CRACK! CRACK!

  It continued for what felt like hours. Rya and Jace took turns inflicting pain on me. Breaking away the crumbles of my humanity that remained and replacing them with a darkness that seeped into the deepest hollows of my soul. The buffet of pain was accented with words of love and pride that Rya had for me and my endurance. When it was done and the shackles were removed, I fell to my knees. It was more than anyone or anything should endure. Of course, I suppose that’s the best way to break away all that is good in someone.

  “Put him in my room and bring me what’s needed to tend his wounds. And do not bother me for the rest of the evening.”

  All went black as the pain washed over me, pulling me under.

  I awoke in a room I had never seen before. The bed I lay on was enormous with black silk sheets and an animal-skin blanket atop. Pushing myself upright, I winced from the sharp sting on my back, a reminder of the trauma I had just endured. Stepping onto the cold stone floor with my bare feet, I noticed I had on different pants than this morning.

  “Oh, you’re up. Tell me love, how do you feel?” Rya came out of what must have been the bathroom, her hair was wet and she wore a black silk robe.

  “Like I’ve been put through a paper shredder a few hundred times.”

  “Well you look undeniably demonic and so delectable.” She took my hand and guided me toward the room she had just come from. “Have a look for yourself.” The mirror that hung above her wash basin reflected a demonic version of myself. Black horn nubs grew atop my head, my eyes were all black, and my muscles seemed more defined and larger. “See.” I turned to try and gain a glance at my back. There were hundreds of pink lines across it, and four large bandages covered the wounds.

  “It felt so much worse than it looks.”

  “It was so much worse than this. The more demonic you become, the faster you heal. Those pink stripes on your back were all open gashes. They healed almost completely in the hour or two that you lay resting in my room.”

  “And the bandaged ones?”

  “I’m afraid Jace got a little too zealous with his turn. I stopped him after the four lashes, but they made deep wounds. Anyway, I’m confident those will heal overnight, and you’ll be good as new by the morning.”

  Jace. Each day my dislike for her toady grew. “Why do you keep him around?”

  “Jace? He’s loyal, and he was easy to train. And now that he has devoured some of the Demon Hunters souls, he has become quite powerful and very useful.”

  “He’s also obsessed with you.”

  She smiled at the thought. “I know; it’s rather cute.”

  “Tsk-tsk.” I shook my head. It wasn’t cute.

  “You disapprove? Are you jealous?”

  I closed the gap between us. “No I’m not, because you are mine. Why would I be worried about losing you when I was created for you?” I picked up a lock of her hair and rubbed my thumb over the smooth black strands. “He merely annoys me…complicates things.”

  “Well he’s useful, and I’m afraid you’re going to have to get used to him.”

  I released the strand and headed for the large platter of food sitting on the small wooden end table. Helping myself to what looked like a turkey leg, I thought about how much of Jace I was willing to tolerate. He had too much power. Rya didn’t see that as a problem, but I did. At least he listened to Rya and obeyed her, but if that ever changed…Her hands came around my waist and she gently kissed the scars that marked my back.

  “Let’s enjoy the evening together without talk of Jace.” She grabbed what looked like a grape, and put it in my mouth. “It won’t be long before you face your last challenge to become my demon mate.”

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Cassidy

  “Cassidy!” Killian’s voice yelled for me, stirring me awake.

  My room was filling with smoke, and the smoke detectors blared their obnoxious alert. How had I managed to sleep through them going off? I hurried out of bed, worried that if I didn’t get to the kitchen to put out the fire Killian probably set while cooking, the whole house would go up in flames.

  Killian appeared at the bottom of the stairs, “Cass! The house is on fire. We have to get out of here.”

  “What the hell is going on?” The front door was engulfed in flames, as were the drapes that framed the front room picture window.

  “I don’t know. The alarm woke me. We have to get out of here.”

  I ran down the stairs. Killian grabbed my hand and led me to the kitchen, where there was only smoke. He worked the lock and turned to me. “We have to leave this house. It isn’t safe for us to stay inside anymore. Hold my hand and don’t let go. I promise you will be fine.”

