Katie's Hellion (Rhyn Trilogy, Book One) by Lizzy Ford Page A

kill
her.
    The robed man came again and repaired the
damage. Rhyn fell quiet, and the robed man turned to her. His eyes
were black and empty, his frame small and wiry. He wore a glowing
talisman on a leather chain around his neck.
    "Hey Lunchmeat."
    "Yeah."
    "If you take the amulet, no pain,
guaranteed."
    Her eyes dropped to it. The robed man sent
what looked like a lightning bolt down the hall. Jared cursed.
    "Come with me," the robed man ordered
her.
    The bars of her cell dissipated at his
command, and she stepped into the hall. A narrow, lit walkway
extended all the way down the corridor, the only part of the hall
out of reach of the arms of the prisoners on either side.
    He led her toward Jared’s direction. The pale
man was tall and lean, and he hung his hands again through the bars
of his cell. He winked as she passed and licked his lips.
    "Nice ass. Wouldn’t mind a bite of that."
    She ignored him and crossed her arms. Some of
the cells were black like Rhyn’s, some with bars, and others with
glass. Some appeared empty while others…she stopped looking when
she saw the fanged moth man. The predators were silent, watching
their lunch parade by them.
    She trailed the robed man through two doors
and into a hot, dry night. He led her through a fortress too
ancient for her to date, its blackened walls and well-worn stones
massive and thick. There were two moons in this realm, one full and
the other a sliver.
    The robed man led her into the fortress and
wound his way through bright intersections, down stairs, and into a
more opulent part of the building. The halls grew wider, and the
stone turned to carpet beneath her sore feet. She was surprised she
could walk at all and knew a few ounces of blood had been a small
price to pay for Lankha’s work, which she’d never have gotten for
all the money in the world at home.
    She nearly leapt past her escort when he
entered the banquet hall, the scents of roasted meat and a million
other things making her stomach roar.
    Until she saw the spit with the human-like
body roasting above it. She stared, knowing no amount of counseling
would fix her when this was over.
    "My lord, Sasha, I have brought the human,"
her robed escort said in a monotone voice.
    "Perfect. Absolutely perfect."
    The robed man bowed and retreated to the
door. She turned as the man called Sasha lifted one of her curls
from her shoulder. He was a lean man with gleaming silver-blue
eyes, teeth filed into points, and an aura so cold she stepped
away.
    "Like a doll," Sasha said, admiring her. "So
full of life. Perfect."
    "I told you, Sasha," a familiar voice
said.
    Katie looked past him, gasping. Jade stood
near the spit, dark eyes blazing.
    "And you were right," Sasha replied. "Now go,
my love, before they notice you're gone."
    Jade's glare stayed on her as he hesitated.
Sasha turned to him with a smile, and Jade's gaze softened. He
bowed his head and left her alone with the madman.. Sasha faced
her. Katie took another step back, the stillness of his gaze
unsettling.
    "I’ve been waiting for a long time to claim
you. We knew you’d appear eventually."
    He motioned to a seat at the table loaded
with food she feared eating. The seat was at his left, and he
waited until she accepted before sitting. There was already food on
her plate --meat from an unnamed source, vegetables, bread.
    "I know you’re hungry," he said.
    She was starving. She took the roll and bit
into it, surprised to find it tasted perfect. She ate the whole
basketful while he watched. When he motioned to the meat, she
looked toward the spit and then lied.
    "I’m vegetarian."
    He ate nothing. When her stomach was full,
she allowed herself to look at him. His eyes gleamed. He took her
wrist and raised his pinkie, where she saw the nail had been filed
to a point and reinforced with metal. Before she could draw her
wrist away, he pierced it. The pain surprised her after Lankha’s
gentle ministrations. The creature twisted her wrist and