Warning: The author has noted that this contains the highest level of violence.
Background
Another chapter ... dedicated to my son, Nathan.
|
Previously . . .
When widespread reports of gruesome attacks on homeless victims, and local residents sweep across Berkeley California and the San Francisco Bay area, two local human detectives are desperate to catch whoever is responsible for the disturbing and heinous crimes. But . . . they are not prepared for what they discovered at Zeke Rizzo’s bar, and find themselves powerless when they encounter the suspect who doesn’t appear to be human, including Mr. Rizzo.
As the detectives report to another crime scene, they discover another suspect after reviewing the surveillance video. Their next step was to visit the owner of several popular bars in the area who happened to be Detectives Manuel Sanchez’s nephew, Nathan Gage, hoping he could help identify the suspects. When they arrive at the bar, and explain to the owner what they have discovered, asking him if he’d take a look at the video they retrieved from the crime scene, Nathan becomes worried. He knew something his Uncle Sanchez wasn’t aware of. Not only was Nathan a Breedline, he knew his uncle was born with the same genetics but it was kept a secret. Now, he was faced with a difficult decision. In order to keep his uncle safe, he would have to go against the Breedline law and tell him everything.
Meanwhile, Anna is looking forward to a fun night out after Helen invited her to a bachelorette party at a popular club which happens to be the same bar the detectives are at. As she waits for Helen to find a table, Anna takes a seat at the crowded bar next to a gorgeous man named Apollyon. When they carry on a conversation, she becomes mysteriously drawn to him. When he asks her to skip the party and leave with him, they are approached by two strange men. When they push themselves on Anna, she tells them she’s not interested. But they are not the type to take no for an answer, and become threatening to her. As they forcefully grab her arm, Apollyon’s anger boils out of control. In a heated fury, he punches the guy, nearly knocking his head completely off his body. Witnessing the horrific incident, the crowded bar erupts into chaos, and Apollyon vanishes into thin air.
Continued . . .
When the screams coming from the bar filtered into Nate’s office, he looked at the bouncer wide-eyed and said, “What the hell is going on?”
“A fight broke out,” said the bouncer, trying to catch his breath. “I’m pretty sure we got a dead body. There’s blood everywhere. Tony D called 911. An ambulance is on its way.”
“Shit!” Nate cursed and then turned to his uncle and Detective Perkins. “Looks like you guys came at the right time.”
Detective Sanchez turned from Nate and focused on his partner. “Call for backup.”
“I’m on it,” Perkins replied.
“Is the suspect still in the bar?” Sanchez asked the bouncer.
“H-he just . . .” the bouncer stuttered his words, “disappeared.”
Sanchez looked at Perkins. “That’s our guy!”
“I’ll let you two do your job,” Nate said to the detectives. “I’ll gather all my staff. We’ll get everyone out of here so I can shut down the bar.”
Sanchez nodded. “We’ll need to question anyone that is a possible witness before you clear the place.” He motioned toward the bouncer and said, “Lead the way.”
As they followed the bouncer through the crowded bar, he led them to the far end, close to the VIP section. Maneuvering through the audience that formed a circle around the body, they saw a woman standing next to the victim, her hands covered in blood. And then their focus was drawn to a younger woman with long, curly blond hair standing nearby. Her eyes were wide with terror and her face splattered with blood.
Sanchez stepped forward. “Ladies, I’m Detective Sanchez. Please, I need you to move away from the body. My partner and I will take over. We’re from homicide.”
“I’m a physician at the Bates Hospital,” Helen spoke out. “I witnessed the attack.”
Sanchez narrowed his stare. For some reason, the physician looked oddly familiar as though he’d seen her before. He just couldn’t place where. “I will need you to stick around for questioning, Doctor?”
“Dr. Helen Carrington,” Helen said. “And this is my friend Anna Saeni.” Helen looked at Anna and then back to Detective Sanchez. “She was also present when this happened.”
“Did you get a good look at the attacker?” Sanchez asked as he shifted his eyes from Helen to the victim lying on the floor in a pool of blood, naturally without a pulse.
“Yes,” Helen replied. “From the size of him, he was definitely hard to miss.”
“The bouncer said the attacker got away,” Sanchez questioned, wondering if the physician had seen the attacker disappear. “You didn’t happen to see anything unusual other than what happened to the victim?”
