Sacred Moon: Book 2 Read online

  Sacred Moon

  Book 2 of the Sacred Series

  Alejandro Marrero

  SACRED MOON

  Book 2 of Sacred Series

  SACRED MOON

  An LGBT PARANORMAL FANTASY 2020

  By Alejandro N. Marrero ©

  Contents

  Prologue

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  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

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Chapter 31

  Chapter 32

  Chapter 33

  Chapter 34

  Afterward

  ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

  AUTHORS COMMENTARY

  Character List

  Prologue

  Leilah

  I betrayed them all. Everything I stood for and yearned for my time on Terra is now irrevocably corrupted. In my quest for power, I became a puppet to this world system’s gods. Tethered by unbreakable strings to all my chakras. My body is no longer blessed with free will. Instead, at any moment, it may be hijacked by the gods I ignorantly chose to pledge allegiance to.

  The mental fortitude I had spent eons honing for any circumstance was shattered. This is what it truly is to be a Higher Angel. I am now a slave to the wishes of the Aramaic Pantheons of Gods. I always thought what my parents had taught me and what they had me pass down to the beings of Terra was a cautionary or theoretical tale. I was tragically wrong. My parents’ teachings meant everything literally. I should have known this as they abided in their states of Illuminated Ones, which was all anchored permanently on ultimate truths.

  It is one thing to understand the theoretical. It is another to find out through firsthand experience its horrifying truths. The Angels who served the gods were indeed bound to their pantheons by tethers and were slaves to their corrupt wills. Furthermore, to add to my guilt, all that has been said about Angelic blood is true. For a Child of the Night, Kindred, or Vampire, the blood of an Angel would wipe their minds, not simply quench their thirst. I did this to my best friend, Donovan’s lover Jeremiah. However, not before I brought Jeremiah to his near true death, impaling him with the blasphemously dangerous feathered transformation of my once beautiful star-twinkling wings. Now my wings are weapons and have baptized themselves in Kindred blood.

  Like a prisoner in my own mind, I had to watch, hear, and feel everything the gods did as they controlled my body. Feeding Jeremiah, my Angelic blood fueled by the powers of the gods' influences to bring him back from death’s door, made him a ghost of his former self. Jeremiah's mind was now wiped clean of all, but his instinctual memories were reborn into a slave too. Specifically, my slave and now my responsibility.

  Even now, this guilt birthed from my body’s actions that have stricken me to my core is overwhelming and dangerous. The gods will not be pleased if they choose to listen to my thoughts. They demanded full obedience to their motives. With a thought, I cleansed off the blood from my newly metallic and deadly wings. Jeremiah's blood, I hastily reminded myself, for I hadn’t forgotten what they’d done. Then I hid my disturbingly horrifying wings from view. I did the same for my higher angel armor and donned a simple grey tunic. I was no longer a predictable protector to Donovan, Jeremiah, Kendra, Leona, and even Abbadon. I was a tool for the gods. I’d help where I could or was allowed to on this quest of Donovan’s to the Shadowrealm and wielding the Key of Fates.

  I fortified my mental wards. There’s a sensation of probing in the periphery of my thoughts. I knew this to be from the gods themselves. I locked away my guilt and tremulous thoughts and let them plant questions in my mind. The gods' influence is so subtle it would make an unprepared being convinced it was their own thoughts and not the gods inside their minds.

  I was wrong about Abbadon. That thought I felt like my own. The ones that followed served dual purposes. No doubt, a combination of inquiries from the gods and my own. How did Abbadon sever his tethers? How was he free of the gods' influences? How could he be given a star-coursed destiny as an Angel? I must find out the answers to these questions. The gods willed me to find these answers to prevent this from occurring again.

  Chapter 1

  Donovan

  I stopped walking when we’d walked what I felt was far enough away from my enslaved power-hungry former best friend, now deadly god-tethered Leilah, and her newly minted drone, Jeremiah. Even if he was, I don’t know, given a potion of amnesia in the form of Angelic blood, he was my sire, friend, and well, I’ll cut to the chase, now an ex. Seriously, nucking futs. One day we’re all this merry little tribe, even growing with the addition of Abbadon, and now it's been cut down by two. I need a strong drink. Something fancy like a hero in a spy movie would drink all classy and neat. Even though I wouldn’t mind if it had cherries or an umbrella. Yeah, well, I can pine for a bunch of stuff right now, but I have yet to find a bar or strong liquor in Silver Leaf City. Where’s Mona when I need her mixology skills now?

  I turned around to look at my friends. Well, the friends I had left. They all stopped too and looked at me expectedly. It wasn’t lost to me how defeated they looked. Leona had a worried pinch to her brow, her arm around Kendra’s shoulder basically supporting her. Kendra’s eyes were puffy. The subtle tracks that were evidence of her shed tears were noticeable. Abbadon had his shoulder sagging, lips in a tight line, and looked every bit the part of a depressed Angel. It’s kind of irritating, even sad he looked so damn handsome it hurt. Or maybe that hurt feeling is part of this star coursed nonsense. Apparently, heart-boners are a thing no matter what the circumstance.

