Katie's Hellion

"That's not a good idea," she said.

"Kris's orders."

"Why doesn't he come get me then?"

"I'm not allowed to tell him where you are," he said.

"Why not?"

He took her hand.

"We aren't to interfere in mortal happenings."

"Bullshit."

Her curse was lost as she was sucked into the shadow world. She wobbled. Gabriel steadied her. She turned around, but saw no doorway behind her. Forced to follow, she couldn't help wondering where the other portals went as he disappeared through one. She stepped from the shadow world back into her world and waited for nausea or pain. This time, there was none.

She looked around. They were in a burnt-out room…with the Arc de Triomphe a short distance away.

She had no good memories of Paris and crossed her arms. Kris rose from his squat nearby, flanked by Ileana and Jade. He looked her over intently while she stared speechlessly at Jade.

Jade withdrew his knife with a warning look.

"You look awful," she said to Kris. She wondered what it took for an immortal to look as if he'd been through Hell and back.

"So do you."

"I went to Hell."

He snorted, then looked back at her when she didn't break a smile. His gaze went to Gabriel.

"Hell?"

Gabriel shrugged.

"And you escaped?"

"Long story. Not about to relive it," she said, crossing her arms. "You dragged me into this shitty world."

He rubbed his face and glanced at Jade, whose frown was more pronounced than Ileana's.

"We'll talk about it later," Kris said. "I asked Gabriel to find you days ago. Didn't realize why it took him so long. Andre's dead."

"Oh." She softened. "I'm sorry, Kris."

His gaze lingered on her, as if he smelled her perfume and was trying hard to identify it.

"You summoned me here. Do you want something or were you curious if I'd survived the bombing after you all ditched me?"

"There isn't a creature in this realm that talks to me like you do," Kris muttered. "How the fuck did you survive Hell?"

"Made some friends. Met the devil himself and decided I'd had enough of this shit. Used my newfound power to steal a key from some robed freak."

"You met Sasha?" Ileana asked, interested for the first time.

"Intimately acquainted," she replied, cold gaze on Kris. "Not a fan of yours, either."