| Fantasy Fiction posted July 24, 2017 | Chapters: |
...15 16 -17- 18... 
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Unleashed Chaos/A Novel of the Breedline series
A chapter in the book Unleashed Chaos
In the Shadows
by scongrove
Previously...
Now that the Breedline Covenant is aware of Eve’s disappearance, they realize Sebastian is still alive and strategize their next move.
As Dr. Helen Carrington searches for the cure to the Breedline aging process, she introduces her assistant Lila Demont to the Covenant’s head council, Tim Ross. While Helen and Tim have a private conversation, Lila accidently bumps into her future Breedline mate, Casey Barton.
Meanwhile, when Sebastian promises Eve he will come back for their twins, she disappears through the portal with him, escaping her punishment with the Breedline.
When Eve meets Sebastian’s twin brother Thomas, he tells her about Lilith and that her son Arius is born with the mark of the Chiang-shih demon, and what he will become. Refusing to let Sebastian raise Arius for power and greed, Eve is desperate to find a way to keep her son safe.
Continued...
Thoughts of her twin sons had soon commanded the majority of Eve’s mind. She played and replayed scenes from their too-short time together until her heart ached from the agony. Before she drifted off to sleep, Sebastian came back to the room she was in and slipped into bed. Curling up behind her, he gently stroked her arm using the tips of his fingers.
She shivered at his touch with goosebumps trailing down her skin. Inhaling deep, she let out a long sigh and shifted away.
“Please don’t be angry at me,” he whispered, scooting closer. “Don’t you understand? I only want what’s best for our son’s.”
It was hard to know exactly how long Eve remained silent. Twenty minutes? Maybe longer, she thought.
“Eve,” Sebastian pleaded. “Talk to me.”
After a moment, she rolled over and looked at him with pain in her eyes. Her chest ached, and she became breathless as tears spilled down her cheeks. Leaving the Covenant’s confinement, and escaping punishment, she was grateful to be back in the arms of her beloved. But now, his plans for their sons had hollowed out any joy she should have felt.
“I don’t want—“
Sebastian had Eve in his arms before she could finish her sentence. In his embrace, she took a deep breath. He smelled the same, that dark spice that was unique to him and him alone. His shoulders were just as wide as she remembered, and his waist just as lean. Sebastian’s firm body shook as he held her tightly for a moment, and then he pulled back. It was as if he feared of hurting her.
His eyes were frantic. “I love you, Eve.”
As romantic reunions went, perhaps those were the most flowery words other females would want to hear, but to her, they meant nothing if he sought out the wrong uprising for their children. In so many ways, he’d explained how Lilith could give them a powerful future, and told her everything she didn’t want to hear.
Looking into her eyes, he read all of the questions and fears in her stare.
“Just give me a chance,” Sebastian begged. “After you meet Lilith, you’ll understand why I’ve chosen this.”
Before she opened her mouth to speak, she stopped herself, realizing nothing she said would change his mind. She closed her eyes briefly, and let out a deep breath. “All right,” she finally said in a weary voice. “I will meet with this… Lilith, and listen to what she has to say.”
Placing his palm on her face, he smoothed his thumb gently over her cheek. The shudder that went through his body appeared as an expression of relief. “I promise you won’t be disappointed.”
****
When Helen saw Casey and Lila embracing, she realized she was witnessing a future unfold right before her very eyes. The pair of them had to have bonded, and this meant they were going to be a part of each other’s life forevermore.
Abruptly, Tim cleared his throat and caught Lila’s attention. When she turned around, Helen had her hand over her heart with a blissful expression on her face.
“Oh... ” Lila’s voice sounded startled. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know you were standing there.”
“You’re fine, Lila,” Helen muttered with an arched brow. “I see you’ve met Casey.”
“Y-yes, I have.”
Instantly removing his hands away from Lila, Casey dropped them to his sides and said, “Hello, Helen.” Turning in Tim’s direction, he nodded and waited for his reaction. At this moment, he felt like a kid who just got caught with his hand in the cookie jar. As he waited, Tim nodded back with a cocked brow.
With a big smile, Helen replied, “Hello, Casey.”
After the awkward silence, Lila finally turned to Casey and blushed, her cheeks going warm beneath the heat of his gaze. “It was nice to meet you, Casey.” Lila’s cheeks flamed with heat even more, and she ducked her head, lowering her voice. “I guess I should get to the exam room with Helen. I’m assisting her with some research.”
“Yeah, it was great to meet you, too,” he said with enthusiasm. “Maybe we could go out for lunch or something. Can I have your number?”
“Yes, that sounds nice,” Lila replied, reaching into her satchel. Pulling out a pen and notepad, she wrote down her number. Handing it to Casey, she said, “I’ll look forward to hearing from you soon.”
“Great. I’ll give you a call later. Would you like my number, too?”
Lila nodded with a bashful smile as she nervously handed him the notepad and pen.
As they left, Casey had a sudden image of Lila’s beautiful brown eyes. Her voice, that clear, lovely voice, replayed in his mind.
Tim focused on Casey, who hadn’t moved from his position. The silence stretched out, and Casey stared down at the tiled floor, his boot heel making a circle.
“Ahem,” Tim cleared his throat again.
When Casey didn’t look up at him, he sensed him struggling to collect himself. He looked worried. And that bothered Tim. “Casey, would you like to talk?”
Casey’s eyes flipped up to his. “I think Lila and I just bonded,” he confessed.
“I figured as much by the way you two acted.” Tim chuckled lightly. “It’s not going to be easy courting Lila. You do realize she’s Victor Demont’s daughter?”
Wasn’t that the truth, Casey thought. Victor Demont was the head council for the Covenant in Pennsylvania. Although he didn’t know him or his family, Victor was well known as a distinguished nobleman. When he got wind of his daughter bonding with a male who made a career in modeling, shit would hit the fan.
“Yeah, I’m aware of that,” Casey muttered. “I’m sure he’ll be thrilled when he finds out.”
Tim crossed his arms over his chest. “Listen, we don’t get to pick our mates. Our Breedline natural instincts chose them for us. I can talk with Victor if you want.”
Casey let out a long sigh. “I may take you up on that offer.”
Tim could see the very real concern in Casey’s eyes. He reached out and placed his palm on his shoulder. “Once Victor gets to know you, I’m sure he’ll give you his blessing and welcome you into his family.”
“Thanks. I hope you’re right.”
Patting his shoulder, Tim smiled. “Don’t worry too much. Everything will work out.” Before he walked out of the kitchen, he turned around. “Congratulations, by the way. It would be a relief to see you finally settle down.”
