| Supernatural Science Fiction posted December 27, 2021 | Chapters: |
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The Curse/A Novel of the Breedline series
A chapter in the book THE CURSE
Crime Scene
by scongrove
| Background Thanks for taking the time to read my chapter. If you catch typos or mistakes, please let me know. Hope you enjoy! Wishing everyone a safe & happy New Year! |
Previously. . .
“Carrie…” Joseph finally croaked out. “I-I swear… I can’t remember. But I think…” he paused, clearing his throat, “I killed Veronica.”
“If it’s true, that thing made you do it,” she said, anger surging in her voice. “Do you hear me, Joseph? You’re not responsible for this.”
“It needs to be stopped. Permanently.” He swallowed around the lump in his throat. “I have to end this.”
“What are you saying, Joseph?”
For a moment he was silent, looking up at the cloudy sky as the rain subsided, shifting into a light mist. Finally, he opened his mouth, and said, “Don’t you see, Carrie? There’s no other way.” He slowly maneuvered himself back on his feet. “If I continue to live, so will the Shadow.”
“No, Joseph.” Carrie’s voice was panic-stricken. “I won’t let you do this. There has to be another way.”
“I’m sorry…” Joseph paused, fighting back the words, to say good-bye. “I have to go, Carrie.”
Looking around wildly, heart hammering, not sure where to go, he took off running like an animal of prey evading its predator. As he ran, he tried not to think of Carrie. Leaving her made his heart ache as though he was already dying. But he knew if he didn’t stop the Shadow, she’d never be safe. And right now, that was all he cared about, all he could think about.
Continued. . .
While officers worked crowd control, Detectives’ Manuel Sanchez and Frank Perkins surveyed the roped off crime scene. A canopy had been set up by first responders to preserve evidence from the morning rain. Located in the parking lot of New Hope Foundation was the body of Miss Veronica Hernandez. Not only was she the manager of a substance abuse counseling center, she was also the CEO’s daughter, and Carrie Randall—Frank’s nieces’—boss.
Manuel, wearing latex gloves, crouched to get a closer look at the victim’s wounds. “Looks like our guy’s MO,” he said, pointing at the ripped-out portion on Miss Hernandez’s chest. “Same injuries as Kevin Russo and our recent victim on Montclair Boulevard.” He averted his eyes from the body and looked up at Frank. “All three missing their hearts.”
“Yeah,” said Frank, looking between his partner and the bloody corpse, his stomach twisted in knots. “Now that there are three victims with the same MO, our perp will be considered a serial killer.”
“I’m sure the media will have a field day over this shit,” grumbled Manuel. “I can just see the headlines now.” He stood straight, rolling his eyes. “Valentine’s Day killer strikes again. But I suppose it’s certainly more believable than the actual truth.”
The Shadow. The words hung unspoken between them.
“This leaves us with no other choice,” Frank pointed out. “We’ll have to put out a warning and alert the area. Our hands will be tied until we find our killer. Have you heard anything from the Covenant on Joseph Parker’s location?”
Manuel shook his head. “Nothing yet, but Drakon is doing some digging. Come to find out, the address Mr. Parker gave the Jones Center was bogus and since nothing comes up in our data base, Drakon is heading to Mr. Parker’s place of employment, hoping to find something solid. So far, this guy is like a freakin chameleon. And if it weren’t for Katie, we’d still have nada on this guy. At least now we have the name he’s going by and his place of employment. Just think,” he huffed out an aggravated sigh, “all this time he was that journalist from the Chronicle who wrote the article on the institute we shut down. In addition, the damn article made front page.”
“I know, right?” Frank groaned. “Go figure. And speaking of Katie Mendoza, what are we planning on doing about that third voice on her and Joseph’s recorded session? I mean, it was a bit disturbing. The Shadow, or whatever the hell this thing is, seems to want Katie dead. You don’t think it will persuade Joseph to actually kill her, do you?”
“Katie told me their next therapy session isn’t scheduled till the end of the month,” explained Manuel. “That gives us two weeks. Besides, after I discussed the situation with the Covenant, they decided to put eyes on Katie twenty-four seven. Anything goes down, you can bet your ass she’ll be protected.”
“Well, at least Katie’s in safe hands,” said Frank, sighing in relief. “And hopefully the Breedline will put an end to all this madness before this Shadow takes another innocent life.”
“Me too, partner,” said Manuel. “I just hope they can destroy it without killing Joseph.”
“I don’t see how that’s going to be possible,” said Frank. “If Jena’s creature has the power to destroy it, she’ll have to kill Joseph in the process.”
