"If you insist upon staying then Devon should know of your abilities in order to utilize them in the best ways possible." Luther's voice was tinged with exasperation as they continued to remain silent.

Devon knew very well the annoyance the man was feeling. It was taking every ounce of self-control he had not to grab hold of Cassie and forcefully remove her from this house, and this town. If she wouldn’t hate him, and possibly never forgive him for it, he would do it. When he saw Julian again, he was going to rip him limb from limb for what he had done to her earlier.

At the moment he didn't know if he wanted to force her to leave, or taste her, more. No, he didn't simply want to taste her; he wanted to change her, possess her. A shudder ran up his spine, his eyes closed briefly as a rush of bloodlust rippled through him.

Being around her was a constant battle with his darker, more twisted side. But it also brought out the best in him, drew out a light he'd never expected to find, completing him in a way he'd never thought possible. Eventually his feelings would cause problems between them, and he would have to make a decision she may end up hating him for, but now was a time for strategizing, and learning as much as he could about the people around him. If they had abilities that would aid him in his hunt for Julian, he was going to use them in every way he could.

He would do whatever it took to keep her safe.

Melissa licked her lips nervously, Chris still looked doubtful. "I have premonitions," Melissa supplied. "Some are inconsequential, foolish, and vague. Others, well, others are awful, detailed, and almost consuming. They don't always come true though, like tonight." Though he had exceptional vision, he could barely tell the difference between the black of Melissa's pupil and the near black of her iris as she pinned Cassie with a pointed look. "Devon's intervention tonight stopped my premonition from coming true, but I didn't see him in it. I only saw Cassie, wounded and bleeding… dead."

The color drained from Cassie's face. "You saw my death?" she choked out.

Melissa nodded as her gaze slid to the wall behind Cassie. "Yes, it was awful. Awful." Melissa shuddered as she wrapped her slender arms around herself and took a deep breath. Chris draped an arm around Melissa's shoulders and pulled her against his side. "I hope to never see anything like that again, but unfortunately, I don't have a choice.

"I have no control over my premonitions, when they come, or what they are." Though dismay still filled Melissa's gaze, there was a steel rod of strength running through her. "I had a premonition a couple years ago of your arrival Devon. I knew you would come for Cassie, and you would change things. Make her whole again, so to speak."

Cassie's face flooded with color as she turned away from the eyes that swung toward her. "I've seen nothing else of you though. I had no idea what you were, or when you would come, I didn't know what you would look like, but I’ve been waiting." Melissa sighed as she bowed her dark head. "Somehow, maybe because of what you are, you keep us blocked out. I don't know why that one premonition of you slipped through, but I have a feeling no more will come."

Devon frowned as he puzzled over Melissa's statement. He knew why she didn't receive visions about him, but he didn't understand why she’d gotten that one. Melissa's gaze was questioning, her dark eyes eager as she stared at him expectantly.

Premonitions were a handy gift to have for a lot of reasons, they wouldn't help him. She wouldn't have any visions about Julian either, maybe some of his actions, but not about Julian himself. "And you?" he ignored the crestfallen look on Melissa's face as he turned to Chris. He liked the girl, he didn't aim to keep her in the dark, but he wanted to hear everything they had to say before he laid all of his cards on the table.

Chris was still rigid, but at least he didn't look as if he were going to attack anymore. "I can read people. I know what they are when I meet them. Good, bad, indifferent to life. I know what they are feeling," he said defiantly.

Devon chose to ignore his tone. "And what am I inside?" he asked quietly.

Chris shook his head. "I don't know," he admitted. "I never really picked anything up from you. There was always a sort of blank surrounding you, except for when it came to Cassie."

Devon frowned as his gaze darted back to Cassie. She sat stiffly upon the couch, her hand clenched on the throw pillow she'd picked from the floor. "What did you sense then?" Devon asked.

Chris shifted and glanced at Luther. Then, with a small shrug, he seemed to decide it wasn’t all that important anyway. "I could sense how much you cared for her, how much she meant to you."

Devon's frown deepened. Bowing his head, he began to rub the bridge of his nose as he tried to puzzle through what they were telling him. They shouldn't have been able to get anything off of him, but for some reason, when Cassie was involved, they were somehow able to pick things up.

