Inferno

by Erica Stevens

  Anger sparked from Zane, but before he could retort or react, Julian grasped hold of his arm. Zane jerked back instantly, his arm flying up as he knocked Julian’s hand aside. “Thanks for the insight,” Julian murmured.

  Zane’s eyes flooded red with fury, his jaw clenched tight, but he did not swing at Julian like he apparently longed to do. Julian moved down the line of Elder’s examining each one of them before stopping before Adon. Though Adon had one of the strongest abilities, he was also one of the two younger than Julian, and therefore unable to resist Julian’s probing. He was also under Devon’s firm control, and would be unable to withhold anything from Julian.

  Before anyone could stop him, Julian seized hold of Adon’s hand. No one moved. Everyone remained frozen until Damon instructed Adon to react as he normally would have. Adon jerked his hand free of Julian’s grasp and delivered such a speedy round house that Julian didn’t have time to dodge it. His head snapped back, his teeth clattered loudly together as blood exploded from his inner cheek, spraying across the floor.

  Releasing Cassie, Devon jumped forward. He knew that Julian was going to react badly to this, and now was not the time to fight. They were not prepared for it. Julian wiped the blood from his mouth with his sleeve, but to Devon’s surprise, he did not attack Adon. “That’s one, you won’t get another,” he growled.

  Adon glared back at him, his hands fisted at his side. Devon didn’t tell Adon to back down, he couldn’t. Adon had to appear normal; they could not suspect that Devon now had complete control over one of their own.

  “No Adon,” Zane said sharply. “We are not here for that.”

  Adon remained unmoving, his slender five foot four frame as taut as a bowstring. Aside from Annabelle, he was the smallest person in the room, and had what was now commonly referred to as little man syndrome. His temper was infamous and fiery, but it had supposedly been in check ever since he had nearly been lynched by a mob two hundred years ago. The humans had discovered what he was after he had gone on a drunken rampage in a tavern. It was only the interference of Zane, and Robert, that had kept Adon alive.

  Devon was honestly surprised that Adon had survived as long as he had, but he supposed living away from society for long periods of time had probably attributed to that. Though, Adon looked as if he still wanted to pounce upon Julian, his eyes slowly returned to their dark mocha color as he took a small step back. His dark hair fell across his cheek. Adon was of Greek ancestry, but years spent out of the sun had faded his olive complexion.

  Julian turned slowly away, nearly bumping into Devon. “Wasn’t expecting that,” he muttered, wiping away the remaining blood that trickled down his lip.

  “Nor I.”

  “Did you find out what you wanted to know?” Zane demanded, obviously irritated with the situation.

  Devon glanced toward Julian, who nodded briefly. “I think we can trust them,” Julian said softly. “Though they do not like this union, they are accepting of it because they feel that Cassie will be a powerful ally, an asset.”

  “Asset?” Cassie inquired sharply.

  Devon recognized, and disliked, the rebellious fire in her eyes. “The Elders,” Julian said disdainfully. “Mistakenly believe that every vampire created belongs to them. That every vampire is meant to do their bidding, and to serve them. They think that they will have ultimate power over you.”

  Zane smiled coldly at Julian. “We may not control you, but we do have ultimate power over you. We all serve the same purpose, we all want the same things in the long run, and that is to keep our own kind safe. Cassie will be a great aid in that.”

  “And if things go wrong?” Cassie demanded, obviously irritated that they thought they would have any control over her. Her arms were folded tightly over her chest, her eyebrows drawn sharply together as she tapped her foot impatiently.

  “Everyone in this room knows that you will have to be dealt with if it comes to that. No one disagrees with that fact.”

  Cassie’s gaze came slowly toward Devon; her eyes were hopeless and lost. Devon ached for her, but he could not disagree with Zane’s statement. If something went wrong, they would have to both be destroyed. There was no getting around that fact.

  “I want every one of your friends to agree to this arrangement, aloud and separately so that Bernard can read them. If there is no agreement, and if he feels any kind of betrayal or lie from you, there will be consequences.”

