Cassie inhaled sharply, her attention returned to Julian. This could be their opportunity to stop it, to make it all end. They could stop the murders and the suffering, end the fear they had lived with since Julian had arrived. She just didn’t know if she would have time to get to him and kill him before he awoke.
“Can you shock him again?” she asked softly.
Dani shook her head, her bright red highlights flashing in the light of the moon. “No. I have little control over my ability; it usually comes out when I’m frightened. I’ve never been able to use it twice in the same day.”
“Like a battery,” Chris whispered, still looking slightly awestruck. When Dani frowned fiercely at him, seeming a little insulted, he quickly explained himself. “You need time to recharge.”
Dani still did not look appeased as she shrugged. “I guess,” she mumbled.
Cassie glanced back at Julian, twitching to get her hands on him, desperate to end it once and for all. Devon showed no sign of awakening any time soon. Would it be the same with Julian? “We can do it,” she whispered.
“No Cassie!” Melissa said sharply. “We need to get to safety. We need to get Devon to safety,” she added more pointedly.
Reluctantly tearing her gaze away from Julian’s body, Cassie shifted, adjusting herself as she slid her arm under Devon’s shoulders. Melissa was right; Devon was her number one concern right now. She could not take the chance of him being hurt tonight, nor could she take the chance of Julian awakening anytime soon and coming after him in this vulnerable state. “Give me a hand Chris!” she ordered briskly, her heart hammering with her desperate need to get Devon out of here.
He hurried forward, his gaze still wearily on Julian as he bent to help Cassie. It took a few moments but they finally got Devon to his feet. Draping his arms over their shoulders, they drug him toward Dani and Melissa. Cassie’s hand clenched tightly on Devon’s waist, needing to touch him as fear for all of them raced through her.
“We need to hurry,” Melissa said urgently, her onyx eyes darting anxiously back to Julian. Though her dark eyes did not reveal a recent vision, Cassie knew Melissa’s instincts were highly honed because of her premonitions. Cassie’s heart hammered even harder as she glanced over her shoulder, Julian still had not moved.
They shuffled as swiftly down the path as they could while dragging Devon between them. Dani wound easily along, her flashlight bouncing across the trail, flashing off the eyes of a fox as it darted into the woods. Cassie was relieved to note the return of the wildlife, surely that meant that Julian was still safely unconscious. Didn’t it?
Cassie scanned the forest continuously, searching for any hint of his return in the shadowed interior. “Just a little further,” Dani whispered.
Devon twitched suddenly, his hand tightened upon her shoulder. Cassie stiffened, her heart hammered as adrenaline shot through her. “Faster,” Chris urged. “Go faster.”
They broke into a slow trot, Dani and Melissa moved swifter without the added burden of Devon’s weight. A deer bolted through the forest, the loud crashing of its passing reverberated around them. “Oh,” Cassie breathed, forcing herself to ignore the growing ache in her shoulders, back, and legs as she tried to move faster. The eerie silence returned once more, a pall hung over the shadows. “Melissa!”
Melissa turned back to her, rushing to her side. “Take him,” Cassie urged.
Melissa’s dark eyes scanned her worriedly, but she did not refuse as she slid easily into Cassie’s place. Cassie was reluctant to release Devon, but she needed to be ready to fight. She was the strongest of them; she had to be free when Julian came back. Though, she was not fooled into thinking that she was strong enough to defeat Julian. She quickly tried to bury that thought; fear would do her no good here, not now anyway.
“Keep going.”
“We’re not leaving you here!” Chris said forcefully.
“Go!” Cassie snapped. The hair on the back of her neck stood on end, goose bumps broke out on her arms. Julian was coming. She turned, bracing herself for the attack, resting on the tips of her toes as she bounced slightly up and down. “Get him to safety,” she urged. “Please Chris, he’s the only hope we have of destroying Julian.”
Chris swore vehemently. “I’ll take him,” Dani whispered.
Cassie did not look back as more rustling ensued. Chris appeared at her side, his sapphire eyes dark as he briefly met her gaze. “Go,” she urged, not willing to lose her best friend.
