| Supernatural Fiction posted August 28, 2018 | Chapters: |
...16 17 -18- 19... 
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Sins of Chaos/A Novel of the Breedline series
A chapter in the book Sins of Chaos
The Sin-Eater/Part Three
by scongrove
Previously ...
When two, human homicide Detectives, Manuel Sanchez and Frank Perkins, question Zeke Rizzo—who is a Breedline, born with the curse of a sin-eater, and owner of the Cat Club—about a woman they’d found brutally murdered near his bar, one of Zeke’s bouncers recognizes the victim after Detective Perkins shares her photo from social media. He also confirms the victim left the bar around midnight with a guy that oddly resembled the famous actor, Jason Momoa.
Before the detectives leave, Zeke gives them a copy of the bar’s video surveillance, hoping it would help with their investigation.
As the detectives exit the club, Zeke found himself confronted by a beautiful woman he’d seen earlier hanging out in the VIP section with an older gentleman. After introducing herself as Callisto and that she was every man’s dream, she asked him to spend the night with her. Zeke refused her proposition, but she was not the type to take no for an answer, and grabbed his arm. At the same time he realized she was not human and craved human blood, he got a glimpse into her past, using his sin-eater skills. What he saw nearly brought him to his knees. She’d been trapped alive for years in some kind of sarcophagus. At the same time Zeke questioned her about his vision, Callisto’s brother, Apollyon, interrupted their conversation and warned Zeke to keep his sister’s past to himself.
Continued ...
When Apollyon exited the Cat Club, practically dragging Callisto as she tried to rip free of her brother’s tight grip like a spoiled child throwing a temper tantrum, two bouncers—Sam Malone and Deacon O’Malley—strode in Zeke’s direction.
“You callin’ those detectives?” Sam asked with a nervous pitch to his voice.
Zeke looked up from the detective’s business card he held in his hand. “I’m not so sure if the human police can handle this one.”
Deacon furrowed his thick brows. “Why’s dat, boss?”
Zeke Rizzo was not a rocket scientist, and he was also not a betting man. No reason to bet. His sin-eater skills told him all he needed to know. His mind worked like a fortune-teller’s crystal ball.
As he looked from Deacon to Sam, he swallowed hard. Both of the bouncers were Breedline and the only two people he trusted completely.
“We’re dealing with something non-human,” Zeke told them. “And I don’t think the human PD has the credentials to deal with this.”
Yelena’s face dropped. “What exactly, ah ... are they?”
Zeke met Yelena’s eyes steadily and shook his head. “I’m not sure, but whatever they are, they’re hungry for human blood.”
There was a brief period of silence, the question Deacon wanted to ask hovering in the air as loud as the echo of clanging church bells.
“Do yuh tink dey’re de ones responsible fawh all de mass murders in de city?” Deacon asked in a thick Brooklyn accent.
The sin-eater within Zeke knew the answer. Caged by the situation, he clenched his jaw and nodded slowly.
“So what are you going to do?” Yelena asked Zeke.
“I don’t have any other choice,” he said, cursing under his breath. “I’m going to make a call to the Covenant.”
By the time Zeke got back to his office after zeroing out the cash registers and sending the staff and the bouncers off into the night, it was already 7:00 a.m.
As he pulled out his phone and opened his contacts, Tim Ross’s number came up, although not his name. The number was listed under BHC. Short for: Breedline Head Council. He took a deep breath and stared at the number on the screen. He hesitated, but then hit send and put the phone up to his ear. The instant he heard ringing, he got a vivid, disturbing image of Callisto’s memory and her hunger for human blood. When Tim’s deep voice answered, Zeke refocused and explained the situation.
Tim frowned as he spoke into his cell phone. “Let’s keep this information between us,” he told Zeke. “We don’t need the human police involved. This is way over their head.”
Across the room, Tessa, who was just about to ask Tim a question, stopped in her tracks when she heard him say something about human police.
“Can you get me a copy of the video footage?” Tim asked Zeke. “Okay, I’m coming right now.”
After Tim ended the call, he looked at Tessa. “I may have an ID on our mystery serial killer.”
Tessa’s eyes widened. “Are you talking about all the homeless murders?”
Tim nodded. “That was Zeke Rizzo.”
“The sin-eater?”
“The one and only,” Tim replied and continued, “and he’s got visual footage of the person he thinks might be responsible. Zeke said a couple of human detectives came by his club asking questions about a girl who’d been murdered. She’d been completely drained of all her blood just like the homeless murders and stashed in a dumpster two blocks from the Cat Club.”
Tessa was silent for a bit. It made her think how life was too short, no matter how long you lived. And then she said, “Was she ... homeless?”
Tim shook his head. “That’s the only part that doesn’t make sense. The girl made a living as a hairdresser and lived at the Brownstone apartments.”
“How much information did Zeke give the police?”
“He gave them a copy of the video surveillance of the girl leaving the club with a guy two hours before her death,” Tim said. “Zeke had no idea the man was linked to the homeless killings until he actually came in contact with him. And there’s more. Zeke made physical contact with the suspect’s sister.”
“What did Zeke find out?” Tessa queried.
“Her name is Callisto,” Tim said. “She’s definitely not human, although Zeke had no clue to what she is. But he said she has an insatiable hunger for human blood.”
“You’re not planning on going to meet Zeke by yourself, are you?”
“I can handle this myself, Tessa.”
“Yeah, whatever,” she said, narrowing her eyes. “I’m sending Jace and Jem with you, and that’s final. Considering what we’re dealing with, no one goes anywhere alone.”
Tim cocked a brow. “No offense, but I think I like this side of you, Tessa. It’s about time you started taking charge.” He smiled. “Tell Jace and Jem I’ll meet them in the foyer in ten minutes.”
****
When Detective Manuel Sanchez arrived at Shady Pines cemetery, he parked his unmarked police car alongside the far end. Before Manuel got out of his vehicle, he scanned the area where at least twenty people stood, gathered for Sylvia Bennett’s funeral.
