Devon finally managed to extricate himself from Marcy's desperate clutches. There had been a time when he'd thrived on his inherent ability to attract women, a time when he'd reveled in the endless parade of them, not anymore. Now he would like to flip a switch and turn the ability off, but unfortunately it didn't work that way.

Making his way across the floor, he steered clear of the girls attempting to approach him. The only thing he cared about was getting back to Cassie, taking her in his arms, and ridding himself of the lingering feel of Marcy. The girl had no shame whatsoever.

He stepped clear of the crowd and frowned as he spotted Chris and Melissa, minus Cassie. Disquiet filled his gut as he scanned the students gathered near them. "Where's Cassie?" he demanded far more abruptly than he'd intended.

Melissa lifted an eyebrow as she studied him with an amused expression. "The bathroom, she'll be right back."

Uneasiness grew in him as he perused the crowd once more. Folding his arms, he tapped his foot impatiently. She required her freedom, without it she would rebel and chafe against the restraints placed upon her. Even as he reminded himself of this, his anxiety level hiked up a notch.

Reaching out, he used his powers to search for her presence. He'd become so in tune with her it was easy for him to shift through the people surrounding him to find her. His mind clicked onto hers, his body went numb with cold fear. For a moment he couldn't move as he was buried beneath her emotions.

He had to pull away from her, had to remove himself from the edges of her frantic mind, otherwise he wouldn't be able to move. Breaking free of his paralysis, he shoved people aside in his heedless rush. Ignoring the astonished looks he received, he leapt easily over a table as he raced out of the room. He didn't care that a human wouldn't be able to move as fast as he was, or with as much agility. He didn't care if his reaction put doubts and questions into their minds; all he cared about was getting to her before it was too late.

* * *

Cassie dashed to the side as Julian came at her in a nearly indistinguishable blurring rush. She just barely managed to avoid his questing grasp as his hand skimmed over the skin of her back. He spun at her again, coming at her with a ferocious hunger that sent her heart racing as her fight or flight instinct kicked into hyper drive.

She turned to the side and grabbed for the first thing her panicked fingers could seize hold of, the soap dispenser. Fear enhanced her strength as she ripped it from the wall in a wrenching jerk. He grabbed hold of her shoulders and shoved her backward as he slammed her into the sink. A cry escaped her as pain flashed up her bruised and battered spine and her head smashed into the mirror. Shattered glass spilled around them in a tinkling wave as it cascaded upon the sink and floor. She was momentarily stunned into immobility from the force of the impact.

The harsh light of the room reflected off of the shattered pieces, they momentarily blinded her with their brilliance. Blinking back the stars briefly filling her field of vision; she strained to bring him into focus. His beautiful face twisted into a snarl as his fangs extended past his lower lip. Her breath rushed from her as he struck at her, moving faster than any rattlesnake.

Reacting on pure instinct Cassie swung up and slammed the soap dispenser into the side of his face. Soap and plastic bits exploded over them as his assault was knocked off balance, and his grip on her was jarred. Cassie tore free of his grasp, and scrambled to get away, but she realized her folly too late. The soap had poured all over the floor making the linoleum treacherously slippery.

Her heels skidded through it, her arms pin wheeled as she fought desperately to keep her balance, but it was too late. With a startled cry, she fell backwards and crashed to the floor with enough force to knock the breath from her. Dazed, Cassie shook her head as she tried to clear it of the waves of pain saturating her. Her tailbone screamed in agony, pieces of glass sliced into her hands as she sprawled inelegantly across the shard coated floor.

Dismay filled her as her heart sank. Maybe if she had stayed on her feet, maybe if she had been able to get to the door, she might have had a chance at escape. She wouldn't be able to do so now. Shoving it all aside, she rolled to the side, not caring her dress became covered in the slippery liquid and torn by the shards of glass. She had to keep moving, it was her only hope, a small one, but it was all she had. As she moved, she kicked off her heels to rid herself of the hindrance they caused.