  Panic flared through Cassie’s eyes, but before she could protest, Julian seized hold of her arm and bent low to her ear. Though Devon could not hear what he said, Cassie’s mouth clamped shut. Around the room people slowly responded. Julian continued to hold her arm as Cassie bent her head, listening silently as everyone gave a soft yes. Devon remained a few feet from them, his eyes focused on Bernard as he read each response, nodding slowly afterward.

  Chris was the last, and the slowest, to respond. He hesitated, his silence deep within the crowded room. Cassie finally lifted her head, turning to look at her best friend. “Chris,” she whispered.

  Chris licked his lips nervously. “I agree with the change, but I will not help to destroy you.” His gaze flickered to Devon. “Either of you.”

  Devon tilted his head, studying the boy who had come to be his friend. “Understandable,” Devon said softly.

  The scent of Cassie’s tears was sharp in the room as she hurried to Chris, enveloping him in a tight hug. Chris buried his head in her shoulder, clinging to Cassie. “Odd,” Zane murmured.

  Devon turned slowly toward him, despising the tone of his voice. “What is?”

  “I would never allow Anastasia to hug another man.”

  “No dear, you allow me to do so much more,” Anastasia purred, licking her lips eagerly. The last time Devon had seen her, her black hair had been floor length. It was now cut into a sleek bob just beneath her ears that showed off her refined, aristocratic features. Her vivid dark blue eyes stood out sharply against the pallor of her skin, and the midnight of her hair. “Because I love it when you catch me.”

  Devon’s stomach twisted in disgust and revulsion. The two of them had been together for over four hundred years. Their love was strong, fierce, and completely sick and twisted. They did things to each other, and other people, that had repulsed him even when he had been at his absolute worst. Though, there had been a time when he had thought that what they shared was the only kind of love a vampire could have. A time when he believed that if he did find a mate, their relationship would be exactly like Zane and Anastasia’s. He was thankful to know now that he had been completely wrong. Their love was wrong, and completely tainted. Their relationship was so twisted and dark, because they were so twisted and dark.

  Zane and Anastasia exchanged a look that made Devon’s lip curl in disgust. He glanced behind him to make sure that Cassie was not watching, or listening, he did not want her to witness this sick exchange. She was still hugging Chris, and Luther and Melissa had now joined them; they spoke softly as they clung to each other.

  “What is your assessment Bernard?” Julian inquired obviously just as disgusted by the exchange as Devon was.

  “They tell the truth,” Bernard said softly. “They may not like this arrangement, but they will agree with it. If we do not betray them, they will not betray us.”

  “Wonderful,” Zane said eagerly, licking his lips in anticipation. “We have all come to an agreement! Now we must decide how to proceed with these creatures, but that can wait till tomorrow. We are all tired, it has been a long trip.”

  “You will not be staying here,” Devon told him when Zane looked around the room.

  “Oh?”

  Devon folded his arms over his chest, bracing his feet wide as he faced off against the lead Elder. “We may have a tenuous truce, but we will not pretend to like, or respect each other. You will not be staying here.”

  “But we must discuss plans.”

  “Tomorrow.”

  “Hmm,” Zane nodded. “I suppose you are
correct, we should not push our boundaries.”

  “No, you should not.”

  “Where is safe around here?” Octavia inquired. Her liquid brown eyes were intent as she studied Devon with distaste. She had once tried to pursue him, but he had spurned her advances as she had also been with his brother at the time. And Devon wanted nothing to do with anything that Robert had touched, ever. Apparently Octavia had decided that she wanted nothing to do with him either, now that he was no longer a monster. Octavia was not a pretty girl in the classical sense, but she was one of the most sensual, curvaceous women he had ever seen. She was also one of the cruelest and most vindictive.

  “The bank has a safe; you will be fine inside there. No sunlight will get in, and there is a way to let yourselves out from the inside,” Devon told them.

