There was a hitch in his breath. “What are you saying?”
“I can’t come to your bed and have you make love to me when you don’t mean it. Hell, you can’t even say that you love me, can you?”
Cain lifted his hand as if reaching for her, but dropped it again. His lips parted to speak, but no words came out.
“I knew it.”
“But you must know how I . . .”
“What must I know? I know nothing, Cain, nothing at all. Because you’re not telling me anything. All I know is that you can’t tell me that you love me.” And that thought hurt the most. Despite the physical intimacy they’d shared in the last few days and nights, emotionally they were farther apart than ever before.
“You’re overreacting.”
“Am I?” How dare he marginalize her concerns? “Release Robert, and I’ll give you another chance to explain, but don’t expect me to warm your bed again. I’m not going to marry a man who doesn’t love me, no matter who he is. If you can’t tell me that you love me and mean it, then you and I have no future together. Make your choice, because mine is made.”
She turned abruptly and marched to the door. Her hand on the door handle, she hesitated for a moment.
“Don’t do this,” Cain pleaded.
“Those are the wrong words.”
Her heart aching, she opened the door and left the room. Only once she had reached the stairs leading to the lower floor did she dare breathe again. By the time she reached her suite, tears were streaming down her face.
Cain didn’t love her.
33
Cain had contemplated running after Faye the instant she’d charged out of his office. But what would have been the use? He couldn’t say the words she wanted to hear. Not yet, not when he had to continue to lie to her about himself. Only when he could tell her about his amnesia and what had really happened to him could he confess his feelings for her. Doing it while he was still hiding the truth from her would cheapen the moment. And he didn’t want to tarnish the one real emotion that he was finally certain of. The prospect of losing her had made it clear to him once and for all: he was in love with Faye.
How could he tell her that he loved her when in the same breath he had to continue to lie to her?
When he got word from Gabriel that everything was set up for the procedure on the two fugitive vampires, Cain was glad for the distraction.
The old plantation kitchen was set up like an operating theater—complete with sterile linens, stainless steel bowls, and sterilized instruments Maya had brought with her from San Francisco. The only thing missing was anesthesia. Unfortunately, vampires couldn’t be put under with the drugs that worked so well for humans.
“Who wants to go first?” Maya asked and looked at David and Kathryn.
David had his arm around the girl, hugging her to him. “Do me first. But don’t make Kathryn watch.”
Kathryn clung to him, frightened. He looked down at her, his voice softer when he addressed her. “It will be all right, little one. You’ll be safe with them.”
Cain pointed to Blake who stood near the entrance door. “Blake can take her to the library in the meantime.” He figured that since Blake was human, the girl would be less frightened of him than if somebody like Gabriel would guard her.
Kathryn glanced in Blake’s direction. Cain noticed how Blake smiled at her encouragingly.
“There’s also a big screen TV in there,” Blake coaxed. “We can watch a movie, or play Xbox.”
Cain rolled his eyes. He doubted Kathryn was into playing some stupid game on Xbox.
“Xbox?” she echoed.
Blake grinned. “Yeah, I’ll teach you.”
“Go with him, Kathryn,” David encouraged her. “You’ll be safe with him.”
Hesitantly, she left the shelter of David’s arms and walked toward Blake. When she reached him, she looked over her shoulder, seeking further encouragement from her friend, who nodded. A moment later, she left the room with Blake by her side.
Gabriel closed the door behind them.
“Lay down on the table, please,” Maya instructed David. “It will hurt, I’m afraid. But there’s nothing I can do about that.”
“I know that.” David glanced at Cain and Gabriel. “I suppose that’s why you have two men assisting you.”
Cain approached. “We’ll be strapping you down on the table. I’ll be holding your head immobile, and Gabriel will make sure you don’t escape from the straps. We don’t want to use silver.” Though it would assure that the vampire couldn’t move, Cain had no intention of inflicting even more pain on him than he’d already endured.
Nodding, David climbed onto the table which had been covered with a white sheet. While Maya slipped on some latex gloves, Cain and Gabriel proceeded to put leather straps across David’s legs, thighs, and torso, and tie them underneath the table. When he was secured, Cain looked at the patient.
“Ready?”
