“Victor,” shouted Vander.
“I’ve come for you,” said Adonari.
Vander and his friends darted out of the train doors.
“Come on,” said Adonari. He grabbed Cyrenee’s hand and flew through the train doors before they closed.
They stood in The Wall Street Station. It was eerily empty with only a newspaper Vendor in a small booth near the exit.
“Where did he go?” said Cyrenee.
“Not sure. Perhaps to get reinforcement,” he said as he glanced around the station.
Vander flew into the empty tunnel towards a door that led to Lucifer’s underground kingdom.
“This way,” said Cyrenee as she flew up in the air and headed for the same tunnel. Adonari followed her closely.
Vander’s friends had left him. He pitched in the tunnel in the column space between the Northbound and Southbound tracks.
Adonari & Cyrenee who flew in the tunnel, stayed at the top as a train zoomed below them. Cyrenee pitched in front of Vander. Adonari pitched behind her. Vander and Adonari walked towards her. They met where she was in the middle.
“What do you want Victor? Oh sorry, Adonari,” said Vander as he stared at the strange Angel next to Adonari.
“Didn’t you make up your mind and go your way?” said Vander.
“I did. I was on my way to heaven but I couldn’t leave you behind,” said Vander.
“I told you I am happy. Can’t you see?”
Trains running in opposite directions flew past them sandwiching them in the center.
“I can, see Zorona not Vander,” said Adonari. Cyrenee ran and hugged Vander and he did not feel a burn.
“Who is this?” said Vander.
“It’s Angela, Zorona, Angela. She has been redeemed too,” said Adonari. Another train blew past them.
Vander hugged her back.
“We need to talk but not here,” said Vander.
Let’s get out of here,” he said and Adonari and Cyrenee followed him.
Vander, Cyrenee and Adonari flew through the tunnel and onto the Wall Street Station platform. They walked towards the exit.
It was a good thing the station was virtually empty. Dawn was near.
Adonari and Cyrenee put their hands in the air and transformed into a lovely Chinese couple as they walked out of the station.
“Follow me,” said Vander. They followed him past Armand’s Deli’s to a small alley off West Wall Street. When they reached Vander began.
“Look-”
“Vander, wait. We can’t stay here. You’re going to have to give up your body of sin if you want to be redeemed,” said Adonari.
“You’re kidding right?” said Vander looking into Cyrenee’s eyes for confront.
“It’s true, we all had to die too,” said Cyrenee. Vander hung his head.
Adonari and Cyrenee put up their hands and transformed back to angels. A vagabond wandered into the alley where they were.
Adonari and the clan watched him. He dragged his feet along and stumbled over his torn and tattered white Nike’s shoelaces although the Nike swish symbol was no longer visible. It had worn away from the long line of vagabonds who previously occupied them.
He clutched the now empty flask rum bottle as he finally made his way back on his feet.
“Ahh,” he said as he looked at the empty bottle. He threw it away.
Cyrenee looked at Adonari.
“I know. That was the bum in the Borough Hall Station who tried to catch flies,” said Adonari.
“Is he yours or ours,” said Adonari looking at Vander.
“I’m sure we will find out,” said Adonari.
The vagabond came closer.
“Bringing in the sheaves, bringing in the sheaves,” sang the vagabond. He hiccupped and belched louder than the clamor of the city’s morning.
“We will come rejoicing bringing-”
The vagabond stopped as he past Vander in the corner. He turned and stared at Vander.
The vagabond stunk to high heavens. As if pulled out by a magnet, Vander glided to halt before the shabby street dweller. Vander looked into the vagabond’s eyes but couldn’t see a color at all; not black, not white, not anything.
A strong wind blew through the alley rooting up the tattered newspaper on the floor. A newspaper sheet flew up and stuck to the burn’s face.
Adonari and Cyrenee stood still the as the vagabond gently brushed the newspaper from his face revealing the bluest eyes ever seen by angels or vampires.
