A loud howling can be heard throughout the neighborhood
causing all the neighborhood dogs to howl in fearful unison of what’s invaded their territory. Porch lights up and down the street come on, people sticking their heads out of their doors and windows to see what has invaded their street. Soon only silence,
as the neighborhood once more returns to its slumbered state.
Morning arrives as Richard awakens to find his dead
girlfriend sprawled out on the floor, two bullet holes in her chest.
Richard jumps up looking for Cheri, but there is no sign of her.
He calls out, “Cheri are you here?” No answer comes. Then
Richard remembers The Master Wolf breaking in the door, and then everything went black. He then realizes the cold cruel reality, “Oh my God, he took Cheri!”
Richard grabs his back pack, throwing some clothes into it along with his 9mm and several boxes of silver bullets. His friend Danny had made them for him sometime ago, before Danny was murdered by Lucifer in their last battle against the Master wolf Chad.
Richard thinks but where has he taken her? Then he remembers his friend Isabella from the New Age Shop called Crystal Visions. He picks up the phone and calls her.
She answers the phone, “Crystal Visions, how may I help
you?”
“Isabella, it’s me Richard.”
“Hi Richard, God it’s been awhile how have you been?”
“Isabella, you still have your gift of vision right?” Richard
asks.
“Why yes Richard.” Isabella says. “Bring Susie along, I’ll
give you both a reading, on the house of course.”
“Well I’m afraid it will only be me.” Richard says.
“Oh,” Isabella says. “Did you and Susie break up?”
“Well,” Richard says. “I guess you could call it that, can I
come over, now?” He asks.
“Well sure, I guess so. You sound upset, is something wrong?”
“You don’t know the half of it.” Richard says. “I’ll explain
when I get there.”
“Ok,” Isabella says. “Come on over, I’ll have the crystal
ball warmed up for you.”
“Thanks Isabella, I’ll be right over.” Richard says. Hanging up the phone, Richard grabs his back pack, he stops, turning around he heads back to the wet bar grabs a bottle of Bourbon and heads for the garage.
Opening his Jeep door he places his bag and bottle on the
passenger seat. Starting his Jeep he backs out of the garage, noticing Susie’s car, he remembers Susie lying dead on his bed
room floor.
He picks up his cell phone as he heads for Isabella’s and calls 911 and reports a murder at his address and says he has gone after the killer and hangs up the phone.
Soon he pulls up in front of Isabella’s shop, parks the Jeep,
gets out and runs inside. The wind chimes announce his arrival as he enters the shop. Isabella calls out, “I’m in the back room Richard if that’s you.”
“It is.” Richard announces as he heads back to where Isabella awaits at her table sitting behind her Crystal ball. Richard walks in out of breath.
Isabella asks, “Richard, what on earth is wrong? Take a seat and tell me what’s going on.” So Richard starts at the beginning explaining everything that’s happened up till this point.
Several hours go by and when Richard is finished, Isabella
leans back in her chair and says, ”My God Richard ,what are you going to do? On top of everything else you’ve probably got the police looking for you right now for murdering your girlfriend Susie in your home I might add.”
Richard says, “Well for Christ sakes Isabella, tell me something I don’t know for crying out loud.”
“Ok, ok,” Isabella says. “Let’s stop and figure out what your next move should be.”
“I know what that is.” Richard says. “I have to rescue Cheri!”
“Yes, I know that.” Isabella says. “But you can’t go to New
Orleans in that Jeep of yours, you won’t get three blocks out of town before a swat team swarms in on you. For God sakes Richard, they think you murdered Susie, everyone knows you
two were dating.”
“I know,” Richard says. “How about if I hide my Jeep in
your garage, and we take your car.”
“What’s this we shit?” Isabella says.
“Well, I just thought maybe you’d want to go along and help.” Richard says. “You know, put those psychic powers to work for me as it were.”
“Oh no you don’t mister, you’re not getting me involved in this one.” Isabella says. “I’ve still got grey hairs from the last time we were involved together. And if I remember right, I was almost wolf bait!”
“Yes, but like me you made it out alive.” Richard says.
Isabella says, “By the skin of our damn teeth Richard! You
must have a short memory span buddy.”
Richard says, “Well can I at least borrow your car then?”
Isabella says, “Well you better not get any werewolf shit on
it she says. And it better come back without one damn scratch on it Richard! I mean it Richard!”
Richard says, “Ok, ok, you know you could come along then you could make sure I don’t tear it up.”
Isabella rolls her eyes at Richard and says, “When are we
leaving damn it!”
“As soon as I hide my car in your garage.” Richard says.
“Well shit Richard, I thought you at least would wait until
morning. Damn! You sure know how to cramp someone’s style
don’t you.”
Richard smiles and says, “But that’s why we make such a
good team.”
“Good team my ass.” Isabella says. Then she smiles and says, “We did make a good team didn’t we?”
Richard says, “Not to mention kicked some Master Wolf
ass too in the process!”
Isabella says, “Well go pull your Jeep around to my garage.”
