No Shadows Fall

By
L.J. L
A
B
ARTHE

N
OVELS

City of Jade

A
RCHANGEL
C
HRONICLES

Book 1: No Quarter

Book 2: No Surrender, No Retreat

Book 3: No Shadows Fall

Coming in 2014

Book 4: The Wind-up Forest

Book 5: The Crystal Lake

Book 6: The Bone Cup

N
OVELLAS

The Body on the Beach

part of the Under the Southern Cross anthology

Published by
D
REAMSPINNER
P
RESS

http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com

Published by

Dreamspinner Press

5032 Capital Circle SW
Suite 2, PMB# 279
Tallahassee, FL 32305-7886

USA

http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/

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

No Shadows Fall

© 2014 L.J. LaBarthe.

Cover Art

© 2012 Anne Cain.

[email protected]

Cover content is for illustrative purposes only and any person depicted on the cover is a model.

All rights reserved. This book is licensed to the original purchaser only. Duplication or distribution via any means is illegal and a violation of international copyright law, subject to criminal prosecution and upon conviction, fines, and/or imprisonment. Any eBook format cannot be legally loaned or given to others. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without the written permission of the Publisher, except where permitted by law. To request permission and all other inquiries, contact Dreamspinner Press, 5032 Capital Circle SW, Suite 2, PMB# 279, Tallahassee, FL 32305-7886, USA, or http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/.

ISBN: 978-1-62798-674-8

Digital ISBN: 978-1-62798-675-5

Printed in the United States of America

Second Edition

January 2014

First Edition published by Dreamspinner Press, October 2012

As always, without the help and patience of Meredith Shayne, there would be no book. Her thoughts, insight, and red pen have been invaluable to me. I also need to thank the girls for their ongoing support: Marina Pycroft, Tracy Bailey, Michelle Wauchope, Alex Furze, Claire Clarke, Kealani Tosh, Kate Young, Isoline Sanderson, Laura Osgood, and Alex Potter. To my mum, my cousin Dr. Ian, my brother John; Israel Bishop for many words and being a sounding board, Lynn West, Erika Orrick, Anne Cain, and all the staff at Dreamspinner Press.

Gratias tibi ago
.

The sin, both of men and of angels,

was rendered possible by the fact that

God gave them free will.

—C.S. Lewis

HEAVEN

Michael: Chief Archangel, he is oldest of the Archangels and has the following titles: Prince of Heaven, Archangel of Repentance, Righteousness, Mercy and Sanctification, Tutelary Sar of Israel, Guardian of Jacob, Commander in Chief of the Armies of Heaven, Destroyer of Satan, Chief of the Sun, patron saint of policemen, a Grail angel. His power is gold, and he is bonded to Archangel Gabriel.

Gabriel: Archangel of War, he is next in age and has the following titles: Mercy, Revelation and Annunciation, the Strength of God, God’s Rage and Jealousy, General of God’s Armies, Commander of the Seraphim, Left Hand of God, Destroyer of Sodom and Gommorah, Dictator of the Koran to Mohammed, Chief of the Moon, a Grail Angel. His power is silver, and he is bonded to Archangel Michael.

Raphael: Archangel of Healing and Medicine, Prayer, Joy and Light, Overseer of the Evening Winds, Angel of the Sun. His power is white, and he is bonded to Israfel, Angel of Music.

Uriel: Archangel of Sanctification, Fire, and Vengeance, and his titles are: Guardian of the Gates of Hell, Guardian of Eden, Fire of God, angel of thunder. His power is orange, and he is bonded to Archangel Raziel.

Tzadkiel: Archangel of Judgment, and his titles are: Chief of God’s Secret Police, Commander of the Ophanim, angel of Jupiter. His power is copper colored.

Samael: Archangel of Death. His power is indigo.

Remiel: Archangel of Mercy and Visions, and his titles are: Guide to Judgment, angel of thunder. His power is dark green, and he is in a long-term relationship with Ishtahar.

Haniel: Archangel of Love, with the titles of: Guardian of Innocents, angel of Venus. His power is red.

Metatron: Archangel of the Voice of God, and his titles are: Angel of the Covenant, Chancellor of Heaven, Scribe of God. His power is pale blue.

Raziel: Archangel of Secrets and Mysteries and Science, Author and Keeper of the Sefer Raziel book of magic, angel of the Grail. His power is bronze, and he is bonded to Archangel Uriel.

Israfel: Angel of Music. His power is blue, and he is bonded to Archangel Raphael.

Tabbris: Angel of Free Will. His power is purple.

Agrat bat Mahlat: Angel of Prostitution and Sex and Procreation. She is one of the four Holy Succubi, called the Whore of God. Her power is red, and she is married/bonded to Shateiel, Angel of Silence and Soldiers.

Shateiel: Angel of Silence and Soldiers. The most trusted lieutenant of Gabriel, he is mute, communicates solely by telepathy. His power is light blue, and he is married/bonded to Agrat, Angel of Prostitution, Sex and Procreation.

Sophiel: Intelligence of Jupiter (corresponding to Tzadkiel), Angel of the Moon. Her power is blue.

