Kindled (Book 3 The Kindred Series) (28 page)

  
Chris snorted as he launched to his feet. “Or how about I
just kick all your asses o
n
Wii
?
”

   Cassie couldn’t help but grin at him as he strolled by, nudging her shoulder lightly. “Dream on,” she retorted.

***

  
Devon watched as the Caddy pulled into the driveway. Though he
hoped
that Cassie
was
not with them, he couldn’t suppress the small
glimmer of hope that filled him. Melissa and Luther climbed out of the vehicle, stretching their legs and backs
. He turned away from the window, his spirits crashing when he realized that Luther had listened to him and not brought Cassie along.

   He opened the door for them as they reached the porch. They both offered him tired smiles as they trudged inside. “How was the drive?” he asked softly, closing the door behind them.

   “Fine, long, but it was fine
,” Luther answered. “How are things going here?”

   “Long also,” he answered on a sigh. “I’m beginning to wonder if Julian’s even still in the area. Maybe Cassie killing Isla scared him
off
,
instead of making him even more determined.”

   Luther lifted a
n
eye
brow questioningly. “Do you really believe that?”

  
“I don’t know what to
believe,” he admitted
. “
I haven’t felt his presence
in a long time; there was only one new
murder
, the night after you left
.
I think he suspected that there was something off with Cassie, something different. He stopped me from helping her that night…”

   “He did what?” Luther interrupted sharply.

  
Devon paced anxiously, running his hand through his hair as he told Luther what Julian had done, and the words he had said. Luther stared at him, his eyes as wide as
an
owl
’
s behind his glasses. Melissa’s mouth was pinched tight, but she showed
no other reaction as she stood
rigidly by the door. “What does that mean?” Melissa asked when Devon was done speaking.

   “I don’t know,” Devon answered. “I don’t know if it means that he took off after seeing what she had done to Isla, but I doubt it. I think he would have been even more intrigued; think that he would have wanted to test her boundaries as much as possible to see what she was capable of. Or at least the Julian that I have always known would have, and I’m not inclined to think that he has changed any.”

   Luther pulled his glasses off, cleaning them as he stared at the floor. “You don’t think he followed us?”

   “I wouldn’t still
be here
if I did. No, he didn’t follow
her. I would have known if he had, and Annabelle would have sensed him by now. He is strong, but not strong enough to keep himself cloaked from her and Chris for that long. Besides,
there was that
one
other murder
the night after you left. However,
where he has gone since then, I don’t know.”

   They stared at him for a long moment, shifting uneasily as they glanced toward the door. “Maybe he is laying low in the hopes
that Cassie will return to
town.”

   Though Melissa said the words, he could tell that she did not believe him. “Maybe,” he agreed, though he didn
’
t believe it either. However there was no other explanation for Julian’s sudden
disappearance
, or at least not a better one than Melissa had offered. Besides, there was something he was more concerned about at the moment.
“
How is Cassie doing?”

   “As w
ell as can be expected, I guess,
”
Luther
mumbled.

   Melissa frowned slightly as she folded her arms,
her gaze moved
slowly over the house. Devon had given up his apartment,
preferring to
tak
e
up
residence in C
assie’s home in order to
keep an eye on Chris’s mom.
He also felt closer to
Cassie in her home
, he could still smell her here, still touch the things that had meant so much to her.
“Melissa?” he inquired softly.

   Her onyx
eyes
met his, her mouth pressed tight in a compressed li
ne. “She’s miserable,” she admitted
softly. “I know Cassie,
and
she can take a lot, but she’s had more shoved at h
er in the past month then
anyone
should ever have to handle. She’s lost, she’s confused, and she needs you.”

   Devon blinked in surprise, startled to hear Melissa
speak so openly about Cassie’s emotions and what she was going through.
He was also wounded by the truth and pain that resonated behind her words.
“Melissa,”
Luther said reproachfully
.

  
Melissa waved a slender hand looking
slightly aggravated. “
I k
now this is what has to be done.
I
t just sucks,” she muttered.

   Devon thought that summed it up perfectly.
“But she’ll be ok
,
right?” he asked nervously, wishing that he could be there with her, hating the fact that she was in pain, lost, and confused.

   “
Yes
,” Melissa said softly. “She wanted me to give
you this.”
   Melissa pulled a
letter
from her pocket,
and handed
it over to him. Devon took it,
catching the lingering scent of
Cassie upon it
as
he fingered the white envelope a moment
before slipping it into his pocket.
He wished that it was her he was holding, but until this mess was cleared up that was not to be. “Thank you. Did you get more books?”

   Luther nodded, but he didn’t look happy
. “There’s slim hope of them tell
ing
us anything Devon.”

