Enlightened (Immortal Chronicles Book 1)

by Samantha Britt

  “Des?” Darcie questioned again and waited for him to respond. The suspense was hard to endure.

  “You,” he hesitated. His green orbs continued to shine.

  “Yes?”

  “You look beautiful,” he finally managed.

  Flattered, a light pink rose to Darcie’s cheek.

  Des was not done. “You really do look like… her. Not exactly, but it is close.”

  Darcie felt as if someone poured ice water over her head. She didn’t know her body could feel such drastic and contrasting emotions in such a short amount of time.

  Darcie gently inhaled and used the controlled breathing to calm herself.

  Luckily, the final notes of the song played and the music ended. Surrounding couples moved off the dance floor.

  “Excuse me,” Darcie picked up the edges of her dress. Her bare shoulder brushed against his arm as she moved past him.

  Air. She needed air.

  Darcie didn’t care nearly every immortal watched her hurried exit with open curiosity. She just needed to be outside.

  Darcie quickly walked over to the French-doors which led out to the patio. Thankfully, the space was empty. She made her way to the white stone railing and rested her palms against the hard surface.

  With a deep breath, Darcie leaned her weight onto the railing but tilted her head back to look at the night sky. The light breeze did little to cool her warm cheeks, but the fresh air filling her lungs was refreshing.

  What happened back there? She asked herself and tried to reason through her feelings and emotions.

  Des called her beautiful… like the lost love of his life from years ago.

  “Why did that bother you?” She asked into the night.

  The only response came from rustling leaves in the surrounding trees.

  Darcie could not find reason in her reaction. She knew she did not care about Des…

  That is not to say she did not care about Des or his happiness. In fact, in her short time living among them, Darcie could honestly say she had grown a little attached to the members of the immortal family. Despite the craziness of the circumstance, Darcie cared for all of them as she would any friend.

  But that was it. She only cared about Des as a friend. Barely a friend.

  So why was she so hurt when he compared her to the girl in his past?

  Darcie knew there was a physical resemblance. Thane, Lome, and Bella mentioned it often, but Darcie never heard Des confirm the likeness. In fact, the distant immortal only fervently denied any and all comparisons regarding Darcie and his lost love.

  Maybe that’s what bothered her? Darcie clung to Des’ denial she was his One. Together, they planned to ensure Darcie was able to go back home.

  She was bothered because his acknowledgement of the resemblance was confusing. Nothing more.

  “There you are.” A sleek voice interrupted her thoughts.

  Darcie turned and watched the immortal approach.

  Adir looked marvelous in his finery, as did every immortal at the ball. His blonde hair shined in the moonlight when he moved. “I’ve been looking all over for you.”

  “S-sorry,” she stuttered. “I needed some air.”

  “That is understandable.” Adir finished his approach and now stood beside her at the railing. “How are you feeling now?”

  Darcie blinked back the moisture gathered behind her eyes. “I’m fine. A little nervous, I guess.”

  “Not about our planned interlude, I hope.” Adir’s eyes glistened as he gave her a wide smile.

  Darcie fought the urge to turn her back to him. She did not know what would happen if she insulted an immortal.

  Is there at least one unattractive immortal in existence?

  “Or perhaps it has something to do with the performance you and Des gave everyone on the dance floor.”

  Darcie’s head rolled forward in embarrassment. She wished her hair was loose to cover her face. “Was it really that bad?” She asked.

  “On the contrary,” Adir replied. “It looked like a very intimate moment between you. Then, to have you practically run away following the dance, it was all incredibly entertaining.”

  “It wasn’t a moment,” Darcie contradicted and looked back up at him. “We were just talking.”

  “Indeed.” He set his stemmed glass on the stone railing. “I am glad to hear it. Otherwise, it would make our performance more of a challenge to pull off.”

  Remembering the reason behind Adir finding her, Darcie looked around and noted they were still the only people on the balcony.

  “Should we go inside?” Darcie asked. They needed an audience if the plan was going to work.

