Katie's Hope (Rhyn Trilogy, Book Two) by Lizzy Ford Page A

minutes after Rhyn left before
disappearing into the hallway. She rose, still wobbly, and crossed
to the bed, perching on it beside Ully. The sight of Toby’s near
lifeless features made her feel sick to her stomach. She brushed
hair away from the child’s face. His sweet smell and the feel of
his soft skin lingered in her senses after she’d carried him from
the forest. She’d never noticed how a kid smelled, like fresh
sunshine.
    “You think he’ll be okay?” she asked in a
hushed voice.
    “I don’t know,” Ully answered. “I think a
healer can fix him. I think he’s just sleeping for now.”
    She touched the baby angel’s hand. She’d
never known the type of terror that tore through her when she saw
the jaguar snatch him. The image replayed itself in her mind, and
guilt flooded her. It shouldn’t have taken almost losing him for
her to realize how vulnerable he was. He was hundreds of thousands
of mortal years old, but less than half a dozen in angel years.
Without Gabriel, Toby had no one but her.
    “How is he?” At Sasha’s voice, they both
turned. A tremor of fear went through her, and Ully crept closer,
as if she had half a chance of defending them. She wrapped a hand
around her throat protectively.
    “Fine,” Ully whispered. “Sleeping.”
    Sasha’s gaze took them both in, his eyes
settling on her bandaged arm before he forced himself to look at
Toby.
    “I didn’t know we had a baby angel in our
midst. Demons don’t normally attack them, unless they were trying
to draw you outside the sacred grounds, Katie,” he said. “They
taste awful.”
    “I don’t think you should be here,” Katie
said, anger rising at his considering look at Toby.
    “Very well. I’m in the chamber beside yours
if you need anything.” While quiet, his words were meant as the
threat she took them to be. She was still staring at the doorway
when Kris walked through. He strode to his walk-in closet and
snatched a sweater and boots.
    “What the hell is going on, Kris?” she
demanded.
    “Later.”
    “No, Kris, now. Toby and I have been attacked
by demons, and Sasha’s wandering around the castle like he owns the
place.”
    “I don’t expect you to understand. What’s
clear is that your mate is still out of control. Sasha can
help me break the bond so you don’t have to deal with that
anymore.”
    “What bond?” she asked.
    “The bond between you and Rhyn. You wanted
your life back, didn’t you?” he asked pointedly.
    “Yes, but-- ”
    “I need Sasha’s help. He’s a deviant. He
knows how to do things no Immortal has ever done. He brought us a
vial of blood to replace you as a test subject, and he knows where
we can find the information to break your bond to Rhyn.”
    She was silent, surprised as much by his
information as she was by the turning of her stomach at the thought
of losing Rhyn.
    I have to do it before Gabriel comes for
me.
    “It won’t hurt him or me, will it?” she
asked.
    “I don’t know yet, but if it must hurt one of
you, it’ll be my dear little brother, who is a blight to Immortals
and humans alike.” His words were spoken with an unusual amount of
venom. “Besides, the bond between angel and human cannot be broken,
so you’ll have to take care of Toby until you die.”
    “Why do you hate Rhyn so much?” She watched
him stop lacing his boots. A haunted look crossed his face.
    “I want what he took from me,” he said
quietly. “I can’t have it, and so neither shall he.”
    The look on his face made her bite her tongue
to keep from saying anything else. Weeks ago, when she’d been at
the Sanctuary, Gabriel entrusted her with the secret of what had
caused Kris to turn on Rhyn. It involved a woman, Kris’s intended
mate. She was working with the Dark One, and Rhyn had killed for
that reason. And no one had ever told Kris. She ached to, but she
doubted he’d believe her.
    Kris finished tying his boots and crossed to
the door, slamming it on his way out. Ully jumped