  I needed, well, it looked like we all needed to perk the fudge up. We needed to plan, strategize, and adapt to this new, real, and present glitch in our reality. Also, I wanted my friends to have their smiles again. All of them, not just the handsome former villain that tugged my heartstrings. Way too much drama has happened in the last twenty-four hours. If time even worked the same here in this realm. Forget the pudding! I know it’s blasphemy, but whatever, I want something stronger, and shit went down. We needed to regroup.

  “Leona, does Silver Leaf City have a bar or some sort of equivalent? I’ve lost my appetite and want a drink like yesterday?” I asked.

  “Ditto,” added Kendra.

  “I could use a double,” Abbadon voiced.

  “We do have taverns in Silver Leaf. They’re just outside the merchant district,” Leona confessed to my delight. Taverns, Ha! Seriously this is so medieval. I feel like I’ve been portaled into a renaissance festival. Will there be mead and wenches? Somehow I doubt that. Whatever, call it whatever you want, a bar is a bar. For Kendra and I were urbanites. Alcohol was an acceptable remedy to doing nothing but wallowing through the city with our dark thoughts.

  “Fan-fudging-tastic! Lead the way. Let us get ourselves hammered. We will follow thee into a Land of Pure Inebriation!” I said with a bit of mirth, but the truth is we all looked like we needed the reprieve. Still, there were also things to discuss. “Maybe we can figure out what to do about our current circumstances. Because they’re seriously effing nuts,” I said.

&nbs
p; “I’m all over that plan,” said Kendra while looking at Leona for assurance.

  “Agreed,” replied Leona to all of us with a passing glance as her worried eyes landed back on Kendra. She then looked up at me and said, “I’ll lead the way.”

  “Perfect,” I thought. Honestly, I’d not seen any taverns while here. Pretty much just gardens and the inside of the citadel that rose in the very center of Silver Leaf City. So I dared not port or flash us there. Knowing the luck we’ve had today, I’d get us stuck inside a wall. That would be awkward. Most definitely, it wouldn’t be very leader-like.

  Leona took the lead in front of us. We all followed her to wherever this tavern or bar was. I could feel the mood around me lightening just a bit. Not to the point of blissful ignorance or elation, but the vibe was better for having any kind of purpose right now. Step one, have adult beverages. Step two, well, I’m just going to focus on step one. Once we get there, we can figure out the rest.

  It doesn’t take a genius to figure out we needed some sort of plan to handle having Leilah and Jeremiah in tow when we left for the Key of Fates in the Shadowrealm. Gosh, just the name of that realm gives me the willies. In my head, it’s a dark, dank, place of evil. Yet it housed some sort of artifact that was phenomenally powerful enough to fix, destroy, or reconstruct everything we knew about our realities.

  Seriously no pressure. Go to the Shadowrealm, they say. Find the Key of Fates, repair the Veil, dissolve the Veil, free the Angels, change the topography of Earth. Oh yeah, sounds like a mental head-swirling, contradictory, and conflicted damn mess.

  Maybe after the tavern, we could go have a picnic at the beaches of the Isle of Mu and go tanning. That sounds like a hell of a lot more fun.

  Too much seriousness lately, and I was sick of it. Usually, a shitty circumstance would be easier to solve for me. Sign up for overtime at work at the call-center. Withdraw into my house to chant a bunch of mantras and get some Zen and ZZzs. Go to a yoga class, a Buddhist meditation retreat, or endless scrolling on Amazon for things I want but don’t need. So guilty of filling up my shopping cart when I’m in one of my moods. Though just before hitting the ‘buy now’ button, usually changing my mind and hitting ‘save for later.’ Do we all do this? I don’t know.

  Where’s that magic eight-ball with all the answers now? Somehow I think it would still say something vague.

  Chapter 2

  Abbadon

  It is not lost on me how Donovan is feeling. Though he’s now my star-coursed one, something I didn’t dream possible for Angels, the manifestation of this circumstance couldn’t have been any more complicated. Finding a star-coursed one was the ultimate goal for all beings. They were called fated mates in Shifters and other similar terms in the multitude of realms of beings. A soulmate the humans would say, though stronger if one can imagine it. It's an undeniable force. It is powerful and strong. Filled with undeniable conviction and leaves no question in your heart and mind who you are destined for. This is the being who is the embodiment of what the universe understands is best for both of you. Star-coursed ones were meant to find each other. To be side by side for all of their lives and even future rebirths. Though undoubtedly a blessing, I couldn’t come up with any way to fix this situation. My star-coursed one just lost his lover. Even if it felt like they were getting close to ending things without my presence or interference. Still, the choice was ripped from Donovan by the gods pulling his best friend Leilah’s strings in a bloody and dangerous manner. How do friendships or relationships recover from that?

