Cassie was immobile with dread as she stood by the window. The timed streetlights spilled across the street, creating shadows on the pavement; the skeletal trees moved and swayed with the breeze. Cassie shuddered, foreboding filtered through her as Devon stepped into the middle of the road.

She was barely able to take her gaze away from Devon to look at Julian. He stood by the door, his hand resting upon the handle, his powerful body unmoving as he waited for the attack to come. "You know I won't stay in here once you go out," she told him.

His eyes skimmed over her. "I know you will try to go out there."

Liam and Annabelle were standing by Julian, their arms folded over their chests as they stared at her. They would also try and stop her, she knew that, but when it came to Devon she knew she could be capable of doing anything.

"Cassie." Her attention was drawn back to Julian. "I will tie you down if I have to, but you are not going out there."

Indignation flashed through her. "I am one of the strongest fighters you have!"

Julian's hand clenched around the handle. "And Devon is the strongest fighter we have, and if you keep pushing him, he is going to break."

Cassie shook her head forcefully. "No…"

"Yes!" Julian interrupted harshly. "Open your eyes Cassie! He's unraveling right before you. He will change you, whether it's for the best or not, he will do it, and he'll hate himself for it. Is that what you want?" Cassie could only manage a small shake of her head in response to his heartfelt words. "And if something were to happen to you, there will be no stopping him. Ever. Do you understand that?"

Cassie opened and closed her mouth, but no words would come out. "He'll kill us all Cassie, so for once, please just do as he asks."

Cassie buried her frustration and heartache as she turned to focus her attention on Devon again. Her heart was heavy as it labored to push blood through her veins. She was beginning to understand the distance encasing Devon now. "He can't fight it anymore."

"Not as well as he could, and not for much longer," Julian said flatly. "If it wasn't for his concern about what would happen to you, it would have happened by now." Cassie hastily wiped away the tears slipping down her face. Her hand clenched around the curtain she had pulled partially back. "You will stay inside, because there is no way of knowing how he will react if you don't."

Though she hated it and rebelled against it, she would do anything for Devon, even if it meant leaving him out there alone. "They're coming," Chris stated.

He walked over to stand beside Cassie and rested his hand on her shoulder. He squeezed her before bending forward to stare out the window. "Where?" Julian demanded.

"I don't know yet, but I can feel the confusion and thirst that usually precedes their arrival." They all remained unmoving; barely breathing as they waited for the creatures to emerge.

"How many?" Cassie inquired.

"I don't know," Chris breathed. "It's impossible to differentiate one from another; they're too far gone for that."

They were too far gone to tell anything about them, and they were heading straight for Devon. Panic slammed into her like a locomotive as she was overtaken by a sense of complete helplessness. She had to fight the urge to bolt out the door, tear across the street, and join Devon. She would rather die with him than live without him.

"Stay!" Julian commanded.

She pressed her fist to her mouth and bit down to stop the scream threatening to rip from her lungs. Devon turned; his shoulders were stiff, and his eyes blood red. He knew they were coming, he was ready for them. Please, she prayed ardently, please let him be ok.

The creatures burst out of the woods behind Devon. She grasped hold of the curtain, pulling herself closer as the three monsters hurtled across the street at him. "No," she breathed.

Devon braced himself as the first one launched itself a good ten feet off the ground at him. Its fangs extended as its face twisted into an animalistic sneer. Devon seized it by its throat and flung it over his head as another one came at him. He grabbed the second one, but the third slammed into him and clawed at his back. Chris slammed his hand over her mouth as a scream escaped her.

"Stay quiet!" he breathed in her ear.

Cassie managed a small nod as tears streamed down her face. She didn't realize Julian had left until he pounded across the concrete in a blur that would have been nearly indiscernible to the human eye. He grabbed the first one Devon had tossed aside and smashed it into the concrete. The creature's skull caved as it bounced off the ground, but its arms and legs still flailed about.

Nausea twisted Cassie's stomach, she couldn't move, she could hardly remain standing. Chris held most of her weight as he removed his hand from her mouth.

Liam suddenly emerged from the alleyway and raced forward as he moved to join the fight. Annabelle remained by the door. Annabelle wanted in the fight as badly as Cassie, but she would stay in order to ensure Cassie didn't escape. Cassie briefly contemplated trying to get past her anyway, but she wouldn't do that to Annabelle, not unless it became completely necessary.

