Chapter One
Lurking in the depths of your soul lays a creature to fear.
Slithering in and out of your consciouness minds. Laying malicious mischief in the crevices of your thoughts.
Praying for a chance to torment those who surround you.
You may not believe your hands are capable of such distasterous crimes.
Believe me when I say things can get a little dirty if you just give in.
The sweets of your desires can be met if you allow the creature to take hold.
Though I worn you there will be time you will have to surrender your humanity.
Never will it return once it is gone.
You will love no one nor will they ever be able to love you.
Do not fear that of what you can't accomplish.
Instead fear what you are capable of.
"This is a damn outrage," his voice thundered off the thick gray cobble stoned walls. It felt that at any given time they would rain down upon them.
"No one in this room can tell me that they have no clue as to whom is behind this".
Devin seemed to whither in front of the Great Rougaru. The Society gathered here tonight with their hunters. Disobey the Laws of the Realms and they will seek you out. As the society set extreme punishments for law breakers.
Today was no different. Though the circumstances had both sides, Society Heads and Hunters, anxious and dreading the come of this gathering.
"Do we have a few clues as to why someone or thing is rabidly butchering the Elders and snatching newborns from their cribs", Queen Ezora sat still as a stone, with a even cooler voice. That would send a chill up any burly, copious grown man. Much less any other creature. "How is it that they still elude us?"
Devin stood facing the Great Ones, strongest and most powerful creatures of the realms. Six leaders sat there eyes boring in to him. Voodoo Queen Eroza, no one know for sure, but they say she is the direct descendent of the famous Marie Laveau. The Geat Rougaru Julius, the wolf-shifter, never has one laid eyes, human or creature, upon his better half and lived to tell about it. King Florence, of the faries, though the stories of fairies being tiny is not true. Glamour can have you seeing things that are never there or possible, there he sat strong and terrifing. The Grand Witch Sophia, the Great White Witch, she was slender and very beautiful, with menacing green eyes. Then there was the Goblin King Dagobert, he grumbled in a low throaty voice, smelling of rot and decay.
"Hmm, Devin it is a pleasure to see that you could make it. Seeing as how busy we keep you", the voice sent shivers up his spine as he looked to the Ultimate Vampire, smooth pale skin, red glowing eyes, a voice that will bring out the animal in us all. Which he had seen done many times.
"I knew for you to call me here the matters were and still are urgent. I have been hearing rumors of the murders," he looked at each member. He was stronger the most humans, well all humans, even his fellow hunters.
"It seems they are skinning their pray and absorbing the energy and souls into the skins."
Shock and terror ran thru each members face if only for a slight second. He still saw it. Glaring down at him with such harden, cold eyes he felt himself shudder as if hit by an icey wall. Devin was not your average human. He was born with inhanced abillities from along line of hunters. Standing at 6'6 and faster than most shifters. His strength sometimes amazed even him at times. A nose like a devil hound and a bite to match. This wasn't a life you choose this was a life you were either born into or not, human or supernatural. Some say they are decended from fallen angels or are the spawn of the devil himself and not to be trusted either way.
"Do you have any clue as to why the are doing this Mr. Crest", Julius' voice carried so much authority and pain.
"No, but sources say they have heard stories of a rebelion in the realm of the underworlders," he had his ways of making people talk or things that is. "They say that if you wear the skins they will bless you with their power and energy."
"We must do whatever it takes to finish this before it gets out of control, Mr. Crest you and Mr. Gray will go to the Black Water Bayou Realm to investigate further. That is where the most recent murders happen." Julius didn't waste time. The Society heads deemed the punishment would be death on sight. The hunters would be judge and jury for the beast that chose to cross their paths.
* * * * *
Huh, do I really have time for this. I'm already running late and I'm sure my sister is ready to put a hex on me. Rushing to get dressed and to the portal before my grandmother stepped out indicated that I didn't.
"Damn Mimi, bring your ass on. I woke you up an hour ago," my beloved sister always so patient.