Typically, the detective was not the type to crash a funeral, but her death had become the center focus of his mind, resurfacing haunted memories of his past. After forty-one years, he still couldn’t get that dreadful day out of his head. His older sister, Lailah, had been brutally murdered, similar to Ms. Bennett’s homicide. Lailah’s death was the reason he’d chose a career in law enforcement. Eventually, her file had become a cold case, but Manuel would never give up. Even though he couldn’t give his sister justice, he was damned determined to find the bastard who’d murdered Sylvia.
As he reached to open his door, his cell went off. He looked down at his phone, and Detective Perkin’s number came up. Manuel put it to his ear and said, “What’s going on?”
“We’ve got another body,” Perkins firmly stated.
“Shit,” Manuel cursed. “Where?”
“The Downtown Berkeley Inn on Bancroft Way,” Perkins stated. “Same MO as Ms. Bennett’s homicide, except ...,” he paused and swallowed the lump in his throat, “it’s a male victim this time. The name of the deceased is Gerald Bernard. He’s forty-six years old. He’s the owner of a popular Italian restaurant in Berkeley called Angelino’s.”
“I know that place. It’s on Sacramento Street. Who discovered the victim?”
Perkins cleared his throat. “Housekeeping,” he said in a grim voice. “Mr. Bernard’s body was beginning to ripen. According to the coroner, the body has been in that room for two days. Which means the murder was close to Ms. Bennett’s.”
“Christ,” Manuel rasped out, his nostrils flaring. “I guess that means our suspect isn’t working alone.”
“There’s more,” Perkins pushed forward. “The victim was gagged, handcuffed to the bed, and whipped. We found a leather strap lying next to the body. Damnedest thing I ever saw. It looks like someone went Fifty-Shades on his ass before they nearly drained him dry. And the marks on his back appeared as if someone burned them into his skin. The coroner stated that the victim barely had a pint of blood left in him, and there are bite marks on his jugular like he was attacked by some kind of animal. You think this has anything to do with a group cult?”
Manuel’s brows went up. “I don’t know what the hell to make of it. But I do know one thing. The guy in the video footage at Mr. Rizzo’s bar has something to do with this,” he said, squeezing his hand around the steering wheel, wanting to destroy something. “Check with the manager about any surveillance cameras. I’m on my way.”
“Roger that,” Perkins replied. “I’ll be waiting outside the crime scene.”
When Detective Sanchez slowly eased past the cemetery, he watched as a man dressed in a black coat with a white collar at his throat stood next to Sylvia’s coffin reading from a Bible. For some reason, that image gave Manuel comfort, although he couldn’t have said why.
A half hour later, he pulled up to the inn and parked his car in front of the main entrance. Red and blue flashers mounted on police cars and emergency vehicles illuminated the parking lot as deputies evacuated the hotel’s occupants.
Manuel walked up to the coroner as paramedics loaded the body bag into an ambulance to be transported to forensics and said, “Do you think it’s possible all the murders might be part of a satanic ritual?”
The coroner shook her head. “I’m not sure, but whoever is responsible is definitely sadistic,” she said, exhaling a deep breath. “In all my years in forensics, I’ve never seen anything like this. If I didn’t know any better, I’d say we’ve got a very hungry vampire lose in the city.”
Manuel smirked. “You sound like my partner, Detective Perkins.”
The coroner shrugged. “It may sound crazy, but that’s the only explanation I have at the moment. I’ll let you know when I complete my examination.”
Manuel nodded and extended his hand. “Thanks. I’d appreciate it.”
When the coroner left, Detective Perkins walked up to Manuel. “You need to take a look at what we found on the surveillance cameras,” he said. “We’ve got footage of a woman the size of a WWE wrestler entering Mr. Bernard’s room ten minutes after he checked in. According to the video, it was twelve-thirty in the morning, and we got her exiting an hour later.”
Manuel clapped Perkins on the shoulder. “Good work, Detective. Let’s get a copy of the footage and take it to Mr. Rizzo,” he said with a note of enthusiasm in his tone. “The woman could have been at the Cat Club the same time our mystery guy was. There could be a link between the two.”
“You think they’re working together?” Perkins asked.
Manuel narrowed his eyes. “Yeah, I do. And there’s a good chance they’re not alone.”
To be continued...
Book of the Month contest entry
Previously ...
When two, human homicide Detectives, Manuel Sanchez and Frank Perkins, question Zeke Rizzo—who is a Breedline, born with the curse of a sin-eater, and owner of the Cat Club—about a woman they’d found brutally murdered near his bar, one of Zeke’s bouncers recognizes the victim after Detective Perkins shares her photo from social media. He also confirms the victim left the bar around midnight with a guy that oddly resembled the famous actor, Jason Momoa.
Before the detectives leave, Zeke gives them a copy of the bar’s video surveillance, hoping it would help with their investigation.
As the detectives exit the club, Zeke found himself confronted by a beautiful woman he’d seen earlier hanging out in the VIP section with an older gentleman. After introducing herself as Callisto and that she was every man’s dream, she asked him to spend the night with her. Zeke refused her proposition, but she was not the type to take no for an answer, and grabbed his arm. At the same time he realized she was not human and craved human blood, he got a glimpse into her past, using his sin-eater skills. What he saw nearly brought him to his knees. She’d been trapped alive for years in some kind of sarcophagus. At the same time Zeke questioned her about his vision, Callisto’s brother, Apollyon, interrupted their conversation and warned Zeke to keep his sister’s past to himself.
Continued ...
When Apollyon exited the Cat Club, practically dragging Callisto as she tried to rip free of her brother’s tight grip like a spoiled child throwing a temper tantrum, two bouncers—Sam Malone and Deacon O’Malley—strode in Zeke’s direction.
“You callin’ those detectives?” Sam asked with a nervous pitch to his voice.
Zeke looked up from the detective’s business card he held in his hand. “I’m not so sure if the human police can handle this one.”
Deacon furrowed his thick brows. “Why’s dat, boss?”
Zeke Rizzo was not a rocket scientist, and he was also not a betting man. No reason to bet. His sin-eater skills told him all he needed to know. His mind worked like a fortune-teller’s crystal ball.
As he looked from Deacon to Sam, he swallowed hard. Both of the bouncers were Breedline and the only two people he trusted completely.
“We’re dealing with something non-human,” Zeke told them. “And I don’t think the human PD has the credentials to deal with this.”
Yelena’s face dropped. “What exactly, ah ... are they?”
