Retriever of the Lost Souls (Retriever Series Book 1)

by Brian

  Eoin’s head was pounding and he could neither speak nor hear through the blinding pain searing through his body. As the time went on, the pain grew worse, and he could only moan. Diane kept trying to keep him still, but he was struggling.

  “Dr. the patient is worsening.”

  “Yes. Please administer a quarter dose of dilaudid. That will take the edge off, so we can complete the removal.”

  Eoin felt a deep bond with these two and was trying to focus on Diane as the Dilaudid spread warmth through his body., As the drug took effect, he no longer cared about the pain.

  “Eoin,” Dr. Gohlican said. “It is imperative that you lay still. I won’t lie to you, it will hurt, but you will feel better immediately after its removal. Diane, please secure the patient.”

  Diane secured Velcro straps on his arms, across his stomach, his thighs, shins, and feet, then she positioned herself at Eoin’s head.

  “Dr., the patient is ready.”

  Eoin felt her hands on his neck as she steadied his head. What he felt next was beyond comprehension. His head exploded with more pain than he thought was possible as Dr. Gohlican tried to locate the Flash Bomb. Eoin could hear nothing over the deafening roar, and every single cell in his body felt as if it was on fire.

  “Dr.,” Diane said, “the patient’s vitals are holding steady.”

  “Where is the little bugger? Where did he hide you? Diane how are the vitals?”

  “BP is 145/90, the pulse is 150, and respirations are fast and shallow. He’s within limits.”

  “Ah ha! Gottcha!” Dr. Gohlican exclaimed. “There you are you little bugger! Diane, prepare for removal. It is unusually deep, and I want you to administer a full dose of Dilaudid.”

  “Dr.?”

  “Do it!”

  “Yes, Dr.”

  Diane quickly prepared another dose and administered it through the IV catheter. The reaction was swift.

  “Dr., the vitals are dropping. BP is 117/75, Pulse is 90, and respirations are 12.”

  “Here we go. It won’t feel good Eoin, but it’s necessary.”

  With the calipers inserted just above the left carotid artery, Dr. Gohlican grabbed hold of the flash bomb and slowly pulled it out. Despite the pain medication, Eoin let loose a scream like he never had before. The intensity of it brought tears to both Dr. Gohlican and Diane, and once it was out of Eoin’s body, the atmosphere of the room destroyed it.

  “Diane, administer the smelling salts. We have to send him back.”

  Eoin started rousing and was confused when he fully woke up.

  “Who are you? Where am I? What’s happened? How did I get here?” The questions came fast and furious.

  “I am Dr. Gohlican, but you may call me Jayson, Diane is my wife.”

  “I feel like I know you,” Eoin said weakly.

  “We’ve known each other in the past. Your past as well as our past,” said Diane.

  “What? How?”

  “You must rest now. Shaymo will call you any moment, and you must have your strength, as you are about to fight. We can’t hold them off much longer,” Jayson said.

  “But…”

  “Shhh. You will understand another time. Be well, fight strong, and know that we are praying for you,” said Diane.

  Before he could say anything else, he felt the now familiar pulling and swirling, as his spirit inhabited his body once more. Eoin was tired but healed, and his head no longer hurt. It had only been minutes since he left the arena.

  “Get up!” Shaymo roared. “Fight like a man!”

  Eoin was a bit unsteady as he got to his feet. In his head, he again heard Jayson’s voice.

  “You are a warrior. Fight like one and always remember that Gabriel is ready should you get into a situation you can’t get out of.”

  Eoin knew that Gabriel was the mightiest of the Archangels and wondered why Jayson told him this. Then, the same two guards who grabbed him earlier grabbed him once again, nearly lifting him off his feet.

  “Take him inside the arena!” bellowed Shaymo. “I want him to fight Sedah!”

  Sedah, rumored to have once been a lover of Shaymo, was feared throughout the coven. Only Lilith was feared more.

  Eoin heard a collective gasp as he was roughly led away from Shaymo toward the stadium. Near the stadium entrance, four burly strongmen parted to allow them to enter, reminding Eoin of what the Red Sea must have been like when Moses and the Israelites passed through as the Egyptians chased them.

