Free Inferno (Book 4 The Kindred Series) by Erica Stevens

the
inside out.
    He bent down, sweeping her into his
arms as she clung to him, tears streaming down her cheeks. She
burrowed her face into the hollow of his neck, unable to face the
others at the moment. “I’m sorry,” he said briskly to Liam. “We’re
going out back. Will you be ok for a little while?”
    She assumed this question was directed
at Luther as he was the one that answered yes in a slightly
strangled voice.
    Devon’s strides were long and
purposeful as he carried her past the racks of merchandise and
toward the back area where the feed was kept. She watched him
silently as he placed her down on a feed bag. He walked around,
drawing the blinds and curtains tightly shut, though fragments of
light still filtered through the edges. Lamps and flashlights had
already been gathered and set out in the room. He turned on one of
the lamps, its small beam of light cast shadows about the room.
Grabbing two of the sleeping bags they had stashed back here, he
unrolled one and placed it down. Finally, he placed the rolled one
down as a pillow.
    He turned back to her, holding his hand
out for her. Cassie rose slowly, clasping hold of his hand as he
pulled the zipper back to let her in. Cassie climbed inside, her
entire body suddenly aching and tired. Her mind was numb as tears
continued to roll silently down her cheeks. Devon crawled in beside
her; he wrapped his arms around her as he pulled her against
him.
    He rested his cheek against hers as he
wiped the tears gently from her face. “I missed this so much,” he
whispered. “I missed you.”
    She squeezed his hands tight, pressing
them against her chest. “And I missed you,” she breathed, brushing
a light kiss against his nose, his cheeks, and finally softly
against his full mouth. “Devon, about Julian…”
    “I don’t want to talk about it right
now Cassie. I know what happened to you.” For a moment his voice
trailed off, his eyes growing hard and distant. “I know what they
did to you and they will pay for it, and we will talk about it
soon. But for tonight, I just want to hold you. I just want to feel
you against me. I just need to know that you are with me again, and
safe.”
    More tears streamed down her face as
she smiled brightly at him. “Yes, I would like that very very
much.”
    His grin was the most beloved,
cherished thing she had ever seen. She had missed his smile even
more than her own freedom. His eyes sparkled when he smiled, the
hard planes of his face softened making him younger and more
approachable looking, even with the rough stubble along his
jaw.
    “You’re exhausted.”
    “Yes,” she agreed softly, stifling a
yawn as she nuzzled closer to him, savoring in the wonderfully
masculine scent of him. It was familiar and comforting and
welcoming. His love enveloped her, wrapping her within a secure
cocoon that lulled her into a much needed, dreamless
sleep.

CHAPTER 5

    Cassie awoke sometime later, blinking
against the sleep that still clung to her. Devon’s arm was wrapped
loosely around her waist, his breathing even and slow as he slept
peacefully. She stared at his slackened face, savoring in his
perfect features. She was reaching for him, wanting to wake him
when a small snort behind her caught her attention. She turned
slightly, a smile quirking her mouth as she caught sight of Chris a
few feet away, snoring softly. She had spent many many nights of
her life listening to his snores.
    She lay for a few moments, relishing in
the warmth of Devon and the blessed noise of Chris. She watched
Chris, wishing that he didn’t have to be entangled in all of this
with them. She wished that she could have kept him safe from it
all, but knew that she never could have. Birth had trapped them
both here, and the cruelty of crazed men, not her.
    The pressure in her bladder was what
eventually got her moving. Wiggling the zipper on the sleeping bag
down, she gently untangled Devon’s arm from her and slid from the
bag. She wrapped him tightly