Angel of Death
The Third Throne Series
Book Two
Tabitha Barret
Genre: Paranormal Romance / Urban Fantasy
Publisher: Heather Baker
Date of Publication: 7/31/2015
ISBN: 1514847507
ASIN: B00XOJ09Z0
Number of pages: 530
Word Count: 223,833
Cover Artist: Heather Baker
Book Description:
Anjali has embraced her destiny to end the world, but now she must find her ten Harbingers, known as the Predznak. She is determined to find Alazar, the Angel of Death, the former leader of the Predznak, before the other angels. She fears that he has lost hope and is close to becoming a Rogue Angel.
Alazar has spent too many centuries waiting for his Master Anjali to come and claim him. Deception and lies have kept them apart, but now it’s too late. He has vowed to the other Predznak that he will kill their Master so that they can be free.
During her search for Alazar, Anjali meets the Spirit Experts, paranormal investigators who are on a collision course with the Angel of Death. Anjali finds herself strangely attracted to one of the Spirit Experts and decides to become a part of their group in an effort to keep them safe from her dangerous angel.
Can Anjali stop Alazar from killing the Spirit Experts and destroying the surrounding town? Can she keep Lucifer in the dark about her affections for the mortal man? Will unseen enemies destroy all that Anjali holds dear?
The Third Throne: Angel of Death is the second book in the steamy Adult Urban Fantasy and Paranormal Romance series.
Book Trailer: https://youtu.be/lmijIjDuvZk
Available at Amazon
Anjali felt the temperature of the room drop until ice particles formed from her breath. The world around her fell away and went silent. The only sound she could hear was her heartbeat. At first, it was strong and steady, but the tempo slowly changed until it sounded like waves crashing on a beach. A brilliant blue filled her vision and she saw the ocean waves rippling and dancing in front of her. She could practically feel the sand between her toes. It was a peaceful sight. All of her worries were gone and she breathed a sigh of relief. She no longer had to worry about destroying the world and killing everyone. Staying here in this serene place would be wonderful. There would no longer be blood on her hands and the fate of the world would be someone else’s problem. She could just drift away with the tide and be free.
She knew this feeling. It was simple and easy to understand. If you let go of your worries, you will find happiness. She sighed, wanting to be happy.
Happy? The thought floated to the surface of her bewildered mind. There was no such thing in her life. She was a servant of Lucifer, of Hell. Angels were meant to bow to her command and do the will of God through her. Something was wrong. She wasn’t destined to be happy, nor was she at the beach. She was in a cold, dark place without oceans and sand. Romania. She was in Romania with Alazar, her Angel of Death, and he was tempting her with his power.
The storm that dwelled inside of her, just below the surface, welled up as it recognized the feeling of death. It yearned to reach out and touch Alazar’s power. It felt familiar, but not because she had experienced death before. It was familiar because it was a part of her, a missing piece. Her power reared up and clawed at her insides. It fought to reach Death and welcome him home. The only thing holding it back was her ring. She used her thumb and carefully wiggled the ring off her finger until she heard the small sound of metal hitting stone. Plink.
“Enough!” she screamed, letting her power rush to the surface.
Alazar was perplexed by her scream. He thought he was winning. She had seen the ocean and had become complacent in her thoughts. What was happening? No one ever broke free of his control, unless they resisted the temptation, which was rare. He never let them escape. He never backed down from his temptation of a person, until they were dead. Something felt dishonest about that as he watched Anjali break free of the vision.
It’s wrong to push people beyond their breaking point, he thought, just before he felt the air stir.
He tried to release her face, but couldn’t move. He knew he was in trouble when her blue eyes turned black and glowed with power.
Character Name: Alazar, the Angel of Death
Character Bio: I am the former Angel of Determination, but I volunteered to become the Angel of Death when God asked for angels to join his new Bringer of the Apocalypse, Anjali. Though I had never met Anjali, I stepped forward to change everything about myself. I and nine others became Harbingers, or the Predznak. I was voted to be their leader. We were told that it would be difficult, but we had no idea what we were in for. We were sent into the Mortal Realm to tempt the mortals to commit sins, but our Master never came to claim us. We were told that her power was not under her control. We continued to tempt the mortals, until we were ordered into Hell to wait for Anjali. She never came, but Lucifer was more than happy to beat us into submission and try to claim us as his angels. I finally had enough and abandoned my post. My primary mission now is to find and kill Anjali so that the Predznak can be free.
Describe yourself what is your worst and best quality?
My worst quality would be my ability to tempt mortals to kill themselves by just looking at them and showing them their past deeds. I guess this might be my best quality as well since I’m very good at my job. The other Predznak would probably say my poor leadership skills would be my worst quality.
What is the one thing you wish other people knew about you?
I wish people understood how hard it is to tempt the mortals day after day. In the beginning, the mortals were mostly good and it was a challenge to tempt them to commit sins. Now it’s hard to find a mortal who isn’t willing to give in to my temptation. The evil inside of them wears on me and it makes it hard for me to remember who I am. I want to be loyal and do my job the right way, but it’s so much easier just to assume that the mortals will choose sin.
What is your biggest secret something no one knows about?
My biggest secret is why I volunteered. Other angels had stepped forward, but God didn’t choose them. I felt like he was looking to me to become Death. As the Angel of Determination, I guided the Celestial Warriors and helped them defeat their enemies with my inspirational speeches and lessons. After a while, I felt like I was already a murderer since I had urged the warriors never to give up in battle. I thought that God wanted me because I already had blood on my hands from the lives lost to his warriors.
