Dragan's Redemption Book One of the Manor at Echo Lake Trilogy Read Online Free PDF

threshold, he immediately remove d his shoes, setting them off to the side before dropping to one knee, as a sign of respect to his God before moving forward.  There were very few pieces of furniture in the room.  The re were four wooden pews, two on either side of the center aisle with its thick red runner leading to a stone altar .  The altar itself was also designed and made by him from stones taken from the Holy L and , while the granite was excavated off of his own property.  On the center altar , he had placed a large brass c ross which gleamed from its daily polishing .  To the right of the cross , a bible opened to his favorite passage.  I John 1:9 , “ If we confess our sins , He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness .”  This passage gave him hope to continue .  Hope for not only his salvation , but hope for his death , and with his faith , enough forgiveness to be reborn.  Stepping to the altar , he dipped his fingers in the holy water before making the sign of the cross on his forehead before , again, dropping to his kne e s at the altar to begin his daily ritual of pray er to anyone in the spirit world that would take the time to listen.  His hope was that even just one intercessor would have enough mercy on him and take even just one of his supplications to the only One that could save him.
    Behind him, a figure stood quietly unseen in the corner of the chapel.  His glowing white robe flowed as if moved by a wind not felt.  As always, his massive hands clasped in front of him out of respect of the person praying.  Listening to the prayers sent forth, he could actually feel the anguish emanating from the kneeling figure.  He felt such a deep compassion for the vampire .   Sebastian felt his teacher enter the space next to him.   After nodding his head in greeting, he turned his gaze back to the vampire.
    “You are here again , Sebastian.”
    “Yes , Elder.”
    The Elder looked with empathy at his protégé.
    “Why do you keep coming to him as he prays?”
    “I come because that is my job.”
    “No!  Your job is to address the living and their supplications.  He is dead already.  His fate is sealed.”
    “Be that as it may, he is not disingenuous in his supplications but quite sincere.  More sincere, I might add, than most that I listen to daily.  Very few so devout that they continue this ritual several hours a day faithfully for over a hundred and fifty years.”
    “Ah , Sebastian - t hat is the crux of the problem is it not?  It has been over a century , and he still breathes – he is undead.”
    “His faith is to be admired.  I will continue to watch and listen as he is not like the others of his kind.”
    The Elder looked curiously at his protégé.  “Please explain.”
    “There has been a shift.  The holy water no longer burn s his skin , as it should.  That grace can only come from our Father.”
    The Elder turned his gaze to fall on the kneeling vampire .  “Interesting.  Very well , I will allow you to continue for now, but at some point you will have to accept the fact that not all of them can be saved.”
    Sebastian looked at the vampire, who was no w sobbing with his head in his hands, overcome in his grief because of his plight .  He felt the Elder was wrong with this one.  This one should be saved , and he was going to make sure that he would do whatever he could to make that happen.
    Shadow , standing guard outside of the chapel , w ait ed patiently on the stone step knowing that soon his master would exit the building.  As if sensing that the time was near, he stood, eyes trained on the door.  Dragan walked out feeling no release from his mediations .   Looking to Shadow, he snapped his fingers.  “Come.  Let’s go find this new friend of yours and see what she is all about.”

CHAPTER 4
    “Like this , Jack?”
    “That’s exactly right , Miss Amira!  Are you sure you haven’t done this