Shattered (Guardian Series Book 1)

by Shawna K. Rockey

  “Abaddon, I can see you from here.” Josiah yells. “Don’t be a coward and confront us.”

  A loud roar comes from the highest mountain peak. “I will not do such a thing,” Abaddon screamed. “I do not answer to you. I am here to complete a mission, and nothing is going to stop me.”

  At that moment all three entities watch the earth-bound situation unfold between Jaycee and Jack. Camael tries her best to concentrate on Jaycee’s emotions to keep her calm and to give her courage. Josiah focuses on her mind, flooding it with thoughts of positivity and determination.

  “You need to believe in yourself, only then, will you conquer the enemy,” Josiah whispers in the wind.

  The moment she gives in, he’ll catch her. He will win the game.

  “Check” they hear Jack say to Jaycee.

  Tears start to fall from Camael’s eyes, feeling defeated. Though she can’t give powers to a human, it occurs to her that she can use her powers on demons with proper cause.

  Looking over to Josiah, Camael stares at him while she taps into his mind. “Shh, Josiah, it’s me Camael. Don’t speak. Please respond with your thoughts. I don’t want Abaddon to hear us. We need to fight him. I promise this fight is worth it. She is still a child, help me fight him. We can’t let them have her. Jack’s intentions are clearly malicious; if they weren’t Abaddon wouldn’t be here.”

  Josiah responds in kind. “He’s the chief of demons Camael who is best known for destruction. I’m not sure we are strong enough to fight him.”

  “I am the angel of courage, strength, and war. I will fight him alone, if I must, but I am asking for your help.” Camael exclaims telepathically.

  The smell of death and bourbon gets closer, as Abaddon slinks towards Josiah and Camael.

  Abaddon wants to be closer to them when the next event takes place. He wants to bask in the glory of their defeat. The angels may not be privy to future events, but he certainly is. He has encountered Josiah in the past, but not Camael. He’s not sure what her gifts are, but he’s determined to find out. It’s been decades since he’s been at war with an angel. He stares at the scene below. This human man is really infatuated with this human girl. Abaddon giggles to himself. He’s going around it the wrong way. He’s crazy, but that’s why I like him. I’m going to make him strike fear into her. Her aura is still deep blue. Despite the current circumstance she is extremely calm. Abaddon can read Jaycee’s mind and knows she is not expressing any harmful or revengeful thoughts. He finds this rather intriguing. Why is she not afraid of Jack?

  “I don’t know why you’re here,” Camael states. “It’s not like your presence affects the outcome of the current situation. All you do is instill twisted and hateful thoughts to your charges. You have no power over them…not like we do.”

  “All you ‘perfect’ angels seem to forget that you don’t have power either.” Abaddon sneers back. “You can alter their thoughts and feelings but that is all. You can’t make them fly, give them winning numbers to the lottery or make someone fall in love with them. All you are is a guide person to them. You’re the white angel on the right shoulder, and I am the handsome devil on the left. I do of course, want my charges to make filthy, deceitful, corrupt decisions, so I send them negative thoughts to influence them. No matter what, nothing we do changes the fact that their creator gave these humans free will. Even though you send positive thoughts and energy, your charges still make poor decisions, do they not?”

  A long, silent pause. “Well, I’m waiting for an answer,” Abaddon taunts.

  Josiah and Camael are burning with rage but remain silent.

  ”Don’t bother responding.” Abaddon continues. “Silence speaks louder than words. I know you agree with me. Your words are pointless to me anyway.”

  “Listen here, I don’t care what you have to say.” Camael argues. “You can give Jack all the negative energy you possess but I still see good in him. Good always outweighs the bad. Everyone seeks repentance, whether they stand at the altar and ask for it in the presence of others or they do it in the privacy of their own home. You are temporary. The devil is temporary. God is everlasting. Good angels or outcasted angels are both pawns in the greater good of humanity.”

  They all look down when Jaycee collapses from heat exhaustion.

  “Woohoo, we got her now,” Abaddon shouts with glee, as Camael stands about a foot behind him.

