Page 71 of Tasting Darkness

“What can I say? I don’t like being told ‘no’, son, you’ll see soon enough.” Lysander laughs as the wolves close in.

Lycus grits his teeth knowing if he puts Kalen down he’ll be caught in the middle.

“I’ll challenge you for it,” Lycus snarls at his father.

“Excuse me?” Lysander questions, appearing confused.

“I make you a deal, get in the ring. You win I take your stupid throne, I win you fuck off and don’t come looking for me again.” Lycus snarls and he barely catches the sight of his father telling him no in the background but he ignores him.

“And I want that phone you took from Porter,” Lycus snarls angrily and Porter facepalms himself. Lysander chuckles.

“Seriously, this is what we’re doing now, fine. I have no issues knocking that chip off your shoulder, but let's sweeten this deal. When I win you leave the poofter behind,” he snarls shrugging off his jacket.

“Deal?” he asks. Lycus grits his teeth, he just needs to last long enough to get Kalen out then he’ll find a way back to him.

“Fine, but let me give my mate to my father,” Lycus snarls and I want his phone!” Lysander smiles smugly.

“Deal,” he shrugs, tossing the phone at Lycus, it lands on Kalen’s chest, and he groans, Kalen’s eyes fluttering open to peer up at Lycus.

“Lycus?”

“I’m right here, but I need you to go with Porter,” Lycus tells Kalen, whose eyes glisten with tears.

“You’re leaving me?” Kalen whimpers.

“Not if I have a say in it,” Lycus tells him, kissing his head. Lysander snarls and spits in disgust. While the two men hold open the ropes allowing Lycus to climb out with Kalen. Lycus moves toward Porter who stands.

“Follow him! Make sure he comes back if not kill Porter and the mate,” Lysander orders his two men. Lycus grits his teeth.

“You have your keys?” Porter nods, limping to his feet. Lycus follows him through the old drainage system and to Porter's car out in the old quarry where the tunnels lead to. His father’s beat up old car sits in the vacant grassy area that is surrounded by trees. Porter runs ahead and opens the back door before jumping in the driver's seat. Lycus sets Kalen’s body in the rear seat when Porter speaks as he starts up the car.

“Get in. We can make a run for it,” Lycus shakes his head, after seeing what happened already he wasn’t willing to risk Kalen.

“Lycus! Do you have any idea who that is?”

“I know exactly who it is, and he’s about to fucking learn who I am!” Lycus snarls, his eyes flickering.

“Watch Kalen, and stay with him until I get back to the park. Hurt him and Lysander you won’t have to fear,” Lycus warns.

He shuts the door and turns to find the two men standing just a few meters away, but before they have a chance to grab him, Lycus shifts, barreling straight between them and heading into the dark stinking tunnels, he races back to the arena where his father lazily stands leaning against the ropes naked. Lysander pushes off the ropes, a wicked smile on his face that twists and morphs the moment Lycus jumps into the ring, Lysander shifts and Lycus doesn’t hesitate in ripping his father to pieces. Lysander clearly underestimated his son. Lycus may not be a trained fighter but he has done nothing but fight all his life.

However, before Lycus can kill him he’s shot twice with wolfsbane. Even still he nearly killed his father who has one arm nearly ripped off, his neck torn into badly and he is forced to shift back. Lycus snarls, also being forced to shift back as the two men belonging to his father step into the ring to grab him.

Lysander clutches his neck, and glares at his son while on his hands and knees before looking at his men.

“Grab him!” Lysander orders when he hears a bang. The sound echos and makes Lycus jump, his vision blurs and one man falls on the floor beside him dead when the next bang sound goes off dropping the other.

Lysander snarls and Lycus tries to get to his feet when he hears his father’s voice.

“You’re not taking my fucking son anywhere, Lysander!” Porter yells. Lycus' head turns his vision blurring as the wolfsbane burns in his system. Porter climbs into the ring, hissing as he does while Lysander snarls trying to get to his feet.

“You’ll pay for this, Porter.”

“Not as dearly as you will, if you don’t leave. He won fair and square, I have it here on the phone. So unless you want your shame to get out, I suggest you get moving!” Porter tells him, aiming the gun at Lysander. He bends down grabbing Lycus’ arm and hauls him to his feet.

“Kalen?”

“Hidden,” Porter answers, his shotgun aimed at Lysander who snarls as his body slowly heals.

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