She turned abruptly and marched to the door. Her hand on the door handle, she hesitated for a moment.

“Don’t do this,” Cain pleaded.

“Those are the wrong words.”

Her heart aching, she opened the door and left the room. Only once she had reached the stairs leading to the lower floor did she dare breathe again. By the time she reached her suite, tears were streaming down her face.

Cain didn’t love her.

33

Cain had contemplated running after Faye the instant she’d charged out of his office. But what would have been the use? He couldn’t say the words she wanted to hear. Not yet, not when he had to continue to lie to her about himself. Only when he could tell her about his amnesia and what had really happened to him could he confess his feelings for her. Doing it while he was still hiding the truth from her would cheapen the moment. And he didn’t want to tarnish the one real emotion that he was finally certain of. The prospect of losing her had made it clear to him once and for all: he was in love with Faye.

How could he tell her that he loved her when in the same breath he had to continue to lie to her?

When he got word from Gabriel that everything was set up for the procedure on the two fugitive vampires, Cain was glad for the distraction.

The old plantation kitchen was set up like an operating theater—complete with sterile linens, stainless steel bowls, and sterilized instruments Maya had brought with her from San Francisco. The only thing missing was anesthesia. Unfortunately, vampires couldn’t be put under with the drugs that worked so well for humans.

“Who wants to go first?” Maya asked and looked at David and Kathryn.

David had his arm around the girl, hugging her to him. “Do me first. But don’t make Kathryn watch.”

Kathryn clung to him, frightened. He looked down at her, his voice softer when he addressed her. “It will be all right, little one. You’ll be safe with them.”

Cain pointed to Blake who stood near the entrance door. “Blake can take her to the library in the meantime.” He figured that since Blake was human, the girl would be less frightened of him than if somebody like Gabriel would guard her.

Kathryn glanced in Blake’s direction. Cain noticed how Blake smiled at her encouragingly.

“There’s also a big screen TV in there,” Blake coaxed. “We can watch a movie, or play Xbox.”

Cain rolled his eyes. He doubted Kathryn was into playing some stupid game on Xbox.

“Xbox?” she echoed.

Blake grinned. “Yeah, I’ll teach you.”

“Go with him, Kathryn,” David encouraged her. “You’ll be safe with him.”

Hesitantly, she left the shelter of David’s arms and walked toward Blake. When she reached him, she looked over her shoulder, seeking further encouragement from her friend, who nodded. A moment later, she left the room with Blake by her side.

Gabriel closed the door behind them.

“Lay down on the table, please,” Maya instructed David. “It will hurt, I’m afraid. But there’s nothing I can do about that.”

“I know that.” David glanced at Cain and Gabriel. “I suppose that’s why you have two men assisting you.”

Cain approached. “We’ll be strapping you down on the table. I’ll be holding your head immobile, and Gabriel will make sure you don’t escape from the straps. We don’t want to use silver.” Though it would assure that the vampire couldn’t move, Cain had no intention of inflicting even more pain on him than he’d already endured.

Nodding, David climbed onto the table which had been covered with a white sheet. While Maya slipped on some latex gloves, Cain and Gabriel proceeded to put leather straps across David’s legs, thighs, and torso, and tie them underneath the table. When he was secured, Cain looked at the patient.

“Ready?”

David swallowed hard. “Ready.”

“I’ll make this as quick as I can,” Maya promised and picked up stainless steel pliers from a tray next to the table. “I’ll first test how tightly the ball is lodged in your gums, okay?”

David blinked his eyes in acquiescence, while Cain placed his hands to either side of his head and gripped him firmly to hold him in place.

Maya bent over her patient. “Open wide.”

Suddenly the door was ripped open and everybody snapped their heads in its direction.

“Wait!” Wesley stormed into the room, kicking the door shut behind him. “I’ve got something to numb his pain.”

David tried to rear up from the table, but the leather straps prevented him from lifting anything except his head. “Witch!”