Enraptured: Immortal Chronicles Book IV Page 2

  The young woman’s brow rose slightly. “A proposal?”

  He nodded. “Instead of telling you directions to the Parthenon, how about I escort you? It is only a twenty minute walk, and I was thinking about visiting there anyway.”

  She cocked her head to the side as she tried to figure him out. “You were going to visit the Parthenon?”

  “I was thinking about it.”

  Her mouth quirked. “Really?” Her tone was disbelieving, but not unamused. Or displeased.

  “Really.”

  She continued to observe him, taking in his serious expression. A musical chuckle reached his ears before she said, “I don’t know if that is a good idea. I don’t even know your name.”

  “Des.” He held out his hand, using the common American gesture as an excuse to touch her. As he anticipated, she did not hesitate to put her hand in his for a handshake.

  “Darcie,” she supplied.

  Darcie.

  His mind rolled the name around. The name was feminine, but it was more modern than any of her previous ones.

  “Nice to meet you, Darcie.” He enjoyed the way her name sounded out loud.

  Her lips lifted. “Nice to meet you, Des.” She dropped his hand quickly, giving it a curious glance. The look led him to believe she felt the sparks flying from his nervous system to hers. He relished the lingering sensations. It had been a long time since he last felt them.

  “Now that you know my name, will it be alright if I join you at the Parthenon? I am alone today and would enjoy the company.” Des did his best to don his most charming smile.

  It any other situation, he knew his offer might seem strange. But her soul yearned for him almost as much as his longed for her. His actions were forward, but their connection rendered them innocent enough. Her instinct was to trust him. Des just hoped she listened to them.

  Darcie continued to watch him. Her gaze was wary, but it slowly morphed into a trusting expression. “Sure,” she said. “Thanks. I’d appreciate a guide.”

  Des’ soul sang from the victory. He held a hand out, gesturing to the pathway to their right. “Shall we?”

  2

  The pair walked in companionable silence. From the corner of his eye, Des watched Darcie as she observed the artifacts and statues they passed.

  Seeing an opportunity to make conversation, he asked, “You are interested in history?”

  “Yes. A little,” she responded, casting an assessing glance before adding, “but I am more interested in the architecture. The ancient temples and buildings were so beautiful.”

  “Indeed,” Des agreed without thought. Of all of the ancient civilizations, he and his brothers enjoyed the Grecian culture the best. Everything from their community to their philosophy intrigued the immortals. It was the main reason they decided to settle their home in the region all those years ago.

  “Are you here for your studies?” he asked, wishing to learn more about his young American soulmate.

  “My studies?”

  “Are you at the university?” he clarified.

  Darcie’s lingering blush deepened, and she turned her blue irises to the gardens around them. “I am not in college.”

  He did not understand her embarrassment. “So, you are on vacation?”

  She continued to avoid eye contact. “Sort of. I am here with my dad. He is working with a colleague at the university.”

  “Your father is an academic?”

  She bobbed her head. “A professor. He is on a sabbatical,” she explained.

  Des worked to process the information. Darcie continued to behave oddly, and he remained unable to figure out why. “Does your father’s work keep you in Athens?” His mind had already started to wonder when he would be able to see her again.

  Stop it, he took control of his thoughts. You will not meet with her again. This is the only time you will risk her safety.

  Darcie was unaware of his silent struggle. “No,” she responded. “We don’t stay in one spot for long. My father is reaching out to various historians in the area to meet and discuss his research. We are only in Athens for a few days.”

  “It is nice of you to journey with your father,” Des commented. Though, it did not surprise him to learn she was family oriented. She always was.

  “It’s not like I really had a choice.”

  Her statement surprised him. “Didn’t you?”

  Again, her cheeks colored. “Um… no. I didn’t. I’m only seventeen.”

  Suddenly, the cause of her embarrassment seemed obvious. Des acknowledged Darcie looked young, but he had not suspected her to be that young.