She turned her attention back to the fight as two more monsters emerged from the woods. One of them went straight for Liam, while the other streaked toward Devon. Five on three. She could get away from Chris; she could make it out this window if she had to. She didn't give a rat's ass what the glass or wood would do to her, not if it got her free.

Devon flipped one over his back and spun as he drove an elbow into the nose of another one. The creature’s face twisted as it was knocked back a few feet. Blood exploded over its tattered and filthy shirt, but it didn't stop, didn't hesitate as it launched forward. Julian grasped hold of another's head and twisted it completely around. Its arms and legs continued to flail, but their movements were slower.

Deciding the creature was momentarily not a threat, Julian leapt back to his feet as Devon tossed his monster over his head and grasped hold of the throat of the one behind it. He jerked its head to the side as the thing howled. Its scream echoed throughout the night and rattled the windows.

"Awful," Melissa took a step away from the window where she stood by Luther and Dani.

Melissa didn't turn away from the fight before her though, and neither did Cassie though her stomach rolled with nausea. A gag escaped her as Devon grasped hold of its head and turned it with enough force to rip it off. Dani gagged as she spun away from the window and raced toward the bathroom. Cassie's hand tightened on Chris's as she tried to assimilate the vicious killer out there with the man she loved so completely.

Liam shoved his creature aside and leapt forward to help with the two still trying to battle Devon and Julian. It was obvious it was going to be a losing battle for the hybrid monsters.

Deadly. That was the only thing Cassie could think and see now. Devon and Julian were deadly, cold, blood thirsty, and so very good at destroying life. Liam was out there with them, but he didn't have the murderous zeal radiating from Devon and Julian. He didn't relish in the kill the way the two of them did, nor was he as good at it.

From her little hole, she watched as Julian and Devon took the next one down. Julian pressed his foot into the creature's throat as it squealed and squirmed uncontrollably. She couldn't watch anymore, yet she couldn't look away until she knew Devon was safe. Not until she knew the man she loved would come back to her, but she was beginning to think that would never happen. She was beginning to worry that man was gone.

The monster Liam had been battling scurried back to its feet, but it didn't return to the fray. Cassie's forehead furrowed as it scurried into the shadows. An uneasy feeling filled her. She'd never seen a Halfling back down from a fight, even when they were losing. They didn't have enough reason left to realize they were going to be killed. Or did they?

A shiver raced down Cassie's spine; a chill filled her veins. Maybe these things had more reason and sense than they had attributed to them? If that was the case, then things could become a lot more difficult, and a lot more deadly, than they had anticipated.

She turned back to the window as Julian and Devon easily removed the head of their victim. She took a step back from the window as the three of them turned toward the remaining creature. It was still squirming and squealing, trying to crawl away from the spot where Julian had left it.

She couldn't watch anymore. Bowing her head, she fought to withhold the tears and nausea boiling through her. The hair on her neck and arms suddenly stood up; a chill swept through her. She glanced toward the front door. Annabelle was standing on a chair in order to peer out through the small glass window in it. The other windows had been boarded, or blocked, under the assumption these creatures would be too far gone to notice the difference.

Devon, Julian, and Liam had exited the building through one of the small windows in the basement so they wouldn't be seen. The window led to the small alley between this building and the bank. They had never bothered with those small windows as the basement was under the trap door they had barricaded. But after the three of them had gone outside, the barricades hadn't been put back in place. They had been left open so Devon, Liam, and Julian could make a rapid retreat if it became necessary.

No one had thought the creatures would be smart enough to figure it all out. They were crazed and incapable of thought. But what if they retained more reason and intelligence than they had thought? What if the monsters had known they were inside this building, blockading themselves, preparing for a fight? What if they had expected this kind of a trap, and had laid one of their own?

The thoughts ran through her mind rapidly, but she was dismayed to realize she already knew the answers to them. The monsters were not mindless; they were cunning and deceiving. She had to turn around, she had to see what was behind them, but her feet felt like concrete blocks.

Gathering her courage, she turned her head to search the dark room. Joey had been brought up, and Devon had reinserted his command on Joey not to use his telekinesis. Behind where Joey and Patrick were tied to their chairs, behind the shelves with all of their goods, she could discern hulking shapes with reddened eyes. There were eight of them, but there could be even more in the back, or still down below. A pulsating hunger radiated from them, but she was the only one who had noticed them so far.

