Chapter Thirty-One
Jill held onto Damien’s waist, her face buried into his chest. “I don’t like this. I don’t like you going somewhere I can’t watch over you.”
“Jill, I have to. They’re all counting on me. If we don’t end this now, we’re all going to die.” Damien guided her face to look up at him. “Trust me. I promised you last night while we were making love, remember?”
He dropped to his haunches, kissing Jill’s stomach. His hand rubbed soft, reassuring circles over her womb. “I am coming back. To both of you. Stay here, wait for me.”
Hesitantly, Jill let her lover’s hand go, watching him as he walked away.
“Damien!” Gabriel came running up to Damien, panting. “He won’t listen. I’ve tried and tried.”
“Whoa, whoa. Gabriel, who won’t listen? About what?”
“Kain, he’s not doing well. He’s not fit to fight but he won’t listen to me. Please, I need you to talk some sense into him.”
Damien set his bag down, walking with Gabriel to where Kain stood using a tree to support his weight. His breath was labored, his body covered with the fresh gashes Damien hadn’t seen in a while. They were angry, as if whatever made them tried to keep Kain from fighting.
“You can save your breath. I am fighting. No one is going to tell me otherwise.” Kain snapped at Damien before he even had a chance to speak.
“Good, I wasn’t going to. Can you even walk, Kain?”
“Hell yes, I can still walk.”
Damien threw a bag at the alpha. “Then carry that. Whatever you do, asshole, don’t die on the field or I’ll kick your ass myself. Deal?”
For the first time in their history together, Kain actually burst out laughing. “Alright. Deal. Same goes for you by the way.”
They shook hands in agreement.
“This was not what I hoped you would do!” Gabriel spat at Damien who just shrugged.
“What? Did you actually think I could stop him from going? If you did, you’re more insane than he is.” Damien replied, chuckling.
Gabriel stood visually dumbfounded as Damien turned on his heel.
Holt, Kain and even Lune all fought back laughs at their fellow alpha’s embarrassment.
Upon arriving at the Circle of Stones, the lycans started setting up fires to prepare the food for an early dinner before the sun started setting just inside the ridges of the forest.
Yuna and Galeck positioned their packs as planned.
“Damien, talk to them. They need some encouragement.” Holt pleaded.
“Holt, I’m not much of a public speaker. I wouldn’t know what to say. They need to have faith for their families and friends who need them. Not for a single person. Besides, I have a friend in need of help. He’s not doing well and I can’t be both places at once.” Damien walked off, leaving Holt who seemed satisfied with his answer.
****
Kain lay on his side, his body hot to the touch from a fever trying to manifest itself from his wounds. “I’m sorry. I feel like I’m failing you. Like I’m failing Jillian.”
Damien rung out the towel he’d been using to try and get Kain’s wounds to stop bleeding. “You aren’t, Kain. Besides, you’re so stubborn, I know you’ll be back on your feet and ready to fight when the vampires arrive.”
Kain chuckled weakly. “You know me well. Almost feels like I’m at a disadvantage.”
Damien rolled his eyes at Kain’s stubbornness. “I swear if I had a brother in another life, it would be your stupid ass. Now shut up and get some sleep. The sun will set in another hour.”
A howl from Clint proved Damien right, the vampires had followed the waning light to the center of the clearing and were demanding a meeting.
Kain forced himself to his feet. “Looks like I won’t be getting any sleep.”
“Our deal still holds, Alex. You die, I kick your ass.”
****
Lilith stood in front of Stoker on her left, Rayes on her right. Jack Nantucket stood behind her, his eyes full of bloodlust.
The rest of the vampires appeared as though they’d rather have been anywhere else. They stared off into the distance, almost appearing to ignore the wolves in front of them.
Lilith was dressed completely in black leather, her stiletto heel boots matching the dominatrix look she was trying to put on.
Damien stood behind Kain. Holt in the forefront with Gabriel.
“Same deal as last time, mutt. I speak to no one but Damien.” Lilith spat, sashaying herself forward, throwing her nose in the air.
Rolling his eyes, Damien went to meet her with Kain and Gabriel close on his flanks. “Lilith, this doesn’t have to be this way. We can still walk away and live in peace with one another.” Damien spoke with resolve despite the unease he felt inside.
He’d come to love the lycans as his family. Seeing them so unsure, scared and shaking strengthened his determination. He was no longer fighting for himself. He thought of Calen, of Zasha, of Kain and Jill. His child.
