Inferno

by Erica Stevens

  She pulled the keys from her pocket, her hands trembling as she tried to slide the key into the hole. Dani jumped nervously back as they slipped from her fingers and clattered upon the floor. She glanced wildly at the group before bending and swiftly scooping them back up. She struggled to find the right one again and get it in the hole.

  Julian cursed violently, snatching the keys from her hand when his patience finally snapped. He shoved himself in front of her, slipping the key into the hole. “Wait!” Chris cried loudly his face going white as he reached for Julian.

  It was too late though, Julian had already thrust the door open. A loud bang rang out, echoing through the air. Devon seized hold of Cassie, shoving her behind him as the shot reverberated down the hall. Julian fell back, shock and pain twisting his features as blood bloomed across his shoulder; it soaked his shirt where the bullet had torn a gaping wound into his shoulder. Devon grabbed Julian, shoving him to the floor as another shot rang out, bouncing down the hallway in a zinging rush that shattered concrete and deafened him.

  “Son of a bitch!” Chris cried out, ducking out of the way as another shot was fired.

  Panic for Cassie tore through Devon; he released Julian as Julian rolled away from the door. Devon darted swiftly back to where Chris and Cassie lay upon the floor, their hands over their heads in a vain attempt to protect them from anymore bullets. Crawling on top of Cassie, he used his body to keep her blocked from anymore ricocheting shots. Pulling her head beneath him, he cradled her tight to his chest as another shot was fired. Chris ducked lower as it ripped past his head, shattering the wall inches from his ear.

  Cassie cried out, burrowing tighter against Devon. Anger surged through his veins, the urge to destroy whoever was in that room ripped through him. Another shot was fired, he grunted loudly as it sliced across his calf in a fiery blaze of pain. Cassie grasped him tighter, her breath warm against his neck, her fingers clawing at him. “Are you ok?” she demanded harshly. “Devon are you ok? Julian was shot, is he ok?”

  “Fine, I’m fine. Julian will be fine,” he grated, ignoring the pain in his leg as he tried to push Cassie forward, out of the way of fire. “Move!” he hissed to Chris.

  Chris scrambled forward, staying low as he crab crawled toward one of the open doors and disappeared through it. “Cassie you need to follow Chris,” he hissed in her ear.

  “I can’t leave you.”

  “You have too! Now go!”

  He withdrew from the top of her, keeping his body up to protect hers as she scrambled after Chris. The minute she entered the room, her head poked back out, her violet blue eyes wide with worry as she watched him. “Get back!” he hissed, dropping down as another shot rang out.

  Cassie cried out, ducking away as it shattered off of the wall. Devon spun, fury boiling through him as he crossed the hall, scrambling back toward the door. Julian was sitting against the wall on the other side of the door. His lips were twisted into a snarl, his fangs fully elongated as his eyes blazed red fire.

  Devon knew exactly how he felt, if he got his hands on whoever was in that room he was going to kill them, and he wouldn’t have a problem with it. He shoved Dani out of his way as he reached the door. She curled up against the wall, her knees hugged tight to her chest as her eyes rolled wildly in terror. Another shot rang through the hallway, sizzling around the corner.

  “Stop!” Dani screamed hysterically, throwing her hands over her ears. “Stop!”

  Silence followed her shrill cry. “Dani?”

  Devon spun on her, rage slamming hard into him as his eyes narrowed fiercely. But she was not looking at him, she was staring at the door, her mouth parted in surprise as tears bloomed in her eyes. “Joey?” she choked out, shock evident in her voice.

  Devon turned as the young man stepped out of the room. His gaze instantly found his sister, relief coursed through him as he took a step forward. Julian sprang up, seizing hold of Joey’s neck. He slammed Joey against the wall with a loud bang that shook the door in its frame. Joey choked in surprise, his eyes bulging out of his head as Julian squeezed down hard.

  “I’ll rip you to shreds,” Julian growled.

  “No!” Dani screamed at the same time that another shot boomed out of the room.

  “Son of a bitch!” Devon snarled, tired of being shot at.

  He darted past the door, joining Julian on the other side. Another shot reverberated through the hall. “Devon!” Cassie screamed.

