Enraptured: Immortal Chronicles Book IV Page 11

  “So, you will join our side?”

  “Our side?” he asked with a smirk.

  “The Alliance,” she replied.

  “A human assisting immortals.” Brian looked over her shoulder, lost in his own head. “I did not think I’d see the day.”

  His words caused a sharp pain behind her eyes. “I am not human,” she murmured. “Not anymore.”

  Brian returned his attention to her. Sympathy filled his gaze. “There is a strength in you,” he commented. “A fire. You and Desmond will make a good pair.”

  Darcie appreciated the compliment, but was distracted by the odd name he used. “Desmond?” she questioned. “You mean, Des?”

  Brian’s expression turned mischievous. “Don’t tell me he has not told you his full name.”

  She couldn’t believe it. “You’re messing with me,” she accused.

  He held his hand up high like a boy scout. “On my honor, I am not.”

  Darcie sat in stunned silence. Desmond? Why hadn’t she heard the name before?

  Brian offered an explanation. “Desmond has never been fond of his full name. Ever since I’ve known him, he has gone by Des.”

  “How long have you known him?”

  He tapped his chin. “Let’s see. Six-hundred years? Maybe seven.”

  “How did you even learn his full name?” Darcie doubted Des went around introducing himself as Desmond.

  “His brother, Lome, let it slip once.” Brian’s irises sparkled with amusement. “Desmond was furious. I have taken to addressing him as such ever since.”

  “So, you two are friends?” It seemed like the kind of prank only a friend would pull.

  “I’d like to think so. Your mate is an honorable immortal. The best one, if you ask me.”

  Darcie blushed and looked down at the rug. The Elder had used the same word right before he freed her from Adir’s Italian stronghold. She realized it was as accurate a word as soulmate, even if it sounded strange.

  She cleared her throat. “We are not mates… yet.” Now that Darcie was an immortal, the things that had been keeping them from acting on their bond no longer mattered. Her fate was sealed. She would be with Des forever. The admission made her happy beyond belief, and she could not stop her smile.

  Brian watched her carefully. “You care for Desmond?”

  Her blush deepened. “Yes.”

  “I suspect Adir is aware.”

  She met his stare. “Yes.”

  “Adir will try to take you again,” he stated knowingly.

  “I figured as much.” Adir was determined to defeat The Alliance. Now that he saw Darcie as a source of power, he would not stop searching for her.

  Brian, however, attributed the immortal’s persistence to something else. “Adir will not allow Desmond to have his happy ending without a fight. My father has always been jealous of him. I thank The Creator Adir has found you useful this time around. I do not believe Desmond could have handled his soulmate being murdered again.”

  Time stood still. Darcie’s heartbeat and pulse slowed as she replayed Brian’s words.

  Murdered?

  Did he just say Des’ soulmates were murdered?

  Slowly, she forced air to enter her lungs. “Are you saying Adir murdered all of those women?”

  Brian looked horrified. “My apologies. I thought it was common knowledge.”

  A roaring sound filled her ears. She felt dizzy. Darcie leaned forward, holding herself upright by holding onto the chair’s armrests.

  They were murdered. I was murdered.

  For a while now, Darcie had started to understand that all of the women who came before her shared her soul. They may have had different names and different stories, but each of Des’ soulmates were essentially the same being. Her spirit had lived countless lives.

  How many of Darcie’s reincarnations had Adir killed? Just the four who found Des?

  Or were there more?

  Her stomach threatened to lose its contents at the thought.

  “How do you know?” she asked quietly. “How do you know for sure?”

  Regret covered his face. “Adir boasted of his escapades to a friend of mine. She leads the London coven and was once one of his greatest confidants before she turned against him.”

  Cassandra.

  Darcie knew he was talking about her.

  She closed her eyes to hide the pain she felt. Her heart was breaking for the previous women and their untimely ends. They didn’t deserve the fate Adir wrought.

  Those poor women.

