by Lizzy Ford
Chapter Four
Sasha himself, followed by two members of his guard of immortal badass creatures, delivered the new, bloodied tenant to the cell across the hall. They were trailed by a man Rhyn recognized well.
Jade. One of Kris's warriors. With some satisfaction, Rhyn wondered if another of Kris's men had gotten as fed up with Kris as he had.
Sasha left without even a smartass remark, and Rhyn rose, gazing with interest across the hall. The scent of blood made his blood sizzle. The bloody mess in the next cell was a human. There was something very different about the human's blood, like comparing warm, homemade bread with stale crumbs out of the garbage.
He drooled at the smell, his gums and body aching for a taste. In all his years as an immortal, he's never drooled over anything!
Immortal mate. There was no mistaking the sense, just as there was no mistaking this human was so much more than a mate for the average immortal.
Ancient mate.
Surprised, he cursed Death for dumping the vulnerable human he was meant to protect into Hell before freeing him!
The cell block fell silent, and he sensed the others also smelled the human blood. The cowering healer left his corner of the cell for the first time in a while and approached the human on the bed. Its tongue flickered out as it rolled the human. Gently, the healer began its trade.
Rhyn watched, even more fascinated when the healer hesitated suddenly and withdrew.
"What is it, Rhyn? And why does it smell like the best hamburger earth can make?" Jared broke the predatory silence.
"Looks human," Rhyn replied. "Smells human."
"My left arm for a bite…" Jared groaned. "What's that freak doing?"
The healer's nervous gaze flickered to Rhyn. It drew the human off the bed and dragged the body into the corner, as if to protect them both from the immortal prisoner.
"Nothing right now," Rhyn replied. "Worst healer I've ever seen. Should be done by now."
"N…no!" the healer replied, agitation crossing its features. "Not a normal h…human."
"Looks and smells normal."
"N…no!"
It said nothing more but ducked its head and began to clean the human with its long tongue, shuddering at each lick. Rhyn felt suddenly jealous, wishing he could taste what smelled so wonderful.
He paced again, wondering why Sasha would put a human in his zoo, unless this was the worst human in the world.
The more he watched, the less likely this seemed. The human was a female, and a young one. Her dark, curly hair was matted with blood, her features pale. The healer stopped to rest and pushed immortal sustenance--small square water and food cubes--into her mouth.
Her draw was insane. Her blood smelled sweet, and the oddly charged aura around her made his brow furrow. In all his years, he'd never seen anything like her.
Ancient's mate. His mate.
He froze. He'd heard how other immortals stumbled upon the humans meant to mate with them. There were few humans who could stick it out with an immortal; something in their blood made them different from all the others. He'd felt a familiar sense around…
Lilith. The woman whose death by his hand had landed him here in Hell.
Only the draw around this woman meant for him was much stronger. Much more dangerous.
He growled deep and low, glaring at the woman across the hall. The healer pulled her into its arms, his gaze flickering around again.
Rhyn had thought himself in love with Lilith once, and so had Kris and half their brothers. Fools, all of them! She'd been a siren, a human whose black heart lured any immortal she encountered into the hands of the Dark One! The woman across the hall held the same beguiling aura.
Rhyn retreated to the wall and sat with his back against it, staring at the healer that held the woman protectively in his arms.
Every human had its own special power, similar to immortals. He wondered what hers was, and if it was the same gift of treachery that had doomed Lilith.