Sasha himself, followed by two members of his guard of immortal badass creatures, delivered the new, bloodied tenant to the cell across the hall. They were trailed by a man Rhyn recognized well.
Jade. One of Kris's warriors. With some satisfaction, Rhyn wondered if another of Kris's men had gotten as fed up with Kris as he had.
Sasha left without even a smartass remark, and Rhyn rose, gazing with interest across the hall. The scent of blood made his blood sizzle. The bloody mess in the next cell was a human. There was something very different about the human's blood, like comparing warm, homemade bread with stale crumbs out of the garbage.
He drooled at the smell, his gums and body aching for a taste. In all his years as an immortal, he's never drooled over anything!
Immortal mate. There was no mistaking the sense, just as there was no mistaking this human was so much more than a mate for the average immortal.
Ancient mate.
Surprised, he cursed Death for dumping the vulnerable human he was meant to protect into Hell before freeing him!
The cell block fell silent, and he sensed the others also smelled the human blood. The cowering healer left his corner of the cell for the first time in a while and approached the human on the bed. Its tongue flickered out as it rolled the human. Gently, the healer began its trade.
Rhyn watched, even more fascinated when the healer hesitated suddenly and withdrew.
"What is it, Rhyn? And why does it smell like the best hamburger earth can make?" Jared broke the predatory silence.
"Looks human," Rhyn replied. "Smells human."
"My left arm for a bite…" Jared groaned. "What's that freak doing?"
The healer's nervous gaze flickered to Rhyn. It drew the human off the bed and dragged the body into the corner, as if to protect them both from the immortal prisoner.
"Nothing right now," Rhyn replied. "Worst healer I've ever seen. Should be done by now."
"N…no!" the healer replied, agitation crossing its features. "Not a normal h…human."
"Looks and smells normal."
"N…no!"
It said nothing more but ducked its head and began to clean the human with its long tongue, shuddering at each lick. Rhyn felt suddenly jealous, wishing he could taste what smelled so wonderful.
He paced again, wondering why Sasha would put a human in his zoo, unless this was the worst human in the world.
The more he watched, the less likely this seemed. The human was a female, and a young one. Her dark, curly hair was matted with blood, her features pale. The healer stopped to rest and pushed immortal sustenance--small square water and food cubes--into her mouth.
Her draw was insane. Her blood smelled sweet, and the oddly charged aura around her made his brow furrow. In all his years, he'd never seen anything like her.
Ancient's mate. His mate.
He froze. He'd heard how other immortals stumbled upon the humans meant to mate with them. There were few humans who could stick it out with an immortal; something in their blood made them different from all the others. He'd felt a familiar sense around…
Lilith. The woman whose death by his hand had landed him here in Hell.
Only the draw around this woman meant for him was much stronger. Much more dangerous.
He growled deep and low, glaring at the woman across the hall. The healer pulled her into its arms, his gaze flickering around again.
Rhyn had thought himself in love with Lilith once, and so had Kris and half their brothers. Fools, all of them! She'd been a siren, a human whose black heart lured any immortal she encountered into the hands of the Dark One! The woman across the hall held the same beguiling aura.
Rhyn retreated to the wall and sat with his back against it, staring at the healer that held the woman protectively in his arms.
Every human had its own special power, similar to immortals. He wondered what hers was, and if it was the same gift of treachery that had doomed Lilith.
***
Katie awoke on the lower bunk bed in a prison cell with no windows and a tiny metal toilet and sink. Her blurred vision fell to the corner, where a creature with glowing emerald eyes crouched. She jerked back, pain shooting through her.
"You brought much blood," the creature said, its voice trembling a little with excitement.
She closed her eyes and pushed herself up, her breath catching at the sharp pain in her ribs. Her feet felt swollen and fiery.
"What are you?" the creature asked. Its voice was hoarse, and it spoke with a small lisp.
She braced herself and opened her eyes. The lighting was harsh. Aside from its large, glowing green eyes, the creature appeared near-human with a lean body covered in some sort of leather jumper. She couldn’t distinguish whether it was male or female. The voice sounded like the sultry growl of a woman, but it had short hair and no breasts. And four fingers on each hand. Its skin was porcelain pale, as if it never saw sunlight.
"I’m a human," she said.
"A mortal human?" it replied skeptically.
"Is there any other kind?"
The creature looked confused but shifted from its guarded crouch to a kneeling position.
"Does the mortal human have a name?" it asked.
"Katie."
"Katie," it repeated pensively. "Kaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaatie."
Her feet were swollen and shredded, as she expected. The creature repeated her name several more times while she examined her body. She was bruised all over and wondered if her ribs were broken as well. She’d be lucky to walk again soon, and without medical supplies…with her luck lately, she wouldn’t die from infection, just suffer for the rest of her life.
