THE IMMORTAL: A Novel of the Breedline series

by Shana Congrove

  An overwhelming feeling suddenly took hold of Tara. Her body felt as though she was floating and her lids started to close.

  The Raze doppelganger lightly shook her shoulder and said, “Miss, I need you to keep your eyes open for me. Can you tell me your name?”

  Forcing her eyes to stay focused, she muttered, “T-Tara.” She cleared her throat. “Tara Hood.”

  “Tara, my name is Lawrence Colbert. And my friend here is Roman Kincaid,” he said in a reassuring voice. “I promise we’re going to get you help. But before we take you to the hospital, we need to know if there was anyone else with you.”

  For a brief second, the world went hazy. Suddenly, the sounds of Brandon’s nightmarish screams and the image of the creature dragging his lifeless body flashed inside her head. As her lips began to tremble, tears spilled down her cheeks. “Oh God,” she cried out. “Brandon...”

  Lawrence looked away from Tara and shifted his eyes toward Roman. “Stay here with her,” he said. “I’ll go check.”

  Tara grabbed ahold of Lawrence’s shirt with a tight grip. “It’s too late,” she said, sobbing. “It killed him.”

  Lawrence narrowed his eyes. “What killed him, Tara?”

  Her eyes rounded in fear. “I tried to warn him, but it ran out in front of us. I... it just came out of nowhere,” she stammered. “Brandon tried to stop. H-he swerved. He tried not to hit it.”

  “Hit what?” Lawrence queried.

  Fiercely, she shook her head as more images pounded in her subconscious. “It was dark... foggy.” Her voice was trembling, her whole body shaking. “It was something... big!”

  She buried her face in her hands and struggled to breathe. It was too much shock for her to process. God, she wanted this to be only a dream.

  “Please, Ms. Tara,” Lawrence pressed further. “Try to calm down. This is very important. What was it you saw?”

  As Tara lowered her hands, she stared at Lawrence in mute horror. Then she exhaled a deep breath and said, “It was some kind of wild animal. It looked like a wolf, yet it stood like a man.”

  Lawrence shot Roman a look that told him without words what he was thinking.

  Shit! Roman silently mouthed.

  “I need you to think, Tara,” said Lawrence. He had a seriousness to his tone. “Did this animal bite you?”

  When she shook her head, Roman exhaled, realizing he’d been holding his breath.

  “Okay, good,” Lawrence said, breathing a sigh of relief. “Let’s get you to the hospital.”

  “What about...” she briefly paused, her lips quivering, “Brandon’s body?”

  “Don’t worry, Tara,” Roman said, trying his best to console her. “While Lawrence drives you to the hospital, I’ll stay here and see to it he’s properly taken care of.”

  She frantically shook her head. “Please, it’s not safe.” She raised her voice. “That thing could still be out here. You need to call the—”

  “Trust me, Ms. Tara,” Lawrence interjected. “Roman will be just fine. He’ll call for help.”

  There was a rock-hard assurance to his voice and a comforting look in his eyes. Despite her fears, the unwavering confidence in his words soothed her.

  Tara sighed. “Thank you, both,” she said, her voice laced with gratitude. “If you hadn’t gotten here when you did.” She swallowed back tears. “You saved my life.”

  Chapter Ten

  He had to act quickly. He’d been forced to seek cover, hiding in the dark shadows as two men intervened with his next kill. Yet, they were not human, he realized.

  He could smell their scent, too—as surely as he smelled the blood from the remnants of the raw meat of his victim’s flesh.

  Should he attack and take what rightly belonged to him? As the desperate need to kill surged through every vein, filling him with agony, he did not.

  No matter, he thought. He would follow them. They would lead him to the girl.

  As his mind drifted to Jena, he closed his eyes and remembered the last time he had gazed upon her face. It wouldn’t be long now. Her life as she knew it was drawing near the end, and finally, she would be his. The anticipation was almost more than he could bear. Just thinking of it made him ache. She would learn submission and oh, how she would love him. He would take her to his own private world of eternal darkness.

  “Jena,” he whispered and then turned at the sound of approaching footsteps.