  I couldn’t go outside; I’d just barely managed walking around the enclosed house yesterday. I looked at him, sure that my face showed a look of shock.

  “CASS!” His thunderous voice shook me from my phobia prison. “Don’t let go. Shut your eyes if you have to, just don’t let go. Understand?”

  I nodded.

  He opened the door and stepped onto the back porch when suddenly we were hit hard from the right side. “Demons! Get back inside and shut the door! Stay low.”

  Killian struggled with the demon on the ground while I ran back in and did as Killian advised. A moment later, a pained demonic cry came from outside. I expected Killian to walk through the door and escort me out, but instead, the sounds of more fighting came through the door.

  Boom! I jumped at the loud thud that shook the door.

  Crash! A demon broke through the kitchen window, tangling in the closed drapes. I ran to the lower level bathroom and locked myself in there. Although it was closer to the fire, it was farther from the demon. The smoke billowed in from beneath the door. I grabbed a towel from the closet and shoved it under the door, and then I climbed onto the toilet lid and opened the small bathroom window. The cold, fresh air entered my lungs, giving me relief from the noxious smoke that invaded the room.

  I peeked out the window and could not see a thing. It was pitch black outside. Footsteps ran past. More followed. Then came the sound of fighting. More footsteps, still more. How many demons was Killian up against?

  “Get the girl.” It was Jace’s voice.

  “Cass! Get out of here. Run!” Killian yelled.

  “Shut up, Hunter!” There was a sound of flesh hitting flesh, and I could only imagine Killian being held by Jace’s powers while he punched Killian.

  “Cass!” Killian called again.

  “I said SHUT UP!” Jace yelled. “What are you looking at? Get the girl!”

  The sound of windows breaking and doors being kicked in were followed by footsteps up the stairs. Good, they thought I was upstairs. I opened the door of the bathroom and peeked around. The fire had spread, and Killian’s room was now ablaze. The kitchen remained free of fire and was my best shot of escaping into the dark night. As I snuck into the kitchen, I found myself eye to eye with a demon, probably the one who crashed through the kitchen window.

  “Too easy.” He dove for me, and I ran back further into the house. Two demons came down the stairs and closed off my route. Another entered from the kitchen and made his way toward the bathroom. “Remember, Rya wants her alive. She’s no good to her dead.”

  Rya. I couldn’t go back to that hell. I couldn’t go back to the cell, the waste bucket…to being ignored. I couldn’t. I wouldn’t. Killian’s room was completely engulfed in flames; four demons surrounded me; there was nowhere to go.

  “Tell Rya she can suck it!” I ran into Killian’s room, shutting the door and positioning the desk chair under the door knob. Rya couldn’t have me. The wall with the window was completely aflame and I realized that this would probably be my end. I closed my eyes and tried to think of a happy moment. I didn’t want to die scared or sad. The memory of Killian and I eating dinner at the makeshift table in my room came to mind, and I smiled as my arms prickled from the fire around me. That night I saw a side of Killian that made me fall deeply in love with him. I’d had feelings for him before, but that night was special. That night he’d let me in.

  But this was my end…our end. I let out a long slow breath and opened my eyes to face my demise. Only the room had changed.

  The room was void of fire. The walls and wood were charred, letting me know I had not imagined it, but what had happened to the fire? My question was answered when my arm heated to the point of pain and I looked down to see the red star tattoo, the one with Tyler’s blood inking it, was on fire. I went to pat it out with my hand, but the fire absorbed into the tattoo. The fire was within me; I could feel it. Each cell seemed to radiate, as if a personal sun resided in each one. The red star was no longer a static image but rather a roaring fire confined between the edges of the tattoo. “What the hell?” I muttered.

  Bam!

  The door to the room kicked in and two demons entered looking pissed off.

  “Back off! I’m not going back.”

  “Yes you are, pretty one.” The female demon on the left came at me quick. My arms flew into a defensive pose and white fire flared from my hands, igniting her. The one on the right ran at me, and he too found himself in a blaze of white fire.

