Descent (The Immortal Chronicles Book 1)

by Sloane Murphy

  “You know he cares for you? He just, well, I don’t think he knows what to do about it. I don’t think Xander has truly cared for someone in a long time. He’s not… handling it well. Maybe he needs a push.” He laughs at himself, he knows as well as I do. Nobody can make Xander do a god damn thing he doesn’t want to.

  “Oh right yeah, I’ll use all those magic tricks being a human affords me and bend him to my will. Oh right. I’m like, the only non-magical species in the whole freaking world!” I make light of it, but it’s seriously frustrating. I feel like I was meant to be more than this. Be someone. But I’m just a human, and whilst that might have meant something in the old world, I’m five hundred years too late to be important. I suppose that’s the problem when all of your friends are supernatural.

  “Believe me, he didn’t have that made if he didn’t care. Have you seen that dress? Addie, I might be head of the guard, but even I can see that he cares, even if he is a big brute. That dress. Well, I know I’m not the only one who can’t wait for the ball.” He winks at me, instantly putting me at ease before he sweeps out of the room. I have no idea what he means. Not really, but then I haven’t really understood the last few months of my life. Ever since Kaden brought me home, life has been tripping me up each time I think I’ve found my feet. With everything that has happened to me I knew life would never be, simple, but I had hoped it might be. Instead I’ve been stuck to an eight-hundred-year-old Vampyr, who is grouchy as hell, but sweet as sin too. I don’t think many people have seen his soft side, and hell if I’ll be the one to share that secret. I just wish I got to see it a bit more. If he wasn’t such an ass, maybe this wouldn’t be so bad. What am I on about? He’s a jerk. I’m sure he has dual personalities or something. The him I’ve seen most of. The one everyone else seems to fear. That’s not the guy that got me this dress. Ugh! I don’t know why I bother. I’m never going to work him out.

  I get up and walk over to the dresser. It’s one from the old world, solid dark wood, it should be so manly, but it’s elegant and feminine. The string lights that decorate the mirror make my skin look like it glows. I lift the mask to my face and tie the ribbon beneath my hair. I look in the mirror, and it doesn’t even look like me anymore. My big eyes seem almost almond shaped, and the grey colour stands out, they sparkle against the darkness of the mask.

  ***

  I walk to the great hall alone; I have no idea what I’m expected to do here. My aim is to stay out of the way, and maybe hide at the bar. I hope to god there’s a bar! I walk up the stairs to the entrance to find the doorway covered in a giant black velvet curtain. Fecking fairies! Why can’t they just have a door like normal people? I spy Dimitri talking to one of the guards, and he winks at me as I approach the curtain. Way to go filling me with confidence D! Just, ugh. Time to pull up my big girl pants and do this. It’s just a dance. And I’m wearing a mask. What’s the worst that could happen? I take a deep breath and pull back the curtain.

  It’s like a whole other world in here. The lights flicker and dimly glow illuminating the room, but making the shadows dance. They float across the room, under the magic of the Fae, but it’s beautiful. There is a fountain in the corner, trickling down into a pool of water which looks like diamonds dancing, the reflections bouncing off of the walls. There are round tables dotted around the edges of the room, with what looks like black silk covering them, each with a fishbowl full of water with calla lilies twisted around the insides, and deep teal stones at the bottom. In between each table on the outskirts of the room are trees lit up in string lights. Only the Fae would make trees indoors for a party. The extravagance is more than I could have ever imagined, but the beauty of it is breathtakingly out of this world.

  I realise I’m stood at the top of the stairs at the entry way, and people are starting to look at me. God knows what I look like just standing here gawping at the room. I carefully take a step down, holding onto the marble bannister. Marble floors and six inch heels do not mix well, but the shoes looked so beautiful with the dress I couldn’t not wear them. As I reach the bottom of the stairs, I spot the bar at the back of the room and make a beeline towards it. I recognise the Vampyr behind the bar, I met Aliana what feels like forever ago. She looks more like a pixie than a Vampyr, but she can totally kick my ass, as she shows me regularly when Xander makes me train with her.