"Kaaaaaaaaaaaatie."
"Would you stop that?" she snapped, her head aching.
"Katie."
"Do you have a name?"
"Lankha," it said promptly.
"Where are we, Lankha?"
"In Hell. Heeeeeeeeeeell."
She looked out of the front of the cell into a small corridor with equally harsh lighting. Across from them was another cell, this one darkened. Its occupant stared back at her with glowing silver eyes.
"He drinks blood. He smells yours," Lankha volunteered.
"What is he?"
"Don’t know. From the mortal human realm like you."
"What…realm is this?" she asked.
"Heeeeeeeeeell. It’s in the underworld, the only place where immortals can’t come."
If no immortals could save her, she wondered who could. Who’d have ever thought she’d want to be found by the jackass, Kris?
"I need whiskey," she said, and rubbed her head.
"Whiiiiiiiiskeeeeeeey." Lankha’s voice was almost sing-song. It stood and retrieved small blue pellets from its bed, offering them to her.
"What is it?" she asked, accepting them.
"Water for mortal human. Warden says one every moon cycle."
She eyed them doubtfully but popped one into her mouth. It tasted like a plain jelly bean, until she swallowed, when it felt like a stream of water spilled from the back of her mouth to her gullet. Within seconds, she felt refreshed.
Lankha retrieved a small satchel from its bed and sat cross-legged on the floor beside her feet, withdrawing small vials and balled gauze.
"What’re you doing?" she asked, watching.
"I’m a healer. Heeeeeeeeeeeeeealer. Warden put you here so I could help you. I cleaned your blood. I started but grew tired. Now, I finish."
Lankha licked its lips in satisfaction. She feared asking more and braced herself when it took one foot in its hand. Lankha’s hands were covered in what felt like soft, feathery, cool micro-suede. Its touched eased the heat and pain. She watched, astonished, as it carefully cleaned her feet without hurting them and then slathered on oil from one vial and wrapped them in gauze. When it’d finished, she felt little pain, and the heat was completely gone.
"That’s amazing, Lankha," she voiced.
"Amaaaaaaazing," it agreed. "I’m the oldest male healer in my guild. There's one female older. Your body is stubborn, but you will heal."
Male, she noted mentally.
His hands traveled up her legs with the expertise and gentleness of a doctor, all the while spreading the soft coolness through her. His touch lingered on bruises, and he retrieved a small tool when he reached the hem of her dress. He sliced through it, and she pushed his hand away.
"You’re hurt," he said, surprised.
"I don’t have any other clothes! You can’t be cutting up the only set I do have."
He looked concerned and stood again, retrieving something else from his bed. He dropped a leather jumper similar to his on her lap and then returned to his cutting. The creature across the hall growled. She didn’t let herself think too much about what it might be, how she ended up in Hell, or why she’d just let some otherworldly creature with fuzzy hands cut off her clothes. No, those were not thoughts she could handle in her current condition.
Lankha’s hands remained on her ribs for a long, long time. He appeared satisfied at last and touched her breast. She slapped his hand away, and he looked at her, confused again.
"What are these?" he asked.
"Just ignore them and finish up."
He obeyed. He finished at long last and replaced all his things in his satchel. She pulled on the jumper, not expecting it to fit and surprised to find the leather-like material as flexible as spandex. It fit snugly, though it was so thin, she still felt exposed.
"What do you do?" Lankha asked, sitting back.
"I’m in the food industry. I help them with marketing, which would’ve been my major, if I didn’t quit school on the fourth day."
"You make vegetables? There’s a marketing guild?"
"Oh, no," she said, realizing his meaning. "I don’t do anything…special like you."
He frowned.
"Rather, doing nothing is my apparent talent," she clarified.
"You are not a normal mortal human."
"No. I’m, um, apparently unaffected by the…talents of other…guild guys, unless they’re, like, really old," she fumbled.
"Ooooohhhhh. Old like me, oldest in my guild."
"Yeah, I guess."
"Very nice talent," he said. "Very rare. Not good for you, though."
"Why not?"
"The Ancients are very rare. I’ve been in Heeeeeeeeeeeell forever, and if I wasn’t here, I couldn’t heal you."
"Only the Ancients can offer any protection," she murmured with a frown. "Interesting."
"You’ll die soon."
"Shouldn’t I be dead already if I’m in Hell?"
He shrugged, not nearly as concerned with her life or death as she was. She set the blue water pills on her pillow and stretched back. Her ribs were sore but no longer painful. Amnesia was looking like a good option compared to Hell.
"Now you pay me," Lankha said.
"Excuse me? Pay you what?"
He smiled, revealing fangs among the neat row of white teeth. She shivered, cold inside.
