| Supernatural Fiction posted March 14, 2020 | Chapters: |
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THE CURSE/A Novel of the Breedline series
A chapter in the book THE CURSE
Magnificent CREATURES
by scongrove
| Background Thanks for taking the time to read my chapter. It's still in the working stages, so if you catch mistakes, please let me know. Enjoy! |
Previously . . .
When five-year-old Joseph Parker witnesses his mother’s brutal death—by the hands of his abusive, alcoholic father—he mysteriously starts to hear voices in his head that changes his life forever. As this dark, soulless entity inhabits the young boy’s body, it introduces itself as the Shadow and teaches him how to survive and how to focus on one thing. To kill.
Immediately following the incident, police arrested Joseph’s father and later sentenced him to twenty years in prison. Without any other living relatives, social workers placed Joseph in foster care.
By age thirteen, Joseph had gone through ten foster families before a psychologist placed him into a mental institution due to his psychopathic and sadistic behavior where he spent most of his adolescent years.
Twenty-one years later, after mastering the skills of manipulation with the Shadow’s help, Joseph was back in the real world. The day the institute finally discharged him, believing he’d been cured, it wasn’t long before he landed a job as a freelance journalist at the San Francisco Chronicle and his opportunity to avenge his mother after his father was back in society living as a free man.
After Joseph tracked down his father and took his life, it was time to appease the Shadow’s ravenous appetite for human flesh. With his newfound driving force to take lives, the Shadow guides Joseph to a young girl who is alone in a bar.
When the girl leaves on foot, Joseph follows her to what appears to be a deserted street. Before he has a chance to take the girl, two men show up out of nowhere and attack her. As they drag her to a vacant building with the intention of doing her harm, the Shadow commands Joseph to kill the men and take the girl. Prepared to obey the Shadow, Joseph’s features begin to transform into something evil and demonic. As he moves in to strike, something big with speed of lightning suddenly leaps out of the fog and viciously attacks both men while the girl manages to get away.
When Joseph realizes it’s a werewolf, he watches in stunned disbelief as it rips the girl’s attackers to pieces.
Continued . . .
Detective Perkins turned off his computer and reached for his jacket. The cubicles and desks in the precinct were quiet, the staff normally at a bare minimum at this hour. Before he left for the night, he went over to his partner’s desk with his brows furrowed. “You’re not pulling another all-nighter, are you?”
Manuel looked up at Frank. In his hand, he had a box of chocolates, one that was in the shape of a heart.
“What’s the occasion?” he asked Frank. “Is it your and Missy’s anniversary or something?”
“Did you forget, buddy? It’s Valentine’s Day.”
“Dammit,” Manuel cursed under his breath. “It completely slipped my mind.” He exhaled a deep breath. “You think I still got time to get something for Kathryn?”
Frank arched a brow. “Nothing like waiting until the last minute.”
“Give me a break.” Manuel rolled his eyes. “This dating thing is all new to me.”
Frank set the box of chocolates on Manuel’s desk. “Missy bought these for you to give to Kathryn. She figured you’d forget.”
Manuel sighed. “I told you, I’m not good at this stuff. Tell Missy thanks and I owe her.”
“You can tell her yourself over dinner tonight,” Frank told him. “Or did you forget about the dinner reservation we made at DeVito’s?”
“For Pete's sake.” Manuel threw his hands up in defeat. “Where the hell is my head? I totally forgot we had a double date tonight.”
“It’s time to slow your roll, partner. You’re working too many late nights.”
Manuel groaned. “I think I’m just getting too damn old for all this.”
“Are you referring to dating or this job?”
Manuel shrugged. “Maybe both.”
“Come on, buddy,” Frank said around a light chuckle. “You’re an excellent detective. Besides, you and I both know you can still give a young man a run for his money. And not to mention all your charisma and charming personality.”
Manuel cocked a brow. “Are you taking a jab at me?”
Frank laughed. “The part about you being a great detective is true. And I’ve seen you kick some ass in the ring. You nearly knocked out Detective O’Brien last week. I admit, you’re no longer a spring chicken, and neither am I, but you got one hell of a left hook, partner. But the charming personality part... that was definitely a jab.”
“Yeah.” Manuel smirked. “I guess you’re right. I’m not exactly, Mr. Charming.”
“All I’m saying is you could use a little work in that department. Don’t take everything so serious all the time. Learn to relax a little.”
“Okay, okay,” Manuel grumbled. “I’ll work on it.”
Frank nodded. “And try smiling more. I’m sure Jacky wouldn’t complain.”
Manuel shot him a fake smile. “So I guess I’ll see you tonight. Oh, yeah. What time is our reservation again?”
