| Supernatural Fiction posted October 27, 2020 | Chapters: |
...34 35 -36- 37... 
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The Curse/A Novel of the Breedline series
A chapter in the book THE CURSE
The Shadow/Part 4
by scongrove
| Background Thanks for taking the time to read my chapter. If you see mistakes, please let me know. I realize it's long, but I didn't know how to break it up. I think you'll find it reads fast. Stay safe & enjoy! |
Tim and Tessa anxiously stood in the Covenant’s library, waiting for everyone to arrive. Not only did they want to discuss the situation dealing with Jena’s curse, they wanted to alert everyone about the guy Jena had previously encountered. By what she had described to Tessa, he didn’t sound human. To make matters worse, she sensed he was hunting for food, particularly the humankind. After Detective Manuel Sanchez and his partner, Frank Perkins discovered Kevin Russo’s body in the parking lot of the apartment complex where Frank’s niece lived, Tim had a hunch that the mysterious stranger was linked to the crime scene.
“Let’s go ahead a take a seat,” Tim said, pulling out a chair for Tessa. “I have a feeling it’s going to be awhile before everyone shows up.”
“Well, we didn’t give them much notice,” Tessa said as she sat down and scooted her chair up to the table. “Plus, some of us had to find babysitters.”
Tim sat down across from her and said, “It’s fine. There’s no hurry.”
Lawrence and Roman were the first ones to arrive to the meeting. Following behind them were, Bull, Justice, and Lena. All five team members were new to the California Covenant, but were already considered part of the Breedline family.
Angie rushed in and caught up with Bull. “Sorry I’m late,” she whispered to him. “My flight was delayed twice.”
He reached for her hand. “Don’t worry, sweetheart. You’re fine. We just got here ourselves.” He intertwined his fingers with hers. “I’m just glad you made it. By the way, happy Valentine’s Day.”
“Aw…” she sighed. “Happy Valentine’s Day, honey.”
As they approached the table, Angie searched the room. “Where’s Jena?”
“Don’t worry.” He lightly squeezed her hand. “I’m sure she will be here with Nicolas shortly.”
Angie smiled up at Bull, realizing how much she loved this man. Bull was a giant compared to the average male and built like a brick house, not to mention sexy as hell. With a common military background, and a soldier of war, Bull was the type of person who stood up for all mankind. His compassion for others spoke volumes for his character. He was genuine and trustworthy unlike anyone she’d ever met, besides her best friend, Jena. Although their relationship was new, there was no doubt he was the one for her. They fit good together. Damn good.
“Go ahead a take a seat,” Tim directed them, bringing Angie back to focus. “We’ll get started as soon as everyone gets here.”
As they settled behind a table that would easily seat thirty people, Drakon came into the room. The beard he’d recently grown out, along with his dark Mohawk made him look more lethal and menacing than usual. He was big, towering to the height of six-seven and stronger than all the other men residing in the Covenant. Although Drakon was born a Breedline, an unfortunate incident from his past had altered his transformation. He’d been cursed to live the remainder of his life as a rogue wolf. But, unlike most rogues, who were banished by their Covenant and forbidden to ever shift back into their human forms, Drakon was an exception to the rule. Due to his undying loyalty to the Breedline, vowing to protect their species and humans from the dark forces, he was given a second chance. Now that he’d found love again, his life had taken on a whole new meaning, especially after he’d recently found out he was going to be a father. Before he took a seat next to Roman, he dipped his head in Tessa’s direction and took a seat alongside Tim.
Jem and Mia strolled into the room holding hands and sat down in the empty chairs next to Drakon. Although Mia was drop dead gorgeous with her long, silky black hair, legs like a gazelle and a body that practically drove men to their knees, there was only room for one man in her life. The first time she saw Jem, it was love at first sight. Besides, he wasn’t your average looking Joe. With a fantastic head of hair most women would die for, broad shoulders and a lean, muscular physique, Jem was the type that turned heads.
Drakon leaned in close to Mia and Jem. “Where’s little Evie?”
“She’s with Cassie,” Mia said. “I guess you had already left before we stopped by.”
“Ah, sorry I missed her,” Drakon said. “I’m sure Cassie was thrilled to babysit for you. She can’t wait to be a mother herself.”
“With all the practice she’s had working in the Neonatal unit and babysitting all the kiddos in the Covenant,” Jem said, “she’ll make an excellent mom.”
“Yeah,” Drakon replied, grinning ear to ear. “She already has that motherhood glow about her.”
“So…” Jem cocked a brow. “Are you ready for fatherhood?”
“Knowing I’m about to be a father is the best thing that’s ever happened to me, besides marrying your sister.”
Jem and Mia, along with all the others, smiled at Drakon.
“Where’s Jace?” Drakon asked, glancing between Tessa and the door. “He usually gets here when you do.”
“He should be here any minute,” she replied. “He had to make a quick pitstop. He’s dropping off the twins at Anna’s. She’s watching them during the meeting.”
“I like Anna,” Drakon commented. “She fits into the Covenant quite well, wouldn’t you say?”
Tessa nodded. “Absolutely. I just adore her.”
“So does Zeke Rizzo,” Drakon said. “Here lately, I’ve noticed the two spending more time together.”
“It’s rather odd,” Jem said. “I’d never put the two together. They seem like total opposites.”
“You know what they say,” Tessa said. “Opposites do attract.”
“I can tell you this,” Mia spoke out, “Anna has been a godsend to both Jem and I, not to mention my sister Eve. I’ve never met another person that loves children as much as Anna. It’s like clockwork every morning. She stops by our room with little Arius and Tidus, offering to take Evie with them downstairs for breakfast.”
“I have to admit,” Jem pointed out, “although Anna is Sebastian’s sister, I don’t think the girl has a mean bone in her body. And since she’s been stopping by to take our daughter in the mornings, those few hours Mia and I get alone have been nice.”
“I agree,” Mia said, smiling at Jem.
“Well, speak of the devil,” Drakon said as he caught sight of Jace entering the open doorway.
The second Jace saw Tessa, he smiled. Before he settled into the chair beside her, he leaned over and kissed her on the cheek. “Hey, sweetheart.”
