The Prologue

In the previous book ‘Terror’ a vicious werewolf was terrorising Country Victoria, the werewolf was pursued by Detective Inspector Ray Thomas and Detective Sergeant John Vincent, later these two were assisted by Detective Inspector Mick Flynn. The prime suspect responsible for the horrific attacks was Captain Paul Roberts, an Army Cadet Officer, who in the course of his marauding turned two teenagers into his bloodthirsty cubs. The cubs were just as ferocious as their maker and the police were at a loss to work out how to catch the three. The Police finally called on the assistance of two fantasy writers, hoping to understand the werewolves and how to kill them.

          Ray Thomas was warned that the senior werewolf would take him out if he got too close to finding out his true identity. Subsequently the senior werewolf killed Ray Thomas and his aged mother. One of the cubs, Blake Sinclair made a stupid mistake and dropped his monogrammed handkerchief, whilst dressing after the three had slaughtered a family in a quiet camping area in the Wombat State Forest. The handkerchief was found by LT Tristan Alexander and Scott Lloyd. Sinclair was interviewed and this incensed Roberts so much that he decided that Sinclair was a liability and would be left to his own devices. The second cub Nathan Pollock was taken in by Roberts and transformed into Robert’s dead son Valeriu. The two picked up a male hooker, the same age, height and colouring as Nathan. The hooker was knocked out and dressed in Nathans clothes, with Nathans, wallet in his back pocket, his watch on his wrist and Nathans dog tags around his neck. When the hooker was dressed like Nathan, Roberts threw the hooker onto an electric substation and the hooker was blasted by 60,000 volts destroying his features. The coroner in a hurry to depart on retirement conducted a quick autopsy and as he had found Nathans identification in the wallet and the boy’s father had identified the hooker as his son Nathan, he closed the case and Nathan Pollock was certified dead, a sad case of suicide, no doubt brought on by the boy’s father going overseas and the mother not wanting the boy to live with her, as he got in the way of her promiscuous sex life.

          Once Nathan was dead Roberts took steps to revert to his real name and he severed all contact with the cadets and Blake Sinclair. Valeriu was taught Romanian ready for the two to depart to that country. Roberts’ adopted parents; Martha and David Roberts were given tickets for a 12 month world cruise and had departed. This made sure that the parents could not give the police the address of Robert’s penthouse in Melbourne. Sinclair, hunting by himself had turned a cub of his own and they had killed four people. He was subsequently caught with his cub and they were both charged with murder. Roberts and Valeriu had killed four people at Echuca and they were seen killing the last two and the boat that they used was identified and traced back to Sinclair holdings, from where the police got the address of the Echuca holiday house. By the time this happened the two were long gone and on the way to Romania. Catch up on book one as the last three chapters are included below.

Roberts and Valeriu had arrived at the penthouse and had started to pack. “Just pack one case son and we will do some shopping in London and Bucharest on the way home” Roberts said smiling.

          “When do we leave father” Valeriu asked?

          “We are booked on the 1330 flight with British Airways. I have called the cab so let’s lock up and start our trip. I put some money in your wallet, just in case you see something that you want” Roberts said leading the way out of the door.

          By twelve o’clock the two were at the airport and had cleared customs and were awaiting the boarding call. On the way to the airport Roberts had told Valeriu to use Romanian only. Two hours later the two were winging their way towards the UK, sitting in first class sipping a beer. “Well Valeriu we are on the way at last towards your new life. After we get to the castle and settle in we will have a small party for your 18^th birthday, which is on the 12^th of next month” Roberts said.

          “What made you bring the date of our departure forward father, and how did you find out about my birth date, it was never on the forms that I submitted to join cadets” Valeriu asked.

          “Let me answer your first question first, Okay Valeriu. I moved the departure forward by instinct as I believe that Blake has been caught and I know he will sing like a canary to protect himself. The cops will be looking for Roberts or Lupu as they think I am. You my son are in the clear. The family that you lived with had you cremated after the suicide, so if they find your DNA in Echuca, there is no way it can ever be matched to you son, as the body that was Nathan Pollock was burnt. So while they may suspect that Nathan was one of my cubs, they can never prove it” Roberts said smiling.

          “You are amazing father. You have had this all planned for quite a while, and I can see that Blake was never part of it. Would it all have gone to plan if you had never chosen me as a cub” Valeriu asked in Romanian.

