Hope's Prelude: The Angelorum Twelve Chronicles #2.5 Read online

  License Notes

  Copyright © 2015 by L.G. O’Connor

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, redistributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, digital scanning, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law. If you enjoyed this book, please encourage your friends to purchase their own copy from their favorite authorized retailer.

  For permission requests, please address Collins-Young Publishing LLC, 1 Sentry Lane, Suite #6, Chester, NJ 07930.

  ISBN: 978-0-990738-16-9 – eBook (ePub)

  ISBN: 978-0-990738-17-6 – Trade Paperback

  Library of Congress Control Number: 2015944841

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents portrayed in this novel are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  Cover Design: Derek Murphy, Creativindie

  Epigraph

  “The two most important days in your life are the day you are born and the day you find out why.”

  - Mark Twain (Pen name of Samuel Langhorne Clemens, American Author and Humorist, 1835 – 1910)

  Dedication

  To my husband Leo, for all of his support.

  To my writer whippets, Chloe and Nevada...and to all my readers who enjoy the world of the Angelorum as much as I do.

  Journey forth in peace and love.

  Table of Contents

  License Notes

  Epigraph

  Dedication

  Table of Contents

  Excerpt from the Book Of Human Angels—5 Enoch (Hidden) Translation: Essenes Aramaic papyrus text scribed second century BC

  Glossary of Terms and Proper Nouns

  Character List

  PART 1: SAMUEL’S SONG

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  PART 2: HOPE’S PRELUDE

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  PART 3: AFTERMATH

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Want more Angelorum Twelve Chronicles?

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  More Books by This Author

  Acknowledgments

  About the Author

  Excerpt from the Book Of Human Angels—5 Enoch (Hidden) Translation: Essenes Aramaic papyrus text scribed second century BC

  “As it was so spoken, and then written, much time has passed since Michael bound the Watchers, led by Semyaza, to the confines of darkness. Wrath has been meted upon the Nephilim spawn. Their bodies and souls ripped from their being, leaving them shades of darkness to wander the corridors between Hell and Earth without peace.”

  . . .

  “A new breed of Watcher has come, three hundred strong, to live among and as man to understand their strife and to empathize with their pain. Protected now by the children of Uriel, these Watchers will balance the Fallen who have been cast down from Heaven.”

  . . .

  “The forces of darkness unite to battle for their freedom, to reach the key that will deliver them from Judgment Day and remain forever free. To acquire their promised reward, the forces of both darkness and light must abide by the laws of balance under the ever vigilant eyes of justice, or be forever vanquished by their enemy.”

  . . .

  “It is with the birth of the First of Holy Twelve that the prophecy begins, it is with the battle that the prophecy ends.”

  Glossary of Terms and Proper Nouns

  (the) Angelorum (pr. n.) All members of the protectorate, consisting of the three hundred descended angels that make up the next generation of Watchers, the Nephilim Guardianship, the human Messenger families, and the human Soul Seekers.

  (the) Angelorum Sanctuary (pr. n.) The central headquarters of the three hundred Angelorum Watchers and the Nephilim Guardianship located at an undisclosed underground location in the French countryside.

  (the) Angelorum Twelve (pr. n.) The twelve souls who will lead the Angelorum into the final battle against Lucifer, the Morning Star, and his fallen minions, the Dark Ones.

  (the) Angelorum Watchers (pr. n.) A group of three hundred angels who approached God after the Great War in Heaven and requested to be sent down to earth after Lucifer and his fallen minions to provide a protectorate to oversee the balance of good and evil as the next generation of Watchers. The request was granted provided the angels incarnated as humans. However, they were allowed to remain “awakened,” which would allow them to always retain their original angelic identity, their memories of Heaven, and their past lives with each incarnation. They are physically marked by the lack of a vertical indentation above their lip (philtrum). Also known as the Sanctus Angelorum protectorate or Defensores Contra Malum.

  Calling (n.) Official request by the Angelorum for acceptance into the Angelorum. For a Soul Seeker within a Trinity, it’s the time during which the Center Stone of the trinity is revealed and the full powers of the Soul Seeker are activated.

  Center Stone (n.) Physically, the Center Stone is held in the middle of each Trinity Stone, representing the soul in which the Trinity is tied and in which the mission is centered.

  Cloaking (v.) Nephilim power. Hiding behind the veil of invisibility. To hide someone under the veil requires physical contact. Those connected under the veil can see and hear one another but cannot be seen or heard by anyone outside the veil.

  Dark Ones (pr. n.) Angels who were cast out of Heaven with Lucifer (the Morning Star) after the Great War in Heaven. Their wings were torn from their bodies so they could never return.

  Defensores Contra Malum (pr. n.) Another Latin name for the Sanctus Angelorum protectorate. Translates to the Protectors from Evil and contained in the hidden scripture, the Book of Human Angels.

  Demon (n.) Disembodied spirits of Nephilim spawned by Semyaza and the first Watchers. Used as Hunters for the Dark Ones. Show up as a black inky haze before manifesting into physical form of demonic satyr. Members of the Angelorum can feel the demon presence through the onset of a sudden migraine-like headache, and through the taste of tar on the tongue. When they die they turn to black ash.

