Katie's Hope (Rhyn Trilogy, Book Two) (11 page)

“I’m impressed, Jade,” Sasha said. “I thought
you too weak to think like I do.”

“You and Kris toughened me up.”

“We did. Unfortunate, but I like the result.
I only know of one way to let the demons in. You are certain Darkyn
will consider this repayment for his whore-daughter?”

“Absolutely,” Jade said without hesitation.
“I haven’t even changed your apartment in Hell.”

Sasha considered him long and hard. Jade
waited, hoping Sasha’s desire to return to Hell or take out Kris
overwhelmed any suspicion he had.

“Speaking of my ways …” Sasha said, his gaze
turning lustful. Jade swallowed hard, still hurt from his last
night with Darkyn. If this was what it took to seal the deal with
Sasha …

“I have to be back by dawn,” he said.

“I’ll be done with you by then.”

Resigned, Jade peeled off his shirt, the
sense of triumph making him feel sick to his stomach.

* * *

Katie awoke to the healer’s cool touch on her
arm. She struggled into a sitting position, her neck achy from her
spot sleeping on the floor before the fire. Lankha worked his magic
with his micro suede-covered hands and gentle touch. He was almost
done when the burst of coolness awoke her, and she looked down to
see him smoothing the skin around her faded wound.

“How’s Toby?” she asked, gaze going to the
bed.

“Angel is well. Must resssst,” Lankha said.
“And you must ressssst.”

“This is the least bad wound I’ve had
yet.”

“Not for wound. For…” and he pointed to her
stomach. She froze then looked around to ensure no one was there to
overhear them.

“You’re certain?” she whispered.

“Yesss.”

“If you tell anyone, Rhyn will pull your arms
and legs off like you’re a grasshopper!”

He gasped. She felt bad for scaring him but
knew the alternative-- people like Kris or Sasha finding out--
would doom her. She’d have to pray Rhyn didn’t drop by her mind
when she thought of it, or when she was trying to figure out what
to do.

Her eyes went to Toby. She couldn’t raise a
kid in a place of demons and psychos! She stood abruptly and
crossed to the bathroom, wanting to be alone. She had no luck in
life!

The next time I visit the human world,
I’ll be leaving with two souls.
Gabriel’s ominous warning
suddenly made sense. Her body trembling, she sat on the edge of the
Jacuzzi tub, staring into space. Urgency surged within her. There
was nowhere she could run from Gabriel, who had orders to bring her
and the life within her to Death. Was all truly lost?

Rhyn could never know. Tears began to spill
down her face as she understood the depth of Gabriel’s pain. She
sat in the bathroom and ran the shower to cover the sound of her
crying, completely lost as to what to do.

“Katherine?” Hannah called with a loud
knock.

“Just a sec! Almost done!” she belted and
scrambled up to lock the door. She looked in the mirror,
distraught, then scrubbed her face and turned off the shower. When
she emerged, it was to the sight of a glowing, ecstatic Hannah, who
sat on the edge of her bed talking to a sleepy Toby. The healer was
huddled next to the fireplace, afraid to move with the presence of
the newcomer. Katie’s jealousy stirred again.

“Toby,” Katie said, crossing to the bed. The
baby angel gave a small smile that filled her with relief. He
looked exhausted. “You okay?”

“I’m fine, Mama,” he said with a noisy sigh.
“Hungry.”

“I’ll get you some soup and cocoa,” she said
and rose. Her gaze went to Hannah, who looked so sunny, she
wondered what had happened. “You wanna come, Hannah?”

“I’d love to!”

Her gush made Katie feel old and crotchety.
Hannah had been a kept woman with no problems since meeting Gio,
whereas Katie had always struggled to find her path. Hannah would
be a basket case if she only knew the extent of Katie’s issues!

She walked to the door and pulled it open for
Hannah in her straw-colored pants and light pink sweater. Hannah no
longer wore her engagement ring, and Katie wondered why she was so
happy when she must know by now Gio wasn’t coming back for her.

They entered the dining room, which was
filled for brunch. Katie ignored the looks of those nearest her,
and Hannah looked around, happy.

“Just need some soup to go,” Katie told the
host, who snapped his fingers at a servant. “And whatever you want,
Hannah.”

