"Son of a bitch!" Devon roared.

Cassie tried to grasp hold of him again, but he had already moved out of her reach. Grabbing hold of the glass countertop, he lifted it as if it weighed no more than a feather, and flipped it off the back wall. Metal twisted and glass exploded outward when it shattered against the wall. Cassie jumped back as glass scattered around her feet, and bounced off of the mountain boots she'd found. Knives, jewelry, and other assorted miscellaneous clattered loudly on the floor.

Dani let out a frightened cry, her face turned white as she scrambled to get out of his way. Liam and Chris intercepted Devon's murderous rampage, and managed to knock Devon back a few feet when he grabbed for her. Dani let out a terrified scream and ducked low as she ran behind Luther and Melissa.

"Devon calm down! Devon!" Liam shouted.

Devon seized hold of a rack of winter hats and gloves. Melissa cried out and scurried to the side as the rack sailed at her head. Annabelle rushed to help Liam. Cassie found she couldn't move. Dani's words were just beginning to fully sink in. They had given her Julian's blood! They had pumped her full of vampire blood! Maybe that was the reason she felt so connected to Julian now, but although the idea sounded reasonable, it didn't feel right. She felt a bond with Julian because they had formed a strong bond while being held captive together. It had nothing to do with his blood, and everything to do with the man she had come to know.

Liam grabbed hold of Devon's arm to try and hold him back. Devon swung him forward and slammed him into the wall with a resounding thud that shook the store as he seized hold of Liam's throat. A picture near the window fell and shattered on the floor. Windows rattled in their frames as Liam's feet kicked against the wall.

Chris launched himself at Devon's back, but Devon flung him away like an annoying gnat. Chris skidded across the floor and smashed into a rack of magazines, knocking it over. He shoved it off of him and tossed it aside. Melissa rushed to help him to his feet as Devon slammed Liam off the wall again.

"Devon, no!" Annabelle screamed and tried to pull Devon off of Liam. "No, stop! Cassie! Cassie help me!"

It was the utter panic in Annabelle's voice that finally freed Cassie from her shocked stupor. Dismay filled her when she realized the extent of Devon's rampage. He would kill everyone in this room if he wasn't stopped. Liam being his first victim, and if he killed Liam, Annabelle was as good as gone too.

Cassie raced forward and grabbed hold of Devon's arm and tried to pull him away. "Devon stop! Devon please!"

Tears streamed down Annabelle's face as she continued to pull uselessly at Devon's arm. She had no idea how she was going to get Devon off of Liam, and although Liam didn't require air, his eyes were beginning to bulge from his head. "Devon!" she screamed, but he didn't seem to hear her through the bloodlust consuming him.

And then it hit her, bloodlust. He was in the throes of it, and what he wanted most was blood, and the blood he craved more than anything was her blood.

Cassie ran back toward the ruined counter in search of one of the knives. She fell to her knees as she scrambled through the mess. She ignored the small nicks the jagged glass left on her hands and knees. Seizing hold of the first knife she found, a wicked looking one with a six inch curved blade, she jumped back to her feet. Chris was coming forward again, and Julian appeared to have decided to help as he began to move in, but they would only be two more useless fighters in the already overcrowded ring.

"Stay back!" she thrust the knife at them as she rushed past.

"Cassie!" Julian shouted when he realized her objective. "Cassie no!"

He tried to intercept her, but she dodged him. She thrust herself in between Devon and Liam. Liam's feet kicked against the back of her calves, and she could smell the tangy scent of his blood in the room. "You don't want him Devon," she whispered. "It's my blood you want, take it instead."

Tossing her hair back, she took the knife and made a small slit at the base of her throat. For a minute nothing happened, Devon didn't even look at her. Then the scent of her blood penetrated the thick fog of his fury. His red eyes fastened upon the blood dripping down her neck.

Cassie trusted in the strength of Devon's love to get them both through this. He would take her blood, and she wouldn't deny him. She only hoped he didn't kill her in the process. "It's ok," she whispered. "Devon take it, take my blood."

He shoved Liam back and thrust him away. Liam fell to his knees as he pressed a hand to his bruised throat. Annabelle wrapped her arm around his back; they both hurried to get out of the way. Julian's eyes gleamed at the sight of her blood, he took a step toward her. Cassie shook her head at him; she knew if Julian tried to interfere it would only result in a bloodbath.

Devon's lips pulled back to reveal his fully extended fangs. Cassie's heartbeat picked up, but it wasn't fear that set her blood pumping. It had been so long since he’d taken her blood and they’d been bonded in such a way. She needed this reconnection, needed to feel him inside of her again, enjoying her, and loving her.

His hand entangled in her hair as he pulled her forward and tilted her head to the side. His eyes flashed their brilliant emerald green, and she knew the man was present once again. Not present enough to stop him from taking her blood. It was too late for that, he wouldn't be stopped, but he was there enough so that she could see the person she loved so dearly. He pulled her forward much more tenderly than she’d expected.

