Angels of the Knights - Fallon (Book One) Read online



  Angels of The Knights

  ~Fallon~

  Valerie Zambito

  Copyright 2012 Valerie Zambito

  All rights reserved.

  Cover Art by Elena Dudina

  www.elenadudina.com

  Other Titles by Valerie Zambito

  Island Shifters - An Oath of the Blood (Book 1)

  Island Shifters - An Oath of the Mage (Book 2)

  Island Shifters - An Oath of the Children (Book 3)

  Island Shifters – An Oath of the Kings (Book 4)

  Angels of the Knights - Fallon (Book 1)

  Angels of the Knights - Blane (Book 2)

  Angels of the Knights – Nikki (Book 3)

  Angels of the Knights Series Reviews

  "The story was insane.  Once Fallon leaves Emperica to head back to earth as a Knight, you better strap yourself in for the ride”. 

  “I couldn't put it down!!!!!!!!!!!!”

  “I ate this book up! I thoroughly enjoyed the author's style of writing and the new premise this book had.”

  Table of Contents

  Prologue - Fallon - 1978

  Chapter 1 - The Girl

  Chapter 2 - The Emissier & The Cop

  Chapter 3 - A Friendly Visit

  Chapter 4 - First Kiss

  Chapter 5 - Painful Memories

  Chapter 6 - The Guardian

  Chapter 7 - An Encounter with Evil

  Chapter 8 - Caught in the Act

  Chapter 9 - The Truth

  Chapter 10 - A Sinful Confession

  Chapter 11 - The Lake

  Chapter 12 - All in a Knight’s Work

  Chapter 13 - Conditions

  Chapter 14 - Soulless

  Chapter 15 - The Trap

  Chapter 16 - The Reluctant Hero

  Chapter 17 - The Traitor

  Chapter 18 - The Pawn

  Chapter 19 - The Devil

  Chapter 20 - Friendship Lost

  Chapter 21 - Sacrifice

  Chapter 22 - Alone Again

  Chapter 23 - The Notes

  Epilogue - Blane

  Afterword

  About the Author

  Prologue

  Fallon –1978

  “Who is she?” the doctor asked as he ran alongside the gurney.

  “Fallon Anders. Sixteen years old. Gunshot to the chest. Home invasion.”

  “Her parents?”

  “Dead. Along with a younger brother. She is the sole survivor.”

  My parents are dead? Gregory is dead?

  The doctor snorted. “Not a survivor yet, nurse. Going in to scrub. Meet you inside.”

  Fallon’s mind clawed desperately to put the bits and pieces of her shattered life back together. Wait. I remember two men wearing masks entering our home. They surprised us as we were watching television, and…nothing else after that.

  The gurney pushed through two swinging doors with a loud bang, and Fallon had to squint in the glare of bright overhead lights. An operating room, she realized.

  People in masks shouted frantic orders, and she could feel their rushed movement around the room. Despite the harsh light above her, darkness at the edges of her vision slowly crept forward. Her body grew heavy, and it was difficult to move.

  “Grab the bottom! One, two, three!”

  Hands reached out and roughly yanked at the sheet beneath her, lifting her onto a cold, metal table. Surprisingly, she didn’t feel any pain, just that unfamiliar heaviness in her chest that made her feel as though she were sinking into quicksand.

  Beep. Beep. Beep.

  “We’re losing her! Where’s the doctor?”

  Are they talking about me? Why can’t I remember everything that happened?

  “He’s still in scrub!”

  Beep. Beep.

  “Damn it! Tell him to hurry!”

  The quicksand continued to pull at her greedily with insistent, hungry fingers, and the bright white lights of the operating room began to dim further. What little energy she had left slowly leached away from her body.

  “Paddles!”

  With abrupt finality, the operating lights disappeared.

  “It’s not working! Doctor!”

  Beep.

