The Form of Eternity; Book Three of The Order of Eternals

By Shiloh Darke

Copper is a headstrong, fiery redhead with the power to move things with her mind and a distrust of anything male. She’s been hurt before and she doesn’t trust them not to hurt her again. She works hard to keep any man who may try to worm his way into her life at a distance.

When she meets Keltan, a Native American shape-shifting Eternal, she knows instinctively she will have to stay far, far away from him because just being near him makes fire coarse through her veins.

Keltan knows when he first sees Copper, she is the woman he’s meant to spend Eternity with. But he finds her resistance to his attempts to form a connection tormenting. Then, the choice to leave her to her solitude is taken from him as an ancient enemy to his ancestors decides to target the woman he loves.

Can she find a way to trust him? Can he prove to her the love they feel isn’t fleeting? More to the point, can they battle this evil without losing each other?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Gypsy Shadow Publishing, LLC
• Release date: Mar 28, 2011
• ISBN: 9781452414072

Shiloh Darke

What to say about myself? Gee... I'm not sure. I'm a wife, a mother, and even a GRANDMOTHER... But call me MiMi! I LOVE to tell stories! It is just about my favorite thing to do. Ever since I was a little girl, I've LOVED a good romance. But not just ANY romance. No way! I have to have adventure, excitement, danger, thrills and chills as well. What's the point in just a regular old, PREDICTABLE romance? If I can tell halfway through the book what is going to happen, where's the fun in that? As if you can't already tell, I love to read about as much as I love to write! I read romance, mystery, horror, fan fiction (Mostly Harry Potter or True Blood) and anything else that catches my eye. I also write stories for younger readers age 14 and up; YA novels under the pen name of Rowan Shannigan. I'm working on my second novel in the first series I've started under that alias. Check it out at http://feeltheawareness.weebly.com if you are interested. Same CRAZY kind of stories, just a little less intense. If you don't try it, you don't know what you're missing!

Book preview

Contents

Copyright Page

Dedication

Prologue

Chapter 1

Chapter 5

Chapter 10

Chapter 15

Chapter 17

Epilogue

Coming Next in This Series

About the Author

The Form of Eternity

Book Three of The Order of Eternals

by

Shiloh Darke

All rights reserved

Copyright © March 2011, Shiloh Darke

Cover Art Copyright © 2011, Shiloh Darke and Charlotte Holley

Gypsy Shadow Publishing

Lockhart, TX

www.gypsyshadow.com

Names, characters and incidents depicted in this eBook are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental and beyond the intent of the author or the publisher.

No part of this eBook may be reproduced or shared by any electronic or mechanical means, including but not limited to printing, file sharing, and email, without prior written permission from Gypsy Shadow Publishing.

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

This eBook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This eBook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each person you share it with. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then you should return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work

of this author.

ISBN: 9781452414072

Published in the United States of America

First eBook Edition:March 28, 2011

Dedication

My warmest thanks go to my mother/editor, Charlotte Holley. You are my biggest fan and my biggest critic. Sometimes you find errors where I would never think they were, and I appreciate you for pointing them out. You never shy away from telling me if something doesn’t sound right or if I don’t give enough detail. You even agree to read it, whether you like the storyline or not, and I love you for it! Thank you, from the bottom of my heart!

Also, to the love of my life; in so many ways, the heroine of this book reminds me of myself. I remember being so afraid of being hurt yet again in any romantic endeavor that I just refused even to try. Then I met you. You took your time. You showed me what it was like to have a wonderful friend. Then, when the time was right, you swept me off my feet. I love you more than words can ever say, and I dedicate the love of these two characters to the love you and I share; Forever and Always, beloved (Agigau—The Cherokee term for Beloved).

Prologue

Spring of 1630

The youth secured his bow and arrows to his back and took off at a slow trot up the side of the mountain. His father had escorted him to the edge of the mountain, as was the tradition of his tribe for becoming a man.

He was a half-breed. His father was a Shaman to their people, but his mother was Scottish. He had two names, Keltan, from his mother, and Elohi-Ayagi, from his father. He had often wondered why his parents had decided upon two names with such similar meanings; both the equivalent of warrior. But he liked both, so he never complained.

He paused, looking again at the remaining distance he had to go to reach the top. Once at the summit, he would make camp and prepare himself for his quest. He would be on the top of the mountain for one week.