  “Well,” Adir stepped towards her. Darcie’s eyebrows rose. “That all depends on something.”

  Adir reached out and placed his hand over Darcie’s.

  She straightened her spine and met his gaze. “On?”

  His white teeth illuminated the dark surroundings. “On whether or not Des lied to me.” Adir’s grip tightened on her hand, lifting it off of the stone. Darcie hissed as he continued to squeeze her bones.

  “So tell me, young Darcie,” Adir’s voice lost all charm and was full of venom. “Is Des lying to me?”

  “About what?” She gritted out. “You’re hurting me!”

  Adir did not lessen the pressure. “On the nature of your relationship. Are you his One?”

  “What?” Darcie could barely process his words. Her hand felt like it was breaking. “No. We aren’t a couple.”

  “You’re lying,” Adir tugged her hand. Darcie tripped forward against his chest. “I know what I saw.”

  “I’m not lying. We aren’t a couple. Please,” Darcie tried to pull away. “Let go.”

  Adir looked like he was debating if he should release her. Imaginary stars shot behind her eyes when Adir finally released Darcie’s hand. She stepped away from him and cradled the wounded limb against her chest. She tried to wiggle her fingers, but a fierce pain shot through her hand.

  “What is wrong with you?” She asked in shock and anger.

  Adir ignored her question. “Interesting,” he said. His eyes moved up and down, assessing her. “Very interesting.”

  Darcie did not know what to do. The pain was excruciating and threatened to distract her from the situation at hand. She wasn’t sure what Adir was doing, but she knew she needed to get herself far away from him.

  Before she could figure out what to do, Adir was at her side. He gripped her upper arm and pulled her up and toward him. “Don’t scream,” he instructed.

  The world began to fade as Adir took Darcie away from the ball and to an unknown location.

  As she realized just how vulnerable she was in the situation, Darcie couldn’t believe she did not shout for help.

  Always the rule follower…

  Chapter 22

  The first thing Darcie felt upon waking was pain. Her head felt like she’d been hit with a bat. The coolness emanating from the floor offered little comfort.

  Her eyes fluttered open and stared into a pitch black room. She took a deep breath and tried to remember what happened.

  She was dancing at the ball. Des acknowledged her resemblance to his lost love for the first time ever. Then… nothing.

  A vague image hopped along the edge of her memory, but she could not coax it into focus. The effort caused a sharp pain behind her eyes. She squeezed them shut and let out a low hiss.

  “You are awake.”

  Darcie shot into a sitting position and frantically turned towards the direction of the sound. Her head did not appreciate the sudden movement. “Who’s there?” her voice croaked.

  “Another prisoner,” the stranger replied. Darcie guessed from the deep tone the stranger was a man. “You were unconscious when they brought you in here. I thought you might already be dead.”

  Fear washed over Darcie’s body. “Where am I?”

  “Adir’s stronghold.”

  An uncomfortable sensation poked at
her when she tried to place the name. “I-I don’t know what that means.”

  Darcie heard the invisible stranger release a long breath. “What is your name?”

  For a moment, she debated whether or not she should tell the truth. Was the stranger a friend or foe? She had no way to know.

  After thinking it over, Darcie figured her situation couldn’t get any worse. “Darcie,” she answered. “Yours?”

  “Kaine. Nice to meet you, Darcie.”

  “Same,” she murmured. “Where did you say we were?”

  “In the dungeon beneath Adir’s home in Turkey. Do you really not know who Adir is? He brought you down here himself.”

  Once again, Darcie tried to put a face to the name. Her mind came up blank.

  “I can’t remember,” she admitted. “I swear it sounds familiar, but I have no idea why.”

  “He probably wiped your memory,” the stranger provided. “What is the last thing you remember?”

  “Dancing with Des,” she replied without hesitation. She could still feel his fingers trace the back of her dress. “At the ball.”

  “Des?” Her fellow prisoner questioned with surprise. “As in, one of the three brothers?”

