| Supernatural Science Fiction posted June 14, 2021 | Chapters: |
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The Curse/A Novel of the Breedline series
A chapter in the book THE CURSE
Safe and Sound/Part 3
by scongrove
| Background Thanks for taking the time to read my chapter. It's new, so if you catch typos or mistakes, please let me know. Stay safe & enjoy! |
The members of the Breedline Covenant, along with Detectives Manuel Sanchez and Frank Perkins, finally devised a plan. They all decided to take Kian’s advice and enter A&E Pharmaceuticals through the underground tunnel. It wasn’t the best plan of action, but it was all they had. And there was no way they were involving the police. Humans would be weak and defenseless with the kind of monsters they were about to face.
An hour later, they parked a half-mile from the underground passageway to go over the details before they traveled further.
Drakon slid out from behind the wheel of the Hummer H2 and Tim exited from the passenger’s side. While Roman, Jace, and Jem all piled out from the backseat, Drakon went to the trunk and popped it open. Inside, lying in the far corner, was a large duffel bag. He quickly grabbed it and strapped it over his shoulder. As soon as Drakon and the others approached Detective Frank and Manuel’s unmarked car, they waited as the two detectives got out. Nicolas and Jena emerged from the car’s backseat soon after. The rest of the Breedline crew hung back at the Covenant on standby.
“Okay guys,” said Tim while everyone gathered around. “We do this smart.” He pointedly looked in Jace’s direction. “No one goes in all gung-ho.”
Jace rolled his eyes. “Why do I get the feeling you’re preaching to me?”
“Come on, Jace,” said Drakon. “Do we really need to explain?”
“Yeah, Brother.” Jem crossed his arms, staring at Jace with a raised brow. “Try to remain even-tempered. We don’t need the Beast rearing its ugly head unless it’s necessary.”
“Yeah well,” Jace said with a clear smirk in his voice. “You might be praying for the Beast when it’s all said and done.”
Roman clapped a hand over Jace’s shoulder. “I know I’m thankful for the ugly SOB. That Beast of yours has saved my sorry ass a time or two.”
“If at all possible,” Tim continued on, “let’s just get this done without casualties.”
“Good luck with all that,” Jena interjected into the conversation. “Trust me, if we come up against the same creatures as I did, we’re not going to be able to talk ourselves out of a fight. Those things are nothing like us. You can’t reason with them. They were created for one thing only and that’s to kill.”
Tim released a deep breath. “I do realize we may have no other choice. Whatever it takes, we’ve got to shut this place down. And if that means taking out a few of Dr. Michaels experiments, then so be it.”
“I second that,” said Jace. “Let’s get this shit done.”
When Drakon slapped a Glock against Jace’s stomach, he flinched and quickly grabbed hold. “What the hell is this for?” Jace grumbled, frowning at Drakon. “Since when do I need a weapon?”
“Since now,” said Drakon, a seriousness etched into the tone of his voice. “By what Jena explained, silver is like kryptonite to those things we might very well encounter. So, you’ve got about fifteen rounds of silver in your grasp, buddy.” He raised his other hand and flashed a weapon of his own. “You never know. It just might come in handy.” His eyes roamed over each person. “And I brought enough to put in each of your hands, along with some extra clothes in case we shift and shred the ones we’re wearing.” He focused on Jena. “That goes for you too, Jena. Cassie helped me pack a couple of things for you.”
“Thanks, Drakon,” Jena said. “And he’s right. We should all take precautions and arm ourselves.”
Nicolas turned toward Jena with a look of approval stamped all over his face. “Like Angie said earlier.” He smiled broadly. “Jena, you’re definitely one little badass.”
She winked at Nicolas. “You better believe it.”
“Just remember,” Tim said. “Silver is also deadly to some of us. So, don’t get sloppy. Make sure you aim your weapon in the right direction.”
As soon as everyone armed themselves, making sure their weapons were locked and loaded with silver bullets, something caught Jena’s attention. Out of nowhere, the surface of her skin tingled. The second she took a big whiff of air, her stomach churned in protest. It was an all too familiar scent—a perforating strong stench of evil. The worst she’d ever smelled.
