By L.J. LABARTHE
The Body on the Beach
City of Jade
Long Road Back
Ties that Bind
ARCHANGEL CHRONICLES
No Quarter
No Surrender, No Retreat
No Shadows Fall
The Wind-up Forest
The Crystal Lake
The Bone Cup
A Shot in the Dark
Published by DREAMSPINNER PRESS
http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com
Copyright
Published by
DREAMSPINNER PRESS
5032 Capital Circle SW, Suite 2, PMB# 279, Tallahassee, FL 32305-7886 USA
http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of author imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
A Shot in the Dark
© 2015 L.J. LaBarthe.
Cover Art
© 2015 Anne Cain
[email protected]
Cover content is for illustrative purposes only and any person depicted on the cover is a model.
All rights reserved. This book is licensed to the original purchaser only. Duplication or distribution via any means is illegal and a violation of international copyright law, subject to criminal prosecution and upon conviction, fines, and/or imprisonment. Any eBook format cannot be legally loaned or given to others. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without the written permission of the Publisher, except where permitted by law. To request permission and all other inquiries, contact Dreamspinner Press, 5032 Capital Circle SW, Suite 2, PMB# 279, Tallahassee, FL 32305-7886, USA, or
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ISBN: 978-1-63216-712-5
Digital ISBN: 978-1-63216-713-2
Library of Congress Control Number: 2014920679
First Edition March 2015
Printed in the United States of America
This paper meets the requirements of
ANSI/NISO Z39.48-1992 (Permanence of Paper).
This series and these characters are very close to my heart. However, no matter of authorial love would help get them published without the help, support, and faith of a very special group of people.
First of all, as always, my deepest gratitude and love goes to Cate Ashwood, who is my grammar savior and my dear friend. Her wit, insight, and talent are unlimited, and she is truly a star in the universe of humanity.
Secondly, my thanks and love to the oldest and dearest friends in my life:
Sue Cavanagh-Lang, Chris Wiley, Marina Pycroft, Tracy Bailey, Laura Osgood, Clare Clarke, Shane Bevin, Hermann Lauss, FAL, Jasmin Pycroft, Meredith Shayne, my knight protector from the west and my family, my mother, my cousin, Dr. Ian, my brother, John, my niece, Shandi Sansom.
Thirdly, to my dear friends and colleagues, Ali Wilde, Zathyn Priest, Alison Mann, Raine O’Tierney, Skylar M. Cates, Israel Bishop, Rick R.
Reed, and Molly Soiner, I say a big thank you, you’re awesome. Finally, but no means the least, thank you a million times over to my wonderful editors, Erika Orrick and Lynn West, the art department and Anne Cain, all the staff at Dreamspinner Press and most of all, to Elizabeth North.
Vous êtes tous merveilleux et terrible et ne laissez jamais personne vous dire le contraire. Bénir. Merci pour toujours.
“Do not be misled by what you see around you, or be influenced by what you see. You live in a world which is a playground of illusion, full of false paths, false values and false ideals. But you are not part of that world.”
—Sai Baba.
HEAVEN
Michael: Chief Archangel, he is oldest of the Archangels. His titles are: Prince of Heaven, Archangel of Repentance, Righteousness, Mercy and Sanctification, Tutelary Sar of Israel, Guardian of Jacob, Commander in Chief of the Armies of Heaven, Destroyer of Satan, Chief of the Sun, Patron Saint of Policemen, Angel of the Grail. His power is gold, and he is bonded to Archangel Gabriel.
Gabriel: Archangel of War, he is next in age. His titles are: Mercy, Revelation and Annunciation, the Strength of God, God’s Rage and Jealousy, General of God’s Armies, Commander of the Seraphim, Left Hand of God, Destroyer of Sodom and Gomorrah, Dictator of the Koran to Mohammed, Chief of the Moon, Angel of the Grail. His power is silver, and he is bonded to Archangel Michael.
Raphael: Archangel of Healing and Medicine, Prayer, Joy and Light. His titles are: Overseer of the Evening Winds, Angel of the Sun. His power is white, and he is bonded to Israfel, Angel of Music.