"Blood," he confirmed.
She stared at him.
"Not much. I don’t have the appetite of the beast," he said, lifting his chin to the glowing silver eyes across the corridor.
He took her hand gently in his feathery, cool hands and pressed a finger to the inside of her forearm. It fell numb. She said nothing, the world too surreal for her, and turned her head away as he dipped his head. She didn’t feel his fangs sink into her, but she heard the sound of punctured flesh. He sipped quietly. As promised, he did not drink long, and she felt him press another finger to the wound to seal the seepage.
Her stomach turned. She didn't know how she could ever eat again.
The beast across the hall roared and threw itself against its prison. The cell wall buckled and bent. She scrambled toward the back of the cell, huddling with Lankha in a corner. She couldn’t see what was there but knew it was on its way to get her.
"He likes mortal human blood," Lankha whispered.
"No shit!"
A man in a robe hurried down the hall as the beast battered itself against the weakening cell. The man paused and whispered something in a harsh tongue. The cell repaired itself until it stood straight again. The beast within continued to throw itself at it, ceasing finally when it saw the prison had been reinforced.
The robed man strode away, and Katie and Lankha eased from the corner. She sat on her bunk while Lankha climbed atop his. She stared at the beast across the hall staring at her and soon heard Lankha’s snores. He was fed and happy. She shuddered, looking at the tiny scars of his teeth on her forearm.
One day, she’d wake up and find herself on the Metro again.
"Hey, human."
She glanced up. The voice came from a cell down the hall.
"Lunchmeat," the male voice called.
She moved to the bars at the front of her cell, aware of the beast across the hall doing the same with a growl. Pale hands draped through bars two cells down from the beast.
"Did you just call me lunchmeat?" she asked.
"Oh yeah. A little mortal meat, some cheese and crackers. How ya doin’, lunchmeat?"
"Pretty shitty. Is there anyone here who doesn’t want to eat me or drink my blood?"
The masculine voice gave a surprised laugh, and he pressed his face to the bars. He looked human, aside from the fanged smile.
"Sexy lunchmeat," he said. "You’d enjoy what I’d do to you."
"Never really been a fan of being eaten alive," she returned.
"Spunky. Me likey."
"Thanks, psycho."
"You talk big behind those bars, little girl," another voice said.
She stared with surprise at the low growl from the darkened cell across from her.
"The rabid dog speaks," she noted. "I’m already in Hell. I’m thinking death might be a bit more to my liking."
The pale, fanged man laughed again.
"Which one of you will promise me a painless death?" she baited, at her last wit’s end.
"I’ll make it less painful than usual," the pale man said.
"I like pain," another voice down the block growled.
"Less pain than Jared."
"More pain than Jared but less than Khakhala."
"No deal."
"No death, just pain."
"Mortal blood rocks."
"Can I get some action and then give you a painless death?"
The immortals in the cell block threw out their best offers, and she couldn't help the sense of terror settling into her gut.
"No," she replied. "No action. Just the pleasure of killing me. You can do whatever you want to my body afterwards."
"No good to me dead."
"Only good to me dead. Not allowed to kill."
The voices down the hall were all male, though she doubted any of them were human.
"No pain," the beast across from her said.
"Don’t you want to drink my blood?" she asked skeptically.
"It won’t hurt, little girl." His menacing growl chilled her more than any of the others’.
"I’ll think about it," she replied, and stepped away from the bars.
"Hey Lunchmeat," the pale man, Jared, called.
"Yeah?"
"Don’t stick your hands outside the cage."
"I have no intention of doing so."
"Rhyn might grab one and pull you out. You’d be cut into pieces by the bars, and then no one would get their snack," he continued.
"Yeah, real shame, shithead," she retorted, feeling more ill by the second.
He laughed. "What’re you doing here, Lunchmeat? Humans don’t come here unless they’re dead, and even then, only a couple make it onto our supermax zoo."
"No idea."
"Why aren’t you crying, little girl?" the beast, Rhyn, asked in his gravelly, low voice.
"Maybe she’s a spy," a voice farther down the hall called. "Here to listen to our secrets."
"I’m not a spy."
"Wouldn’t matter if you were," Jared said, unconcerned. "The beast is right. You’re holding up well. Maybe when they start the torture, she’ll cry. Then she’ll negotiate on that no-pain thing."
"How I ache to be there," another voice moaned.
"You taste as sweet as you look, little girl?" Rhyn mocked.
"Like soggy gym socks," she snapped.
"I like you, Lunchmeat," Jared continued. "Will be a shame when they break you. Or when one of us gets loose and kills you. Not sure what’ll come first, though Rhyn there has almost broken through his cage twice now."
Supermax, inhuman predator wing of the zoo. Torture.