          “Valeriu let me explain and I think if you listen carefully I will answer your second question for you. So son think, you and I are so much alike in our features, our skin colouring is the same, our hair is the same and you do look like my son. Before I met my wife, I had an affair with a woman and she fell pregnant, I wanted her to abort the baby, but she refused, I am glad now that she did. Anyway I paid her a lot of money to make sure she brought up the baby well and I agreed to pay his school fees. When he was born he was just like me. She met another man and she conned him into thinking the boy was his, as they had sex a few time before the baby was born. The baby was mine, as I had a DNA test done and it said conclusively that I was the father. The man she conned was named Pollock. So you see Valeriu that is how I know your birthday, I was there when you were born. I really did not need to bite you son, as you would have changed in your own time, sometimes we don’t change until we turn 18, it varies I changed at 13, but my father was 20 before he changed” Taking Valeriu’s hand Roberts said “close your mouth son, yes Valeriu you are my other son. That’s why my plan would always work as I would not and I could not leave you behind, I love you too much, I always have, since I first saw you in the hospital the day you were born” Roberts said quietly in Romanian.

          Valeriu with tears running down his cheeks looked at his father and said “that, father is the best present that anyone could ever give me. You have made me so happy. Thank you for telling me the truth. Dad I love you so much”.

          “Yes son and I love you. So we will be a family. Now we should have a nap as it is a long flight and we have so much to do and see” Roberts said handing his handkerchief to Valeriu and closing his eyes.

In an interview room at the Daylesford Police Station, Mick Flynn along with Oscar were interviewing Jamie Harry. Mick thumped the table and said “Jamie Harry, I am convinced that you raped the boy in the mill and probably the boy in the farm house at Sailors Falls. For your information the boy in the mill was the son of the Sergeant here. So what do you have to say”.

          “So I raped him, yes I did more than once; he wanted to find out what it was like to be gay so I showed him. You fucking normal’s are here for food and enjoyment for us Lycans. I was so rapt when Blake turned me, it was just fucking awesome. I don’t have any regrets and I will kill more of you when I get the chance. Your pathetic gaols won’t hold me for long” Jamie said defiantly, trying successfully to hide the fact that he was shit scared.

          “Well then who killed the girls, the one at Sailors Falls and the one in the mill did you have them too” Oscar asked.

          “No it was not me it was Blake; he’s just awesome as a Lycan. You won’t keep us inside. So yes I admit it Blake and I killed the four of them and then fed on their warm bodies. I am a Lycan and proud of it, no one will ever bully me again. So get fucked fuzz, that’s all I have to say” Jamie Harry said sitting back and staring with feigned contempt at the two cops.

          Mick Flynn walked outside and said “SSGT Lyme, please place Jamie Harry in a cell, he has admitted to raping and killing your son. Oh Harry, there’s no need to be gentle he’s a smug little prick, shows no remorse at all. Did you know Harry, any injuries a werewolf receives either in the fur or when in their human form heal in 24 hours and leave no evidence that could be called police brutality? Come on Oscar let’s talk to Sinclair”.

          DI John Vincent had asked Cameron to chase up the registration of the boat that the two witnesses had seen on the river. John had also sent for the local pathologist and when he saw the man he requested all samples collected as evidence be sent to Stephanie Pudovkin, the doctor raised his eyebrows until John explained the ongoing investigation. The doctor said he understood and would have all samples sent by courier.

          “Sir, that boat is registered to Sinclair Holdings and the mooring address is 109 Campesie Esplanade Echuca” Cameron said.

          “Thanks Cam, Hamish get a search warrant for that address please mate, oh excuse me” John said answering his mobile.

          “Good day mate, we have Blake Sinclair and his cub Jamie Harry dead to rights, the cub has confessed, we are about to interview Blake. Steph took some semen samples from his bedclothes so let’s see Pyne QC get him out of it this time. How are you going up there” Mick asked.

          “We have a couple of witnesses to the last attack and the boat used to get to the camp sites, is registered to Sinclair holdings. I am awaiting a warrant to search the house where the boat is moored. Let me know if Blake implicates Roberts. Well done mate, make the little bastard sweat” John said hanging up.

          “Cameron, Mick has Blake Sinclair and a kid named Jamie Harry dead to rights for the Daylesford and Sailors Falls murders. All we need is something to tie Roberts to the boat and the house and we will swear out a warrant for the cold calculating bastard. Ring Sinclair’s office and don’t take any shit from them. I want to know who has access to the house up here and the use of the boat” John said.

