Kindled

“No Julian,” Cassie said softly, tugging sharply on his hand. “We need her to get out of here.”



Dani’s nostrils flared as she grasped the unstated threat behind Cassie’s statement. Once they were free, there were no promises. Cassie stared hard at her. “Let’s go,” Dani said softly.



Though Julian used his own feet, he still leaned on her shoulder as they continued forward. Cassie did not miss the fact that he had pulled away from Dani, but continued to watch her wearily. They reached a set of elevators, but Dani turned away from them, heading to the right. Cassie stared at the silver doors for a moment before Julian tugged her forward.



“We need to use the stairs,” Dani explained in a hushed voice. “I don’t trust the elevator to stay working.”



They followed her down the hall until they reached a set of swinging doors. Dani fumbled with the keys again, unlocking the doors with a shaky hand before shoving through them. Flights of stairs wound their way steeply up. Cassie’s eyes widened as she stared up the twisting mess before them. She was exhausted, still slightly drugged, and every muscle in her body ached from dragging Julian, but she could do this. She would do this.



Staggering slightly, she helped Julian forward as Dani quickly relocked the doors. Her hand grasped hold of the banister as Julian rested his other hand against the wall. Working together she was able to lead him swiftly up the first two flights before the strain began to truly weigh on her. She struggled up the next flight before tripping over a step.



With a soft cry, she fell forward smashing her knees off of the landing. Pain lanced through her, but she shoved it aside as she tried hard not to let it get the best of her. Julian grasped hold of her arm, helping to pull her back up. “You can do this princess,” he hissed in her ear.



She glanced sharply at him, her eyes narrowed slightly. “Don’t call me princess,” she hissed back.



His familiar grin flitted over his handsome features, his eyes sparked with amusement. “Come on,” Dani urged, hurrying swiftly back to them. “There’s only one more flight.”



Cassie bit on her bottom lip, her hands clenched as she shoved herself back to her feet, trying hard not to succumb to the pain threatening to engulf her. Julian kept hold of her arm as they struggled up the last flight of stairs. Dani hesitated at the top to peer out the window in the large metal door that blocked their way.



Taking a deep breath, Dani set her shoulders as she fumbled to get the keys out of her pocket. Cassie watched impatiently as Dani shakily inserted them into the lock and turned the key. They waited breathlessly as she pulled the door slowly open, peeking out. “I think it’s safe,” she whispered.



Dani opened the door more and slid through it, she waited for Cassie and Julian to join her on the other side. Cassie’s eyes widened, her breath exploded from her in shock as she took in the locker lined hallways. They were in a school. “What the hell?” Julian demanded.



“Cedarville school,” Dani answered softly.



“Where the hell is Cedarville?” Cassie inquired sharply.



“Upstate New York.”



Cassie’s eyebrows furrowed as she glanced rapidly up and down the halls. “You put that monstrosity down there beneath a school?” she grated.



Dani quirked an eyebrow, anger flitted briefly over her features. “I didn’t put it anywhere!” Dani retorted. “And I think we had better get free of here before we have this conversation, don’t you?”



Cassie glared fiercely back at her, her hands fisted as she fought the urge to punch Dani in her traitorous face. Julian grasped hold of her arm, shaking his head warningly at her. “Not here.”



She glanced at him, her hands relaxing slightly as she nodded briefly. Dani was watching them in wide eyed fascination, her gaze darted wildly between the two of them as her mouth parted slightly. “What are you staring at?” Julian snarled, stepping protectively in front of Cassie.



Cassie reached out to touch his arm seeking to soothe some of the rage she sensed building rapidly within him. Julian relaxed slightly, as some of the tension eased from him. Dani’s eyes widened upon her, doubt and horror crept into her gaze. Cassie knew what Dani saw, knew that she thought Cassie was betraying Devon, but she couldn’t bring herself to care what Dani thought of her. She didn’t care about Dani at all. Not anymore. Cassie tilted her chin defiantly; she glared back at Dani with disgust and hatred.



Dani’s mouth snapped shut as she shook her head. “Come on, we need to get out of here before they find us.”



Cassie didn’t know if Dani meant the monsters that had held them captive, or if there were other creatures like the one that had tried to get into her room running around. Either way she didn’t care, she just wanted to be free. She followed silently behind as Dani crept cautiously down the hall, past the lockers, and empty classrooms. Julian was able to move on his own now, but he stayed close to Cassie, his arm brushing lightly against hers as they moved. They turned a corner, hurrying past a silent gym before making their way into a small cafeteria.



They were halfway through the tables when the hair on the back of Cassie’s neck stood on end and a shiver of terror wracked her. She froze, her gaze scanned rapidly over the darkened tables and benches. Julian turned back as he stopped in front of her. “Cassie!” Julian hissed.



“There’s something here,” she whispered back.



He stepped closer to her, his eyes flashing briefly red as he scanned the room. “Where?”



She shook her head, turning helplessly back to him. She couldn’t see any threat in the room, but she knew that it was there, stalking them. She could feel it amongst the shadows, lurking, waiting to pounce upon them. Dani was impatiently waiting for them a few feet away. Cassie shook her head slowly, trying to rid herself of the feeling but unable to shake it.



And then, she knew.



Ever so slowly, she tilted her head back. Her heart hammered in trepidation, her mouth instantly went dry. A gasp of shock escaped her when she spotted the thing amongst the beams; its red eyes gleamed down at her as it watched them in hungry fascination. Julian seized hold of her arm, shoving her out of the way as the thing launched itself from the beams with an eager growl.