Fatherhood had changed Jace, his short temper dialed down a notch. Which was a good thing. Underneath all that long, gorgeous blond hair and a face just as spectacular, lurked a seven-foot hairy beast that looked like the abominable snowman crossed with a werewolf on steroids. When Jace’s beast was provoked, everyone, Drakon included, quickly cleared a path and prayed like hell they weren’t on his menu. So far, they’d been lucky. The Beast was an asset to the Breedline species, fighting alongside them against the bad guys.
“Thanks for dropping off the boys,” Tessa said, placing her hand over Jace’s. “Did they take to Anna okay?”
“Oh yeah,” Jace said, waving it off like it was nothing. “They clung to her like glue as soon as I got there.”
Tessa’s eyes rounded. “Did they fuss when you left?”
“Heck no,” Jace laughed a little. “Arius and Tidus were there. The second they noticed them I became nonexistent. All they cared about was getting to play with their cousins.”
“Anna is going to have her hands full with two sets of twin boys,” Jem mentioned.
“She had help,” Jace said. “Eve, Tara, and Lailah were there.”
Jem nodded and Tessa looked relieved.
“I’m proud of everyone,” Tim chimed in. “Especially you, Jace. Forgiving Eve and Sebastian proves you have a good heart. And it sets a great example for your sons.”
“Thanks Tim, but it’s not always easy,” Jace said with a clear smirk in his voice. “Sometimes it takes everything I have not to kick his ass. I try to keep my distance as much as possible.”
“Believe me,” Tim let out a deep breath, “I completely understand.”
“Speaking of Sebastian,” Drakon said, looking between Tim and Tessa. “Is he coming to the meeting?”
Tim shook his head. “Although we’re starting to trust him, I don’t think he’s ready to be included in our meetings. Not yet anyway. At some point, we’ll see how it works out.”
“I have to admit,” Tessa said. “Sebastian has made a complete turnaround.”
“Yeah,” Drakon muttered. “And it’s hard to believe your brother has buddied up with him. I figured if Jace didn’t end up killing Sebastian, Steven surely would.”
“I’m glad everyone has given Sebastian a second chance,” Tessa said. “Forgiveness heals the soul.”
“Heals who’s soul?” Steven asked as he walked into the room, catching the butt end of the conversation.
“Great timing, buddy,” Jace snickered. “We were just talking about you.”
“Oh? What about?”
“Ah, everyone is getting all warm and fuzzy about me and you playing nice with Sebastian.”
“Is that right?” Steven said with a slight chuckle. “Since you brought up the subject, Sebastian and I were going to ask if anyone here is interested in a guy’s trip.”
Jace cocked a brow. “A guy’s trip?”
“Yah, why not?” Steven shrugged. “I thought we’d take the bikes to Arizona for a few days. I’ve never seen the Grand Canyon.”
“Sorry to burst your bubble,” Tim interjected. “As much as I like the idea, we’ll have to postpone the guy trip. We’ve got more pressing issues at hand. That’s why Tessa and I called this meeting.”
“What guy trip?”
When everyone turned toward the doorway, Kyle and Casey stood side-by-side with a look of enthusiasm stamped all over their faces.
Tim waved them over. “Come have a seat, guys.”
The minute they sat down, Kyle said, “So what’s this guy trip I overheard you talking about?”
“I thought it’d be nice if we took a road trip to Arizona for a few days,” Steven said, “until Tim crushed my plans.”
“Oh man,” Kyle groaned, averting his eyes from Steven. He looked at Tim with a pitiful expression. “What’s so dire that we can’t go on a guy’s trip?”
“As I was saying…” Tim sighed. “That’s what this meeting is about. As soon as everyone gets here, we’ll talk.”
“Damn,” Kyle grumbled. “We never get to have fun.”
Tessa focused on her brother and said, “Is Abbey coming?”
“No, she’s with Jonah,” Steven replied. “He’s a little fussy this morning.”
“Oh, no,” Tessa said, her voice laced with concern. “What’s wrong?”
“He’s been teething.”
“Aw,” Tessa sighed. “Poor little guy.”
“Yeah, he’s not too happy,” Steven said. “He’s been up most of the night.”
“I bet Abbey is exhausted.”
Steven nodded. “She is, but thanks to Kyle’s little woman, Abbey is getting a break. Celina volunteered to watch Jonah for a few hours.”
“That’s my girl,” Kyle boasted.
Steven smiled at Kyle. “Noah seems to really take to her. Celina will make a wonderful mom someday.”
“Yep.” Kyle grinned. “One of these days.”
Alexander stepped into the room with Helen and said, “I hope we’re not too late.”
“No, you’re fine,” Tessa said. “Please, have a seat. We’re just waiting on Nicolas and Jena.”
“We’re here,” Jena said as she made her way inside with Nicolas trailing behind. “Sorry we’re running late.” Her eyes roamed over the occupants in the room. “I hope we didn’t make you wait too long.”
“You’re fine, Jena,” Tim said. “Have a seat and we’ll get started.”
As Nicolas and Jena sat down in the chairs close to Angie and Bull, Helen said, “What about Detectives’ Sanchez and Perkins? Shouldn’t they be here?”
“Yah,” Kyle blurted. “And what about the Fury?”
“I invited Manuel and Frank,” Tim replied, “but they couldn’t make it. They had to meet up with their superior this morning. Hopefully they’ll have some new information on Mr. Russo’s murder. I didn’t invite the Fury,” he added. “Since we don’t have much to go on, and this meeting will be quick, I didn’t feel the need for them to attend. I’ll speak with them later unless anyone feels like they need to be here.”
“That’s fine by me,” Kyle muttered. “That Apollyon guy makes me nervous.”
“Not to mention his sisters,” Casey said, voicing his opinion. “It wasn’t that long ago they tried to kill us.”
“Well, actually,” Kyle mumbled to Casey, “Electra did break your neck.”
“We have to move on and put the past behind us,” Tim said. “Besides, if God can give them a second chance, so can we.”
“Remember guys,” Tessa pointed out. “We are a family of forgiveness.”
Casey nodded and Kyle said, “Okay, okay. But don’t expect me to buddy up with the guy.”
“All I ask is for you to give them a chance,” Tessa said. “After all, Apollyon did save Jena.”
Jena changed the subject and hesitantly asked, “Have you heard how Detective Perkin’s niece is doing?”