Richard says, “I knew you couldn’t resist my charm.”
Smiling as he walks out the door.
Isabella just smiles and shakes her head saying, “Why do I put up with that man?”
It isn’t long before Richard comes in from Isabella’s garage. Closing the back door he enters the room where Isabella’s sitting and joins her at the table. “Now,” Richard says, “what did you find out about Cheri? Where do they have her held captive at?”
Isabella says, “Well I did a specific card reading on her.
Richard, the first card up was not good.”
Richard asks, “What card was it?”
Isabella looks at him and then turns the card over, “It’s the
Devil’s card. The next card was the six of cups, which reveals she’s back home. Where does she live?”
“New Orleans.” Richard says.
“Well that explains it.” Isabella says.
“What do you mean?” Richard asks.
“Well, the crystal reveals murky water and an old out
building, like sheds with tin roofs. Does that make sense?” Isabella asks.
Richard says, “Your right on target girl! That’s their
compound in the swamp. That’s where Cheri, Father Petri, and
the Bernard brothers rescued me from.”
“Well,” Isabella says, “sadly the ten of swords has come up
as her final outcome, that’s not good, especially looking at the other cards in her spread.”
Richard asks, “Are we too late to save her then?”
“No,” Isabella says, “as this is what her future will be unless someone intervenes on her behalf. That my friend is where we come in, but we must hurry as her time is running out! Let’s
get my Volkswagen van loaded and head down there tonight.”
Richard say
s, “You mean that old rust bucket setting in your garage with the huge peace symbols painted on it?”
Isabella says, “Hey, watch how you talk about my Julie girl, she’s very sensitive.”
“Oh, well excuse me all to hell. What I meant to asks is,
will that old rust bucket, Julie girl, make it to New Orleans?”
“Keep talking,” Isabella says, “and you’ll find your, to good to ride in my van ass, hitch hiking to New Orleans mister.”
“Point taken.” Richard says.
Isabella says ,“We could take your Jeep, but you’d be in
jail a half an hour after you leave. They’ll have an all point bulletins out looking for you, remember you killed Susie. And
I don’t think they’ll fall for the, ‘I had to because she was a
were wolf story‘.”
“Ok, ok, let’s just get the supplies loaded.” Richard says.
“Hey, we’re using my old rust bucket,” Isabella says, “so you load the van. I’ll whip up some sandwiches for the road trip.”
“Fair enough.” Richard says. Richard starts loading their
supplies, checking to make sure he has everything they’ll need.
“Isabella,” he asks, “do you have any holy water?”
Isabella says, “Not really the type of thing my faith group
utilizes, we’re more into burning sage and sea salt for cleansing and for protection, and the ever popular Pentagram, up right of course. Not inverted like the Satanist wear in homage to the Devil. But we can stop by the Catholic Church on the way out of town and pick up some, I have some small vials that should be perfect.”
“Well then,” Richard says, “I guess the vans loaded and ready.”
“Good.” Isabella says. “The sooner we get on the road, the
sooner we can help Cheri.” Isabella and Richard climb into “old Julie Girl” and head down the road.
The van back fires and shoots a flame out of the tail pipe scaring the hell out of the local neighborhood kids playing on the corner as they scatter and take cover. Isabella laughs out loud.
Richard says, “And you were saying I was going to be
arrested.”
Isabella says, “Oh lighten up Richard, your getting to be an
old prude.”
Pulling up to the old church the van back fires again. Richard looks at Isabella and says, “Are you sure this thing’s going to make it to New Orleans?” Richard gets out with the bag of glass
vials and walks into the front foyer of the church.
Finding the baptismal, he takes out the vials one by one and submerges them, filling each one with the blessed water. Father James walks up and stands watching Richard busily at his task.
Father James speaks up saying, “Getting ready to perform a large number of dedications my son?”
“No,” Richard says, “more like getting ready to do battle with evil Father. I’m going to blow Satan’s ass back to oblivion.”
Crossing himself as he turns to leave.
Father James says, “Well happy hunting my son.”
“Thank you Father.” Richard says as he walks out of the
church and heads back to the van, sliding into the passenger seat. Isabella starts the van, the van back fires again as they pull away.
Father James stands watching as the van covered with peace symbols pulls out of sight. He looks up and says, “Precious
Jesus, I don’t know what they are up to, but watch over them and keep them safe in their journey. Amen.” He turns and heads back inside the church smiling shaking his head.
Meanwhile, back at the brotherhoods compound, Cheri sits
in one of the sheds, hands and feet tied, wondering what her fate will be now. I hope Richard’s ok. Her thoughts of him calm her
somewhat as she remembers their time together in the swamp.
She smiles remembering how she would catch him gazing at her legs, and then would turn red as a beet when she’d turn and
catch him in the act. Smiling Cheri thinks to herself, “he’s so cute, and he becomes embarrassed so easily.”