Afraid that any movement would immediately draw their attack, Cassie remained frozen, barely breathing. They had weapons gathered by the windows, but she didn't think she would have enough time to get her crossbow, let alone fire it, before the creatures were upon them. She wasn't even certain she would have enough time to alert the others first.

Taking a steadying breath, she finally managed to whisper to Annabelle. "How are they doing?"

Annabelle didn't look at her. "Another one has arrived, but they're ok."

The creatures would probably keep sending one or two in at a time in order to keep three of the stronger fighters occupied. She knew now these monsters had enough sense to realize it was probably a suicide mission, but they would do what the larger group wanted. They would sacrifice themselves in order for the others, more than likely the leaders, to feed and murder. Cassie shuddered at the organization, the brutality of it, and the thought process that had led them here.

Patrick had said they reacted, but only when murder, mayhem, and feeding were involved. Apparently even he had underestimated these creatures. She didn't know why they were waiting; they knew she could see them, but they remained immobile.

What were they doing? She wondered as she tried to get into their thought processes, tried to understand what was going on. But that was impossible.

"Ok good," she breathed. "Annabelle, get away from the door."

Annabelle shot her a look, and then froze. Her hand rested against the door as she moved on the chair. Her strawberry curls fell around her shoulders, her rosebud mouth parted, but she didn't move. Beside her, Chris's hand fisted around the curtain to the point Cassie thought he was going to rip it from the window. Luther stiffened but didn't move. Melissa's onyx eyes widened; she took a small step back.

Though they were all aware of the monsters now within the room, the creatures still didn't move. Patrick and Joey had turned in their chairs; their jaws were on the verge of unhinging. Where was Dani? Cassie's gaze flitted past the creatures. She couldn't see the bathroom Dani had bolted into. Cassie didn't know if she was still in there, or if these monsters had gotten to her first. Though Cassie still didn't trust the girl, her power would come in handy right now.

Very handy.

"What are they doing?" Melissa whispered.

Cassie had no answer for that. She found it more terrifying they hadn't already attacked, and then two more emerged from the dark. Ten on seven. The seven of them were strong fighters, if Dani was still alive, but these odds were far worse than any she had ever faced.

Yet they still didn't move.

"There's more," she breathed. "They're waiting for them."

Chris cursed vehemently; he finally released the curtain as he spun toward them. Patrick and Joey began to make horrified sounds as they bounced their chairs back. Cassie spun; they couldn't wait for them to attack, their numbers would only swell if they did. Hefting the crossbow, she slid a bolt expertly in as a sudden explosion of movement sounded behind her. They were coming, and they were coming fast. She spun back around and took aim at the first one coming at her. The bolt was off target as it hit the creature’s shoulder and barely knocked him off of his onward rush.

Annabelle leapt off her chair and used it like a lion tamer as she battled back one of the creatures rushing at her. It fell back a few feet before lunging forward again. Cassie managed to get another bolt into place and found satisfaction as the bolt hit home. The creature made no sound as it fell back and began to wither upon the ground.

Cassie froze; her mouth dropped as the creature continued its soundless death throes. "Jesus," Melissa whispered.

They were being silent, even in death, they were being silent to keep this attack as uninterrupted as possible. The thought process that went with that was staggering. No one moved as they tried to blend this new information in with what they thought they'd known. Even Joey and Patrick had frozen to stare at the creature now lying still upon the floor.

What were these things? Cassie wondered, trying not to completely unravel. Were they more human than they had all originally thought? Or were they even more demon? If they were more human, should they even be killing them, or should they be trying to save them?

She didn't have time to weigh those questions out. Fear for her own life far outweighed the guilt, and doubt, that flickered through her as the rest of the creatures raced toward them. Shocked into immobility by the creature’s bizarre death, Cassie hadn't thought to reload her crossbow. Lifting it high, she braced it against one of the monsters’ chests as it reached her side. Using the crossbow as a barrier, she held it off of her as she fought to regain control of this awful situation.

She punched another solidly in the cheek as it reached for her. He fell back from the force of the blow, but the one with the crossbow in its chest continued to claw and swipe at her. They may have had the sense to plan this ambush, but when it came to fighting, the bloodlust took complete control of them. Cassie shoved the thing further back as the other one launched at her again.