  I have been given a gift by the stars, and I couldn’t even open it. I didn’t even know how to bring it up again. I have this insatiable need and yearning to comfort Donovan that is hard to ignore. I feel like my hands are bound by current circumstances, and it wouldn’t be wise to act out on my feelings. It was too soon. The happenings of the past few hours were too fresh. I’d have to wait and fight these urges. Despite my internal struggles, I feel all this is clearly destiny trying to balance the scales against the gods. It’s the only thing I can come up with. Nature, regardless of realms, tries to find a balance, however small. When Donovan and I joined powers for that shield, it was unbreakably strong. It was strong enough to protect us from the gods' wrath. Without it, we’d all be wearing wounds from Leilah’s razored feathers. There is no doubt that we would have to work together to defeat obstacles on our quest.

  Though our bond is not cemented, I could feel passing glances of Donovan's emotional state. He was feeling conflicted, lost, grieving, stressed, and felt obliged to lead none the less. Donovan, my star-coursed one, was infinitely strong. He was someone fully worthy. More than his godly strength but for his kindness. He was more than handsome. You’d have to be blind to not take notice. However, his physical appeal was almost an afterthought. It wasn’t as straightforward as a physical attraction to him. His intelligence, character, and actions were incredible. His devotion to the betterment of all, including his companions, was what I admired most about him. It is important to understand and reconcile all this for a being like me that this wasn’t strictly sexual in nature. It was formidably stronger, a pull I was unable to ignore based on goodness and virtues. Things that transcend the base instincts of physical desires. I couldn’t have asked for a better person to have the potentiality or destiny of being mates with. Or the most complicated of situations to find ourselves in.

  Even Donovan’s diversionary tactic for us to go to a tavern was unifying and a wise decision. He understood we all needed a distraction from what had occurred. It is clear Donovan is no stranger to suffering or loss. This had to be wisdom he achieved from difficult experiences in his life. It was a genius idea of his to apply this to the events of the day. I wanted to see him smile again. An honest smile. Truer than the forced one he wore when he jested about going to the ‘Land of Pure Inebriation.’ As far as I know, there is no such land. Though it might be a cultural reference or metaphor. I’m not familiar with this phrase. The tavern may not only serve as a distraction for all of us but an opportunity for Donovan and me to get better acquainted.

  As we followed Leona and Kendra to the tavern, I couldn't help but feel further guilt over how Donovan and I first met. As we walked out of the citadel and west of the gardens of Silver Leaf City, I admired its beauty. Why did I have to be so destructive in my entrance? This Isle of Mu and the city is truly beautiful. It shouldn’t be shrouded from the rest of the world. It should be venerated.

  I am suffering from remorse. This city’s beautiful walkways, paved streets, high columns, and architecture were not worthy of prior actions. The Fae city was the work of generations of hard-working and talented artisans. I made a silent oath to myself. I would henceforth always help preserve this city and attend to its peoples' aid for as long as I drew breath. This would be my self given penance for the destructiveness of my presence here before.

  “Leona, I was wrong to invade your city in such a destructive manner. I feel genuine remorse for this. I pledge myself to guard, protect, and preserve your fair city and its citizens for as long as I draw breath,” I broke the silence with my oath.

  It needed to be said. Guilt may show us what we did was wrong. Even remorse furthers our understanding of our past misdeeds. However, having a strong resolve to correct the circumstance is how we truly learn the lesson. This is how I must purify my past deed.

  “Truth,” Donovan said, and he looked at me with a grin that seemed genuine. That pleased me immensely. I felt warm and welcomed by his sweet smile and utterance of just one word.

  “That is going to get out of style real quick, Donovan, our godly lie detector. We can tell Abbadon’s being honest,” Kendra said.

  “Sorry, Kendra, it’s a new habit it seems. I always want there to be honesty around. Feels like these are the days where deception is too common. But yeah, you’re legit right. It’s kind of getting old and no doubt obnoxious saying ‘Truth’ all the time like some weird fact-checker on the news,” Donovan said with a shr
ug.

  I was pleased that Kendra and Donovan believed my words.

  “Abbadon, I don’t speak for the whole city, but I can assure you we welcome your aid. As Kendra and Donovan have said, we believe you. You allowed us into your mind. There’s no question of your character anymore. We trust you, and you are a free Angelus now. We’d have to be blind not to notice the changes in you. We trust you, Abbadon.

  “Additionally, I agree with Kendra on this, Donovan. We trust you to let us know if someone's dishonest. It may be best to keep that truth-sayer talent of yours hidden for our journeys ahead. Also, we’re here! It’s not your realm of pure inebriation, but it’s a nice tavern. The drinks and food are good.”

  “Well, tell me how you really feel! I’m kidding. Thanks, friends, for the good advice, and thank you, Leona, for bringing us to this tavern,” Donovan said with a smile. He then looked up, and I tried following his gaze as his eyes widened. “Oh my god! Am I reading this, right? Tell me I’m reading this, right!” Donovan said excitedly.

  A flood of pleasant and happy emotions emanated from him to me. I read the sign and had to stifle a laugh.