Saint's Salvation: The Seven Deadly Sins (The Saint Series Book 7) Read online

  Saint’s Salvation

  ~The Seven Deadly Sins~

  Written by Tiana Laveen

  Edited by Natalie G. Owens

  Cover by Travis Pennington

  Saint Series, Book 7

  ~Savage Dream Productions~

  Saint’s Salvation

  ~The Seven Deadly Sins~

  Please note: This is book 7 of a series (The Saint series). All of these books are stand-alone novels but are best read in order.

  The Saint Series books can be read in the following order:

  1. The Naughty Sins of a Saint

  2. When Saint Goes Marching In

  3. Saved and SAINTified

  4. Saint’s Sacrament – Sins of the Father

  5. Saint and Sinners – The King Angel Child of New York

  6. Cruz Control – In Bad Company

  7. Saint’s Salvation – The Seven Deadly Sins (This novel)

  ABOUT THIS BOOK

  The first mistake Saint made was forgetting about his naughty sins…

  Dr. Saint Aknaten is living a good life, enjoying his family and friends to the fullest. But this doting father, loving husband, loyal friend, dedicated businessman, and warrior for justice has just been presented with a living nightmare that will stop him in his tracks: a demonic undertaking that sucks him into the depths of a kind of Evil he never believed existed.

  The gates of Heaven have opened, and the road to Hell is paved with the blood of bought-and-paid-for souls. The virtuous and the wicked are pitted against each other, but only one can survive this war. Clinging firm to love in the face of unrelenting hatred, Saint goes head to head with a force so merciless, it is sure to scar him for life or end his very existence.

  Spells are conjured and sprinkled upon New York City, seasoning it just right in this tale of magic, humor, heartbreak, and sex. But the monsters of the underworld have come out to play with the good doctor, hoping he will soon draw his last breath.

  But what happens when a man looks Evil in the eye to see nothing but a reflection of himself staring back at him?

  The page break black and white angel wing design was created by Danielle Albertyn.

  Thanks, Danielle!

  Please Read:

  This novel is a dark read that falls under the following genres:

  Paranormal, romance, horror, humor/comedy, supernatural, contemporary thriller, suspense, women’s lit, erotica, and drama.

  WARNING:

  This novel contains ADULT CONTENT.

  1. Profanity – There’s a lot of f**king cursing going on. Dr. Saint Aknaten has a notorious potty mouth, and I douse him down for nobody. He is served straight, no chaser.

  2. Graphic Sexual Depictions – Saint (the Hero) loves many things, and one of those things is sex, and lots of it. He is explicit, therefore, so am I.

  3. Drug abuse

  4. Violence

  5. Mental and physical illness

  6. Information on religion and the Occult relayed in character conversations, such as, but not limited to: Demonic possessions, angelic assistance, malicious influences, baptisms, Christian prayers and scriptures, spell work, exorcisms, discussions on Heaven and Hell, etc.

  7. PTSD – Post-traumatic stress disorder

  8. Gang affiliation, gang violence and related activity

  The author’s beliefs do not necessarily reflect those of the characters in this novel, or are in sync with the topics discussed herein. Whatever a character does and says has to do with said character and not the author. This is a work of fiction.

  If you are offended by the discussion of:

  GOD/THE CREATOR, DEMONS, ANGELS, HEAVEN, HELL, THEOLOGY, SPIRITUALITY, RELIGION, AND/OR BELIEFS THAT MAY DIFFER FROM YOUR OWN, DO NOT read this book. DO NOT purchase this book. DO NOT borrow this book. DO NOT flip through or scan this book. DO NOT even give this book the side eye, half eye, third eye, blinked eye, wonky eye, or crossed-eye … but DO give it the blind eye and walk on by.

  Should you choose to ignore this warning then that is your choice, but DO NOT blame the author for your choice to do so, or try to guilt the author into writing something more to your liking, explaining why she should adhere to your advice and adopt your personal preferences, opinions, beliefs, and desires as her own. Tiana Laveen writes what she wants to write, how she wants to write it and when she wants to write it – a point proven by the creation of this novel.

  Please respect her decision, just as she respects your reading preferences by giving warnings, and clear blurbs and explanations.

  “I’m an artist, creating art.

  Art is an expression of the creator, not the observer. Those are two different roles.

  Art is subjective.

  It’s really just that simple.

  THANK YOU.”

  -Tiana Laveen

  COPYRIGHT

  Copyright © 2017 by Tiana Laveen

  EPUB Edition

  All rights reserved.

  Warning: The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. Criminal copyright infringement, including infringement without monetary gain, is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to 5 (five) years in federal prison and a fine of $250,000.

  Names, characters and incidents depicted in this book are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental and beyond the intent of the author or the publisher.