Left in the room alone, Casey collapsed back down in his chair. Leaning forward, he put his face into his hands and groaned. Casey thought about Lila, savoring the magical sensation that hope for a real relationship could be a possibility no matter how unlikely it probably was. And he briefly considered that he could be setting himself up for far worse hurt because no one knew what he truly was. It would kill Lila if she found out his secret. And she wouldn’t be the only casualty. If the Breedline Covenant found out, the whole house of cards would fall.
****
Located in downtown San Francisco…
As Steven Pasquale sat in the back of a bus packed with passengers, he noticed a man across the aisle that appeared suspicious. He was pale and thin-boned, wearing black slacks and a long dark trench coat. His gothic attire sent cold shivers down Steven’s spine. The creepy stranger would look at Steven from out of the corner of his eye as if he was watching his every move. Steven sat without revealing his anxiety, wondering if the man was one of Dr. Autenburg’s hired henchmen. With his nerves on pins and needles, he quickly decided to get off at the next stop.
When Steven climbed out, the streets looked deserted, and he realized he’d gotten off in a bad part of town. After a half-hour of looking, he finally found a hotel. He’d almost walked past it, thinking it was just an abandoned apartment building before he saw the glow of the neon sign. The vacancy light flickered on and off, buzzing endlessly as if it was on the verge of burning out. Above the run-down entrance, written in bold letters and most of the paint worn completely off read, THE CROWN HOTEL.
Steven had gone on full alert, scanning his surroundings before making a decision to go inside. As he looked up, he saw boarded windows, and the stone building had eroded from obvious years of neglect and exposure to the cities pollution. The humid air stirred, sending the trash on the sidewalk skittering across the street. The air smelled of garbage and something else, something thick and sour that filled his throat and made him want to gag. Shifting his focus, he noticed several streetlights were out, though the one closest to the hotel’s front window cast a dim yellow glow shimmering over cracked glass.
The area seemed oddly deserted, Steven thought. Usually, in San Francisco, there was always someone else on the street, even at this hour of two in the morning. Swallowing the knot in his throat, he reached for the door. As he stepped inside, his head swiveled side to side, searching the front desk for an attendant. With no one in sight, he slowly walked up to the counter, his pulse quickening with each step and the beat of his heart pounding in his ears. The place looked haunted, cursed. Just as he was about to ring the bell, his hand froze, hovering in mid-air when he heard a deep, seething growl from behind. For a panicked moment, he wondered if he’d imagined it.
The corner of his mouth twitched as he lowered his hand and slowly turned around. “Hello,” he called out. “Is anyone there?”
In the near distant, Dr. Markus Ludwig—a twisted colleague of Dr. Hans Autenburg—stepped out of the shadows. He reached the height of nearly seven feet, wearing a black trench coat and a matching flat-brimmed Stetson hat. Following close by the mad physician, a deranged-looking man stood beside him. The shape of him evolved slowly; his bald head covered in tattoos, white-faced and the tips of two fangs surfaced when he raised his lip into a snarl. When he looked at Steven, his eyes were full of a glittering hate. He turned his face to the side and spat on the floor. Moving his jacket open slightly, he flashed the weapon he had attached to his belt as a sign of warning.
Another dark figure pushed their way through the shadows with the swiftness of a serpent and stood on the opposite side of Dr. Ludwig. Steven recognized him as the same creepy man that sat across from him on the bus. His eyes were blood-red that sparkled as he moved closer to the light. Focused on Steven, his lips curled up into a smug grin.
Steven said nothing. Though he hadn’t moved, he was breathing in short quick pants with the desire to shove his fist through the creep’s chest and wipe that grin off his face forever.
“Hello Steffen,” Dr. Ludwig spoke out, speaking in a heavily German accent. “Your time has run out,” he said, raising a warning hand. “Come vith us peacefully, and no harm vill be brought ubon you.”
Steven took a few steps back and shook his head vigorously. “You’re not taking me back. I’d rather die than go back to that hell hole,” he said through gritted teeth. “I’m through living like an animal trapped in a cage serving as your twisted science project.”
Dr. Ludwig saw the whitening of Steven’s knuckles as he clenched his fists and fought back his anger. In response, the mad doctor lifted his chin and let out a seedy, bone-chilling chuckle. When he lowered his head, his mouth closed, forming a thin line. With a murderous glare, Dr. Ludwig raised his giant hand and snapped his fingers.
Steven glanced behind Ludwig, dread curdling in the pit of his stomach as two enormous shadowy figures emerged. Through the darkness came two horrid, unnatural specimens of Dr. Ludwig. Against the laws of nature, he’d created hybrids out of Breedline wolves. On all fours, their eyes were glowing like fire, and from their throats came menacing growls that made the hair on the back of his neck rise.
As they stalked forward, low and snarling, Steven held his ground. “What are you waiting for?” he shouted in a distorted voice, crouching into a fight stance.
Every face turned toward Steven and froze. The three men standing looked astonished at his instant transformation. Steven’s emerald green eyes shifted into a shimmering white glow. His body transformed into a human-wolf-like hybrid. Without fur, his white skin changed to a dark gray and expanded until his frame grew twice the size.
Charging head-on, Steven pummeled into one of the hybrids in a snarling tangle. After he easily snapped its neck, the second hybrid raced toward him, ears flattened to its narrowed head. It was massive, dark brown with canines the size of a great white shark. When it struck Steven square in the chest, the noise was like nothing Dr. Ludwig had ever heard. The howls of rage changed to a whimpering defeat and ended in dead silence. As Steven effortlessly severed the hybrid’s spinal cord, he tossed it several feet away.
Dr. Ludwig managed to look furious and astounded at once. As he shrank back behind the tatted, bald henchman, he hollered, “Shoot him!”
With a sharp inhale, Steven lunged toward Dr. Ludwig as a shot rang out barely missing him. A crack sounded as Steven twisted the physician’s neck and dropped him to the floor in one swift motion.
Before the red-eyed henchman reacted, Steven shoved his fist through his chest. When he brought his hand back with a beating heart in his palm, the guy looked at Steven with wide, glassy dead eyes. Turning toward henchman number two, Steven looked down the end of a barrel and heard a loud pop, the echo ringing in his ears. Before his knees buckled, Steven lashed out with his dagger-size claws and clutched his chest with the other. As he sliced the man’s throat, warm blood spattered across his face. Steven’s vision blurred and he toppled forward as darkness completely overtook his sight.
To be continued...
Previously...
Now that the Breedline Covenant is aware of Eve’s disappearance, they realize Sebastian is still alive and strategize their next move.
