Cain's Identity (Scanguards Vampires Book 9) by Tina Folsom Page B

thought you were dead. That’s her excuse! So get over it and leave your fucking male ego at the door. Think for a moment! Did you not see how she looked at you when she saw you?”
    Cain looked away, avoiding Haven’s gaze. “How did she look at me?” To Cain she’d looked uncertain, as if she didn’t know what to feel. As if she wasn’t sure whether to be happy to see him or not.
    Thomas suddenly slapped him on the shoulder. “I didn’t realize that becoming king causes blindness.”
    Cain whirled his head to him. “You’re joking about this? Have you gone out of your mind?”
    “I haven’t, but I think you have. Be rational for a moment. You can’t believe anything anybody around here tells you. Accept that as a fact. It will take some time to figure out who you can trust.”
    Cain forced his breathing to slow and his heartbeat to settle. “I know. We’ll proceed as discussed: tomorrow we’ll start interrogating the members of the king’s guard. Each of them separately. We have to figure out who’s loyal to me.”
    “You know, about Faye . . .” Wesley interjected.
    Cain glanced at the witch. “I don’t want to talk about her now.”
    “I was just thinking, maybe I could try to brew a truth potion or something,” Wes suggested.
    Haven slapped his brother over the back of his head.
    “What?” Wes complained, rubbing his head.
    “You’re not gonna start brewing some stupid potion that’s probably not even gonna work and will most likely end up blowing something up.”
    “Pessimist!”
    “I’d rather be a living pessimist than a dead optimist!” Haven replied.
    Cain turned back to Thomas, ignoring Wesley’s scowl. “Get in contact with Eddie and Blake and see if they have any leads on John. Since he’s not shown up here at the palace, at least we can assume he didn’t come back here to warn anybody of our arrival or the fact that I have amnesia. We have to find him.”
    “I’ll talk to Eddie shortly.”
    “Good. Get some shuteye. All of you. We’ve got a long night ahead of us.”
    “Don’t you want one of us to stand guard?” Thomas asked.
    “That won’t be necessary. I’ll sleep with a stake under my pillow.”
    Cain turned to the middle door and opened it. Instinctively he reached for the light switch next to the door and flipped it. Then he closed the massive door behind him, shutting out all sounds from the foyer. He could barely hear the opening and closing of the doors to the other two rooms, so well insulated was the suite.
    Cain looked around. This was the room from his dreams. He’d made love to Faye here. He’d experienced ecstasy here. In the elegant bed truly befitting a king, he’d slept with Faye in his arms. He recalled the many dreams now that he’d had over the last few months. Many had taken place in this room. And she’d been in every single one of them, always taking center stage, always in his arms.
    But tonight, he’d be alone. Because Faye had given herself to another man, and right now Cain couldn’t help but feel enraged about it. If he went to her now to question her, there was no telling what he would do. It was best to leave this task to a later time, when he’d sufficiently calmed down and was able to let logic rule instead of jealousy.

15
     
    Cain knew he’d only slept an hour or two before a sound woke him. Silently he slipped his hand underneath his pillow and palmed the wooden stake, while he continued to lay on his side, facing the door. He hadn’t really expected that the assassin would make an attempt so soon after Cain’s return, but was glad he’d prepared himself nevertheless.
    He focused his eyes, adjusting them to the darkness in the room. But even though his vampire vision worked perfectly, he saw nobody coming from the door. Continuing to breathe evenly so he wouldn’t alert the would-be attacker to the fact that he was awake, he waited. The sound of footsteps coming from behind him where the entrance to the passage