“It’s out there,” Chris said softly.
“Let’s go.”
Cassie took a step forward, but Luther grabbed hold of her arm, halting her. “Wait.”
She spun on him, anger fisting her hands as it tore through her. “We have to stop him!” she snapped.
Luther’s eyes narrowed sharply upon her, the light gray of them inquisitive and keen. “Him?”
She realized her mistake instantly, they had always referred to the monster as it, and Luther had not missed the fact that she had called it him this time. Cassie glared fiercely at him, she didn’t have time to explain her newfound knowledge, nor did she want to. She didn’t want to hear their gasps of shock and surprise; she did not want them to dissuade her from what she knew. She was right, she had no doubt that Devon was in those woods. Just as she had no doubt that she would be the one to take him out.
Though he had fooled all of them, it was her that he had focused upon. It was her that he had teased with promises of love and hope, only to rip it all cruelly away. She hated him the most for making her hope and dream. She had been surviving well enough, hiding behind her wall, safely protected from the hurts of the world until he had walked into her life, tossing it upside down, and shredding it to pieces.
Cassie ripped her arm away from Luther, spinning back toward the woods. Her blood was boiling with the fury pulsing through her, she knew that she was reckless right now, but she couldn’t bring herself to care. She didn’t care about anything anymore, except for keeping the people surrounding her safe. Her gaze rapidly scanned the forest, trying to pinpoint where the scream had come from. Another scream shot through the air, bloodcurdling, pain filled, and terrified. Horror filled Cassie, her heart leapt wildly in her chest; she had never heard anyone make that sound before.
And it was entirely her fault.
Her love for Devon had completely blinded her to the fact that he was a monster. Her stupidity and ignorance had allowed him to continue to kill. He had destroyed the lives of many innocent people, and she was not going to allow that to happen again.
“Come on,” she said briskly.
“Wait!” Luther said sharply, seizing her once more. “Melissa.”
Melissa had gone completely still, her eyes were distant, her face blank and pale. Cassie sighed impatiently; it was a hell of a time to receive a premonition, especially one of the ones that took complete control of her. Melissa gasped suddenly, bending forward she grasped her stomach as she struggled to breathe. Chris grabbed hold of Melissa’s heaving shoulders as she choked and panted for air.
Another scream echoed throughout, but this one was far weaker than before. Whoever was out there was losing the battle, and Cassie was not about to let that happen. Tearing her arm away from Luther again, she spun on her heel and sprinted forward. It did not matter that Chris and Melissa were not with her, she would put a stop to this on her own. It was better if they stayed out of it anyway, she did not want them to be hurt.
Cassie ran as fast as she could, her long legs carrying her swiftly across the ground. She didn’t bother dodging the headstones but vaulted herself easily over them. Reaching the woods, she darted into the thick foliage, using her hands to deflect the branches and twigs that slapped at her.
“Cassie noooo!” Melissa’s shrill, terror filled scream followed her into the forest, but did not slow her down.
CHAPTER 21
Devon burst into the clearing. His heightened senses, and the adrenaline pulsing through him, allowed him to take in all of the details at once. The first thing he recognized was the young woman in the arms of the monster.
The second was the monster.
He skidded to a halt, dirt and leaves kicked up beneath him. Shock slammed into him as he gazed into the familiar red eyes of his prey, but it was quickly buried beneath the fury that surged rapidly forth. Stiffening slowly, his hands fisted at his sides as he met those eyes across the clearing from him. This was a fight that he was more than prepared for, and one that was well over a hundred years in the making. “Let her go!” he snarled.
Julian had lifted his head from Marcy’s neck when Devon emerged, but he had not released her. Julian broke into a small smile, a dark eyebrow quirked with amusement. “Well, if it isn’t the prodigal sire,” he purred. “I was hoping we would finally run into each other again.”
Devon took a step closer to him, tension thrummed through him as he braced himself for the fight. “I didn’t create you Julian,” he growled.
Julian’s blood smeared mouth twisted into a sneer. “You may not have created me, but you did help to mold me into the best vampire that I could possibly be. You taught me the thrill of the hunt, the pleasure of the kill.”
Devon’s teeth ground together as he glared fiercely at the man across from him. Julian had once been his best friend, and greatest companion. He was a monster that still wreaked havoc upon unsuspecting innocents with the same joy and pleasure that Devon had once taken in it. Though they had been nearly inseparable for over three hundred years, Julian had become one of his greatest enemies. “What are you doing here Julian?” Devon spat.
Julian leisurely licked the blood from his lips, savoring the taste of it. Devon’s eyes latched onto the blood, for a moment he could clearly recall how wonderful and fulfilling human blood was. How powerful and thrilling it was. How much he wanted it! It had been so long since he had tasted human blood, and he struggled daily to keep his murderous urges under wraps. But faced with it so temptingly close, he could feel his restraint starting to unravel.
He struggled to maintain control, the blood was a distraction that would get him killed; Julian was fierce, powerful, and deadly. Devon would be a fine trophy, and a lot of power to add to Julian’s collection of victims. Not to mention the fact that most of the vampire race considered Devon a traitor to their kind, and would far prefer him dead.
Julian’s eyes slowly turned back to the ice blue color that Devon was painfully familiar with. Around the black pupils of his eyes was a strange band of lighter, vivid, almost white blue color. “Same thing as you I assume, I was drawn by the power. Except, unlike you, I will make use of that power, take advantage of it; savor it.”
Devon scowled fiercely at him, taking another step closer as they slowly began to circle one another. Marcy was still held loosely in Julian’s arms as he negligently dragged her body along with him. Devon could just barely make out the faint beat of Marcy’s fluttering heart. She did not have much time left. “There is no power here.”