“My brother is throwing me a party in a week. It should have been his coronation, but instead it’ll turn into a welcome home party for me. It’ll give me an opportunity to meet all my subjects. I’m counting on you to help me. I don’t want people to get suspicious when I don’t know who they are.”

“Of course,” John said quickly. “I’ll be by your side all the way.”

“Good.” Cain patted him on the shoulder. “That’s all for now.”

“Thank you.” John walked to the door and left.

A moment of silence followed, before Cain turned to his two friends. “Contact Eddie and have him and Blake check out his story.”

“You don’t believe his story about a human lover?” Thomas asked.

“Oh, the human lover I believe. But not the rest. The story was just a little too convenient for my liking. Have Eddie and Blake find Nicolette and get her to corroborate his story. Then ask them to come to the palace. We won’t need them on the outside anymore. It’s better if they stay at the palace. We need all the men we can get.”

Thomas nodded in agreement. “I’ll call him.”

Cain walked to the door.

“What are you up to?” Haven asked.

Cain tossed a glance over his shoulder. “Finishing my conversation with Faye.”

Haven grinned. “Didn’t look like a conversation from where I was standing.”

“And your point is?”

“I wasn’t trying to make a point.”

“What then?”

“Just giving you some advice which you’ll probably ignore anyway.”

“Which would be?”

“If you must use your dick, at least keep a clear head and watch your back. The assassin will strike when your guard is down. Don’t give him that opportunity.”

Cain shook his head. “My guard is always up.”

“You didn’t hear me approach when you were in the garden with her,” Haven contradicted him.

Cain ground his teeth in frustration, knowing that Haven was right. “It won’t happen again.”

22

Faye was glad to find a distraction waiting for her when she reached the fully enclosed walkway that connected the palace to the old plantation kitchen. Like so many old plantations, the kitchen had been a separate building due to the fire hazard it represented. The vampires who’d first taken over the property had enclosed the walkway with drywall so they could reach the small freestanding structure during daylight hours without being burned by the rays of the sun. Few people ever used the kitchen, but Faye liked its cozy feel and often came here just to sit and read, or simply to think.

At the entrance to the walkway two strangers stood waiting. She immediately recognized them as vampires, but they weren’t of the Louisiana clan. Even though she didn’t know every member of the vast clan, their haggard looks led her to believe they had fled another clan. They weren’t the first ones who’d come to her door to ask for help.

The man looked in his fifties in human years, the girl less than half his age, though Faye couldn’t tell how many years they had been vampires already. When the girl pressed herself closer to her companion, her eyes darting around fearfully, Faye slowed her walk and raised her hand.

“Don’t be afraid. You’re welcome here.”

The older man nodded at her. “We were told that you might be able to help us.”

“I’m Faye. Where have you come from?” Faye asked and unlocked the door leading into the walkway.

“From Mississippi. I’m David, and this is Kathryn.”

“Come.” She motioned them to follow her. “I can give you blood.”

“Thank you,” David said and followed her with the girl in tow.

Faye marched into the kitchen and opened the refrigerator. “What happened to you?” She turned to look at them, noting their torn clothes and dirty appearances. As if they’d lived on the streets for days.

“The unrest in Mississippi continues,” David explained, his voice sounding hoarse and dry. “We couldn’t stay any longer.”

“You look like you haven’t had any blood in days.” Faye grabbed two cartons of packaged blood and placed them on the table, before turning to the hanging cabinet and retrieving two glasses. “Take a seat, please.”

Kathryn looked like she would collapse and followed Faye’s invitation immediately, for the first time opening her mouth. “Thank you.” Her scrawny arms reached for the container. She unscrewed the top, but instead of pouring it into the glass, she drank it directly from the carton.