Ashes (Book 2 The Kindred Series) (24 page)

Terror for him filled her. He may be
stronger and faster than Julian, but that did not guarantee a win.
Anything could go wrong. One small mistake could mean the end of
his life.

They rolled along the lockers, twisting
and destroying the metal as they moved. Locks were torn off,
shattering upon the ground. Devon was bleeding badly, blood dripped
down his side, splashing on the ground. She could not leave him
here. Not alone, and not with that monster.

Leaping to her feet, Cassie’s gaze
darted back to the bathroom. Her purse was somewhere in there, a
small stake tucked discreetly inside. The problem was that she did
not want to leave the fight for even a second, let alone the amount
of time it would take for her to find the thing.

Her attention was snagged back as Devon
bellowed loudly, smashing the palm of his hand into Julian’s chest.
The force of the blow shattered ribs, their loud cracking filled
the air. Cassie’s mouth dropped as Julian flew backward a good ten
feet before slamming into a classroom door. The glass in the center
shattered, the frame bent, and the doorknob was torn
off.

She took a fear filled step back, she
did not belong here. This was not her fight, not anymore, but no
matter how much she wanted her feet to move, no matter how much she
wanted to escape, she knew that she would not leave him. If
something were to happen to him, then she was going to be here, and
she was going to give him whatever help she could.

Julian shook his head, trying to clear
it as he attempted to rise to his feet. He stumbled back, a
wheezing sound escaping him. Attempting to rise to his feet again,
he staggered slightly forward before dropping again. Devon stepped
in his way, a loud growl escaping him as Julian’s gaze darted
briefly back to her. Though he was no longer smiling, there was
still an oddly amused twinkle in Julian’s ice blue eyes that left
Cassie unsettled. He did not seem concerned about the fact that he
was losing right now.

She also did not like the way that he
was studying her. It was too intent, too questioning, and there was
a strange, unsettling gleam in his eyes. It was as if he saw far
too much, as if he understood her in a way that she didn’t even
understand herself. As if he understood her in a way that even
Devon didn’t. His gaze came slowly back to hers, his blond eyebrows
drawn tightly together. There was a stunned look in his eyes, a
dawning realization that unnerved her as much as it confused
her.

She wanted to wrap her arms around
herself, wanted to shrink from that strangely comprehensive stare,
but she found herself unable to move from his penetrating
stare.

“Don’t look at her!” Devon spat, taking
a defensive step forward. His shoulders were locked tight, his
hands fisted at his sides as his body thrummed with
fury.

“I’m going to be looking at her for
eternity when I’m done with her.”

All the hair on Cassie’s arms and neck
stood up as Devon released a sound that was part growl, part snarl,
and something utterly terrifying. Trying to ward off the chill of
terror that swept through her, she wrapped her arms uselessly
around herself. Julian started to grin, giving Devon a come here
wave with his fingers that sent a thrill of foreboding down
Cassie’s spine. Julian had something up his sleeve. Devon seemed to
sense the same thing as he did not rush heedlessly back at him
again.

Cassie jumped, a startled cry escaping
her when a hand seized hold of her elbow. She spun, ready to fight
again until she saw Chris and Melissa standing there, their eyes
wide with worry and fear as they scanned her ruined, blood stained
dress. Another roar filled the air, snapping their attention back
to Devon and Julian. This time however, Devon’s attention was not
focused upon Julian, but on them.

Mouth parting in alarm, Cassie swiftly
pulled her arm free of Chris’s grasp. Devon’s red eyes continued to
gleam, his focus centered upon Chris. Trepidation pounded through
Cassie, realization hammered throughout her. Devon was so far gone
that he would attack anyone he thought might be a threat to her
right now. Would destroy anyone that got between him and
her.

Swallowing heavily, she held up her
hands, trying to ward him off. “No Devon,” she whispered, praying
that she could still reach him. “No, he didn’t hurt me. Chris would
never hurt me.”

