Devon burst into the clearing. His heightened senses, and the adrenaline pounding through him, allowed him to take in all of the details at once. The first thing he recognized was the young woman in the arms of the monster.

The second was the monster itself.

Dirt and leaves kicked up beneath him as he skidded to a halt. Shock slammed into him as he gazed into the familiar red eyes of his prey, but shock quickly gave way to intense anger. This was a fight he was more than prepared for, and one that was well over a hundred years in the making. "Let her go!" he snarled.

Julian had lifted his head from Marcy's neck when Devon appeared, but he hadn't released her. A merciless smile curved his blood stained lips as a dark eyebrow quirked with amusement. "Well, if it isn't the prodigal sire," he purred. "I was hoping we would finally run into each other again."

Tension thrummed through him as he took a step closer. "I didn't create you Julian," he growled.

"You may not have created me, but you helped to mold me into the best vampire I could possibly be. You taught me the thrill of the hunt, the pleasure of the kill."

Devon's teeth ground together as he glared at the man across from him. Julian was a monster who wreaked havoc upon unsuspecting innocents with the same joy and pleasure Devon had once taken in it. Though the two of them had been good friends, and nearly inseparable for over three hundred years, Julian was now one of his greatest enemies. "What are you doing here Julian?" Devon spat.

Julian leisurely licked the blood from his lips; a low groan of pleasure escaped him as he savored the taste of it. Devon's eyes latched onto the blood, and for a moment he could clearly recall how fulfilling and thrilling human blood was. He could almost taste it upon his lips, almost feel it sliding down his throat, and the ecstatic rush of its power as it filled his cells.

He struggled to retain control of his thirst; the blood was a distraction that would get him killed. Devon would be a fine trophy to add to Julian's collection of victims. Not to mention most of the vampire race considered Devon a traitor, and would far prefer him dead.

Julian's eyes gradually turned back to their original shade of ice blue. Around the black pupils of his eyes was a strange band of vivid, almost white blue color. "Same thing as you I assume, I was drawn by the power. Except, unlike you, I will make use of that power, take advantage of it; savor it."

Devon scowled at him as they began to circle one another. Marcy was still held loosely in Julian's arms as he negligently dragged her body along with him. Devon could just barely make out the faint beat of her fluttering heart. "There is no power here."

Julian's fangs gleamed in the dim radiance of the moon as he grinned at him. "Oh you silly silly fool. Are you really that blind?"

Devon didn't like being toyed with, especially not by Julian. He was the one who had taught Julian, the one who had molded him; he wasn't going to be taunted by him. "Don't mess with me Julian," he snarled.

Julian quirked a black eyebrow. "I would never," he replied, his voice cheerful and lilting as they continued to circle. "I am simply pointing out what you have missed."

"And what would that be?"

Julian's eyes momentarily flashed red. "Three little treats just so plump and ripe for the taking. Especially the blond, that sweet, delicious blond you've been cozying up to at night. I give you credit, to be so close to such a temptation and not taste it. I could never be so restrained."

For a brief moment a red haze clouded his vision, as his protective urges drowned out the rest of Julian's words. He didn't understand what the hell Julian was talking about, but he didn't want him anywhere near Cassie, or remotely thinking about her.

"You stay away from her, or I'll rip your damn throat out!" His fangs elongated at the mere thought of Julian getting close to her.

Julian's white blond hair fell into one of his ice cold eyes as he tilted his head. "Temper, temper," he taunted. "We've shared before, we can share again."

"I'll kill you first!"

Julian's lip curled in a contemptuous sneer as his ice eyes raked over Devon. "You truly have changed Devon; you're such a disappointment, turning against your nature, your own kind!"

Devon was trying hard to keep himself under control. He couldn't let Julian bait him into losing his temper. "You will die before you ever touch her."

"And if she kills you first?" Devon blinked in surprise, unsure what Julian meant by his statement. "You truly don't get it, you stupid fool! Could it be that Devon, the master of death, destruction, and torture has been blinded by love?"

"I haven't been any of those things in a very long time Julian!" Devon hissed. "It's time for you to leave, you're not welcome here."

Julian laughed coldly and shook back his tussled hair. "I'm not leaving until I get a taste of that treat Devon," he purred. "Maybe I'll keep her for myself, she is a beauty."

The very thought of anyone touching Cassie, of turning her, of taking her for themselves was enough to bring the bloodlust back to life. Julian tossed Marcy aside as Devon sprang forward. They collided with the force of two Mac trucks. The sound of their attack rumbled through the forest and their growls echoed through the air. Devon slammed his fist into the underside of Julian's jaw, and snapped his head back forcefully. Julian spat with fury as his claws raked across Devon's chest. He didn't feel the pain as Julian flayed his shirt and skin open. Seizing hold of Julian's shoulders, Devon picked him easily off the ground. Spinning around, he used his full strength to heave Julian into the air.

