Blake’s chest swelled, and a proud smile formed on his lips. “You can count on me.”
How easy it was to manipulate the young human. Cain almost felt a little guilty, though he knew it was for the best. He had no idea how the presence of a human would be taken by this clan. Would they attack him because they saw him as the enemy? In any case, Cain didn’t need the added hassle of having to protect a human whose fighting skills were inferior to those of a vampire. Wesley would have a better chance at holding off any hostile vampire: they would smell that he was a witch and would be cautious about approaching him, fearing he could cast a spell against which not even a vampire had protection. They had no way of guessing that Wesley’s magic was weak. Perception was everything, which brought up another point: Cain’s memory loss.
“Another thing,” Cain now cautioned his colleagues. “The only way for the guards on the outside to even let us into the palace, is to make sure they know who I am. There can be no doubt in their minds when I approach them. When we are around them, you’ll need to address me as
Your Majesty
. I reckon they’ll recognize me, but we have to make sure that nobody suspects that I have amnesia. If they do, it weakens my position and may play into the hands of the assassin.”
“That’s understood,” Haven said, then scratched his head. “But how are you gonna explain why you were gone for a year? They must wonder what happened.”
Cain had already thought of that on his way back from the tunnels. “Don’t worry. I have a story for that too. I’ll fill you in on the way, so you’ll know what to say.” He motioned to the door behind him. “Let’s go. It’s about a half hour march to the palace.”
As he turned to the door, he noticed Thomas pulling Eddie into a hug and kissing him.
“Be careful,” Eddie said and ran his hand through Thomas’s hair.
Thomas winked. “You know me.”
Eddie rolled his eyes. “That’s exactly why I’m saying it.”
Cain opened the door and stepped outside, inhaling the humid night air. No foreign smells drifted to him, indicating that no other vampires were in the vicinity. John hadn’t returned in the meantime.
As Cain marched ahead, his colleagues following him through the wooded terrain, he hoped that he hadn’t misread the vampire who claimed to have been his loyal guard. He’d sounded so sincere when he’d spoken about Cain’s past, and so full of regret about having failed him. Had John failed him again?
Mentally Cain prepared himself for taking his old life back. His heart pounded in his chest, and for the first time in his life he felt nervous.
“What are you thinking?”
Cain turned his head to Thomas, who’d sidled up to him, while the two brothers walked behind them. “Just hoping that John didn’t betray us. For all our sakes.”
Thomas nodded gravely. “Everything still seems very unreal. As you know, I checked out all the information you gave me when you joined Scanguards, but I couldn’t find anything about you. Nor has anybody at Scanguards ever heard of this clan and a king. I’m afraid we have no idea what we’re walking into.”
“I’m aware of that. Nevertheless, I know I’m the king. I can’t ignore that feeling.” Nor the fact that he recognized Faye from his dreams and that seeing her in Abel’s arms had produced a bolt of intense jealousy. “The woman he claims was my fiancée . . .” He hesitated.
“You don’t have to say it. You recognized her. She’s the only reason Samson authorized this excursion. He spoke to Dr. Drake.”
Cain raised an eyebrow. “What’s that shrink got to do with it?”
“Drake believes that your dreaming about her is a sign that your memory is coming back.”
Cain shrugged. He had thought the same thing, but tried not to get his hopes up for fear they may be dashed again. “And that’s why Samson agreed to give me a few men to check things out?”
Thomas chuckled. “That and the fact that Samson is a big softy at heart and wants to give you a chance to reclaim the woman you love, if indeed you are the king and she your fiancée.”
Cain didn’t know how to answer. He wasn’t somebody to share what lay in his heart. One question taunted him: could a man without a memory love a woman from a past he didn’t remember?
“I’m grateful to Samson,” he finally said. “And to all of you for supporting me. I hope you won’t regret it.”
“I hope so, too.”
The rest of the way, Cain conveyed his plan of what to tell Abel and the rest of the palace about why he’d been away. Once he was satisfied that everybody knew what to say, they continued to walk in silence, mentally preparing themselves.
Cain’s thoughts wandered back to Faye. Disappointment swept through him. She hadn’t waited for him. Instead, she’d taken another lover—Abel, the man who would soon be king.
