Bane of Tenebris (Wolfgods Book 2) Page 2

  Kain snickered as he gestured his head to the pantry. “Gabriel said the same thing. He and Spence got me one soon afterwards for Christmas. It’s in the pantry on the floor. Help yourself.”

  Damien lifted the box at the bottom of the pantry and put it on the table. Freeing it from its cardboard prison, he set the Keurig on the counter and plugged it in. He put a pod into its maw and started the brewing before sitting in a wooden chair.

  “See? How easy was that?” he commented, throwing his arms behind his head, a coy smirk on his face.

  Kain enjoyed having Damien around despite his adolescence and inexperience. During their time together, not only had Kain grown to respect Damien, but to love him like a brother. The young lycan held an intelligence and wisdom of the world many lacked. His encounters with the vampires and his willingness to put others above himself were two qualities Kain admired most.

  Kain set a plate of breakfast before his friend. “Damien, I have to check the traps in the woods. Would you like to come? I can teach you some basic survival skills.”

  “Actually, yeah. It would be nice. Thanks,” Damien said.

  That night the wind howled with an icy mix of sleet and snow. The small shards of ice struck the glass of the window. Branches scratched the panes of the window, their shadows taking the form of death’s slender fingers.

  Kain sat alone in the darkness of his room. His elbows sat on his thighs, hands hanging between his legs. The only source of light came from the gentle flicker of flames in a charcoal stove.

  An evil presence filled the room, its arrival bringing about a stifling pressure. The scars on Kain’s body began to feel hot, almost as though the evil within them rejoiced at the arrival of its master.

  Kain sighed, his eyes directed to the floor. “I know you are here.”

  The sound of clicking talons accompanied the smell of burning wood as the new arrival made his way across the room. The nauseating scent of a wicked miasma mixed with ash spread throughout the room.

  The dark god fell to a knee in front of Kain. He took Kain’s jaw in his claws, raising Kain’s head. “Good evening, Alexander. I can see your life draining. The pain your soul endures as you battle the hate inside for your own existence is intoxicating. Forsake your gods. Serve me and I will lift you from this weakness. Free you from this fate.”

  Kain hated himself for contemplating the Shadowed One’s offer. He knew what the dark god asked of the mindless tools he bent to his will.

  “Go to hell,” Kain replied, jerking his jaw free of the claws, leaving a thin line of crimson.

  The dark god snarled, raising his claw to slash Kain’s face only to stop once their eyes met. He gritted his teeth and withdrew his hand. “Tell me why. Why cast away your life to a shameful death?”

  Kane bared his fangs. “It is only shameful if I give in to temptation. You would not understand. You, who turned on your brother in a fit of blind jealousy!”

  Barghast growled through clenched teeth. He raised his claws once again, but still hesitated.

  Instead, he smiled. “This is not over, Alexander. I will have what is mine. Time may have forgotten the laws you broke, the sins you committed in the name of your ‘righteousness,’ but I have not.”

  In a rush of shadow and wind, the dark god disappeared, his laughter lingering in the darkness. The scorch marks on the floor vanished, leaving no trace of his presence.

  A feeling of unease filled Kain. Whatever the god had planned for him, it wouldn’t only affect him.

  In the wee hours of the morning, Kain woke to find Damien already gone. A note lay folded on the bedside table. Kain opened it to read yet another reminder that Damien wouldn’t give up on his efforts to save him.

  Too weak from the fatigue, Kain stayed on his bed facing the window to see the moon through the curtains. The stars glowed bright against the still remaining blackness of the night.

  His vision blurred as he fought death to do one last thing.

  Gritting his teeth, Kain forced himself to slide off his bed to the floor. The simple action made him wince, gripping his chest as he tried to breathe.

  Once he settled on his knees, he closed his eyes and took in a deep breath, allowing his mind to drift into a meditative state. His mind was swept into the celestial plane as he called upon Tenebris.

  Kain looked up to see the Wolfgod standing above him, his fur white as snow, eyes radiating with the piercing light of the heavens.

  “Alexander. It delights my heart to hear your voice again.” Tenebris knelt before Kain, brushing his hair from his face. “You are weakened and weary, my son. Will you not come home and rest beside your forefathers?”

  “I cannot,” Kain replied.

  Tenebris tilted his head in question, “What is it I can do for you, most noble of knights?”

  Kain humbled himself, requesting to change the one he protected. He wanted to continue mentoring someone he thought needed his protection more than his current charge.

  Tenebris lowered his head, exhaling crystals of ice. “Alexander, are you sure? I would be unable to repair your body completely.”

  Kain nodded.

  Tenebris’s eyes misted, his brow lowered in sadness. A soft whimper came from his throat. “As much as it pains my soul to see you suffer so much only to begin again, I will honor your request.”

  Tenebris raised his hand, his lips drew back over his fangs in a clenched snarl. He pulled his claws away from Kain’s chest.

  A glass orb filled with the last remnants of a red liquid emerged from Kain’s sternum. The lycan looked on while it floated in his god’s hands. The blood of his current chosen all but spent.

