Katie's Hope

"I'll take you there," he said at last.

She paused and looked at him hard. "Really?" "Yes, really."

"Just like that?"

"Just like that."

"Why?" she asked suspiciously. "If you feel safer there …"

"And you'll just let me go," she said, anger sparkling in her eyes. He couldn't figure out what the hell the puny human in front of him wanted. "Things here are about to go to shit," he said.

"How?"

"The Council disbanded. Sasha's plotting something, and the demons are going to flood this place soon."

"Are you serious?" She paled at his words. "You better go soon," he advised. "I'll follow."

"Rhyn, if you're serious, then I can't leave without Hannah." "She treats you like shit, along with that Gio ass."

"She's with Kris now," she said. "But she's my sister. That may mean nothing to you Immortals-- "

"It doesn't."

"-- but to us lesser beings, family means something!"

"Which is why you're doing your damndest to convince us both you're leaving me," he said and crossed his arms.

"Can't you tell the Council not to disband?" she asked, visibly flustered. "Me? Not the way it works, blood monkey."

"Then what're you going to do?"

"I'm going to watch the world fall apart."

Her features darkened, and she turned away, saying, "I thought you had some level of honor or decency."

"You're the only one."

"I'm taking my sister and going to the Sanctuary, where I'll raise our child without you." "I told you, I don't claim Toby. That little thing is yours."

"You're such a jackass! What was I thinking … it never would've worked anyway!" she snapped. Fury turned her face bright red. She flung a shoe at him hard, then a second. He deflected the first, but the second slapped his cheek. A knock at the door distracted his response, which wouldn't bode well for either of them. She breezed by him and paused at the door to say, "Rhyn, I'm not talking about Toby," before she wrenched it open.

Her meaning didn't click, and he turned to see who had interrupted them.

"We have to find Sasha," Kris said, ignoring her to push his way into the chamber. "Katie, take Toby and the healer to the basement with the warriors."