Heavensgate - Joy (Heavensgate Book 2)

Book summary

Resurrected after drowning, Joy returns to life, but no one remembers her for long. In Heavensgate, she becomes entangled with a dark supernatural force named Jake, whose sinister desires threaten her soul. Torn between love and survival, Joy must confront the evil stalking her before it's too late.

HEAVENSGATE - JOY is a supernatural thriller filled with dark romance and danger.

Excerpt from Heavensgate - Joy (Heavensgate Book 2)

Chapter One

-THE END OF THE BEGINNING-

Jacob fought for every agonising breath as the anguished voice of his alter-ego, Jake, screamed in his head,

Listen to me, Jacob. Go to sleep, let me out and I will save us. Let me the fuck out man.

Jacob clutched his chest, pleading with the beautiful apparition, ‘No please, don’t. I don’t want to see it; please don’t make me look.’

Stop begging and fight her man, fight her. For sweet fuck’s sake let me out, Jacob.

Relentless, cruel time, counted down the slow thud of Jacob’s heart as he collapsed to the floor. His last seconds marched into eternity as he suffered crushing overwhelming pain.

Give us our fucking heart back, bitch.

Merciless needles travelled down Jacob’s left arm, stitching him into oblivion.

This fuckin’ hurts man; it’s fuckin’ killing us. Let me out.

She stood over Jacob, long silver hair flowing around her body as if she floated underwater; her arms stretched out to him with her bony white hands cupped open revealing her treasure. Jacob lay gasping like a fish on a cruel hook, tears streaming from his eyes. He knew it was over.

Don’t you dare fuckin’ look in her hands, Jacob, or I swear on Satan’s shit I will kill you myself.

Jacob saw it, nestling and beating in her palms, a misshapen, brown, wet, muddy heart, initialed with a childish ‘J’.

The vision spoke, her words resonating in his mind like gently chiming bells ringing out his soul, ‘See you soon, sweetie. I have your heart in my hands.’

Hope. Oh fuck. Jacob, it’s Hope. Don’t leave me, Jacob. Nooooooooo.

Chapter Two

-THE GATE-

Heavensgate glowed like an oasis in the firmament. To human eyes it might appear as a bright, delicate, candle flame burning inside a snow globe, but no living human would ever pass this way. Profound darkness surrounded the Gate and the silent universe swept over it on a tsunami of stars. It had been an age since the Angels were summoned here and Heavensgate’s combination of eternal and earthly beauty dazzled them. Even so, they would rather be far away from this place.

Death had commanded the immortals to attend a special passing.

The Angel Redemption waited with Hope in angry silence. Gabriel balked at the last moment and turned to flee, reluctant to enter the Realm of Inbetween, until his Lord took his hand and, as all must do when touched by Death, the Angel became serene.

In the Lodge at Heavensgate, the immortals congregated around Jacob Andersen’s almost, but not quite, empty body.

Hope threw Death a petulant glance. She floated back and forth as if blown by an invisible breeze, tapping her sharp little teeth with translucent finger nails. Hidden inside her robe, she wore a fine silver chain from which hung a small, withered, black heart. Her icy tears fell onto the corpse as her voice rang out in sorrow saying, ‘I have played my part in this vile event. What is the delay?’

Death declined to reply, drilling into her spirit with eyes that spun galaxies until she added, ‘I beg your indulgence, my Lord.’

Redemption bowed in deference to Lord Death and nodded a greeting at Gabriel. The fiery Angel waited, pretending patience, dressed in her faded, red cloak. It was an item of clothing Gabriel thought belonged in the Middle Ages. The pale Angel stared at Jacob’s body, his expression mournful, biting pink manicured nails. Together, the four Guardians of the Gate bore witness as they waited for the life story to conclude.

Louise knelt by her husband’s cooling body. She pinched his nose and breathed living air between his indigo lips, repeatedly pressing hard on his still chest. She prayed, ‘Please God don’t take him from me. Jacob, my love, breathe for me, baby. Oh God, no no nooooo.’

Death glanced at his pocket watch as the melody ‘Que Sera, Sera’ drifted into the air, the notes discordant and tinny.

-What a lot fuss. If I could I would plug my ears from this cacophony of anguish.-

Hope cursed him under her breath.

Inexorable as the tide Death moved toward the mortals. Hope wept, comforted by Gabriel, who fought to control an embarrassing nervous tic as he wrapped his silken opaque wings around her. Redemption glanced at them and sighed in annoyance before disappearing further into the cloak’s soft folds to watch Death’s starlit hand assist the departure of Jacob’s spirit.

Hope sobbed louder and the melancholy knell of funeral bells clanged and crashed in the air around them. The noise broke Redemption’s fragile tolerance and she snapped, ‘Hope, give it up. You had your chance with this mortal. Maybe if you had kept your rampant libido in check this wouldn’t be happening.’

Hope broke away from Gabriel’s hug and turned on Redemption, her eyes flashing ice. She choked back her retort as the immortals witnessed a second spirit that rose like oily smoke from the cooling cadaver’s mouth.

Gabriel fluttered long, jewel-studded lashes at Death, a question in his eyes. Death shrugged. The appearance of the demon was of no immediate interest. His duty was to lead Jacob’s soul through the Gate.

The shade took form as Gabriel asked Hope, ‘Did you know there were two spirits in there?’