Julian flew backward, his face mutated and furious as he sailed across the clearing. Slamming into the top of an ancient oak, the force of his impact shattered the top of the tree. Julian fell over the back of the tree and disappeared into the darkness of the woods. Satisfaction spurted through Devon as he braced himself for Julian to renew his attack.

His satisfaction was quickly doused as a cold chill crept down his back and his eyes landed upon Cassie. She was standing at the edge of the clearing, her hands fisted at her sides, and her shoulders thrust back proudly. Her hair was a golden beacon against the dark night as it cascaded around her.

Confusion tore through him as he met her ferocious gaze. He knew what he looked like now, knew he was ugly and twisted into something she would barely recognize. At the sight of the monster inside him she should have been fleeing like any sane person would do. Instead, she stood there unflinchingly.

His gaze darted to her fisted hands and the stake clenched in her right hand. He stood for a moment, trying to deny what was before him, trying not to recognize the truth that was slapping him in the face, but it was impossible. He was rocked with the awful realization of what Julian had been taunting him about, and what had drawn Julian here. What had more than likely drawn him here, though he'd been too blinded by his feelings for her to realize the truth.

Now everything made sense. Now he knew why her and her friends had seemed so odd and different to him. He knew exactly who and what she was now.

His enemy.

* * *

Cassie ducked and covered her head as shards of bark and branches rained down around her. It seemed like forever, but was probably only moments before the debris stopped falling. She slowly uncurled and rose to her full height. Betrayal twisted through her as her gaze found Devon across the clearing. His teeth were so long and sharp they cut into his full bottom lip. The same lip that had kissed her so reverently now had blood seeping from it. The magnificent face she'd come to love so dearly was now twisted into that of a monster. Twisted into the face of the one thing she hated most and had been born to destroy.

Though she had already expected this betrayal, had already known what she would find here, to see it so closely was like a knife to the chest. The red in his eyes vanished as the beautiful green of them blazed to life once more. She saw the confusion in his gaze, but also the realization, the dawning comprehension of what she'd come here to do.

"Cassie."

He breathed her name. He sounded so surprised; he looked so surprised. If he'd known who she was all along, and had been toying with them, then shouldn't he be expecting her to show up to stop him eventually? She was completely confused, for a moment she was disarmed by the speculation in his eyes.

Then her gaze flickered to the body just feet away from him. Marcy lay curled on her side, her coffee colored hair gleamed in the moonlight. Her eyes flew back to his. "You bastard!" she spat. "You murdering bastard!"

She took a step toward him, determined to ignore the guilt and agony slithering through her like a poisonous snake. It was a snake that would only hinder her movements if she acknowledged it for too long. The negligent look he gave Marcy only served to infuriate her more.

"I can explain this. Look out!" he shouted at her.

The terror in his voice rattled and unsettled her. She caught a brief glimpse of Devon lurching forward as she swung toward where he was looking. Her heart lurched as someone, no something, swiftly moved from behind the splintered tree. She'd been so upset and infuriated with Devon, she hadn't taken the time to think about what had caused the shattering of the giant oak. It was now coming at her like a bat out of hell. She had only a brief glimpse of ice cold eyes and white blond hair before it was upon her.

"Delectable."

The word was hissed at her, the malevolence behind it caused nausea to twist in her stomach. She was overcome by the same evil she'd felt at the beach, B's and S's, and then the cemetery. With an awful, crushing sensation descending upon her, she realized only too late she'd been completely wrong. Devon may be a vampire, but this was the real monster.

This was the creature who was determined to destroy her and her loved ones.

Instinct took over, all of her training blazed to life as his face twisted into a vicious snarl. His teeth tore into his bottom lip as they lengthened to deadly, sharp points. She turned at the last second and ducked as he lashed out at her. A shrill cry escaped as his fingers snagged hold of her hair and he pulled her back. Cassie flung herself at him and forcefully threw her head back. She was rewarded with the satisfying crunch of his nose from the force of being hit by her skull.

Stars momentarily swam before her eyes, and her vision blurred, but his grip loosened. Relief filled her as she fell away from him and tumbled toward the ground in what felt like slow motion. She had a brief glimpse of Devon, charging across the clearing with a look of fury on his face that caused her blood to run cold.

It seemed as if she were tumbling into a bottomless abyss. She was just inches from the ground, inches from safety, when she felt it.

Horror boiled through her as her heart skipped a beat. Her entire body stiffened against the agony exploding through her. The monster had grabbed for her again, but this time he missed her hair and his fingers swung further down. His nails tore into her, spilling her blood as they sliced deep into her neck.

She landed painfully upon her hip as she rolled away. Disbelief and panic filled her as she fumbled at the vicious gash in her throat. Blood pooled over her fingers, coursed down her arm, and dripped soundlessly to the ground. Devon skidded to a halt near her; astonishment filled his eyes as they met hers.

And then the beautiful emerald of his eyes became a violent shade of red as his hunger began to cloud his sanity.