  “Stay in there!” he shouted back at her.

  Julian glanced sharply at him, his hand tightened on Joey’s throat, choking the air from him. He showed no remorse as his fingers dug into Joey’s skin. “How are we getting that bastard out?” Julian hissed at Devon.

  Though the shots would not kill them, not unless they had their heads blown off completely, they could wound them enough to incapacitate them long enough for someone to kill them. And the bullets still hurt like hell. Devon glanced back at the door then over at Joey. “We can use him as bait.”

  “No!” Joey gasped at the same time that Julian’s smile widened.

  “Wait! No! You can’t! Please don’t!” Dani screamed hysterically.

  Cassie’s head popped back out of the room, Chris’s head appeared above hers. Devon met Cassie’s wide eyed gaze. He felt no remorse about killing any of the people that had kept her here, especially if it would keep her safer in the end. He did not wish to do it in front of her though.

  “Get back!” he growled. She hesitated, her gaze terrified and lost. “Get her back Chris!”

  Chris nodded before grasping hold of Cassie’s shoulders and pulling her back. Devon waited to make sure that she didn’t come back out before he turned to Julian. Excitement rushed through Devon as memories of the way he had once been, of the things him and Julian had done together, pounded through him. Bloodlust and the demon surged forth, eager to break free of the cage that Devon had locked it away in for far so long.

  Julian quirked an eyebrow, a small smile curved his mouth. “Welcome back,” he whispered.

  Devon shook his head, knowing how very much he would love to destroy every human around him, would love to savor the slaughter, but he could not allow the beast out. He wasn’t sure he could control it without getting Cassie involved, and he didn’t want to do that again. No matter how much he wanted to, he could not kill Joey with her here. “Give me his shirt,” he growled.

  Julian stared hard at him for a moment; his gaze darted briefly toward Cassie as he nodded slowly, disappointment evident in the slump of his shoulders. Julian smashed Joey against the wall, releasing him briefly to rip the shirt off of him. Joey stumbled slightly as Julian shoved him back again. He tossed the shirt to Devon, who snagged hold of it. “If anything happens to me…”

  “I’ll make sure she gets out of here,” Julian promised no hint of malice or want in his voice. Devon studied him curiously, unable to understand this person beside him. Julian had been brutal and violent, almost as bad as he himself had been. But now, now Julian was completely different, and Devon knew it was because of Cassie.

  “Julian,” he growled.

  “She doesn’t want me Devon,” he said softly. “But I’ll keep her safe.”

  Devon nodded, wishing that he understood this more, but knowing that he didn’t have time to figure it out. Devon glanced down the hall, not at all surprised to find Chris and Cassie peering into the hall again. “Stay there,” he ordered briskly. She opened her mouth to protest. “I mean it,” he growled before she could say anything.

  She swallowed heavily before nodding slowly. Devon turned away from him, wadding up Joey’s shirt he threw it in front of the door. Bracing himself he bolted through the doorway a split second after the shot rang out. The older man holding the gun took a startled step back as Devon rushed him. He took another step back, raising the gun as he attempted to fire it again. He didn’t have time to squeeze the trigger before Devon seized hold of the gun. He ripped it fiercely out of the man’s hands, causin
g him to cry out in pain as two of his fingers snapped.

  Throwing the gun aside, Devon thrust his elbow into his windpipe as he carried the man backward into the wall and slammed him hard against it. The man made a gurgling noise, choking as he kicked wildly against him. “Devon!” Cassie screamed. “Devon!”

  He caught a flurry of motion as she came skidding around the corner, barely catching her balance when her feet slipped out from under her. She righted herself, her eyes finding him instantly as relief filled her. Anger spurted through him as he shook his head, he should have known that she would not stay where she was told, but just once he wished that she would listen to him. Just once he wished she would think about her own safety first. Though he knew that was an impossible thing to ask for. “I’m ok,” he said softly.

  She nodded briefly before turning her attention to the man he held. Her eyes widened in surprise, her mouth parted on a small gasp. She stood perfectly still for a moment, and then, everything changed. Her mouth snapped closed, her eyes blazed a violent shade of red as fury twisted her beautiful features.