  Unable to see in the sudden blackness, terror welled inside Fallon’s throat. Warily, she lifted her head off the table and flinched in surprise when a tiny pinpoint of light winked into existence above. Not the artificial light of the operating room, but different. Pure. Radiant. There was something mystical and benevolent about that light, and Fallon felt compelled to move toward it.

  “I’m here!” the doctor yelled. “Did you use the paddles?”

  “She’s gone.”

  The light beckoned to Fallon, and she smiled as her body lifted off the operating table. There was joy in that light, and she was anxious to see where it would lead. She willingly left the worry, and the heaviness, and the screaming attendants behind and glided toward the light.

  A small yelp tore from her throat as she was yanked forward, caught in a powerful otherworldly current that she couldn’t see. She picked up speed and the air sliced over her body, but for some reason, she no longer felt afraid.

  Glancing to the left and right, an outline of a tunnel took shape and she noticed she was not alone. Several people floated alongside her, and their faces held a variety of emotion. Some looked frightened, others peaceful, and a few shouted out with laughter with their fists in the air as if they were on a high-speed rollercoaster ride. But, most, like her, were simply curious.

  As she drew closer to the white light, it dissolved into individual beacons of illumination and finally into white-robed figures, all waiting at the end of the tunnel and calling out names.

  One waved her way. “Fallon Anders! Over here! Fallon! Come this way!”

  Hesitantly, she glided out of the tunnel into white…nothingness. There were no colors or walls or a sky. No horizon to tell her up from down. Just white.

  Fallon went to the man who called to her. He appeared to be middle aged with gray hair and a slightly lined, but unremarkable, face. Except for the smile, she corrected herself. It held such warmth and delight that Fallon couldn’t help but smile back at him.

  “Greetings, Fallon. My name is Josiah and I am an Aegian. I will be your guide to Emperica.”

  “Emperica?”

  “Yes, my dear, that is the proper name although most humans call it heaven. Some refer to it as the Pearly Gates. A few, the Golden Arches.” He paused and tilted his head. “No, no, that’s not it. Mortals of your day use that name for something else, don’t they?”

  She nodded. “McDonald’s.”

  “McDonald’s? What is that?”

  “It’s a fast food restaurant,” she admitted with an embarrassed shrug.

  “A fast what?” Before she could answer, he waved a dismissive hand in the air. “Nevertheless. The proper name is in fact Emperica.”

  “So, I’m dead?”

  “I am afraid so.”

  “My parents and brother?”

  “Oh, they came through already and are off with their guides. You may run into them again at some point, but right now I must get you to the gates.” He started to move away. “Hurry, now, there are quite a few people arriving, and we have been instructed to keep the flow moving. It—” He stopped and looked back over his shoulder when he realized she wasn’t following.

  “Is something wrong, Fallon?”

  “I…this is a lot to take in. I mean, I really can’t believe I’m actually dead. I want to see my family and make sure they’re all right.”

  Jos
iah gave her a sympathetic smile and glided back to her. “I am sorry, Fallon, please forgive me. Your family is fine. All will be made clear once you arrive in Emperica. I promise.”

  Feeling like she had no other choice, she nodded.

  Josiah led the way forward into the white. With that kind smile of his back in place, he reached back for her hand and as soon as they made contact, her feet left the ground and they floated upward through the air.

  “We only have a few moments, but I will explain a few things to you in the time that we do have. In case you have not figured it out yet, you are an angel.”

  She nodded again. “I sort of figured that, but didn’t want to assume.”

  “Now, in Emperica, there are four castes of angels. The largest group is the Patrit Caste, we call them the Paties, and they are the main society of angels. They see to the administrative affairs of the realm. The second largest caste is the Sentinel Caste comprised of our guardian angels. Then, the Knight Caste, the warrior angels. Lastly, there is the Aegian Caste, of which yours truly is a member. We are the guides. We are tasked with leading all new angels to the gates.”