  Poised to strike, she raises both hands directly in front of her. With her mind, she makes a bright white mass appear in the cusps of her hands. She raises her arm slightly, takes aim right at Abaddon’s back then releases the energy ball directly into him.

  “Damn,” he says as he quickly turns around. “What the hell are you doing?” Abaddon took his right hand and waved it like he was shooing away a fly, sending Camael flying backwards at an alarming speed. Josiah steps forward, and stares at Abaddon; within a second, beams of bright, blue light shoot out of his eyes and burns a hole in Abaddon’s chest, like acid eating away as someone’s skin. As the beam burns a hole in the demon’s chest, Camael commands another blue fireball; the ball whips through the air and hits Abaddon on the side of his head. As Abaddon tumbles from the mountain peak, falling closer to the ground, Josiah and Camael go to the top of the mountain to watch him plummet, but realize he is gone. The stench of bourbon and death lingers faintly in the air.

  Jaxon

  10 years ago

  When my tired eyes woke this morning, I had a strange, indescribable feeling rush over me. I was overcome with the need to escape, to get out of the walls hiding me away in this foreign town. After I showered and got dressed for the day, my insides started to stir and I felt excited, compelled to do something for the day. I haven’t felt this way in as long as I can remember; perhaps, I never felt this way. All I know is I felt like I was being called by a higher power to go for a drive and my body was responding to the unknown command.

  I could feel deep within me that something was going to happen today. I never thought I’d meet the girl who would awaken the dead emotions, laying dormant inside of me. Just a simple glance in each other’s eyes and a mutual smile, as I slowly drove past her, was all it took for me to come to life.

  I stand, in awe, watching the most beautiful angel resting on the ground below. It will probably take her a few moments to wake. I guess I did put the poor girl into shock especially with all the adrenaline coursing through her veins. Damn, this girl can run. I give her that.

  I slip my shirt off and wrap it into a light ball. Gently, I lift her head and place my balled up t-shirt under her precious head. I want her to rest, peacefully and comfortably.

  My eyes roam over her body starting with her angelic face. She really is the most beautiful girl I’ve ever met. Her hair is the perfect shade of blonde, not a bright beach blonde but a natural shade. I softly run the backside of my hand down her hair; it’s as luscious and silky as I imagined. Her face is perfectly round, with big eyes. Her nose and chin line are small; cute and alluring. Her chest and hips are the right size with the best curvature. I’d say she wears a size eight. She’s absolutely perfect.

  This poor, unsuspecting girl probably thinks I’m a pedophile. I suppose she has every right to feel that way. My intentions are good, perhaps I shouldn’t have acted so impulsively. When I drove past her, all I saw was this beautiful girl and I realized, at that moment, that I needed to know who she was. I didn’t want the opportunity to slip away. I simply just wanted to meet her and learn who she was.

  Between waking with this desire, and the instant connection I felt when our eyes made contact, it was as if something took over me. I turned my truck around and started chasing her and cat-calling her. I even yelled out some of my personal thoughts. What the hell is wrong with me? I’m not that type of man. It’s like she unleashed the wolf inside of me. I had this innate need to chase her. If my superiors ever learned of this, I’d be immediately court-martialed.

  I close my eyes and breathe in her scent, as I let m
y mind wander to why I am even here.

  I’m on a brief, two week leave from the service. I’ve been stationed in Germany for the past 18 months. The service has changed me since I enlisted three years ago. I walked in a scared, weak, young boy and now I’m a strong, fearless man. After serving my first year in the service, I knew my calling was to be a sniper. I had the natural skill set and determination required to get the job done. I worked tirelessly every day, to mold my body and my mind to get through the extensive training needed.

  I’m a master at infiltration, adaption, stalking, land navigation, and most importantly, I’m an excellent marksman. There isn’t a target that I can’t reach, regardless of the distance. I am a killing machine, bought and paid for by the government. A damn good one too.

