Cain's Identity(26)

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.#p#分页标题#e#
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.