“Master Kris has ordered us to respect any
wish you have, Miss Hannah. You’ll find our chefs the best in the
world,” the host said, ignoring Katie to address her sister.

Hannah blushed, and Katie looked at her
anew.

“You
slept
with him?” she asked.
“That’s quick even by your standards.”

“Not so loud,” Hannah replied with an
apologetic look at the host.

“Didn’t you just get dumped by one
Immortal?”

“Kris explained everything to me last night,
Katherine.”

“Explained what? That he manipulated Gio and
now you?”

Hannah looked again to the host, who
pretended not to hear despite being less than two feet away.
Furious, Katie left before she made more of a scene that would
embarrass her sister. She was pacing the hall in front of the
dining area when Hannah emerged a short time later carrying a large
tote.

“I suppose he explained what he did to me,
too,” Katie snapped. “Or did he leave that part out?”

“He explained he’s tried to do his best but
doesn’t always succeed, like anyone, Katherine,” Hannah said.
“You’re making a big deal out of this. I’m an adult, and so is
he.”

“You’re my sister. Don’t you find it odd he
was so quick to come on to you?”

“He believes we’re meant to be.”

“And what do you believe?”

“I believe …” Hannah drifted off, looking
around her. “I believe I could be very comfortable living here.”
She smiled. Katie watched her walk down the hall toward her
chambers, stunned. Hannah saw nothing but the gilded world around
her; she had no idea about the dark underside to the Immortal
world.

Katie had hoped to make her sister a
confidante but knew it was impossible so long as Kris’s claws were
wrapped securely around Hannah. Gabriel, Rhyn, Hannah. Those who
might’ve been her friends were gone. Gabriel didn’t have a choice,
Rhyn she was trying to protect, but Hannah … the sense of betrayal
within her made her feel ill again. Of all the Immortals and
creatures in the world, she felt even closer to the outcast that
was her mate.

The answer became clear. She and Toby had to
leave. There had to be somewhere she could go where they’d leave
her alone, at least until Gabriel came for her. Her thoughts
drifted to the Sanctuary, the only place she’d felt safe. When Toby
was better, she’d take him and go. The convent would do a better
job raising him than the Immortals. But now, she wanted a word with
a certain Ancient.

Katie walked to Kris’s chamber on the floor
below. She heard a muffled response to her knock and walked in, not
caring if he bid her enter or get lost. Kris wasn’t there, but
Sasha was.

She stopped in place. The door swung closed
behind her, and fear trickled through her. She reminded herself she
wasn’t defenseless with him this time. If she called for Rhyn, he
would come.

“I’m looking for Kris,” she said, unable to
help covering her neck with one hand.

“That makes two of us,” Sasha said and rose
from his seat beside the fire. He looked her up and down in
approval, his gaze lingering on her neck. She silently thanked
Lankha for healing her without her asking him. “You look well.”

“Better than the last time we met.”

“You’re in one piece,” he agreed and circled
her with predatory slowness. She tried to keep her breathing steady
even as she wanted to run screaming and hide behind Rhyn.
“Something is different about you, though.”

Her breath caught as she considered more
Immortals than Rhyn might be able to read her mind. Sasha snatched
her neck with one hand, his movement too fast for her to defend
herself against.

“Don’t!” she cried, squeezing her eyes closed
as she waited for the pain of him tearing into her neck as he had
once before. He didn’t attack, simply let his cold power loose into
her for a long moment before releasing her.

She opened her eyes, breathing hard. Sasha
stepped back, a smile tugging up one side of his mouth.

“So simple,” he said. “They can find you on
the Sanctuary, too. They can find you everywhere, except Hell.”

“Never going back there.”

“Unless …” He drifted off and crossed to the
window, clasping his hands behind him.

“Unless what?”

“There’s one way to break your bond with
Rhyn.”

“I don’t believe you.”

“You know no one can force the bond to
break,” he continued. “But if you and Rhyn voluntarily break it,
you’re free.”

“There’s nothing you say I’d ever trust.
Where’s Kris?” she demanded.

“You aren’t worried I’ll tell him your little
secret?” His gaze went to her stomach.

“You’ll do what you will,” she said and took
a step toward the door. “You almost ruined my life once. I won’t
stick around for you to do it again.”