  “Guardian angels?” she mused aloud, thinking of all the times she heard people talk about having a guardian angel looking over their shoulder. “Do these angels ever go back down to earth?”

  Josiah nodded. “The guardians spend quite a bit of time on earth, but they also have responsibilities here in Emperica. The Paties and the Aegians never leave Emperica unless a special escort is required which is quite rare. The Knights, on the other hand, return to earth and stay there.” He shook his head with a violent shudder. “Poor things. Their wings must be clipped because they cannot be in wraith form to kill the Kjin. Instead, they retain their human bodies and become earth angels.”

  If possible, the white nothingness around them grew brighter.

  “Enough for now.” He pointed ahead. “Look, Fallon, we’re almost there!”

  “Wait! What is a Kjin?”

  Josiah’s smile resolved into a bitter grimace. “Pure evil. Or, in other words, a demon. After the Holy War, demons were unleashed into the world and to this day, they continue to walk the earth causing death and destruction. The Knights seek them out and destroy them.”

  A million questions formed in her mind, but she bit them back as they were now slowing.

  “I tell you about the four different castes now because you will need to choose one very soon. Are you a guide, a guardian, a warrior or a worker bee, Fallon Anders? Only you can decide.”

  Their ascent came to an abrupt end and she felt the ground beneath her solidify. The misty layers of white slowly peeled away.

  “Welcome home, Fallon.”

  ****

  Tears pooled in Fallon’s eyes as she gazed upon the enormous gilded gates of Emperica for the first time. It was more than the beauty of the structure that moved her—it was the depth of emotion that swelled inside her heart. Josiah was right. Through some innate understanding, she knew that this place of unequivocal love and peace and tranquility was home.

  “I will leave you now, Fallon. The Paties are waiting for you on the other side.”

  Impulsively, she reached out and hugged the Aegian. “Goodbye, Josiah.”

  He smiled at her. “We will meet again, Fallon. I am sure of it.”

  Josiah left her then, and Fallon stood among the other new angels as the hallowed gates to Emperica slowly began to open. A ray of light brighter than anything she ever could have imagined flowed through the widening gap, and Fallon lifted her face, allowing the radiance to wash over her. She could have stood there forever bathing in that light, but as soon as the gates were fully open, an army of angels walked out to greet them with open arms.

  An angel dressed in a flowing gown of white and a pair of lovely wings fanned out behind her, floated over to Fallon. She decided then that as long as she existed, she would never be as spectacular or as elegant as the being in front of her.

  “Peace, Fallon. My name is Leah, and I am a Patie. I will take you through the process of your choice of caste.” She held out an arm, trailing tiny tendrils of mist behind. “Follow me.”

  In speechless awe, Fallon drifted through the gates behind Leah.

  “First, you will get your wings and then you must decide which caste you wish to join.” She turned her ethereal face to Fallon. “Have you decided yet?”

  Fallon shook her head. “No…not yet. I’m still trying to figure everything out.”

  Leah smiled, her blue eyes twinkling. “I remember my first day. Goodness, it was almost one hundred years ago now, but it feels like yesterday.” She gestured for Fallon to follow. “Come now, it is not very far.”

  As though moving through a dream, Fallon strolled through the realm of Emperica and could only describe it as a true paradise in every sense of the word. After the darkness of the first tunnel and the whiteness after, the vivid colors were simply blinding to look at—the hues unlike anything that existed on earth.

  The path she walked wound through verdant meadows scattered with wildflowers so luminescent that they didn’t seem to be solid. Birds of every variety sang while they dipped and played in the air overhead, their trilling calls magical to the ear. Animals and children romped together in the sunshine. Blue waterfalls splashed into rivers that sparkled with life.

  Wherever she looked, the scenery filled her vision with unimaginable beauty.

  “We are here,” Leah whispered reverently and stopped in front of wide stone stairs that disappeared into the mist above.

  “Here?” Fallon asked. “Where is here?”

