Blood pounded in her ears as she realized the attack was intended for her.
Her eyes moved back to Des. His face registered shock and horror. He didn’t anticipate Adir’s move, and he didn’t know how to stop it.
Darcie refocused on the red ball of light. There was no time to do anything but close her eyes and await the inevitable. She released her last breath and thought of her father, Marie and Kevin, wishing she could have seen them one last time.
Chapter 26
As it turned out, that was not the end for Darcie. Just as the bolt of Adir’s power was moments away from hitting Darcie in the chest, a green streak coursed through the air and collided with the red orb. At least, that’s what Lome told Darcie later on when he bragged about how he saved her life.
The voice Darcie heard in the distance turned out to belong to Thane. He and Lome finished battling the rebel attackers and managed to take control of the stronghold. Once secure, the brothers immediately went in search of Des and Darcie. Bella proved invaluable in providing the last location she had seen the pair before Des insisted she try and escape.
Now, Darcie sat beside Bella on a debris covered couch and watched the brothers detain and secure Adir in the middle of a battle-wrecked room.
“It’s over, Adir,” Thane’s eyes shined with triumph. “Your rebel conspirators are either annihilated or have surrendered to The Council. You lose.” Lome and Des held on to Adir, both of their hands glowing as they pulsed whatever power into their captive’s flesh.
Adir, weakened by the brothers, could barely lift his head to meet Thane’s gaze. “The war has just begun,” he told him. His lips turned into a knowing smile.
Before Thane could reply, Adir turned his eyes and locked onto Darcie’s. “Remember what I told you,” he said. “Don’t be fooled by their words. They want power, even if it means stealing lives from innocents.”
“Enough,” Des growled, yanking Adir back. Darcie watched as the brothers removed Adir from the room. As they were crossing the threshold, Des spared a concerned glance for Darcie, silently asking if she was okay before he left her presence.
Touched by the gesture, she willed herself to give a small, reassuring smile. The moment he was out of sight, the false expression fell.
While Darcie knew the brothers meant her no harm, she also knew they would do anything to have her acknowledged as Des’ other half.
After speaking with Adir, Darcie knew her opinion and wishes would have little consequence to Thane and Lome. Especially not after the battle which occurred between them and those wishing to overthrow them. While the immortal brothers might present the life changing decision with a smile, it would not be a choice they would allow Darcie to deny.
The brothers wanted more power. Now, more than ever.
“Where are they taking him?” She asked the air in front of her.
“Our house,” Thane replied. “We have prison cells where he will be held until his trial.”
“Trial?” Darcie turned towards him. “I didn’t think immortals would have trials.”
“We aren’t unjust, Darcie,” Thane stated. “The Council will decide Adir’s fate. Not us.”
Darcie turned back to the empty doorway. “Good.” She hoped his fate stayed far away from hers.
“What did Adir mean, Darcie?” Thane asked. “When he told you to remember what he said.”
She thought about telling him the truth. Darcie thought about revealing she knew the brothers were the only immortals still benefiting from tragedies in the human condition. She thought of telling Thane how she resented being dragged into this mess by him. He should have never said a word to her in Maine. He should have believed Des when he denied a connection. Instead, Thane and the other immortals were the reason Darcie’s life was uprooted and thrown into chaos.
“Nothing,” she replied. “He spent the entire time rambling. None of it made any sense.”
Seeming satisfied with her answer, Thane turned his gaze to his wife. “Take Darcie home, Bella. She needs rest.”
“No.” Darcie surprised the couple when she stood and crossed her arms. “Enough is enough. I want to go home.”
“Darcie.” Bella reached out a soothing hand. “It isn’t safe.”
She stepped out of the immortal’s reach. “I don’t care. None of this concerns me and I shouldn’t have been brought into this situation in the first place.”
She turned and stared directly at Thane. “If you want to keep me here, you will have to lock me away again. I appreciate you helping me, but you are the only reason my life was ever in danger. I believe you didn’t mean for that to happen, but it did. And now,” she sighed. “I just want to go home.”
