Shuddering deeper into her windbreaker, she wrapped her arms tightly around herself. Though it was not a cold night, there was a chill deep in her bones. The clicking of the tree branches, and the soft rustle of the leaves, did not help the melancholy that enshrouded her. It felt eerie out tonight, somehow wrong, or maybe that was just her.
“Are you ok?” Chris asked softly.
Cassie glanced up at him, noting the worry in his blue eyes. “I’m fine, why?”
He shook his sandy hair back. “You’ve been out of it for awhile Cass, slow, ungraceful, ill coordinated…”
“Thanks for the vote of confidence,” she muttered.
“I’m just saying.” He shrugged his massive shoulders and shoved his hands into his pockets. “You’ve been off, which is very unusual.”
“I’ve got a lot on my mind.”
“Hmm.” They crossed the street, stepping briefly into the spill of streetlights as they reached the sidewalk. The soft rustle of a coyote in the woods caught Cassie’s attention. It moved slowly through the shadows, staying low to the ground as it hunted a small rabbit. Cassie shuddered, an ominous feeling descended upon her. “Is this because of him?”
Cassie jerked as she tore her gaze away from the cruel reality of life. She knew how the rabbit felt because she also felt trapped, desperate, hopeless, with no way out. And there was no way out; no way to escape her heritage.
Chris was studying her intently, worry gleamed in his eyes. She should have known he would notice her strange reaction to Devon. Even if he wasn’t using his ability, he didn’t miss much. Guilt tugged at her, she had never kept anything from Chris, had never wanted to. But she wasn’t sure that she wanted to talk about this now. These feelings were so very new to her, so very private and fragile, and confusing.
Shrugging absently, Cassie brushed back a straggling piece of hair. “I do have other things on my mind, besides a boy.”
“Usually yes, lately no. You really like him?”
Cassie was silent, her eyes focused on her Nikes as they moved slowly along. She did not know how to answer that question, for she wasn’t sure there was one. Yes, she really liked Devon, but it was far more than just like. She had never felt this drawn to someone before, never wanted to be near someone with as much intensity as this. She had never even imagined that feeling like this could ever be possible.
But it was also more. It was something almost primeval and instinctive. She could not say that it was love, for she hardly knew him, but he touched something deep within her soul. He touched something that she had never thought could be touched. Before she had met him she had never even known that this piece of her even existed.
“Yes,” she finally admitted. “I suppose you could say that I like him.”
Chris was silent for a few moments before sighing softly. “I could sense that he liked you too.”
Cassie perked up, her head snapped around as an instantaneous smile sprang forth. “Really?”
He gave her a sad smile as he nudged her shoulder gently. “Of course, who wouldn’t?” he teased.
“Chris,” she groaned.
His kidding demeanor vanished, his smile faded as he became completely serious. “He definitely feels something for you.”
“Did you sense something wrong with him?” she asked tremulously.
He glanced at her in surprise. “Are you actually asking about what I sensed from someone, again?”
Cassie shrugged absently, a dull blush stained her cheeks as she glanced quickly away. She never inquired about what Melissa and Chris knew; it seemed an invasion to her. She wouldn’t want other people knowing about her life if they had access to two such gifted people, she felt they deserved the same right. She was also afraid to know what Melissa saw, as all of their futures were so very uncertain. If Chris sensed any danger in a person he would share it with them, whether they wanted to know or not, so there was never a need to ask him.
Sighing heavily, her shoulders drooped slightly as she shook her head. She could not invade Devon’s privacy in such a way; she could not press Chris about what he had sensed in him. “No, I suppose not.”
Chris draped an arm casually around her shoulders. “I didn’t sense anything bad in him, just something different.”
Cassie frowned as she glanced up at him, her curiosity was peaked. “Different how?”
“I don’t know.” His eyebrows drew tightly together; he frowned as he thought carefully before answering. “Just different. There was no harmful intent, but there was a strange sort of darkness inside him.”
Cassie frowned, her hands clenched on her arms as she thought over Chris’s odd choice of words. “What kind of darkness?”
“I don’t know, not an evil one, maybe its loneliness or loss or pain. It’s hard to say Cass; some people are just harder to read then others. But there is no ill intent in him; at least not toward you, of that I’m sure.”
Cassie bit nervously on her bottom lip. “But toward others?” she asked worriedly.
“No, I don’t think so. Why don’t you ask Melissa if she has seen anything?” Cassie fervently shook her head, she may ask Chris a few questions, but she would never ask Melissa. That seemed like a dangerous path to tread. “You never ask her about anything she sees. Why is that?” She shrugged, not wanting to get into it with him. “Is it because you don’t think you have a future?”
Cassie glanced sharply at him, anger boiled rapidly inside of her. “Did you read me?” she demanded fiercely.
Chris was taken aback, his eyes widened slightly. “Of course not Cass, I wouldn’t do that to you. Besides, you know that it doesn’t work like that. I can’t tell what people are thinking, just what they feel and who they are. I don’t have to read you to know that you’ve shut down since we found out what we are.”
“I have not, I…”
Chris held up a silencing hand. “You go through the motions of living, but you don’t truly live anymore. We’ve always been together Cass, I know the girl you used to be, and you locked that girl away the day that Luther and Melissa walked into our lives.”
Cassie remained silent; her eyes darted over the wooded, shadowed streets. She saw nothing out there; no distraction from Chris’s probing questions and keen insight. She’d thought she’d hidden herself well, kept her fear buried behind her wall. Apparently she had not. “Do you think you have a future?” she inquired softly, her eyes slowly coming back to his.