armor of magic 02 - rising light Read online

  Table of Contents

  one

  two

  three

  four

  five

  six

  seven

  eight

  nine

  ten

  eleven

  twelve

  thirteen

  fourteen

  fifteen

  sixteen

  seventeen

  eighteen

  nineteen

  twenty

  twenty-one

  twenty-two

  twenty-three

  twenty-four

  twenty-five

  twenty-six

  twenty-seven

  twenty-eight

  twenty-nine

  thirty

  thirty-one

  thirty-two

  thirty-three

  thirty-four

  thirty-five

  thirty-six

  thirty-seven

  Author’s Note

  Books in this Series

  Other Books by Simone Pond

  Rising Light

  Armor of Magic Series

  Book 2

  by Simone Pond

  Ktown Waters Publishing

  Copyright © 2016 Simone Pond

  All rights reserved. Published in the United States by Ktown Waters Publishing, Los Angeles, CA.

  ISBN-13: 978-1535296823

  ISBN-10: 1535296828

  Cover Design: Rebecca Frank

  Editing: Peter Stier Jr. & Emily Nemchick & Kat Ditty Deloian

  Formatting: Polgarus Studio

  If you’d like to be notified when Simone Pond’s next novel is released and get chances to win free books and other fun swag, sign the mailing list at: Simone Pond Updates

  For more information about Simone Pond, visit her website at:

  simonepond.com

  Table of Contents

  one

  two

  three

  four

  five

  six

  seven

  eight

  nine

  ten

  eleven

  twelve

  thirteen

  fourteen

  fifteen

  sixteen

  seventeen

  eighteen

  nineteen

  twenty

  twenty-one

  twenty-two

  twenty-three

  twenty-four

  twenty-five

  twenty-six

  twenty-seven

  twenty-eight

  twenty-nine

  thirty

  thirty-one

  thirty-two

  thirty-three

  thirty-four

  thirty-five

  thirty-six

  thirty-seven

  Author’s Note

  Books in this Series

  Other Books by Simone Pond

  one

  On a chilly Thursday night in October, my Guide, Ezra, glimmered me straight to the heart of Haight Ashbury. After months of training up in Glimmer City, I would’ve preferred to go home first, but Ezra said it was better to head right back into the belly of the beast. I was feeling pretty badass, so I didn’t argue—for once.

  After he took off, I strolled into a bar called Arcanos. The place was packed with all sorts of characters, both supernatural and not. I stood in the shadows, observing the room. My discernment skills had been sharpened, so it was easy to pick out the supernatural sleazebags from the crowd. Some shimmered, some sparkled and some smelled like sulfuric ashtrays. For the most part, everyone was behaving. Until I caught a glimpse of a female vampire with long black hair and pearl white skin pouring a vial of something clear into a guy’s drink. I stayed back and watched to see what would happen, knowing it couldn’t be good. The vampire sat next to the guy and began whispering into his ear while stroking his back. His eyes glazed over. The two stood and left, and I trailed behind. I could’ve cloaked myself, but I was feeling confident.

  As they walked down the sidewalk, the woman continued speaking into his ear. I couldn’t hear what she was saying over her six-inch stilettos clapping against the concrete. Either way, I feared for the guy because at this point he resembled a functioning zombie. They stopped at an ATM, and he withdrew some cash, which he handed to her. Then they turned into an alley. At the far end, the vampire swiftly lifted the guy as though he were weightless and hung him upside down on a hook hanging from a fire escape that I’m guessing she had set up prior to entering the bar.

  Was she planning on bloodletting him?

  She removed his wallet and expensive watch, then leaned down to unbutton his shirt. Licking her cherry red lips, she moved in for the bite. That’s when I jumped from the shadows and called on my sword. The white glow filled the alley and definitely caught the vampire’s attention.

  “Ah, the Protector is back from sabbatical,” she sneered, stepping away from the guy.

  Great, word gets around quick in this town. What else did these guys know?

  I thought about rushing the dude to safety, but even though I was fast, with him in tow I couldn’t compete with the vampire’s speed. So I’d have to focus on slaying her first and tend to him later. What had Ezra said about killing vampires? Fire. Decapitation. Stake to the heart. Or was that from the movies? As I contemplated the best option, she swept across the alley in the blink of an eye. I called on my shield just before she launched me backwards against the brick wall. She opened her mouth, exposing her fangs, but I had the force field of my shield emanating around me.

  “Nice try, sucker,” I said.

  She held up her long nails and thrust her hand through my shield. How she was doing this, I have no idea. The points of her nails scratched my cheek and the cuts burned like hot wax. I kicked her in the gut, sending her staggering across the alley. She regained her strength and sprang at me. I plunged my sword into her side, backing her off a bit. The gaping wound I’d caused closed up almost immediately. She charged at me frantically like a wild cat, her eyes glowing red.

  “You bitch!” she screamed like a banshee, piercing my eardrums.

  “Oh, really? Is that all you got?” I opened my mouth and released a roar that shook the pavement under our feet.