  Darcie worked to regulate her breathing. Just as she was beginning to regain control of her emotions, the door on the far side of the room crashed open.

  The wood hung loosely on its hinges. With wide eyes, Darcie looked at the figures standing in the doorway.

  Alex, accompanied by Gregory and Rose, stood still as statues. All three vampires donned matching masks of fury as they crossed the threshold into the room.

  15

  Across from her, Brian rose to his feet. “Alexander.” He tried his best to adopt a soothing tone. “Nothing happened. She is unharmed.”

  A piece of stone flew across the room. Brian barely stepped out of the way before it collided with his abdomen. Without warning, five other vampires appeared in the study. They had come from the other two entrances in the room and placed themselves between the newcomers and Brian and Darcie.

  Alex growled. “Order them to stand aside.”

  “Not until you calm down,” Brian replied without malice.

  “The king will calm down when you release the girl,” Rose spoke with authority. Darcie took a second to wonder how she managed to escape from Victor’s party. The last time she had seen the vampire, she’d been meekly sitting at her master’s feet. The two versions of Rose greatly contradicted one another.

  “Darcie is unharmed,” Brian repeated. He looked at her with an encouraging expression.

  She took the hint. “He’s right,” she told her friends. “I am alright. There is no need to overreact.”

  “Overreact?” Alex sounded cold. “He abducted you. I would say our reaction is perfectly appropriate.” She really couldn’t argue with him.

  Darcie stepped to the side and looked for Brian’s reaction. He nodded in approval. Relieved, she continued her slow progress around the table in front of her. She was one step from crossing the line of Brian’s defenders when one made the mistake of grabbing her arm.

  Crap.

  Her friends wasted no time. They charged at the line of vampires and assaulted them with punches, kicks, and bursts of power. The one who made the mistake of grabbing her promptly dropped his hand and prepared to defend himself. Darcie stumbled back and bumped into an end table. The vase toppled and crashed into the ground, breaking into several pieces.

  A loud crack sounded above her. She ducked down and covered her head to protect herself from the plaster falling from the ceiling.

  “Darcie!” Gregory reached her. He lifted her to her feet and scanned her for injuries. “Are you hurt?”

  “I’m fine!” she had to shout above the noise of the fight. “He didn’t hurt me. Tell them to stop.”

  Gregory’s lips thinned. “Come, I will get you out of here.”

  She jerked her arm out of his grasp. “This is ridiculous.” Darcie turned and shouted at her friends, “Stop!”

  No one listened.

  Brian had joined the fight. She saw him assisting two of his guards as they tried to detain Alex. Needless to say, they were failing.

  Undeniable frustration bubbled to the surface. Fighting was pointless and only threatened to do more harm than good. She had enough.

  Adopting a firm stance, Darcie threw out her arms as she yelled in a booming voice, “STOP!”

  Every single body in the room stilled. The plaster stopped falling on her head. Looking up, Darcie gasped when she saw the pieces of the ceiling suspended in the air. She snapped her head back down to observe her friends. Gregory had
stopped moving with a hand reaching for her while Alex and Rose were frozen in their attack. The other vampires were in the same positions.

  Darcie gaped at her hands. What have I done?

  Frantically, she looked towards Alex. Though his body remained still, she swore she saw his pupil shift in recognition.

  She walked toward him. “How do I take it back?”

  His eyelid twitched. He was trying to overcome her spell.

  Darcie spun around to look at the others. She noticed all their eyes seemed aware of their state. She could only imagine how uncomfortable they must be.

  “How?” She returned her pleading gaze to her friend.

  Alex’s jaw ticked. His lips parted barely more than a centimeter as he ground out. “Say. You. Release… us.”

  Could it really be that simple? Trusting him, Darcie said with a shaky voice, “I-I release you.”

  Simultaneously, relieved gasps and sighs filled the study. Darcie watched the strangers run their hands over their bodies, checking to see if she had altered them in any way.

