It seemed as if she was falling forever, tumbling into an abyss that didn’t seem to have a bottom. She was just inches from the ground, inches from safety, when she felt it.

Horror boiled through her, shock caused her heart to skip a beat. Her entire body stiffened against the pain that exploded through her. The monster had grabbed for her again; he had tried to seize her once more. But this time he missed her hair, as his fingers had swung further down. His nails tore into her, opening her flesh, spilling her blood as they sliced deep into her neck.

She hit the ground, landing painfully upon her hip as she rolled away. Disbelief and terror filled her as she fumbled numbly at the vicious wound in her throat. Blood pooled over her fingers, it coursed swiftly down her arm to fall soundlessly upon the ground. Devon stopped in his charge at the monster, his eyes widened as he skidded to a halt near her. Astonishment filled his eyes as they met hers. He gazed at her for a long moment, dismay and fear blazing from him.

And then, to her complete horror, the beautiful emerald of his eyes became a violent shade of red as hunger blazed to fierce life within their bright depths.

CHAPTER 22

Devon froze, terror filling him as Cassie fell to the ground in a tumbled heap. Her hand shot up in a vain attempt to staunch the flow of blood that poured freely from the horrendous wound in her neck. It was a mortal wound, he knew that at once. If she didn’t get help, she would die.

Then, the scent of her blood hit him, slamming into him with the force of a sledgehammer. It knocked his reason from him, shoving aside all worry and panic over her safety as hunger and bloodlust burst through him. The scent of her blood in the open air was the most enticing thing he had ever come across. He could almost taste the power oozing from her as blood spilled uselessly, and wastefully, onto the forest floor. It was a temptation and treasure unlike any he had ever come across.

And there was so very much power in her; it permeated the air as it ran in tantalizing rivulets across her creamy skin.

Saliva rushed into his mouth, his teeth grew heavier and sharper as the driving urge to bite deep, draining her of all of that wonderful blood, seized hold of him. He took a step toward her, the bloodlust becoming a pounding frenzy inside of him. He knew exactly what she was now, knew the pleasure that her blood would give him, knew the strength that she would give to him. He had not drunk from a human in so very long, and she was more than human.

She was so wonderfully much more than human. There was nothing more delicious and powerful tasting than a Hunter.

He did not pause to think about the fact that the Hunter line was supposed to be extinct. Nor did he pause to wonder how he had not picked up on what she was before. All he could think about was savoring every last drop as he drained her dry. All he wanted was to ease the firestorm of thirst that burned through his veins leaving them pain filled, arid, and throbbing.

Her eyes widened in terror as he took another step toward her, his body thrummed in eager anticipation of the kill, and the fulfillment she would give to his long denied body. He could feel the weakening of her body overtaking her; feel the life force draining from her. There was no way that he could allow such a waste of power to occur.

“Devon,” she whispered, anguish and a sad acceptance filled her gaze. She closed her eyes, her hand pressed tighter to the gash as she desperately tried to stop the mortality pouring from her open vein.

“Scrumptious,” Julian whispered.

Devon turned as Julian came forward. He rushed past Devon, the frenzying scent of her blood taking control of him. Reality slammed back over Devon, crashing down with fierce brutality. This was Cassie, his Cassie. He had sworn to protect her from this evil, sworn to keep her safe no matter what the cost, and here he was about to rip her precious life away from her.

Bursting back into motion, he grasped hold of Julian’s shirt, ripping him backward. Julian bellowed with fury as he was flung across the clearing. The thick canopy of a tree shook as Julian bounced off of it. Julian rebounded quickly as he launched back to his feet, a fierce snarl escaped him.

Rage blasted from Julian in thick waves. He tore back across the clearing, heedless of the fact that he would have to get through Devon to get to her. Julian slammed into him, throwing them both back ten feet. The small pine they hit snapped in half, the jagged piece of it scraped down Devon’s back and ripped into his skin.

Julian beat and tore at him, frenzied to get at her. Devon seized hold of his throat, holding Julian away from him as he squeezed tight. Julian was lost to the throes of bloodlust, animalistic, wild and savage. His eyes were as red as laser beams, his face twisted into a murderous snarl. It was a state that a seasoned vampire rarely let take them over, as it meant giving up all control. And loss of control could be dangerous. When control was lost, a vampire could do anything, and often that was when the human population became aware of the demons lurking amongst them.