Flashing across the short space between them the apparition towered in a black funnel in front of Hope, cutting off her reply and wrapping her in the stench of burning flesh. Gabriel ran to hide behind Redemption who sneered at him mouthing, ‘Coward.’ He didn’t care, his aura quivered in warning.

Hope stopped weeping. She watched, intrigued as the apparition spun and coalesced until it took the form of a man. In a jangling voice, she said, ‘Jake, is that you?’

The spirit screamed in terrible pain and anguish and, employing the menace of Hell to give it voice, shouted,

WHAT THE FUCK JUST HAPPENED HERE?

Something akin to human pity flitted across Hope’s ancient gray eyes as she said, ‘What just happened here, Jake, is I saved him from you.’

Fuck you Hope, bring Jacob back.

‘It’s not in my power, Jake.’

Hope, either bring Jacob back or fuckin’ take me away from this hell. I can't survive without the stupid bastard; you gotta take us both together.

Redemption threw back her cloak and exploded in a blaze of freezing red light, blinding Jake who flinched, passing an arm before his eyes like a shield. Gabriel admired Redemption’s magnificence from a distance, awestruck.

Jake threw his shade on top of Jacob’s body in an attempt to re-enter it and fell through the cooling flesh to disappear under the floor. He returned confused and discouraged, to face Redemption who asked,

‘Jake, are you ready to repent?’

Repent? What the fuck for?

‘Then the Gate refuses entry to you and your fragments, Demon.’

I am not a demon. I have no fragments. My name is Jake Andersen and that thing on the floor is my body, which I need. So put me and Jacob back in it or take me with him.

-We refuse you, Demon. You may not pass through the Gate without our blessing.-

Jake whined, You can't do this to me.

Redemption took pity. ‘Jake, I invite you to repent the murders, the rapes, the lies and the illusions which you used Jacob’s mind and body for.’

Jake stamped his feet crying, I did it all so he wouldn’t have to. He wanted me to do those things, he was a yellow-bellied coward. He used me.

Death’s voice crashed through Jake’s spirit like thunder.

-No, you unrepentant, misbegotten son of the Devil, you used Jacob to commit evil. You will not cross the Gate. The honour must be earned. Demon, you have much soul work to do if you wish to leave here.-

Jake moaned, It isn’t fair. Why won’t you help me?

Hope turned her lovely face away from the tortured ghost.

The fragment known as Jake tipped its head to one side as if listening to a voice only he could hear. He clicked his fingers and grinned at Death who snarled and shielded his immortals behind him. The Guardians watched, helpless as Jake’s shadow grew vibrant, attaining the appearance of a healthy man in his prime. Jake flexed muscular shoulders, punched the air and shouted, Thank you, my Lord.

No longer afraid or pleading he smiled and taking Hope’s hands in his, said,

My Lord has spoken and now I understand. I’m free of that streak of chicken shit yellow bellied sonofabitch. I am free of Saint fuckin’ Jacob. Join me, Hope.

Hope stretched her lips and ran her tongue over her teeth. Her voice clanged like broken bells as, staring unflinching into Jake’s astounding jade eyes, she said, ‘Your soul is free to seek Redemption. Don’t waste any more time.’

Jake embraced her. Stay with me, Hope. I love you. It was always me who loved you. Jacob was never man enough. Stay and help me to learn how to repent. Hope, I need you.

She struggled out of his arms to reply, ‘You are not a man. You belong to your dark lord, the Beast. You lost me long ago.’

Jake bowed low, mocking her, then straightening up he spat in her face and shouted, Well fuck you too, my Lady, you prick-teasing bitch.

A sly look crept across his handsome face as he strutted over to Death and stared with unflinching insolence into his star filled eyes. Gabriel moaned and grabbed hold of Redemption, who stood glaring at Hope with disgust distorting her striking features.

Jake crowed like a lunatic.

So, all powerful Reaper, tell me, as Jacob has gone, am I right in thinking that Heavensgate, the Lodge, Lake Disregard, the town, everything, all of this is mine?

He spread his arms wide and spun around on the spot leaving smoke rings in his wake.

Death was bored with the game.

-Demon, this Realm exists for every soul granted the misfortune or opportunity to pass through. Kneel and thank the Artist for your place at Heavensgate. Don’t waste your remarkable good fortune.-

Oh I won’t. Thanks for the advice, fucker.

-Do no more harm. I wish you remorse, repentance and redemption.-

Why does that sound like a curse?

-It will be what you make it.-

Wait. Listen, please. The twins, Nancy and Sam, they died, but I swear that when they were in their coffins they looked at me. Hope, they looked at me as if they hated me. It wasn’t my fault, the fire… it was not my fault.

With reluctant compassion Hope replied, ‘The fire was your doing, Jake, however, it is understood there was no intent to do harm. Have faith in the truth and start from there. I will know when you are ready. Look.’

Fuck off, I saw what you just did to Jacob. I won’t look. No.

-I command you, Demon, to look at my Lady.-

Jake’s eyes refused to close as his head turned of its own accord forcing his gaze to fix on Hope.

She reached into her gown, pulling out the chain to reveal the blackened and misshapen heart that hung there. It was weak, it was damaged, but it was beating. Hope’s voice rang sharp in his head as she said, ‘We will meet again, Jake. Your heart will tell me when you are ready.’