Chapter 1: Strange Occurrences

My dad is a cop. Meaning I don't have much of a life. Honestly, why can't he have a normal boring life like everyone else's dad? It would make things easier.

Like, now for instances. I was in trouble for going out with my friends instead of staying home and doing homework. Sure it sounded like normal teen stuff, except for the fact that my dad was telling me that I wasn't being irresponsible and that I could've caused problems for myself, or for him.
All I did was go to a party! A dumb party and suddenly the sky was falling.

"Are you listening to me Chantelle?" He said looking me in the eye.

I looked up at him and said "Yes Father, every word." I then stood and walked out of the room, storming up the stairs.

"Don't give sass to me missy! We aren't finished talking about this!" He yelled after me.

"Wouldn't dream of it." I muttered to myself, slamming my door behind me for emphasis.

I heard my mother sigh downstairs and my dad groan in frustration. I didn't care. This was something that was an ongoing occurrence.
It's not like I tried to be a troubled child... I just was.

I sat at my makeup desk and looked in the mirror. My blue eyes were almost flaming and my dark mix of red and brown hair was messy from the night I'd had. I ran my hand through my hair and sighed. I guess the other problem was the things I'd been seeing recently. I didn't want to tell my dad about it, or my mom. I kept seeing people change into strange creatures. I'd seen my dad's friend Monroe do it before. He turned into a strange wolf looking creature.

There was a knock on my door and I turned around to see my dad at the door.
"What do you want?" I said in an exasperated voice.

"To talk." He replied coming in.

"Sure... Come on in." I said in a sarcastic voice.

He gave me a look and then sat down on my bed, "I think we should talk Chantelle. You've been acting really, well not like yourself recently."

I shrugged, "What do you want me to say?"

"I want you to talk to me! You know like you used to. You used to never keep things from me!" He said saddened voice.

I felt bad then. I knew I hadn't been very fair to him about what was going on with me recently. It wasn't like I could tell him I was seeing things!

That would make him think I was insane. But suddenly I really wanted to. Maybe he would understand…
"Actually Dad… I, I've been seeing some really weird things lately…" I started looking everywhere but straight at him. I saw him look up startled from the corner of my eye. That's what made me look at him finally, that startled look like he knew exactly what I was talking about.

"Dad?" I said hesitantly.

"Tell me everything." He replied leaning forward.

Taking a breath I began, "It all started a little while ago. I think someone had just died… I don't know but I saw my first one when Monroe came over for dinner two weeks ago. Mom asked a question about how you two met and he… He just changed. He became almost… Wolf like…"

I looked up at Dad and he had a face full of shock.

"Oh no." Was all he said, "Chantelle, why didn't you tell me this sooner?"

"What do you know Dad?" I said in a pleading voice and he looked away, "You have to tell me! I'm scared."

He looked up and sighed, "It's a long story."

"We have time." I replied, my eyes pleading with him. But he shook his head and walked over kissing my forehead.

"Tomorrow." Was all he said and then walked out of my room, closing the door lightly.

I sat there freaked. My dad knew something and he wasn't telling. Well I'd make him tell; sooner or later he was going to tell me what he knew.

Getting up from my chair I walked over to my bathroom and got ready for bed before going and crawling into bed.

That night, my dreams were full of what they usually consisted of lately.

I was running through a dark forest, I supposed somewhere in Portland. I knew I was being chased by something, something big. It was one of the creatures I'd seen before. The creature was lion like and very vicious. I'd seen one at my high school before. The kid was known for getting into fights too.
Every since then I had had bad dreams about that type of creature chasing me through the forest. The dreams were vivid and every time I got mauled. As he was about to rip my head off… I woke up.
Tonight was no exception

It all started with me feeling someone behind me. I turned around slowly and looked at the creature running at me.

It was down on all fours and was an actual lion this time. It was charging full speed ahead.
I spun around and sprinted into the forest. I ran my hardest, hoping to God it would be enough but I knew I wouldn't be. I ran deeper and deeper into the forest, and the brush got thicker and thicker, making it almost impossible to move. I felt the breath of the creature not far behind me.
It pounced and I fell face down into the ground. It spun me over and roared in my face.

"NIIIICK!" a voice screamed and then it went for my head.

I woke up panting.

Okay, the Nick part was new. Why would I be my dad in my dream? What did it mean?

Worried I got out of bed and tiptoed to my parent's room. I reached the room and hesitantly opened the door a smidge.

He was lying in bed peacefully with Mom. Not a worry in the world, but a lot of care.
I walked lightly over and tapped his shoulder. He jolted awake and looked at me questioningly before whispering, "I said I'd tell you tomorrow Chantelle."

"I know, I know." I whispered back, "But… I had a weird dream I think you should hear about it."

To be honest, this wasn't the first weird dream I'd had. Sure I'd never tell my parents before but this one I knew I had too, mostly because whatever I dreamed… It usually came true.

For instance, when I had been five years old I'd had a dream about my first day of school and of me meeting my best friend, Pippa. The week after, on my first day of school the same events happened. I met my friend and each day went exactly the way it had in my dream.

At the time I'd thought nothing of it. I'd been five; I thought it was just cool, but then it started happening more and more. The dreams got darker and I started dreaming of murders and cases my dad told me about. Whatever my dreams told me, whether it be where the body was or who had done it, I was always right on every single detail. So, naturally, I was freaking out.

He sighed and we crept down the stairs into the kitchen, sitting at the table there. "Why are you so worried about a weird dream?" He asked after a minute of silence.

I paused before finally just saying it, "Because they always come true."

He looked up at me and took my hand "What are you talking about?"

Sighing I pulled my hand away and said "I mean that anything that happens in my dreams... Always comes true."

"So you control what happens through your dreams?" He said with a scrutinizing look.

I chuckled and shook my head, "No. I don't control what happens, but the events take place."

He nodded, "So what dreams have come true?"

I figured this would be the first question so I said "First day of school and cases you tell me about."

"Hold on one minute, cases I tell you about? What happens?" He said looking concerned.

"I either see where the body is or who the killer is." I replied, "I'm always right."

He looked away, his gaze somewhere else. He looked to be contemplating what to say next. Finally he said, "Chantelle... Why didn't you tell me this sooner?"

"I didn't think it mattered...until now." I replied, moving away from his gaze as it turned to me.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean that... The dream I had this time was about you and a lion creature." I started, "I didn't know it was you the first few times I had them, not until tonight." I stopped, not sure how to continue.

"Go on." He urged.

I nodded and continued, "The dreams all started when I saw a guy at my school turn into a lion type creature, and then every night after that I had the dream of running from the street into the forest. I was being chases by the beast. It chased me until I slipped and fell. It landed on me and turned me over, just before it would rip my head off I would wake up." I stopped taking a breath before saying "This time though, before it I woke up I heard someone call your name. That's how I know you were the victim."

Dad was silent for a minute and then said "The creature is a Löwen."

"Dad? Is that all you have to say?" I said in a chocked voice.

He shook his head, "No it's not. I was going to wait until tomorrow to tell you this but, I need to go to Monroe and you need to come so I need to tell you everything."

"Tell me what?" I said nervously, glancing at him wearily.

"About your heritage." He replied with a distant look.