Helen got to her feet and looked at Anna with a concerned expression. She didn’t want to disclose the part about the attacker vanishing into thin air. Apparently, they were dealing with something supernatural, and this was way over the human police. Only the Breedline Covenant was capable of handling the situation. Focusing her attention back to the detective’s question, Helen turned to Sanchez with a quick shake of her head. “I’m sorry,” she said. “My eyes were focused on the victim.”
“What about you, Ms. Saeni?” Sanchez said, staring at Anna. “Did you witness anything out of the ordinary?”
Anna slowly shook her head, distraught by the whole incident. “N-no.” Her voice trembled. “I was distracted . . . after what happened.”
Sanchez let out a deep breath. “I can understand.” His voice expressed a sympathetic tone. “I’m sorry you had to witness such a horrific act. I’d appreciate it if you would stick around. I’ll need you to come down to the station for a statement and a description of the attacker. Anything you can think of will be helpful.”
Anna nodded, and Helen said, “Of course.”
A demanding voice called out from behind and caught their attention.
“I need everyone to back up,” Detective Perkins said, taking control of the crowd. “Let us do our job. At this time, we ask everyone to stay put. We’ll need your cooperation with anything you witnessed that will help us with our investigation.”
A big guy with a tattoo on his neck shot through the crowd and yelled, “That son of a bitch killed my brother!”
Perkins stepped in front of the guy and held out his hand. “Hold up,” he said firmly. “We need you to stand back, sir. It’s crucial that everyone stays out of our way. If you want us to find your brother’s killer, let us do our job.”
The guy looked at Perkins with a hateful glare. “Are you freakin’ kidding me? Just look at my brother,” he continued to rant, pointing at his dead brother. “The guy nearly knocked his head completely off. And then he just up and disappeared like some kind of magician. What the hell is going on?”
“Calm down, sir,” Detective Sanchez said as he came over. “I’m sorry about your brother. And I give you my word . . . we’ll do all we can to catch the SOB. But we’re going to need you to cooperate with us. Please stand back and wait until our back up arrives. We’re going to need to ask you some questions.”
The guy let out a disgusted sigh. “Fine,” he grumbled, throwing his hands up in defeat. “Whatever.”
As the detectives questioned Helen and the young woman standing next to her, Nate shot the bouncer a look and motioned him over.
“What’s up, boss?” he said to Nate in a low voice.
“I need you to do something for me.”
“Sure thing, Nate.”
“Contact Zeke Rizzo and give him a heads-up while I make a call to the Covenant,” Nate whispered. “The Breedline queen needs to be informed of what just went down.”
The bouncer nodded. “Don’t worry. I’ll take care of it.”
****
Cole roughly nudged Abbey forward. “Keep walking and don’t do anything stupid.”
As soon as the drugs wore off, she wanted nothing more than to shift into her Lupa and rip his throat out. Focusing on the images in her head, she continued to walk meekly in the direction he pointed her. Without Cole noticing, Abbey reached into her pants pocket and quickly dug for a handkerchief she had inside. When she brought her hand out, she let it fall to the ground. In the corner of her eye, she watched as the piece of white cloth drifted to the ground, praying that Steven would somehow find it.
They walked at least a half mile in a wooded field until they came upon a waiting SUV. Abbey was shoved into the back seat and ordered to stay down.
After she did as she was instructed, Cole raised his voice at the driver. “Get us the hell out of here.”
The dark sedan accelerated and exited through the hidden path that led farther into the wooded field. The car slowed as they drove through rough terrain. It seemed like forever to Abbey before they made it to their destination. When the vehicle came to a stop, she waited for Cole to tell her what to do next. Patience was something she’d have to do at the moment.
“Get out,” Cole barked at her when the driver opened the door.
She rose slowly and got out. As soon as she was on her feet, Cole manhandled her until they came to an entrance of what looked to be a fortress.
Abbey cast a quick glance behind her, taking in the high-security fence, and the armed guards that patrolled the outside perimeter.
When they finally reached the front entrance, the door opened from the inside. Abbey held her breath not knowing what to expect on the other side.
“Move,” Cole demanded, shoving her forward.
Abbey stumbled but caught her footing before she fell to the floor. As she looked up, her gaze locked on a horrible image before her.
