Cassie heard the collective inhalation of breaths, but she couldn't tear her gaze away from Devon. The longing radiating from him warmed her heart, caused her toes to curl, and made every scary thing about her decision completely right. It would be ok; he could calm the raging insanity in her. He could help her control it and he could make it so she wouldn't be some creature stuck in the middle, lost to a world of lunacy and bloodlust. He could do all of that for her, and for the first time, she had no fear about letting him do so.

This was right, this was what she wanted, and it would be good. She knew that. Between them, things would be good, forever.

Even if she hadn't just learned she could lose complete control of herself, and everything she believed in, she knew she’d made the right choice. She would have made it anyway; this new knowledge had just precipitated it faster. No matter what, she would have chosen to spend forever with him.

"Cassie," Chris said. "Are you sure?"

She turned away from Devon and braced herself for the aversion she was sure would be on their faces. She loved them all dearly, but she had made her choice and she was going to stick by it. She was surprised there was no disgust there, however. Chris and Melissa looked as if they’d been expecting this; Dani had retreated to the window and wasn't looking at them. It was only Luther who didn't look happy.

"Yes."

"I'm sorry, but you can't."

Cassie's head shot toward Luther as irritation and frustration rolled through her. She hadn't expected her decision to be met with open arms, but she had expected some of Luther's prejudice's against Devon to have lessened. They had worked together in order to find out more about the Hunters like her after all.

"Luther..."

He held up a hand to stall her irritated tirade. His gaze was sad and lost. Cassie's mouth snapped shut in the face of his distress. He glanced toward Devon, opened his mouth and then closed it again. Taking a deep breath, Luther rubbed the bridge of his nose before meeting her gaze once more. "Cassie, we don't know what will happen to you if you are changed."

She frowned fiercely at him before turning to Devon. His eyes were dark and treacherous as they glimmered in the light. It was the despair in his gaze that caused her heart to turn over, and her stomach to plummet.

"No Hunter has ever been changed," Luther continued. "There is no way of knowing what it might bring. You already have vampire DNA in you, more so than most Hunters. We don’t know what would happen to any Hunter who is changed; let alone what will happen to you. You are so close to the precipice now."

Cassie fought to keep breathing through the anxiety clutching at her. "Devon can help with that," she managed to say.

"Devon was able to bring you back before, but if he changes you and you become something more, he may not be able to pull you back. Ever."

There was a downtrodden slope to his shoulders that only confirmed Luther's words. "Devon?" she whispered.

"There is already a demon in you Cassie," he said reluctantly. "Luther is right. There is no way to know."

The breath wheezed out of her as hope deflated from her like a popped balloon. "So, that's it then," she said. "There's nothing we can do."

"I'm not saying that, Cass," Luther said kindly. "I'm just saying we have to take our time, do some more research. I’ve never heard of a Hunter being turned, but it may have happened, and there may be something out there that would tell us about it. I'd never thought to look for anything about you, until Devon came to me, and now we will look for information about this."

"No," Devon said forcefully. "No more digging, no more research." Cassie felt as if her legs were going to give out, but she somehow managed to keep herself standing upright. Didn't he want to figure this all out somehow and end both of their misery? "It's too risky."

Cassie blinked at him, Melissa and Chris looked just as confused as she was. "Risky?" she inquired.

Devon nodded briskly. "The Commission, if they know you exist they will come for you. They will destroy you Cassie."

"No, they won't!" she and Chris protested simultaneously.

Melissa's mouth parted as she took an abrupt step forward. Dani finally turned away from the window to survey them. "That's why no other Hunters like Cassie were recorded, not after Gertrude anyway," Melissa whispered, antipathy and understanding evident in her voice. "The Commission destroyed them."

Bile rose up Cassie's throat. "Why?" she breathed. "Why would they do that?"

Luther took a deep breath, but it was Devon who answered her. "Because they cannot, and will not, allow a fault in the bloodlines. They couldn't take the chance that one of their creations might turn against them, and become more destructive than the monsters they had been created to destroy."

