Enlightened

by Samantha Britt

  Enlightened

  Immortal Chronicles Book I

  Samantha Britt

  Enlightened: Immortal Chronicles Book I

  Copyright © 2017 Samantha Britt

  Cover art by Ampersand Book Covers

  ISBN-13: 978-1546856337

  ISBN-10: 1546856331

  All rights reserved.

  This is a work of fiction.

  Any resemblance between actual events or persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental or used fictitiously.

  Dedication

  D.P.M.

  I know, without a doubt, this book and its companions would have taken much longer to accomplish without you and your endless support.

  You listened to me ramble about characters and plots while you were trying to watch T.V. You took Bailey on walks when I was glued to my laptop and she wanted to play. You understood when I was stressed because I couldn’t portray a scene the way it was in my head.

  Most of all, you offered to help in the little ways without me ever needing to ask. For those things and many more I did not mention, thank you!

  You helped me make my dreams come true, Dan. I am very lucky to have you.

  Contents

  Acknowledgments

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Also by Samantha Britt

  About the Author

  Acknowledgments

  Thank you to everyone who read, edited, discussed plots and characters, and encouraged me while I wrote Enlightened!

  Amy and Megan (The Elite): Thank you for, once again, being two of my first readers. I appreciate your time and enjoy hearing what you think of my stories!

  Mi Familia: I wouldn’t be who I am without every single one of you. Thank you for molding me into the woman (and writer) I am today. I love you.

  1

  The sound of fingers tapping a keyboard filled the room. Darcie sat at her desk, staring at the screen, proof-reading the document for the third time that day.

  “Ugh, I am so tired of school! You are lucky you already finished your senior year.” Marie’s whine drew the girl’s attention. Darcie watched as her friend flung herself onto the queen size bed and caused half of the decorative pillows to fall to the floor. She chuckled and closed her laptop. There was no way she would get any work done with Marie there to distract her.

  “Look on the bright side,” she said, turning in her chair to face her best friend. “You only have two more days until Winter Break.”

  “Yeah, but then I will have to go back,” Marie whined, her voice muffled against the mattress. “Why couldn’t I have been homeschooled like you? I would already be done.”

  Darcie rolled her eyes. Marie would not have enjoyed the dreariness of homeschooling. The pretty brunette was way too social for her main source of human interaction to consist of scholastic lessons with her parents. One week without at least one boy asking her on a date and Marie would beg to return to her free and appropriate public education.

  “I mean it.” Marie rolled over and looked at her. “I’m jealous you get to hang around your house all day. I would kill to lay around with no homework hanging over my head.”

  “Hey!” Darcie resented the implication of laziness. “I went to school for two years straight in order to graduate early. In case you didn’t know, that included summers.”

  “Yeah, but you were in Greece. I can just see it. You, sitting on the white sandy beaches, staring at the blue crystal water while you ‘studied’. You probably met so many hunky guys. You have the best life.”

  Darcie scoffed, shaking her head. She wished her time abroad had been that interesting. Her father, Professor John Abernathy, was a world renowned historian. His area of study: ancient cultures. More specifically, the beliefs and practices associated with their religions. Her childhood was filled with visits to museums, academic seminars, and ancient temples for her father’s research on various topics.

  Two years ago, the middle-aged-man finally earned tenure and was permitted to take a sabbatical to go on location to conduct research for future projects. The scholar did not hesitate at the opportunity, no matter the turmoil the move would cause his fifteen-year-old daughter.

  Darcie cried for days when she learned she would have to move away from the town she grew up in. She and her father had moved to Brunswick shortly after her mother abandoned them. She may have been only five, but she remembered the sadness that followed her dad around the first years without her.

  Things changed when he got the job at the local university one town over. Saint Phillip’s University was a moderately small school, but it had one of the most prominent ancient cultures departments on the East Coast. Professor Abernathy thrived at work, and his shy daughter eventually found her niche in their suburban neighborhood. They made a wonderful life for themselves in Brunswick–which made it that much harder for her to leave it behind.

  Looking over at her childhood friend, Darcie felt fortunate the two kept in touch. Marie Jameson remained the same fun-loving and kind-hearted girl she remembered. Although they spent a long two years apart, she and Marie’s friendship picked up right where they had left off.

  “My life is alright,” Darcie allowed as she stood and stretched her limbs. She spent the better part of the past hour writing the last essay for her college applications. She hated knowing she would spend the next five months in the same monotonous daily routine, but couldn’t wait to begin taking college courses. She even managed to talk her dad into letting her start part-time in the summer–a feat not easily achieved.

  “So modest,” Marie smirked. Then, changing the subject, “Are you hungry? I was thinking we could go grab a burger before I have to go to work.”

  Darcie’s stomach grumbled in response. “Sure. I’ll drive.”

