| Supernatural Science Fiction posted October 25, 2021 | Chapters: |
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The Curse/A Novel of the Breedline series
A chapter in the book THE CURSE
The Biters/Part Five
by scongrove
The author has placed a warning on this post for violence.
| Background Thanks for taking the time to read my chapter. If you catch typos or mistakes, please let me know. Stay safe & I hope you enjoy! |
Jace extended the bone saw and positioned himself into a fight stance as the pale-faced Biters started to stalk forward, their lips peeled back, revealing rows of sharp teeth.
The guy chained to the floor—who’d been kept prisoner by the hoard of Biters—suddenly felt his bladder go full. Quickly, he went into fetal position and began to whimper.
Tim, Nicolas, Drakon, and Roman stood alongside Jace—each gripping a sharp-tipped weapon—readying themselves for the fight of their lives.
There was at least a dozen, if not more, of those putrid, walking corpses. And they looked hungry, fixing their crazed, dead-looking eyes on them, hissing like angry cobras.
Tired of waiting, Jace made a move. With a deep-throated battle cry, he lunged at the closest vampire, preparing to chop off her head.
The instant she jumped back, trying to avoid the jagged blade, Jace snatched a wad of her long, matted hair. She howled in protest and clawed at him, fighting against his hold. He reared back and shoved the tip of the blade deep into her jugular, driving it straight through. He could hear bones cracking as it penetrated the back of her skull. Her lips pulled back into a yawning, bloody O. Then, he began working the blade side to side, easily sawing through flesh.
The horrific noises that came out of the vampire’s mouth sounded like a squealing pig and ended with liquid bubbles. She went silent the moment her head finally tore free. Jace tossed it aside and glared at the remaining group of Biters, his eyes glittering with satisfaction.
While Jace went to work on another Biter, slicing and dicing, his comrades-in-arms sprang into action, wreaking havoc on a few vampirish ghouls of their own.
The pack of Biters fought like hell, clawing and kicking, fighting much harder than they would have expected going by their petite, girlish frames. But they were no ordinary teens. More like Satan’s spawn.
Roman was thrown off guard when one of the Biters tackled him from behind, climbing up his body with the movements of a slithering serpent. The moment something sharp bit into his shoulder, burning like a red-hot poker, he let out a hell-fire scream. On instinct, he reached for the girl’s hair, grabbed a chunk, and slung her to the floor. He heard the smack of her face as it hit the concrete hard. He lifted the blade, preparing to strike, but when her head swiveled around, he momentarily paused, horrified at the image. It made him think of the girl in the Exorcist. “Jesus…” he gasped.
The moment her mouth juddered open in an awful, snarling hiss, the rank odor assailed Roman’s nostrils, and sank deep in his gut. He forced down the dry heave that lingered in the back of his throat and continued his endeavor to lop off her head. But before he swung away, the girl threw her hands up in front of her face and began to softly weep. He halted in mid-air. Then, came a child’s, sobbing voice, “Please, Mister…” She kept her face hidden. “Please don’t hurt me.”
Feeling a painful tug at his heart, Roman slowly lowered his weapon. He brought a hand up to his chest and made the sign of a cross. “Hey,” he whispered, taking a step back. “Little girl…”
When she made no reply, he stood there waiting, his eyes focused on the girl, listening to the sounds of her heart-wrenching tears. It was as though all the chaotic noise surrounding him suddenly drifted away and silence took over the room. Carefully, he inched forward and went to reach for her. Nicolas stopped his hand before he got any closer.
“Don’t listen to her,” he told Roman. “It’s not real. She’s using her powers to manipulate you.”
Roman turned to Nicolas and muttered, “But—”
Nicolas instantly cut his words off and said, “No, Roman.” He slowly shook his head. “It’s a trick.”
He looked away from Nicolas and to the girl with confusion set in his gaze. She seemed so small with her knees tucked in, and her hands shielding what he imagined was a tear-stained face. Roman turned back to Nicolas, his eyes racked with indecision as the girl’s sobbing grew louder. “For Christ’s sake,” he said. “She’s just a—”
His words trailed off as the girl sprang forward, exploding in a fit of rage. Her boney fingers, hooked into claws, slashed across Roman’s surprised face, dragging bloody scratches down the side of his cheek.
In a protective measure, Roman spun away, barely avoiding the hand that clawed at his eyes.
It all happened in an instant. In the blink of an eye, Nicolas grabbed the girl by the waist, still kicking and screaming, and tossed her across the room, sandbag style. It took a grand total of five seconds before she collided with the blacked-out window and crashed through. Glass exploded and soft beams of the morning light engulfed the dark room. The girl’s screams were deafening, echoing with raw, agonizing pain. The moment they faded into nothingness, dark smoke filtered inside the broken opening, followed by bits and pieces of floating ash. Roman’s eyes widened in astonishment, his gaze flickering between the window and Nicolas.
It seemed to trigger a reaction in her vampirish companions. They covered their faces, shrieking in agony as they flailed and thrashed under the sunlight’s burning rays.
