“Well?” Logan shrugged. “What do you see?”
“Shit,” he cursed low. “It’s definitely not a coyote.”
“Damn it, Greg.” Logan raised his voice, “Just shoot the damn thing!”
Greg froze with his finger on the trigger. His mind and reflexes didn’t seem to be working together. He kept looking through the scope, but he couldn’t see the animal anymore. It simply vanished into the thick fog.
“I-it’s gone,” Greg finally said. “It must have got spooked off.”
When he lowered the rifle, a thickly muscled, hairy arm ending in five sharp claws, quickly emerged from the brush. It caught Greg by the arm and tore it completely off.
In a state of shock, Greg’s mouth opened in utter horror.
Then the animal’s hairy form stepped into full view, the moon shining down on the beastly thing. It towered above them.
Logan went into sensory overload and helplessly watched as it viciously attacked his little brother. It stood on two legs and had the features of a man and a wolf. Covered in thick, black hair, its nose ended in leathery nostrils.
Greg’s screams of agony only seemed to fuel the creature’s rage. In a matter of seconds, it tore at his throat, turning the boy’s screams into a wet gurgling hiss of air.
“Greg!” Logan desperately cried out, reaching for his brother.
The brutality of it all seemed to move in slow motion as the savage creature ripped his brother’s lifeless body into pieces. Distraught and powerless, Logan shrunk back in disbelief.
The grisly sight of his brother’s head dropping down onto the dismembered parts of his body sickened Logan and nearly drove him to the brink of madness.
“No, no, no...” Logan mumbled, the words coming out like someone had slowed time.
He tripped and stumbled back. Staring into his brother’s glassy dead eyes, Logan felt himself falling... falling... yet never reaching the ground. It was as though he fell for an eternity, suspended in a web of terror while images of his childhood past flashed before his eyes—memories of his little brother trying to carry the puppy he’d got for his third birthday, which was almost as big as he was, and the excitement he’d expressed. Then another memory came to him, only this time, it had happened only a year ago. It was Greg’s sixteenth birthday. He would never forget the look on his face when their dad brought home a beat-up, canary yellow, Ford Maverick. His little brother had been ecstatic. Greg cherished that damn car just as he did his big brother—the same brother that was supposed to look after him, and kept him out of harm’s way.
Everything sped up to normal when Logan hit the ground. His eyes zoned in on the rifle. It was lying in the weeds only a few feet away. Using all his strength, he dove for it with his arms outstretched.
Without hesitation, he quickly grabbed for it. As he spun around with the barrel aimed at the creature, he pulled the trigger. The blast thundered and filled the forest chamber. Soon after, an ear-shattering roar broke loose.
As the man-wolf angrily slashed it claws at the night, Logan felt the wetness and warmth of its blood splattering down on his face. With the gun in his grasp, he got to his feet and forced himself to run. As he trudged onward his only thought was, Oh God, my brother is dead.
Logan seemed lost in thought for a few moments, and then he looked over his shoulder. He found that only the darkness followed him and wondered if he had killed that thing.
For a moment, his grief stopped him. Logan lowered the rifle to the ground and leaned against a tree. He buried his face into his hands and sobbed. He wept not only for the loss of his brother but the savagery of his death.
“Damn it, Greg,” he whispered to himself. “I’m so sorry, little brother.”
Out of nowhere, something touched his hair. Logan flinched and whirled around.
“It’s okay,” a soft, delicate voice said. “I’m not going to hurt you.”
With his mouth gaped open, he couldn’t believe his eyes. Standing over him, towering at least ten feet tall was a woman. She had long red hair that flowed past her hips and giant, black wings with smoke rising above them as though they had recently been on fire. Her broad shoulders and toned arms were marked with odd symbols that he did not recognize. It was unreal. She looked like some kind of warrior out of a sci-fi movie.
As he took all of her in, he found that he couldn’t speak, much less move.
“You’re safe now,” the beautiful, angel-like female said. “The creature is gone.”
Logan sagged in relief, and then asked, “W-who are you?”
“My name is Lailah.”
