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I'm excited to share my fifth Novel of the Breedline series. It's still a working progress, so all your feedback would be greatly appreciated. Enjoy!
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After a tense pause, Captain Hodge said, “We’ve located Carla Rosi’s body.”
“What . . . where?” Manuel’s heart plummeted.
“At the Salem Cemetery . . . in an open grave,” Hodge said grimly. “And that’s not all.”
Manuel fixed Hodge with a level stare, shifting uneasily in his chair. Whatever this was, it couldn’t possibly be good, he thought.
Before Hodge continued, an uncomfortable silence settled heavily on Manuel’s shoulders. His mind flashed an image of his sister’s pale face, and then how responsible he felt for her death. Wishing she’d listened to his warning . . . wishing he’d done more to stop her . . .
“Early this morning . . .,” Hodge continued, “a call came through dispatch from one of the cemetery’s security guards. Two bodies were discovered outside the gated mausoleum. They were identified as Sophie Turner and Todd Blackmon. Both victims were in their mid-twenties.”
“What the hell does this have to do with Carla Rosi’s body?”
Hodge lifted a restraining hand. “Hold on, Detective. I’m getting to that part.”
The living room walls seemed to tilt and sway as Manuel struggled to keep his composure. Even his dog’s patience had temporarily faltered as she began to whimper.
Manuel snapped his fingers. “Ira, go lay down.” His firm tone demanded the dog’s attention.
As Ira obeyed Manuel and left the room, Captain Hodge said, “Officer Munson and I were the first to arrive at the crime scene. Before we even got to the victims, we spotted an open grave. It was so foggy we damn near fell into the thing,” he said shaking his head. “As we flashed a light down into the dark hole, we saw someone inside, and fortunately still alive. A young woman named Jena McCain. And that wasn’t all we found.”
“Carla Rosi’s body,” Manuel choked out at last.
Hodge silently nodded. “We received a positive match from her dental records later this morning.”
“So, how in the hell did her body end up in the Salem Cemetery?”
“Well, the thing is, I believe Carla’s body has been in that grave all these years,” Hodge explained. “I think whoever murdered your sister, did the same thing to Carla and buried her body there. The question is; who dug the grave up?”
Manuel’s mind raced backward—back to the day he watched his sister climb in the backseat of that green Camero, to the dreadful arrival of the police, the shocked expression on his mother’s face, to the morgue where they identified his sister’s body, and back to Carla’s body being discovered.
“How did Ms. McCain end up in that grave?” Manuel asked, the cop in him coming out.
“She stated that she accidentally fell into it.”
“So,” Manuel blew out a deep breath, “what made you think those remains were Carla’s anyway?”
“This is where it gets even more bizarre.” Pausing, Hodge sighed, and then rubbed his forehead. “Ms. McCain claims she’s a spiritual medium. Her and her friends went to the cemetery to try and communicate with Carla’s spirit. They wanted to find out what happened to her years ago.”
“Well . . . did she? I mean, did she actually say she spoke with Carla’s ghost?”
“Yes, but you have to understand, Ms. McCain wasn’t exactly coherent when we pulled her out of that grave. She was hysterical. Babbling on about a curse and that she’d been bitten by some kind of creature.”
Manuel’s eyes rounded. “What kind of creature?”
Another uneasy silence fell between them. Hodge lowered his head and stared at the floor for several moments, rubbing his forehead again. Then he looked at Manuel and said, “A werewolf.”
“A . . . werewolf—”
“Yeah,” Hodge replied. “I know that sounds crazy, but Officer Munson was standing beside me when she said it.”
“Jesus,” Manuel muttered. “What do you make of this, Captain? Do you really believe Ms. McCain saw a werewolf?”
Hodge snorted. “I think Ms. McCain is suffering from severe trauma. Whatever she thought she saw was definitely not human. It had to be some kind of wild animal. Maybe a pack of coyotes, or . . . hell I don’t know. The victims looked like they were attacked by a damn Kodiak bear. Both their throats were savagely ripped out. Mr. Blackmon’s injuries were the worst. His chest was completely torn apart, and it appeared that some of his organs were missing. It’s similar to all the homeless victims we had not too long ago. It could be related. We’ll know more after forensics examine the bodies.”