John had explained that the coronation would take place very soon, and Cain had found it odd that such a long time lay between the death of one king and the coronation of another. But this fact was to his advantage now. It meant that Abel wasn’t king yet and Cain would be able to take back his throne by returning to the clan before the coronation of the new king. It was as simple as that.
Winning back his fiancée could prove to be harder.
“Ambush!” Haven suddenly shouted from behind him.
No sooner had Haven sounded the alarm, several men were coming out of the thicket and charged them. There was no mistaking what they were: vampires who were protecting the palace’s perimeter which Cain and his companions must have breached.
One attacker had already jumped Wesley, and Haven was fighting him off his brother, slamming a fist into the attacking vampire’s face. Two other hostile vampires came from the other side and engaged in a fight with Thomas, who did his best to fight back the blows and kicks. Cain pulled his silver knife from its sheath and charged into the fray when a sound behind him made him swivel.
Two massively built vampires barreled toward him, their eyes glowing red, their fangs extended. Not waiting for them to strike the first blow, Cain brandished his knife and went on the offensive, attacking the two vampires. Cain felt his body harden as he kicked one of them into the stomach, then managed to slash the other’s arm. But the injury he’d inflicted made his attacker even more ferocious. A violent growl came from the other’s lips, his fangs gleaming in the moonlight.
“We’re not your enemies, we’re—”
But Cain’s words were cut off by the second vampire who was now slamming his fist into Cain’s chin, whipping his head to the side. Cain tasted his own blood in his mouth and spit it out, while his hand holding the knife jerked upward in an attempt to drive it into his attacker’s chest. But the vampire’s arm blocked him in the last split second, making Cain lose his footing on the uneven ground. He swayed but caught himself, using a low tree branch to catapult himself back at the two hostiles.
Grunts and shouts came from his colleagues as the unequal battle continued.
“No!” Haven shouted suddenly.
Cain whirled his head in his friend’s direction and saw him now fighting two other vampires. One of them had Wesley in a chokehold, and the witch’s face was red, his hands trying to pry his attacker’s arm off him, while gasping for air.
“Release him!” Cain cried out instinctively. “I command you as your king!”
The vampire’s head snapped up, his eyes now pinning Cain, disbelief spreading in them like wildfire. His lips moved, issuing a soundless
Oh my God!
when Cain felt a blow to his head that knocked him against a tree. In the next instant, muscled arms pinned him there and a hand wielding a stake came toward him.
Shit!
“Cease!” a commanding voice echoed through the dark, making his attacker stop in mid-movement, just as Cain’s arm came up to block the hit.
From the corner of his eye, Cain saw that the vampire who’d had Wesley in a chokehold had released him and was now rushing toward Cain in vampire speed.
The vampire, who was clearly the leader, pulled Cain’s attacker away from Cain and fell on his knees, bowing. “Your Majesty. We thought you were dead.”
Cain inhaled a relieved breath. “So did I.”
His gaze wandered to his friends. They were unharmed. The vampires who’d attacked them were now bowing toward Cain.
Thomas cast a glance in Cain’s direction, one side of his mouth curving upward. “I guess it’s good to be king, huh?”
Cain pushed away from the tree. The certainty of who he was filled him with a sense of power and pride. He was Cain Montague, King of the vampires of Louisiana.
“Escort us to the palace!”
The vampire looked up at him, then cast a sideways glance at Wesley, his mouth twisting with displeasure. “The witch, too?”
Cain glared down at him. “Nobody harms a hair on his head or I’ll strike him down in a heartbeat.”
12
Walking behind the vampire who’d recognized him just in time, Cain approached the sprawling estate located in a large meadow and surrounded by a forest. Cain hadn’t asked the man his name, not wanting to alert him to his memory loss. The other guards as well as Cain’s friends from Scanguards marched behind them, though the king’s guards made a point of staying as far away from Wesley as they could. They clearly didn’t trust a witch.
