Savage Redemption: A Dark Urban Guardians Fantasy Read online

  Table of Contents

  Thank You

  Chapter 1. Kat’s World

  Chapter 2. Seven Years Later Storm Clouds Gather

  Chapter 3. Joe’s Dilemma

  Chapter 4. Homeless and Without Direction

  Chapter 5. Questions

  Chapter 6. Some Answers

  Chapter 7. The Moving Box

  Chapter 8. Joe Arrives Home

  Chapter 9. Joe is Healed

  Chapter 10. The Vigilante Guardian

  Chapter 11. Kat’s Confusion

  Chapter 12. Joe the Protector

  Chapter 13. Kat’s Letters

  Chapter 14. Joe Speaks the Truth

  Chapter 15. Joe’s Challenge.

  Chapter 16. Rules of Engagement

  Chapter 17. Plans

  Chapter 18. Training Begins

  Chapter 19. Preparing for the Challenge

  Chapter 20. Kat’s Gym Experience

  Chapter 21. A Beautiful Memory

  Chapter 22. The Challenge

  Chapter 23. Be my Eyes

  Chapter 24. A Typically Human Reaction

  Chapter 25. After the Challenge

  Chapter 26. A Wicked Sense of Adventure

  Chapter 27. Kat’s Trust Fund

  Chapter 28. The Devil You Know

  Chapter 29. Kat Meets a Cambion

  Chapter 30. Lock the Door and Leave

  Chapter 31. Death by Ecstasy Wouldn’t be Bad

  Chapter 32. Back from the Brink

  Chapter 33. One Week Later

  Chapter 34. Kat’s New Life

  From the Author

  Bonus Short Story

  SAVAGE REDEMPTION

  A Dark Urban Guardians Fantasy

  ANNI ANTONI

  Savage Redemption Copyright © 2017 by Anni Antoni. All Rights Reserved.

  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 permission in writing from the author. The only exception is by a reviewer, who may quote short excerpts in a review.

  Cover designed by Deranged Doctor Design

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

  Anni Antoni

  Visit my website at www.anniantoni.com/blog

  Table of Contents

  Thank You

  Chapter 1. Kat’s World

  Chapter 2. Seven Years Later Storm Clouds Gather

  Chapter 3. Joe’s Dilemma

  Chapter 4. Homeless and Without Direction

  Chapter 5. Questions

  Chapter 6. Some Answers

  Chapter 7. The Moving Box

  Chapter 8. Joe Arrives Home

  Chapter 9. Joe is Healed

  Chapter 10. The Vigilante Guardian

  Chapter 11. Kat’s Confusion

  Chapter 12. Joe the Protector

  Chapter 13. Kat’s Letters

  Chapter 14. Joe Speaks the Truth

  Chapter 15. Joe’s Challenge.

  Chapter 16. Rules of Engagement

  Chapter 17. Plans

  Chapter 18. Training Begins

  Chapter 19. Preparing for the Challenge

  Chapter 20. Kat’s Gym Experience

  Chapter 21. A Beautiful Memory

  Chapter 22. The Challenge

  Chapter 23. Be my Eyes

  Chapter 24. A Typically Human Reaction

  Chapter 25. After the Challenge

  Chapter 26. A Wicked Sense of Adventure

  Chapter 27. Kat’s Trust Fund

  Chapter 28. The Devil You Know

  Chapter 29. Kat Meets a Cambion

  Chapter 30. Lock the Door and Leave

  Chapter 31. Death by Ecstasy Wouldn’t be Bad

  Chapter 32. Back from the Brink

  Chapter 33. One Week Later

  Chapter 34. Kat’s New Life

  From the Author

  Bonus Short Story

  SAVAGE REDEMPTION

  The second chance he bled for comes with the last thing he ever wanted.

  After centuries of atonement for a Guardian assignment gone horribly wrong, Joe Falcon has his powers back, and a second chance. Except those powers tell him there’s something different about his charge, a feisty, black-haired beauty with an innocent smile, womanly curves, and a wicked right hook.

