The Heights of Perdition (The Divine Space Pirates Book 1)

by C. S. Johnson

  She cried out in pain as she gripped onto Exton. “Ouch!”

  A missile exploded into Exton’s shuttle. She heard the crew crying out orders, trying to get it to fly, all while Exton tore his jacket to try making a bandage for her wound.

  Aerie studied him, watching in quiet wonder. He was in shock as he held her, clearly uncertain of what to do. “It’ll be okay, it’ll be okay,” he gasped.

  She felt her grip on reality lessen as the pain overflowed her mind and senses. “That’s what you said last time.” Aerie laughed quietly.

  “Stay with me, Aerie,” Exton ordered. “Please, don’t leave me.” He hugged her close as he pushed down on the blood. “I was wrong,” he croaked. “I was wrong. God did just dump someone into the ship just for me, didn’t he?”

  He kissed her forehead. “Please forgive me.”

  Aerie thought she managed to smile at his words before she lost consciousness.

  ♦♦♦♦

  “Get away from her, or the next bullet will go through you.”

  Exton glared up at St. Cloud, his eyes blurred over. “I’m not letting you take her.”

  “I’m her father. If anything, I’m not letting you keep her.” St. Cloud lounged at him, landing a forceful kick on Exton’s chest.

  Exton, still tangled up in Aerie’s legs, struggled to move as his opponent attacked again.

  This time he tasted blood. He wiped his face off with his hands. “Why do you always do this to me!?”

  St. Cloud ignored him, reaching down and hoisting Aerie up. She began to struggle as the pain woke her up.

  Exton fought against his pain. “Aerie!”

  “Stand down, St. Cloud!” A pair of Exton’s guards came down the ship’s ramp. “We have you locked on target.”

  St. Cloud held Aerie firmly against his chest. He glared at Exton. “Here’s a promise I’ll keep: Leave my family alone, and I’ll leave yours alone.”

  Before Exton could respond, St. Cloud fired on the guards. The two dropped to the ground. He then turned the gun on Exton.

  “No,” Exton gasped. He scrambled back.

  He was surprised when St. Cloud holstered his weapon. “Contrary to what Osgood thinks,” he said, “I do believe there are worse things than death.”

  He pulled out a syringe and pushed the plunger into Aerie’s arm.

  “What are you doing?” Exton yelled, watching in horror as Aerie flinched and then collapsed. “What did you do?”

  “One of the better technologies that the URS has developed,” St. Cloud said, “is the use of Memory Serum. A thousand NanoTech robots all programed to flood the synapses in the mind.”

  “I don’t understand.”

  “This will block out her memories of the past six weeks.”

  Angry shock poured through him. “You monster!” he cried. “Aerie!”

  “There’s no use in calling for her now. Once she’s awake and her wound is healed, she’ll never remember you.” He glanced around, seeming to search the horizon.

  Before Exton could turn completely around, he heard them. A team of helicopters, flying low, appeared out of the clouds.

  Pain slashed through him, while blood, warm and sticky, oozed out of his head. He felt dazed as he gripped his head, where St. Cloud had bashed him with his weapon.

  “Remember my warning, Exton,” St. Cloud said. “You’ve ruined my plans before, but I won’t let you ruin them again. You’ve returned Aerie to me, so for that I’ll forget about Petra. But mark my words, you must never see her again.”

  The helicopters began firing, and Exton watched as St. Cloud, surprisingly agile for a man in his forties, disappeared into his plane.

  “No.”

  He fell back against the brown, muddy grass, watching as the clouds fell into darkness.

  It was moments later, after St. Cloud had taken off and the crew finally managed to account for its losses, that Exton felt a hand on his forehead.

  “He always did have a very good aim.” A woman’s voice washed over him. “Here, drink this. He’s gone now.”

  After dutifully sipping on a warm drink that tasted like bile, Exton opened his eyes. A woman with dark hair loomed over him. She had a pilot’s uniform on, but the insignia was not from the URS. She had the mark of the Ecclesia on her shoulder.