Cain perused his surroundings. A broad road flanked by large oak trees covered in Spanish moss led up to a majestic mansion with white columns, a wrap-around porch, and balconies on the two upper floors. Without a doubt, this had once been a plantation, and the cottages that were dotted around the property had housed slaves many years ago. During the flight to New Orleans, John had given him a cursory rundown on what the estate and the house looked like, though Cain had not expected it to be so grand.
Pride swelled in his chest. Though no memory emerged as he looked around, something inside him changed. A feeling of belonging spread within him, the same kind of emotion he’d started to feel as he’d grown closer to his brethren at Scanguards; however, now the sensation was more intense. This was his home.
The two vampire guards stationed outside the main entrance to the palace stared at Cain, their mouths gaping open.
Cain’s guide ordered, “What are you standing here for like fools? Open the door for the king!”
“Yes, Marcus, of course!” one of them answered.
Cain made a mental note of the name.
The two vampires hastened to follow the command, and one of them reached for the door to open it, while the other moved out of the way to let them pass.
Cain stepped inside ahead of Marcus, while he clandestinely familiarized himself with his surroundings. He found himself in a large entry hall with a sweeping staircase leading to the upper floors, doors to rooms on the left and right, and walkways to either side of the staircase leading to the back of the house.
“Witch!” somebody screamed all of a sudden.
Cain cursed in frustration and whirled around. He saw how one of the two house guards leapt at Wesley, while Marcus tried to block him. All three tumbled to the ground.
In vampire speed Cain crossed the distance and pulled the attacker from the heap, gripping him by his shirt’s collar, then slammed him against the door frame, flashing his fangs at him.
“The witch is with me! You harm him, you’ll be dust.” Then he turned to the other house guard. “That goes for you, too.”
The vampire dropped his head obediently. Cain released the guard and set him back on his feet.
Meanwhile, Marcus had helped Wesley up. Wesley now dusted off his pants and readjusted his T-shirt. He took a step closer to the vampire who had attacked him.
“Jerk!” Wes ground out.
The vampire snarled.
“Shut it, Wes!” Cain ordered.
But before Cain could say anything else to reprimand the witch not to get too cocky, he heard footsteps of several people behind him.
The commotion at the door had obviously attracted the attention of the palace’s residents.
“What the fuck is going on here?” an authoritative voice demanded.
Slowly Cain turned and faced the man who’d spoken. The vampire was dressed in expensive designer clothes that gave him a sophisticated look. His hair was dark, his brown eyes piercing, his body muscular yet not beefy. Cain saw the resemblance immediately. He had no doubt: this was Abel, his brother.
Abel froze, his gaze locked on Cain. His chin dropped, his chest heaved, and for a moment nobody spoke.
“Cain.” The greeting was issued on a shaky breath and wrapped in disbelief. Abel took one hesitant step toward him. “But . . . we believed you were dead.” He blinked, seemingly composing himself. “Brother!”
Abel closed the distance between them. Instantly Thomas and Haven were by Cain’s side, ready to interfere if need be. Cain motioned them to stand down.
Abel glanced at the two then looked back at Cain. “Oh God, we missed you!” He opened his arms and pulled Cain into a hug.
Cain remained stiff until Abel finally stepped back and released him. “Abel,” he greeted him coolly.
“What happened to you?” Abel asked. “We all thought you’d been killed. Heck, there was evidence!”
Cain nodded. “I know. I killed one of the assassins, but the others took me prisoner and made it look like I was dead.”
His brother’s eyes widened. “Prisoner? Who took you? What did they do to you?” He eyed Haven and Thomas suspiciously, before his gaze fell onto Wesley. Abel inhaled visibly. “What the—”
Cain raised his hand. This was getting old pretty quickly. “They’re all with me.” He pointed to his friends, introducing them. “These are Thomas, Haven, and Wesley. All three were instrumental in my escape from that hole where they kept me and tortured me. Without Wesley’s magic I would have never survived. Nobody harms the witch.”
The lies rolled off his lips like water down a fast flowing stream. Emphasizing Wesley’s witchcraft and making him seem more powerful than he was had been Haven’s idea. It would make sure the vampires wouldn’t want to cross him and draw the witch’s wrath on them.
Abel inclined his head toward the men from Scanguards. “I’m grateful to you for bringing my brother home. Consider yourselves our guests.”