Cassie paced her room restlessly as her gaze flitted continuously to the darkened night. Devon should be here shortly, if he came at all. The thought froze her briefly in mid-stride, before she continued on. He had to come. She couldn't allow herself to think that he wouldn't. If she did, she would start crying again, and it had only been a couple of hours since she'd completely regained control of herself.

It had taken another hour to convince Chris and Melissa she was fine, and to go home. They had been reluctant to leave, but she didn't want them here when Devon arrived. She had to speak with him alone. Turning on her heel, she paced restlessly back to the other side of the room, feeling as wound up as a yo-yo.

She glanced at the clock on her nightstand, dismayed to realize it was almost ten. Where was he? What would she do if he didn't come tonight? Her chest constricted at the thought; it became difficult for her to breathe.

It had happened so swiftly, her love for him had been rapid and all consuming. She should be frightened by it, but she wasn't. To be this dependent on someone else was something she’d never wanted to have happen. Loving someone this much left her vulnerable to all of the cruelty she knew resided in the world. But it was too late, she was helplessly in love with him, lost to him, and she could not lose him.

All of her pent up, nervous energy, drained from her. She limply slid to the floor and pulled her legs up against her chest and hugged them as she dropped her chin on her knees.

* * *

Devon released the last fox he'd caught. It staggered as it tried to regain its balance from the loss of blood it had sustained. Though he tried to keep the animals alive when he fed from them, the first two foxes, three rabbits, and one coyote he'd captured hadn't survived. He barely remembered draining them dry, but he clearly recalled their limp bodies left broken on the forest floor afterward.

It was far better it was animals, and not Cassie he was draining dry, because he'd been that close today. A shudder ran through him as he recalled exactly how close he'd been to ravishing her in every way, and not caring who watched. He couldn't be unstable around her again.

But when she'd run her tongue across his teeth, showing no fear of him as her excitement blazed forth, he'd nearly unraveled completely. He shuddered as the memory roused his desire once more. She was far too innocent to know what she was doing to him, but she was going to be his undoing.

Their relationship had come to a crossroads much faster than he'd expected. Rising, he wiped the dirt from his jeans and watched as the fox disappeared. He had fed to the point of near bursting in the hopes it would keep him from desiring her blood as fiercely. He didn't think it would work.

His head fell back as he stared up at the thick canopy of trees. Dropping his head back down, he used all of his senses to search the dark night. He felt nothing out there except for a deer, and a pack of coyotes.

Julian was uncharacteristically lying low, usually once he made his presence known; he liked to keep it known. He was planning something, and Devon didn't like it. He had to find him, and soon. As long as Julian was out there, Cassie was in jeopardy.

Turning away, he blended into the woods as he raced toward Cassie's house. He moved rapidly through the thick forest as he easily dodged any obstacles in his way. Arriving at her house, he stopped at the edge of the forest to study the peaceful Cape style house before him. The weathered grey shingles, and pale blue shutters, were illuminated by the glow of the full moon.

Cassie's room was dark, but the TV was flashing in the window pane. He could feel her up there, lost, upset, and confused. He hated himself even more for putting her through this, for leaving her to stew while he gorged himself on blood.

Climbing quickly up the tree, he paused at the edge of her window to take her in. She sat upon the bed with her slender legs drawn up to her chest, and her golden hair cascading around her shoulders in thick waves. The delicate beauty of her features was illuminated by the flickering TV. His chest constricted as he studied her, he was amazed and charmed by the effect she had over him.

She turned toward him; her shoulders slumped as her rosebud mouth parted. Relief filled her as she leapt gracefully to her feet. "Devon."

Her whisper washed over him, as did her vast relief. She cautiously stepped toward him as if afraid she would scare him away. Hoping to ease some of her apprehension, he gracefully slid through the window. Tears bloomed in her eyes, but she rapidly blinked them back as she watched him move toward her.

"Are you ok?" He could only manage a brisk nod; he found it difficult to think in her presence. "I'm sorry. I didn't know what else to do; I thought you were going to kill him."

Devon clearly recalled the scene in the cafeteria, the haze that had suffused him, the need to destroy the person upsetting her. He also recalled her kiss, her taste, her sweetness. She was the only one who could have gotten through to him. He didn't like the way she'd put herself at risk though, stepping between a vampire and its prey was worse than stepping between a charging bull and its target. But she was right; he may very well have killed Mark if she hadn't intervened.

She'd been lucky he hadn't turned on her. But then again, in a way he had. The uncontrollable rage had turned into uncontrollable passion instead. Devon shuddered to think about what he could have done to her and not realized it until he'd been well sated by her luscious blood.

"I was." She blinked in surprise at his flat words. "You stopped me from injuring him, but you can't put yourself in danger like that again."

"Danger?" she croaked.

He nodded briskly. "Never step between a vampire and their prey."

Her mouth pursed as she studied him. "No matter what you might think, I know you would never hurt me Devon, and I have stepped in between a vampire and its prey many times before."

She had more faith in him than he did, but then again, she didn't know the thoughts running through his mind. The things he longed to do to her, with her. If she knew any of it, she wouldn't have so much faith in him; she would probably run screaming.

She took a step closer, but he held up his hand to ward her off. "Cassie, we have to talk."