Manuel knew it wasn’t related to the homeless murders. But he couldn’t tell his captain. He’d sworn to the Breedline Covenant to keep it a secret. The Fury—a trio of supernatural beings who were responsible for all the murders—had surrendered to five battle angels. Manuel and his partner, Frank Perkins, had witnessed the angels take them captive. So, whatever was in that cemetery was some other kind of monster.
“My god,” Manuel gasped. “What about Ms. McCain’s injuries? You mentioned she said she was bitten.”
“The physician on duty at the Bates Memorial Hospital . . .,” Hodge paused for a moment and then said, “I believe her name is Dr. Helen Carrington. Anyway, she’s supposed to contact me after Ms. McCain’s examination. Hopefully, she’ll be able to pinpoint what kind of animal we’re dealing with, if that’s what this is.”
Thank god, Manuel thought to himself. Dr. Helen Carrington was exactly the right physician for this type of situation. She was a Breedline, and if indeed the attack was caused by something supernatural, the Breedline Covenant would need to be notified. This was way over his department.
“I’ve met Dr. Carrington,” Manuel said. “She’s the same physician that was at my nephew’s bar when Perkins and I came across that freaky homicide. You remember . . . the one where the victim’s head was nearly severed.”
“Yeah, I remember,” Hodge said, cocking a brow. “There’s no way I’d forget that incident. I still can’t figure out how in the hell someone could throw a punch that hard. The whole damn thing never made any sense. Not to mention how several witnesses reported seeing the suspect vanish into thin air. I think everyone in the bar was tripping on acid that night.”
Manuel smirked. “You could be right, Captain. So, you thinking the case with Ms. McCain could be cult related?”
“It’s a possibility,” Hodge said. “At this rate, nothing would surprise me. That’s why I want you and Perkins on this one. You two are already familiar with all the homeless murders, including the other gruesome homicides that still remain a mystery, so I want you guys in charge of this investigation.”
“I’d hope so,” Manuel simply said. “I’ve been working my sister’s case since I joined the force. Now that Carla’s body has been discovered, and with Ms. McCain’s cooperation, I might actually get a break in the case.”
“Let’s keep our fingers crossed,” Hodge grumbled as he got to his feet. “All these unsolved murders are starting to test my sanity.”
As Manuel stood, he extended his hand out. “Thanks, Captain. I’ll do my best.”
Hodge took Manuel’s hand in a firm shake. “I’m counting on it. I want to finally put a closure to all this chaos. I’ll expect you first thing in the morning and . . . sober.”
“Will do, Captain,” Manuel chuckled a little and added, “Have you contacted Perkins yet?”
“I just came from his place,” Hodge said. “And actually it was perfect timing. His wife Missy had just made a homemade peach cobbler.” He rubbed his stomach. “You should think about settling down yourself, Detective Sanchez, unless you’re planning on living the rest of your life as a bachelor.”
“Oh, I’m pretty content, Captain Hodge,” Manuel chortled. “Besides, Ira keeps me company.”
The sounds of nails clipping across the hardwood floor caught their attention. As they turned around, Ira came bailing down the hallway, only to melt into a puddle of wagging tail and excited whines as Manuel called out to her.
Hodge crotched down as the dog rushed toward him. “Keep ‘em in line, old girl,” he said as he looked up at Manuel and smiled. After a few moments of petting Ira, he stood straight and patted Manuel on the shoulder. “Enjoy the rest of your evening, Detective. I’ll see you and Frank bright and early.”
“Sure thing, Captain.”
As soon as Hodge left, Manuel grabbed his phone and initiated a call. While he waited for Perkins to answer, he poured some bourbon into a glass and slugged it down.
“Hey, partner,” Frank said on the other end. “I take it captain filled you in on the recent homicides at the Salem Cemetery.”
“Yeah,” Manuel said. “As a matter of fact, he just left.”
“So what’s your intake on all this?” Frank asked. “I can’t believe Carla Rosi’s body has been in that cemetery this whole time.”
