Katie's Hope

"I saw Sasha take the body into the forest," Jade said carefully. "He was shouting at the demons. Said he'd done what they told him and given them you and the castle so they'd leave him alone."

Kris's gaze darkened, and he stood, pacing to the window. He stared into the dark night, watching the snow fall.

"I guess they changed their mind. They slashed him up good, but he's still alive," Kris said. "I wonder how they got him away from the coffin. He should've known to stay put."

"I don't know. He did say something about the Sanctuary," Jade said, seeking some lie to keep Kris's suspicions from turning to him. "It's all I heard. I was fighting the demons."

"In any case, I'm pleased to see you again, my friend," Kris said. He seemed to shake his dark mood, and Jade relaxed. "I have more good news for you."

"We need good news!" "I found my mate."

Jade drew a sharp breath. "Katie?"

"No, her sister. There were two Ancient's mates born into her family. I discovered this when her sister arrived here."

Jade saw his chance of returning to his ex-lover's side disappear. The pain returned, and he realized he hadn't noticed its temporary reprieve until it clutched his chest again. His thoughts turned to Katie. He'd give anything for the vial and the feel of her blood on his hands! She'd brought him nothing but pain, and now her family had taken Kris from him. His whole life was in shambles because of her.

"You need some rest and a shower. The guest room is open. Please, go take care of yourself," Kris said, not unkindly.

Jade couldn't bring himself to ask about the vial for fear of giving himself away. His battered body felt heavy, and his emotions grew chaotic. He stared at the ground in front of him, heartsick.

"Is Katie all right?" he forced himself to ask. "Was she pleased to know her sister was joining our … family?"

"Not exactly. She and her mate have become even larger thorns in my side. I'm sending her back to the Sanctuary in the morning."

Jade looked up again, interested as much in the sudden anger in Kris's voice as he was in the knowledge that Katie was in the castle.

"But, that's for a different time," Kris said with a small smile. "Go and rest."

"Thank you, I will." His voice sounded mechanical to his own ears. Jade opened the door to leave when Kris's voice stopped him.

"I saw Sasha take the body into the forest," Jade said carefully. "He was shouting at the demons. Said he'd done what they told him and given them you and the castle so they'd leave him alone."

Kris's gaze darkened, and he stood, pacing to the window. He stared into the dark night, watching the snow fall.

"I guess they changed their mind. They slashed him up good, but he's still alive," Kris said. "I wonder how they got him away from the coffin. He should've known to stay put."

"I don't know. He did say something about the Sanctuary," Jade said, seeking some lie to keep Kris's suspicions from turning to him. "It's all I heard. I was fighting the demons."

"In any case, I'm pleased to see you again, my friend," Kris said. He seemed to shake his dark mood, and Jade relaxed. "I have more good news for you."

"We need good news!" "I found my mate."

Jade drew a sharp breath. "Katie?"

"No, her sister. There were two Ancient's mates born into her family. I discovered this when her sister arrived here."

Jade saw his chance of returning to his ex-lover's side disappear. The pain returned, and he realized he hadn't noticed its temporary reprieve until it clutched his chest again. His thoughts turned to Katie. He'd give anything for the vial and the feel of her blood on his hands! She'd brought him nothing but pain, and now her family had taken Kris from him. His whole life was in shambles because of her.

"You need some rest and a shower. The guest room is open. Please, go take care of yourself," Kris said, not unkindly.

Jade couldn't bring himself to ask about the vial for fear of giving himself away. His battered body felt heavy, and his emotions grew chaotic. He stared at the ground in front of him, heartsick.

"Is Katie all right?" he forced himself to ask. "Was she pleased to know her sister was joining our … family?"

"Not exactly. She and her mate have become even larger thorns in my side. I'm sending her back to the Sanctuary in the morning."

Jade looked up again, interested as much in the sudden anger in Kris's voice as he was in the knowledge that Katie was in the castle.

"But, that's for a different time," Kris said with a small smile. "Go and rest."

"Thank you, I will." His voice sounded mechanical to his own ears. Jade opened the door to leave when Kris's voice stopped him.