“Disgusting. I can see they’ve softened you. There is no way to end this except what I offered to you not five days ago. I’m hurt you didn’t accept my offer by the way.” Lilith’s words were laced with toxic jealousy.
Silence took over the field. The whistling of the winter snow stung Damien’s eyes as he focused on the vampires. The tension in his own body combined with the calm aura he could feel radiating from Kain. His only shield against the cold. How? How am I able to feel Kain? It’s like I’m inside of him and he in me. Is this the connection he spoke of?
Lilith’s shrill voice forced Damien from his thoughts. “Let’s get things started shall we? I will take you by force if need be, Damien.”
Damien jeered at her. “So be it then. It’s your loss Lilith and it sickens me that you’re willing to throw the lives of your own people away so easily. The lycans aren’t the monsters, you are and it’s pathetic you three are so blind to follow her.”
Stoker flipped Damien off while Rayes lit a cigarette as though he didn’t really care either way. Jack just hissed through his teeth.
“Please. You sound like the weak Purifier rotting inside you. ‘My people’ as you call them are nothing but tools and they’re content to be so for their nobles. That’s what makes us so much stronger than you. We aren’t afraid to make more if we need them and lay them down when we don’t. Like your sad excuse for a friend, Chelsea.”
Damien growled at the disrespect Lilith was showing. He could see clearly there was no reasoning with the cold bitch. He slowed his breathing, letting Tenebris’ peace take over his burning soul.
He turned to the lycans behind him.
Taking a deep breath for courage, he spoke up. “I’ve been asked to speak to all of you for almost five days. I know you’re scared, you’re unsure, you’re shaking. It’s not me you should be looking to but the desire inside of each of you to protect those you love and who are in danger. Those that can’t defend themselves who just want to live in peace. Those are the ones you should look to for encouragement. They are why you’re here fighting. Not me. I’m broken, I’m imperfect and have long looked towards the leaders here for mentoring and guidance. So, fight for those that can’t do it for themselves.”
The wolves stood silent for a while only to erupt with howls in agreement and renewed determination.
“Well said, my lord.” Kain said, bowing.
“Kain, don’t. You know how I feel about that title.”
Kain shrugged. “I know but it’s still fun to haze you. Technically you are still a newborn.”
Damien heard Lilith as she commanded Stoker and Rayes to bring him to her beaten and broken.
“Let’s end this.” Gabriel was the first to break out of the starting line, shifting mid-run as he made straight for Stoker.
Kain shifted followed closely by Damien who sprinted before the alpha towards Lilith.
Holt ran at Rayes while Lune kept close to Gabriel to aid him in case he needed help with Stoker.
Lilith’s claws struck Damien across the face sending him skidding on all fours across the ground. He barely had time to react before she slammed his skull into the ground. Her hand caressed his side. Her fingers gripped his fur with such force it made him whimper.
“You can still be mine. I’m willing to forgive you if you become my personal slave.” Her words were like poison in his veins, the heat of her breath sickening to him.
Damien growled, snapping as he struggled against Lilith’s strength.
Kain slammed his full body into the vampire sending her tumbling and rolling across the grass.
“Alexander Kain!” Lilith’s voice was almost a high pitch scream as her hate for Kain manifested itself.
The alpha panted against his wounds, shaking his body to try and keep going. Kain rose up in his full lycan form. The shift smooth in its transition.
Lilith glared at him. “You know what I’m capable of, Alexander. From the looks of you I can tell you won’t last long. The last of your nauseatingly annoying line dies today!”
Damien watched as Lilith took off her leather jacket revealing a backless leather shirt. Thin leathery wings tore from her flesh of her back. Her shoulders rippled into broad muscles. Her arms bulked up to support her wings.
Lilith bent over at her waist as her legs warped and distorted into those resembling a lycan. Her ears rose stiff towards the sky, her teeth elongating to fit into a squatty muzzle.
She looked like a female version of the dark god. Her warm breath met the cold wind forming thick steam flowing from her bat-like nostrils. Her chest puffed out as she showed off her full glory.
“Now Kain, you die.”
Damien was surprised, she could actually still talk. Her voice held two tones. One the vampire she was, the other a darkened echo of the beast she became.
Damien wondered if lycans could do the same.
Angry, Kain roared at her only to be answered with her own just like in Damien’s vision.
Lilith launched towards the sky, diving to slam her full weight into Kain. The ground below him shattered around him as he struggled to hold her back.
Damien got up to try to help Kain only to be kicked so hard by Lilith he whimpered and was sent flying. He shook his head against the dizziness.
