Rhyn's Redemption (Book III, Rhyn Trilogy)

Chapter Five

“He can’t leave, Toby,” Ully added. “He’s stuck here unless Darkyn lets him go. I heard the demons talking about it when I was in the lab.  Jared is a glorified prisoner.”

“That’s not entirely accurate,” the demon said with some irritation. “I’m allowed to roam the fortress.”

“When you’re escorted, you can. I have more freedom than you when I’m not in this cell.”

“I’ll be happy when Darkyn orders your death. I plan on eating every part of you, down to your bones,” Jared snapped and bared his teeth.

“Ully has skunk blood, and I’m an angel.  You’d gag to death first,” Toby said and giggled at the look that crossed the demon’s face. “I can almost pull a portal, with someone’s help. I could get all of us out of here.”

“You’re too little,” Jared said. “Immortals can’t portal out of here anyway. Only demons can.”

“I’m not a normal Immortal,” Toby cried. “I’m an angel! I can do whatever I have to save my human.”

“That is true,” Ully said. “But I think you have the same limits as other Immortals?”

“Maybe,” Toby muttered.

Though scowling, Jared was listening. He hadn’t left them, and Toby’s hopes rose again. Rhyn had liked this demon for some reason, and because of that, Toby trusted the flawed half-demon as much as he did Gabriel.

“You’re not strong enough to take us all with you,” Jared said at last. “And I won’t be left behind.”

“I can take me and Ully and you and Gabe,” Toby replied. “It’ll be hard, but I can do it, with Ully’s help.”

“That’s four. You’d be pushing it with five.”

“Five?” Toby asked. “Why would I need to take five of us?”

Ully sighed. “Because Darkyn replaced Gabe and someone else with shapeshifting demons.”

“There’s another Immortal down here?”

“Not Immortal, human,” Jared answered. “You couldn’t take us all, and I’m certain I’d be the one who’s left behind.  Humans take priority to you angels.  No, sweetmeats, I won’t help you escape.” With that, the demon left.

 “Ully, who is it?” Toby asked. He gripped the bars of his cell and pressed his face against them, trying to see into the neighboring cells.

“Fuck!” Gabriel’s furious curse made Toby jump. 

Toby looked his direction the best he could through the bars of his cell and saw the walls around the dark cell shake.

“Gabe!” he called. “Are you okay?”

“Toby? What’re you doing in Hell?”

“Darkyn found me.”

The death-dealer issued another string of curses.

“Where’s Mama?”

“Stuck in the Immortal underworld.”

“Gabe, she can’t stay there! Death will find her!”

“Katie’s alive?” Ully asked. “That’s why Darkyn had me clone you, so he could get to her.”

“Clone?” Gabriel echoed.

“Shapeshifter demon.”

“And he’s with her now.”

“She’s safe, I think.  Darkyn wants her as a hostage, just in case,” Ully whispered.