Jena instantly stopped in her tracks and turned her head. The distinctive odor was coming from behind, igniting her senses, along with her intuition. She quickly raised her hand, alerting the others to hold up. They immediately halted their movement and waited in silence, readying themselves for action.
As seconds ticked by, tension crackled in the air. Tired of waiting and with his usual lack of patience, Jace swore under his breath, then blatantly called out, “Psst… Hey, Jena—”
Jem shoved at him. “Dammit Jace,” he said in a hushed voice.
“What?” Jace whispered with a shrug.
Jem huffed out a deep breath and shook his head.
While the two brothers quietly bickered in the background, Jena’s senses sharpened even further. She picked up on more than one set of footsteps, and they were moving in their direction. Up ahead in the darkness, among the wooded area, she saw the silhouettes of what looked to be several wolfish fiends and glowing eyes. As they crept closer, their putrid scent was so thick, it rose like smoke to her nostrils. Jena found she could barely breathe. It almost made her gag. Then, her skin began to crawl with a wild sensation. The creature within her was itching to be released. Already she could feel tiny hairs prickling all over. She tried to keep from shifting, to stay human long enough to warn the others. Hold on. Stay in control.
Jena finally spoke out, keeping her voice low. “Hey guys.” She pointed toward a thicket of trees. “Get ready. We’ve got company.” Her voice became rough, gritty. “And I don’t mean in the good kind.”
“Ah, shit,” Jem said as he maneuvered in front of Manuel and Frank, using his body as a protective shield.
Jace grinned so wide, his teeth flashed. “Let’s rock-n-roll, guys.”
“Calm down, Jace,” said Drakon in a mock-scolding voice. “Don’t—”
An unearthly howl cut him off, followed by the sound of twigs snapping underfoot.
Jace leveled his eyes at Drakon. “Are you so sure about that?”
Before Drakon could reply, a chorus of howls flooded his ears and he had a pretty good idea what they were coming from.
The change in Jena grew stronger and had now taken full control. She’d never felt the urgency to kill her enemies like this before. It was spreading inside her like wildfire. Deep in the pit of her gut the desire rose, surprising in its intensity. She was ravenous for their demon souls. And then, a voice within called out to her. Evil creatures! Destroy them all!
In a matter of seconds, dark hair erupted from every pore and spread all over Jena’s body. Before it was too late, she shrugged out of her shoes and stripped down to her undergarments. Everyone, except for Nicolas, looked away.
Jena’s arms and legs lengthened and grew, rendering her bra and panties into bits and pieces. Then, acting on pure instinct, a monstrous roar came out of her, echoing throughout the woodland and beyond.
Nicolas stood back and watched, his eyes wide and full of fascination. How delicate and vulnerable she seemed only moments ago, and now his beloved stood like a magnificent, giant beast.
Jena’s dramatic transition caused a chain reaction within some of the others. Drakon was the first. Quickly, he stuffed his weapon into the duffel bag and set it on the ground. Then he toed off his boots and stripped down to his jockey shorts. Seconds later, he dropped to his knees and looked up at the dark, star-filled sky with a deep-throated growl. At warp speed, thick black hair poured out of his scalp and trailed down his broad shoulders. Within seconds, it covered his entire body. The muscles underneath his skin stretched and converted beyond its shape. It was as if something inside was trying to break free. The skin-twisting carnage seemed to have no end, until finally, a gigantic rogue wolf appeared in his place.
Tim’s transformation came next. He could feel the change rising fast, burning with a raw power. His muscles began to expand, splitting his clothes at the seams. Thinking fast, he hurriedly got undressed just as his limbs started to transform into the shape of an animal. When he fell to his hands and knees, dark wiry hair erupted from the top of his head, spreading wildly over every inch of his body. It wasn’t long before he mutated into a huge Breedline wolf. It was twice the size of any average wolf, if not bigger.
Jace looked between Drakon and Tim in amusement as they stood on all fours. And they were the ones lecturing me.