What are you most afraid of?
I would say that I fear my brother Tristan, the Angel of Fear, most, but that would be a lie. I fear Lucifer’s third-in-command Serena most. She enjoys punishing angels and took an interest in me and some of my brothers. She knows what we hate most and is prepared to inflict her particular form of torture on us. I hate her more than Lucifer.
What do you want more than anything?
I want to be freed from a Master who doesn’t seem to want us. I want her to explain to me, in person, why I have suffered without her guidance for centuries, so that I can kill her and live my own life.
What is your relationship status?
I don’t usually have an interest in women since my body had grown numb from the darkness taking hold of me piece by piece. When the need arises, Lucifer’s ex-girlfriend Maraquette will fill the lonely nights, though I don’t trust her. She is a Rogue Angel and is being hunted by Michael, the Sword of God. If I’m found with her, I will likely lose my head.
How would you describe your sense of fashion?
Dark, dark and more dark. I prefer black since I have a certain image to uphold. You can’t tempt someone while wearing pastels as far as I’m concerned. I like leather pants and a nice button down. If needed, I can put on a suit.
How much of a rebel are you?
I didn’t get along with many angels in Heaven. They considered me too bold and outspoken. My outspokenness often gets me into trouble, especially when it came to Lucifer. He liked to make an example out me, yet I didn’t give him the satisfaction of begging for mercy. I lived to piss him off.
What do you considered to be your greatest achievement?
Back in the day, I would say it was knowing that I played some part in the defeat of a great enemy of Heaven. Now I’m just happy that I survived another day. Since becoming a Predznak, my goals have dwindled and I have lost my purpose. I guess ending the world so that the evil will suffer and the righteous will go to Heaven and inherit a new world without evil will be my greatest accomplishment, if it ever happens.
What is your idea of happiness?
Aside from a long walk on a beautiful beach, my idea of happiness would be to fulfill my duties as they were given to me as I stood next to a Master who cares about me and values me. At this point, I doubt that will ever happen.
What is your current state of mind?
My mind is becoming more fractured by the day. I had to leave the other Predznak since they were in various states of distress, and I feared that I would make things worse. I tempt people to commit murder, or suicide. I couldn’t run the risk of tempting them. Every day is harder than the last and I fear that I will lose control and end the world on my own.
What is your most treasured possession?
My most treasured possession is my dagger, which has a slight curve to it. The mortals thought it resembled a scythe, but I don’t see it. It was given to me by the Archangel Gabriel when I stepped forward to become Death. Gabriel is my Master Anjali’s father and protector.
What is your most marked characteristic?
My most marked characteristic is my eyes. People say they are as blue as the ocean, or the sky, or the wild flowers in the fields. When my eyes lock onto my target, they are typically the last thing a person sees before they die. Most are too afraid to look me directly in the eyes, even Lucifer.
What is it that you, most dislike?
I disliked living in Hell and dealing with Lucifer. He always found a reason to take his wrath out on us. He has very inventive ways to punish people. I have no intention of ever seeing him or my old room in the castle again.
Which living person do you, most despise?
I despise my brother and fellow Predznak Sacha the most. He is the Angel of Deception and a complete pain in my wings. He lives to cause chaos wherever he goes. He is the master of lies and evil to the core. He and Lucifer should have a TV show together. I can’t trust him and I fear what will happen if my Master accepts him as her Predznak.
What is your greatest regret?
I have many regrets like not killing Serena before I left Hell, or Lucifer. Some days I regret becoming a Predznak. My biggest regret is not being strong enough to be the angel God wanted me to be. I doubt that he foresaw us having to live so long without her or that we would be sent to Hell, but none of that matters. He expected each of us to resist the temptation that we carried and tempted the mortals with by offering a choice between Heaven and Hell. I have failed on all counts.
What is the quality you most like in a man?
I like men that can stand up for themselves and fight as hard as they can. I was forced to toughen up my brother Balthazar, the Angel of Vengeance. He is the former Angel of Meekness, so I didn’t have much to work with. I needed him to be strong enough to defend himself in a fight and protect our Master. Of course, that was long ago. It seems that it was a waste of my time.
What is the quality you most like in a woman?
I like a confident, strong woman, but she definitely needs to be sane. I have dealt with too many insane angels and paid the price.
Who is your favorite hero in fiction?
I admire the Grim Reaper. He has class and isn’t showy. Get in, kill them, and get out. It’s best that way.
Which living person do you most admire?
I admire God, though I often question what He was thinking when we asked us to take on this task. I know it couldn’t have been easy for Him to ask ten of His angels to swear their loyalty to someone else. It was unheard of at the time. We loved Him. The idea of pledging ourselves to a stranger was a foreign concept, but we had faith that Father knew what He was asking of us.
If you could change one thing about yourself what would it be?
I would serve only myself. I don’t think that I can go back to Heaven after everything I have done. I would rather live out my life on some remote island and no longer have to deal with mortals or sin or a Master.
What is your motto?
Never trust Sacha, the Angel of Deception, or stand too close to Aeries, the Angel of Anger. Both will get you killed. Everything else can be dealt with as it comes.
Tabitha Barret graduated from Rutgers University with a BA in English. She married the guy from her Creative Writing class and together had two amazing children. They live in a quiet town in New Jersey with their three rambunctious dogs. She is currently working on her series, The Third Throne.
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