  Kat Spur loved her grandmother’s stories about the Guardians—when she was eight. Now, weary from years on the run, she’s convinced those stories were just fairy tales. Until someone murders Gran, and a towering stranger in black leather sacrifices his muscular body to save Kat’s life. Twice.

  Amid a hail of bullets, Joe sweeps Kat away to safety among his Guardian brothers, where three unexpected discoveries tilt their world on its axis. A secret Kat never knew she carries in her DNA. A mating bond that flares to life from embers Joe thought long dead.

  And the agonizing realization that whoever’s targeting Kat is hiding in plain sight. A traitor lurking at the heart of the Guardians themselves. Which means there is no sanctuary. Not on earth. Not in heaven. Not even in hell…

  Thank You

  To my friends and family for their support and understanding that a writer does not always appear sane, but everything usually has a happy ending anyway.

  To my extremely talented, valuable and patient Beta Readers, Bonnie, Tricia, Trina and Lisa who point out mistakes in grammar, repetitions, plot holes and ungainly sentences and who are gradually transforming my writing into a thing of beauty.

  To my Muse, Max the Cat, my fearless house panther and faithful companion. He permits me to share his living space in return for a warm lap and food. He is considerate enough for this arrangement to ignore me for hours on end, so I have plenty of time to write.

  With gratitude, Anni.

  A GIFT FOR YOU

  Get ESAU DEMON PRINCE HERE

  Chapter 1.

  Kat’s World

  My heart sank as I walked out of the classroom. Gran was waiting for me, smiling brightly as though nothing was wrong. She held my once-favorite toy, Mr. Bunnikins, a long-legged, knitted rabbit in bright green wool. At fifteen, I’d long outgrown such toys, but Gran hadn’t noticed.

  Tears threatened to fall, but I blinked them back, not wanting anyone to see me cry. I’d be sad to leave this school, but I knew what to expect by now.

  I slipped my hand into Gran’s and raised my eyebrows, silently questioning. Her façade crumpled as she answered with a barely perceptible nod and handed Mr. Bunnikins to me. Her uncombed hair tumbled over her forehead, and her eyes darted from side to side.

  “Everything we need is in the car. Come Kat, it’s time to leave,” she whispered.

  No time to say goodbye to anyone, not that I’d made any friends. No grabbing favorite artwork or books. As usual, we had to quietly disappear, without a trace.

  In the car, Gran handed me a sandwich and a milk drink in a thermos. I sighed. It would be a long drive to our new home, wherever it was. Slowly I munched my sandwich, even though I wasn’t hungry, knowing from experience we wouldn’t stop for an eternity.

  The steady rumble of the car on the long straight road lulled me into a half-asleep reverie, as I hugged Mr. Bunnikins for warmth and comfort, and my thoughts drifted back to happier times, when mom and dad were still alive. For some reason, my mind settled on a time just after my eighth birthday. Everything was perfect then.

  ◆◆◆

  “Gran, please tell
me a story.” I grabbed her hand as she tucked me into bed, reluctant to let her leave. Smiling, she sat down on my bed, slipping Mr. Bunnikins between the sheets, next to me. I loved it when Gran spent time with me, especially when mom and dad had to travel so much. Together we had great fun.

  “How old are you now, Kat? she asked, holding up the fingers of her hands as if to count, pretending to be puzzled.

  “Eight,” I giggled. “You arranged my birthday party last week. Remember?”

  “Of course, I did. How silly of me to forget.” She winked, and I knew she was only playing games. There was nothing wrong with her memory.

  “I think eight years old is the perfect time to learn the truth about the Urban Guardians,” she said, as the soft, summer, twilight sky faded into darkness outside.

  Gran got up, closed the curtains and switched on my bedside lamp while I settled back on my crisp, lacy pillows, barely able to breathe from excitement. Anticipation burned in my chest. I’d wanted to know about the Urban Guardians forever!

  “Mom and dad talk about the Urban Guardians sometimes, but they never tell me anything. They always say I won't understand or I’m too young to know, and they stop talking about them while I’m around."

  Gran smiled and gave me a quick hug. I was her only grandchild, and she spent more time with me than my parents did.

  “Not anymore. It’s time for you to learn about them now. Let's begin,” she said, settling down again on the edge of my bed.

  Taking a deep breath, I waited for the expected story to begin. Gran always told good stories, and this one would be extra exciting, I just knew it.

  Gran folded her hands in her lap and began. “Many, many years ago, before humans lived on Earth, the Creator existed with his Angels. Different Angels had different jobs to do. The Arch Angels, who were like the Creator’s police, made sure His wishes were carried out to the letter. A big, powerful, humorless bunch with little imagination, they did exactly what they were created to do.”

  I gazed up at Gran in wonder, taking everything in, and she patted my hair indulgently.

  “Only plants and animals existed on Earth at that time, and Angels cared for each species. These Angels too, did exactly what they were created to do, although sometimes disputes occurred, for example, when large, savage creatures ate too many of the smaller ones, or herds of animals roaming in search of food destroyed rare flowers or trees.

  “Did the Angels fight?” I asked, my hands fluttering around my cheeks in dismay.

  “Oh yes, they fought, all right. Fierce, bitter feuds broke out, each Angel passionate about protecting the type of plant or animal they cared for.

  “The Arch Angels couldn’t handle these disputes with any skill or imagination, so the Creator made the Demorai Angels to oversee the Earth Angels. Their specific job was to solve disputes.

  “The Creator loved to see the imaginative way they settled arguments and overcame problems. The Demorai entertained Him endlessly.”

  I smiled and let out a sigh of relief, glad to know the Angels had stopped fighting.

  Gran continued the story. “Their solution to the near extinction of the skunk, for example, was masterful. The skunk was a plump, tasty prize for wolves and coyotes, before the Demorai came up with a solution. However, when they gave the animal a terrible smell, it was seldom bothered by predators and it thrived. The Creator laughed over that solution for weeks.”

  I clapped my hands and wriggled in delight. “What happened to the Demorai Angels, Gran? I've never heard of them.”.

  “All in good time; we’re coming to that soon.” Gran smiled, looking pleased to have me so involved in the story.

  “Soon the Demorai Angels had everything running well on Earth. Using wit and imagination, they solved all the major problems, and the Angels in charge of each species hardly ever had disputes. Things settled down nicely.”

  “These nature Angels, over time, became nature spirits -- nyads, dryads and other forms of fey creatures. They exist happily in their own world today, between the Divine plane and the Earth plane and they can travel between all planes at will.”

  Gran shook her head. “Ah, but the Demorai… They were far too clever, and having little to do, they became bored, turned on each other, argued and fought. They took up extreme sports and had endless contests with each other.”

  I could see it as Gran described the action.

  “Although they seemed to thrive on chaos and excitement, the Creator, if anything, still seemed amused by them, and turned a blind eye to their activities. Meanwhile Earth was running so well, the Creator made humans, giving mankind enough intelligence to rule over all the creatures on Earth.”

  Gran shook her head again, and I held my breath, wondering what she would say next.

  “That's when things got really tricky.” She paused, and I looked up at her, unspoken questions chasing each other in my head.

  “The Demorai, excited by this new development, assumed they would have charge of mankind. They expected nothing less. But they were wrong! Instead, mankind was given free will and put on Earth without the direct supervision of any Angels. The Demorai seethed with anger.”

  Gran looked at me, her eyes twinkling with mischief. “What do you think happened next Kat?” I think she wanted to make sure I was listening, but I was following every word.

  I giggled and squirmed with delight. “The Demorai messed up. Didn't they? I bet they messed up real bad.” I waited eagerly for Gran to answer.

  “Oh yes! You guessed right!” She waved her arms about to emphasize the drama. I giggled and raised my eyebrows, waiting for her to tell me what they did.

  “The Demorai simply couldn't leave mankind alone.”

  “Tell me what happened Gran.” Impatience overcame me. Grabbing her arm, I shook it.

  “Well,” she continued, they soon discovered mankind’s intelligence, so they delighted in whispering suggestions and ideas. They thought it was great fun to influence them.

  “The Demorai had been at a loss for centuries, amusing themselves by being reckless and competitive, creating chaos and trying to outdo each other with dangerous, outrageous stunts. Now they added humans into the mix. By shape-shifting, enchanting and beguiling humans they could make them do almost anything.

  “The Creator had turned a blind eye to their extreme behavior, possibly giving them credit for past helpful services with the animal and plant kingdoms. However, when they used mankind as pawns in their games with each other, He had to take notice.”

  I frowned, unable to believe what she was saying, and my hands involuntarily clapped over my mouth as Gran paused in her story.

  Gran ruffled my hair before continuing, smiling at me. “Before long, the Demorai had involved mankind in outright wars. Humans were enslaving each other and conquering foreign territories. Earth had become a permanent battlefield where the strong and ruthless took what they wanted from the weak. Chaos reigned, and the Demorai loved it.”

  Grandma paused and dropped her voice to a whisper. I leaned forward, listening to every word.

  “The Creator was angry,” she continued. “He had wanted better for mankind. At last, He commanded the Demorai to stop manipulating humans, reminding them humans were not their playthings.” Gran took a deep breath and paused.

  I wrapped my arms around my knees, impatient for her next words.

  “Gran, what happened next?” I whispered, unable to wait for her to continue.

  “The Demorai, a headstrong bunch, refused outright to obey the Creator’s command. This caused a terrible scandal on the Divine plane. No other Angel group had ever openly defied the Creator. The Demorai acted as though control over humans was their right.”

  I sat staring at Gran, feeling cold inside. “Did the Creator get rid of them?” I whispered, horrified.

  “No child,” laughed Gran. “Although the Creator has that power, destroying a whole race of beings he created was something he wasn't willing to do. Instead He separated them fr
om humans, by ordering them from Earth to the Underworld.”

  “But Gran, this story is supposed to be about the Urban Guardians. How do they come into it?” I asked, puzzled by the way this story was unfolding.

  “I'm just getting to that Kat, patience now,” she chuckled, then scratched her head as if trying to remember where she was in the story.

  “Ah, yes. When the Demorai were ordered from Earth, they dug their heels in and refused a direct command again. They believed their place was on Earth where they could do as they pleased with mankind. They saw no good reason to give up their power over humans.

  “The Creator knew he couldn't just send his regular Angels or the Archangels to enforce his commands. The Demorai were way too clever and would outsmart them. So, he created the Guardians to deal with them.

  “Their job was to make the Demorai leave the Earth plane and go to the Underworld. The Guardians were intelligent, creative and imaginative. They were also fearless warriors. It took a long time, but eventually they succeeded. After many battles and countless negotiations, the Demorai were defeated and forced to go to the Underworld.

  “Today they are called Demons. Although they still have the power to tempt, enchant and trick humans, confined to the Underworld, they seldom have contact with them. They can't survive in the human world anymore.”

  “Did everything settle down after that? We don't have Demons on Earth now, do we?” I shook her arm again, demanding to know the truth.

  “Yes, everything settled down.” she replied, hesitating a little. “With one important difference…” She paused before continuing and my mouth fell open in wonder as she moved closer and looked into my face.

  “The Creator was so pleased with the results the Guardians had achieved he asked them what they would like as a reward. The Guardian leaders debated it among themselves for years. Once they had decided on a few options, they opened the matter up for discussion among everyone and put it to a vote. Every Guardian had their say. The final decision was unanimous.