Unforgiven: A Soulkeepers Novel (The Soulkeepers Book 3) Read online

  Unforgiven is a work of fiction. Names, places, and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  A Flirt eBook Original

  Copyright © 2015 by Lori Adams

  Excerpt from Crushed by Lauren Layne copyright © 2015 by Lauren Layne

  All rights reserved.

  Published in the United States of America by Flirt, an imprint of Random House, a division of Penguin Random House LLC, New York.

  FLIRT and the FLIRT colophon are trademarks of Penguin Random House LLC.

  This book contains an excerpt from the book Crushed by Lauren Layne. This excerpt has been set for this edition only and may not reflect the content of the final edition.

  eBook ISBN 9780804178877

  Cover design: Caroline Teagle

  Cover image: © Artem Furman

  www.readflirt.com

  v4.0

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  Contents

  Cover

  Title Page

  Copyright

  List of Characters

  Chapter 1: Taken

  Chapter 2: Michael

  Chapter 3: Dante

  Chapter 4: Organic Human Existence

  Chapter 5: Naughty Sex Goddess

  Chapter 6: Michael

  Chapter 7: Dante

  Chapter 8: Sweet Confection in the Air

  Chapter 9: Dante

  Chapter 10: Michael

  Chapter 11: You Go, I Go

  Chapter 12: Kampfzone: Battle Zone

  Chapter 13: The Temptation of Fate

  Chapter 14: Dante

  Chapter 15: Yours to Love

  Chapter 16: Dante

  Chapter 17: The Shelter of My Love

  Chapter 18: Desperate Measures = Dumbass Plans

  Chapter 19: Base Jumping Off the Edge of Insanity

  Chapter 20: Michael

  Chapter 21: Michael

  Chapter 22: Dante

  Chapter 23: Danse Macabre

  Chapter 24: Something Evil This Way Flounces

  Chapter 25: Awakening to All Things Unseen

  Chapter 26: Prophecy of the Soulkeepers

  Dedication

  Acknowledgments

  By Lori Adams

  About the Author

  Excerpt from Crushed

  List of Characters

  Sophia St. James: Spirit walker

  Michael Patronus: Guardian angel/Halo warrior

  Dante Dannoso: Demon of Persuasion

  Vaughn Raider: Demon of Affliction

  Wolfgang: Demon of Impatience

  Raphael: Guardian angel

  Gabe: Guardian angel

  Uriel: Michael’s cousin (future guardian angel)

  Katarina: Seer for The Council of Guardians, Michael’s mother

  Dimitri: Messenger for The Council of Guardians, Michael’s father

  Pastor St. James: Sophia’s father

  Celeste St. James: Sophia’s mother

  Armaros: Grigori

  Halos of the Son: Heaven’s spiritual warriors

  Demon Knights: Dante, Vaughn Raider, Wolfgang

  Rama Kuan: Sophia’s Ascended Master

  Ka: Sophia’s unnatural twin

  Lovaria: Dante’s true love, Sophia’s past-life soul

  Miss Minnie: Sophia’s boss at the Gazette

  High Alice: Miss Minnie’s great niece, clairvoyant

  Sheriff White: High Alice’s dad

  Jarvis: Servant of the Halos, butler for Michael

  Caleb: Disavowed messenger

  Degan: Soul seeker

  Sachiel: Halo Chief Master

  Camael: Halo Squad Master

  Axel: Fellow Halo warrior

  Vern Warner: Mail carrier

  The McCarthy Twins: Norah and Gracie, the Red Hat Society

  Abigail Monroe: Head of the Red Hat Society

  Mayor Jones: Mayor

  Connie Caulfield: Owner of Cut ’N Dye Hair Salon

  Sophia’s friends: Rachel, Holden, J.D., Lizzanne, Sarah, Harper Rose,

  Jordan the Leerer, Casey James, Duffy

  Bailey: Sophia’s best friend

  Milvi: Michael’s cousin (future guardian angel)

  Aunt Sasha: Michael’s aunt

  Uncle Pavvo: Michael’s uncle

  Baron Semedi: Crossroads demon

  Maman Brigitte: Wife of Baron, demon

  The Order of Reapers: Lords Malachi, Brutus, Stivell, Kruell, Hailu, Viperon, Sultar

  Marquis Naberius and Chax: Demons destroyed at La Croix

  Marrow Man: Mute servant of The Order

  Teriza: Reaper

  Isatou: Mistress of the Dark Arts

  Diavolessa: Reaper

  Santiago: Underling in Hell

  Julian Wexler: Gatekeeper, gate five

  Colin Firth: Lost soul

  Chapter 1

  Taken

  After all this time, I have found the reason for me; I have gained what I wanted most.

