Enraptured: Immortal Chronicles Book IV

by Britt, Samantha

  “Not interested in the film?” Darcie jumped, surprised to hear Gregory’s voice so close to her ear. Rotating her neck, she noticed he had walked around the back of the chairs to switch seats. Now, he sat beside her.

  “Not really,” she admitted. “But seeing you here makes me realize why Paige is subjecting herself to the torment.” Darcie was totally joking. Gregory knew it, and he grinned.

  “I’ll have you know I like these old movies,” Paige interjected. “Now, both of you keep quiet. One of the best action sequences is about to start and I don’t want to hear you whispering into each other’s ears.” Darcie and Gregory chuckled, but both heeded her request.

  The trio sat together and watched the remainder of the classic film. Paige and Gregory were definitely more into it than she was, but Darcie eventually became invested in the plot. By the time the credits began to roll, she had to admit it was a good movie.

  Movement to her right drew her eye. She watched as Gregory raised his arms and arched his back to stretch. Pale abs peeked out of his navy-blue shirt. Darcie promptly averted her eyes. Paige met her gaze with a sly grin.

  Darcie blushed. “Do you mind if we talk, now?” She needed to distract Paige from whatever snarky comment formed behind her mischievous eyes.

  The girl nodded. “Sure.”

  “I will take that as my cue to leave,” Gregory rose to his feet. “See you ladies later.”

  Darcie waved goodbye, then looked back at Paige. The brunette was grinning like the Cheshire cat.

  “Don’t,” Darcie warned.

  Paige feigned ignorance. “Don’t what?”

  “You know what.” She spared a meaningful glance towards the open door. Gregory might still be within earshot.

  Paige shook her head with a chuckle. “Since I am detecting this is a serious subject, let’s go to my room. No one should bother us there.” She hopped off the recliner and glided out of the room.

  Darcie followed her up to the second floor where the guest rooms were located. She had explored the area briefly during her first couple of days in Greece. The layout might have matched the floor above, but it was not as elaborately decorated as the family’s personal floor. Nor did it convey the warmth and comfort of the most lived-in level of the immense home.

  Paige led her down the long hallway until they arrived at an average-sized door. It seemed out of place in the immense mansion. Looking ahead, Darcie noted the room was nearly at the end of the hallway. Her escort withdrew an iron skeleton key and inserted it in the ancient lock. With a turn, the door opened.

  The room faced the west, letting in the setting sun’s last rays of light. Paige’s guest room was still larger than Darcie’s bedroom at home, but it was nearly a quarter of the size of her room upstairs. Still, she could tell the immortal family did not downgrade their luxuries in the smaller room. Expensive furniture and fine décor covered the space, making it more welcoming than the hallway.

  “So,” Paige walked into the room and pivoted to face her. “What’s up? What did you want to talk about?”

  Darcie closed the door. She looked at her friend. “I wondered if I could still take you up on your offer–the one about helping me with my mental block?”

  “Oh.” Paige blinked. “Is that it? I thought it was something else.”

  Intrigued, Darcie asked, “What else could it be?”

  “I don’t know… you needing my help to escape or something.”

  “Why in the world would I want to escape?”

  “You tell me. I mean, I saw the way you were ogling Gregory.”

  There it is. Darcie should have known Paige wouldn’t have been able to resist making fun of her.

  “And we both know how infatuated he is with you,” Paige continued before she could voice her denial. “The romantic in me was imagining the two of you running away together.” She faked a dreamy look towards the window and sighed.

  “One,” Darcie held up a finger. “I was not ogling him. Two, he is not infatuated with me. And three, I am not running away with anyone.”

  Paige frustrated Darcie further when she kept going, “Too bad. It seems to me Gregory is way more attentive than Des. If I were you, I’d pick him.”

  The remark left Darcie speechless. And frustrated. With a groan, she flopped into the nearest chair. “You aren’t funny.”

  “Maybe I’m not joking,” Paige countered. “You have to know Gregory likes you. It’s so obvious.”

  It was not something Darcie had ever let herself contemplate. But, now that she was, guilt filled her stomach. She recalled Gregory’s constant attention and kindness. She thought it was simply part of his duty and character. But what if she was wrong?

  Darcie held her head in her hands. The last thing she needed was another complication. She had enough to worry about without wondering if she was unintentionally leading her friend on.

  “I’m with Des,” Darcie mumbled towards the ground.