The fear inside of her lessens and she sits in the dark wondering what will be her fate. Praying that Richard is ok.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the compound, Jamie, the
master werewolf, is having is having his ass chewed out by Lucifer. “What I don’t understand,” Lucifer says, “is why you didn’t kill that son of a bitch while you had the golden opportunity to do so! Do I have to do everything myself? I’m surrounded by incompetence! Now the full moon approaches once more with your mate having been taken out of the picture by that damn Mr. Devine; we’ll have to change our plans a little. Looks as though Richards little Cajun queen will now be a new candidate for becoming your mate. So you better not screw this up! Do you understand me boy?”
“Yes Dark Lord.” Jamie says.
Meanwhile, Isabella and Richard finally pull into New
Orleans. Richard gives Isabella directions to the docks. It isn’t long after that that they arrive at the docks. Isabella parks the van and Richard gets out scanning the docks.
Isabella asks, “What or who are you looking for Richard?”
“Pierre Leblanc, Cheri’s father.” Richard says.
Then spotting Pierre’s new boat tied up at the farthest dock, Richard walks towards it. Isabella follows behind but then she gets a vision of a bar and tells Richard she’s picking up a vision of an older man with an eye patch setting in this bar. Richard says, “That
would be old Pierre alright, and I know which bar it is. Follow me.” He turns and heads in that direction.
Then Isabella gets another premonition. “Has this Pierre
betrayed your trust in the past?” she asks.
“You’re right on target again.” Richard says. “Yes, he has
betrayed my trust, in the recent past, I might add.”
Isabella says, “Well I’m picking up that he will not betray
you this time, as he is worried sick about his daughter.”
Richard says, “That would be Cheri.”
“So this man is Cheri’s father?” Isabella asks.
“Yes.” Richard says. “And he is a very greedy man indeed.
He’d sell his own mother if he thought he could benefit from it.”
Isabella says, “Not any more. He blames himself for Cheri’s disappearance and he fears the worst.”
“Good,” Richard says, “then he’ll be more than willing to
help us rescue her from the compound and from the clutches of Lucifer and his henchman the Master Werewolf.”
Entering the bar Richard spots Pierre at a corner table with
CHAPTER EIGHT
a bottle of Bourbon. Richard and Isabella make their way to his table and sit down next to him. Pierre looks up at them, recognizing Richard through his one tired blood shot eye; a
smile comes across his ragged and worn face.
Pierre says, “It’s my ole friend Mr. Devine.” Then his smile disappears as a look of despair replaces it. “If you’ve come to see my daughter, I’m afraid she’s gone. I fear that I have drove her from me with my stupidity.” Pierre tips the bottle of Bourbon up to his mouth.
Richard grabs it and says, “Oh no you don’t! Last calls been called for you my friend.”
Pierre looks into Richards eyes and says, “You called me friend. So all is forgiven?”
“Yes Pierre,” Richard says, “all is forgiven. But I need
your boat, and I need your help if you ever want to see your
daughter again!”
Pierre says, “You know where my Cheri is at?”
“Yes,” Richard says, “and she’s in danger. Your ole buddy
Lucifer has her at the brotherhood compound, so we have to get you sobered up so you can take us there. And time is of the utmost importance as the moon will be full soon, and Lucifer’s beast the Master Werewolf seeks revenge as does Lucifer. Your dau
ghter will be turned and she’ll spend the rest of her life lusting for human flesh, if we don’t hurry!”
Pierre says, “Yes, yes, anything to rescue my daughter from
this monster.”
Richard says, “Then let’s head back to your boat, get some
strong coffee down you. By the way, this is an old friend of mine, Isabella. She’s a psychic and she’s here to help us rescue Cheri.”
Pierre stands up staggering and says, “Well what are we
waiting for?” The three of them leave the bar and head for the docks.
Richard asks Pierre, “If you don’t mind me asking, how did
you ever afford a boat like the one you have now.”
Pierre hangs his head and says, “Regretfully, it was a gift
from Lucifer for turning you over to him.”
Richard asks, “Was it worth it?”
Pierre says, “I’ve regretted it ever since. And look what it’s
cost me, because of this I’ve placed my daughter in harms way.”
As they reach Pierre’s boat they climb on board and head for the captains quarters. Pierre says to Isabella, “The coffee pot, she is over there, the coffee in the cupboard above.” Isabella starts the coffee brewing, as they sit in the galley. Soon the coffee is done and Isabella pours them all a cup.
Pierre says, “We must come up with a good plan, we can’t just go charging into the compound.”
“That’s where I come in.” Isabella says smiling. “I have an
edge. I’ll be able to tell you where they are holding her at, and
hopefully we can get her out before they even miss her.”
Pierre stands up and says, “Then what are we waiting for?” He climbs up deck and starts his engine. Richard comes up top and Pierre tells Richard to cast them off. Richard unties the boat from the dock as Pierre backs the boat away from the dock and steers
them out towards open water. Pierre says, “I know a good spot to set up camp, and it’s close to my three nephews cabin.”
Richard says, “You have three nephews?”
“Yes, that is correct Mr. Devine. They were very close to
The Devil's Belt Vengeance Is Mine Page 8
