Cassie started in surprise; her eyes were wide as they darted to Chris and Melissa. Chris’s eyebrows were in his hairline; Melissa gaped at Luther in shock. None of them had ever heard Luther sound so uncaring. “Luther,” Cassie breathed.
He glanced toward her, his grey eyes hard and unyielding. “My main mission in life is to see you all safe. That man out there is a danger to that safety, and to the safety of many others. We need to know what he knows, no matter how it has to be done. Even if he is your father.”
Cassie didn’t know how to react to that. She burrowed closer to Devon, trying hard to keep control of her swaying emotions. This had been a very long, very tiring, awful day. “Then why don’t you want me to do my thing?” Julian growled.
Luther’s gaze briefly met Cassie’s before darting to Julian. “Because Derek had, has, psychokenesis too.”
Luther’s tone was bitter, anger simmered in his eyes as they met Cassie’s startled gaze. Though Luther had never met her father, Cassie knew that he had always respected and admired him. They had believed that Derek had given his life in order to help keep Chris and Cassie alive. And there were only three things that Luther cared about and they were Melissa, Chris, and Cassie. To Luther, the fact that Derek was still alive, and a threat to the three people he cared about most was an ultimate sense of betrayal to Luther and their entire race. To Luther, Derek was already dead.
Julian cursed loudly, his lip curled into a sneer as his hands fisted tightly. He wanted nothing more than to exact his revenge on Derek for everything that had been done to him. But if Julian and her father (no not her father, Derek) had the same ability, then they would cancel each other out. Julian would be useless against him.
Julian swore again and slammed his hand onto a shelf. Cassie, Chris, and Luther jumped slightly as cans rattled across the floor. Devon swung down, scooping one of the cans easily up. He shot Julian a censuring look as he tossed the can to him. “Keep the noise down.”
Julian’s head snapped toward him, his eyes narrowed fiercely as they flashed a violent red. Cassie inhaled sharply, greatly afraid that Julian would finally unravel. Greatly afraid that being denied his revenge would shove him right over the edge. Devon grabbed hold of Cassie’s arm, pulling her swiftly behind him as he braced himself for an attack.
“Don’t!” Cassie cried, dodging Devon’s questing grasp as she jumped back in between them. “Julian stop!” She placed her hand on his chest as she spun toward Devon. His eyes were also now a fierce red as he reached toward her again, seeking to get her out of Julian’s range. “Stop Devon, it’s fine.”
She allowed him to seize her hand in order to try and calm him down. He tried to tug her away, his red eyes darting fiercely to Julian as Julian’s fingers wrapped lightly around her hand, pressing it tighter to his chest. Cassie turned slowly back to him, hating the pain and need she sensed in him as his ice blue eyes met hers. His fingers squeezed briefly around hers before he released her slowly.
Cassie stared helplessly back at him as Devon tugged her away, pulling her against his chest as he enveloped her in a tight hug. “Stop doing that!” he hissed low in her ear, his lips pressed close to her.
Cassie shivered as she hugged him briefly. He hated it when she put herself in his way, or any vampire for that matter, but there were times when she needed too. Times when she had to step in to keep Devon from killing someone. Especially now, she could not allow him and Julian to kill each other simply because they were frustrated with the situation. As they all were.
“I’m fine,” she assured him.
He rested his lips against her neck for a brief moment as he struggled to regain complete control. Finally, he pressed a soft kiss against her skin before pulling away. Cassie turned toward Julian, but his attention was now focused upon Luther, his eyes still their beautiful ice blue color. “Are you certain of this Luther?” Julian’s voice was gravelly, harsh with his disappointment about not being able to drag the answers he wanted from Derek.
Though he tried not to, Cassie felt his eyes dart to her. She smiled wanly at him, hating his pain. She truly did love him, and she wanted him to be happy, but unfortunately she was not the person that could give him that happiness. Maybe, when they all got out of this and Julian knew what he wanted for certain, he would find himself a wonderful woman that made him feel the same way that she felt for Devon.
For a moment hurt lingered in Julian’s eyes, then they sparked with their usual amusement and he winked at her. Cassie grinned back at him, relieved to see her friend again.
“Yes, I’m sure. Every Guardian knew what the other Hunter’s were capable of. It was recorded into the books, and the Guardians were informed of them in case they ever needed certain abilities from a Hunter. Especially Hunter’s with an ability like Derek’s, which is powerful and very handy, as you well know.”
Julian smiled a little as he nodded. “Yes I do, except for now.”
“Can you make him tell us?” Cassie asked softly, craning her neck to look up at Devon.
He bit on his bottom lip for a moment, his gaze briefly meeting Julian’s hard one. Julian’s eyes gleamed; a small spark lit them as he lifted an eyebrow at Devon. Cassie tensed as she glanced questioningly between the two of them. It was more than obvious that there was something she was not getting here.
“He will fight it Cassie,” Devon replied slowly.
“So?”
“If he fights it, it will be painful. Very painful.”
Cassie swallowed heavily, hating the idea of causing pain to anyone, but it was necessary to find out what Derek knew. “Ok, well that’s not good, but…”
“If he fights it and I still burrow in, he could go mad.”
Cassie’s eyes widened, her mouth parted in horror as her heart flipped over in her chest. Go mad? Devon could actually drive him insane? Cassie shuddered at the thought, and the sheer strength of his power. “But will you still be able to find out what we need to know?” Chris asked.
“Chris!” Cassie hissed in disapproval, shock shooting through her.
“It needs to be done,” Liam stated flatly.
Cassie glanced wildly around, searching for someone that would agree with her. Unfortunately, she seemed to be the only one that found something wrong with this scenario. She turned toward Devon, hoping to find some support from him, but she knew there would be none. He would do whatever it took to keep her safe, even if it meant destroying her father’s mind.