  Leah pointed to the stairs, and Fallon slowly climbed upward into the clouds to a large altar at the top. She gasped loudly. Standing in the middle of the platform was a tall figure immersed in a halo of light. Fallon couldn’t make out any discernible features through the glow, but she knew instantly that she was loved by this man beyond anything in her reference as a human being.

  This was the Creator.

  And, as much love as she could feel coming from him, Fallon also knew that he was capable of incredible wrath. Not for the angels of Emperica or the mortals of earth, but for the evil that stalked them and threatened them with harm.

  He beckoned her forward.

  Fallon glided into the Creator’s arms eagerly and tears poured down her face from the sheer joy that flowed into her body.

  Welcome home, child.

  The words were spoken inside her mind instead of out loud.

  Hello, Father.

  His embrace felt like a cocoon of warmth and tenderness.

  Your mortal mother came to me just moments ago.

  Is she okay, Father?

  Yes, my child. She wanted me to know that you are a very special angel, and she thanked me for granting her the opportunity to be your mother for the short time she had you.

  Fallon continued to cry tears of happiness and no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t stop.

  You will probably not see her as often as you did on earth as she will be pursuing her own spiritual path just as you will follow yours.

  Fallon nodded. The knowledge didn’t upset her. The singular love she had for her small family on earth was quickly being replaced by an all-encompassing devotion to the Creator and all of the angels in Emperica.

  Choose your path wisely, Fallon. Your mother was correct. You are special.

  Thank you, Father.

  He released her then and she drifted back down the stairs. An unintentional shrug of her shoulders caused the back of her shirt to rip open and a majestic pair of wings unfurled behind her. Oh! A dizzying sensation of weightlessness coursed through her, and she lifted off the ground with every step she took. Giddy with pleasure, she wanted nothing more than to take flight and soar into the clouds!

  Leah flitted to her side. “Your choice of caste, Fallon. I know you have not had a
lot of time, but you—”

  “I don’t need any more time, Leah. I know what caste I want to join.” There could be no doubt as to what her path would be. “I want to become a Knight.”

  In the Creator’s embrace, she felt his fury for the Kjin that walked the earth and wanted nothing more than to aid him in his eternal battle against evil.

  But, there was another reason to fight. One that was equally as compelling.

  She finally remembered what happened to her the night she died.

  33 Years Later

  Chapter 1

  The Girl

  The girl had no idea she was in mortal danger. Like a typical teenager of this age, she talked animatedly into the phone she carried, oblivious to her surroundings. She probably felt safe walking the main street of this small, active college town. The unusually warm Fall evening brought out many of the students, and she walked among them as they stood in large groups laughing and horsing around. One boy called out to her, and she waved back distractedly as she turned onto a less populated side street.

  Fallon shadowed the girl’s movements, trying to anticipate from which angle the attack would come.

  The Kjin was near.

  She could sense his desire.

  He wanted the girl.

  The Kur on her arm heated. The hunger of the Kjin was growing.

  Fallon took off her hoodie, tied it around her waist and pulled her long, blonde hair into a ponytail as she walked.

  The girl, still lost in conversation, turned down a dead end road. Had she looked up, she might have noticed that the street light was out. The Kjin obviously had been stalking this girl for some time and knew her habits.

  A young man approached the girl from the opposite side of the street. His boyish good looks didn’t fool Fallon and it wasn’t just because her Kur erupted into a flaming sear. Despite the distance that separated them, she could see the evil in his eyes.

  Fallon started to sprint. The Kjin, focused on his prey, didn’t see her.

  He walked up to the girl just as she ended her conversation and was putting the cell phone into her book bag. Smiling at her disarmingly, he caught her off guard when his fist came out of nowhere and struck her in the face. Before she fell, he grabbed her around the neck and clamped his hand over her mouth. The girl dropped her book bag and struggled against his tight grip, but he was too strong and easily dragged her behind the garage of a house with darkened windows.

  The girl began to cry.