  “You!” she accused fiercely.

  Devon stiffened; the hairs on the back of his neck stood on end as he turned slowly back toward the man he held. The man was staring at him, his blue eyes wide in terror, his face a florid shade of red. Devon dug his arm in tighter, causing the man to sputter and choke, gasping for breath as he struggled against Devon’s hold. Judging by Cassie’s reaction to him, this was the man that had hurt her the most.

  And Devon hated him for it.

  A loud snarl, and a vicious curse, snapped Devon’s head around. Julian had entered the room, his hand still wrapped tight around Joey’s throat, but his eyes were focused upon the man that Devon held. A snarl twisted his mouth, his elongated fangs cut into his lower lip. He shoved Joey brutally away from him, slamming the young man off of the wall. For a moment Devon was certain that Julian was going to charge at them, but he remained where he was, just barely hanging onto his composure. It would not take much for him to attack though.

  Chris appeared behind him, his hand wrapped tightly around Dani’s arm as he pulled her into the room. Chris stared hard around the room for a moment before settling on the man that Devon held. Dani trembled in his grasp. “You could have killed me!” she snapped at the man, her eyes shimmering with tears.

  The stranger struggled within Devon’s grasp, the air whistling in and out of him. Though Devon longed to crush his windpipe, he eased his grip on him. He was sure they would need him for some answers. The man choked in some air, sputtering as Devon stepped away. He took hold of Cassie’s hand, pulling her slightly behind him as the stranger stumbled forward.

  Cassie’s hand tightened on his in displeasure as she took a step from behind his back. “Who are you?” she demanded.

  The man righted himself; his hand cradled his wounded throat as he struggled for air. He glanced wildly around the room, searching for an escape route and finding none. “You had better start talking,” Devon snarled.

  His gaze snapped back to Devon, his eyes wild with fear. “You may want to close the door,” he said in a hoarse whisper. “There are still a few of them running around out there.”

  Chris hesitated for a moment before reaching back and closing the door. He slid the lock into place, keeping his hand against the knob as he turned slowly back to the room. “Who are you?” Cassie demanded again.

  The man’s eyes lit upon her, hatred bloomed in them. Devon growled, stepping swiftly in front of her in order to block her from the man’s loathsome stare. “I haven’t killed in a long time, but I won’t hesitate to rip out your throat if you look at her like that again!” he hissed. The man’s eyes snapped back to him, fear widened them as he backed into the wall. “Now, who the hell are you?”

  “Derek,” he answered. “My name is Derek.”

  Cassie inhaled sharply behind him, her hand tightened painfully around his. He could hear the quickening beat of her heart; feel the horror, terror, and confusion that washed through her. She pressed closer to him, her breath coming swiftly in and out, her chest rising and falling rapidly against him as the stranger pinned her with his hate filled gaze.

  “Her father.”

  CHAPTER 7

  Devon grabbed Cassie as her knees buckled, catching her before she hit the floor. Her air was strangled in her chest, the constriction in it making it impossible for her to breathe. He grabbed hold of her face, holding it gently in his grasp. “Breathe,” he whispered. “Just breathe.”

  She gasped in air; it seared into her lungs, burning all the way down to the hollow pit of her stomach. Her breath shuddered out of her, pain racked through her extremities. Devon held her tight, keeping her somewhat grounded through the racking pain that suffused her. She gulped down another harsh breath, letting it out in a hitching sob that threatened to shatter her.

  Her father! This man, this cruel bastard that had so easily tortured her was her father!? It couldn’t be; her father was dead. Her father had been a good man! At least she had convinced herself that he was a decent man over the years, when she had daydreamed about what he had been like. Her grandmother had always told her that he was a good man, that he had loved her mother, and Cassie, dearly.

  But apparently she had been wrong. Her father had brought her here. Her father had stood impassively by as they had tortured and drugged her. Her father had helped them to do it all to her, he had been the one in charge of her torment. Her father hated her!

  Another sob exploded from her, her fingers curled tightly around Devon’s wrists as she tried to keep herself grounded with him, tried to gain strength from him. Devon loved her, her friends loved her and that was all that mattered, she tried to remind herself. She had never known her father, and although this man claimed to be him, he was not.

