Werewolf Bane

By Steven Sterup, Jr

Amanda Sindel has an imaginary friend who has helped her survive on her own since she was ten years old. This friend has helped her through her many breakups with her lying and cheating boyfriends. When her friend suggests she takes on a an assignment doing routine prisoner transfers to get away from the stress of her life and her most recent charlatan she gets more than she bargains for. Not only is her imaginary friend not imaginary, her prisoner, Eric Bane, might be the first man she can trust. It would be cause for celebration if they weren’t being hunted by a mysterious organization and if she could convince Eric to explain why he is admitting to a crime he didn’t commit. They might just survive if they can get along but maybe Amanda doesn’t want to stop arguing. If they quit fighting she might have to admit that this is the most honest relationship she’s ever had with a man.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Steven Sterup, Jr
• Release date: Sep 13, 2018
• ISBN: 9780463956380

Steven Sterup, Jr

I enjoy reading and writing fantasy themed books, including romance novels. Most of my work is about fantastical worlds with magic and monsters.Since I was young I've had a strange desire to create 'something' and as soon as I started writing my first book I knew I had finally found what I was looking for.I hope you enjoy the worlds I have created and I appreciate your feedback. Feel free to contact me on my website at www.StevenSterupJr.com or email me at [e-mail].

Book preview

The Order of Human Purity

Werewolf Bane

Written By: Steven Sterup Jr.

Copyright 2018 Steven Sterup Jr.

Legal Disclaimer - This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

Special thanks to my wife, Tammy, for her help with the cover.

Table of Contents

Introduction

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Epilogue

Introduction

Long ago, werewolves ruled the world and were protected by their faithful guard, the lamia. In a time when humans were considered a lesser species, an act of kindness sparked a war that continues to this day.

Although the lamia were sworn protectors of the ruling werewolves, they were also responsible for protecting all sentient life. A group of lamia realized that humans were much more than beasts to be raised as food, and a few of the wisest lamia took some of the humans and taught them to speak.

Years later the humans, accompanied by a faction of lamia, attacked the monster capitol and a civil war began. The war raged on for decades and when the dust settled the human faction, named The Order of Human Purity, was successful in liberating all the humans of the world. But the humans were resentful and overthrew their one time allies. Soon the age of monsters came to an end, bringing about the age of mankind.

To this day The Order still hunts the remaining monsters in its bloodthirsty quest to rid the world of these vile beasts.

Chapter 1

Jeremy Sindel coughed as he laid in the grassy field, in the middle of a large forest, somewhere in Washington. He was not alone in this forest. All around him lay the bodies of Order soldiers. Jeremy’s black hair was trimmed neatly just like the other soldiers he had killed. He’d been shot multiple times, and his life was fading quickly. He knew his death would be soon but took comfort in the fact that he had saved his daughter, Amanda. His ten-year-old daughter was hiding in a secluded house a little over a hundred feet from him, and she didn’t even know her father was dying. Jeremy ripped off The Order badge from his uniform and threw it in defiance. He yelled in frustration, then began coughing. Blood covered his hands as he tried to stifle the cough, and he knew what he had to do.

MIRAVEN! he yelled as loudly as he could. His Hispanic accent was thick. His parents weren’t originally from the United States, and he had picked up his accent from them. He regretted the mistakes he’d made over his life, joining The Order and all the innocent non-humans he had killed, but the one mistake he didn’t regret was Amanda. Her mother thought she couldn’t have children, but she was wrong. When the baby came, she took off without saying a word, leaving him to care for Amanda on his own.

In a few seconds, a small Middle Eastern woman in a long black dress walked up to him. Her long dark hair, that curled slightly, went nearly to her waist. Her sharp features and dark skin made her look very beautiful in the moonlight.  He watched her walk carelessly through the bloody battlefield as she surveyed it then, when she reached Jeremy, she smiled down at him.

You’ve made a mess, she laughed.

I’m not going to make it. You have to watch over Amanda, he pleaded.

Oh, no. Not a chance in hell! I can’t be responsible for her. I told you this would happen, Miraven argued angrily.

Miraven looked at one of The Order soldiers who wasn’t quite dead. She walked up to him as he crawled away. When he saw who was coming toward him, he tried to crawl faster.

Leave me alone! he shouted.

Are you ready to die? It will be painless. Just say the words, Miraven taunted.

I won’t say them, he said. I’m going to radio for help. The girl won’t make it out of the forest, and you can’t do a thing about it.

Miraven looked at her small hand and long curved claws, nearly six inches in length, came out of her fingertips. She calmly bent over and cut the man’s throat then smiled evilly at his fearful expression.

I can’t take your life force without permission, but I can, sure as hell, kill you. You were going to kill a child, she said and started walking back to Jeremy, whose life was fading.

Please, Miraven, he begged.

I just saved her. She’ll be fine on her own. No one will even know she is in this forest, she said with a smirk.

I, Jeremy Sindel… he started.

Don’t you dare! Miraven shouted.

…give my life to the wraith Miraven… he continued.

Shut up, Jeremy! Don’t you do this! she ordered.

…in exchange for a favor, he finished.

