Once Upon A Time

  Published by Jo Pilsworth and The Hunter’s Arrow Ltd

  Copyright 2015 Jo Vincent-Pilsworth

  Discover other titles by Jo Pilsworth and The Hunter’s Arrow:

  The Diaries of the Cŵn Annwn

  Bound (published October 2015)

  Alpha (planned publication May 2016)

  Beta (planned publication October 2016)

  Delta (planned publication May 2017)

  Caduceus (planned publication October 2017)

  Ddraig (planned publication May 2018)

  Daimonas (planned publication October 2018)

  E-book Edition, License Notes

  This e-book is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This e-book may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this e-book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this e-book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to your favorite e-book retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

  Contents

  Part 1

  “Dare You Walk In Our World?” : An explanation of the characters involved in the Diaries of the Cŵn Annwn

  Part 2 – Stories from the Worlds of the Negrescu Cŵn Annwn and the Anghelescu Hellhounds

  Story 1: “Who Am I?” by Fane Anghelescu

  Story 2: “Eliana’s Story” by Bran Cadwgan

  Story 3: “An Apology to my Son” by Sion Jones

  Story 4: “A Meeting of Mates” by Owain and Merida Cadwaladr

  Story 5: “Being Ddraig Goch” by Taliesin and Ariawen Llewelyn

  Story 6: “Running The Full Moon” by Gavril Negrescu and friends

  Story 7: “The Meaning and Importance of Cŵn Annwn Mates” by Gavril Negrescu

  About The Authors

  About The Hunter’s Arrow Ltd

  dare you walk in our world?

  An Introduction to the World of the Negrescu Cŵn Annwn and the Anghelescu Hellhounds

  This list has been put together to clarify the various characters in the worlds of the Negrescu Cŵn Annwn, the Anghelescu Hellhounds, the Ddraig Clan and Casimir Gosselin’s Hellfire Pack. Other characters will be added as and when they are created.

  The Negrescu Cŵn Annwn

  The Cŵn Annwn are based on the Welsh legend of Mallt-y-Nos, serving her as harvesters of the souls of those who commit acts of evil. They are able to read the soul and thus judge it as pure evil, or evil by circumstances.

  The role of the Alpha is to collect the harvests pulled in by other Pack members and convey the souls to his Goddess for judgement. At the same time, they also bring the souls of victims to their rest in the underworld paradise which is the realm of their Goddess.

  Introduced in: Alpha

  Story continued: Beta, Delta, Caduceus, Ddraig and Daimonas

  Gavril Negrescu:

  Alpha of the Negrescu Cŵn Annwn. Born just at the end of the Hundred Years War between England and France, he became Alpha in the 17th century. In 1887, on a business trip to the Carpathian Mountains, he met his Mate, Aaleahya. Their daughter, Ekaterina, was born that year.

  Aaleahya Mic Daciana Negrescu:

  Mate to Gavril. She was born a Roma gypsy, but when her parents were killed, she fled and lived alone in hiding, as she was considered little more than a runaway slave by the local landowning class, until she met Gavril.

  She was visited by Gavril’s goddess, Mallt-y-Nos, and told that she would meet her soulmate. She bore him a daughter, Ekaterina,

  Ekaterina Negrescu:

  Born in 1887. She was one of the first to be born in the Carpathians.

  Sandu Negrescu:

  Appointed as Ekaterina’s bodyguard when they were still both children, his murder in 1944, at the hands of the Nazis caused Ekaterina to reveal inadvertently that she was not human.

  Liszka Negrescu:

  Female twin born to Gavril and Aaleahya. She has the ability to foretell the future due to the connection she has with Zarek Svitovidsyn

  Matyas Negrescu:

  Male twin born to Gavril and Aaleahya. He has the ability to foretell the future due to the connection he has with Zarek Svitovidsyn

  Owain Ap Idris-Cadwaladr:

  Joint Beta of the Negrescu Cŵn Annwn. He was born around the same time as Gavril. He is the joker of the two Betas, but knows how to be serious when necessary. His key role is the training of younger Pack members, and he is in charge of the Sentinel training programme.

  Bran Cadwgan:

  Joint Beta of the Negrescu Cŵn Annwn. He was born around the same time as Gavril. He has a tendency to take his role very seriously. He is the tech genius behind the business affairs of the Cŵn Annwn. He is mated to Alix Gosselin and they have a daughter, Kati Eliana Gosselin-Cadwgan

  Rhys Jones:

  Born in the closing years of WW2, he was a late developer in terms of his soul reading abilities, reading his first soul in 1969. In the meantime, he set about making sure his skills as a Sentinel (soldier) were the best. He was assigned by Gavril to act as liaison with Jake Petersen, the human State Police Homicide Detective and also to act as liaison with the Anghelescu Hellhounds. He enjoys teasing Jake, and only recently revealed that he has known Jake for much longer than Jake thought.

  Taren Jones:

  Another member of the Sentinel Squad, he often works with Rhys.

  Cerys ferch Madoc:

  Female member of the Sentinel Squad. She joined against the wishes of her parents who wanted her to assume the traditional role of a female mate, acting as the balance for her male. When her talent for controlling water and tides was noticed by Owain, she was advised to hone this skill.

