"Cassie?"
She lifted her head and tried to blink Devon into focus as she fully realized that she had died. That she was no longer breathing, that she could no longer feel her heart beating in her chest. Panic shot through her, terror consumed her as she staggered backward. She nearly tripped over her own feet as strange noises escaped her.
"Cassie!" Devon grabbed hold of her as Zane and Robert charged at them. Devon enfolded her as he turned her away from them. But they didn't come back at the two of them, instead they blurred as they split off at the last second. Zane seized hold of Anastasia and dragged her with him for a few steps. She remained wooden in his grasp, her feet immobile and her face still blank as Devon kept control of her mind. Zane grimaced as he released her and fled into the woods with his minions. Anastasia remained at the edge of the woods, staring blankly into the forest.
"What? Why?" Cassie panted as The Elders disappeared amongst the trees. Cassie was baffled by their sudden retreat, they might not understand what she was, but the odds were still in their favor, still on their side. "Dev..."
She didn't get his name out of her mouth before a searing pain shredded her back. A scream boiled up her throat, but came out only as an awful gurgling noise that barely escaped her. She felt as if her skin was being seared off of her back. Agony tore through her as her legs gave out; the smell of smoke hit her at the same time that a scream finally tore from her throat.
Devon cursed loudly, and swung her easily into his arms as he began to run. Cassie slumped against him, too engulfed in agony to attempt to escape from it. Devon ate up the ground toward the store in rapid strides that barely jostled her. Over Devon's shoulder she spotted Matthew unsteadily climbing back to his feet. His back was flayed open and blood covered him as he staggered toward the woods and fell over again. She attempted to shout at him to run, but the words choked in her throat as he crawled out of sight.
A loud wail filled the air. Over Devon's shoulder she spotted Anastasia still standing by the woods as the first rays of the sun hit her. Though she continued to scream, she didn't move as the sun turned her body to ash.
Cassie's head tipped back against Devon's shoulder as coolness suddenly embraced her. She was immediately enveloped by dismay and grief as she realized that the awful torment she'd felt on her back had come from the rays of the sun.
CHAPTER 6
Devon stood by the window as he stared at the vibrant glow of the day. Cassie was still asleep, lying on her stomach on a roll of blankets that Luther had gathered. Devon, Melissa, and Chris had gathered snow from outside and packed it onto the burn marks that had marred her delicate skin. Julian, Liam, and Annabelle had managed to flee to safety before the sun hit them, but he stupidly hadn't realized that Cassie would also have to escape the sun now.
He should have known better, she never should have been injured; her life never should have been in jeopardy. There were only two vampires that could withstand the daylight, himself and Zane. He should have gotten her to safety before the sun burned her so badly, but he still couldn't quite fathom the fact that she was a vampire. That she was with him from here on out, that she was his for eternity.
Or she would have been anyway, if things had gone right. But things hadn't gone right. He knew that, he could see it as clearly as the rest of them could. It was far more than just her eyes that were wrong and different. It was her. He just didn't know how fundamentally different she was, yet.
Devon moved away from the window as she stirred. Everyone's attention instantly turned to her, no one moved, no one even breathed. Devon knelt by her side and touched her shoulder carefully. Though her skin was still red, the welts and deep burn marks were already healed. Devon had slipped a flannel shirt onto her backwards so that if she sat up suddenly she would be covered, but her back was clear of all clothing.
She stirred again and a small moan escaped her. "Cassie." He brushed her hair back from her face and shoulders.
She turned toward him and her eyes opened slowly. His mouth parted, relief and joy filled him as her eyes met his; they were slightly unfocused but they finally settled upon him. He was unable to find words as he gazed into those beautiful eyes. The startling azure color, the one that reminded him of a perfect summer day was back. The deep amethyst flecks that were speckled through them shone brilliantly in the shadows of the store room.
"Cassie," he whispered.
She smiled sleepily up at him as her delicate hand curled around his. "What happened?"
Devon swallowed heavily as he wrapped both of his hands around hers. "The sun."
Her delicate brow furrowed in confusion. "The sun?"
"Yes love, the sun."
Realization dawned in her spectacular eyes as tears bloomed within them. "I see."
"Cassie..."
She shook her head as she rapidly blinked back her tears. "It's ok. It's ok."
Before he could stop her, she braced her arms beneath her and shoved herself up. Devon grasped hold of the edges of her shirt, careful to avoid the burns that still marred her skin as he held it in place. Though he knew that she was probably one of the most powerful beings he'd ever encountered, he was struck by how fragile and lost she appeared now.
"Cassie..."
"I'm fine, really."
"Let me help you."
He held the shirt and grasped hold of her arm as he helped her to her feet. She shuffled to the bathroom and disappeared inside. He waited impatiently by the door, his arms folded over his chest as he listened to the sound of running water. Julian appeared amongst the rows of shelves, some of which had been toppled over and destroyed. Their contents had scattered across the store and created a rattling symphony sometimes when people walked.
"What happened to the shelves?" Devon inquired.