Zeke met Yelena’s eyes steadily and shook his head. “I’m not sure, but whatever they are, they’re hungry for human blood.”
There was a brief period of silence, the question Deacon wanted to ask hovering in the air as loud as the echo of clanging church bells.
“Do yuh tink dey’re de ones responsible fawh all de mass murders in de city?” Deacon asked in a thick Brooklyn accent.
The sin-eater within Zeke knew the answer. Caged by the situation, he clenched his jaw and nodded slowly.
“So what are you going to do?” Yelena asked Zeke.
“I don’t have any other choice,” he said, cursing under his breath. “I’m going to make a call to the Covenant.”
By the time Zeke got back to his office after zeroing out the cash registers and sending the staff and the bouncers off into the night, it was already 7:00 a.m.
As he pulled out his phone and opened his contacts, Tim Ross’s number came up, although not his name. The number was listed under BHC. Short for: Breedline Head Council. He took a deep breath and stared at the number on the screen. He hesitated, but then hit send and put the phone up to his ear. The instant he heard ringing, he got a vivid, disturbing image of Callisto’s memory and her hunger for human blood. When Tim’s deep voice answered, Zeke refocused and explained the situation.
Tim frowned as he spoke into his cell phone. “Let’s keep this information between us,” he told Zeke. “We don’t need the human police involved. This is way over their head.”
Across the room, Tessa, who was just about to ask Tim a question, stopped in her tracks when she heard him say something about human police.
“Can you get me a copy of the video footage?” Tim asked Zeke. “Okay, I’m coming right now.”
After Tim ended the call, he looked at Tessa. “I may have an ID on our mystery serial killer.”
Tessa’s eyes widened. “Are you talking about all the homeless murders?”
Tim nodded. “That was Zeke Rizzo.”
“The sin-eater?”
“The one and only,” Tim replied and continued, “and he’s got visual footage of the person he thinks might be responsible. Zeke said a couple of human detectives came by his club asking questions about a girl who’d been murdered. She’d been completely drained of all her blood just like the homeless murders and stashed in a dumpster two blocks from the Cat Club.”
Tessa was silent for a bit. It made her think how life was too short, no matter how long you lived. And then she said, “Was she ... homeless?”
Tim shook his head. “That’s the only part that doesn’t make sense. The girl made a living as a hairdresser and lived at the Brownstone apartments.”
“How much information did Zeke give the police?”
“He gave them a copy of the video surveillance of the girl leaving the club with a guy two hours before her death,” Tim said. “Zeke had no idea the man was linked to the homeless killings until he actually came in contact with him. And there’s more. Zeke made physical contact with the suspect’s sister.”
“What did Zeke find out?” Tessa queried.
“Her name is Callisto,” Tim said. “She’s definitely not human, although Zeke had no clue to what she is. But he said she has an insatiable hunger for human blood.”
“You’re not planning on going to meet Zeke by yourself, are you?”
“I can handle this myself, Tessa.”
“Yeah, whatever,” she said, narrowing her eyes. “I’m sending Jace and Jem with you, and that’s final. Considering what we’re dealing with, no one goes anywhere alone.”
Tim cocked a brow. “No offense, but I think I like this side of you, Tessa. It’s about time you started taking charge.” He smiled. “Tell Jace and Jem I’ll meet them in the foyer in ten minutes.”
****
When Detective Manuel Sanchez arrived at Shady Pines cemetery, he parked his unmarked police car alongside the far end. Before Manuel got out of his vehicle, he scanned the area where at least twenty people stood, gathered for Sylvia Bennett’s funeral.
Typically, the detective was not the type to crash a funeral, but her death had become the center focus of his mind, resurfacing haunted memories of his past. After forty-one years, he still couldn’t get that dreadful day out of his head. His older sister, Lailah, had been brutally murdered, similar to Ms. Bennett’s homicide. Lailah’s death was the reason he’d chose a career in law enforcement. Eventually, her file had become a cold case, but Manuel would never give up. Even though he couldn’t give his sister justice, he was damned determined to find the bastard who’d murdered Sylvia.
As he reached to open his door, his cell went off. He looked down at his phone, and Detective Perkin’s number came up. Manuel put it to his ear and said, “What’s going on?”
“We’ve got another body,” Perkins firmly stated.
“Shit,” Manuel cursed. “Where?”
“The Downtown Berkeley Inn on Bancroft Way,” Perkins stated. “Same MO as Ms. Bennett’s homicide, except ...,” he paused and swallowed the lump in his throat, “it’s a male victim this time. The name of the deceased is Gerald Bernard. He’s forty-six years old. He’s the owner of a popular Italian restaurant in Berkeley called Angelino’s.”
“I know that place. It’s on Sacramento Street. Who discovered the victim?”
Perkins cleared his throat. “Housekeeping,” he said in a grim voice. “Mr. Bernard’s body was beginning to ripen. According to the coroner, the body has been in that room for two days. Which means the murder was close to Ms. Bennett’s.”
“Christ,” Manuel rasped out, his nostrils flaring. “I guess that means our suspect isn’t working alone.”
“There’s more,” Perkins pushed forward. “The victim was gagged, handcuffed to the bed, and whipped. We found a leather strap lying next to the body. Damnedest thing I ever saw. It looks like someone went Fifty-Shades on his ass before they nearly drained him dry. And the marks on his back appeared as if someone burned them into his skin. The coroner stated that the victim barely had a pint of blood left in him, and there are bite marks on his jugular like he was attacked by some kind of animal. You think this has anything to do with a group cult?”
Manuel’s brows went up. “I don’t know what the hell to make of it. But I do know one thing. The guy in the video footage at Mr. Rizzo’s bar has something to do with this,” he said, squeezing his hand around the steering wheel, wanting to destroy something. “Check with the manager about any surveillance cameras. I’m on my way.”
“Roger that,” Perkins replied. “I’ll be waiting outside the crime scene.”
When Detective Sanchez slowly eased past the cemetery, he watched as a man dressed in a black coat with a white collar at his throat stood next to Sylvia’s coffin reading from a Bible. For some reason, that image gave Manuel comfort, although he couldn’t have said why.