“When I spoke to Frank this morning,” Tim said, “he told me Carrie seemed to be taking it well. Although, considering everything she’s been through, I’m surprised.”
“This morning, I received a call from Carrie,” Helen spoke out. “Apparently she took her uncle’s advice to get counseling. She’s stopping by my office later this week.”
“How did she sound?” Tim asked.
“She seemed nervous over the phone,” Helen replied.
“I don’t blame her,” Jena said. “I feel responsible for all this.”
Nicolas reached for her hand. “It’s not your fault, Jena. If it weren’t for you, she probably wouldn’t be alive.”
“He’s right, girl,” Angie said. “You did what your instincts told you. You saved an innocent life. And those two creeps that attacked her got what was coming.”
“I second that,” Jace said, nodding at Jena. “Karma is a bitch.”
“I agree,” Tessa said. “Not only did you save Carrie, but more than likely those men would have assaulted other women. And I know you didn’t ask for this curse. None of this is your fault, Jena. I promise, we’ll help you through this.”
Jena smiled a little. “Thank you all for being so supportive.”
“I do have one question,” Drakon said, addressing Jena. “And please forgive me if I sound too straight forward. But it’s something we have to discuss.”
When Jena nodded, Drakon went on to say, “How are we going to deal with the body parts your creature leaves behind?”
Jena lowered her eyes and shifted nervously in her chair.
“It’s okay, Jena,” Tim said. “We’re not upset with you.”
When Jena looked up at Tim, he continued to say, “We just need to come up with a solution. My ears are open to any suggestions.”
“I’m not sure what I can do,” Jena said, her eyes searching over the room, trying to read the expressions on their faces. “I don’t have a lot of control over the creature inside me once it detects evil.”
“We’ll continue to work on that,” Tim said, “and maybe we’ll come up with a plan. Until then, I want you to contact me when there is another incident. I will make sure whatever is left behind gets taken care of. In the meantime,” he said, his eyes searching over everyone seated at the table, “I need to bring up the other issue that Jena has brought to my attention. It appears that Mr. Russo’s death may have not been committed by a human but rather something supernatural.”
Jace focused on Jena. “Please don’t tell me it’s not another creature like the one who cursed you.”
“It’s not the same creature,” Jena began to explain. “And it doesn’t hunt evil. What I saw was evil. It’s some sort of demonic entity, possessing a man. It looked as though it was going to attack me until he realized I wasn’t exactly human.”
“How did he know you weren’t human?” Jem queried.
“Because I shifted,” Jena replied.
“If this thing is indeed evil,” Tessa said, “why didn’t your creature destroy it? I thought the battle angels said you would hunt down evil.”
“I was caught off guard,” Jena said. “There were people nearby. I had to get out of there before I was seen. But he did speak to me.”
“What did he say?”
“It was rather strange,” Jena told Tessa. “He called himself the Shadow.”
Roman interjected into the conversation and said, “I think I’ve encountered this creature before.”
Everyone looked at Roman in surprise.
“It was a long time ago,” Roman went on. “I was just a kid.”
“So, what the hell is this thing?” Jace blurted.
“I’m pretty positive it’s a demon,” Roman said. “When I was ten years old, I witnessed it myself. There was a boy in my neighborhood,” Roman paused, drawing his brows tight. “His name was Joseph Harris. The poor kid didn’t have a very good home life. His father was nothing but an abusive drunk. It was evident he beat his wife. On several occasions, we saw cuts and bruises on her face. My parents tried to help her, but she was too afraid to leave her husband. To make a long story short, one Saturday afternoon, he beat her so bad, she died in the hospital the next day. Joseph was only five years old at the time.”
“Oh my gosh,” Tessa gasped. “What happened to the boy?”
“Before the ambulance came for Joseph’s mother, he shot his father.”
“Dang,” Jace spouted. “Joseph was one tough five-year-old. Did his father die?”
“He survived but was later sentenced to twenty years in prison.”
“Jace frowned. “So… what does this demon have to do with the little boy?”
“Hold on.” Roman held up a halting hand. “I’ll get to that part.”
When Jace nodded, Roman continued to explain, “Since Joseph was a minor and there was no other family member to step in, he was placed in foster care. My parents would have offered to take him in, but at the time, my father could barely support our family. Then, a few years later, word got out about him being sent to a mental institute. My parents felt bad for Joseph, so they decided to go see if there was anything they could do. I’ll never forget that day. That’s when I saw it.”
“You mean…” Jace reluctantly said, “you actually saw the Shadow?”
Roman nodded. “I was left alone with Joseph while my parents spoke with his physician. He attacked me except he didn’t look like Joseph. His face…” he swallowed hard, “…it had morphed into something evil. It was demonic looking. His eyes were completely black, soulless. And it spoke to me. It addressed itself as the Shadow.”
“Damn…” Jace’s eyes rounded. “What happened next?”
“Joseph nearly choked me to death,” Roman said. “Although I was bigger than him, outweighing him by at least fifty pounds, he was much stronger. It was like a demonic presence had taken over his body. Thankfully there were guards close. It took three of them to pull him off.”
Tim crossed his arms and said, “Do you know if Joseph was ever released?”
“I don’t know,” Roman replied. “That was the last time I saw him.”
“What about your parents?” Tim asked. “Did they stay in contact?”
Roman shook his head. “After that incident, the institute wouldn’t allow him any more visitors.”
“What about the institute he was kept in? Do you happen to remember the name of that place?”
He nodded at Tim. “It was the Summit Behavioral Institute here in Berkeley.”
“Well, going by all the similarities,” Tim said, “it appears Joseph could be the person responsible for Kevin Russo’s murder.”
“You mean…,” Jace said, deepening his voice, “…the Shadow.”
“Whatever the case,” Drakon cut in. “We need to find out if Joseph was released. I’ll do some digging.”
“Count me in too,” Roman said.
Tim nodded. “Thanks guys. And we also need to find out how to destroy this thing.”
“What about the archives?” Tessa pointed out. “There could be something in there on this particular creature.”
“That’s a good idea,” Tim said. “If Jena cannot destroy it, maybe we’ll get lucky enough to find out what will.”
“We better get busy,” Kyle said. “I’m sure it’s just a matter of time before this Shadow thing kills again.”