As Dr. Helen Carrington searches for the cure to the Breedline aging process, she introduces her assistant Lila Demont to the Covenant’s head council, Tim Ross. While Helen and Tim have a private conversation, Lila accidently bumps into her future Breedline mate, Casey Barton.
Meanwhile, when Sebastian promises Eve he will come back for their twins, she disappears through the portal with him, escaping her punishment with the Breedline.
When Eve meets Sebastian’s twin brother Thomas, he tells her about Lilith and that her son Arius is born with the mark of the Chiang-shih demon, and what he will become. Refusing to let Sebastian raise Arius for power and greed, Eve is desperate to find a way to keep her son safe.
Continued...
Thoughts of her twin sons had soon commanded the majority of Eve’s mind. She played and replayed scenes from their too-short time together until her heart ached from the agony. Before she drifted off to sleep, Sebastian came back to the room she was in and slipped into bed. Curling up behind her, he gently stroked her arm using the tips of his fingers.
She shivered at his touch with goosebumps trailing down her skin. Inhaling deep, she let out a long sigh and shifted away.
“Please don’t be angry at me,” he whispered, scooting closer. “Don’t you understand? I only want what’s best for our son’s.”
It was hard to know exactly how long Eve remained silent. Twenty minutes? Maybe longer, she thought.
“Eve,” Sebastian pleaded. “Talk to me.”
After a moment, she rolled over and looked at him with pain in her eyes. Her chest ached, and she became breathless as tears spilled down her cheeks. Leaving the Covenant’s confinement, and escaping punishment, she was grateful to be back in the arms of her beloved. But now, his plans for their sons had hollowed out any joy she should have felt.
“I don’t want—“
Sebastian had Eve in his arms before she could finish her sentence. In his embrace, she took a deep breath. He smelled the same, that dark spice that was unique to him and him alone. His shoulders were just as wide as she remembered, and his waist just as lean. Sebastian’s firm body shook as he held her tightly for a moment, and then he pulled back. It was as if he feared of hurting her.
His eyes were frantic. “I love you, Eve.”
As romantic reunions went, perhaps those were the most flowery words other females would want to hear, but to her, they meant nothing if he sought out the wrong uprising for their children. In so many ways, he’d explained how Lilith could give them a powerful future, and told her everything she didn’t want to hear.
Looking into her eyes, he read all of the questions and fears in her stare.
“Just give me a chance,” Sebastian begged. “After you meet Lilith, you’ll understand why I’ve chosen this.”
Before she opened her mouth to speak, she stopped herself, realizing nothing she said would change his mind. She closed her eyes briefly, and let out a deep breath. “All right,” she finally said in a weary voice. “I will meet with this… Lilith, and listen to what she has to say.”
Placing his palm on her face, he smoothed his thumb gently over her cheek. The shudder that went through his body appeared as an expression of relief. “I promise you won’t be disappointed.”
****
When Helen saw Casey and Lila embracing, she realized she was witnessing a future unfold right before her very eyes. The pair of them had to have bonded, and this meant they were going to be a part of each other’s life forevermore.
Abruptly, Tim cleared his throat and caught Lila’s attention. When she turned around, Helen had her hand over her heart with a blissful expression on her face.
“Oh... ” Lila’s voice sounded startled. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know you were standing there.”
“You’re fine, Lila,” Helen muttered with an arched brow. “I see you’ve met Casey.”
“Y-yes, I have.”
Instantly removing his hands away from Lila, Casey dropped them to his sides and said, “Hello, Helen.” Turning in Tim’s direction, he nodded and waited for his reaction. At this moment, he felt like a kid who just got caught with his hand in the cookie jar. As he waited, Tim nodded back with a cocked brow.
With a big smile, Helen replied, “Hello, Casey.”
After the awkward silence, Lila finally turned to Casey and blushed, her cheeks going warm beneath the heat of his gaze. “It was nice to meet you, Casey.” Lila’s cheeks flamed with heat even more, and she ducked her head, lowering her voice. “I guess I should get to the exam room with Helen. I’m assisting her with some research.”
“Yeah, it was great to meet you, too,” he said with enthusiasm. “Maybe we could go out for lunch or something. Can I have your number?”
“Yes, that sounds nice,” Lila replied, reaching into her satchel. Pulling out a pen and notepad, she wrote down her number. Handing it to Casey, she said, “I’ll look forward to hearing from you soon.”
“Great. I’ll give you a call later. Would you like my number, too?”
Lila nodded with a bashful smile as she nervously handed him the notepad and pen.
As they left, Casey had a sudden image of Lila’s beautiful brown eyes. Her voice, that clear, lovely voice, replayed in his mind.
Tim focused on Casey, who hadn’t moved from his position. The silence stretched out, and Casey stared down at the tiled floor, his boot heel making a circle.
“Ahem,” Tim cleared his throat again.
When Casey didn’t look up at him, he sensed him struggling to collect himself. He looked worried. And that bothered Tim. “Casey, would you like to talk?”
Casey’s eyes flipped up to his. “I think Lila and I just bonded,” he confessed.
“I figured as much by the way you two acted.” Tim chuckled lightly. “It’s not going to be easy courting Lila. You do realize she’s Victor Demont’s daughter?”
Wasn’t that the truth, Casey thought. Victor Demont was the head council for the Covenant in Pennsylvania. Although he didn’t know him or his family, Victor was well known as a distinguished nobleman. When he got wind of his daughter bonding with a male who made a career in modeling, shit would hit the fan.
“Yeah, I’m aware of that,” Casey muttered. “I’m sure he’ll be thrilled when he finds out.”
Tim crossed his arms over his chest. “Listen, we don’t get to pick our mates. Our Breedline natural instincts chose them for us. I can talk with Victor if you want.”
Casey let out a long sigh. “I may take you up on that offer.”
Tim could see the very real concern in Casey’s eyes. He reached out and placed his palm on his shoulder. “Once Victor gets to know you, I’m sure he’ll give you his blessing and welcome you into his family.”
“Thanks. I hope you’re right.”
Patting his shoulder, Tim smiled. “Don’t worry too much. Everything will work out.” Before he walked out of the kitchen, he turned around. “Congratulations, by the way. It would be a relief to see you finally settle down.”
Left in the room alone, Casey collapsed back down in his chair. Leaning forward, he put his face into his hands and groaned. Casey thought about Lila, savoring the magical sensation that hope for a real relationship could be a possibility no matter how unlikely it probably was. And he briefly considered that he could be setting himself up for far worse hurt because no one knew what he truly was. It would kill Lila if she found out his secret. And she wouldn’t be the only casualty. If the Breedline Covenant found out, the whole house of cards would fall.