A half hour later, he pulled up to the inn and parked his car in front of the main entrance. Red and blue flashers mounted on police cars and emergency vehicles illuminated the parking lot as deputies evacuated the hotel’s occupants.
Manuel walked up to the coroner as paramedics loaded the body bag into an ambulance to be transported to forensics and said, “Do you think it’s possible all the murders might be part of a satanic ritual?”
The coroner shook her head. “I’m not sure, but whoever is responsible is definitely sadistic,” she said, exhaling a deep breath. “In all my years in forensics, I’ve never seen anything like this. If I didn’t know any better, I’d say we’ve got a very hungry vampire lose in the city.”
Manuel smirked. “You sound like my partner, Detective Perkins.”
The coroner shrugged. “It may sound crazy, but that’s the only explanation I have at the moment. I’ll let you know when I complete my examination.”
Manuel nodded and extended his hand. “Thanks. I’d appreciate it.”
When the coroner left, Detective Perkins walked up to Manuel. “You need to take a look at what we found on the surveillance cameras,” he said. “We’ve got footage of a woman the size of a WWE wrestler entering Mr. Bernard’s room ten minutes after he checked in. According to the video, it was twelve-thirty in the morning, and we got her exiting an hour later.”
Manuel clapped Perkins on the shoulder. “Good work, Detective. Let’s get a copy of the footage and take it to Mr. Rizzo,” he said with a note of enthusiasm in his tone. “The woman could have been at the Cat Club the same time our mystery guy was. There could be a link between the two.”
“You think they’re working together?” Perkins asked.
Manuel narrowed his eyes. “Yeah, I do. And there’s a good chance they’re not alone.”
To be continued...
When two, human homicide Detectives, Manuel Sanchez and Frank Perkins, question Zeke Rizzo—who is a Breedline, born with the curse of a sin-eater, and owner of the Cat Club—about a woman they’d found brutally murdered near his bar, one of Zeke’s bouncers recognizes the victim after Detective Perkins shares her photo from social media. He also confirms the victim left the bar around midnight with a guy that oddly resembled the famous actor, Jason Momoa.
Before the detectives leave, Zeke gives them a copy of the bar’s video surveillance, hoping it would help with their investigation.
As the detectives exit the club, Zeke found himself confronted by a beautiful woman he’d seen earlier hanging out in the VIP section with an older gentleman. After introducing herself as Callisto and that she was every man’s dream, she asked him to spend the night with her. Zeke refused her proposition, but she was not the type to take no for an answer, and grabbed his arm. At the same time he realized she was not human and craved human blood, he got a glimpse into her past, using his sin-eater skills. What he saw nearly brought him to his knees. She’d been trapped alive for years in some kind of sarcophagus. At the same time Zeke questioned her about his vision, Callisto’s brother, Apollyon, interrupted their conversation and warned Zeke to keep his sister’s past to himself.
Continued ...
When Apollyon exited the Cat Club, practically dragging Callisto as she tried to rip free of her brother’s tight grip like a spoiled child throwing a temper tantrum, two bouncers—Sam Malone and Deacon O’Malley—strode in Zeke’s direction.
“You callin’ those detectives?” Sam asked with a nervous pitch to his voice.
Zeke looked up from the detective’s business card he held in his hand. “I’m not so sure if the human police can handle this one.”
Deacon furrowed his thick brows. “Why’s dat, boss?”
Zeke Rizzo was not a rocket scientist, and he was also not a betting man. No reason to bet. His sin-eater skills told him all he needed to know. His mind worked like a fortune-teller’s crystal ball.
As he looked from Deacon to Sam, he swallowed hard. Both of the bouncers were Breedline and the only two people he trusted completely.
“We’re dealing with something non-human,” Zeke told them. “And I don’t think the human PD has the credentials to deal with this.”
Yelena’s face dropped. “What exactly, ah ... are they?”
Zeke met Yelena’s eyes steadily and shook his head. “I’m not sure, but whatever they are, they’re hungry for human blood.”
There was a brief period of silence, the question Deacon wanted to ask hovering in the air as loud as the echo of clanging church bells.
“Do yuh tink dey’re de ones responsible fawh all de mass murders in de city?” Deacon asked in a thick Brooklyn accent.
The sin-eater within Zeke knew the answer. Caged by the situation, he clenched his jaw and nodded slowly.
“So what are you going to do?” Yelena asked Zeke.
“I don’t have any other choice,” he said, cursing under his breath. “I’m going to make a call to the Covenant.”
By the time Zeke got back to his office after zeroing out the cash registers and sending the staff and the bouncers off into the night, it was already 7:00 a.m.
As he pulled out his phone and opened his contacts, Tim Ross’s number came up, although not his name. The number was listed under BHC. Short for: Breedline Head Council. He took a deep breath and stared at the number on the screen. He hesitated, but then hit send and put the phone up to his ear. The instant he heard ringing, he got a vivid, disturbing image of Callisto’s memory and her hunger for human blood. When Tim’s deep voice answered, Zeke refocused and explained the situation.
Tim frowned as he spoke into his cell phone. “Let’s keep this information between us,” he told Zeke. “We don’t need the human police involved. This is way over their head.”
Across the room, Tessa, who was just about to ask Tim a question, stopped in her tracks when she heard him say something about human police.
“Can you get me a copy of the video footage?” Tim asked Zeke. “Okay, I’m coming right now.”
After Tim ended the call, he looked at Tessa. “I may have an ID on our mystery serial killer.”
Tessa’s eyes widened. “Are you talking about all the homeless murders?”
Tim nodded. “That was Zeke Rizzo.”
“The sin-eater?”
“The one and only,” Tim replied and continued, “and he’s got visual footage of the person he thinks might be responsible. Zeke said a couple of human detectives came by his club asking questions about a girl who’d been murdered. She’d been completely drained of all her blood just like the homeless murders and stashed in a dumpster two blocks from the Cat Club.”
Tessa was silent for a bit. It made her think how life was too short, no matter how long you lived. And then she said, “Was she ... homeless?”
Tim shook his head. “That’s the only part that doesn’t make sense. The girl made a living as a hairdresser and lived at the Brownstone apartments.”
“How much information did Zeke give the police?”