“Looks like we have our work cut out.” Tim clapped his hands. “Let’s get to work.”
As everyone started to rise from their chairs, Steven said, “I think we should include Sebastian.”
Tim looked at Steven in question. “I thought we discussed this.”
“Just hear me out for a second,” Steven said. “Many of you may not know, but Sebastian is an expert on Mythology.”
Jace rolled his eyes. “Yeah, whatever.”
“No, it’s true,” Steven said. “During the years he grew up in the private boarding school his stepfather forced him into, he studied Mythology. He knows everything from Greek Mythology to fables and folklores. He might be able to speed up the process. Don’t you think it’s worth a try?”
“Okay.” Tim nodded. “What do we have to lose.”
“I’ll ask him,” Steven said. “I’m sure he’ll be more than willing to help out.”
“Great,” Jace grumbled, throwing his hands up in defeat. “Just when I thought things couldn’t get any worse.”
“Remember honey,” Tessa said. “We are a forgiving family.”
“I know, I know,” Jace groaned. “This is starting out to be the worst Valentine’s Day ever.”
Tessa raised up on her tiptoes and wrapped her arms around Jace. “Your parents are babysitting for us tonight,” she said in a hushed voice. “That gives us some alone time.”
“Hmmm…” he said, arching a brow. “Maybe it’s not so bad after all.”
To be continued. . .
“Let’s go ahead a take a seat,” Tim said, pulling out a chair for Tessa. “I have a feeling it’s going to be awhile before everyone shows up.”
“Well, we didn’t give them much notice,” Tessa said as she sat down and scooted her chair up to the table. “Plus, some of us had to find babysitters.”
Tim sat down across from her and said, “It’s fine. There’s no hurry.”
Lawrence and Roman were the first ones to arrive to the meeting. Following behind them were, Bull, Justice, and Lena. All five team members were new to the California Covenant, but were already considered part of the Breedline family.
Angie rushed in and caught up with Bull. “Sorry I’m late,” she whispered to him. “My flight was delayed twice.”
He reached for her hand. “Don’t worry, sweetheart. You’re fine. We just got here ourselves.” He intertwined his fingers with hers. “I’m just glad you made it. By the way, happy Valentine’s Day.”
“Aw…” she sighed. “Happy Valentine’s Day, honey.”
As they approached the table, Angie searched the room. “Where’s Jena?”
“Don’t worry.” He lightly squeezed her hand. “I’m sure she will be here with Nicolas shortly.”
Angie smiled up at Bull, realizing how much she loved this man. Bull was a giant compared to the average male and built like a brick house, not to mention sexy as hell. With a common military background, and a soldier of war, Bull was the type of person who stood up for all mankind. His compassion for others spoke volumes for his character. He was genuine and trustworthy unlike anyone she’d ever met, besides her best friend, Jena. Although their relationship was new, there was no doubt he was the one for her. They fit good together. Damn good.
“Go ahead a take a seat,” Tim directed them, bringing Angie back to focus. “We’ll get started as soon as everyone gets here.”
As they settled behind a table that would easily seat thirty people, Drakon came into the room. The beard he’d recently grown out, along with his dark Mohawk made him look more lethal and menacing than usual. He was big, towering to the height of six-seven and stronger than all the other men residing in the Covenant. Although Drakon was born a Breedline, an unfortunate incident from his past had altered his transformation. He’d been cursed to live the remainder of his life as a rogue wolf. But, unlike most rogues, who were banished by their Covenant and forbidden to ever shift back into their human forms, Drakon was an exception to the rule. Due to his undying loyalty to the Breedline, vowing to protect their species and humans from the dark forces, he was given a second chance. Now that he’d found love again, his life had taken on a whole new meaning, especially after he’d recently found out he was going to be a father. Before he took a seat next to Roman, he dipped his head in Tessa’s direction and took a seat alongside Tim.
Jem and Mia strolled into the room holding hands and sat down in the empty chairs next to Drakon. Although Mia was drop dead gorgeous with her long, silky black hair, legs like a gazelle and a body that practically drove men to their knees, there was only room for one man in her life. The first time she saw Jem, it was love at first sight. Besides, he wasn’t your average looking Joe. With a fantastic head of hair most women would die for, broad shoulders and a lean, muscular physique, Jem was the type that turned heads.
Drakon leaned in close to Mia and Jem. “Where’s little Evie?”
“She’s with Cassie,” Mia said. “I guess you had already left before we stopped by.”
“Ah, sorry I missed her,” Drakon said. “I’m sure Cassie was thrilled to babysit for you. She can’t wait to be a mother herself.”
“With all the practice she’s had working in the Neonatal unit and babysitting all the kiddos in the Covenant,” Jem said, “she’ll make an excellent mom.”
“Yeah,” Drakon replied, grinning ear to ear. “She already has that motherhood glow about her.”
“So…” Jem cocked a brow. “Are you ready for fatherhood?”
“Knowing I’m about to be a father is the best thing that’s ever happened to me, besides marrying your sister.”
Jem and Mia, along with all the others, smiled at Drakon.
“Where’s Jace?” Drakon asked, glancing between Tessa and the door. “He usually gets here when you do.”
“He should be here any minute,” she replied. “He had to make a quick pitstop. He’s dropping off the twins at Anna’s. She’s watching them during the meeting.”
“I like Anna,” Drakon commented. “She fits into the Covenant quite well, wouldn’t you say?”
Tessa nodded. “Absolutely. I just adore her.”
“So does Zeke Rizzo,” Drakon said. “Here lately, I’ve noticed the two spending more time together.”
“It’s rather odd,” Jem said. “I’d never put the two together. They seem like total opposites.”
“You know what they say,” Tessa said. “Opposites do attract.”
“I can tell you this,” Mia spoke out, “Anna has been a godsend to both Jem and I, not to mention my sister Eve. I’ve never met another person that loves children as much as Anna. It’s like clockwork every morning. She stops by our room with little Arius and Tidus, offering to take Evie with them downstairs for breakfast.”
“I have to admit,” Jem pointed out, “although Anna is Sebastian’s sister, I don’t think the girl has a mean bone in her body. And since she’s been stopping by to take our daughter in the mornings, those few hours Mia and I get alone have been nice.”
