Katie's Hope

Without knocking, he strode into the chamber. She whirled to face him, moving too slow to hide the suitcase laid out on the trunk at the end of the bed in which Toby slept.

"You're leaving," he stated. "Plan on telling me?"

"You made it clear you read my mind. I didn't think I needed to tell you anything," she shot back.

"You still have five weeks."

"Four weeks and five days," she replied.

"I don't give a shit. Your time here isn't up."

"I'm not doing this anymore, Rhyn. I've got Toby to think about, and raising him where he's attacked by demons and subjected to the stupidity of the Immortal world-- it's not happening. I'm fed up with aaaaall of this!"

"And you really think there's somewhere safe for you to go?" he challenged. "Where demons and Immortals can't find you?"

"The Sanctuary. I'll become a nun or whatever those women are who live there." "A nun?" he echoed, horrified. "You'd go that far?"

"Is sex all you think about?"

"I only get one mate. If she becomes a nun, I'll have to start fucking-- "

"Stop there. God, Rhyn. There's so much at stake, and you just …" She sighed.

"What's at stake?" he asked, sensing again there was something important she was keeping from him. A haunted look crossed her face. "Kris doesn't need your blood anymore. What makes you think he won't leave you alone?"

"He told me so. Whatever issue is between you two, it's too personal for him to forget, and he takes it out on me when you're not around," she said. "I realized he has no intention of letting me go even though he promised it. And with Hannah here, I can't leave the Immortal world with her still in it. I'm leaving you, Rhyn."

The words were forced, and he knew she was in love with him as much as she did. He watched as she tossed more clothing into her suitcase, certain what he wanted to say would only make her pack faster. So he stopped to think and pace. Lankha was huddled in a corner with his hands over his head. Katie had been crying earlier. Her eyes were red-rimmed.

Something was really wrong, and he couldn't help but think it was more than him this time. She'd been acting squirrelly the past two days. No matter what, she'd be safer at the Sanctuary than at the castle, now that the Council was in disarray and the demons were plotting in the forest.