“No,” he said simply.
Cassie didn’t argue further, there was no need. It would do no good. They began to back slowly down the path together, keeping an eye out for any sign of movement. She glanced over her shoulder relieved to see that Dani and Melissa had disappeared around a bend with Devon. “Run,” she whispered.
They turned and fled down the path, their feet moving swiftly over the ground as they raced forward. The hairs on her neck stood up, she could almost feel Julian breathing down her neck. His fury pushed her harder and faster than she had ever run before. Reaching out, she grabbed hold of Chris’s arm as he started to lag behind. A surge of strength, she had never known she could possess, swept through her as she dragged him along with her, refusing to lose him to the monster chasing them.
She pushed Chris in front of her, urging him faster, pushing him with her hands. They rounded another corner, Dani and Melissa came back into sight, Devon was still dragging between them. Panic spurted through her. “Go!” she screamed, her voice raw with terror and urgency.
Something brushed against the back of her neck; an involuntary cry of distress tore from her as ice filled her veins. They weren’t going to outrun him, it was impossible. He was too strong, too determined to destroy them. Turning another corner the woods suddenly gave way to a large, dark field. The bright moon bounced off the tall, wild grass that filled it.
Julian was right on top of her, playing with her as his breath brushed over her once more. She could almost feel his laughter; she could feel the enjoyment he took in tormenting her, playing with her like a cat with a mouse. Fury spurted through her; she hated to be played with. Cassie decided to meet him head on; she would not run from him anymore, she would not give him the satisfaction of tormenting her.
Cassie spun and planted her feet as she braced herself for the attack. There was nothing behind her, but cool air and dark night. But she knew that he was there, she could feel his eyes upon her, feel his glee over the moment. He would be coming for her, soon. The soft breeze tickled her hair, blowing it gently across her face. It was the only thing that moved in the still night.
“Cassie!” Chris bellowed.
The woods exploded with movement. Leaves and branches shredded from the trees, billowing outward as a blur raced toward her. Cassie’s eyes widened, she could feel the fury and hunger pounding against her. She became hollow and empty inside, her veins filled with ice as the blue eyes of death rushed at her, a merry twinkle in their cold depths.
A startled cry escaped her as arms suddenly ensnared her from behind, pulling her tight in a strong embrace. “Down,” a voice hissed in her ear.
She ducked down as Devon bent over her, using his body to shield her from the blow that swiftly followed. A grunt of pain escaped him as he was knocked forward, pushing her to her knees as he remained folded perfectly over her. Cassie shuddered, shaking with fear as she waited for the attack to come again.
Devon stood slowly, pulling her gently up with him. She clung to his hard body, savoring in the feel of him awake and alive as she struggled to catch her breath. “Where is he?” she demanded, lifting her face to study him.
Devon was scanning the dark night, his face hard and cold. His eyes narrowed ferociously as he stood protectively against her. “Gone.”
Cassie searched the area, trying to find any sign of Julian, but he did appear to be gone. Shuddering again she buried her face in Devon’s chest, trying desperately to forget all the awful events of the night, knowing that he was
the only one that could keep the horror at bay. His arms wrapped tightly around her, his hand snaking up her neck as he buried it in her hair.
“It’s ok now,” he whispered reassuringly.
Cassie nodded, but she couldn’t stop the shudders that racked her. So close, they had all come so close to dying tonight. And if there was one thing she was not ready to do, it was die. Not now, not anytime soon. Now that Devon was in her life, she had every intention of staying around for as long as possible. For as long as they could be together anyway.
The thought sent fresh terror tearing through her; she buried herself tighter against him, clinging to him as she savored in his strength, warmth, and comfort. He turned his face into her hair, inhaling deeply. His grip on her tightened, his hold going swiftly from one of protection to one of desire and hunger. Despite her terror and confusion, Cassie reacted to him instantly as need for him shook her.