  No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher. PIRACY IS AGAINST THE LAW.

  IN OTHER WORDS: If you do any of the above, the karma bus is waiting for you. If you steal this author’s work and illegally loan and/or share it, request illegal/free copies online and/or in printed version, you are no better than a burglar that breaks into someone’s house while you think they are away. You are a criminal. A thief. A cheat. You don’t work for free, so why should authors?!

  WE WORK HARD. SHOW SOME APPRECIATION.

  DEDICATION

  This book is in memory of, Author MC Raj

  I used to engage in colloquies with this talented, warm hearted activist and author from Tuticorin, India. He and I had a wonderful conversation that sticks out most notably in my mind, and I will treasure it always. When the “Saint Series” began, I had no idea that one of the characters would in some ways, mirror this man’s personality and even physical appearance. The character of Krishna was created before I had even had a friendship with Raj. You sir, are an angel. You are gone, but not forgotten…

  This book is dedicated to all the devoted Saint series fans. I thought that Saint was sleeping for good, but then he woke up and tapped me on my shoulder in a dream, heaven-bent on telling a tale based on the ‘true story’ of his life.

  Good morning and good Rainbeau knight.

  Your new day has just begun.

  “Saint’s Salvation – The Seven Deadly Sins” is dedicated to YOU.

  Saints and Sinners, here we stand…

  We fall down, but we get back up.

  Please join my newsletter to get the latest updates!

  www.tianalaveen.com/contact.html#newsletter

  TABLE OF CONTENTS

  Cover

  Title Page

  About this Book

  Warning

  Copyright

  Dedication

  Editorial Review of, “Saint’s Sal
vation”

  Love Letter to the Reader

  Epigraph

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  Chapter Thirty

  Chapter Thirty-One

  Chapter Thirty-Two

  Chapter Thirty-Three

  Chapter Thirty-Four

  Chapter Thirty-Five

  Chapter Thirty-Six

  Chapter Thirty-Seven

  Music Index

  Saint’s Salvation Playlist

  About the Author

  Editorial Review of, “Saint’s Salvation”

  What more can be said about the Saint character? Well, ‘more’ is in fact the key word for this novel. We get ‘more’ of Saint, ‘more’ of his larger-than-life personality, ‘more’ danger, ‘more’ action, ‘more’ sex. More of everything. We get a quadruple dose and more of everything we love about this character and his world. And in the end, we get a lesson on relationships, life, commitment, pride, love, the meaning of family, brotherhood, and so many other things. We learn, we feel every ounce of pain and happiness these characters go through. What else could we expect from this? Saint is no half-baked character and does nothing in half-doses. He does everything to the max, grabs life and demons by the throat and makes them submit. And amongst it all, he discovers things about himself and determines how he can be a better man, husband and father. Be warned: there are some pretty heart-wrenching moments in this book. Stuff that will make you ugly cry and use up a whole box of tissues. But, every tear shed is worth it and comes with a big sigh of satisfaction because … this book is just everything. Those who adore Saint know what I mean. Those who don’t should really find out by picking up all the books in this series. Saint is an explosion of cells that permeate all of our senses, making them pop, lock and load at the mere mention of his name. If you want to get rid of the effects of Nyquill and codeine, read Saint. If you want to live again, read Saint. Saint’s Salvation is the ultimate gold-crusted cherry over a pie filled with the most decadent of custards. Rich, creamy, every bite a transcendental experience. And the ending … Okay, I’ll stop here, but you need to pick up a copy of this book. Seriously.

  Natalie G. Owens

  Author of the Valthreans series.

  LOVE LETTER TO THE READER

  When I first began to write the Saint series, I had no idea it would be a series. In fact, I sat down, holed up in my office, and wrote, “Naughty Sins of a Saint,” while blasting my favorite rap tunes, never believing that, six years later, I would still be writing this man’s story. I knew when I finished writing the first novel of the series that it would be controversial and, at the very least, the topic of a few book club conversations or words shared between friends and family. I felt the story had even more to it, so before the first novel in the series was published, I wrote the second book, “When Saint Goes Marching In.” Then, I began to second guess myself. After all, this was one of the first novels I had written for public consumption. I re-read “The Naughty Sins of a Saint” and thought, “No way. This cannot be published. This character is too over the top.” Obviously, I talked myself out of shelving Saint and before I knew it, his name was buzzing in the book reader streets.

  I began to receive emails and FB messages, mostly positive, giving thanks and gratitude for this character! I was floored. I thought some people would get a kick out of him for sure, but then I got more serious emails, ones that literally stated that this character changed their lives, or their minds about not giving up on love … or life. Yes, it was that heavy; shit just got real.

