Rhyn's Redemption (Book III, Rhyn Trilogy)

Chapter Seven

“Rhyn, what if this is the only time we ever have together?”

Rhyn shook his head, uncertain how he’d ended up on the dream beach when he’d just walked through the portal from the castle in the Alps to Death’s underworld. He faced his dead mate.  Her blue eyes were large, and she looked tired.

“It won’t be,” he said. “I’m coming to get you.”

Instead of looking cheered at his words, she looked unconvinced.

“You’re welcome,” he said, bristling.

“I’d be happy to see you,” Katie replied. “But, Rhyn, what if you can’t save me? What if this is all we have?”

“Why do you say that?  It can’t be. It won’t be.”

“Let’s pretend like it is, just for now.”

“I don’t want to pretend.” He searched her features with his gaze, not understanding her strange insistence that she was really dead. She was troubled. This much he could see, though he couldn’t tell why.

“Do you ever wonder what would’ve happened, if we’d both been able to live?” she asked.

“No.”

“You don’t think about where we’d live or how we’d fit in with the other Immortals?”

“I don’t like this game,” he said.

“I don’t think both of us will make it out of the underworld.  It makes me think about all the things I wish I’d done before I died.  I wanted to backpack through Europe and go on a cruise somewhere warm.  I wanted to make love with you on the beach under the full moon.  Without worrying about demons or Kris or anything.”

“Katie.” Rhyn took her hands tentatively, growing more confident when she didn’t disappear. “I will get you out, and you can do those things.  We can do those things together.  I swear it.”

“I hope so, Rhyn.” She hugged him hard. 

Rhyn wrapped his arms around her, marveling at how real her body felt in the dream.  Her hair tickled his face, and he rested his chin on her head.  They held each other for a long moment. His thoughts grew dark as he thought about what it would take to save her. He’d have to risk the wrath of Death.

“Rhyn, will you promise me something?” she asked, propping her chin on his chest to look up at him. “Will you promise to protect Hannah, Toby and everyone else, even if it means losing me?”

“No.” His grip tightened instinctively around her.

“You’re a good man, Rhyn. You’ve done so much to help me and your brothers. You must do this one last thing for me.”

“It won’t come to that,” he said hoarsely. “I’d destroy everything to get you back.”

“I know you would, and I’m asking you not to.  I’m asking you to protect what’s left of good in the world.”

Her words fell heavily, as if she knew she was already doomed to her fate in the underworld.  Rhyn said nothing for a long moment.

“I chose to sacrifice my life so that you’d have the chance to do this, Rhyn. Don’t make my choice a bad one,” she told him.

“It was a bad one,” he said with a snort.

“Sometimes all we have are shitty choices,” Katie said.  “Promise me!”

“If it’ll shut you up, fine.”

“Thank you.” She took his hand. They walked towards the beach that had formed his prison for three days in the real world. She faced him. “I want to kiss you one last time, but I’m not ready for you to disappear again.”