During that time, he would search for the meaning of his existence. He was determined to discover his destiny on his quest, and that destiny would be to accomplish something truly important, which would bring him the acceptance of his tribe.

Clenching his jaw, he continued up the mountain with renewed purpose. If his quest proved fruitful, he would be known to them, not as a half-breed, but as a highly respected member of the tribe! He would know their respect, not their scorn. They had never been cruel to him, but he had not fit in as well as he would have wished.

His parents both loved him, and they were accepted, although the tribe looked at Heather as an outsider, a limitation to his father. She was not truly recognized as one of them until she had been among them for many years. Keltan had nothing but admiration and respect for his mother. She was a brave and wonderful woman. He felt pride in having her blood.

When he finally reached the steepest incline, he pulled himself to safety and looked around. He found himself in a cave, and it was perfect. The entrance was huge and dark. He could safely camp here and watch for beasts each night as he waited for the visions that would foretell his destiny.

Standing, he moved to gather some fallen branches from a tree growing on the side of the cliff. He would use them to build his fire for warmth, and eat some of the rations his father had allowed him to take for his first night. Starting tomorrow, he would have to begin fasting for the remainder of his quest. He had spent the previous two evenings within the sweat lodge in preparation of the coming days. His first vision had begun then.

It had been a simple, but strong vision, one of watching an Eagle soar in the early morning sky. The majestic bird looked down upon him with keen interest, and he had felt an overwhelming desire to be one with the creature. Then, suddenly he was the bird. Or he was a part of the bird. Flying with the massive creature and feeling for the first time in his life he had finally become whole.

The vision was just the beginning. When he reported it to his father, the Shaman made arrangements to escort him to the edge of the mountain. Now, the outcome of this vision quest would mark the beginning of the rest of his life.

After he had a decent fire burning, he unrolled his pallet and settled it on the ground. He ate his rations before lying down to take his rest. He would rise before dawn the coming morning. Tomorrow would be the day he began working to prove he was now a man.

Later, as he slept, the Spirits of the animal energy within him gathered around him. Dragon, Wolf, Eagle and Leopard all kept vigil, waiting for him to awaken.

Slowly, he opened his eyes as he lay there, staring blankly at the creatures around him for several seconds. As he blinked the sleep out of his eyes, he realized he was truly awake and no longer dreaming.

Panic assailed him as he rose and looked frantically for his weapons. They lay there beside his makeshift bed. Grabbing the knife, he held it tight as he jumped to his feet, ready to fend off the first predator.

Each animal watched him with a mixture of mirth and tolerance shining on its face. They each regarded him with intelligent eyes, but Dragon spoke to him.

Do you really think if we wanted your flesh to feast upon a mere blade would deter us? He chuckled, shaking his head at the humorous situation. The other animals seemed to join in his laughter, which only served to infuriate and confuse Keltan more.

What is it you want of me? he demanded in a voice still in the process of making the change from child to adult. He tried to seem intimidating. Instead his voice cracked.

Leopard answered in a soft, almost seductive voice, You have sent up your prayers to discover your destiny, young Keltan. She blinked once. We have answered.

Perplexed and intrigued, Keltan slowly lowered his meager weapon. Are you my Spirit guides? Perhaps this was what he’d come searching for.

Eagle ruffled his feathers. Well, of course, we are. We are also a part of your destiny.

The boy sank back onto his pallet and looked around at each of the majestic animals surrounding him. They each looked at him with intelligent, friendly eyes. He felt somewhat embarrassed that he flew into defense without even waiting to see if any of them was planning to attack him.

Lowering his head, he offered softly, I am sorry for not knowing why you were here.

Dragon spoke again at that moment, Child, you have no reason to apologize. If I had been sleeping and had awakened to find such an array of dangerous creatures surrounding me, I would have felt threatened and intimidated as well.

The beautiful Wolf, who sat closest to him, spoke next. Your reaction is understandable and forgiven, young one.

Keltan turned to stare at her and was entranced by her eyes, the color of the sky when the sun was high. He was completely amazed. Never had he seen a Wolf with such eyes. Their beauty was stunning.

She seemed to smile at him then. We shall be close as we each guide you through your journey to manhood.

Dragon spoke again, drawing Keltan’s attention to him. We are here with you because you are special, my young friend. Where most of your people may have one or two Spirit guides, you have all four of us. We are the representatives of the energy within you.