  Behind her, Brian clapped loudly. She turned and gave him a curious look. He unleashed a blinding-white smile. “That was brilliant, Darcie. Well done.”

  Beside her, Gregory made a move towards the complimentary vampire. Darcie stepped in front of him and placed a hand against his chest. “Stop it,” she commanded. “He isn’t an enemy.”

  Gregory’s nostrils flared. Instead of being subdued, his fiery gaze locked onto her. He stared deeply into her eyes. She could feel the heat coming off him in waves. His smoldering gaze did not waver. Darcie felt like she was in danger of being burned.

  Dropping her hand, Darcie took a step back. Thankfully, Gregory did not make another move towards Brian.

  “What is going on?” Alex demanded to know.

  Darcie wasted no time in explaining. She revealed Brian’s motive for taking her from the party and revealed him to be an ally. The information did little to lessen her friends’ anger.

  Rose put her hands on her hips in annoyance. “There was no need for him to abduct you. He could have interrogated you within Victor’s estate.” It seemed Brian would not be easily forgiven.

  Darcie watched Brian jerk his head towards his five guards. They filed out of the room as he stepped forward until he stood beside her. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders. Based on the tension in Gregory’s arm muscles, he did not approve of the action. She swore she heard a soft chuckle escape Brian’s lips. He enjoyed irritating her friend.

  “Please excuse my methods,” Brian requested in a low voice. “Darcie’s explanation has made me sincerely regret my actions. I hope we will be able to put this incident behind us and work together from now on.”

  Gregory made some unintelligible comment. He reached over and grabbed Brian’s hand, flinging it off of Darcie’s shoulder. The action earned more amusement from Brian.

  Darcie stepped forward to distance herself from both vampires. “Did you get the book?” Alex had spent the majority of the gala searching for the text; Darcie was eager to hear if the mission was a success or not.

  Alex’s eyelids lowered. “No, I did not.”

  Disappointment filled her chest. She had been hoping they would get the book and be able to move forward with their plan to take down Adir. Now, she had to find a new way to master her unique abilities.

  A throat cleared. Looking up, Darcie met Brian’s curious stare.

  “What book?” he asked.

  She bit her lip and looked to Alex for guidance. If Brian was trustworthy, there was no harm in telling him of their plan. Her friend simply shrugged. He would let her be the one to decide.

  Trusting her gut, Darcie told Brian about the spellbook. She revealed her hope of using it to gain better control over her powers. She told him of her struggles with mastering the witch abilities she’d inherited from her mother.

  Brian’s reaction was unexpected to say the least; the handsome vampire laughed hysterically. He tried to speak, but each word was cut off by his amusement.

  Darcie’s eyebrows lifted. “Brian?”

  Struggling for breath, all he could do was hold up a finger, silently asking her to hold on. He turned, still laughing, and left the study.

  She watched his departure, speechless. What in the world was that?

  “Are you planning to tell me what the hell happened?” Alex broke the silence.

  She frowned at his angry tone. “What?” She had already explained everything.

  “Why would you have allowed yourself to become in such a vulnerable position?” Alex ground out. “Why did you leave the ballroom?”

  Oh… that. Darcie crossed the room and sat back down in the chair by the fire. She had no excuse. “I wasn’t thinking. I’m sorry.”

  Her friend moved closer until he stood by the chair, gazing down at her intently. “You could have been taken by someone less friendly than my brother.”

  Her eyes widened. “Your brother?”

  “Yes. He is my younger brother. Though, if you couldn’t tell, we aren’t close.”

  Darcie shook her head, suddenly understanding the wary looks from everyone at the ball, as well as Gregory’s quick acceptance of Brian’s dance request. She realized the new vampire had addressed Adir as his father multiple times during their conversation, but she had been too distracted to make the connection.

  Alex watched her face. His frown deepened. “You could have been harmed.”

  Darcie exhaled. “I know.”

  “You need to be smarter.”

