Title: LiT, Part IV: Begrimed Harridan
Author: Maxwell F. Hurley
Genre: YA Fantasy, Modern-day Fantasy
Book Blurb:
When it rains, it pours! Alex successfully thwarted the Dark’s plans to tip the Balance. In the aftermath, the Catholic Council finds itself running short on trusted members within the assembly. Alex embraces her role as a Lite Sentry not knowing that Kameron is confronted with a life-altering decision. In the meantime, Anne is hiding in the turmoil of dealing with life without Kale.
The destruction of the F.O.R. Headquarters has set Gron back in his endeavors. He is now steadfast in his quest to find a way to bring their master back from inside the Dark Conduit. Salamor knows how to bring Vandor back but he is nowhere to be found. The only alternative is to retrieve the Dark Texts from the confines of the Sentry’s church.
A recent police shooting of a teenage boy sends the city into turmoil. Gron takes advantage of these events to set in motion his plan to avenge his defeat. His new devise gives him opportunity to seize the pages that will bring something to the Lite that no one will see coming…
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Excerpt:
Alex walked out of the apartment complex on this nice night. She took about three steps before stopping. “You know, I know you are there.”
The former Guardian of the Conduit dropped out of a tree. “Lite Sentry.” She was in her angelic battle armor. The misty wings and halo emphasized her strength. She walked up to Alex as her armor turned into a pair of jeans and a neon-green buttoned up shirt. It was no doubt paying homage to her fallen sister, Ariel. The angel put her hand on Alex’s shoulder. “Good evening.”
“What are you doing here?” Alex took another sip of her drink.
“The Conduit of Lite has new guardians, so I am not needed. All other positions within the Lite are currently occupied.” Devine turned her head to the sound of a horn blaring in the distance.
Alex gazed in the direction of the car horn. “So, you’re bored.”
Devine turned back to Alex. “I am without a job.”
“Well, I’m off to get into trouble with the Dark.” Alex could see that Devine was jealous of the battle Alex was searching. “You wanna come?”
“If you need me to assist. I will join you.” Devine joined Alex on their walk throughout the city. Devine was on guard while Alex was finding amusement in how intense she was.
“Have you ever hunted before?” Alex was watching Devine turn her head at every sound.
“No, this is my first,” the angel told her.
“How is that possible?” Alex was confused.
“I was a guardian, purely defensive. The Conduit was my priority,” Devine explained to her as she turned her head to a noise. “Is that the sign of the Dark?”
Alex rubbed her head. “No, that’s the sound of a motorcycle.” Alex knew that she wasn’t going to get to the Dark tonight. Devine was a great Guardian, but her sense to hunt was something that needed to be worked on. However, her surrogate older sister was in need of some company tonight so she wasn’t going to abandon her. “Come on, this way.”
The two of them stopped off at a local convenience store so Alex could purchase an Apollo. The man behind the counter was in his sixties with a gentleness in his eyes. Alex smiled at him before grabbing an Apollo from the cooler. Out the window were three young prostitutes out underneath the lamppost. Alex couldn’t help but feel sorry for them. She gave the man her card as he ran it through the machine.
Devine approached the counter with multiple candy bars and snack cakes. “I would like to consume these.”
Alex shook her head, “I guess these as well.”
The man was nervous at Devine who was studying him. “Is there anything else?” he asked.
“You are the protector of this establishment?” she boldly asked him.
The man continued to scan the items. “Until seven in the morning.
“You truly are a noble warrior to protect the food of the people, I commend you,” she told him out of admiration.
The man looked at Alex.
“Cosplay,” Alex covered Devine’s innocent views on human society.
The clerk shook his head out of disbelief. “I get them all on my shift.” He handed them a bag full of the items. “Have a good night, ladies.”
“Serve with honor,” Devine gave him an approving nod of respect.
Alex walked out with Devine who was eating one of her candy bars. She looked over toward the three young-looking prostitutes. “Sad, isn’t it?”
Devine looked up with a mouthful of caramel and chocolate. “What is that?”
Alex motioned with her head. “Those girls. They are sex workers.”
“I thought you humans enjoyed mating rituals.” Devine was interested in the bag full of candy.
