Inception (The Reaping Chronicles, 1)

THE REAPING CHRONICLES

BOOK ONE

INCEPTION

by

Teal Haviland

Nashville, TN

www.emboldenpress.com

[email protected]

[email protected]

www.tealhaviland.com

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

Copyright © 2013 by Teal Haviland

All rights reserved. In accordance with the U.S. Copyright Act of 1976, the scanning, uploading, and electronic sharing of any part of this book without the permission of the publisher is unlawful piracy and theft of the author’s intellectual property. If you would like to use material from this book (other than for review purposes), prior written permission must be obtained by contacting the publisher at
[email protected]
. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without the written permission of the Publisher. Thank you for your support of the author’s rights. Printed in the United States of America by Embolden Press, 2013. For information address Embolden Press at
[email protected]
.

1st trade edition: May 2013

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

The publisher is not responsible for websites (or their content) that are not owned by the publisher.

Library of Congress has catalogued the hardcover edition of this book as follows:

Haviland, Teal.

Inception/by Teal Haviland — 1st ed.

p. cm. — (The Reaping Chronicles ; 1)

Summary: One of the most powerful angels ever created. A war spanning thousands of years approaching its end. A past love who has fallen, a new one who is forbidden. And an ancient book that could cause creation’s ruin.

A story of love—past and present—fantastical beings, hidden realms, magic, fate, loss, and the fight of good versus evil.

ISBN: 978-0-9881716-0-2 (Hardback)

ISBN: 978-0-9881716-1-9 (Paperback)

LCCN: 2013937499

Dedication

To my amazing mother, Dixie, for always believing in me and encouraging me no matter what I was trying at the moment. You are truly a blessing from God. He not only gave me a wonderful person to look up to and aspire to be like, He gave me a best friend.

To my beautiful, awesomesauce daughter, Piper, if you only listen to one thing I tell you in your entire life, let it be this—do with your life what your heart begs you to do. It knows the way . . . trust it.

And for dreamers everywhere . . . never, never give up.

“Time. It can shadow what needs to be concealed—forgotten—or cast light on what needs to be revealed. And only as it passes, will we know what we’ve reaped from those things we’ve sown.”

~ Teal Haviland

Prologue

The Matter of the Book

Elijah stood in front of the fallen angel he only knew as Lek. He hadn’t seen him for two days, not since the demon had given him the Book.

That day, Elijah’s heart had skipped when he realized what was wrapped in the crimson cloth in Lek’s hands—the Book of Barabbadon. Adrenaline had surged through him, knowing that, at any moment, Lek could realize he was being deceived, disappear with the Book forever, and put an end to Elijah’s revenge.

Today was already a day past when Elijah had told Lek he would keep his part of the deal and help him return to Heaven. Elijah had considered the torture Lek would inflict when he understood the betrayal, though the physical pain would be nothing compared to the mental anguish Elijah had been trying to keep at bay for months—ever since Ramai had slaughtered his wife and children in front of him. He still woke several times a night from nightmares full of the blood and screams of those he loved, reliving the mental and emotional torture as the light of life faded slowly from their eyes …

Until there was nothing left except blank stares.

That was three months ago. Now, with the Book safely hidden and trusted family told of its location, Elijah looked forward to the moment his life would be brought to an end by this demon’s hands.

“I have had a difficult time finding you, Elijah. Why is that?”

Elijah could tell by the demon’s accusatory tone and tightly clenched fists that he already knew the answer.

A sense of calm came over Elijah, and he pushed aside regret. He knew if he had just said no to Ramai, this would have ended then, and he wouldn’t have to feel guilt for recreating the Book. He and his family would have died either way, but at least the Book would have never existed again. He wouldn’t have felt the loss of his loved ones for more than the few moments before his own life faded. Nevertheless, he foolishly thought Ramai would keep his word that he would spare his and his family’s lives. Now, Elijah couldn’t destroy what he created—he had no way of saving the human world from its power—but he had been able to hide it from Ramai in a place he thought would be safe for a long time.

Hopefully, those I told can keep the secret.

Lek moved slowly toward Elijah who focused on the bulk of the demon, particularly on his arms and his now unclenched hands that seemed to be abnormally muscled—abnormally strong. He wondered how Lek was going to kill him. Would it be with those hands?

Will he rip my limbs from me? First my legs and then my arms so I cannot run—with no defense—as he does whatever else he wants before I die?
Is there some other, even more painful or mentally agonizing, way he can kill me?

Elijah was surprised that he remained calm. Even while he imagined such horrible ways he would enter into death, his pulse was steady and smooth, breath slow and deep. As Lek took the last two steps to bring them face to face, Elijah had to look almost straight up to meet his gaze.

Lek’s eyes stared into his. Although now that he was so close, they seemed less soulless, more consumed by hatred and darkness. The breath of the demon was as foul as Elijah remembered, even overtaking the stench of his body.

“You knew I would kill you if you did not hold up your end of the bargain,
human.
Yet, you did it anyway. Not smart.”

The smell and heat that accompanied Lek’s words made Elijah blink rapidly at first, but then he stared back just as hard. He was ready to see his wife and children again, ready to have the sorrow that had been all he had known for far too long leave him, ready for whatever this fallen angel was about to do.

Elijah smiled at Lek. “Sooner or later … we all reap what we sow.”