He went straight to the basement, where the body of their father had been kept. The key to keeping the demon’s away, it had been stolen by Sasha, the brother who betrayed the rest of them. Rhyn pushed off the hood as he entered what had been the most sacred chamber of the Immortals.
The coffin was gone, but the mutilated body of his demoness mother remained on the far wall. Rhyn stood before it as he had less than a week before. This time, he felt something towards the decapitated creature: hatred. She’d made him what he was, a disaster no one could fix except for a dead human.
“The preferred fate for any demon,” a woman’s voice said.
He tensed, guessing who it was without turning. He felt Death’s cool presence, the same coolness that preceded Gabriel’s visits.
“And half-demon,” Death added.
“I welcome it,” Rhyn replied, facing the small woman with flowing white hair and gown. “What the fuck do you want?”
“I came to see what was worthy of the attention of my best assassin,” Death said and looked him over. “I see nothing but Gabriel’s human weakness for a creature he should’ve let die-dead.”
“Funny - he was right about you. You’re the cold bitch he said you were.”
She frowned, a ripple of something else crossing her pale features.
“Don’t like that, do you,” Rhyn said. “I’ll ask you again. What do you want?”
“I came to warn you. You cannot destroy this place or start a war with me before four days have passed.”
“Why not?”
“You simply cannot.”
“I don’t give a shit about your agenda. Tell me why it matters to me.”
“I can make you dead-dead right now,” she reminded him.
“I won’t fight you,” Rhyn replied. He flung open his arms, giving her his whole body as a target. “Kill me. Do me, you, and everyone else a favor!”
She stared at him.
“I got nothing to lose.”
“There’s Toby,” she said.
“He means more to you than me.”
“Gabe.”
“You mean the assassin you sent to kill my mate? Not sure we can be friends after that.”
“Katie.”
“Already dead. And you can have my brothers right now. I’ll give you the order I prefer you to kill them in,” Rhyn said.