  In a kind of fascination, he watched as three men engaged in conversation only a few feet away. They were different from the ones before. But they too were not human.

  He narrowed his eyes and listened.

  The one with a dark Mohawk sounded frustrated, his words tinged with discontent as he stood addressing two men with long, blond hair who were obviously identical twins.

  “I just got off the phone with Tim,” Drakon said. “Instead of taking Ms. Tara Hood to the hospital, he’s having Lawrence deliver her to the Covenant. Helen is meeting them there.”

  Both Jace’s and Jem’s eyes rounded.

  Jace huffed in exasperation. “What the... but she’s human,” he protested. Then he cast a glance at his twin, who stood next to him, his expression grim. “I think it’s a bad idea.”

  Jem shifted uncomfortably and heaved a sigh. “I don’t see any way around it. We can’t have her talking to the police. They’ll think she’s lost her damn mind. We already have enough to deal with. If human reporters find out the girl’s identity that was attacked in the cemetery, they’ll hound her relentlessly. Besides, she’ll need our protection. It’s possible whatever this creature is, both girls could be in danger. It may see them as a threat and try to finish what it set out to do in the first place.”

  “I agree,” Drakon confirmed, smoothing a hand over the spiked strip of hair down the middle of his head. “They’ll be safe in the Covenant. Tim is going to have Helen relocate Ms. McCain in our care after she’s released from the hospital. She’ll need to be monitored for the next hundred or so days.”

  Jace shrugged. “What for?”

  “Because...” Drakon paused, clearing his throat, “Ms. McCain was bitten by the creature.”

  “You’re not talking about the curse of the Rougarou are you?” Jem queried.

  Jace’s eyes narrowed and he turned to stare at his brother. “I thought that was just a myth.”

  Drakon shook his head. “No, it’s real. The creature can stay dormant underground for years until it’s time to feed again. This savage killer has preyed on humans since the 1800s. He’s been responsible for several unsolved crimes throughout history,” he continued to explain. “Among the Breedline, he is known as The Werewolf of New Orleans, The Louisiana Vampire, The Blood Moon Killer, and The Beast Man. It’s said that he was thought to be the notorious serial killer, Jack the Ripper.”

  “Holy shit,” Jace muttered. “Are you serious?”

  “He’s right,” Jem pointed out. “And what’s worse, we cannot destroy it.”

  Jace made a dry sound of amusement. “That’s messed up. So, what the hell are we going to do?”

  “We are not going to do anything,” Roman said as he walked up behind them.

  Everyone turned to Roman in surprise.

  Jace narrowed his eyes in confusion. “What do you mean we are not going to do anything? Why the hell not?”

  Roman moved closer. “Hold on,” he fired back, holding a hand up. “Let me explain.”

  Jace cocked a brow. “Well, I’m waiting.” His voice sounded impatient. “Let’s hear it.”

  “Earlier today, Lawrence and I went to see his sister, Melanie,” Roman hesitantly said. “She has a special ability that is supposed to be kept a secret from humans, but considering the dire situation, and the fact that we don’t exactly fall into that category, I think it’s safe to say I won’t be breaking any rules by telling you.”

  “What are you getting at, Roman?” Drakon chimed in.

  Roman let out a deep breath and simply said, “Melanie can speak
to angels.”

  Jace leaned in and held up his hands in question. “And?”

  “Remember the redheaded battle angel that took Sebastian?”

  When Drakon, Jace, and Jem nodded at Roman, he continued to explain. “Well, her name is Lailah, and Mel contacted her. She and another battle angel, you know the one that looked a lot like Billy Idol?”

  When they nodded, he continued, “Anyway, they are coming back to help us destroy this creature.”

  “Thank God,” Jace said with a sigh of relief.

  “There’s more, isn’t there, Roman?” Drakon asked in a deep baritone.

  Roman looked agonized. His jaw clenched and he glanced at all of them as if weighing whether or not to tell them the rest.

  Jem placed his hand on Roman’s shoulder. “Roman, we need to know everything Lawrence’s sister told you. Whatever it is, we’re not going to judge or otherwise say anything negative about Melanie.” He eyed Jace, making sure he understood the implied suggestion.