  The vampire slammed back against the wall and covered her ears. I darted toward her, lifting my sword then lopping her head clean off. I stood over her heap of a body, impressed with my very first vampire killing. Her young, supple skin began to wrinkle and shrivel up. Within seconds, she withered away to dust; her dress and six-inch stilettos were the only remaining evidence of her existence. I grabbed the guy’s wallet, cash and watch, then hoisted him off the hook. Pressing my forehead against his, I jolted him into a baffled awareness.

  “Someone slipped you a mickie, and I saw you wandering around out here. Figured you could use some help.” I handed him his belongings. “You dropped these.”

  “Whoa, thanks. I don’t feel so hot.”

  “Let’s get you a cab.”

  I walked him to the curb and waited with him in silence. My blood was pumping with supernatural adrenaline. Kicking evil ass was going be fun.

  two

  After a night of field testing my Protector of Light skills throughout the most sordid parts of San Francisco, I was ready to go home. My tally for the evening: the vampire bitch, two demons, a soul-stealing warlock and a lizard shifter—my least favorite. Not bad for my first night back in town.

  I stood on the sidewalk in front of my house and I almost didn’t recognize the stunning Victorian. When I had inherited the place from my grandmother a few months back, it was a dilapidated, ramshackle mess just a few se
conds from being condemned. I’m surprised my neighbors hadn’t complained to the city. But that was no longer the case. Gone was the overgrown brush climbing up around the broken windows. No more peeling paint or rotting wood. My hot contractor/forbidden boyfriend, Asher Wells, had captured the epitome of Victorian architecture, keeping the integrity of the original Queen Ann-style home. Asher had painted the masterpiece a pale mint green with white trim around the bay windows and balconies. It was truly postcard-worthy.

  Though the Monarchy frowned upon Asher and me being a couple, I couldn’t wait to see him. The last few months away had been grueling. Being away from him sucked; waiting for my hand to regenerate after my failed attempt to take down Cagliostro sucked almost as bad. And the Monarchy’s training regiment? Brutal is the simplest way to describe it.

  Up there at what we called “Protector Boot Camp” my fellow Protector, the surfer-bro Julian from Los Angeles, had kept a positive spin on things. “Fiona, don’t sweat it. You held your own! Cags is the most powerful demon mage and head of the Shadow Order.”

  “How do you keep such a positive outlook? It’s almost annoying.”

  “I just think about things I dig. My homies, ladies, surfing … What about you? What do you dig?”

  Asher, I thought.

  Even after all that time apart, I was clear on one thing: I still wanted Asher, and he was destined to be my first.

  Yes, I was still a virgin and not at all happy about it—not only because this made me uncomfortable as a twenty-one-year-old woman, but it also put a high price tag on my head with the underbelly of the supernatural realm. Cagliostro might’ve been somewhat hobbled in our last escapade at the Palace Hotel, but no doubt he’d send his minions after me. Apparently, the virgin blood of a Protector of Light is a hot commodity. So I was really hoping Asher could take care of the whole virginity thing.

  Just then Asher’s black truck pulled into my repaved driveway. My heart fluttered as he opened the door and jumped out. His bright smile and twinkling blue eyes gave me all the information I needed: he wanted me, too. He leapt up over a row of bushes to get to me quicker. How long had it been? Three, four months? It’s tough keeping track of time when you’re not in your own dimension.

  Asher looked more gorgeous than I had remembered with his dark hair still in that effortlessly messy style, perfect jawline and broad shoulders. He grabbed me and lifted me off the ground, squeezing all the air from my lungs. That familiar electric heat pulsated between us, causing me to immediately start quivering with delight. There was something between Asher and me that couldn’t be explained. A supernatural bond that went deep.

  “Fiona Farrow,” he said into my ear. His warm breath tingled down my neck and I shivered with excitement from head to freaking toe.

  “Asher Wells of Wells Contracting. I must say, you outdid yourself. The house is a beautiful masterpiece.”

  He brushed his hand through his mess of hair and grinned. “Thank you. It was a labor of love. Didn’t think we’d ever get her done. Especially with all the demons, mages and warlocks stopping by. Pains in the ass.”

  My throat clenched a little bit. “Let me guess, they were looking for the Sacred Scroll?”

  “Pretty much.”

  Of course they wanted the Scroll back. But it was protected for now and I’d make sure they couldn’t get near it. The Sacred Scrolls imbued extraordinary powers, especially if they were unlocked by a Protector. Without it Cagliostro and his Shadow Order didn’t have the advantage. Getting it back was a victory, but sometimes victories were short lived in the supernatural world. Especially since there was still another Scroll out there that we needed to retrieve.

  “Did you have any altercations with these visitors?” I asked Asher.

  “There was some blood shed.”

  “Do angels bleed?”

  “Wasn’t my blood.” He grinned and took my hand. “Come on. Let me show you the inside of your home, Miss Farrow.”

  “Are we safe?”

  “It’s cloaked. I’ve got it fully covered with high-level security power I saved from my official Monarchy days. Similar materials your armor is made out of. Don’t you worry that pretty little head of yours.” Asher patted the top of my head, and the invisible helmet I wore sent a spike of electricity down my neck. After learning the hard way, I was never ever ever taking off my supernatural Armor.