“He gave them a copy of the video surveillance of the girl leaving the club with a guy two hours before her death,” Tim said. “Zeke had no idea the man was linked to the homeless killings until he actually came in contact with him. And there’s more. Zeke made physical contact with the suspect’s sister.”
“What did Zeke find out?” Tessa queried.
“Her name is Callisto,” Tim said. “She’s definitely not human, although Zeke had no clue to what she is. But he said she has an insatiable hunger for human blood.”
“You’re not planning on going to meet Zeke by yourself, are you?”
“I can handle this myself, Tessa.”
“Yeah, whatever,” she said, narrowing her eyes. “I’m sending Jace and Jem with you, and that’s final. Considering what we’re dealing with, no one goes anywhere alone.”
Tim cocked a brow. “No offense, but I think I like this side of you, Tessa. It’s about time you started taking charge.” He smiled. “Tell Jace and Jem I’ll meet them in the foyer in ten minutes.”
****
When Detective Manuel Sanchez arrived at Shady Pines cemetery, he parked his unmarked police car alongside the far end. Before Manuel got out of his vehicle, he scanned the area where at least twenty people stood, gathered for Sylvia Bennett’s funeral.
Typically, the detective was not the type to crash a funeral, but her death had become the center focus of his mind, resurfacing haunted memories of his past. After forty-one years, he still couldn’t get that dreadful day out of his head. His older sister, Lailah, had been brutally murdered, similar to Ms. Bennett’s homicide. Lailah’s death was the reason he’d chose a career in law enforcement. Eventually, her file had become a cold case, but Manuel would never give up. Even though he couldn’t give his sister justice, he was damned determined to find the bastard who’d murdered Sylvia.
As he reached to open his door, his cell went off. He looked down at his phone, and Detective Perkin’s number came up. Manuel put it to his ear and said, “What’s going on?”
“We’ve got another body,” Perkins firmly stated.
“Shit,” Manuel cursed. “Where?”
“The Downtown Berkeley Inn on Bancroft Way,” Perkins stated. “Same MO as Ms. Bennett’s homicide, except ...,” he paused and swallowed the lump in his throat, “it’s a male victim this time. The name of the deceased is Gerald Bernard. He’s forty-six years old. He’s the owner of a popular Italian restaurant in Berkeley called Angelino’s.”
“I know that place. It’s on Sacramento Street. Who discovered the victim?”
Perkins cleared his throat. “Housekeeping,” he said in a grim voice. “Mr. Bernard’s body was beginning to ripen. According to the coroner, the body has been in that room for two days. Which means the murder was close to Ms. Bennett’s.”
“Christ,” Manuel rasped out, his nostrils flaring. “I guess that means our suspect isn’t working alone.”
“There’s more,” Perkins pushed forward. “The victim was gagged, handcuffed to the bed, and whipped. We found a leather strap lying next to the body. Damnedest thing I ever saw. It looks like someone went Fifty-Shades on his ass before they nearly drained him dry. And the marks on his back appeared as if someone burned them into his skin. The coroner stated that the victim barely had a pint of blood left in him, and there are bite marks on his jugular like he was attacked by some kind of animal. You think this has anything to do with a group cult?”
Manuel’s brows went up. “I don’t know what the hell to make of it. But I do know one thing. The guy in the video footage at Mr. Rizzo’s bar has something to do with this,” he said, squeezing his hand around the steering wheel, wanting to destroy something. “Check with the manager about any surveillance cameras. I’m on my way.”
“Roger that,” Perkins replied. “I’ll be waiting outside the crime scene.”
When Detective Sanchez slowly eased past the cemetery, he watched as a man dressed in a black coat with a white collar at his throat stood next to Sylvia’s coffin reading from a Bible. For some reason, that image gave Manuel comfort, although he couldn’t have said why.
A half hour later, he pulled up to the inn and parked his car in front of the main entrance. Red and blue flashers mounted on police cars and emergency vehicles illuminated the parking lot as deputies evacuated the hotel’s occupants.
Manuel walked up to the coroner as paramedics loaded the body bag into an ambulance to be transported to forensics and said, “Do you think it’s possible all the murders might be part of a satanic ritual?”
The coroner shook her head. “I’m not sure, but whoever is responsible is definitely sadistic,” she said, exhaling a deep breath. “In all my years in forensics, I’ve never seen anything like this. If I didn’t know any better, I’d say we’ve got a very hungry vampire lose in the city.”
Manuel smirked. “You sound like my partner, Detective Perkins.”
The coroner shrugged. “It may sound crazy, but that’s the only explanation I have at the moment. I’ll let you know when I complete my examination.”
Manuel nodded and extended his hand. “Thanks. I’d appreciate it.”
When the coroner left, Detective Perkins walked up to Manuel. “You need to take a look at what we found on the surveillance cameras,” he said. “We’ve got footage of a woman the size of a WWE wrestler entering Mr. Bernard’s room ten minutes after he checked in. According to the video, it was twelve-thirty in the morning, and we got her exiting an hour later.”
Manuel clapped Perkins on the shoulder. “Good work, Detective. Let’s get a copy of the footage and take it to Mr. Rizzo,” he said with a note of enthusiasm in his tone. “The woman could have been at the Cat Club the same time our mystery guy was. There could be a link between the two.”
“You think they’re working together?” Perkins asked.
Manuel narrowed his eyes. “Yeah, I do. And there’s a good chance they’re not alone.”
To be continued...
NOTE: This is not part of the chapter. A reference for terms and cast of characters, especially for new readers:
BREEDLINE - A species of humans that have the ability to change from human form into a wolf. They are not like the old legend of the Lycanthropy myth. 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 with a bite or scratch like the Lycanthropy myth.
The Breedline gene is passed down to offspring that are born identical twins. Although they live among humans, their species must be kept 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 illnesses 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 thing deadly to the species.
All males change into their wolf at the age of eighteen. Females do not go through the change until they make love to their Breedline bonded mate.
BREEDLINE TWINS - Identical twins that are born from either one or both parents of the Breedline species. They have a strong, unbreakable bond from birth, are born with telepathic abilities, and have the power to sense the other's emotions or injuries. In some cases, the bond between twins is so strong that if one dies, the other twin may pass on, especially if they don't have a mate.