“Are you...” He briefly paused and swallowed the knot in his throat. “...supposed to be an angel?”
“Yes,” she replied. “I’m one of the Creator’s battle angels.”
“What the hell was that thing back there?” He raised his voice, “Is it dead?”
“No,” she reluctantly said. “But I promise it’s gone. It can’t harm you now.”
“Please tell me.” He let out a ragged breath. “What was it?”
Lailah hesitated to tell the poor human what had brutally murdered his brother, but at this moment, he deserved the truth. She’d been granted permission from the Creator to bring life back to his brother. Afterward, she would erase all the horrible events from their memory of this night, including the one of her.
“The thing that took your brother’s life,” she began to explain, “is a creature that has lived for centuries. I was sent here to try and destroy it.”
He narrowed his eyes. “How do you know about my brother?”
She smiled and brought her hand toward his face.
In response, he took a couple of steps back.
“Don’t be afraid.” She halted her hand before it made contact with the surface of his skin. “I’m here to help you.”
He nodded in silence and slowly moved closer.
“There’s blood on your face.” She gently placed her hand against his cheek. “Are you injured?”
With tears in his eyes, he shook his head. “It’s not my blood. I shot that thing that killed my brother.”
Lailah’s face softened. “I’m sorry.”
Suddenly, he fell apart. “Please, can you help me?” His lips trembled. “You’re an angel. Surely you can bring him back.”
She placed two fingers under his chin and tilted it up. Her eyes held many kinds of love. “Have faith, Logan.”
“H-how did you know my name?”
“The Creator knows all of his children,” she said as she lowered her hand and stood straight.
“Are you saying, God told you?”
She nodded and simply replied, “It’s not Greg’s time.”
He looked at her bewildered. “What are you talking about?”
Then Logan heard footsteps in the near distance. His eyes searched through the thick fog until suddenly, a lone, dark figure stepped forward as though it had magically appeared out of nowhere. As the person moved closer, Logan finally recognized who it was.
“Greg?”
“Yes, brother,” a familiar voice called out. “It’s me!”
As the brothers embraced, Lailah did her thing and erased all the traumatic memories that had happened to them as well as Cobi’s nightmarish encounter with the creature earlier. She replaced Cobi’s memories with a peaceful night of rest, and Logan and Greg’s with a glorious morning of two brothers enjoying nature. Not long after, she went to meet up with her comrades in arms. They had a task to complete, but unfortunately, destroying the creature was going to be more challenging than they had foreseen. Even her powers of holy fire couldn’t contain the creature. That’s when she decided she needed Cronus’s help.
Chapter Twenty-One
The sun was shining through the cracked blinds, rousing Jena from a deep and peaceful slumber. She hadn’t remembered the last time she’d slept so soundly and undisturbed. She had been so exhausted when Angie checked her out of the hospital and brought her to the Covenant
she didn’t even bother turning on the bedroom lights. Jena barely managed to change into her nightgown; she practically passed out as soon as her head hit the pillow.
Jena slowly sat up, pulled the covers back, and slid off the bed. The hardwood floor was cold against her bare feet. When she felt steady enough to stand, the muscles in her long, lean legs shook as they worked to balance her weight. Before she took a step, she glanced around the spacious room.
Her eyes rounded. Holy... Queen of England.
Long silk draperies hung from the Victorian windows in swaths of burgundy and gold. There were matching Oriental rugs on the floor, which looked expensive, and oil paintings on the walls.
Good lord, she thought. Was that one of Pablo Picasso’s original paintings?
In the corner of her eye, something sparked her attention. When she turned to look, her mouth gaped open. Spread across the length of the entire wall was a bookshelf that housed numerous old leather bounds. Jena wandered over and scanned the titles in awe.
She covered her mouth and mumbled into her hand, “Oh my—”
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen, To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy, Moby Dick by Herman Melville, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain, Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison, The Chase by A.P. Von K’Ory, The Creator’s Plan by Rebecca Williams, and her favorite Christian poetry by Roy Owens.
