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

The vampire looked at all three of them, his eyes moving back to Kain. “You. It is you. It has been so long.”

In the blink of an eye, the vampire closed the distance between him and Kain, grabbing him by the injured shoulder and hurling him across the room.

Damien and Gabriel latched onto the monster who seemed focused primarily on Kain. They struggled to hold on to him despite them both being in their full lycan form and soon found themselves thrown like paper dolls.

“Leave. I have no quarrel with you.” “Anthony” circled around Kain and grabbed him around the arms, raising Kain roaring from the ground in protest.

The vampire’s squatty muzzled inhaled Kain’s scent. “Why do you not fight me as you did that day?” He bit down on the space between Kain’s shoulder and throat, using the lycan’s body to hurl him, tearing the flesh and bone away.

The excruciating pain threatened to send Kain to his knees. Stars flooded his vision as he tried to ignore the massive blood loss he was enduring. If he fell, he knew none of his pack would survive.

Through the blurring vision, Kain saw Damien and Gabriel struggling against whoever this was. Even Cade, who stood just as large as the creature had a hard time holding onto him, let alone hurt him.

Kain forced himself to his feet just as Zane launched into the beast, forcing it back and tumbling over the stairs amidst the body of the fallen nobles.

Nothing made the vampire angry.

He only seemed annoyed and swatted his enemies away like flies. Kain thought of his father’s last moments of life. He began to wonder if the talon held the essence of the monster who killed Pentacost. Anthony had unleashed it when he bonded with the talon.

Kain reached out to his fellow lycans telepathically. This is not a normal vampire. Do not fight him as one. The talon is burning through his energy. Focus on forcing him to expel it and eventually he will not be able to fight.

They made sure he knew they understood and shifted their strategy. Each focused on attacking and retreating behind the isles of slot machines.

The change in tactics agitated their opponent.

“Enough!” The vampire screeched at the top of his lungs. He focused his eyes on Damien. “You. He cares for you.”

Slowed from the wound in his neck and the various injured he’d taken in Damien’s place, Kain didn’t have time to react to save his friend. He leapt on top of the slot machines, their aluminum tops crunching beneath the weight. The vampire stood with the talons of his feet planted on Damien’s head.

“I have had enough. You will fight me, Pentacost or the Purifier dies.”

Kain froze. The comments about blood all began to make sense. He’d been mistaken for his own father. “I am not Pentacost. He died centuries ago. Let Damien go.”

“You lie!” The vampire sneered.

Kain swore he wasn’t lying, calling out to Cade and Jill through their link. The lycans lunged at the vampire and held him fast while Kain asked Zane and Magnus to help them.

They held the struggling, screeching beast while Kain scaled the wall and punched it as hard as he could where the cement cracked. He called to the vampires to take shelter as the first light of the morning shone through, striking the monster in the shoulder. Its screeches of pain hurt Kain’s sensitive ears.

The monster threw the lycans from his body and on mighty wings took to the air and flew towards Kain.

Seeing him, Kain dropped to the ground, stumbling from fatigue.

Before it could strike, Damien gripped the vampire’s claws in glowing silver claws. His lips drew back over his fangs as he stood above Kain, protecting him. “I won’t let you hurt him anymore. I don’t care who you are. Leave Kain alone!”

Burning flesh sizzled from the vampire’s claws. He lifted Damien into the air, spun around and threw the lycan into the far wall of the casino.

“Kain, we don’t have much fight left in us. Zane and the other vampires can’t fight in the sun. We need a plan!” Gabriel yelled over the link as he helped Jill to her paws.

With heavy breath, his own strength failing, Kain gave one more call to Cade. He needed the Silent Soldier to hold the vampire still so Kain could get a hold of it.

As tired as all of them were, he knew their opponent couldn’t fight much longer either. Anthony’s body was falling apart, he’d been burned by the sun and held off four vampires and four lycans.

Cade did what was asked of him and gripped the vampire in a choke hold. Kain had only seconds to get across the room and grip the creature’s top jaw.

What are you doing, Kain?! Damien yelled.

Kain ignored him.

Taking the monster’s top and lower jaw in his clawed hands, he pulled the hinges apart as far as he could, spun around until his back was against Cade’s, pulling as hard as he could. The top of the vampire’s skull came free, its tongue lulling, its body dropping to the ground and turning to ash.

From the ashes, Kain picked up the talon, handing it to Damien who made his way over to them.

Damien took it, his concerned eyes meeting Kain’s. “Why are you?”

Kain smiled a weak smile and shifted back. His knees gave way and he fell only to be caught by Damien. “My body is broken. Destroy it so no one else can use it.”

“Kain, no!” Damien pleaded.

Gabriel, Jill and Cade joined Damien.

Kain’s body began to shiver. “I have..done all I can. You must let me go.”

Damien choked. “I can’t. I gave you my word. I wanted to save you.”

Kain smiled. “You have. The bane is broken. I was the last. My child will be free. Thank you, brother.”

With his final breath, the last of the Kain line passed away from his injuries.

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Kain opened his eyes to a familiar darkness. The air around