Abel opened the door and got out, slamming it behind him while already dashing to the door of the hut. He jerked it open and barreled inside, closing it behind him.
Inside the shack, one light bulb hanging from the ceiling illuminated the small structure which contained only two small rooms: the living and sleeping area with a tiny sink and refrigerator and a small bathroom in the back. The two windows were covered with plywood to prevent any sunlight from penetrating.
Abel looked around, finding the shack to be rather crowded. On the large bed, John’s lover Nicolette was handcuffed to the metal headboard, and at its foot, John sat, his hands tied over his head by a silver chain hanging from a hook in the ceiling, his head dropped to his chest. Residue of blood dirtied his shirt.
Baltimore sat at the wooden table, repeatedly stabbing his knife into the surface, obviously bored with his duty as a prison guard. He acknowledged Abel with a nod.
“Well, well, well,” Abel drawled, and took two steps toward the bed.
John’s head shot up and the woman’s eyes widened. But she didn’t speak, the gag in her mouth preventing her from uttering a word. Abel looked over his shoulder.
“A gag, really?”
“The bitch wouldn’t shut up,” Baltimore complained and drove his knife deeper into the table’s surface than before.
“What the fuck is this about?” John ground out, a murderous look in his eyes.
“That’s what I was going to ask you.”
John jerked on his chain, grimacing from the pain caused by the silver rubbing against his wrists. The scent of burnt skin and hair filled the air.
John narrowed his eyes at him. “This is no way to treat the leader of the king’s guard.”
Abel chuckled. “I don’t think you’re in a position to complain right now.” He glanced at the woman who watched them fearfully. “She’s pretty, I give you that. But to find you maintaining a human mistress came as an utter surprise to me. Tss, tss.”
John growled low and dark.
Abel walked to Nicolette and took her chin, lifting her head so she had to look straight at him. “It would be a shame to destroy such a pretty face.”
“Take your hands off her!”
Abel whirled his head to John and flashed his fangs. “Don’t order me around!” Then he released the woman and jumped toward the leader of the king’s guard. “Now let’s talk! Where the fuck were you?” He lashed the back of his hand across John’s cheek, whipping his head to the side. “And don’t even think about lying to me.”#p#分页标题#e#
John turned his head back to him. “I was following a lead.”
Abel narrowed his eyes. “What kind of lead?”
“An informant told me that a man matching your deceased brother’s description was spotted in the Pacific Northwest. I had to check it out. With your coronation next week I needed to make sure that nothing got in the way.”
“And you couldn’t tell me that in advance?”
“There was no time.”
“Oh, I bet.” He didn’t believe a single word John was saying. After all, he’d been one of Cain’s most loyal followers. “Did you find the person you were looking for?”
John dropped his head, seemingly defeated. “No. I lost his trail.”
“Brilliant king’s guard you are! He showed up here yesterday.”
John lifted his head. “An imposter?”
“Cain in the flesh! Risen from the ashes like a phoenix!” Angry, Abel curled his hand into a fist and slammed it into John’s face. Blood dripped from his nose. “You told me he was dead!”
“He’s alive?”
Abel landed another blow in John’s face, hearing his jaw break. “You fucking jerk! You never liked me. It wouldn’t surprise me to find out that you had something to do with his reappearance. You never wanted me to be king.”
Defiantly, John looked at him, blood dripping from his nose and mouth. “Just like you resent the fact that I’m the leader of the king’s guard.”
Abel bent closer. “Oh, that’s something I’m going to change when I’m king.” He motioned to the vampire behind him. “Baltimore will become the leader of my guard just as soon as you’ve passed your secrets on to me at my coronation.”
“There won’t be a coronation now that Cain is back,” John ground out.
“That’s where you’re wrong. Nothing will stand in the way of my coronation, not even Cain. And you, my dear John, will make sure of that.”
“Roast in hell!”
Abel tossed a look at the tied-up human. He’d expected John’s reaction, but he knew how to make the stubborn guard change his mind. “Or your lover will pay for your defiance. Slowly and painfully.”