“I agree,” Mia said, smiling at Jem.
“Well, speak of the devil,” Drakon said as he caught sight of Jace entering the open doorway.
The second Jace saw Tessa, he smiled. Before he settled into the chair beside her, he leaned over and kissed her on the cheek. “Hey, sweetheart.”
Fatherhood had changed Jace, his short temper dialed down a notch. Which was a good thing. Underneath all that long, gorgeous blond hair and a face just as spectacular, lurked a seven-foot hairy beast that looked like the abominable snowman crossed with a werewolf on steroids. When Jace’s beast was provoked, everyone, Drakon included, quickly cleared a path and prayed like hell they weren’t on his menu. So far, they’d been lucky. The Beast was an asset to the Breedline species, fighting alongside them against the bad guys.
“Thanks for dropping off the boys,” Tessa said, placing her hand over Jace’s. “Did they take to Anna okay?”
“Oh yeah,” Jace said, waving it off like it was nothing. “They clung to her like glue as soon as I got there.”
Tessa’s eyes rounded. “Did they fuss when you left?”
“Heck no,” Jace laughed a little. “Arius and Tidus were there. The second they noticed them I became nonexistent. All they cared about was getting to play with their cousins.”
“Anna is going to have her hands full with two sets of twin boys,” Jem mentioned.
“She had help,” Jace said. “Eve, Tara, and Lailah were there.”
Jem nodded and Tessa looked relieved.
“I’m proud of everyone,” Tim chimed in. “Especially you, Jace. Forgiving Eve and Sebastian proves you have a good heart. And it sets a great example for your sons.”
“Thanks Tim, but it’s not always easy,” Jace said with a clear smirk in his voice. “Sometimes it takes everything I have not to kick his ass. I try to keep my distance as much as possible.”
“Believe me,” Tim let out a deep breath, “I completely understand.”
“Speaking of Sebastian,” Drakon said, looking between Tim and Tessa. “Is he coming to the meeting?”
Tim shook his head. “Although we’re starting to trust him, I don’t think he’s ready to be included in our meetings. Not yet anyway. At some point, we’ll see how it works out.”
“I have to admit,” Tessa said. “Sebastian has made a complete turnaround.”
“Yeah,” Drakon muttered. “And it’s hard to believe your brother has buddied up with him. I figured if Jace didn’t end up killing Sebastian, Steven surely would.”
“I’m glad everyone has given Sebastian a second chance,” Tessa said. “Forgiveness heals the soul.”
“Heals who’s soul?” Steven asked as he walked into the room, catching the butt end of the conversation.
“Great timing, buddy,” Jace snickered. “We were just talking about you.”
“Oh? What about?”
“Ah, everyone is getting all warm and fuzzy about me and you playing nice with Sebastian.”
“Is that right?” Steven said with a slight chuckle. “Since you brought up the subject, Sebastian and I were going to ask if anyone here is interested in a guy’s trip.”
Jace cocked a brow. “A guy’s trip?”
“Yah, why not?” Steven shrugged. “I thought we’d take the bikes to Arizona for a few days. I’ve never seen the Grand Canyon.”
“Sorry to burst your bubble,” Tim interjected. “As much as I like the idea, we’ll have to postpone the guy trip. We’ve got more pressing issues at hand. That’s why Tessa and I called this meeting.”
“What guy trip?”
When everyone turned toward the doorway, Kyle and Casey stood side-by-side with a look of enthusiasm stamped all over their faces.
Tim waved them over. “Come have a seat, guys.”
The minute they sat down, Kyle said, “So what’s this guy trip I overheard you talking about?”
“I thought it’d be nice if we took a road trip to Arizona for a few days,” Steven said, “until Tim crushed my plans.”
“Oh man,” Kyle groaned, averting his eyes from Steven. He looked at Tim with a pitiful expression. “What’s so dire that we can’t go on a guy’s trip?”
“As I was saying…” Tim sighed. “That’s what this meeting is about. As soon as everyone gets here, we’ll talk.”
“Damn,” Kyle grumbled. “We never get to have fun.”
Tessa focused on her brother and said, “Is Abbey coming?”
“No, she’s with Jonah,” Steven replied. “He’s a little fussy this morning.”
“Oh, no,” Tessa said, her voice laced with concern. “What’s wrong?”
“He’s been teething.”
“Aw,” Tessa sighed. “Poor little guy.”
“Yeah, he’s not too happy,” Steven said. “He’s been up most of the night.”
“I bet Abbey is exhausted.”
Steven nodded. “She is, but thanks to Kyle’s little woman, Abbey is getting a break. Celina volunteered to watch Jonah for a few hours.”
“That’s my girl,” Kyle boasted.
Steven smiled at Kyle. “Noah seems to really take to her. Celina will make a wonderful mom someday.”
“Yep.” Kyle grinned. “One of these days.”
Alexander stepped into the room with Helen and said, “I hope we’re not too late.”
“No, you’re fine,” Tessa said. “Please, have a seat. We’re just waiting on Nicolas and Jena.”
“We’re here,” Jena said as she made her way inside with Nicolas trailing behind. “Sorry we’re running late.” Her eyes roamed over the occupants in the room. “I hope we didn’t make you wait too long.”
“You’re fine, Jena,” Tim said. “Have a seat and we’ll get started.”
As Nicolas and Jena sat down in the chairs close to Angie and Bull, Helen said, “What about Detectives’ Sanchez and Perkins? Shouldn’t they be here?”
“Yah,” Kyle blurted. “And what about the Fury?”
“I invited Manuel and Frank,” Tim replied, “but they couldn’t make it. They had to meet up with their superior this morning. Hopefully they’ll have some new information on Mr. Russo’s murder. I didn’t invite the Fury,” he added. “Since we don’t have much to go on, and this meeting will be quick, I didn’t feel the need for them to attend. I’ll speak with them later unless anyone feels like they need to be here.”
“That’s fine by me,” Kyle muttered. “That Apollyon guy makes me nervous.”
“Not to mention his sisters,” Casey said, voicing his opinion. “It wasn’t that long ago they tried to kill us.”
“Well, actually,” Kyle mumbled to Casey, “Electra did break your neck.”
“We have to move on and put the past behind us,” Tim said. “Besides, if God can give them a second chance, so can we.”