  Angharad Lloyd:

  Angharad is the Healer of the Cŵn Annwn. Her dedication to the Pack is absolute, to the point that she acknowledges it will be difficult to find a Mate who appreciates her priorities.

  Eira Black:

  The beloved cook and provider of nourishment for the Cŵn Annwn. She is known to produce the nectar that is her special blend of coffee and mothers all the Pack, including associates such as Jake Petersen.

  The Anghelescu Hellhounds

  Created originally to serve Lamashtu Anzillu, when she became the Bride of the Hunter (Wild Hunt legend), they were originally led by Aurelija Anghelescu. Their profile was to feed off the negativity of the humans around them, conveying the emotional energy back to their Queen to feed her. In the late 1950s, Aurelija was overthrown by Fane Anghelescu, who swore his loyalty, heart and soul, to his Queen in return for protection of his sister Roxana.

  Fane continued to lead the Pack as ‘classic’ Hellhounds, thriving on less savoury enterprises such as arms and drug dealing, but at the same time, establishing a motorbike customization workshop and bar, Chain & Sprocket. The Hellhounds vehicle of choice is a Harley Davidson bike, although each bike has been tweaked to the rider’s preference.

  Fane differed from Aurelija in that he was only half-Hellhound, although he did not realise it at the time. When his sister was murdered by Lamashtu, he tore the Pack from her, binding it to himself, a deed made possible because of his bloodline. Needless to say, Lamashtu was not impressed.

  Fane Anghelescu:

  Born just after WW2, he believed he was sired by the Beta of his Pack. His father was actually Zarek Svitovidsyn. He had a sister (half-sister) called Roxana, whose murder at the hands of Lamashtu Anzillu, their former Queen, caused Fane to split his Pack from his Queen, and bind the pack to his own life force. He is mated to Stefania Anghelescu, and they have twins, Cadfael and Ksenia. Fane has the ability to manipulate fire, as do all Hellhounds, but he combines it with powers over water and geokinesis.

  Roxana A
nghelescu:

  Deceased half-sister of Fane. She was sired by the Beta of the Anghelescu Pack, and has the same mother as Fane. She and Fane established Chain & Sprocket where her skills as a motorbike customization designer were in high demand. She was murdered by their Queen, allegedly for contradicting the Queen once too often. Her death acted as the catalyst for Fane to change in a way more in line with his own sire’s approach.

  Stefania Anghelescu:

  Mate to Fane and the Pack Beta. After being absent from the Pack for over 50 years, she returned to find that the Alpha had changed from Aurelija Anghelescu to Fane Anghelescu. After realising that she was Fane’s Mate, they were able to conceive young. Their twins were born in 2015.

  Cadfael Anghelescu:

  Twin offspring of Fane and Stefania. He was kidnapped by Lamashtu Anzillu in an attempt to force Fane back into her service.

  Ksenia Anghelescu:

  Twin offspring of Fane and Stefania. She was poisoned by Lamashtu Anzillu as a distraction for what she was attempting to achieve.

  Sian Anghelescu:

  Sian befriended Stefania on her return to the Anghelescu Pack. Stefania asked her to be godmother to the twins, Cadfael and Ksenia, although the term was not one with which Fane was familiar. She was killed by the former Anghelescu Queen, Lamashtu, when she kidnapped Cadfael.

  Ivan Anghelescu:

  Constant challenge to Fane’s authority, particularly after Stefania’s return. Eventually executed by Fane. However, his soul was claimed by his Queen, Lamashtu, on the grounds that he had remained loyal to her. Was subsequently involved in Fane’s ‘punishment’ along with Lamashtu. Remaining loyal to Lamashtu after his death, his Queen rewards him in a way which may give him the opportunity for revenge.

  Drahomir (Drax) Anghelescu:

  Born after Fane won the Alpha Challenge which led to him taking over the Pack, Drahomir was always fascinated by motorbikes. With his preference clear, he was assigned to work in the Chain & Sprocket workshop. His love remains the veteran British bikes, although he is yet to find a way to solve the Norton oil leak problem that does not involve magic. Drahomir was in a Dom/sub relationship with Sian Anghelescu, until her death. He is a Hunter-Hellhound by designation.

  Alina Anghelescu

  Omega Wolf of the Anghelescu Pack, she is a second generation Healer. Fane made her appointment official as Healer, to give her some protection from other members of the Pack, not least because she was the only one who knew what happened to him when the Queen summoned him.

  She works in Chain & Sprocket as a welder primarily, assisting in the assembly of the bikes after Fane has finished the artwork and customisation.

  Gosselin Pack / Casimir Gosselin’s Hellfire Pack

  The Gosselin Pack, a pack of wolf shifters, came to the attention of the Cŵn Annwn when Bran realised that his predestined Mate was Alix Gosselin. Her sire the Pack Alpha, and her eldest brother and Alpha Designate did not agree, feeling that it was their decision to mate her to whomever would benefit the Pack’s interest. They issued a Challenge to Bran to prove the validity of the mating, intending to cheat to wear him down before the final challenge of a fight to the death.

