Katie's Hope

"None."

"I'll take you there to hunt. You'll go nowhere near my blood monkey, and if any of our demon brethren attack her, you'll defend her. Remember, you'll be the first I come for if you betray me."

"Deal."

Rhyn studied the demon, aware he could never trust such a creature fully. But, if he could get some use out of him before it came time to kill him, he might have a better chance of protecting Katie.

"Follow me."

Rhyn opened the portal to the shadow world and walked through the damp fog to the forest outside the castle. Jared limped after him and appeared beside him on the cliff edge, taking in the morning view of grey skies and green forest with a look of distaste.

"I smell two demons, and blood," the demon said, raising his head to the wind. "Angel? You have an angel here? Their blood reeks!"

Rhyn's mind went to Toby, the baby angel he'd amused by shredding pillows. Jared's senses were more acute than his, and he turned to face the direction of the castle. Something had happened while he was gone.

"Go and hunt," he said. Fire slid through his body as he contorted and changed shapes. Jared stepped back as Rhyn launched himself into the air as a hellish bird reminiscent of a

pterodactyl. His long wings beat the air as he rose, and it took him a short two minutes to soar over the castle.

The stark red of blood against white snow caught his attention, and he circled the park behind the castle. There were two splashes of blood, one at the tree line and another nearer the castle. He changed forms in midair and dropped the half dozen feet to the ground, smelling Toby's blood as he landed near it. He smelled Katie's, too, and was unable to quell the surge of lust that ran through him. He entered the castle, following the scents up the back stairwell that Katie alone used to avoid the other Immortals.

The trail led him to Kris's large chamber, and he strode in without knocking. Toby was in Kris's bed, the pale baby angel stripped down to his waist and unconscious. Ully and Kris carefully wrapped one of his arms in gauze. Katie sat on Kris's couch, glassy-eyed while her own wound went untreated. Rhyn's anger stirred at the sight of her bleeding alone, and he crossed to her, snatching the first aid kit off the bed.

Kris's gaze went from emerald to amber, and he strode across the room to meet him. Rhyn nearly decked him when the blond brother shoved him back.