  Alex was right. She couldn’t argue with him. She’d been dumb to allow Brian to separate her from the safety of the populated party.

  “I know,” she repeated.

  Alex continued to stare at her, searching her expression for any trace of trickery. It wasn’t like her to agree so quickly.

  When he found no sign of deception, Alex placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. “I feared the worst.”

  Darcie could only imagine what that meant. So many horrible things had happened to her as of late.

  She covered his hand with her own and squeezed it reassuringly. “I’m fine. I promise.” Alex clutched her hand in return.

  Movement near the door commanded the room’s attention. Brian stood still, holding a worn leather-bound book.

  Darcie’s eyes fell on the object, feeling pulled in its direction. She tried to look away, but she could not. Something about the book called to her, urging her to reach out and take it in her hands.

  It might sound strange, but Darcie felt as if she’d seen the book before.

  Darcie.

  She froze, heart pounding. Did the book just say my name?

  Unaware of Darcie’s unusual pull to the object, Brian held the book up with a smile. “Is this what you were looking for?”

  16

  “It has been with you all this time?” Alex asked in disbelief. “I thought it was with Victor.”

  Brian smirked. “As does he.”

  “How is that possible?” Rose asked from across the study. “Victor guards his treasures with the strongest enchantments and charms. How did you bypass them?”

  “I stole the book decades ago, long before your master resorted to such elaborate security measures. I believe it was the burglary two years ago which motivated the drastic change in his methods.”

  “Yes,” Rose confirmed. “I was beaten mercilessly for that breach.” The information made Darcie cringe. She’d guessed Victor was cruel, but hearing Rose admit it out loud made it much more real.

  Brian’s expression conveyed sympathy. “I assure you, I had nothing to do with the latest breach. As I said, I took the book years before.”

  She did not acknowledge his compassion. “What lies in his vault at this moment?”

  “A harmless, yet authentic-looking, copycat.”

  “A copycat?”

  “Yes,” Brian affirmed. “Jennifer assisted me with its creation. She did a masterful job.”

 
Hearing her mother’s name finally permitted Darcie the chance to pull her eyes away from the book.

  “My mom?” she asked Brian.

  He nodded.

  Darcie was confused. “But why?” She couldn’t understand his motivation. “Why did you steal it in the first place?”

  Brian expected the question. “To keep it out of the wrong hands. Your mother knew the volume contained the potential for great power. She did not trust any of the clans to possess it. When she learned Victor had obtained it, she sought my help to steal it from him.”

  “Jennifer came to you?” Alex did not attempt to conceal his doubt.

  Brian met his stare. “She knew Victor trusted me. At least,” he added for clarification, “he did at the time. Jennifer anticipated my ability to get close enough to switch out the book for the copycat.”

  Darcie observed Alex. He did not like the idea of her mother turning to his brother for help. Was he jealous? Taking in his clenched jaw and tense muscles, she suspected her guess to be correct.

  Brian stepped farther into the room, heading for Darcie. With her peripheral vision, she noticed Gregory inch closer. Her newest ally reached out towards her, book in hand.

  When she shot him an incredulous look, he stated, “What you are searching for is in there. Find it. Then, master your abilities”

  “If you are ever in need,” he added quickly, “please know I will gladly come to your aide. All you must do is ask, and I will be there.” Support shined through his gaze.

  Darcie knew giving her the book was not a small gesture, but neither was his vow to help her. She hardly knew the handsome vampire, but she could tell he was a loyal to the core.

  Just like his brother.

  “Thank you.” Timidly, Darcie reached out and took the book. Instantly, a warmth flowed through her fingers down to her palms. The power thrummed against her skin, tickling the nerve endings. She’d never felt anything like it.

  Bringing the book closer, she clutched it against her chest. Glancing up, she asked, “Now, what?”

  Alex pulled his attention from the book. Warring emotions battled on his face. He did not know what to make of the story he just heard.