  “I see,” he tried to say with no inflection. “You look older than that.” Not that it mattered to him. The age of her physical body meant nothing when he considered that her soul was almost as old as he was.

  Her attention focused on the sidewalk beneath their feet. “I get that a lot,” she murmured.

  They were out of the National Garden and walking down the main road. Vehicles and cyclists rushed past them, creating a noisy atmosphere too loud to hold a conversation. It wasn’t until they turned onto another pedestrian path that Des finally tried to alleviate the permeating awkwardness.

  “Well, I am twenty-five,” he told her the age he always used when speaking with humans. “As you know, I live in Greece. And I am also a fan of architecture.”

  He made a show of looking lost in thought before adding, “Let’s see... what else might I tell you about myself? Oh, I know. I am a Gemini.”

  Darcie stared at him like he was crazy before he finally earned the laugh he’d been aiming for. She shook her head and eyed him with amusement. “Thank you for all of that riveting information.”

  “Of course,” he grinned. “Your turn. What interesting information can you share about yourself?”

  She continued to chuckle but soon began talking.

  Darcie and Des spent the remainder of their walk exchanging low-risk facts about themselves. Des learned Darcie was from Maine, a state in the northeastern part of the United States. He listened intently as she briefly relayed the events which led her to leaving her home two years ago to travel the Mediterranean with her father. Her sadness was easily detectable. It was obvious she hadn’t wished to leave her life behind.

  “I am impressed,” he said sincerely. “Congratulations on finishing your schooling early.”

  Darcie tilted her head forward, letting the long blonde bangs fall into her face. Des resisted the urge to reach out and tuck them behind her ear.

  “It was nothing,” she replied. “It’s not like I really had anything else to do. I’m glad to be done, but I cannot wait to start college.”

  “When will that be?”

  “Not until next fall.” He watched her release a heavy breath. “We go back home in a couple of months, but my dad wants me to wait to start college. He keeps saying that I need to relax and enjoy being young.”

  “Your father might be right,” Des said. If there was anything he learned in the centuries of watching human lives, it was that the younger years seemed to fly by. Darcie’s father must be wise to advise his daughter to not rush into the next phase of her life.

  Darcie gave a noncommittal shrug. Then, she changed the subject. “I think I see it.” She pointed towards the distant buildings where the top of the Parthenon peeked above their roofs.

  She picked up her pace, and Des was forced to lengthen his stride to keep up. They maneuvered through the crowd of tourists and walked up the winding path towards the ancient temple. From the side, he watched Darcie’s entire face illuminate as she took in the ruins ahead of them. The sight of her happiness threatened to stop his heart.

  “I’m going to buy a ticket.” She pointed to the building at the bottom of the hill. “Do you want one?”

  Des did not hesitate. “Allow me.” Before she could object, Des jogged down towards the kiosk selling entrance tickets to the historic temple. Thankfully, the line was short. Conversing in flu
ent Greek, he purchased the tickets from the middle-aged woman working the stand.

  Minutes later, he returned to Darcie’s side. She stood on the far edge of the walkway. He held out her ticket.

  “You didn’t have to do that,” she said. “I can pay for my own ticket.”

  He smiled. Still independent.

  “I know. Consider it a thank you for saving me from touring on my own.” He offered nothing else. Thankfully, Darcie did not insist. No doubt, she wanted to avoid the awkwardness of the debate.

  They started to proceed up the mild incline towards the ancient temple. Once or twice, Des had to reach out and keep Darcie from slipping. “Careful. The stone is worn down and slick.” She steadied herself by grasping his arm tightly. Des worked to conceal his resulting shiver.

  “Thank you,” she breathed with a slight grin. “That would’ve been embarrassing.”

  At his distance, Des could make out the tiny brown spots freckling her nose. They were unique to Darcie as far as his soulmates went, and he found them adorable.

