Ashes (Book 2 The Kindred Series) by Erica Stevens Page A

clenched tighter upon her, his kiss became
harsher. She was lost to him, lost to everything that he was, and
the wonderful sensations that he made her feel. Never in her life
had she experienced anything as breathtaking as this, and she
wanted more.
    She wanted all of him.
    Devon broke away suddenly, releasing
her as he took a swift step back. Cassie took a stumbling step
back, shocked by his abrupt release of her. It took her a moment
before she could get her wobbly legs firmly beneath her again. She
stared breathlessly up at him, shaken, and unfulfilled. His emerald
eyes were dark, tortured, wounded. Horror tore through her at the
sight of his anguish, his unraveling control, his desperate need.
For the first time it hit her just how hard it was for him to be
around her, how hard it was for him to control himself, and keep
her safe.
    Tears sprang to her eyes, hating the
torment that radiated from him. Torment that she had caused him.
Her hand flew to her swollen lips; a choked sound of dismay escaped
her as the tears burned her eyes. The last thing in the world she
wanted was to hurt him, to upset him in anyway, and yet that was
exactly what she was doing to him. She was torturing
him.
    “Devon,” she whispered, her voice
choked with horror and sorrow.
    His darkened gaze turned to Chris,
small tremors ran through his fisted hands. “Mark?”
    Chris cleared his throat, obviously
surprised and uncomfortable with what he had just witnessed. “Ran
off the first chance he got.”
    Devon nodded briskly. “Get her out of
here. I don’t want her around these people anymore. I have to go,
but I’m leaving her in your hands.”
    Cassie blinked away her tears as his
gaze turned back to her. She wanted to reach out to him, to comfort
him, but she instinctively knew that she should not. He was close
to completely unraveling and her touch might just push him over the
edge. Though his eyes were tormented, love also shone from them and
that would have to be enough for now.
    With a shaking hand, he reached out and
briefly caressed her cheek before turning on his heel and
disappearing into the gaping crowd. Cassie blinked rapidly,
startled to realize that they were still in the middle of the
crowded, oddly silent cafeteria. Questioning, condemning stares
were focused intently upon her. Chris stepped forward, still
looking slightly shell shocked as he slid his arm through
hers.
    “Come on Cassie,” he said
gently.
    She stared helplessly up at him,
wishing that he could offer her answers to the questions and
confusion enveloping her. For so long Chris had been her rock, the
one person that she could turn to when she needed solace. Right now
he was just as lost as she was. He led her swiftly through the
crowd as it began to come alive again; the comments were no longer
whispered as accusations were hurled at her. She barely heard any
of them through the haze that surrounded her.
    They reached the cafeteria doors as
Melissa came strolling around the corner, her books held tight
against her chest. Her eyebrows rose in surprise when she saw them,
her mouth parted slightly. Her gaze darted behind them, narrowing
as the buzz in the cafeteria increased. “What happened?” she
demanded fiercely.
    “A lot,” Chris muttered. “We’re
leaving.”
    Her gaze darted to Cassie, who was
still too numb and shocked to even begin to explain. Melissa didn’t
question them further as she fell into step beside them, her
narrowed gaze darting back to the cruel crowd still gathered within
the cafeteria walls. Cassie made it all the way to Chris’s car, and
was even settled into the backseat, before she started to
cry.

CHAPTER 6

    Cassie paced her room restlessly, her
gaze darting continuously to the darkened night. Devon should be
here shortly, if he came at all. The thought froze her briefly in
midstride, before she continued on. He had to come. She couldn’t
allow herself to think that he wouldn’t. If she did, she would
start crying again, and