Innocence and Evil (The Arcadia Falls Chronicles #6) (14 page)

His bare arms and chest still held the large
muscles of the hardworking man he had been as a mortal. Although,
his chest now bore the one mark he had allowed himself to get. He
ran his fingers over the red longevity symbol. He had chosen
longevity as a marker for being immortal. Like it was yesterday he
remembered China and the tattoo shop where he had received the
tattoo. As a last minute decision he asked the artist to add the
three koi fish in a circle around the longevity symbol because the
koi fish were associated with life-long good luck. And he felt like
he sure need some of that.

Alex continued to think about China and its
rare beauty while he carefully applied a dark, skin-colored
foundation to his face and hands to cover his paleness. It was
worth the effort to prevent mortals from questioning his light
skin. After checking himself in the mirror again, Alex donned his
black leather overcoat, a long flowing garment that swept the
floor.

He allowed himself one last approving glance
in the mirror, grabbed his briefcase off his dresser, and left the
room.

He opened the garage door and sighed with
pride. The room glimmered with glossy paint and shiny chrome from
the many vehicles. He chose his orange ’69 Mustang, because he
wanted to stop at the church before the meeting, but he didn’t have
much time to spare. He slipped into the driver’s seat, set his
briefcase on the seat beside him, and then, with the turn of the
key, the car came to life. After he backed out of the garage, he
shut the doors with a remote and roared his way out of the long
driveway.

At that hour of night, the pine-tree-lined
streets were deserted. Alex liked that. Living outside the city,
between Reno and Lake Tahoe, gave him more privacy. Although it was
raining, he opened his window halfway to let in the fresh scent of
the rain-washed earth.

When he approached the city, he took in the
view of the lights. For Alex, each time was like the first time.
The lights were like beacons, calling to him, enticing him. For
that matter, he thought the lights were like vampires, deceivingly
beautiful, alluring, and full of promise.

Until you’re bitten,
he thought.

Unable to help himself, he chuckled and
continued the drive into the city. Traffic there was crazy compared
to the lonely streets near his home. Among the multitude of hotels
and casinos dominating the city, he kept his focus on the Lucas
Hotels and Casinos—the massive towers stood tall and proud—while he
drew closer to them.

He passed the exit and kept going for a few
miles until he came to a stop in front of a large brick church. He
parked the car, ran through the rain, and ascended the cement
stairway. Alex found the church deserted and locked, as it always
was that time of night.

Taking out his set of lock picks, he thought
about the old days when churches were never locked. They were
always open for the public whenever someone needed to be close to
God.

Upon entering, he felt a presence; not God,
but something else.

Danielle.

She had always had a habit of following him
when she was invisible. Although he knew she was there, he rarely
let on. He couldn’t think of any reason why she would want to keep
herself secret from him, since she knew he would tell her anything
she wanted to know. Besides, she could read minds.

Although the bricks muffled the sound of the
rain, its presence was evident. It drizzled down the outside of the
multicolored stained glass windows.

It’s like they are melting,
Alex
thought as he stared at them.

An aisle separated two sets of pews, and at
the far end of the church, behind the podium and the large choir
section, was the baptismal area.

Following his usual ritual, Alex knelt in
front of the podium at a short wooden table that, without fail,
held a fresh flower arrangement. It also held a large leather-bound
Bible, always opened to the same verse: John 3:16.

Alex lowered his head and spoke aloud to the
empty church, his voice echoing in the darkness. “Lord, forgive me.
I have sinned. I live a life of sin. Yet, you let me live. Again
and again, I ask how that can be. How is it that you could let
something as evil and corrupt as I live on this earth and walk with
the humans you created?"

He dropped his head lower.

“I still don’t understand a lot of things
you have shown me, Lord. I'm depressed. I've never asked for
anything from except guidance and strength, but it's time I humbly
ask, just this once, for you to bless me with something to give me
the will to go on.”

A clap of thunder shook the walls of the
church.

“This depression has become too great. I can
barely rise from sleep when the sun sets. None of the hobbies that
previously occupied me so well interest me anymore.”

Alex paused and took in a deep, shuddering
breath.

“I would never try to bargain with or demand
anything from you. I would never be so bold as to assume I'm owed
anything. All I ask is for some kind of meaning to this life, or
after-life; whatever you wish to call it.

