Bane of Tenebris (Wolfgods Book 2) Blaise Ramsay (classic literature books txt) 📖

agelessness and a sense of danger, warning any potential lover to stay away from her.

Her saddened eyes never left their vigil from the cobblestone circular driveway. “Thank you for agreeing to see me. It has been many moons since I have had the company of the legendary Kain line. I, like many, believed you all deceased.”

Kain stayed close to the door, leaning his back against the wall. “Why am I here, vampire?”

“How is your hand? I was informed it had been damaged.”

The casual question shocked Kain. He’d expected her to attempt to pick his brain regarding recent events, not to ask him how he was personally.

“My hand is none of your concern. I ask again, why am I here?” Kain clenched his injured hand into a fist. It tingled from the nerve damage and still offered little use despite the effort his healing ability doing all it could to repair it.

Desdemona ignored the blunt question. She moved to her desk with a serpentine grace and reached into a drawer to pull out a black cell phone. Cautious, she walked to Kain and reached it out to him. “Take this. It will connect you directly to Zane. Call him anytime you need.”

Kain took the phone and unlocked the screen. Only a single number with no name stared back at him from the contacts. “Why give this to me? Should it not go to Damien?”

The smile across Desdemona’s lips looked melancholy. “I want it to be yours. Damien is young, and I fear he has much to learn regarding our worlds.”

Kain put the phone in the back pocket of his jeans. He hoped Damien could see and hear his thoughts since Kain kept a channel open once he’d entered Desdemona’s study. “Is that all?”

Desdemona returned to her spot next to the window. “You remind me so much of your father. He was always so distrustful of everyone outside of his pack. A wise trait for a time ravaged by war and death but not so much now.”

“It does not surprise me you know of Pentacost. He once met your husband and nearly killed him in the middle of the courtroom.” Kain responded, annoyed at the open mention of his father’s name by a vampire. “If that is all you have to say, I will be taking my leave.”

“I know where he is buried.” Desdemona admitted.

Kain halted, his eyes wide. To his knowledge, his father’s body had been left on the cold shores where he died. It never occurred to him that Pentacost might have been brought to the States and laid to rest.

Desdemona sat on the nook in the windowsill, offering for Kain to sit in the chair next to her desk. “When this is over, I would be honored to escort you to his resting place. For now, there is much you need to know.”

Questions raced in his mind regarding Desdemona’s statement. He kept his eyes emotionless to keep from giving his feelings away in the face of an enemy.

When he said nothing, Desdemona began. “My family line originated in Spain. The Cardozas held high ranking standing in both the human and vampire worlds. My father had the pleasure of meeting Lucius Wolf and offered to help the Purifier in any way to end the Wars. We did not become militant until I took over the family name.

“No one at the time believed a woman could hold as much influence as a man so I was set to be married to Darius. We let him be the face while I ran things. Unfortunately, in a meeting meant to be one of peace, Darius insulted your father and the king at the time. He threatened to kill Pentacost to prove we could never live in peace.”

Kain listened to every word intently. He’d been young at the time but recalled the incident in detail.

It was one of the only times he remembered seeing his father so angry.

Desdemona took a moment to pour a glass of red wine. She offered Kain some, but he politely turned it down. “Darius did not know I met your father prior to our getting married. He blatantly ignored everything my family stood for. His many trysts resulted in illegitimate children and tarnished our reputation to be nothing more than that of a mob.”

Kain inquired about the legitimacy of Ramona and Anthony. Desdemona shook her head. “Neither are mine. Ramona renounced her father’s ways and remained loyal to the ideals of my father. Anthony was not so inclined. He wanted to earn Darius’ love and as such became ruthless. As you can see, it did not stop once he came to the new world.”

“What does he want with me?” Kain asked.

Desdemona took a drink of the wine. “He blames you for his father’s murder. He believes destroying the son of his father’s murderer will bring him a manner of power in our world. I fear he has begun falling into madness and tasted the hate of the dark god.”

Kain’s heart quickened. The god’s absence and Anthony’s sudden interest in the talon and the knowledge Kain had it became clearer.

“Despite popular belief to the contrary, many vampires do not worship Barghast. He showed long ago he had no interest in those he made. Many of us despise him. Those who do not act out of blind devotion. Anthony’s madness is living proof the god does not care.”

Kain remained silent. Desdemona said nothing more, leaving a looming sense of dread. If Anthony acted in Barghast’s stead, blindly following the god’s will, things would only get worse.

Tala sat in the nook of the windowsill staring out at Luna’s face. She’d worried about her lover, Damien, Jill and Gabriel at the coven. Images of them being hurt in an ambush or poisoned ran through her mind. She did what she could to push them down.

A mix of emotions spun in her mind, her bond allowing her to feel what Kain felt. She’d never felt such confusion or sense of