****
Located in downtown San Francisco…
As Steven Pasquale sat in the back of a bus packed with passengers, he noticed a man across the aisle that appeared suspicious. He was pale and thin-boned, wearing black slacks and a long dark trench coat. His gothic attire sent cold shivers down Steven’s spine. The creepy stranger would look at Steven from out of the corner of his eye as if he was watching his every move. Steven sat without revealing his anxiety, wondering if the man was one of Dr. Autenburg’s hired henchmen. With his nerves on pins and needles, he quickly decided to get off at the next stop.
When Steven climbed out, the streets looked deserted, and he realized he’d gotten off in a bad part of town. After a half-hour of looking, he finally found a hotel. He’d almost walked past it, thinking it was just an abandoned apartment building before he saw the glow of the neon sign. The vacancy light flickered on and off, buzzing endlessly as if it was on the verge of burning out. Above the run-down entrance, written in bold letters and most of the paint worn completely off read, THE CROWN HOTEL.
Steven had gone on full alert, scanning his surroundings before making a decision to go inside. As he looked up, he saw boarded windows, and the stone building had eroded from obvious years of neglect and exposure to the cities pollution. The humid air stirred, sending the trash on the sidewalk skittering across the street. The air smelled of garbage and something else, something thick and sour that filled his throat and made him want to gag. Shifting his focus, he noticed several streetlights were out, though the one closest to the hotel’s front window cast a dim yellow glow shimmering over cracked glass.
The area seemed oddly deserted, Steven thought. Usually, in San Francisco, there was always someone else on the street, even at this hour of two in the morning. Swallowing the knot in his throat, he reached for the door. As he stepped inside, his head swiveled side to side, searching the front desk for an attendant. With no one in sight, he slowly walked up to the counter, his pulse quickening with each step and the beat of his heart pounding in his ears. The place looked haunted, cursed. Just as he was about to ring the bell, his hand froze, hovering in mid-air when he heard a deep, seething growl from behind. For a panicked moment, he wondered if he’d imagined it.
The corner of his mouth twitched as he lowered his hand and slowly turned around. “Hello,” he called out. “Is anyone there?”
In the near distant, Dr. Markus Ludwig—a twisted colleague of Dr. Hans Autenburg—stepped out of the shadows. He reached the height of nearly seven feet, wearing a black trench coat and a matching flat-brimmed Stetson hat. Following close by the mad physician, a deranged-looking man stood beside him. The shape of him evolved slowly; his bald head covered in tattoos, white-faced and the tips of two fangs surfaced when he raised his lip into a snarl. When he looked at Steven, his eyes were full of a glittering hate. He turned his face to the side and spat on the floor. Moving his jacket open slightly, he flashed the weapon he had attached to his belt as a sign of warning.
Another dark figure pushed their way through the shadows with the swiftness of a serpent and stood on the opposite side of Dr. Ludwig. Steven recognized him as the same creepy man that sat across from him on the bus. His eyes were blood-red that sparkled as he moved closer to the light. Focused on Steven, his lips curled up into a smug grin.
Steven said nothing. Though he hadn’t moved, he was breathing in short quick pants with the desire to shove his fist through the creep’s chest and wipe that grin off his face forever.
“Hello Steffen,” Dr. Ludwig spoke out, speaking in a heavily German accent. “Your time has run out,” he said, raising a warning hand. “Come vith us peacefully, and no harm vill be brought ubon you.”
Steven took a few steps back and shook his head vigorously. “You’re not taking me back. I’d rather die than go back to that hell hole,” he said through gritted teeth. “I’m through living like an animal trapped in a cage serving as your twisted science project.”
Dr. Ludwig saw the whitening of Steven’s knuckles as he clenched his fists and fought back his anger. In response, the mad doctor lifted his chin and let out a seedy, bone-chilling chuckle. When he lowered his head, his mouth closed, forming a thin line. With a murderous glare, Dr. Ludwig raised his giant hand and snapped his fingers.
Steven glanced behind Ludwig, dread curdling in the pit of his stomach as two enormous shadowy figures emerged. Through the darkness came two horrid, unnatural specimens of Dr. Ludwig. Against the laws of nature, he’d created hybrids out of Breedline wolves. On all fours, their eyes were glowing like fire, and from their throats came menacing growls that made the hair on the back of his neck rise.
As they stalked forward, low and snarling, Steven held his ground. “What are you waiting for?” he shouted in a distorted voice, crouching into a fight stance.
Every face turned toward Steven and froze. The three men standing looked astonished at his instant transformation. Steven’s emerald green eyes shifted into a shimmering white glow. His body transformed into a human-wolf-like hybrid. Without fur, his white skin changed to a dark gray and expanded until his frame grew twice the size.
Charging head-on, Steven pummeled into one of the hybrids in a snarling tangle. After he easily snapped its neck, the second hybrid raced toward him, ears flattened to its narrowed head. It was massive, dark brown with canines the size of a great white shark. When it struck Steven square in the chest, the noise was like nothing Dr. Ludwig had ever heard. The howls of rage changed to a whimpering defeat and ended in dead silence. As Steven effortlessly severed the hybrid’s spinal cord, he tossed it several feet away.
Dr. Ludwig managed to look furious and astounded at once. As he shrank back behind the tatted, bald henchman, he hollered, “Shoot him!”
With a sharp inhale, Steven lunged toward Dr. Ludwig as a shot rang out barely missing him. A crack sounded as Steven twisted the physician’s neck and dropped him to the floor in one swift motion.
Before the red-eyed henchman reacted, Steven shoved his fist through his chest. When he brought his hand back with a beating heart in his palm, the guy looked at Steven with wide, glassy dead eyes. Turning toward henchman number two, Steven looked down the end of a barrel and heard a loud pop, the echo ringing in his ears. Before his knees buckled, Steven lashed out with his dagger-size claws and clutched his chest with the other. As he sliced the man’s throat, warm blood spattered across his face. Steven’s vision blurred and he toppled forward as darkness completely overtook his sight.
To be continued...
Now that the Breedline Covenant is aware of Eve’s disappearance, they realize Sebastian is still alive and strategize their next move.
As Dr. Helen Carrington searches for the cure to the Breedline aging process, she introduces her assistant Lila Demont to the Covenant’s head council, Tim Ross. While Helen and Tim have a private conversation, Lila accidently bumps into her future Breedline mate, Casey Barton.
Meanwhile, when Sebastian promises Eve he will come back for their twins, she disappears through the portal with him, escaping her punishment with the Breedline.