“Surely you won’t allow this,” Bella told her husband when he did not immediately reply. “She could be harmed.”
Thane observed Darcie. Her eyes never wavered. She would not give Thane any indication she doubted her decision.
“That is her choice,” he finally said. “We will do everything we can to convince our community Darcie has no relevance in our lives. For those we can’t convince, we can at least ensure they do not discover her whereabouts.”
Relief swept through her body and her shoulders relaxed. “Thank you.”
Thane tilted his head forward. “It is the least we could do after everything we have put you through. Please know, if I could go back in time and change the way things happened, I would.”
A small voice whispered, doubt it.
“I appreciate that,” Darcie said. “Thank you.”
“I hate this,” Bella spoke up and gave a dramatic sniffle. “I feel like I’m losing a friend.”
“I don’t belong in this life,” Darcie pointed out. Upon seeing the hurt cross Bella’s face, she decided to tone down her speech.
Darcie reached out and pulled Bella into a tight hug. “But I feel like I’m losing a friend too. I will miss you.”
Bella sniffled again. “Can we at least visit you?”
Darcie chuckled and squeezed the immortal who was the sole reason she did not lose her mind while contained in the brothers’ home. “Only if you do it on the down low.”
Bella returned the squeeze. “Deal.”
Chapter 27
“Darcie!” Darcie turned around and watched as Kevin leapt out of his vehicle and ran up the driveway towards her. Darcie lowered the ice-scraper.
One week passed since the immortals finally returned Darcie home. In that time, Darcie’s days were mostly spent at home with her father or with Marie. Kevin, unfortunately, went on a spontaneous trip with college friends just before Darcie returned.
Marie said Kevin tried calling to tell her about the trip, but Darcie’s phone was out of range every single time.
Darcie had shrugged and blamed the inconsistent towers in Greece. She couldn’t tell her friend the silence was due to her being kidnapped by a rebellious immortal and held captive in his home. She doubted Marie would believe her even if she did.
Once Kevin knew Darcie was back in Maine, the two texted plans to meet up when he returned from his trip. Apparently, though, he couldn’t wait for their scheduled dinner later that evening.
“Hi, Kevin.” Not knowing what to do with her hands, Darcie rested the ice-scraper on the Jeep’s hood. A decently thick layer of ice had formed in her two and a half week absence, and she was having a heck of a time trying to get it off.
“Hi, Darcie.” The air fogged from his breath. Glancing down, Darcie noticed the large bouquet of roses in his hands.
“You brought me flowers?” She asked. They must have been hard to come by. Roses weren’t exactly in season.
Kevin made the last few steps until he stood next to the Jeep’s passenger door.
“These are for you.” Kevin extended his arm to officially offer the beautiful bouquet.
“Thank you.” Darcie took the flowers and inhaled their scent. She loved the sweet smell. Darcie lifted her head and met Kevin’s admiring gaze. She blushed.
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It was easier to handle her reactions through a phone. Darcie felt completely unsure of how to act now that she and Kevin were together.
Did he still want to go on a date? What if he came by early to cancel the date? What if he changed his mind?
“What are you thinking?” Kevin asked, continuing to observe her.
She masked her face. “Nothing. Thank you for the flowers.”
“I’m glad you like them.” Kevin shifted his feet.
“H-how was your trip?” Smooth, Darcie.
“Good.” Kevin nodded. “It was a fun time.”
“Good.” Darcie didn’t know what to say, where she should look, or how to position her hands. She found herself at a complete loss for how to interact with Kevin in person.
“This is awkward, huh?” Kevin cracked a smile.
Darcie released an uncomfortable laugh. “Yeah, a little.”
Kevin shook his head. “I’m an idiot.”
Her eyebrows lifted in surprise. “What do you mean?”
He sighed. “All I could think about when I got back was seeing you today. So what do I do? I think it’s a great idea to buy you flowers and surprise you by showing up early.”
