Katie's Hope

They charged through the hall toward the stairs and descended to the main floor. Rhyn was the first to engage any demon in his way while Tamer and Erik beheaded every creature that crossed their paths. Rhyn led them down the main floor and out the front door, slamming into one of Kris's Immortals by accident. "Rhyn, you idiot!" Tamer shouted.

Rhyn righted himself, unconcerned, and barreled toward the demons. Kris's two-to-one advantage had dwindled, and Darkyn didn't hesitate to unleash every demon he could. Kris and a few of his Immortals were surrounded in the middle of the park while demons darted from the forest to attack pockets of Immortals. The snow was drenched with blood, like an Immortal snow cone. Kris, he knew, was the best Immortal warrior ever known.

Rhyn tackled one of the demons who took down Kris's wingman and slashed its throat open. He fought with unrestrained fury, not wanting to stop and think of the most ridiculous thought ever to cross his mind. That he, a half-demon, half-Immortal who had spent the better part of his years in Hell, was looking at becoming the first of his brothers to father a hatchling … Confusion and rage blinded him, and he threw himself into the battle, not noticing the nicks and bruises his opponents inflicted upon him. He focused on the taste of their warm blood and on tearing them limb from limb.

In his blood-filled haze, he heard one of his brothers shout, and the demons shift their focus from Kris's small group-- which Rhyn defended-- to the warriors pouring out of portals onto the small battlefield. He fought until the yard was lit only by the castle's outer lighting, then onward to dawn, free after so long restraining himself around the Immortals and humans.

Stability. It was a word Andre had used that Rhyn never understood. For once, Rhyn knew some sort of stability within himself, no doubt because of his bond to Katie.

He tore apart a demon and stood breathless, seeking his next opponent, only to see the body-strewn park was empty of living demons in the early morning light. He panted, agitated by the snowfall and not having anything else to kill. Everywhere around him, the Council's Immortals were finishing off the few demons remaining.

"Rhyn?" Kiki asked uneasily as the half-demon approached.

"You'll have a sword to the throat if you don't transform," Kris snapped.

Rhyn growled but shifted to his human shape. His skin and clothing was soaked with demon blood, and Kiki gave him a long look.

"Where's Katie?" Rhyn demanded.