Frank shook his head, and as he was about to answer his question, Manuel’s phone rang.
As Manuel reached across his desk for it, he didn’t recognize the caller ID. “Hang on, partner. I better take this call.”
“Detective Sanchez,” he answered, realizing it was almost two o’clock in the morning, which ruled out telemarketers and suggested either dispatch calling or a wrong number.
“Hello, this is Jessica Phillips. I’m Carrie Randall’s roommate, and I’m trying to get in touch with her uncle, Frank Perkins. I tried earlier, but he didn’t answer his phone, so Carrie had me call you.”
“Yeah,” Manuel said. “He’s right here. Is everything okay?”
There was a moment of silence, and then Jessica finally said, “I need to report an incident. Carrie was attacked tonight.”
Manuel shot to his feet. “What?” He raised his voice. “Is Carrie all right?”
“She’s shook up, but physically okay, I think,” Jessica said. “She doesn’t feel comfortable talking to anyone else but her Uncle Frank.”
Manuel nodded against the receiver. “I completely understand. Hold on, Ms. Phillips. I’ll give the phone to Frank so she can speak with him.”
Before Manuel handed Frank the phone, he put the call on hold and said, “It’s your niece’s roommate, Jessica Phillips. Carrie wants to talk to you. She’s been attacked. That’s all I know so far.”
“Oh, my God,” Frank gasped as he took the phone from Manuel. He went pale and his insides shuddered at the mere thought of some bastard attacking his niece. What kind of person would do this?
He nodded at Manuel as he put the phone up to his ear.
When Manuel took it off hold, Frank said, “Carrie, this is Uncle Frank. Are you okay, sweetheart?”
“I—I’m okay, Uncle Frank,” Carrie said in a small voice. “Can you please come to my apartment?”
“Of course, honey. Do you need any medical attention?”
“No, no,” she quickly replied. “I’m not hurt. I managed to get away before...” her voice trailed off for a second. “Please, just get here quick. It’s better if I explain in person.”
“I’m on my way, honey,” he said as he looked at Manuel. “Oh, do you mind if I bring my partner, Detective Sanchez? I’ll need his help since you’ll be filing a report.”
“Yeah,” she muttered. “It’s okay.”
“Alright, sweetheart. You stay put and keep the doors locked. We’re on our way.”
When Frank handed the phone back to Manuel, he said, “Whoever hurt my niece is going to regret the day they were born.”
***
One minute the wolfish creature was feasting on its fallen prey, devouring the two men almost entirely, and next, it disappeared from sight as though it had shifted somehow, mixing with the thick fog, and drifted away.
Now, more than ever, he wanted to find the girl. The Shadow demanded it of him. But unfortunately, she got away. How in the hell was he supposed to find her now? Joseph’s shoulders sagged in defeat. The moment he’d seen her he’d wanted her just as much as the Shadow did. He wondered what her name was. The shameful truth of it was, though, he wanted to know more than her name. He felt drawn to her in a strange way. For a split second, he recalled the terrified look on her face when those two men attacked her. An awful chill sank into his bones. It brought back the memory of his mother and the terrified look she got during his father’s drunken benders. Would the girl have looked at him the same way?
“Yesss,” the Shadow hissed.
Joseph thought of the number of times his father had gotten drunk and beaten his mother. His first memory was at age three. Every time his father beat his mother, he’d always promise he would never do it again. Although, there had always been a next time. And a next time. Always with the same outcome in the end.
“Do you remember how that made you feel?” the Shadow asked.
Joseph nodded. “I hated him.”
“Your father got what was coming to him in the end, did he not?”
For a moment, Joseph stood there silent. Then he said in a low voice, “Yes.”
“Tell me, Joseph, why did you let the girl get away?” Anguish warred with disappointment in the Shadow’s voice.
“I’m sorry,” Joseph murmured. “That thing,” he paused and shook his head, “distracted me. I don’t understand. What in the hell was it?”
“Do not worry about what you do not understand,” the Shadow said. “Besides, it cannot harm us.”
“Why did it not kill the girl?”
“The creature only hunts evil.”
“What keeps it from attacking us?”
“We are not human,” the Shadow explained.
Joseph shrugged. “Then... what are we?”
“Exceptional and magnificent creatures!”
Joseph smiled and nodded a silent understanding. As he turned to leave, something on the ground caught his eye. It wasn’t until he moved closer that he realized what it was. The girl’s purse. The white, small handbag glistened under the light of the full moon. He bent over and plucked it from the grass that was wet with morning dew. While he searched the contents inside, he found a cell phone and a photo ID. Bingo! He had her name and address.
“Her name is Carrie Randall,” Joseph said, keeping his voice low. “She lives at 1477 Fillmore Street.”
