Guardian Angel: Vladimir, #1

By Ravyn Karasu

Hope Dandelion has no friends and virtually no family. On top of that, Hell has decided it wants her as a princess. Praying for someone to care, God sends Vladimir, a fallen seraph to the child as a protector. Why does Hell want Hope so badly? Why would God send a fallen angel to look after a child? What demons will Hope face in the battle of Heaven and Hell where she is the prize?
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Lucifer has taken a liking to a wholesome child named Hope. Wanting to make her a princess of Hell, he sends demons to try and lure her into his grasp. However, God sends a fallen seraph to look after the child and the battle the demons that Lucifer sends forth. The problem is, the angel is just as dangerous as the devil. Now Hope has to test her faith and figure out how to navigate the forces of Heaven and Hell when they don't seem to be so different anymore.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Ravyn Karasu
• Release date: Nov 15, 2021
• ISBN: 9798201053345

Book preview

There be spirits that are created for vengeance, which in their fury lay on sore strokes; in the time of destruction they pour out their force and appease the wrath of him that made them.

- Ecclesiasticus 39:28

Dakota had to hurry. The bell would ring soon and then he’d be surrounded by people. He wasn’t in the mood for it. There was already enough on his plate as it was. He didn’t need more shit on top of it. He certainly wasn’t a member of the in-crowd, and even then, he didn’t seem to garner much positive interest from the people in the minority groups. He wasn’t a nerd, a jock, a prep, or even a Goth kid.

It never used to be so hard. Before high school, life seemed a lot easier. He had friends then. They had all moved on, it seemed. They were not the same people. Then again, he wasn’t exactly the same old Dakota. Things had changed over the years. Many of those changes weren’t exactly for the better.

He fiddled with his combination lock and finally managed to open his locker. As the metal door opened, an envelope gently dropped to the floor at his feet. It was a surprise, really. Dakota stared down at it, as if it was just a mirage and it was just in his head. If someone had something to tell him, it was usually better to address him directly. None of his teachers had seemed eager to say anything to him. No faculty members had approached him. So, there were no hints or subtleties to draw from.

Perhaps, it was a secret admirer? Dakota sifted through his mind to figure who would have eyes for him. None of the stares seemed to be of that sort. Then again, he felt guilty already if the contents of the envelope were nothing else but the heart of a young lady. It would do her no good and he would likely break the very heart that was given to him. Whomever she was, he already knew she wasn’t his type.

Whatchu got there? A voice asked. Immediately, Dakota felt the tension in his shoulders. His friend had a habit of bringing that on.

I don’t know, he muttered.

Well, open it! He urged.

Dakota glared over to the other young man. He was about the same height as he was. He had gray eyes, black hair, and a wicked grin. He had a few piercings as well. He looked like what many would call emo, Gothic, or punk.  Gray was none and all of those things at once at any given time. He noticed the hesitation and began to grow impatient.

Maybe someone is offering you some condolences, he suggested. That wound is still quite fresh, is it not?

"Thank you for reminding me of that, Gray," Dakota sighed with a bit of agitation. It hadn’t been too long ago that his grandmother had passed away. She was always the sweet and stable one. She was a refuge when the house became just too chaotic to bear. There was no one now to rescue him from the chaos. Things had just gotten worse. Condolences were a nice thought, but that thought would do little to fix the situation now.

Some girl may have eyes for you, Gray suggested.

She needs to give them to someone else, the boy muttered.

Aw, that’s sweet, he chuckled. Your eyes... he reached out and snatched Dakota’s face between his fingers and forced him to look him in the face. He licked his lips and grinned, "—are only for me. I am what you want. I am your—voice of reason."

Dakota was a bit intimidated and surprised, at first. He then grew a hard expression and gently swatted Gray’s hand away and pulled his face free. Oh, knock it off.

"So, open it already, Dakota!"

That, he did. He pulled it open and removed the folded-up piece of notebook paper from the inside of it. Well, it wasn’t anything formal; that was for sure. He would have expected stationary or a printed document with a header of some sort. This had to have come, then, from another student.  He opened it slowly and frowned. Written in large, messy handwriting were the words "Burn in Hell, Fag!"

Hmph, Gray huffed. Now, that wasn’t very nice at all, was it?

Let’s just hurry up and get out of here, Dakota grumbled. I want to leave before everyone else comes out.

"By the looks and sounds of it, there won’t be many others coming out, Dakota," he chuckled, much to Dakota’s gloomy annoyance.

Dakota stopped short of the yard. There was a large van parked just outside of the gate. He had never seen it before. It ran idle and seemed heavy with a load of items in the back. The driver’s side was vacant, but in the passenger-side was a rather beautiful young woman. She checked her makeup in a compact mirror and let out an impatient sigh. He then noticed that she was looking at him through the side mirror and smiled. Casually, she twisted herself and wiggled her fingers in a friendly greeting manner.