She remained immobile in his arms, her eyes closed as anticipation thrummed through her body. "It's ok," she whispered again. "It's ok love."

He struck suddenly and with the speed of a rattlesnake. Cassie's body jerked as his teeth sank deep. Though the sting was piercing, it was also fleeting and swiftly replaced by the euphoria this experience always brought her. She clung to him as he bit deeper, and drank deeper than he ever had before.

His confusion and undying love engulfed her. She could feel his mind mingling with hers, feel it touching upon hers as they started to blend together. For a frantic moment Cassie almost pulled away. She didn't want him to see what they’d done to her in there. Didn't want him to see her weakness and pain, and there had been far too much of it.

She didn't want him to see her conflicting feelings about Julian either.

She knew she couldn't keep it hidden from him. If she tried to do so, it would only cause him more distress and doubt over her feelings for Julian. She could sense he already felt shut out, threatened and confused by her relationship with Julian, and it was making him even more unpredictable. She couldn't continue to let that happen; it would only result in more devastation, and next time she might not be able to stop him.

Slumping against him, Cassie gave herself over to his questing mind. All of her barriers slid away as she allowed him in to see it all. She knew she risked his temper again, but she couldn't hurt him anymore. She loved him far too much to keep anything from him. He embraced her as her memories enveloped them both. She could feel his distress and sorrow as he sought to comfort her. His love enveloped her and eased the torment of her soul as only he could do.

She could also feel his torment, the constant strain he'd been going through since she'd been taken and the battle he’d waged to keep himself under control enough to find her again. She could feel the agony her loss had caused him; the torment that had plagued him endlessly and his concern over her relationship with Julian, but it was eased by the taking of her vein.

His head dropped into the hollow of her neck as he withdrew from her. His lips were warm against her neck; his body trembled as he held her close to him. He licked the marks closed with the healing agent in his saliva. She shuddered at the delicious touch of his tongue over her skin.

"I've warned you repeatedly not to put yourself in my way," he whispered as he nuzzled her ear with his nose and lips.

Her fingers curled into his back when her knees began to tremble. "I'll always be here for you."

His lips brushed tender kisses across her face, her nose, her lips and then back again. "My Cassie," he breathed in her ear. "It's not your fault what they did to you in there, you did not deserve it. And you aren't in love with him. You were confused and you were brutalized both physically and psychologically. You care for him. He kept you alive and sane, and you love him, but you are not in love with him."

She burst into tears; her knees gave out as she fell against him. She hadn't realized until then that she required his forgiveness and understanding or just how much she’d feared her strange feelings for Julian. But Devon had seen it all, had understood it all, and because of his unconditional love she now understood it better too.

She also hadn't realized just how much she blamed herself for what had happened in there. She had gone against her own kind by loving Devon, and she was abnormal. She was an abomination, lacking and dangerous in ways none of the rest of them were. His forgiveness helped to ease the torment and self-hatred that had been eating her alive.

He bent down and swept her into his arms. She burrowed her face into the hollow of his neck, unable to face the others right now. "I'm sorry," he said briskly to Liam. "We're going out back. Will you be ok for a little while?"

She assumed this question was directed at Luther as he was the one who answered yes in a somewhat strangled voice.

Devon's strides were purposeful as he carried her past the racks of merchandise and toward the area where the feed was kept. She watched him as he placed her down on a feed bag. He drew the curtains shut but fragments of light still filtered through the edges. Lamps and flashlights had already been gathered and set out in the room. The small beam of one of the lamps cast shadows about the room. Grabbing two of the sleeping bags they had stashed here, he unrolled one and laid it down on the floor. He used the other sleeping bag as a pillow for the two of them.

He held his hand out for her. Cassie rose and clasped hold of it as he pulled the zipper back to let her in. Cassie's entire body was aching and tired as she lay down. Her mind was numb as tears continued to roll down her cheeks. Devon crawled in beside her and wrapped his arms around her as he pulled her against him.

He rested his cheek against hers and wiped the tears from her face. "I missed this so much," he whispered.

She squeezed his hands and pressed them against her chest. "And I missed you." She brushed a kiss against his full mouth. "Devon, about Julian…"

"Let's not talk about it right now Cassie. I know what happened to you." His voice trailed off as his eyes became distant. "I know what they did to you and they will pay for it, and we will talk about it soon. But for tonight, I would just like to hold you and know you’re with me again and safe."

She smiled at him. "Yes, I would like that very, very much."

His grin was the most beloved, cherished thing she had ever seen. She had missed his smile even more than her own freedom. His eyes sparkled when he smiled, the angles of his face eased to make him appear younger and more approachable, even with the rough stubble lining his jaw.

"You're exhausted."

"Yes." She burrowed closer to him and savored his deliciously masculine scent. It was familiar and comforting and welcoming. His love enveloped her, wrapping her within a secure cocoon that lulled her into a dreamless sleep.