His hand tightened on her hair, his body trembled. She knew that she should pull away, that she was only rattling his control, but she could not move. She could not release him and step away. She needed him too much for that right now; she had nearly lost him tonight, nearly lost her own life. She could not let him go.
His mouth turned into her neck, his shaking increased as his lips brushed over her skin. Clinging tighter to him, her body became limp as he pressed butterfly kisses against her flesh. Cassie could not stop the gasp that escaped her; her hands clung tighter to his arms as her knees went completely limp. His strong arm around her waist kept her on her feet as he supported her weight.
Grass rustled as footsteps rapidly approached. Devon pulled away from her, his body tightened at the sound, tension hummed through him. His hands clenched on her, but this time it was not with desire but frustration and anger. His gaze met hers briefly, his eyes flashed between their beautiful emerald color and a volatile red.
Cassie rested her hand lightly upon his cheek, hoping to soothe the monster within him as she wiped away his dried blood. The gashes in his cheek were completely healed, the small scratches disappearing before her eyes. His healing ability was startling and amazing. With a soft sigh he dropped his forehead to hers. “Cassie,” he breathed. “My Cassie.”
“Yes,” she agreed, knowing that it was so very true. She was his, she would always be his. She was forever lost to him.
“Are you trying to get yourself killed?” Cassie shook her head. “I can’t lose you it would destroy me.”
Her hand tightened on his cheek as tears burned the backs of her eyes and throat. “I’m sorry,” she whispered.
Cassie lost herself to the beauty of his emerald eyes. They burned with a fiery intensity that left her speechless and frozen. In those eyes she could feel, and see, the endless depth of his love for her, and just exactly how much he did need her. She suddenly understood his obsessive and overbearing desire to keep her protected, because he would not survive her death. She swallowed back her tears, her heart hammered with an answering need that left her shaken. In that moment, she gladly would have given him anything that he wanted from her, and more.
“Are you ok?” Chris demanded, skidding to a halt as he burst free of the grass, shattering the web that had enshrouded the two of them.
“Fine,” Cassie said, stroking Devon’s face once more before turning to face the three of them. She could feel Devon’s impatience and aggravation over being interrupted. He kept his arm firmly around her waist, refusing to release her. “Are you guys ok?”
“Yes,” Melissa answered. “Where is he?”
“Gone,” Devon answered flatly.
“But why would he just leave like that? He gave up too easily.”
They all turned to Devon, their gazes questioning as they studied him. He lifted an eyebrow in amusement. “If he stayed he would have had to take on a vampire more powerful than him, and four Hunters. There wasn’t much thought required in abandoning his quest, especially with a Grounder present.”
“A what?” Melissa, Cassie, and Chris asked in confusion.
He nodded toward Dani. Her head was bowed, her dark hair falling around her shoulders. Heat crept up her face as she studied her sneakers. “A Grounder. I am right, am I not?” Devon inquired softly.
Dani nodded, lifting her head slightly to look at them. “Yes, you’re right.”
“What the hell is a Grounder?” Chris inquired sharply.
“Do you want to tell them, or shall I?” Dani shook her head, turning her attention back to her sneakers. “A Grounder is a vampire, or Hunter, that can pull energy from the earth, turning it into an electrical current that they release in a burst of power. It’s meant to stun the prey, though sometimes it kills.”
Cassie inhaled sharply; Chris and Melissa took a swift step away from Dani as their eyes turned weary and distrustful. Dani glanced up sharply, her eyes revealing her hurt. “I’ve never killed anyone,” she replied defensively.
“No, that is rare, and it usually involves someone with a lot of power. But you are new to yours. What are you fifteen, sixteen?”
“Fifteen,” Dani whispered.
Devon nodded, shifting his hold on Cassie. “You’re still young and inexperienced. With time your emotions won’t control your ability, you will.”
“But she could kill us?” Melissa asked her jaw set firmly as she studied Dani.
“No, since you are all Hunter’s you are not affected by her ability. You can withstand it. You cannot withstand a vampire with the same ability, just as Julian and I cannot completely withstand Dani. Next time, Julian will be more prepared for her though. She will not knock either of us out again. If Dani and a vampire Grounder come up against each other, they can mostly withstand the attack of the other. Though they will get banged and singed up.”