  My first kill was rough. It tormented my waking thoughts and my dreams at night. After a few days I concluded I was saving innocent lives from the mass destruction those fucking cowards were planning to unleash. From that moment on, my conscience was buried. To hell with them. I will destroy every one of those motherfuckers. It’s such a harsh word but those evil twisted men and women deserve nothing less.

  I was born and raised in Barkley Springs, South Carolina. The hustle and bustle of the city combined with the entitled, presumptuous attitude of everyone was sickening. I couldn’t wait to leave. The city is full of rich history; the plantations are beautifully landscaped, but the people, in general, are at best, unfriendly. My high school senior year project was to write a paper on socialism and report on the reactions of strangers. I chose to acknowledge strangers while I walked past them and see if they returned the same gesture. Out of thirty people on whom I tested my theory, only three people acknowledged me in return. The others walked past me and eyed me up and down, as if I was another annoyance in their way or a bug to squash.

  I’m surrounded by hatred, death and destruction every day. Why would I want to return to that on my leave? No, I needed to recharge myself. I wanted a respite place to go. But where could I go?

  My parents died in a tragic car accident a month before I enlisted. I sold their estate and banked the proceeds from the sale of my homestead. I needed a fresh break. Given what I left behind in Barkley Springs, I didn’t want to have the extra stress when I was off fighting for my country.

  Sammy, one of my service buddies, said he grew up in a small town in Pennsylvania called Ridge Landing. He raved about how cool his little town was. He explained how rich it is with Victorian architecture, how it was the home of several governors and visited by popular figures like Amelia Earhart, Thomas Edison and Henry Ford, similar in history to what I knew growing up. But what towns don’t have some historical reference to them? He explained how it has a little spring that runs through the center of town where the children and adults like to gather. The gazebo and iron suspension bridge next to a little train station and railroad are home to many wedding ceremonies, music festivities and other congregating events. He said the little town is not heavily populated, but quaint, surrounded by rural land hidden within the Allegheny mountains. I decided to check it out for myself. Little did I know that I would end up at this moment, with a sweet young angel.

  She’s starting to stir awake. I don’t want to be here when she fully wakes but I really want to know who she is and what she’s about. I can’t help but feel this strong pull to be close to her nor shake the urgency to protect her.

  I suspect she’s no more than 15 or 16 years old. She is much too young for me now, but I’m willing to wait for her to mature. In the meantime, I’ll find the chase exciting. It brings out the beast in me. I suspect she is the one who brings out my inner beast.

  In the near distance, I hear the revving of an ATV. I need to leave soon, anyway. I especially need to leave before she wakes or before we have company.

  I quickly survey the area. I have no idea where I am, but I know the general landscape. My truck rental is off to the upper right of me. I suspect that if I run up this mountain side and reach the farmlands that it will lead me back to the truck. I am always aware of my surroundings; that is one of the reasons I’m good at what I do.

  The ATV is quickly approaching, so I need to move quickly.

  I bend down and gently lift her hand and I whisper in her ear, “I will return for you ‘my taube’. And when I do, you will be the one in checkmate. You’ve awakened my beast and my beast will find you no matter where you go. In the meantime, be safe and always watch your surroundings. I don’t want another beast lurking in your shadows.”

  I kiss her soft hand and march up the mountainous terrain.

  Jaycee

  10 years ago

  “Jaycee are you ok,” I can hear Wyatt ask from a distance. “Oh my god, what happened to you? Did you fall? Are you hurt?”

  My head feels foggy. My hearing is still somewhat distorted. Ow, my head really hurts. The muscles in my legs burn. I’m just achy and limp all over.

  I slowly open my eyes. “Wyatt, what happened to me?” I mutter.

  “I don’t know,” Wyatt answered, a hint of concern in his voice. “I was out riding, and I found you laying here. Are you ok? Can I help you?”

  Suddenly, I remembered.