  Pentacost had shown him drawings while he tried to explain how the “bane” worked. No matter how many times Kain saw it, the orb still seemed surreal.

  Once Tenebris held the orb in his claws, Kain fell back to his knees. He gripped his chest, eyes wide and blurred, his heart pounding. “I must collect the blood of your new chosen. Try to endure until I return.”

  Tenebris disappeared into a burst of light.

  Kain laid down in the fetal position to conserve energy for what seemed like hours.

  When Tenebris returned, he knelt to take Kain’s arm to help him sit up. “I have what you need. I ask you again before I do this. Are you sure? You may choose to rest, my son.”

  Panting, Kain refused the offer, not wanting to die before his duty was finished. As his ancestor did before him, Kain bade Tenebris to go through with his request.

  The god held the orb, now full of the red liquid towards his servant. It melted back into Kain’s chest, replacing the emptiness with the same warmth he’d experienced the first time he’d taken this blood.

  Tenebris ordered Kain to kneel before him. “Alexander Kain, last of the Kain line, as per the contract struck with your ancestor. Your blood to be spilled ever before his. Your flesh a shield against the darkness of death and pain. Your life a sacrifice in place of his own. This shall be the norm until death has staked its claim. So, you have asked it. So, shall it be.”

  Kain woke up on his floor, gasping. The morning sun shone through the window. The warmth of its rays served as a comfort against the cold of the darkness shrouding his mind only a few hours ago.

  Kain got up, dressed, and proceeded to begin the day’s routine. He stepped outside, grinning brightly at the feeling of the warmth of the sun on his face.

  When he reached the first of his traps, he could tell something was wrong. The woods around him seemed still compared to the previous day. No animals or birds could be heard, the wind didn’t blow, the smell of the air stagnant and strange. It burned Kain’s sensitive nostrils like the miasma of the Shadowed One.

  The hair on the back of Kain’s neck prickled. His body tensed. He whipped his head to the sound of a rustling bush, catching the brief hint of a shadow.

  Something lingered in the protection of the forest’s trees. However, for the moment, Kain could do nothing but return to his cabin. His instincts on high alert.

  By moonrise, Kain had already turned in for the night, his body tired from his encounter with Tenebris the night before.

  “Alexander,” came a gentle whisper in Kain’s ear.

  Kain groaned in his sleep yet didn’t budge.

  “Alexander,” the call came a bit louder.

  He raised his head from his pillow to look around.

  “Alexander,” the voice came again.

  Kain’s eyes fell on the owl, stretching its wings on a branch outside his window. He left his bed, lumbering to the window to open it. “Forgive me, but do I know you?”

  The owl flew into the room, coming to sit on the edge of the window sill. “Does a son not recognize his mother?”

  Kain cursed under his breath. He held out his arm, allowing her to perch on it, raising her to feel the silky feathers on his cheek. "Forgive me, mother. I did not recognize you."

  “It is alright, my dearest one. I worried for you. It has been too long since I have seen the handsome creature inside of you.”

  Kain averted his eyes. “I can no longer change. It feels like the wolf inside of me is gone.”

  “He is not gone, my love. Come. I know you can still run with me. I have something to show you,” Luna used her wingtip to brush a single strand of hair from Kain’s face.

 
She leapt from his arm and took flight out of the window.

  Determined not to lose her, Kain rushed downstairs. Taking his jacket from the coat rack by the door, he threw open of the front door and looked around, trying to spot Luna.

  The snowy owl fluttered above him, releasing a melodious cry before flying away.

  Some time passed since Kain had the strength to run. He shook the stiffness from his body, his lycan blood heating his muscles against the cold.

  Eager to feel the freedom running offered, Kain took off through the trees. As he did so, his body started to remember what it felt like to have the wind rushing through his hair. His spirit revived with each leap, each dodge of a tree branch.

  At the end of the trail, Kain found Luna perched on a branch just outside a patch of thorny rose bushes. She almost appeared to smile when he greeted her.

  “You ran beautifully. In time your body will remember. Walk forward. I will meet you on the other side,” she said prior to taking to the sky over the menacing thorns.

  Kain pushed his way through the bush, wincing at each jab of the thorns against his skin. When he broke through, Kain’s eyes fell on a naked young woman lying on the ground.

  In human form, Luna sat on her knees next to her, running slender fingers through the dark red strands of the woman’s long hair.

  From the looks of the bruises and the scratches all over her body, it appeared the woman got attacked.

  “What happened?” Kain asked, stopping just before the two women, “Who is she?”

  “Her name is Tala. Take her with you, Alexander. Care for her. We will tell you more when the time comes.” Luna smiled, vanishing into a mist.

  Luna’s instructions confused him, but he did as she ordered. He covered the woman with his jacket, picked her up and took her with him.

  Chapter Three

  Tala’s chest hurt from running. Unfamiliar screams filled her ears, shifting into angry snarls and growls. Something rammed her hard enough to knock her down, but she quickly recovered and continued to run. Black shapes surrounded her, lashing out with their claws, leaving painful bites across her skin.