“I need a reason to persevere. After all, I
no longer have a family. The only thing I have, besides a few
friends, is the everlasting torment of being one of the most unholy
creatures to walk this earth.

“Please hear me and consider the needs of
one of your servants. Thank you. Thank you so much for everything
you have given me. I would do anything for you. I am yours in all
ways, and I am yours in everything.

“In Jesus’s precious name, Amen.”

When Alex rose from his knees, contentment
flowed through his veins and filled him up. He felt the same every
time he prayed.

A moment later, he rushed out the door,
stopping only to relock it like he always respectfully did.

***

“Do you think he’s ready?” Damion asked.

“He’s past ready,” Danielle murmured while
she slipped off her perch on the railing that separated the choir
area from the rest of the church. “Damion, his depression has to
end.”

She felt Damion follow her to the front pew,
on the right side of the aisle. She wanted to sit so she could see
the altar.

He sat next to her. “I know Alex was chosen
for this, but how do we know it will cure his depression? It could
end this present situation, but begin another lengthy and dangerous
one. How do we know this will not be the straw that breaks the
camel’s back?”

Danielle smiled. “I have known Alex for
almost four hundred years. Even though he thinks he is dammed, he
keeps his faith in God, and
that
, my dear friend, is the
strongest kind of faith there is.”

“So he’ll do it?”

“He has yet to decide.”

“I hope it goes the way we've planned.”

“So do I, Damion, so do I.”

“Why do you always come here to watch him
pray? Don’t you think that’s like invasion of privacy or
something?”

“I am his guardian.”

“You
were
, when he was a human. He
hasn’t been mortal for a long time. I know enough to know you
aren’t required to be with him at all times.”

“That’s true, but his prayers are a most
important time for me to be with him.”

“Why?”

“He’s convinced God doesn’t hear his
prayers. That’s why he comes here almost every night. He could go
on living a sinful life, believing he is dammed anyway, but he
doesn’t. It's vital he has some reinforcement of his faith in God.
I know he feels me here.”

Damion shook his head. “We'd better get to
the meeting. I'll see you there."

Damion left. Danielle didn't want to leave
the church. She looked up at the large cross on the wall above the
baptismal. “Come on, Big Guy. His time to shine is finally here, so
let’s show him how much you really have in store for him.”

She reluctantly stood, walked back down the
aisle, and moved transparently through the tightly locked
doors.

Other Books by Jennifer Malone Wright

Keeper vs. Reaper (Graveyard Guardians
#1)(Always free)

Keeper of the Peace (Graveyard Guardians
#2)

BearyTales

Savior (A Higher Collective Novel)

Once Upon a Zombie Apocalypse – Jade (Always
free)

Once Upon a Zombie Apocalypse: Episode 2

The Vampire Hunter’s Daughter Part 1 (Always
free)

The Vampire Hunter’s Daughter: Part 2

The Vampire Hunter’s Daughter Part 3

The Vampire Hunter’s Daughter: Part 4

The Vampire Hunter’s Daughter: Part 5

The Vampire Hunter’s Daughter: Part 6

The Vampire Hunter’s Daughter: The Complete
Collection

(All six parts a total of 72,000 words)

The Arcadia Falls Chronicles is The Vampire
Hunter’s Daughter story continued

Love & War (The Arcadia Falls Chronicles
1)

Taking Talon (The Arcadia Falls Chronicles
2)

Vampire Apocalypse (The Arcadia Falls
Chronicles 3)

Blood Warrior (The Arcadia Falls Chronicles
4)

Winds of Fire (The Arcadia Falls Chronicles
5)

Innocence and Evil (The Arcadia Falls
Chronicles 6)

About the Author

Jennifer Malone Wright resides in the
beautiful mountains of northern Idaho with her husband and five
children where she practices preparing for the zombie apocalypse.
Just kidding!
But seriously, between the craziness of taking care of her
children, Jennifer has little time left for herself. The time she
does have left, usually leading far into the night, is spent
working on her beloved fiction or chatting with her equally crazy
friends.
Jennifer also loves coffee, has a passionate affair with red bull,
wishes the sushi were better where she lives and dances while she
cleans.

Please visit Jennifer’s website at

www.jenniferwrightauthor.com

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