“Remember guys,” Tessa pointed out. “We are a family of forgiveness.”
Casey nodded and Kyle said, “Okay, okay. But don’t expect me to buddy up with the guy.”
“All I ask is for you to give them a chance,” Tessa said. “After all, Apollyon did save Jena.”
Jena changed the subject and hesitantly asked, “Have you heard how Detective Perkin’s niece is doing?”
“When I spoke to Frank this morning,” Tim said, “he told me Carrie seemed to be taking it well. Although, considering everything she’s been through, I’m surprised.”
“This morning, I received a call from Carrie,” Helen spoke out. “Apparently she took her uncle’s advice to get counseling. She’s stopping by my office later this week.”
“How did she sound?” Tim asked.
“She seemed nervous over the phone,” Helen replied.
“I don’t blame her,” Jena said. “I feel responsible for all this.”
Nicolas reached for her hand. “It’s not your fault, Jena. If it weren’t for you, she probably wouldn’t be alive.”
“He’s right, girl,” Angie said. “You did what your instincts told you. You saved an innocent life. And those two creeps that attacked her got what was coming.”
“I second that,” Jace said, nodding at Jena. “Karma is a bitch.”
“I agree,” Tessa said. “Not only did you save Carrie, but more than likely those men would have assaulted other women. And I know you didn’t ask for this curse. None of this is your fault, Jena. I promise, we’ll help you through this.”
Jena smiled a little. “Thank you all for being so supportive.”
“I do have one question,” Drakon said, addressing Jena. “And please forgive me if I sound too straight forward. But it’s something we have to discuss.”
When Jena nodded, Drakon went on to say, “How are we going to deal with the body parts your creature leaves behind?”
Jena lowered her eyes and shifted nervously in her chair.
“It’s okay, Jena,” Tim said. “We’re not upset with you.”
When Jena looked up at Tim, he continued to say, “We just need to come up with a solution. My ears are open to any suggestions.”
“I’m not sure what I can do,” Jena said, her eyes searching over the room, trying to read the expressions on their faces. “I don’t have a lot of control over the creature inside me once it detects evil.”
“We’ll continue to work on that,” Tim said, “and maybe we’ll come up with a plan. Until then, I want you to contact me when there is another incident. I will make sure whatever is left behind gets taken care of. In the meantime,” he said, his eyes searching over everyone seated at the table, “I need to bring up the other issue that Jena has brought to my attention. It appears that Mr. Russo’s death may have not been committed by a human but rather something supernatural.”
Jace focused on Jena. “Please don’t tell me it’s not another creature like the one who cursed you.”
“It’s not the same creature,” Jena began to explain. “And it doesn’t hunt evil. What I saw was evil. It’s some sort of demonic entity, possessing a man. It looked as though it was going to attack me until he realized I wasn’t exactly human.”
“How did he know you weren’t human?” Jem queried.
“Because I shifted,” Jena replied.
“If this thing is indeed evil,” Tessa said, “why didn’t your creature destroy it? I thought the battle angels said you would hunt down evil.”
“I was caught off guard,” Jena said. “There were people nearby. I had to get out of there before I was seen. But he did speak to me.”
“What did he say?”
“It was rather strange,” Jena told Tessa. “He called himself the Shadow.”
Roman interjected into the conversation and said, “I think I’ve encountered this creature before.”
Everyone looked at Roman in surprise.
“It was a long time ago,” Roman went on. “I was just a kid.”
“So, what the hell is this thing?” Jace blurted.
“I’m pretty positive it’s a demon,” Roman said. “When I was ten years old, I witnessed it myself. There was a boy in my neighborhood,” Roman paused, drawing his brows tight. “His name was Joseph Harris. The poor kid didn’t have a very good home life. His father was nothing but an abusive drunk. It was evident he beat his wife. On several occasions, we saw cuts and bruises on her face. My parents tried to help her, but she was too afraid to leave her husband. To make a long story short, one Saturday afternoon, he beat her so bad, she died in the hospital the next day. Joseph was only five years old at the time.”
“Oh my gosh,” Tessa gasped. “What happened to the boy?”
“Before the ambulance came for Joseph’s mother, he shot his father.”
“Dang,” Jace spouted. “Joseph was one tough five-year-old. Did his father die?”
“He survived but was later sentenced to twenty years in prison.”
“Jace frowned. “So… what does this demon have to do with the little boy?”
“Hold on.” Roman held up a halting hand. “I’ll get to that part.”
When Jace nodded, Roman continued to explain, “Since Joseph was a minor and there was no other family member to step in, he was placed in foster care. My parents would have offered to take him in, but at the time, my father could barely support our family. Then, a few years later, word got out about him being sent to a mental institute. My parents felt bad for Joseph, so they decided to go see if there was anything they could do. I’ll never forget that day. That’s when I saw it.”
“You mean…” Jace reluctantly said, “you actually saw the Shadow?”
Roman nodded. “I was left alone with Joseph while my parents spoke with his physician. He attacked me except he didn’t look like Joseph. His face…” he swallowed hard, “…it had morphed into something evil. It was demonic looking. His eyes were completely black, soulless. And it spoke to me. It addressed itself as the Shadow.”
“Damn…” Jace’s eyes rounded. “What happened next?”
“Joseph nearly choked me to death,” Roman said. “Although I was bigger than him, outweighing him by at least fifty pounds, he was much stronger. It was like a demonic presence had taken over his body. Thankfully there were guards close. It took three of them to pull him off.”
Tim crossed his arms and said, “Do you know if Joseph was ever released?”
“I don’t know,” Roman replied. “That was the last time I saw him.”
“What about your parents?” Tim asked. “Did they stay in contact?”
Roman shook his head. “After that incident, the institute wouldn’t allow him any more visitors.”
“What about the institute he was kept in? Do you happen to remember the name of that place?”
He nodded at Tim. “It was the Summit Behavioral Institute here in Berkeley.”
“Well, going by all the similarities,” Tim said, “it appears Joseph could be the person responsible for Kevin Russo’s murder.”
“You mean…,” Jace said, deepening his voice, “…the Shadow.”
“Whatever the case,” Drakon cut in. “We need to find out if Joseph was released. I’ll do some digging.”
“Count me in too,” Roman said.