          Mick and Oscar walked into the other interview room to where Blake was sitting quietly, and he looked up when the two walked in, he looked at his wrists handcuffed and then back at the two detectives, he had been crying and he looked like a scared little boy. Mick looked at the boy and pulled up a chair and quietly said “Now young Sinclair, your cub Jamie Harry has admitted to killing the two boys and he has implicated you as killing the girls. So before you lie through your perfect teeth, the semen samples we took from the bed in your motel room have been analysed and the DNA is the same as the DNA taken from your victims. We know your prints were on the knife at Blackwood. So what’s it to be, more lies or the truth this time”.

          “I pulled the knife out of Captain Roberts back; the mother stabbed him while Nathan and I were raping the daughter. The handkerchief was mine I dropped it when I was getting dressed after the attack on that other family, I did not miss it until I got back to Excon Hill. I admit it Mr Flynn I did it. What will happen to me in gaol” Blake said with a tremor in his voice.

          “Well Blake as you have the ability to change into a fearsome creature when there is a full moon, you will most probably be placed in solitary confinement in a maximum security gaol. You will never mix with other humans again and never to be released. If your QC is as good as we think he is he may get you off with an insanity plea which means you will spend the rest of your life in an institute on medication. Either way you won’t be raped by the other prisoners, which is more that you deserve after what you have done. Why Blake, why did you let yourself be changed” Mick asked.

          “It was Captain Roberts, he caught Nathan and me raping this cadet and he fixed it for us and then he changed and bit us. We wanted the great sex but we had to feed on the victims, there was no way we could resist it, which is probably why Nathan committed suicide. I admit that I was part of the killings, but please Mr Flynn don’t let them lock me away alone in the dark, please sir, have pity” Blake asked starting to sob.

          “Read him his rights again Oscar and formally charge him and then let the father know. I am going to swear out a warrant for Captain fucking Roberts look how many lives he has ruined, including this boys. I hate him with a passion” Mick said leaving the room.

          John Vincent, Cameron Jackson and Rhys Jones drove to the house with the warrant and using the key obtained from the housekeeper they went inside. The house was empty, clean and tidy. While the three were looking around Cams phone rang and he went outside to answer it. When he had finished the call he went back inside and said “Sir, I put the call into Sinclair’s office as you asked and they have just got back to me. The bird that looks after their property said the house and boat were given to Captain Paul Roberts for his exclusive use on the authority of Maurice Sinclair personally”.

          “Thanks Cam that’s the link back to the station to swear out the warrant for Roberts let’s go. Cam, grab that envelope on the back of the door and bring it with you. I will go to Moama to see if I can get the bastards Melbourne address from his parents” John said.

          At the station John opened the envelope and inside was a handwritten note, John opened the note and read it out loud, it said ‘you were just too late, you never had a chance, I was always two steps ahead of you. That’s why your fat mate had to go and I could have done you just as easy as I did him and his mother. Better luck next time Mr John Vincent’ the note was signed the terror.

          “You fucking cold hearted bastard, I will get you if it’s the last thing that I do. I will find you” John said angrily.

          “It was him Cam, he did Ray and his mother. I am going to see if I can get an address for him and I will kill the bastard when I find him, even if I go to gaol” John said angrily walking out of the station to his car and lighting a smoke.

          John drove over the bridge to the retirement village at Moama and pulled up at the office to ask for directions to the unit that the Roberts lived in. The manager said “sorry DI Vincent you have missed them. They were desperate to go on holidays and were a little upset that they did not have enough money. They told me about a week ago so I rang the son on his mobile and left a message letting him know. A couple of days ago I saw the son visit them and they came to see me when he left for Melbourne. They were over the moon as he had given them a couple of tickets for a world cruise with stops in various countries and some spending money. They will be gone for at least 12 months. Their son is such a lovely young man” the middle aged female manager said.

          “Thanks anyway” John said.

          John went back to his car and sat thinking and then he lit a smoke and said out loud “you bloody cunning furry bastard, you had this planned from when we first interviewed you. We underestimated your lupine cunning. But I am still going to get you, that you may take as gospel”.

          When Mick and Oscar returned to police headquarters they rang all the airlines and asked if they had any records of a Roberts or a Lupu on their passenger list. The calls all drew a blank, so they tried the cruise lines again drawing a blank. Later in the week Mick and John attended Ray’s funeral and went back to work and put out an APB for captain Paul Roberts. Their only joy was the results of the analysis of the samples collected in Echuca were the same as the other samples collected around the state from previous attacks belonging to the large Lycan who John was sure, was Captain Paul Roberts. As Nathan Pollock was dead the other Lycans identity remained a mystery.

Roberts and Valeriu had arrived in Bucharest and had booked into the four star Majestic hotel. Over a lavish dinner Valeriu asked “wont the cops go and see Grandma Martha and Grandpa David and get the address of the penthouse”.