God, it felt like getting hit by a train. Kain’s words suddenly made sense.
As soon as his vision cleared, Damien’s eyes widened in horror at what he saw. Lilith had Kain pinned down and was hitting him over and over again.
The alpha howled in agony as his flesh was slashed repeatedly, struggling against the weakness of his wounds to try to recover from his present position.
Something inside shattered when Damien’s eyes met Kain’s as though he were telling him goodbye. He grew still, only soft whimpers could be heard as he lay in the cold bleeding.
Damien let out a piercing howl, gaining the attention of everyone on the field. They froze as Lilith walked over to him. The two leaders circled each other in preparation for their conflict.
“Finally. That wretched line will never bother me again.”
Realization hit Damien as to who he was staring down. The same dark god that had challenged him stood in Lilith’s form. Damien’s heart inside his chest burned as he thought about Kain and all he’d done for him. Jill. Dad…Rob…Gabriel…Holt…Chelsea.
“Looks like it’s just you and me, Damien. You can surrender and die in peace or you can fight and die anyway. Your choice.”
Save him. Luna’s voice inside of Damien’s mind drew his attention. Save him. I beg of you. Please.
Damien’s body became surrounded with a radiant light so bright it forced Lilith step back. Her wing covered her face. He braced himself on his front legs, roaring at the monster in front of him responsible for taking so much.
The light became so intense not even the lycans could stare at it.
When it finally faded, Damien stood in his true lycan form. His white fur blew in the wind like mist at the tip of his stiffened ears to the end of his tail. The dark markings of his wolf form only seen on the tips of his ears, feet and tail. The fur on the back of his neck was thicker, almost resembling a mane.
“By the gods, he looks like…” Lune stood in awe.
“Tenebris.” Gabriel’s finished, his voice nothing but a whisper.
Stoker used the opportunity to sneak off, nursing the wound on his arm inflicted by Gabriel when he shifted into his full lycan form.
The vampires hissed at the light rising from the east, trying to flee towards the waning night. They had fallen right into Damien’s plan and were intercepted. Howls and snarls joined dying screams as the vampires were overwhelmed.
“What trickery is this?!” Lilith’s fangs spat as she tried to speak.
Damien ignored her, seeing the fear in her eyes as he made his way over to Kain on the ground.
The alpha was so weak he couldn’t retain his shifted form.
“Kain.” Damien’s voice was a comfortable echo. Warm and reassuring. “Alex. Can you hear me?”
Kain opened his eyes, slightly jumping. “Tenebris?”
Damien shook his head. “No. It’s me.”
“Damien. How?”
Damien took Kain’s jacket he was always wearing around his waist and covered his friend with it. “Stay here. Don’t move and don’t die.”
He stood back up and went to face Lilith. The lycans in his way stepped aside, their heads bowed. “This ends here, Lilith. You won’t hurt anyone else.”
Lilith laughed, slightly shaking. “You think you can defeat me? Take the form of your weak god, I don’t care. You’re nowhere close to my skills in your full form.”
“Pathetic.”
Lilith stopped laughing, her glare intense as her eyes began glowing an angry red. “What did you just dare to call me?”
“You heard me.” Damien braced himself as the vampire took to the sky. He closed his eyes as he focused on each of her wing beats in the darkness.
The soft voices of the fallen; vampire and lycan alike, filled his ears as they begged him to help them.
Damien whipped around, taking the defensive stance Kain taught him.
Lilith reached out her talons ready to slash them across his face to blind him. He weaved effortlessly through her talons, his own silver nails raking across her throat, tearing it open. The black blood splattered across his muzzle.
Lilith fell to the ground shrieking and thrashing as she shifted back to her more human form. She choked on her own black blood, trying to catch a breath. “I…don’t understand. You’re…a newborn. How?”
With ease, Damien shifted from lycan form to human form and knelt beside the dying noble.
He answered her, his voice gentle and saddened. “I didn’t fight for myself, Lilith. I had others who needed me more. Your people aren’t tools for you to throw their lives away. Vampire or lycan, we are both living beings in one way or another. That’s something I think you learned too late.”
The sun peaked over the mountains, piercing through the dark clouds, warming the clearing. Lilith’s body joined the countless others, turning to ash in the rising light.
Gabriel limped over to Kain with Lune. They helped him to his feet as Gabriel bent down for Kain to get on his back. Lune nuzzled Damien’s hand, softly whimpering. Damien patted his dark grey fur.