Tim nodded. “Thanks guys. And we also need to find out how to destroy this thing.”
“What about the archives?” Tessa pointed out. “There could be something in there on this particular creature.”
“That’s a good idea,” Tim said. “If Jena cannot destroy it, maybe we’ll get lucky enough to find out what will.”
“We better get busy,” Kyle said. “I’m sure it’s just a matter of time before this Shadow thing kills again.”
“Looks like we have our work cut out.” Tim clapped his hands. “Let’s get to work.”
As everyone started to rise from their chairs, Steven said, “I think we should include Sebastian.”
Tim looked at Steven in question. “I thought we discussed this.”
“Just hear me out for a second,” Steven said. “Many of you may not know, but Sebastian is an expert on Mythology.”
Jace rolled his eyes. “Yeah, whatever.”
“No, it’s true,” Steven said. “During the years he grew up in the private boarding school his stepfather forced him into, he studied Mythology. He knows everything from Greek Mythology to fables and folklores. He might be able to speed up the process. Don’t you think it’s worth a try?”
“Okay.” Tim nodded. “What do we have to lose.”
“I’ll ask him,” Steven said. “I’m sure he’ll be more than willing to help out.”
“Great,” Jace grumbled, throwing his hands up in defeat. “Just when I thought things couldn’t get any worse.”
“Remember honey,” Tessa said. “We are a forgiving family.”
“I know, I know,” Jace groaned. “This is starting out to be the worst Valentine’s Day ever.”
Tessa raised up on her tiptoes and wrapped her arms around Jace. “Your parents are babysitting for us tonight,” she said in a hushed voice. “That gives us some alone time.”
“Hmmm…” he said, arching a brow. “Maybe it’s not so bad after all.”
To be continued. . .
A reference to terms and cast of characters, especially for new readers:
BREEDLINE - A species of humans that have the ability to change from human form into wolf form if they are born an identical twin. They are not like the old legend of the Lycanthropy myth. The 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. Although they live among humans, their species is 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 illness 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 way to kill a Breedline.
All male Breedlines change into their first wolf at the age of eighteen. Female Breedlines do not go through the change until they make love to their Breedline bonded mate.
BREEDLINE COVENANT - The Breedline species must live within the boundaries of their Covenant. There is one in every state. A council governs its laws and oversees the species population.
ROGUE WOLF - A Breedline wolf who has killed with the intent of evil. They can never shift back into their human form.
Jace Chamberlain (a.k.a. the Beast) - He is a Breedline species who later discovers he was born with a curse of the Beast, inherited by the Chiang-Shih demon. His bonded mate is Tessa Fairchild. He's an IT engineer and 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 identical twin brother. He carries the gene of the Chiang-Shih demon, which gives him the power to create a portal and a force of electrical energy used as a weapon and other powers he discovers later. His bonded mate is Mia Blackwood. He's an IT engineer and the drummer in the band Chaos.
Tessa Fairchild (a.k.a. the Breedline Queen) - She was born into the human world and later discovers she's a Breedline. Abandoned by her parents, and raised by her aunt and uncle, Tessa has no knowledge of being born a twin. After she meets Jace, they become bonded mates. During her first change into her Breedline wolf, she shifts into the new Breedline queen. She is an inspiring artist.
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 identical twin sister, Eve.
Eve - She is a half-breed, and Sebastian's bonded mate.
Sebastian Crow - He is a half-breed and Eve's bonded mate. He has the power to summon a portal.
Alexander Crest - He is a Breedline species, Jace and Jem's biological father. He is bonded to Dr. Helen Carrington.
Tim Ross - He is a Breedline species and the council head of the California Covenant.
Kyle Jones - He is a Breedline species that resides in the California Covenant. Celina Baldolf is his bonded mate. He's a mechanic and plays bass in the rock band Chaos.
Casey Barton - He is a Theriomorph and lives in the California Covenant. 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. She later bonds to Alexander Crest.
Drakon Hexus - He is a Breedline species and bonded to Cassie Chamberlain.
Cassie Chamberlain - Adopted at age two by Jace and Jem's adoptive 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.
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.
Steven Pasquale (a.k.a. Steven Craven) - He inherited the genes of a Breedline and an Adalwolf. He is Tessa Fairchild's fraternal twin and is Abigail Winthrop's bonded mate.
Abbey (a.k.a. Abigail Winthrop) - She inherited the genetics of a Lupa from her mother and is bonded with Steven Craven.
Zeke Rizzo - He is a Breedline, born with a curse of a sin-eater, and the owner of the Cat Club. He is bonded with Anna Saeni.
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. She is like a sister to Sebastian Crow and bonded with Zeke Rizzo.
Roman Kincaid - He is an Adalwolf trained in military tactics, hired as a special breed of warriors from Brazil. Hired as a bodyguard for Valkin Steele-a billionaire funding a group of unethical scientist's research-he later learns of Steele's underground sex-trafficking and illegal drug and weapons trade and informs the Breedline Covenant. He also forms a team of Breedline soldiers who work for a private Special Ops group contracted by the military for missions that no one else can or will do to help put an end to Valkin Steele's corrupt organization. He resides in the California Breedline Covenant along with team members, Lawrence, Bull, Justice, and Lena.
Lawrence Colbert - A Breedline council member of the New Jersey Covenant, trained in military tactics and as a medic who worked alongside Roman Kincaid, the Special Ops team, and the Breedline Covenant to help take down Valkin Steele.
Tara Wood - She is a Breedline and Lawrence's bonded mate.
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 '80s television series. She is also Bull's little sister and is bonded to Justice.
Bull (a.k.a. Benjamin Allen Calvero) - He is a Breedline, highly trained and an expert in a variety of military tactics, who is part of Roman Kincaid's team. He gets his nickname because of his size.
Angie Hawkridge - She is a Breedline and Bull's bonded mate.
Justice - He is a Breedline who is part of Roman Kincaid's team. He's highly trained in military tactics, an expert with explosives, hand-to-hand combat, sniper training and is a pilot. He is bonded to Lena.
Detective Manuel Sanchez - He is a homicide detective at the San Francisco Police Department who late discovers he carries the Breedline genetics. His partner is Detective Frank Perkins. His sister is Lailah.