  The pair left the two-story colonial home and drove toward the coast in the bright yellow Jeep Wrangler. While Maine might not have the most Jeep-friendly weather, the teenager begged her father for the car when they returned to the states.

  After realizing his daughter’s heart was set on the impractical vehicle, Mr. Abernathy finally caved. Darcie suspected the older man felt some semblance of guilt for dragging his daughter across the world. She couldn’t fathom any other reason which would motivate him to purchase the Jeep.

  At least it has four wheel drive, Darcie thought, maneuvering effortlessly through the snowy streets. She whipped into Joe’s Coastal Diner and the girls hopped out onto the snowy ground.

  “How’s your family doing?” she asked Marie after they ordered and found a booth in the back of the restaurant.

  Marie smiled knowingly. “Do you mean, how is Kevin?” The pretty brunette took a long swig of her soda and looked pointedly at her friend.

  Darcie blushed. “I asked about your family. That includes Kevin.” Marie laughed at her friend’s embarrassment.

  Kevin was Marie’s older brother and a sophomore at Saint Phillip’s. He, also, was one of Darcie’s closest friends before she and her father moved to Greece.

  In fact, Marie and Kevin were the first two friends Darcie made shortly afte
r moving to Maine. The trio grew up together, practically inseparable in their early years.

  Once she turned thirteen, however, her feelings for Kevin grew from close friendship to hopeless crush.

  It was horrible for Darcie to realize she had feelings for the boy she grew up with. Kevin knew too much about her to ever consider her a potential girlfriend. She knew it, and refused to tell him how she felt as a result.

  Despite deciding to never tell Kevin her true feelings, Darcie quickly realized she could not keep the information from Marie. The pre-teen needed to tell someone of her first crush. Who better than her best friend?

  She could still hear Marie’s complete disgust and subsequent amusement when she told her about the infatuation with her older brother.

  The worst part of falling for one of your best friends? Having his younger sister rub the fact in your face every chance she got.

  “My family is fine. Dad works a lot. Mom is becoming the epitome of a bored housewife. I don’t know what she is going to do when I finally go off to college. She won’t have anyone to annoy.”

  Darcie cringed; it was tough to hear Marie speak so casually about having a mom who cared about her. She would give anything to have that kind of relationship. Her own mom abandoned her before her fifth birthday, so memories of the woman were a little hazy.

  The little bit she could recall consisted of only happy moments for the family of three. Nothing in Darcie’s childhood mind could have seen the abandonment coming. Based on her father’s behavior afterwards, he had not seen it coming either.

  “And Kevin is good from what I’ve heard,” Marie continued, bringing Darcie back from her memories. “Mom and Dad can’t wait to have him back for winter break.”

  “When does he come back?” she asked, doing her best to come off as indifferent. Marie’s expression revealed the failure.

  “This weekend. We already have plans to see the latest Chris Pratt film on Sunday,” Marie supplied. “Want to join?”

  “Thanks, but I’ll skip this one. I’ll let you two catch up before I barge in.”

  “Don’t be silly,” Marie rolled her eyes. “He would want to see you.”

  Darcie’s stomach fluttered. “Still… I’ll join the second family hangout.”

  Her friend shrugged. “Suit yourself.”

  The girls continued eating, pausing every few seconds to bring up one subject or another. Darcie was crumbling up her napkin when Marie mentioned her other weekend plans.

  “It’s a really cool club,” the adventurous teen said, trying to sway her friend. “You would really enjoy it.”

  “Unlikely,” Darcie replied. She thought of the crowds at clubs and the numerous strangers pressing up against one another just to make it across the room. She shuddered in distaste. “Not my scene.”

  “Oh, come on!” her blue eyes pleaded. “I would have so much fun if you went. I don’t want to have to talk with Josh all night.”

  With a meaningful look, Darcie lowered the fry from her lips. “Shouldn’t you like talking to your boyfriend? Do you even like him?” It was not the first time she asked the questions.

  Marie pouted. “Come on. You know I like Josh, but he can be kind of… boring. You’re my best friend. We would have a blast.”

  Darcie blinked at the lame excuse. “Isn’t that place twenty-one and up?” she asked with a raised an eyebrow, searching for any excuse to deter her friend. “How are you planning to get in?”

  A Cheshire grin landed on Marie’s lips. “With,” she paused, digging into her overly packed handbag. “These!” Marie removed two laminated cards, and held them out for her friend to take.

  Darcie reached out and grabbed the cards. Turning them over, her mouth nearly dropped to the floor. “What are you doing with these?” she hissed, quickly covering the fake IDs with her palms. “These are illegal.”

  “Oh, please,” Marie pushed her hand away and picked up the IDs, storing them back in her purse. “Don’t be such a baby.”

