She gazed at him, confused. Rhyn had been a prisoner like her.
"There goes that plan," Ileana said with a sigh. "Kris had planned to claim you. Ully found out Kris can use your power to make him immune from the other Ancients."
Jade glanced sharply at Ileana, then at Kris. Kris met his gaze, and the intensity of the exchange left her no doubt as to their relationship. A red flush rose in the normally unflappable Council leader's face.
A chill went through her. Was this why Jade sold her out? And did Rhyn know of her gift? Was that the plan of the betrayer of humanity, to use her to destroy the world?
But he'd treated her so differently than Sasha. Sasha she could see raping and bleeding her nightly to mask him from the Ancients. Rhyn had been…nice. Almost.
"Kris, what time is the damned…"
The voice was unfamiliar. She turned to see a tall, lean man with olive features that more closely resembled Rhyn's.
"Tamer, this is our Katie. Katie, my brother Tamer, who's in charge of Africa," Kris grated. "The meeting's at seven."
"So you weren't lying, brother," Tamer purred.
His gaze fell to her neck. He frowned.
"Kris, you have enough immortals to destroy Rhyn again? He can't be allowed to betray us again."
…destroy Rhyn again…betray us.
"I'll keep an eye on her," Jade offered.
How did she tell Kris his closest advisor had betrayed him? She was panicking, recalling the horrors of the hours at Sasha's hands. She met Jade's gaze, unable to look away. Her throat felt raw again, and the scent of her blood returned. If she looked, she'd be covered in it… She had to get out of there before Jade found a way to alert Sasha.
"You look sick, Katie. I'll get you some whiskey," Ileana said. "And a bottle for me as well."
Katie nodded stiffly, unable to speak. She sensed Rhyn's presence before any of the others and braced herself, almost hyperventilating.
"Fuck," Kris whispered, rigid.
He stared past her. She feared looking at Rhyn, feared knowing what shape he'd taken. Instead, she tried to keep her trembling body upright and her vision from growing tunneled.
"You have something that's mine, brother," came the familiar, low growl.
"You should be in Hell with your fuck-buddy Sasha."
"You couldn't defeat me and Hell couldn't hold me."
By the look on Ileana's face, Katie knew Rhyn spoke the truth. Katie faced him and saw that he was dressed like Gabriel, all in black. His chiseled features were sinister in the fractured light, his eyes glowing with quiet fury. He was as tense as she'd seen him, ready to morph and attack.