Cassie gaped at him as Chris cursed loudly; he turned on his heel and restlessly paced the room as he tugged at his hair. Melissa slumped against the wall, and Cassie was surprised by the single tear sliding down her face. Dani stared at them with large eyes, and her mouth parted as she rapidly glanced around the room.

"I know you don't like the idea, but I think it's a very good idea you leave this town now. Luther tried to be discreet, but if they put two and two together, they will come for you."

Cassie's eyes shot back to Devon as her jaw dropped. "You can't be serious! They wouldn't do such a thing!"

"Yes, Cassie, I believe they would," Luther confirmed.

Her legs felt like Jell-O as she slid to the floor. Hadn't she already given up enough? What more could life take from her? What more could it throw at her? Now she had to worry about her own kind coming after her, and there was a distinct possibility she couldn't join Devon without becoming a complete monstrosity.

Devon was instantly in front of her, his solid strength seeped into her as he took hold of her hands. "We will get through this," he said forcefully as his spectacular emerald eyes blazed into hers. "We will get through this, we will get it all sorted out, and we will be together Cassie. No matter what it takes, we will be together. But first we must think about your safety, all of you have to go somewhere safe."

Cassie tried to be reassured by his words, tried to believe in them, but she couldn't quench all of her doubts. She swallowed heavily and nodded firmly. She had to believe him; otherwise she wouldn't be able to keep on going, to keep on fighting. There had to be a light at the end of this dark tunnel, or she was going to succumb to the darkness inside her. She knew she would.

"You're right, we will be," she agreed as she managed a wan smile for him. His hands constricted around hers, a small twinkle lit his eyes. He helped lift her to her feet and wrapped his arm around her waist as he pulled her close to him. "But why would they come for all of us, I thought it was only me they wanted?"

"It may be more than The Commission that comes here now, Cassie."

"Excuse me?" Chris demanded.

Cassie's hand tensed in Devon's shirt. "What do you mean?" she inquired.

"Isla is dead Cassie; you are the Hunter, and only one who killed her. That is a feat that would have been thought impossible, before today. Isla was a Grounder, she was nearly an Elder, and far stronger than any other vampire you have defeated. When word of that spreads, others will come to take their chance at you. Julian will not fight alone, he knows he can't win, but he won't leave either. You are far too much of a challenge for him to quit now. They will come for you, Cass, but they will go after all of you now that they know you are here."

Chris exploded in a flurry of curses. Cassie merely gawked at Devon as weird sputtering noises escaped her; she could barely catch her breath. A loud crash snapped her head around. Chris was staring bashfully at them as he held his dust covered hand up. Behind him there was a hole in the wall. "Sorry," he mumbled.

"That solved things," Melissa muttered as she shook her head. "I'll get you some ice."

"Are you ok?" Dani inquired as Melissa hurried from the room.

Chris nodded, but heat colored his face as he kept his gaze diverted. Melissa returned to the room with a towel wrapped in ice. "Next time don't blame it on the wall."

He gave her a small smile as he took the towel from her. "So what do we do now?" Melissa inquired as she returned to her place by the mantle.

"I've made some phone calls; I have a safe place for the five of you to go."

"What about you?" Cassie demanded.

He shook his head. "Someone has to stay. They will come for you, but they will only stay until they discover you're gone. They may cause some damage during that time though, so someone must be here to stop them."

"Absolutely not!" Cassie declared forcefully. "I will not leave you here alone to fight against them. You may be strong Devon, but you are not that strong!"

"Cassie..."

"No! No, I cannot lose you too, it would destroy me!" The very thought of it made her long to curl into a ball at the same time she had the urge to destroy everything. It was a feeling she realized was extremely hazardous to her, to all of them now. "We are not leaving Devon."

"It will only be for a little bit, and it is best you aren't here right now. Not until you can get a better grip on what is going on inside of you."

"And what if it takes over when you're not there?" she demanded, determined not to be forced from this town. They were needed here to protect people, and she couldn't be separated from him. "I can't come back from it if you're not there! And what if you're killed?"

"Easy Cassie." His voice took on a soothing tone that set her teeth on edge.

