Present For Today Read online

  Present For Today

  The Chronicles of Kerrigan: Gabriel

  W.J. May

  Published by Dark Shadow Publishing, 2017.

  This is a work of fiction. Similarities to real people, places, or events are entirely coincidental.

  PRESENT FOR TODAY

  First edition. September 15, 2017.

  Copyright © 2017 W.J. May.

  ISBN: 978-1386305538

  Written by W.J. May.

  Also by W.J. May

  Bit-Lit Series

  Lost Vampire

  Cost of Blood

  Price of Death

  Blood Red Series

  Courage Runs Red

  The Night Watch

  Marked by Courage

  Forever Night

  Daughters of Darkness: Victoria's Journey

  Victoria

  Huntress

  Coveted (A Vampire & Paranormal Romance)

  Twisted

  Hidden Secrets Saga

  Seventh Mark - Part 1

  Seventh Mark - Part 2

  Marked By Destiny

  Compelled

  Fate's Intervention

  Chosen Three

  The Hidden Secrets Saga:The Complete Series

  Paranormal Huntress Series

  Never Look Back

  Coven Master

  Prophecy Series

  Only the Beginning

  White Winter

  Secrets of Destiny (Coming Soon)

  The Chronicles of Kerrigan

  Rae of Hope

  Dark Nebula

  House of Cards

  Royal Tea

  Under Fire

  End in Sight

  Hidden Darkness

  Twisted Together

  Mark of Fate

  Strength & Power

  Last One Standing

  Rae of Light

  The Chronicles of Kerrigan Box Set Books # 1 - 6

  The Chronicles of Kerrigan: Gabriel

  Living in the Past

  Staring at the Future (Coming Soon)

  Present For Today (Coming Soon)

  The Chronicles of Kerrigan Prequel

  Christmas Before the Magic

  Question the Darkness

  Into the Darkness

  Fight the Darkness

  Alone in the Darkness

  Lost in Darkness

  The Chronicles of Kerrigan Prequel Series Books #1-3

  The Chronicles of Kerrigan Sequel

  A Matter of Time

  Time Piece

  Second Chance

  Glitch in Time

  Our Time

  Precious Time

  The Hidden Secrets Saga

  Seventh Mark (part 1 & 2)

  The Senseless Series

  Radium Halos

  Radium Halos - Part 2

  Nonsense

  Standalone

  Shadow of Doubt (Part 1 & 2)

  Five Shades of Fantasy

  Shadow of Doubt - Part 1

  Shadow of Doubt - Part 2

  Four and a Half Shades of Fantasy

  Dream Fighter

  What Creeps in the Night

  Forest of the Forbidden

  HuNted

  Arcane Forest: A Fantasy Anthology

  Ancient Blood of the Vampire and Werewolf

  The Chronicles of Kerrigan: Gabriel

  Present for Today

  Book 2

  By W.J. May

  Copyright 2017 by W.J. May

  THIS E-BOOK IS LICENSED for your personal enjoyment only. This e-book may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you're reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of the author.

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of both the copyright owner and the above publisher of this book.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, brands, media, and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual person, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental. The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of various products referenced in this work of fiction, which have been used without permission. The publication/use of these trademarks is not authorized, associated with, or sponsored by the trademark owners.

  All rights reserved.

  Copyright 2017 by W.J. May

  Cover design by: Book Cover by Design

  No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in articles and reviews.

  Have You Read the C.o.K Series?

  The Prequel series is a Sub-Series of the Chronicles of Kerrigan.

  The prequel on how Simon Kerrigan met Beth!!

  Download for FREE:

  The Chronicles of Kerrigan: PREQUEL –

  Christmas Before the Magic

  Question the Darkness

  Into the Darkness

  Fight the Darkness

  Alone the Darkness

  Lost the Darkness

  The Chronicles of Kerrigan

  Book I - Rae of Hope is FREE!

  Book Trailer:

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gILAwXxx8MU

  Book II - Dark Nebula

  Book Trailer:

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ca24STi_bFM

  Book III - House of Cards

  Book IV - Royal Tea

  Book V - Under Fire

  Book VI - End in Sight

  Book VII – Hidden Darkness

  Book VIII – Twisted Together

  Book IX – Mark of Fate

  Book X – Strength & Power

  Book XI – Last One Standing

  BOOK XII – Rae of Light

  The Chronicles of Kerrigan SEQUEL

  Matter of Time

  Time Piece

  Second Chance

  Glitch in Time

  Our Time

  Precious Time

  The Chronicles of Kerrigan: Gabriel

  Find W.J. May

  Website:

  http://www.wanitamay.yolasite.com

  Facebook:

  https://www.facebook.com/pages/Author-WJ-May-FAN-PAGE/141170442608149

  Newsletter:

  SIGN UP FOR W.J. May's Newsletter to find out about new releases, updates, cover reveals and even freebies!

  http://eepurl.com/97aYf

  Present for Today Blurb:

  WITH THE CRACK OF A gun, everything can change.