"What's wrong?" she inquired.

He shook his head and dropped his hand to take hold of hers once more. "And what can you do?" he asked.

Her frown deepened, a strange flicker passed through her eyes. "I have no abilities."

Surprise coursed through him. She possessed the most powerful blood he'd ever tasted. From just a few precious drops he was stronger, faster, his senses were more honed, and he felt like he could conquer the world. It made no sense that she didn't possess some ability.

A wounded look crossed her features; he could feel her starting to withdraw from him. "Are you sure?" he inquired.

She gave him a dark look. "Yes, I'm sure."

"Cassie is an outstanding fighter," Luther interjected quickly. "Maybe the best to ever come out of the Hunter line."

She quirked an eyebrow as she studied her Guardian. "Being able to kill well is not a gift or ability."

Luther's gaze was sad and sympathetic, but his jaw was set in determination. "It is. It's just a different one than what Chris and Melissa have."

"Killing, being fast and strong with enhanced senses is a natural ability of all Hunter's, not just me."

Luther sighed. "True."

She turned back to Devon, a strange hopelessness in her usually vivid eyes. "I've seen what Chris and Melissa go through. I'm glad I don't have to deal with the burdens they do."

Devon nodded but his mind spun as he tried to place all the pieces of the puzzle together. She had no abilities but she was powerful, he could feel that, he had tasted it. But no matter the power he could sense pouring out of her now, he hadn't been able to detect it until her blood had been spilled. He hadn't been able to see the truth about her, for if he had, he never would have gotten the chance to know her. To love her. The thought was staggering, he'd never loved before, and yet the realization was not a surprise.

He'd loved her since he'd first seen her, he suspected he'd loved her before he'd even met her. If Melissa had received a premonition of him, then it was quite possible he'd been destined to find her, and although he'd never believed in that kind of thing before, it felt right in this situation.

"Why can't we read you?" Melissa blurted.

Devon couldn't help but smile as he shook his head at her. "My power and abilities, keeps you blocked."

Melissa's brows furrowed. "What do you mean?"

"My powers are much stronger than any of the vampires you've come across. I have learned to keep people blocked out, especially Hunters. It's an ability that has helped to keep me alive all this time."

"But I had a premonition of you!" Melissa insisted.

Devon's gaze focused on Cassie. "I don't understand exactly how it all works, but I have a feeling your premonition probably had more to do with Cassie than me."

"With me?" Cassie inquired.

"When it comes to you, my guard is down more; my humanity is stronger and more intense." Cassie's eyes softened, she relaxed as she gazed up at him.

"But that vision was two years ago," Melissa said.

Cassie's mouth dropped as she spun toward Melissa. "Two years?" she squeaked. "You kept this from me for two years?"

Melissa drummed her fingers on the mantle. "You never like to hear about them anyway." Cassie was still frowning, but she nodded her agreement as she settled back. "Why would I receive that one two years ago, when you didn't know Cassie then?"

Devon shrugged as he met Cassie's startled gaze. "I don't have all the answers. Maybe it was fate and I was supposed to meet her, maybe something happened two years ago that allowed a vision to slip through. I simply don't know."

"What could have happened?"

He grinned at Cassie as he brushed a strand of her golden hair off her face. Her eyes warmed as they filled with love. Love for him. His hand stilled on her cheek, he was lost to the beauty and sensation of her. It wasn’t only her outer beauty entrancing him, but also the pure wonder of her soul. She was the strongest, most giving, and loving person he'd ever encountered, and he’d encountered far more people than he would have liked in his extensive life.

She leaned into his touch, her silken cheek nestled against his cupped palm. Dark lashes curled against her cheeks as she closed her eyes. Devon had to force himself to recall the other people in the room before he took her upstairs, curled up with her, and held her close as he kept her safe.

"Like I said, I don't have all the answers. There are many mysteries in life that are never explained."

Cassie's eyes fluttered open, her lashes brushed against the palm of his hand. A shiver of desire raced down his spine, and left his restraint shaken. He shuddered as he struggled to retain control of himself. "It's still very strange," she murmured.

"Yes," he managed to grate out.

"That's also about the time Cassie really started to withdraw," Chris pondered.

"Yes." Melissa folded her arms over her chest as she leaned against the mantle.