Miraven screamed at the sky as an invisible force pulled her to her knees beside him. Her face turned pale white, along with her hair. Her eyes hollowed, and long needle-like teeth appeared in her mouth.

What favor do you ask of me? she asked in a deep voice, almost in a trance.

You must protect my daughter until she finds her true love, Jeremy replied weakly.

It will be done, Miraven answered then bent over his body and kissed him on the lips. As his life force drained into her, she changed back to her human form, and her eyes glowed bright white. When Jeremy was completely drained, she got up and stomped her feet.

Damn it, Jeremy! she said angrily and began walking toward the cabin. I shouldn’t be within a hundred miles of her and now…I have to find her a boyfriend? Grrrrr! Stupid humans!

This was the story Miraven told to a young Amanda Sindel every day of her childhood. It became ingrained in her personality. That fateful day her father gave up everything for her, and it shaped her future as well as her almost naïve belief that all men should be like her father. This was a consequence Miraven hadn’t considered…or maybe…it was exactly what Miraven intended.

Chapter 2

Many years later, Amanda Sindel unlocked her apartment door and walked in. She shut the door, chained it, then turned the deadbolt. She was now twenty-four and several states from where she had been raised. Her apartment was small but neat. In the living room was a couch, a TV on top of a small table and a high backed chair. The room next to it was the kitchen, with its pristine counters and clean appliances. Then, off to the side of the kitchen was a short hallway that led to Amanda’s bedroom. Right before the hall was a door which led to the bathroom. Although her apartment was much smaller than where she had grown up, it was all hers, a fact that filled her with pride. When she left the house in the woods at sixteen, she could barely imagine having a place like this.

As she turned around, she noticed her roommate. He crossed the tan, shag carpet and Amanda bent down to pet him.

Hi, Mittens. I’ve missed you, she said to the eight-week-old kitten. Her tuxedo kitten purred and circled her legs. You just know its supper time.

Amanda didn’t have an accent as thick as her father’s, but if someone listened closely enough, they could tell. Her light brown skin and facial features also told a story about her father’s parents, who had come over from Cuba. She didn’t know much about them and the little she did know had come from background checks she had done when she became a U.S. Marshal. Even though the system had so little information on her grandparents, it was her father who was the mystery. He had a birth certificate and a social security number, but that was all. No school records, no medical records, not even a registration with the Selective Service. It was as if her father had vanished after his birth.

Amanda wasn’t a tall woman at five foot four, and she attributed this to her parents and grandparents. Though she knew even less about her mother than she did her father, she did know a few details. Her mother had apparently been even shorter than she was. She didn’t have a clear picture of her mother, but what she did know seemed to line up with what she saw in the mirror each day. Long, dark hair with a hint of curls and sharp facial features. Her mother must have been a very beautiful woman. She’d seen pictures of her father and knew she must have taken after her mother. The thought made her laugh quietly as she led the kitten to the kitchen. How strange that her father, the good parent, wasn’t very attractive yet the mother who left her must have been gorgeous. Not that Amanda was vain, she just wasn’t blind, and she looked nothing like her father.

She continued on to the kitchen while Mittens raced her, then jumped up on the counter. She opened a can of cat food while it stared on in anticipation. After feeding her kitten, she took off her U.S. Marshal’s jacket and tossed it on the chair. Next, she unbuttoned her shirt, removed it, and tossed it on top of the jacket. Underneath she wore a black tank top. She pulled the ponytail holder out, and her long wavy hair fell over her shoulders.

I’m going to have a shower. Want to play that new shooter when I get out? she asked the kitten, and he meowed back as if he was responding. No. I’m taking a shower first. The game can wait, she said. The kitten hopped down from the counter and circled her legs again. Just give me five minutes, ok? she asked.

She kicked off her shoes then undid her belt and let her uniform pants fall to the ground. After she stepped out of them, she made her way across the small apartment to the dark bathroom. When she looked back, Mittens was already curling up in her discarded pants.

You little bugger. I’m going to have cat fur all over them now, she said with a grin. But I guess it’s my fault for putting them on the floor. She turned and flipped the switch to the bathroom, and the lights came on.

HOLY SHIT! she exclaimed when she saw the small Middle Eastern woman in a long, flowing white dress, sitting on her bathroom counter. Are you trying to give me a heart attack, Miraven?!

Sorry, darling. Your miniature tiger hates me, so I’m hiding in here, she said, pushing out her bottom lip.

Really? Amanda asked with condescension. He’s like three inches tall. And he doesn’t even look like a tiger, she chastised as she found a towel from the small closet and put it on the towel rod.

He did that thing, Miraven said.

What thing? Amanda asked while looking through one of the drawers for some shampoo. I swear, I bought a new bottle yesterday.

He did that growling thing when I touched him, she said sheepishly.

He’s purring. It means he likes you, Amanda replied absentmindedly while pulling out drawers. She couldn’t find the bottle. She sighed then turned to Miraven. You look pretty today.

I figured since I was gone for four months, I should dress up for our reunion, she replied. Speaking of useless mammals. Miraven had a devious look on her face, and Amanda knew