| Supernatural Science Fiction posted June 7, 2021 | Chapters: |
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The Curse/A Novel of the Breedline series
A chapter in the book THE CURSE
Dinner is Served/Part Four
by scongrove
| Background Thanks for reading my chapter. It's new, so if you catch typos or mistakes, please let me know. Stay safe & enjoy! |
Joseph’s words took Carrie’s breath away, nearly bringing her to her knees. Her breath was rising in her chest, threatening to explode from her throat. As tears gathered in her eyes, she stared at him for what seemed an eternity. It took everything she had to muster the courage to speak. Finally, she opened her mouth and said, “Y-You… love me?”
“Of course, I do,” Joseph replied. “I think I fell in love with you the moment I saw you.”
“Liar,” the Shadow said. “You wanted to kill her.”
From out of nowhere, an intense pain exploded in Joseph’s head. He instantly dropped to his knees and gasped into the palm of his hands. The throbbing started at his temples, working its way down to the back of his neck and to the base of his spine.
Carrie immediately reached for Joseph, every instinct screaming at her that something was terribly wrong. “My God, Joseph,” she said, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder. “What’s happening?”
“If it weren’t for that meddling angel,” the Shadow grumbled. “Carrie would have died on that bridge along with her parents years ago.”
Joseph rubbed his hand wearily over his face. “Please…,” he rasped, begging the voice inside his head. “Don’t hurt her.”
Sick fear welled in Carrie’s stomach as she nervously hovered over Joseph. She felt completely helpless while he suffered in agony.
Gripping his hands over his head, Joseph concentrated on making the pain go away. With the last bit of strength, he mentally blocked it all out. He pictured Carrie’s lips and how soft they felt against his. The sweet scent of her perfume. The sound of her heart beating wildly inside her chest.
“I love you, Joseph,” Carrie abruptly said. “Did you hear me?” She raised her voice. “I love you, Joseph Parker.”
Her words slammed into him with the force of a freight train. Joseph lowered his hands and hauled himself to his feet. He turned toward Carrie, who wore a look of worry all over her pretty face. And then he simply shook his head as if he couldn’t wrap his brain around the idea that someone like her could love someone like him.
“You can’t,” Joseph said. “You can’t love me, Carrie.”
“The hell I can’t,” she said.
“I’m a monster, Carrie. If only you knew…”
“Knew what, Joseph?”
When he didn’t answer, she said, “Please tell me. I want to know everything.”
“I was there the night you were attacked,” he finally said.
“I don’t understand.” She slowly shook her head. “How can that be?”
“When you left the bar, I followed you.”
“But…” Carrie’s words trailed off as she instantly thought back on that night. She briefly closed her eyes, remembering the details of that horrible incident. Then, images flashed inside her head. Images of those two men dragging her to an abandoned building. Their dirty hands were all over her… tearing at her clothes… threatening to kill her. Then out of nowhere, something came from the shadows. It was a wolfish creature of some kind. It viciously killed her attackers and saved her life. Then she recalled Joseph returning her purse the following morning. She’d lost it the night of the assault. He’d told her he found it alongside the road and got her address from her ID. That’s when the pieces of the puzzle suddenly started to come together. She snapped back with a gasp and opened her eyes. “It was you,” she said, her voice trembling. “You’re the creature, aren’t you? The one who saved me.”
“No, Carrie,” Joseph said, looking at her with a blank stare. “That wasn’t me. I did not save you.”
“But if that wasn’t you,” Carrie went on to say, “then why…”
“Why didn’t I help you?” he abruptly said. “I was going to stop those men, Carrie. I was going to kill them. But not because I wanted to save you.”
“Then why?”
“Because…” He swallowed hard. “I wanted to kill you.”
Carrie backed away from him and wrapped her arms around her stomach. “Joseph, did you want to kill me that night or was it the voice inside your head?”
“We wanted to kill you, Carrie. But then after—”
“Joseph…,” the Shadow’s voice was deep, resonant. Threatening. “I’m warning you.”
In the long pause that followed, Carrie said, “After what?”
“I don’t know.” Joseph shrugged. “It’s hard to explain. But when I’m around you, I feel different. I’ve never felt this way about anyone before. You make me feel…”
“Feel what?”
“Like I have something to look forward to,” he replied. “You give me a reason to… live.”
She almost smiled. And then she reminded herself that they were alone, and that he’d killed his father. Not to mention the voice inside his head encouraging him to kill her.