  “Yes.”

  “You’re…” He trailed off, rethinking his words. “You’re her. Everyone has been talking about you. I didn’t know you were her.”

  He continued rambling, more to himself than to Darcie. He was stating his surprise Adir actually managed to take her and his speculations of what the brothers’ reaction would be.

  “How did you end up here?” Kaine asked, his curiosity overshadowing politeness.

  “I can’t remember,” she repeated. “I was dancing with Des, and the next thing I remember is waking up here.”

  “Do you think they will come to rescue you?” Kaine’s excitement was evident. “How long until you think they will be here? Can you insist they take me with you?”

  His elevated voice caused a fresh wave of throbbing in her head.

  “Darcie? Are you there?”

  She couldn’t help but roll her eyes. Where else would she be?

  “I’m here,” she spoke quietly. “Can you not shout? My head is killing me.”

  “Oh, sure. Sorry. I didn’t think about that. Is this better?” Kaine switched to a more neutral volume.

  “Yes. Thanks.”

  “Like I was saying,” Kaine continued. “Do you think you can convince Des and the brothers to take me with you? I know I’m just a lesser deity, but I’ve been locked in here for weeks.”

  Darcie barely processed his words. “Sure,” she answered. “If they come, I’ll be sure they rescue you too.”

  “What do you mean ‘if they come’?” She could hear his confusion. “Aren’t you Des’ future wife? Last I heard, the brothers would do practically anything for their wives. No way Des doesn’t find you.”

  “I’m not his wife.”

  Kaine sighed. “I know that. I just mean you are special to him. He will come for you.”

  “I’m not his One,” she said.

  “What?”

  “It’s all a big misunderstanding,” she revealed. “I was mistaken as Des’ soulmate by some immortals, and they started trying to hurt me. Thane and Des felt responsible so they offered to protect me.”

  Offer was stretching Thane’s behavior a bit, Darcie acknowledged. But she didn’t think Kaine needed to know the immortals basically had to lock her away to keep her safe.

  “But… you are living at their home.”

  “Only for protection. Nothing more.”

  “Why would they protect you if you aren’t the One?” Kaine sounded far away.

  Despite the darkness, Darcie shrugged her shoulders. “Guilt? I don’t know.”

  “Interesting,” Kaine’s voice morphed into an eerily familiar sound. A sound which caused a chill to race down Darcie’s spine. “Very interesting. Seems like Des’ story checks out.”

  She heard Kaine clap, and the space around Darcie illuminated. She shielded her eyes and blinked to adjust to the brightness. Looking up, Darcie realized there was not any barrier separating her and the man on the other side of the room.

  She glanced around, noting the cold porcelain tile she sat on in her gown, the three blank walls surrounding her and one wall made of bars. Aside from the entrance wall, the bare room did not resemble a prison at all.

  Darcie examined her body and noted everything seemed normal aside from the headache. The dress was wrinkled but had no damage aside from that.

  Darcie returned her attention to Kaine. “Did you turn on the lights?”

  Kaine’s smile was mischievous. “Indeed. Welcome to my home, Darcie.”

  She froze. “Your home?”

  Slowly, realization dawned. Kaine stood proudly, not looking anything like a man held prisoner the past few weeks.

  “Adir?” She whispered.

  His smile grew. “Very good. Let’s make sure you remember everything, shall we?”

  With a wave of his hand, Darcie’s mind filled with the memories surrounding her abduction. Her eyes flitted back and forth as she replayed her conversation with Adir. As a reflex, she opened and closed her injured hand. Fortunately, the pain from his harsh grip subsided.

  Darcie hated it, but she couldn’t stop herself from cowering away from her abductor.

  Adir crossed his arms and continued to observe her. “Forgive my methods, but I wanted to know the truth.”

  Darcie kept her lips pressed together.

  “Nothing to say?”

  Darcie didn’t take the bait.

  “Come now, Darcie. From what I heard about you, I expected you to have more fight.”