  “What kind of witchery is this?” A third demon entered the room shocked at seeing his two guards melting before his eyes. I aimed at him, sending him on his way to becoming molten demon. The fourth demon saw what had happened and fled for the kitchen door. I pursued him, wanting to destroy or at least heavily damage the foul beasts that wanted to drag me back to the Queen of the Demons.

  The beast bolted out the door, and I fearlessly followed. He cleared the side of the house and ran toward two figures on the front lawn. As I neared them, I saw Jace had hold of Killian. One hand gripped his neck while the other seemed to focus the telekinesis power, immobilizing Killian’s body.

  “There she is.” Jace approached me, with Killian still held close.

  I threw a white fireball at the demon I’d chased, sending him to his knees in a wall of pristine flames and screams.

  “Let Killian go, Jace.” I hadn’t thought about how my powers matched up against Jace’s; I just wanted Killian free.

  “Only if you come with me,” he countered.

  “Why Jace? Why did you not fight it? The urge to kill. If you would have fought it, we could have saved you.”

  “I never wanted to be saved. Rya gave me everything I wanted: attention, love, direction…I live to make her happy, and right now, bringing you back to her would make her very happy.”

  I stepped closer toward him. “Was it so bad for you growing up? You seemed happy. The Peters loved you.”

  “Cass, no! Don’t!” Killian was still bound but could speak since it appeared that Jace had only restricted his limbs.

  “You don’t get it; you had family that loved and raised you. It wasn’t like that for me. My adopted life was a façade. Sure, they loved me, but it wasn’t the same. There was an invisible barrier keeping us from really connecting as a family.” Jace frowned; his eyes held sadness. He returned his gaze to mine and continued, “Before the accident, I found out who my biological parents were. Turns out they were a bunch of crazy cult followers who had offed themselves in some sacrifice in exchange for me to have this role in Rya’s army. I guess you could say I was destined to become what I am.” His face changed to a mock sympathy. “Oh, don’t be sad for me, Cass. I’ve come to love the blood and…”

  Flashes of silver whizzed past me. Jace let out a pained cry and dropped his hold of Killian. The Demon Hunter charged at Jace, but Jace froze Killian in place once again as he hobbled away with at least three throwing stars protruding from his leg. I raised my hand that was now covered in the white flame, hitting Jace on his right shoulder blade. He limped away while patting at the flames. Then he took flight, retreating into the night sky as eight of the strongest Demon Hunters in the Clan emerged from the shadows and formed a protective circle around Killian and me.

  “Jackson, how’d you know to come?” Killian asked.

  “Cassidy, let me check you out.” Sean, who looked like Killian’s twin and sometimes helped Lena, touched my back, distracting me from hearing the answer. “Are you hurt anywhere?”

  My body felt fine despite the residual buzz from the adrenaline. “No, I’m okay.”

  “Can I have a look at your hands and arms?” I watched Killian and Jackson while I pulled up my sleeves and held my arms out for Sean. Killian clapped Jackson on the back and then jogged over to us. “Wait, wasn’t this tattoo red?” Sean’s fingers traced the outline of the star. I looked down and saw that the star was no longer red, but white with a black outline. “Killian, you see this?” Killian stepped closer and looked at the tattoo, tracing it with his fingers. Sean continued questioning, “How did it change? And why?”

  “Have Serena have a look and give her opinion when we get back,” Killian answered. “I need a moment with Cass.”

  Sean nodded and left to help salvage what could safely be saved from the house and deal with whatever remained of the other demons.

  Killian lifted my chin to look into my eyes. “You okay? I mean with being out here.” He looked up to the star-filled sky and around at the woods nearby.

  “I am. It’s strange. I was cornered in there, so I locked myself in a fiery room.” I looked over at the smoldering structure that had been my home for my whole life. “They wanted to bring me to Rya, alive.” I turned back to Killian; his face showed concern. “But I’d rather die than go back there.” I let out a breath and continued, “Anyway, believing that I was going to die in that room, I tried to think of my happiest memory…Everything became quiet and I felt a change within me.”