  I am Sophia St. James and I am a spirit walker.

  I am more than I once was: the procession of words and descriptions, the weight of blood and bones, the image at the end of someone’s gaze. I pushed my way through the ordinary and into the space of what is extraordinary—a holy space where knowing myself needs no sound or pronunciation. My instinctual body has awakened my primal life force and given me the ability to hear lost souls begging for guidance, that sweet confection in the air. I have the means to help these souls cross over. I have the weapons to defend them against evil. And I have made a grave—unimaginable—mistake.

  Looking back, it seemed as quick as a thought, the idea and execution of making a second version of myself. Call it a double or a twin, she is a Ka conjured from an ancient Egyptian spell book who emerged as accurately as if my image had been peeled from a mirror. But in my naive innocence—my distraction in learning to destroy the evil demons around me—I left my other Self vulnerable to the most dangerous demon of all, the one who loves me.

  I am my own undoing.

  —

  It’s midnight on Christmas Eve, and peaceful snowflakes drift over Haven Hurst, Connecticut, adding delicate layers of bluish white snow that has already blanketed the town. Lights twinkle inside warm houses. Bells ring high in church steeples, their distinct gongs marking the night’s celebration. Inside the spiritual barn on the outskirts of town, a different sort of celebration has just concluded on this holy night—the annual gathering of new spiritual recruits into the Fold.

  A cheerful crowd has assembled for the mystical graduation in a green meadow that stretches farther than the eye can see. Colorful round tents, reminiscent of medieval times, stand bold among the trim grasses and lush foliage. Each tent displays its respective banner to mark allegiance to its calling: Guardian, Halo, Spirit Walker, Demon Hunter, Messenger, and Seer. Men and women in sacred armor and ceremonial garb stand among the hallowed gardens. A breeze stirs the luxuriating scent of honeysuckle vines that wind their way up ancient stone columns to a wide balcony. Off to the right, a sheer waterfall drops into a pool and adds holy water to the bubbling brook that meanders around the tree of life.

  I am standing on a stage in the center of it all with two fellow spirit walkers and three new warriors for the Halos of the Son. The ceremony has just ended and Michael Patronus, my boyfriend and Halo warrior, is clutching my hand. I hear him speaking but his deep voice sounds miles away, as though my ears have been stuffed with beeswax. This seems appropriate because my head is buzzing.

  Staring up from the sea
of guests are the concerned faces of my friends and new spiritual family: Michael’s parents, Katarina and Dimitri. His brothers Raph and Gabe. His aunt Sasha and uncle Pavvo. Cousins Uriel and Milvi. My demon hunter friends Kanati and Chang`e, and their friends. Several more Halo warriors and guests whom I don’t know are watching and waiting. Moments earlier, at the end of the ceremony, I gasped to a ripping sensation in the deepest part of me. I lurched forward, clutching my chest. Michael caught me before I could fall, and now everyone is due an explanation for my odd behavior.

  I grip Michael’s hand because I know the worst has happened. Ka has gone beyond our boundaries and taken the gentle vibration of my spirit with her. Somehow, Dante, the Demon of Persuasion, has taken Ka and my soul to Hell.

  “Sophia!” Michael whispers with quiet urgency. “Where is your soul?”

  I turn away, letting my eyes drift up to the perfection of blue sky as I search within myself for what I know I won’t find. I felt the tearing away of stitches that bind my soul to flesh. That tender space may be vacant now, but until I can make myself whole again—until the wisdom of my whole body is no longer in doubt—I have to find alternatives to the emptiness that Michael senses. I have to keep my loss a secret.

