Frozen Moments

By Michele Richard

The Sentinels live in our future and are the Keepers of Time. Sentinels have the responsibility of guarding the once gifted and proclaimed golden-children of the greatest government's scientific communities. With the collapse of the world, they now hide and try to correct the downfall that nearly led to the end of life.

A team of technically altered humans race through frozen landscapes to save those they can and try to correct the flawed outcomes that threaten to create the catastrophic future. They're faster, stronger, and more agile than those living in the time period. These unknown heroes live on low income jobs while they report to Melanie Shepherd, who freezes time to assist them in their endeavors.

Is an event ever too big for them to stop?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Renaissance Romance Publishing
• Release date: Sep 11, 2015
• ISBN: 9781311107114

Michele Richard

About The Author:Michele Richard lives in a suburb of Boston, Mass. She’s the mother of two pre-teen daughters, Danielle and Virginia.She’s currently learning French and Spanish, and one day hopes to be fluent in both. Learning new things is always something she enjoys.In 2012 she opened Renaissance Romance Publishing.Her works include:Mocked by series:Mocked by DestinyMocked by FaithMocked by Faith ~ Healing the FaithParasouls series:Divine InterventionShort stories:Changes of the Heart (Life is More Than Candy Hearts)10 Days to LoveThe Roommates

Book preview

Frozen Moments

Michele Richard

Smashwords Edition

*****

***

Published by

Renaissance Romance Publishing

Copyright © Michele Richard 2013

The rights of Michele Richard to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted by her under the Copyright Amendment (Moral Rights) Act

2000

Smashwords License Notes

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This print 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 recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

This ebook is a work of fiction and any resemblance to persons, living or dead, or places, events or locales is purely coincidental. The characters are productions of the author’s imagination and used fictitiously.

This work is copyright. Apart from any use as permitted under the

Copyright Act 1968, no part may be reproduced, copied, scanned, stored in

a retrieval system, recorded or transmitted, in any form or by any means,

without the prior written permission of the publisher.

Cover Art info:

Cover Design by: Melissa Conder

***

Acknowledgements

First, let me say thank you to the Renaissance Romance Publishing editing staff. No author is ever perfect the first time they draft a new novel.

Without my family none of this would have been possible. They have given me all the support I could have asked for. I love you, Virginia and Danielle.

This book is dedicated to my mom, Patricia. She was my rock until she lost her battle with cancer. I will always love her. The lessons she taught me will guide me for the rest of my life.

***

Contents

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Epilogue

***

Chapter One

2012

Everything Has a Beginning

Melanie Shepherd’s high-heel boots clicked off the concrete as she approached Blackie’s Boxing on 7th Street in South Boston. It had been years since she’d been there last. Of course, back then it had been nothing more than a pile of rubble. Not that now there was much more to look at — at least the walls were still standing. So many things would soon be changing. The best she could hope for was a better outcome. She’d known this moment was coming, even been waiting for it. That only seemed to heighten the anxiety building within her. In order to achieve her goal, she’d been approved to relinquish certain information — information that was generally reserved.

The Sentinel Order guarded how much information was allotted to possible new recruits. This case was no different. Well, maybe it was. Elysian would be one of humanity’s greatest warriors for correcting the future if he chose to join the cause.

A stress-filled laugh trickled from Melanie’s mauve painted lips when she reached out and grasped the tarnished brass doorknob. At thirty, she felt like a sixteen-year-old going to a party where the boy she had a crush on lay in wait — not that she actually ever experienced that feeling. The upcoming conversation would seem like something from the Twilight Zone to Elysian; for Melanie, it was an all too real past.

Even with the harsh October wind, common to New England’s fall, whipping her long auburn hair, the heated air blasted Melanie in the face when she yanked open the red-painted wooden door. Sparse sounds of leather impacting skin and grunts of exertion drifted her way. She’d chosen this time because she knew the gym would be nearly empty and that served her purpose perfectly.