Nicolas and his Breedline comrades watched in amazement as every single Biter went up in flames. It didn’t take long for them to turn to ash, all in the space of a minute, silencing their horrid screams forever.
For a long moment, the five of them stood, silent and in disbelief by what just happened. The stink of burnt and rotten flesh was thick and going by Jace’s expression, he had just about reached his limits. “I don’t know ‘bout the rest of you jokers,” he said, heading to the door. “But I’m outta here.”
With relief written all over his face, Roman looked to Nicolas, nodding his approval. Nicolas gave him a nod back.
Tim said nothing. Just stood there, staring at what was left of those Biters. Of all the evil things he'd encountered, those young girls who had been turned into savage killers were the worst. Then he turned from their ashes. "Let's get out of here, guys."
“I’m definitely ready,” said Roman.
“Count me in, too,” added Drakon.
“Wait…” said the guy chained to the floor, his grief-stricken eyes pleading for help. “You’re not going to just leave me here, are you?”
Every head turned toward the guy and then shifted their eyes on Tim as though they were waiting for him to come up with a solution.
"How is it he's still alive?" asked Drakon, pointedly looking at Nicolas for an answer. "I mean, shouldn't he be ash by now? If those things have been feeding off him, why hasn't he turned?"
"Biters only turn females," explained Nicolas. "Males are strictly a food source."
Drakon nodded, his upper lip curling in disgust. "So, how do they keep from turning him?"
"They don't secrete venom while feeding," Nicolas replied.
“If Mr. Pierce is not going to be a threat," said Tim. "We need to get him out of here. And I’m going to need some help getting him out of those chains.” He searched over the faces in the room. “Do I have any volunteers?”
“Jace will volunteer,” said Drakon just as Jace reached for the door. “Wontcha, buddy?”
Jace paused with his hand on the door handle and rolled his eyes. “No way man.” He adamantly shook his head, then faced the others. “I’m not hanging around here a minute longer. I've had enough of that god awful stench. I'm seriously 'bout to hurl here guys.”
“I’ll do it,” volunteered Nicolas.
“Thanks Nicolas,” said Drakon, rolling his eyes at Jace. “I’ll stay back and help too.”
Jace smirked at Drakon. “I’ll go catch up with Jena and the others to make sure they’re doing okay.”
As Jace started to take off, Roman hollered, “Hold up, buddy. I’m coming with you.”
“Good idea, Roman,” Drakon pointed out. “Make sure you keep him out of trouble.”
“Pfft,” muttered Jace. “Whatever.”
To be continued. . .
The guy chained to the floor—who’d been kept prisoner by the hoard of Biters—suddenly felt his bladder go full. Quickly, he went into fetal position and began to whimper.
Tim, Nicolas, Drakon, and Roman stood alongside Jace—each gripping a sharp-tipped weapon—readying themselves for the fight of their lives.
There was at least a dozen, if not more, of those putrid, walking corpses. And they looked hungry, fixing their crazed, dead-looking eyes on them, hissing like angry cobras.
Tired of waiting, Jace made a move. With a deep-throated battle cry, he lunged at the closest vampire, preparing to chop off her head.
The instant she jumped back, trying to avoid the jagged blade, Jace snatched a wad of her long, matted hair. She howled in protest and clawed at him, fighting against his hold. He reared back and shoved the tip of the blade deep into her jugular, driving it straight through. He could hear bones cracking as it penetrated the back of her skull. Her lips pulled back into a yawning, bloody O. Then, he began working the blade side to side, easily sawing through flesh.
The horrific noises that came out of the vampire’s mouth sounded like a squealing pig and ended with liquid bubbles. She went silent the moment her head finally tore free. Jace tossed it aside and glared at the remaining group of Biters, his eyes glittering with satisfaction.
While Jace went to work on another Biter, slicing and dicing, his comrades-in-arms sprang into action, wreaking havoc on a few vampirish ghouls of their own.
The pack of Biters fought like hell, clawing and kicking, fighting much harder than they would have expected going by their petite, girlish frames. But they were no ordinary teens. More like Satan’s spawn.
Roman was thrown off guard when one of the Biters tackled him from behind, climbing up his body with the movements of a slithering serpent. The moment something sharp bit into his shoulder, burning like a red-hot poker, he let out a hell-fire scream. On instinct, he reached for the girl’s hair, grabbed a chunk, and slung her to the floor. He heard the smack of her face as it hit the concrete hard. He lifted the blade, preparing to strike, but when her head swiveled around, he momentarily paused, horrified at the image. It made him think of the girl in the Exorcist. “Jesus…” he gasped.
The moment her mouth juddered open in an awful, snarling hiss, the rank odor assailed Roman’s nostrils, and sank deep in his gut. He forced down the dry heave that lingered in the back of his throat and continued his endeavor to lop off her head. But before he swung away, the girl threw her hands up in front of her face and began to softly weep. He halted in mid-air. Then, came a child’s, sobbing voice, “Please, Mister…” She kept her face hidden. “Please don’t hurt me.”