Adonari and Cyrenee knelt in the place where they stood and lowered their heads for they could not directly look at the Glory of God.
They bowed prostrate and Vander lowered his head and wept in the presence of The Almighty. He sobbed at the vagabond’s feet even though the sneakers still stunk.
As his tears touched the Lord’s feet, a glow crawled from the vagabond’s feet up the vagabond’s leg.
The bum’s clothes had not changed.
“I am sorry Lord,” whispered Vander. The vagabond placed his hands on Vander’s head and Vander collapsed. The light of dawn seemed to jump from the bum to the skyline as the sun poked its head above the New York Horizon.
Vander the vampire was dead. Adonari and Cyrenee did not hear a sound as the wind had died.
They looked up as Zorona stood next to his former earth suit. Zorona had larger Tea Rose-colored Archangel wings. Cyrenee ran over to him and hugged him.
The bum, having lost his shine, continued down the alley singing to himself and stumbling as before. The sun came up and the trio knew it was time to go. The journey back to heaven had indeed been far but the hardest part was over.
***
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9. Bonus Excerpt #1:
The Vampire’s Apostle
The Vampire Redemption Series –
Part 5.
By Conrad Powell.
Copyright 2012 Conrad Powell.
Meanwhile in heaven, Archangel Michael gathered the holy angels for the planned meeting. The Almighty’s omnipresence was evident on the outskirts of the Throne Room.
The Heavenly Hosts gathered in the fields outside the Throne Room and they numbered many. Archangel Michael descended in their midst and hovered above them.
Although he faced one direction, all the angels gathered around him saw his face as if he existed in 360 degrees panoramic view.
Michael not only had tea rose wings, he had a yellow stripe across his breast for he was the leading angel of war. It was Michael who fought valiantly when Lucifer and the traitors first attempted to overthrow The Almighty long ago and were thrown out of heaven.
“Greetings my brethren. I am sure you all have witnessed several giant stars fall from the Little Dipper Constellation, the Ursa Minor. Although as you know it is common for all stars to fall through the universe at a scheduled appointed time, the falling of these two was an anomaly. They were not scheduled to fall anytime in this GROPAR era but the next era some ten billion jopas (years) away. Their falling was not an accident but was Lucifer’s handiwork.”
The angels listened in silence. The Archangel continued.
“The Fallen One as we speak has embarked on a plan to attempt another takeover of the Kingdom of Heaven. You may be wondering how this could be since Lucifer and his vampires have taken on human flesh. The answer to their ability to travel back to Heaven rests with the Tree of Life that exists in the Garden of Eden. Bhatsi, Tumi, Vusi and the other Cherubims whom were guarding the entrance to the East of the Garden of Eden have defected to Lucifer and thus the gateway to Eden has been breached. As I understand it, Lucifer and his Dark Council along with the one they call The Vampire’s Apostle, have decoded the mysteries revealed by the Tree of Life in the Garden of Eden and have now developed an incantation which allows them to mimic our holy angelic structure. Some of them have just traveled to The Little Dipper Constellation and it is their mischief that has caused the stars to fall prematurely. We believe they will
not stop there. Unless they are thwarted, Lucifer and his hordes will be able to re-launch from Eden and this time travel to Heaven and breach our gates.”
“Imagine that,” whispered Adonari to Cyrenee. “I knew there was a reason.”
“They have to be stopped,” said Cyrenee. Michael wrapped up the meeting.
***
This title is available for purchase wherever e-books are sold.
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10. Bonus Excerpt #2:
Nikolas Sander and The Leviathan’s Whisper.
By Conrad Powell.
Copyright 2011 Conrad Powell.
Nikolas was only concerned with church. He tiptoed in the foyer past the open doors heading for the flight of stairs to the basement of the church where the kitchen and offices were.
“Mr. Sander,” said Father Anthony but with the echo in the sanctuary it appeared that Father was shouting his name.
“Yes, Father?” Nikolas said as he made an about face and walked into the sanctuary.
