The whiff of Katie's blood nearly undid him. He hadn't eaten in too long, and to have his mate so close … Rhyn took the stairs two at a time until he reached the roof. He launched himself off the rooftop, hungry and determined to find a demon to bleed dry. He flew to the forest and shape shifted into a jaguar as he dropped to the ground, taking off through the forest. The exercise felt good, and he ran and leapt and clambered up trees until he was panting. It was after his adrenaline tapered off that he smelled blood, and he trotted down a path in the direction of the scent.
What he found didn't surprise him. Jared, wounded and vulnerable, had been cornered by another demon in its monster shape with drool dripping off its teeth. Jared was pale and propped against a rock. Happy the demon could draw his lunch out of the forest, Rhyn pounced on the demon, cracking its neck before it could fight. He tossed the creature to the side for later and shifted into his human form.
"Nature's not so kind to the weak," Jared said with a grimace as he pushed himself up. "You're not of any use to me like this."
"Here's where you're wrong, half-breed. The reason I'm lying here in pain has to do with my accidental ambush of Darkyn's demons," the demon replied. "Are you going to eat all of him?"
He motioned to the demon's carcass a short distance from them. "Depends on if what you have to say is worthwhile."
"Fair enough. In any case, Darkyn's demons are planning to invade the castle, where your sweet little morsel is, so they can slaughter every last annoying Immortal."
"Demons can't cross the sacred grounds."
"They have an insider. And apparently, he alone knows how to render the grounds no longer sacred."
Rhyn's thoughts went to Katie. "Did they say when?"
"They noticed me then, so no. Help a brother out, Rhyn. I'm no good to you here in this shape. I need to go to Hell for a demon healer. I'll promise to return."
"Fine." He no longer felt hungry despite the scent of blood. While he didn't care what happened to Kris, he did care about Katie and when the demons would choose to attack. He'd suspected Sasha was there for more than one reason and didn't doubt his brother had a plan.
Kris would never listen to him. The only other brother ever to extend a hand to help him was Kiki, the pragmatic half-brother who protected Asia. Rumor had it the Council hadn't agreed on anything in a few hundred years, and Rhyn began to think the brothers he hated might be the solution to the demons.