John reached to his neck and pulled a chain out from under his shirt, revealing a small vial dangling at its end. “Will her blood work?”
“You’ve gotta be kidding me,” Wes said, already reaching for it. “That’ll make it so much easier.”
Cain glanced at the vial with the red liquid inside. “You carry her blood with you? Why?”
“I need to feel her close. You understand that, don’t you?”
Cain nodded slowly. He understood. Because John had not been able to blood-bond with the woman he loved due to the previous rule that the leader of the king’s guard wasn’t allowed a private life, he’d resorted to the next best thing: to always have her blood around him to be reminded of her.
Cain took John’s arm and clasped it. “Once this is over, I promise you’ll get to make her yours if that’s what you desire.”
John locked eyes with him, and in that moment their old friendship was restored.
Then Cain turned to Wesley. “How long will the spell last?”
“Twenty-four hours.”
“Good. That should be sufficient time. Get to work. Make it quick. Blake will help you.” And he hoped that the witch knew what he was doing. For all their sakes. “The rest of us, let’s get Abel and take him down.”
The cell phone in his pocket rang, and Cain impatiently pulled it out, glancing at the display. He answered it. “Yes, Gabriel?”
“You’d better come up here.”
“Stall them.”
“I’m afraid I’ve stalled as long as I could.”
Cain cursed. “I’ll be there in a minute.” He disconnected the call and looked at his friends. “Your orders stand. Find Abel and prevent him from making any phone calls to alert whoever is guarding Nicolette. And be subtle so nobody is aware of what you’re doing. We don’t know which of the guards are loyal to my brother. I don’t want anybody to warn him that we’re on to him.”
Not waiting for a response, Cain charged out of the room and ran up the stairs. When he reached the upstairs foyer, he could already sense the tension that rendered the air so thick he could have cut through it with a knife.
Two guards blocked the entrance door and immediately stepped aside when Cain approached.
On the porch, Gabriel and Eddie stood, two more guards at their sides, their backs turned to the palace. Cain marched between them and stared at the six vampires who stood on the driveway just below the steps. Behind them three black SUVs were parked, and the tinted windows made it impossible to see how many more vampires were inside. Or how many others were hiding in the forest bordering the palace’s grounds.
Cain took a quick look around. Several of his guards were standing watch along the driveway and the grounds, pistols at the ready and waiting for orders.
The visitors from Mississippi were similarly armed, carrying their weapons on their belts in a show of aggression.
Cain stepped down the stairs and walked up to their presumed leader who appeared surprised at seeing him but caught himself quickly. “Victor. Since you’re leading the charge, I assume you’re representing your king?”
Victor, whose skin was the color of milk chocolate, chuckled. His eyes were of a vibrant blue-grey, evidence of his mixed race heritage. “I am the king.”
“I see.” It appeared that there had been an unexpected change in leadership in Mississippi.
“What’s good for the goose is good for the gander,” the vampire responded with a smirk.
Cain acknowledged the reference to having killed the king of his own clan without flinching. “You’re a day early. My welcome home celebrations don’t start till tomorrow night. So what do you want?”
Victor snorted. “Isn’t that obvious? You’re harboring two traitors, and I’ve come to collect them.”
“I’m afraid I can’t help you there.”
“Can’t or won’t?”
“Take your men and leave. We have nothing to discuss.”
Victor clenched his teeth. “We have plenty to discuss. But first hand over the traitors.” He glanced at his men. “Or we won’t be using words but deeds to make our position clear. If you want peace between our two kingdoms, don’t undermine my rule by harboring traitors.”
Despite Victor’s words, Cain knew that the Mississippi clan hadn’t come to make peace. They were using the fact that Cain sheltered the two defanged vampires as a reason to stamp out any peace negotiations in their infancy. But right now, Cain couldn’t afford this distraction.
“They’re not here.” Cain motioned to the guards behind him. “Show our visitors the way off our property.”