Ashes (Page 24)

Hunting them.

Swallowing heavily, Cassie tried to push down her rising panic. She had to keep her wits, if they were going to survive this. She took a step closer to Dani. Dani shot her a questioning, confused look as she shook her head slightly. “You seem awfully jumpy tonight, are you sure you’re ok?”

“Yes.”

A branch snapped loudly. Cassie jumped as it crashed through the woods, tearing more branches free as it hurtled to the ground. Instinctively she grabbed hold of Dani’s arm, pulling her closer as she studied the forest. “There’s someone out there,” Dani said softly, her voice wavering slightly.

Cassie pulled her back a step, she wanted to turn and flee, dragging Dani through the woods with her. She would have too, if she thought there was any chance of them being able to get away. “Just stay by me,” she whispered.

A flurry of motion on her right caused Cassie to spin. A blur raced at them, so swiftly that it nearly blended in with the trees. Nearly became imperceptible to the human eye. Terror tearing through her, Cassie shoved Dani aside. Dani cried out in surprise as she fell to the ground, rolling away on the path. Cassie had only a moment to react as she swung out, slamming the palm of her hand upward.

Julian’s head snapped back, blood burst over her, spraying across her face as his long teeth bit sharply into his lower lip and his nose shattered. Cassie jerked back in surprise as the warm liquid washed over her. Julian grunted slightly, but his attack did not slow. Arms wrapping tight around her waist, he jerked her to the side as they fell to the ground in a tumbled heap.

A startled cry escaped as they rolled over, bouncing hard across the path. Reacting on pure instinct, Cassie pulled her legs up against her chest and wedged them against Julian’s hard body. Terror and adrenaline washed through her as she pushed up with all her might, trying desperately to dislodge him.

Julian growled with rage as he was flipped off her. Rolling away, Cassie bounded gracefully to her feet. She darted away, heading back toward Dani, desperate to escape, desperate to survive. Dani stood at the edge of the path, her mouth parted slightly, her eyes wide with fear. “Run!” Cassie screamed at her.

Dani’s terrified gaze swung toward her as another blur raced out of the woods. Cassie caught a brief glance of blood red eyes and elongated teeth as Devon rushed swiftly past her. Rumbling growls echoed through the woods as he collided with Julian, who had been coming back after her. Devon seized hold of him, slamming him into the ground. They rolled as they clawed and tore at each other, murderous snarls of rage echoed throughout the forest.

The smell of blood filled the air. Cassie shuddered, turning back around, unable to leave Devon alone with the monster. She knew that she should flee, but she could not. Devon rolled, bounding back to his feet as Julian knocked him aside. “Devon!” she cried, shocked by the blood oozing from the jagged slices in his magnificent face.

His gaze swung toward her, the blood color of his eyes was startling and frightening. His face was twisted, his teeth extended sharply over his bottom lip. He looked like a monster, but he was still the person that she loved, and she couldn’t leave him here. “Go!” he growled at her. She took an involuntary step back. “Go!” he bellowed when she moved no further.

Cassie jumped in surprise, tears pooled in her eyes as hopelessness filled her. His gaze swung away from her as Julian went at him again. They fell together, snarling and growling as they tore at each other with the ferocity of savage animals. Cassie’s ears rang with the noise as it hammered into her head. A large locust tree shuddered, rocking forcefully as Devon slammed Julian against it. A jagged tear raced up the trunk, cracking as it tore up it.

Melissa and Chris burst onto the path, their eyes wide with horror as they took in the battle before them. “Move!” Cassie screamed at them, snapping them out of the daze that held them riveted.

Bolting across the path, they skidded to a halt beside Dani. Devon slammed Julian into the tree again. The crack gave way with a loud snap that echoed throughout the forest. Devon and Julian were forced from each other as the tree fell with a resounding boom that shook the earth.

Devon bounced across the ground, landing feet away from Cassie. She moved swiftly toward him, needing to help him. He was back on his feet before she could reach him. He bolted forward, colliding with Julian again. Numbed with terror and horror Cassie could only watch helplessly as they tore at each with the frenzied savagery of feral, rabid animals.

The earth beneath her feet began to rumble, a strange pulsing energy suddenly came from it. Cassie gazed down in shock as the earth seemed to heave, pulsating with an odd new rhythm that was frightening as well as energizing. Her mouth parted slightly as a beat began to rise from the dirt, throbbing up her legs and making its way down her arms.

Cassie looked up in surprise as the earth seemed to explode with a current of electricity that rocked her back a step. Eyes widening in terror Cassie watched in horror as Devon and Julian were shot backward, bouncing across the ground like ping pong balls. They both remained limp, knocked unconscious by the bolt that had slammed into them.

Cassie gasped, choking on her terror as she raced to Devon’s side. Falling beside him, she tore at him, grasping at his lifeless body. Instinctively, she rested her hand on his chest, searching for a heartbeat but finding none. She panicked for a moment, until she recalled that he wouldn’t have a heartbeat anyway. It took a few moments for it to fully sink in that he was still alive, though he did not breathe, there was a life energy pulsating from him. Mouth gaping, Cassie looked slowly around the eerily quiet pathway, unable to understand what had just happened, or where the strange energy had come from.

“What was that?” Chris whispered, astonishment choking his voice. If it hadn’t been so frightening and shocking, Cassie would have laughed when she looked at him. His shaggy blond hair was standing on end. It looked as if someone had just rubbed a balloon over the top of it. His arms were raised at his sides, the hair standing up as he looked at them in astonishment. “What the hell was that?” he demanded more fiercely.

Melissa stood beside him, her hair not quite as bad as it was in a tight braid, but a few strands of it were standing up. Melissa looked just as stunned as Chris as her gaze slowly moved toward Dani, her body shifting slightly. Dani stared back at them, her eyes wide, her mouth parted in horror as she bashfully met their gazes. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to,” she whispered.

Cassie gaped at her for a moment, unable to believe that the tiny girl had done this. “You did this?” Cassie inquired sharply, her hands clenching tighter on Devon’s motionless body.