  Thrust into the arena, Eoin stumbled and then fell and rolled in the dust. The crowd cheered wildly at Eoin's bumbling ineptitude, concerned that it would be too short a fight and they’d not get their promised entertainment. As he stood up and dusted himself off, the crowd roared louder than before. Turning around to take in the scene, he saw a lovely woman enter the arena and wondered why she was there. She was roughly the same height as he was, but the way she carried herself made her seem more significant than she was. As he stared into her piercing green eyes, he could feel himself being pulled into their depths.

  “Stop looking into her eyes,” Jayson whispered. “They will be your undoing.”

  With much difficulty, Eoin was able to break the eye contact.

  She smiled at him, and then let out an ear-piercing scream.

  “This is what you are sending me? He is nothing but a weak little man that I can destroy in seconds!”

  She walked toward him, rubbing her hands together, her long black hair swaying back and forth. Beads of sweat formed on his brow as his grasped the shield.

  Eoin could see a black light forming within her hands, and without warning, she hurled it at him. Eoin eluded the object, which missed him by inches, which then exploded with a loud clap of thunder behind him. Then, without touching him, she suddenly lifted him high into the air as if he was nothing but a ragdoll and slammed him into the ground. Eoin grimaced as he rolled on to his side and staggered to his feet.

  Once more she came after him, but this time he was prepared, and just as she reached out to grab him, he raised his shield and smashed it into her hand. She uttered a surprised cry of pain. She attacked again, and just as she got to him, he sidestepped her and tripped her as she went past. She quickly got up and launched herself toward him, this time hitting her mark and knocking him down. Eoin winced as he had landed on something that was attached to his back. Trying to get up he found that he was stuck on the ground. As hard as he tried, he was unable to lift his body. Sedah walked to him and eyed him up and down.

  “You are not that big and bad, now are you? Now I will finish my work with you. This fight has been much to easy.

  Remembering his lesson from taunting Vigor, he appealed to her narcissistic self.

  “Wow, you’re a good fighter. How did you learn to fight like that?”

  Preening she smiled and said “I learned from all the fighter from years past. Once I surpassed their knowledge I would secretly kill them and that would raise my status one level up. Now I am the top fighter this coven has!”

  Practically yelling, Eoin said, “SO YOU ARE TELLING ME THAT YOU KILLED ALL OF THESE COVEN’S GREAT FIGHTERS JUST TO BE THE TOP FIGHTER?”

  Looking around knowing her words may have just got her into trouble she hissed at Eoin “Shut your mouth!”

  Shaymo stepped up to Sedah in an instant, not caring that the fight was not complete. “You did what? You reported to me that they were killed in combat! You idiot! Because of you we no longer have viable fighters. When this fight is over, you WILL report to me, is that clear.”

  Saying nothing further to Shaymo, she turned and was surprised to see Eoin standing once more. While Shaymo and Sedah had been talking, he had used the sharp sword to release whatever nobs were holding him down.

  Making a roundabout move with his legs, he kicked her, so it was she who was once again on the ground.

  Eoin looked down at her ready for another round with Sedah. She looked like she was unable to get up, but suddenly in one swif
t motion, she buried her knee into his groin, then for extra measure, pounded him again. A painful, terrifying scream floated across the stadium as Sedah hobbled away from Eoin’s body. Protruding from Eoin’s groin was a switchblade knife that became activated when she thrust her knee into him the first time. The blade had gone all the way through her knee and out the back.

  She placed her hand her knee, healing it instantly. Turning she looked at him.

  “This is where we say goodbye little man.”

  She ran toward him and launched herself about three feet

  into the air. “When she’s almost upon you, jump as high as you can and reach around behind you,” Jayson whispered once again.

