The Supernatural Agency

By Laurie Bowler

In The Supernatural Agency, a clandestine organization hidden from mortal society, Carlos finds himself amidst a shadowy world where supernatural creatures coexist with unsuspecting humans. As part of the agency's mission to maintain peace, Carlos unravels a series of mysterious attacks targeting innocent species.

The minister, a figurehead veiled in secrecy, holds ultimate authority over the agency and presses for answers before the fragile treaty between the realms crumbles. With lives hanging in the balance, Carlos, driven by an insatiable thirst for truth, must navigate treacherous alliances and unearth the identity of those responsible.

Can he unravel the conspiracy and prevent further bloodshed? The fate of both worlds hinges on Carlos's ability to discover the truth in time.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lulu.com
• Release date: Jan 2, 2024
• ISBN: 9781446607169

Laurie Bowler

Laurie Bowler is a bestselling fantasy author residing in Hampshire, a county in the United Kingdom, where she started writing fantasy fiction in late November 2009.    After reading hundreds of fantasy novels, Laurie knew she wanted to write within that genre. She set her mind to writing her first novel, 'Vanquished', which was then quickly followed by the award-winning Moon Rising series.  Laurie attended college and has gained qualifications in Creative Writing, Music and Health and Social Care. She is still undertaking as many academic courses as possible to improve her knowledge.  Laurie lives with her daughter, fiance and a houseful of pets, including eight cats and three dogs, to name just a few. Her new novel Mythical and its sequel, The Battle of Evov, have both been an immense adventure and creativity of her mind. 

Book preview

The Supernatural Agency

Laurie Bowler

Contents

Title Page

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Twenty

Chapter Twenty-One

Chapter Twenty-Two

Chapter Twenty-Three

Chapter Twenty-Four

Chapter Twenty-Five

Chapter Twenty-Six

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Chapter Thirty

Chapter Thirty-One

Chapter Thirty-Two

Chapter Thirty-Three

Chapter Thirty-Four

Chapter Thirty-Five

Chapter Thirty-Six

Chapter Thirty-Seven

Copyright © 2024 by Laurie Bowler. All rights reserved.

No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except as permitted by U.S. copyright law. For permission requests, contact [e-mail]

The story, all names, characters, and incidents portrayed in this production are fictitious. No identification with actual persons (living or deceased), places, buildings, and products is intended or should be inferred.

ISBN: 978-1-4466-0716-9

Imprint: Lulu.com

Chapter One

Since the human government deviously discovered supernaturals existed in their world, they'd sent a heartless and relentless contingent to every home or supernatural dwelling to forcefully place us all under arrest. During those excruciating three days of my unjust incarceration, the torment inflicted upon me was unyielding; my spirit flickered in and out while my family and friends helplessly disintegrated around me. The choice that awaited me at the end of those agonising days was either join a secret section of the government that claimed to protect humanity from supernaturals who refused to live in harmony or be left with no other option but to face certain death; I reluctantly chose what seemed like the lesser evil.

Living like a vampire among humans had been the worst goddamn idea I’ve ever had, but I had no other option. They’d promised me everything I needed - my squad, my endless food supply, all the basic necessities for survival. But they didn't mention that it would come at the cost of my freedom and isolation from others of my kind. I was forced to maintain order with my squad, carry out backbreaking work for the government, and exterminate anything supernatural or otherwise, that dared to threaten the mortals.

The sound of my inter-realm communication device distracted me from the endless piles of paperwork on my desk and my thoughts.

We have a new mission for your squad, Carlos, the minister spoke to me through my inter-realm communication device. A device made explicitly for squads like mine by one of the witch covens working for the agency. Their magic had made it possible to communicate between realms without needing to perform a spell; for intents and purposes, it was just a slightly more complex phone.

Although I joined the private sector, I had never met the minister. He was some kind of higher power in the government who kept himself hidden behind his high walls. The agency is an incredible secret; not even the president knows about our work or is even aware of supernaturals that currently roam amongst humans. However, he does have a supernatural individual working as his private secretary, which he is oblivious to.

What’s our mission? I asked.