  Without voicing his opinion, which was rare, Jace nodded an understanding.

  “None of the battle angels have the power to destroy this creature,” Roman said. “Lailah can only trap it with her holy fire. I’m not sure what the other angel can do, but apparently God has tasked them to bring four others along who possess the ability to help take down this creature.”

  “Do you know who they are?” Jem asked.

  “Sebastian and the Fury,” said Roman.

  Jace shot forward, and he was about to explode, but Jem flung his hand out to silence his brother, his expression fierce. Jace’s lips tightened but he stepped back and didn’t further interrupt.

  The look on Drakon’s face ranged from incredulity, to doubt, to what in the hell is Roman smoking? He shook his head. This whole thing sounded crazy. He couldn’t even wrap his head around it. But the important thing was that Lawrence believed his sister, and Roman believed her too.

  “What did Lawrence’s sister say about the Fury?” Drakon asked Roman. “Won’t they be just as dangerous as this creature we’re dealing with?”

  “Melanie said God has lifted their lust for human blood. She explained it as if they’d been reborn.”

  “So, I guess this means Sebastian is alive,” Jace finally said. “How is that bastard tied into all this?”

  Roman looked at Jace, despair gleaming in the shadowed depths. “I’m sorry, Jace. Mel didn’t say.”

  “Did she... did she give you any idea when this is all supposed to take place?” Drakon hedged.

  “Mel just said soon,” Roman replied.

  Shit! Drakon thought. “Okay, this is what we’re going to do,” he said, taking charge. “I’ll call Tim while you guys finish cleaning up the body so we can tow the truck to the Covenant. Between Tim and Tessa, maybe they can figure out what the hell we need to do next.”

  “Someone needs to tell Eve and Anna about Sebastian,” Jem spoke out, changing the subject. “They deserve to know he’s still alive. Especially since it’s a good possibility he’ll show up at the Covenant.”

  “I don’t know.” Jace shook his head. “I think it’s a bad idea. Besides, if I catch him near my family—”

  “Come on, Jace,” Jem cut him off. “Put yourself in their shoes. What if it were you? Don’t you think Tessa and Cassie would want to know the truth if they thought you were dead?”

  “He’s right, Jace,” Drakon pointed out. “I agree with your brother. They need to know.”

  Jace threw his hands up in defeat. “Alright, alright,” he grumbled. “I get it already.”

  “I’ll tell Mia as soon as we get back to the Covenant,” Jem said. “I think it would be best for Eve to hear it from her sister. Since Eve has become close to Sebastian’s sister, I’m sure she would want to be the one to tell her.”

  Drakon nodded. “I agree. Thanks, Jem.”

  As he watched the four men walk away, a sinister smile curled his wolfish lips. They were all mistaken, he thought. Only my own kind has the power to destroy me.

  * * *

  Panic splintered through Yelena, and she came awake with a gasp. For a moment, she thought she was having another dream, reliving the mournful memory of the battle angels taking Apollyon and his siblings away. Now, she realized it was not a dream, but a vision. This time, the black-winged angels were bringing them back.

  “Oh, Apollyon,” she cried out.

  As she scrambled to sit up in bed, her entire body shook. Then she swallowed back the knot that suddenly formed in her throat. She felt... sick.

  Seconds later, she was in the bathroom on her knees leaning over the toilet bowl, one hand holding back her hair, the other braced on the seat. It seemed forever that she strained and suffered through a series of violent heaves.

  Every time she thought the nausea was over, she’d go back to bed—and two minutes later, she was on her knees again, heaving up absolutely nothing.

  Finally, her stomach settled. Lying in bed, she put her hands on her belly and said in a faint whisper, “Could I be pregnant?”

  A persistent knock at the door made her flinch. Then a soft voice called out, “Yelena, darling... are you okay?”

  Recognizing Sonya’s voice, Yelena got to her feet and opened the bedroom door.

  Distress radiated from Sonya like a beacon. Her face was as white as a ghost and she looked as though she’d been crying.

  Yelena frowned. “Sonya, is something wrong?”

  Sonya sighed and then her lips turned up into a blissful smile. “Oh, Yelena,” she choked out and flung her arms around Yelena, holding her so tight that for a moment she couldn’t breathe. “I knew it was true!”

