Rhyn's Redemption (20 page)

“I promised Kiki I’d tell you something,” he started. “But I don’t want to.  It won’t help you in your duties.”

“I do my best, but I’m as flawed as any Immortal.  I just hope our brothers see that I’m trying.”

“They see it.  And they know you’re wounded by this business with Jade and Andre.  Anyway,” Rhyn said. “That’s not what I promised to tell you.”

“What is it?”

“Lilith.”

Kris’s sigh of aggravation came out as a hiss.

“She was working for the Dark One,” Rhyn said.

“Let her serve out her eternity in peace, Rhyn.  I don’t appreciate you dishonoring her more than you did.”

“I swear it, Kris.  She was planted by the demons.  I don’t know why they chose you, but they did, and you’re the one she came after.  She reeked of demon, Kris. I’d be surprised if the hatchling she carried was yours.”

“Stop there, Rhyn. Whatever reason you have for talking about her this way – just stop.”

“Why would I lie about this now?” Rhyn challenged, irritated. “I served fucking
lifetimes
in Hell and kept my mouth closed.  I killed her to protect you.  Andre always taught me that loyalty was all that mattered.”

“You want me to believe you killed my lover to protect me, never told me she was a demon-spy, and you went willingly to Hell.  It’s ridiculous, Rhyn, even for you!”

Rhyn clamped his mouth shut.  He’d done what Kiki asked him to, and Kris didn’t believe him.  He was ready to go silent on it again for the rest of eternity.  He turned to leave then stopped.

“I saved your life twice, and you continue to treat me like shit,” he said. “You care more for the honor of a dead-dead woman who betrayed you.”

“While I’m grateful you saved me from Jade, you’re still half-animal, Rhyn.”

“I’m also half-Immortal.  I have as much of our father in me as you do,” Rhyn said.

“Look, Rhyn, none of this matters.  I’m willing to go ahead and forgive you for what you did so long ago.  It’s still hard for me to think I could’ve raised a successor and not buried a son,” Kris said.

“I don’t give a shit about your forgiveness, Kris.  Think about it.  What do I have to gain by telling you about Lilith now?”

“Maybe you just want to hit me while I’m down.”

“Down?” Rhyn echoed and looked at Kris. “If this is what you call down, you need to spend some time in Hell.  If you don’t believe me, I don’t give a shit.  But I fulfilled my part of the deal I made with Kiki.”

“What does Kiki know about this?” For the first time, Rhyn heard a note of uneasiness replace the self-assuredness in Kris’s voice.

“He knows Lilith was evil.”

“He’s not here to defend himself from whatever you say about him.”

“Andre knew,” Rhyn said quietly.  “Andre always knew.  It’s why he didn’t kill me.  You ever wonder why he let me live, even after what I’d done to you?  I didn’t know it at the time, but he was doing me a favor.  He was putting me some place safe.  He knew I deserved a second chance, long before Katie, long before I realized it myself.”

Kris was silent for a moment before saying slowly, “Kiki said I always had a penchant for traitors.”

Rhyn could almost see him thinking.  In the end, Kris said nothing else, and Rhyn shook his head.  For the first time, he’d tried to reason with Kris.  He’d never do it again.

“I’m sick of waiting,” he said.

“I have a feeling she’s waiting for you to come to her,” Kris said at last. “And she’ll never let us leave her alive.”

“Back to the palace,” Rhyn said with a glance towards the dark sky.  It was the last day he could press Death for a favor. If they didn’t leave tonight, they may never escape with Katie alive. He took off running toward the palace, his demon vision guiding him in the darkness.  Kris followed closely, and they burst onto the yards surrounding the palace.

Gabe and a few other assassins in black fought off hordes of demons.  Surprised, Rhyn launched into the melee with his dagger.  He slashed through several demons before the creatures realized he was there.  Wanting to keep them off balance, he morphed into his demon form and shredded the creatures with talons and fangs as deadly as theirs.

Only when he reached Gabe did he return to his Immortal form.  The death-dealer’s clothing was tattered from demon strikes, his body smelling of blood sure to incense the creatures he fought.  Despite this, the assassin’s speed and strikes didn’t falter.  Each was sure and powerful.  Rhyn maneuvered until his back was to Gabe’s, and he reached back to snatch the knife Gabe kept strapped to one thigh.  While Gabe showed no sign of slowing, Rhyn could feel the wound Kris inflicted slowing his movements.  At least Kris hadn’t stabbed him with the enforcer dagger, or Rhyn would be dead.