Devon’s red eyes surveyed her, their
blood color more than a little disarming. She had never seen him
like this, had never known that he could be like this, and she was
terrified of him. Even more terrified that he would hurt her
friend. She wasn’t sure that she could stop him, not when he was
like this, not when he was so far gone. She did not know this
person, this creature before her, but she still loved him. She just
had to keep him from killing Chris.

Chris released a hissing breath; taking
a small step back he pushed Melissa back with him. “Devon,” Cassie
whispered, her gaze briefly darting to Julian.

He was still on the ground, his
attention focused upon them. Upon her still. If it hadn’t been for
Chris, he would be dead by now, but he was not taking the
opportunity to run during his brief reprieve. That did not sit well
with her. He had to realize that he had lost this fight, why would
he stay?

Devon took another step toward them,
his intensity still focused upon Chris. Panic tore through Cassie.
She could not let this happen. Instinctively, Chris reached for her
again, grasping hold of her elbow as he tried to pull her back.
Cassie stiffened in horror, knowing that it had been the wrong
thing to do, the wrong move to make.

Another bellow escaped Devon as he
raced at them, leaping over the debris generated by the brutal
fight. A strangled cry escaped Cassie as he launched himself at
Chris. Though he had already told her once never to get in between
a vampire and its prey, she did not take the time to think about
the consequences of her actions. She just hoped that it did not end
badly. Cassie stepped in front of Chris, blocking Devon’s attack
with her body, willing to die before she allowed him to destroy her
best friend. She ducked her head, holding her hands up as she
braced herself for the hard blow she knew was about to
ensue.

Devon’s body hit hers; his arms wrapped
around her as lifted her up, pulling her away from Chris’s hold.
His touch was surprisingly gentle considering his frame of mind,
and the murderous intent that hummed fiercely through his body. His
hands wrapped into her hair, pulling her tighter against him as he
cradled her head against his chest.

The tension thrumming through him eased
slowly as he buried his face in her neck, his lips running gently
over her skin. Cassie stayed perfectly still, sensing the hunger in
him, the tenuous hold he had upon his control. The beast was still
there, the demon fighting with the man as it struggled to break
free once more. Fought to satiate itself upon her. If she moved
even a millimeter she was afraid that she would set it free. That
he would bite her.

He shuddered; his hand upon her waist
became painful. She could feel the bruises that he was leaving
behind, but she did not protest, did not flinch away from him. His
lips stopped against her throat, pausing over the pulsing vein that
was going haywire with her heartbeat. Despite the fear that pounded
through her, she could not stop the thrill of excitement that
enshrouded her as his teeth skimmed lightly over her, raking her
skin ever so slightly.

Cassie’s knees wobbled, threatening to
give out. Despite her best intentions not to move, she could not
stop her fingers from curling, digging into his back as she fought
the urge to press herself tighter against him, offering her vein.
Though she wanted this far more than even she had realized she knew
that here was not the place. This was not the time.

He would never forgive himself if he
took her here, he would blame it on his lack of control. Nor did
she wish for Melissa and Chris to see it, and she especially did
not want Julian to be there. This was something that she wanted
only the two of them to share, something that she wanted to cherish
and remember for the rest of her life. And she did not want the
memory to involve the hall of her high school.

Yet she did not fight him, did not push
him away. He needed her now, and though she was a temptation that
he might not be able to deny, she was also the only one that could
calm him down. The only one that could reach past the demon inside,
and bring the man forth again.

He shuddered once more, his grip eased
on her. She tried not to feel disappointed as his mouth left her
neck, but she couldn’t help it. His lips brushed over her ear,
caressing her lightly. He was back, she could feel it in the marrow
of her bones, knew in her soul that what held her now was the man.
The man, whose love for her was even stronger than the demon’s
desire for her blood.

“Don’t do that again, don’t ever put
yourself in front of me again,” he hissed, his hand tightening in
her hair as he kissed her forehead roughly. He was still shaken,
still struggling to keep a firm restraint over himself. “I could
have killed you.”