Alex watched the girls. “Oh we do, trust me. Although, when it’s forced on a person, it can be quite the opposite.”
The two of them watched as a sketchy male came up to them. The girls were giving him money from their purses. He was yelling at them before slapping one of the girls across the face with the cash.
“Sometimes I wish I could get involved, but there is no evidence of the Dark,” Alex told Devine.
“That is the rule for Sentries.” Devine watched as she started to eat her second candy bar. “Although, I am not a Sentry.”
Alex turned her head to Devine. “Won’t you get in trouble for interfering with us?”
Devine watched the man continue to belittle the girls. “We are allowed to lend a hand at random, as long as we are discreet.” Devine handed Alex the bag of candy. “I do believe I can be discreet.” The angel confidently marched across the street toward the girls and the man.
There was a table and chairs outside the store. Alex sat down with her feet up on the other chair. She opened the Apollo and stole one of Devine’s candy bars. Komptin sat down on Alex’s side to watch. “This should be interesting.”
Devine approached the girls with the man still yelling at them. “Excuse me.”
“What?” The man turned around. “Oh, hey. You looking for employment?”
“I am currently without a job,” Devine innocently told him.
“I can take care of you,” the man approached her. “But first, I need a preview of the product.” He put his hands on Devine's waist as he started grazing his hands up her body.
Devine took his hands off her body. She easily pushed him out of the way so she could talk to the girls. “Do you wish to leave his employment?”
The girls quickly nodded their heads. One of them spoke. “I want to go back home to Oklahoma.”
“I have nowhere to go,” one of the others said.
The smaller one sobbed, “Me either.”
The man stepped in front of Devine to get in between her and the girls. “They are my property.”
Devine rolled her eyes. “Move.” She pushed him to the other side causing him to fall to the ground. “What do you need to do to go back home?”
“Our money, he has it,” the Oklahoma girl told her. “With it, I can take all of us back. Start a new life.”
Devine nodded. “I will get what is yours.” She took a step before turning around. “How much is yours?”
The girls looked at each other. “I don’t know, about five thousand.”
Devine turned to the man trying to get up, but she pushed him back down with her foot. “Do you have their money?”
“Go to hell,” he yelled at Devine.
Devine picked him with ease, threw him onto the wall and held him up with one hand. “Hand me your money.” The man gave her the wallet. “Count out five thousand.” The man counted out the money. “Give it to the girls.” He handed the money to the girls. The girls took the money and counted. Devine turned to the man. “You smell. You should really bathe.” She let him go.
“Thank you, thank you.” The girls ran to Devine.
“Promise to take care of each other,” the angel instructed the three girls. “You can go. He will not harm you.”
The group walked out together as if a huge weight was lifted off their shoulders. Devine started to walk back to the Lite Sentry when she saw Alex point to the man behind her. The angel quickly turned around from being stabbed. She fluently grabbed the knife and threw the man into the street. The man got up and pulled out a gun. Devine grabbed the gun out of his hands with lightning speed.
The man put up his hands. Devine stared at him before he took off running down the street. She grabbed the pistol and knife and bent them together. She tossed what was left of the gun and knife in the garbage next to Alex.
“Feel better?” Alex finished her can of Apollo.
Devine grabbed the bag from the table, she looked in the bag, and then at Alex. “One is missing.”
Buy Links:
Publisher www.fiction4all.com/ebooks/a2508.htm
Author Biography:
Maxwell F. Hurley authored the young adult fiction series, “LiT.” This supernatural story is set in modern times that tends to lean on mature themes. He currently resides in the east-side of the state of Washington.
He grew up in the Upper Peninsula, Michigan before joining the United States Air Force where he retired after 20 years of service. While serving, he conducted duties as military police, information management, and taught various courses as a training specialist. He has served in the far northern part of Greenland for a year and was able to visit the Holy Lands such as Israel and much of the Middle East.
Maxwell’s novel series has received five star reviews from customers on Amazon with readers leaving positive remarks. To keep up-to-date on all his upcoming projects, go to www.Facebook.com/MaxFHurley.
Social Media Links:
Twitter: @MaxwellFHurley
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