Kindred (Book 1 The Kindred Series) (26 page)

   Melissa sighed softly, her hand tighten
ed
on
Cassie’s
arm. Cassie turned slowly toward her, fighting back the tears that threatened to fall
. “There was a reason that I saw him coming
Cassie
, and I think that it wa
s more than just to wake you up,
”
Melissa said softly.

   “
What then
?”
she whispered.

   Melissa shrugged
, shaking her head slowly as her black eyebrows drew tightly together
.
“
Unfortunately
I only catch glimpses of the future, not the whole p
lan Cass. I don’t know why it
’
s importa
nt for him to be here, but it i
s. And I believe that it is
very
important for him to be in your life.”

  
Cassie squelched the hope that bloomed momentarily in her
chest
.
“So you think that I shouldn’t push him away
?
”

   Melissa shook her head
as she
bit nervously on her bottom lip;
her face
was
composed in thought
. “
H
e’s
only been in your life for
a week
and already
you
’re
happier than I
’ve
s
een you
in years
.
You need that, we
want
that for you.
We’ll f
ind a way to keep him safe Cass. T
he three of us
can do anything
together
. Give it some time; you don’t need all the answers right now. You just need to focus on being happy.”
  
“And if something does happen
to him?”

   “We won’t let it,” Chris vowed.

  
Cassie fought back the tears of gratitude and love that filled her eyes. She was so very lucky to have two such wonderful friends in her life.
“Should I tell him? Shouldn’t he know about this danger?”
she whispered.

   Chris stiffened
;
her question touch
ed
a very sore spot in him. His mother had never known about his father. She had been huma
n
,
and Chris’s father had thought
it best not to tell her what he was
, and the danger that he faced every day
.
Mary
had simply though
t
that
Chris’s father
was working a second job at night
in order to
support his wife
,
and young
son
.

   The harsh truth had not been revealed to
Mary
until
the night she
’d
fle
d
with Chris and Cassie
. Over the years, whether due to the fact that she had lost her husband and
feared
los
ing
her son, or to the fact that she could not handle the re
ality of everything she knew
,
Mary
had retreated further and further into a
n alcohol induced stupor
. And further and further away from Chris. 
   “You know
my
feel
ings on
that,” Chris said softly.

   Yes,
she knew that Chris
would
never
keep such a secret from someone
he loved
;
he believed
it was
what had destroyed his mother.
Chris
felt
t
hat
Mary’s
resentment at being lied to, and cheated of the dreams she
’
d possessed
,
were what had made her the
cruel
drunk
she was now.
And he was very likely right.
But Cassie wasn’t in love, she couldn’t be in such a short time, she hardly knew Devon.

   “I think that you should tell him one day. But
maybe
you should get to know him
a little
better
first
.” Melissa released her grip on Cassie’s arm, needing her hand to clamp back her hair
as the wind began to pick up
.

   “But I do know him,” Cassie murmured. “I know
tha
t sounds crazy, and if it were one of
you
telling me this, I would be suspicious too. But I
do
know him.
I know him i
n a way that I never thought I could know anyone
. It’s so strange, so different…”

   Cassie broke off, unable to put into words exactly what it was that she fel
t
for him. It would be impossible to explain to them, when she couldn’t even explain it to herself. “I understand that Cass, but I think it’s too soon.
I think that you should wait for a little bit.
”

   “Or
until
you
find out how the hell he can afford such a kick ass car,” Chris said softly.

  
Cassie rolled her eyes, but she had to admit she
had
wonder
ed
the same thing.
As much as she felt she knew Devon
, there was still a lot that she didn
’
t know. But she was certain she knew his heart, his soul.
Melissa’s dark eyes were caring; Chris’s
were
turbulent as they studied her. Nodding, she took hold of both of their hands, squeezing them tightly. “When you guys are ready for me to tell him, I will.”

 
   The
ir
tension eased, their hands squeez
ed
hers gently as their fears
lessened
.
She underst
oo
d their concerns about telling Devon
,
t
hey didn
’
t
know him
,
or how
deeply
she felt
about him
. It was their secret,
and
their lives
too
, and it would also have to be their choice.