On the capital city’s northern side, there have been numerous murders. We have evidence showing they could potentially be the work of supernaturals. Possibly a group, although we have no evidence to suggest a group; so far, we have over fifty humans dead or missing in two weeks. Your mission is to get to the north side of the capital city, investigate the last known murder site and collect evidence of the perpetrators; it would be ideal if you could capture whoever is responsible and bring them here to the SCC. Still, if you cannot capture them alive, we understand.

The Supernatural Containment Centre is full of every unimaginable creature or monster that has been incarcerated for further testing, interrogation, or imprisonment because they are classed as too volatile to be released to humans. The mere mention of the SCC is enough to scare any supernatural. Every supernatural entering the SCC is subjected to severe torture and a new hell. Nobody wants to ever be taken there alive; most supernaturals I had captured had begged for death rather than be incarcerated for the remainder of their lives.

I nodded and started selecting the squad in my head. Yes, sir. What of squad leadership? I asked, although I already knew what he would say.

As commander, you retain control over the operation except when it comes to direct combat. Only seconded officers will engage directly in hand-to-hand combat and only under your orders. You must remain distant from fighting; we cannot afford to lose your valuable expertise.

My skills and expertise were legendary; living for as long as I have has enabled me to build vast knowledge of all realms and everything inside the realms. This has provided me with the necessary skills to lead a team, investigate all potential supernatural races, and be able to fight when required; these skills and my knowledge aided me in gaining my release from the SCC at the very beginning.

Understood, sir, I replied. My squad will be ready to disembark at 0700 hours.

A moment’s silence passed, and I thought he had gone, but then a slight rustle of paperwork alerted me that he was still on the line.

Very well, Carlos, he said. Files have been uploaded onto your PDA of the murders, the missing and possible suspects. A few locations have already been infiltrated but cleared as the possible hideout. Good luck, soldier.

I slowly returned to my office to locate my PDA and send instructions to my squad. My squad consisted of supernaturals of mixed species, each with specialised skills. I handpicked them because each had a unique set of valuable skills that could be advantageous against supernaturals. My chosen squad members each have a skill set that can be used against various other supernaturals, ensuring we are not limited or disadvantaged during battle. At least one way or another, we would be sure to match or exceed and defeat their skills.

My office was located deep within an abandoned subway station beneath London connected to an industrial estate next to us. Many historical supernaturals spent time training and studying within its crumbling walls, not just preying on humans like all other monsters. Although it wasn’t perilous, I never took my team to the top floor, which I called the Bastille. The Bastille is where we keep guards who have turned evil, made terrible decisions, and were sentenced to incarceration for life or death.

The Bastille currently housed quite a few members of the second squad. Thus, there was always the issue of them gaining sympathy, perhaps enough to cause a breakout or to persuade a friend to assist them in escaping. One of the things that could never occur was that I had decided that those designated to my squad or second squad were forbidden to enter the Bastille. Any member of the agency incarcerated for treason will never be released; their knowledge of the agency isn't something we need our enemies to be aware of.

I sat in my oversized office chair beside my desktop computer, monitoring one of my operatives, Jesse Ma’one, fresh from his first deployment. He quietly entered the room and crossed to stand before my desk. He didn’t salute me like the others and was a true rookie in every sense of the word. His abilities are those of a powerful werewolf combined with a warlock, the only one of his kind which made him a force to be reckoned with. To become a warlock, you had to have magical ancestry and the minuscule magical crystals attached to every blood cell inside your body; without the crystals, you wouldn’t ever be able to perform even the simplest of spells. Jesse’s father was a mighty warlock who had vanished over a hundred years ago; nobody could ever locate him. His mother was a werewolf, and the pair fell in love and created Jesse, the first crossbreed to survive. Most crossbreed offspring perished in the first few months of their life due to the dual potency of supernatural DNA, so for even one to survive was a great miracle. We were fortunate enough to have him in my squad, where he was becoming a treasured and sought-after member.

Commander, my first solo mission has been a success, he grins. All criminals have been successfully subdued and are now on their way to the SCC.

I smiled at him, pleased and proud; as my squad's youngest member, he exceeded all expectations and tests. The city is divided into sectors, which makes it easier to pinpoint each other's exact positions and to plan assaults when needed. His task was to find the skinwalker preying on innocent humans in sector one. He had managed to accomplish his mission in less than a week.

At ease, Jesse, I replied with a smile. I’m very impressed. You surpassed all expectations during training and have now exceeded expectations on your first mission. How did you manage to subdue him?

