by R M Gauthier
The Realm of Lost Souls
The angels & magic series book one
R.M. Gauthier
Copyright © 2019 by Starlight Publishing
All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
ISBN: 978-0-9949489-7-7
For my Family
Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Next in Series
Dear Readers,
About the Author
1
“Am I dead?” Aaron whispers into the quiet air around him.
He’s on the ground, flat on his back, gazing up at the white fluffy clouds surrounding him. His short brown hair frames his cute pale face, as his big brown eyes glance around wildly. He’s dressed in his usual pair of blue jeans, white tee shirt and a black overcoat, which falls open at the sides. And, covering his feet are the white sneakers he wears every day.
“Not yet,” a soft voice, more like a whisper, responds.
Aaron’s lids close as darkness envelopes him once more.
Nevaeh shimmers into existence taking up the space beside Aaron, her gaze focused on him. Her beautiful blonde hair flows past her shoulders coming to rest just above her waist. Her crystal blue eyes shift from the top of Aaron’s head to his sneakers. She’s all aglow in white pants, a white shirt all trimmed with gold and knee-high white boots covered in gold specks. She’s appears every bit the angel that people have talked about since the beginning of time.
Her gaze halts on Aaron’s fingertips where sparks jet out like beams of light. The sparks are a vibrant bluish-green, in a weakened state as the last of his energy flows through his body.
“It won’t be long now,” Nevaeh concedes, her voice more like a church choir than a human tone. She kneels besides him placing the palm of her right hand an inch above his body running from the top his head to his waist and back again.
Huge white wings sprout out from Nevaeh’s back spanning over six feet wide and surrounding her in a golden glow. They shutter as Nevaeh moves her hand along his body. She closes her eyes as her hand travels closer to Aaron’s head. Tears leak through her lashes, which sparkle like diamonds as they roll down her cheeks releasing when they reach her chin and splash onto Aaron’s chest.
“What are you doing here?” a male voice, deep in baritone, the kind that sends chills down your spine, interrupts the sacred moment.
A man shimmers into the space on the opposite side of Aaron’s body.
“Oh. My. G—”
“Don’t say it, Nevaeh,” the man smirks at her.
Nevaeh snatches her hand back, springing to a standing position, squaring her shoulders as she glowers at him. “What are you doing here, Fallen?”
He shrugs a shoulder. “A pick-up.”
“No, you’re not.” She points her forefinger at Aaron. “This one’s mine.”
“Don’t think so,” Fallen counters. “I have specific orders for a retrieval. Can’t let the boss down, now can I.” He winks at her.
“You act like you’ve never let anyone down before.” Nevaeh’s eyebrows pinch together as her glare deepens.
“Ancient history. You should really live in the now,” he smirks.
“Whatever you say, Fallen. You’re still not getting this one.” She points her forefinger toward Aaron’s body again. “He’s mine.”
“Think again,” Fallen declares, as he snaps his fingers producing a tablet out of thin air. He snaps a pen like object from the top of the tablet, circles something, then holds it out at arm’s length in front of Nevaeh.
He points with the pen at the circle. “See. It’s written right there.”
Nevaeh leans closer to inspect the tablet.
“Well, there must be some sort of mistake.” Nevaeh stretches her hand out delivering a tablet of her own. Using her index finger, she circles something on the tablet and holds it out to Fallen.
“There you go. Straight from the top, he’s mine.”
Fallen glances at her tablet.
“Headquarters? We have a problem,” Nevaeh announces.
“Go ahead commander,” a male voice responds—for Nevaeh’s ears only.
“Fallen Star is here staking claim,” Nevaeh replies.
“Hold please.”
Fallen shutters his shoulders unfolding huge black wings with red tips that sprout from his back. He flaps them twice, expanding them to over ten feet wide and emanating a red glow that engulfs him. They are enormous, when compared to Nevaeh’s, meant to intimidate and showcase his power.
“Don’t even think about it,” Nevaeh warns him.
“What?” Fallen smirks at her again.
“You know what. You’re not getting him. He’s mine and your sneaky tactics won’t work.”
Fallen feigns offense at the accusation, holding his hand to his chest over his heart and pouts at Nevaeh.
“Don’t pretend you’re hurt. You’re a scoundrel and you know it,” Nevaeh says, as she kneels in front of the body once again.
Fallen steps forward. “Do not touch him,” he snaps.
Nevaeh springs up to a standing position, ruffles her wings and squares her shoulders. “You have no power here,” she declares, as she places her hands on her hips.
“Neither do you,” he counters.
A staring contest ensues as both parties refuse to concede.
Aaron’s eyes snap open and peeks up at the opposing figures hovering over him.
“Shit. I’m dead,” he struggles to a sitting position, his legs stretched out in front of him. “Aren’t I?” he inquires, his gaze traveling between the two.
Both heads snap to Aaron ogling at him as if he’s some sort of a miracle in front of their eyes.
“He’s awake,” Fallen shrieks.