“I guess you’re right.” Manuel’s brows lifted. “That poor guy has had it rough his entire life. Witnessing your father beat your mother to death is bad enough, then being tossed in and out of foster care until finally locked up in a mental institute most of your adolescence is pretty messed up. And to come to find out, this whole time, instead of suffering with schizophrenia, he was actually possessed by a demon.” He regretfully shook his head. “I just can’t imagine, especially as a child.”
“I agree,” said Frank, his expression grim. “This whole mess makes me sick to my stomach. So, when do you think the coroner will get here? he asked, anxiously glancing down at his watch, trying to avoid Veronica’s corpse lying below.
“Don’t worry, buddy.” Manuel shot Frank a look of empathy, realizing his partner had a hard time when it came to dead bodies, especially the bloody and gory parts. “As soon as she arrives, we’ll get out of here.”
“Changing the subject,” Frank began, nervously tapping his foot, “are you coming to my niece’s birthday party?”
“Ah, damn,” blurted Manuel. “Is that this Saturday?”
When Frank nodded, Manuel said, “I’m glad you reminded me. I completely forgot. The days seem to go by in a blur lately.”
Frank smiled as the shift in the conversation eased the tension a little. “Well, you are getting up there in age. They say the first thing to go is your memory.”
“Oh, kiss my ass, Perkins.” Manuel folded his arms and scoffed. “You’re the same age as me.”
Frank smirked. “So, are you coming or not?”
“I promised Carrie I would stop by for a little while. Although, seeing her boss was just murdered, I doubt she’ll be up to celebrating.”
“I talked to her earlier, and as far as I know, she’s still planning on having the party. She’s pretty upset, as she should be, but still, she doesn’t want to cancel since Jessica and Ryan have already arranged things for the barbeque. Carrie’s not the type to disappoint anyone, and if I know her like I think I do, she won’t cancel.”
“I’m sure she could use the moral support anyway,” said Manuel. “Besides, isn’t that new fella she’s been seeing supposed to be there?” He squinted his eyes, looking at Frank, thinking. “What did you say his name was?”
“Heck, I don’t know.” Frank shrugged a shoulder. “I can barely remember Jessica’s boyfriends’ name.”
Manuel chuckled. “You remember Ryan because we nearly arrested him when we thought he was sneaking into the back door to Carrie and Jessica’s apartment.”
“Probably,” said Frank. “Plus, Carrie never mentioned the name of the guy she’s seeing, and I didn’t ask. I just gave her the benefit of the doubt, hoping she’d use better judgement this go-around. Don’t you remember me telling you?”
“Oh yah,” Manuel grudgingly replied. “But for crying-out-loud, Perkins. It might’ve been a good idea to ask for the guy’s name seeing how nutty people are nowadays. Then you could’ve gotten a background check on this one. The last guy she dated wasn’t exactly Prince Charming. And we both know where he ended up.”
“Yeah,” Frank hesitantly said, his expression grim. “Dead.”
“We’ll, I don’t know about you,” said Manuel, “but I plan on asking this guy a few questions. At least find out his name, where he’s originally from, where he works. You know… just to make sure he’s on the up and up. Hell, for all we know, he could be some maniac with a criminal record.”
“Oh, come on.” Frank grimaced. “Give Carrie a little more credit than that. And please don’t embarrass her. She hates it when Missy and I grill her about dating and personal things. We try our best to respect her privacy. And it’s not like she’s a child anymore. She’s a grown adult who is fully capable of making her own decisions.”
“I promise I won’t embarrass her,” said Manuel. “I’m just going to ask a few questions, that’s all.”
Frank reached out and clapped a hand over Manuel’s shoulder. “I know you mean well, partner. It’s nice to know someone else, besides Missy and I, is looking out for Carrie.”
“Sure thing, buddy.” Manuel’s lips curved up. “Carrie’s like family. And if anyone was to as much as lay a finger on that girl,” he paused and patted his holster, “they’ll have me to answer to.”
“You and me both,” said Frank.
The two detectives turned when they heard approaching footsteps. When they noticed a police officer heading in their direction in a hurried pace, their expressions grew serious.
“Detective’s,” said the officer, “we just got a call in. A male in his early-to-mid-twenties was struck by a vehicle. It’s near the park and going by the call, it sounds pretty bad. Officers’ Channing and Taylor were the first responders on the scene. An ambulance is on the way.”
“Do we have an ID on the victim?” asked Manuel.
“Yes sir,” said the officer. “Joseph Parker. We have a witness at the scene. Apparently, the victim was crossing the street when he was hit. He was jogging, I believe.”
Instantly, the hairs on Manuel's neck stood on end. He traded glances with Frank, his throat dry and grainy, noticing the same look of bewilderment stamped all over his face, then said, “Well shit. That's our guy. Let’s go, partner.”
To be continued. . .
“Carrie…” Joseph finally croaked out. “I-I swear… I can’t remember. But I think…” he paused, clearing his throat, “I killed Veronica.”