  Look, let’s be honest…

  Saint is one of those characters you either adore or despise. There appears to be little to no middle ground. One thing is for certain though: he makes people think, even about issues and topics they normally prefer to avoid in general. Saint gets down and dirty; he is gritty and blunt when it comes to discussing racism, interracial dating, political injustice, sexual relationships, God, life, and the world in general. He doesn’t mince words, and his larger than life personality holds many readers captive. With a host of colorful and interesting supporting characters working beside him, this is one series where I honestly feel that said characters are completely in charge, and I’m just along for the ride.

  I have to say that Saint was, for the longest, my most popular series, until the double novel “The ‘N’ Word” and “Word of Honor” became my best sellers, knocking Saint into second place as far as recognition and sales. Nevertheless, he remains my most popular character. I would receive emails, FB messages, and Instagram notifications asking if another Saint book was coming. I found myself having mixed feelings about this question, though I always answered honestly. (Well, except for one time recently when I was in the throes of writing this very book and it was essential that I keep it top secret. Please forgive me, beloved reader, for the deception.)

  On one hand, I was thankful that I had readers who enjoyed any of my books and would reach out and let me know in the first place. It’s honestly an honor to receive a message from a reader saying they loved one of your books and would love to see that character again. On the other hand, I didn’t want to be pigeonholed, to become a one trick pony. Anyone who knows me personally knows I hate having to do the same thing over and over again. I also don’t force anything, especially with my writing. If it is not coming naturally, then I am not going to just throw something together or bow down to pressure to get an extra buck. Fact of the matter was, I wanted to write other things, to explore new characters, places, etc.

  The thing about Saint’s character, however, is that he comes when he wants to. I do not force him to show up, and I couldn’t if I wanted to. Saint does not take orders from me, period. If he has nothing to say, my mind is a blank. That’s when I know that another book is not on the horizon, at least not anytime soon. I had moved along, believing “Cruz Control” would be the final book. That book was originally featured in an anthology featuring me and two other authors, but is now being sold as a stand-alone.

  One day though, I had another dream…

  And Saint began to nag me.

  Shit.

  He wanted his story told, and he wanted it told NOW.

  I dropped the project I had already lined up and outlined and started on “Saint’s Salvation – the Seven Deadly Sins.” You see, when this man comes to you, you do what he says. If you don’t, he will purposefully mess up your other projects by interjecting, making you think of all the things he wants to say and trying to make you feel guilty for not catering to him. Yes, Saint is a complete asshole. He’s a spoiled brat, too, but he is also wonderful, with a big heart and great sense of humor, and is hard to resist. So, he got his wish, as usual. I knew the premise in advance, but had no idea where it would go, where this new world that Saint had fallen headfirst into would take me and my readers. Would the characters experience any growth? Would there be any new players? Would Saint let me know when he was finished, wanted more or just needed a bit of space? Or would he get in over his head and require a double novel?

  You never know with this guy, and all you can do is go along with the flow. I soon discovered tha
t this book had to be bigger than I’d originally thought, and by this I do not mean just the expected page count, but also with regards to the subject matter. This book is deep. There is just no other way to put it. All the Saint books are deep, but this one delves into the delicate matter of Good and Evil, the origins of such, and how they manifest. The story shows Saint’s metamorphosis from the alpha, egomaniac good guy, to the alpha, less prideful embracer of all sides of his being … even those sides that enjoy the gruesome, bloody kill. Accepting the ‘not so pretty’ parts of ourselves is a tough job, and that is one area that Saint needed to address.

  The darkness in this tale went up a notch from previous books, and I believe so did the humor. All the things you love about Saint are to be found in this novel, and then some. You get to see what the children are up to, as well as the rest of the gang, and you will experience the hurts and blessings they endure and receive, right alongside them. But, since this is Saint’s story, his POV stands front and center, and I am certain my readers would not want it any other way. It’s always my mission in this series to sit back and let Saint do his thing. That’s what happened, no matter how hard it was for me at times not to intrude. This is HIS story, written in the manner he wants it told, and I’m just honored that he let me tell it.

  So, without further ado, I present to you, “Saint’s Salvation – The Seven Deadly Sins.”

  Your pair of angel wings await…

  “Even the Devil was once an angel…”

  CHAPTER ONE

  Parliament Funkadelic’s, “Give Up the Funk” blasted from the ’74 gun-metal and onyx Camaro with blood red flames painted on the hood. Shimmery beads of water swiveled down the back window from the fresh car washing. Dr. Saint Aknaten kept one hand on the steering wheel and the other out the open window, his fingers loosely holding a freshly lit Arturo Fuente cigar. The diamonds glinted in the gold wedding band as he moved his hand to the beat of the music. An Egyptian ankh shaped air freshener swung back and forth from the rear-view mirror.