  What do you see in that moment? Does your life flash before your eyes? Was it a good one? Are there things you regret? Things you’d change?

  After being saved by the most unlikely of allies, Gabriel Alden finds himself at a crossroads, staring down two divergent paths. While his enemies are still out there, closing in at every side, an unexpected encounter gives him hope. In a race against time, he must decide what to do with his second chance. Will he spend it chasing down the demons of his past? Or turning his sights towards a brighter future? When the darkness closes in, will he even have a choice?

  There is a time for revenge. And there is a time to let go. Which one saves you? Which one makes you w
hole?

  Most importantly, does the road to redemption ever end?

  Contents

  Have You Read the C.o.K Series?

  The Chronicles of Kerrigan: PREQUEL –

  The Chronicles of Kerrigan

  The Chronicles of Kerrigan SEQUEL

  The Chronicles of Kerrigan: Gabriel

  Find W.J. May

  Present for Today Blurb:

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  STARING AT THE FUTURE BLURB:

  The Chronicles of Kerrigan

  More books by W.J. May

  TUDOR COMPARISON:

  Chapter 1

  Gabriel’s eyes opened slowly, taking a second to get adjusted before staring into the translucent blue light up above him. It bathed him in an unearthly glow. Shimmering and flickering in his eyes. Moving with a life of its own.

  His lips parted in a dazed sort of wonder as he lifted his hand to touch it. Wondering if it would be warm or cold. His money was on warm. Not too warm. Not uncomfortably so. But soothing. Relaxing. Like stepping into the perfect bath.

  That’s what people said about Heaven, right? That it was peaceful? Serene?

  Of course, what Gabriel was doing in Heaven was another question altogether. Either God hadn’t been paying attention for the first twenty years, or some sympathetic angel had decided to fight his case pro bono. He’d been rather certain he was going to end up on the other side.

  With a sigh he made the conscious effort to stop thinking, and gazed into the never-ending sky. Content to stare at that hypnotic blue forever. It washed over every single inch of him. Illuminating him from the inside out. Lulling him into a blissful sort of trance. Completing him in a way he didn’t know he was lacking.

  Then a giant goldfish appeared out of nowhere.

  Gabriel froze. The fish froze. For what felt like a small eternity, the two of them looked each other dead in the eye. Finally, when all other explanations failed him, Gabriel’s broken mind settled on the only conclusion it could possibly come to.

  “...God?”

  The lights snapped on, the world tilted sideways, and two people swept into the room. One, he had never seen before. The other looked vaguely familiar. Both were staring down at him as if he’d gone completely ‘round the bend.

  “I’m sorry,” Canary held up her hand, looking as though she was trying very hard not to smile, “did you just call that goldfish God?”

  Gabriel stared back at them, at a complete loss.

  “...no.”

  The three of them stared at each other for a moment—four of them, if you counted the recently demoted goldfish—before Gabriel made a valiant effort to stand. “I’ve got to go—”

  The result was almost instantaneous. Canary shouted at him to take it easy, the fish darted back to the depths of its glowing aquarium, and the strange man who had come in with them rushed forward to take Gabriel quickly by the hand.

  Not that Gabriel needed their support. Or their reprimands. The second he’d tried to get up, a sharp pain ripped through his chest and he found himself falling back once more, landing hard on what turned out to be a tall-backed sofa in the far corner of a dimly-lit room. A quiet gasp tore its way out of him, and the man gripped his hand, gently lowering him back down.

  “It’s okay. You’re okay,” he soothed softly, adjusting the pillows before taking a polite step back. “You’ve had a long day, my friend. It’s best if you rest for a while.”

  A long day? I just legitimately mistook a carnival prize for the divine Creator. Long day might be understating it.

  “Who are you?” Gabriel breathed, leaning back despite every effort to stay sharp and awake. Parts of his body had mutinied beyond his control. “What is this? I don’t—”

  “You’re all right,” the man said again, kinder this time. “You were shot in the chest, but Canary and I were able to find you in time. You lost a lot of blood at the scene, but we took you back to my place without anyone being the wiser. I was able to heal you.”

  Gabriel lowered his eyes and blinked quickly—trying to keep up. He understood everything the man was saying, but certain parts didn’t add up. “Your place?” he repeated in a daze, his eyes flickering around the sparsely-decorated room. “This is your flat?”