Julian recovered speedily from the blow she'd given him. She lifted herself to her feet, but remained crouched as she rested her injured hand on the cold linoleum. She froze as she met his heated gaze. Through the pain and annoyance, she saw his amusement, saw how very much he was enjoying toying with her. He was going to drag this out for as long as possible, and he was going to enjoy every second of it. Though she was bleeding, the scent of her blood didn't seem to send him into a frenzy this time as his eyes remained their crystalline blue color.

For a moment she couldn't move, she could only stare at him as despair and anger crashed over her in conflicting waves. She wasn't ready for this; it wasn't her time to die.

"You are a feisty one," he said in a low purr. "No wonder Devon lusts for you so." Cassie shifted slightly, careful not to draw his attack quite yet as she tried to adjust herself into a better position. "I'm going to enjoy taking you away from him."

She froze, trapped by his gaze as realization crashed into her. "That's what this is all about," she breathed. "That's why you're here. We didn't draw you in, he did."

Julian flashed his perfect white teeth as his fangs cut into his bottom lip. Even with soap dripping off the side of his face, he was hauntingly beautiful and perfect. Kneeling before her, he rested his hands on the floor as his eyes twinkled with merriment.

"Yes love, that's what this, is about. Or at least why it started. Now I’ve decided I will have you. I will keep you, and break you, and parade you around in front of Devon because when I get into you, I won't let you go. You won't know who he is by the time I'm done with you. Your mind will be mine. You will be mine."

She shook her head, unable to speak as his words brought forth a rolling revulsion she couldn't escape. "I would never forget him. I would never allow you to do that to me," she breathed.

His grin broadened. "You're so cute," he taunted. "You actually think you’d have a choice, but you won't. I wouldn't allow it. For eternity you will be at my every beck and call. You will do everything I ask you to do, and I do mean everything."

Bile heaved up her throat, images of what he would do to her smashed through her brain. Grabbing hold of her pride, and her strength, Cassie tilted her chin as she met his gaze. "I'd rather die."

A short bark of laughter escaped him as he leaned forward, and his body coiled for attack. "I won't make that mistake princess."

She glared at him as her upper lip curled into a sneer. "Don't call me princess."

Leaping easily to her feet, she dashed to the side as she ran a zigzag pattern toward the door. Toward the only hope of salvation she had. She didn't care anymore if he killed her; that would be far better than the alternative he had planned.

He was right on her heels, so close she could feel the heat of his body. Spinning, she just managed to avoid him as he rushed past her. A growl of fury escaped him as he slid to a halt. Scurrying back a few feet, she avoided the puddle of soap and debris as she rushed toward the stalls.

They offered her no protection, she wasn't foolish enough to think they did, but the longer she stayed free of Julian the longer she stayed alive. Her evasion of him might also infuriate him to the point he did kill her by accident, instead of seizing control of her mind and body like he had threatened.

The door slammed off the wall as she lunged into one of the stalls, she didn't bother to attempt to lock it. What would be the point? Leaping onto the toilet, she threw her hands on top of the metal stall divider. She ignored the acute pain the motion caused her torn and damaged hands as she lifted herself up. She catapulted herself into the next stall as Julian slammed into the door. The metal shrieked in protest as it twisted and bent beneath the force of his impact.

Cassie leapt her way over the stalls as she headed back toward the door. A roar followed her as Julian's frustration became palpable in the bathroom. Reaching the last stall, she leapt easily over it and swung her legs over the soap puddle. He was on her, coming at her with the rushing force of a locomotive.

Cassie ran as fast as she could, but it wasn't fast enough, nowhere near fast enough. He was far too powerful for her, far to hell bent on destroying her and Devon. The door was mere feet away when his arms encircled her. His iron tight grasp knocked the breath from her as he squeezed. A rib cracked, a cry escaped her as his hands tore through the fabric of her dress and sliced her skin.

This was it; this was the way it was all going to end.

She wasn't ready; she so very much was not ready for this. Her thoughts turned to Devon, desolation consumed her as all of her dreams from earlier shattered. Cassie tried to dig her feet in, but it was useless as Julian's aggressive rush propelled them toward the door.