Gabriel's soft cluck of disapproval filled the air around him as Rhyn sat in the corner, watching the most vexing woman in the world --his mate --sleep. He sensed another immortal in the house but couldn't place where exactly.
"You just don't listen," the death dealer said, materializing, a shadow darker than night.
"Why would I start?" Rhyn replied.
"Thought you'd learned something after all those years in Hell."
"Nah."
Gabriel was his only friend who didn't judge him. Rhyn patted the chair beside him. The death dealer sat, his trench coat rustling.
"You're lucky you don't have to defend Death against anything," Rhyn grunted. "Much more complicated than it looks."
"Free will's a bitch," Gabriel lamented.
"Yeah."
They sat in comfortable silence, the quiet room filled only with the woman's soft snores. She was tired, frustrated, and, worst of all, scared. She'd been scared since Hell, if not before, for which he blamed Kris.
"Kris --"
"Don't start," Gabriel warned. "At some point, you two need to trust each other."
"Not gonna happen."
"Immortals are about as imperfect as humans. I don't know any more."'
Rhyn looked squarely at the death dealer, sensing unease for the first time in their long history.
"It never sat well, what I did to you," Gabriel said.
"I never held a grudge," Rhyn reminded death's top assassin.
"Maybe you should have."
"Nope."
Gabriel chuckled then said darkly, "How can you be so sure?"
"I know," Rhyn replied. "I know what I am, I know what you are, and I know what my brothers are. The rest I don't care about."
Gabriel lifted his chin toward the bed.
"Work in progress," Rhyn replied with a grimace. "She's mine. The rest will follow."
"Wish I had your faith."
"I think you mean narcissism," Rhyn said.
"Big word for you."
"It was Kris, wasn't it?"
Gabriel said nothing, and fury unfurled within Rhyn as his gaze went to the sleeping woman.
"I know my brothers," he repeated more softly.
"You are quick to assume the worst," the death dealer said at last. "She refused to tell you."
"Yeah."
"Then leave it be. Listen to me this time."
Rhyn didn't want to leave it be, not when his own brother had attacked his woman. Maybe Kris thought turnabout was fair play. Or maybe he'd succumbed to the weird draw around the woman. Or maybe to his own desire for power. In the end, it didn't matter.