  He could feel Cassie’s gaze upon his back, but he didn’t look at her. He didn’t want her to know that he had attempted lock himself in there in order to stay away from her. The discovery of the release handle inside had prevented him from being successful however. She had already been exposed to far too much evil for his liking, he didn’t want her exposed to anymore, especially not his own.

  “And what will we do if they come for us during the day?” Octavia asked softly.

  “They will not,” Matthew answered. “The battle does not begin today.”

  Everyone focused their attention upon the slender man with his hands folded peacefully before him. His shock of orange hair puffed out around his face in unruly wisps. The orange freckles spattered across his face stood out sharply against the deathly pallor of his skin. Matthew had been fair in life, but in death it seemed that all of the color had drained from his body, and into his orange freckles and hair, making them stand out far more vividly than they had before. Though the rest of his features were perfect, sculpted even, the shock of orange color around his head completely distracted from that fact.

  “When will it begin?” Julian inquired softly.

  Matthew shrugged his slender shoulders, unfolding his hands as he spread them wide. “Your guess is as good as mine; you know my visions do not reveal everything. Just as I do not know who will win, or what her change will bring. There are some things the world keeps me in the dark about. These are a few of those things. Though perhaps, if I was allowed to touch the girl…”

  “Absolutely not!” Devon interrupted sharply, knowing how deviant Matthew was. He would take too much pleasure in being allowed to touch Cassie, and Devon would be damned if he let any of them get close enough to touch her.

  “Well then,” Matthew continued in his melodic, soothing voice. “We will have to remain in the dark about those things, unless the young seer has anything to tell us.” Melissa shook her head in response to the inquisitive looks cast her way. “It is best to have some surprises in ones future anyway, makes life all that more exciting.”

  The last time Devon had seen Matthew, he had been fairly certain that the man was losing his mind. But now, listening to the cadences and nuances within his tone, Devon was certain of it. He did not know what had finally driven Matthew over the edge, whether it was his numerous visions, and his knowledge of things that were not supposed to be known; or his unending cruelty, and maliciousness, that had finally done it. Whatever had caused it, it now appeared that Matthew had more than just a few screws lose, but a few hundred of them, and was probably more twisted and cruel than he had ever been.

  “But the battle will come to us during the night, not during the day,” Matthew continued.

  Julian shook his head. “I guess they aren’t as smart as we were giving them credit for.”

  “And why do you say that?” Matthew inquired softly, his light brown eyes inquisitive and merry.

  Julian studied him for a moment, seemingly unable to figure out the strange creature across from him. “Because they would know to attack during the day, when we are far more vulnerable.”

  “Perhaps they are too; perhaps though they can walk about in the day, they prefer the darkness of the night to hide the evil inside them. Perhaps they feel it best not to expose themselves to the good of the sun’s rays; they feel they are undeserving of it. That is the way it was always intended. Then the abnormalities rose up amongst us to taint this earth with their presence during the light. In return for immortal life, we are denied the pleasure and warmth of the sun’s rays, it is the way things are supposed to be. The way they have been for millennia.”

  Devon lifted an eyebrow as he studied Matthew in surprise. Yep, the guy had finally flipped his nut, and apparently he was not as enamored with Zane as he had once been. Now it seemed as if Zane was an abnormality tainting the earth, as was Devon. Julian cast Devon a surprised sideways glance, his eyes wide and questioning.

  “If our kind were meant to walk amongst the light, then we would not burn upon entering it. Their kind, even the ones that roam the day, may still feel the pain of redemption upon their skin. As they should. For us to not feel the sting of the warmth is a disgrace, an affront…”

  “Enough Matthew!” Zane hissed.

  Though Matthew grew silent, it was more than apparent that he had more to say, more things to prattle off. Julian circled his finger beside his temple, making the crazy gesture as he mouthed the word cuckoo. Devon nodded his agreement. They both received dark looks from Zane, but Matthew seemed oblivious to them as he refolded his hands piously before him.

  “We’ll see you at nightfall then,” Elspet said softly.