“Exxxceeellent,” the Shadow said approvingly. “She’s ours for the taking.”
To be continued . . .
When five-year-old Joseph Parker witnesses his mother’s brutal death—by the hands of his abusive, alcoholic father—he mysteriously starts to hear voices in his head that changes his life forever. As this dark, soulless entity inhabits the young boy’s body, it introduces itself as the Shadow and teaches him how to survive and how to focus on one thing. To kill.
Immediately following the incident, police arrested Joseph’s father and later sentenced him to twenty years in prison. Without any other living relatives, social workers placed Joseph in foster care.
By age thirteen, Joseph had gone through ten foster families before a psychologist placed him into a mental institution due to his psychopathic and sadistic behavior where he spent most of his adolescent years.
Twenty-one years later, after mastering the skills of manipulation with the Shadow’s help, Joseph was back in the real world. The day the institute finally discharged him, believing he’d been cured, it wasn’t long before he landed a job as a freelance journalist at the San Francisco Chronicle and his opportunity to avenge his mother after his father was back in society living as a free man.
After Joseph tracked down his father and took his life, it was time to appease the Shadow’s ravenous appetite for human flesh. With his newfound driving force to take lives, the Shadow guides Joseph to a young girl who is alone in a bar.
When the girl leaves on foot, Joseph follows her to what appears to be a deserted street. Before he has a chance to take the girl, two men show up out of nowhere and attack her. As they drag her to a vacant building with the intention of doing her harm, the Shadow commands Joseph to kill the men and take the girl. Prepared to obey the Shadow, Joseph’s features begin to transform into something evil and demonic. As he moves in to strike, something big with speed of lightning suddenly leaps out of the fog and viciously attacks both men while the girl manages to get away.
When Joseph realizes it’s a werewolf, he watches in stunned disbelief as it rips the girl’s attackers to pieces.
Continued . . .
Detective Perkins turned off his computer and reached for his jacket. The cubicles and desks in the precinct were quiet, the staff normally at a bare minimum at this hour. Before he left for the night, he went over to his partner’s desk with his brows furrowed. “You’re not pulling another all-nighter, are you?”
Manuel looked up at Frank. In his hand, he had a box of chocolates, one that was in the shape of a heart.
“What’s the occasion?” he asked Frank. “Is it your and Missy’s anniversary or something?”
“Did you forget, buddy? It’s Valentine’s Day.”
“Dammit,” Manuel cursed under his breath. “It completely slipped my mind.” He exhaled a deep breath. “You think I still got time to get something for Kathryn?”
Frank arched a brow. “Nothing like waiting until the last minute.”
“Give me a break.” Manuel rolled his eyes. “This dating thing is all new to me.”
Frank set the box of chocolates on Manuel’s desk. “Missy bought these for you to give to Kathryn. She figured you’d forget.”
Manuel sighed. “I told you, I’m not good at this stuff. Tell Missy thanks and I owe her.”
“You can tell her yourself over dinner tonight,” Frank told him. “Or did you forget about the dinner reservation we made at DeVito’s?”
“For Pete's sake.” Manuel threw his hands up in defeat. “Where the hell is my head? I totally forgot we had a double date tonight.”
“It’s time to slow your roll, partner. You’re working too many late nights.”
Manuel groaned. “I think I’m just getting too damn old for all this.”
“Are you referring to dating or this job?”
Manuel shrugged. “Maybe both.”
“Come on, buddy,” Frank said around a light chuckle. “You’re an excellent detective. Besides, you and I both know you can still give a young man a run for his money. And not to mention all your charisma and charming personality.”
Manuel cocked a brow. “Are you taking a jab at me?”
Frank laughed. “The part about you being a great detective is true. And I’ve seen you kick some ass in the ring. You nearly knocked out Detective O’Brien last week. I admit, you’re no longer a spring chicken, and neither am I, but you got one hell of a left hook, partner. But the charming personality part... that was definitely a jab.”
“Yeah.” Manuel smirked. “I guess you’re right. I’m not exactly, Mr. Charming.”
“All I’m saying is you could use a little work in that department. Don’t take everything so serious all the time. Learn to relax a little.”
“Okay, okay,” Manuel grumbled. “I’ll work on it.”
Frank nodded. “And try smiling more. I’m sure Jacky wouldn’t complain.”
Manuel shot him a fake smile. “So I guess I’ll see you tonight. Oh, yeah. What time is our reservation again?”
Frank shook his head, and as he was about to answer his question, Manuel’s phone rang.
As Manuel reached across his desk for it, he didn’t recognize the caller ID. “Hang on, partner. I better take this call.”