She may have came to try an wake me but never actually succeeded in the task. Now I ran around trying to throw something decent on. My grams had been called away for a meeting and wouldn't let us in on anything that was happening. After what happen last week I don't blame her. Though my sister felt differently on the matter. So, we were off to meet my grams as she came home. Taking a quick look in the mirror, I now wished I had got up when my sister first woke me.
My hair was a mess of long tangled black curls. Don't get me wrong I love the way my hair hangs down my back in dark, almost jet black, ringlets once I've tamed it. Still I looked as if I'd been in a brawl. Dull tired brown eyes glared back at me. Finally breaking away from the terrible veiw, I rushed out grabbing a light jacket on the way downstairs.
"Bout time I was seriously considering leaving your high yella ass here," my sister, who was still pissed, had such a great way with words and every one dripped with annoyance. We shared a few features tall and curvy. Though I was filled out a little more than she was. Still she had no problem showing what she had. My darling older sister was dressed in a clingy demin cut off jacket, a soft blue dress that stop mid thigh with a plunging neckline. While I preferred covering myself. I stole one last look at my outfit slightly over sized band t-shirt and fitted black skinny jeans with retro high top sneakers to say the least I was a tomboy at heart.
While my sister kept rambling on about how I coulda, shoulda, and woulda put more thought into my appearance. I couldn't help but have a feeling things were not going to end the way we planned for them to. For reasons unknown there seemed to be a feeling of dread growing more emposing the closer we got to the portal. Something was not right but I wouldn't tell my sister that because somehow she felt it too. She was not one to be shaken easily, considering some of the things we have seen. Today was different, it was suffocating me.
"Kenya are you ok, you seem a little anxious," staring at my sister's expression I knew there was something she wasn't telling me, "You know you can talk to me." Her eyes flicker in my direction as we walked down the path to town here in the Black Water Bayou. She still wasn't out right out with anything. Which just confirmed how she either knew more than I did or was catching the same vibe I was and didn't want to spook me.
It felt as if the swamp would rise up at any moment and swallow us whole. The world around us was eerily quiet. The bayou was usually full of strange and wonderous sounds. The energy that I knew so well that flowed thru me, was joyous and proud, as nature should be. I know these things because it is how I draw my energy as well as Kenya and Grams. Natures energy was supremely powerful if you know how to tap into it. You can feel the energy of a pebble if you're patient.
"Grams told me some of the things that have taken place leading up to Elder Taje's death." I could sense the strain in her voice as she broke thru my thoughts.
"I just don't understand why someone would go to such links to detroy another so cruelly."
No one had filled me in just yet as to how severe things had grown. My grams still had a lot to teach me before I could join, how do the normies put it, family business.
"Well, what's going on? It's not like I get told anything by either of you," I was trying hard to keep the frustration out my voice with no success.
"Look it's not my fault, Grams prefers things that way at least until your training is finished."
" I thought you were supposed to help me with that. You know while Grams is out of town." I didn't even hide malice that laced my words as they flowed out.
"Grams made that promise to you without talking with me first. I never agreed to do such thing. Plus, there is still a lot that I don't even know and somethings you must learn own your own." my sister's tone told me she could careless about my training.
I knew it was because of the powers that I had or more shouldn't have. Usually in our family only one child of a supernatural being should have powers unless both parents have a special ability then two children will have powers. Most likely the eldest child inherits the all the power, though there has been exceptions. So, meaning Kenya should be the only one with powers in our family.
"I don't understand why your so ill towards me, ever since my powers fully came in you've acted differently towards me," tears pricked at the corners of my eyes but I wouldn't allow her to see how hurt I was.
"Powers you shouldn't have, I don't blame you but there are a lot of questions that mother never answer before she died." my sister's voice trembled with worry, "I'm not mad at you. It's just that with us not knowing who your father is or what powers he may have had or still has. Or even who he was is still a mystery. We dont know what to expect. I'm sorry I just don't want to be on the receiving end if something goes u expected."
I didn't know nor did I want to know my father. From what I was told he isn't much of a man. What type of monster brutally rapes a woman then leaves her for dead? A coldblooded one an I'm in no hurry to find him.