  The man cocked his head to the side, curious, and Canary was quick to translate.

  “Flat means apartment in England.” As if Gabriel couldn’t see her, she held up a hand between them and rolled her eyes like he was crazy. “You’re going to have to cut him some slack. The boy thought a fish was God—”

  Gabriel flinched painfully, shaking his head. “I didn’t—”

  “Yes, you’re at my apartment,” the man interrupted gently, keeping a steady hand on his shoulder the whole time. One designed to soothe as much as it was to restrain. “Deep in the heart of Brooklyn. You’re safe here, Gabriel, I promise.”

  But Gabriel never felt safe with strangers who somehow knew his name. More than that, he got the strange feeling that a vital part of his little rescue story was being left out. A second later, he realized what it was. “My phone,” he mumbled, trying once again to sit up, “I need my—dammit!” Involuntary tears spilled down his face as he collapsed once more, a stream of fresh blood pouring from the bullet wound in his chest. His hand automatically came up to clutch the savaged skin as his eyes shot to the man in betrayal. “I thought you said you were a healer!”

  The man’s face whitened several shades as he stared down at the blood. “I never said I was a very good healer,” he rallied as best he could. “I focus mainly on my other gift—tracking people down. Lucky for you.”

  Lucky? Gabriel could think of quite a few words to describe this situation. Not a single one of them was even close to lucky.

  “You...what?” Gabriel sank an inch further into the pillows; trembling fingers gripped his shirt as he bled a small ocean onto the couch. “How did you...have we met?”

  Not everyone had a cosmically-gifted psychic at their beck and call. Without a talent like Julian’s, it was impossible to track someone if you’d never seen their face.

  “I saw your picture.” The man fished around in his pocket for a moment before pulling out a mugshot from the New York county jail. A mugshot Gabriel had slept through, but some lowly officer had been kind enough to hold him up. “That’s you, right?”

  Gabriel’s eyes grew heavy as he gazed at the picture. Things were happening too fast for him to keep track of. As it stood, he’d settle for the world’s largest band-aid and a hug.

  “See?” Canary smiled as she flicked the photograph with the tip of a heavily-manicured fingernail. “These things have a way of working out for the best, don’t they?”

  Gabriel flashed her a look that could melt ice before trying to sit up again. Much slower this time. Another rush of blood poured down his shirt, but he managed. “How did you...” He pulled in a sharp breath, clutching weakly at his chest. “How did you—”

  “How did we get you out?” the man finished kindly. He automatically lifted his hands to Gabriel’s chest, but saw the look on the latter’s face and lowered them back down. “It’s actually a pretty simple—”

  “It’s an unbelievable story!” Canary interrupted dramatically, her face lighting up with a thrill of adrenaline. “First, we stormed the apartment complex!” She broke off suddenly, casting Gabriel an indulgent look. “That’s American for ‘flat.’” He rolled his eyes and nodded, and she continued with the story. “Anyway, we tracked you down and kicked open the doors! Left not a single witness alive! Took not a single prisoner! The second we—”

  “Eliza,” Gabriel interrupted with a look of intense ex
asperation. He’d use Canary’s full name if he had too.

  “—we pulled the fire escape.”

  Gabriel sat back against the wall, absorbing this. The man watched him for a moment before doing his best to clarify. Speaking carefully, as if the words alone might send his guest back into a tailspin and undo all the work he did trying to keep him alive.

  “The lights snapped off for a second,” he said softly. “When they came back on, I can only assume they thought you were dead. We certainly did. If Magda hadn’t found a pulse—”

  “Magda?” Gabriel repeated in a daze.

  He was doing his best to keep up, but it was like trying to hold water in your hands. The harder he tried to focus, the quicker his mind drifted away.

  The man nodded quickly, seeming to understand his plight. “My wife. He was quick to add, “I’m sorry, I haven’t even introduced myself. I’m Peter.”

  As if on cue, the door opened and a stout woman came forth. She was wearing an apron and her hair was pulled back in an efficient ponytail, but she was looking at Gabriel as if he was something very precious in this world. Without a single word, she swept across the entire room and knelt by his side.

  “I was in the battle against Cromfield,” she said in a low, reverent voice—ignoring all other forms of introduction. “The one at the sugar factory.”

  Gabriel stared at her in surprise, but before he could make heads or tails of it she was shaking his hand with fervent enthusiasm. She didn’t seem to mind that his fingers were stained with blood. She didn’t seem to notice that the passionate gesture was tearing open his skin. “It’s an honor to meet you, Mr. Alden.” She used his formal name, despite being at least thirty years his elder. “A true honor to have you here in our home.”