Phoenix Rising (Page 17)

Cassie pulled the blanket over her and dropped the sunglasses down as the window shattered inward. Safety glass splayed across the seat as the suns deadly rays spilled inward. She pulled her legs against her chest as she tried to right the blankets. Though she was mostly covered, she could feel the influx of the sun’s rays acutely, especially against her bared hands. Heat blazed through her and she suddenly understood what a lobster felt like before hitting the pot of boiling water.

Anxiety filled her as she recalled Devon’s words about her being more sensitive to the sun, at least for a little bit. Though she didn’t burn, perspiration soaked her as she felt the rays all the way to the marrow of her bones. If more windows were broken she wouldn’t survive it. The thing she had once loved so dearly would be the thing that destroyed her.

The creature reached in the window, it wasn’t the one that had been in the back window, for this one was female, but she was just as hungry and just as unpredictable. Melissa gestured for her to climb into the front seat, but Cassie shook her head. She couldn’t scramble up there without crossing the sun’s rays first.

Grasping hold of the blanket, Cassie managed to get her legs further under her. In one very ungraceful motion she thrust herself over the seat. She tumbled into the cargo area and rolled against the back door. Pain lanced through her shoulder, but she shot back up and quickly looked around the vehicle.

The woman was trying to wiggle her way through the window. The remaining glass sliced her hands and stomach as she slithered across the sill. Cassie was surprised by the low hiss that escaped her as her fangs sprang free. She grasped hold of the woman’s head and twisted it sharply to the side.

It was a move she’d seen Devon and Julian do before, but she’d never done it. Now, however, it seemed natural, but also completely repulsive. She almost gagged as she felt bones crack, almost retreated as the woman began to make awful gurgling noises as she flopped about in the car. The idea of sinking her fangs into the woman crossed her mind more than once.

Instead she settled for grasping hold of the woman’s twisted face. Cassie was careful to avoid her still snapping teeth as she shoved the woman back out the window. A cry escaped her as the sun’s rays burst over her exposed skin and burned into her flesh. Cassie recoiled and scuttled back into the relative security of the cargo area. Though she was back in the shadows, she still felt exposed within the car, still felt as if she’d been flayed open and the monster revealed to the world.

Even if that world was only Melissa.

Melissa scurried away from the driver’s side window. She leapt over the console, and hopped into the backseat before flinging herself into the cargo area. "Are you ok?" she demanded as she knelt before Cassie.

Cassie was surprised Melissa was willing to come anywhere near her, not after what she’d just done. Hadn’t Melissa seen it? "Am I a monster?" she whispered.

Melissa quirked a dark eyebrow and her head tilted on her delicate neck. "Depends on who wrote the story," she responded.

A small, harsh laugh escaped her. "Yeah, I suppose so."

"But no, you are not a monster."

"Not yet."

"Not ever," Melissa insisted. "We have to get out of here though."

Cassie nodded her agreement and rose onto her knees to peer out the remaining darkened windows. She stared at the house but nothing moved within and she didn’t see anything moving around outside. Where were Devon and Chris? The woman slammed up against the back window, Cassie and Melissa recoiled as she flopped uselessly against its side. A scream welled up inside of Cassie, but it was Melissa who released one first as three more Halflings launched themselves at the car.

They didn’t attack the vehicle however, but pounced upon the creature that Cassie had broken. Cassie slammed her hands over her ears as the woman began to release shrill, inhuman screams. Apparently it didn’t matter to them that she was one of their own, they simply sought the blood, the kill. They’d deteriorated since Cassie had last seen them, starvation or perhaps just desperation had turned them into the mindless monsters she’d wrongly assumed they were in the beginning.

She could never be like that. Never. She told herself this over and over again as she tried to drowned out the horrendous sounds. There was no kinship between her and these creatures. There never could be.

Another sound filled the air, a ferocious roar that reverberated deep into the core of her soul. Cassie’s eyes flew open as Devon charged across the snow covered ground in a nearly indiscernible blur. Cassie darted upright and scrambled forward in the cargo hold. There were three Halflings out there and only him and Chris.

She grasped hold of the window only to recoil as the sun seared into her skin. A strangled cry of rage and frustration broke from her as she released the window and fell away from the scorching rays. Melissa dove over the backseat and crashed against the passenger seat. She fumbled with the lock before flinging the door open and bounding free of the vehicle.

Cassie felt helpless as she spun to watch the ensuing battle. Devon seized one of creatures by the back of the neck as he heaved it off of the mutilated woman beneath it. Chris and Melissa pounced upon that one as Devon turned his attention to the other two. They both snarled as they launched at him. He managed to knock the one back but the other one leapt onto his back. Grabbing hold of the blanket, Cassie scurried over the seat, careful to avoid the rays of the sun as she grabbed hold of another blanket and her mittens. It would be difficult to fight with the mittens on, but she could still punch.

Wrapping the blankets around herself, Cassie slipped the annoying mittens on and scrambled forward. The material was binding, but she didn’t care. Jumping out of the vehicle, she tried to ignore the flaring heat of the sun, but it burned against her instantly. Her body heated as she bolted around the back of the SUV. She could almost feel the smoke coming off of her.

Devon dispatched of one and turned toward the other. His ruby eyes burned even hotter as he looked up and spotted her. He tossed the Halfling aside and raced toward her. The creature bounced across the ground, but was quick to rebound to its feet. Devon was too busy trying to get to her to realize that the monster had found easier prey in Chris and Melissa.

"Look out!" Cassie cried as the monster zeroed in on them.

Without thinking, she threw up her hands as fear and frustration fueled something inside of her. Fire shot out of her in a trailing inferno that slammed into the creature. The Halfling shrieked and flailed about as fire engulfed its body. Cassie had only a moment of pity before agony burst over her.

The fire had burned her mittens away, leaving only charred cinders of material behind. She gawked as flames burst from her exposed fingertips and scorched across her delicate skin. Devon grasped hold of her and knocked her to the ground as he covered her body with his. His hands closed around her burning ones and buried them within the snow as he smothered the flames. Though he had to have been burned by her, he showed no signs of it as he remained over her, blocking her from the day as the fire on her hands burned out.