He took a seat in the last row of the class next to Kelly Hazle.
“So nice of you to join us Nikolas,” said Father Anthony who stood in the front of the class with the Bible opened in his hands.
Troy was seated in the bench directly in front of Nikolas. Father Anthony continued his reading from Genesis.
“Now the serpent was more subtle than any beast in the field…”
This morning’s focus was “The Fall of Man”. Then again the last three months had focused on “The Fall of Man”. Nikolas knew the story like the back of his hands. He had heard it a billion times before. The serpent tricked Eve. Eve ate the fruit. Eve gave the fruit to Adam to eat and he ate.
What kind of fruit was so tempting as to contribute to the “Fall of Man”, thought Nikolas. Surely it wasn’t a banana, too mushy, he pondered. Probably was a peach. He loved peaches, especially when his mom made peach cobbler pie. Forget confession, one slice of that pie with a tall glass of cold milk was surely the way to heaven.
Nikolas leaned forward and whispered to Troy.
“Any tears yet?”
“Nope. No sign so far but I have been watching since morning,” said Troy.
Nikolas glanced at the crucifixion statue of Jesus that hung on the wall behind the rostrum. There wasn’t a drop of tear.
I’m sure he didn’t look that beautiful if there was really a crucifixion.
Nikolas heard Father Anthony speaking .
“Young Sander, what is your answer?” said Father Anthony.
“To what Father?” said Nikolas,
“To the question I just asked you,” said Father Anthony.
“It is nice to know you are back in this side of the world. Welcome back.”
The boys and girls chuckled. Nikolas looked around at then with a scowl.
“What were you asking Father?” said Nikolas
Father Anthony sighed “I asked you why do you think Adam and Eve disobeyed God?’’ said Father Anthony.
“Because he wouldn’t buy them an xbox?’’ shouted Bradley Meyer.
The kids laughed but Father Anthony ignored the class clown. He was used to Bradley by now.
“Not quite. Bradley,” said Father Anthony. Nikolas could take no more.
“Personally Father, I really don’t get the point of all this. What kind of God if he is All-Knowing, would put the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil in the middle of the garden. He doesn’t sound like a very wise God at all,” said Nikolas. “I mean it sounds stupid to put it there if he knew Adam and Eve would fall.” Jaws dropped around the Sunday School class.
“Oooh’s” and “Aaww’s” made their rounds.
Father Anthony did a double take. Did this little Thirteen Year-Old just blaspheme, thought Father Anthony.
Kelly Hazle, who sat next to Nikolas, punched him on the arm.
“Ouch,” said Nikolas as he brushed off Kelly’s hand.
Father Anthony looked at Nikolas from above the slim reading glasses that hung from the tip of his nose. The boy was annoying, he thought.
“Mr. Sander,” said Father Anthony
Troy, Nikolas’ best friend who sat behind him, smacked him in the head.
“Are you stupid Nik?” said Troy. “You gonna get us all punished with extra chapel duties.” Nikolas ignored him.
“Put it this way Father. The things God does makes no sense to me. I mean didn’t we eat from…well didn’t Adam and Eve eat from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil? So I’m just trying to get some of that knowledge we are suppose to have. I’ve got lots of questions that need some answers. Like what if Adam hadn’t eaten the fruit? What then?” said Nikolas.
Father Anthony took his reading glasses off and twirled it in between his fingers. Troy could feel the hours of extra duty mounting the longer Nik talked.
“That’s easy. If Adam hadn’t eaten we would not have….well Adam would not have been thrown out of the Garden and-”
“No, No. I mean what if Eve had eaten the fruit and Adam did not go along with her. What if he didn’t eat it? What then?” said Nikolas.
“What then? What then?” said Father Anthony raising his voice.
Troy and Kelly buried their faces in their hands. At this rate they would be cleaning the chapel until the end of the very long year, thought Troy
“We don’t,” said Father Anthony who immediately paused.
“We never ask ‘What if’s’ because we live in a world of ‘What is” said the Father, whose flushed red face was returning to normal.