Feeling a painful tug at his heart, Roman slowly lowered his weapon. He brought a hand up to his chest and made the sign of a cross. “Hey,” he whispered, taking a step back. “Little girl…”
When she made no reply, he stood there waiting, his eyes focused on the girl, listening to the sounds of her heart-wrenching tears. It was as though all the chaotic noise surrounding him suddenly drifted away and silence took over the room. Carefully, he inched forward and went to reach for her. Nicolas stopped his hand before he got any closer.
“Don’t listen to her,” he told Roman. “It’s not real. She’s using her powers to manipulate you.”
Roman turned to Nicolas and muttered, “But—”
Nicolas instantly cut his words off and said, “No, Roman.” He slowly shook his head. “It’s a trick.”
He looked away from Nicolas and to the girl with confusion set in his gaze. She seemed so small with her knees tucked in, and her hands shielding what he imagined was a tear-stained face. Roman turned back to Nicolas, his eyes racked with indecision as the girl’s sobbing grew louder. “For Christ’s sake,” he said. “She’s just a—”
His words trailed off as the girl sprang forward, exploding in a fit of rage. Her boney fingers, hooked into claws, slashed across Roman’s surprised face, dragging bloody scratches down the side of his cheek.
In a protective measure, Roman spun away, barely avoiding the hand that clawed at his eyes.
It all happened in an instant. In the blink of an eye, Nicolas grabbed the girl by the waist, still kicking and screaming, and tossed her across the room, sandbag style. It took a grand total of five seconds before she collided with the blacked-out window and crashed through. Glass exploded and soft beams of the morning light engulfed the dark room. The girl’s screams were deafening, echoing with raw, agonizing pain. The moment they faded into nothingness, dark smoke filtered inside the broken opening, followed by bits and pieces of floating ash. Roman’s eyes widened in astonishment, his gaze flickering between the window and Nicolas.
It seemed to trigger a reaction in her vampirish companions. They covered their faces, shrieking in agony as they flailed and thrashed under the sunlight’s burning rays.
Nicolas and his Breedline comrades watched in amazement as every single Biter went up in flames. It didn’t take long for them to turn to ash, all in the space of a minute, silencing their horrid screams forever.
For a long moment, the five of them stood, silent and in disbelief by what just happened. The stink of burnt and rotten flesh was thick and going by Jace’s expression, he had just about reached his limits. “I don’t know ‘bout the rest of you jokers,” he said, heading to the door. “But I’m outta here.”
With relief written all over his face, Roman looked to Nicolas, nodding his approval. Nicolas gave him a nod back.
Tim said nothing. Just stood there, staring at what was left of those Biters. Of all the evil things he'd encountered, those young girls who had been turned into savage killers were the worst. Then he turned from their ashes. "Let's get out of here, guys."
“I’m definitely ready,” said Roman.
“Count me in, too,” added Drakon.
“Wait…” said the guy chained to the floor, his grief-stricken eyes pleading for help. “You’re not going to just leave me here, are you?”
Every head turned toward the guy and then shifted their eyes on Tim as though they were waiting for him to come up with a solution.
"How is it he's still alive?" asked Drakon, pointedly looking at Nicolas for an answer. "I mean, shouldn't he be ash by now? If those things have been feeding off him, why hasn't he turned?"
"Biters only turn females," explained Nicolas. "Males are strictly a food source."
Drakon nodded, his upper lip curling in disgust. "So, how do they keep from turning him?"
"They don't secrete venom while feeding," Nicolas replied.
“If Mr. Pierce is not going to be a threat," said Tim. "We need to get him out of here. And I’m going to need some help getting him out of those chains.” He searched over the faces in the room. “Do I have any volunteers?”
“Jace will volunteer,” said Drakon just as Jace reached for the door. “Wontcha, buddy?”
Jace paused with his hand on the door handle and rolled his eyes. “No way man.” He adamantly shook his head, then faced the others. “I’m not hanging around here a minute longer. I've had enough of that god awful stench. I'm seriously 'bout to hurl here guys.”
“I’ll do it,” volunteered Nicolas.
“Thanks Nicolas,” said Drakon, rolling his eyes at Jace. “I’ll stay back and help too.”
Jace smirked at Drakon. “I’ll go catch up with Jena and the others to make sure they’re doing okay.”
As Jace started to take off, Roman hollered, “Hold up, buddy. I’m coming with you.”
“Good idea, Roman,” Drakon pointed out. “Make sure you keep him out of trouble.”
“Pfft,” muttered Jace. “Whatever.”
To be continued. . .
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.
Biters - They are dangerous vampires that hunt humans and comprised of only females.
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.
Tim Ross - He is a Breedline species and the council head of the California Covenant.
Nicolas Ratcliff - He is immortal with the power of invisibility and supernatural speed. He works for the San Francisco Police Department as a detective. He's bonded with Jena McCain.
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.
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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.
Biters - They are dangerous vampires that hunt humans and comprised of only females.
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.
Tim Ross - He is a Breedline species and the council head of the California Covenant.
Nicolas Ratcliff - He is immortal with the power of invisibility and supernatural speed. He works for the San Francisco Police Department as a detective. He's bonded with Jena McCain.
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.
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