Chapter Nineteen
As the creature materialized a mile from the Breedline Covenant, hidden among acres of trees and undergrowth, he noticed a solitary light in a corner window upstairs at the front of an old Victorian, two-story house. Pine trees hid the lower half of the place, but the second floor glowed from the glorious rays of the moonlight, drawing him onward.
His clawed feet clicked as he quickly ducked underneath the house’s wooden, rickety porch and stood sniffing the air. The smell of a human nearby was almost too overwhelming to bear. That scent released the hunger within him and drove him on. Every muscle in his body wanted to rip the human limb from limb. He had to grit his teeth to keep from tearing down the door to get at what he craved. He briefly lowered his lids, calming the fury inside as a low growl rumbled deep in his chest.
Slowly, he reached for the door and found that it was unlocked. With his clawed hand, he turned the knob and edged the door open. He lowered his head to keep from brushing along the top of the entrance and crept inside like a wild animal stalking its prey.
Meanwhile, upstairs, and unaware of what was transpiring below, Cobi settled back into his pillow with a sigh. The night seemed especially weird, he thought, the way the moon looked at him through the bedroom window and the wind blew the pines outside, making the two-story house creak.
Before he called it a night, he decided to relax in bed and enjoy a good mystery novel or, even better, a scary ghost story.
As Cobi opened the book, he heard an eerie scratching sound. He quickly sat up in bed and listened. The noise was coming from the window. He let out a sigh of relief when he realized it was only a twig tapping on the pane. Easing back into his pillow, he focused on the novel in his hand and turned to the first page.
It was late, nearly two o’clock in the morning, but he managed to get to the third chapter. Despite the large quantities of caffeine, he could feel himself getting drowsy. His eyelids felt heavy and the room had gotten darker, as though the lights had magically turned themselves down. With a halfhearted effort, Cobi forced his eyelids to stay open while he stared sleepily out the window.
The moon illuminated the dark sky, glimmering softly into the window. Closing his eyes, he let the book rest on his chest as he drifted off to sleep.
In the dark shadows of the open doorway stood the creature, his cunning eyes shifting rapidly around the room. The moonlight coming through the bedroom window struck the glowing orbs of his yellow eyes. He was beyond furious. After the painful confrontation with the Angel Raphael, he couldn’t wait to unleash his fury on the foolish human—who was oblivious to his presence—lying just a few feet away.
The floor creaked as the creature moved forward, waking Cobi from his slumber. His head bolted up. He peeked over the foot of the bed and saw nothing but the moon shining through the window. How strange, he thought as he rubbed his eyes. Then his attention went to the sound of heavy breathing. As Cobi turned to look, he instantly wished he hadn’t.
“Oh God...”
His mouth rounded in sheer terror as he stared into a pair of glowing eyes that peered out through wiry, thick black hair. Cobi watched in disbelief as a huge hulking monster, the embodiment of evil, stalked closer and stood over his bed. It was hideous. It had some features of a man but more elongated like an animal, resembling the creature in the original 1941 American horror film The Wolf Man. With high-pointed ears atop its huge head, its black leathery lips formed a ghoulish grimace, revealing sharp-pointed canines, and a deep gargling growl broke from its throat.
Before he could move, the creature’s claws reached out and caught him by the arm, lifting him up into the full glare of the moonlight.
“P-please,” Cobi stammered, his feet dangling off the floor.
At the same time, Cobi squeezed his lids tight, praying with his eyes shut.
The monster opened its jaws, preparing to sink his fangs into the human’s flesh. As he moved in for the kill, a dark and sinister voice came from behind that froze him in his tracks.
“Put the human down.”
The wolf-man dropped Cobi and spun around on the balls of his feet, heels high, knees positioned in an attack stance.