“If it’s true, that thing made you do it,” she said, anger surging in her voice. “Do you hear me, Joseph? You’re not responsible for this.”
“It needs to be stopped. Permanently.” He swallowed around the lump in his throat. “I have to end this.”
“What are you saying, Joseph?”
For a moment he was silent, looking up at the cloudy sky as the rain subsided, shifting into a light mist. Finally, he opened his mouth, and said, “Don’t you see, Carrie? There’s no other way.” He slowly maneuvered himself back on his feet. “If I continue to live, so will the Shadow.”
“No, Joseph.” Carrie’s voice was panic-stricken. “I won’t let you do this. There has to be another way.”
“I’m sorry…” Joseph paused, fighting back the words, to say good-bye. “I have to go, Carrie.”
Looking around wildly, heart hammering, not sure where to go, he took off running like an animal of prey evading its predator. As he ran, he tried not to think of Carrie. Leaving her made his heart ache as though he was already dying. But he knew if he didn’t stop the Shadow, she’d never be safe. And right now, that was all he cared about, all he could think about.
Continued. . .
While officers worked crowd control, Detectives’ Manuel Sanchez and Frank Perkins surveyed the roped off crime scene. A canopy had been set up by first responders to preserve evidence from the morning rain. Located in the parking lot of New Hope Foundation was the body of Miss Veronica Hernandez. Not only was she the manager of a substance abuse counseling center, she was also the CEO’s daughter, and Carrie Randall—Frank’s nieces’—boss.
Manuel, wearing latex gloves, crouched to get a closer look at the victim’s wounds. “Looks like our guy’s MO,” he said, pointing at the ripped-out portion on Miss Hernandez’s chest. “Same injuries as Kevin Russo and our recent victim on Montclair Boulevard.” He averted his eyes from the body and looked up at Frank. “All three missing their hearts.”
“Yeah,” said Frank, looking between his partner and the bloody corpse, his stomach twisted in knots. “Now that there are three victims with the same MO, our perp will be considered a serial killer.”
“I’m sure the media will have a field day over this shit,” grumbled Manuel. “I can just see the headlines now.” He stood straight, rolling his eyes. “Valentine’s Day killer strikes again. But I suppose it’s certainly more believable than the actual truth.”
The Shadow. The words hung unspoken between them.
“This leaves us with no other choice,” Frank pointed out. “We’ll have to put out a warning and alert the area. Our hands will be tied until we find our killer. Have you heard anything from the Covenant on Joseph Parker’s location?”
Manuel shook his head. “Nothing yet, but Drakon is doing some digging. Come to find out, the address Mr. Parker gave the Jones Center was bogus and since nothing comes up in our data base, Drakon is heading to Mr. Parker’s place of employment, hoping to find something solid. So far, this guy is like a freakin chameleon. And if it weren’t for Katie, we’d still have nada on this guy. At least now we have the name he’s going by and his place of employment. Just think,” he huffed out an aggravated sigh, “all this time he was that journalist from the Chronicle who wrote the article on the institute we shut down. In addition, the damn article made front page.”
“I know, right?” Frank groaned. “Go figure. And speaking of Katie Mendoza, what are we planning on doing about that third voice on her and Joseph’s recorded session? I mean, it was a bit disturbing. The Shadow, or whatever the hell this thing is, seems to want Katie dead. You don’t think it will persuade Joseph to actually kill her, do you?”
“Katie told me their next therapy session isn’t scheduled till the end of the month,” explained Manuel. “That gives us two weeks. Besides, after I discussed the situation with the Covenant, they decided to put eyes on Katie twenty-four seven. Anything goes down, you can bet your ass she’ll be protected.”
“Well, at least Katie’s in safe hands,” said Frank, sighing in relief. “And hopefully the Breedline will put an end to all this madness before this Shadow takes another innocent life.”
“Me too, partner,” said Manuel. “I just hope they can destroy it without killing Joseph.”
“I don’t see how that’s going to be possible,” said Frank. “If Jena’s creature has the power to destroy it, she’ll have to kill Joseph in the process.”
“I guess you’re right.” Manuel’s brows lifted. “That poor guy has had it rough his entire life. Witnessing your father beat your mother to death is bad enough, then being tossed in and out of foster care until finally locked up in a mental institute most of your adolescence is pretty messed up. And to come to find out, this whole time, instead of suffering with schizophrenia, he was actually possessed by a demon.” He regretfully shook his head. “I just can’t imagine, especially as a child.”
“I agree,” said Frank, his expression grim. “This whole mess makes me sick to my stomach. So, when do you think the coroner will get here? he asked, anxiously glancing down at his watch, trying to avoid Veronica’s corpse lying below.