  Time seemed to slow to a crawl as Eoin pushed up from the ground as hard as he could. Reaching to his back at the last possible second, he touched what felt like sticks. Pulling them out their sheaths, he brought his arm forward and plunged five large needles into the side of her neck, piercing both sides of her throat as she passed below him. An inhuman howl emanated from her as she collapsed to the dirt floor of the arena and lay motionless. The crowd was eerily silent as wisps of her essence swirled then dissipated. They had just witnessed the destruction of one of the most feared fighters in their coven.

  “This is where I say goodbye little lady.”

  As he began to walk away, he heard Shaymo’s voice bellowing, “GET HIM YOU IDIOTS!”

  Eoin saw five of the burly guards charging after him. Looking to his left and then to his right he saw two angels by his side. One said to him “We will each take the two on each side of you, and you can take the middle one.” Eoin nodded in agreement.

  The five guards arrived all at once. The first few blows were from the fists of the angels. Each one was able to throw a soldier several feet with one hit. They lay stunned on the ground unable to rise. While the angels held the other two guards, they looked at Eoin and told him it was his turn. This guard was a bit larger than Eoin and much more muscular. He grabbed Eoin by the hair and began to punch him over and over in the face. Then Eoin’s mind split once again. On one side he could see himself being hit, on the other he could see one hand grabbing the guard by his testicles.

  “AYYYYYYYYY…Let go, let go, let go.” The guard yelled unable to continue his onslaught on Eoin. Pulling the guards balls even harder, he reached into his tool belt and pulled out a small dagger. With a swift move he cut off them off then repeatedly stabbed him. He fell to the floor of the arena, and like Sedah, his essence disappeared in wisps, and was no more.

  Eoin looked on as the angels took on the other two guards. Swiftly and without any effort they broke many bones in their body. They also would be unable to fight again. The first of the guards who had been thrown first, got up and were returning to fight, but when they saw what happened to their comrades they turned and ran. Shaymo was enraged at their cowardness and conjured up a double headed lightening spear which he hurled toward them. When the spear found it’s mark, they were both destroyed.

  Shaymo let out a frustrated yell then disappeared. Eoin’s world started swirling once again, and looking, around, he saw that he was back in his bedroom.

  Chapter 58

  Lilith was desperate to remove Eoin from the scene, and since the coven was about to fall, she began to venture into the Middle hoping to convince lonely, young girls to visit him.

  The first such girl she met was Mia. Lilith told her she was to seduce Eoin and bring him back to her. If successful, she would be able to carry a child of her own, something she desperately wanted.

  “I can’t have a baby, I’m dead. How can you let me have a baby?”

  “I have my ways, dear child,” Lilith said. “Do you agree to bring him to me?”

  “Yea, I do, I’m good at making guys do what I want. There was one time that I…” Mia began to reply.

  Lilith interrupted her before she would have to listen to a lengthy story.

  “Good girl. Now, follow the light and when you see the green light jump. I have to warn you, if you fail, you’ll be destroyed.”

  She swallowed hard. Lilith knew that fear would be enough to keep them at bay and compliant. Mia had no problem locating Isabella’s light, since it was a brighter green than usual. Taking a deep breath, she jumped in and was surprised to find herself making love to Eoin. This would be easier than she imagined, she thought to herself.

  Eoin was immediately aware that Isabella had gone and was upset that someone would come in without knocking.

  “Who are you and why are you here?” he demanded.

  “My name is Mia. You sure are cute” she answered him.

  Rolling off her, Eoin continued.

  Ignoring her comment, he told her, “It’s pretty damn rude to jump in!”

  “I want to have a little fun. Don’t you want to have fun with me?”

  “No! I don’t!”

  Then, she started to cry. Seeing her genuine surprise at her tears, Eoin softened.

  “Look,” he said, “I’m sorry. It’s just that we keep getting interrupted and it gets a bit old. What is it you seek, Mia? What keeps you here?”

  “I want to have a baby. They told me I can have a baby if I do what they ask.”

  “Who said that? Whoever it was they are lying to you. It’s impossible for you to have a baby. These lies came from those from the fires of below…am I right? They’re the ones who came and told you about having a baby.

  Mia could only nod.

  “I figured so. Those below are always looking to take young, pretty girls such as you. You don’t have to, you know. If you were to go above, you’d be able to have your own by adopting a child that nobody can take away from you.