  As I feng shui my thoughts, a clear path slowly becomes visible to my mind’s eye. I know what I have to do. It is the only plausible solution, so without hesitation I draw upon my rainbow aura, gathering all the spiritual energy stored inside me. It’s a powerful, conscious force that moves my vibrating circuitry while a warm light navigates through my veins. My indigo dreadlocks throb. My scalp tingles. My crystal dagger and pistol crossbows shake in their holsters. The mixture of energy pulsates in my right hand as my Chelsea Light illuminates with the full force of my power. I close it into a fist and squeeze my eyes shut. Reining in the power, I guide the colorful light inside me to fill the void where my soul once lived. A poor substitute for the real thing, I know, but the dappled aura might be enough to camouflage my loss. It might buy me time to fix my mistake.

  When I open my eyes, I’m aware that Michael’s heart continues to beat inside my chest, too. The second heartbeat is strong and constant, telling me that our supernatural connection hasn’t been broken. I’m flooded with relief. Besides being a comfort to me, it will help my cause. If Michael can feel it, too, maybe he won’t worry so much.

  Drawing in a deep breath, I turn and find his beautiful angelic face distraught, his pale blue eyes frantic. I force a smile but it does nothing to smooth the crease in his brow.

  “I’m fine, Michael. Really.”

  “Babe, please don’t try to—”

  Rama Kuan, my Ascended Master, steps up and lays a hand on my shoulder. His presence cuts off Michael’s tender plea. “Hey, wahine, you okay?”

  I nod and continue the charade. “It’s just been a little overwhelming. Fighting off lesser demons and then using all my strength to decapitate Wolfgang. The Demon of Impatience has grown stronger since he turned into a full-fledged monster. And then with my Chelsea Light rising to the surface…” I grimace in defeat of my own excuses.

  Michael is not buying it. I show him my right palm, still glowing with a faint bluish purple light that matches my dreads. I tell him I’m having trouble controlling my energy, which accounts for nearly fainting earlier. It hurts to lie to Michael. It hurts to know that he might think I’m weak. But the pain and the lies are necessary.

  “I wasn’t expecting so much power. Is that normal?”

  I feign innocence but I’m very aware that having weapons that pulsate with a powerful blue light is not normal for a spirit walker. I’ll be sure to explore that freakishness right after I take care of more important issues. Like finding Ka and my missing soul.

  Michael considers me with a long, penetrating look. As a former guardian angel—just recently elevated to spiritual warrior—he has retained the ability to sense the condition of souls. He can read my emotions. Lucky for me, my aura and soul have been a mystery to him since the day we met.

  “There is nothing about you that’s proven normal, Sophia,” Michael says in a quiet tone. He is masking his feelings but I can’t be sure if it’s to avoid detection from the crowd, or from me.

  “Best take a load off,” Rama says, gesturing to a nearby chair. He gives me a look that says he understands what really happened. He should. It was Rama who performed the ritual that made me a double. He knew the rules as much as Ka and I did; she wasn’t supposed to travel too far away and risk taking my vital elements with her. I never imagined that would include my soul.

  While Michael guides me to a chair on the stage, Rama addresses the curious crowd and explains why I cried out moments ago, why I nearly fainted at the end of the ceremony.

  “My wahine went overboard today. Nothing to worry about. As most of you know, she single-handedly destroyed a Demon Knight from the fifth kingdom. Took a lot out of her. She needs time to rebalance her energy, is all.” He smiles and nods, urging everyone to carry on with their celebration. The annual graduation for Halos of the Son and spirit walkers is usually a festive, if not reverent, affair. He wants everyone to enjoy themselves. Raph and Milvi are shouldering their way through the mass, eager to reach me.

  “Please tell them I’m fine,” I say to Michael, who’s gone down on one knee beside my chair. He is dressed in his ceremonial clothes of black and gold body armor, sword, and black cape down his back. He looks every bit a Roman soldier, like the other Halos.

  “Sophia—” Michael tries again, but this time I cut him off. I can’t let him voice his doubts.

  “Michael, please! Tell your family I just need to catch my breath. I’m good. Everything is good.”