Lena was bound to a chair, gagged, and her face was a mess. Bruises darkened her face, and dried blood crusted her nose and mouth. Three men with smug looks on their faces stood next to her.
A sudden rage consumed Abbey, roaring through her veins, forging the drive to unleash the she-wolf within her and destroy them all. She could sense the Lupa inside her rising, snarling to be set free. The edgy, sharp sensation prickled along her skin, raising her hairs. The signal of an impending shift was coming soon. She’d never fought so hard in her life to bring on the change, and never before had she been so unsuccessful.
She cut her eyes toward Cole, her lips curled into a snarl. Abbey was seething with fury. Every muscle in her body was tensed, including her hands. They were wound into tight fists.
“You sick son of a bitch,” she bit out. “I’m going to rip you to shreds.”
As Cole advanced on her, she didn’t flinch. She stood her ground, staring at him with hatred. He wrapped his fist in her long hair and pulled her up close. Without warning, he backhanded her but held her, so she didn’t fall.
“I’m going to make you regret those words. I have a cage waiting just for you, my little pet.” He stroked his hand over her cheek. “After I’m done with you, I’ll have you broken in no time.”
She gritted her teeth. “You bastard! You’ll have to kill me first.”
Cole arched a brow and shoved her to the floor. “Watch your tone, Ms. Winthrop, or I’ll kill your friend right here in front of you,” he said, pulling out a gun and aiming it at Lena’s head.
Abbey blew out her breath. “Fine.” She moved to her feet. “You win. What do you want?”
“Strip,” he ordered.
Her eyes widened. “What?”
Lena went crazy hearing Decker’s demand. She struggled against her restraints and mumbled against the gag in her mouth.
Abbey glanced in Lena’s direction, telling her silently not to react.
“You heard what I said,” Cole continued. “I said take off your clothes. Now.”
“You’re insane,” Abbey snapped.
Cole motioned to one of his guards. “Get her undressed, and make it quick.”
Abbey held her breath as the man closest to Cole went forward eagerly.
“Lift your hands over your head and don’t make a move,” the guard said to Abbey in a threatening tone.
She complied and raised her arms while he started to unbutton her shirt. She cringed when the man charged with undressing her got to her jeans. As he yanked them down, a sick feeling assailed her when she was left standing in just her bra and panties.
Please, please, God. Give me strength.
Lena kept a close watch on the guards—whose attention was focused on the man undressing Abbey—while she worked at the ropes around her wrists. She’d managed to wiggle them loose enough to slip free undetected. Now, she needed a weapon. Her eyes caught sight of the guard standing beside her. His gun was so close, almost within reach. Lena held her breath, praying he’d turn just a bit more.
As the man stepped away from Abbey, she stood in the center of a room with eyes feasting greedily on her. The anticipation on their faces told her it was very likely that Cole didn’t mind sharing his merchandise.
His gaze wandered down her body as he moved closer. “Just think—after I’m done playing with you—all my men are going to have you next.”
And then she felt the presence of someone behind her. Was Cole planning to have one of his men hold her down while he raped her? Whatever the case, she had to concentrate on bringing forth her Lupa. Otherwise, there was no way she was going to get out of this in her human form.
Then, Lena made her move.
She grabbed the gun, dropped to the floor and rolled, firing off a series of rounds at the guard she’d taken the weapon from. As he fell to the floor, the other guard dived behind a desk while Cole reached for his gun. Shit!
Lena rolled until she got a clear shot of underneath the desk and took out his kneecaps, making him howl in agony.
As the man standing on the opposite side of the chair came charging forward, Lena got to her feet and connected with a solid right hook to his face. Then she kicked his gun from his hand, sending it clattering to the floor. Before he could recover, Lena spun and landed a round kick to his jaw, rendering him unconscious.
Another shot fired, and for a moment Lena thought she’d been hit, but she felt no pain.
Oh god no! No! No!
She rushed over to Abbey, who was on the floor, blood streaming down the side of her face. Then blinding pain overwhelmed Lena as Cole hit her in the head with the butt of his gun.
To be continued . . .
Author Notes
NOTE: This is not part of the chapter. A reference for terms and cast of characters, especially for new readers:
BREEDLINE - A species of humans that have the ability to change from human form into a wolf. They are not like the old legend of the Lycanthropy myth. Breedline species can shift into their wolf at will. The moon has no power over them. They do not pass their ability to other humans with a bite or scratch like the Lycanthropy myth.
