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

Kain watched as Lune lowered his eyes to hide tears. Nathaniel was Lune’s younger brother and one of the last surviving members of his pack.

Zane continued. “The Don plans on having the Old Blood visit the grand opening of the casino known as Crimson on the outskirts of Great Falls. His original plans were to execute Kain in front of them as a show of power. However, that isn’t what worries me most.”

“What is then?” Gabriel snapped.

“The Don has gone insane. We’ve quarantined him for now, but I don’t know how long he’ll stay that way. We need to get in, kill him and get out without getting killed by the Old Blood. Many of them will want to kill three of you in this room.” Zane concluded, deferring to Desdemona.

The vampiress rose to assure the lycans she would do her best to restore the balance of power in lieu of Anthony’s demise. Her family would pay for any damages incurred during the battle. What political influence she had would go to cover the events to avoid superstition in the human world.

Zane resumed the floor, informing everyone of their roles they’ll play during the infiltration. Zane would take the guards at the front out due to his previous service as a sniper. A small group of lycans would go with Dante and Steele through the front doors once they’re clear. Magnus would let another small group of lycans through the cargo bay and make sure whatever reinforcements Anthony might have would be stopped.

When asked when the plan was to happen, Zane responded by saying two days. He’d make sure Anthony remained under surveillance until then and call if anything changed.

Desdemona offered for the lycans to stay at the guest house since it’d be safer than the pack’s house and less likely to come under any unwanted eyes and ears.

The plan was risky. The Old Blood hated the Kain line and had a large hand in the murder of Lucius Wolf. Kain made sure he’d be the one to keep Damien and Gabriel close to him.

Following the meeting, Kain went outside to take in the cool breeze and the rising of the moon. His mind swam with memories of blood ridden battlefields, body parts and the gnashing of angry teeth.

Looking at his hands, he couldn’t help but curse under his breath.

“Seems like old times and not the good ones, doesn’t it?” Jill walked up to turn and lean against the railing of the elevated balcony.

Kain propped up on the railing, his eyes directed at the wood landing. “Too much so, old friend.”

Jill sighed, lowering her head. “Kain, I know what you might think but nothing back then was your fault. We were at war. Casualties, both lycan and vampire, were going to happen.”

A “tsk” sounded between Kain’s clenched fangs. “I held pups, Jillian. Dead pups still attached to their mothers’ wombs. I killed my own people both out of mercy and for desertion. To this day, those images haunt me.”

Jill’s hand on his shoulder helped the lycan soldier to calm down. “I did things too, Alexander. We’ll end Anthony and hopefully finally find some peace.”

Kain shook his head. Anthony was only a part of the war. Even if they defeated him, Kain knew of another darker war their people suffered unknown to many. Lycans like Lune and Joel screamed for freedom with silenced voices.

“Kain?” Jill said, concerned.

“It is nothing. Go be with Damien. I wish to be alone for a while.”

Jill hugged Kain around the shoulders and left him to his thoughts.

An hour later, Kain left the porch to the back of the house to do some personal training to make sure his skills were still sharp enough to face higher vampires. He’d just finished splintering a stack of cement blocks when Damien walked up to him, asking if he needed a partner.

Kain smiled, breathing heavily. “I’ll never say no to having a partner.”

Damien took his position in front of Kain, dropping to the stance Kain taught him in the meadow at the Circle of Stones.

Kain remained upright, smirking. “You have not forgotten.”

“Not a thing. Even when your sorry ass disappeared, I trained daily. I’m much better than I was when you last saw me, old man.” Damien snapped a sarcastic reply, his own defiant smirk on his face.

Kain raised a brow. He’d landed Damien on his ass multiple times after the young lycan called him old. Cracking his knuckles, he smirked. “Guess I still need to put a pup like you in your place.”

The two began to spar.

To Kain’s surprise, Damien managed to block attacks he otherwise couldn’t in the past. He threw a punch so quickly, Kain felt the breeze against his cheek. He praised Damien on improving his speed and reading his opponent.

Kain dropped and slammed his elbow into Damien’s stomach, sweeping his foot to take Damien’s leg out from underneath him. “You’re still too slow, my friend. Anthony will be much faster than Lilith and ten times as deadly.”

Damien winced as he pulled himself up from the ground. “Kain, are you doing alright? It seems like you’re a bit off. I noticed you looking at each of us at the meeting. Do you know what I saw in your eyes?”

Kain raised a brow in confusion, his arms crossing over his chest as he studied his younger friend.

Damien looked away then returned a glare at Kain. “Fear and uncertainty. I’ve never seen those feelings before in your eyes. I don’t want to ever see that again.”

Kain’s eyes grew wide. He wasn’t aware his reserve revealed anything, but he did admit to himself about feeling uncertain about Zane’s plan.

Damien rolled his neck and shoulders. “I can understand how you feel. Hell, I’m scared shitless but it’s one thing for me. It’s another to see it in you. You always seem so damn calm.”

“Damien,” Kain said.

“I’m not done,” Damien interrupted. “These memories. “What are they?”

Kain cursed himself for not