On his hands and knees, Cobi scrambled to a small corner of the room. With his heart in his throat, he merely watched as something immense and deadly stepped out of the shadows, reeking of pure evil, one utterly devoid of humanity. It slightly looked like the devil in the American dark fantasy film, Legend, except this devilish creature was scarier, and it didn’t have horns atop its hideous head. Although, the size of the thing was enormous. It towered at least seven feet tall, bigger than the wolf-man that was about to devour him, with sharp protruding teeth and glowing eyes. Dark fur partly covered his skin, and it had leathery, bat-like wings that made the hair on his neck stand. While Cobi took this in, he swallowed nervously, wondering if this monster was friend or foe.
A pink tongue flashed behind the wolf-man’s white teeth as he flexed his powerful thighs. “Who dares to interfere with my meal?” His voice was grotesque, the cultured, southern drawl coming from such a bestial face.
The bat-like creature took a step forward, and to his surprise, the wolf-man reflexively stepped back. “My name is Apollyon.” His voice went on with a maddening restraint. “We are here to send you back to hell.”
“We?” the wolf-man asked.
Again, Apollyon advanced, but this time, the wolf-man stood firm, narrowing his eyes in an aggressive warning.
A female with long red hair and feathery black wings ducked under the doorway. When she stepped inside, she towered above Apollyon, barely able to fit into the room. With resentment in her eyes, she glared at the wolfish creature.
The wolf-man’s eyes rounded in astonishment. Then, a giant black-winged male with blond spiked hair moved next to the female. He crossed his arms over his chest and curled his top lip as though he was daring the wolf-man to make a move.
Before he could process the trio, two more females came up behind Apollyon and stood on the opposite side of him. They did not have wings, but one of them had a muscular physique, and her eyes sparkled like diamonds. The other one was feminine; her beauty was almost hypnotizing. Both women appeared connected to the creature that called himself Apollyon. Closing in behind them was a pale-faced, tall male with a lean muscularity and long black hair. His golden eyes narrowed with pure hatred. The wolf-man heard the redheaded angel whisper out to him, using the name Sebastian.
What a dreadful spectacle this must make for the human huddled in the corner, the redheaded angel thought as she glanced his way. A room full of supernatural beings sparring with ghastly words surely was terrifying for him to witness.
When she pressed closer, the wolf-man kept his feet firmly planted in place. His thighs flexed, and his hands lifted as though he was ready to attack.
“Remember me?” the winged female asked. Her tone was bitter. “I’m the innocent, young girl you murdered over forty years ago.”
“Lailah,” the wolfish creature said through gritted teeth.
“I’m surprised you remember my name,” she replied.
“Oh, believe me. I could never forget you.” He gave her a look filled with self-satisfaction. “Your beauty made the kill all the more challenging.”
Apollyon said nothing. It was now, he thought, now that they should strike.
The wolf-man spoke again. “Don’t think that makes you special though,” he said, baring his teeth as if in an ugly smile. “Had I chosen you for my mate, you would have been magnificent, the most breathtaking of my kind, but I did not choose you.” His voice was angry but steady. “You were not worthy to be at my side.”
“That’s enough,” Lailah said impatiently. “It’s time for you to pay for your sins. And now you will die for them.” She leaned in and cocked a brow. “But first, do tell me. Were all those innocent lives you took worth it?”
This infuriated the wolf-man. “You think you have the power to destroy me?” he
said with a spiteful cackle. “I’ve been around for centuries. None of you have any idea what powers I possess. But you will find out soon.”
A low rolling growl escaped Apollyon. “We’re done talking!” he roared.
The wolf-man lowered his head and shook his hands in fury. “What are you waiting for, devil man?” A gnashing mocking sound came out of him, fully as forceful as his words. “Bring your worst!”
Cowered in the corner, Cobi tucked his knees into his chest and covered his ears.
Apollyon looked to the female with overwhelming beauty and muttered, “Cover me, Callisto.”
She nodded in silent understanding.
In a snarling outrage, he rushed at the wolf-man, claws out, and lunged for its throat.
Before he made contact, the wolf-man kicked at Apollyon with such a powerful force, it drove him back and slammed him into the wall.