I was curious. Skinwalkers are almost as deadly as vampires. They are known for devouring the insides of a human until they are left with nothing but a skin suit that they wear and steal the deceased's identity. They will do everything their victim would have done, including eating human food. However, with no digestive system, they would have to regurgitate the food later. Their uncanny resilience to magic and becoming prey has always aided them in avoiding capture. One of their many skills is patience; they sit and watch their prey for hours before striking, and some have been known to wait up to a month before taking a new victim.

The skinwalkers continue using the same skin suit until one of two events occurs: one, the skinsuit decays so severely that it’s no longer feasible to wear it, or two, the skinwalkers’ hunger is insatiable, and they have to feed again. Their relentless craving to feed causes them to swap skin suits before using the skin of their previous victim to its total capacity. Either way, they can’t be retrained or trusted by a vampire. They are deadly.

It was simple, really,’ he shrugged, grinning. I combined a couple of spells to create a liquid that I slipped into his human meal. The potion I brewed was both odourless and tasteless, so he wouldn’t have known it was there. It created an acidic effect on the skinsuit; eventually, the acid melted it completely. You should have seen him foaming at the mouth while his skin sizzled and disintegrated; it was awesome. So, once the walker realised what was happening, he was well and truly trapped, and of course, I was there waiting, and I managed to bind him inside a complex prism; you should have seen it! His entire face melted into a puddle….."

Alright, alright, I said, holding up my hand for him to stop. You melted the skin to capture the walker. Good skills, Jesse.

I pondered his information for a few moments. It was undoubtedly the best thing I had done in locating this young wolf warlock. I immediately inducted him into the agency to join my squad when he had passed the training. His warlock attributes and knowledge would be valuable assets to our new mission.

Excellent work, Jesse, I praised again. I had every faith in your abilities, which brings me to why I’ve called you here. We have a new mission, Jesse, and you will be joining the rest of the squad and me because this mission will require all of us as a collective squad.

Why exactly is that? he asked, intrigued.

I sighed and stood up before replying to him; the rest of the squad also needed to be updated.

It will help, Jesse, I explained. The current threat is none we have encountered before; with fifty dead in two weeks, it’s evident we will be up against something strong. Your magical ability and wolf strength will be valuable sources for the squad out in the field. We leave at 0700, be ready.

Wow, fifty in two weeks? he asked, slightly shaken. How did they manage to kill that without it being flagged earlier? Although I’m glad we have the case, it means I can kick more supernatural ass.

Jesse, this isn't a game, I replied seriously. I’ve no idea how the bodies have piled up to such an amount, but we can ask the culprit when we get there.

Jesse nodded and air-punched before leaving my office to get himself ready to disembark. He was young, and his immature nature shone through, but I still wouldn’t change my decision to have him on my squad.

Chapter Two

Jesse didn’t believe me but soon realised what I meant when I suggested the collective squad talent is second to none. We have every weapon, from swords to guns, carefully and meticulously designed to defeat every species possible with quantities as if for a lifetime of war. Our weapons could take down any supernatural out there combined with the individual's talents using the weapon. We do have human soldiers who are often partnered with supernatural soldiers. The weapons created are mainly for their purpose. In contrast, the supernatural counterpart of the team can use both the weapon and their supernatural talent. Therefore, seeing the benefit of a collective plan, we headed for the armoury to prepare ourselves for our latest challenge.

Jesse had already managed to gather everyone as I heard them inside the weapons hold, discussing information amongst themselves quietly while organising themselves.

The entire team was preparing themselves with human and supernatural weapons and their own supernatural abilities. They were readying themselves to leave at 0700. Needles and knives glistened, and bullets glinted as I watched Jesse wipe down each weapon, preparing them for combat should our enemies attack. It felt strange to be here during daylight hours; I rarely visited the weapons hold. My weapons of choice were in my own small hold at the back of my office, locked away, one of the perks of being in command.

Listen up, everybody, I shouted over the noise. We deploy at 0700 and will make our way to the northern sector, where we will locate, hunt and subdue the unsub by any means necessary.

Any ideas on what it is yet, sir? a young female warrior witch asked.

