The Lycan Chronicles

by Schroeder, Brent

  Stew unzipped his duffel bag and ruffled around for a minute, before pulling out a big bag of joints he’d rolled up for the trip. He picked out a fat one and lit it up, taking a big hit and then he passed it over to Joy, exhaling a huge plume of smoke and coughing, “That’s some good shit, right there!”

  Everyone laughed and they were all beginning to relax, glad to be off the road. They were all enjoying themselves inside the cabin, drinking beer and passed the joint back and forth, while the stereo kicked out Stew’s favorite song: Bullet For My Valentine, ‘Hand of Blood.’

  As the party carried on, everyone was completely unaware of what happened outside of the cabin. A black shadow had been circling above and it went in for a nosedive, landing on the cabin roof, with a soft thud that went unheard by the group inside. As soon as the shadowy figure landed, howls began filling the air, coming from the woods and the figure on the roof quickly retreated, taking flight back into the night sky.

  Back inside, Tom sat by himself, drinking a beer and kept his eye on Mary, whom he was clearly attracted to… he wanted her in the best and worst possible ways. As Tom fantasized over Mary, Reggy was concentrating his attention on Joy, as she was busy unpacking her things; he loved her sexy outfit and he caught a glimpse of her black g-string, every time she bent over… it was getting him all hot and bothered. At the dining room table, Lia and Mary were neckdeep in their textbooks, studying for their finals… and, Mary got her wine cooler.

  Later that night, Old Man Greiner was sitting behind the counter at his gas station, watching old re-runs of Dragnet. On his lap, was a terrified, shaking rabbit, that he was gently stroking with his hand. On the floor next to him, were several headless rabbits, without a drop of blood left inside of them. Without the slightest sound, Donovan suddenly appeared, standing above and staring down upon him.

  Greiner barely acknowledged him, his eyes glued to his show. “What the hell do you want? Ever hear of knocking?”

  “I heard, you had some kids come through today,” Donavan said to him.

  “Yep… they stopped in here about two hours ago,” Greiner informed the mayor. “Zeke is fixing their truck,” he said quietly, letting out a giggle at a funny commercial on the TV screen.

  Dragnet was over and the theme music to Hawaii Five-0 was now filling the station.

  “Don’t worry, mayor, he’ll get them back on the road and out of here, before you know it.”

  “You stupid piece of shit!” Donovan yelled. “What the fuck did you do?”

  The old man calmly grabbed the remote and turned the volume down on the television. “Nothing, they filled up and went out to Zeke’s cabin,” Greiner assured him. “I did smell a virgin among ’em, though. And, she smelled… fresh,” he added. “It’s been a while since I’ve smelled anything like that, so I flew out to the cabin, just to get another whiff… but the Lycans were already out there,” he said, sounding disappointed. “They gave me a warning… so I left. No big deal, right? No harm, no foul,” he said, flipping through the channels. “I didn’t break any laws.”

  “A virgin?” Donovan gleefully asked. “Perfect. That’s Zeke’s place and that means they won’t have to invite you in,” he said, rubbing his hands together. “Go and get her and if the wolves get in your way… kill them.”

  “You really want to start a war over one girl?” Greiner responded, as he got up out of his chair.

  “I want that virgin!” demanded Donovan. “If that means wasting a couple wolves, then do it! Just make sure you cover your tracks!”

  “You’re the boss,” Greiner quietly answered back.

  “And, don’t you forget it,” Donovan said, as he turned to leave, walking this time. “And, no feeding… you hear me, old man? She must remain alive and untouched. If I see one mark on her,” Donovan coldly said, “I’ll rip your fangs out of your head and your heart will no longer reside inside of you.” He reached for the door, looking back once more, “And, for Christ sakes, Greiner, stop feeding on those rabbits! It’s fucking gross! Go and get your blood at the bank, like everyone else… you sicko!”