  “Please, please, tell me you have something that I can drink back there?” I beg her. I’ve got my puppy dog eyes out as I plead with her. I know she wants to be here about as much as I do.

  “Anything for you doll face.” She smiles at me and pours me a drink. I have no idea what it is, but it tastes amazing. “You are rocking that dress by the way. I have no idea how he did it, but whoever Xander had make it, is a genius! I almost can’t tell you’re a human.” She laughs at me, but I get the feeling that that was exactly Xander’s aim.

  “Thanks, I think.” I take my drink and wander over to a corner table where no-one is sat, and watch the Fae and the Vampyrs. They all drink, and dance as if the world isn’t going to hell, literally outside their walls. I mean, I totally get it, who doesn’t want a night off, but really. The Demons are trying to rise up again, humans are dying alongside the wolves to try and keep them contained, and we’re here having a party. It just feels wrong. I have no idea what the Demons want with me, I have no freaking clue, but they seem intent to take me, which is the only reason Xander keeps me close, and why Rose wants me to stay here. I know he wants me to tell him what they want, and if I knew, I’d probably tell him. Ugh. Way to be the party pooper. I look down into my drink, when I feel a warm feeling over my back. Xander.

  “I wondered where I’d find you hiding princess. Enjoying yourself?” He smirks at me, I wish I could wipe that smug smirk off his face, but I know he’d like it.

  “Oh yeah, I’m the freaking life of the party!”

  “Well, why don’t you dance with me?” he asks

  “Oh hell no! I don’t dance. And even if I did, I don’t dance like you lot dance.” No way. Not a chance. Not in this life time.

  “Come on Addie, just one dance?”

  Oh hell, he’s being sweet again and it undoes me. I can handle him being a jerk, I can deal with jerks. But nice guys are so rare, I have no idea what to do. Wait. I’m lying. Yes, I do. I know I’m going to give in to him. He knows it too. Smug ass that he is. I can see it all over his face.

  He puts his hand out to me without waiting for an answer, and I place my hand on top.

  “Fine. One dance, then I get to come back and sulk in my corner!” I say, I don’t know why I bother. We both know I’ll do whatever he asks.

  “Okay, just one dance.” He pulls me towards him, and I’m enraptured by his eyes, they’re such a bright blue, it’s such a contrast to his black hair and black mask. He wraps one arm around my waist and takes the other hand. The piano in the background is haunting, and the voice gives me goose bumps. Xander pulls me towards him, so close I swear I can feel him but I know I can’t.

  “I didn’t know you could dance,” I stammer out. My sense, and apparently my words have disappeared.

  “There’s a lot you don’t know about me Addie. Just follow my lead.” He sweeps me across the floor, and he moves with such grace, he almost makes me feel weightless. My head tips back as he spins me, and I feel like one of the women I’ve seen in the movies from the old days. My saviour sweeping me off my feet. He pulls me back to him and catches my eyes as he brings his right hand up to meet my left, as we turn in circles. I can’t break from his gaze. I know I’m in trouble, but I have no want or will to stop what’s happening. I’m drawn to him like a moth to a flame, and no matter how much people warn me from him, I can’t stop it.

  He drops his hands to my waist and lifts me in the air, still not breaking eye contact. I have to remind myself to breathe as I look down at him. He lets me slip down through his fingers, my hands on his biceps. I can feel them tense beneath his suit sleeves. My toes touch the floor and I look
up at him, his face is so close to mine that I stop breathing. The whole room disappears and it’s just us.

  “Happy Birthday Addie,” he whispers to me, sending shivers down my spine. The sensations he brings out in me are more intense than anything I’ve ever known.

  “How did you know?” I ask him.

  “I know more about you thank you think,” he says as the music comes to an end.

  “Addieeeeeeee!!” I hear Rose squeal my name as she rushes towards me. Being back around her own kind has been good to her, she looks so much better and she’s happier. I hug her as she reaches me.