  “What do you mean? What kind of change?”

  “It felt like a sense of resolve came over me. Like I knew what to do.” I shook my head. “Doesn’t make sense does it? And when I opened my eyes, the room was no longer on fire. It was as if I had absorbed the fire into my body.”

  “None of it makes sense. But Cass, you’re half Demon Hunter with demon blood inked into you, the first ever with that combination. Your script is unwritten; no one knows what that mix will bring.”

  “True.”

  Killian paused a moment before asking, “So…what was your happiest memory?”

  “You bringing me dinner in my room, the table for two.” Something truly had changed inside of me because I would have never confessed that to Killian before.

  He laughed. “That’s your happiest memory? Why?”

  “Because at that moment, I knew I had fallen in love with you.”

  He stepped in and pressed his mouth to mine, kissing me like a Demon Hunter going in for the kill. But our lips softened and found a slow gentle rhythm that reminded me of the kind and caring side I had seen of Killian this past week.

  Someone cleared their throat, pulling us from the intimate moment. “Boss, we saved all we could. We’re ready to head back to the gate whenever you are.” Anchor had the biggest grin on his face.

  “Thanks Anchor. Load the cars. Cass and I will be there in a moment.”

  Anchor left to relay the command.

  “Well, I’m afraid your home is uninhabitable, but the Clan compound has plenty of room, and we’d gladly welcome you to become a permanent resident.”

  I was touched at his words. “Thank you. Can I have a moment alone to say goodbye?”

  He nodded and headed toward the cars. I watched as the remaining flames took down the rest of the structure. The sound of fire trucks nearing made me shake my head. “A little late guys.” I let out a long breath as I looked at the smoking debris that had been my home. Now it was gone, the material things of my past were reduced to ash. I still had my memories, those would always be a part of me.

  Jet and two other Hunters stayed with the severely burned demons, pulling them out of sight so they could bind them away from the firemen. I ran to catch up with Killian. He handed me a framed picture of Gram and me that Anchor had recovered. Tears fell down my face, and he wrapped his arm around me.

  The cars returned to pick up the remaining Hunters and the bound demons while we crossed over to the compound.

  Serena and Lena had been waiting in the Center; both hugged me tightly. After they assessed our minor injuries, we headed to the dining hall. Jackson and Anchor pushed the tables together so it made one enormous table we all could sit around. It was like the Knights of the Irregular Table. I chuckled at the thought as I sat down and took a bite of bread.

  Serena and Lena joined us, and we briefed them on what happened in the Human Realm. Serena asked to see my tattoo. I pulled up my sleeve and she ran her fingers over it. “This is unlike anything I have ever seen before, Cassidy. Look closely at it.” Leaning closer, I saw the white that inked my skin seemed to undulate beneath the surface.

  “It’s like faint waves,” I noted.

  “Yes. Was the red ink this way as well?” Serena asked.

  “No. It looked like a normal tattoo.”

  “What is it? What’s going on?” Killian came over to see for himself.

  “Well, based on what you all have told me about the events, I’d say that Cassidy’s heightened emotional state activated a reaction between her Demon Hunter blood and Tyler’s demon blood.” Serena smiled at me and then looked to the group. “As for this Holy Flame she possesses, I say we help her master her control over it. I knew from the moment I met Cassidy that she would play a vital role in the future of this Clan.” There were mutters about the table, though they did not sound negative. Serena cleared her throat, and then spoke loudly to command their attention, “We should have Tehya look at it when she returns. But right now, what concerns me is that Rya has demons hunting Cassidy. Cass, tell them what they told you.”

  “The demons said they needed me alive, that Rya wanted me back.”

  “She won’t get you, Cass. We won’t let it happen again.” Jackson looked menacing across the table as he promised my safety.

  “Thank you, Jackson.” I nodded toward the older Hunter. Not everything could be controlled, but it made me feel better knowing that the Clan would fight hard to keep me safe.

 

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