Ashes (Book 2 The Kindred Series) (20 page)

But she did know him that well, and
though he tried his hardest, he could not keep his burdens from
her.

“Let’s go,” he said softly, eager to
get her out of here and take her somewhere that she felt safe and
sheltered. Somewhere that people could not hurt her any
further.

“I’ll see you guys Thursday,” she
called to the silent group.

Marcy’s mouth dropped, strange
sputtering noises escaped her. “You can’t be serious!?” she
squawked, shocked into letting her resentment of Cassie show in
front of him.

“Completely.”

Devon shot Marcy a dark look as she
continued to gape, those strange noises still escaping her. “But we
don’t need any more help.”

Cassie grinned at her. “After the ideas
I heard today, I would say you do.”

There was a collective inhalation of
breaths. Cassie turned away, anger flashing across her delicate
features. Pride bloomed through Devon as he pulled her closer,
kissing the top of her head lightly.

CHAPTER
13

Cassie spent the next couple of weeks
dragging herself to the homecoming meetings. She remained standing
on the outside, any ideas she offered were immediately shot down.
She had not expected any of them to be accepted, and she had not
expected to be accepted once more, but she couldn’t stop herself
from going and taking the abuse three times a week.

Her reception got colder every time she
went, the iciness at school grew, but she continued to forge on.
Continued to try and ignore it. Having Devon by her side was the
only thing that kept her consistently going. Without him, she
wasn’t even sure that she would be able to drag herself out of bed
in the morning. Let alone drag herself into the school that
despised her.

It was taking a toll on her, beating
her down. She was tired all the time, but she had not backed down.
She couldn’t.

“You look beautiful.”

Dani stood in Cassie’s doorway, a bowl
of popcorn in her arms as she leaned against the door frame. Cassie
managed a wan smile for her. She wasn’t feeling beautiful, and
although she should have been excited for the dance. She was
not.

“Thank you.”

Dani smiled at her as she came into the
room, dropping the bowl onto Cassie’s bureau. She had been a little
unsettled when she had first moved into the house, but over the
past couple of weeks she had relaxed, and was far more at home.
Cassie had started to look at her like a little sister, grateful
for her company during those few hours when Devon was away hunting,
and Chris returned home to watch over his mother.

She was also glad for Dani’s unwavering
friendship, a friendship that had been given easily, and with no
conditions. “Just giving you a warning, Lily already has the camera
set up and ready to go.”

Cassie laughed softly as she smoothed
the front of her deep violet dress. It was strapless, clinging to
her upper body before flowing out gently to her knees. When she’d
seen it, she had known instantly that she had to have it. And she
did not regret it for a moment, even if it was a little more daring
than she would normally like.

She didn’t know how Devon was going to
react to the dress. She hoped that he liked it, but she didn’t wish
to test the boundaries of his control. She simply wanted to feel
normal again tonight, to be a normal teenage girl for once, even if
she didn’t think it was possible.

“You don’t think it’s a little too
much, or actually less?” she asked worriedly.

Dani chuckled softly. “I think it’s
perfect, and you’re wearing waaaaay more clothing then most of the
other girls will be. Don’t worry about it.”

Cassie nodded, but she still couldn’t
shake the uncomfortable feeling that had settled over her. “Yeah,
but they’re not dating vampire’s,” she muttered.

Dani laughed as she shook back her dark
hair. The blood red tips had been replaced with white blond ones.
“Nope, they all just wish they were dating him,” Dani told her.
Cassie snorted softly, twisting her hair up into a loose knot that
rested against the nape of her neck. “It will be fine; the dress
really isn’t that revealing Cass.”

She nodded, not feeling as reassured as
Dani wanted, but deciding not to stress about it anymore. It was
too late; she had already wearing the dress and Devon would be here
any minute. The second the thought crossed her mind, the doorbell
rang. Cassie’s hand fluttered nervously up to the pearls at her
neck. They were her grandmother’s, her mother had worn them on her
wedding day and they would one day be Cassie’s. A wave of sadness
washed over her, for a brief moment she wished that her parents
were here. She loved her grandmother dearly, and would never trade
a moment of her life with her, but every once in awhile she wished
that her parents had also been around to watch her grow up, to also
be a part of her life.