A shrill cry rent the air, but Cassie couldn't take her eyes off of the creatures attacking her in order to see how badly Melissa had been hurt. Chris shouted, and then another monster went flying by Cassie with its hands clenching at the knife buried deep in its chest.

Continuing to use the crossbow as a shield, she focused her attention on the other one who kept coming back at her. It clawed and flailed at her in unnerving silence. Trying not to let her panic overcome her, she swung another punch at it.

The thing ducked at the same time it grabbed hold of her fist. A strangled cry escaped her, but she couldn't tug her hand free of its grasp. Her hand clenched on the crossbow as she continued to fend the other one off while trying to tug her hand free. The creature's eyes were like lava as it tugged her closer. "Why do you get to be normal still?"

Cassie gaped at the thing; she was frozen into inaction by its words. That it could speak! She hadn't associated speech with these half crazed things, but it was speaking to her, and it made sense, even if its voice was the most horrid thing she'd ever heard. It was low and grating as it slithered out of him like a snake crawling out of a hole. The sound of it sent chills down her spine and made her blood run cold.

And its question! Why did she get to be normal? How did this creature know what had been done to her? How did it have enough reason to understand any of this?

The world seemed to slow to a crawl as Cassie studied the creature before her. The features of this being were a mangled blur of human and monster. Its red eyes were filled with hate but there was something oddly familiar about it.

Then, she remembered. She had been locked in her cell still, before Dani had rescued her. One of the creatures had peered into the window as it tried to get into her cell. It (no not it, this thing before her), had been chased off by Dani's power. It knew she had been in that laboratory too, knew she had emerged, not unscathed, but certainly not the same thing these monsters had become.

"Why?" it demanded.

Cassie had no answer for it, she couldn't think of one. It wasn't fair she had come out almost normal after what had been done to all of them, but that wasn't her fault. She hadn't done this to them, she hadn't done this to herself. It shouldn't blame her, but it did.

Cassie opened her mouth, but before she could respond, it yanked her forward. Cassie was thrown off balance by the abrupt tug. She tried to keep hold of her crossbow at the same time she tried to regain her footing. A hand entangled in her hair; her head was ripped roughly back.

She swung her fist up, hoping to connect with something, anything, but came up with nothing but air. Using the crossbow, she bashed it into the chest of the one she had been fending off and knocked him back a good five feet. She took the brief reprieve to turn toward the one with its fingers entangled in her hair.

Before she could do anything it struck with the unnerving speed of a cobra. Her terror and confusion were buried as a scream rose in her throat. It was unable to break through the suffering searing her veins as it died in her throat. Devon had said it was painful to have blood drained against a person's will, but this was far worse than anything she ever could have imagined. Her muscles went rigid, her lungs stopped working, and her veins burned as the blood was greedily sucked from her body. She felt as if a million fire ants were crawling over her, tearing at her flesh as they ripped it away from her.

She couldn't get the air into her lungs to breathe. She wanted to cry, but her eyes were on fire, and they burned away the tears forming in them. She wanted to fight back, but her muscles were as unbendable as rocks. She wanted to do many things, but all she could do was stand in shattering agony as she listened to the slurping sounds of her blood being siphoned from her neck.

The one she had shoved back came at her again. Her arm had frozen with the cross bow still pointed up, and her fingers had clenched around the trigger. It knocked the crossbow aside, but she still didn't release it, even when it snatched hold of her arm and sank its teeth in deep.

A groan finally escaped her, or at least she thought it did, she couldn't tell beyond the explosion of agony seeming to shatter her skull. Red and white stars blazed before her eyes. She barely heard the small cry before she felt the small rumble in the earth that indicated power was being sucked from it. She dimly realized Dani had arrived. Cassie felt a small amount of relief, it would be ok now. But before Dani could release her power on a blast that would have rocked the earth, shook the walls, and rattled the glass within the windows, one of the creatures pounced upon her. Dani fell back with a startled cry as the wave of her power was abruptly cut off.

Cassie's vision blurred as darkness threatened to pull her under. She tried to gather enough of her wits to regain some kind of control of herself, but she couldn't push the pain away enough to do so. Her heart thundered as she realized the darkness was going to win, a darkness she would never wake from.