  Divine Visitation (n.) An interlude between an angel of the Powers and a descended human angel of the Angelorum, resulting in the conception of a Nephilim child.

  Enoch (pr. n.) Appears in Genesis, the seventh of the pre-Deluge Patriarchs. Great-grandfather to Noah. Believed to have been taken from Earth to become the angel Metatron. The apocryphal Books of Enoch attributed to him. Semyaza and the angelic Watchers inhabited Earth during his lifetime, and he bore witness to their sins.

  Fallen (pr. n.) See Dark Ones.

  (the) Flow (n.) The electromagnetic field surrounding Earth used by the Angelorum for communication and healing energy.

  Guardian (n.) Nephilim warrior. May or may not be actively assigned to a current Trinity. As part of a Trinity, they ha
ve an oath to protect the members of their Trinity.

  (the) Guardianship (pr. n.) The Nephilim warriors who provide protection for the Angelorum. Guardians can be assigned to a Trinity to protect a Messenger and a Soul Seeker as they pursue their mission.

  Hunter (n.) Trackers working for the Dark Ones who hunt and destroy Soul Seekers and other Angelorum members. Can be either disembodied entities or physical human soulless.

  Irin (pr. n.) Angels assigned to watching the Watchers and recording human history on Earth. Also known as the Archivists. They are the librarians for the Flow.

  Libre Homo Angelorum (n.) Translated from Latin as the Book of Human Angels. The hidden scripture not contained in the Bible that tells the story of the Angelorum Watchers.

  Messenger (n.) A human who has the ability to communicate directly to the Angelorum Watchers. Messengers have telepathic abilities that are awakened when they are Called to become part of a Trinity. They provide communication and guidance to the Trinity. Messenger traits are inherited through the bloodline of their fathers.

  Nephilim (n.) Being that is conceived by one of the Angelorum-descended angels in partnership with an angel of the Powers through divine visitation. Child is half human and half angel. Angelic characteristics include hidden wings and the ability to fly; telepathic communication with other Nephilim and their Trinity; ability to use the angelic prayers (an example would be the ability to hide behind a veil of invisibility when needed); and ability to use the angelic language (an example would be the ability to speak with other beings or former beings of Heaven). In addition, the Nephilim are born without the ability to procreate and can live for up to five hundred years. Much improved version from the evil Nephilim of Genesis who were created by Semyaza and the disobedient angelic Watchers.

  Nephilim class (n.) Every century of Nephilim has a class number. Once a Nephilim turns one hundred years old, they enter the One Hundred Class and with each subsequent century they enter the next class. The last class is the Four Hundred Class, when they turn four hundred years old, and their lifespan ends prior to turning five hundred years old.

  Powers (pr. n.) The 9th Order of Angels in Heaven. The great warrior angels considered the last defense of Heaven.

  The Prophecy (n.) The prediction that a final battle would occur between the Angelorum and the Dark Ones, led by twelve souls who have the power to overcome evil and banish the Fallen into the prison where they belong for the rest of eternity.

  Semyaza (pr. n.) Fallen angel of apocryphal Jewish and Christian tradition. Believed to be the leader of the angelic Watchers sent to Earth to watch over man.

  Sentinel (n.) One who keeps watch and identifies members of the Angelorum and the Fallen.

  Soul Seeker (n.) A human who is bound to the soul of another. When the time is right, the Seeker will be Called to partake in an event of the bound soul (Center Stone) which has significance in the balance of good vs. evil. The Seeker is the part of the Trinity, partnered with a Messenger and a Guardian, with the farthest link to the Angelorum Watchers for the protection of both parties. Seekers can have healing and/or other abilities.

  Soul Separator (n.) The angelic sword used to cast out a demon that is in possession of a live human.

  Soulless (n.) Human who relinquishes their soul as food for the Dark Ones. The aura of a soulless human is black and cloudy, the same as a demon. When killed they turn to black sand.

  Sphinx (n.) Ice minions controlled by Emanelech. Creatures who stand guard at the entrance into the first circle of Hell. Conjured in the form of twins, Chaos and Destruction. They have the ability to block the Nephilim and Trinity telepathic communication. A force more powerful than Nephilim, yet few in number.

  Transporter (n.) Suborder of the Powers, the 9th Order of Angels. Type of angel who transports souls to their final resting ground, be it Heaven or Hell. Another name for a Reaper.

  Trinity Pool (n.) A pool of white sand containing the Trinity Stones which represent each Trinity assigned to a current or future event that could tip the balance of good vs. evil. The Trinity Pool is located in the inner sanctum of the Angelorum Sanctuary. The stones in the pool are alive and continually change as free will decisions are made by the individuals, which could impact the outcome of events. They pulse with colorful light and can speak to those who can hear them. They are the link between Heaven and Earth.

  Trinity Stone (n.) A smooth triangular stones with rounded edges and sectioned into three parts—representing each member of the Trinity—which surround a Center Stone embedded in the middle—representing the soul in which the Soul Seeker is connected and who will be part of an event that will tip the balance of good vs. evil. As free will decisions are made that lock in destinies, secrets are revealed.

  Trinity (n.) Three parties joined together by a Center Stone: a Soul Seeker, a Messenger, and a Guardian.

  Uriel (pr. n) Archangel and leader of the Powers.

  Watchers (pr. n.) Also known as Grigori. Fallen angels who broke their covenant with God by fornicating with human woman to create evil half-breed Nephilim and sharing the mysteries they were prohibited from teaching humans. Created Nephilim spawn who were destroyed in the Great Flood referenced in Genesis. The Archangel Michael has bound them for seventy generations in the valleys of Earth until Judgment Day.

  Character List

  Angelorum

  Angel Benitez. Leader of the Avenging Angel’s Bikers Club (AABC) in Los Angeles; “retired” Four Hundred–Class Guardian. Also known by Nephilim name, Benedictine.

  Angelis. Angelorum High Council Leader.

  Cara Collins [kare + a; with soft c sound]. First of Angelorum’s Holy Twelve expected to lead the final battle. Soul Seeker in the Collins Trinity.

  Constantina [con + stan + tina]. Angelorum High Council member. Cara’s mentor, and Chamuel’s mother in a prior human incarnation.

  Eae [a + e]. Constantina’s true angelic identity.

  Hope, Daughter of Eae. Constantina’s daughter who is living under the human identity, Dr. Sandra Wilson.

  Ishmael, Son of Derdekea. Nephilim Guardian and mate of Hope.

  Jonas. Leads the Powers Suborder of angels, the Transporters.

  Tom Peyton. Center Stone of the Hope and Ishmael’s Trinity.

  Kai Solomon [ka + i; same as the word kite, just cut off the t sound]. Cara’s first love in college, the Center Stone of her Trinity, and currently her personal physician.

  Melanie Solomon. Kai’s wife.

  Samuel. Nephil secretly stolen as a child by Achanelech.

  Sara Solomon. Kai’s four-year-old daughter.

  Dark Ones

  Achanelech [ack + n + el + ik]. Archdemon King of Fire. One of Lucifer’s thirteen lieutenants. Also known by human identity Le Feu.

  Chaos & Destruction. Emanelech’s twin humanoid ice minions.

  Emanelech [em + n + el + ik]. Archdemoness of Ice. Achanelech’s consort.

  PART 1: SAMUEL’S SONG

  Chapter 1

  SAMUEL

  France. 1882.

  SAMUEL SAT ON THE LOW, wooden farm table in the prison kitchen as Marie-Claire tended his wounds. The small crackling fire in the hearth did little to chase away the dampness that hung in the air inside the stone-walled fortress. He wrung his hands, wondering what he’d done this time to earn the beating he’d just endured. His father had had him dragged from his room in the dungeon to a torture chamber a level below, the one with the whipping post. It had been a good day, only twenty lashes, leaving him still able to move under his own power. His skin felt like it was aflame as blood ran down his ravaged back to soak the waist of ill-fitting undergarments.

  What had caused the beating this time? Could it be his ungainly stature, taller than most men even though he was only fourteen, or the fact that he was fair-haired? His hair color had accounted for more beatings than he could count, to the point that he had begged Marie-Claire to shear him down to his bare skull. But that had only made his father angrier and earned him another
beating.

  Marie-Claire silently applied homemade salve that smelled of rosemary. His eyes watered whenever she touched him. Excruciating pain tore through his jagged flesh, but he refused to cry and show weakness.

  Angry, unintelligible muttering escaped her lips; the only speech she could manage with the stub that remained where her tongue had once been. Even without words, her bright eyes held warmth and compassion toward him. If it hadn’t been for her, he wouldn’t have survived. Fear of losing her consumed him some nights before he fell asleep. No one lived very long in these conditions, especially those who were old, like Marie-Claire, who was nearly forty.

  She paused. A deep, wracking rumble from the center of her chest burst forth before she could stifle it with the back of a gnarled hand.

  “Marie-Claire?” His pulse quickened and he twisted around to look at her, ignoring the biting pain as his fusing skin shifted. She waved him off and turned away, her gray braid swinging softly on her back as she muffled the worst of her cough.

  After her fit quelled, she set back to work.

  By the time her knotted but nimble fingers had skimmed the last of the salve from the wooden bowl and applied it, his pain had dulled with its cooling effect.

  She set the bowl down and hobbled over to the cast-iron stove. The ladle scraped along the bottom of the black caldron, and she returned with a small bowl. Inside was thin gruel and one-half of a potato. She held it out to him.

  His stomach ached from hunger as guilt overwhelmed him; he suspected that she was offering him her share. He accepted it and fought back the lump rising in his throat.

  Her eyes crinkled as she smiled. She patted him on the side of the head and motioned him to sit, and then sank onto the bench across from him.

  To please her, he used the spoon she’d laid out for him to savor every bite. It seemed important to her that he acquire manners and be well educated. With the secret assistance of his father’s consort, Marie-Claire had a steady supply of books and teaching materials to use with him—all carefully hidden for their secret late-night lessons. After he’d been sent to the dungeon at age nine, she’d taken over for his nurse. Even without speech, her teaching skills were uncanny.