Julian went at him again, using his shoulder he slammed hard into Devon’s ribs. The loud cracking of bone echoed through the air. Panic and horror tore through her as Julian shoved Devon into the wall with enough force to rattle things off the shelves near them. Cassie lunged forward, determined to get to them, to stop them before they really hurt each other.
Luther’s grip on her held momentarily, but then she burst free of him. She was darting forward when Liam stepped in front of her, his eyes narrowed. Cassie glared fiercely at him, but he continued to block her. A fierce shout snapped her head back to the fight. Devon had somehow managed to rotate their positions, he now had Julian pinned against the wall, his hand wrapped tight around his throat as he lifted him off the ground.
Cassie squeaked in horror, Liam continued to block her as she tried to step around him. “Liam!” she hissed.
“Stay back,” he warned.
Julian swung out hard, catching Devon beneath his chin and snapping his head back. Devon staggered back a step, but he did not lose his grip on Julian. Devon lifted him easily away from the wall, acting as if Julian weighed no more than a feather as he slammed him back into the wall. Julian’s eyes rolled for a brief moment, but he quickly regained control of himself.
Cassie dimly realized that they were not actually trying to kill each other. If that was the case this fight would be a lot more brutal. However, they were hurting each other. “Calm down,” Devon growled, placing his hand firmly against Julian’s chest.
“He’s mine!” Julian spat, his face twisted with fury as his gaze briefly landed upon Derek.
Cassie froze; her limbs went numb as Devon’s gaze came slowly toward her. She could see the hesitation in his face, the fierce want for something more, the fierce battle he waged with himself between making her happy, and satisfying the monster within himself. Those red eyes burned into her. For some strange reason, the unexplainable urge to cry seized hold of her. A lump formed in her throat, her eyes burned as she blinked rapidly. There was something in his gaze, something so lost and wounded, yet loving and protective that it left her breathless.
Devon turned slowly away from her, focusing upon Julian once more. “Yes, he’s yours,” Devon relented. “But you can’t kill him until we know what he knows.”
Cassie cried out in horror, she took another step forward but Liam blocked her again. She glared fiercely up at him, her hands fisting at her sides. He was really starting to get on her nerves. “Fine,” Julian relented.
“Wait!” Cassie cried, her eyes darting frantically to her father. Liam moved to block her again. “Get out of my way!” she snapped, frustration boiling rapidly through her as she fought the urge to punch him in the face.
Liam hesitated for a moment, but finally relented and stepped slowly aside. Cassie bolted past him as Devon released Julian, letting him slide slowly back to the floor. Though his reddened neck had to be killing him, Julian did not raise a hand to it. He took a step toward her father, but Cassie instantly thrust herself in between them. “No!” she shouted, throwing her arms wide to block him.
Derek was still making strange noises, his chair pounded up and down on the floor as he tried to hop it further away from them. Though it was strangely out of place in the pulsing tension of the room, the sudden thought of Chunk tied to his chair trying to get away from Sloth in The Goonies popped into her mind. She shook it instantly away, her father’s life was at stake here she had to keep her mind focused on the present.
“Cassie…”
“No,” she interrupted Devon sharply. “This is not going to happen. I know that you both hate him, but I will not let you kill him in cold blood. I know what a monster he is, but he is still my father!”
“Cassie…”
“No!” she screamed again, sick and tired of all the crap. Sick and tired of all the fighting and anger. Why can’t we all just get along flashed through her head, but she knew that it was impossible. And she also knew that she would not allow anyone to be murdered in cold blood. Not while she was around. “No!”
The chair stopped clattering across the floor as Derek came up against a shelf. Merchandise rattled against the metal shelves, but nothing fell to the floor. A strange whimper escaped the man. Cassie winced, hating his terror, even if he had done worse to her, even if he did deserve it. Devon and Julian took a step toward her. They would never hurt her, but she was acutely reminded of the fact that they were larger, and far more powerful than she was. No matter how much of a fight she put up, they could forcefully move her out of the way if they chose to do so. Though she didn’t think Devon would do that to her, Julian seemed determined to get at Derek.
Narrowing her eyes, Cassie braced herself for the battle. They would have to go through her to get to him. She glanced back at the sounds of shuffling behind her. Dani and Luther had taken up residence in front of her father. Chris glanced rapidly between Cassie and Derek before sighing softly and moving reluctantly over to stand behind her. He glanced briefly at her before dropping his head down. Melissa eventually moved to stand beside Chris, but Liam and Annabelle hung back, seemingly torn, and looking more than a little confused.
Devon took another step closer. Panic descended upon her, he was going to force her to move, and if he did so, things would never be the same between them again. She could never forgive him for standing back and allowing her father to be viciously murdered. Her heart lumbered painfully in her chest. His beloved emerald eyes were caring and intent as he stopped before her.
“Cassie.” Her arms trembled, she braced herself for him to grab hold of her and move her, but he did not. “Cassie, that man is not your father.”
The breath whooshed out of her in an explosive exhale. Her chest constricted tightly, disbelief and confusion swirled through her. “What?” she gasped, shaking her head forcefully in denial. “That can’t be… What!?”
Devon’s eyes were caring, warm, so unbelievably loving. “He’s not your father Cassie.”
Her arms fell limply to her sides, shock stuttered through her. She shook her head, unable to believe what he was saying. Just what the hell was he saying? “How could you possibly know that?” she whispered.
“His blood.”
Cassie frowned in confusion. “Like knows like, blood knows blood,” Julian growled. “That blood is nothing like yours. It smells nothing like yours, and it certainly doesn’t belong to a Hunter. He is not your father.”