  Old Man Greiner bared his gums, sprouting his fangs at Donovan, while he lifted a plump, white rabbit to his mouth, gripping it tightly in his clenched fist. He bit down, crushed the head with one snap of his jaw, as the helpless animal twitched in distress; Donovan just grimaced and vanished, leaving a whirl of mist in his place.

  Greiner tossed the rabbit’s remains in a pile, along with the others and he stood up, sprouting his wings to change into his Vampire form. He grabbed his AK-47 on his way out, slamming through the rickety door, snapping it off the brand-new hinges he’d just replaced, before taking flight into the darkened sky.

  Gliding through the air, out to the lake, Greiner swooped down on the cabin’s rooftop, with an ungracefully heavy landing. Before he could move another muscle, two Lycans suddenly appeared from the shadows, springing out of two different directions and attacking Greiner with incredibly brute force.

  In just a few swift motions, the wolves completely ripped the limbs and wings from the old man’s body, leaving what was left of him sliding down the roof, towards the back of the cabin. Greiner’s limbless body was still alive and in a last ditch effort, he wildly gnashed with his fangs, biting at his attackers, as his dismembered body slid towards the edge of the roof.

  The Lycans quickly pounced on their target and ripped his remains to shreds, before the old man had a chance to fall slip the edge, tearing his heart out of his chest, as he shrieked in pain. Greiner’s remains ignited into a bright ball of orange flames, before turning into a fine dust, as the Lycans sank their teeth into the Vampire’s beating heart that had just been ripped out of its cage.

  ___________________________________________________ .

  Chapter Fifteen

  JD sat on the couch with Nanook, drinking a beer, already halfasleep, when his cellphone began blaring out the tone of his favorite song by Creedence Clearwater Revival: ‘Bad Moon Rising.’ He sat up, picked up his phone from the coffee table and flipped it open. “This better be good,” JD said, answering it. “I was trying to relax.”

  “I wouldn’t be calling, if it wasn’t,” Nate said into the receiver. “Like I really enjoy talking with your crabby ass?”

  “What’s up, then?”

  “A van passed through town, right at dusk… it had a virgin passenger,” Nate began explaining. “Every blood-sucker in town could smell her, so Wilson and I followed them out to Zeke’s place on the lake. As soon as we arrived, a Vampire landed on the roof of the cabin,” he filled JD in. “We knew he was up to no good, because when he saw us, he split.”

  “Wow!” JD said back, becoming irritated as could be. “You bothered me… just to tell me you saw a fucking Vampire? We have a whole damn town full of them, Nate!” he started to shouted. “Did he break the Blood Law? Did he mess with the kids? And, what the hell are outsiders doing out at Zeke’s cabin, anyway?”

  “Well, hang on, JD, there’s more,” Nate patiently said, trying to calm him. “One of the kids’ trucks broke down and Zeke is fixing it, so they’re staying out at the cabin, for now,” he explained. “So, after the Vampire saw us and left, we stayed. We had a gut feeling about this one and…”

  “And?”

  “He came back within the hour– with an AK-47.”

  “What the fuck!” JD finally snapped. “Bring that bloodsucker in, NOW!”

  “Can’t,” he answered back. “Wilson and I took care of him, once we saw he was armed. It was Greiner and his weapon was fullyloaded… with silver bullets,” Nate told him, as he’d finally arrived to his point. “Apparently, the old bastard had plans for us, as well.”

  “Shit!” JD hollered out, as he rubbed his temple with one hand, the stress already setting in. “What a fucking mess. Where are you now?”

  “We’re still here. What do you want us to do?”

  “Stay there and keep those kids safe,” JD answered back. “I’ll get them out of there
tomorrow, even if I have to put a gun to Zeke’s head to get their truck finished.”

  “You got it. We’ll stay where we are.”

  “An attempt to break the Blood Law is a very serious problem, Nate,” JD went on to say. “If we somehow lose control of our town, the Hunters will come for sure.”

  The thought of the Hunters turning Wolf Creek upside down crept into JD’s mind. “Fuck! I’ll have to arrange a chat with our good friend, Donovan, about the actions of his kind tonight.”

