Celestial Heartbeat (Book One) COMPLETE

PROLOGUE

PLEASE NOTE: It is not essential that you read this (some may find it boring, but it just adds a little insight to the story), you can skip to chapter one where the first person POV and real story start. c: Thank you!

FRANCE - January 1911 

Christian Chevalier had merely opened the book to the first page before the hauntingly dark clouds of a storm rolled in. Rain sheeted down on the seemingly empty pages of “Le Livre des Lunes” and he sighed in disappointment. He had been told to retrieve the book, and at any cost. But the worn old book was worthless, empty of words or meaning. He wondered if he had been cheated. Given the wrong thing as a decoy.

Along the fringe of Christians vision there was a sudden movement. He snapped his head to the right. A large black wolf stared back threateningly. It raised its mouth above its teeth, snarling loudly. The rain pelted onto its fur, making the ends of it drip. A Man stood at its side, his mouth merely hinting at a smile.

“I believe you have been playing with something that was never yours.” The man bowed his head towards the book.

“What is your name?” Christian’s hand slowly slipped past the book, reaching steadily for the sword at his side. But his eyes never left the wolves piercing gaze.

“My name… is not of your concern, Mr. Chevalier. It never occurred for you to ask of my name while you were stealing my book. Why should it matter just as I have come to kill you?”

“Stay back!” Christian warned and unsheathed his sword. The book slipped off of his lap and tumbled towards the river he had just been sitting next to. “I asked for your name, did I not? Give it.”

The man shrugged his shoulders lazily and gave a small laugh.

“I told you. It is too late for you. And what you have done will bring great dishonor to your family.”

Christian extended the sword further, but his hand was noticeably shaking. The wolf at the man’s side still continued to growl. Christian shook his head in efforts to shake the fear from his body. He would shed this man, and his hounds blood in honor of the Chevalier family.

“You are insane! You and this empty book!”

“Empty?” The man laughed. He stepped forward with the wolf at his side, easily sliding past Christian, merely pushing his sword away from him. He stumbled down the riverbank, bent down and picked up the book.

“Only a fool would leave his greatest treasure without securing it first.”

As the man picked up the book, everything about it began to change. The roughened tatty corners renewed themselves. The discolored pages became closer to white and words themselves began appearing on all of the pages.

“The devil. The devil himself.” Christian shook his head in disbelief.

“No.” the man laughed again, trilling with pleasure. “This here, is Devil.” He said, gesturing his hands toward the jet-black wolf. “And his job, is to get inside of you and tear your soul apart from the inside-out.”

“Keep that mutt away from me.” Christians voice rang out with uncertainty.

The wolf readied its stance. It’s blood-red eyes tore into Christian’s very essence. He could see its breath rising in the dark as it snarled.

“No. Please. No.” Christian chanted.

The wolf leapt.

An ear-piercing cry spilled out all across the town.

“There’s a good Devil.” The man called the wolf over to his side and stroked its neck fondly.

Christian’s body fell limply to the ground. He sucked in deep breaths and tried to keep his eyes open, in fear that he’d never open them ever again if he didn’t.

He could feel something inside of him changing. He couldn’t even think of the words to describe it, but it was the worst pain he had ever felt.

Blood gushed out of his neck, but he could not move a muscle.

“Under the moons order, your descendants are my slaves. You are a cursed man, Chevalier. I'll give you a century. A century only. After that, you are eternally mine.” The man spoke his last words, turning his back on Christian.

Christian tried to move, but once again felt that he couldn’t.

His eyes moved all around, trying to think of a way out when they found their way to looking at the reflections in the river.

He was sure that he could see the wolf staring back.

PLEASE RATE AND COMMENT IF YOU ENJOY CELESTIAL HEARTBEAT TO ENSURE I WRITE MORE! THANK YOU! C: