Redemption: A Supernatural Action Adventure Opera (War of the Damned Book 8)

by Michael Todd

High above the bustle of the city, Katie perched on the edge of a building. Her wings were folded behind her. She leaned back on her hands and stared at the stars shimmering high above. It was one of the few places she could see the night sky in the city, because the lights kept the stars at bay. Her base in Nevada was another story. There, she could see the entire universe, or so it felt.

  A cool breeze blew over Katie and she shook her hair out, letting it cascade down her back. Pandora sniffed and sighed. I like it right here; right where we are now. This is the perfect spot in the perfect city after one hell of an awesome day.

  Katie chuckled. I would say that’s an understatement. Not only did you come out of my body on national television, but you also came out with divine angelic powers stronger than mine. You really decided to leave your mark on the world this time around, didn’t you?

  Pandora smiled. I want to be in the history books. I want to be taught in school. Maybe even revered for my scientific mind, not just my tits and ass—though they could teach a course or two about my ass.

  Katie almost couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Look who grew into her wings over fucking night. You know, this whole time I thought you were capable of living outside my body. You just had to put your mind to it. Now you can go wherever you want whenever you want to.

  Pandora let out a sigh. I know I can come out, but…

  Katie sat up. Just say it, Pandora. You aren’t going to hurt my feelings.

  Pandora was silent as she thought about her next words. Katie turned her arm over and stared down at her watch. She groaned and looked over the side of the building, appreciating the view. We need to get back to the condo in ten minutes. I promised Angie some alone time with Juntto. Besides, I’m ready to get my stuff and head back to Europe. I’ve been gone far too long, and it could be bad for the guys and any other survivors who might be down there.

  Pandora didn’t say a word, which rang just as loud to Katie as if she were screaming from the rooftops. It annoyed her that she knew what everyone was saying, but no one would just come out and say it to her face. Even her own demon wouldn’t say how she felt, which was pretty much a miracle when it came to Pandora. I know you have something to say about it. Hell, everyone has something to say about it. The only person who has even hinted at what they wanted to say was Angie. Even she wouldn’t dive into it, though. Here’s your chance, Pandora. Say whatever’s on your mind. I’m tired of being tiptoed around.

  Pandora growled, frustrated that she had to say the words. Look, Katie. I know you have all these high hopes. I know that on the inside, you can’t even begin to fathom losing another intimate partner in such a horrific manner.

  Katie chimed in, It’s not just about that. He and his team are my friends, too. They are family like you or like Angie or like Juntto, Calvin, Korbin, and the rest of them. Would we be debating whether to search for Korbin if he went missing in the situation? No. Fuck no, we wouldn’t.

  Pandora knew she was right, but still, there had to be emotion behind it. He could be dead, buried in lava for no one to discover for hundreds of years.

  Katie looked out at the horizon. Or he could be buried under rubble somewhere. Hell, he could be at a hospital. He could be in a military hospital, unconscious and without any identification. He could be tending to survivors. He could be buried underground, looking for a way out. There are a million possibilities of where he could be. Death is only one of those.

  Pandora sighed. I get it. You’re right. There are a million different things that could have happened to him. I just don’t want to see you get hurt, that’s all. I know what death did to you in the past when one of the team members died. For Brock, it’s different. I’m terrified you’ll crumble beneath the weight of it.

  Katie shrugged and stood up, tilting her hands back and forth. And that, my dear, is why you have my back. If the worst is confirmed I’ll cry on your shoulder, but I won’t give in to that thought until I have personally and thoroughly done my own investigation.

  Pandora snickered. I just want to point out something about crying on my shoulder. Like hell, you will. That makes my hair soggy, and then the humidity hits. Before you know it, I’m walking around with a huge bouffant. No one wants to see a flashback of Pandora in the time of bouffants.

  Katie put up her hand. Uh, excuse me. I want to see that. It would be completely humorous, and it would be great to get a before and after shot, especially with you in your new robes. We could send out a postcard with you on the front, looking all angelic. You could be pointing at the camera with some sort of funny quip.

  Pandora laughed. Once a poor beggar, now swimming with the angels. Do you have Jesus?

  Katie screamed in laughter, shaking her head. You would look like that Buddy Jesus statue. That would be fucking amazing. You know, I am glad you’re staying with me. I would be bored as hell without you.

  And saggy.

  And saggy, yes. Come on, it’s time to go back.

  Before Katie could leap off the edge of the building, sirens squealed by below. Katie leaned over and stared down at them. Actually…

  Pandora got excited. Yes, yes. Say it.

  Katie giggled. I guess we have a few minutes to help stop those assholes.

  Yes!

  Katie stepped up onto the ledge and spread her wings, then dove off the building and followed the cop cars. She flew high enough so they wouldn’t see her. Pandora hollered as they flew between the buildings, “Slut Girl to the rescue! Solving crime and getting honeys.”