When Eve meets Sebastian’s twin brother Thomas, he tells her about Lilith and that her son Arius is born with the mark of the Chiang-shih demon, and what he will become. Refusing to let Sebastian raise Arius for power and greed, Eve is desperate to find a way to keep her son safe.
Continued...
Thoughts of her twin sons had soon commanded the majority of Eve’s mind. She played and replayed scenes from their too-short time together until her heart ached from the agony. Before she drifted off to sleep, Sebastian came back to the room she was in and slipped into bed. Curling up behind her, he gently stroked her arm using the tips of his fingers.
She shivered at his touch with goosebumps trailing down her skin. Inhaling deep, she let out a long sigh and shifted away.
“Please don’t be angry at me,” he whispered, scooting closer. “Don’t you understand? I only want what’s best for our son’s.”
It was hard to know exactly how long Eve remained silent. Twenty minutes? Maybe longer, she thought.
“Eve,” Sebastian pleaded. “Talk to me.”
After a moment, she rolled over and looked at him with pain in her eyes. Her chest ached, and she became breathless as tears spilled down her cheeks. Leaving the Covenant’s confinement, and escaping punishment, she was grateful to be back in the arms of her beloved. But now, his plans for their sons had hollowed out any joy she should have felt.
“I don’t want—“
Sebastian had Eve in his arms before she could finish her sentence. In his embrace, she took a deep breath. He smelled the same, that dark spice that was unique to him and him alone. His shoulders were just as wide as she remembered, and his waist just as lean. Sebastian’s firm body shook as he held her tightly for a moment, and then he pulled back. It was as if he feared of hurting her.
His eyes were frantic. “I love you, Eve.”
As romantic reunions went, perhaps those were the most flowery words other females would want to hear, but to her, they meant nothing if he sought out the wrong uprising for their children. In so many ways, he’d explained how Lilith could give them a powerful future, and told her everything she didn’t want to hear.
Looking into her eyes, he read all of the questions and fears in her stare.
“Just give me a chance,” Sebastian begged. “After you meet Lilith, you’ll understand why I’ve chosen this.”
Before she opened her mouth to speak, she stopped herself, realizing nothing she said would change his mind. She closed her eyes briefly, and let out a deep breath. “All right,” she finally said in a weary voice. “I will meet with this… Lilith, and listen to what she has to say.”
Placing his palm on her face, he smoothed his thumb gently over her cheek. The shudder that went through his body appeared as an expression of relief. “I promise you won’t be disappointed.”
****
When Helen saw Casey and Lila embracing, she realized she was witnessing a future unfold right before her very eyes. The pair of them had to have bonded, and this meant they were going to be a part of each other’s life forevermore.
Abruptly, Tim cleared his throat and caught Lila’s attention. When she turned around, Helen had her hand over her heart with a blissful expression on her face.
“Oh... ” Lila’s voice sounded startled. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know you were standing there.”
“You’re fine, Lila,” Helen muttered with an arched brow. “I see you’ve met Casey.”
“Y-yes, I have.”
Instantly removing his hands away from Lila, Casey dropped them to his sides and said, “Hello, Helen.” Turning in Tim’s direction, he nodded and waited for his reaction. At this moment, he felt like a kid who just got caught with his hand in the cookie jar. As he waited, Tim nodded back with a cocked brow.
With a big smile, Helen replied, “Hello, Casey.”
After the awkward silence, Lila finally turned to Casey and blushed, her cheeks going warm beneath the heat of his gaze. “It was nice to meet you, Casey.” Lila’s cheeks flamed with heat even more, and she ducked her head, lowering her voice. “I guess I should get to the exam room with Helen. I’m assisting her with some research.”
“Yeah, it was great to meet you, too,” he said with enthusiasm. “Maybe we could go out for lunch or something. Can I have your number?”
“Yes, that sounds nice,” Lila replied, reaching into her satchel. Pulling out a pen and notepad, she wrote down her number. Handing it to Casey, she said, “I’ll look forward to hearing from you soon.”
“Great. I’ll give you a call later. Would you like my number, too?”
Lila nodded with a bashful smile as she nervously handed him the notepad and pen.
As they left, Casey had a sudden image of Lila’s beautiful brown eyes. Her voice, that clear, lovely voice, replayed in his mind.
Tim focused on Casey, who hadn’t moved from his position. The silence stretched out, and Casey stared down at the tiled floor, his boot heel making a circle.
“Ahem,” Tim cleared his throat again.
When Casey didn’t look up at him, he sensed him struggling to collect himself. He looked worried. And that bothered Tim. “Casey, would you like to talk?”
Casey’s eyes flipped up to his. “I think Lila and I just bonded,” he confessed.
“I figured as much by the way you two acted.” Tim chuckled lightly. “It’s not going to be easy courting Lila. You do realize she’s Victor Demont’s daughter?”
Wasn’t that the truth, Casey thought. Victor Demont was the head council for the Covenant in Pennsylvania. Although he didn’t know him or his family, Victor was well known as a distinguished nobleman. When he got wind of his daughter bonding with a male who made a career in modeling, shit would hit the fan.
“Yeah, I’m aware of that,” Casey muttered. “I’m sure he’ll be thrilled when he finds out.”
Tim crossed his arms over his chest. “Listen, we don’t get to pick our mates. Our Breedline natural instincts chose them for us. I can talk with Victor if you want.”
Casey let out a long sigh. “I may take you up on that offer.”
Tim could see the very real concern in Casey’s eyes. He reached out and placed his palm on his shoulder. “Once Victor gets to know you, I’m sure he’ll give you his blessing and welcome you into his family.”
“Thanks. I hope you’re right.”
Patting his shoulder, Tim smiled. “Don’t worry too much. Everything will work out.” Before he walked out of the kitchen, he turned around. “Congratulations, by the way. It would be a relief to see you finally settle down.”
Left in the room alone, Casey collapsed back down in his chair. Leaning forward, he put his face into his hands and groaned. Casey thought about Lila, savoring the magical sensation that hope for a real relationship could be a possibility no matter how unlikely it probably was. And he briefly considered that he could be setting himself up for far worse hurt because no one knew what he truly was. It would kill Lila if she found out his secret. And she wouldn’t be the only casualty. If the Breedline Covenant found out, the whole house of cards would fall.
****
Located in downtown San Francisco…
As Steven Pasquale sat in the back of a bus packed with passengers, he noticed a man across the aisle that appeared suspicious. He was pale and thin-boned, wearing black slacks and a long dark trench coat. His gothic attire sent cold shivers down Steven’s spine. The creepy stranger would look at Steven from out of the corner of his eye as if he was watching his every move. Steven sat without revealing his anxiety, wondering if the man was one of Dr. Autenburg’s hired henchmen. With his nerves on pins and needles, he quickly decided to get off at the next stop.