It figured. Her heart was beating fast, her palms sweaty. She returned to her bunk and lay down on her stomach facing the hallway, cold fear filling her. She stared at the silver eyes staring at her, slowly falling into an exhausted, restless slumber.
The sounds of Rhyn slamming his body into his cell and snarling awoke her sometime later. Lankha was huddled in a corner, but she rolled to watch. She popped one of the water cubes into her mouth, head pulsing from a nasty hangover.
Rhyn had bent his cage again. Though she tried hard not to fear death, she wondered what kind of creature was capable of breaking through bars made of materials she’d never before seen and held in place with some sort of magic. She wanted to see what the beast looked like, what kind of monster he’d be, yet knew if she saw him in full light, he was on his way to kill her.
The robed man came again and repaired the damage. Rhyn fell quiet, and the robed man turned to her. His eyes were black and empty, his frame small and wiry. He wore a glowing talisman on a leather chain around his neck.
"Hey Lunchmeat," Jared called.
"Yeah."
"If you take the amulet, no pain, guaranteed."
Her eyes dropped to the talisman around the robed man’s neck. The robed man sent what looked like a lightning bolt down the hall. Jared cursed.
"Come with me," the robed man ordered her.
The bars of her cell dissipated at his command, and she stepped into the hall. A narrow, lit walkway extended all the way down the corridor, the only part of the hall out of reach of the arms of the prisoners on either side.
He led her toward Jared’s direction. The pale man was tall and lean, and he hung his hands again through the bars of his cell. He winked as she passed and licked his lips.
"Nice ass. Wouldn’t mind a bite of that."
She ignored him and crossed her arms. Some of the cells were black like Rhyn’s, some with bars, and others with glass. Some appeared empty while others…she stopped looking when she saw the fanged moth man. The predators were silent, watching their lunch parade by them.
She trailed the robed man through two doors and into a hot, dry night. He led her through a fortress too ancient for her to date, its blackened walls and well-worn stones massive and thick. There were two moons in this realm, one full and the other a sliver.
The robed man led her into the fortress and wound his way through bright intersections, down stairs, and into a more opulent part of the building. The halls grew wider, and the stone turned to carpet beneath her sore feet. She was surprised she could walk at all and knew a few ounces of blood had been a small price to pay for Lankha’s work, which she’d never have gotten for all the money in the world at home.
She nearly leapt past her escort when he entered the banquet hall, the scents of roasted meat and a million other things making her stomach roar.
Until she saw the spit with the human-like body roasting above it. She stared, knowing no amount of counseling would fix her when this was over.
"My lord, Sasha, I have brought the human," her robed escort said in a monotone voice.
"Perfect. Absolutely perfect."
The robed man bowed and retreated to the door. She turned as the man called Sasha lifted one of her curls from her shoulder. He was a lean man with gleaming silver-blue eyes, teeth filed into points, and an aura so cold she stepped away.
"Like a doll," Sasha said, admiring her. "So full of life. Perfect."
"I told you, Sasha," a familiar voice said.
Katie looked past him, gasping. Jade stood near the spit, dark eyes blazing.
"And you were right," Sasha replied. "Now go, my love, before they notice you're gone."
Jade's glare stayed on her as he hesitated. Sasha turned to him with a smile, and Jade's gaze softened. He bowed his head and left her alone with the madman. Sasha faced her. Katie took another step back, the stillness of his gaze unsettling.
"I’ve been waiting for a long time to claim you. We knew you’d appear eventually."
He motioned to a seat at the table loaded with food she feared eating. The seat was at his left, and he waited until she accepted before sitting. There was already food on her plate--meat from an unnamed source, vegetables, bread.
"I know you’re hungry," he said.
She was starving. She took the roll and bit into it, surprised to find it tasted perfect. She ate the whole basketful while he watched. When he motioned to the meat, she looked toward the spit and then lied.
"I’m vegetarian."
He ate nothing. When her stomach was full, she allowed herself to look at him. His eyes gleamed. He took her wrist and raised his pinkie, where she saw the nail had been filed to a point and reinforced with metal. Before she could draw her wrist away, he pierced it. The pain surprised her after Lankha’s gentle ministrations. The creature twisted her wrist and squeezed, capturing her blood in a small vial. The robed man who had led her to the hall strode forward and took the vial, then backed away silently.
"Verifying your identity," Sasha said with a polite smile.
"What do you want with me?"
"You know what. Your blood is rare. It can lead us to victory."
"You’re the bad guys," she said with a frown.
"We serve a different master."
He said nothing more, as if unwilling to say more until the identity verification was done. Still hungry, she ventured to try the vegetables. The broccoli tasted normal, and she ate all of them. She looked up at Sasha, her heart hammering under his hungry look.
