Tainted

By Matthew Bevan

The exception to the laws of physics, not bound to rules of nature, free to do whatever the heart desires never sound so horrible. Only the purest of warriors and guardians are allowed to remain in heaven to protect everything on Earth. So what would happen if an individual became tainted? The key to salvation or damnation lies within the free will of Nathaniel; a banished angel by his defiance to live out his sentence on Earth. New experiences and thinking cause him to become torn between the light and darkness.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris AU
• Release date: Feb 9, 2013
• ISBN: 9781479777341

Matthew Bevan

Matthew is an aspiring young writer who draws inspiration from wild thinking and his surroundings in the greater western suburbs of Sydney. He is an eager traveller that has witnessed countless surroundings and cultures to gain a greater understanding of the world around him. Tainted is Matthew's first novel and he is looking forward to creating a popular trilogy.

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Copyright © 2013 by Matthew Bevan.

Library of Congress Control Number:      2013900594

ISBN:      Hardcover      978-1-4797-7733-4

ISBN:      Softcover         978-1-4797-7732-7

ISBN:      Ebook         978-1-4797-7734-1

All rights reserved. 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 permission in writing from the copyright owner.

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

To order additional copies of this book, contact:

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Contents

Blurb

Prologue Central London, 1873

Chapter One Guilty!

Chapter Two Bearings

Chapter Three Haven Away From Heaven

Chapter Four First Day Of School

Chapter Five The Study Of Life

Chapter Six A Blast From The Past

Chapter Seven Temptation

Chapter Eight A Crucial Decision

Chapter Nine Firsts

Chapter Ten From Bad To Worse

Chapter Eleven A Fall From Grace

Chapter Twelve Busted!

Chapter Thirteen The Feast Of Our Lady

Chapter Fourteen Road To Redemption

Chapter Fifteen All Hell Breaks Loose

Chapter Sixteen News Flash!

Chapter Seventeen Five Elements

Chapter Eighteen The Beginning Of The End

Chapter Nineteen One Winner, One Loser

Chapter Twenty A New Dawn

To my family that had supported me through everything, especially my beautiful mother Leanne and grandmother Janet, this is for you. It is also for my five brothers: Brad, Lachlan, Riley, Blake and Anthony, with the added support of my dad Craig and the constant reminder of my amazing girlfriend, Lauren, to keep me sane.

Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.

BLURB

T he exception to the laws of physics, not bound to rules of nature, free to do whatever the heart desires never sound so horrible. Only the purest of warriors and guardians are allowed to remain in heaven to protect everything on Earth. So what would happen if an individual became tainted? The key to salvation or damnation lies within free will, torn between the light and the darkness.

PROLOGUE

CENTRAL LONDON, 1873

A cool night blessed London with a break from the heatwave that irritated many to the point of unprovoked anger. Subtle easterly winds danced in the cobblestone streets that eased the ambience of the street. Humans went about their lives as if everything was perfect, and to their knowledge, it was. Workers were lighting the oil street lights as twilight began to fade into night, bringing a dark sky with pinpricks of white indicating stars. A large full moon lent more light to the streets of the world that filled Earth. The sound of the footsteps from the horse and cart on the uneven surface tried to battle the conversations from pedestrians, but it was of no use.

A couple of rowdy gentlemen exited the local watering hole after taking part in post weekday celebrations and stumbled in the street as they were linked together. An idea that with two drunken men helping each other, the goal of stabilising themselves seemed to work for majority of the trip. Their raucous songs echoed the streets and made them a primary object to be avoided. With business suits askew, the two men attempted to go to the closest known address that would provide comfort and safety. Drunkenness and carelessness go hand in hand, and danger is never too far away. Crime ruled the underbelly of this city, with gangs and crooks to thank for that, and crime was on the increase; violence and robberies became a focal point for the newspaper headlines. Deep down these two drunken males were prime targets for robberies, and they knew it as their journey was drawing to an end. Flashy clothes that were expensive, wallets half full with cash that easily satisfy the middle class people, let alone the lower class people, messy clothes that stunk of spilt alcohol, and their drunk dance verified that they were easy pickings and that they couldn’t put up a fight if they tried. Tension and awareness grew between them, making blurry decisions with precision. The next corner was partially visible to the two, and that was their destination. It was clear; a quicker pace built between the two, making them even clumsier.

