Cassie studied the crowd crammed into the dining room at B's and S's. A few diehards remained around the picnic tables outside, but for the most part the crisp mid October air had chased everyone else inside. The heat from all the bodies, and the noise, were almost more than she could tolerate, but unfortunately they had to be here. Vampires were drawn to the crowds and the fresh blood of the youth within the walls.

The loud ringing of the pinball machine behind her caused her to wince involuntarily. A headache had been nagging at her all day. It was the kind of headache no amount of aspirin could cure; loud noise and stress were best avoided. Unfortunately, she couldn't avoid either of those things right now.

Devon leaned closer to her as his hand massaged the back of her neck. She closed her eyes as he attempted to ease the knots there. A loud shout rang out as the pinball machine went crazy. Sliding lower in her seat, she feverishly wished she was anywhere but here.

"I'll take you home," Chris offered.

Cassie cracked an eye as she focused on his bleary figure. She would love nothing more than to go home, but she couldn't leave the three of them on their own tonight. If anything happened… "No, that's ok. I'll be fine."

He frowned at her, but didn't push it further as he rested her head against his chest. He blocked out some of the noise, making it easier to breathe as she opened her eyes once more. Her gaze drifted across the students giving their table ample berth. Just a little bit ago their table would have been flocked with people vying for their attention. Now there was no one, and she found she didn't miss them. Sighing heavily, she took a sip of water in the hope the cool liquid would help ease the pain in her body. It didn't.

Fresh air would, she was certain of it. "I'm going to step outside for a minute."

"I'll come with you," Devon told her.

She shook her head the best she could. "No, I'll be fine, I'm not going anywhere."

"Cassie…"

"Devon, I just want some fresh air."

His eyes were dark and turbulent as he studied her. His glance toward Chris and Melissa set Cassie's hackles on edge. She was just getting some fresh air for crying out loud, she wasn't a two year old, and she didn't require a babysitter. "I don't need their permission either," she said stridently.

His guilty gaze came back to hers. "All right, but don't go anywhere."

She frowned at him, but didn't argue further. Besides, she wasn't fooled into thinking at least one of them wouldn't be keeping an eye on her, making sure she didn't get herself killed. Devon slid out of the booth to let her escape from her cramped corner, and the endlessly annoying ring of the pinball machine. "I'll be back," she muttered.

In the old days she would have had to push her way through the crowd and stop every few feet to talk with someone. There had been times it had taken her a half an hour just to make it to the door. Now the crowd parted for her as if she were a highly contagious leper.

Cassie kept her face impassive, and her chin held high. It was only high school, she continuously told herself. She only had a little over seven months left, and she still had her best friends, and Devon. That thought helped to ease some of the unhappiness, but it didn't make it go away. She would never get used to people she’d considered friends, turning against her so quickly, and so easily. It was like a knife to the heart, and especially to the back.

Shoving through the double glass doors, Cassie greedily inhaled gulps of the refreshing, crisp air. The doors blocked most of the noise as they slid closed and left her in the near blissful silence of the outdoor eating area. The two tables of people still outside glanced at her, surprise and amusement crossed their features before they turned back to each other.

Cassie turned to ignore them, but her attention was snagged by one of the girls with blood red hair tinted at the ends with neon green. Her mind churned as she tried to place the girl. Then, it locked into place. She'd been one of Dani's smoking friends the day Cassie had first met Dani in the bathroom.

But where was Dani?

Cassie scanned the crowd again, but she didn't see the tiny girl amongst them. Turning back to the restaurant, she searched the packed interior. If Dani was farther than ten feet in the door, Cassie wasn't going to see her. Maybe she had decided not to come out tonight? Or perhaps she was in the restaurant. She tried to assure herself both of these things were possible, but Cassie couldn't shake the feeling neither explanation was right.

With shrewd eyes, Cassie scanned the dark night. The roads winding through the center of town were empty of all but a few souls mingling outside of the bars, smoking or talking loudly. They would be prime targets for Julian, though she suspected he planned to do more damage than what they would offer. Julian aspired to attack Cassie, Chris, Melissa, and Devon the most. Going after high school students would be the best way to do that.

A shiver ran down Cassie's spine, the hair on the nape of her neck stood on end as her thoughts returned once more to Dani. Turning in the other direction she scanned the darkened sidewalk leading to the outskirts of town, the cemetery, and the woods.

Her vision blurred a little from the pounding in her head, then suddenly snapped into focus. At the far end of the sidewalk she could just barely make out the form of someone taking a right into the woods. Cassie's heart leapt into her throat, her chest constricted as panic tore through her.

Spinning back to the restaurant, she wasn't surprised to see Melissa lurking by the door, trying to look preoccupied with the gumball machine. It was a machine Melissa hit up every time they left B's and S's, but they weren't ready to leave. Cassie bet their food hadn't even arrived yet. However, she couldn't find the energy to be annoyed. She was far too relieved to see Melissa for that.

She gained more attention than she'd planned when she banged on the glass to get Melissa's attention. Cassie pointed toward the sidewalk, but didn't wait to tell Melissa more. Turning, she sprinted past the group gathered by the picnic tables. "Hey, stay away from her you freak!" one of the boys yelled after her.

Cassie fought back a bitter laugh, they weren't concerned enough about Dani to stop her from walking home on her own, but they were worried Cassie might bother her. She made it to the sidewalk and skidded around the corner as her sneakers briefly lost traction on the dew dampened surface.

Regaining her balance, Cassie kept her eyes locked on the woods as she tried to pinpoint the exact spot where Dani had entered. A small path made its way into the forest and a few freshly broken branches snagged her attention. Bolting into the forest, Cassie shoved branches out of her way and easily avoided obstacles as she sprinted down the path.

