Kane: The Collective World: Coven's End, #1

By Lia Davis and Lainie Anderson

Bad boy. Alpha. Lethal.

Some say those are qualities of a good leader. Others disagree.

Heir to the Vampire throne and Lilith's only son, I'm being forced to find a mate.

Unfortunately for my beloved mama, I found my fated mate already.

No one compares to her.

The problem?

She's a Lycan princess— completely off limits. If that's not bad enough, I'm not her only potential mate.

Can I ignore the pull of my fated mate to make my mother happy and take the throne?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Davis Raynes Publishing Group, LLC
• Release date: May 31, 2023
• ISBN: 9798223843443

Lia Davis

"Lia Davis is the USA Today bestselling author of more than forty books, including her fan favorite Ashwood Falls Series. A lifelong fan of magic, mystery, romance and adventure, Lia's novels feature compassionate alpha heroes and strong leading ladies, plenty of heat, and happily-ever-afters. Lia makes her home in Northeast Florida where she battles hurricanes and humidity like one of her heroines.When she's not writing, she loves to spend time with her family, travel, read, enjoy nature, and spoil her kitties. "

Book preview

Bad boy. Alpha. Lethal.

---

Some say those are qualities of a good leader. Others disagree.

---

Heir to the Vampire throne and Lilith’s only son, I’m being forced to find a mate.

---

Unfortunately for my beloved mama, I found my fated mate already.

---

No one compares to her.

---

The problem?

---

She’s a Lycan princess— completely off limits. If that’s not bad enough, I’m not her only potential mate.

---

Can I ignore the pull of my fated mate to make my mother happy and take the throne?

PROLOGUE

Pop-pop. Pop-pop.

Gun fire echoed through the forest and the video feed. One by one, the lycans fell to their deaths. Wicked satisfaction flowed in her veins as she witnessed the attack from the small monitor set up to show her what she’d paid for. The lycans got what they deserved.

She'd expected the private group of human soldiers to be undisciplined and argumentative, but their training was impeccable. They moved almost as light as a vampire, making her curious if they’d worked with her kind before. Maybe they hunted vampires on the side.

Whether they did or not, she didn’t give a fuck. What mattered was their ask-no questions policy. Of course, the more money she paid, the less they wanted to know.

They only knew her as Commander, and she liked to keep it that way. They didn’t need to know her true identity. Not yet, anyway.

Dressed in full tactical gear, she sat in the back of a black van parked in the woods adjacent to the lycan home, hidden from the neighbors. Two technical specialists sat on either side of her, but her focus was on the video feed.

Her body hummed with power and the need to join in on the attack and seek her revenge on the foul beasts who took her parents from her.

The screen split into four different feeds. With her vampire senses, she was able to watch all four simultaneously, not missing much action between the scenes. However, she focused on her general’s body cam. He glided through the downstairs with efficient, stealthy movements.

A female lycan rushed down the stairs, then launched herself at him, claws out and teeth bared. The general fired, hitting the woman with silver bullets—a lycan’s biggest vulnerability. The silver would slow the healing process down and make the beasts easier to kill.

The lycan screeched and fell to the ground. The general shot her in the head and twisted around to shoot the three males charging in through the front door.

Pop. Pop. Pop.

Sitting back in her seat, she inhaled and wished she could smell the blood her soldiers were spilling. She couldn’t go into the house because the lycans were excellent trackers. Not that she was afraid of them. No, she didn’t want this attack to be linked to her. It was too soon to reveal herself. She was just getting started with her plan.

She watched the four screens as her team of humans swept the home, making sure there were no survivors. The sound of bullets being shot through silencers reached her sensitive ears, and she smiled.

The battle was over too quickly. The mangy mutts were asleep and caught off guard. Then again, that was the point. This operation wasn’t about her own satisfaction of watching the wolves get what they deserve, it was a warning.

Just like the one she planned to give the vampires not long after dawn broke, when they settled into their beds.

It is done, Commander. Her general’s cold voice came over the radio. She’d never met a human so devoid of emotion before. He was perfect for what she had planned.

The children?

Dead. Everyone is dead.

Maybe working with humans would pay off after all.

1

KANE

Y ou will choose a mate, and then take the throne. Lilith’s voice resonated with a finality that made me cringe. I held in my irritation and scanned the great throne room. When she put her power into her words, no one—not even me—could disobey.

Fucking rules.

Lilith was my mother—and Lucifer knew I loved her—but I couldn’t rule the vampires while under her thumb and no more than her puppet. When I did become the High King of the vampires, there were going to be changes. The old ways didn’t work for us as they once did.

I fisted my hands over the arms of my throne. Why we were meeting in the great room to discuss my mating situation was beyond me. Mother was supposed to be gone already, but The Blood—the vampire council—demanded I find a mate first. They never gave their reasons, which made me suspicious.

Mother, it isn’t that easy. My chest tightened with an unfamiliar feeling. Longing and loneliness stirred within. I’d already met my mate, not that it would do me any good. I couldn’t claim my one true mate, ever.

It was several years ago. My guard had convinced me to go to a local bar owned by one of their own that catered to both vampires and lycans. Many of the lycans attended public schools with the humans, able to blend in all but one night a month when the moon was full. The younger lycans were notorious for bar-hopping, and vampires weren’t much different.

A vampire-owned bar wasn’t unusual. We owned the night, after all, and humans in bars made poor choices, leaving us open to feed without detection or having to use our telepathic abilities. Using telepathy to mask our feeding always drained us.

We’d entered a local bar that particular night, and I’d almost left when I smelled them. Lycans. A growl escaped me as I walked through the door, my guard flanking me. It was no secret that vampires and lycans had warred since the beginning of time. Well, maybe not that long, but there were times it felt that way.

Scanning every dark corner of the place, I spotted several of the wolves crammed into booths in near the back of the bar. The entire establishment reeked of them, so I slowed my breathing to minimize the overwhelming scent of dog.

Ignoring the lycans, my guard and I made our way to the bar where a small group of vampires close to my age gathered. They met my gaze briefly and nodded their heads once in a slight bow. I nodded back in greeting. One thing I hated about being the vampire prince was my people insisted on being at attention in my presence. It was annoying. My people weren’t fucking puppets.

They were people with lives. As long as they didn’t expose us to