Welcome to Sandcastle, California. This is your host Spooky Boo. Today I bring a story about werewolves and vampires. Sandcastle attracts evil and the monsters of the night bring death and destruction to the city.

If you enjoy listening to this podcast, you might also enjoy my other podcasts Creepy California True Scary Stories and Creepypasta Scary Stories. Find out more at www.scarystorytime.com. You’ll also love my friend’s show Creature Features on at creaturefeatures.tv.

Now let’s begin.

A New Breed

Conor pulled his shorts on first and then his white tank top. The sweatbands he added he thought looked ridiculous but were really helpful in keeping him warmer and drier when he had to run in the fog. Tonight the fog was thick and low, which to his dismay, blinded him on the path in the redwoods. He didn’t like to run at night, but it was the only time he could since the commute home from San Francisco always took so long.

He had lived in Sandcastle all of his life with his recently departed parents. They gave him their home as he was an only child. With all the bills paid off and only owing property taxes at the end of the year, he had it easy. The only thing he was missing in life was his ex-girlfriend Roxanne, but she had disappeared one night when her friends were brutally murdered on the beach. There were rumors people had seen her around town late in the night with some strange goth looking guy, but even when he stayed up late, Conor could never catch the couple. If only he could see her, he would try to rekindle what they had into something hot once again.

He tied his running shoes and without another moment wasted, took off out the front door into the night. He ran down the back alley which went directly into the forest from his home. It wasn’t more than ten minutes before he reached the lake and as he stared at the eerie glow above the water, he slowed down until coming to a complete stop. Something weird was going on near the lake. Through the fog, he could see what looked like a man crawling toward a bright light sitting right over the lake. He couldn’t figure out what the light was, maybe a mast from a small boat hidden in the fog? It was too thick to see, but he could see the man crawling toward it and crying out.

A low growl rumbled to his right as he stepped toward the lake. Stopping in his tracks, Conor slowly turned toward the ferns in the redwoods. There, between two trees, stood a rather large dog. No, it couldn’t be a dog, it was too large. Its eyes were yellow and as it stepped closer they seemed to glow brighter. Conor froze and waited. Maybe if he just stood there it would go back to wherever it came from and leave him alone. It was his only choice, that or run, and he was sure that running would provoke the animal to pounce.

The lake suddenly went dark and he heard a truck drive off going back into town. It was now extremely dark except for the little flashlight he wore around his waist as he jogged. Slowly, he began to step backward away from the beast that was now slowly closing in on him. As he stepped, his heel caught on a stump sending him down to the ground.

The wolf was upon him, biting into his shoulder. Conor screamed in pain as the blood splattered on his face and that of the wolf. The eyes were now red and somehow looked more human than a dog. As the wolf tore deeper into his shoulder and began to rip muscle from bone, Conor managed to yank the stun gun from his pocket and jab it right into the ribs of the beast. When it didn’t move, he flung his arm around and pushed it into the eye socket.

The screech that echoed from the wolf’s snout pierced Conor’s ears and into his brain. It backed away, taking a piece of bloody skin stuck in its lower canine then ran off into the forest. As Conor laid there, pressing his hand over his shoulder, hoping to stop the bleeding, a howl echoed deep into the forest. Knowing that he had to move before it came back or even worse, brought back its pack, Conor took off his bloody shirt and tied it around his shoulder using his other hand and mouth.

Seeing lights from a car traveling in the distance, he walked toward the first street bordering town and the woods. The lights were approaching fast as he stepped out into the road and could only hear the screeching of the tires and brakes as he fell in front of the car.

2

Coming to a halt, Roxanne stepped on the brakes before running over the body before her. She licked her lips as the smell of blood invaded her senses. As she stepped out of the car, a familiar feeling washed over her. In confusion, she stood over the body remembering the face of her old boyfriend she hadn’t seen since she was seventeen.

“Conor,” she scooped him up in her arms. “What the hell happened to you?”

“Roxy…a huge wolf in the woods. Be careful,” he said through heavy breaths then passed out.

Roxy’s eyes rolled as she tossed her head back and felt the fangs protrude from her gums. She dipped her finger into the victim’s shoulder and tasted the blood of her friend. Knowing, she couldn’t take too much, she kissed his shoulder then sucked from the wound until it seemed to heal itself. The blood congealed fast when mixed with hers as long as she didn’t take too much. It wouldn’t be too long before his shoulder began to heal itself. Roxy picked him up like a mother picks up a child and placed him in the passenger seat of her Aston Martin DB11.

As she pushed back his seat a little and put on his seat belt so he wouldn’t move around, she peered into the woods looking for whatever creature could have done this. It certainly wasn’t another bloodsucker, she knew that by the taste. It was a creature she was unfamiliar with. In the distance, she heard rustling in the leaves and panting. As she focused, two yellow eyes stared at her in the deep, dark distance between the redwoods.

