Hellbound Humans: Earthbound Angels, #3.5

By Elizabeth Corrigan

Carrie, Khet, Cassia, Cama, Cain. She's had hundreds of names through the centuries. Now she's Chloe, an ordinary college student---at least as ordinary as a mind-reader can be when she has an angel for a boyfriend and a best friend who often forgets he's not still a demon.

When Chloe discovers a fellow student has been murdered, she's determined to stay out of it. Much as she wants to help, interfering has gotten her nothing but trouble in the past, and she needs to stick it out at the university for at least four years if she wants her degree. But when she inadvertently gives away her power at the funeral, she finds she has no choice but to use her unique gifts to track down the killer.

Hellbound Humans is a 14,500 word short story that takes place between books 3 and 4 of Earthbound Angels, a series best read in order.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Elizabeth Corrigan
• Release date: Jan 30, 2019
• ISBN: 9781393522034

Book preview

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Table of Contents

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Hellbound Humans

Copyright © 2018 by Elizabeth Corrigan. All rights reserved.

First Edition: December 2018

Cover and Formatting: Streetlight Graphics

No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author’s rights. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

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 locales, events, business establishments, or actual persons—living or dead—is entirely coincidental.

Chapter 1

"E

xplain to me again why

you’re going to college?" Bedlam scrunched up his face at the laptop computer I placed in my black leather bag.

Odd. Usually, I’m the one who dislikes technology. Because I’ve never done it before. Because if I have a college degree, no one can take it away from me. Because college students have petty problems that won’t weigh on my mind. I hefted the bag from where it sat on the island in my tidy kitchen. You’re welcome to join me, you know.

Uh-huh, no. Despite Bedlam’s protests, he opened the red front door of my apartment. No way I’m doing homework and writing papers and doing group projects with people who won’t even acknowledge my real name.

The sharp scent of cut grass hit my nose as I locked the door behind me. You don’t acknowledge your real name. Besides, I told you. I donated so much money to the school, they’d be happy to let you audit. Apparently, the University of Towson really needs a new library.

Yeah, still no. Bedlam fell into step beside me, the clack-clack of his shoes on the sidewalk creating a bouncier rhythm than mine. I’m perfectly content to spend your class time sitting in your apartment watching television. So glad you finally got one of those, by the way. Reality TV is amazing.

I sighed. For the last time, sitcoms are not reality TV. But I’m glad you’re happy with it.

So what class are we going to now?

I handed Bedlam the schedule I had printed out and probably shouldn’t still need to carry around the third week of class. My mind, though, was occupied with figuring out such things as how to download a schedule and work a printer. Science lab. It’s mandatory. I’m going with physics. Figure I’ll learn how the world works.

Bedlam turned the paper this way and that. I can’t make heads or tails of this grid. Besides, I already know how the world works. I snap my fingers, and things happen.

I turned from the perfectly manicured lawns of my apartment complex onto the main road. But most of the world operates according to set laws. I want to see how they work.

Oh, Khet. Bedlam’s voice dripped with not-unkind pity. Their world is not your world. You need to stop pretending it is. Remember North Carolina? Do you want to get shot again?

I ripped my schedule out of his hands. I have not forgotten North Carolina, or Pisa, or any of the other times. I have not forgotten that my boyfriend and best friend are both angels to whom the laws of physics are meaningless. But I’m human, and I want to have human problems for a little while.

We stopped walking, and Bedlam looked up at the rusty post next to us. This is a bus stop.

Yes. I need to take the bus to campus. They let me sign up late, but all the campus housing was taken. I didn’t think you or Gabriel would want to live in a dorm, anyway.

Ooo, endless keg parties. Bedlam stared off into the distance with a smile on his face.

More like I’d have a roommate and a ton of floormates you couldn’t appear and disappear in front of, I said. Besides, what do you care about keg parties? You don’t drink.

Bedlam met my eyes. "I like to keep my options open. But probably the no teleporting would