"Hey," Cassie interrupted. "I'm right here."

Melissa frowned as she focused on her. "I think I had a vision of Devon because I was frightened we would lose you. I think I was granted that vision to ease my concerns about you, and your future, and it did help."

"Could have told me," Chris mumbled.

"I didn't know what he was," Melissa reminded him.

"Yeah, I guess."

Cassie rolled her eyes as she shook her head at the two of them. "So what do we do about Julian?" she asked. She tried to hide it, but Devon could still hear the undercurrent of fear in her voice. His free hand clenched at the reminder of the brutality she'd experienced last night. A brutality inflicted upon her by a monster he had helped to create, and would soon destroy.

"We don't do anything. If you insist upon staying then there is nothing I can do about that, but you are to stay away from him." Anger flashed through her violet blue eyes, she opened her mouth to protest, but he swiftly cut her off. "You can't defeat him Cassie, he will kill you, and I can't allow that to happen. I cannot lose you."

Biting her lower lip, she managed a small nod as she turned away from him. "The three of you are to stay by me from now on."

All of their eyes shot to him again. "What?" Chris barked.

Devon met his hostile gaze, impressed by the courage the kid possessed. "Julian will come after you. If he catches you alone, or without me, you won't have a shot of surviving."

Chris's hands fisted, a muscle twitched in his cheek as he clenched his jaw. "He's right," Cassie's grandmother said. "You must stay safe; Devon can help protect you from him."

"The three of us…"

"Are no match." The older woman unraveled her legs and gracefully rose to her feet. "Until this is taken care of, you will be safe, and you will stick by Devon. There will be no arguments on the matter."

He wasn't surprised when they remained silent, sullen, but silent. Cassie's grandmother was small, but she bore an air of authority that brooked no room for argument. He wouldn't even argue with her, and because of that, he was glad she was on his side. "Now, I think it's time for Cassie to rest."

"I'm fine, Grandma."

She planted her hands on her hips. "You are going to rest."

Devon fought back a smile. "I'll help you upstairs."

Cassie frowned at him as she shook her head. "I'm perfectly capable of walking upstairs on my own."

"Let him help you Cassandra," her grandmother interjected.

Cassie's teeth locked, but she didn't argue further. Releasing her cushion, she went to rise, but he moved forward and easily swept her up in his arms. She gasped as her fingers curled around his neck. Her look of irritation vanished as a small smile played across her full mouth. Playing with the hair at the nape of his neck, she curled against him. Her lithe body fit perfectly against his, her supple curves melded to him in all the right places. Her heady scent filled his nostrils as her head rested against his shoulder.

He cradled her as he left the room. He was suddenly desperate to escape for a bit. He needed to hunt, to fill himself with blood, and to regain complete control of himself. Though he was loath to do it, he had to separate from her until he was sure she would be safe around him.

He maneuvered her in his arms to open the door to her room. He knew her room well now, but it still surprised him that it wasn't decorated with posters, and pictures, like most teenagers rooms. The only picture in the room was of her parents, she'd never told him that's who the picture was of, but she looked a lot like the blond woman in it. He suspected the chaos of her life outside of this room made her keep everything within it neatly ordered and meticulous.

He smoothly placed her on the bed, hating to part with her, but he had to. If he stayed much longer he would become a threat to her. "I have to go for a little bit."

Apprehension flashed through her eyes, he hated the vulnerability and alarm suffusing her, but her encounter with Julian had rattled her. From what he'd seen of her, she wasn't afraid of anything. Then, she buried the fear, jutted her chin out and nodded briskly.

His mouth curved in a smile as the brave woman he knew reappeared. "I'll leave the window open for you."

"It wouldn't stop me anyway."

She grinned at him; her hands framed his face as she pressed a chaste kiss on his lips. Heat flooded through him, his skin rippled as he pressed closer to her. He felt himself spiraling out of control; he was losing himself to her. Regaining control of himself, he pulled away before he couldn't. "I'll see you soon," he whispered.

She caressed his face for a moment more before she released him. Frustration boiled through him as he turned away, he hungered for so much more than blood. His gaze fell upon Chris and Melissa standing in the doorway, he'd been so lost he hadn't heard them approach. Melissa smiled at him, while Chris continued to scowl.