  Darcie’s body shivered. Whether it was from the cold stone floor or her fear, she couldn’t tell.

  Adir tapped his foot. Darcie cringed against the sound.

  “Why?” She whispered. “Why are you doing this?”

  “Dear Darcie, surely you know enough about immortal history to answer your own question.” Adir crossed his arms and stepped closer to where Darcie sat on the ground.

  “You must have learned something during your time with the ‘top three’.” It wasn’t hard to detect his disdain when referencing Des and his brothers.

  “Like I said, I only live at their house for protection. I wasn’t included in those discussions.”

  His nostrils flared. “Liar,” he snarled. “You know what they are and yet you still give them your loyalty. Pathetic.”

  Darcie had no idea what Adir was talking about. She shook her head and looked at him with sincerity. “The only time I walked into a meeting was when you were there,” she pointed out. Darcie hoped Adir remembered the anger Des showed when she stumbled into the room with Eshe. She wasn’t a welcome participant of the immortals business meetings.

  Adir appeared to contemplate her words.

  “Do you know how The Council came to be?” He asked. The change of topic surprised her. “And what the purpose of organizing the group was in the first place?”

  “No…” Darcie let her pause hang in the air between them. From her time with the brothers and their wives, she knew The Council consisted of the nine original immortals. She assumed their goal was to monitor and regulate lesser immortals’ acts, but Darcie really wasn’t sure.

  “When the Original Nine came into existence,” Adir began his story. He moved to the edge of the room and sat in a chair Darcie swore wasn’t there moments before.

  “Most of us went our separate ways. Human civilizations were on the brink of development and each of us were intrigued with the beings. I, for example, lived among different groups in the Fertile Crescent and assisted them with the transition to becoming farming communities. It really was a fascinating time…”

  Darcie had no idea where Adir was going.

  “Eventually, as I lived among the humans, I began to notice something.” Adir stopped and gave Darcie an expectant look.

  “What?” She obliged,
knowing he waited for a response.

  Adir’s manic grin grew. “Whenever I came across humans in the middle of a disagreement, I would feel a warmth in my chest.” Adir took his hand and patted himself right over his sternum. “Right here. And my body… I cannot describe the strength and resilience I felt when I came in contact with conflict. It was exhilarating.”

  Darcie remembered what Bella told her regarding the strengths of each immortal. “You gain power from conflict,” Darcie stated. “Like wars.”

  “Exactly,” Adir nodded. “See, you do know something.”

  “What does this have to do with me?”

  “Patience,” Adir’s gaze narrowed for a moment. “I’m getting there.”

  In an instant, the dangerous expression disappeared and he resumed speaking, “Like I said, I reveled in the sensations of conflict among humans. So much so, I even began orchestrating rather memorable disagreements among the early civilizations. Ever heard of the Persian wars?”

  Darcie’s mouth fell open. Quickly, she closed it and gave Adir a skeptical look. “No way.”

  “Yes,” Adir repeated. He leaned back and put his hands behind his head. “Let me tell you, I enjoyed riling up those Persian tyrants. It was too easy to get them to rush to war with the Greek city-states.” She could not believe her ears. Adir facilitated the well-known Greco-Persian wars? Impossible.

  Only it isn’t, Darcie reminded herself. In fact, Adir’s story could very well be exactly what happened.

  “And I was not the only one to realize how the human condition could lend me strength,” her captor added, undeterred by Darcie’s incredulous reaction. “The other eight eventually figured out how humans enabled them to grow more powerful.

  “It became quite a debacle,” Adir spoke with his head tilted back and towards the ceiling. “We were all growing in strength, but the interactions and manipulations among the humans were beginning to threaten their existence. It was actually Thane who brought all of us to the table to discuss the matter.”

  Darcie’s head swirled with the information and realization of how the immortals learned about their power. Why would Bella and Thane not tell her the entire story? Darcie assumed the immortals came into existence knowing how humans fueled them. Why not share the real history with her?