  “Watch your back,” Nate warned him. “I don’t trust him, one bit.”

  “You too…. and, if by some chance, I’m not heard from, I’ll be going to visit Donovan, down in his layer,” he let his deputy know. “Although, I’m more than confident, that I can handle Donovan or any of his inner circle. They wouldn’t have the balls to make a move on me, anyways... I’ll talk with you later.”

  “Alright then… I’ll send the other deputies ahead of you for backup, just in case you need it.”

  JD walked through the fresh, powdered snow that had coated the woods, as he made his way to pay a visit to Mayor Donovan. Nanook came along, running in circles around JD, kicking up the snow and barking at the raccoons and other wild animals they passed along the way. They finally arrived at a massive tree stump that laid far off of the beaten path, out of the sight of prying eyes.

  “Wait here, Nanook.”

  The dog found a dry place to rest by the base of the stump, while JD climbed up to the top and opened the hatch of a hidden door that

  was built into the flat surface, revealing a metal ladder that led underground. He descended down the rungs and into the club that would be crowded with all different kinds of Vampires. At the bottom, Leon greeted JD. Leon was an intimidating black Vampire, who stood about six-foot, eleven, with a shiny, baldhead and huge muscles; he was the bouncer at the Vampire club. And, even though they came from opposing groups, Leon happened to be good friends with JD.

  “Hey, JD,” Leon welcomed. “What brings you out, tonight? Coming to have a drink with your boys? I saw them come in earlier.” “Hey, Leon, how are you?” JD greeted him, shaking hands. “No,

  I’m here on some business. I need to speak with our charming

  mayor. He’s here, right?”

  “He’s over at the bar,” Leon said, pointing. “Hey, man, have a

  nice evening and don’t be such a stranger. The door here is always

  open for you, anytime.”

  The club was huge and filled with a blend of Vampire types. That

  night, Slipknot was in town, playing in Wolf Creek, as part of the

  Midwest leg of their American tour and they were in the middle of a

  frenzy-inducing set, that brought about the scene of chaos to the

  barroom floor. Madness had ensued and the mayhem in the mosh

  pit had risen to a peak of bloody violence.

  Away from the havoc and disorder, topless waitresses were serving

  drinks to the tables, on one side of the club and the bar was jampacked on the other. A group of Vampires enjoyed a strip tease by a

  mini-stage, where a topless female was working her way up and down

  the brass pole that stood in the center. The dancer’s eyes met JD’s as

  he walked by and she offered him a special smile, giving him a little

  glimpse of her Vampire fangs. JD kept walking, but gave her a hint

  of his smile in return, as he strolled on past.

  Turning back to her customers, the dancer teased her men,

  grabbing her breasts and slowly bending over to retrieve her welldeserved earnings. She pulled her G-string to the side, once more, in

  hopes for few more extra tips, before leaving the stage behind a

  thick, red curtain.

  On the other side of the club, Donovan was sitting quietly at the

  bar, among a crowd composed of the more sophisticated Vampires, ignoring his surroundings, deep in thought; he didn’t want to be bothered by anyone. “Another shot of B positive,” he called to the bartender, who quickly filled his shot glass with the red liquid, sliding

  it down the bar into Donovan’s waiting hand.

  Donovan tilted the shot back, slamming the glass onto the

  counter and sliding it back. “Another.”

  JD tapped Donovan on his back, surprising him.

  “JD,” the mayor politely said. “Sit and have a drink with me…

  I’m glad you’re here. Made up your mind about our little

  conversation?”

  “Cut the crap, Donovan,” JD said angrily. “One of your kind

  went after some outsiders and attempted to kill two of my deputies.

  Just what the hell are you up to?”

  “I have no idea what you’re talking about, JD,” Donovan said

  smoothly, as he played the fool.

  “I already knew you’d say that… and, I don’t believe you.” “I told you from the beginning that Vampires can’t be trusted.