Uriel: Archangel of Sanctification, Fire, and Vengeance. His titles are:
Guardian of the Gates of Hell, Guardian of Eden, Fire of God, Angel of Thunder. His power is orange, and he is bonded to Archangel Raziel.
Tzadkiel: Archangel of Judgment. His titles are: Chief of God’s Secret Police, Commander of the Ophanim, Angel of Jupiter. His power is copper.
Samael: Archangel of Death. His power is indigo.
Remiel: Archangel of Mercy and Visions. His titles are: Guide to Judgment, Angel of Thunder. His power is dark green, and he is in a long-term relationship with Ishtahar.
Haniel: Archangel of Love. His titles are: Guardian of Innocents, Angel of Venus. His power is red.
Metatron: Archangel of the Voice of God. His titles are: Angel of the Covenant, Chancel or of Heaven, Scribe of God. His power is pale blue.
Raziel: Archangel of Secrets and Mysteries and Science. His titles are:
Author and Keeper of the Sefer Raziel Book of Magic, Angel of the Grail. His power is bronze, and he is bonded to Archangel Uriel.
Israfel: Angel of Music. His power is blue, and he is bonded to Archangel Raphael.
Tabbris: Angel of Free Will. His power is purple.
Agrat bat Mahlat: Angel of Prostitution, Sex, and Procreation, cal ed the Whore of God. She is one of the four Succubi sisters. Her power is red, and she is married/bonded to Shateiel, Angel of Silence and Soldiers.
Shateiel: Angel of Silence and Soldiers. The most trusted lieutenant of Gabriel, he is mute and communicates solely by telepathy. His power is light blue, and he is married/bonded to Agrat, Angel of Prostitution, Sex, and Procreation.
Camael: An Angel of War under the command of Gabriel. His power is silver-blue.
Sophiel: Intelligence of Jupiter (corresponding to Tzadkiel), Angel of the Moon. Her power is blue.
Brieus: Angel of Demon Hunting. His power is silver-blue.
Asaf: Angel of Evening Hymns under the command of Gabriel. His power is silver-blue.
Vel: Angel of Wednesday under the command of Gabriel. His power is silver-blue.
EARTH
John: Adopted son of Gabriel, killed during the Seventy Years War.
Mira: Adopted daughter of Gabriel, killed during the Seventy Years War.
Lia Darguill: Operative of evil who worked out of a textbook warehouse in Atlanta, Georgia, devoted to Bob Taytton and his planned new world order.
Bob Tayt on: Megalomaniac who believed himself to be the reincarnation of a French saint named Secaire. He opened the portals to Hell that sparked the Seventy Years War and was kil ed at the outset of that war.
Ishtahar: High Priestess of Semjaza, Prince of the Grigori. She was born in the city of Eden at the dawn of Creation and forced to bear children to Semjaza, mother of the first Nephilim—half-human, half-angel hybrids. She is in a long-term relationship with
Remiel.
Hiwa: Elder son of Ishtahar; hates his father, Semjaza, and feels nothing but loathing for him. He has spent most of his life living as an assassin, working predominantly for the Russian mafia.
Ahijah: Younger son of Ishtahar; also hates his father, Semjaza. He has devoted his life to God, living and working as a priest, final y settling in Brazil.
Eleanora: A French witch, living in Provence.
Jihu: A shaman, living in North Korea in a communal farm with his family, hides his talents from prying eyes and ears.
Sorella: A wise-woman, living in the Congo, in the slums. She is also an herbalist and healer.
Frank: A former Cistercian monk, now a Hermit. He lives on the island of St. Kilda, off the north coast of Scotland.
Khenbish: A shaman and a Buddhist, living in Mongolia. His name means “Nobody,” which confuses evil spirits.
Iolana: A shamaness living in Hawaii, very shy but kind and cheerful. She lives with her girlfriend and loves to surf. Her name means “to soar like an eagle.”
Wilara: A Wajarri Elder living on the traditional tribal lands of the Wajarri People in Western Australia.
Lyudmila: Queen of the Eastern Bloc Weres and has two shifter shapes: a wolf and a mink. She has talent with magic and with visions. She is Russian but now lives in Yerevan, capital of Armenia.
Piotr: Lyudmila’s consort. He is Russian, but lives in Yerevan with Lyudmila. His shifter shape is that of an eagle.
Arkady: A Russian shifter. He has ulterior motives and is as slippery as a fish.
Olga: A Russian shifter.
Vasily: A Russian shifter.
Larissa: An Armenian shifter.
Minnie: An Australian witch. She is formerly a thief known as No-Hands Minnie. She lives with her partner Max and their cat.
Max/Mobius: Extremely talented hacker known for being able to dig up hidden information. He lives with his partner Minnie and their cat.
Horace: A member of the Order of Midnight, an extremely expensive group of assassins.
Chloe: A young woman working for the British Library in London in the rare books and manuscripts department. She is good friends with Penemuel, the Grigori.
Susan: Chloe’s mother and Penemuel’s landlady.
Angelique: Alpha of a Venatores pack. She was formerly a member of the US Air Force and is of Mexican descent, raised in Texas. Her shifter shape is a dark gray wolf, and she is in a relationship of sorts with Declan.
Lily: Beta of Angelique’s pack. She is an Englishwoman formerly of the British Army. Her shifter is a gray wolf, and she is married to Danny, another member of the pack.
Baxter: Kappa of Angelique’s pack. He was formerly a US Marine, suffering PTSD. His shifter shape is an Arctic white wolf, and he is in a relationship with Liam.
Danny: Kappa of Angelique’s pack. He was also formerly a US Marine, born and raised in Georgia. His shifter shape is a gray wolf, and he is married to Lily, another member of the pack.
Riley: Omega of Angelique’s pack and the pack medic. He was formerly a US Navy Corpsman working with the United States Marine Corps.
His shifter shape is a red rock wolf.
Declan Jones: Shifter and older brother of Liam. He was raised in Puerto Rico and worked for some years in the US Army. His shifter shape is a Yorkshire terrier, and he is in a relationship of sorts with Angelique.
Liam Jones: Necromancer and younger brother of Declan. He was raised in Puerto Rico. He is one of the strongest necromancers alive in the world.
Worked as a police officer before he and Declan set out together to work as demon trackers. He is in a relationship with Baxter.
Anna: Venatores. She is of Russian descent. She is a wolf shifter, mother to two young children, and married to Robert.
Robert: Venatores. He is of American descent. He is a fox shifter, father to Anna’s children, and married to Anna.
Sebastian Bloome: Individual involved in the kidnap and sale of angels on the black market.
Jessica-Mae: A child who died in the mountain facility in Yaak whose ghost helped Liam, Declan and the Venatores.
HELL
Lucifer: King of Hell. A Fallen Angel, the first Fallen Angel. His titles are: King of Hell, Lightbringer, The Morningstar, Lucifer, Prince of Lies, Lord of Deceit, Lord of the Flies, The Devil, Satan. He is almost omniscient, nearly as much as God. He is very good friends with the Archdemon Adramelek, one of the first angels to Fall. His power is white, and he is in an open relationship with Lilith and is sometimes involved with Adramelek.
Adramelek: Fallen Angel and unquestionably loyal to Lucifer. Formerly a member of the choir of angels called the Thrones, his titles are:
Archdemon of Fire, Great Minister and Chancellor of the Order of the Fly, President of Satan’s Private Council, the High Council of Devils, President of the Guild of Glass Knives. His power is silver- black, and he is Lucifer’s sometimes-lover.
Ondrass: One of the first demons created, born out of Lucifer’s fury just after his fall into Hell. His titles are: Archdemon of Discord, Grand Marquis of Hell, Lucifer’s personal hit man, member of the Guild of Glass Knives. His power is black, and he is in a relationship with his personal assistant, Markus.
Melcherisa: Archdemon of Darkness. His titles are: Governor of the Base Natures of Hel , member of the Guild of Glass Knives. His power is dark gray.
Lix Tetrax: Duchess of Whirlwinds, High Priestess of Fevers and Member of the Order of the Fly, member of the Guild of Glass Knives. Her power is silver-gray.
Ba’al: Seneschal and butler to Lucifer. He is absolutely loyal to Lucifer and loves him as a father figure. His power is gray.
Sprite: Adramelek’s hell-cat, ginger-colored, with a fondness for tuna and fresh fish.
Uphir: Archdemon of Medicine and Science, Hell’s Physician. His power is muddy brown.
Marchosias: Marquis of Wolves. His power is khaki-green.
Markus: Personal Assistant to Ondrass, the Archdemon of Discord. His power is gray, and he is in a relationship with Ondrass.
Lilith: The first wife of Adam, and prior to that, the consort of God Himself. Her titles are: Consort of Lucifer, Eater of Infants, The First Adulteress, Consort of Yahweh, Mother of Giants. Lilith is the first scorned woman and the first strong woman to say no to a man. After she left Adam, she wandered in the wilderness and mothered giants, the monsters of ancient mythology. Originally named Lilitu, she met Lucifer in the desert and they spent a long time in conversation. Lilith is the oldest of the four Succubi sisters.
Agrat, Eisheth, and Naamah are her sisters. Her power is red.
OTHER
Shamsiel: A Fallen Angel of the choir of the Grigori and formerly the Grigori of Astrology. He made a deal with Bob Taytton and they sold feathers from his wings to demons to hide them from angelic sight in the build- up to the Seventy Years War. He was kil ed by Lucifer for his actions.
Semjaza: Prince of the Grigori, imprisoned in the constellation of Aquila by Gabriel in the last days of Eden. His punishment was for corrupting humanity and breeding with human women, most notably his high priestess, Ishtahar, whom he forced to be his wife. Is the father of Hiwa and Ahijah. He is a talented magician. He was pulled down to Hell and suffers in the Lake of Frozen Souls, tortured personally by Lucifer.
Azazel: Closest friend and al y of Semjaza, Grigori of Weaponry and Makeup.
Penemuel: Grigori of Writing and Reading, he escaped with Baraqiel and Kokabiel. His best friends are Chloe and her mother, Susan, and the two Grigori named Baraqiel and Kokabiel, and he has a pet cat.
Baraqiel: Grigori of Astronomy and Astrology, he escaped with Kokabiel and Penemuel. In the modern world, he works as an astrophysicist at the Belgian Observatory, and lives with Kokabiel, with whom he is in a relationship.
Kokabiel: Grigori of Astronomy and Astrology, he escaped with Baraqiel and Penemuel. In the modern world, he works as an astrophysicist at the Belgian Observatory and lives with Baraqiel, with whom he is in a relations
hip.
Eisheth: Youngest of the four Succubi sisters, she spent her time living among the stars, comforting those who fell to earth as they died. She was murdered by her sister Naamah to profane the Holy Grail.
Naamah: One of the four Succubi sisters, she used to live in the seas of the Earth, but moved to Purgatory during the Seventy Years War. She has two children, twins, whose father is unknown. Her twin children are named Arthur and Morgana, after the Arthurian legends.
IT WAS hot, one of those Indian summer days when the sun shone down brightly and a few fluffy white clouds floated serenely in the sky. Bees hummed around the rose, lavender, and rosemary bushes, and birds warbled from the oak and pine trees. The grass was a mixture of green and tall, and brown and wilting, and there was a faint breeze with a hint of snow, heralding the oncoming fal . It was a beautiful day, and Baxter was more than content to lounge in a rickety deck chair, nursing a bot le of cold beer and watch the goings-on in the large yard that spread out behind Michael’s building.
He sat beneath an awning, the canvas thrumming every so often when the breeze blew a little more strongly, and beyond him, beneath the sprawling wooden veranda, members of the Venatores were preparing a barbeque. Farther away, the sounds of laughter and childish shrieks filled the air as the children of the Venatores played in the park-like surrounds.
Standing near a copse of trees, Baxter could see his boss, Archangel Michael, in the embrace of his lover and bondmate, Archangel Gabriel.
Once upon a time, that sight would have upset Baxter greatly and sent him retreating indoors to gnaw on his own liver—figuratively speaking, of course—in jealousy. Now, though, Baxter chuckled to himself as he watched Michael fidget, cheeks painted crimson as Gabriel spoke in a low voice to him. He could only imagine what Gabriel was saying; to judge from the wicked expression on Gabriel’s face, he was getting just as much entertainment out of making Michael blush as he was enjoying the closeness with his lover.
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