Rhyn's Redemption (Book III, Rhyn Trilogy)

Chapter Twelve

Kris and Kiki both looked towards the sky when the thunder began.  They’d both given their jackets to Hannah, whose step was growing slower the farther they went into the jungle.  Kiki muttered but didn’t openly bitch, probably knowing Kris had no patience for anyone insulting his mate.

“How far was the place you saw?” Kris addressed Kiki with a worried look towards Hannah.

“It didn’t seem far.  I would’ve thought we’d be there by now.”

“Can you check again?”

Kiki gave him a fiery look but moved to the nearest tree.  Kris watched him scale the large tree and disappear beyond the canopy of leaves.

“I hope it’s close,” Hannah said. She sagged against a tree.

Kris sat beside her.  Hannah’s skin had gone from pale to gray, and her features looked gaunt.  He couldn’t help thinking Katie wouldn’t survive a week down here if Hannah was suffering so badly after a day.  He touched Hannah’s hair, revolted when a handful came off in his hand.

Hannah looked down at it then at him.  Her blue eyes had turned dark, and Kris shook the hair off his hands.  He tried to smile reassuringly.

“It’s just the underworld.  When we’re home, it’ll grow back.  Don’t worry, love.”

She didn’t look convinced.  Kris moved away her, his anxiety and concern growing.  They’d come there to rescue one human and might just lose two.  He paced and gazed up the tree, unable to see Kiki.  He heard Hannah stir and glanced towards her.  She rose from her seat.

“Kris, I think I – “ She was cut off by a shout.

Kris looked up in time to see Kiki crash through the canopy and plummet towards the ground.  Kris gasped and sprung forward.  A streak of black crossed his vision as a flying demon snatched Kiki out of the air.

“Kiki!” he bellowed. Instinctively, he reached for his power, only to find it bound by the magic of the underworld.  He was as helpless as a stupid human. “Hannah, wait here. I’ll – “

Hannah was gone.  Kris spun in time to see her disappear around a large tree, deeper into the jungle.  Kris looked between the two before taking off after Hannah.

“Hannah!” he shouted. “Hannah, stop!  We’ll leave here together – don’t worry about your body!”

“Kris!” Kiki’s yell was pain-filled.

Kris stopped, torn.

Duty before all else. It had been Andre’s mantra, and Kris had always done what he thought Andre would’ve wanted. He’d lost Lilith when Rhyn killed her and their son.  He’d given up Jade, the man who held his soul, to take Katie as a mate, only to have Rhyn interfere again.  Paralyzed by indecision, Kris struggled to determine which Andre would’ve wanted him to do: save his brother or his mate.  Of the two, Hannah was weaker, but Kiki was his brother.

“I can’t lose her,” he said, sweating with fear.  Kris started forward again, pursuing Hannah. He ran as fast as he could through the unfriendly forest, cursing Death for stripping his power.

Hannah’s blond hair flashed through the trees. As fast as Kris ran, he couldn’t catch her.  He grew more baffled when she seemed to pull ahead of him without any sign of the exhaustion she’d showed when they stopped.  Desperation could motivate, and so could fear for her sister.  He pushed himself harder to catch her. 

Thunder boomed overhead.  Forms he assumed were demons swooped above the canopy, casting shadows.  He caught glimpses of fur and wings through leaves and ran until his chest was heaving.  Hannah remained ahead of him, though he realized he was beginning to gain on her.  He had to reach her before the demons did and swept her away, as they had Kiki.