Slaughtered: A Shifted Series Novella

By Kristalyn A. Vetovich

Anaya is a Firn, a spirit guide to living souls and guardian of the Divine Plan. After lifetimes of practice—not her own lifetimes, but those of the souls she stood beside—Anaya has finally caught the attention of the Powers-That-Be and is one of the most respected spirit guides in the afterlife realm of Lemayle.

Anaya receives terrible news while trying to wrap things up with her most recent soul: the soon-to-be martyred John Williams. Her best friend and soul mate, Jordin, has deserted the Firns and joined the Aropfain, the direct enemies of the Firns and foils to the Divine Plan.

Jordin wants to save John’s life, so Anaya now faces the moral struggle of opposing her best friend while making sure John dies according to Plan. In the cosmic battle of good and evil, Anaya is no longer sure on which side she belongs. She’s the spirit guide to an innocent martyr; Jordin is the demon trying to save a man’s life. Who’s the real villain here?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Balboa Press
• Release date: Nov 4, 2019
• ISBN: 9781982237967

Kristalyn A. Vetovich

KristaLyn is a certified holistic practitioner, author, and intuitive coach who helps people attract the lives they want to live with the one thing they can’t control: divine timing. For her thirteenth birthday, KristaLyn’s mother took her on the first of many mission trips, showing her how a single person can make a large impact on the world, one fellow human being at a time. Thanks to this, KristaLyn has spent more than a decade serving others through coaching and holistic therapies. She is certified in life, spiritual, and health coaching and follows various holistic modalities including reiki (master/teacher), crystal healing, advanced integrated energy therapy, and advanced ThetaHealing, with additional certifications in Hellenistic astrology and chirology. After graduating from Susquehanna University with a BA in English, KristaLyn wrote several books with motivational themes of being your own hero and serving the world through your unique talents and gifts, which she knows everyone was born with. A paragon of the millennial generation, KristaLyn entertained a variety of jobs, ranging from amusement park showgirl, coordinator of the Group Mission Trip Week of Hope Program, and cast member at Disney World, as she pursued her dreams of sharing her message with the world. KristaLyn lives in a treehouse in Elysburg, Pennsylvania, with her husband and corgi, Jack, and cooperates with her family to help revitalize the coal region of Pennsylvania to a new, sustainable glory. Website: www.KristaLynAVetovich.com Email: [e-mail] Social Media Handle: @AuthorKristaLyn

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Copyright © 2019 KristaLyn A. Vetovich.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

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Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

The author of this book does not dispense medical advice or prescribe the use of any technique as a form of treatment for physical, emotional, or medical problems without the advice of a physician, either directly or indirectly. The intent of the author is only to offer information of a general nature to help you in your quest for emotional and spiritual well-being. In the event you use any of the information in this book for yourself, which is your constitutional right, the author and the publisher assume no responsibility for your actions.

Author Photo by Kristina Hart Photography.

ISBN: 978-1-9822-3795-0 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-9822-3797-4 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-9822-3796-7 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2019917862

Balboa Press rev. date: 10/30/2019

CONTENTS

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

About The Author

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CHAPTER 1

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JOHN Williams has been the center of my world for the last forty-three years. I was there when he was born and watched him grow and build a family. I guided him to the London Mission Society and protected him as he inspired an entire chain of islands to find religion. Every line on his face reminds me of the days of frowns and joy that caused them. It’s been a great run.

But now John has to die.

It’s not as bad as it sounds. Everyone dies. John’s time has come, and subconsciously, he knows it. The proof is in the ink of his journal.

Sunday afternoon, 16 November 1839

Oh! How much depends upon tomorrow! The approaching week is to me the most important of my life!

He writes at the wooden desk aboard the Camden, a ship designed for this voyage and a testament to John’s impact on the world.

I rest a hand on his shoulder, sending a thrill of excitement with a pinch of nervousness to his chest. I’ve been doing this for days now to prepare his soul for the last day of his life. That’s my job. I’m John’s Firn, his guide through living and fulfilling his purpose, which he’s done beautifully. We’re in this together. I care about John, and I would never scar his soul. We discussed his death at length before he left Lemayle to be born into Velt with the other living souls. It won’t be pretty, considering the circumstances, but we finally settled on death by bludgeoning, which is merciful compared to the other options the New Hebrides have to offer. I’ll spare you the gory details.

The truth is John is part of something much bigger than these islands—or even this world. His performance in this life has been an evaluation of my effectiveness as a Firn. So far, it’s been stellar, but I won’t have us choke in the last days. If he leaves Velt as smoothly as he came in, I’ll get the promotion I’ve had my eyes on for centuries. I’m not the only candidate though. Who wouldn’t want the most coveted position in the final unfolding of El Olam’s plan? This is no time for mistakes.

I check the tourbillon clock on John’s desk, bouncing with impatience. Its elegant panels depicting scenes from the Bible stand open, John’s way of staying centered on his purpose. It’s cute and not entirely accurate, but it’s made John a good person. He’ll understand the truth of the conflict between El Olam and Narn in a few days. Because that’s when it’s going to happen.

John dies in two days.

I can’t wait.

Two days feels like an eternity, and the clock seems to mock me for how slowly its seconds hand ticks around its face. I can fix that. We still have ten minutes before John is due up on deck for the debriefing of the visit to the island of Tanna. Why not arrive early? With a little push of the minutes hand on the elegant little timepiece—a hefty effort on my part, incorporeal as I am, but it’s worth it—the clock plays a happy jingle to the tune of some hymn or another. John jolts. His pen drops to the desk, and he smudges the ink of his journal.

He rubs his eyes. Time already? His voice is rough, like he was sleeping instead of lost in thought.

With a sigh, he pushes away from his desk and adjusts to the light shining through the open window and the sound of waves just feet below him. It’s too beautiful a day to remain below deck.

Come on. Come on, I urge him, pushing shivers to his shoulders.

He shakes off the tickle and dons his hat to protect his balding head. A modest but regal man is John Williams. Respected, revered, and unaware of it. He tugs his old coat around him. It doesn’t quite close, and it could use some stitching, but it’s presentable enough for the savage chiefs of these tribes. Word of him hasn’t spread this far though. These islands are untouched by paleface missionaries. For now.

Tuesday will see the world become a little smaller for the London Mission Society—and much