"Patrick said the children they experimented on were crazed and uncontrollable. They all had to be destroyed and they weren't even full vampires. I imagine a full one would be absolutely terrifying," Cassie muttered.
"They probably wouldn't have any control over their powers but if Zane kept control of their minds..." Julian's voice trailed off, his muscles flexed and bunched as he released the windowsill and finally turned to face her. "Even then I'm not sure they could be completely controllable. He could literally be releasing Hell on earth if he succeeds in doing this. Especially, if the little rug rats end up with Cassie's seemingly omnipotent ability."
She felt as if she'd just eaten the foulest tasting food as her stomach twisted. "I don't think that would happen," Luther said.
"Why not?" Liam demanded.
"Cassie had no powers to start with so she was already an oddity amongst the Hunter line. You factor in the DNA changes she underwent while they were experimenting on her, and the fact two Elders and a Hunter brought her back, and you end up with a vampire that has never been seen before. The children will be stronger than most new vampires, and I believe their powers will be incredibly heightened, but they won't be Cassie. At least I hope not," he muttered as an aside.
A shiver slid down her spine but she forced herself back to her feet. They didn't have much time before the sun was up and she planned to leave as soon as possible. "We have to stop him," Melissa said. "Turning the Hunter's to his side, that's even worse than The Slaughter, so much worse."
Chris folded his arms over his chest and leaned against the wall. "He's wiping out the line by making them his. I bet he wishes he'd thought about that instead of slaughtering our families all those years ago."
"Chris!" Melissa hissed.
"It's true," he replied defensively.
Cassie didn't want to think about the implications of Chris's words. She'd thought her life was ruined by The Slaughter, and that nothing worse could have happened. She realized now that she was wrong. Things could have been far worse; the world could have been a completely different and far more awful place.
If Zane had his way, it would be.
Cassie walked over to Devon and clasped his hand within hers. His emerald eyes were tender even though his face was as hard as granite. A muscle twitched in his cheek as his gaze turned toward the others. "We should leave now," she said forcefully.
"It will be ok princess, we'll get to them first," Julian assured her.
"Please don't call me princess anymore. Zane somehow knew about that, he called me princess."
Julian frowned as he tilted his head to study her. "How would he know about that?"
Cassie shrugged. "Matthew must have had a vision or maybe he overheard you say it. I don't know how he knew, but he did."
Julian scowled as his lip curled in a sneer. "We should get going," Annabelle murmured.
***
Devon watched the farmhouses and barns flash by in a blur of color, fields, fences, snow, and trees. Cassie was cuddled within his lap, encased in blankets against the tinted rays filtering through the windows. Though she said it didn't bother her, he wasn't willing to take any chances with her safety. There were already far too many things out there that aspired to tear them apart, never mind the burning rays of the sun.
She was sleeping soundly against him with her hand curled against his chest. Her sweeping lashes brushed against her pale cheeks. It was still weird not to feel her breathing against him, the solid thump of her heartbeat, or hear the rush of blood in her veins. She was as calm as a tranquil lake inside now, but he knew well how appearances could be deceiving.
He ran his fingers over her golden hair and brushed it back from her silken cheek. She was beautiful, perfect and so loving still. She was everything he'd ever desired, and more, and he was terrified he was going to lose her. She stirred as she burrowed closer to him. He couldn't stop the small smile that spread across his face as he watched her.
Devon untangled his finger from her hair and lifted his head. Julian was leaning against the window in the back, one leg propped up on the seat and his head against the window. His eyes were hooded in the dim light of the vehicle. Though, he was as still as stone, Devon could sense the turbulent tension in him. The look on Julian's face earlier would forever be etched into his memory. It had been more than just lust in his gaze, but also a deep yearning for her. Devon felt for him, had come to consider Julian his friend again, but he would kill him if Julian tried to take Cassie from him.
On the other side of the seat, Luther was snoring softly as he slept with his head against the window. Melissa was sleeping in the passenger seat while Chris steadily drove toward the border of Canada. "We should have separated Dani and Joey," Devon said.
"We can trust Dani," Chris informed him. "And Joey will grow to trust us more if we don't keep him separated from the only person he cares about."
"Can we now?" Julian drawled.
"Yes," Chris said forcefully. "There is no betrayal in her."
"No offense but you thought Dani was trustworthy before and yet Cassie still ended up in that laboratory with me," Julian told him.
Chris shot him a dirty look in the rearview, his knuckles turned white as he gripped the wheel. "I made sure to touch her before we left, just as you did. Did you see any animosity inside of her or him anymore?" Chris demanded.
A muscle twitched in Julian's cheek. "No," he reluctantly admitted. Julian may be trying not to kill humans anymore, but his thirst for Dani and Joey's blood had never been hidden.
Cassie stirred in his lap and he looked down to find her amethyst blue eyes watching him. He stroked her cheek as she relaxed against him, her lips parted as she leaned into his touch. He could sense her desire as she sought to get as close as possible to him. Devon tried to keep control of his rising hunger as he adjusted her on his lap. Her smile was wicked and knowing as she kissed his hand.
"The border is only five minutes away," Chris informed them.
Devon reluctantly pulled his attention away from Cassie. The highway sign flashed past moments before Chris pulled to the side of the road. Devon adjusted Cassie again and kissed her forehead before reluctantly releasing her. The wind blew his jacket back from him as he stepped out of the car. He glanced back at Liam's vehicle and waved to him before switching places with Chris. They were going to require his ability to get across the Canadian border.
CHAPTER 16
"This is it?" Cassie muttered.