The corners of Darcie’s lips turned up.
“But instead of having something to say, I show up and stand here looking like an idiot.”
“You don’t look like an idiot,” she murmured. All her life, she never knew Kevin to be insecure. In every phone conversation, he never seemed anything but self-assured and confident. Darcie did not know where his current demeanor came from.
“You’re being nice.” Kevin ran an agitated hand through his hair. “I’m screwing this up. You probably don’t even want to go to dinner with me.”
“Listen to me,” he gave an unamused laugh. “I sound like a high schooler.”
“You mean like me?”
“No!” Kevin was quick to reply to her joke. He didn’t catch on. “You… aren’t like anyone else I’ve ever met, Darcie.”
She watched his cheeks grow pink. She doubted it was from the cold.
“You are always so calm–so sure of yourself,” Kevin continued. “You’re smart, kind, and funny. It can be… intimidating.”
His opinion of her was shocking. Never in her life would Darcie have described herself that way. Never would she believe any guy would find her intimidating, let alone Kevin.
“I think you are intimidating,” she admitted.
His eyes widened. “Me?” He laughed. “No way.”
“Yes, you,” Darcie said. “You were always Marie’s older, confident brother. You were the most popular guy in school. Everyone wanted to date you…” Darcie couldn’t believe she said the last sentence. She was too distracted to have a filter.
“You wanted to date me back then?” The question was asked sincerely, without a hint of teasing.
Darcie’s blush deepened. “Maybe.”
Kevin smiled. “I had no idea.”
“I was your little sister’s friend,” she pointed out. “Why would you think of me that way?”
“Well, I think of you that way now.” He stepped closer. “It took you leaving for me to realize there was no one else like you in the world.” Her blue eyes traveled his face, reading the truth throughout his expression.
Her heart began to race.
Kevin reached out and gently pried the bouquet of roses from Darcie’s hands. He laid them on the hood of the Jeep. He took another step until there was barely an inch of air separating them.
She gazed up into his brown eyes. Almost as soon as their gazes met, a flash of green replaced the brown eyes.
Darcie blinked and the color immediately returned to normal.
Strange…
Kevin observed her confusion. “What is it?” His breath mingled with hers.
Darcie shook her head, refusing to think anything of it. “Nothing.”
He believed her.
Slowly, Kevin lifted his hands until they cupped either side of Darcie’s face. Without a word, he lowered his head and moved towards her lips.
Darcie closed her eyes and waited for the contact of his kiss.
Unwillingly, Des’ face crossed her mind. Her eyes flew open just as Kevin’s lips touched hers. His kiss was gentle and sweet, but it was accompanied by a twinge of pain settled in her chest.
Darcie closed her eyes and willed the feeling away. Kevin continued to kiss her, and she returned his soft ministrations.
Des might have been her first kiss, but this was Darcie’s first real kiss. The first kiss with someone who actually liked her. She always daydreamed Kevin would be her first boyfriend. Now, it seemed, her dreams might not be farfetched.
She refused to let anything ruin this moment for her.
After a few moments, Kevin leaned back and broke the kiss. He held onto her face and gazed down with shining eyes. Darcie offered a shy grin.
“I’ve been waiting for that,” he murmured.
Her smile grew. “Me too.”
Encouraged, Kevin leaned back down and continued to kiss Darcie.
Tension seeped out of her body. Darcie was home, and she was safe. She was standing in Kevin’s arms, and he returned her feelings. For the first time in her life, Darcie decided to follow Marie’s advice. She would stop worrying, stop overthinking, and just be a normal teenager.
Forget immortals. Forget The Council. Forget the rebellion. Those things were not her problem. All Darcie would let herself care about anymore was her life, her future…
Kevin pulled back and placed a gentle kiss on her nose before leaning his forehead against hers.
Her heart fluttered.
… and this.
Ensnared: Immortal Chronicles Book II
Release Date: July 25, 2017
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Enlightened (Immortal Chronicles Book 1) Page 20