  “How do you know this?” she asked.

  “My words come from the light and truth of Heaven, why would I lie to you? I’m going to tell you what will happen to you if you work for those from below. First, they will make all kinds of great promises to you. Second, they will tell you what you need to do to get what you have always wanted. Then lastly, they will threaten you that if you don’t finish what they asked they will ---"

  Interrupted he noticed that she immediately got a blank look on her face, abruptly she said, “I must go.”

  Eoin breathed a sigh of relief as Isabella returned. Holding her, she sleepily asked what had happened. He started to tell her of his conversation, but then he heard the light, rhythmic breathing of Isabella as she fell into a deep sleep and wondered if they’d ever get a moment of peace again.

  Eoin woke early the next morning with Isabella still tightly in his arms. As he started softly caressing Isabella’s body, he saw that someone had entered her.

  “I’ve been waiting for you to wake,” she said.

  “What do you want, Mia?” Eoin asked with an irritated tone in his voice.

  “You can’t talk to a lady like that!”

  “Ladies don’t pop in uninvited.”

  “Oh, now you’ve just ruined the mood,” she said as she rolled away from Eoin. “My sister is below, and she’s the one who tells me I can have a baby. I need you to come with me to meet her.”

  “No way. I belong to the light, not the dark. Who is your sister, anyway?” Eoin said trying to calm his nerves.

  “Her name is Wendy,” Mia said.

  “Wendy, huh? Are you sure it’s not Lilith? It sounds like something she’d try.”

  “You know who Lilith is?”

  Eoin flopped over on his back, his arms smacking the bed as he let out a long sigh.

  “Did Lilith send you to take me below?”

  “Yes. Lilith says you are important to her cause.”

  Eoin chortled.

  “Her cause, huh? Do you know she tried and failed, to take me below already? What makes you think you can succeed where she failed? Or did she…”

  Eoin continued after a short pause.

  “…Or did she give up?”

  Looking at her, he answered his own question. “She didn’t give up, did she? She’
s just changing her method!” Eoin broke into a maniacal laugh. “You can go now.”

  *********

  “Well?” Lilith asked impatiently. “What happened? Where is he?”

  Shuffling her feet on the ground, she said nothing as she stared down at them. Lilith circled, her eyes narrowed into slits as Mia trembled. Placing her hand on Mia’s shoulder, she turned to face Mia. Pain seared through her body as she felt her life force ebb.

  “Wait… stop…give me another chance.” Mia begged.

  “You’ve had your second chance,” she said as she squeezed harder. “Now it’s time to show you how serious I am.”

  As the pain grew stronger, Mia became weaker and found herself down on her knees as the pain was unbearable. Seeing that she could no longer speak, Lilith let go of her shoulder and got on her knees in front of Mia. Putting a hand on Mia’s stomach, she pressed until she found the entry point she was looking for and pierced her with a dagger to the hilt then filleted her like a fish. Wisps of her life force swirled up as she disappeared. Lilith was furious and momentarily blinded by her anger. Hearing footsteps behind her, she turned around, she was face to face with Mia’s sister Wendy.

  “Did you-- Wha—What happened? What did you do? WHERE IS SHE?”

  Lilith’s eyes flashed red through the narrow slits.

  “You dare speak to me like that?”

  Furious that her sister had been destroyed, also flashed her eyes red. Nobody had ever before issued such a challenge to her.

  Wendy stood there shaking with anger. Her beloved sister was gone, destroyed by the one person she now hated above everybody else. Her eyes glowed, burning with anger. Then, with a stomp of her foot, Wendy stormed out, plotting her revenge with each footstep. Wendy muttered in a loud, growly voice.

  “We’ll see who gets the final word here, you bitch! Once you’re out of the way, Shaymo will have no choice but to fear me and what I’m capable of!”

  As the door slammed, Lilith released a maniacal laugh that echoed off the walls and ceiling as it reverberated throughout the halls of hell. She knew that she had possibly just met her match and she had to watch her back carefully.