  “Who are you?” he asked.

  The woman removed the better portion of her fighter goggles. Even in the moonlight, he could see her eyes were green, dappled with golden flecks. “My name is Merra,” she said. “And considering what I’ve heard about you concerning my daughter, Exton Shepherd, it’s about time we met again.”

  ♦♦♦♦

  The beeping sounds of a med ward were familiar, but her mind refused to put a name to the place. She almost smiled.

  Aerie sighed and opened her eyes, immediately flinching from the bright lights. All of them artificial, she noticed, her mouth twisting into a frown. It’s not supposed to be like that … is it?

  “Aerie. You’re awake, at last.”

  Aerie turned toward the sound of her name. She blinked a few times, clearing her vision. The shadowed figure of a man, close to her own age, came into focus, and she grinned. “Brock.”

  His hazel eyes lit up with happiness. “I was worried about you.”

  “Where am I?” Aerie asked.

  “You’re in the New Hope Hospital, the critical care wing. You’ve been in here for over two weeks. This is the first day that I’ve been allowed to come in and sit with you.” He smiled. “I’m honored you decided to wake up for me.”

  “Two weeks? What happened?” Aerie asked. She frowned.

  “You were finishing up a course test on combat training,” Brock said. “They called you in after your PAR. They said that you’d taken the wrong test and wanted to correct it.”

  “So what happened?” Aerie tried to give him a smile, but it hurt. She tentatively touched her face. She had a bloody lip still, she noticed. That was weird. If I have been in here for two weeks, why am I still bleeding?

  “You were climbing up the ropes course and you fell.”

  “That doesn’t sound like me.” Aerie frowned. “I’m a good climber. People would notice if I just fell.”

  “They think you might have had a seizure,” Brock told her. “Or so General St. Cloud told me. Apparently, it can be a genetic trait. Your mother—er, former unit director—had a history of it.”

  “My mother?” There was something about my mother, she remembered.

  He reached over and took her hand. “Aerie, we’ve been worried about you.”

  “There’s no need to worry,” Aerie assured him. “Now that I’m awake, I’m sure I’ll be back to normal before too much longer.”

  “You’ve got some work to catch up on.”

  “Oh, no!” Aerie shot up into a sitting position. “I’ve missed my first few weeks of work!” Then she frowned. “Did I get into the military?” she asked. “This won’t disqualify me, will it?”

  “I guess you don’t remember.” Brock sighed. “They said you might have some issues with your memory for the next couple of months. You hit your head pretty hard.”

  He reached over and touched the small bump on her head.

  Instantly, Aerie felt a rush of shyness. “Were you assigned to be a doctor?” she asked. Then she frowned. “No, you were an engineer. You told me.”

  “Huh?” Brock’s eyes raised in surprise. “No, I got into the pilot program at the New Hope Military Academy.”

  “Oh.” Aerie frowned. “I thought … ” She closed her eyes and pressed her palms against them. Eyes the color of the lightest blue fluttered into her vision. “I thought … ”

  “The medics here are getting the paperwork together to clear you,” Brock said. “Once you’re settled in at home again, would you want to come over and meet my parents?”

  “Parents?”

  “Yes. I’ve met yours,” Brock said with a smile. “I thought it would be okay to introduce you to mine
.”

  “Why?”

  “Because. We like each other.”

  “I might have borrowed your name,” Aerie snapped, “but you’re not my boyfriend.” Instantly, she felt a rush of pain and tiredness, while Brock only looked stricken.

  She glanced over at her shoulder. “What happened to my shoulder?”

  “When you fell, you landed on some equipment that was lying around.” Brock frowned. “You really don’t remember anything?”

  “I’m … I’m trying to,” Aerie said. “I’d like to rest for a bit, if you don’t mind, Brock.”

  “I can imagine this is overwhelming,” Brock said. “I’ll come back tomorrow. Your father said he would come and see you later.”