All we know is the unsub has managed to accumulate a body count of fifty in two weeks. According to the brief, the unsub made more than one mistake and left a trail of evidence behind. There are no images from the abduction sites either, although, in most sites, there were human cameras; somehow, they were disconnected. There are no particular distinctive similarities between the victims, nor has there been any evidence left behind at any kill or abduction site. The site we are going to is from the last known whereabouts of the latest victim. We need to get moving, bring weapons for every possible outcome; let's not be caught shorthanded.

A strong murmur of agreement went around the room while many warriors returned to their tasks. Each warrior had their own designated task for us to prepare appropriately for every mission. This meant we wouldn’t be caught shorthanded in terms of weapons or be at risk. Satisfied they were getting ready, I turned to leave to prepare myself when Teria stepped into my path.

‘Commander, will we have an opportunity to see some of the city?" Teria asked, stepping forward and waving her enormous red wings flattened against her body slightly to prevent them from getting in the way.

Teria is a red-winged Volcan. Volcans are gigantic creatures famed for their ability to downsize to the average size of a human or grow to the size of a skyscraper. They are well known for their legendary awe-inspiring battle skills and natural ability to sense danger. When she flew, she was a large-sized bird of prey when she was in her complete Volcan form, and her muscle strength was another reason I chose her.

Volcans are supernatural beings who harness energy in multiple forms throughout their bodies. Their species have the stamina to continue fighting and withstand any attack, even from various sources.

If we have time once we’ve sorted this mission, then yes, I will allow you all free time to explore, I replied, smiling. But, the mission comes first.

Since joining this secret section, we weren’t permitted to leave the grounds unless we were on a mission due to the government officials mistrusting all species, including their own human members. They wanted to ensure that we remained close in case we were needed. Supernaturals were constantly monitored worldwide to secure the safety of the human race; some were aware of the monitoring. Others, mainly the new supernatural species to the mortal realm, were unaware and found out the hard way when one of my squad or I tracked them down for violation of the treaties.

Teria nodded her agreement; she knew the rules, as did all the other squad members. She didn’t like them but knew the same as the entire squad knew; we either followed the rules or faced deportation back to the SCC prison cells, where we would then be treated as enemies of the mortal realm.

Remember, the mission is the only reason we’re here, I added. We need to be back before dark, so don’t get too distracted with sight-seeing, and let's get this over and done with as rapidly as possible. We can explore the city once we’ve dealt with the unsub and collected and secured any evidence or information vital to the investigation.

Everyone nodded their agreement; it was a simple message.

The agreement was that after each mission as a team, we’d be allowed a few hours to explore so long as we didn’t harm any humans and behaved. We would search for our latest unsub; once we had taken care of him and secured the area, we would have a short period to do as we wished. This was an agreement I had managed to secure a few months ago when I noticed some of my squad becoming despondent, and they started complaining. The government hadn't been fond of the idea, but they’d soon managed to see trust required to be built both ways, not theirs. I reminded them of my realm, where I am the ruler and the allegiance that my race would swear to the mortals if they ever required assistance. My term with the government would end one day, and I would be free, but that didn’t mean I would desert the mortals if they ever required extra assistance. Being the king of the vampires came with its own perks, such as achieving clear alliances with other creatures and realms.

Teria looked at me, her red eyes glowing, and she smiled. Oh, thank you, Commander, she grinned. I don’t think you realise how much this means to us. We have been waiting a long time for a little freedom; we are all so grateful you wore the government down to get us a bit of freedom.

It’s how a good commanding officer should behave and should always put the wellbeing of their squad first, I replied. You are all very valuable, so don’t forget that.

Night time had started to fall around us, and still, there was much to prepare for the mission regarding mapping our route and ensuring we had food and drink to bring along. It was essential to meticulously plan routes of entry, possible escape routes, and who would be the first to battle if needed. When I had everything in place and was satisfied with the mission, it was time to get some sleep, but the calling of fresh blood to drink kept me occupied. Grabbing the blood bag, downing it in one, and entering my private quarters, it was finally time for a few hours of rest before we left.

The following day, we headed out to the northern sector, heading for a small area where we had received information the skinwalker was hiding. The skinwalker had managed to escape all previous attempts to capture him. Still, I felt they’d tasked my squad with its capture. First, we would have had him in custody at the SCC a while ago, and perhaps those humans he’s killed would still be alive.

