"You don't have to do this."

Cassie didn't respond to Chris as she stared at the ominous school. Her stomach cramped at the mere thought of entering the school again. She tossed the crossbow higher up on her shoulder. "I'm not letting you guys go in there alone," she told him.

"We're not alone."

She glanced over at where Devon and Julian's heads were bent together. At least they were being cooperative with each other about going in there. Devon had done everything short of tying her up to keep her from coming with them, but there was no way she was staying behind. Dani stood off to the side, her arms wrapped around her as she tried to ward off the chill. Though this had been Dani's idea, she hadn't planned on going back into the school. However, she was the only one who knew where the weapons and blood were stored and the only one who knew her way around the compound.

"Cassie," Chris said quietly.

She glanced up at him and shook her head firmly. "It's too late anyway; I'm already here, and I'm not going back alone."

"One of us can take you back."

"No, I'm going in there with you."

He sighed loudly in resignation. "Fine."

Devon and Julian stopped conferring; their attention came back to the rest of them. "Ok, Julian is going to take the lead with Dani behind him, then Chris, Cassie, and me."

Devon's eyes were tumultuous as they met hers. She hated the tension in him, and that it was because of her, but she couldn't let them do this alone. She was one of the strongest fighters, and if something happened to any of them, she would never forgive herself if she hadn't been there to help.

"Come on," Julian said coldly. He hadn't wanted her here either, but in the end it hadn't been his decision to make.

Cassie bit on her bottom lip as she tried to calm her trepidation at the thought of being trapped within those awful bowels once more. Devon's jaw was clenched as he held her back. "You are to stay close to me," he ordered gruffly.

"I will," she promised.

"You should have stayed with the others."

She squeezed his hand reassuringly. It had been decided it was better if they separated. If something happened to them down there, Liam, Annabelle, Luther, and Melissa would have to stop the evil seeping out from this town, starting with the school.

"I'll be fine, but I couldn't stay with them Devon, and you know that."

His hand caressed hers before he released her. Cassie fell into line behind Chris. She fought to keep herself steady as they moved toward the school. She knew Devon would have no problem with taking her back if he felt she was too distressed to go on. Julian's hair was a beacon in the moonlight spilling across them as he kept his crossbow at the ready. The moon's beam lit a path over the snow straight to the double doors of the school. It should have looked pretty, it was gloomy and threatening to her.

Behind Julian, Dani kept her head bowed and her shoulders hunched in her jacket. She carried no weapons. Chris was carrying another crossbow at the ready as he rapidly searched the open landscape of the school grounds. There was nowhere to hide once they stepped out of the woods.

Devon's chest brushed against her back as they moved forward. She caught a glimpse of the gun he held. They had found the gun amidst the scattered remains of the shattered countertop. It must have been hidden in the shelves, or perhaps even in the register. Though it may not kill the monsters, it would slow them down.

Julian reached the doors and cautiously pulled them open. Dani took a small step back as Julian clicked on his flashlight and directed the beam inside. "Move," Chris ordered gruffly as he pushed Dani forward.

They slipped into the darkness of the school. Though she fought against it, Cassie couldn't stop the shudder of dread tearing through her. Devon rested his hand on her shoulder to comfort her, but there was no comfort in this place. Julian's beam bounced off of the concrete walls as he searched the interior for any hint of danger.

Cassie pressed closer to Devon as the beam revealed large streaks of blood running down the walls. Julian's shoulders became rigid as he tore his attention away from the blood soaked walls. "Julian," she said anxiously.

He held up a hand and shook his head. "I'm fine," he muttered as he focused the beam on the blood free walls. "Where to?"

Dani inhaled shakily and pointed ahead of Julian. "Straight ahead." They moved cautiously down the hall; the only sound the occasional squeak of someone's shoe on the linoleum. Dani led them down another hallway and turned to the right. "Here."

Cassie recognized the doors they had escaped through. A sign on them read, 'Basement, Authorized Personal Only.' The right door had been ripped from two of its hinges; it hung at an awkward angle, the bottom hinge the only thing keeping it attached to the wall.