“Don’t worry, buddy.” Manuel shot Frank a look of empathy, realizing his partner had a hard time when it came to dead bodies, especially the bloody and gory parts. “As soon as she arrives, we’ll get out of here.”
“Changing the subject,” Frank began, nervously tapping his foot, “are you coming to my niece’s birthday party?”
“Ah, damn,” blurted Manuel. “Is that this Saturday?”
When Frank nodded, Manuel said, “I’m glad you reminded me. I completely forgot. The days seem to go by in a blur lately.”
Frank smiled as the shift in the conversation eased the tension a little. “Well, you are getting up there in age. They say the first thing to go is your memory.”
“Oh, kiss my ass, Perkins.” Manuel folded his arms and scoffed. “You’re the same age as me.”
Frank smirked. “So, are you coming or not?”
“I promised Carrie I would stop by for a little while. Although, seeing her boss was just murdered, I doubt she’ll be up to celebrating.”
“I talked to her earlier, and as far as I know, she’s still planning on having the party. She’s pretty upset, as she should be, but still, she doesn’t want to cancel since Jessica and Ryan have already arranged things for the barbeque. Carrie’s not the type to disappoint anyone, and if I know her like I think I do, she won’t cancel.”
“I’m sure she could use the moral support anyway,” said Manuel. “Besides, isn’t that new fella she’s been seeing supposed to be there?” He squinted his eyes, looking at Frank, thinking. “What did you say his name was?”
“Heck, I don’t know.” Frank shrugged a shoulder. “I can barely remember Jessica’s boyfriends’ name.”
Manuel chuckled. “You remember Ryan because we nearly arrested him when we thought he was sneaking into the back door to Carrie and Jessica’s apartment.”
“Probably,” said Frank. “Plus, Carrie never mentioned the name of the guy she’s seeing, and I didn’t ask. I just gave her the benefit of the doubt, hoping she’d use better judgement this go-around. Don’t you remember me telling you?”
“Oh yah,” Manuel grudgingly replied. “But for crying-out-loud, Perkins. It might’ve been a good idea to ask for the guy’s name seeing how nutty people are nowadays. Then you could’ve gotten a background check on this one. The last guy she dated wasn’t exactly Prince Charming. And we both know where he ended up.”
“Yeah,” Frank hesitantly said, his expression grim. “Dead.”
“We’ll, I don’t know about you,” said Manuel, “but I plan on asking this guy a few questions. At least find out his name, where he’s originally from, where he works. You know… just to make sure he’s on the up and up. Hell, for all we know, he could be some maniac with a criminal record.”
“Oh, come on.” Frank grimaced. “Give Carrie a little more credit than that. And please don’t embarrass her. She hates it when Missy and I grill her about dating and personal things. We try our best to respect her privacy. And it’s not like she’s a child anymore. She’s a grown adult who is fully capable of making her own decisions.”
“I promise I won’t embarrass her,” said Manuel. “I’m just going to ask a few questions, that’s all.”
Frank reached out and clapped a hand over Manuel’s shoulder. “I know you mean well, partner. It’s nice to know someone else, besides Missy and I, is looking out for Carrie.”
“Sure thing, buddy.” Manuel’s lips curved up. “Carrie’s like family. And if anyone was to as much as lay a finger on that girl,” he paused and patted his holster, “they’ll have me to answer to.”
“You and me both,” said Frank.
The two detectives turned when they heard approaching footsteps. When they noticed a police officer heading in their direction in a hurried pace, their expressions grew serious.
“Detective’s,” said the officer, “we just got a call in. A male in his early-to-mid-twenties was struck by a vehicle. It’s near the park and going by the call, it sounds pretty bad. Officers’ Channing and Taylor were the first responders on the scene. An ambulance is on the way.”
“Do we have an ID on the victim?” asked Manuel.
“Yes sir,” said the officer. “Joseph Parker. We have a witness at the scene. Apparently, the victim was crossing the street when he was hit. He was jogging, I believe.”
Instantly, the hairs on Manuel's neck stood on end. He traded glances with Frank, his throat dry and grainy, noticing the same look of bewilderment stamped all over his face, then said, “Well shit. That's our guy. Let’s go, partner.”
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Drakon Hexus - He is a Breedline species and bonded to Cassie Chamberlain.
Jessica - She is Carrie's best friend and roommate.
Ryan - He is Jessica's boyfriend.
Dr. Katie Mendoza - She is Joseph Parker's therapist at the Jones Center.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Drakon Hexus - He is a Breedline species and bonded to Cassie Chamberlain.
Jessica - She is Carrie's best friend and roommate.
Ryan - He is Jessica's boyfriend.
Dr. Katie Mendoza - She is Joseph Parker's therapist at the Jones Center.
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