The evening was uneventful; I made my final checks on the squad and our gear before retiring.

The following morning, I was in the front foyer waiting for my squad, and one by one, they appeared. It was a little before our departure, but we were all ready. Our journey to the northern sector was quiet; a few individuals were already up and about getting in their morning exercise and peered curiously as we passed them. We always travelled in civilian clothing, and there was nothing remarkable about our group to human eyes. Still, the curiosity was likely because a large group of both men and women were travelling so early in the day.

As we neared the northern sector, the area gave a creepy feeling as if we were being watched, but looking around, nobody was visible. Years ago, this area had been thriving, with markets every day, humans swarmed the streets, and the houses were kept in excellent condition. The northern sector was a ghost town. The streets were lined with the shells of long-abandoned buildings, their windows either broken or boarded up. Weeds and grass were starting to reclaim the area, and the streetlights had been turned off for years. The buildings were crumbling and broken, and the streets were littered with debris. Weeds grew in the cracks of the sidewalks, and there was a stillness that almost seemed to hang over the entire area like a shroud. The whole place was covered in thick mist, making it impossible to see ahead of us.

What is it, Commander? Jesse asked as he peered ahead into the foggy distance.

I feel like I’ve gone back in time, and we are being watched, I said.

Yeah, it’s a bit spooky place, isn’t it? I thought we were being watched when we turned the corner, but man, I have to say this whole place is freaky, Jesse said.

I nodded in agreement and turned to Teria, walking alongside me, inspecting every building and window we passed. How are you feeling, Teria? I asked. If you are not up to much for this mission, just hang back with me, ok?

I’m fine, Teria said. Although this is the northern sector, it feels as if it's full of ghosts or something, and it’s seriously spooky out here.

I know what you mean; all we can do is keep a keen eye on the buildings and our surroundings, I said to everyone. We can’t allow anything to get past us. This mission is important due to the number of deceased mortals. How’s your wing, Teria? I asked.

Teria had injured her wing on her previous solo mission when she had to fight a particularly malevolent Fae face-to-face. They are known for their mischief, malevolence and ability to disappear whenever they choose to make it harder to capture or kill. This petite Fae had defied her leaders and decided it was time the Fae caused a little havoc. So she had created many portals and bounced between each one, killing those who lived there and destroying specific landmarks. So, during that particular mission, Teria had fought bravely and eventually captured her by tricking her, but she hadn’t gotten away unscathed. Needless to say, the Fae that works with us at the agency had severely punished the little deviant, and no one had heard of her again. Evil Fae was a rare occurrence, but when one Fae went against the standards of their species and leaders, it was a catastrophe.

It’s fine, she replied, moving her wing around. No pain, no nothing. Almost like I was never injured in the first place, so a full recovery.

Good to hear, I replied. Isn’t it strange to think the other sectors are just around the corner?

The city is huge, Teria agreed. "Why was this sector allowed to get into such a, well, a state?

I didn’t get an opportunity to reply to her question because of the movement we all heard ahead of us. We knew a small collection of buildings facing each other around a small courtyard.

Do you want me to take the lead? Jesse asked. I’m pretty sure I can handle it, and dude, we have to take at least one picture of our capture for my scrapbook.

No, I’ll be fine, I said. We just need to keep vigilant at all times. Jesse, do I have to remind you this is not a game? This is a serious mission. Please stop messing around and call me commander or sir when we are away from the compound on official business.

Jesse merely grinned and walked ahead with a few warriors, chatting to them casually with little regard for anything I had just explained to him. Typical of Jesse's attitude, but he was still very young and had much to learn. When the agency first found Jesse, there was confusion and shock. They were confused and shocked because they had no idea what he was. After all, he wasn’t like any other species they had ever heard of. The minister had then called me and assigned me to discover his species within a few days. Jesse had been interrogated at the SCC and then released into my custody, where he divulged information regarding his parents. This information had been fed back to the minister, who ordered Jesse to be destroyed. The fear of a crossbreed was just too much for the mortals. So, I intervened and explained the benefits of keeping Jesse alive, plus the benefits of his training and eventually joining my elite squad. Luckily, the minister listened and was eager to have Jesse trained so his life would be spared.

Chapter Three

We reached the end of the sector where the north and east boundaries met. This area was intensely challenging to maintain due to the possibility of