Knowing she didn’t have much time before sunrise, she slipped into the driver’s seat and headed off toward the Miller Mansion.

3

“Roxanne, we can’t keep him here,” Augustus said as he pushed his finger into the healing wound and tasted the blood on the tip of his finger.

“We can’t take him to the hospital, he’s healing too fast,” Roxy pouted at Augustus then licked the blood off the tip of his finger.

“I can feel that you know him. Who is he?”

“Awww, babe, you’re jealous!” a smile spread across Roxy’s lips.

“A little,” Augustus laughed and then grew serious. “He can’t know about us, who we are. He isn’t human.”

“I tasted that. There was a beast in the forest, it sounded like a dog growling. It was getting light, I had to bring him here before the sun came up or I would have…”

“Don’t!” Augustus warned.

“What is it?”

“A presence I haven’t felt for a very long time. She probably followed me out here and knows we’re here.”

With her upper lip curling into a smirk, Roxy pulled his face close to hers. “Who?”

“A woman I knew a long time ago. She has a grudge longer than my lifeline. She’s a hungry bitch, too.”

“Another vampire like us?” she pressed up against Augustus, feeling his heartbeat against her own.

“No, this beast is feral,” Augustus threaded his fingers through her hair.

“Babe, after one night of ridding the neighborhood of derelicts and creeps, I think we do a pretty good job at being feral,” Roxy bit her lip. A little drop of blood trickled down the side.

Augustus licked up the crimson drop then kissed her deeply. After a moment of staring at her almost alabaster face his eyes narrowed as he spoke, “Just how well do you know this guy?”

“Oh Augie…” she laughed.

“I hate it when you call me that,” he held up a hand in protest.

“Since high school. I dated him for about a year, that’s all.”

“That’s all? A year is an eternity at that age,” he looked over at Conor who was now beginning to shuffle and absently rub at his healed shoulder.

“You’re cute when you’re jealous; however, I think I’m the one who should be asking questions. Who is this wolf chick?”

“Honestly, I don’t know. I was never able to read her. She followed me around Europe then to Virginia then to here now. There is only destruction in her wake. She is indiscriminate of who or what she kills just like a rabid dog. Be careful, Roxy. Perhaps you shouldn’t leave the house until I know more.”

“Please,” she scoffed. “I can take care of myself.”

“Hey, Roxy, is that you?” Conor stirred from his position on the couch, sitting up almost instantly.

“Hi Conor, how are you feeling?” she grabbed his hand and sat next to him.

“A bit sore. What happened? Did I get hit by a car? The last thing I remember were headlights.”

“Augustus says you were attacked by a ly…”

“An animal,” Augustus interrupted.

“What kind of an animal? Who are you?” Conor glanced over at Roxy. “Roxy? Is this your husband?”

The shrill pitch of Roxanne’s laughter made both men cover their ears. “Oh no no. We’re just dating.”

For a moment, the deep brown eyes of Augustus turned red as he stared at Roxanne then he laughed. “We’ve both sworn off marriage.”

“Roxy and I had a lot of fun,” Conor winked at his ex then focused his attention on Augustus. “She’s one-of-a-kind, take care of her for me. Don’t make the mistake I made.”

“No worries, we’re kind of connected. Aren’t we Roxy?” The right corner of Agustus upper lip curled into a smile.

Roxy rolled her eyes back in annoyance and then stood up next to the vampire. “Can I talk to you for a moment?” She then looked at Conor, “Do you want something to drink?”

“Yeah, coffee if you got any,” Conor smiled.

“What is going to happen here, Auggie?” Roxanne asked as she boiled some water.

“I suppose we’ll have to keep him here overnight, it is a full moon tonight. Don’t call me Auggie. You know I hate that.”

She dismissed his words and continued, “Is it secure here?”

“Very,” Augustus said as he pushed down the French press. “We need to sleep. The sun is rising and tonight is going to be a bit wild if my hunch is right.”

4

Conor settled into his room, drinking the coffee and contemplating everything that had happened over the past few hours. The couple was acting weird and now they completely disappeared leaving him in this rather bland room. He had never been inside the Miller place in all of his years living in Sandcastle, but it seems the house did live up to the rumors. The old gothic furniture mixed with a bit of a modern touch really made it quite beautiful.

His room was another story. Out of all the rooms they could have given him, this one was more like a drab cell. The bed was uncomfortable and the furniture was something out of a cheap department store. There were bars on the window that reminded him of his friend’s old house that sat in a crime-ridden area of Santa Rosa. Even worse, he tried to open the door, and it was locked from the outside. At least there was a bathroom, although the bathroom window did not have bars yet it was too small to crawl out of.

Conor grabbed the doorknob one last time and shook the door. Slamming his fist against the wood he screamed, “You can’t keep me here! Why are you doing this?”