Cade walked up to them, his head lowered. “Holt…”
The alphas looked at each other, then at Damien.
They made their way across the battlefield where Holt lay in the snow, his stomach torn open almost deep enough to empty it. Damien closed the fallen alpha’s eyes while the lycans all howled a sorrowful cry at the loss of their leader.
Rayes’ knife lay in the snow not far from Holt’s body covered in ash. From the looks of it they wound up killing each other in their fight.
****
The rest of the morning was spent burying the fallen lycans. There hadn’t been many but each life was still a loss.
Kain had been put on Damien’s back at his request for the journey back to the campsite.
When they arrived, the females, pups and lycans unable to fight all crowded around them.
Leah ran up to Cade. When he lowered his head, she started sobbing into his chest. He held her in such a loving way, Damien couldn’t believe it was still Cade. He hadn’t seen him show any affection or heard him speak until the battle.
Damien took Kain to his tent where Kyle waited. He dropped to his belly to let Kyle take Kain off of him. His white fur stained with blood. He left to let Kyle work.
There was a beautiful, pregnant woman he wanted to see more than anything.
Jill was lying on the floor of their tent in her wolf skin. From the looks of the wet fur on her cheeks she’d been crying.
“Jill.”
Jill’s ears perked up when she heard his voice. Shifting quickly, she threw herself into her lover’s chest. “Damien! Oh, thank Luna!”
“Ow. Easy on the ribs.” Damien lowered his eyes, his heart aching at the loss of Holt. “Holt’s dead.”
“Oh, dear Luna,” Jill’s voice was saddened. She remembered Holt’s broad smile, his boisterous laugh and how drunk he would get during the lycan festivals. “Does Leah know?”
“Cade’s with her. He went down taking out Rayes. From the looks of it, they killed each other.”
Jill hugged Damien close to her, taking his mouth in a deep, passionate kiss, her tongue tasting him as if it were their first kiss. “I want you later, my love. I won’t take no for an answer.”
“You won’t have to. Just let me check on Kain.” Damien chuckled, kissing her again.
****
Kyle had Kain’s body wrapped up from his shoulder all the way down to his stomach.
“He was lucky you got to him when you did, Damien. He was torn up worse than I’ve ever seen him. One of these days his luck’s going to run out.”
“Thanks Kyle. I’ll take care of him from here.” Damien shook Kyle’s hand, shocked when the lycan bowed to him and walked out.
Don’t think I’m ever going to get used to that. Damien thought, making his way over to Kain’s side.
“Well you didn’t die but you got damn close.” Damien chuckled at the look on Kain’s face.
“Fang off, Damien. I’ve had a long last two nights,” Kain rested his arm over his eyes, appearing annoyed at his friend’s mocking. “What was that, by the way? I saw a blaring light and then you were in your true form.”
“I’m not sure. I just thought about how I didn’t want to fail you, Jill, Gabriel and the others. The next thing I knew I was standing on two legs and killing a vampire that looked like a bat-wolf,” Damien still couldn’t grasp what happened but he was glad it was over. At least for now. “So, what now?”
“Now? I’m thinking about taking a long ass break. Get fat on pheasants and catch up on some football.”
Damien chuckled, fighting the urge to burst out laughing. “Somehow Kain, I don’t think you would let yourself get fat first of all and second, I had no idea you even liked football.”
“What guy doesn’t? But seriously though, I’m probably going to be taking a long break from everything. Too many close calls since you showed up,” Kain chuckled at the look of disbelief on Damien’s face. “What about you? What are your plans?”
Jill walked into Kain’s tent, her hand resting on her stomach. She’d developed a small bump over the past few weeks. She knelt beside her mate, resting her head on his shoulder.
“Me? Think I might just settle down with my mate and when the time comes, be the proud father of some rowdy pups.” Damien kissed Jill.
“Sounds like a plan. Now go get a room you two, I’m catching some sleep.” Kain rolled over on his side to get some well-deserved rest.
****
Damien didn’t wait long to take Jill to their bed after stripping them both down. “Thank you, Jill.”
“For what?” Jill replied, petting his face.
“For staying with me as long as you did. You saved my life.”
Jill smiled, kissing Damien’s lips. “You’re welcome. Do you think it’s over? Can we finally have peace?”
“For now, I think we can.” Damien curled up with his lover under the blankets, his heart filled with more peace than he’d ever felt since his mother died.
The rage of the dark god was finally purged from his body. The fear and loneliness replaced with the comfortable light of the moon…