The wind went out of Apollyon, realizing his sister’s protective shield was useless up against the wolfish creature. Instantly, he recovered and sprang at the wolf-man, his powerful thighs catapulting him forward. Using his fierce claws, Apollyon slashed wildly at the evil creature, gashing open his thick hide.
The wolf-man bellowed, then lunged at Apollyon and drove his fangs deep into his shoulder. Apollyon felt the wetness of the blood as it gushed from his flesh.
I refuse to let it overpower me, Apollyon thought feverishly as the wolfish beast tore at him with fits of rage.
In a savage frenzy, Apollyon broke loose of him, and this time he kicked at the wolf-man as it had kicked him, landing a blow at his lower gut with tremendous force.
As the furious creature doubled over, Apollyon yanked by the hair of his mane and hurled him backward. He cursed in anger as his head struck the wall.
Faster than their eyes could perceive, the wolf-man rose up and charged forward. In a heated fury, he pummeled Apollyon with his monstrous paw. The thundering blow sent him sailing across the room. Apollyon crashed against the paneling, and crumpled to the floor, his gaping mouth full of blood.
Using a portal, Sebastian vanished in thin air. When he reappeared, he stood behind the wolf-man with a silver wire in his grasp. In one swift motion, he wrapped it around the creature’s throat and pulled with all his strength. Unexpectedly, the monstrous creature disappeared, leaving nothing but a puff of smoke in his place.
“What the—” Sebastian muttered, spinning in circles, his eyes searching for the creature.
Apollyon rose to his feet and gritted his bloodstained teeth. He had never seen anything move that fast. One second the wolf-man simply vanished; the next, he reappeared behind Sebastian. With unbelievable speed, the wolf-man put Sebastian in a blistering choke hold and hauled him into the shadows.
It seemed as though the darkness had swallowed them. As Sebastian struggled to breathe, the wolf-man spoke in a deep, accented growl, “You should have stayed out of my way, half-breed.” He narrowed his eyes at the others and raised his voice, “You all should have stayed out of my way!”
Sebastian clawed at the iron hold and choked, desperate for air. The massive arm locked around his throat was squeezing the life right out of him.
A minute later Sebastian stopped resisting altogether, his arms dropping and hanging loose. He wanted to fight, but no longer had the strength. If this was his death, he was okay with it. It was better and quicker than ending up back in Lucifer’s possession, reliving his tortured past. He was willing to die to save his soul.
With his last bit of strength, Sebastian tried to speak.
The wolf-man loosened his grip and leaned in to listen.
“Go to hell,” Sebastian gasped.
Then, an authoritative voice called out, “Let him go!”
As the wolf-man lifted his chin and looked ahead, Electra’s diamond eyes brightened with such intensity, it blinded him for a moment. He instantly removed his arm from Sebastian’s throat to shield his eyes. Sebastian fell to his knees, and what little breath he’d been able to steal got kicked out of his lungs in a rush.
In the short time he took to look away, Electra knew that she had not a second to spare and reached for her silver whip. She used her cunning skills and whirled it at the evil creature with lightning speed. When it struck his chest, a bolt of electricity burned his skin like a red-hot coal, paring his flesh to the bone. He clenched his teeth to keep from howling out. He’d be damned if he’d give them the satisfaction of seeing him cry out like a whipped dog. Before he could recover, Electra stuck him again. He dropped to his knees as steam rose from his scalded hide. Then his glowing gaze lifted up and searched his enemies around him. Before he could react, Lailah extended her fiery wings and trapped the wolf-man with a circle of flames.
In his weakened, but not defeated state, he used the strength within him and took on the form of a vapor-like fog. As the mysterious phantom suspended into the air, it slipped through the vents and escaped his adversaries below.
Once he fed and regained his strength, he would prove more powerful than any opposing force that challenged him. And this time, nothing would stop him.
Chapter Twenty
The wolfish beast stood shaking as he materialized back into the thicket, surrounded by darkness. Thoughts of killing and feasting on human blood occupied his mind as he staggered through the woods. He wanted something else. He wanted Jena. He wanted her now more than ever. Soon, he would have her. It wouldn’t be long before her lust for human blood took over. Only one drop and the transformation would be complete.