“Don’t you think I can see that,” Nevaeh snaps at Fallen. “Dispatch, we have another problem.”
Fallen glances at Nevaeh. “How is he awake and speaking?” He waves his hand in Aaron’s direction.
“I don’t know,” Nevaeh growls at him.
“Just tell me.” Aaron asks, his pleads directed at Nevaeh. “I’m dead, right?” His innocent gaze travels between the two, anxiously awaiting a response.
Nevaeh glances at Aaron with pity filled eyes, then her eyes snap to Fallen asking for help.
“Oh, now you want my help?” he exclaims, as he takes a step back from Aaron. “What happened to he’s mine?”
“Shut up. What do we do?”
“How the hell should I know? Nothing like this has ever happened before.” He gawks at Aaron as if he’s an animal in a zoo.
“What’s the problem, Commander?” the mysterious voice fills Nevaeh’s ear again.
“Sir, the subject is awake and alert.”
Fallen’s glare snaps to Nevaeh making her uncomfortable under his scrutiny.
“Who’s awake and alert, Commander?” the mystery voice asks.
“My assignment, Sir. He’s sitting up and talking.”
“What are they saying?” Fallen inquires.
He swiftly moves closing the distance between them, before she can even blink, he comes to a halt at her side—in her personal space.
“Who is that Commander? The subject?” the voice in her ear probes.
“No. It’s Fallen Star, Sir,” Nevaeh explains. “What is the protocol?”
“I’m not sure. Hold please.” All goes silent once more.
“Well,” Fallen steps in front of Nevaeh coming face-to-face with her. “What did they say?”
“What is your camp saying?” Nevaeh counters, clearly unwilling to share information.
“We don’t work that way and you know it,” he growls.
“Excuse me, but could someone tell me what is going on?” Aaron requests, as he stumbles to a standing position.
The two turn to face him, staring at him perplexed.
“Someone answer me, please,” Aaron pleads.
The angel’s glance at each other, then burst out laughing.
2
The two continue laughing as Aaron stares at them, anger over taking him. He scans the area making a hasty decision to get out of there. He takes a few tentative steps before pausing, unsure which direction to go since the only thing around him are white, fluffy clouds. He’s not even sure he’s standing on stable ground, but that doesn’t deter him from continuing forward into oblivion.
Fallen and Nevaeh’s laughter dies down when they notice Aaron’s retreating form.
“Where does he think he’s going?” Fallen asks.
“I don’t know. But there’s nowhere to go.” Her gaze shifts to Fallen. “Right?”
Fallen watches the boy for a moment, then returns his gaze to Nevaeh.
“Right. I mean, there’s nothing out there—” He waves his hand in Aaron’s direction.
The two focus on Aaron as he wanders further away.
“Commander. Bring the subject back with you,” the male voice in Nevaeh’s ear commands.
“Yes, Sir. Retrieval. Right away, Sir,” Nevaeh announces.
Fallen snaps around to face Nevaeh.
“That’s not happening. He belongs to us,” he declares.
“Not anymore. My orders are to bring him back.” Nevaeh takes a step in the direction Aaron wandered off.
“Um—” she stops abruptly. “Where’d he go?”
Fallen snaps his head in the direction he last saw Aaron.
“Shit,” he mumbles, and walks briskly in the same direction.
“Commander. What is happening?”
“He’s gone, Sir,” Nevaeh responds, as she steps into stride alongside Fallen.
“What do you mean he’s gone?” The male voice sounds alarmed for the first time since their conversation began.
“Gone, Sir. As in we can’t see him anymore,” Nevaeh explains.
“Find him, Commander. Immediately,” the male voice barks the order.
“Right away, Sir.”
Nevaeh and Fallen rush forward travelling through the fluffy white clouds that go as far as the eye can see. The angel’s pick-up their pace with determined strides.
“We can’t let him get away,” Nevaeh frets.
“I’m telling you there’s nowhere to go,” Fallen bites.
“Don’t get snippy with me, Fallen.”
“This was supposed to be an easy pick-up. This is not how I saw my day going. So, I’m sorry if I’m a tad put out.”
Nevaeh glances sideways at him.
“Things that bad down there?” she inquires.
“I’m so not discussing that with you.”
The two continue walking as the air around them grows thick and foggy. It’s getting difficult to see the further they travel, but they press onward. Suddenly, Nevaeh feels the air shifting, pulling her forward. She reaches out to her side and grabs Fallen’s arm as the air begins to spiral around them creating a horrendously loud noise.
“What’s happening?” Nevaeh shouts over the sound.
She reaches over with her other arm and hangs onto Fallen with all her might, while the air continues to suck her forward. Her feet off the ground moving freely through the air.
“I don’t know,” Fallen says, as he grabs Nevaeh and attempt to pull her to his side.
The air around them makes a final push and the two are flung like rag dolls, then sucked into the abyss. They struggle to stay connected as they move through a hole that appears in front of them. It looks like swirling water and they fight to move away from it, but it’s more powerful driving them straight into it.