One of the men tripped and stumbled to the ground, and the other could not hold back the giggling at the slapstick humour. The standing friend stopped laughing briefly to help his downed buddy. A feminine hand extended and beat him to it in a sign of kindness; this slender hand had looked like it had never lifted a single object, let alone a male with an average build. A hooded woman stood in front of these two now-scared men, a black overcoat shrouded her face and clothes. To a normal person, it would have just been a friendly hand that extended from the fabric, but the visions of the drunk men had altered reality.

Petrified of the grim reaper, the boys ran as fast as they could to get away to safety. The black weather-protecting garment stood to watch them flee, but she did not follow. She made her way back up the drunken path undetected by another soul as she did before her first interaction. The local pub was the ghost’s destination, and it was mere metres away. Another group of people exited the ‘Hound and Swine’, making the streets lively again. The road became the pathway as a horse and cart made their way home. The horseman eased his companion as the haul of a hard day’s work bounded on the cobblestone’s command. The man had an ulterior motive. He wanted to catch a glimpse of the hooded apparition. The wondering eye became drawn to her presence, but to the naked eye, nothing was seen other than black, yet the animal eye of the horse could see the evil within the hood. Bright red eyes seared through the darkness and spooked the horse; an additional hiss came from the hood. He had no choice but to cry in horror and run with his master trying to regain control.

The Hound and Swine was a local pub that quenched the thirst of businessmen, labourers, and of age teens and everyone in between. Laughs and reminiscing storytelling filled the air along with the scent of beer. One man did not belong here in this bar scene, but he had adapted to fit in, and he became undetectable by humans of being an imposter. Alexander joined his new friends at a round table to hear past adventures that he had missed out on, but he wanted to be a part of it. ‘And then what happened?’ Alexander asked to find out the conclusion to the epic fight scene. One of the other men began to demonstrate the actions that took place with vocal aids. The bar door had opened harder than anticipated with the help of a fresh breeze. Bang! Ding! The door hit an adjacent wall that rang the bell that alerted everyone of a new or old friend. The hooded woman walked into the dead silent bar. A smashed glass from behind the bar broke the silence; conversations resumed, and now the woman only had one pair of eyes on her.

Alexander’s mind was blank, and his attention was now captured by her mystery. His friend’s conversations were just empty words in his mind that sparked no imagination. The door closed behind the stranger softly, to tell the cold inside to convert whether it was by choice or force. Two hands showed themselves from the garment to hold on to the edges of the hood. She removed it to expose herself. She was so beautiful, and she knew this. She had short black hair that just bounced into place with each step; her hair contrasted her porcelain skin that looked like she had never seen daylight. This woman waltzed over to the bar alone, scanning her surroundings. Alexander’s eyes had never moved from this goddess form, and his new friends could tell, ‘Go, man, if you think you can go her, go court her.’ He stood without realisation that his friends gave him permission to do so. Alexander had a quick quiet trip to the bar and perched himself on a bar stool non-schilauntly next to the woman. ‘Could I buy you a drink?’ He turned to initiate the first smile, but he was beaten. This lady’s smile was a beacon of happiness as the smooth white bones burst through the ruby lips of hers. Her eyes shimmered in the close light of a candle; they looked like two tiny puddles that reflected the sky on the still surface. ‘Sure,’ her sweet melody rang like soft church chimes in the breeze. The ringing in his head didn’t leave until he indicated the bartender to get two of something. ‘I’m Ms Monic,’ she said calmly with a slight extension of her hand.