A vampire could be lost to the bloodlust for good, if they were not strong enough to pull out of it. At one point a vampire that was lost would have been destroyed by The Elder’s, but now except for Devon and Julian, The Elder’s had little to do with the rest of the world, and remained locked away. But the powerful scent of Cassie’s blood had been too much for Julian to handle. Hell, it had almost been too much for him to handle.

They scrambled upon the ground, pummeling each other as Julian tried to get back to Cassie, and Devon fought to keep him far away. Julian was crazed with his hunger, frantic, and deadly because of it. But Devon was determined to keep her safe, determined that she would survive this night. He would not lose her, if he did, he would not be able to endure it. With every cell in his body he knew that he would not survive her death, just as he knew that he would destroy everything, and everyone that ever tried to hurt her.

Julian drew his legs up under him, somehow getting them between their bodies. Using all of his vast strength, he shoved Devon forcefully off. Devon was thrown into the center of the clearing. Pain jarred through his body as he bounced across the hard ground. Cassie’s frightened cry echoed loudly in his over sensitized ears.

Ignoring every ache and pain, he launched himself back to his feet as Julian reached her. Cassie swung at him, but Devon could sense the weakness in her body, the life and strength draining swiftly from her. Terror and rage tore through him as Julian seized hold of her arm, ripping her toward him, a loud hiss of desire escaping him.

Devon sprang forward, seizing hold of Julian, and ripping him away from her seconds before his teeth sank into her delicate neck. Turning in midair, he twisted their bodies away from her, trying to keep her safe from the impact of their weight. They fell to the ground, bouncing across its surface mere inches from her. Julian seized hold of Devon’s neck, his hand wrapped tight around it. Using the palm of his hand, Devon slammed it into the bottom of Julian’s already broken nose. Fresh blood spilled forth causing Julian to howl in pain as he fell back.

Devon leapt to his feet, grabbing Julian by the shirt. Lifting him like a rag doll, he shook him fiercely. “Stay away from her!” he snarled viciously.

Julian’s fist connected with his cheek, staggering him back a few feet with the force of the blow. Bellowing with fury, determined to destroy the monster he had helped to create, Devon slammed his fist into Julian’s cheek. The sickening crunch of his cheekbone echoed loudly in the clearing. Julian’s half collapsed face twisted with fury and pain, his eyes burned with red fire.

He lashed out, panic and agony making him reckless and dangerous. His claws connected with Devon’s chin, the force of the blow staggered him slightly as blood spilled free. Grabbing hold of Julian, he picked him up and heaved him across the clearing once more. The large maple Julian collided with shook from the force of the blow, a large crack lanced up its thick trunk.

Julian landed head first on the ground, his legs above his head against the tree. He lay for a moment before falling away from the trunk. Staggering to his feet, he shook his head in disorientation. Shifting his stance, Devon kept his body protectively in front of Cassie as he waited for another charge. Julian took a step forward; his gaze darted briefly to Cassie, hunger and longing burned within the ruby red depths of his eyes. Then his gaze came back to Devon, anger, fear, and disgust flashed briefly across his distorted, beaten features. Though Julian still wanted her, the beating he had received seemed to have shaken him free of the bloodlust. He was back in control of his actions and thoughts.

Weighing the odds, Julian stood for a moment, his gaze darting between them. This fight would go to the death, and Julian would not win. They both knew that. Julian wanted Cassie fiercely, but he wanted to live even more. Julian had always been number one in his own book, always highest on himself. His own life and his love of himself were his two biggest motivators. Devon was relieved to realize that things had not changed. Though Devon was winning this fight, if it continued Cassie would probably bleed to death before Julian’s life was forfeit.

“Till next time.”

Julian turned and fled into the woods, becoming a blurring shimmer that disappeared swiftly within the trees. Not trusting Julian to stay away, Devon kept all of his senses honed for his presence as he turned back to Cassie. Julian was wounded and overpowered, but he was also reckless and hungry.

Taking a deep breath, Devon braced himself to get close to her again. He braced himself to withstand the enticing lure of her deliciously scented blood, and the power that it possessed. He tried hard to keep control of the fierce, hungry monster inside of him as he approached her slowly. She was scared enough, and confused enough, without seeing him turn back into the demon that he was.

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.