Keltan found himself drawn into Dragon’s words. He listened as the Spirit told him of what he was to be, and the powers he would have. The longer Dragon spoke, the bigger the young man’s eyes became.

When at last they fell silent, he questioned them. Me, a shape-shifter? But how? The stories of our tribe tell there hasn’t been one of those born to us in many years. My father said the last one was his great, great-grandfather. Why me? Why after all this time?

Dragon smiled and leaned down, breathing his essence into the boy. Each Spirit animal followed as they became one with the youth who had been sitting among them as a boy, but would leave the mountain a man.

Keltan looked around, realizing he was alone now on the mountain. But he knew he wasn’t truly alone. As the truth of it became evident, he heard the whisper of Dragon in his very soul. "Because it is your destiny…"

Chapter One

Summer of 2011

The Spirit flew through the night, traveling with ease over the valley, unseen by the human eye. It moved as a dark cloud would over the land, building in size as it pressed ever closer to its goal.

When it neared the ancient Cherokee burial ground, it assumed a more tangible form, becoming shadow and continuing toward a specific grave, belonging to one particular Shaman. Many wards and warnings protected his resting place. However, the magic of mortals was no threat to the Spirit, which moved past them with no difficulty at all.

The Shaman was a thing of legend. He was a kind soul in his youth. His people believed he would be a great man; a leader among his tribe. He was a truly powerful figure among his people.

He’d fulfilled the hopes of his tribe in many ways, until a certain event changed his entire outlook on life. No record was kept of what changed him, so it was no longer remembered after so many years. Desolate and inconsolable, he turned to dark Spirits, taboo and forbidden among his tribe.

They answered his calls, and the powers those Spirits gifted him with appealed to his darker nature, making him power-hungry and sick with an ever-growing evil within his soul. He began to have a taste for evil. He enjoyed torturing creatures weaker than himself. Many women of the tribe learned he could not be trusted if they were alone.

But still, the tribe was blind to his evil habits and appetites, until he attempted to sacrifice a newborn to dark gods not among the ones they worshiped. They were unable to exact justice on him for his crimes, for they feared his insanity. If they had only known the depths of his crimes, they would have burned his ashes to dust, making his return impossible.

Instead, he was always guarded and treated with the reverence of the insane, for in those days, they were always treated with respect. Such people were believed to be touched by the gods.

Upon his death, his remains were not allowed to be placed among the past Shamans of his tribe. Instead, they were taken and placed in the ground as a way of attempting to keep his evil away from future generations. If they knew the extent of his evil deeds, they would have taken measures to spread his ashes far and wide to hinder any possibility of reanimation.

His people breathed a collective sigh of relief at his burial, believing the horrors he’d caused to be at an end. However, unknown to the tribe, in his youth he made an agreement with the dark gods he followed; an agreement to give his soul over in service of the very evil he craved.

Now, the day the tribe had never realized would come arrived. The same gods the Shaman prayed to saw fit to collect the debt promised to them; for although they were not gods, but demons, they had an agenda and the Shaman’s very soul was at the center of it.

As the invading Spirit reached the grave, it drew a symbol in the ground with a whisper swallowed by a sudden gust of wind as the smoky shadow disappeared into the earth. Then, everything went perfectly still and for several minutes, even time, seemed to come to a halt. Slowly, the shadow emerged, becoming more of a smoky consistency as it rose.

Then, like a scene from a horror movie, the skeletal remains of the ancient dead Shaman dug its way clear of the bowels of the earth to join the dark summoning Spirit.

Hidden within the shroud of night, they were obscured from the eyes of man, but the beasts knew they were there. They shrank away from the invaders in fear, calling out to each other in warning.

That night, no animals stalked smaller ones. Snakes and mice huddled together for protection. Mountain lions and rabbits alike trembled side-by-side. Each and every animal watched the other’s back. Each creature born of this world passed the night in silent truce.

What this Shadow and Corpse stood for was an abomination that endangered all living beings. The right of man to exist was about to be challenged. If this new evil succeeded in what drove it into existence, then the human race would be forever lost, no matter who may have been chosen to protect it. This enemy was as dangerous to the Eternals as it was to any other born of this world.

One poor beast was alone when the creatures rose into the night. She had not sensed the threat as the others had, for she had been preoccupied in trying to find food for her young. When the Shadow came upon her, she realized her mistake… too late. Cowering against the nearest tree, the Panther hissed and spat at her attackers. She could sense their evil. She felt their malicious intent directed toward her.

