Katie's Hellion

"What is this place?" she asked.

"Have a seat. This is a Sanctuary, one of four remaining in the human world."

As soon as she sat, another woman in similar robes with a flushed face appeared, serving tray in hand. She placed warm rustic bread, whipped honey butter, and water before her. Katie bit into the bread, determined not to eat like a heathen that would shame her sister. At the first taste, she wolfed it and three more pieces down until the edge of her hunger disappeared.

"Wow," she murmured, and gulped her water. "What exactly is a Sanctuary?"

"We're like the Switzerland of the immortal world. All four Sanctuaries are neutral territory, governed by Death," the woman said with a small smile. "Any immortal who comes must check their weapons --and their talents --at the door, or be rendered deaddead by Death. Only the Ancient Ones and Death may pass with their powers intact. We normally expel the Ancient Ones. They disturb the order here."

Katie sat back with a contented sigh, gaze dropping to her arm. She frowned. Rhyn had never hurt her until then. Granted, he wasn't exactly himself at the time, near dead, starved, weak.

She'd never thought a creature like him weak. Yet she'd felt it when their bodies touched. His guard was down, and she'd felt just how weak he was despite taking her blood. She knew he could've taken so much more, made himself stronger by bleeding her dry. He didn't, instead taking only what he needed to survive.

"He brought you here," the woman said, her eyes on Katie's bandaged arm. "We have a member of the healing guild on staff, but her skill wasn't old enough for you. We did what we could. You'll have full use of your arm, even if it's scarred."

"I've gotten so many…marks…the past couple of weeks. Don't think another really matters at this point."

The woman's gaze dropped to her neck, and Katie caught the troubled look in her eyes before she hid it. There was reason to fear the Ancients, especially this Ancient, who seemed to have no alliance to anything good or bad and was so unpredictable. At least he'd thought enough of his blood monkey to bring her here, if only to keep her healthy so he had a food source.

She frowned, troubled by her thoughts. Rhyn was weak but drew only what he needed to survive; he was both hunter and hunted. He'd claimed her, whether in a fit of jealous fury after hearing Kris's name or for some other purpose. In her mind, dragging a human around seemed like a pretty serious liability.