David swallowed hard. “Ready.”
“I’ll make this as quick as I can,” Maya promised and picked up stainless steel pliers from a tray next to the table. “I’ll first test how tightly the ball is lodged in your gums, okay?”
David blinked his eyes in acquiescence, while Cain placed his hands to either side of his head and gripped him firmly to hold him in place.
Maya bent over her patient. “Open wide.”
Suddenly the door was ripped open and everybody snapped their heads in its direction.
“Wait!” Wesley stormed into the room, kicking the door shut behind him. “I’ve got something to numb his pain.”
David tried to rear up from the table, but the leather straps prevented him from lifting anything except his head. “Witch!”
“Stay calm, David,” Cain assuaged him. “Wesley is a friend. He means you no harm. He’s here to help.” However, Cain had his doubts that the witch was capable of what he claimed.
Wesley walked to the table. “I put together a potion. It should work on a vampire.”
“Should?” Maya asked skeptically.
“It will,” Wes corrected. “It’ll put him into a bit of a trance and make him less aware of what you’re doing.”
Maya exhaled. “And if it doesn’t work?”
Wes shrugged. “If it doesn’t, then it just doesn’t have any effect. It can’t hurt him. Promise.”
“It better not tint him red,” Gabriel interjected.
“What?” David asked, confused.
Wesley stared at the patient. “Don’t listen to him. Some people here will just never let me forget my mistakes, no matter how much I’ve improved my witchcraft.”
“Improved?” David tossed a quizzical look at Cain. “He’s an apprentice?”
Cain shifted his weight from one leg to the other. Pointing out to David that Wesley wasn’t exactly an expert in his field wouldn’t help in this situation. Maybe for once it was better to cut the kid some slack. “Wesley is an accomplished witch.”
Suddenly a smile formed on the older man’s face. “You’re a terrible liar, Your Majesty.” Then he glanced at Wesley. “Well, do your thing then and let’s hope it won’t kill me.”
Triumphantly, Wesley removed a vial from his shirt pocket. “You’ll all need to step back for a moment, so you don’t inhale it, too.”
Cain took a few steps back, as did Maya and Gabriel. Then Wesley opened the vial and held it under David’s nose. A green colored mist rose from it.
“Just inhale deeply,” Wes instructed in a soothing voice.
The vampire did as told and pulled in a deep breath. His eyes closed and suddenly his head rolled to the side. He was unconscious.
“Oops.” Wes looked up, a sheepish look on his face.
Cain charged at him. “What the fuck did you do now?”
“I suppose the potion was a little stronger than I thought. Don’t worry, he’s just out for a little while.” He motioned to Maya. “Better start right away. I have no idea how long it’s gonna last.”
“That’s just great,” Gabriel grumbled. Then he pointed to the door. “Better get out of here. He might not be too happy to see you when he comes to.”
“
If
he comes to,” Cain added.
“You’re such pessimists,” Wes complained and turned on his heel. “Call me when it’s all done and I’ll take care of the girl, too.”
When the door closed behind him, Maya took up the pliers once more. “Well, let’s do it then.”
Cain took both sides of David’s head again and turned it to face upward.
“Spread his jaw open,” Maya instructed.
He gripped the vampire’s jaw and pried it open, then reached for the metal rectangle which was the size of a candy bar and wedged it between David’s teeth on the left side of his mouth, making sure his mouth remained open and Maya could freely access the right side.
Cain watched as she set the pliers at the spot where the small metal ball that the Mississippi vampires had implanted was visible. She tried to grip it with her instrument, but it slipped without finding purchase.
Maya looked up. “I can’t get a grip. I’ll have to cut it out instead.”
She set aside the pliers and reached for a scalpel instead. The moment she made the first incision into the gum, the air filled with the scent of the vampire’s blood. Cain turned his head away, but he couldn’t prevent his fangs from lengthening as a reaction to the smell.
“That’s better,” he heard Maya mumble. “Just a little bit more.” She grunted and Cain felt David’s head in his hands move.
“Shit, he’s coming to,” Cain warned her. “Quick!”
“Gabriel, the pliers.”
Instantly, Gabriel jumped and handed her the pliers while taking the scalpel from her hand.
