Ashes (The Kindred #2)

Ashes (The Kindred #2) Page 23

Reacting on pure instinct Cassie swung up and slammed the soap dispenser into the side of his face. Soap and plastic bits exploded over them as his assault was knocked off balance, his grip on her jarred. Scrambling to get away, Cassie tore free of his grasp, darting to the side as she attempted to escape. Scuttling swiftly, she realized her folly only too late. The soap had poured all over the floor making the hard linoleum dangerously slippery.

Her heels skidded through it, her arms pin wheeled as she fought desperately to keep her balance, but it was too late. With a startled cry she fell backwards, crashing to the floor with enough force to knock the breath from her. Stunned, Cassie shook her head, trying to clear it of the waves of pain suffusing her. Her tailbone screamed in agony, pieces of glass sliced into her hands as she sprawled inelegantly across the coated floor.

Dismay filled her as her heart sank. Maybe if she had stayed on her feet, maybe if she had been able to get to the door, she might have had a chance at escape. She wouldn’t be able to do so now. Shoving it all aside, she rolled to the side, not caring that her dress became covered in the slippery liquid and torn by the shards of glass. She had to keep moving, it was her only hope, a small one, but it was all she had. As she moved, she kicked off her heels, ridding herself of the hindrance, and hazard, they caused.

Julian recovered swiftly from the blow she had given him. She lifted herself to her feet, but remained crouching as she rested her wounded hand lightly on the cold linoleum. She froze as she met his intense, heated gaze. Through the hunger and annoyance, she saw his amusement, saw how very much he was enjoying toying with her. Playing with her. He was going to drag this out for as long as possible, and he was going to enjoy every second of it. Though she was bleeding, the scent of her blood did not seem to send him into a frenzy this time as his eyes remained their crystalline blue color.

For a moment she could not move, she could only stare at him as despair and anger crashed over her in conflicting waves. She was not ready for this; it was not her time to die.

“You are a feisty one,” he said softly, his voice a gentle hiss. “No wonder Devon wants you so bad.” Cassie moved slightly, not wanting to draw his attack quite yet as she tried to adjust herself into a better position. “I’m going to enjoy taking you away from him.”

She froze, trapped by his gaze. Realization crashed into her, shaking her. “That’s what this is all about,” she breathed. “That’s why you’re here. We didn’t draw you in, he did.”

Julian grinned at her, flashing his perfect white teeth as his fangs cut into his bottom lip slightly. Even with soap dripping off the side of his face, he was hauntingly beautiful and perfect. Kneeling slowly before her, he rested his hands lightly on the floor, his eyes twinkling with merriment.

“Yes love, that’s what this, is about. Or at least that’s why it started. Now I have decided that I want you. I want to keep you, and break you, and parade you around in front of Devon because when I get into you, I won’t let you go. You won’t even know who he is by the time I’m done with you. Your mind will be mine. You will be mine.”

She shook her head, unable to speak as his words brought forth a rolling horror that she could not escape. “No, no I would never forget him. I would never allow you to do that to me,” she breathed.

His grin widened. “You’re so cute,” he taunted. “You actually think that you would have a choice, but you won’t. I wouldn’t allow it. For eternity you will be at my every beck and call. You will do everything that I want you to do. And I do mean everything.”

Bile surged up her throat, images of what he would do to her smashed through her brain. Grabbing hold of her pride, and her strength, Cassie tilted her chin defiantly as she met his gaze. “I’d rather die.”

A short bark of laughter escaped him as he leaned slightly forward, his body coiled for attack. “I won’t make that mistake princess.”

She glared fiercely at him, her lip curled in disgust. “Don’t call me princess.”

Leaping easily to her feet, she darted to the side, running a swift zigzag pattern toward the door. Toward escape and freedom. Toward the only hope of salvation she had. She no longer cared if he killed her, for that would be far better than the alternative he had planned.

He was right on her heels, so close that she could feel the heat of his body. Spinning, she darted swiftly to the left, just managing to avoid him as he rushed past her. A growl of fury escaped him as he slid to halt. Darting back a few feet, she easily avoided the puddle of soap and debris as she rushed toward the stalls.

They offered her no protection, she was not foolish enough to think they did, but the longer she stayed free of Julian the longer she stayed alive. Her evasion of him might also infuriate him to the point that he did kill her by accident, instead of seizing control of her mind and body like he had threatened. There would be nothing worse. Nothing.

The door slammed off the wall as she lunged into one of the stalls, she didn’t bother to attempt to lock it. What would be the point? Leaping onto the toilet, she threw her hands on top of the stall; ignoring the sharp pain the motion caused her torn and wounded hands. She catapulted herself into the next stall as Julian slammed into the door, causing the metal to shriek in protest as it twisted and bent beneath the force of his impact.