  “I’m not kidding, Marie. Your parents would kill you if they knew you had a fake ID to drink alcohol.”

  “I’m not going to use it to drink.” Marie looked angry over the accusation. “They are just to get us into twenty-one and older places.”

  Darcie rubbed her eyes. It was tiring being the voice of reason. “Have you thought about what would happen if a bouncer realized we had fake IDs?”

  “All they would do is confiscate them.”

  “No,” she countered. “That is if they are being nice. Most clubs have security, and they could detain us while they call the cops.”

  “You know what, Darcie,” Marie began, putting all joking aside. “I would like to see, just once, you take a risk. Just… be a freaking teenager. Isn’t this what our teen years are for? To make stupid mistakes and learn from them? Just be… normal.”

  Darcie stared at her friend, and then closed her eyes. She released a heavy sigh.

  She knew she shouldn’t do it. Going to a club would be bad enough, but using fake IDs to get in would be even worse. She should say no. So why was she considering Marie’s last words so carefully?

  She scoffed. I know why.

  All Darcie’s life, she lived cautiously, following every rule set out by an authority figure in her life. While in Greece, she didn’t venture out on her own once; all because one of her father’s colleagues mentioned it might not be the best idea.

  Darcie didn’t question it. She never questioned adults. What did that get her other than the two loneliest years of her life?

  Perhaps that is part of the reason Darcie felt so restless lately. She wasn’t doing anything with her time other than applying for college when she could be starting her first semester that spring.

  Why the delay until summer? Because her dad asked her to wait…

  “Alright.” Darcie opened her eyes and saw Marie’s light up with excitement. “I’ll go.”

  “Yay!” Marie squealed, jumping up from the table. “Let’s go back to my place and find our outfits for Saturday. No way do you have anything club-worthy in your closet.”

  “Don’t you work?” Darcie chuckled, standing up from the vinyl seat. She turned to examine the back of her legs and frowned at wrinkles left in her jeans.

  “Not until later. We have plenty of time. Come on.”

  Dutifully, Darcie followed Marie back to the car. The brunette could not hide her excitement on the drive home. She did not stop mentioning all the positive things she heard about the club, and repeatedly said how glad she was Darcie changed her mind.

  While she continued to feel wary over the method of entry, Darcie couldn’t deny she was feeling a little excited, too. It might be good for her to finally do something different–to finally be a “normal teenager”.

  2

  Per her normal Saturday ritual, Darcie sat in the back corner of the Brunswick public library and flipped through the pages of her recent find. She had been browsing the young adult section when a shadowy image caught her eye. The cover belonged to a paranormal romance novel titled Shadowed Strength. Reading the back cover, she learned the story was about shifters, or people who could turn into animals.

  Her life revolved around such a scholarly world, sometimes it was nice for her to escape it through fiction novels. Paranormal and fantasy stories were her favorite.

  Darcie set the novel aside and picked up another, skimming through the pages. Out of the four books she borrowed, she couldn’t decide which one to start first.

  At least I have all day, every day, to finish them, Darcie thought to herself. Extra reading time was the one good thing about having nothing to fill her days.

  After examining the fourth book, she decided to read Shadowed Strength first. Leaning back in her chair, she propped her legs over one of the armrests and settled in to read for the next hour.

  Just as she opened to the front page, Darcie noticed movement from the corner of her eye. She glanced up and was surprised to see another person sittin
g in the recliner across from her.

  As if feeling her gaze, the young man looked up and met her eyes. She offered a small smile in greeting before quickly looking back down, trying to hide the blush from her face. The guy was crazy attractive.

  A loud ring nearly sent Darcie jumping out of her chair. Realizing the noise came from her cellphone, she scrambled to remove the disrupting device from her back pocket. She could have sworn she put the blasted thing on silent.

  Without looking at the caller ID, the frantic teenager answered in a whisper, “Hello?”

  “Darcie?” a familiar voice questioned.

  “Kevin?” She worked to control her volume in the quiet space. “What’s up?”

  “Nothing much,” he replied. “Why are you whispering?”

  “I’m in the library.” Darcie glanced up at the man across from her, hoping she wasn’t disturbing him. He continued reading the large volume in his lap and seemed unaffected by her conversation.

  “Oh, right. Marie mentioned you go to the library on Saturdays.”

  Darcie couldn’t help but smile at the knowledge Kevin and Marie talked about her. “Yup. So what’s up?” she repeated, finally looking away from the stranger.

  “I’m coming back into town tomorrow morning, and I just talked to Marie. She said you passed on seeing the movie with us because you don’t want to intrude.”

  “Uh huh.”

  He hesitated. “I told Marie you wouldn’t be intruding, and she insisted I call and tell you that. So… I’m calling to tell you that.”