She recalled the jolt that had pushed them to their knees. Hatred boiled through her as she realized that Julian had done this to him. Devon had taken the blow meant for her; a blow that would have flayed her open, possibly even killed her. He had sacrificed himself in order to save her. Her heart swelled and ached, her love for him grew. She hadn’t thought it was possible to love him even more, she knew now that it was. It filled her completely, nearly bursting from her as it surged up in powerful waves that pulsed through her veins, warming her to the tips of her toes.
“Your back,” she whispered.
He glanced at her, his eyes bright in the light of the full moon. “It’s fine.” She reached toward him, needing to comfort him, needing to touch him in order to try and ease the pain she knew he had to be in. Seizing hold of her hand, he subtly shook his head. “It’s ok,” he said softly. “It will heal soon.”
Tears slid slowly down her cheeks. She hated his pain, hated the need that still radiated from him, the hunger that blazed from his eyes. He had been wounded badly, lost a lot of blood, and although his face was completely healed and his back was well on its way, it was obvious that the battle had drained him. The burns still marring his skin had not helped his energy level either.
Sensing her distress, he pulled her a step closer and wrapped his arm around her waist as he kissed her forehead gently. “I’ll be fine,” he assured her again. “I barely felt a thing.”
She knew that he lied, but she didn’t push him further, he would never admit his pain and he would do anything to keep her protected from it. Resting her head on his chest, she simply savored in the comfort of his body. Savored in the love that enveloped her like a warm cocoon.
Dani was watching them in amazement, her eyes flickering back and forth questioningly. “I know, it’s confusing,” Chris said softly, turning away from them as he dropped an arm casually around her shoulders. “But he really is one of the good guys, strange as that sounds. So, we’ve found another Hunter, there are four of us now.”
“Five,” Melissa corrected. “Dani’s brother. We’ll definitely give Julian a run for his money now. It’s amazing that you live here also and we never even knew what you were.”
Dani looked shyly away. “We just moved here at the beginning of the year.”
“Well that works for us!” Chris said jovially. “Especially with that little zapping gift you have. He may be one of the good guys but that was pretty impressive.” He shot a grin over his shoulder at Devon who glowered back at him. Cassie shook her head, rolling her eyes at Chris.
Dani looked uncomfortable, and out of sorts. “It’s not all it’s cracked up to be,” she mumbled. “Especially when you can’t control it.”
Cassie sensed more behind the words, a deep sadness. Her heart went out to the younger girl. Cassie didn’t know the story of Dani’s life, what she had been through, but she imagined that it had not been good.
CHAPTER 10
Dani’s brother, Joey, paced restlessly back and forth in the confines of his small living room. He was wearing the already bare carpet even thinner as he spun on his heel and paced back across the room. His whipcord lean body was as taut as a bowstring; his dark auburn hair was in disarray from running his fingers through it. He was older, at twenty four, and probably one of the oldest Hunter’s still alive.
Melissa and Chris watched him wearily, thrown off by the anger and tension radiating from him. Joey’s gaze darted to the open doorway, where Devon was leaning casually against the frame; his legs were crossed at the ankles as he idly watched the man. Though he appeared relaxed, tension hummed through Devon, undermining his casual posture. Joey frowned fiercely at him, his scathing gaze raking over all of them before he returned to pacing.
Joey refused to invite Devon in, hence he was banished to the hallway, and none of them could really talk with the door open. “Why don’t we go to my house,” Cassie suggested softly.
Joey shot her a fierce look before shaking his head. “I’m not going anywhere that thing can go inside!” he retorted sharply.
Cassie’s eyes narrowed, her skin prickled against the assault on Devon. “Devon is on our side,” Luther said gently, and not for the first time, as he shot Cassie a warning look.
“None of them are on our side. Hell I don’t even think any of you are on our side!”
“It’s true Joey,” Dani said softly.
His eyes narrowed fiercely. It was more than obvious he felt betrayed by his sister. “Have you forgotten what they did to our family? To mom and dad and Rachael.”
“Rachael?” Luther inquired softly.
Joey’s eyes darted to him, fury radiated from every inch of his body. “She was our sister. They,” he thrust a finger viciously at Devon, who lifted an eyebrow slightly, but otherwise showed no reaction to the hatred directed at him. “Murdered her.”
Cassie’s stomach twisted, nausea rolled through her as disgust washed over her. It could so easily have been her or Chris, and it would have been if Chris’s dad hadn’t received premonitions also. She glanced briefly at Devon, but he remained unmoving, his face a stoic mask. She wanted his comfort, but she sensed that he had shut down, that he had withdrawn from the accusations, and the brutal reminder of what he had once been. Of what he had once done to people.
He may not have been part of The Slaughter, but at one point in his long life he had killed and tortured many people. How many, she did not know, she wasn’t even sure if he knew. She just wanted to live in the present, where he was good and loving, and hers. His gaze came slowly to her, his eyes dark, cold, distant; his jaw clenched tightly.
“I barely got Dani out of there alive,” Joey said more softly, his thoughts focused upon his bloody, horrid past. Dani was staring at her sneakers once more, her hands folded behind her back. “And I was only eleven. Do you know what it’s like to try and keep your sister alive when you are only eleven years old and living on the streets?” he demanded sharply.
No one spoke. Cassie could not find words to offer him. Though she and Melissa had lost their parents, and Chris his father, they had all been lucky enough to have someone there to take care of them after. Luther had fled with Melissa, Cassie’s grandmother and Chris’s mother had taken them to safety. And although Chris’s mother had retreated into a world of alcohol and drugs, Cassie’s grandmother had been there to nurture and love him as they grew.