Cassie’s hip slammed into the corner of a table, the chairs skidded away from it as pain exploded through her. Julian seized hold of the creature’s throat as it landed upon him. Flipping the monster over his head, he threw it easily away from him. It flew a good ten feet through the air before crashing into one of the tables. It offered a soft grunt as it bounced off of the table before disappearing into the darkness again. Julian turned toward the creature as it scurried into the shadows. It darted swiftly through the benches and tables with an inhuman agility that stole Cassie’s breath from her and left her shaken and horrified.



Dani moved closer to them, huddling by Cassie’s side as they all followed the creature’s fervent movement through the dark. A bench was knocked aside, and then it seemed to disappear once more. Julian took a step closer to her, blocking her with his large frame. “Stay close!” he commanded.



A table to their left skidded slightly backward causing Cassie to jump in surprise. Dani’s shoulder brushed against her side. Cassie fought the urge to push her away, but Dani was the only reason they had even made it this far. No matter how cruel Dani had been to them, Cassie could not bring herself to be so vindictive to the frightened girl.



A shadow reared up out of the night as it launched itself at them. A scream caught in Cassie’s throat as it snagged hold of Dani’s arm, an eager hiss escaped it. Dani screamed loudly, throwing her hands up in a useless attempt to dislodge the creature. Cassie grabbed hold of Dani’s arm, trying to pull her away as the thing clawed at her arm, tearing her sweatshirt to shreds. Strange noises escaped from it, its misshapen teeth snapped as it tried to latch onto Dani’s neck.



Julian lurched toward them, moving swiftly in a rushing blur, but Cassie was even quicker. Reacting on instinct alone, she drove her fist into the things cheek, snapping its head to the side. With the thing knocked momentarily off balance, Cassie was able to rip Dani away, shoving her aside as she lurched at the thing.



Cassie relished in the anger that boiled swiftly forward, the powerful surge that came flowing with it. Leaping over the table, she caught hold of the things leg before it scurried into the darkness again. It howled in rage, rounding on her in anger and bloodlust. For a moment it seemed to hesitate, its eyes widened as it caught sight of her. Cassie paused, confusion swirling through her. Devon had said that these things had no reasonable thought, no fear, no survival instinct but this thing seemed rational for a brief moment of time.



Then it was coming at her, moving with inhuman speed as it lashed out with vicious looking claws. Cassie dodged the blow, her nostrils flaring with anger at the attack. She jerked the monstrosity back, ripping it toward her by the ankle. It howled with rage, clawing at the floor for purchase as it tried to get away from her.



“Cassie!” Julian shouted.



She felt him at her shoulder milliseconds before she lashed out, driving her fist into the things chest. Bone crunched beneath her hand, driving deeper in as flesh and bone gave out completely. The thing screamed in pain, its hands shoved fiercely at her as it tried to dislodge her.



Julian jumped over top of the creature, clearing the thing in one single leap. Landing behind it, he seized hold of its head, ripping it to the side in a violent, jerking motion. The loud sound of bone shattering echoed throughout the room. The thing squealed, staggering back, its head twisted disgustingly to the side on its broken neck.



Julian’s eyes were bright red as they met hers, his nostrils flared harshly. “Turn away!” he snarled at her. Cassie blinked in surprise, but she was unable to move. “Cassie turn around!” he commanded harshly.



She started slightly, seeming to come out of a haze as she turned away, stumbling slightly as she fought the desperate urge to flee this place and never look back. Lingering remnants of adrenaline and revulsion coursed through her. For a moment, for one horrifying moment, she had truly enjoyed fighting the creature, had truly enjoyed destroying it. And now, well now for the first time since she had been placed in this awful place, she was finally feeling the real her bubbling beneath the surface again. And she was disgusted and terrified by it.



Dani grasped hold of her arms, pulling her forward as the thing began to squeal again. Cassie winced, hugging herself against the pain that she heard in those inhuman squeals of pain and terror. A sickening crunch and a squishing noise finally silenced the pathetic creature.



Cassie shuddered, Dani’s hands on her tightened. “Are you ok?”



Cassie glanced up as Julian appeared at her side, his reddened eyes narrowed with worry as he surveyed the wounds marring Cassie and Dani’s arms. Cassie gazed down at the scratches on her arms, hardly noticing the trickle of blood that seeped from them. She healed fast; the scratches would not remain upon her skin for long. Julian pulled Cassie gently away from Dani, his eyes narrowed fiercely upon Dani for a moment. Tenderly turning her arms, he lightly fingered the jagged wounds.



“I’m fine,” she said softly.



His eyes were still red upon hers, but there was a softening in his features as he studied her intently. “You’re in control?”



She frowned at him. “Of course I am,” she retorted.



His hands cupped her face gently, lifting it toward him, he peered at her intently. “Your eyes are red.”



Cassie started, her mouth parted on a gasp. Instinctively, she jerked away from him as she backed up a couple of steps. She needed to flee; she needed to get far away before she hurt one of them. “What!?”



“Cassie…”



Dani came at her, but Cassie kept back peddling until she came up against a chair. Her knees gave out, buckling suddenly. She sat heavily on the chair, her breath rushing out of her in a loud whoosh. “Get away!” she cried, holding her arms out in a vague attempt to defend them from her.



It was Julian that seized hold of her, gripping her arms so tight that she winced in response. “Cassie stop!”



She fisted her hands, closing her eyes against the impending wave of hatred and pain that would swamp her body soon. It would consume her again; it would leave her withering upon the floor, twisting in agony, useless, and on the verge of becoming a monster. “You can fight against this,” Julian hissed, pulling her hands tight against the hard muscles of his chest.



She blinked at him in surprise, waiting for the pain to rise up. But it didn’t come. And the longer Cassie sat there, the more she realized that it wasn’t coming. Though she had been frightened and angry, she did not feel the loss of control and hatred that had consumed her when she had killed Isla. This time she had been motivated by survival instinct, it had been pure reaction and adrenaline that had filled her, and still fueled her now.