“Just remember, there’s nowhere you can run
where we can’t eventually find you.”

She stormed out, blood pulsing and headache
growing. She wiped sweat from her brow with a shaking hand. Sasha’s
words echoed in her thoughts, and she tried hard to give them no
credence. She didn’t know what he was doing there, but he couldn’t
be trusted.

Even if he had one of her secrets. She felt
like crying again. Now more than ever, she had to leave, before
Kris and Rhyn discovered her secret and brought down what fragile
supports were holding up her world. She retreated to her floor and
saw Ully in the hall.

“Kris has me slaving away,” Ully whispered,
looking around as if Kris was around the corner. “I just wanted to
check on Toby. He looks better.”

“He is,” she agreed. “Is Kris with you in the
lab?”

“He was, but he’s prepping for the Council
meeting. I’m getting ready to test the immunity blood. I’m also
making a special poisoned batch to give back to the demons.”

She shook her head, not sharing his
excitement about his experiments. She entered the bedroom quietly
to see Toby awake and trying to get an uncertain Lankha to play
with his stuffed animals. Toby would make an awesome older brother,
she realized, unlike her flaky sister. He’d need to be if she
turned out to be much worse of a mother.

Grimly, she realized he may never have the
chance, if Gabriel was ordered back for her.

* * *

Rhyn watched Ully inject one of the Immortals
with some concoction derived from the immunity blood Sasha brought
and lowered himself into a fighting stance. The Immortal rubbed the
injection spot with a grimace, stretched, and climbed inside the
ring in the lowermost basement in the castle.

Rhyn didn’t wait for him to settle himself
but struck first with his long, oak bo, a blow that caught the
Immortal by surprise. He struck again, this time drawing blood.
Ully, looking exhausted, moved closer, and Rhyn waited as well.

The wound healed itself quickly. Ully nodded
in approval and scribbled notes on his iPad. The Immortal launched
himself at Rhyn, and the two sparred as the scientist watched
intently. Rhyn enjoyed the feel of a weapon in his hand and facing
a decent opponent. He restrained himself as much as possible to
keep from injuring Ully’s test subject. Ully blew a whistle at last
and motioned the Immortal over to check his wounds.

Rhyn looked around, agitated again by the
sense that something else was wrong. He left the sparring level
without saying a word to Ully and followed his instincts up a
flight of stairs and down a narrow hall he recognized from his
visit to their father’s catacombs with Kris. The door leading to
his father’s corpse was locked, and he tested it. Kris had managed
to create a barrier around the chamber to keep Immortals from
trespassing via the shadow world.

“Rhyn, the rest of the Council is meeting now
in the conference room off my chambers.”

He turned at Kris’s voice. His eldest brother
appeared less frustrated than normal.

“You’re inviting me to attend?” he asked,
amused.

“Unfortunately, you are a Council
member.”

Kris disappeared into the portal behind him.
Rhyn followed. They emerged in a small conference room with one
wall made of windows. Their brothers were already there, three of
them sitting across the table from Sasha. Sensing the level of
tension in the room, Rhyn didn’t sit but leaned with his back
against the wall, ready to launch across the table at whoever
snapped first.

“I can guess what this is about,” Kiki said.
His turquoise eyes stood out against his caramel-colored Oriental
features.

“Yes, tell us, brother,” Tamer echoed in his
husky tone. The largest of them all by half a foot, the giant was
based out of Africa. “You have never once invited us here, maybe
because we never agree on anything?”

“Maybe he thinks we’ll steal his things,”
Erik, the blond Viking who watched over South America, said with a
smile. “I saw a painting I may walk off with.”

“I had hoped to bring everyone together to
discuss the baggage Sasha has brought with him, if you’ll all be
reasonable,” Kris said. Everyone’s gaze fell to Sasha. For once,
Rhyn was not the sore point.

“Hell that overcrowded they’re letting
murderers walk?” Tamer asked.

“They’re still accepting prisoners, my dear
Tamer,” Sasha purred.

“Enough. Every meeting we’ve had has been a
failure and we’ve not had one since Andre became dead-dead,” Kris
demanded.

“Our last one was about guarding your little
meat-cicle, right, Rhyn?” Erik demanded. “She need more help with
someone like you as a mate?”