  His eyes narrow and his jaw muscle twitches. Making him angry makes me feel worse. Moments before I felt my soul ripped away, Michael had tugged three times on my heart. His supernatural way of telling me he loves me. I haven’t had the chance to say it back. Ours is not a relationship to share with others. No one can know that Michael and I are in love. I’ll have to wait until we’re alone.

  In the meantime, Michael reluctantly agrees to my request. He jumps from the stage and stops Raph and Milvi before they can reach me. As he explains things to his brother and cousin, Rama pulls up a chair beside me and takes my hand. I’m filled with panic all over again.

  “What’s happened?” I whisper. “What went wrong?”

  He shakes his head. “Don’t know. Gotta ride this into the shallows and then we’ll see.”

  “I have to talk to Bailey. Last I knew, she was at the dance in the courthouse, keeping an eye on Ka.”

  Rama plays it cool, smiling and waving to guests who throw curious glances our way. Beneath his calm facade, he’s trembling. I can’t imagine what kind of trouble he’s in—an Ascended Master losing his own spirit walker’s soul to a Demon Knight.

  My guilt has multiplied exponentially.

  I’m so worked up I can hardly sit still. “Well, I’m not waiting around here any longer.” I stand slowly to gauge my equilibrium. As a spirit walker, I am constantly absorbing the earth’s energy. Losing my soul has not changed that. My head is clear, and while my legs shake it’s not so much that they can’t do their job. Michael returns to the stage, pensive and uneasy. He eyes me for a moment before speaking.

  “I’ve explained to my family but…well, my parents have arranged a private celebration at the house. They were hoping you would come, but if you’re too—”

  “Of course she’ll come!” Rama says overdramatically before I have a chance to bow out. His own energy is as taut as a tightrope. He’s desperate to placate Michael and give a sense of normalcy. For his sake, I have no choice but to do as I’m told.

  “Well, I guess I should change first.” I’m still wearing my ceremonial clothes: blue shorts, brown leather vest, leather cuff bracelets, ankle boots, and weapons. Hardly after-party attire. I tell them I’ll meet them at the door in a few minutes then I smile tentatively at Rama, hoping he’ll understand th
at I need time alone to sort everything out. Looks like the private dressing chamber is my only option at the moment.

  I descend the steps and enter the labyrinth of colorful tents. The meadow is thick with guests so I weave through, keeping my head down to avoid being stopped by well-wishers that I’d rather not lie to. My second heartbeat rages inside me; Michael ignored my request and is hard on my heels. I know he’ll bombard me with questions the moment we’re alone. This, I want to avoid.

  I catch a glimpse of Michael’s cousin Milvi waiting for me outside the dressing chamber at the edge of the meadow. She’s one step ahead of me and I realize privacy is not to be mine after all.

  I stop short, turn around, and raise my hand. Michael halts. “Please, don’t follow me. Don’t make a scene.”

  He steps closer and whispers, “I’m not the one making a scene, Sophia. Are you going to tell me what happened on that stage? Are you going to tell me the truth?”

  The truth? I would love to tell Michael the truth. But I’m terrified of what he’ll think of me. I’ve only just now gotten him back. How can I explain that I’ve been involved with Dante, that I allowed him—begged him—to take me to a private demon nightclub to find a spell book so I could create Ka. How do I explain Dante’s late-night visits? How do I explain my trust in the demon whose only ambition has been to Take my soul? How do I tell Michael that Dante has Taken my soul?

  I can’t. At least not now. Not when I’m not sure how it happened. I haven’t even explored ways to get my soul back. There is so much I need to understand first, and risking Michael’s love all over again is not an option.

  I reroute his attention to something more intimate. Besides, this is truth of a different kind.

  I close the distance between us and whisper, “Michael…I was completely shocked to feel three tugs on my heart. I was afraid you…didn’t love me anymore. I was afraid we were—”

  “Of course I still love you,” Michael murmurs. His anger vanishes on the heels of my confession, and he starts to raise his hands to hold me but remembers himself and lets them drop. He works to overcome his emotions. Struggles to harden his resistance. But his eyes can’t hide his desire. “I’ve missed you so much. I’d give anything to touch you right now.”