‘It’s a pleasure to meet you, Ms Monic. My name is Alexander Legna.’ He extended his hand to meet hers, although a stray nail protruded from the bar to gash his hand. A single drop of blood fell to the dusty deck, and two pairs of eyes followed its descent. He continued the greeting routine in a hope that she had not seen it. Their hands met with a warm touch that seemed to shear both palms. Caught off guard by the sensation, Ms Monic twisted her hand to see the reverse side. To her surprise, the cut was gone with no sign of even existing. Her eyes widened and so did her smile.

Ms Monic leant forward to whisper something that intrigued Mr Legna, and they shared a drink with a clink of glasses. After their drinks and small talk, they both stood and left the bar with each other in hand. That was the last time Alexander’s friends or anyone had seen him.

CHAPTER ONE

GUILTY!

‘K eep moving, down the corridor, and the last door on the right,’ said the being that kept prodding my bareback with what felt like a thick solid staff. Gold, no doubt. ‘Face forward, vermin!’ exclaimed the chilling voice; my best friend, since the beginning of existence, was delivering me to the court. As I was forced to walk down this bright hall, I passed white doors that had strange gold encryptions that I couldn’t comprehend. My body came to an unwilling halt, and I spun to face the door on my right. This door was different. It was illuminated brighter than the others; it was as if I was staring into a star that the humans referred to as ‘the sun’. Then again, everything in the Kingdom of Heaven is pristine. The hieroglyphs, when gazed upon, rearranged themselves to that they formed words that were in English reading, ‘Holy Court’. ‘Enter!’ shouted the ever-so respectable Gabriel, the finest warrior amongst angels and is the right hand of God. His job is to keep the order within heaven and to get rid of the discrepancies, in this case, me. The door that concealed my punishment, my fate opened. I stared into the blinding light—visionless momentarily. The blurs in my eyes became clearer after focusing on the jury who was lined with the familiar and some unfamiliar faces. My past mentors, peers, and who sat in the middle of them was Gabriel. Before this moment, I had never seen his face, only had I heard his voice in my head helping whenever he could. I was directed to the middle of the room, only to be faced before just over a dozen celestial bodies. I thought it would have been more guardians like myself, but there were a few warriors there as well to determine my verdict. Gabriel started the discussion, ‘Nathaniel, do you know the terms on why you have been summoned here before us?’ His voice seemed to set with a regal tone.

‘No?’ I tried to convince myself. ‘I have no id—,’ I continued before being cut-off.

‘Treason.’

‘What? On what terms?’ I pleaded. I didn’t believe I had done anything wrong, or had I done something?

‘Spread your wings,’ Gabriel ordered calmly. I did as I was told. As I tensed my back, wings folded out backwards from either side of my spine and spread them out so that the council could examine them. The white feathers were smooth and neat, which showed my emotions, terrified. Gabriel drew the attention of everyone in the room to the single black feather that ruffled out of place; it was the only black object in the heaven. Not many people have seen this colour in person, only have they imagined what this shade would look like. I turned to see what the fuss was about as my eyes landed on this discovery . . . The heart inside my chest seemed to fall to the floor. I knew I was in big trouble. The jury broke the silence subtly, ‘Do you know at all how your feathers may have changed?’ It was a rhetorical question; I knew he was going to continue no matter what I said even if I just stood here blankly. That’s what I did. ‘You don’t believe in the FATE system that we angels abide by. You may know this as foreseen actions towards everybody. Would you like to plea your case before we discuss your punishment?’I had nothing. No reason could come to mind. Then I opened my mouth, and I knew what would happen now. A controlling power seemed to fill my lips as they began to vomit works. ‘Yes, a matter of fact, I have something to say.’ What was I doing? I continued, ‘I would like to explain to everyone why I don’t believe in this FATE system that heaven is based around. I am one of the millions of guardian angels who protect humans from harm upon the order from the Lord’s Knights. Recently, in the space of two human years, I was transferred to a new sector on Earth that was named Meadow Peak