  Darcie cleared her throat and dropped her hands. Unwillingly, Des released her and took a step back. “Shall we continue?” She nodded eagerly and proceeded to lead Des further up the hill towards the Parthenon.

  Their time in the ancient temple was enlightening for Des. He noticed every time Darcie stopped to examine something. Even if it was the smallest detail, her keen eyes observed every carved line or speck of marble. Whereas other tourists focused their attention on the recovered mosaics or statues, Darcie did not. She spent a significant amount of time assessing the structural columns and foundations. Her interest in architecture was obvious. The pair managed to maintain a decent conversation about the artifacts and structure around them, but Des was more than happy to stand back and continue learning more about Darcie through observation.

  The sun reached its peak, and Des watched the beads of sweat form on Darcie’s forehead. She stood up from her latest surveying stance and wiped the moisture away. Glancing at him, she gave him a sheepish grin. “Do you mind if we go inside the gift shop? I want to look for a souvenir.”

  “Of course not. Lead the way.”

  Again, Des walked behind her as they moved towards the small building. He grew mesmerized by the sway of her pony tail. The long yellow hair shined in the sunlight. He yearned to reach out and touch the smooth strands.

  Enough. Pull yourself together.

  By the time they entered the souvenir shop, Des had gained control of himself. His soul vehemently opposed his restraint when it came to his soulmate, but Des refused to listen to the instinctual part of himself. It would do more harm than good. All he wanted was the chance to get to know Darcie, and he would only permit himself one day to do so.

  So, why don’t you make the most of it?

  Darcie faced him, pulling him out of his thoughts. “What should I get?”

  “Hm…” Des moved closer to her and pretended to observe the rows of tacky keychains. His eyes landed on one which displayed a picture of the Parthenon at sunset. The red and gold hues made the object look nicer than the others. “This one.” He pointed to the keychain.

  Darcie reached out and grinned. “This one is definitely the prettiest. Good choice.” Des chuckled and stepped to the side as she moved to purchase the trinket.

  He listened with interest as Darcie conversed easily with the shop employee. Her accent was a little off, but her grammar was flawless.

  When she returned, he gave her a surprised look. “You speak Greek?”

  Her smile grew. “A little.”

  “That sounded like more than a little.”

  She shrugged. “I’ve been in the country for two years. I thought it would be a good idea to learn.”

  With every new thing he learned about Darcie, Des’ interest continued to grow. He knew he played a dangerous game by staying around her. It was with regret that he realized he needed to make his exit before he made a mistake he could not take back.

  Des dragged his fingers through his thick, brown hair. Darcie watched his movement and seemed to detect his sudden mood shift.

  “Is something wrong?”

  “Yes,” he answered. “I just remembered a friend is expecting me in the city within the hour. I completely lost track of time.”

  “Oh.” Darcie did not hide her disappointment. She did not want him to go, but it was obvious she could not understand why.

  The young woman had absolutely no clue that her soul was tied to Des. She did not know her sadness over his impending departure was normal. Des felt bad for causing her discomfort and the confusing emotions rattling her brain.

  “Thank you for helping me get here. I really appreciated it,” she told him.

  “Of course.” Des trained his eyes on her face. He wanted to remember every single freckle.

  Before he convinced himself to stay behind and reveal the truth to her, Des said, “It was nice to meet you. Have a nice day, Darcie.” He turned on his heel and walked out of the shop.

  It took all of the strength he had, but Des refused to look back and allow himself one last glimpse of his destined love. No matter how much his soul yearned for her, he knew they could never achieve a happy ending. He’d seen too many tragedies to believe otherwise.

  Darcie was the epitome of youth. She had her whole life ahead of her. Des refused to risk it by yielding to his own selfish desires.

  Des was halfway down the pathway when he heard a musical voice calling his name. He stopped walking and slowly rotated towards the sound. He watched Darcie hurry down the incline until she halted about three feet away.

  “Des,” she sounded breathless. “Wait.”

