“Devon no!” Annabelle screamed her voice filled with terror as she raced over to try and pull Devon off of Liam. “No, stop! Cassie! Cassie help me!”
It was the utter panic in Annabelle’s voice that finally snapped Cassie out of her shocked stupor. Horror filled her as she realized the extent of Devon’s rampage. He would kill everyone in this room if he wasn’t stopped. Liam being his first victim, and if he killed Liam, Annabelle was as good as gone too.
Cassie raced forward, grabbing hold of Devon’s arm as she tried to pull him away from Liam. “Devon stop! Devon please!”
Tears streamed down Annabelle’s face as she continued to pull uselessly at Devon’s arm. They were both as effective as gnats. Pure panic began to tear through Cassie. She had no idea how she was going to get Devon off of Liam, and although Liam did not require air, his eyes were beginning to bulge from his head.
“Devon!” she screamed in his ear, but he did not seem to hear her through the bloodlust consuming him.
And then it hit her, bloodlust.
He was in the throes of it, and what he wanted most was blood. And the blood he wanted more than anything was her blood.
Cassie released him, darting back toward the ruined counter in search of one of the knives. She fell to her knees as she scrambled through the mess, ignoring the small nicks the sharp glass left on her. Seizing hold of the first knife she found, a wicked looking one with a six inch curved blade, she jumped back to her feet. Chris was coming forward again, and Julian appeared to have decided to help as he began to move in, but they would only be two more useless fighters in the already overcrowded ring.
“Stay back!” she snarled, thrusting the knife at them as she rushed past.
“Cassie!” Julian shouted his eyes wide with horror as he realized her intent. “Cassie no!”
He tried to intercept her, but she was able to dart past him. She thrust herself in between Devon and Liam, barely squeezing between them. Liam’s feet kicked against the back of her calves. She could smell the tangy scent of his blood in the room. The store pulsated with rage and need; it shook with the fury of the battle being waged. “You don’t want him Devon,” she whispered. “It’s my blood you want, take it instead.”
Tossing her hair back, she took the knife and made a small slit at the base of her throat. For a moment nothing happened, Devon didn’t even look at her. And then, the scent of her blood seemed to penetrate the thick fog of his fury. He turned slowly toward her, his red eyes fastened upon the blood dripping down her neck.
Cassie straightened her shoulders, trusting in the strength of Devon’s love to get them both through this. He would take her blood, she knew that, and she would not deny him. She only hoped that he did not kill her in the process. “It’s ok,” she whispered. “Devon take it, take my blood.”
He shoved Liam back, thrusting him away as Devon released him. Liam stumbled, falling to his knees as he pressed a hand to his wounded throat. Annabelle knelt beside him, wrapping her arm around his back as they both scurried to get out of the way. Julian came toward her, his face tight with worry, his eyes gleaming at the sight of her blood. Cassie shook her head at him, knowing that if Julian tried to interfere it would only result in a blood bath.
Devon came at her, his lips pulled back to reveal his fully extended fangs. Cassie’s heartbeat picked up, but it was not fear that sent her blood pumping. It was excitement and desire. It had been so long since he had taken her blood, so long since they had bonded in such a way. And she found that she needed, and wanted him desperately to do it. She needed this reconnection, needed to feel him inside of her again, enjoying her, and loving her.
His hand wrapped around her neck, entangling in her hair as he pulled her forward, tilting her head roughly to the side. For a moment his eyes flashed their brilliant emerald green, and she knew that the man was present once again. Not present enough to stop him from taking her blood. It was too late for that, he would not be stopped, but he was there enough so that she could see the person she loved so dearly once more. Tears bloomed in her eyes at the sight of that beautiful, much loved color. He would not kill her, she knew that. He pulled her forward, much more gently than she had expected. His other arm locked around her waist, dragging her forcefully against his body.
She remained immobile in his arms, her eyes closing as anticipation thrummed through her body. “It’s ok,” she whispered again, not wanting him to hate himself for what he was about to do. “It’s ok love.”
He struck suddenly and with the speed of a rattlesnake. Cassie’s body jerked slightly as his teeth sank deep. Though the piercing pain was intense and sharp, it was also brief and fleeting and swiftly replaced by the euphoria that this experience always arose in her. She wrapped her arms around his back, clinging tighter to him as he bit deeper, and drank deeper than he ever had before.
His fear, confusion, rage, and undying love engulfed her. She could feel his mind mingling with hers, feel it touching upon hers as they blended together, slowly becoming one. Just as her mind was touching upon his. Just as he could now see so many things she had wanted to keep from him. For a frantic moment, Cassie wanted to pull away, wanted to get free of him. She didn’t want him to see what they had done to her in there. She didn’t want him to see her weakness, her fear, or her pain, and there had been so much of it in there, far too much of it.
She didn’t want him to see her conflicting feelings about Julian either, didn’t want him to be hurt anymore than he already had been.
She didn’t want him to experience what she had gone through; didn’t want him to know what had been done to her at all. She knew that she could not keep it hidden from him though. If she tried to do so, it would only cause him more distress and doubt over her feelings for Julian. She could sense that he already felt shut out, that he was threatened and confused by her relationship with Julian, and it was making him even more volatile and unstable. She could not continue to let that happen, it would only result in more devastation, and next time she might not be able to stop him.
Slumping against him, Cassie gave herself over to his questing mind. All of her barriers slid away as she allowed him in, letting him see it all. She knew she risked his rage again, but she couldn’t hurt him anymore. She needed him far too much, and loved him far too much to keep anything from him. Let alone something as important as this. He cradled her gently, his hands entwining in her hair, holding her tight to him as her memories, and her terror, enveloped them both. She could feel his shock, his horror, his sorrow as he cradled her tighter, seeking to comfort and soothe her, seeking to try and take her pain from her. His love enveloped her, wrapping around her, easing the torture of her soul as only he could do.