          “No Valeriu, well yes they will go to the retirement village to see them, but they won’t get the address, remember we gave them some tickets, your grandparents are on a cruise and holiday for at least 12 months. They even have an invite to stay with the Cerdachescu’s at their castle. That will surprise them as they never knew my real name. I don’t think they will want to go back to Australia, especially if they can live near you” Roberts said smiling.

          “You had better tell me who I will meet at the castle, please father” Valeriu asked.

          “Very well my uncle is Alin Cerdachescu, his wife is Rodika and they have a son who is about 16, he will probably want to be friends with you. His name is Aurel. The three of them live in a large house near the castle. Alin is a few years older than me and he runs most of my business interests, I pay him very well and he is very loyal to us, he has been dying to meet you, since I told him you were born. Now at the castle there are two permanent staff that will spoil you, they are Alexandru and Lavinia Valerescu. That is where I chose your name from Valeriu. The two are in their fifties and they hire other staff as they need them. I think that is all you need for now. May I suggest that if you have finished dinner, you let me take you for a walk around this great city? I want to show my dear son Bucharest” Roberts said smiling a father’s loving smile and not his usual feral smile.

One

The two walked out of the dining room and into the foyer of the four star hotel, where they were greeted warmly by the night staff.

“Good evening Count Cerdachescu and to you Valeriu, is there anything that you require” the night manager asked?

          “No thank you Lucian, my son and I are going to take a walk in this beautiful city, it is the first time that Valeriu has seen Bucharest” the Count replied smiling.

          Bidding the night staff good evening the two walked out of the hotel in Montreal Square and walked towards the city centre, Valeriu was looking at the distinctive architecture and the streets bustling with people enjoying the balmy night. As they walked the Count pointed out the various landmarks. Closer to the city centre the two chose an outdoor table at a large cafe favoured by the tourists and sitting down ordered a beer from a passing waiter. Lighting a smoke Valeriu said “you are right father, this is a beautiful city. I am amazed at how busy it is, even at this time of night. How do we travel to the castle”?

          “In a day’s time, as we have some business to take care of in the morning, we will be collected by your uncle Alin in a car for the trip to the castle. I have decided that we will make the trip last for two days as I want you to see the Countryside on the way. It will also allow you time to get to know your cousin Aurel, who Alin will no doubt bring with him. There are not many boys your ages near the castle and I think that you and Aurel will get on very well” the Count said smiling at his son.

          “Thank you father, I am enjoying this so much. I wish I could have grown up with you. How far is it to our castle”? asked Valeriu.

          “I also wish that you had grown up with me Valeriu, but things happen and I was not ready to settle down to boring domestic bliss, I wanted some excitement and action in my life. I was so happy when I found out that you had joined the cadets and I decided that I would have you working with me so I could be close to you. Valeriu I will make it up to you, as I love you dearly. Your life my son will be changed forever, as will mine. Now you asked how far it is to the castle. It is approximately 300 kilometres, so we will stay overnight in Brasov at the Hotel House of Dracula. I thought that you may enjoy the experience” the Count said smiling and ordering another beer for them both.

          “I shall, did he really exist, father” Valeriu asked.

          “Yes Valeriu, but his name was Vlad Tepes or Vlad the Impaler and not Dracula. That was the name created by Bram Stoker in 1897, which is the Count Dracula that we all know from the movies. Now tomorrow my son we need to go to the bank to attend to some business which needs to be completed in relation to your accounts. We also need to visit the tailor to update our wardrobes. Now, shall we walk back to the hotel and retire” the Count suggested.

          Whilst the Count and Valeriu were walking back to the Ramada Hotel Majestic along the Calea Victoriei, back in Melbourne DCI Mick Flynn and DI John Vincent were finalising their briefs of evidence on Blake Sinclair and Jamie Harry for their parts in the murders in country Victoria.

          “Mick I am so pissed off that we did not get Roberts or Lupu or whatever his name really is. How do we catch up with the bastard, how can we track him down, it is as if he just disappeared off the face of the earth” John exclaimed.

          “It may be worth talking to the Feds, they can pass on the information to their contacts in Interpol, but as we do not know his real name it’s a long shot at best. We don’t really know if he has returned to Romania, that’s only an assumption on our part. Oscar checked the airlines the day that Roberts disappeared and on the day after he had gone, he found six people with Romanian passports had boarded a British Airways flight to London. Four were business men returning home, the other two were a father and son. We know that Roberts would have been travelling alone as his other cub Pollock committed suicide, so John we have no idea how Roberts left Australia” Mick replied.