  “Oh, okay.” Aerie curled into a sleeping position, facing away from the door. “Thanks. Thanks for letting me know.”

  “Sure.” He squeezed her hand gently and then left.

  Aerie waited until he left the room before allowing herself to cry. Her hands covered her face. Something is wrong, she thought. Something is wrong, and I have to figure it out.

  She pulled the sheet over her head, blocking out the lights, and struggled to find sleep.

  C. S. Johnson is the author of several books, including The Starlight Chronicles series and the Once Upon a Princess saga. She currently lives in Atlanta with her family, cats, and caffeine addiction. Follow her on Twitter at @C_S_Johnson13.

  AUTHOR’S NOTE AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

  Dear Reader,

  Welcome once more to a new world of mine. If you’ve enjoyed my previous work with Hamilton from The Starlight Chronicles or Rose from Once Upon a Princess, I’m eager to hear what you think of my Divine Space Pirates trilogy. (And if you are new, I’d like the same opinion from you, only the other way around.)

  I’m not sure when the story of Exton and Aerie started to come to me. I’m sure it was in something inconsequential at the time—a newspaper article, a science magazine, or one too many movies and books while I was sick, all running together in my dreams. Based on the irony, subtle and pervasive and sometimes deconstructed—I’d say a lot of it came from sarcastic thoughts I was never able to voice to any appropriate party. You know how it goes; these things happen.

  But I do know where the heart of their love story blossoms from, and it is not so far away from the rest of my stories.

  It comes from the place in my own heart that has always wondered at how people see themselves and how they see others, and how astounding and amazing it is that people are able to really find each other at all. Because of this, I liked the idea of complementing their romance with similar themes from Dante Alighieri’s Divine Comedy. Dante’s mission, his journey through Hell and Purgatory, was all for the love of his muse, Beatrice. And she, in turn, took him up to the heights of Heaven to see the face of God. (I have swapped Purgatory for Creation.)

  I think it is a funny thing, how love and romance are connected to God. Many things culture would say are romantic—such as the idea of everlasting love, for example—are better suited to God, I think, and likewise, godliness makes love all the more perfect. And in some sense, that is tragically ironic for today’s world—hence the Perdition. It certainly would be hell for many people to embrace the aspect of agape love.

  That’s also part of the reason this book focuses so much on love and trust, and their role in relationships. Can you really love someone if you don’t trust them? It’s a question I have wrestled with myself on more than one occasion, and many times it seems that a story is a better answer than a quick answer, even when—perhaps especially when—it comes to trusting God.

  God has always been a god of irony to me. I love his sense of humor, even if I am slow to see the joke. I suspect this book is part of it. But as with my other works, I will trust him to do what is good.

  Please wait for me while I piece together the next book in the Aerie and Exton’s story, The Breadth of Creation (The Divine Space Pirates, Book 2). I’m also working on my other series’ books, too, so please keep checking in.

  I’m looking forward to seeing you again soon!

  Until We Meet Again,

  C. S. Johnson

  P. S. Read on for a sample of Beauty’s Curse, Part I of my Once Upon a Princess fantasy series, where you’ll meet Rose, a determined princess who sets out with her friends to find a way to break the curse placed on her as a baby.

  AUTHOR’S ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

  EDITOR

  Jennifer C. Sell

  Jennifer Clark Sell is a professional book editor and proofreader. She works from her home in Southern California. With her years of professional and personal experience, she offers several quality packages for authors. Find her at https://www.facebook.com/JenniferSellEditingService.

  Photo Credit: Savannah Sell

  AUTHOR’S NOTE AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

  BOOK COVER ARTIST

  Stephanie Adams, Agape Authors

  Stephanie Adams is a book cover artist who also offers several other book formatting services. She works from home helping independent authors order quality work for reasonable prices. Check out her website, http://www.agapeauthors.com/, for more information.