“Detective Sanchez,” he answered, realizing it was almost two o’clock in the morning, which ruled out telemarketers and suggested either dispatch calling or a wrong number.
“Hello, this is Jessica Phillips. I’m Carrie Randall’s roommate, and I’m trying to get in touch with her uncle, Frank Perkins. I tried earlier, but he didn’t answer his phone, so Carrie had me call you.”
“Yeah,” Manuel said. “He’s right here. Is everything okay?”
There was a moment of silence, and then Jessica finally said, “I need to report an incident. Carrie was attacked tonight.”
Manuel shot to his feet. “What?” He raised his voice. “Is Carrie all right?”
“She’s shook up, but physically okay, I think,” Jessica said. “She doesn’t feel comfortable talking to anyone else but her Uncle Frank.”
Manuel nodded against the receiver. “I completely understand. Hold on, Ms. Phillips. I’ll give the phone to Frank so she can speak with him.”
Before Manuel handed Frank the phone, he put the call on hold and said, “It’s your niece’s roommate, Jessica Phillips. Carrie wants to talk to you. She’s been attacked. That’s all I know so far.”
“Oh, my God,” Frank gasped as he took the phone from Manuel. He went pale and his insides shuddered at the mere thought of some bastard attacking his niece. What kind of person would do this?
He nodded at Manuel as he put the phone up to his ear.
When Manuel took it off hold, Frank said, “Carrie, this is Uncle Frank. Are you okay, sweetheart?”
“I—I’m okay, Uncle Frank,” Carrie said in a small voice. “Can you please come to my apartment?”
“Of course, honey. Do you need any medical attention?”
“No, no,” she quickly replied. “I’m not hurt. I managed to get away before...” her voice trailed off for a second. “Please, just get here quick. It’s better if I explain in person.”
“I’m on my way, honey,” he said as he looked at Manuel. “Oh, do you mind if I bring my partner, Detective Sanchez? I’ll need his help since you’ll be filing a report.”
“Yeah,” she muttered. “It’s okay.”
“Alright, sweetheart. You stay put and keep the doors locked. We’re on our way.”
When Frank handed the phone back to Manuel, he said, “Whoever hurt my niece is going to regret the day they were born.”
***
One minute the wolfish creature was feasting on its fallen prey, devouring the two men almost entirely, and next, it disappeared from sight as though it had shifted somehow, mixing with the thick fog, and drifted away.
Now, more than ever, he wanted to find the girl. The Shadow demanded it of him. But unfortunately, she got away. How in the hell was he supposed to find her now? Joseph’s shoulders sagged in defeat. The moment he’d seen her he’d wanted her just as much as the Shadow did. He wondered what her name was. The shameful truth of it was, though, he wanted to know more than her name. He felt drawn to her in a strange way. For a split second, he recalled the terrified look on her face when those two men attacked her. An awful chill sank into his bones. It brought back the memory of his mother and the terrified look she got during his father’s drunken benders. Would the girl have looked at him the same way?
“Yesss,” the Shadow hissed.
Joseph thought of the number of times his father had gotten drunk and beaten his mother. His first memory was at age three. Every time his father beat his mother, he’d always promise he would never do it again. Although, there had always been a next time. And a next time. Always with the same outcome in the end.
“Do you remember how that made you feel?” the Shadow asked.
Joseph nodded. “I hated him.”
“Your father got what was coming to him in the end, did he not?”
For a moment, Joseph stood there silent. Then he said in a low voice, “Yes.”
“Tell me, Joseph, why did you let the girl get away?” Anguish warred with disappointment in the Shadow’s voice.
“I’m sorry,” Joseph murmured. “That thing,” he paused and shook his head, “distracted me. I don’t understand. What in the hell was it?”
“Do not worry about what you do not understand,” the Shadow said. “Besides, it cannot harm us.”
“Why did it not kill the girl?”
“The creature only hunts evil.”
“What keeps it from attacking us?”
“We are not human,” the Shadow explained.
Joseph shrugged. “Then... what are we?”
“Exceptional and magnificent creatures!”
Joseph smiled and nodded a silent understanding. As he turned to leave, something on the ground caught his eye. It wasn’t until he moved closer that he realized what it was. The girl’s purse. The white, small handbag glistened under the light of the full moon. He bent over and plucked it from the grass that was wet with morning dew. While he searched the contents inside, he found a cell phone and a photo ID. Bingo! He had her name and address.
“Her name is Carrie Randall,” Joseph said, keeping his voice low. “She lives at 1477 Fillmore Street.”
“Exxxceeellent,” the Shadow said approvingly. “She’s ours for the taking.”
To be continued . . .
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.
Pays
one point
and 2 member cents. 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.
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