Devon glanced toward Julian, who nodded briefly. “I think we can trust them,” Julian said softly. “Though they do not like this union, they are accepting of it because they feel that Cassie will be a powerful ally, an asset.”
“Asset?” Cassie inquired sharply.
Devon recognized, and disliked, the rebellious fire in her eyes. “The Elders,” Julian said disdainfully. “Mistakenly believe that every vampire created belongs to them. That every vampire is meant to do their bidding, and to serve them. They think that they will have ultimate power over you.”
Zane smiled coldly at Julian. “We may not control you, but we do have ultimate power over you. We all serve the same purpose, we all want the same things in the long run, and that is to keep our own kind safe. Cassie will be a great aid in that.”
“And if things go wrong?” Cassie demanded, obviously irritated that they thought they would have any control over her. Her arms were folded tightly over her chest, her eyebrows drawn sharply together as she tapped her foot impatiently.
“Everyone in this room knows that you will have to be dealt with if it comes to that. No one disagrees with that fact.”
Cassie’s gaze came slowly toward Devon; her eyes were hopeless and lost. Devon ached for her, but he could not disagree with Zane’s statement. If something went wrong, they would have to both be destroyed. There was no getting around that fact.
“I want every one of your friends to agree to this arrangement, aloud and separately so that Bernard can read them. If there is no agreement, and if he feels any kind of betrayal or lie from you, there will be consequences.”
Panic flared through Cassie’s eyes, but before she could protest, Julian seized hold of her arm and bent low to her ear. Though Devon could not hear what he said, Cassie’s mouth clamped shut. Around the room people slowly responded. Julian continued to hold her arm as Cassie bent her head, listening silently as everyone gave a soft yes. Devon remained a few feet from them, his eyes focused on Bernard as he read each response, nodding slowly afterward.
Chris was the last, and the slowest, to respond. He hesitated, his silence deep within the crowded room. Cassie finally lifted her head, turning to look at her best friend. “Chris,” she whispered.
Chris licked his lips nervously. “I agree with the change, but I will not help to destroy you.” His gaze flickered to Devon. “Either of you.”
Devon tilted his head, studying the boy who had come to be his friend. “Understandable,” Devon said softly.
The scent of Cassie’s tears was sharp in the room as she hurried to Chris, enveloping him in a tight hug. Chris buried his head in her shoulder, clinging to Cassie. “Odd,” Zane murmured.
Devon turned slowly toward him, despising the tone of his voice. “What is?”
“I would never allow Anastasia to hug another man.”
“No dear, you allow me to do so much more,” Anastasia purred, licking her lips eagerly. The last time Devon had seen her, her black hair had been floor length. It was now cut into a sleek bob just beneath her ears that showed off her refined, aristocratic features. Her vivid dark blue eyes stood out sharply against the pallor of her skin, and the midnight of her hair. “Because I love it when you catch me.”
Devon’s stomach twisted in disgust and revulsion. The two of them had been together for over four hundred years. Their love was strong, fierce, and completely sick and twisted. They did things to each other, and other people, that had repulsed him even when he had been at his absolute worst. Though, there had been a time when he had thought that what they shared was the only kind of love a vampire could have. A time when he believed that if he did find a mate, their relationship would be exactly like Zane and Anastasia’s. He was thankful to know now that he had been completely wrong. Their love was wrong, and completely tainted. Their relationship was so twisted and dark, because they were so twisted and dark.
Zane and Anastasia exchanged a look that made Devon’s lip curl in disgust. He glanced behind him to make sure that Cassie was not watching, or listening, he did not want her to witness this sick exchange. She was still hugging Chris, and Luther and Melissa had now joined them; they spoke softly as they clung to each other.
“What is your assessment Bernard?” Julian inquired obviously just as disgusted by the exchange as Devon was.
“They tell the truth,” Bernard said softly. “They may not like this arrangement, but they will agree with it. If we do not betray them, they will not betray us.”
“Wonderful,” Zane said eagerly, licking his lips in anticipation. “We have all come to an agreement! Now we must decide how to proceed with these creatures, but that can wait till tomorrow. We are all tired, it has been a long trip.”
“You will not be staying here,” Devon told him when Zane looked around the room.
“Oh?”
Devon folded his arms over his chest, bracing his feet wide as he faced off against the lead Elder. “We may have a tenuous truce, but we will not pretend to like, or respect each other. You will not be staying here.”
“But we must discuss plans.”
“Tomorrow.”
“Hmm,” Zane nodded. “I suppose you are correct, we should not push our boundaries.”
“No, you should not.”
“Where is safe around here?” Octavia inquired. Her liquid brown eyes were intent as she studied Devon with distaste. She had once tried to pursue him, but he had spurned her advances as she had also been with his brother at the time. And Devon wanted nothing to do with anything that Robert had touched, ever. Apparently Octavia had decided that she wanted nothing to do with him either, now that he was no longer a monster. Octavia was not a pretty girl in the classical sense, but she was one of the most sensual, curvaceous women he had ever seen. She was also one of the cruelest and most vindictive.
“The bank has a safe; you will be fine inside there. No sunlight will get in, and there is a way to let yourselves out from the inside,” Devon told them.
He could feel Cassie’s gaze upon his back, but he didn’t look at her. He didn’t want her to know that he had attempted lock himself in there in order to stay away from her. The discovery of the release handle inside had prevented him from being successful however. She had already been exposed to far too much evil for his liking, he didn’t want her exposed to anymore, especially not his own.
“And what will we do if they come for us during the day?” Octavia asked softly.