The Breedline gene is passed down to offspring that are born identical twins. Although they live among humans, their species must be kept secret.
In wolf form, they have super-strength, speed, and heightened senses. Compared to humans, Breedlines have tremendous advantages when it comes to health. Their bodies heal fast and are not subject to illnesses or diseases. The only thing that slows their healing process is silver. It is their kryptonite. Besides old age, a silver bullet to the brain is the only thing deadly to the species.
All males change into their wolf at the age of eighteen. Females do not go through the change until they make love to their Breedline bonded mate.
BREEDLINE TWINS - Identical twins that are born from either one or both parents of the Breedline species. They have a strong, unbreakable bond from birth, are born with telepathic abilities, and have the power to sense the other's emotions or injuries. In some cases, the bond between twins is so strong that if one dies, the other twin may pass on, especially if they don't have a mate.
BREEDLINE BONDING - The male Breedline spends their life in search of their bonded mate. When the male comes in contact with her, he instantly feels a simultaneous, desirable attraction and she becomes the most important thing in his life. He is there to love, protect, and cherish her until death. Once they are mated, they bond for life. It is possible for them to have more than one mate in their lifespan.
BELOVED - A word used by a Breedline to express the bond to their mate.
DOUBLE BONDED - In some cases, male Breedline twins bond with the same female but one will carry a stronger bond. Usually one of them must sacrifice for the other twin.
BREEDLINE COVENANT - The Breedline species must live within the boundaries of a Covenant, which is only formed with their species. The Covenant is governed and ruled by a head council. The council keeps their laws in order and oversees the species population.
THE BREEDLINE QUEEN - Over centuries, the Breedline Covenant is ruled by a true queen. If there is no queen living, the Covenants are governed by an appointed head council until another one is born. A Breedline queen is born once every one hundred years. Her massive stature, black fur, and red eyes are the queen's trademarks. Her alpha wolf has twice the strength, speed, and size of any Breedline. The queen is expected to rule over all the Breedline Covenants where she will be respected and obeyed by all Breedline. This is their absolute True Law.
THE QUEEN'S RING - This ring has been passed down to all Breedline queens for generations. When the new queen places the ring on, it instantly shifts in size to fit her finger.
TRUE LAW - All Breedline Covenants have an ancient book of laws. If either sex disobeys the Breedline laws, they can be shunned, or no longer protected by their Covenant. If a Breedline takes another life out of revenge, or evil - other than protecting their life, and the life of another - they will never have the ability to shift back into human form and cast out as a rogue wolf.
ROGUE WOLF - A Breedline shunned by their Covenant for taking another life out of revenge or evil and forced to live as a wolf until death without the ability to change into human form again. Some rogue wolves form into packs, which can be dangerous for other Breedline species.
RED (BLOOD) MOON - When the full moon passes through the amber shadow of the earth, producing a midnight eclipse visible across North America. So begins a lunar eclipse tetrad, a series of four consecutive total eclipses occurring at approximately six-month intervals. This incredible light beams into the heart of earth's shadow, filling it with a coppery glow and transforming the moon into a great red orb. During this time, all Breedline species that are mated have a strong desire to create an offspring. This is also a time when Breedline females are more fertile for the conception of twins.
CHIANG-SHIH DEMON (Kiang shi, a.k.a. Ramael Arminius) - An ancient demon that inhabits the body of a Breedline fetus before it's born or during a Breedline's death. It continues to take the soul over the natural lifespan of the child, or the deceased Breedline. When the demon possesses a fetus, it breaks the bonding and telepathic abilities of their twin when they are born. If the demon possesses a deceased Breedline's body, it must do so before the soul passes on. If the soul is not intact, the body will soon die.
In most cases, the Chiang-Shih demon will take the life of the other twin, even before their birth. The twin that is born with the demon will bring only evil to whomever they encounter. Their sole purpose is to gain full control of another soul and seek world domination.
There are two ways the demon is cast from the soul it possesses: by its first-born son, and the Angel of Mercy, Zadkiel. The Beast is the only one who can kill a Chiang-Shih demon.