Her eyes roamed over the lower shelf, and the list of outstanding authors was endless. Then her eyes spotted a book she had been dying to read. Her eyes rounded in sheer joy. It was Mirrors of Life by Neal Owens.
I’m definitely reading this later, she thought, admiring the hardback. Someone in this house definitely has fabulous taste and big money.
In the corner of the spacious room, she noticed an artist easel and a studio chair. Positioned on the easel’s stand, as though it was waiting just for her, was a blank canvas. As Jena moved closer, she was surprised at the variety of paintbrushes, and an assortment of acrylics, not to mention a paint palette. At that moment, she knew this must have come from Angie. It was like her to do something like this. The thought made her smile. Jena could not ask for a better friend.
As she went into the bathroom and flipped on the lights, her eyes rounded in pure astonishment. A Jacuzzi tub the size of a boat was smack dab in the middle of the monstrous room, which also had a humongous shower, a double vanity, and an enclosed space with a private bidet.
She heard a soft knock at the door and then Angie’s voice, “Hey girl, you up?”
“Come on in,” Jena called out.
When the door opened, Angie walked back to the bathroom and stood next to Jena. “How are you feeling?”
“I feel rested. Last night was the first I’ve slept in days.”
“That’s great, Jena.”
“Hey, thanks for all the art supplies. Have I told you lately what a great friend you are?”
“You’re welcome.” Angie smiled. “I just wanted to make sure you feel at home here. So, whatcha doin’?”
“Oh, I was just checking out this tub. It’s freakin’ huge.” Jena shook her head. “The people that live here have to be loaded. Have you seen the book collection? It’s priceless.” She turned toward the bedroom and pointed at the oil painting. “And please tell me that’s not an original Picasso.”
Angie shrugged. “Hell if I know.”
“A girl could get real comfortable here if you know what I mean. I could spend days just reading all those books.”
Angie laughed a little. “I knew you’d like this room.”
“Are you kidding me? I love it. You’re the best, Ang.”
“Don’t mention it, girl. Whenever you get dressed, I’ll take you down for breakfast and introduce you to some of the others. Oh, and don’t worry. You will love everyone here. They’ve always treated me like family.”
“So, is everyone in the Covenant a Breedline?” Jena asked, looking at Angie curiously.
Angie’s lips curved up. “Mostly, but not everyone.”
“I thought you said the Breedline are kept secret from humans.”
“They are, except in cases like you,” said Angie. “We have other species residing here. You remember the woman with long brown hair and piercing green eyes?”
“Her name is Tessa, right?”
Angie nodded. “She’s our queen.”
Jena’s eyes rounded. “You have a queen?”
“Yeah,” Angie replied. “She’s one badass queen, too. Her wolf is twice the size of an ordinary Breedline. The good-looking blond you met is her husband Jace. He was born a Breedline, but he is also the Beast.”
“What the hell is that?”
“It’s something you don’t want to piss off,” Angie told her. “I’ve never seen it, but I’ve heard several stories. I guess you could say he’s a mixture of the abominable snowman and a seven-foot werewolf on steroids.”
Jena let out a long sigh. “Remind me not to piss that guy off.”
Angie chuckled. “His twin brother Jem is not exactly an ordinary Breedline either. He has the power to conjure a portal and can create a firebomb out of the palm of his hand. He’s called the Chosen Son.”
“Why do they call him that?”
“Jem and Jace’s father, Alexander Crest, was possessed by an ancient demon before he was even born,” Angie explained. “To make a long story short, he kidnapped their mother—who was engaged to Alexander’s twin brother—killed him, and raped her. They inherited the Breedline genes from both biological parents and inherited some of the demon’s powers. Later on, Zadkiel, the archangel of mercy, released him from the demon’s possession. The Covenant did not blame Alexander for the demon’s crimes.”
“Oh my gosh.” Jena shook her head. “That must have been hard for Jace and Jem to forgive him.”
“It’s taken some time, especially for Jace. He hated Alexander for what he did to his mother, but he eventually, like everyone else, has come to love Alexander for the good man he truly is.”