  
Cassie turned back to the
ocean, her questions and doubts
t
wist
ed
her stomach. She didn’t know what to say or do, but she doubted that all of the answers would
come to her
at that moment
. They sat silently together until the tide washed in to their feet, and the sky was rumbling. Cassie was to
o
comfortable to move. She found solace in their strength, in their presence
s
.

   “It’s going to pour,” Chris said softly.

   “We should go,” Melissa whispered.

   Cassie sighed, not wanting to move, but knowing that they had to. The sky was about ready to split open
and
releas
e
a torrent of rain upon them
. She climbed stiffly to her feet, wiping the sand off her legs and butt. She followed silently behind as they made their way over the dunes to the parking lot.

   “How did you know I was here?” she asked softly.

   “I had a glimpse,” Melissa answered.

   ‘Of course she did,’ Cassie thought silently, trying hard not to roll her eyes. She may have
discovered
a new inner strength
and tranquility
, but she still did not like the idea
of Melissa knowing her future
,
or
her whereabouts.

   Cassie reached the car as the wind picked up. She took hold of
her hair
, trying to keep it out of her face as she grasped the han
dle on the passenger side door. Th
e hair
suddenly
st
oo
d up on the nape of her neck, the blood in her veins turn
ed
to ice as a chill swept down her spine.

  
Lifting her gaze
,
she scanned the empty parking lot. Sand blew across the numerous parking spaces, scraps of garbage
skitter
ed
along
with it. Past the parking lot wild trees, Rosa
rugosa
,
beach grass,
and sand
dunes spotted with scraggly bayberry rolled forth
. Though there were
few places to hide, she knew that there was someone out there, some
thing
watching them.
However, t
his
feelin
g of being watched was not like the one
she’d had
last night
.
T
his feeling was something evil, something malevolent
,
and wrong. She could
sense
the
hunger and
bloodlust
in the
thing
that she could not see.

   Cassie glanced at Chris and Melissa. They were both frozen, their gazes locked on the wild area
she had been searching. “You feel that?” she asked, pitching her voice above the rising crescendo of the wind.

   They both nodded. “There is something out there,” Melissa said softly, her nostrils flaring slightly.

   “And it’s not good,” Chris agreed.

   “Should we go
look
?” Cassie inquired.

   They glanced briefly at her. Thunder shook the sky
and
rumbl
ed
the earth.
Lightning flashed brightly,
blazing across
the dark sky as it sizzled to the ground with a loud pop that caused
goose
bumps to break out on her skin.
The air was heavy with the scent of ozone as the sky split open and a d
eluge
of rain fell upon them.

   Cassie ducked into the
car,
already soaked as she slid into the backseat.
Her gaze remained riveted upon the scragg
l
y woods, but
n
othing fled from the rain as it pounded loudly upon the roof of the car. Chris and Melissa slammed their doors shut, but Chris did not start the car
.
T
hey
sat in silence, waiting
for whatever it was to reveal itself.

   It did not.

***

  
The ringing of the doorbell was diminished by the
hard
rain
hitting
the windows. Cassie frowned at Chris and Melissa as she uncurled herself from her bed. Chris didn’t look up
from the
ep
isode of Deadliest Catch
he was engrossed in
. “Awesome,” he muttered.

   Cassie shook her head at him as Melissa rolled her eyes. “Be right back.”

  
Cassie
hurried from her room, curious as to who could be at her door.
Though she was popular at school, it had been a few years since she had invited anyone over
. Plus the school day was still in progress
,
even though the
three of them had opted not to return
.
Flinging
the door
open, she froze;
her mouth
went
dry
as her heart fluttered
wildly in her chest. Devon stood upon her doorstep, his
wet
hair
tussled and windblown
.
He
looked heartbreakingly beautiful as drops of rain trailed over the hard contours of his face. His bright emerald eyes
met hers; a small smile curved
his full mouth.

   “Devon,” she said softly,
surprised that her voice actually worked.

   His smile widened enough to reveal his perfect teeth. “Melissa said you
went
home sick, I wanted to see how you were feeling.”