Detective Frank Perkins - He is Manuel Sanchez's partner and discovers the secret world of the Breedline. Born as a human, Frank pledges his loyalty to the Breedline. Fighting alongside his partner, they take an oath to help the Breedline protect the world from corruption and unknown creatures that prey on the innocent.
The Fury - Three fraternal twins: Apollyon, Electra, and Callisto, created by an evil German scientist named Dr. Hans Autenburg. Using his own DNA, he mixed it with the genetics of a Breedline, an Adalwolf, and a powerful Wiccan.
Carrie Randall - She is Detective Frank Sanchez's niece. She works as a substance abuse counselor in Berkeley, California.
Jena McCain - She is an artist with the ability to speak with the dead. She has been cursed by an age-old creature with a lust for human blood, although she will only kill evil.
Nicolas Ratcliff - He is immortal with extraordinary powers of invisibility. He has fallen in love with Jena.
Pays
one point
and 2 member cents. BREEDLINE - A species of humans that have the ability to change from human form into wolf form if they are born an identical twin. They are not like the old legend of the Lycanthropy myth. The 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. Although they live among humans, their species is 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 illness 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 way to kill a Breedline.
All male Breedlines change into their first wolf at the age of eighteen. Female Breedlines do not go through the change until they make love to their Breedline bonded mate.
BREEDLINE COVENANT - The Breedline species must live within the boundaries of their Covenant. There is one in every state. A council governs its laws and oversees the species population.
ROGUE WOLF - A Breedline wolf who has killed with the intent of evil. They can never shift back into their human form.
Jace Chamberlain (a.k.a. the Beast) - He is a Breedline species who later discovers he was born with a curse of the Beast, inherited by the Chiang-Shih demon. His bonded mate is Tessa Fairchild. He's an IT engineer and 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 identical twin brother. He carries the gene of the Chiang-Shih demon, which gives him the power to create a portal and a force of electrical energy used as a weapon and other powers he discovers later. His bonded mate is Mia Blackwood. He's an IT engineer and the drummer in the band Chaos.
Tessa Fairchild (a.k.a. the Breedline Queen) - She was born into the human world and later discovers she's a Breedline. Abandoned by her parents, and raised by her aunt and uncle, Tessa has no knowledge of being born a twin. After she meets Jace, they become bonded mates. During her first change into her Breedline wolf, she shifts into the new Breedline queen. She is an inspiring artist.
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 identical twin sister, Eve.
Eve - She is a half-breed, and Sebastian's bonded mate.
Sebastian Crow - He is a half-breed and Eve's bonded mate. He has the power to summon a portal.
Alexander Crest - He is a Breedline species, Jace and Jem's biological father. He is bonded to Dr. Helen Carrington.
Tim Ross - He is a Breedline species and the council head of the California Covenant.
Kyle Jones - He is a Breedline species that resides in the California Covenant. Celina Baldolf is his bonded mate. He's a mechanic and plays bass in the rock band Chaos.
Casey Barton - He is a Theriomorph and lives in the California Covenant. 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. She later bonds to Alexander Crest.
Drakon Hexus - He is a Breedline species and bonded to Cassie Chamberlain.
Cassie Chamberlain - Adopted at age two by Jace and Jem's adoptive 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.
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.
Steven Pasquale (a.k.a. Steven Craven) - He inherited the genes of a Breedline and an Adalwolf. He is Tessa Fairchild's fraternal twin and is Abigail Winthrop's bonded mate.
Abbey (a.k.a. Abigail Winthrop) - She inherited the genetics of a Lupa from her mother and is bonded with Steven Craven.
Zeke Rizzo - He is a Breedline, born with a curse of a sin-eater, and the owner of the Cat Club. He is bonded with Anna Saeni.
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. She is like a sister to Sebastian Crow and bonded with Zeke Rizzo.
Roman Kincaid - He is an Adalwolf trained in military tactics, hired as a special breed of warriors from Brazil. Hired as a bodyguard for Valkin Steele-a billionaire funding a group of unethical scientist's research-he later learns of Steele's underground sex-trafficking and illegal drug and weapons trade and informs the Breedline Covenant. He also forms a team of Breedline soldiers who work for a private Special Ops group contracted by the military for missions that no one else can or will do to help put an end to Valkin Steele's corrupt organization. He resides in the California Breedline Covenant along with team members, Lawrence, Bull, Justice, and Lena.
Lawrence Colbert - A Breedline council member of the New Jersey Covenant, trained in military tactics and as a medic who worked alongside Roman Kincaid, the Special Ops team, and the Breedline Covenant to help take down Valkin Steele.
Tara Wood - She is a Breedline and Lawrence's bonded mate.
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 '80s television series. She is also Bull's little sister and is bonded to Justice.
Bull (a.k.a. Benjamin Allen Calvero) - He is a Breedline, highly trained and an expert in a variety of military tactics, who is part of Roman Kincaid's team. He gets his nickname because of his size.
Angie Hawkridge - She is a Breedline and Bull's bonded mate.
Justice - He is a Breedline who is part of Roman Kincaid's team. He's highly trained in military tactics, an expert with explosives, hand-to-hand combat, sniper training and is a pilot. He is bonded to Lena.
Detective Manuel Sanchez - He is a homicide detective at the San Francisco Police Department who late discovers he carries the Breedline genetics. His partner is Detective Frank Perkins. His sister is Lailah.
Detective Frank Perkins - He is Manuel Sanchez's partner and discovers the secret world of the Breedline. Born as a human, Frank pledges his loyalty to the Breedline. Fighting alongside his partner, they take an oath to help the Breedline protect the world from corruption and unknown creatures that prey on the innocent.
The Fury - Three fraternal twins: Apollyon, Electra, and Callisto, created by an evil German scientist named Dr. Hans Autenburg. Using his own DNA, he mixed it with the genetics of a Breedline, an Adalwolf, and a powerful Wiccan.
Carrie Randall - She is Detective Frank Sanchez's niece. She works as a substance abuse counselor in Berkeley, California.
Jena McCain - She is an artist with the ability to speak with the dead. She has been cursed by an age-old creature with a lust for human blood, although she will only kill evil.
Nicolas Ratcliff - He is immortal with extraordinary powers of invisibility. He has fallen in love with Jena.
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