With a soft sigh, she pushed the
melancholy thoughts aside; there was no place for them tonight.
Tonight was about her friends, Devon, and this dance. Tonight was
for fun, and she was going to have it for a change. Taking strength
from the pearls, Cassie grabbed her pea coat from her bed and
draped it over her arm. She listened as her grandmother let Devon,
Melissa, and Chris in. “I wish you could come,” she said as she
turned back to Dani.

The younger girl studied her carefully
for a moment. “I don’t, I’m glad I’m too young. It’s not exactly my
thing.”

“Mine either,” Cassie admitted softly.
“Not anymore anyway.”

“Are you ok?”

Forcing a smile, Cassie nodded. “I’m
fine.”

“Well come on then, you don’t want to
keep them waiting.”

Dani grabbed her bowl of popcorn,
fairly bouncing as she led the way down the hall. Cassie realized
that the popcorn had not been made for a movie, but this was Dani’s
show. Shaking her head, she fought back a chuckle as Dani darted
down the stairs. Cassie made her way slowly down, turning the
corner into the living room.

Her breath froze in her lungs as she
caught sight of Devon standing by the mantle. His hair had been
brushed back from the hard plains of his face. The finely tailored
sports coat he wore clung to his hard, broad shoulders. He looked
magnificent, strong, powerful, and oh so handsome that he made her
heart ache. Need tore through her, along with the overwhelming urge
to touch him, to feel him, to never part from him again.

He stiffened when he saw her, his eyes
flashed fiercely in the light; hunger blossomed in their brilliant
emerald depths. His mouth parted slightly as his gaze raked slowly
over her, causing heat to burn through her. An inner quaking took
root in her, shaking through muscle and bone. Her mouth went dry,
her heart hammered with its fierce desire for him.

His gaze slowly returned to hers,
burning with a fire the likes of which she had never seen before.
Cassie’s tremors intensified, leaving her weak kneed. No, the dress
had not been a good idea at all. But then, she felt she could be
wearing a sack and he would still look at her like she was a treat
that he wanted to devour.

He moved slowly toward her, his
movements reminding her of an animal stalking its prey. She didn’t
know if she was more frightened to be his prey, or excited to be
it. Stopping before her, his gaze slowly perused her once more.
Cassie shivered, her breath exploded from her as he took hold of
her hand, his touch seared into her skin, burned its way into every
molecule of her body as she was branded by him for the rest of her
life.

She would always remember the way that
he felt against her, the delicious way that he made her feel. She
would never forget how perfect his skin was, how right and true it
was. Even if she couldn’t have him forever, she would have the
memories, and the feeling, for she could recall it all in an
instant.

He bent low over her hand, his eyes
never leaving hers as he placed a gentle kiss upon her. Cassie’s
mouth parted, her pulse pounded rapidly in her temples as liquid
lava pooled through her. His head bent over her hand, his lips
pressed so gently against her skin was the most debonair, sweetest
thing she had ever seen.

He kept hold of her hand as he stood
slowly. “You look exquisite,” he whispered.

Heat flooded Cassie’s face; she looked
away from him, unable to take the overwhelming sensations beating
against her. Her body was a tumult of emotions and feelings that
were crashing wildly against each other. His hand tightened upon
hers, the gentle stroking of his thumb did nothing to ease the
chaos clamoring through her.

“Let me get a picture of everyone,” her
grandmother said, her voice slightly strained.

Cassie met her grandmother’s slightly
amused, slightly dazed gaze. Devon moved to her side, his arm
encircling her waist. The feel of him caused her skin to hum with
electricity. “Everyone smile!”

Dani leaned happily against the wall,
munching on popcorn, smiling in amusement as everyone was moved
around and ordered to smile repeatedly. Cassie’s face hurt by the
time her grandmother was done snapping pictures, but it was worth
it to see the bright smile on her pretty face, and the happy gleam
in her eyes.

