Cain by James Byron Huggins Read Free Book Online Page B

shut his eyes, as if he knew something horrible was about to be said.
    "We never anticipated it," she said more softly. "We never anticipated that Cain's DNA would be so heavily damaged by the virus. We thought there would be a backflow, a point where the damaged DNA would recover. But it never did. His ribosomal RNA went into a downward spiral that we couldn't reverse, so we had to find a way to replace it in a battlefield situation. And we came up with a method but ... but ..."
    "What are you saying, Maggie?"
    She sighed. "I'm saying that Cain has to constantly replenish his human DNA. I'm saying that he has to—" She caught her breath, grimacing. "Dear God, forgive me ... but ... but Cain has to have fresh ... He has to have fresh human blood every day. And if, for some reason, he can't get fresh blood, he'll starve."
    The guilt in her voice was tragic but Soloman revealed no shock, somehow knew.
    "How does Cain get blood, Maggie?" he asked coldly.
    "We modified him for it."
    "How?"
    She closed her eyes, bowing her head.
    "With fangs."
    ***
    An indestructible vault that not even the giant could have torn from the wall was opened and the priest collapsed to the ground, trembling. Deep beneath the cathedral, in the Secret Archives of the cathedral, they were surrounded by ancient texts, artifacts, letters, and long-hidden documents. It was a place of dark secrets, hidden power.
    "I need the documents that give ownership to the Castle of Calistro in England," the giant murmured, staggering. He studied the shelves a long time, confused, for there was no filing system in the archives. Documents and testimonies were laid one upon the other, no numbering, no lettering to mark the sides. It was a wall of white and yellowed parchment in every direction, everything hidden in plain sight.
    The giant stood poised in the room and his brow hardened, anger making the red eyes narrow and menacing as Father Lanester stared up, enraptured by the solemn stance.
    "What is your name?" the priest asked, regretfully remembering the admonition to never, never ... no, never engage them in conversation! But at the words the man simply looked down, a faint smile.
    "Cain," he said. "My name is Cain."
    "Cain," the priest repeated. "The first murderer."
    "And the last," Cain said coldly. "Now, where is the document I seek, priest? Where is my document?" His face twisted in a bolt of savage pain. "I ... cannot remember."
    With a groan he fell to his knees, clutching his head. So close to him, the priest stared, mesmerized at the gigantic suffering that burned in the imperial face. It was the kind of pain that could drive a man insane, but the priest knew in his heart that this was no man.
    "Tell me," the giant mumbled, falling heavily on a hand, holding his head with the other. "Tell me ... quickly!"
    Inspired by desperate hope the priest shouted, "No! ... No! I won't tell you!"
    A slow shake of the horrific head and the giant reached out to set tle his clawed left hand on the priest's knee. "Foolish . . . foolish mortal," he moaned, head bowed. "What makes you think you can contend ... with a god?"
    The taloned hand closed to crush the bones of the leg to powder. Blood spiraled from ruptured skin to spray ancient documents. After the priest's hideous, rhythmic screams no longer reverberated from the walls of the subterranean chamber, the giant gazed at him again. He was breathing heavily, as if he were on the verge of death.
    "Where ... is the document?"
    The priest pointed with a high-pitched scream. "There! On the shelf! Take it! Take it! Take . . . Ahhhh ..."
    Staggering, Cain rose only to fall heavily against the shelves. He reached up, fumbling, pulling a handful of documents that fell to the floor. Roughly he rummaged, searching until he lifted a thick, ancient, leather-bound document, holding it in his unbloodied hand. He swayed as he turned to the horrified priest of St. Michael's, still sprawled in blood.
    Grimacing in pain, Cain walked