  Exhausted, Tala collapsed. As she lay on the ground, her vision blurred and faded from the dark images to one of an angelic-faced man with dirty blonde hair.

  Tala opened her eyes, free from the fractured memories, finding she no longer lay on the ground in the woods. Groaning, she tried to push herself onto her elbows to take in her surroundings and her condition.

  She looked down to find herself naked, half covered in thick blankets, and her wounds cleaned and wrapped.

  Lifting her eyes to the rest of the room, she saw a round, black wood-burning stove in the corner. In its maw an orange fire glowed.

  When the door opened, Tala jerked her attention towards the noise of the creaking hinges. The same man she thought she only dreamed of walked in carrying a plate of food and extra bandages.

  Polished, sculpted muscles lay scarcely hidden beneath the white undershirt he wore. The faded, dark blue jeans sat low on his hips. Soft features, worn by time, defined his face.

  She felt her cheeks heat the longer she stared. The only imperfections were the jagged scars covering the copper skin of his arms.

  “Oh, you’re awake. I’m glad. I began to wonder if you would wake at all,” the strange man said as he set the plate on the table next to the bedside and grabbed the bandages.

  Tala backed away so quickly she underestimated the distance and fell over the bed’s edge, landing to the floor with a THUD!

  The man clenched one eye closed, hissing through his teeth. “I’m sorry. That looked rather unpleasant.”

  The man strode around the other side of the bed and took a knee in front of her. His gentle eyes met hers. In a tender voice, he said. “I’m not going to hurt you. My name is Alexander Kain. May I ask your name?”

  Kain held out his hand to help her up.

  “Tala. My name is Tala,” Tala replied, taking Kain’s hand. “Where am I and how did I get here?

  “You’re in my home. I found you injured in the woods not far from here. You’ve been unconscious for almost a week now,” Kain said. He took the food from the bedside table and set it down in front of her. He followed with his own question, “Do you know how you came to be in the woods?”

  Tala rubbed her head, groaning. The images from the dream returned to her, causing her to tremble. “I … I remember running. There were black shapes. I don’t remember anything before that.”

  Kain helped Tala sit back down on the bed. “These black shapes. Do you recall something strange about them?”

  “They moved fast. I remember the stings of pain each time they got close.”

  Kain sat down next to her on the bed. “It’s okay. It may take time for your memories to return. I’m not sure how long you were out there. Try to get some food and rest. I will come back later to check on your injuries.”

  “Wait. Where am I? What city?”

  “Big Timber. About a mile outside of it to be specific,” Kain replied.

  “Big Timber?” Tala’s eyes widened. “I was trying to get here.”

  “Get some rest and eat. We can talk more later.” Kain departed the room without saying another word.

  Kain leaned against the wooden railing of his covered porch, his eyes focused on the line of trees around the perimeter of his cabin. In the shadows, he made out glowing eyes staring from beyond the gloom. Snarls could be heard above the silence.

  The lights of a black Mustang could be seen driving up the gravel road towards the cabin.

  He soon recognized it, grinning. “Well, well, well. It seems I’m suddenly very popular.”

  Kain waited for the car to stop and the engine to turn off before descending the wooden stairs.

  Gabriel stepped out of the driver’s side, running a hand through shoulder length, curly dark hair. “It’s good to see you, old friend.” He commented in a thick European voice, embracing Kain.

  “You as well. What brings you so far out of your pack’s territory?” Kain asked, his eyes never leaving the trees.

  Gabriel followed Kain’s line of sight. “You see them as well?”

  “Yes. As of yet, they have not ventured any closer. I cannot be sure of how long that will last. Come, we can talk inside.” Kain motioned Gabriel towards the front door.

  When they got inside, Tala sat in the living room in front of the fire with a cup of water in her hands, wrapped in a borrowed blanket. She jumped when Kain came in with Gabriel.

  Gabriel whistled at seeing how pretty the young woman was. “Who’s this?”

  Kain shook his head, sighing and reaching the heel of his hand to the side of his head, eyes turned towards the ceiling. “Honestly, Gabriel, must you really?”

  Gabriel shrugged, holding his hands up as he approached Tala. “I won’t hurt you. My name is Gabriel Locke. I’m Kain’s friend.” Gabriel held out his hand. Tala waited for a nod from Kain before she reached to shake it. “There, see? What’s your name?”

  Tala told him.

  “It’s nice to meet you,” Gabriel kissed her hand before addressing Kain. “Kain, I wish I came here to catch up, but I’m afraid that isn’t the case.”

  “I imagined it wouldn’t be. You rarely come to make a social call. What is it?” Kain sat down in the recliner while Gabriel chose to sit on the floor.

  “Ramona contacted me,” Gabriel said. A low rumble in the back of his throat. “Stoker survived the battle at the Stones and slithered to the Cardozas in Great Falls. He’s informed Anthony of the events that happened here. So far, it doesn’t appear to Ramona that Anthony even cares.”

  Kain listened to Gabriel go into the details about how Anthony Cardoza, the Don of Great Falls, began to search for an item of unknown origin. His escapades caused horrendous damages to the lycan packs surrounding the city.