Katie's Hellion

"Kris may want to come here to talk to you," Gabriel added. "He knows he can't take you anywhere, but if he asks…"

"I don't care if he comes to me. I can't trust him enough to go to him. And he comes alone, Gabriel."

"Understood."

He was gone before she could tell him goodbye. She leaned against the wall, eyeing the distance from her position to the rock on which Rhyn sat. She doubted he'd come if she called.

The conversation with Gabriel turned over in her thoughts as she descended the stairs and left through the opened gate. She felt bad for Rhyn, though she suspected the emotion was wasted on someone who didn't have a drop of self-pity. She crossed her arms as she neared. Rhyn watched her, unmoving, like a predator watches its prey.

"You don't have anywhere else to be aside from sitting here day and night staring at the wall?" she asked.

"I'm immortal. I have time."

She drew a deep breath. Instead of retorting, she said, "That's not how I wanted this conversation to go. I came out to thank you for bringing me here and saving me more than once from those things."

He stared at her.

"So, thank you. If you're hungry, just let me know."

He said nothing, his tense frame never relaxing. At the silence, she turned away and started back to the compound, irritated.

"What did Gabriel want?" he asked before she'd gone more than a few steps.

"Kris sent him to fetch me," she replied without turning.

"And you said what?"

"No."

She didn't hear his silent step. He gripped her arm hard and stepped in front of her, his size sending a tremor of unease through her.

"Why?" he growled.

"He can't make me, and I don't want to go," she said archly.

"Until he offers you something you want."

"He did. He offered me my life back."

He bristled more.

"You're the lesser of two evils," she said at the unspoken command. She pulled her arm away and returned to the Sanctuary. As she walked, she began to wonder how to train a wild animal. She'd had cats before, but she'd never even owned a dog. She couldn't imagine potty training one let alone training some ancient creature to contradict his nature.

"You turned down returning to your life to stay with me," he stated with one of his low, evil chuckles. She hadn't realized he was following her. "Foolish human."