She moved slowly toward everyone else. Chris wrapped his arm around her shoulders, pulling her tight against his side as his head dropped against hers. Melissa and Luther enveloped her sides, pressing tight to her in an effort to comfort her. Annabelle and Liam held back for a moment before turning and disappearing into the back of the store with Dani.
“Is she serious?” Julian asked softly.
A bewildered expression was on Julian’s face, his ice colored eyes were wide with disbelief and uncertainty. “Yes.”
Julian blinked in surprise before turning toward the stranger in the chair. “After what they, what he did to us in there?”
Julian thrust an accusatory finger at the panicked man in the chair. Devon could not bring himself to look at the man again. If he did, he was greatly afraid that he just might kill the bastard himself. Though he knew Cassie’s wishes, even if he didn’t understand them, he also knew what he wanted to do to the man. What should be done to the man. And if it meant keeping her safe, he was going to do whatever it took to make sure this man never hurt her again, even if she didn’t like it. He was not going to lose her again, and this man was the biggest threat to that happening.
“You heard what she said.”
Julian spun back toward him, his jaw clenched and unclenched as he ground his teeth. Frustration boiled from him, murder radiated out of him. Devon shuddered, his own murderous urges simmering just beneath the surface. “I don’t understand.”
Devon closed his eyes, taking a moment to steady himself. “Neither do I,” he admitted. “But Cassie is different than us; she’s everything that is good and right in the world.” Julian’s eyes flickered, narrowing slightly. “It’s why I love her; it’s why we both love her.”
Though it killed him to say those words, he knew that they were true. Julian did love her; even if he didn’t understand her at all. Julian would do whatever he could for her, he would keep her safe, and he would do anything he could to make her happy. But they both knew that this could not be one of those times. Julian studied him intently, his eyes hooded and thoughtful. Devon’s hands clenched as he fought the urge to punch Julian. He did not blame him for loving Cassie, it was impossible not to, but she belonged to him, and the thought of another person coveting her was enough to make him want to snap.
“Is that why we love her?” Julian inquired softly. “Or is it because of the darkness inside of her? Is it because we both know that something else resides in her, and we both respond to it?”
Devon started in surprise, his eyes narrowed fiercely. “What do you mean?” he growled.
Julian quirked an eyebrow, though that movement was usually one of amusement, there was no humor in him now. “You know what I mean Devon. Yes, she is exceedingly giving and caring and loving, but there is darkness in her. That darkness was there even before those bastards took us. I recognized it in her from the beginning, and if you really think about it, you did too. So, was it her goodness, or her darkness that pulled us both in?”
Devon opened his mouth to protest Julian’s statement, but he snapped it quickly closed. He knew what Cassie was, he knew better than anyone what she was capable of, but he had never truly acknowledged what was inside of her. He thought back to when he had first seen her, when he had been drawn to her like a moth to a flame. Her inner light had shone brilliantly against the dark night surrounding her; she had stood out against the crowd of students gathered around her. Though he had not known what she was, he had been unable to resist her; unable to leave her side from the moment he had seen her.
But he had believed that it had been her light that had pulled him in, but had it also been the darkness inside of her? Had he also been drawn in by the power that had taking control of her, and enabled her to kill Isla even before she had been experimented on, tortured endlessly, and injected with Julian’s blood? Had the darkness, and the monster inside of him, recognized its kin in her?
Devon hated the thought, but it was one that he had to face. He hated the demon inside of him. Cassie had enabled him to keep that beast locked away as best he could, but she also had one inside of her, lurking beneath the surface, waiting to break free. Waiting to destroy whatever enemy it had to destroy. Though he truly believed she was everything good, he also knew that there was a shadow inside of her.
That there always had been.
“It doesn’t matter what pulled us in,” Devon said softly, though he wanted to believe it was only the good, for both of them. “We’re both here now, and the good in her far outweighs the evil.”
“Does it?”
Devon spun on him, his hands fisting at his sides. “Yes, it does. I know what pulled me in!” he hissed. “It may not be the same for you, and I don’t care, but we will not kill him.”
Julian studied him for a moment. “I don’t know what pulled me in,” he admitted. “Even before I began to have suspicions about her abilities, I found myself oddly obsessed with her. At first I told myself it was just for revenge against you, and a challenge, but if I truly think about it I believe it was more. I wanted her from the beginning…”
“Julian!” Devon snarled, unwilling to listen to him talk about his desire for Cassie.
Amusement finally flickered over Julian’s features. “Ok,” he said, laughing softly. “I get it, don’t poke the bear.”
“Screw you,” Devon spat at him, his lip curling. “You’re an ass.”
“Yes,” he agreed. “But, I’m an ass with a point. You and I both know that to change her is dangerous. To all of us.”
“That’s why I don’t intend to change her, not unless we know she will be safe.”
Julian rolled his eyes as he heaved a large sigh. “Come on Devon sell that line to someone else. They may believe you, Cassie may even believe you, but I know you. I’ve known you for a long long time, and you’re teetering on the edge my friend. I’m surprised you have lasted this long, but it is only a matter of time before you take what you want. And she is what you want.”
“I can control it…”
“For now,” Julian interrupted sharply. “But you need to realize the state that you are in, and the position that you have put us all in.”
Devon’s jaw clenched, his gaze darted to the man in the chair. He was watching them intently, listening to every word of their conversation. Devon glared at him, wishing that he could rip his throat out, wishing that he could sate his overwhelming thirst on the bastard. The man’s eyes widened, he leaned as far away from them as possible as he recognized the murderous intent in Devon’s eyes.