“Thanks for … dropping by,” Gabe grunted with his dark humor.

“I’m always late, but I always show.” Rhyn flung one knife, catching a demon in the eye.  The demon that had been ready to run Kris through dropped, and Kris shot him an angry look. “You’re welcome, jackass.”

“Still fighting?” Gabe asked.

“Where’s Death?” Rhyn demanded.

“Inside.  Or wherever.  She left us to deal with the demons.  We’ve lost five assassins already.  I hoped she’d recall more but …”

“She’s pissed at you.”

“Yeah.”

“She want you dead-dead?”

“She wants to make sure I suffer,” Gabe answered.

“An eternity of her nagging you wasn’t enough?”

Gabe snorted. “Kris!  Form up with us.  Rhyn’s slow on his left.  Pick up his slack.”

“I’m
slow
because someone stabbed me.”

“You had that coming,” Kris snapped and joined them, following Gabe’s direction.

“Rhyn, Death’s got Katie inside.”

Fear made Rhyn’s chest seize.  No sooner had Gabe spoken the words than the demons fell away.  Coldness snapped over Rhyn, and his surroundings blurred.  He blinked, uncertain what happened until he found himself standing in a dimly lit chamber.  Kris and Gabe were still beside him, and instead of demons, there was only Death.

He heard a groan from nearby and lowered his weapons, the first to step away to see whose body lay before Her.  It was Kiki’s.  Rhyn smelled blood before he saw the soaked clothing of his half-brother.  Ignoring Death, Rhyn rolled Kiki onto his back. The Immortal was alive, but barely. Satisfied, Rhyn rose, towering over the tiny woman with flaxen hair.

“Darkyn won this round,” she said.

“What did you do with Katie?” Rhyn demanded. A quick look around the chamber showed no sign of his mate.

“You led him here, Rhyn, a sin made worse by the fact my own weakness made my domain vulnerable.  But, I’m going to remedy this.”

“I don’t give a shit!  Where – “

Death held out two small emeralds, and Rhyn’s breath left him.  She snapped them back up in her hand and put them in the pocket of her pants.

“You
swore
you’d free her!” he whispered, stricken.

“I can give her back to you,” Death said slowly. “But it means this.” She held out her hand again.  A hologram-like image appeared in her hand. 

Rhyn saw the demons pouring from the skies over major cities in the mortal worlds. He turned away, not wanting to care about the cost of getting his mate back.

“Look at it!” Death commanded. 

His body obeyed her, and he found himself struggling against himself not to turn around.  Death won the fight for his body, and he watched. Demons slaughtered humans and Immortals alike, razing the mortal world.

“This happened once before, long ago,” Death said and held out her other hand. “Gabe remembers.  This is when I found him.”

Rhyn saw the young man he assumed was Gabriel fighting demons.

“It was stopped by the Dark One, who knew what I’d do if he didn’t stop it,” she said.  “Darkyn led this assault without the Dark One’s permission.  He was banished deep into Hell.  This time, I can do nothing, and they know it.  If you ask me, I will give Katie and your child back to you.  The price will be this.” She held up the hand holding the scenes of demons destroying the mortal world.

Protect what’s left of good in the world.

Rhyn gripped and released the dagger, struggling between the tiny voice that reminded him of his promise to Katie and the vision before him.  If he took back his mate and child, there would be nowhere safe for them to go.  But he didn’t want to live eternity without her.

“Rhyn … “ Kris murmured. “You have a duty to protect all mortals, not just one.”

“Will you take my soul in exchange for Katie’s?” Rhyn asked.

“If she were alive, that might work.  Once I claim a soul, the price climbs.  And in this case, the price is beyond my control,” Death answered.

Rhyn stared at the scenes playing out in Death’s outstretched hands.  His heart grew heavy as he watched demons kill humans by the hundreds.  The promise he’d made to keep Katie happy made him feel sick, and
duty
would never fill the hollow part of him that would remain during a lifetime without his mate.

“Choose, demon,” Death ordered him. “Your mate or the fate of humanity.”

Maybe Katie had known this was how it would end when they’d last met in his dream.  Maybe this was his penance for being what he was.  Rhyn didn’t know, but he knew he couldn’t choose his own interests over those of humanity.

“Is she safe and happy?” he asked.

“She is,” Death answered. “I made certain of that.”

“As much as I love her, I can’t condemn her kind to the demons.”