Cassie kept moving, leaping her way over the stalls, heading back toward the door. A roar followed her, Julian’s frustration and anger became palpable in the bathroom. Reaching the last stall, she leapt easily over it, swinging her legs wide of the soap puddle. He was on her, coming at her with the rushing force of a locomotive.

Cassie ran as fast as she could, but it was not fast enough, nowhere near fast enough. He was far too powerful for her, far to hell bent on destroying her and Devon. The door was mere feet away when his arms encircled her. His iron tight grasp knocked the breath from her as he squeezed hard. A rib cracked, a cry of pain and terror tore from her as his hands dug into her, tearing through the fabric of her dress, slicing her skin. This was it; this was the way that it was all going to end.

She wasn’t ready; she so very much was not ready for this. Her thoughts turned to Devon, sadness consumed her as all of her dreams from earlier shattered. Her heart broke at the thought of leaving him, of losing him.

Cassie tried to dig her feet in, tried to stop Julian’s attack, but it was useless as his violent rush propelled them toward the door.

CHAPTER 15

Devon skidded around the corner of the hall, not losing a step as he raced forward. His body thrummed with dread, his skin crawled with fear. He couldn’t move any faster, yet it was not fast enough. Not nearly fast enough. Too much time had passed; she had been alone with Julian for far too long. And he knew that she was with Julian, she had to be. Only Julian could have inspired the amount of terror that was radiating from her.

Devon tried not to think about the many things that Julian could have done to her already. Things that Devon could never fix. His skin crawled as he flew down the hall. The bathroom was right there, just out of reach, but so very close.

The door shattered outward, wood splintered as the door was forced to go in a direction it was not designed to. Cassie and Julian tumbled out of the wreckage; they bounced off the wall before slamming onto the floor. Shock tore through him as he moved. Cassie lurched up, trying to rip free of Julian’s grasp, but he clung tight to her. Swinging around, her fist connected with his cheek, snapping his head to the side.

The scent of her blood, soap, and terror hung heavy in the air but Devon had prepared himself for the scent of her blood this time. Instead of the smell sending him into a bloodlust again, it only served to enrage him further. He would destroy Julian for hurting her; destroy him for even daring to touch her. Julian also seemed to have prepared himself for the scent of her blood this time. Instead of becoming wild and crazed with his need to get at her, he remained in complete control of himself as he reached for Cassie again.

Scrambling forward, Cassie was nearly free of him when Julian reached out, snagged hold of her ankle, and jerked her back. With a startled cry, she fell to the floor, her chin bouncing off the ground with a sharp crack as her hands gave out. Devon winced for her as the sound of her teeth crashing together reached him. She screamed as Julian pulled her toward him. Turning onto her back, she kicked forcefully out. Devon was momentarily stunned by the force of her blow. He knew Julian’s strength, knew his powers, and what he was capable of. But the force of her blow jerked his head back, the crack of his jaw resonated loudly as Julian growled in pain. Though she connected hard, he did not let go of her.

Devon roared, his bellow of fury echoing throughout the halls of the school. Cassie’s head whipped toward him, her relief was palpable; her fear nearly choked him. Julian looked up, his eyes widening as a small smile curved his mouth.

Releasing Cassie, he leapt gracefully to his feet. Devon bounded over top of her, seizing hold of Julian’s throat as he slammed into him. For the first time in over a century he fully released the beast that he had been struggling to keep locked away. It tore free of him with a savage intensity that was more of a relief than he wanted to acknowledge. He would annihilate Julian, not only for hurting her, but for daring to touch her at all. All reason fled, his humanity vanished as the monster in him took complete control and his lust for the kill sprang forth.

The metal of the lockers twisted and folded, bending beneath their weights with a tortured screech. Growls filled the air as they tore at each other with the frenzy of wild animals. Devon was so infuriated, so enraged that he did not feel the blow that sliced through his side, spilling his blood. Nor did Julian slow when Devon shattered his arm against the water cooler in the hall.

Cassie crab crawled backward, desperate to escape as Julian’s grip was torn free. She watched in horror, her heart leaping into her throat as Devon collided with him, smashing him into the lockers. The growls and roars that filled the air caused the hair on the back of her neck to stand up. Though she knew she should flee, she found herself unable to move as she watched the brutal fight in horror.

She had never seen so much violence and hatred. They tore at each other with the frenzy she associated with sharks when they smelled blood. The copper scent of blood filled the air, but neither of them slowed in their assault, neither stopped. They were hell bent on killing each other.

She couldn’t move, couldn’t even breathe. It was like watching a train wreck, but this wreck involved the love of her life, a person that she did not even recognize right now. His eyes were red with murderous intent, his face twisted into a brutal snarl. His long canines, fangs even longer than Julian’s, extended past his lower lip as he tore at Julian. She did not know this person, but she did know that he would kill for her. That what he wanted right now was to destroy and mutilate for her.

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.