Bane of Tenebris (Wolfgods Book 2) by Blaise Ramsay (spicy books to read .txt) 📗

to the house, eyes closed to allow his acute sense of hearing to tune into the engine of a car. He opened his eyes to see two specks of light coming up the driveway. The Cardoza crest didn’t appear to be on the hood.

The missing emblem seemed strange since the emissary supposedly followed Desdemona’s orders. It surprised Kain to see the car wasn’t a limo or the BMW so popular among the vampires of Big Timber.

Instead, a deep blue Firebird with a racing stripe painted down its body pulled up into the driveway next to Kain’s car. A modern make for a family as old as the Cardozas.

Interesting, Kain thought as the vampire departed the vehicle.

Chapter Ten

Kain observed the vampire staring back at him from the Firebird. From what Kain could tell, he appeared to be a young man no older than his early thirties. His short hair a silver so radiant, the moon’s faint light bounced off it in waves.

Instead of the typical ruby red eyes of the vampire, the young man sported two burning eyes the color of amber with flecks of what appeared to be gold. He wore a plain black shirt and blue jeans.

On his wrists he wore what looked like leather bands. The Semper Fi tattoo of a US Marine lay on his right wrist.

The longer Kain stared at him, the more intrigued he became. This young man didn’t resemble a typical vampire.

The vampire walked up the cobble walkway, stopping short of the porch. “My name is Zane. I’ve come on behalf of Desdemona Cardoza.”

Kain watched Damien greet the vampire. His confidence shining through made Kain proud at how much he’d grown in such a short time.

“What do you want?” Damien asked in a direct, authoritative voice.

“I’m here to deliver an invitation to dinner at the coven here in Big Timber,” Zane said. His accent betraying his southern roots.

Kain saw Damien shudder. Despite wanting to intervene, he remained where he was.

Gabriel joined Damien in addressing Zane. “Why in Sun’s hell should we accept?”

Zane’s eye seemed to flash. “Above all, Gabriel, I can imagine Ramona wouldn’t mind seeing you again.”

The mention of Ramona’s name made Kain cover a snicker at Gabriel’s apparent blush.

One question lingered in the air. Kain advised Damien in his mind to ask.

“Why does Desdemona want to meet?” Damien asked, glancing at Kain, earning a nod from the older lycan.

Zane adjusted his weight, his hand in his pocket. The other hanging at his side. “She wants to talk about a common problem we’re all facing. Anthony and his pursuit of the lycan packs. She wants to extend proof she doesn’t wish this bloodshed any more than you do.”

Kain glared at Zane. However, it was Gabriel who requested to know why Desdemona hadn’t done anything to stop her son’s rampage.

“She can’t,” Zane replied, sighing. “She can tell you more. What’s your answer?”

Kain raised his brow at the vampire’s abrupt openness. It reminded him of himself. Damien tugged at his beta’s mind, asking him what he should do.

Accept the invitation. I sense no deception in Zane’s words. He is a soldier, much like me. He would not risk disobeying his mistress’ orders, Kain answered Damien’s thoughts.

With an uneasy glance, Damien informed Zane they’d meet Desdemona on one condition. Damien would bring at least three lycans with him due to his lack of trust in vampires.

Zane nodded. “We’re aware of your experiences with Lilith, Damien. Bring who you want. Desdemona will have me contact you with the time of the meeting.”

Damien agreed despite the fear Kain could feel inside of him.

The vampire got back in the car, did a three-point reversal, and pulled back out onto the driveway towards the main road.

Gabriel kept his voice low as he spoke to Kain. “Well, what do you think?”

“I think we should do what we did in the past. Listen to what she has to say. You did well, Gabriel.” Kain grinned, impressed with Damien and Gabriel’s handling of Zane’s visit.

Gabriel replied with his own grin, going back into the house.

Damien remained outside, his head lowered. From where he stood, Kain saw the trembling in his friend’s hands as they gripped the wood railing.

“I don’t want to go back there, Kain,” Damien said, his voice shaking. “I remember what happened in that place.”

Kain put his hand on Damien’s back. “You will be fine. As Alpha you must do things you might not want to. I will be there. Who else are you taking?”

Damien pondered for a moment. “I was thinking Gabriel and maybe Scott or Jill.”

“Take Jillian. She is immortal and will likely ignore your orders to stay anyway,” Kain replied, chuckling.

Damien burst out laughing. “Yeah, you’re right. She wouldn’t want me to go back there without her. Thanks, Kain.”

Kain smiled, nodding.

Tala waited for Kain in their bedroom like he asked her to. Her thoughts turned to her brother lying in bed at the hospital. The memory of him howling to her telling her about their mother came forward in her mind. She wanted to know how long he’d been alive and who hurt him so bad.

Anger niggled at the back of her mind. She was so distracted, she didn’t hear Kain come into the room. His sudden arrival made her jump.

“I apologize for scaring you. What were you thinking about?” Kain asked, sitting on the bed beside her.

Tala adjusted her sitting position on the bed so she could face Kain. “About my brother. For weeks I thought I was the only one who survived.”

Kain didn’t respond. After their date, he’d returned to the hospital late in the night to find Tobias awake and asking for his sister. Kain told him he could see her after the young lycan answered some of his questions. Conveniently, Tobias claimed he didn’t remember too much about what happened after the pack was attacked.

“How did the meeting with the vampire go?” Tala asked.

Kain put the thoughts of his visit with Tobias aside. “It went well. Desdemona