The robed man returned and spoke in the harsh tongue. A look of satisfaction spread over the face of the creature before her. He gripped her wrist hard, lowering his head. She wrenched away. His reflexes were like Kris’s, too fast to follow. He snatched her neck and rose, jerking her off the chair. Her air supply cut off, she tore at the hand holding her until the skin on his arm fell away to reveal smooth, black skin more akin to a reptile’s than a human’s. When the world narrowed, he released her. She fell, gasping for air.
"I want you alive, but I don’t care how much you suffer. You will find I’m a reasonable…man. I offered you the easy way, you refused. Now that choice is forever gone. You are stuck with a way less comfortable for you. You’re in complete control of how much I hurt you."
His calm words terrified her. She rubbed her neck, sensing the evil and determination in his tone. He paused a moment for the words to sink in. She caught her breath and waited. When he reached for her, she flinched but didn’t fight him. He pulled her up and gripped her neck, pushing her head aside to expose the vulnerable skin.
She closed her eyes, telling herself she’d survive this and figure out how to get the hell out of there, even if it meant bartering with the monsters on her cell block. Her resolve to grit her teeth and bear it lasted until the pain.
He tore into her neck, and agony seared straight through her.
***
Rhyn's impotent frustration subsided some when they returned the human. He didn't know if Sasha would recognize her for what she was, or if only the immortal meant to mate with her would see.
She came back in the same shape as when she arrived: bloodied beyond recognition. He was surprised she came back at all--Sasha had no mercy and rarely left his victims alive.
Unless he wanted her for something else. What would Sasha want with her? What was her gift?
He slapped the wall of his cell, cursing Death again for not freeing him. He couldn't protect anyone from Sasha in Hell, and he itched to taste the woman meant to be his mate.
The robed man dropped her body on the bed, sealed the cage, and turned to Rhyn.
"Your master will see you now," he said.
Rhyn growled at the robed man, who hurried away. Sasha's servants wouldn't get within a foot of Rhyn; instead, they shaped the magic of Sasha's realm around him and gave him only one direction to go, that which Sasha wanted.
"Ooh, come out as something different!" Jared exclaimed.
He'd amused them and himself by emerging each time in some other shape. Today, however, he was more interested in seeing Sasha and hearing about the human than amusing the zoo creatures. He waited for the barrier before him to lift and then strode out.
"A half-breed! Worst one yet!" Jared exclaimed, hanging his hands through the bars in his cell.
"Fuck off, demon," Rhyn growled.
He made his way through the castle with the black stones as he had many times during his long stay. The twin moons of the outer banks of Hell were bright. It was always dark here, and the moons rose and set each day instead of a sun. The fresh air was welcome after the musty scents of prison. He found some of his wired energy dissipating at the long walk and change of scenery despite knowing nothing good had ever come from a meeting with Sasha.
Sasha was waiting for him in his study, sitting beside a fireplace that burned with black flames. Blood had dripped down his face to speckle his shirt. His silver-blue eyes glowed with no warmth as he smiled.
"Time for our periodic chat, little brother," he said, and motioned to the other chair before the hearth.
Rhyn refused it and threw himself onto the comfy couch farther away from Hell's flames.
"How are all my pets?" Sasha asked.
"You know how they are, fuckhead."
"Another month and you're still defiant."
Normally, it was as far as they got before Sasha flew off the handle, had him tortured, and threw him back into his cell. Rhyn waited for it, determined to put up the same fight he always did.
It didn't come. Sasha was calm. In fact, Sasha was happy!
Rhyn sat up, eyeing his brother warily. Sasha sipped blood from a goblet, content.
"I've decided to take a mate," Sasha said.
Rhyn laughed, thoughts flying to the spunky human in the zoo. Sasha glared at him.
"You, brother, will take a mate?" Rhyn goaded. "It's the human you threw in the cell across from me, isn't it?"
"She's beautiful and she's an immortal's mate."
"Beautiful? No. Not ugly, yeah. Our family has no luck with immortal mates. Traitorous bitches, all of them."
"Sounds like brotherly concern," Sasha mocked. "You know, if you hadn't joined our family, I wouldn't be here, and Father would still be alive. You think I want to be in Hell at the side of the Dark One?" Sasha flung his arm around.
Rhyn rolled his eyes and got up, grabbing an orange off the fruit basket on Sasha's desk. Sasha's moods were varied and fickle, never lasting too long. Of all the brothers, he'd always been the one to begrudge Andre's role as their leader.
"As long as I keep her out of your reach, so you don't kill this one, too," Sasha added.
"If she's yours, I'll kill her faster." Even as Rhyn spoke, he was disturbed by the thought of the frazzled but sweet woman across the hall from him falling to his brother. She was a smartass worthy of any of his brothers, and yet, no human deserved this.