BREEDLINE BONDING - The male Breedline spends their life in search of their bonded mate. When the male comes in contact with her, he instantly feels a simultaneous, desirable attraction and she becomes the most important thing in his life. He is there to love, protect, and cherish her until death. Once they are mated, they bond for life. It is possible for them to have more than one mate in their lifespan.
BELOVED - A word used by a Breedline to express the bond to their mate.
DOUBLE BONDED - In some cases, male Breedline twins bond with the same female but one will carry a stronger bond. Usually one of them must sacrifice for the other twin.
BREEDLINE COVENANT - The Breedline species must live within the boundaries of a Covenant, which is only formed with their species. The Covenant is governed and ruled by a head council. The council keeps their laws in order and oversees the species population.
THE BREEDLINE QUEEN - Over centuries, the Breedline Covenant is ruled by a true queen. If there is no queen living, the Covenants are governed by an appointed head council until another one is born. A Breedline queen is born once every one hundred years. Her massive stature, black fur, and red eyes are the queen's trademarks. Her alpha wolf has twice the strength, speed, and size of any Breedline. The queen is expected to rule over all the Breedline Covenants where she will be respected and obeyed by all Breedline. This is their absolute True Law.
THE QUEEN'S RING - This ring has been passed down to all Breedline queens for generations. When the new queen places the ring on, it instantly shifts in size to fit her finger.
TRUE LAW - All Breedline Covenants have an ancient book of laws. If either sex disobeys the Breedline laws, they can be shunned, or no longer protected by their Covenant. If a Breedline takes another life out of revenge, or evil - other than protecting their life, and the life of another - they will never have the ability to shift back into human form and cast out as a rogue wolf.
ROGUE WOLF - A Breedline shunned by their Covenant for taking another life out of revenge or evil and forced to live as a wolf until death without the ability to change into human form again. Some rogue wolves form into packs, which can be dangerous for other Breedline species.
RED (BLOOD) MOON - When the full moon passes through the amber shadow of the earth, producing a midnight eclipse visible across North America. So begins a lunar eclipse tetrad, a series of four consecutive total eclipses occurring at approximately six-month intervals. This incredible light beams into the heart of earth's shadow, filling it with a coppery glow and transforming the moon into a great red orb. During this time, all Breedline species that are mated have a strong desire to create an offspring. This is also a time when Breedline females are more fertile for the conception of twins.
CHIANG-SHIH DEMON (Kiang shi, a.k.a. Ramael Arminius) - An ancient demon that inhabits the body of a Breedline fetus before it's born or during a Breedline's death. It continues to take the soul over the natural lifespan of the child, or the deceased Breedline. When the demon possesses a fetus, it breaks the bonding and telepathic abilities of their twin when they are born. If the demon possesses a deceased Breedline's body, it must do so before the soul passes on. If the soul is not intact, the body will soon die.
In most cases, the Chiang-Shih demon will take the life of the other twin, even before their birth. The twin that is born with the demon will bring only evil to whomever they encounter. Their sole purpose is to gain full control of another soul and seek world domination.
There are two ways the demon is cast from the soul it possesses: by its first-born son, and the Angel of Mercy, Zadkiel. The Beast is the only one who can kill a Chiang-Shih demon.
THE BEAST - He is the second born son of the Chiang-Shih demon. When provoked into a rage, he will shift into his Beast instead of his Breedline wolf. The Beast is an enormous, dangerous two-footed creature that has wolf like features. One bite has enough venom to kill the Chiang-Shih demon and leave the soul of the person the demon possessed unharmed.
SHADOW WALKER (a.k.a. Shadow Figure, or Black Mass) - The perception of a patch of shadow as a living, humanoid figure, particularly interpreted by the Breedline as the presence of a malevolent entity. When a Breedline species dies and does not pass on to the other side, they are left to roam the earth as a shadow of themselves - a ghost. They will not pass on until they have settled unfinished business before their death.
ZADKIEL (Tzadqiel, a.k.a. Righteousness of God) - The archangel of freedom, benevolence, and mercy, and the patron angel of all who forgives. Breedline species tradition considers him to be the Angel of Mercy.
SUCCUBUS (a.k.a. CREEPERS) - Creatures that search for and feeds off the blood of the Breedline species. Creepers are skilled at extreme sexual pleasure, and the ecstasy they create is exceedingly intense and highly addictive. They cast off a scent that hypnotizes Breedlines into overwhelming sexual urges. They use their human-like bodies and beautiful features to control and influence their thoughts.
They have the ability to reach into the Breedline's mind during sleep, casting a spell of dreams about sexual contact or intercourse. One much less obvious manifestation of Creepers is nightmares - realistic, graphic, terrifying nightmares that rob the Breedline of sleep. Over a period, it can lead to severe fatigue and depression, leaving them emotionally and spiritually drained. Death can occur if they ultimately take over the Breedline's body.
HALF-BREED - This species is born with the genes from both Breedline and succubus. They can bond with either a full-blood Breedline or another half-breed. They cannot change into the Breedline wolf, but they do need blood from them to survive. With the power to hypnotize, most Breedlines have minimal respect and credence toward the half-breed species.
WICCA (or Wise One) - According to the Breedline species, a Wicca is the goddess of magic, witchcraft, the night, moon, ghosts, and necromancy. A Wicca is also considered to be a demonic spirit. It is unclear to the Breedline if they act under the orders of the devil, or they are simply not understood and treated as outcasts. They can do white magic (good) or dark (evil).
GUARDIANS (a.k.a. Spirits of the Forest) - They originated during the Middle Ages with the purpose of protecting all creatures, especially the Breedline, from the destruction of any creation made by a dark Wicca. They can stay invisible with the power to move through any barrier and over any distance instantly.
THERIOMORPH - This species is born with the genes of a Breedline, but cannot change into a Breedline wolf. They shape shift into an enormous black panther. They possess powers of mind manipulation and random visions of the future. They must use the drug dopamine to suppress their urges. Their eye color shifts into a bright lavender when their Theriomorph nature takes over. The Breedline see them as a threat to their species.
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. The Adalwolf is immune to silver. They can bond with any species.