Julian stepped over the ruined remains. Cassie remained rigid as she fought off the rush of memories threatening to consume her. "You don't have to go," Devon murmured in her ear.

She was extremely tempted by the prospect of not having to return to those dark depths of torment. But she had to face it. "Yes, I do."

Chris glanced back at her as he moved through the double doors. Cassie kept her gaze focused upon Chris's back, refusing to look around and take in her surroundings. She was greatly afraid she would run the other way screaming, if she allowed herself to think about it too much.

She didn't bother to count the floors as they steadily wound lower. The next set of double doors were both firmly intact, but Julian pulled them open easily. Cassie clearly recalled Dani locking those doors behind them. How had they gotten unlocked, and why were these doors still intact, while the ones above had been ruined? It didn't matter why the doors were the way they were, she realized, all that mattered was more of the creatures had escaped after them.

Cassie took a deep breath and swung the crossbow off her shoulder and grasped it firmly in preparation for an attack. "Get us to those rooms as quickly as you can," Julian grumbled at Dani.

She nodded as they moved through the doors and swept into the hallway. The smell caused her stomach to flip and an involuntary gag to escape her. Dani's hand flew to her mouth; Chris took a quick step back as he turned three shades of green.

"What is that?" Cassie instantly regretted opening her mouth because now she could also taste the foul odor.

"Death," Julian answered.

Cassie's stomach rolled again. It took every ounce of willpower she had not to vomit. Dani retched forcefully; her vomit splattered across the floor. Cassie pulled her shirt over her nose before she threw up everywhere too. Though it blocked the smell a little, it didn't help much. Devon placed his hand smoothly over her nose to cover it with his jacket. She gratefully inhaled the wonderful smell of him, it helped to block out the stench of the halls.

She smiled at him thankfully. His gaze searched her as he pulled her against him while keeping his hand firmly in place. He and Julian seemed not to be affected by the scent, but then again they had probably smelled it many times before. They had probably caused it many times before. She shuddered at the thought and tried to shove it aside.

She turned her attention back to the dimly lit hallway. The emergency beacons had still been flashing when they'd fled, but now there were only sickly yellow lights lining the lengthy hall. "Why are the lights on?" Julian demanded.

Dani wiped her mouth with the sleeve of her coat as she studied them. "I don't know. It must be a safety thing."

"You don't know?"

Dani shook her head. "I don't think I can take this smell."

Julian glared at her as his eyes blazed red. "Too bad. You helped create it, now you have to deal with it," Cassie frowned over his harsh words, but didn't protest them. "Now, where do we go?"

Dani trembled as sweat continued to pour down her face. Finally, she lifted a shaking arm to point straight down the hall. Julian turned and strode rapidly away. They hurried to keep up as Dani pointed him down another hall.

Cassie kept expecting to come across the source of the smell, but the halls remained clear of any blood, or human remains. But then again, they had been clear during their escape also. She knew they wouldn't remain that way though, the horrible stench told her that much. They made another right. Cassie became excruciatingly aware of where they were within the compound.

Her step faltered, her hand clenched upon Devon's over her nose as she stared into the room she'd been held captive in. Across the way she could see the window she and Julian had spoken through, the window that had helped to keep her alive.

She hated the helpless feeling swamping her once more as she looked to Julian. His eyes were callous as he stared into the room, his jaw locked forcefully. The force of his gaze burned into her as he turned toward her. Devon leaned over her to look into the room. He stepped partially into the doorway before turning his attention back to her. She was unable to meet his gaze as unreasonable shame flooded her. Pulling her against him, Devon cradled her head against his chest. Cassie managed to keep a firm hold on herself as she stared into the tiny cell that had been her prison.

Devon kissed her forehead roughly as a shudder ran through him. Cassie could sense the unraveling control and anger suffusing him. "You will never know anything like this again," he vowed in a harsh whisper.

She nodded as she took a deep breath. They had to get out of here before she unraveled completely, or before any remaining creature's lurking within this place discovered their presence. Devon placed his hand over her mouth again and held her firmly as they moved further down the hall.