Suddenly, lurking from out of the shadows came several hulking wolfish creatures with dark matted fur and elongated snouts. Their long, protruding canines reminded Jace of a saber-toothed tiger. As they stalked closer, he noticed each one of them wore some sort of collar. And that’s when he began to question Jena’s theory. Could silver really kill those things? With the Glock in his grasp, he pondered on whether to bring forth his Beast or just go ahead and start plugging them full of holes. But before he made up his mind, one of the creatures—the largest of the mix—charged forward, snapping its jaws.
To be continued. . .
An hour later, they parked a half-mile from the underground passageway to go over the details before they traveled further.
Drakon slid out from behind the wheel of the Hummer H2 and Tim exited from the passenger’s side. While Roman, Jace, and Jem all piled out from the backseat, Drakon went to the trunk and popped it open. Inside, lying in the far corner, was a large duffel bag. He quickly grabbed it and strapped it over his shoulder. As soon as Drakon and the others approached Detective Frank and Manuel’s unmarked car, they waited as the two detectives got out. Nicolas and Jena emerged from the car’s backseat soon after. The rest of the Breedline crew hung back at the Covenant on standby.
“Okay guys,” said Tim while everyone gathered around. “We do this smart.” He pointedly looked in Jace’s direction. “No one goes in all gung-ho.”
Jace rolled his eyes. “Why do I get the feeling you’re preaching to me?”
“Come on, Jace,” said Drakon. “Do we really need to explain?”
“Yeah, Brother.” Jem crossed his arms, staring at Jace with a raised brow. “Try to remain even-tempered. We don’t need the Beast rearing its ugly head unless it’s necessary.”
“Yeah well,” Jace said with a clear smirk in his voice. “You might be praying for the Beast when it’s all said and done.”
Roman clapped a hand over Jace’s shoulder. “I know I’m thankful for the ugly SOB. That Beast of yours has saved my sorry ass a time or two.”
“If at all possible,” Tim continued on, “let’s just get this done without casualties.”
“Good luck with all that,” Jena interjected into the conversation. “Trust me, if we come up against the same creatures as I did, we’re not going to be able to talk ourselves out of a fight. Those things are nothing like us. You can’t reason with them. They were created for one thing only and that’s to kill.”
Tim released a deep breath. “I do realize we may have no other choice. Whatever it takes, we’ve got to shut this place down. And if that means taking out a few of Dr. Michaels experiments, then so be it.”
“I second that,” said Jace. “Let’s get this shit done.”
When Drakon slapped a Glock against Jace’s stomach, he flinched and quickly grabbed hold. “What the hell is this for?” Jace grumbled, frowning at Drakon. “Since when do I need a weapon?”
“Since now,” said Drakon, a seriousness etched into the tone of his voice. “By what Jena explained, silver is like kryptonite to those things we might very well encounter. So, you’ve got about fifteen rounds of silver in your grasp, buddy.” He raised his other hand and flashed a weapon of his own. “You never know. It just might come in handy.” His eyes roamed over each person. “And I brought enough to put in each of your hands, along with some extra clothes in case we shift and shred the ones we’re wearing.” He focused on Jena. “That goes for you too, Jena. Cassie helped me pack a couple of things for you.”
“Thanks, Drakon,” Jena said. “And he’s right. We should all take precautions and arm ourselves.”
Nicolas turned toward Jena with a look of approval stamped all over his face. “Like Angie said earlier.” He smiled broadly. “Jena, you’re definitely one little badass.”
She winked at Nicolas. “You better believe it.”
“Just remember,” Tim said. “Silver is also deadly to some of us. So, don’t get sloppy. Make sure you aim your weapon in the right direction.”
As soon as everyone armed themselves, making sure their weapons were locked and loaded with silver bullets, something caught Jena’s attention. Out of nowhere, the surface of her skin tingled. The second she took a big whiff of air, her stomach churned in protest. It was an all too familiar scent—a perforating strong stench of evil. The worst she’d ever smelled.
Jena instantly stopped in her tracks and turned her head. The distinctive odor was coming from behind, igniting her senses, along with her intuition. She quickly raised her hand, alerting the others to hold up. They immediately halted their movement and waited in silence, readying themselves for action.