  “Someone was chasing me,” I proceeded to tell Wyatt about my encounter with Jack. “I went for a walk and there was a black truck. The guy in the truck drove past me, at first, and then he turned around and chased me up the one path. He was taunting me, almost like cat-calling me. I was scared that he was going to hurt me. I gathered up some rocks and took off running. I thought that I could outrun him, or at least catch a different path home. But he caught up with me and we struggled for a bit, until I started hitting him with one of the rocks that I had collected. He let go of me and I started running again. The next thing I know, I hear you saying my name.”

  “Let me get you home,” Wyatt assured me. “You need to call the police and tell them everything that happened. Take my hand. I’ll help you up.”

  I feel dizzy and unsure of myself. “No, just let me stay here for a bit,” I said. “I’m not sure I can move my body just yet. Can you help me sit up though? I don’t want to lay in the dirt any longer.”

  Wyatt gently grabs my hand and helps me to a sitting position. My head is still spinning. I touch the back of my head and begin to rub it more, looking for an injury which could be causing the pain I’m feeling. I decide to look myself over; no clothes off or out of place; Jack must not have hurt me. I feel normal aside from the minor head and body aches at the moment.

  A few minutes pass in silence, as we both absorb everything that has taken place and brought us to this moment.

  “Wyatt? Can you help me up,” I ask. “I’ll take your offer for the ride home. I’m not sure I can walk right now, even if I wanted to.” He extends both hands to me; I gratefully accept them as he helps me up.

  “Don’t forget your shirt, Jaycee,” Wyatt states.

  I turn around, look down and I’m instantly confused. That’s not my shirt?! There is no possible way that I magically landed on an abandoned piece of clothing in the middle of nowhere. This must be Jack’s shirt.

  I couldn’t see him that clearly through the brush and I definitely wasn’t paying attention to what he was wearing when he was chasing me, but I am almost certain that this is his shirt. I stoop down, pick up the shirt and hastily snuggle it under my arm.

  “It’s not my shirt,” I explain. I think it might be that guy’s shirt, which is weird, right? Why would he put his shirt under my head, after chasing and taunting me?”

  Wyatt didn’t respond. “C’mon, climb on the back,” he invited. “Have you ever been on one of these before?” He asks.

  I shook my head no.

  “Well, then hold on tight,” Wyatt continued. “Are you in the mood to go for a ride with me? I have water and small bags of chips in the side pockets. I’d like to help take your mind off of what happened today; maybe we can even enjoy the day together.”

  “I’d like that very
much,” I breathe a sigh of relief that he found me. “Take me away from this nightmare Wyatt.”

  “Hold on, babe,” he exclaims, whisking us away.

  I’m grateful for the drive. I’m more grateful for the time to process what happened to me and what didn’t happen to me. I’m not sure I will ever understand the day’s events, but I definitely don’t feel the same. Strange as it seems, but I do feel different, somehow. I feel like I’ve lost a sense of security, as if my security blanket was just ripped out from under me. I’m not sure I will ever feel safe again.

  I focus my attention on the ride. It’s exhilarating. The wind in my face, my hair blowing wildly in the wind. It almost feels like we are flying. I hold Wyatt tighter and close my eyes. I just want to feel. I don’t want to think anymore. My mind is in overdrive and I want to enjoy this unexpected day with Wyatt. I want to forget what happened to me; I decide I don’t want anyone else to know about it. If I don’t talk about it, then I can pretend it never happened.

  “Do you want to see something cool,” Wyatt’s inquiry distracts me. “There is an old run down house. The remaining walls remind me of an old castle. The path to get there is a little muddy. Do you mind?”

  “Absolutely not,” I welcome his invitation. “I think I know the place though. It’s back that way about two miles or so, right?”

  “Yup, that’s it.” Wyatt agreed. “Are you doing okay back there? I’m sorry about what happened to you but maybe it all worked out for the best. Afterall, finding you there got you here with me. I’m glad we get to spend the day together.”

  That was one of the sweetest things anyone had ever said to me. I know I’m feeling vulnerable, considering everything I’ve just been through, but I couldn’t be happier that Wyatt was the one who found me.

  “Go faster, this is awesome,” I laugh. “The sights are breathtaking. I could ride all day. Now I understand the fascination with these things,” I yell.