“I feel the same about you, Joseph,” she said, silently battling with her emotions and justifying her true feelings, realizing she was in love with a killer. “This is the first time I’ve ever felt this way. And when I said, I love you… I meant it.”
“You won’t after you realize everything I’ve done.”
“Shut up, Joseph,” the Shadow demanded.
“What do you mean by that?” Carrie hesitantly asked.
“I’m responsible for your ex-boyfriend’s death.”
“What—” She cocked her head to the side, as if she’d heard him wrong.
“I’m sorry, Carrie. I killed Kevin.”
Good lord, he was serious.
“No…” A stream of panic threaded through her body. “That can’t be true.”
“Please believe me, Carrie. That’s why you’re not safe around me.”
She covered her ears and muttered, “No… Please God, no…”
“Carrie, wait,” he said, moving forward with his hand extended.
She quickly lowered her hands and stepped out of his reach. “I think you should go.”
“I’m sorry, Carr—”
“Leave,” she cut him off, pointing toward the door. “Please.”
Joseph merely stood there, staring at her with his mouth slightly agape. For a moment it seemed like he was going to say something, but then he nodded and went for the door. He strode outside and jogged toward the parking lot.
On impulse, Carrie shot through the open door, calling after him. When she got to the parking lot, she stopped and looked for his Jeep. It was still there, but Joseph was nowhere in sight. Where could he have gone?
“Joseph?” she called out.
It was a long while before Carrie finally gave up and went back inside.
To be continued. . .
Artwork by: Dusan Markovic
“Of course, I do,” Joseph replied. “I think I fell in love with you the moment I saw you.”
“Liar,” the Shadow said. “You wanted to kill her.”
From out of nowhere, an intense pain exploded in Joseph’s head. He instantly dropped to his knees and gasped into the palm of his hands. The throbbing started at his temples, working its way down to the back of his neck and to the base of his spine.
Carrie immediately reached for Joseph, every instinct screaming at her that something was terribly wrong. “My God, Joseph,” she said, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder. “What’s happening?”
“If it weren’t for that meddling angel,” the Shadow grumbled. “Carrie would have died on that bridge along with her parents years ago.”
Joseph rubbed his hand wearily over his face. “Please…,” he rasped, begging the voice inside his head. “Don’t hurt her.”
Sick fear welled in Carrie’s stomach as she nervously hovered over Joseph. She felt completely helpless while he suffered in agony.
Gripping his hands over his head, Joseph concentrated on making the pain go away. With the last bit of strength, he mentally blocked it all out. He pictured Carrie’s lips and how soft they felt against his. The sweet scent of her perfume. The sound of her heart beating wildly inside her chest.
“I love you, Joseph,” Carrie abruptly said. “Did you hear me?” She raised her voice. “I love you, Joseph Parker.”
Her words slammed into him with the force of a freight train. Joseph lowered his hands and hauled himself to his feet. He turned toward Carrie, who wore a look of worry all over her pretty face. And then he simply shook his head as if he couldn’t wrap his brain around the idea that someone like her could love someone like him.
“You can’t,” Joseph said. “You can’t love me, Carrie.”
“The hell I can’t,” she said.
“I’m a monster, Carrie. If only you knew…”
“Knew what, Joseph?”
When he didn’t answer, she said, “Please tell me. I want to know everything.”
“I was there the night you were attacked,” he finally said.
“I don’t understand.” She slowly shook her head. “How can that be?”
“When you left the bar, I followed you.”
“But…” Carrie’s words trailed off as she instantly thought back on that night. She briefly closed her eyes, remembering the details of that horrible incident. Then, images flashed inside her head. Images of those two men dragging her to an abandoned building. Their dirty hands were all over her… tearing at her clothes… threatening to kill her. Then out of nowhere, something came from the shadows. It was a wolfish creature of some kind. It viciously killed her attackers and saved her life. Then she recalled Joseph returning her purse the following morning. She’d lost it the night of the assault. He’d told her he found it alongside the road and got her address from her ID. That’s when the pieces of the puzzle suddenly started to come together. She snapped back with a gasp and opened her eyes. “It was you,” she said, her voice trembling. “You’re the creature, aren’t you? The one who saved me.”
“No, Carrie,” Joseph said, looking at her with a blank stare. “That wasn’t me. I did not save you.”