“Singed?” Cassie asked softly.
Devon held up his arms, revealing the healing burns that marred his skin. Cassie gasped as she gently seized hold of him, twisting his arms in horror. The burns ran all the way up to his shoulder, disappearing beneath his shirt, though she knew that they would also be there. The hair on his arms was singed and for the first time she noticed the smell of it on him.
She turned back to Dani, her eyes narrowing fiercely. “I didn’t know,” Dani whispered. “I didn’t mean to, I was frightened.”
“It’s ok,” Devon assured her, his hand stroked soothingly against Cassie’s skin. Though his touch calmed her, her protective urges were still running high. “Do you guys know nothing of your heritage? Of your people?”
Cassie shot him a look, Chris scowled fiercely at him. Melissa was studying the forest, her forehead furrowed slightly. She knew far more than Cassie and Chris about their heritage, but apparently this little bit of info had somehow been left out. Luther’s biggest pet peeve with Chris and Cassie was that they didn’t want to know their history. They didn’t want to hear the stories of lore and legend that surrounded their heritage. Cassie had always been resentful of it; Chris was bored by it.
Melissa had grown up with Luther though; he had been teaching her their history since she was a child. Melissa also believed that because she lived so much in the future, it was good to know the past in order to stay better grounded in the present. The study of their history, any history, helped to pull Melissa free of a world that was comprised mostly of tomorrows.
“Chris and I don’t know much,” Cassie admitted reluctantly.
Devon frowned forcefully at her, looking slightly annoyed by her answer. “Dani?” he inquired.
She shrugged, looking even more uncomfortable as she shifted uneasily. “Yes, I know some of it,” Dani said softly. “My brother has taught me.”
“Your brother?” Cassie inquired, taking a small step toward her. “Where is he?”
“At home.”
She glanced at Devon, then back at Dani. “I think we should go meet him, and we need to speak with Luther.”
“Very good idea,” Devon agreed.
“Who is Luther?” Dani inquired.
“Our Guardian,” Melissa answered.
Dani’s eyes widened in surprise, hope sprang forth in them. “You have a Guardian?” she asked eagerly.
“Yes,” Cassie answered, her ire over Devon’s injuries fading in the face of Dani’s hope. “He’s a good man.”
“Maybe this time we’ll even listen to him,” Chris said softly, looking slightly chagrined as he kicked his shoe in the dirt.
“Would be helpful,” Devon muttered.
He stepped around her, his hand remaining tight in hers as he glanced over the field, studying the dark night as he searched for Julian once more. A startled gasp of horror escaped her; her hand flew to her mouth as she saw the gaping, jagged wounds crisscrossing his back. Blood stained the back of his shirt, causing it to cling to the torn edges of his skin. Nausea boiled up in her throat, her stomach somersaulted violently.
She recalled the jolt that had pushed them to their knees. Hatred boiled through her as she realized that Julian had done this to him. Devon had taken the blow meant for her; a blow that would have flayed her open, possibly even killed her. He had sacrificed himself in order to save her. Her heart swelled and ached, her love for him grew. She hadn’t thought it was possible to love him even more, she knew now that it was. It filled her completely, nearly bursting from her as it surged up in powerful waves that pulsed through her veins, warming her to the tips of her toes.
“Your back,” she whispered.
He glanced at her, his eyes bright in the light of the full moon. “It’s fine.” She reached toward him, needing to comfort him, needing to touch him in order to try and ease the pain she knew he had to be in. Seizing hold of her hand, he subtly shook his head. “It’s ok,” he said softly. “It will heal soon.”
Tears slid slowly down her cheeks. She hated his pain, hated the need that still radiated from him, the hunger that blazed from his eyes. He had been wounded badly, lost a lot of blood, and although his face was completely healed and his back was well on its way, it was obvious that the battle had drained him. The burns still marring his skin had not helped his energy level either.