Bane of Tenebris
Blaise Ramsay
© Copyright Blaise Ramsay 2020
Black Rose Writing | Texas
© 2020 by Blaise Ramsay
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means without the prior written permission of the publishers, except by a reviewer who may quote brief passages in a review to be printed in a newspaper, magazine or journal.
The final approval for this literary material is granted by the author.
First digital version
All characters appearing in this work are fictitious. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.
Print ISBN: 978-1-68433-550-3
PUBLISHED BY BLACK ROSE WRITING
www.blackrosewriting.com
Print edition produced in the United States of America
Cover illustration by Alisha Moore © 2018 Damonza
Thank you so much for checking out one of Blaise Ramsay’s novels.
If you enjoy the experience, please check out
the beginning of the Wolfgods series!
Blessing of Luna by Blaise Ramsay
“A fast-moving story of love, war, and curses.”
–Cranky TBC
To my loyal readers,
Thank you for taking such good care of these pretty wolf boys.
My husband, John, for once again being such a powerful support system.
My kids for sharing mommy’s attention for such intense deadlines.
Table of Contents
Title Page
Copyright
Recommended Reading
Dedication
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Chapter Twenty-Four
Chapter Twenty-Five
Chapter Twenty-Six
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Acknowledgements
About the Author
Note from the Author
Want More?
BRW Info
“Your blood
Spilled so he might endure
Your flesh
A shield so he may not be harmed
Your life ever before his
A sacrifice to satiate the darkness
This will be your curse until death has staked his claim
So you have asked it
So shall it be
Until the last heir of your line
Takes his final breath.”
Chapter One
The time of a hero is ever fleeting. They’re born, their tales told, and they die with the hope those whose lives they impacted remembered their names.
To Alexander Kain, the term “hero” never sat well with him. He broke the laws of his people many times during his long life as a soldier in the Blood Wars.
The autumn moon shone in the night sky above Big Timber. Her light warm on Kain’s chilled face. The sensation calmed him despite his inability to turn into the majestic wolf within due to the jagged scars across his copper skin. He inhaled, taking in the fresh scent of pine and the coolness of the night.
Beneath his boots, the leaves crunched on the forest floor. The small catches he pulled from the traps and river nets bounced against his shoulder.
The difficulty of the hike forced Kain to stop to catch his breath.
In his mind, a dark voice echoed. “You are weakening, Kain. It will not be too long before your body fails. Why not surrender to me? I will take your pain and give you power.”
Barghast’s arrival annoyed Kain. For weeks, the god offered him the same, only to be refused each time. If death was to be Kain’s fate, he’d want to accept it with dignity.
He ignored the god, earning a snuff. “So be it. Do me a favor. Die soon. I grow weary of tormenting a corpse.”
As he’d done with each visit, Barghast vanished as swiftly as he arrived.
Grateful to be alone, Kain resumed his hike in silence to his cabin.
An hour had passed by the time Kain arrived at his intended destination. He took the catches to the shed where he prepared the meat to butcher and store it for future use. Once he finished, he returned to the main house to get a shower before dinner.
After removing his jacket and boots, Kain went up the wooden stairs to the master bathroom to turn on the shower. The heated water filled the room with steam.
Kain took off his shirt to see the many varieties of scars and gashes covering his back, legs, arms, chest and hips.
Sighing, eyes down-turned, Kain finished undressing and got in the shower. The warm water served as a relief against the ache of his sore muscles and the stinging of the scars.
Kain leaned against his forearm on the cold tile wall to support his weight, his chest heaving, sweat beading on his brow. A shudder ran down his spine, despite the warmth of the water. He could almost feel death running her cold fingers over his skin – beckoning him to her sweet, final embrace.
He clenched his jaw, slamming his forearm against the tile wall. Fear and resentment welled up inside him. He turned the water off after washing up, got out to dry off and dress.
Back downstairs, Kain began preparing some of the meat he brought in from the freezer in the shed in a bone broth. The smell of meat and fish filled the room, making Kain’s mouth water in anticipation.
A soft creaking on the porch followed by a knock at the door caught Kain’s attention.
Raising up from his haunches, he went to answer it, curious as to who could be visiting at such late hours.
Damien stood in the doorway. “Hey Kain, been a while. Mind if I come in?”
“Of course,” Kain replied with a smile of delight to see his old friend. “It’s good to see you, Damien.”
Damien offered a crooked grin. “How have you been?”
“I won’t lie, I could be better,” Kain answered. His exhaustion betrayed his attempt to hide his weakened condition. “How’s Jillian? Howling has it, the two of you had the pups.”
“We did. Three girls. Scared me to think about it at first. Jill wanted to come, but I told her not to.”
Kain covered a laugh. He took Damien’s coat and hung it on a metal hanger next to the door. “That sounds like Jillian. What about, Charlie?”
“Dad’s fine. He moved out of the house and let Jill and I have it. He’s actually dating! You know Sarah from the General store?” Damien settled on the couch