Especially not the immortal mate meant for him.
His gaze took in Sasha before sliding to the black flames. He'd forgotten what color real fire was, but he found himself thinking it was orange, like the fruit in the basket on Sasha's desk. Sasha was staring into the fire, pensive.
"She's different," Sasha muttered. "Easy to break. Still human."
"What's her gift?"
"Fuck off, Rhyn. Who would you rather see her with, Kris or me? Kris must be livid I've stolen her from him."
"She's better off dead," Rhyn replied.
He wanted to keep Sasha talking, to find out what it was about this woman that was so special that both Sasha and Kris wanted her. And to spend more time outside his cell. He'd long since stopped trying to escape, knowing the magic of Hell and the Dark One was too old for him to break. He'd still rather be humoring Sasha and eating his oranges than sitting in the damned cell!
"You don't seem too thrilled yourself," he added.
"The timing is bad," Sasha said with a glance. "I may need something of you soon."
"You know I'll refuse."
"We'll see," was the growled response. "I do have news for you."
"I don't give two--" Rhyn started.
"Andre is dead-dead."
Rhyn fell silent. The only brother who'd accepted him and treated him half decently was gone?
"Thought that might mean something to you," Sasha said, searching his face. "I guess not. Maybe I've succeeded in breaking you after all."
"Never, fuckhead."
"Without your protector, you'll never be welcomed at the Council."
"I never was," Rhyn growled. "One of you was always trying to kill me."
"And now you've got no one to protect you. You've got nothing, Rhyn, but a place by my side. Think about it."
"Done. No," Rhyn said without hesitation.
"Get the fuck back to your cell."
Sasha left, pissed this time. Rhyn watched him, even more curious after the odd interaction. Sasha had told him many things before to try to break him, but this time, he sensed the truth behind the words.
Andre was gone. He felt heaviness sink to the pit of his stomach, and regret trickled through him.
Of all the brothers, Andre had been the only who believed in him. The eldest and wisest had found him when he was a child, wandering the immortal world, alone. Andre had raised him as much as anyone, sponsored his petition to be recognized by the immortals, cleaned up all the messes he'd never meant to make.
Regret turned to sorrow, and Rhyn gazed around him. Whatever killed Andre would never have succeeded if he weren’t trapped here!
He snatched two more oranges before the magic constrained his movement. He took his time going back to the cell block.
Sasha was not a hard creature to understand. This time, Rhyn couldn't figure out why the creature wanted a human so badly he'd bring her here yet didn't seem eager about her becoming his mate.
He retreated to his cell and sat against the wall again, troubled by a familiar feeling of helplessness.
He could've saved Andre. He had the magic, the strength.
He simply didn't have the control. His brothers didn't hate him just because of his lineage. They hated him because he couldn't focus his magic. It came out when it wanted in what form it wanted.
They'd always said he was a danger to the human world because of this. In the darkness of his cell, he admitted this was true, but he also knew no one could've saved his brother but him.
He hated Kris even more. Fury and sadness made him loosen control of his magic. He didn't care that Hell would suck him dry.
He slammed himself against the cell walls, roaring.
***
"Still alive, Lunchmeat?"
She never thought she’d want to hear the monster’s voice. Her world was one of agony and blurred colors. Someone had dumped her into a heap in her cell, and she felt Lankha’s cool, fuzzy hands.
"He took too much," the healer chided.
She smelled her own blood. It covered her by the time Sasha had finished his sick games with her. Her heartbeat was shallow and fast; her head felt like it was in a clamp. He’d forced her to stay awake through it all despite her fainting spells, tearing open her veins and feeding until she was too weak to fight him.
He wanted her to fight him, to ratchet up the levels of agony. He got off on it as he dry humped her and sucked her life from her.
Rhyn made a racket in his cell. She wished, prayed he got free and ended her.
Lankha’s cool magic worked quickly. He took away her pain first then shoved a water cube between her lips. It melted in her mouth and ran down her throat, soothing it after her screams had rendered it raw. The healer’s soft hands took away her headache, then the throbbing in her neck, and worked on the other parts of her body until she felt whole again.
She was too weak to move. He gently removed the blood-soaked jumper and cleaned her. His touch was so soothing and cool, she vowed to give him whatever blood he wanted for taking away such pain. He tugged on another jumper and then lifted her onto the bed with strength that seemed at odds with his small form.
Still, she couldn’t sleep. She relived the bloody scene in the banquet hall, heard the creature panting her name as he came against her thigh and then tore through the other side of her neck. He’d spent hours on her, disabling her and then hurting her.