          “Well Mick let us pass on what we have to the Feds and see how they go” John suggested.

          “Okay John, you put together what we have and I will organise it to be passed on to our liaison officer with the Feds” Mick suggested.

          In the mansion of Luca Ricktor QC, he and Professor Myott Johns were talking with Rob Maxwell. Luca or Grey Wolf as he was known by the members of Le Pakke was asking Dark Wolf, Maxwell’s werewolf name, for the latest details on the hunt for the feral as the society had christened Captain Paul Roberts. Dark Wolf replied “the two cubs have been identified as Blake Sinclair and Nathan Pollock. Pollock committed suicide, whilst Sinclair turned a Jamie Harry. They were caught in Daylesford and charged with four counts of murder. The feral, Roberts has disappeared. The cops are at a loss to explain how he slipped away. I contacted the Warlock and sought his assistance in identifying the cubs and the feral. The warlock visited the sites where the three changed and picked up details of the cubs, but the feral or the ‘Terror” as the police call him was shielded from his gaze. The warlock seems to think that the feral Roberts, if that was his real name, was wearing some form of stone with magical powers. The warlock believes and I have to agree with him, that Roberts is a hereditary werewolf and this pendant has been in the family for centuries”.

          “Well Dark Wolf, where did Roberts originally come from? Here at Le Pakke we have records of all the hereditary werewolf families” the professor, or as he was known in the society, Silver Wolf asked.

          “I think he was originally from Romania. I believe the cops know his Romanian name but I was never told what it was” Dark Wolf replied.

          “I will have the records searched Dark Wolf, we should have a reference to the Romanian werewolf families” Grey Wolf offered.

          The three werewolves continued to chat until they were interrupted by Ricktor’s factotum Anton, who told the three that dinner was served. The three followed Anton to the dining room.

          Following a leisurely breakfast the Count and Valeriu took a taxi to the largest bank in Bucharest. Once inside Valeriu was impressed with the banks elegance and its efficient staff. The Count walked to the information counter and showing his passport asked to see the manager.

          “Most certainly Count Cerdachescu, I will advise him that you are here” the man said picking up the phone.

          “A few minutes later a dark haired man wearing a black suit appeared from the lifts and walked over to the Count saying “Count Cerdachescu if you and your son would follow me, I will show you to the manager’s office. He apologises if you have been kept waiting”.

          “We have not waited long, come Valeriu” the Count said following the man to the lifts.

          The two were shown into the spacious office of Istok Antonescu who greeted the Count warmly saying “my dear Volf, I have not seen you for quite a while. Please come sit and tell me what I can help you with”.

          “Istok this is my son Valeriu, son this is Istok Antonescu, and he looks after all our financial needs. Istok, I would like to give Valeriu access to his account which we started the day he was born. I would also like a rundown on my business accounts please. I have no doubt that Uncle Alin has been doing a good job, but it never hurts to check” the Count said smiling.

          Pressing a button on his phone Istok said “organise a print out of all of Count Cerdachescu’s accounts and prepare the necessary forms so that his son Valeriu has access to his personal accounts. Oh and ask my secretary Valentina to organise coffee for three. That should not take long Volf, now tell me are you home for good this time”.

          “Yes Istok we are home where we both belong. I intend to appoint Valeriu Director of Support the Orphans Fund on his 18^th birthday which is next month. I think that he will enjoy the challenge” the Count replied.

          “Excellent Volf, I will have those forms raised and you can conclude that bit of business whilst you are here” Istok said picking up his phone again.

When the business at the bank had been concluded the two walked across the square to a restaurant for lunch. Valeriu was quiet and the Count asked “are you feeling okay son”.

          “I am feeling very surprised and amazed that you started my account the day that I was born. I can see that you had no intention of leaving me behind. Father I do love you dearly and I know that you love me, you always have it seems. That means so much to me. Thank you for caring so much”.

          “As I said on the plane son, I have loved you since you were born. Your mother always kept me up to date with what you were doing and she would, if I asked send me photos when she could. Now Valeriu let us have lunch and then we will visit the tailors shop for an update to our wardrobes” the Count said putting his arm around his son and leading him across the square.

          After the two had shopped and were measured for a dinner suit each, they returned to the hotel and started to pack, intending to finish the task early the next morning. Later in the evening the two went downstairs to the dining room for dinner. Later in their suite the Count told Valeriu of the plans for their departure in the morning.

          “The car from the castle should be here by 8 am as your Uncle Alin is never late, so we will order an early breakfast, then finish our packing and be ready to leave on time” the Count explained.