“He won’t get near you again,” he promised softly.
Though she managed a nod, she did not feel relieved. She had seen that thing, she had felt it’s evil. There was no stopping it, not until it was dead. And it was still very much alive. Inside she was as cold as a freezer.
Sighing softly, Devon stroked her face gently before turning back to the others. “And what powers do you possess?” he inquired.
Chris and Melissa exchanged a panicked look, apparently uncertain how much they wanted to reveal about themselves. “I speak to the dead.”
It was the first time her grandmother had spoken since Cassie had been released from the hospital. Apparently where Chris and Melissa were still hesitant, she had decided to give her trust wholeheartedly. Cassie’s heart warmed, she knew how hard it was for her grandmother. She had lost so much to vampires over the past twenty years, and yet she was willing to trust Devon with one of her most intimate secrets.
Her grandma’s sky blue eyes were clear and warm as they briefly met Cassie’s gaze. She sat casually in the recliner in the corner of the room, her small legs drawn up beneath her. Her strawberry hair had been pulled into a loose ponytail that fell to her shoulders in gentle waves. Though she was in her late fifties, she still looked as if she were in her thirties. Cassie hoped she looked that good at her grandmother’s age. Hell, she hoped she even made it to thirty, never mind her fifties.
“A whisperer,” Devon said softly.
Her grandmother’s mouth quirked in a small smile as she nodded. “Apparently you know a lot about our kind.”
“Seven hundred years is a long time to learn things.”
Her grandmother chuckled softly; her eyes twinkled as she nodded. “I suppose so. It puts us at a disadvantage though.”
Devon was silent for a moment, pondering her words. “But you must know that The Hunter line and vampires share the same abilities. That is why I know a lot about them. Why many vampires know a lot about your abilities, and why you know a lot about our abilities.”
“Some of us do,” Luther muttered, shooting a pointed look at Chris and Cassie, who looked quickly away. Cassie was not in the mood for another one of his lectures about their lack of knowledge, and unwillingness to learn more, about their ancestry and heritage.
Devon looked questioningly at her. She defiantly met his gaze, her jaw clenching tightly. She did not want to discuss it right now. “The Slaughter,” Cassie said softly, her thoughts turning to the murderous rampage that had stolen her and Melissa’s parents, and Chris’s father from them. The vampire’s may not have known which Hunter’s possessed which abilities, but they had known the kinds of abilities that they would come up against. And they had been prepared for them, where as The Hunter’s had not been prepared for the sudden, violent onslaught.
“I had no part in that, I swear. I was far removed from any of the inner circles, far out of the loop when that occurred. I wouldn’t have taken part even if I had known.” Cassie wanted to believe him. She found she did believe him. It was a strange realization considering everything that had transpired in the past twenty four hours, but though he had never told her what he really was- she’d never told him either- he’d never done anything to hurt her. He’d had many chances to kill her, to use her, to drain her, and he had never once taken that opportunity.
“They will keep coming for you,” Devon continued. “Not only do they want The Hunter line extinguished, but also because your blood is very strong, very powerful. There is no greater rush than a Hunter’s blood. There is nothing more empowering and the effect of it lasts for years. It can be irresistible.”
Cassie stared wide eyed at him, her hand slowly fluttered up to her neck. He had resisted it. He had tasted her blood and he had turned away from it. Was there something wrong with it? Cassie’s brow furrowed as the disturbing thought occurred to her. She had no special “gifts” like her family, Chris, and Melissa. Did that somehow make her blood less appealing?
She didn’t know why that thought bothered her so much, she should be happy that she was not a magnet for vampires. But for some unfathomable reason, she was not happy. She was ashamed to admit that for once, she wanted to be special too. She had been denied “gifts”; she did not want to be denied this too. No matter how unreasonable her thoughts were, she could not shake them.
“Well who brought Mr. Good News to the party?” Chris muttered, folding his arms over his chest as he scowled at the floor.
Devon glanced back down at her, his forehead furrowed in worry, his eyes dark and stormy. Cassie frowned up at him, confused by his turbulent expression. “This is good; we have an insider’s view. He can help us,” Luther said softly.
A muscle twitched in Devon’s jaw, hardness settled over his features. His fingers tightened briefly around hers. “Yes, but I think that the best thing for all of you is to leave…”
“No!” Cassie cut in sharply.
Devon continued speaking as if she had never said a word. “I can defeat Julian, but he’s brutal, and merciless. He’ll keep on coming, and I cannot be everywhere at once. If you leave, then I will protect the town, I will keep everyone safe…”
“I’m not leaving you here!”
“And I will meet up with you when I am done here.”
Cassie opened her mouth to protest again, and then snapped it shut as she glared fiercely up at him. Luther and her grandmother were staring eagerly, practically salivating over his suggestion. It had been a fight to get the two of them to agree to let Cassie, Chris, and Melissa stay in town in the first place. Now Devon had given them the excuse they needed to rip the three of them out of there as quickly as they could.
“We are not leaving,” Cassie grated through clenched teeth.
“Cassie, you must listen to reason. Devon can protect this town better then the three of you, and we must keep you alive.”
She turned her fierce glare on Luther, not wanting to hear anymore. “We are here to protect people…”
“Which Devon can do.”
Cassie launched angrily to her feet, the throw pillow that had been sitting in her lap fell loosely to the floor. Devon lurched toward her, for the first time not moving as effortlessly as a panther as she caught him off guard. She shook off his hand on her elbow, glaring fiercely at him as he reached for her again.
“I’m fine!” she snapped before spinning on Luther. “What good is being a Hunter if we have to run all the time?”