  Katie shook Pandora’s voice out of her throat. “I don’t get honeys, remember? And I would say we’re more police than crime-solvers. I am definitely not Sherlock Holmes.”

  Pandora laughed loudly. That would make me who?

  Dr. Watson. I do declare, Watson, we have a mystery on our hands.

  Pandora giggled. It would be more like Sherlock Prude and Doctor—

  Ho bag. We would make quite the team. I would constantly pull you away from strip clubs to solve crimes, and you would be on Tinder setting up dates.

  Pandora was really into that idea. And I would always end up hooking up with the murderer. That’s how we would solve crimes. My vagina would sniff out the culprit.

  Katie swerved to the right, chasing the cops. She put her hand on her stomach, laughing loudly over the New York City streets. Holy hell, a crime-fighting vagina. Would that technically be a third entity on our crime-fighting team?

  Pandora choked on her own laughter. Hell, yeah, she would be. We would call her Detective Squeeze. She would taunt the confession right out of the villains in the throes of passion. One squeeze and they spill their entire life history.

  Tears flowed down Katie’s face, and she had to admit it felt good to laugh. Oh, oh, God. I’m really starting to think that if we see the end of this war, we should write adult fantasy fiction. We could have a fan base that was stupid-huge.

  Pandora clicked her tongue. And there could be t-shirts. Me, you, and a walking hoo-ha. We could give her curly hair and glasses. Detective Squeeze. She could be the most sophisticated of us.

  Katie bellowed louder, blinking away the tears. The cops all stopped outside of the Macy’s department store, and Katie slowed down and landed on the roof. The cops below talked loudly about the perp inside. “He’s about mid-forties, red eyes, and snarling. That’s the description we got. Apparently, he’s holding some people hostage in Home Goods. They were out of the comforter he wanted, and he just lost it.”

  Pandora scoffed. Oh boy, we got the male Martha Stewart in there ripping throats out because they don’t have the down comforter he wants.

  Katie shrugged and walked to the roof entrance. She yanked the door open.

  Her eyes flashed red. Let’s do a little redecorating then.

  A lawyer opened his office door, flung his coat over his arm, and headed home for the night. He paused at the corner. A ways down the street a dozen cop cars were parked in front of Macy’s. He pursed his lips and took a deep brea
th, then leisurely walked down the steps and turned in the opposite direction.

  The sound of huge wings flapping overhead made him look up. Katie flew overhead, slowing down as she approached the cop cars and the Macy’s.

  He watched her and smiled, his eyes flashing a deep ruby-red.

  Death Becomes Her

  Have you read The Kurtherian Gambit, from Michael (Todd) Anderle?

  Available at Amazon

  Author Notes - Michael Anderle

  November 1, 2018

  THANK YOU for not only reading this story but these Author Notes as well .

  RANDOM (sometimes) THOUGHTS?

  HOLY C@#$@# did the Juntto ending (in the last book) cause a SHITAKE ton of angst on the FB Group! Apparently, you really loved Juntto and had absolutely no desire to see him go.

  This is the most response about a character I have received for all of 2018. While other characters are fan favorites, Juntto’s apparent death was something that concerned readers to such a degree that they were signing online petitions and giving them to me in the PBTD Facebook group.

  Message heard.

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  AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS (rather, where am I writing these and what is going on?)

  One of the interesting (at least for me) aspects of my life is the ability to work from anywhere and at any time. In the future, I hope to re-read my own author notes and remember my life as a diary entry.

  For these Author Notes, I am sitting in the London Hotel in West Hollywood, California, which is one block (barely) away from the Whisky A Go Go club.

  I spoke about the Stryper concert (from which just got back thirty minutes ago) in the Barnabas series Author Notes, so I’ll skip it here. I will say I ate at the Panini Italian restaurant on Sunset Dr. (of Sunset Strip fame) and give it a very lukewarm rating.

  The fried mozzarella was pretty good, but the pepperoni pizza was meh (bland). I added a lot of parmesan cheese and a good number of red pepper flakes just to give it enough zest to be worth eating. For me, pizza should have enough spices that adding those two elements is just a minor tweak to the taste.

  Not a major procedure.

  I won’t be going back there any time soon (whether I find myself in the area for food or not.) Life is too short for meh if I have a choice.

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  Ad Aeternitatem,

  Michael Anderle

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  Books by Michael Todd

  PROTECTED BY THE DAMNED

  Torn Asunder (1)

  Killing Is My Business (2)

  And Business Is Good (3)

  Sit Down, Shut Up, And Pull The Trigger (4)

  Welcome To The Jungle (5)

  Metal Up Your Ass (6)

  Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap (7)

  For Whom The Bell Tolls (8)

  WAR OF THE DAMNED

  Resurrection Of The Damned (1)

  No Quarter (2)

  Dark Is The Night (3)

  Dim Glows The Horizon (4)

  Waking The Leviathan (5)

  Subversive Giants (6)

  Juntto (7)

  Redemption (8)

  Books written as Michael Anderle

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