As seconds ticked by, tension crackled in the air. Tired of waiting and with his usual lack of patience, Jace swore under his breath, then blatantly called out, “Psst… Hey, Jena—”
Jem shoved at him. “Dammit Jace,” he said in a hushed voice.
“What?” Jace whispered with a shrug.
Jem huffed out a deep breath and shook his head.
While the two brothers quietly bickered in the background, Jena’s senses sharpened even further. She picked up on more than one set of footsteps, and they were moving in their direction. Up ahead in the darkness, among the wooded area, she saw the silhouettes of what looked to be several wolfish fiends and glowing eyes. As they crept closer, their putrid scent was so thick, it rose like smoke to her nostrils. Jena found she could barely breathe. It almost made her gag. Then, her skin began to crawl with a wild sensation. The creature within her was itching to be released. Already she could feel tiny hairs prickling all over. She tried to keep from shifting, to stay human long enough to warn the others. Hold on. Stay in control.
Jena finally spoke out, keeping her voice low. “Hey guys.” She pointed toward a thicket of trees. “Get ready. We’ve got company.” Her voice became rough, gritty. “And I don’t mean in the good kind.”
“Ah, shit,” Jem said as he maneuvered in front of Manuel and Frank, using his body as a protective shield.
Jace grinned so wide, his teeth flashed. “Let’s rock-n-roll, guys.”
“Calm down, Jace,” said Drakon in a mock-scolding voice. “Don’t—”
An unearthly howl cut him off, followed by the sound of twigs snapping underfoot.
Jace leveled his eyes at Drakon. “Are you so sure about that?”
Before Drakon could reply, a chorus of howls flooded his ears and he had a pretty good idea what they were coming from.
The change in Jena grew stronger and had now taken full control. She’d never felt the urgency to kill her enemies like this before. It was spreading inside her like wildfire. Deep in the pit of her gut the desire rose, surprising in its intensity. She was ravenous for their demon souls. And then, a voice within called out to her. Evil creatures! Destroy them all!
In a matter of seconds, dark hair erupted from every pore and spread all over Jena’s body. Before it was too late, she shrugged out of her shoes and stripped down to her undergarments. Everyone, except for Nicolas, looked away.
Jena’s arms and legs lengthened and grew, rendering her bra and panties into bits and pieces. Then, acting on pure instinct, a monstrous roar came out of her, echoing throughout the woodland and beyond.
Nicolas stood back and watched, his eyes wide and full of fascination. How delicate and vulnerable she seemed only moments ago, and now his beloved stood like a magnificent, giant beast.
Jena’s dramatic transition caused a chain reaction within some of the others. Drakon was the first. Quickly, he stuffed his weapon into the duffel bag and set it on the ground. Then he toed off his boots and stripped down to his jockey shorts. Seconds later, he dropped to his knees and looked up at the dark, star-filled sky with a deep-throated growl. At warp speed, thick black hair poured out of his scalp and trailed down his broad shoulders. Within seconds, it covered his entire body. The muscles underneath his skin stretched and converted beyond its shape. It was as if something inside was trying to break free. The skin-twisting carnage seemed to have no end, until finally, a gigantic rogue wolf appeared in his place.
Tim’s transformation came next. He could feel the change rising fast, burning with a raw power. His muscles began to expand, splitting his clothes at the seams. Thinking fast, he hurriedly got undressed just as his limbs started to transform into the shape of an animal. When he fell to his hands and knees, dark wiry hair erupted from the top of his head, spreading wildly over every inch of his body. It wasn’t long before he mutated into a huge Breedline wolf. It was twice the size of any average wolf, if not bigger.
Jace looked between Drakon and Tim in amusement as they stood on all fours. And they were the ones lecturing me.