THE BEAST - He is the second born son of the Chiang-Shih demon. When provoked into a rage, he will shift into his Beast instead of his Breedline wolf. The Beast is an enormous, dangerous two-footed creature that has wolf like features. One bite has enough venom to kill the Chiang-Shih demon and leave the soul of the person the demon possessed unharmed.
SHADOW WALKER (a.k.a. Shadow Figure, or Black Mass) - The perception of a patch of shadow as a living, humanoid figure, particularly interpreted by the Breedline as the presence of a malevolent entity. When a Breedline species dies and does not pass on to the other side, they are left to roam the earth as a shadow of themselves - a ghost. They will not pass on until they have settled unfinished business before their death.
ZADKIEL (Tzadqiel, a.k.a. 'Righteousness of God') - The archangel of freedom, benevolence, and mercy, and the patron angel of all who forgives. Breedline species tradition considers him to be the Angel of Mercy.
SUCCUBUS (a.k.a. CREEPERS) - Creatures that search for and feeds off the blood of the Breedline species. Creepers are skilled at extreme sexual pleasure, and the ecstasy they create is exceedingly intense and highly addictive. They cast off a scent that hypnotizes Breedlines into overwhelming sexual urges. They use their human-like bodies and beautiful features to control and influence their thoughts.
They have the ability to reach into the Breedline's mind during sleep, casting a spell of dreams about sexual contact or intercourse. One much less obvious manifestation of Creepers is nightmares - realistic, graphic, terrifying nightmares that rob the Breedline of sleep. Over a period, it can lead to severe fatigue and depression, leaving them emotionally and spiritually drained. Death can occur if they ultimately take over the Breedline's body.
HALF-BREED - This species is born with the genes from both Breedline and succubus. They can bond with either a full-blood Breedline or another half-breed. They cannot change into the Breedline wolf, but they do need blood from them to survive. With the power to hypnotize, most Breedlines have minimal respect and credence toward the half-breed species.
WICCA (or Wise One) - According to the Breedline species, a Wicca is the goddess of magic, witchcraft, the night, moon, ghosts, and necromancy. A Wicca is also considered to be a demonic spirit. It is unclear to the Breedline if they act under the orders of the devil, or they are simply not understood and treated as outcasts. They can do white magic (good) or dark (evil).
KATAKO (a.k.a. Lucas or Dark Shadow) - He is the Chiang-Shih demon's offspring that is born both Breedline and Wiccan. After one year, the Katako develops into an adult with the mind of a child, without reaching full maturity. It has the power to appear translucent, or become completely invisible. Being born half-Breedline, it can shift into a wolf and transform, or mimic another creature with the power to instantly travel from one place to another. Their true purpose of creation is to bring forth the souls stuck in purgatory by using one drop of its blood. Tessa Fairchild - the Breedline queen - destroyed the Katako in battle using the deadly venom of her Breedline wolf.
GOLEMS (a.k.a. the Death Army) - Evil creatures created by dark Wiccans with the power of necromancy. By releasing the souls of demons stuck in purgatory, the Wicca can give them the ability to shape into a creature that is made from earth. These creatures have various qualities, such as mass strength, enormous stature, and the power to consume their victims by saturating them with mud.
GUARDIANS (a.k.a. Spirits of the Forest) - They originated during the Middle Ages with the purpose of protecting all creatures, especially the Breedline, from the destruction of any creation made by a dark Wicca. They can stay invisible with the power to move through any barrier and over any distance instantly.
THERIOMORPH - This species is born with the genes of a Breedline, but cannot change into a Breedline wolf. They shape shift into an enormous black panther. They possess powers of mind manipulation and random visions of the future. They must use the drug dopamine to suppress their urges. Their eye color shifts into a bright lavender when their Theriomorph nature takes over. The Breedline see them as a threat to their species.
ADALWOLF - A species that has the power to shift from their human form into a beautiful creature, twice the size, resembling half man and half wolf. Born with super-strength, they can move from one place to another in supernatural speed. Their eyes take on the appearance of two shimmering diamonds. With the power to regenerate their own cells, an Adalwolf will stop aging at thirty. The moon has no power over them. An Adalwolf is immune to silver. They can bond with any species.
LUPA - The ancestors descended from the old legend of the lycanthrope, except the moon has no power over them and it cannot be passed on to others like a virus. It is passed on through genetics to the female offspring, known as a she-wolf. This type of creature shape-shifts into a therianthropic hybrid wolf-like creature, and is considered dangerous... cursed.