  When the Alpha and her brother were executed for their crimes, the Pack split with those preferring the way things had been before staying with Adhémar Gosselin and those preferring the rule of the previous Alpha gravitating towards his remaining son, Casimir Gosselin.

  Introduced in: Beta

  Story continued: Delta, Caduceus and Ddraig

  Janice Gosselin:

  Daughter of the Gosselin Alpha, she inherited her sire’s pack. She mated for ‘love’, but found out that her mate only wanted the title of Alpha. She put up with his abuse, both physical and mental, in order to protect her two children, Alix and Adhémar. When her mate was executed by the Cŵn Annwn, she was able to admit to her children why she had acted the way that she had.

  Alix Gosselin:

  Only daughter of Janice Gosselin and her mate, she persuaded her sire to let her attend Miss Porter’s in Connecticut before accepting a scholarship to major in Criminal Justice at college. She joined NY State Police immediately from college, working her way up to the rank of Homicide Detective. She is a wolf shifter, although she kept this hidden from her human partner, Jake Petersen. She is mated to Bran Cadwgan, and has a daughter with him, Kati Eliana.

  Casimir Gosselin:

  Half-brother to Alix and Adhémar, sired by the same father, but on an unnamed pack female. Their sire brought Casimir into his mate’s home, forcing her to raise his bastard son, along with two others sired on other females. Casimir is a psychopath. After his sire was executed, he expected to inherit the Alpha title and the pack. Instead, the pack went to Adhémar. Casimir set up his own pack, made up of disenchanted shifters from other packs, and former members of the military who needed the structure afforded by a pack. Casimir is involved in various illegal activities, and more recently, reached an agreement with Lamashtu. However, he views her as he would any other disposable ally.

  Rosa Anastasia:

  Great-grandaughter of Albert Anastasia, Rosa is an assassin who hides her nature behind the sophisticated image of a gallery owner in New York. She met Casimir Gosselin when ostensibly he was looking for new artwork for his apartment. He offered her a role as ‘Vice President’ in his organization, which transpired to mean being Pack Beta of the Hellfire Pack. She has a ‘friends with benefits’ arrangement with Casimir.

  Daniela Echeverria:

  Discovered by Rosa, Daniela is a ‘psychopath in a wrapper of normal’, as Casimir describes her. She joined the Hellfire Pack as a contract killer. Initially, she refused to respect Casimir and call him sir as she was advised, until he shifted to his wolf form, and threatened to rip out her throat.

  Adhémar Gosselin

  Youngest sibling of Alix and Casimir, he was the butt of Casimir’s psychopathic tendencies, before he managed to flee the Gosselin compound and was signed up as the ‘face’ of Givenchy. When his sire was slated for execution, Adhémar realised that the pack needed someone to pull it back to the straight and narrow, and took over the pack. He discovered afterwards that his dam, Janice Gosselin, had always intended that he would take on the pack as her direct heir.

  Ddraig Clan

  Based on the Welsh legend of the Ddraig Goch, the Ddraig Clan are red Welsh dragons. The original Ddraig Goch fought the white dragon of evil, driving it from Wales. That was the present Queen’s sire, and her mother’s Consort. The Ddraig Queen is able to foretell the future, but not her own death. The only clue that she receives is that she will lay a Queen egg, to replace herself, when her life is threatened by a great evil. This will signal to her Consort and Mate, the Ddraig Goch that he will need to fight to protect her. If he fails, and the Queen dies, he is faced with having to raise their daughter as the next Queen. When she is ready to assume the throne and his own replacement is appointed, he will also die.

  Taliesin Llewelyn:

  Consort to the Ddraig Queen, and responsible for her security. He is the Ddraig Goch of Welsh legend, guarding against an evil which may kill his Queen.

  Ariawen Llewelyn:

  Queen of the Ddraig Clan. According to legend, she will lay a Queen egg when her life is threatened by an evil of sufficient magnitude.

  Lili-Meinir Llewelyn:

  Related to Taliesin through his sister, Lili-Meinir was born in 1990. Her uncle persuaded Ariawen to let Lili-Meinir and the rest of her hatching mates attend human schools and universities to better integrate with the outside world. She works at MI6 as a language specialist, splitting her time between her home in London, and the Ddraig Clan lands in North Wales

  Other Characters

  Jake Petersen:

  Human partner of Alix Gosselin and fellow Homicide Detective with NY State Police. Born in 1969, he only discovered recently that his family had links to the Cŵn Annwn, as his father’s soul was the first soul read by Rhys Jones. Following Alix’s mat
ing with Bran, he accepted a blood brotherhood bond with Gavril, which enhanced his human abilities, and ensured that Gavril could come to his assistance if required. He has adapted well to the world of the supernatural, but it still causes him the odd moment. Works closely with Rhys Jones when their cases develop a common thread.

  Caroline McKenzie

  Human CSI, working in the same precinct as Jake Petersen and Alix Gosselin. She is happiest in her lab, having discovered that she really doesn’t like the smell of corpses.