When Steven climbed out, the streets looked deserted, and he realized he’d gotten off in a bad part of town. After a half-hour of looking, he finally found a hotel. He’d almost walked past it, thinking it was just an abandoned apartment building before he saw the glow of the neon sign. The vacancy light flickered on and off, buzzing endlessly as if it was on the verge of burning out. Above the run-down entrance, written in bold letters and most of the paint worn completely off read, THE CROWN HOTEL.
Steven had gone on full alert, scanning his surroundings before making a decision to go inside. As he looked up, he saw boarded windows, and the stone building had eroded from obvious years of neglect and exposure to the cities pollution. The humid air stirred, sending the trash on the sidewalk skittering across the street. The air smelled of garbage and something else, something thick and sour that filled his throat and made him want to gag. Shifting his focus, he noticed several streetlights were out, though the one closest to the hotel’s front window cast a dim yellow glow shimmering over cracked glass.
The area seemed oddly deserted, Steven thought. Usually, in San Francisco, there was always someone else on the street, even at this hour of two in the morning. Swallowing the knot in his throat, he reached for the door. As he stepped inside, his head swiveled side to side, searching the front desk for an attendant. With no one in sight, he slowly walked up to the counter, his pulse quickening with each step and the beat of his heart pounding in his ears. The place looked haunted, cursed. Just as he was about to ring the bell, his hand froze, hovering in mid-air when he heard a deep, seething growl from behind. For a panicked moment, he wondered if he’d imagined it.
The corner of his mouth twitched as he lowered his hand and slowly turned around. “Hello,” he called out. “Is anyone there?”
In the near distant, Dr. Markus Ludwig—a twisted colleague of Dr. Hans Autenburg—stepped out of the shadows. He reached the height of nearly seven feet, wearing a black trench coat and a matching flat-brimmed Stetson hat. Following close by the mad physician, a deranged-looking man stood beside him. The shape of him evolved slowly; his bald head covered in tattoos, white-faced and the tips of two fangs surfaced when he raised his lip into a snarl. When he looked at Steven, his eyes were full of a glittering hate. He turned his face to the side and spat on the floor. Moving his jacket open slightly, he flashed the weapon he had attached to his belt as a sign of warning.
Another dark figure pushed their way through the shadows with the swiftness of a serpent and stood on the opposite side of Dr. Ludwig. Steven recognized him as the same creepy man that sat across from him on the bus. His eyes were blood-red that sparkled as he moved closer to the light. Focused on Steven, his lips curled up into a smug grin.
Steven said nothing. Though he hadn’t moved, he was breathing in short quick pants with the desire to shove his fist through the creep’s chest and wipe that grin off his face forever.
“Hello Steffen,” Dr. Ludwig spoke out, speaking in a heavily German accent. “Your time has run out,” he said, raising a warning hand. “Come vith us peacefully, and no harm vill be brought ubon you.”
Steven took a few steps back and shook his head vigorously. “You’re not taking me back. I’d rather die than go back to that hell hole,” he said through gritted teeth. “I’m through living like an animal trapped in a cage serving as your twisted science project.”
Dr. Ludwig saw the whitening of Steven’s knuckles as he clenched his fists and fought back his anger. In response, the mad doctor lifted his chin and let out a seedy, bone-chilling chuckle. When he lowered his head, his mouth closed, forming a thin line. With a murderous glare, Dr. Ludwig raised his giant hand and snapped his fingers.
Steven glanced behind Ludwig, dread curdling in the pit of his stomach as two enormous shadowy figures emerged. Through the darkness came two horrid, unnatural specimens of Dr. Ludwig. Against the laws of nature, he’d created hybrids out of Breedline wolves. On all fours, their eyes were glowing like fire, and from their throats came menacing growls that made the hair on the back of his neck rise.
As they stalked forward, low and snarling, Steven held his ground. “What are you waiting for?” he shouted in a distorted voice, crouching into a fight stance.
Every face turned toward Steven and froze. The three men standing looked astonished at his instant transformation. Steven’s emerald green eyes shifted into a shimmering white glow. His body transformed into a human-wolf-like hybrid. Without fur, his white skin changed to a dark gray and expanded until his frame grew twice the size.
Charging head-on, Steven pummeled into one of the hybrids in a snarling tangle. After he easily snapped its neck, the second hybrid raced toward him, ears flattened to its narrowed head. It was massive, dark brown with canines the size of a great white shark. When it struck Steven square in the chest, the noise was like nothing Dr. Ludwig had ever heard. The howls of rage changed to a whimpering defeat and ended in dead silence. As Steven effortlessly severed the hybrid’s spinal cord, he tossed it several feet away.
Dr. Ludwig managed to look furious and astounded at once. As he shrank back behind the tatted, bald henchman, he hollered, “Shoot him!”
With a sharp inhale, Steven lunged toward Dr. Ludwig as a shot rang out barely missing him. A crack sounded as Steven twisted the physician’s neck and dropped him to the floor in one swift motion.
Before the red-eyed henchman reacted, Steven shoved his fist through his chest. When he brought his hand back with a beating heart in his palm, the guy looked at Steven with wide, glassy dead eyes. Turning toward henchman number two, Steven looked down the end of a barrel and heard a loud pop, the echo ringing in his ears. Before his knees buckled, Steven lashed out with his dagger-size claws and clutched his chest with the other. As he sliced the man’s throat, warm blood spattered across his face. Steven’s vision blurred and he toppled forward as darkness completely overtook his sight.
To be continued...
Note: This is not part of the chapter. A reference for terms and 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 amongst human, their species must be kept secret.
In wolf form, they have super strength, speed, and heightened senses. Their lifespan is the same as a normal human, but they are immune to illness and disease. Only a silver bullet to the brain will kill them. 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 are so strong, 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 Queen 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 QUEENS 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 human 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 human 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 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 firstborn 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. And 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 completely 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 do not have the ability to 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 have the ability to 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. The Breedline Queen's bite is the only way to destroy it.
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 have the ability to 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 do not have the ability to 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 glowing lavender when their Theriomorph nature takes over. The Breedline see them as a threat to their species.
Jace Chamberlain (a.k.a The Beast) - He is a Breedline species which later discovers his birth father - who is possessed by the Chiang-shih demon - murdered his mother when he and his twin brother were four years old. Raised by their new foster family and their uncle Jacks, he later discovers he was born with a curse of the Beast. With the help of his twin brother Jem, and his bonded mate Tessa, they help him cope with his rage to keep the Beast at bay. He's an IT engineer and is the lead singer and plays acoustic guitar in the band Chaos.