Brieus: Angel of Demon Hunting. His power is silver-blue.

EARTH

John: Adopted son of Gabriel, killed during the Seventy Years War.

Mira: Adopted daughter of Gabriel, killed during the Seventy Years War.

Lia Darguill: Operative of evil who worked out of a textbook warehouse in Atlanta, Georgia, devoted to Bob Taytton and his planned new world order.

Bob Taytton: Megalomaniac who believed himself to be the reincarnation of a French saint named Secaire. Opened the portals to Hell that sparked the Seventy Years War, and was killed at the outset of that war.

Ishtahar: High Priestess of Semjaza, Prince of the Grigori. Born in the city of Eden at the dawn of Creation. Forced to bear children to Semjaza, mother of the first Nephilim—half human, half angel hybrids. She is in a long-term relationship with Remiel.

Hiwa: Elder son of Ishtahar, hates his father, Semjaza and feels nothing but loathing for him. Has spent most of his life living as an assassin, working predominantly for the Russian mafia.

Ahijah: Younger son of Ishtahar, also hates his father, Semjaza. Has devoted his life to God, living and working as a priest, finally settling in Brazil.

Eleanora: A French witch, living in Provence.

Jihu: A shaman, living in North Korea in a communal farm with his family, hides his talents from prying eyes and ears.

Sorella: A wise-woman, living in the Congo, in the slums. She is also an herbalist and healer.

Frank: A former Cistercian monk, now a Hermit. He lives on the island of St. Kilda, off the north coast of Scotland.

Khenbish: A shaman and a Buddhist, living in Mongolia, his name means “Nobody,” which confuses evil spirits.

Iolana: A shamaness living in Hawaii, very shy but kind and cheerful, she lives with her girlfriend and loves to surf. Her name means “to soar like an eagle.”

Wilara: A Wajarri Elder living on the traditional tribal lands of the Wajarri People in Western Australia.

Lyudmila: Queen of the Eastern Bloc Weres and has two shifter shapes—a wolf and a mink. Has talent with magic and with visions. Is Russian but now lives in Yerevan, capital of Armenia.

Piotr: Lyudmila’s consort. Is Russian, but lives in Yerevan with Lyudmila. His shifter shape is that of an eagle.

Chloe: A young woman working for the British Library in London in the rare books and manuscripts department. Good friends with Penemuel, the Grigori.

Susan: Chloe’s mother and Penemuel’s landlady.

Sebastian Bloome: Individual involved in the kidnap and sale of angels on the black market.

HELL

Lucifer: King of Hell. A Fallen Angel, the first Fallen Angel. Is very good friends with the Archdemon Adramelek, one of the first angels to Fall. His titles are: King of Hell, Lightbringer, The Morningstar, Lucifer, Prince of Lies, Lord of Deceit, Lord of the Flies, The Devil, Satan. Is almost omniscient, nearly as much as God. His power is white, and he is in an open relationship with Lilith and is sometimes involved with Adramelek.

Adramelek: Fallen Angel and unquestionably loyal to Lucifer. Formerly a member of the choir of angels called the Thrones. His titles are: Archdemon of Fire, Great Minister and Chancellor of the Order of the Fly, President of Satan’s Private Council, the High Council of Devils, President of the Order of Glass Knives. Power is silver-black, he is Lucifer’s sometime lover.

Ondrass: One of the first demons created, born out of Lucifer’s fury just after his fall into Hell. His titles are: Archdemon of Discord, Grand Marquis of Hell, Lucifer’s personal hitman, member of the Order of Glass Knives. His power is black, and he is in a relationship with his personal assistant, Markus.

Melcherisa: Archdemon of Darkness, Governor of the Base Natures of Hell, member of the Guild of Glass Knives. His power is dark gray.

Lix Tetrax: Duchess of Whirlwinds, High Priestess of Fevers and Member of the Order of the Fly, member of the Guild of Knives. Her power is silver-gray.

Ba’al: Seneschal to Lucifer and butler to Lucifer. Absolutely loyal to Lucifer and loves him as a father-figure. His power is gray.

Sprite: Adramelek’s hell-cat, ginger colored, with a fondness for tuna and fresh fish.

Uphir: Archdemon of Medicine and Science, Hell’s Physician. His power is muddy-brown.

Marchosias: Marquis of Wolves. His is power is khaki-green.

Markus: Personal Assistant to Ondrass, the Archdemon of Discord. His power is gray, and he is in a relationship with Ondrass.

OTHER

Shamsiel: A Fallen Angel of the choir of the Grigori. Formerly the Grigori of Astrology. Made a deal with Bob Taytton and they sold feathers from his wings to demons to hide them from angelic sight in the build-up to the Seventy Years War. Was killed by Lucifer for his actions.

Semjaza: Prince of the Grigori, imprisoned in the constellation of Aquila by Gabriel in the last days of Eden. His punishment was for corrupting humanity and breeding with human women, most notably his high priestess, Ishtahar, whom he forced to be his wife. Is the father of Hiwa and Ahijah. He is a talented magician.