  Devon’s eyes were drawn to the slender girl, who stood behind the other Elder’s. She was the youngest amongst them at barely over five hundred years old. Devon had met her a few times many years ago, after she had first been changed. It wasn’t until recently, when she had reached the prime age of five hundred, that she had been drawn into the ranks of The Elder’s. When Devon had known her, she had been a pretty girl with delicate features and fine light brown hair that flowed down to her shoulder blades. She had worn simple dresses and stayed mostly in the background. She had not displayed overt acts of cruelty, but had simply fed when the time and need struck her. At the time he had never thought that she would make it this long, that her lack of cruelty would eventually get her killed. He had never imagined that she would be an Elder, let alone fit in with the elite group that she was now a part of.

  The girl before him now was nothing like the girl he had known. She had shaved her head, and on one side she had a beautiful angel tattooed on her skull, on the other side was a vicious snarling devil with blood dripping from its mouth, and its claws curved over. Her lip, eyebrow, and nose had been pierced. She sported metal all the way up both sides of her ears. She was dressed in body hugging black that clung to her lithe figure. Though he could not see the tattoos on her arms, he could see the tail ends of them curling around her hands and wrists. Her hazel eyes were narrowed sharply as she met Devon’s questioning, slightly stunned gaze. Apparently becoming an Elder had greatly changed the quiet girl he had known.

  Devon held her gaze as he nodded briskly. He just wanted them out of this store, and as far from Cassie as possible, for now. They said nothing more as they filed slowly out of the store. He was slightly amazed they were actually leaving. He was even more amazed, and stunned, by the fact that they were hiding Matthew amongst them when he had obviously lost his mind. Though Devon had never met an off the rocker vampire, he couldn’t imagine that they would be much fun to deal with, or keep under control.

  “Does Matthew think he’s a freaking preacher or something now?” Julian demanded when they had disappeared into the night.

  Devon shook his head, running his fingers wearily through his hair. “He thinks he’s something now,” Devon murmured.

  “They only keep him alive for his visions,” Julian said softly. At Devon’s questioning look he elaborated. “I saw it through Adon, Matthew has been crazy for awhile now, but Zane needs him.”

  “What made him that way?” Melissa was trembling, pale, her hands folded tightly befor
e her as she rang them nervously. Her fear that it may have been his visions that had driven him mad was more than obvious.

  Julian shrugged as he shoved his hands in his pockets. “Some people are just not cut out for this lifestyle, no matter what. Matthew was always softer than the rest of us. You mix that with Zane’s constant torture and mental abuse, and apparently it made him snap. Matthew was Zane’s puppet, his play thing, and he has broken him. But he still likes to pull his strings once in awhile.”

  They all gaped at him, horrified by his description of what Zane had done to Matthew. “It is not the worst thing Zane has ever done,” Julian murmured, unable to meet their gazes any longer.

  Devon bristled, wishing that Julian would stop talking. They got the hint; they didn’t need to hear anymore. “Can we really trust them?” Luther inquired softly.

  Julian nodded as he folded his arms over his chest. “Yes. They will abide by this truce because it suits their needs. I cannot guarantee they will stick to it if Cassie doesn’t survive the change, and we lose Devon. They will have no need for you then. Though, I cannot guarantee that any of us will survive if such a thing happens.”

  Devon ignored their curious stares, determined not to think about that right now. He held his hand out to Cassie, breathing a sigh of relief when she clasped hold of it. She would never hold a grudge against him; never hate him for his past. It was impossible for her to. And for that he would be forever thankful.

  Her hand in his was warm, soft, reassuring as she squeezed him tight. He bent to kiss her softly, his lips brushing lightly across her forehead.

  CHAPTER 17

  Cassie sat silently as she watched Devon make the bed, he moved with startling speed and agility. His grace was unparalleled, his good looks unmatched. Robert had been wrong when he had said he was the better looking brother, he had been very wrong. Devon fluffed up the sleeping bags, before unrolling them on the floor. Cassie realized that he was stalling as he set everything up, biding for time before facing her.