  That’s why you and your boys are the law. And, to be honest with

  you, the fact that you assume that I, the mayor, am ‘up to something’

  is rather offensive,” Donovan continued with his fakery. “I’m a very

  busy man, you know. I have a town to run… which reminds me, are

  you planning to be in attendance at tonight’s town council meeting?”

  he asked, attempting to steer the conversation where he wanted. “It

  would be nice to see a Lycan at one of the meetings.”

  JD was becoming increasingly irritated; he could sniff out any lie

  that spewed from Donovan’s lips, without an inkling of doubt. “I got one dead, skinned, drained body,” Sheriff Davidson barked.

  “I’ve got a dead Vampire, who was about to slaughter a group of kids

  and an attempted attack with an AK-47… an AK-47 loaded with

  silver bullets that were intended for my deputies. So, if I’m not being

  polite enough for you, then that’s just tough shit,” he said sharply.

  “And, I don’t have time for your stupid fucking meeting, Donovan.

  I’m a little busy myself, trying to solve a murder, in case you haven’t

  noticed. Don’t forget to mention that at the town circle jerk

  tonight,” JD snapped at him. “You run this town, right, Donovan?

  Well then, you’d better let it be known who’s enforcing the law

  around here… I think some of your folk might need a good

  reminder… Mr. Mayor.”

  “There are many of my kind around,” Donovan innocently

  replied. “Did you catch the name of the… what you call ‘em… the

  perp?”

  “It was your buddy, Old Man Greiner,” JD informed him. “And,

  he’s been smoked, by the way. My boys didn’t like the way he was

  waving that AK around. And, what I find most disturbing, is that he

  had those silver rounds of ammo. Where the hell did he get those

  from, Donovan? That isn’t something you can pick up at Wal-Mart,”

  he snarled, one step away from just taking his ass out. “You and I,

  both, know those tips are custom-made for one purpose and one

  purpose only.”

  Donovan continued to play stupid. “Greiner, hmm? Well, he

  always was a bit of a wild card,” he said, his voice remaining even.

  “Have you thought of the possibility, that he might’ve been your

  murderer? Sounds like you might have taken care of the problem

  already,” the mayor suggested. “If you say he had to be put down,

  then that’s good enough for me. I didn’t make you sheriff, so I

  would have to second-guess you, after all this time,” Donovan told

  him. “And, I have no idea where he would get silver bullets, JD…

  I’m sorry for his a
ctions,” he said, apologizing on behalf of the dead

  Vampire. “But, once again, I told you… you can never trust a

  Vampire.”

  Donovan took another shot and asked JD, “Is there anything else,

  or can I go back to enjoying my drink before the meeting?” JD moved in, putting his face by Donovan’s, “Only this…

  Greiner was going to break the Blood Law. No one has done that in

  one hundred and sixty years,” the Lycan intently said. “Breaking the

  Law will bring the Hunters down upon our heads, which none of us

  want. And, if I find out that you had anything to do with it, I’ll take

  you out myself, Donovan. Have a good meeting.”

  JD stood up from the bar and took a few steps to leave. He

  turned his head, as he walked away, “Oh, by the way… the Sheriff’s

  Department needs new uniforms.”

  And with that, the head of law enforcement in Wolf Creek,

  headed for the exit… he couldn’t wait to get the hell out of that

  Vampire’s den of blood lust… the place sickened him.

  “Night, Leon,” JD called to the bouncer, “sees you around the

  country club.”

  “Later, JD, nice seeing you, again,” he answered back, before his

  face turned into a confused look. “You play night golf, sheriff?” JD just laughed, shook his head and started the climb up to the

  top of the ladder, letting himself out of the underground club. Back down in the Vampire club, glaring darkly at Donovan from a

  table in the back of the venue, were six Vampires, all members of the

  city council. One of the members, Basil, a younger, tattooed

  Vampire with long, dark hair, has wanted to challenge Donovan for

  quite some time now. The ambitious one was only one hundred and

  twenty-five years old and already thought he knew it all. Basil was a wounded soldier who Donovan had once fed upon,

  allowed to come back as a Vampire to do Donovan’s bidding. But,