Melanie’s focus drifted toward the single punching bag to the left. There stood the main reason for the five a.m. visit. She took a moment to appreciate the view. At nearly six feet tall, he was long and lean and built for boxing. His broad shoulders and taut muscles showed his years of training. Red and white satin boxing shorts hung low on his hips, revealing his defined abdominal muscles. So lost in her appreciation of his body, she hadn’t realized he had noticed her standing there.

Can I help you? Elysian mumbled around his mouth piece, holding his gloved hands up in question.

Putting an added confidence in her stride, Melanie approached the target. My name is Melanie Shepherd. And you are Elysian Del Rey, or Ely to your friends. You’re named after Greek mythology, the Elysian Fields in Elysium. Said to be the final resting place of the souls of the heroic and the virtuous.

Shocked by her declaration, he furrowed his brow in apparent confusion. So much about him was different, yet still the same. His short, spiked, blond hair beckoned her fingers to run through it. Of course, now it had a lot less gray. She smiled, thinking about how his blue eyes were no longer lined with the wrinkles that once marked his age.

Stepping back, Ely popped the plastic guard from his mouth to his hand. How did you know that?

Melanie laughed, knowing how ridiculous her next statement would sound. You will tell me about fifteen years from now.

No one outside my family knows that. Why would I tell you? I don’t even know you, Ely huffed, turning and stomping toward the bench where his black workout bag sat.

You will. She shook her head, her shoulder-length, auburn hair swayed with her movements. Just not here or now.

That makes no sense, lady, he growled, using his teeth to pull away the Velcro strap to one of his boxing gloves.

Let me buy you a coffee and I’ll explain everything.

Shaking his head, Ely smiled for the first time since Melanie had walked in. Is this how you get all your dates?

Nope, you’re the first.

This had better be good, and don’t expect me to shower first.

Wouldn’t dream of it.

Tossing his gear back in his bag, Ely headed back to the changing room. He had no idea what to make of Melanie Shepherd and her strange ramblings; though he couldn’t fight the fact she was easy on the eyes. Her reddish hair and gray eyes drew him in and held him there. There was also something about the way she held herself. An aura of confidence surrounded her. She was strong without being full of herself.

~*~*~

Five minutes after Ely left Melanie in the sparring area, he returned dressed in his usual black T-shirt and worn denim jeans. It just so happened, he had the day off from the gas station where he worked as an auto mechanic. In exchange for working Saturdays, he alternated one day a week off depending on which day was slow. Rafe never harassed Ely about taking time off. He knew he’d get his forty hours.

Melanie stood leaning against the white-painted concrete wall near the door with her arms crossed her over her chest, watching Salvador working out on the heavy bag. From the way she watched him, she knew what to look for, maybe she represented boxers? It still didn’t explain how she knew about Ely.

Walking up, he nodded to the door. You ready to go?

It’s the whole reason I’m here. She laughed, waving to proceed with her hand.

Ely couldn’t help feeling this would be a long day if she kept up with cryptic hints. He held the door open, allowing her to pass through it first, noticing how she checked her watch. More so, he noticed the watch. It wasn’t anything like he’d ever seen before. The solid-metal cuff-band resembled what was his best guess: titanium, but it didn’t sound right. No one made watches like that that he knew of. The crystal face glowed a luminescent yellow with black digits, but they didn’t look like any numbers he knew.

Trying not to obviously stare at her jewelry, he followed her out the door and down the street to the local Starbucks. Though he was a Dunkin Donut’s man, if she was buying, he’d deal with it.

Grab a seat in the corner while I grab our coffees, Melanie instructed.

Sure—I’ll have . . . Her laughter stopped his order.

Yeah, I know: black, no sugar.

Shaking his head, Ely dropped his bag and slipped off his black leather coat, swinging it over the back of the chair, opting to keep on his black hoodie. Melanie Shepherd was good if she knew how he took his coffee.

Ely slipped into the seat and started strumming