Manuel sighed into the phone. “I’m still trying to process all the other crap we’ve been drug through. I mean, who’d ever guess vampires and werewolves actually existed? Not to mention the thing with my sister—” He caught himself, the image of her fiery black wings permanently embedded in his head. “Never in my wildest dreams would I ever imagine Lailah coming back from the dead, transformed into a battle angel. And now, we’ve got a double homicide to deal with,” he continued to rant. “You would agree that we can safely rule out any possibility that a human is responsible.” He let out another long sigh. “For the love of God, we deal with human criminals, not supernatural ones. I’m surprised I haven’t lost my damn mind over all this.”
“I hear yah, Detective. I’m still trying to process all this myself,” Frank said, exhaling a deep breath. “You think we should notify Tim Ross?”
“As much as I hate to admit it, this is way out of our league,” Manuel told Frank, reaching for the bottle of bourbon, but then drew back his hand, remembering the warning his captain had given him about his sobriety. “We’re going to need the Covenant’s help. We have no other choice but to contact them.”
“I agree, and as soon as possible. Captain mentioned Dr. Carrington is Ms. McCain’s physician,” Frank said, and added, “which is a relief since she’s a Breedline. It might be a good idea to visit the Bates Hospital before we head to the station in the morning. So, you want to meet me at the hospital in . . .,” he paused to check his watch, “say in an hour?”
“I’ll see you in an hour,” Manuel said. When he ended the call with Frank, he searched through his contacts and located Helen Carrington’s cell number.
After checking with Helen to make sure they could visit Ms. McCain, Manuel grabbed a quick shower and a cup of coffee.
As Manuel entered the main entrance to the Bates Hospital with his partner, they checked in at the front desk and waited for Helen.
To be continued . . .
Author Notes
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.
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, named Sonya Hothburn. Taken against her will, Sonya was forced by the mad physician into surrogacy. After their birth, she was forbidden to see her children.
All three were created to destroy the Breedline species and dominate the human world. The first born was called Apollyon, meaning 'destroyer' in Greek. It was also the name of the angel-prince of the infernal regions, the minister of death and author of havoc on earth. He has the strength of ten men, and the power to dematerialize, taking others with him, from one place to another. He can transform into a creature that resembles an Adalwolf, and a vampire-like hybrid. The second born was called Callisto, meaning 'most beautiful.' She has the power of a shield, protecting herself and others from harm. The last child was named Electra, meaning 'the shining one.' She has the power to conduct electricity from her body, using it as a weapon. Inheriting their species instinct and extraordinary power, their thirst to kill became uncontrollable. As they grew up, the Fury became more and more unstable and unruly. With an insatiable hunger for human flesh and unmanageable powers, they became a hindrance to the physician. He had no other choice but to drug and imprison them for all time, each one placed inside a sarcophagus in a state of deep slumber to be forgotten forever until they were set free by their mother.
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.
Lailah - She is a battle angel gifted with holy fire used to trap or immobilize demons and other evil supernatural beings, rather than killing them outright. Forty-one years ago, in her human life at age seventeen, she was savagely murdered. But the crime was never solved. Her younger brother is Detective Manuel Sanchez who has spent most of his life trying to catch her killer.
Detective Manuel Sanchez - Raised by a single mother, Manuel never knew his real father. At age thirteen, his older sister Lailah, was murdered, but her killer was never apprehended. Consumed by Lailah's murder, Manuel chooses a career in police enforcement in hopes of someday finally bringing justice to his sister. Now in his fifties - living his life as a bachelor and a homicide detective - he discovers he's not entirely human, and has inherited his father's Breedline genetics.
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.
Captain James Hodge - He is Detective Manuel Sanchez and Detective Frank Perkins superior at the San Francisco, California Police Department.
Dr. Helen Carrington - She is a Breedline species and a physician at the California Bates Hospital for both Breedlines and humans. Later, she discovers Jace and Jem carry a gene, possibly used for a cure to stop the aging process in her species. After Alexander's demon is banished, he is pardoned for all past crimes and welcomed into the Breedline Covenant. When he meets Helen, they become bonded mates.
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.
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