5

Upon waking, Conor realized that he was still in his little cell. At some point during the day, his captors had been in his room without his knowledge. They left bagels, cream cheese, and lox on the table. His stomach roared at the smell of the food, but only the smoked salmon looked appetizing. He picked up the lox and sniffed it, nipped at it, and decided he wasn’t hungry. Tossing it against the wall under the small window in the bathroom, he noticed it was dark outside and in the distance, he could see the moon through the fog just over the Pacific.

As the fog shifted and the moonlight cast a ray through the small window in the bathroom, Conor felt his skin begin to itch and grow hot. The invisible rash started on his fingertips where the moon ray graced its presence then slowly burned down his arm to his torso and his other limbs. He ripped his shirt off and pushed his sweats down without haste as he scratched at his skin. Soon, he was crawling into the shower with the aches and pains of a fever. For a brief moment, the cold water soothed him as he lapped up the cascade coming out of the showerhead.

It was then he noticed the thick hairs growing from the follicles of the back of his hand. He grimaced as he watched the hair cover his fingers and arms then his torso and legs. His scream shook the walls as the ache in his bones and muscles took over and felt like his tendons were being ripped apart by some rabid animal.

Confused and panting, he hobbled to the bathroom window and with one swipe, took out the glass pane. His bones cracked but didn’t break while his body flattened enough to fit through the window. Growls and moans of pain uttered from his elongated snout as he pushed his body through the small opening. He dropped to the ground on all fours and ran north into the forest that surrounded the town of Sandcastle.

Stopping somewhere between Hunter’s Peak and the Russian River, the werewolf licked his wounds created by the shards of window glass. With each swipe of the tongue his hunger grew yet he knew nothing of his human instincts. The animal had taken over.

With his newly acquired sense of hearing, his ears twitched left and right. The owls hooted in the darkness from afar and the frogs croaked from the nearby stream. There wasn’t one sound he couldn’t hear. Even the beetles weren’t safe. With every step the new lycan took, creatures scurried in all directions. Somewhere deep in the back of his twisted mind, he knew that at one time he was hunted and now he was the predator.

Off in the distance scurried a jackrabbit sending Conor faster than a silver bullet after his prey. With his first swipe, the creature squealed in pain and was gone in an instant. The sound of crunching bones reverberated in his jaw until he swallowed all of the bones, muscle, fur, and organs at once but the hunger still ached deep in his gut.

The essence of smoke filled his nostrils. His human mind told him a campfire wasn’t too far away. Crouching behind a large bush, he eyed a fisherman casting a line in the dead of night. What was the fool doing out here anyway? No one fished in the lake alone in these woods–they would be fools to do so. Conor knew the rumors of evil were true and there was good reason to stay out of the woods after all these years. He was the evil now and ready to devour whatever stepped foot in his way.

His shadow towered over the man as Conor walked on two feet toward his prey. The smell of cooked fish reminded him of when his father took him fishing and for a moment he forgot where he was–who he was until the sharp pang of a bullet sunk deep into his gut. A low, guttural howl escaped his snout as he fell to his side. He whimpered when he felt the shotgun press against his temple.

Up above him a shadow of a creature danced and tackled the man holding the shotgun, sending him flying backward into the fire. Screams matching the flailing limbs echoed into the redwoods as the fisherman tried to escape but whatever it was behind him held him down with one great paw. With a gnash of giant K-9 teeth, two big fangs chomped into his arm, tearing it off at the shoulder. Conor watched as the giant wolf chortled down the fisherman’s whole arm in one gulp. Then tore the other arm from its socket. It tossed the limb to Conor.

“Eat,” it said in a low growl.

Conor forced himself up on all fours, whimpering at the pain of the bullet that passed through his body. Somehow he was still alive and still very hungry. His human mind screamed as he began gnawing on the half roasted arm before him. Knowing the fresh meat tasted better repulsed him.

Before finishing a foot and starting on the soft skin of the fatty gut of the man, sirens were heard off in the distance. The female creature started to run. “Follow me, or you will die,” a woman’s voice came from the throat of the beast.

Conor knew this would be his only chance to find out what the hell was going on so he followed, unsure and unknowing of everything going on around him. All he knew was that he remembered those yellow eyes the night he was hit. Yes, that’s it! He was hit by a car. Hit by Roxanne, the woman he loved. But how did he get here?

By the time he stepped into the old shack buried deep into the woods, Conor realized he was naked and so was the woman standing before him. She had long auburn hair and her bare skin was stained in blood, yet she was extremely beautiful with yellow-green eyes. He looked down at his own blood-stained hands and body and when the realization hit him of what he had just done to an innocent man. Then he passed out on to the dusty floor.

Thank you for listening. If you enjoyed this story, head on over to my website at www.scarystorytime.com and make a comment. You can also come chat with my friends and I while we watch Creature Features at 10:00 PM Pacific on Saturday nights on YouTube. Just visit www.creaturefeatures.tv for more info.

It’s time now to head off to bed now. Be sure to fall asleep to Scary Story Time and I’ll see you in your nightmares.