  “Whoa, did you feel that?” he asked.

  “It’s probably the Armor. Can you see it?”

  “Of course. I might be rogue, but my angel status hasn’t been revoked, at least not yet.”

  Something about the way he said angel caused a pleasant wave of heat to roll up my legs. Oh, we were definitely going to get busy—in my new master bedroom. And yes, with the Armor fully on. So what if I got blown into another dimension? It’d be so worth it.

  three

  The contemporary design inside my place was a perfect contrast to the traditional exterior. Asher had matched my vision boards, using minimalist design and soft color palettes. He had taken the liberty of furnishing each of the rooms. I had wanted modern, yet comfortable pieces with elegance and pops of color. He had done just that.

  “This is way over my budget.” I gawked and ogled each room, oohing and ahhing like a gameshow contestant who had just won everything amazing.

  As I stood in the doorway of my new master bedroom, admiring the sea of ivory, sunlight came sparkling through the huge bay window. October in San Francisco was proving to be way better than July. Everything had a magical radiance to it, from the sheer curtains to the gleaming wood floors. Asher had created a safe haven for me.

  He came up from behind and wrapped his arms around my waist, resting his chin on my shoulder. Again with the increase in heart rate. My breath was slowly being pulled from me as our energy joined into a rising swell of something that was sure to knock us down.

  “You don’t need to worry about the money,” he said, gently caressing my arms, making it difficult to concentrate.

  “I’m not exactly worried. It’s more like I don’t have it.” I turned around and looked up at Asher; my mouth was dangerously close to his.

  “Doesn’t matter. I worked it out.”

  Shaking my head, I pulled away. “I don’t know, Asher. Something about you remodeling and redecorating my home for a pittance doesn’t feel right.”

  He was a persistent rogue angel, taking my hand and pulling me into the master bedroom. His lips warmed my neck as he stroked my back and took out my ponytail. My long brown hair spilled over my shoulders. Suddenly, the money and the budget—and pretty much every single thing that had ever crossed my mind—faded away. Once we realized what was happening, the race to remove our clothes had begun. We fell onto the soft comforter, sinking into the folds of fabric. Our kisses were like two ravished souls searching for sustenance in one another.

  “Are you leaving on the Armor?” he asked.

  “I kind of have to. Is that okay?”

  “It’s fine with me, but did Ezra mention what could happen?”

  I didn’t want to think about my Guide at the moment. I wanted to continue with our fervid trajectory. I was about to lose my virginity. Who cared what happened later? All those months up in Glimmer City, yearning with anticipation for this very moment and thinking about being with Asher is what kept me going during Ezra’s intense Navy SEAL-type training routines that made me weak and delirious, and not in a good way. Ugh. There I was thinking about Ezra again.

  I didn’t want to consider the consequences of having Armor sex, so I refocused my attention on Asher’s full lips, kissing him until all words had been snuffed out. I pulled back the covers and brought Asher under them with me. I didn’t want the neighbors to get a peep show on my first day back.

  As our hands explored each other, the breathing and sighing grew louder, building up to the moment.

  It was time.

  And then a blast of violet light came glimmering into the room.

 
“Are you serious? You have the worst timing, Ezra!” I yelled, pulling the covers up around my chin, then hating myself for opening my big mouth. Now I had invited my Guide into a conversation and there was no turning back.

  “I don’t think this is a good idea.” His stern voice echoed in the forefront of my mind, shoving every single desire for Asher to the back.

  “I didn’t ask for your opinion,” I said, glaring.

  “I’m pretty sure I made it abundantly clear that you and Asher cannot be together. The Monarchy won’t allow it.”

  Ezra sat in one of the cream-colored armchairs, crossing his legs and staring right at me with those violet eyes. In Glimmer City, Ezra and I had learned to work with each other. He had learned to accept my defiant stubborn attitude, and I had learned to accept that he would be on my ass the rest of my life.

  “Look, I thought we were all on the same team here. But the Monarchy keeps asking for things and giving nothing in return. They’re letting my parents rot away in some unknown dimension. They won’t tell me where my best friend is. And now they’re telling me who I can and can’t date. What is this?”

  “It’s not what they want. It’s what they demand. And sorry to break it to you, but I’m here to collect Asher. He’s under review.”

  With that, Asher sat up. “No way. I’m not going with you.”

  “You don’t have a choice. And if you don’t come with me now, your powers will be completely revoked. You’ll be on your own. You won’t survive a single night without your powers. You know this. And the cloaking mechanism you have protecting Fiona’s house—great job with the remodel, by the way—will be inert. You’ll be leaving her completely exposed to any and all evil supernatural beings in San Francisco.”

  That didn’t sound good. Especially since the house was finally in a livable state. Why couldn’t the Monarchy just leave us alone and overlook this small detail? Asher wasn’t a bad guy. Didn’t his saving me at the Palace Hotel count for something? I nestled up against his chest, not wanting to let him go. Having a destiny or a higher calling—or whatever being a Protector of Light meant—seriously had some major flaws.