Steven Pasquale (a.k.a. Steven Craven) - He inherited the genes of a Breedline and an Adalwolf. He was taken from his mother and forced to endure a life of endless, painful experiments by two German physicians, Dr. Hans Autenburg and Dr. Hubert Crane. Without the knowledge of his real family, Steven finally manages to escape his captors, locating his biological parents and his fraternal twin, Tessa Fairchild.
Abbey (a.k.a. Abigail Winthrop) - She inherited the genetics of a Lupa from her mother, who died giving birth. Captured by Dr. Hans Autenburg - a German physician - she spent most of her life forced to endure experiments until she finally managed to escape. With no place to go, Abbey is determined to finally reunite with her beloved Steven after they were separated years ago.
Lena - She is a Breedline, highly trained in survival skills, martial arts, and anything dealing with weapons, hand-to-hand combat, and hired by Roman Kincaid to help take down Valkin Steele. She oddly resembles the character Xena the Warrior Princess from the 80's television series. She is also Bull's little sister and is bonded to Justice.
Dr. Helen Carrington - She is a Breedline species and a physician at the California Bates Hospital for both Breedlines and humans. Later, she discovers Jace and Jem carry a gene, possibly used for a cure to stop the aging process in her species. After Alexander's demon is banished, he is pardoned for all past crimes and welcomed into the Breedline Covenant. When he meets Helen, they become bonded mates.
Nathan Gage (a.k.a. Nate) - He is a Breedline and the owner of several upscale night clubs in the largest metropolitan areas of Northern California.
Anna Saeni - She was born with the genetics of a Breedline from her father's side - who died when Anna was a baby - but she does not shift into a wolf. Her human mother, Eliza, raised Sebastian Crow as her own after his biological mother, Sybil and his step-father, William Montgomery, detested him due to Sybil's infidelity. William sent Sebastian's twin brother Thomas to be raised in England with Sybil's sister, and forced his maid Eliza to raise Sebastian. While Anna grew up, she helped her mother raise Sebastian, loving him as a brother. At age fourteen, William molested Anna. After her mother found out, she confronted William and Sybil, but so afraid to lose her family, and her wealthy status, Sybil killed Eliza in cold blood. William sent Anna to live in a women's convent, and forced Sebastian to live in a boarding school for troubled boys for all Breedline.
The Fury - Three fraternal twins created by an evil German scientist named Dr. Hans Autenburg. Using his own DNA, he mixed it with three other species: A Breedline, an Adalwolf, and a powerful Wiccan. He placed three embryos inside the womb of a full-blooded succubus, named Sonya Hothburn. Taken against her will, Sonya was forced by the mad physician into surrogacy. After their birth, she was forbidden to see her children.
All three were created to destroy the Breedline species and dominate the human world. The first born was called Apollyon, meaning 'destroyer' in Greek. It was also the name of the angel-prince of the infernal regions, the minister of death and author of havoc on earth. He has the strength of ten men, and the power to dematerialize, taking others with him, from one place to another. He can transform into a creature that resembles an Adalwolf, and a vampire-like hybrid. The second born was called Callisto, meaning 'most beautiful.' She has the power of a shield, protecting herself and others from harm. The last child was named Electra, meaning 'the shining one.' She has the power to conduct electricity from her body, using it as a weapon. Inheriting their species instinct and extraordinary power, their thirst to kill became uncontrollable. As they grew up, the Fury became more and more unstable and unruly. With an insatiable hunger for human flesh and unmanageable powers, they became a hindrance to the physician. He had no other choice but to drug and imprison them for all time, each one placed inside a sarcophagus in a state of deep slumber to be forgotten forever until they were set free by their mother.
Valkin Steele - He is a wealthy business man who deals with drugs, weapons trade, and underage sex trafficking. He also funded a group of unethical scientists that kidnapped people with special gifts and rarities for research. He is searching for an Adalwolf with the ability to heal his beloved Natasha who is dying of cancer.
Cole Decker - He is known as the best tracker money could buy, hired by Valkin Steele to kidnap Steven Craven for his healing powers. He is also wanted by the FBI for his crimes as a well-known sex offender and sex trafficking young girls from all over the world.
|
|