Lankha shoved another cube in her mouth, then a third. They melted and trickled down her throat. They weren’t water cubes; they tasted of nothing she could identify. They were metallic and sugary. He smoothed out her hair and finally rested a feathery hand on her eyes, easing her into a restless sleep that didn’t last long enough.
It felt like mere seconds later when she opened her eyes but guessed it’d been much longer. Her body was weak but working, and there were more of the odd sugar cubes beside her pillow. Lankha was asleep above, and the clamoring of the cell block was gone. She rubbed her head, shaking despite the rest. She ate two more of the sugar cubes and a water cube, eyes lingering on the bloody mess that was her jumper in the corner.
She had to get out of there. She understood Jared’s warning about torture and being willing to bargain. But she didn’t think any of them could escape, or they would have.
"Not so brave anymore, are you, little girl," Rhyn said.
Her eyes fell to the dark cell holding Rhyn.
"If you were half as tough as you sound, you wouldn’t be stuck in here," she retorted.
"Lunchmeat’s still kicking," Jared said. His hands appeared through the cell bars.
Rhyn smashed himself against the cell, as if to prove his strength. She ignored him and rubbed her forehead.
"What does the amulet do?" she asked Jared.
"Now you want to talk."
"Keeps us here," Rhyn growled.
"Yes, that neat little trinket is a source of constant magic that traps us. I hear you’re immune to magic. You could get one of us out," Jared said.
"If that’s the case, why on earth would I bother to free any of you parasites?" she asked, too tired to stand. She sat next to the bars on her cell.
"I guess you wouldn’t if you didn’t plan on leaving Hell. Sasha’s men would kill you twice before you reached the front door."
He had a point, but she knew she’d be in as much danger from the monsters as from Sasha’s men. If she had the amulet and could bargain for protection--and one of them not eating her in exchange for her freedom--she wondered if she couldn’t escape.
"No pain," Rhyn said with a husky chuckle.
"Not too much pain, and I’ll raise you a promise not to fuck you till you’re dead," Jared offered.
"Jesus," she muttered.
"He ain’t coming here," a voice down the hallway snickered.
"But I am!" another chortled.
She touched her neck delicately, tracing the scars. They were jagged and ugly, similar to those on her arms. Lankha was a lifesaver, but she didn’t intend to spend the rest of her years being torn apart by some sadistic vampire with a hard on.
"We’ll see," she said at last.
She hoped no one ever came for her, and she’d never have to choose which predator to end her life. The monster across the hall was no option, and Jared was little better. The others…she wondered if Lankha could defend her. Based on his cowering every time Rhyn roared, she doubted it.
Even Kris was better than any of these creatures, and she'd barely tolerated him! Her thoughts turned to him with some bitterness. What kind of human protector allowed one of his own men to turn her over to something like Sasha? Did Kris even know about Jade's betrayal?
"Hey, Lunchmeat, what do you call a human running down the street?" Jared called.
"What?"
"Fast food."
Several of the monsters snickered. She rolled her eyes and retreated to her bunk, hoping Sasha planned to give her time to rest before attacking her.
"Damn you, Kris," she whispered.
"Kris?" one voice echoed.
"The Council’s Kris?" another snarled.
"Yeah," she answered.
"He sent you here?" Jared asked.
"Don’t know. My luck’s gone to shit since meeting him."
"Rhyn, you hear that?"
She glanced toward the dark cell and saw the silver eyes flash dangerously.
"You know Kris and Sasha are brothers, right?" Jared continued.
"No, I didn’t."
"There were seven of them. Sasha betrayed the others and aligned with the Dark One. He goes through Hell and collects us freaks down here."
"Hate Kris."
"He must die!"
"Kris." Rhyn’s low voice was the most sinister of all the monsters' complaints. He drew out the name, and she sensed a personal connection to the white-haired man.
"Kris’s not stupid enough to send you here. My guess is Sasha snatched you. This is the only place immortal pets can’t get you, or anyone else," Jared theorized. "Hey Rhyn, bet Kris wants this one back."
Rhyn smashed his cell hard enough for the walls to shudder.
Her luck grew worse. She heard the hisses that preceded the robed man’s approach. She tensed and waited, willing him to continue. When he stopped at her cell, she sighed.
"Come with me."
The inmates began cheering. She hesitated, reviewing what the inmates had told her about grabbing the robed man's necklace. As she emerged, both of them jumped back as Rhyn smashed into his cell.
"Less pain," Jared reminded her as she passed.
"A million dollars."
"No pain but some fucking."
"I’ll just eat you."
One by one the inmates made their offers as she passed. The robed man was small. Surely she could punch him hard enough to knock him out. She balled up a fist and looked at it, wondering how to hit him.
She wasn’t going back to Sasha. Ever.
Hands darted from the cells to swipe at them, and she saw why the robed man kept to the center of the corridor. He reached the end, and she readied her fist. Once she had the amulet, she could bargain harder with the inmates.