Jem Chamberlain (a.k.a The Chosen Son) - He is a Breedline species and Jace's twin brother. He carries the gene of the Chiang-shih demon that gives him the power to create a portal, and a force of electric energy used as a weapon and other powers he discovers later. His bonded mate is Mia Blackwood, and he's an IT engineer and the drummer in the band Chaos.
Tessa Fairchild - She was born into the human world and later discovers she's a Breedline. Abandoned by her parents, she was raised by her Aunt and Uncle without the knowledge of being born a twin. After she meets Jace, they become bonded mates. During her first change into her Breedline wolf, she is the new Breedline Queen. She is an inspiring artist.
Dr. John and Sarah Chamberlain - They are Jace, Jem and Cassie's adopted human parents. They are physicians in a children's unit, and also donates their time to the emergency center.
Chester and Amelia Ewan - They are called Guardians - a species 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 Wiccan.
Jackson Gray - He is Jace and Jem's biological uncle, Katlyn Gray's older brother. Although he carries the gene of the Breedline, he does not shift into a wolf. Only Breedlines born with an identical twin have the ability to change into their wolf. He's a medical supply pilot.
Mia Blackwood - She is a half-breed and Jem's bonded mate. Abandoned at birth and raised in human foster care, she later finds her twin sister, Eve.
EVE - She is a half-breed and Sebastian's bonded mate. Growing up in human foster care, she spent her entire childhood abused until Sebastian saves her. Scorned from her past, she lashes out in anger, living a life of crime later to discover her twin sister, Mia Blackwood. After realizing the Chiang-shih demon possesses Sebastian, Eve clings to the past in hopes of reuniting with her beloved. Now that Sebastian is finally free of the demon, she has trust issues, worried he has an alternative plan for their sons.
Sebastian Crow - He is a half-breed, and Eve's bonded mate. After he had been killed by Jace in self- defense, he was possessed by the Chiang-shih demon after the Angel of Mercy cast him out of Alexander's body. As he tried to portray Sebastian's life, Eve finally figured out his secret. Keeping her captive only to survive on her blood, he later develops feelings for her. The demon creates a death army, determined to dominate the world and unleash his wrath amongst humans and the Breedline. Now free from the demon, he is determined to reunite with his beloved Eve who is kept prisoner by the Breedline Covenant awaiting trial for her past crimes against them.
Alexander Crest - He is a Breedline who was possessed by the Chiang-shih demon before birth. Murdering his family, Alexander kidnapped his twin's bonded mate, Katlyn Gray. Keeping her prisoner against her will, she becomes pregnant with his twins. As she managed to escape before she gave birth, Alexander eventually kills her in a fit of rage. Returning for his chosen son twenty-two years later, he is determined to convince him to join his army. After the battle between the Breedline, the demon is finally cast out of Alexander setting his soul free. For the demon's past crimes, Alexander is pardoned and must reside in the Breedline Covenant. Praying for forgiveness, he reunites with his twin sons, Jace and Jem. As he fights to keep his new family safe, romance blossoms with Dr. Helen Carrington.
Tim Ross - He is a Breedline species and head council of the California Covenant. Angel, his bonded mate - who is a half-breed - has Tim's daughter they named Natalie, after her sister.
Angel - She is a half-breed and Tim's bonded mate.
Natalie - She is a half-breed and Tim and Angel's daughter.
Kyle Jones - He is a Breedline species that resides in the California Covenant. Having lost his family to a house fire at childhood, his uncle Tim Ross has raised him since. Celina Baldolf is his bonded mate. He's a mechanic and also Jace and Jem's close friend, and plays bass in the rock band Chaos.
Casey Barton - He was born of the Breedline species, and lives in the California Covenant. He was adopted by Tim Ross's brother and carries a deep dark secret, afraid to reveal to the Breedline. He is a clothing model and plays backup bass and keyboards in the band Chaos.
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.
Drakon Hexus - He is a Breedline species. At a young age, his first bonded mate was killed by her father. In a rage, he hunts and kills her murderer, breaking the Breedline's True Law. Shunned by his Covenant and forced to live as a rogue wolf, he's promised his humanity back if he joins the Chiang-shih demon's army. After Drakon discovers the demon's plans to destroy all humans and half-breeds, he betrays him and joins forces with the Breedline. As time passes, he bonds with another mate, Cassie Chamberlain.
Cassie Chamberlain - Adopted at age two by Jace and Jem's adopted parents after her mother abandons her. Later, she discovers she is a Breedline species and bonds with the handsome Drakon Hexus. She is a nurse practitioner, specializing in the neonatal intensive care unit.
Malachi O'Conner - He was born a Breedline species, and shunned by the Breedline Covenant after breaking their True Law. Alexander Crest's demon later forced him into joining his army of rogue wolves. After he had tried to escape, he endured cruel torture from the Alexander's Chiang-shih demon. He was later rescued by the Breedline and pardoned for his past crimes.
Celina Baldolf - She is a Breedline species with the power of a Wiccan, but only practices white witchcraft. Her twin sister Taliah - a dark Wicca - murdered their parents when they were twelve years old. Dr. Helen Carrington is their aunt, and Kyle Jones is Celina's Breedline bonded mate. She is an editor for a local publishing company.
Taliah Baldolf - She is a Breedline species and the mother of the Katako. Using her powers as a dark Wiccan, she joins forces with the Chiang-shih demon to create his death army. After she threatens to kill the Breedline Queen, the Beast overpowers her and sends her to her death.
Samuel Mercier - He is a Breedline and a council member from France that has secretly turned against his own Covenant to help the Chiang-shih demon. He and his other Breedline traitors go into hiding after the Breedline destroy the demon, desperate to seek revenge against the Covenant.
Fredrick Mercier - He is a Breedline and Samuel Mercier's identical twin. Also, he's a council member from France that has secretly turned against the Covenant to help the Chiang-shih demon.
Corbin Azzo - He is a Breedline and a council member that has turned against the Covenant to help the Chiang-shih demon.
Pays
one point
and 2 member cents. 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 amongst human, their species must be kept secret.
In wolf form, they have super strength, speed, and heightened senses. Their lifespan is the same as a normal human, but they are immune to illness and disease. Only a silver bullet to the brain will kill them. 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 are so strong, 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 Queen 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 QUEENS 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 human 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 human 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 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 firstborn 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. And 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 completely 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 do not have the ability to 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 have the ability to 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. The Breedline Queen's bite is the only way to destroy it.