  AUTHOR’S NOTE AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

  BOOK COVER ARTIST

  Reiseei, Manga Illustrator

  An artistic force to be reckoned with, Reiseei is an illustrator with an impressive body of work specializing in different manga and anime styles. Check out her online portfolio at http://reiseeiworks.wixsite.com/reiseei.

  SAMPLE READING

  Chapter 1from

  BEAUTY’S CURSE

  PART I OF THE ONCE UPON A PRINCESS SAGA

  ҉ ҉ ҉ ҉

  C. S. Johnson

  Courtesy of

  www.direwolfbooks.com

  *1*

  ҉

  She had never been one to waste her time; after all, she had so little of it left. But whether or not the weather cooperated with her was another matter entirely.

  Rose looked up at the bleak sky, feeling the hood of her protective cloak sliding down from her face, exposing her nape at the end of her close-cropped hair. The wind tickled her skin, and rather than finding it charming and pleasant as she might have when she was younger, she found it taunting and terrifying.

  Her gaze moved down from the crying skies to the sea, the rough and tumbling creature so keen on hogging every inch it could of the world’s edge.

  There was nothing to it, she decided. They would have to enter into the cavern during the rain. According to the map Ethan had found, the entrance to Titania’s realm was not far down the cliff, and while it would be easier if the rain would stop and the tide would recede, Rose knew she could never count on life to make things easier for her if it could.

  That was how Theo found her; looking down the edge of the cliffs, standing in the rain, and declaring all the world her enemy. No wonder she had insisted leaving the palace when she’d been thirteen, he thought. Even the grand palace would have demolished itself, had she been unable to fight her own way free of it. She was a warrior through and through.

  Theo shook his head and pushed back the cover of his cloak. “I know that look,” he muttered, coming up from behind her. “And the answer is no.”

  Rose would have normally grinned at the sight of her best friend following her out of the safety of the camp to talk. But ever since she and her group had finally found the location of the home of a powerful Fairy Queen, time seemed to crush into her a little bit more each day, pushing her into possible tomorrows long before her todays had finished.

  She pursed her lips together. “Come on. I’m the princess, remember? I’m the one in command here, Theo.”

  He smiled at her. “You only pull rank when you know I’m right.” Crossing his arms, he added, “It’s only been two days, Rosary. We’ll give it at least one more before we go barreling in.”

  He was not fooled by the calm look on her face; there would be a battle in getting her to agree.

&
nbsp; He had known Rose–officially Princess Aurora Rosemarie Mohanagan of Rhone–for over ten years, ever since he arrived to work in the royal chapel, and he knew well her charms. It was impossible not to notice them, and knowing her well enough, it was impossible for him to fall for them–which, he knew, she both liked and hated on different occasions. Knowing her expressions just as well, Theo knew this time she hated it.

  “Mary can protect us with a weather spell,” she argued.

  He had to admit, halfway begrudgingly, he admired her tenacity as she refused to back down. “Mary is still tired from our battle with the Eastern Warlords. We’re all still tired, even you. The rest will be good for us. We have time enough for rest.”

  “No, I don’t have time, Theo. My birthday is coming up.” Frustration and fear crept into the pattern of her speech.

  “And you can spare a day now, and we’ll make up for it later.”

  “What if we don’t?”

  “You still have a whole year afterwards, Rosary.” Patience melted away into concern at her words. He knew she was upset and afraid, and there was little he could do about it.

  That was why he had come, though, wasn’t it? The thought hit him with a disgruntled air. There were few reasons besides counsel and comfort that would cause one to bring a priest across continents and into battle. He was fortunate to have found a friend in the doomed princess of Rhone.

  Theo watched as she started pacing, her knight’s armor clanking quietly in tune with her stride. Time to reinforce the reason, he decided. “Sophia can’t build much of a raft by the day’s end. Why not send her to town with Virtue and some of the guards? She can surely go unnoticed here, even with your beast of a hawk, and she’ll be able to see about a boat for tomorrow.”