Punch him, grab the amulet, bargain for her freedom. The plan was quick and easy.
The robed man opened the door for her as he had before. She waited for him to face her then punched him as hard as she could in the nose. It hurt! She shook her hand out.
The inmates erupted into cheers. The robed man didn’t fall to her feet unconsciously as she planned but stared at her in surprise. She saw lightning forming in his hand.
"Hit him again!" Jared yelled.
"In the neck," another seconded.
She raised her fist to lay a right hook to his throat, beginning to panic when the lightning arced between his hands. He raised a hand to block, but she kicked him in the groin, and then in the neck. He bent over, coughing. She jerked the amulet off his neck, and the lighting flickered. The robed man stretched for her. She danced away from him and the hand of a monster that brushed her calf back to the center of the hall.
She raised the amulet to stare at it, the cacophony around her rising as the excited inmates glimpsed their freedom. They began beating against their cell walls, and the lights flickered again.
The robed man was coming for her.
"Make me an offer!" she shouted, backing away.
"No pain!" four voices chimed at once.
"No pain and escape to your world!"
"A million dollars."
"NO pain!" Jared shouted at last.
"If you’re Kris’s, pain like you’ve never known."
"That’s not how this works, Rhyn!" she snapped.
The robed man tackled her, and the amulet went flying. Arms, tentacles, and antennae stretched for it. It landed dead center in the hall, out of everyone’s reach. She wrenched away, only for the robed man to snatch her ankle and drag her down. He shot lightning at her that bounced off and hit an inmate. The screams added to the chaos. She kicked the robed man, and both launched themselves at the amulet.
She snatched it. He grabbed her waist. When she dropped it, he bent. They tumbled to the ground, one foot--she wasn’t sure whose--knocking the amulet away.
Silence fell. She and the robed man both stopped moving, watching in disbelief as the amulet skittered, rolled, and disappeared into Rhyn’s cell.
Rhyn gave a chilling chuckle.
"You better run," Jared advised. "Both of you."
The robed man scrambled to his feet and darted for the door. A dark arm darted from Rhyn’s cell and snatched him mid-stride. There was a small scream, then the crack of bone and ripping of flesh. Silence.
Katie rose, heart hammering. Weakened already, she struggled for her balance.
"C’mere, little girl." His throaty chuckle scared her more than the thought of returning to Sasha. She eyed the door at the end of the hall, then her cell, and turned 360. There was one way out.
"Give me a head start, Rhyn. It’s only fair since you’re free because of me," she ventured.
"Go for it." His noncommittal response and stillness worried her more. She started forward.
"Farewell, Lunchmeat," Jared called in resignation.
This couldn’t be how she died! She’d lived through too much the past few days to be eaten by some boogeyman in a dark cell! She straightened her shoulders, determined to approach her fate without fear. She’d been terrified since being told she had amnesia, but she’d stayed strong.
"Do your worst, you rabid dog," she challenged as she approached the point where the robed man had disappeared.
Another smoky chuckle. She sensed his movement and closed her eyes, willing her death to be as fast as the robed man’s. Rhyn snatched her into the darkness, and a familiar fog appeared around her.
Suddenly, the shadow world released her. She gasped and dropped to her knees, unable to see in the inky blackness around her. She didn’t feel sick this time, only weakness. The scent of sea was in the air, a rough circle of lighter darkness before her, as if she had landed in the back of a cave and looked towards its mouth. The ground was rocky beneath her hands and knees, the air chilled.
She shoved at Rhyn when he grabbed her again and hauled her up. He certainly felt human with a massive male body expending heat and warmth.
"I haven’t eaten in thousands of years," he rasped, holding her easily despite her struggles.
He gripped her neck and tilted her head. She fought him harder, tears in her eyes.
"Not so tough now, are you, little girl?" His voice was husky.
She slammed her elbow into his ribs, and he chuckled, locking his other arm around her. His body was warm compared to the chill of the sea. Immobilized, she waited with panicked dread for an attack like Sasha’s. He nuzzled her neck, his breath hot against her skin. She squeezed her eyes closed, heart slamming in her tight chest.
There was a pinch and numbness as his fangs sank into her neck. He drank for a long minute then threw his head back, roaring with pleasure.
"You do taste as sweet as you look," he said, voice thick with need. "In the name of the Seven, I claim you as mine."
His words confused her. He released her neck, touching it with a thumb that burned hot enough to singe her skin. Her legs were too weak to hold her, and he lowered her to the ground. She saw his large frame against the night sky outside the small cave, human one moment, then decidedly not the next. He growled a warning and peered back at her through the silver eyes of a cat-like beast the size of a large horse.
And then he was gone.