A chill of apprehension caused goose bumps to break out on her flesh. She'd placed herself in jeopardy, but she had to get to Dani before Julian arrived.

And he would arrive, she was certain of that.

* * *

Devon sat in the booth, his body rigid due to the fact he couldn't see Cassie. Melissa had volunteered to keep an eye on her, citing that her favorite gumballs were by the front door. Chris had added Cassie would be upset if she felt she was being babysat. Devon had tried not to care about that, her safety did come first after all, but he found himself unwilling to distress her in anyway.

So in the end he'd relented, but he wasn't happy about it. They'd sent Melissa up with two dollars and seventy-five cents worth of quarters, plenty to keep her occupied for a little while. Slipping her first quarter in, Devon watched as the red ball made its way through a series of ramps, dips, traps, and holes in the intricate machine.

If it had been at any other point in time, he wouldn't have minded watching the thing. Right now all he yearned for was Cassie back at his side where he knew she was safe. He shifted uncomfortably, his gaze returned to the window at his side, but he couldn't see her from this angle. All he could see was a group of teenagers gathered around two tables. They were dressed in dark clothes; their hair was dyed different colors, and they had an array of piercings covering their heads.

The group glanced back toward the doorway, confirming Cassie was still there as they bent close to each other and spoke with each other before glancing at her again. Devon ran a hand through his hair as he fought the impulse to stand up and storm out after her.

"She'll be fine," Chris said.

Devon wasn't at all relieved by his reassurances. He knew Cassie, she didn't think before she acted. It had almost gotten her killed a couple of days ago, and he wasn't willing to take that chance again. Chris's chuckle brought Devon's ire and agitation back to him. "What?" he asked irritably.

Chris lifted a dark blond brow, his sapphire eyes twinkled with amusement. "It's a relief to have someone else share in my frustration. I've been watching over her for the past seventeen years and it hasn't been fun."

Devon scowled at him as Chris grinned annoyingly back. "She is stubborn," he mumbled.

"Ha!" Chris barked loudly. "That's the understatement of the century!"

Devon found himself grinning back at the boy, amused by his easy going nature and cheer. He liked Chris, but since his vampirism had been revealed, there had been nothing but tension between them. Now it seemed as if Chris had decided to throw caution to the wind, either that, or he was going to rely on Cassie's instincts and trust Devon.

"Hey guys." Devon's and Chris's smiles faded, they exchanged a pointed look as Marcy appeared at their side. Smiling cheerfully, she tossed back her long, coffee colored hair. "How are you tonight?"

Stony silence followed her question, and then Chris heaved a sigh. "We're good Marcy, you?"

Marcy shrugged a dainty shoulder, lust radiated from her as she leaned closer to him. "I'm feeling better, but it was still the scariest thing ever." She shuddered as she wrapped her arms around herself. "Someone should kill that animal."

Before they had left the hospital, Devon had altered Marcy's memory of the attack, leaving her with a foggy recollection of a wild coyote rather than Julian. "Yes, they should," Devon agreed as his attention focused on Melissa again. He really didn't want to encourage more conversation with Marcy, but she was right, someone should destroy that animal.

Marcy indiscreetly sat next to Devon. He shot a dark look at her as she wiggled in an attempt to push him over. He refused to budge. Her leaf green eyes narrowed, but it was obvious she wasn't moving.

Resting her hands on her knees, she perched precariously on the edge of the seat as a few other girls began to make their way toward the booth. Apparently they considered the absence of Cassie and Melissa an open invitation. Chris's jaw locked, his eyes darkened, as he briefly met Devon's gaze once more.

Devon shook his head, unsure what to do. He didn't like the idea of dumping Marcy on her ass, but when Cassie came back she was going to be upset by what was going on. The other girls hovered around them, grinning and whispering to each other as they giggled. Chris lifted an eyebrow, and shook his head at Devon in disbelief. "Amazing," he muttered.

"Venus flytrap," Devon reminded him.

"What is?" Marcy asked as she indiscreetly pressed her breasts against his arm.

Disgust boiled through Devon as he jerked his arm away. "Don't," he growled in warning. Marcy's eyes widened in surprise and she moved back a little, but she didn't remove herself completely. Instead, she turned her attention to Chris, who was eyeing her like she was some kind of repulsive insect he would like to stomp.

A blur of motion caught Devon's attention and his mouth dropped. He watched in horror as Cassie dashed past the group of students by the table, moving with an agility and speed that left him frozen in disbelief as she raced down the road. The cold stone of his heart seemed to lurch and twist as he followed her movement.

"Son of a bitch!" He slammed his hand on the table with such force it shuddered and threatened to break. "Move!"

Marcy still didn't move out of his way. Unable to wait, and tired of the tiny girl, Devon shoved his way out of the booth. She stumbled and nearly fell to the ground before managing to keep herself upright. People stared at him in surprise, but he paid them no attention as he shoved his way through the thick crowd.

Melissa was waving at them, jumping high to be seen over the top of the crowd. "Hurry!" she cried before turning and rushing out the door.

She didn't have to tell him that. Grasping hold of the banister, he swung himself over the side of the stairs in order to avoid the group gathered upon them. Landing gracefully, he shoved past the few remaining people in his way and bolted out the door. Cassie was disappearing into the woods already, barreling her way through the trees and ground cover.

It took all he had to keep his powers under control as he burst free of the restaurant. Though he was powerful, he couldn't alter all the memories of the human's within, and they couldn't afford to let the humans see him. Racing past the startled group by the picnic tables, he chased after Melissa. Chris was right on his heels as their feet stomped against the sidewalk.

As soon as he got free of prying eyes, he would catch her, and he very well might kill her himself when he did.