Wynn was an Immortal. As she watched, the black eye and bruised cheek healed themselves.
"How do you … oh, god," she whispered.
"Dead-dead," Toby managed.
"I fucked something up, didn't I?"
"This was inevitable. I'm sorry I tricked you into bring me here," Wynn replied. He approached Katie. "The half-demon's mate. My first grandchild, I take it?"
Deidre saw Katie swallow hard before she nodded. Katie didn't move as Wynn placed a hand on her stomach.
"Girl," he said. "Healthy and happy. Very good." He dropped his hand, and Katie eased away.
"Why aren't you dead-dead?" Toby exclaimed.
"Before she crossed over, past-Deidre brought me back."
"Wynn, please tell me you're …" Deidre started, horrified at the latest revelation of what she'd done in her past life. "I don't know. Tell me something. Anything." Her voice trembled.
"I am the same friend you've had the past few years. I happen to be an Immortal rather than a human," he said gently. There was warmth in his gaze. He touched her cheek. "You have to trust me."
"Not any Immortal," Toby said. "The first Ancient."
"Rather than continue to distress you all, why don't you take me to Rhyn, angel?" Wynn asked.
Toby stood slowly and moved towards the door.
"We'll talk later," Wynn promised Deidre, squeezing her arm. "A pleasure, Katie."
"Yeah, sure," Katie replied.
Deidre watched Toby lead Wynn to the door and out.
"What just happened?" Deidre asked.
"I'm not sure. The last time I saw him, he was in a tomb. This can't be good," Katie said.
"Who is he?"
"The father of the Council. Rhyn's father." Katie appeared as confused as Deidre felt. "I've never heard a good story about him, but he seemed … nice."
Deidre laughed, not caring about the note of hysteria in her voice. She'd just discovered her best friend was some sort of dead Immortal, one she'd raised from the grave after she fucked over Death to the point he hated the only mate he'd get the billions of years he was alive.
"Katie, Deidre." Gabriel's quiet voice came from the doorway. "You okay?"
"I told you so." Katie grinned.
"Not the normal greeting for Death."
"Congrats, Gabe. I'm going to give you a piece of advice you gave me a few months ago." Katie paused for effect. "You're fucked. Deal with it."
"I'm always right, aren't I?"
Deidre faced the door, not at all prepared to see Gabriel. Dressed in black, he was an imposing figure, even in the cavernous room. She felt his pull from the distance. There was a flicker of warmth in his gaze as he teased Katie, and he almost seemed approachable without the bulky trench coat lined with weapons. Not that he wasn't armed; he wore a few sheaths strapped to his body. He was dressed as he had been the night before.