  His traitorous heart pounded excitedly while his stomach fell to the floor. Nothing good would come of whatever she planned to say. He needed to leave her company immediately.

  Just as Des opened his mouth to insist he needed to leave, Darcie blurted out, “This might sound weird, but I feel like I know you. Have we met before?”

  The agony was acute. Des did not want to lie to her, but he could not possible tell her the truth. “I do not believe so,” he answered smoothly. The only sign of his discomfort was the subtle tick in his jaw.

  Darcie’s face fell. “Oh. Really?” She shook her head. “I’m sorry. This probably sounds crazy, but I swore I have met you. It must be my imagination.” Her discomfort was obvious, and Des hated that he could not alleviate it.

  He settled for a different type of honest statement. “I know I would not have forgotten your face it we had met.”

  Shock highlighted her features. She blinked, then blushed. “I think I know what you mean.”

  Her words surprised him. She was bold, more so than he expected. He decided to ask what was on his mind, “Do you have someone, Darcie?”

  Her head shifted to the side. “Someone?”

  “Someone special,” he elaborated. “A boyfriend?”

  As he expected, the color on her face darkened. “Oh... um, no. I don’t have someone... I don’t have a boyfriend.”

  “That is very surprising.”

  “Why?”

  Des let his gaze trail over her. His green eyes started at the top of her head and ended at the end of her tennis shoes. “Because you are breathtaking.”

  Darcie released a self-conscious chuckle. “Yeah. Right.”

  Suddenly, Des wanted nothing more to convince the young woman in front of him just how lovely she truly was. He might not be able to cherish her, but he needed to know that she would someday be loved by another. Even if the idea caused a sharp pain in his chest, Des knew he wanted nothing but the best and fullest life for his soulmate.

  He trained his steady gaze into her deep, blue eyes. “I tell the truth, Darcie. I believe you are the most beautiful woman I have ever seen.”

  Des saw her mouth open slightly. She was shocked by his words, but he did not regret them. He was happy to tell her, if only once, how lovely she was.

  “Would you like to gr
ab a drink with me?” he asked.

  Forget leaving. I told myself I’d allow us one day. And one day is what we are going to have.

  “A drink? You mean alcohol?”

  “Or a coffee,” he offered. He realized she might be uneasy with the idea of going to a bar even though Greece had no minimum drinking age. All he wanted to do was succumb to his desire to be around her. Any spot would work.

  “What about your friend?” she asked, missing nothing. Her knowing eyes called him out on his initial excuse to leave.

  “He can wait,” was all he offered in return.

  Darcie crossed her arms and looked out towards a crowd of tourists. He could see the uncertainty in her eyes. Des worried she might turn him down.

  After what felt like an eternity, she finally said, “Sure.”

  Not wanting to risk the chance she changed her mind, Des offered up the first restaurant he could think of.

  After a leisurely walk through the center of Athens, they arrived outside of Tinos. The family owned restaurant had always been one of his favorites. He and Thane had discovered it in the early 60s. They spent years enjoying the homemade meals, but had to cease visiting once their lack of aging was noted by the owners. It wasn’t until their sad passing that Des dared to venture back.

  The hostess escorted them to the second story balcony and placed them next to the wood railing. Their shaded table gave them a nice view of the Athenian skyline, as well as the throngs of people walking down the road below.

  Their waitress arrived and both Des and Darcie ordered white wine. When the beverage arrived, Des noted that she did not touch the glass. Her hands sat in her lap, clenched together.

  He lowered his glass. “Is everything alright?”

  “Yes.” Her nervousness filled the air between them.

  Des took a shot in the dark. “Are you wondering why you agreed to have a drink with a total stranger?”

  Her eyes widened with surprise, but she promptly exhaled a disbelieving laugh. “Maybe?”

  He nodded. “I understand.” Then, with regret, he asked, “Do you wish to leave?”

  “No!” Her emphatic response was immediate. Des could not help but grin.