  “Happy Birthday! I can’t believe we’re here, safe. It’s more than I could have dreamed of. Back with my kin, with my best friend by my side!”

  “It’s a good birthday too,” I smile. I look up and notice Xander has disappeared into the crowd, but he’s still here I can feel him.

  “Are you okay? You don’t look so good,” she asks me, and I realise I’m freezing.

  “I’m just a little cold, I’ll be fine.”

  “Are you sure Addie? You’ve gone really pale?”

  “Of course, I swear it, I’m totally fine…” I say as I feel my legs give out beneath me.

  ***

  This has got to stop happening to me I think as I come round. I open my eyes and groan. I’m back in my room at the Valoire palace and I can hear Xander and D outside my room. I push myself up and see Rose sat at the end of my bed.

  “You really need to stop doing that Addie!” she squeals at me as she launches herself at me and hugs me. I laugh at her for mirroring my thoughts.

  “Don’t you laugh at me missy! I’m not the only one who you worried! Xander looked as pale as a ghost when you passed out like that!” She sighs wistfully, “No-one looks at me like he looks at you.”

  I roll my eyes at her, the more I’ve gotten to know her, the more I realise she’s a diehard romantic. Who would’ve thought that after everything she’s been through she would even still be this peppy and optimistic.

  “Xander should know better. He’s seen me hit the deck harder than that. Hell, some of those were because of him!” I laugh. As I do the door opens and Xander and D walk in and straight over to the bed. D stands at the end of it looking at me with that protective big brother look he’s good at giving, especially since I came back.

  “I’m fine guys. No major panic. Just not eaten enough I guess,” I say as Xander sits next to me on the bed opposite Rose. I look up at him and the scowl has returned. Damn it, I hate that scowl.

  “Addie, you can’t just dismiss this. Passing out is not normal. I’ve already called for the house medic.” I roll my eyes at him.

  “Xander, you’re over reacting.” He cups his hand on my neck and looks in my eyes, and I lean into him.

  “Addie, there is nothing I wouldn’t do for you. Please, just do this for me? Don’t fight me this once?”

  “Okay,” I concede. “This once. When is she coming?”

  “She’s outside,” Dimitri says to me, chuckling at the huff I let out. “He knew you’d give in really.” He winks at me and goes to the door and lets the medic in.

  “Come on in doc. Don’t worry, she won’t bite. Well, maybe.”

  Three months later.

  The past three months since my birthday have been a whirlwind. I’ve been training every day with Aliana, Xander and Dimitri. I’ve gotten so much better than I was. Quicker, more accurate. But I haven’t told them that I don’t think that’s just from my training. I’ve noticed a lot of changes happening to me since my birthday. I’ve been trying to keep them hidden, but I think Xander is slowly starting to catch on that something is different.

  It started with small things, like noticing I could feel what people around me were feeling. Even when they were trying to hide it. I realised something was really happening when the voices started. The only person I’ve dared tell is Rose, I needed help making it stop. She desperately wants me to tell Xander, but I don’t know how. What am I meant to do, just blurt it out? Oh I don’t know. Hi honey, I can hear what you’re thinking. Yeah that’s going to go so well! Especially considering we promised no secrets, right around the time he made us official. Yeah that happened. Total swoon moment! We were out walking in the giant gardens around the Valoire Palace, just talking. It was dark, the moon shone so bright, that it didn’t matter that it was the dead of night. We’d been walking for about half an hour, when his hand brushed mine and he entwined his fingers in mine. We kept walking until we came to the edge of a lake, where there was a blanket with little tea candles scattered about and a picnic basket. I remember being so shocked that he could be so sweet. I mean, I know he can be, but that must have taken him hours! He pulled me over to the blanket and pulled me down to sit beside him, before reaching into the picnic basket and pulling out what he called chocolate covered strawberries. Apparently they were a delicacy of the old world, and he hunted them down especially for me. He fed me one and the flavours burst to life inside my mouth, I must have spilled some of the juice, because he placed his thumb at the corner of my mouth and wiped some away, before placing his thumb in his mouth. I stared at him with my mouth gaping. Such a small thing caused a massive reaction inside of me, and then he growled before pouncing on me. I fell backwards and he caught me, lowering me down to the ground his body joining mine perfectly.

