Title Embers of Shadow, Ages of Malice, Book III
Author Lloyd Jeffries
Genre Supernatural Thriller, Suspense, Religious Fantasy, Apocalyptic, Action
Book Blurb
After the brazen attack on Israel, the Antichrist’s shadow grows.
Rhyme Carter faces the fight of her life to escape the clutches of her evil husband, the FBI, and a secret society hellbent on world domination.
Emery Merrick watches in horror as the Antichrist launches an international coup that changes the course of humanity forever.
In a race against time, Book III in the superlative, award-winning Ages of Malice series continues the saga of a downtrodden journalist enlisted to write the biography of a madman. What Emery and Rhyme have failed to stop now grows unchecked as Cain threatens to solidify his dominance for all time.
From visionary author, Lloyd Jeffries, Embers of Shadow will keep you on the edge of your seat long after the incredible, mind-blowing climax.
Can mere mortals outwit the Antichrist to stop the coming apocalypse?
Can Rhyme Carter escape her pursuers and enlist the aid of surprising allies?
Can Emery break free from an evil that predicts every turn?
Embers of Shadow
What hath God wrought?
Don’t miss the epic you won’t soon forget!
Excerpt
Outskirts of Washington, D.C.
Words fly, breathless, trying to say everything at once. “Mr. President, I have information about my husband. I know his secrets. You must know the truth.”
Carpenter regards her with a smirk. “Do tell, Mrs. Cain.”
Relief washes over her. Once she explains everything, they can overcome her lunatic husband.
“He can’t be killed.” She speaks quickly, rushed, has to get out as much as possible as fast as possible. “He’s immortal, punished by God. He’s been alive since the beginning of humanity. That’s why he’s Cain. He’s the real Cain. From the Bible. He can’t be killed and never, ever fails. How do you think all this happened? All these world events? He’s been planning this for centuries. Using trial and error to improve his methods. He heads an organization that controls every aspect of the world. You have to capture and put him away before it’s too late.”
Carpenter’s expression is dubious. He looks around the hangar, then back at her. “You’re telling me I can’t kill your husband because he’s immortal?” he says. “Nice try, but you’ll have to do better than that.” He chuckles. “You know, I expected you to say something crazy to save his skin, and incidentally, I like the extra touch of making him a Bible character, but still, don’t you think you’re trying a bit too hard to save the man you love?”
“I don’t love him,” Rhyme blurts. “I married him to protect the man I do love. It’s a long story.”
“I’m sure it is, and probably as full of lies as this one.”
“I’m not lying. He’s been alive forever, was Constantine the Great, created the Bible, changed it for his own purposes. He’s bent on ruling the world and will succeed if you don’t listen.”
The president looks on. “Uh huh.”
“You have to believe me!” she blurts, looks down, inhales, collects herself. “I know it sounds fantastic, but it’s true. If you don’t act, if you refuse to do exactly what I tell you, all will be lost. You can’t beat him. No one can beat him. But you can capture him. He can be neutralized.”
The president waves a hand. “I’ve had enough,” he says. “If you want to play games, we can play all night.”
“But—”
The slap echoes through the hangar. Tiny lights ripple her vision. “Shut your mouth! You’re here by your own devices, your own decisions.” Carpenter’s voice lowers, sounds thick and scratchy. “You think this is our first rodeo? We always win, Miss Carter. That’s what we do; get our man and get our way.” He motions around the hangar. “Normally, I don’t like to be associated with such things, but I will know the truth, one way or the other. Your husband’s making waves. Has taken control of all the oil in the Middle East and Russia. I must admit, it’s impressive the speed at which he’s done it.” He starts to pace, speaks as if giving a speech. “He’s upset the world order and if we can’t get it under control, things are going to get very bad, very fast.”
He moves close, leans down, glides a hand through her hair in a gentle caress, holds her eyes, caresses her throbbing cheek. “Your husband won’t listen to reason and seems hell-bent on his present course. Normally, it’d be enough to just let him know we have you in custody, but, unfortunately, times are such that there really isn’t any other option than drastic measures. NATO has been forced to act and make no mistake, we will regain control of the region, then we’ll convince the Chinese to abandon Russia.”
“But you can’t! You’ll never win. You don’t understand…”
His head snaps toward her and she braces for another slap.
Then, he snickers. “I’m afraid this is set in stone and there’s really no way to stop it. We don’t need Cain captured; we need him dead. He’s too big a threat for us to sit on our hands while he demands fealty from the world. I’m sure you know he’s proclaimed himself God. He’s even asked me to surrender the US. Can you believe that? Your husband has quite a pair on him, but I’m sure, of all things, that, you know.”
Agent Elroy approaches, whispers in the president’s ear.
“Thank you,” Carpenter says, then turns back to Rhyme. “I’m told we’re all set here.” He adjusts his tie. “Mr. Jenkins?”
Another shadow breaks the light and moves to stand by the president. The man is small-framed, short. A pencil mustache sits above thin lips. His hair is combed in such a way as to cover the swathe of baldness atop his head. Beads of sweat appear on his forehead. He peers at her through eyes like a game hen, gives the appearance of one whose life has been only laughter and ridicule.
President Carpenter continues. “We learned something from our Muslim friends,” he says. “You know, the terrorists who’d film their captives while doing inhumane things. They taught us terror and, although not official policy, it’s a useful tool when time is of the essence. Fortunately, Mr. Jenkins here is very, very good at this sort of thing. He’ll start slowly and film everything. Then he’ll send snippets to your husband with a polite request to renounce his authority and turn himself in. If Cain refuses, Mr. Jenkins will send more footage. Things will get worse and worse for you tonight, Mrs. Cain. Jenkins here is known for being methodical, exacting. For his, let’s say, patience. I believe you’ll find him unpleasant and, I want to be very honest here, you’ll not survive the process, no matter what Cain does.
“You see, it doesn’t really work if we just remove a finger and stop. Or just waterboard you and stop. The pause gives you time to collect yourself, to rest and mentally prepare for the next round. We’ve found this to be ineffective.
“What is effective is doing it all in one go and sending the highlights to the person with whom we’re negotiating. In this case, your husband. By the time he does as we wish, you’ll be long dead.” He grins again. “That’s an added bonus, no pesky witnesses running to the press and causing trouble. Not that the press would help, we’ve controlled them for a long time now. But, as you know, sometimes someone gets through, and we can’t allow that to happen.”
He stoops, whispers in her ear, smells of expensive cologne. “We’re very, very good at this.”
He steps away, raises his voice. “Keep up the good work everyone, and please support Mr. Jenkins in any way you can.”
He turns to Rhyme. “It’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Mrs. Cain. I’ll give your regards to your husband, just before he dies.”
Words flow fast, desperate. “Mr. President please, just listen. If you go against him, he’ll destroy you. Don’t you see? Think of the country, the people. There’s another way. Mr. President!” …
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Author Biography
Lloyd Jeffries enjoys dark comedies, philosophy, clever turns of phrase, religious studies and thought experiments involving the esoteric and legendary. A decorated veteran of numerous conflicts, he served in the U.S. military and has practiced Emergency, Trauma and Wilderness medicine for more than twenty years. He hides out in Florida with his family and Buck the Wonder Dog.
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