Battle Angels - Their one purpose for existence is to serve the Creator in war against demons and evil havoc on earth. Unlike any of the Creator's angels: no majestic white wings, no soft angelic voice, and no golden halo continually hovering over their head; the indigenous battle angels, on average, are ten feet tall. Although, a few towered to the height of twelve feet with a more muscular build. All are tattooed with unique warrior markings, black eagle-like wings with armor typical of ancient heroes, and they wield a type of sword associated with a long-gone empire. They are the bravest of angels, who consider only the importance of their mission and are perfectly willing to be destroyed in the service of righteousness. Each angel is gifted with special powers to be used as weapons to fight against the dark side. They are particularly fond of the human race and consider themselves humanity's special protectors.
The Fury - Three fraternal twins created by an evil German scientist named Dr. Hans Autenburg. Using his own DNA, he mixed it with three other species: A Breedline, an Adalwolf, and a powerful Wiccan. He placed three embryos inside the womb of a full-blooded succubus. They were created to battle in the war against the Breedline species. The first born was called Apollyon, meaning "destroyer." It was also the name of the angel-prince of the infernal regions, the minister of death and author of havoc on earth. The second born was called Callisto, meaning "most beautiful." The last child was named Electra, meaning "the shining one."
Zeke Rizzo - He is a Breedline, born with a curse of a sin-eater, and the owner of the Cat Club. When coming in physical contact with another person, he has the power to see inside their, experiencing their worst memory. A simple handshake seemed like nothing to an ordinary person, but to Zeke, it was unbearable. Without the ability to stop it, he was also the worst case of karma. If anyone angered him, an unfortunate accident would fall upon them.
Yelena Smirnov - A full-blooded succubus from Russia. She is in charge of security at the Cat Club.
Tim Ross - He is a Breedline species and head council of the California Covenant. Angel, his bonded mate - who is a half-breed - has Tim's daughter they named Natalie, after her sister.
Tessa Fairchild - She was born into the human world and later discovers she's a Breedline. Abandoned by her parents, she was raised by her aunt and uncle without the knowledge of being born a twin. After she meets Jace, they become bonded mates. During her first change into her Breedline wolf, she is the new Breedline queen. She is an inspiring artist.
Jace Chamberlain (a.k.a The Beast) - He is a Breedline species which later discovers his birth father - who is possessed by the Chiang-Shih demon -murdered his mother when he and his twin brother were four years old. Raised by their new foster family and their Uncle Jacks, he later discovers he was born with a curse of the Beast. With the help of his twin brother Jem, and his bonded mate Tessa, they help him cope with his rage to keep the Beast at bay. He's an IT engineer and is 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 twin brother. He carries the gene of the Chiang-Shih demon that gives him the power to create a portal, and a force of electric energy used as a weapon and other powers he discovers later. His bonded mate is Mia Blackwood, and he's an IT engineer and the drummer in the band Chaos.
Pays
one point
and 2 member cents. BREEDLINE - A species of humans that have the ability to change from human form into a wolf. They are not like the old legend of the Lycanthropy myth. 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 with a bite or scratch like the Lycanthropy myth.
The Breedline gene is passed down to offspring that are born identical twins. Although they live among humans, their species must be kept 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 illnesses 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 thing deadly to the species.
All males change into their wolf at the age of eighteen. Females do not go through the change until they make love to their Breedline bonded mate.
BREEDLINE TWINS - Identical twins that are born from either one or both parents of the Breedline species. They have a strong, unbreakable bond from birth, are born with telepathic abilities, and have the power to sense the other's emotions or injuries. In some cases, the bond between twins is so strong that if one dies, the other twin may pass on, especially if they don't have a mate.
BREEDLINE BONDING - The male Breedline spends their life in search of their bonded mate. When the male comes in contact with her, he instantly feels a simultaneous, desirable attraction and she becomes the most important thing in his life. He is there to love, protect, and cherish her until death. Once they are mated, they bond for life. It is possible for them to have more than one mate in their lifespan.
BELOVED - A word used by a Breedline to express the bond to their mate.
DOUBLE BONDED - In some cases, male Breedline twins bond with the same female but one will carry a stronger bond. Usually one of them must sacrifice for the other twin.
BREEDLINE COVENANT - The Breedline species must live within the boundaries of a Covenant, which is only formed with their species. The Covenant is governed and ruled by a head council. The council keeps their laws in order and oversees the species population.
THE BREEDLINE QUEEN - Over centuries, the Breedline Covenant is ruled by a true queen. If there is no queen living, the Covenants are governed by an appointed head council until another one is born. A Breedline queen is born once every one hundred years. Her massive stature, black fur, and red eyes are the queen's trademarks. Her alpha wolf has twice the strength, speed, and size of any Breedline. The queen is expected to rule over all the Breedline Covenants where she will be respected and obeyed by all Breedline. This is their absolute True Law.
THE QUEEN'S RING - This ring has been passed down to all Breedline queens for generations. When the new queen places the ring on, it instantly shifts in size to fit her finger.
TRUE LAW - All Breedline Covenants have an ancient book of laws. If either sex disobeys the Breedline laws, they can be shunned, or no longer protected by their Covenant. If a Breedline takes another life out of revenge, or evil - other than protecting their life, and the life of another - they will never have the ability to shift back into human form and cast out as a rogue wolf.
ROGUE WOLF - A Breedline shunned by their Covenant for taking another life out of revenge or evil and forced to live as a wolf until death without the ability to change into human form again. Some rogue wolves form into packs, which can be dangerous for other Breedline species.
RED (BLOOD) MOON - When the full moon passes through the amber shadow of the earth, producing a midnight eclipse visible across North America. So begins a lunar eclipse tetrad, a series of four consecutive total eclipses occurring at approximately six-month intervals. This incredible light beams into the heart of earth's shadow, filling it with a coppery glow and transforming the moon into a great red orb. During this time, all Breedline species that are mated have a strong desire to create an offspring. This is also a time when Breedline females are more fertile for the conception of twins.
CHIANG-SHIH DEMON (Kiang shi, a.k.a. Ramael Arminius) - An ancient demon that inhabits the body of a Breedline fetus before it's born or during a Breedline's death. It continues to take the soul over the natural lifespan of the child, or the deceased Breedline. When the demon possesses a fetus, it breaks the bonding and telepathic abilities of their twin when they are born. If the demon possesses a deceased Breedline's body, it must do so before the soul passes on. If the soul is not intact, the body will soon die.
In most cases, the Chiang-Shih demon will take the life of the other twin, even before their birth. The twin that is born with the demon will bring only evil to whomever they encounter. Their sole purpose is to gain full control of another soul and seek world domination.
There are two ways the demon is cast from the soul it possesses: by its first-born son, and the Angel of Mercy, Zadkiel. The Beast is the only one who can kill a Chiang-Shih demon.
THE BEAST - He is the second born son of the Chiang-Shih demon. When provoked into a rage, he will shift into his Beast instead of his Breedline wolf. The Beast is an enormous, dangerous two-footed creature that has wolf like features. One bite has enough venom to kill the Chiang-Shih demon and leave the soul of the person the demon possessed unharmed.
SHADOW WALKER (a.k.a. Shadow Figure, or Black Mass) - The perception of a patch of shadow as a living, humanoid figure, particularly interpreted by the Breedline as the presence of a malevolent entity. When a Breedline species dies and does not pass on to the other side, they are left to roam the earth as a shadow of themselves - a ghost. They will not pass on until they have settled unfinished business before their death.
ZADKIEL (Tzadqiel, a.k.a. Righteousness of God) - The archangel of freedom, benevolence, and mercy, and the patron angel of all who forgives. Breedline species tradition considers him to be the Angel of Mercy.
SUCCUBUS (a.k.a. CREEPERS) - Creatures that search for and feeds off the blood of the Breedline species. Creepers are skilled at extreme sexual pleasure, and the ecstasy they create is exceedingly intense and highly addictive. They cast off a scent that hypnotizes Breedlines into overwhelming sexual urges. They use their human-like bodies and beautiful features to control and influence their thoughts.
They have the ability to reach into the Breedline's mind during sleep, casting a spell of dreams about sexual contact or intercourse. One much less obvious manifestation of Creepers is nightmares - realistic, graphic, terrifying nightmares that rob the Breedline of sleep. Over a period, it can lead to severe fatigue and depression, leaving them emotionally and spiritually drained. Death can occur if they ultimately take over the Breedline's body.
HALF-BREED - This species is born with the genes from both Breedline and succubus. They can bond with either a full-blood Breedline or another half-breed. They cannot change into the Breedline wolf, but they do need blood from them to survive. With the power to hypnotize, most Breedlines have minimal respect and credence toward the half-breed species.
WICCA (or Wise One) - According to the Breedline species, a Wicca is the goddess of magic, witchcraft, the night, moon, ghosts, and necromancy. A Wicca is also considered to be a demonic spirit. It is unclear to the Breedline if they act under the orders of the devil, or they are simply not understood and treated as outcasts. They can do white magic (good) or dark (evil).
GUARDIANS (a.k.a. Spirits of the Forest) - They originated during the Middle Ages with the purpose of protecting all creatures, especially the Breedline, from the destruction of any creation made by a dark Wicca. They can stay invisible with the power to move through any barrier and over any distance instantly.
THERIOMORPH - This species is born with the genes of a Breedline, but cannot change into a Breedline wolf. They shape shift into an enormous black panther. They possess powers of mind manipulation and random visions of the future. They must use the drug dopamine to suppress their urges. Their eye color shifts into a bright lavender when their Theriomorph nature takes over. The Breedline see them as a threat to their species.
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. The Adalwolf is immune to silver. They can bond with any species.
Battle Angels - Their one purpose for existence is to serve the Creator in war against demons and evil havoc on earth. Unlike any of the Creator's angels: no majestic white wings, no soft angelic voice, and no golden halo continually hovering over their head; the indigenous battle angels, on average, are ten feet tall. Although, a few towered to the height of twelve feet with a more muscular build. All are tattooed with unique warrior markings, black eagle-like wings with armor typical of ancient heroes, and they wield a type of sword associated with a long-gone empire. They are the bravest of angels, who consider only the importance of their mission and are perfectly willing to be destroyed in the service of righteousness. Each angel is gifted with special powers to be used as weapons to fight against the dark side. They are particularly fond of the human race and consider themselves humanity's special protectors.
The Fury - Three fraternal twins created by an evil German scientist named Dr. Hans Autenburg. Using his own DNA, he mixed it with three other species: A Breedline, an Adalwolf, and a powerful Wiccan. He placed three embryos inside the womb of a full-blooded succubus. They were created to battle in the war against the Breedline species. The first born was called Apollyon, meaning "destroyer." It was also the name of the angel-prince of the infernal regions, the minister of death and author of havoc on earth. The second born was called Callisto, meaning "most beautiful." The last child was named Electra, meaning "the shining one."
Zeke Rizzo - He is a Breedline, born with a curse of a sin-eater, and the owner of the Cat Club. When coming in physical contact with another person, he has the power to see inside their, experiencing their worst memory. A simple handshake seemed like nothing to an ordinary person, but to Zeke, it was unbearable. Without the ability to stop it, he was also the worst case of karma. If anyone angered him, an unfortunate accident would fall upon them.
Yelena Smirnov - A full-blooded succubus from Russia. She is in charge of security at the Cat Club.
Tim Ross - He is a Breedline species and head council of the California Covenant. Angel, his bonded mate - who is a half-breed - has Tim's daughter they named Natalie, after her sister.
Tessa Fairchild - She was born into the human world and later discovers she's a Breedline. Abandoned by her parents, she was raised by her aunt and uncle without the knowledge of being born a twin. After she meets Jace, they become bonded mates. During her first change into her Breedline wolf, she is the new Breedline queen. She is an inspiring artist.
Jace Chamberlain (a.k.a The Beast) - He is a Breedline species which later discovers his birth father - who is possessed by the Chiang-Shih demon -murdered his mother when he and his twin brother were four years old. Raised by their new foster family and their Uncle Jacks, he later discovers he was born with a curse of the Beast. With the help of his twin brother Jem, and his bonded mate Tessa, they help him cope with his rage to keep the Beast at bay. He's an IT engineer and is 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 twin brother. He carries the gene of the Chiang-Shih demon that gives him the power to create a portal, and a force of electric energy used as a weapon and other powers he discovers later. His bonded mate is Mia Blackwood, and he's an IT engineer and the drummer in the band Chaos.
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