  “Addie, you have to know that I will always catch you, that I will always come for you. I will always save you. Even if it means going to heaven. You are mine,” he said to me, before his mouth crashed against mine.

  That was two months ago, and since then it has been a whirlwind of sweet moments and passionate arguments. He can be so sweet but so thick headed, it makes me want to bash his skull in. This is why I haven’t told him. I don’t know how he’s going to react.

  It’s been hard enough talking to him about me not living with him here at the palace. He hasn’t grasped the fact that this isn’t my home, and it never will be. I don’t belong here, and I’d rather find out what the hell is happening to me away from the watchful eyes of the Fae. We’ve argued more times than I care to count about me not living with him in his quarters here. We’re in the centre of the city, there are apartments so close where other humans live. Where I could go and live, find a job somewhere. At this point, I’d take working in the Academy as a Defence instructor! Just something to give me purpose. I think he’s coming around though. It helps that D is on my side, plus Rose is going home in two weeks, which means there really is no reason for me to stay here. I look around the room I’ve been staying in. She refused to move to the palace without me, so I ended up here. At least I got to graduate first. The room is nice enough, but it’s not home.

  I fall back onto the bed and stare at the ceiling, when I hear my door open. I know it’s Rose, another one of my new nifty weird traits is I can sense who is nearby. I can just feel them, though I’m learning how to shut it off unless I need it. It’s work, but it’s so tiring otherwise.

  “You’re projecting really loud Addie. You need to be careful, otherwise they’re going to work out that something is different. You really should just tell them before they work it out themselves.”

  “I know, I know. But do you ever get the feeling that they’re hiding stuff from us too? Like they know more than we realise? I catch weird feelings from them both. Like they’re constantly waiting for something to happen. Like they know something is happening to me, but they’re not saying anything.”

  “I don’t know about that, but if they do, maybe they’re waiting for you to say something first? Maybe they don’t want to overwhelm you?” she says, as she floats over to my bed and sits opposite me. I shake it off, I’ve done enough wallowing already today.

  “How are you anyway? How was your training this morning?”

  “Honestly? I don’t know how they think I’m going to manage entering someone’s mind while they’re awake. I finally get a grasp on dream walking, and now they want me to do somethi
ng else. I swear, if you were me, you’d have knocked that silly bitch the fuck out!”

  My eyes go wide. I don’t think I’ve ever heard her swear before!

  “Oh my god! I’m totally a bad influence on you!” I squeak and she laughs.

  “I’m learning to channel my inner Addie,” she giggles, covering her mouth. The shy girl I know is back. She hops up and grabs my hand, pulling me to my feet.

  “Anyway, come on lazy pants. I have something I want to show you,” she says with a huge grin on her face, clapping giddily.

  “Okay, okay. Where is it?”

  “Oh, yeah you’re going to need shoes.”

  I get myself together and follow her through the palace, out to the front where a car is waiting for us. She walks up to it and a guard appears, opening the door for her. She blushes as he smiles at her before thanking him and ducking in the car.

  Here goes nothing.

  ***

  We drive for maybe ten minutes when we pull up at a small single story, farm house. She giggles at me and bounces out of the car.

  “Come on slow poke! I need to show you!”

  I follow her out of the car and up the stairs to the front door. The house stands alone, surrounded by fields, and a forest that seems to line the back and sides of the property. There’s a wraparound porch with a swing bench to the left of the door.

  “Rose, this place is beautiful. Who’s is it?” I ask as she opens the front door. I follow her in and gasp. This place is beautiful. It’s small and cosy, but with the small comforts like a TV and DVD player in the lounge, which also has a giant fireplace. I follow her through the rooms, kitchen, dining room, bathroom and two bedrooms all spanning across the one floor.

  “This place is amazing Rose. It’s perfect,” I sigh.