"I'm not a child!" she retorted. "Don't talk to me like I am."

His eyes became darker as he studied her. "I know, but you have got to keep your emotions under control."

She scowled up at him as she tried to keep her annoyance and terror in check. "You can't stay here alone."

He nodded as he pulled her close and dropped a kiss on her forehead. "I have figured something out."

"Devon..."

"Cassie, the safety of each one of you is of the utmost importance."

"Where would we go?" Chris demanded.

Devon's hand wrapped around the back of her head as he slid his fingers smoothly through her hair and held her close. "You would agree to leave?" he asked.

Chris stared at Cassie for a moment before nodding slowly. "If The Commission and more vampires come for Cassie, we can't stop them all. We won't be enough. The last thing I would like to do is leave, the people here..." he shook his head as his gaze flitted to the window. "We can't leave them unprotected. My mother."

"I'll make sure they're safe."

"And what about your safety?" Cassie was unwilling to concede yet and leave him here while they were exiled.

"I'll have help," he murmured.

"Who?" Melissa inquired. "If we go, who will you have to help you?"

A sinking sensation settled in her stomach as Devon's eyes pleaded with her for understanding. "I called Annabelle and Liam." Cassie's mouth dropped as her breath exploded from her. "They're on their way."

"What?" she gasped.

"Who are Annabelle and Liam?" Melissa's delicate brow was furrowed in confusion as she glanced between the two of them.

"Annabelle is a vampire I created," Devon explained, but his eyes remained locked on Cassie's.

She could see the plea in his gaze to be ok with this, to understand. She couldn't find the words to reassure him though, she didn't know how to. She didn't know how she felt about this. He had once thought himself in love with Annabelle, she was the reason he didn't feed on humans anymore. Cassie knew he was completely in love with her, and had never truly loved Annabelle, she still couldn't help but feel unsettled and confused.

"Liam will stay here with me, and you will go with Annabelle."

Cassie's heart turned over as panic filled her. "Devon..."

"It's for the best Cassie. They have a place further up north where you can all stay until this has blown over and we can figure out something better."

"And if I lose control again?" she whispered.

"Annabelle is a healer; she may be able to pull you back."

"It’s a good possibility," Luther agreed.

Cassie wanted to protest, she wanted to cry. She wanted to absolutely refuse to leave his side. But she couldn't find the words, and she knew they would only fall upon deaf ears. "When are they coming?" Melissa inquired.

"They were leaving Pennsylvania at sunset; hopefully they'll be here by morning."

"My grandmother's home, her things..."

"I'll make sure everything is taken care of Cassie, I promise. Nothing bad will happen to your home."

Cassie turned away from him as she took in the living room. This was the only home she'd ever known, all of her things were here. All of her grandmother's things were here. She blinked back the tears burning her eyes as she strained to keep them from spilling over. She would come back here, one day, she would come back.

"And if my mother decides to stay behind?" Chris asked.

"I will watch over her too," Devon assured him.

Cassie instantly began to protest. "But this town, these people..."

"Will be safe. I am an Elder and Liam is a powerful vampire in his own right. If The Commission comes, they won't be a threat, and neither will the vampires once they realize only Liam and I are here."

Cassie swallowed heavily as she fought the urge to scream in frustration. "And what if The Elders decide to come looking for us?" Melissa asked.

Cassie's stomach dropped at the thought. Devon's arm constricted around her as he shook his head. "The Elders have been in hiding for almost fifteen years, and before that they’d retreated for nearly a hundred years. They won't come out now, not even for this. They hate the world, they have for centuries. They may have orchestrated and participated in The Slaughter but that was to wipe out The Hunter line..."

"And now that they know it isn't wiped out?" Cassie interrupted.

Devon shook his head. "It's decimated enough not to overly concern them. They figure the rest of the vampires, with any sense, will be able to take out the remaining stragglers. That is why I must keep you safe now."

Cassie looked helplessly toward Chris, Melissa, and Dani as she tried to come up with some other argument, some brilliant plan none of them had thought of yet. But they looked just as dumbfounded as she felt.

"I suppose we should pack then," Melissa said.