She stared up at him, her eyes wide with horror, hurt, and terror. He continued to move slowly toward her, but to his surprise she did not shrink from him. She did not try to scream, did not even try to scramble away, as he was fairly certain she would be too weak to run. She simply stared up at him with a sad acceptance in her mesmerizing eyes.
Blood stuck to her fingers, coated her arm, and clung to her shirt and jeans. A puddle had formed beneath her; the beat of her heart had slowed dangerously. Fear tore through Devon. Forgetting his need to go slow, he hurried to her side as he dropped beside her. He was surprised to realize that his concern for her life momentarily outweighed his desire for her blood. He did not know how long that would last, but for now all that mattered was her, and her safety.
Gently, he eased her slender body into his arms. She moaned softly, her head dropped limply against his chest as he lifted her swiftly. She felt as light as a feather in his arms, and just as weak.
The fragileness of her life hit him hard as he cradled her, holding her tight against him. He had forgotten how weak and frightening it was to be human, how vulnerable and tenuous. Even if she wasn’t entirely human, she still had to face the reality of death. And her life consisted of even more death than most humans, and it was far shorter. It was a fact that he did not want to acknowledge, or recognize, in Cassie.
Though the bloodlust had been crushed beneath his fear, he felt a different kind of urge overtaking him now. This urge was new, and something that he had never experienced before. He was suddenly swamped with the desire to keep her safe from her own mortality, to keep her safe from the fragility of her life. He was consumed with the need to change her, to make her as immortal as he was. To keep her protected from her life and the certain death that accompanied it.
Though he had changed people before, he had never been consumed with the fierce need to do so. Never felt the fierce craving to make sure that she never had to face her own mortality again. He closed his eyes, shaking with his urge to change her, shaking with the desire to keep her forever safe, and with him. He could take her away from here, keep her safe, sheltered, and loved. She would never have to worry about fighting again; never have to worry about the brutality of her life. And he knew that her life was brutal. He had known some Hunter’s during his long lifetime, seen what they had gone through, and had even killed a few of them. He did not want her to have to experience that. She deserved far better than what her lot in life had handed her.
“Devon.” He shook his head, trying to clear himself of his urges as he met her tired gaze. There was a sad acceptance about her; the knowledge of death within her stare rattled him completely. The normal light in her eyes was dimmer; the spark of life that radiated from her was already beginning to flicker. “I’m sorry,” she whispered. “I… I…”
“Shh baby, it’ll be ok.” Her wide eyes met his; tears filled the bright depths of them. “Don’t leave me Cassie, just hold on. Don’t you leave me,” he whispered fervently.
Tears slid down her face. Resting his hand over top of hers, he pushed hard against the wound, hoping to help stem the life pouring from her. There was one way that he knew he could completely stop the bleeding. He was just afraid that it would take more self control than he possessed at the moment.
Her heart fluttered slightly. It was a flutter he knew well, he had caused it in many heartbeats moments before he had taken someone’s life from them. It was the sound of that flutter that drove him into action. Bending over her, he pressed her close to him, nuzzling her gently as he inhaled her wonderfully delicious scent. She did not stiffen against him, did not try to push him away. She did not even remotely flinch away as she turned slightly toward him, her warm breath caressing his cheek.
He wished that he could believe it was because she wanted him to change her, but he knew that she simply did not possess the strength to turn away from him, or fight against him. She would not want to be a part of his world, would not want to belong to the darkness, and he was crazy for even thinking about condemning her to such a life. She deserved far better than anything he had to offer her.
Bracing himself, he pulled her hand gently away from the large wound. Blood pulsed out of the jagged cuts with every beat of her heart. His chest clenched at the sight of that blood, his teeth elongated instantly as hunger swamped him. It took him a few seconds to gather himself enough not to sink deep into her throat and taste the delicious blood pouring from her.
When he was in control enough, he bent his mouth to her neck. The sweet scent of her assailed him as he nuzzled her briefly, savoring in the feel of her. Her heartbeat picked up slightly, but he sensed no fear in her, only an excitement that confused him as well as aroused his hunger and desire even higher. Fighting against every one of his murderous instincts, he slowly licked the three vicious gashes in her delicate neck, sealing them with the healing agent in his saliva.
The taste of her blood slammed into him. It was the sweetest nectar he had ever savored, so full of strength and vigor. It pounded through him, hammering throughout his veins. His teeth throbbed with their desire to be sated, he was desperate for the ultimate pleasure her blood would bring him. Never had he tasted anything so sweet, so tempting and delicious. Never had he experienced so much power within one person. He had never even imagined one person could possess so much lure. He had tasted his fair share of Hunters before, but their blood had been nothing compared to this. Their blood had been as powerful as a goldfish’s compared to this. Her blood was ambrosia and he wanted more than just a little taste.
Then, her hand stroked over his face, the touch as light as a butterflies caress. It helped to soothe the shaking, thirsty beast trapped inside of him. She helped to keep him from draining her dry in order to satisfy the raging monster inside. Using every ounce of self restraint and control he had, he pulled slightly back; his eyes clashed with her tear filled, curious ones. She smoothed her hand over his cheek, cradling him gently in her grasp. Devon could not move; he was pinned within her gaze, guilt and horror tearing through him.
She was comforting him, and he was thinking about draining every last drop of life from her. She was comforting him, and he was on the verge of destroying her. Struggling to regain control, he unfolded himself from above her. Though the wounds were sealed, she was still a long way from safe. A fair amount of her precious life had been spilled. He needed to get her somewhere that would help her.
“Hold on Cassie,” he pleaded fervently. “Don’t leave me.”