She shook her head forcefully, hating
the self contempt that rang through his voice. “Never,” she
whispered. “You would never hurt me.”

He shuddered again, his body shaking
with doubt as he clung tighter to her, needing her to ease him.
Though he was hurting her again she offered no complaint, she would
give him everything, and anything, that he needed.

Devon’s head snapped up, a low growl
escaped him as Julian launched to his feet, finally managing to
stay on them. Julian’s icy eyes gleamed with contempt as he
surveyed them. Cassie clung tighter to Devon, not wanting to
release him, needing the safety and comfort of his arms. “How the
mighty have fallen,” Julian murmured, shaking his head in
disgust.

Though Devon did not release her, he
shifted her subtly, moving his body more in front of hers. He
cradled her head gently against his chest, but she was not fooled
into believing that he couldn’t move swiftly back into attack mode.
She knew the only reason he didn’t attack again now was because of
her. He was frightened that next time he would not be able to come
back, that next time he would be lost, and that he would hurt
her.

Though Devon remained holding her, he
took a small step toward Julian, his muscles going rigid. Julian
flashed a bright grin, flicking his fingers through his disheveled
white blond hair. “Now now Devon stay calm, things are just
starting to get interesting.”

Fear flickered through Cassie. Julian
was too cocky, too sure of himself. He had to be planning
something. “What are you talking about?” Devon demanded
fiercely.

Julian’s grin only widened, his eyes
flickered behind them. The fear turned into full-fledged panic as
Cassie realized that he was not looking at any of them, but over
their heads. Foreboding stole through her, twisting in her gut,
making it difficult to breathe. A new presence reached her, one
just as malevolent and cold as Julian, but this one also emitted a
jealousy and loathing so thick that it was nearly
choking.

Cassie turned slowly, her fingers
digging into Devon’s back as she braced herself for what was to
come. She was beaten down, wounded, wary but she tried to gather
her strength, and her courage. She knew she would need
both.

A woman stepped around the corner of
the hall, moving toward them with the eerie grace of the undead.
Cassie’s mouth parted slightly, her eyes widened at the stunning
beauty of the woman. She was tall, lithe; supple. The black dress
she wore swayed gently with her hips and provocative walk. The pale
beauty of her face contrasted sharply with the color of her dress
and ruby red lips. Her features were delicate, elegant and refined;
her cheekbones high, and her nose slender. Dark auburn hair spilled
down her back, swaying against her knees in gentle waves as she
moved. She looked like a perfect, porcelain doll.

Devon stiffened against her,
straightening to his full height as he clung tighter to her. The
tension in his body reached a whole new level, anger hummed through
him. The woman stopped walking; she lifted a dark eyebrow as she
studied them with amused disdain. She had the most stunning,
coldest eyes, Cassie had ever seen. They were the color of pure
molten gold as they shone brilliantly in the bright light of the
hall. Cassie had never seen anything like them before; they were
eerily beautiful, yet malicious. Those eyes landed upon Cassie,
pinning her to the spot as the full force of the woman’s hatred and
disgust blasted against her.

“Forgive me,” Devon breathed in her
ear.

Cassie glanced questioningly up at him,
but he was not looking at her. Forgive him? Forgive him for what,
she wondered in confusion.

His jaw was clenched tight, his emerald
eyes flashed with hostility. His gaze was focused intently upon the
beautiful woman, his body hard and stiff. “Isla.” His voice dripped
icy disdain.

The woman smiled slowly, seductively,
revealing her already extended fangs. “Hello lover,” she
purred.

The breath wheezed forcefully out of
Cassie, the beat of her heart stopped for a frantic moment as
uncertainty and hurt tore through her in equal measures. If his
hands hadn’t been clenched upon her, she would have fallen down.
Lover? Her gaze darted between them, pain snapped through her with
the force of lightning bolts.