  “What are you talking about?” Yelena asked.

  Sonya pulled from their embrace to face Yelena, her eyes drenched with tears. “You’re going to have my grandchild.”

  Yelena’s eyes rounded. “H-huh?” she stuttered. “B-but, how do you know?”

  “I had a vision,” Sonya said. “It was so beautiful. I saw Apollyon holding his son. My grandson.” She placed her hand on Yelena’s belly and whispered, “Your unborn child.”

  Yelena felt her mouth drop open. “Well, I...”

  As Sonya caressed Yelena’s stomach, she had a moment of total, stunned disbelief. Is it possible I’m really carrying Apollyon’s child?

  “He’s coming back,” Yelena finally said. “I had a vision too. The same angels that took Apollyon, Callisto, and Electra are bringing them back.”

  Sonya’s eyes filled with more tears. Her hand trembled as she removed it from the place that held her grandchild and covered her mouth. “Thank God,” she sobbed.

  “I’d be more than happy to help you find an excellent physician, one that deals with our species of course. I know a great ob-gyn in Berkeley—a woman. Between you and Apollyon sharing the genetics of a succubus, I’ll feel more comfortable knowing you’re getting the best care.”

  Yelena nodded. “Thank you, Sonya.”

  “Your welcome, darling,” Sonya murmured. “I’ll make the appointment first thing this morning. In the meantime, I want you to promise you’ll get some rest. Remember, that’s my grandbaby you’re carrying.”

  “Don’t worry, Sonya,” Yelena said, placing her palm over her belly. “This child is a part of Apollyon. They both mean the world to me.”

  Chapter Eleven

  It was seven o’clock in the morning when Jena turned on the television in her hospital room. A familiar face on CNN news came into view, although Jena could not recall her name. She appeared to be interviewing a criminal psychologist going by the man’s name and credentials displayed at the bottom of the screen.

  The female newscaster asked, “Dr. Gunneman, do you believe the Salem Cemetery murders were some kind of an animal attack?”

  “No, I don’t,” he simply replied. “I truly believe we’re dealing with a cult.”

  “Are you talking about a satanic cult?”

  The expert nodded. “The DNA is unequivocal, but I
have no doubt the ones responsible are human. Somehow, the evidence has been contaminated to make us believe there’s a supernatural creature on the loose.”

  “But what accounts for the person’s strength?” the newswoman asked. “I mean what kind of human being has the power to do that to a body. The evidence states that two bodies were left mangled and some of the body parts were missing.”

  “Again, we are rushing to conclusions.” The physician’s voice sounded irritated. “Clearly, we’re dealing with disturbed individuals. It is unimaginable of what a psychopath can be capable of doing. They possess much more strength than the average person, and probably the most dangerous.”

  “What about the witness at the crime scene?” The newswoman shrugged. “According to the police records, a young woman, whose identity has not yet been released, was the only survivor. What do you make of the astounding statement she made on that dreadful day when officers pulled her out of that open grave?”

  “It’s all a bunch of nonsense,” Dr. Gunneman protested. “She’s clearly distraught by the dreadful incident. It’s a possibility the perpetrator could have suffered some type of hideous affliction at some point or they could have been born with extreme deformities. Whatever the case,” he continued to explain, “after what the poor girl witnessed, I don’t doubt she’s suffering from major psychological trauma.”

  “So you don’t think there’s a possibility that a large animal, maybe a mountain lion, a wolf, or some other type of thing could have done this?”

  Dr. Gunneman smirked. “If you’re asking if I believe a werewolf or some mythological creature is responsible for the murders, your answer is no. It’s absolutely rubbish,” he grumbled. “And if anyone buys that line of bull, I’d say they’re on the borderline of insanity.”

  As Jena listened to the psychologist’s rants coming from the television, her thoughts drifted. She remembered the creature’s howls, that savage sound when it had attacked Todd and Sophie. Although calls came in from people claiming to have heard howling that night, there were no witnesses to the killings except for her. The fact of the matter was, no one could possibly fathom whatever did this, but speculation about the mysterious animal would continue.