   Devon
sighed softly as he ran a hand through his disordered hair. “I know
, the one’s I have here are useless, but there is
still
some
hope
.”

   “
I suppose so.
”

   The sound of Liam’s foots
teps turned their heads to the
stairs. He offered up a small smile as he stepped off the stairs, his hair
was
tussled and
still damp from his sho
wer. “How is Annabelle
?” he inquired softly.

   “
Annabelle is doing well
,”
Luther answered. “Think everyone
else
is starting to go a little stir crazy though.”

   Liam grinned. “Yeah, I imagine so.”

   “
You staying
the night?” Devon
asked.

   Luther nodded, glancing briefly at Melissa. “Neither of us is ready for another seven hours in the car.”

   “Don’t blame you. Want some dinner?”

  
“Sounds good.”

   Devon turned
to move into the kitchen when he noticed that Melissa had frozen. She was as stiff as a block of ice, her face slack,
and
her eyes distant and unseeing. A chill of apprehension raced down his spine, the hair on the back of his neck stood on end. He reached for her, but Luther seized
hold of his arm
,
stopping him.

   Luther’s face was tight, his eyes hard
as he shook his head at Devon
. “Cassie,” Devon whispered
in terror
.

   Melissa gasped suddenly; staggering back
,
she hit the wall before she fell to the floor. Her wide eyes met his, the horror in them confirming his worst fear.

***

   Cassie glanced up from her book, staring
out across the silent clearing. The sun filtering through the bare branches cast dancing shadows across the snow covered ground. She didn’t know what had caught her attention until she realized that the woods had
gone
completely silent. The squirrels no longer
moved about
in
the
trees
, the birds had all stopped singing.

   A
chill began to make its way through her.
A chill that had nothing to do with the cold day.
Slowly, afraid that any su
dden movement might draw an atta
c
k
, Cassie placed the book down. She studied the woods, her eyes darting rapidly over the thick trees. No
thing moved amongst the shadowy
interior
.

   The creak of the door caught her attention as Dani came onto the porch. “What are you doing?” she asked quietly.

   “I was reading, but…”
   “But what?” Dani inquired when Cassie broke off.

   “But something’s not right,” she said softly. “We need to go back inside. Where are Chris and Annabelle?”

  
Dani glanced swiftly around the woods, fear flash
ed
across her face. “Chris is playing a video game and I think Annabelle is still asleep.”

   Cassie stood slowly, managing a wan smile as she edged slowly toward Dani. “Are you sure something is out there Cassie? It is daylight.”

   “Not all of our enemy’s are
the un
dead. Go on Dani, get inside.”

  
Cassie edged toward the door, nudging Dani lightly as she moved. In her pocket she felt her phone begin to vibrate. Keeping her eyes on the woods, she pulled it out of her pocket, relieved to see Devon’s name on the screen. She pulled it out, flipping it open. “Hello,” she said sof
tly
.

   “Where are you?” the growled demand made her skin crawl.

   “I’m at the cabin
,
of course,” she said lightly,
trying hard to keep
her
fear from him as she
focused on the silent forest.

   “You need to get
Chris and Annabelle
,
and get
out of there now
.
Right
now.
”

   Cassie shivered in fear. Melissa must be with him, she must have had a vision, and if Melissa had a vision…

  
Cassie shud
dered again, her hand tightened
around the phone. If Melissa had received a vision, then
it
was probably already too late
.
Cassie tried hard not to panic; Melissa’s visions had been thwarted before
,
it was possible this one could be stopped too.

   “Devon,” she whispered terror choking her voice as his words completely sank in
.
O
r
,
actually,
his
lack thereof
.
A sudden blooming knowledge dawned over her, encompassing her, leaving her hollow and shaken.
She realized now that t
here was one name he hadn
’
t mentioned.
Closing her eyes she took a deep, calming breath. “I love you.”

   “Cassie…”

   His words were cut off as she spun suddenly,
l
aunch
ing
at Dani
.
She realized only to late her mistake. She should have gone the other way, should have tried to get off the porch instead of confronting Dani head on. For Dani had been prepared for Cassie,
whereas
Cassie had not been prepared for
her
.

   The jolt from the
taser
gun slammed into her shoulder, knocking
her back
a good
five feet before
she fell
into the wall.
Her body jerked
with
spasm
s
as bolts of electricity pound
ed
into her. Pain exploded through her, blood filled her mouth as she bit down hard on her tongue.

   The jolts suddenly stopped. Cassie slumped to the ground, unable
to move as her body went limp with relief. Her fingers clawed at the wood of the porch, she tried to form a coherent word, tried to get her body to move again, but her limbs simply didn
’
t want to cooperate with her frazzled mind. She couldn’t even
gather her wits enough to
feel the outrage she knew she should feel
.