Devon stepped forward to help her. "Angel," Gabriel murmured before allowing Devon to pull him from her arms. Cassie felt empty without him but she stepped away as Devon gave the child a brief hug and handed him over to the teenage boy.

"If they somehow manage to get past us you must know that Zane can walk about in the day, but the others cannot. He will take hold of your mind if he has the chance to change you and he won't let go. He can astral project but the only way to kill him is to kill the original version of him."

The teen became increasingly more ghostlike but he nodded agreement to everything that Devon had to say. "Don't come out unless it's one of us," Julian commanded.

Cassie turned toward Luther; she had to force her next words out of her mouth. "I think you should go with them."

"Absolutely not," he protested immediately.

"I know that we're your priority Luther, we always have been, but you've already raised us, trained us, and been the father figure we were all missing." She glanced toward the doe eyed children and the tiny Barnacle sucking on his thumb. "But they've had no one. If something happens to us they'll require someone to protect them, to guide them and lead them. They need you more than we do now."

The last thing she desired was to upset Luther but they couldn't leave these children alone and vulnerable if they were all destroyed. Luther wouldn't be much against the remaining Elders but he would be something, and he would defend the children with his life.

Luther stared at her before turning toward the children, his eyes flickered, she could feel the torment radiating out of him but she also felt the acceptance of her words. "You're right, but if they get past you..."

"There is some way out of that prison down there, maybe more than one, that's how Anne got into the pantry. It may take you awhile but you'll be able to find an exit. If they do get past us, they won't do so without losing a few of their own, if not most of their own. We'll impair them enough to buy you some time to hopefully get away with the children."

Cassie grabbed hold of his arm when he went to turn away and embraced him. She was able to keep her face impassive as his emotions slid over her skin. This was the hardest thing he'd ever agreed to do. "They'll need you to make them as strong as you've made us. They'll need your love, most of them have never had any," she whispered to him. "I love you."

He pat her back awkwardly. "I'll keep them safe," he vowed.

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Cassie stepped away from him and braced herself for what was about to come next as she turned toward her friend. "I think you should go with him." She held up her hand to forestall Melissa's protest. "You're still hurt and they should have a Hunter with them."

If she'd had any breath she would be holding it as Melissa helplessly looked at the others. Chris opened his mouth to speak but closed it again and shook his head. He pushed back his shaggy blond hair and shoved his hands into his pockets.

"She's right," Julian inserted. "You'll only be a distraction, and the children need protection."

"You should have as much help as you can get," Melissa insisted. "They still have five Elders compared to your two, and no matter what Cassie is capable of we all know there is a reason that Matthew had that vision about her. You need me here."

"This is your choice Melissa," Luther said. "Though I believe you will do more good up here than you will with us."

Devon's hand slid into Cassie's and squeezed as they all focused on Melissa. "I'm staying," she said firmly.

Cassie swallowed the heavy lump in her throat. She would have made the same choice but she still wished that Melissa had decided to stay hidden with the children and put herself first. "Well then let's kick some ass." Julian flashed a feral grin that caused his eyes to sparkle. "I'm a little hungry anyway."

Cassie shot him a look as all the children took a step back from him. They couldn't have looked more horrified if Julian had just told them there was no Santa. But then, she wouldn't put that past him either. He just smiled as she shot him a disapproving look. "Hurry," she urged.

She followed them to the door of the basement and stood by as they filtered down the stairs. The boy holding Gabriel paused as the small child held his hands out to her. She leaned forward to press a kiss against his cheek. "We won't let them get to you and Luther will keep you safe," she promised.

The child held his fists against her cheeks before releasing her and relaxing in the teenager's arms. Luther finished hugging Chris and Melissa and stopped before her. "You can do this Cassie."

"I know; I had an amazing teacher."

He smiled and squeezed her shoulder. "That you did."

She closed the basement door behind him and leaned her forehead against it as she tried to gain control of her escalating panic. The grain was rough and cool against her forehead; it helped to keep her grounded though she felt as if she were going to splinter apart. She could do this, she could keep control, and she could beat them. She was not going to allow any more loss or unhappiness to be inflicted on those children and her friends.

She hurried back to the kitchen to find Chris and Melissa tearing through one of the bags they had just packed. There were a few crossbows and stakes gathered around them. Some of the more high-tech looking weapons The Commission had housed under the school were lying in another pile. Joey was holding one of the flamethrower looking things in his hands. Cassie didn't entirely like the idea of him holding it, but he was probably the only one that knew how to use it, and just what exactly it did.

She took hold of Devon's extended hand; bliss seeped into her as for a fraction of a second she allowed herself to take solace in him. "How much time do you think we have?" Liam inquired.

"Not much, they were already at the pond."

"They're going to come right at us. They're not going to hesitate this time. We may have more on our side, but they are stronger." Julian tossed a crossbow and a few arrows to Melissa.

"We should meet them outside," Liam said.

"What if they circle behind us and get into the house?" Dani demanded.

"There's something they crave even more than the children, and that's me. They'll go wherever I am," Cassie said.

"Cassie..." Devon's voice trailed off, his head lifted as he scented the air. Julian's eyes turned red as the stake in his hand snapped in half.

Cassie took a step forward as the air around her seemed to shift and shimmer. She could smell and feel The Elders power as it pulsated in waves; it reminded her of a rock being thrown into a lake. She had been subconsciously unaware of the animals in the woods until they became still. Liam took a step closer to Annabelle as something began to pelt the windows.




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