  Her father didn’t matter, she repeatedly told herself. This man was a stranger, a monster. This man may have helped to create her, but he had not made her the person that she was. He was nothing to her. And yet she still felt as if her heart had been ripped out, still felt as if someone had slammed her in the chest with a baseball bat.

  Devon wrapped his hand around her head, pulling her close to kiss her gently. “Are you ok?” he asked softly.

  Cassie managed a nod, trying hard to steady the shaking in her body. He held her tight against him as he turned slightly back to her father. He tried to keep her blocked from the man, but Cassie refused to let the man know that he had affected her so badly. There was absolute hatred etched into the man’s features, his blue eyes were hard, cold, unremorseful. Cassie could not bring herself to look at him anymore. Turning away, she focused her attention on Chris who was watching her with confusion and uncertainty, but there was also sympathy and pain evident in his sapphire gaze.

  Releasing Dani, Chris came slowly over and pulled her gently from Devon’s arms. Devon reluctantly released her to Chris before focusing on her father again. Chris wrapped his arms around her shoulders, holding her tight as he moved her swiftly away. Julian remained unmoving, his hands fisted tightly, and his entire body ramrod straight as fire burned in his eyes.

  Cassie could only stare helplessly back at him, wishing that she could somehow take all of this away from him. Dani was gaping; her eyes darted wildly between Cassie and the stranger that was her father. Even Joey looked stunned by the revelation. “I didn’t know,” Dani whispered shaking her red streaked hair back. “I swear I didn’t know Cassie.”

  Julian moved swiftly forward, snarling viciously at her father before shoving into a door at the back of the room. He needed to escape, needed to calm down, before he killed them all. The door crashed open, swinging wildly back and forth. “Here!” he shouted back to them.

  Cassie hugged Chris tighter, thankful for his unwavering love and support. Devon strode forward, grabbing her father by the arm as he hauled him roughly into the other room. The man stumbled slightly as he tried to keep up with Devon’s long, furious strides. Joey remained unmov
ing upon the floor, his eyes wide as he stared up at them.

  “I really didn’t know,” Dani whispered again.

  Cassie pulled slowly away from Chris, moving stiffly to the door they had disappeared through. She pushed it open, her eyes widening in surprise as she took in the wood boxes piled from floor to ceiling against two walls. Devon and Julian were no longer in the room, but there was another door across from her.

  She made her way to it, pushing it slowly open. Cold air hit her at once. She shivered, pulling her hands inside the sleeves of her baggy coat in an attempt to ward off the chill. Devon and Julian glanced up from where they stood by a set of cooler doors. Inside the coolers were bags of blood lined up in rows from floor to ceiling. Both Devon and Julian’s eyes were bright red with fury and hunger; they gleamed in the dim light of the room.

  Though she could feel her father’s gaze upon her, she did not turn to him. “I’ll get one of the boxes,” Devon said softly, hurrying toward her.

  “Is it drugged?” Devon froze, his eyebrows drawing sharply together as he stared questioningly at her. “The blood. The food they brought us in here was drugged before. Is it drugged now?”

  Devon’s jaw clenched tightly, his nostrils flared with fury. Julian cursed loudly, the door of the cooler slammed against the other one as he flung it open. He snatched a bag roughly out. Glowering at her father, he ripped the top easily off of it. He inhaled deeply before nodding briskly to Devon. “It’s good,” he muttered. “They must drug it right before they bring it to us.”

  They all turned toward Cassie’s father, but he remained immobile, his face as cold as stone. “Drugs are probably stronger that way,” Cassie whispered.

  Julian shrugged and downed the contents of the bag before tossing it aside. Devon slipped his arm through hers, pulling her gently back into the other room. Squeezing her arm, he released her to grab hold of one of the stacked boxes. Cassie watched in amazement as he ripped off the top, which had been securely nailed on, as if it were nothing. He dropped it to the floor, turned the box over and dumped its contents on the ground. Cassie took a small step back as stakes clattered across the floor, skittering about her feet.