Julian's electric blue eyes were vivid in the illumination that filtered from the coolers. The white bands around his pupils dilated. "She was dead Devon. She died in my arms."
Devon shuddered as he recalled the shattering that had radiated through him when he'd felt Cassie's life force vacate her body. He hadn't felt it return when she'd reawakened, either because he had been so engulfed by vengeance, or because what had come back wasn't the same Cassie that had left. That perhaps it wasn't the Cassie that his mind was connected to, that his soul was bound to.
He wasn't sure what had risen up to take the place of the Cassie he cherished, but no matter what he was going to keep her safe, and she was going to stay by his side. "I see," Devon murmured.
"It wasn't a pleasant moment. I lost my temper, as did you."
Devon snorted in response as he ran a hand through his distorted hair. "That's putting it mildly."
Devon straightened away from the wall as the door to the bathroom creaked open. The shirt was far too large on her; she had to roll the sleeves up multiple times in order to get them to stay off of her hands. She glanced between them as she fidgeted with the edges of the overlong sleeves.
"My eyes are no different," she stated.
"Not right now, no," Devon agreed.
She frowned at him as she chewed on her bottom lip. "They have been red before."
"Not like this Cass."
Her frown deepened as she fidgeted even more with her sleeves and glanced away from them. "I don't understand."
"Neither do we," Julian said softly.
Devon shot him an angry look. She was confused and flustered enough without Julian adding to her troubles. Julian shrugged in response, but he appeared sheepish as he shoved his hands in his pockets. "How are you feeling?" Devon asked.
Cassie still didn't meet their eyes as she stared at the ceiling, the shelves, and finally the floor. "Fine."
"Are you hungry?"
She finally met his gaze. "Hungry?"
Julian glanced nervously at Devon. It almost seemed as if she had a concussion. He knew that the change could be dramatic, frightening, and more than a little disorienting but he didn't recall being like this. "Hungry Cassie, hungry,
" Julian prodded.
Her attention turned to the rows of coolers; her eyes absently searched their contents. "No, I'm not hungry."
"Not that kind of hunger Cass," Devon said kindly.
Her eyes shot back to his and then her gaze cleared and a small laugh escaped her. "Of course," she breathed. She shook her head as she grinned up at him. Devon's heart melted, for the first time since she'd been changed, he didn't feel alarm over what she'd become. Because standing before him now was Cassie, his Cassie the one he knew and loved so very much. "I'm an idiot. No, I'm not hungry."
"Are you sure?"
"I'm not a child either. I'm not hungry." Devon's skin prickled. Her shoulders slumped as she ran her hand through her tussled hair. "Sorry," she murmured. "I'm fine, please stop worrying about me. I'm fine right now."
Julian quirked an eyebrow as he exchanged a look with Devon. Devon was fairly certain that Cassie knew she wasn't fine, but for now she was holding it together and that was all they could ask for.
"This was what I wanted after all." Her gaze came back to him, and for the first time he didn't see any confusion or doubt in her gaze. She slipped her hand into his and smiled reassuringly. "I wanted this, and I said that I would deal with the consequences of it."
Devon savored in the feel of her silken skin. Her hand was cooler to the touch now, but it didn't fail to send heat through his body. "Consequences?" Julian asked.
"There are always consequences aren't there?" Cassie inquired.
"Well yes, but what are those consequences?"
She shook her head as her eyes became distant. "I don't know. Matthew saw different paths, different things..." She broke off; her hand squeezed his as a shudder tore through her. "I don't think he made it."
Devon shook his head as he pulled her closer a step. He'd searched for Matthew with Chris, but though they hadn't gone far he'd seen no sign of the mutilated Elder, not even a blood trail. "I don't think so either," he told her.
She frowned as sadness crept over her features. "It's probably for the best. He wasn't like them; he was broken, and so sad. He saw so many things I could become."
"What do you mean?" Devon asked quietly.
Her forehead furrowed as she shook her head. "It was awful, all of his visions, all of them. They filled my head and I saw what he has seen, I saw it all."
Her gaze slid past Julian. For the first time Devon realized that the others had crept closer to listen to what she had to say, to learn what it was that she had become. "You might as well come closer," she told them. "All of you should hear this."
CHAPTER 7
"What did you see?" Melissa inquired. "And does this mean that you have visions now?"
Melissa's onyx eyes were hopeful, but Cassie couldn't give her the answer she hoped for, simply because Cassie didn't entirely know what she was capable of. Not anymore. Instead, she avoided the question and hesitatingly told them what she'd seen when Matthew touched her. For the first part, she was able to look them in the eyes, but when she began to speak about the blood and horror she'd seen she couldn't hold their gazes.
She began to roll and unroll the sleeves of her shirt as she looked around the store. No one spoke, no one moved, but she could hear the increased pounding of their hearts. The rapid beat of their pulses triggered a strange response in her. At first she couldn't place it, didn't know what it was, and then she felt a strange tingling in her mouth.