“Tell me more,” Jena said. “I’m dying to know what other species live here.”
“Well,” Angie said, shrugging, “Tessa’s brother Steven is an Adalwolf, and so is Roman Kincaid. They are wolf-like creatures except they walk on two feet and have the strength of ten men, not to mention super speed. Casey Barton has the genetics of a Breedline and a Therimorph. Instead of shifting into a Breedline wolf, he turns into a giant black panther. Abbey, Steven’s mate, is a Lupa. When provoked into anger, kinda like Jace, she shifts into a dangerous she-wolf. Celina Baldolf is a Breedline with the power of a white Wicca. Tim’s wife, Angel, is a half-breed, along with Mia and her twin sister, Eve. All three were born half-Breedline and half-succubus. A full-blooded succubus feeds off the blood of a Breedline. Although, in most cases,” Angie went on to explain, “a Breedline doesn’t naturally get along well with a succubus, but sometimes you can’t help who you fall in love with.”
“Wow,” said Jena, staring at Angie, leaving her nearly speechless. “That’s incredible. If someone other than you told me all this, I wouldn’t believe a word of it. So tell me, do you visit the Covenant often?”
“Not really, but I need to. I miss everyone. The last time I was here was almost a year ago. I’ve heard new people have moved in. And I hear some of them are not bad on the eyes.” Angie nudged Jena’s arm and batted her brows. “If you know what I mean.”
Jena smiled. “You haven’t changed a bit, girlfriend.”
“Hey, a girl’s got needs, right? Besides, you never know. There might be someone here that catches your eye.”
“Right now, I’ve got other things on my mind.” Jena sighed. “Getting laid is the last thing I’m worried about. My first priority is to resist other urges.”
Angie made a face. “You mean... human blood?”
“Uh-huh,” Jena grudgingly replied.
“Don’t worry, girl.” Angie wrapped her arm around Jena’s shoulder and pulled her close. “That’s wh
at I’m here for. I’ll keep you straight.”
Jena rested her head on Angie’s shoulder. “I don’t know what I’d do without you. I owe you big time.”
Angie pulled back and said, “Come on now. Don’t be getting all emotional on me. Get your ass in gear and get dressed. I’ll be back in twenty. Please don’t dawdle. My ass is starving.”
“Okay,” Jena said with a slight chuckle. “See you in twenty.”
* * *
Downstairs, everyone else gathered in the formal dining room. When Tim walked in, he looked tense. His dark eyebrows pinched together as though something weighed heavily on his mind.
“Everyone is accounted for,” Tessa told him.
Tim nodded in her direction. “Let’s meet in the library. We’ve got a lot to discuss.”
As they filed into the library, Tessa went to the head of the table that was large enough to seat thirty. Before she sat down, Jace pulled out a chair for her. Tim stood beside her, his arms crossed as he waited for everyone to take a seat.
Jace sat next to Tessa, and Jem sat down beside him. Drakon took the seat across from them, and Roman settled in the chair beside him while Lawrence, Justice, Lena, and Bull sat close to one another. Kyle, Casey, and Steven sat in the chairs closest to Jem. Alexander, Helen, and Detective Manuel Sanchez came in last and sat down in the three empty chairs next to Casey.
When everyone that Tim invited was accounted for, he said, “I know all of you are wondering why Tessa and I called this meeting. First, I would like to thank Detective Sanchez for all your patience. We’re glad to have you here. I’m sorry for your and your partner’s unfortunate incident with Jimmy Fratianno. It’s a relief to hear you two managed to come out with only minor injuries, but I can’t say the same for Mr. Fratianno and the rest of his criminal companions.” His voice took on a grim tone, glancing in Jace’s direction. “I’m sure Helen has filled you in on most of the details. Thanks to Drakon, Roman, Lawrence, Jem, and of course Jace, or should I say the Beast, they will no longer be a problem.”
“Wish I could have been there to see that,” Kyle muttered in a low voice, looking in Jace’s direction. “The Beast is a savage.”
THE IMMORTAL: A Novel of the Breedline series Page 16