A moan came from the patient now.
Cain noticed David’s eyeballs move underneath his lids. “It’s wearing off too quickly.”
“Got it!” Maya called out and pulled.
Blood splattered as Maya ripped the ball from the vampire’s mouth and tossed it in a bowl.
“Now the other side.”
Gabriel already switched the scalpel for the pliers in her hand, while Cain hastily moved the metal block in the vampire’s mouth to the other side.
The incision on the left seemed to take Maya less time, and moments later she was already gripping the second ball with her instrument.
When she ripped the ball out, David’s head reared up and his eyes shot open at the same time. A pain-filled scream tore from his throat while blood splattered all over his front and the metal block slipped from his mouth. His eyes were glaring red, and he jerked at his restraints.
“It’s over, David, it’s all good,” Cain tried to calm him and gripped his shoulders, pressing him back down onto the table.
The vampire’s chest heaved, but finally his eyes connected with Cain’s gaze, and he blinked.
“Are they out?” he asked, his speech sounding a little muffled.
Maya smiled at him. “Yes, they’re both out. Let’s get you some human blood so you can heal.”
David closed his eyes and sighed. When he opened them again, he looked calm again. “Thank you. All of you.”
“Did you feel anything?” Maya asked.
“Only when you pulled just now.”
“Good.”
David looked around the room. “Where’s the witch?”
“We sent him outside. I figured you might not want to see him after this,” Cain said.
“Bring him back. And make sure he gives Kathryn a larger dosage of his potion. I don’t want her to feel any pain.”
“You got it,” Cain agreed.
34
While both Kathryn and David were resting after their procedures, and Maya and Gabriel watching over them to see if their fangs would indeed grow back during their restorative sleep, Cain paced in this office.
Faye’s staunch belief in Robert’s innocence made him doubt his own suspicions. Though Thomas had talked to the prisoner, he hadn’t been able to make him admit to the treasonous act. Robert had continued to declare his innocence.
Did he have anything to lose by talking to Robert himself?
Cain charged out of his office and nearly bumped into Abel in the hallway.
“Whoa, Cain, where are you off to in such a hurry?”
“Going to see Robert in his cell.”
“Ah, the traitor. Do you want me to come with you?”
Cain was already walking past Abel and didn’t even turn his head when he responded, “No!” and continued on his way into the lower level of the palace. By now he knew the layout well enough to find the cellblock without having to ask anybody for directions.
One guard—Cain recognized him as Simon—sat at a table in the anteroom to the cells. He jumped up instantly when Cain entered.
“Good evening, Your Majesty.”
“Evening. Open Robert’s cell and let me in.”
“Of course, sir.” Simon unhooked the keys from his belt and motioned to a heavy iron door at the end of the corridor.
Cain walked to it and waited until the guard had unlocked and opened it. “Lock it after me. I’ll let you know when I’m done.”
He stepped into the dim interior and heard the door shut behind him with a loud thud. His eyes perceived Robert instantly. He sat on a small cot in the corner, his back stiff and his gaze locked onto Cain.
“To what do I owe the pleasure?” Robert said with a good dose of sarcasm in his tone.
Cain didn’t let that show of defiance deter him. “Faye is pleading for your release.”
A spark ignited in the older vampire’s eyes. “Ah, Faye, she still believes in the good in people, doesn’t she?”
“Is she wrong in doing so?”
“Sometimes she is.”
“And this time?”
Robert gave a slow shake of his head. “This time her instincts are right. I’m not a traitor. What I told you is true. Somebody set me up.”
“And why should I believe you?”
“I can’t help you there.” Robert shrugged.
“That’s not very helpful.”
“Why are you really here? If Faye had managed to convince you, you’d be releasing me now.” He glanced at the door. “But it doesn’t look like you’re letting me go. So, if she couldn’t convince you of my innocence, there’s no reason for me to try. You and I, we always had a bit of a rocky relationship. If you trust anybody in this place, it’s Faye. It’s always been that way, ever since you rescued her.”
To have Robert confirm Cain’s trust in Faye felt reassuring. “A rocky relationship, huh?”
Robert smiled. “Yeah. I never approved of the way you disposed of the old king.”