Bane of Tenebris (Wolfgods Book 2) by Blaise Ramsay (i love reading books txt) 📕

“I am not sure. For now, do what I taught you. Stay diligent and watch for signs. Tell me of any visions or strange dreams immediately. I don’t care if I happen to be asleep.”

Damien asked Kain how he was, inquiring about his scars and if he still felt as weak as he was when Damien visited him. Kain reassured his friend he no longer felt that weak.

Aside from the damage to the nerves in his hand, Kain felt as good as he could after his deal with the goddess.

“Do not worry about me, brother. There is something I have been meaning to ask you,” Kain said. “There is a part of your mind you have gone out of your way to keep from me. Why is that?”

Damien’s eyes widened. He clenched and unclenched his fists, glancing anywhere but at the waiting lycan soldier in front of him. “It’s. It’s nothing, Kain.”

The sweat forming on Damien’s brow told Kain another story. He reminded Damien about the time he had the dream about the two gods fighting in the meadow near the Circle of Stones.

Again, Damien refused. Despite his greater judgement, Kain let the subject drop. Neither one of them spoke as the faded light of the sun rose over the horizon.

Jill found Tala sitting in the living room reading the fantasy book Kain had been reading on the front porch. She sat next to the young lycan and smiled, asking how Tala was doing.

“I’m fine. Waiting for Alex to get back from the sparring lesson Damien asked him for after they talked.” Tala closed the book and set it down on the table beside the couch.

Jill sighed, lowering her eyes. “I heard about the meeting with your brother. It’s hard when those we love turn their backs on us during times of hardship.”

Tala didn’t respond immediately. If anything, she was mad at her brother. “It’s okay. Alex sent Clint to go look for him. How did the meeting with Desdemona go?”

Jill told Tala about the events at the dinner with the Cardoza matriarch.

“I don’t understand. Why doesn’t she just stop him? He’s not going to fight his own mother. Especially if she’s the one in charge of the Cardoza empire.” Tala ground her teeth at what she thought to be cowardice. Desdemona had to have more power than that.

Jill shook her head. “It’s not that easy. A war between the Cardozas could shake the state to its core. Desdemona says Anthony doesn’t fear going to war with her. Unlike Anthony, Desdemona is a pacifist. Vampires with a peaceful view tend to get attacked by stronger covens. It’s the Cardoza name that’s protected her.”

The explanation didn’t make much sense to Tala. She’d never experienced the full brutality of a vampire coven and had only heard stories about Lilith and Demetrius. In comparison with Jill, Gabriel, Damien and Kain, Tala hadn’t seen much of the bloodshed of the Blood Wars. Only the elders in her pack knew about it and told stories about the carnage.

Changing the subject, Tala asked how the girls were doing with their grandfather. Saddened, Jill told her she spoke to Charlie almost daily but still missed the pups horribly. Damien warned his father to get them out of the city and into the cabin where they went fishing and hunting during the warmer months. According to Jill, Damien felt they’d be safe there until the fight with Anthony was over.

“Jill, would you tell me about when you and Damien met? I asked Alex, but he said I should ask you if we ever had some time alone.”

A blush fell over the female lycan’s face. She started from the beginning when she first saw Damien to when she thought she’d killed him by changing him and ending with the Circle of Stones.

Tala’s intrigued eyes grew wider the more the tale unfurled. In many ways, it was like how she and Kain met.

The sound of the front door opening and Damien’s call to Jill alerted the women to the men’s return. She watched as Jill launched herself into Damien’s arms. Kain slid behind the two lycans only to get jumped by Tala. His hard, heated body set her heart ablaze with excitement to see him home.

Gabriel cleared his throat. “You think you four can get a den? I’d like to take a shower and get the pain out of my shoulders. Kain isn’t exactly a kind sparring partner.”

Kain pulled Tala aside, rolling his eyes. “You’re out of practice. Seems you have been lazy during my absence.”

Gabriel scoffed, flipped Kain off and stormed upstairs.

The private phone Desdemona gave Kain vibrated in the late hours of the night waking Kain from his deep sleep. He answered it to hear Zane’s voice.

“I know it’s late. I’ve got a favor to ask you.”

Kain ran his hand through his hair and down his face. “What is it?”

“I received something from Magnus a few hours ago. I need you to take it off my hands.”

Confused, Kain stood, careful not to jostle Tala who still slept.

Zane requested they meet at the Woods Edge. Kain agreed, promising to meet the vampire in a couple of hours. He hung up and proceeded to get dressed.

The pack’s house was silent save for the mumbling voices of Jill and Damien at the end of the hall. To play it safe, Kain requested Lune to accompany him. He didn’t want to risk falling into a trap, even if he did trust Zane. Bard still hadn’t been caught or seen since Kain last fought with him.

Kain waited for Lune at his car, his eyes locked on the quarter moon in the sky.

“Master,” Lune said.

Kain sighed, “Lune, I told you about that title. It is not necessary.”

“It is to me. Where’re we going?”

“The Woods Edge.”

Lune opened the passenger’s side door, the look in his puzzled eyes prompted Kain to continue, “I have a feeling you might be needed, old