly as Lucas does.<br><br>Unfortunately, they aren’t the only ones ...

Riddle Me Wicked

“According to your promises, you also owe me this so-called proof the Blood of Sheol isn’t a myth,” he said. “Or did you plan on conveniently forgetting that part of our bargain?”


Lucas maintained a calm front, though he felt nothing of the kind. “I thought you’d probably want to call the cops on Sultis or something.”


“One doesn’t preclude the other.” His mouth twitched. “It could slow Mr. Sultis down and give us more time to get away.”


It was a brilliant suggestion. Lucas was a little annoyed he hadn’t thought of it himself. “That would almost be worth sticking around just to watch.” At Ian’s double take, he laughed and added, “I said almost.”


He didn’t give Ian time to ask for help. Looping his arm behind the other man’s waist, Lucas offered silent support as he crept along the least steep part of the hill. Tumbling head over heels would fit the karma of Ian’s day, but Lucas wasn’t going to let it happen. They hadn’t gotten this far to fail now.


Chapter 11