“But if that wasn’t you,” Carrie went on to say, “then why…”
“Why didn’t I help you?” he abruptly said. “I was going to stop those men, Carrie. I was going to kill them. But not because I wanted to save you.”
“Then why?”
“Because…” He swallowed hard. “I wanted to kill you.”
Carrie backed away from him and wrapped her arms around her stomach. “Joseph, did you want to kill me that night or was it the voice inside your head?”
“We wanted to kill you, Carrie. But then after—”
“Joseph…,” the Shadow’s voice was deep, resonant. Threatening. “I’m warning you.”
In the long pause that followed, Carrie said, “After what?”
“I don’t know.” Joseph shrugged. “It’s hard to explain. But when I’m around you, I feel different. I’ve never felt this way about anyone before. You make me feel…”
“Feel what?”
“Like I have something to look forward to,” he replied. “You give me a reason to… live.”
She almost smiled. And then she reminded herself that they were alone, and that he’d killed his father. Not to mention the voice inside his head encouraging him to kill her.
“I feel the same about you, Joseph,” she said, silently battling with her emotions and justifying her true feelings, realizing she was in love with a killer. “This is the first time I’ve ever felt this way. And when I said, I love you… I meant it.”
“You won’t after you realize everything I’ve done.”
“Shut up, Joseph,” the Shadow demanded.
“What do you mean by that?” Carrie hesitantly asked.
“I’m responsible for your ex-boyfriend’s death.”
“What—” She cocked her head to the side, as if she’d heard him wrong.
“I’m sorry, Carrie. I killed Kevin.”
Good lord, he was serious.
“No…” A stream of panic threaded through her body. “That can’t be true.”
“Please believe me, Carrie. That’s why you’re not safe around me.”
She covered her ears and muttered, “No… Please God, no…”
“Carrie, wait,” he said, moving forward with his hand extended.
She quickly lowered her hands and stepped out of his reach. “I think you should go.”
“I’m sorry, Carr—”
“Leave,” she cut him off, pointing toward the door. “Please.”
Joseph merely stood there, staring at her with his mouth slightly agape. For a moment it seemed like he was going to say something, but then he nodded and went for the door. He strode outside and jogged toward the parking lot.
On impulse, Carrie shot through the open door, calling after him. When she got to the parking lot, she stopped and looked for his Jeep. It was still there, but Joseph was nowhere in sight. Where could he have gone?
“Joseph?” she called out.
It was a long while before Carrie finally gave up and went back inside.
To be continued. . .
Artwork by: Dusan Markovic
Book of the Month contest entry
NOTE: This is not part of the chapter. A reference for terms and cast of characters in this chapter, 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.
BREEDLINE BONDING - The male Breedline spends his life searching for their bonded mate. When two Breedline species experience a bond, they instantly feel a simultaneous, desirable attraction. The bond is for life. It is possible for them to have more than one mate in their lifespan.
Carrie Randall - She is Detective Frank Perkin's niece. She works as a substance abuse counselor in Berkeley, California. She has a love interest in Joseph Parker.
Joseph Parker (a.k.a. Joseph Harris) - He works at the San Francisco Chronicle as a freelance journalist. At age five, an evil entity invaded his body after his father murdered his mother. While his father was sent to prison for his crime, Joseph was placed into several foster families until finally forced into a mental institute after diagnosed with schizophrenia and psychopathic behavior. As time passed and with the evil entity's guidance, Joseph was later released into society.
The Shadow - An evil entity who has possessed Joseph Parker. Its main purpose is to gain access to souls by using its host to kill, consuming human flesh.
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.
BREEDLINE BONDING - The male Breedline spends his life searching for their bonded mate. When two Breedline species experience a bond, they instantly feel a simultaneous, desirable attraction. The bond is for life. It is possible for them to have more than one mate in their lifespan.
Carrie Randall - She is Detective Frank Perkin's niece. She works as a substance abuse counselor in Berkeley, California. She has a love interest in Joseph Parker.
Joseph Parker (a.k.a. Joseph Harris) - He works at the San Francisco Chronicle as a freelance journalist. At age five, an evil entity invaded his body after his father murdered his mother. While his father was sent to prison for his crime, Joseph was placed into several foster families until finally forced into a mental institute after diagnosed with schizophrenia and psychopathic behavior. As time passed and with the evil entity's guidance, Joseph was later released into society.
The Shadow - An evil entity who has possessed Joseph Parker. Its main purpose is to gain access to souls by using its host to kill, consuming human flesh.
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