Searching for an explanation, she ran her tongue over her teeth. She was startled to realize that her canines had elongated, the points of them were sharp and aching as she experimentally pressed her tongue against them. The tingling increased as her mouth began to water. Closing her eyes, she shuddered as she curled her fingers into her shirt and tried to shut out the sound of their pulsating hearts and flowing blood. Her hearing and eyesight had always been exceptional, but she'd never heard hearts and flowing blood like this before.
She turned away from them as she fought against the burning growing inside her. "Cassie?"
She waved Devon away when he took a step toward her. Shuddering, she clasped her hands as she grappled to retain control of herself. Perhaps she should have answered differently when Devon had asked her if she was hungry, perhaps she should have realized that she wasn't as stable and in control of herself as she'd thought. She didn't know how she felt about anything anymore, which way was up and which way was down. She most certainly didn't understand the strange new urges and sensations that were driving her.
She didn't even know what the hell she was anymore.
She took a deep breath, but panic filled her when she didn't feel her lungs expand with the reassuring rush of air filling them. She almost started to scream, almost completely unraveled then and there. She needed fresh air, needed to be outside, but she couldn't breathe, and she couldn't go outside.
The sun was her enemy now.
She began to shake as she fought back tears. Devon grasped hold of her arms and pulled her against him. He wrapped his hand around her head and pulled it into his shoulder as he held her. "It will pass, it will pass. Just relax love. It will be ok. Liam get me some blood."
Cassie couldn't stop the small moan that escaped her, her fingers dug into Devon's back. Her stomach twisted eagerly in response to the word and the image that it conjured. Devon pushed her back a step and turned on the light as he maneuvered her into the bathroom. She kept trying to breathe, she felt that if she could simply breathe she would feel better, but it was futile. Devon cradled her closer; he buried his head in her hair as he swayed her comfortingly back and forth.
A muffled knock on the door distracted him; he opened it and took something from someone. She listened as he closed the door again, a tearing sound filled the air, and then the sweet smell of something hit her. She knew what the smell was, knew what it meant as a rushing wave of thirst assailed her.
"It's necessary that you drink this." Cassie kept her eyes closed as she fought against the dread crushing her. "Cassie, please, it will make you feel better. You have to do this."
Tears burned her eyes. What was wrong with her? She had craved this and now that she had it she was acting like a child. A confused, frightened, child. "What's wrong with me?" she choked out.
Devon grasped hold of her chin and lifted her face to his. "Look at me."
Cassie steeled herself and opened her eyes. His beautiful emerald eyes filled her vision, his fingers stroked over her face as his gaze searched her. "It's the shock," he told her. "It's an awful shock, but you will survive this. I swear."
The tears slipped down her face as she was acutely reminded of the reason she had coveted this so badly. It was him. It would always be him! For him she could do anything, including drinking blood, including giving up the sun, including quite possibly becoming a monster. He bent to kiss her tears away.
"I'll survive this," she promised.
He smiled tremulously as he bent to kiss her again. "Yes. Take this."
Her hand shook as he slipped the bag of blood into it. The tingling in her mouth increased, a small groan escaped her as she felt her canines spring free. She almost recoiled, almost threw the bag aside, but the twisting discomfort in her stomach and veins caused her hands to clamp down on it instead. "Devon," she groaned.
"It will make you feel better, more in control, and it will ease the pain."
Her hands shook as she lifted the bag. She stared at the blood, repulsed and ravenous all at once. The hunger won out over the revulsion as she seized hold of the bag and drained it in one greedy gulp. She thought that it would be awful, thought that she would hate it, but it was the most delicious thing she'd ever tasted.
Seeming to sense her thoughts, Devon tore open another bag and handed it to her. She drained seven more bags before finally beginning to feel more in control, more like herself. She shook off Devon as he tried to hand her another bag. "No, I'm good." She melded into his embrace as she sought solace in his loving arms. "Will it always be like this?"
&nb
sp; "No, you will gain more control of yourself. You are still new, you're body is still adjusting and going through the transition. It takes a little while, but soon you will be able to control yourself better, soon you will recognize your hunger before the need gets out of control. You must remember that you are different too. You are the first Hunter to make this change, and you were brought through the transition by Elder blood and Hunter blood. No one has done that before, you're body is pulsing with a lot of power right now. I think that is why the sun burned you so quickly and badly. You have to take things slow and realize that it will not come to you overnight."
"Do you think that is why I can absorb powers too?"
Devon was thoughtful, his eyes distant. "I don't know Cass; it's a learning curve for all of us right now. But is that what you feel like you're doing, absorbing powers?"
Cassie thought over what it had been like, what she had known she could do, without ever having done it. From the moment she had felt Julian's power seep into her upon waking, giving her the knowledge of The Elders powers, and Devon's possession of two of them, she had known that she had become a sponge of sorts. It had been a rushing thrill unlike anything she'd ever known. Though she felt more in control of herself now, more rational and human, she knew that the power was still lingering beneath the surface, waiting to absorb more.
"Yes, I believe so. Somehow, touching a person gives me insight into what they are able to do. I absorb that power into myself along with the knowledge of how to use it. Absolute power..."
"No Cassie," he said as his hands clasped her face.