Suddenly, lurking from out of the shadows came several hulking wolfish creatures with dark matted fur and elongated snouts. Their long, protruding canines reminded Jace of a saber-toothed tiger. As they stalked closer, he noticed each one of them wore some sort of collar. And that’s when he began to question Jena’s theory. Could silver really kill those things? With the Glock in his grasp, he pondered on whether to bring forth his Beast or just go ahead and start plugging them full of holes. But before he made up his mind, one of the creatures—the largest of the mix—charged forward, snapping its jaws.
To be continued. . .
Artwork: Google
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.
ROGUE WOLF - A Breedline wolf who has killed with the intent of evil. They can never shift back into their human form.
THE BEAST - It is the second-born son of the Chiang-Shih demon. When provoked into a rage, he will shift into the Beast instead of the Breedline wolf. The Beast is also known as the Great White due to his white fur and enormous, two-footed stature. One bite from the Beast has enough venom to kill the Chiang-Shih demon, leaving the soul of the person the demon possessed unharmed.
ADALWOLF - A species that has the power to shift from their human form into a beautiful creature, twice the size, resembling half man and half wolf. Born with super-strength, they can move from one place to another in supernatural speed. Their eyes take on the appearance of two shimmering diamonds. With the power to regenerate their own cells, an Adalwolf will stop aging at thirty. The moon has no power over them, and they are immune to silver. They can bond with any species.
Jena McCain - She is an inspiring artist with the ability to speak with the dead. Jena was attacked and bitten by an age-old creature and cursed with a lust for human blood. Now that she is to become the creature and hunt humans, instead of killing innocent people, she will only hunt evil.
Nicolas Ratcliff - He is immortal with the power of invisibility and supernatural speed. He works for the San Francisco Police Department as a detective. Heâ??s bonded with Jena McCain.
Angie Hawkridge - She is a Breedline and Jena McCain's best friend.
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.
Tim Ross - He is a Breedline species and the council head of the California Covenant.
Drakon Hexus - He is a Breedline species and bonded to Cassie Chamberlain.
Roman Kincaid - He is an Adalwolf trained in military tactics, hired as a special breed of warriors from Brazil.
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.
Dr. Henry Michaels - He is the head physician for Adam & Eve Pharmaceuticals, hired by the government to experiment on his own patients to create a new species.
Kian Adams - She is a bounty hunter, hired by Dr. Henry Michael's to kidnap Jena McCain.
Pays
one point
and 2 member cents. 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.
ROGUE WOLF - A Breedline wolf who has killed with the intent of evil. They can never shift back into their human form.
THE BEAST - It is the second-born son of the Chiang-Shih demon. When provoked into a rage, he will shift into the Beast instead of the Breedline wolf. The Beast is also known as the Great White due to his white fur and enormous, two-footed stature. One bite from the Beast has enough venom to kill the Chiang-Shih demon, leaving the soul of the person the demon possessed unharmed.
ADALWOLF - A species that has the power to shift from their human form into a beautiful creature, twice the size, resembling half man and half wolf. Born with super-strength, they can move from one place to another in supernatural speed. Their eyes take on the appearance of two shimmering diamonds. With the power to regenerate their own cells, an Adalwolf will stop aging at thirty. The moon has no power over them, and they are immune to silver. They can bond with any species.
Jena McCain - She is an inspiring artist with the ability to speak with the dead. Jena was attacked and bitten by an age-old creature and cursed with a lust for human blood. Now that she is to become the creature and hunt humans, instead of killing innocent people, she will only hunt evil.
Nicolas Ratcliff - He is immortal with the power of invisibility and supernatural speed. He works for the San Francisco Police Department as a detective. Heâ??s bonded with Jena McCain.
Angie Hawkridge - She is a Breedline and Jena McCain's best friend.
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.
Tim Ross - He is a Breedline species and the council head of the California Covenant.
Drakon Hexus - He is a Breedline species and bonded to Cassie Chamberlain.
Roman Kincaid - He is an Adalwolf trained in military tactics, hired as a special breed of warriors from Brazil.
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.
Dr. Henry Michaels - He is the head physician for Adam & Eve Pharmaceuticals, hired by the government to experiment on his own patients to create a new species.
Kian Adams - She is a bounty hunter, hired by Dr. Henry Michael's to kidnap Jena McCain.
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