3
The two land with a thud, quickly jumping to their feet and assessing their surroundings. Aaron is off to the side standing on the edge of a cliff staring out into the vast land. The angel’s approach, coming to a halt, one on either side of him. They all stare into the valley, which is surrounded by mountains for a moment observing everything.
“Where are we?” Nevaeh asks, her voice echoes for miles. She covers her mouth with her hand, while confusion clouds her features.
“Shh.” Aaron waves his hand at her.
“Well, this is new,” Fallen barely whispers, as he scans the entire area.
“Do you think we’re back on earth?” Aaron asks, glancing at Fallen.
Fallen laughs.
Nevaeh gives him a disappointed glare.
“You don’t leave earth, until one of us takes you, Aaron.” Nevaeh explains, then scans the area too. “However, this doesn’t seem like earth to me,” she adds, taking note of the greyish tinge that covers everything.
“Headquarters?” Nevaeh calls out, her voice echoing louder than it should.
“It looks like earth to me,” Fallen says, then turns to glance at Nevaeh. “Just a dull version.”
“It’s weird, isn’t it,” Nevaeh comments. “Headquarters. Come in, Headquarters.”
Both Angels scan the area, while Nevaeh tries again.
“Headquarters.” Nevaeh peers directly at Fallen. “They’re not answering.”
“Damn,” he mutters, as he turns around and walks in the direction they came.
Nevaeh follows, watching as he reaches his hand forward in several different spots.
“What are you doing?” Nevaeh asks.
“Testing the space. If we came through here, maybe we can go back too,” he replies, while his arm jerks forward in several different spots.
Abruptly, he walks the last few steps into the space where they arrived. He turns to glance at Nevaeh, then spins around and walks five more steps. Nothing happens. Nevaeh walks forward tentatively, taking small steps until she is standing next to Fallen. Again, nothing happens. They stare at each other for a moment.
“Can you contact—you know?” Nevaeh asks.
“No,” his sharp answer has Nevaeh recoiling back.
“Can you shimmer out?” she asks.
“No,” he growls at her.
“There’s no need to get snappy.”
“You can’t be serious. Look around you.” He waves his arm dramatically. “I’m here, with you. My archenemy. We have no idea where we are, or even how we got here. And, we’re stuck, with no way to get home. I’m a little more than snappy.”
Fallen walks back to the cliff’s edge scanning the space for the third time.
“Don’t take that tone with me—”
“Quiet,” Aaron says.
They both glare at him for interrupting their fight. He shifts uncomfortably for a moment “Listen,” he whispers. “Do you hear that?”
The two Angels listen intently.
“Sounds like—” Nevaeh stops herself from voicing her next words and listens more intently.
“People,” Fallen finishes her sentence.
Nevaeh gives Fallen a disapproving glare. “I was going to say a battle.”
“Fine, a battle with people.”
Fallen begins walking along the side of the cliff.
Nevaeh stares at him confused for a moment. “Where are you going?” she asks.
“To find a way down,” he answers without even glancing back.
Aaron gives Nevaeh a confused glance. “Can’t he just fly? I mean he has wings, right?”
“Yes,” Nevaeh replies, then steps around Aaron and begins following Fallen.
Aaron stands stunned for a moment before he rushes forward to catch up to th
em.
“So, why aren’t you flying down?” Aaron asks.
“Because we don’t want to draw attention to ourselves till we know what we’re dealing with,” Fallen snaps, as he continues walking until he spots a path that will bring him down the cliff.
4
When they reach the bottom, Aaron sits down on the ground exhausted from the hike. He tries to catch his breath and rest for a moment.
Nevaeh gives him an empathetic glance.
Fallen, on the other hand, has no sympathy.
“Get up. We have to keep moving,” he barks.
“I need a minute,” Aaron retorts.
“Give him a minute. He’s not like us,” she says forgetting once again to whisper and her voice travels through the air, echoing in the distance.
“Why don’t you just announce we’re here,” Fallen snaps again. “I should just leave you both.”
“Then do it,” Nevaeh dares him.
“You wouldn’t last an hour,” he mutters, as he turns and stalks further down the path.
“We better go, Aaron. Sorry,” she whispers.
“What’s his problem?” Aaron peers up at Nevaeh.
“Too much to get into now. Come on.” She reaches her hand out to him.
He grasps it and pulls himself to a standing position, brushing off the back of his jeans before falling into stride in the direction Fallen ventured. Aaron and Nevaeh hurry to catch up before Fallen has a chance to disappear. The three carry on following the path set out in front of them. It is bordered by dense forest with tall trees and heavy greenery overshadowed by a grey tinge. It stretches out along both sides of them. The dirt path appears to continue for miles.
“Can we take a break?” Aaron begs.
“Stop if you want to, but I’m continuing,” Fallen snaps.
“Fallen,” Nevaeh gives a warning growl, which has Fallen spinning around to face her.