Yet even as she fought bravely against them, she knew her life was forfeit here. These creatures were stronger than she was; she was no match for them. The shadow held her immobile as the skeletal Shaman spoke words to allow his withered, decayed body to blend with hers.

She screamed in pain as they cruelly took control of her, filling her beautiful form with their evil and leaving her senses reeling in agony. She felt her once-soft pelt become coarse as her body began to change to fit their needs.

Fiery anguish erupted within her as each muscle and bone stretched and contorted and she was forced into a standing position. Her front paws morphed into a strange malformation resembling hands, complete with long claws. Her back paws grew to support the shift in weight.

Her Spirit tried desperately to escape the entrapment of this new body, but she felt herself being crushed as these intruders took her over. They could not let her gain her freedom from this new body, for although they possessed control of it to turn it into what they wanted, their dominance ended there.

In order to retain the instincts she as a Panther naturally possessed, they required her Spirit to remain, forever imprisoned inside their new creation. She would have all knowledge of what evil things they used her for, but be powerless to stop them.

This new being was now an abomination to the true creations of nature. It was a forced insurrection of something dark and sinister. No longer was it a Panther.

In her place stood a creature born of shadows and decay; red eyes glowed in the darkness. The other animals bore horrified witness to the transformation before scattering in every direction, clearing a path for this new threatening presence.

The Panther’s consciousness was still intact. She felt every evil thought and cringed at the realization of what she was to be forced to do. Her Spirit cried out to the Father to show mercy, for now, true evil walked the Earth; evil in one of its vilest forms. The Panther, although still trapped inside her own body, no longer had any decisions as far as her knowledge of right and wrong, only the awareness of what she had once been; what she was now. Deeper still; she knew at this point, the vile sensations of her invaders. Against her will, her sole purpose now became the embodiment of their senses.

No longer simply human, Spirit or animal, now this new being was the stuff of legend, a mixture of all three realms—what some would refer to as the Shadow Walker.

* * * *

Keltan sat watching Gideon work with his saber. The warrior was an artist with the blade. His strength was admirable. Many an enemy would be stunned should they see what Keltan witnessed this night.

Gideon’s Owl perched on Keltan’s shoulder, watching her master’s movement with a kind of half-hearted interest. Her feathers ruffled when Keltan offered her a piece of dried beef. Then she took it from him, making short work of it.

The warrior didn’t miss a move as he said, Keltan, if you continue to feed my bird those scraps, she will become so fat she won’t be able to take to the air.

The Owl hooted in response, giving a reply that had both men looking at her in surprise. Keltan smiled and turned his gaze back to Gideon. Your companion is far from being an ordinary owl, my friend. She understands your every word.

Gideon glanced at his feathered companion and nodded before resuming his exercise. She is something special. That I know. She holds a magic all her own.

Keltan looked back at the bird. How long have you had her? He had known Gideon personally for a little over a century, but they’d never taken the time to get to know each other. Whenever they’d been together, it had been to work as comrades against the unknown enemies of man.

The protection of mortal from the enemies of their lives and souls was the destiny and challenge of each Eternal. Eternals were chosen at some point in their human lives to become the protectors of man. Keltan had been chosen after his talent of shape-shifting came to light. He was the son of a Cherokee Shaman and a Scottish maid.

His father was so stricken by his mother Heather’s beauty, he kidnapped her, taking her to be his slave. She was a fiery-haired damsel with green eyes which flared when her temper took hold.

He had taken her in anger, meaning to use her and abuse her the way the white man abused many people of his tribe. But his healing nature and belief in the overall good of all took over, making him recognize the beauty in not just her face, but also in her Spirit. Instead of enslaving her, he married her, claiming she was the one who enslaved him, body and soul.

When Keltan was born, his father had named him Elohi Ayagi, which translated into Earth Warrior. His mother endured the name, but asked if she could name him after her father, who died on the way to the Americas after indenturing himself as a servant to earn their passage.

Loving her too much to deny her, Keltan’s father agreed. The name Keltan, which was a branch-off from the Gaelic name Caelen, meaning Powerful Warrior, turned out to be a name his father not only liked, but preferred to use over the other. He told Keltan when he was still a young man that both names had suited him well.

As a result, his full name was now Keltan Elohi Ayagi. Once he had hated the name, but when he came to realize his calling, he had worn his appellation with pride.