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 have the ability to 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 do not have the ability to 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 glowing lavender when their Theriomorph nature takes over. The Breedline see them as a threat to their species.
Jace Chamberlain (a.k.a The Beast) - He is a Breedline species which later discovers his birth father - who is possessed by the Chiang-shih demon - murdered his mother when he and his twin brother were four years old. Raised by their new foster family and their uncle Jacks, he later discovers he was born with a curse of the Beast. With the help of his twin brother Jem, and his bonded mate Tessa, they help him cope with his rage to keep the Beast at bay. He's an IT engineer and is the lead singer and plays acoustic guitar in the band Chaos.
Jem Chamberlain (a.k.a The Chosen Son) - He is a Breedline species and Jace's twin brother. He carries the gene of the Chiang-shih demon that gives him the power to create a portal, and a force of electric energy used as a weapon and other powers he discovers later. His bonded mate is Mia Blackwood, and he's an IT engineer and the drummer in the band Chaos.
Tessa Fairchild - She was born into the human world and later discovers she's a Breedline. Abandoned by her parents, she was raised by her Aunt and Uncle without the knowledge of being born a twin. After she meets Jace, they become bonded mates. During her first change into her Breedline wolf, she is the new Breedline Queen. She is an inspiring artist.
Dr. John and Sarah Chamberlain - They are Jace, Jem and Cassie's adopted human parents. They are physicians in a children's unit, and also donates their time to the emergency center.
Chester and Amelia Ewan - They are called Guardians - a species 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 Wiccan.
Jackson Gray - He is Jace and Jem's biological uncle, Katlyn Gray's older brother. Although he carries the gene of the Breedline, he does not shift into a wolf. Only Breedlines born with an identical twin have the ability to change into their wolf. He's a medical supply pilot.
Mia Blackwood - She is a half-breed and Jem's bonded mate. Abandoned at birth and raised in human foster care, she later finds her twin sister, Eve.
EVE - She is a half-breed and Sebastian's bonded mate. Growing up in human foster care, she spent her entire childhood abused until Sebastian saves her. Scorned from her past, she lashes out in anger, living a life of crime later to discover her twin sister, Mia Blackwood. After realizing the Chiang-shih demon possesses Sebastian, Eve clings to the past in hopes of reuniting with her beloved. Now that Sebastian is finally free of the demon, she has trust issues, worried he has an alternative plan for their sons.
Sebastian Crow - He is a half-breed, and Eve's bonded mate. After he had been killed by Jace in self- defense, he was possessed by the Chiang-shih demon after the Angel of Mercy cast him out of Alexander's body. As he tried to portray Sebastian's life, Eve finally figured out his secret. Keeping her captive only to survive on her blood, he later develops feelings for her. The demon creates a death army, determined to dominate the world and unleash his wrath amongst humans and the Breedline. Now free from the demon, he is determined to reunite with his beloved Eve who is kept prisoner by the Breedline Covenant awaiting trial for her past crimes against them.
Alexander Crest - He is a Breedline who was possessed by the Chiang-shih demon before birth. Murdering his family, Alexander kidnapped his twin's bonded mate, Katlyn Gray. Keeping her prisoner against her will, she becomes pregnant with his twins. As she managed to escape before she gave birth, Alexander eventually kills her in a fit of rage. Returning for his chosen son twenty-two years later, he is determined to convince him to join his army. After the battle between the Breedline, the demon is finally cast out of Alexander setting his soul free. For the demon's past crimes, Alexander is pardoned and must reside in the Breedline Covenant. Praying for forgiveness, he reunites with his twin sons, Jace and Jem. As he fights to keep his new family safe, romance blossoms with Dr. Helen Carrington.
Tim Ross - He is a Breedline species and head council of the California Covenant. Angel, his bonded mate - who is a half-breed - has Tim's daughter they named Natalie, after her sister.
Angel - She is a half-breed and Tim's bonded mate.
Natalie - She is a half-breed and Tim and Angel's daughter.
Kyle Jones - He is a Breedline species that resides in the California Covenant. Having lost his family to a house fire at childhood, his uncle Tim Ross has raised him since. Celina Baldolf is his bonded mate. He's a mechanic and also Jace and Jem's close friend, and plays bass in the rock band Chaos.
Casey Barton - He was born of the Breedline species, and lives in the California Covenant. He was adopted by Tim Ross's brother and carries a deep dark secret, afraid to reveal to the Breedline. He is a clothing model and plays backup bass and keyboards in the band Chaos.
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.
Drakon Hexus - He is a Breedline species. At a young age, his first bonded mate was killed by her father. In a rage, he hunts and kills her murderer, breaking the Breedline's True Law. Shunned by his Covenant and forced to live as a rogue wolf, he's promised his humanity back if he joins the Chiang-shih demon's army. After Drakon discovers the demon's plans to destroy all humans and half-breeds, he betrays him and joins forces with the Breedline. As time passes, he bonds with another mate, Cassie Chamberlain.
Cassie Chamberlain - Adopted at age two by Jace and Jem's adopted parents after her mother abandons her. Later, she discovers she is a Breedline species and bonds with the handsome Drakon Hexus. She is a nurse practitioner, specializing in the neonatal intensive care unit.
Malachi O'Conner - He was born a Breedline species, and shunned by the Breedline Covenant after breaking their True Law. Alexander Crest's demon later forced him into joining his army of rogue wolves. After he had tried to escape, he endured cruel torture from the Alexander's Chiang-shih demon. He was later rescued by the Breedline and pardoned for his past crimes.
Celina Baldolf - She is a Breedline species with the power of a Wiccan, but only practices white witchcraft. Her twin sister Taliah - a dark Wicca - murdered their parents when they were twelve years old. Dr. Helen Carrington is their aunt, and Kyle Jones is Celina's Breedline bonded mate. She is an editor for a local publishing company.
Taliah Baldolf - She is a Breedline species and the mother of the Katako. Using her powers as a dark Wiccan, she joins forces with the Chiang-shih demon to create his death army. After she threatens to kill the Breedline Queen, the Beast overpowers her and sends her to her death.
Samuel Mercier - He is a Breedline and a council member from France that has secretly turned against his own Covenant to help the Chiang-shih demon. He and his other Breedline traitors go into hiding after the Breedline destroy the demon, desperate to seek revenge against the Covenant.
Fredrick Mercier - He is a Breedline and Samuel Mercier's identical twin. Also, he's a council member from France that has secretly turned against the Covenant to help the Chiang-shih demon.
Corbin Azzo - He is a Breedline and a council member that has turned against the Covenant to help the Chiang-shih demon.
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