About fifty yards away, and with his acute hearing, he picked up voices. As he stopped to listen, he heard two people passing through the dense growth of trees, getting closer to where he stood. He moved in behind some bushes and watched. They were barely visible, like dark silhouettes in the thick fog. Their bodies were steaming in the cool morning air as they trudged onward, speaking in low tones. One of them carried a weapon.
They were hunting, he realized, and by their scent, they were young males. Not virginal blood, but a tasty meal all the same.
Soon the tables would turn. If only they knew what lurked in the shadows, stalking them. The predator would soon become the prey.
As he continued to watch them, he licked his lips. His tongue played around his sharp canines for a second, then slipped back into his mouth. Without a sound, he began to track them, keeping himself at a fair distance.
Would they dare have the courage to be out at this hour if they knew there was something preparing to spring out from the bushes and turn them to corpses? It was crazy really. They were roaming in the dark as though their young lives and souls were not in mortal jeopardy. Yet here they were.
He curled his lip into a snarl. Humans seemed stupid and their lives worthless, he thought. What fools they are. He could sense all their weaknesses clearly and viewed them only as food.
The man-wolf filled his chest with air and looked up at the sky.
Suddenly, over the tops of the trees, an arc of the moon emerged, and with it, a long eerie howl broke the silence. It seemed to last forever. The noise halted the two humans in their tracks.
One of them, wearing a pair of thick glasses, whispered to the other, “Did you hear that?”
The other one with the weapon nodded in silence and then motioned for his brother to hunch low. For a long time, they just waited, not speaking, and listened. Filled with anticipation and a twinge of dread, they wondered what was out there.
Then the staccato of snapping branches came from behind.
Both of them instantly looked over their shoulders. “Listen,” one of them said, barely above a whisper.
They could hear something creeping slowly upon them. It was like the sound of twigs being broken underfoot, one after the other. As they listened, it started to move toward them at a steady pace.
“What do you think it is?” the one wearing glasses asked, his wide eyes probing his brother with alarm.
“I can’t tell,” he whispered. “But it sounds lik
e it’s moving on all fours.”
As they waited, a sense of uneasiness made the hairs on the back of their necks stand on end. Then the sound stopped dead, as though whatever was out there was waiting too.
“Damn it,” the kid gripping the rifle said. “This is ridiculous. It’s probably a coyote tracking a deer.” He couldn’t stand waiting any longer and inched up to look.
Forty yards away, hidden in the tall grass, and peering out of the fog, he saw a pair of glowing eyes. With precision, he aimed his weapon forward and looked through the scope to get a better look at what was out there. As he kept it steady, scanning the area, the muscles in his jaw felt ready to cramp. When he pulled the cocking piece back, the slide action of the bullet chambering made a distinctive sound.
“What the hell is it?” the other kid impatiently said.
He didn’t answer right away, but finally lowered the rifle, and looked at his brother. “It’s hard to see through all this fog. I think it’s just a coyote, or maybe a bobcat.”
“Logan, are you sure?” Greg reached for his brother’s weapon. “Let me take a look.”
Logan rolled his eyes. “Why the hell did you leave your rifle in the truck?”
“I wasn’t planning on using it. Besides, you’re the one that wanted to go hunting, not me. I came along for the nature hike.” Greg let out an aggravated groan. “Come on, already. Just let me see it for a minute.”
“Be careful, it’s cocked.”
Greg gave his brother a look. “I know how to handle a gun.”
As he handed Greg the rifle, whatever it was started moving again. They could hear it in the grass.
Greg pushed himself to his feet. His muscles were sore from crouching, the way they felt after a bad cramp. When he put the scope against the left side of his glass lens, he saw the hairy back of an animal tearing through the tall grass about twenty yards away. And it was big.
THE IMMORTAL: A Novel of the Breedline series Page 15