Death lowered the hand displaying the end of the world scenario.  The images of Gabe fighting demons switched to those of Katie on the beach under the moonlight.  Rhyn’s breath caught at the sight of her.  She appeared exhausted, tattered, and drenched from the underworld rain.  She’d never looked as beautiful as she did, even if she looked as if she’d just left the underworld.  Toby was with her, pulling her from the beach towards the Sanctuary.

“What the fuck is this?” he demanded.

“You let her go?” Gabe asked in surprise.

“You were right, Gabe,” Death said. “You’ll never hear those words again.”

“She’s not dead-dead,” Rhyn said, afraid to believe the images he saw. He searched Death’s impassive features.

“I had to know you could serve a purpose greater than yourself,” Death said to Rhyn.

He stared at her, certain he’d throttle her if Gabe didn’t eventually.

“But, that leaves us in a difficult position.  There are four of you here.  A contract was put out for two souls, and two souls were sent to my underworld.  Unfortunately, they left before I could claim them.  Which means, I need two souls to fulfill the contract.”

“I can’t believe you freed Katie,” Rhyn said. “Is this a trick?”

“I made you a promise, didn’t I?”

“You broke rules older than you,” Gabe said, moving to stand beside Rhyn. “Even you are not allowed to so without some sort of consequence.”

“I never should’ve interfered, Gabriel. I set things right.  So what if I broke a Code or two to right things?” Death said with a shrug.

“You are sworn –“

“No time for a lovers' spat,” Rhyn interrupted. “Tell me what it’ll take for us to get the fuck out of here.”

Death turned her attention to him. “I told you.  I need souls.”

“Easy.  Mine,” Rhyn said.

“Not yours.”

“Mine is the most obvious choice.”

“I get to choose who I take, and I don’t want yours.  Maybe the Immortal who issued the contract for two souls should step up,” Death said. “It would be a noble death for a good cause.”

“I don’t have time to track down whoever it was that crossed you,” Rhyn snapped. “Take mine, send everyone else back.”

“Even if I took yours, that’s
one
.  Or do demons not know how to count?”

“Demons aren’t known for thinking,” Gabe said. “You’ve got a mate and child, Rhyn. Take mine.”

“It’s raining souls now,” Death said and pursed her lips. “I own you already, Gabe.”

“
You
own me, but I’m not dead-dead,” he argued. “If I’m not mistaken, the souls of your assassins are more of a personal collection than an official one.”

“Minor details.”

“Mine,” Gabe said, stepping closer to her.

“Fine.  That’s one,” she said. “Another soul, or I can still claim Katie or her child.”

“Am I the only one who hears me?” Rhyn demanded. “Take. Mine.  Be done with this nonsense.  Leave my mate and my hatchling alone!”

“Not yours!” Death snapped. “You’re making me second guess myself, Rhyn. Don’t be so stupid.”

“There
is
no one else!”

“Mine.”

Rhyn turned, surprised.  He’d forgotten Kris’s presence.  The Council leader stepped forward.

“No,” Rhyn said. “You’ll take mine, Death, if you take anyone’s.”

“It’s my choice, Rhyn,” Kris said. “It’s the right thing to do.”

“The Council needs you.”

“The Council needs
you.
”

“As you and everyone else like to remind me, I’m the brawn, not the brains,” Rhyn said.

“I issued the contract to Gabe.”

Rhyn stared.

“It was for Katie and someone else, someone you killed.  I didn’t know about your child.  I didn’t know Katie would end up your mate. In truth, it might not have altered my decision, but it’s a little late for holding millennia-old grudges,” Kris explained. “You chose your duty over your mate.  You are more fit to lead the Immortals than I’ll ever be.”

“Done,” Death said, pleased.

“Wait, it’s
not
done,” Rhyn said and approached Kris. “You can’t be serious, Kris.  I’m the last person you want in charge of something important.”

“Andre always saw something in you that I never saw, until now,” Kris said with some difficulty. “You made a selfless choice, one I’ve failed to make more than once.  Besides, I ordered Katie killed.  I alone can make this right.”

“Kris – “

“I thought about what you said in the forest, about Lilith.  Kiki said something before he left that makes me think you’re not lying.  If what you said is true, you do deserve a second chance, Rhyn,” Kris continued.  “Swear to me you’ll keep the Council together.  Father and Andre always said we were stronger together than apart. I was unwilling to do whatever it took to keep them together.  But you will.”