“How dare you blaspheme our Lord,” said Father Anthony. “Really, Nikolas. You are out of order.”
Andrew Townsend, who sat in the front row, got fidgety.
“Father it is eleven thirty,” said Andrew.
“Why, yes it is,” said Father Anthony glancing at his gold wrist watch.
“Alright. Please read the entire book of Genesis,” said Father Anthony.
“Again?” said Kelly Hazle.
“Yes, again,” said Father Anthony.
The groans from the class reached a crescendo.
“Also, I want everyone to take two versus from the book of Genesis and memorize them. Everyone and I mean everyone will be called upon next Sunday to recite their scriptures,” continued Father Anthony.
As the children got up to allow the adults to fill the pews for church, Nikolas hit Troy on the shoulder.
“Hey, come on let’s go check out Jesus,” said Nikolas.
***
This title is available for purchase wherever e-books are sold.
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11. Bonus Excerpt #3:
Through Lazza’s Eyes.
Love Square Series –
Part 1.
By Conrad Powell.
Copyright 2011 Conrad Powell.
Two hours later Sherry came to Ella.
“I have to leave for a bit so cover for me. Beside you owe me one,” said Sherry.
“No problem Chica,” said Ella.
“Can I borrow you’re Geo?” said Sherry.
“Sure. Take care of it. The key is in my purse in my locker,” said Ella.
Sherry retrieved the key and hurried out of Gloria’s.
Sherry crawled down Wall Street in the Geo. Traffic was slow. When she reached the intersection near Cohen & Black, she stopped for a sting of pedestrians who were bent on taking all day.
Sherry glanced at the ground floor restaurant in The Cohen & Black Building and saw Lazza kissing a woman dressed in a lovely red dress. Her black hair hung perfectly below her shoulders. Sherry gasped.
“Oh my God,” Sherry said as the pedestrians gave her pass.
The cars behind her unforgivingly honked their horns. She took a right turn and circled back to Gloria’s.
Sherry parked and ran into the restaurant. She grabbed Ella’s hand and pulled her into the locker room.
“What’s wrong with you? I was about to collect a twenty dollar tip,” s
aid Ella.
“Girl, you are not going to believe this,” said Sherry.
“What? What?” Ella said hurriedly.
“I saw Lazza at his firm.”
“Okay, and?” said Ella.
“And he was lip-locked with a pretty chick. Girl, that ho,” said Sherry.
“Really,” said Ella as she flushed red. She can’t be lying to me, thought Ella.
“I’ve got to see him,” said Ella.
“Girl, I don’t blame you. Go get your man,” said Sherry as she pushed the car keys in Ella’s hands.
Ella darted out of the eatery without talking to her boss. She jumped in her Geo. Since the traffic was clear, she darted down the street.
As Ella neared the intersection for the Cohen & Black building, a pretty woman in a red dress was rushing across the street. Ella could not stop in time and slammed into the woman. The woman flipped in the air stilettos and all and fell on the bonnet of Ella’s Geo.
“Oh my God,” said Ella. She ran out of the car and a few men helped Ella to pick up the unconscious woman who was bleeding heavily. They put her in Ella’s car.
“I’m taking her to New York Downtown Hospital. It’s the nearest one,” said Ella and she sped off.
The CEO of Cohen & Black witnessed the scene from a meeting near the 2nd Floor window.
“One of our staff has been hit. I think it is Mr. Renault’s secretary, said the CEO to his assistant. The assistant called Mr. Renault by cell and informed him. Ella called Sherry on speed dial and engaged the speakerphone.
“Sher, I hit someone. I’m heading to New York Downtown Hospital,” said Ella.
“Are you okay?” said Sherry.
“Yes, I’m fine but the lady is hurt badly. I have to go,” said Ella.
“I am there,” said Sherry.
“Okay,” said Ella and hung up the phone. She drove straight to the Emergency Trauma Unit of the hospital.
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