Who’s that? Dakota muttered, absently waving back in a less enthused manner.

"That must be—her," Gray replied.

Dakota gritted his teeth and clenched his jaw. Many nights had been spent screaming and yelling between his parents. Were they truly foolish enough to think that the children could not hear? Dakota may not have known this woman’s name, but he had a feeling she was the one that caused a lot of the yelling. She had been referred to by such—colorful names by his mother.

She looks younger than your mother, that’s for sure, Gray stated. What a cradle-robber your daddy is.

Gray—

What? He chuckled. I can certainly see why he’d be after her. Hell, from here, I can see a woman that is highly boner-worthy.

Gray! Dakota scolded in a harsh whisper. He made his way up to the van. It was unavoidable if he wanted to get into the yard.

Dakota, right? The woman suddenly asked.

Uhm, yeah, came the reply from the teen boy.

You look a lot like your daddy, she grinned.

Dakota wasn’t exactly sure how to feel about that. At one time, that would have made him proud. Now, it was hard to be proud of someone who was tearing the family he needed and wanted apart. It was just uncomfortable to hear it, considering all that, from the woman who was helping to cause that chaos. All he could muster was a neutral, Thanks.

I bet you’ll be a real lady-killer, one day, if you aren’t already, she said.

That sent a spark up his spine, and an unpleasant one, at that, as he slid into the yard and shut the gate behind him. Fat chance of that. Surely, if this was the mistress, his father had bitched about him and his—defectiveness to her. He ignored her from there.

He peeked his head into the house carefully. He wasn’t sure if he would be walking into an active war zone or not at this point. It seemed quiet. So, in he came and set down his backpack.

You’re home, his father said as he came around from the hall where the bathroom was set.

"Well, school did let out, he replied. Gray simply helped himself to a seat, ignored for now. Isn’t anyone else here?"

Your mother took your sister out for ice cream. Probably also a bottle of vodka, knowing your mother. I thought she would have picked you up.

So, you’re leaving, Dakota mentioned. The signs were all there, of course. He dutifully ignored that jab at his mother. She was, by no means, a perfect woman. She had her faults. However, it was unfair for his father to think that he had no hand in driving her to more and more extremes.

Yeah. I’m going to live with Melissa.

So, that’s her name? He fidgeted a bit. She’s—pretty.

Yeah. This was certainly uncomfortable.

So, when are we coming to see the new place? He asked. Every other weekend?

No, his father replied nervously.

Holidays? Summer vacation? Dakota asked.

No, his father replied.

Then, —when?

The man let out a sigh and sat on the couch. Dakota, come here and let’s have a man-to-man talk.

He didn’t like the sound of that. Whatever pep talk his father had in mind, it was all empty. There was negativity to be had; he was sure of it. However, just standing there wasn’t going to appease him, so he sat stiffly beside his father, gripping onto the fabric of his pants, and staring at the carpet. He couldn’t even look at him. He wanted to brace himself.

Dakota, sometimes, a man has to make very difficult choices in his life. I had to make one of those decisions.

—Go on— Dakota pushed out.

Melissa isn’t ready for children.

Mom is, he retorted.

Yes, I know. But you know Mom and me just can’t work out. I’m in love with Melissa.

Was he? Dakota had his doubts, but what did he know of love and relationships. He didn’t exactly have that.

You’re sixteen and going to be the man of this house, his father continued. So, you should stay here and look after your mother and sister.

"And—where will you be? He accused. You’ll be living baggage-free with Melissa, won’t you? Is that it? You’re—just abandoning us—like you don’t have your responsibilities? That’s a nice example to set for me, Dad. Glad to know I can just up and dump my responsibilities when they become boring or inconvenient."

You don’t need to be nasty about this, he sighed.

"Like hell, I don’t! Dakota shouted as he flew to his feet. You’ve ruined everything! You ruined Mom’s life! You ruined my life! You ruined my sister’s life! You built up this world and now you’re taking it away! You are a horrible, awful man! Just—go, then! Go with your whore and you go to Hell!"

"Dakota!" His father shouted as the boy raced to his room. The boy slammed the door shut and locked it. He threw himself onto the bed and covered his head with a pillow as he fought with his anger and tears. He ignored the heavy knocking and calls of the man that had sired him. He didn’t deserve the attention now, not when he was about to abandon any hope of his obligations to them. If he didn’t want to be a father, then he was a nobody. That’s how Dakota planned to treat him: as a nobody. Nobody was at his door.

It eventually grew quiet. Dakota got up from his bed and looked out his window. He could hear the sound of the van and then saw it as it drove around the corner to the side road where he could get a good look. He was gone. They were gone.

What a predicament this is, Gray