“Ok, you guys can go now!” her
grandmother announced happily, letting the camera drop back around
her neck.

Cassie sighed in relief, her feet were
beginning to ache and she was ready to get this night over with.
Devon approached with her coat in hand; a small smile curved his
full mouth as his eyes twinkled at her. “Will you even come out in
those pictures?” she inquired softly.

A small chuckle escaped him as he
slipped the coat around her shoulders. “Not all the myths are true,
love,” he whispered in her ear, his lips brushing lightly against
her skin sent a shiver throughout her.

She needed to get control of herself
around him, or this was going to be a very long, very tortuous
night. Slipping his hand into hers, he led her toward the door.
“Cassie wait!”

She turned as her grandmother hurried
over, a small box in hand. Cassie frowned as her grandmother handed
her the box, a small smile on her face, but a wealth of sadness in
her sky blue eyes. “I think it’s time you had this.”

Cassie took the box from her, opening
it slowly. A small gasp escaped as she caught sight of the delicate
emerald ring. The stone was small, but it shimmered in the light of
the room. Surrounding the emerald were four petite, perfect
diamonds. Cassie’s hand shook as she pulled the ring free,
carefully handling the small gold band.

“It was my mother’s wedding ring and
was meant for your mother.”

Cassie glanced up at her, tears welling
in her eyes. “Grandma, I don’t think I should take
this.”

Her grandmother’s hands enfolded hers,
her sky colored eyes were intense. “Of course you should. Your
mother would want you to have it. She would be so proud of you
dear, just as I am.”

A single tear slipped down Cassie’s
cheek, but her grandma quickly wiped it away. “I’m not giving it to
you to make you cry,” she said happily, although a strange sadness
still clung to her. “You are a woman now; you should have the
things that mark you as such.”

Cassie could only nod as her
grandmother took the ring from her and slipped it onto her right
hand. “Perfect fit!”

Cassie stared silently down at the
beautiful, delicate ring. Rapidly blinking back tears, she threw
her arms around her grandmother, hugging her tight. Her
grandmother’s slight frame shook slightly as she patted Cassie’s
back gently. “I’ll always be proud of you, always love you
dear.”

Cassie pulled slightly away, staring
questioningly into her grandmother’s sky colored eyes. It seemed
like such an odd thing to say, but then again it was a big night,
for most people at least. “I’ll always love you,” she whispered,
dropping a kiss on her grandmother’s soft cheek.

Her eyes were sad as Cassie pulled
away, but she was smiling brightly. “Go on now; I’ve held you up
long enough.”

She patted Cassie’s shoulder as she all
but shoved them out the door. Cassie flashed a bright grin over her
shoulder as they made their way to Devon’s sleek Challenger. He
held the door open for them, Chris and Melissa piled into the back.
Taking hold of her hand he helped her slide into the passenger
seat, his hand lingered on hers before he shut the door and hurried
to the driver’s side.

Arriving at the school, they piled out
into the crush of students making their way through the doors.
Cassie handed her coat over to the parent running the coat check.
Without the material, she felt more exposed and vulnerable. Sensing
her distress, Devon slipped his arm around her waist, pulling her
tight against his side.

“It will be ok,” he said
gently.

Swallowing heavily, she nodded. She
kept her shoulders straight as she allowed him to lead her into the
heavily decorated gym. Marcy and company had decided to make the
theme of the party Cape Cod in the fall. Though it was neither
creative nor original (as it had been done three years ago) it was
pretty.

The walls were decorated with a vast
array of leaves in every color of the rainbow. Play box sand was
spread across the dance floor, there were already groups dancing
without their shoes on. Scattered amongst the sand were leaves that
had been sorted through and brought in from outside. Hurricane
lanterns, with long white candles, had been set out on the tables.
Sand, seashells, starfish, and sand dollars were spread out around
them. Banners hung from the ceiling in the school colors of blue
and gold, and the annoying disco ball was in place, bright lights
already bounced blindingly off of it.