  “For now.”

  She looked up. “What are you saying?”

  Paige crossed her arms. “I’m saying that you have choices, Darcie. No matter what anyone says, you don’t have to be with Des.”

  It was a strange thing to hear. “I’m his soulmate,” she replied in an obvious tone.

  “So everyone says.” Paige did not attempt to hide her doubt.

  Darcie stared at her friend, wondering how she could explain it. “You don’t understand,” she began. “I want to be with Des.”

  “Do you?”

  “Yes. Absolutely.”

  “Why?” Paige sat on the edge of the bed. “He’s hardly ever around. When I see you two together, things are always so rigid between you.”

  Darcie chewed her bottom lip. She wasn’t sure what to say. Paige was right, she and Des probably didn’t make sense from the outside looking in.

  “We haven’t spent a ton of time together and I don’t know everything about Des, but what I know is enough. He’s intelligent, kind, strong, protective of others…” Darcie knew she could go on and on, but she stopped herself from pointless rambling. She did not need to prove her feelings to Paige, but she hoped her friend would believe her when she said she cared for Des. She cared for him more than she could have ever imagined.

  Paige turned her head sideways, assessing Darcie’s words. After loaded seconds, she said, “Good.”

  “Good?” Darcie parroted back. “That’s it?”

  Paige shrugged. “I just wanted to make sure you cared about Des. A lot of trouble has come your way because of him. If you wanted out, I would help you.”

  “You were testing me?” She could hardly believe it.

  “Yup, and you passed. Congratulations.”

  Darcie released a disbelieving and stilted laugh. “Thanks... I guess.”

  “You’re welcome. Though, you might need to put some distance between you and Gregory. I wasn’t kidding about that. He’s clearly crazy about you.”

  Darcie prepared her rebuttal, but the words died on her lips. Solemnly, she said, “Okay.” She would try to fix that situation as soon as she could.

  “Still up for some mental exercises,” Paige asked, hopping off the bed. “We’ve got time before dinner.

  Darcie jumped at the chance to get her mind away from the uncomfortable topic. “Yes, please.”

  Paige withdrew a box of matches and proceeded to walk around, lighting numerous candles. Darcie was surprised by their number; she hadn’t noticed them when she walked in.

  “Will you turn of the lights?” Paige asked, closing the thick, brown curtains to block out the sun.

  Darcie obliged. The room descended into darkness, but her immortal eyes adjusted within seconds. When she turned back, she saw Paige sink to the floor.

  “What are you doing?”

  “We are going to meditate.” She withdrew a wicker basket from under the bed. It was filled with pastel-colored vials and jars.

  “What is that stuff?”

  “Essential oils.”
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br />   “What does it do?”

  “Stop asking so many questions,” Paige commanded. “Just trust me and sit down.”

  Going against her character, Darcie lowered herself to the ground in the center of the room. She brought her knees up to her chest and watched Paige light a long stick of incense. “What is th–“ Paige’s scowl made Darcie drop the question.

  After moving the burning incense between them, Paige crossed her legs comfortably. “Alright. We’re all set. Now, close your eyes.”

  Her natural instinct told her to object. But, with a fortifying breath, Darcie complied.

  “Good. Envision your power as a ball of yarn, tightly woven in the pit of your stomach.” Paige paused. “Do you see it?”

  All Darcie saw was the dark side of her eyelid, but she kept the snarky remark to herself. “I’m trying.”

  “Start by imagining any ball of yarn. Once you have that, simply identify it as more. Link it to the powers inside you.”

  Darcie inhaled, breathing in the sweet smell of the incense. She could not deny the atmosphere was comforting, but she struggled to create the image Paige wanted. She had an imagination; that wasn’t the problem. The problem was she believed the technique to be useless.

  Stop being negative.

  Darcie acknowledged that she did not know everything. Mistress Lola, and even Henry when he was her trainer, had tried numerous techniques to draw out her abilities. None of them had worked. She needed to get off her high horse and give Paige’s a try.

  With that in mind, Darcie released a long, slow breath and re-focused on the imaginary ball of yarn.

  A solid white ball of flame formed in her mind. Darcie gasped, marveling at the crisp golden edges surrounding each individual tendril within the ball.

  “Do you see it?” Paige sounded hopeful.

  “I see it,” she whispered, afraid to disrupt the stunning image. “Now what?”

  “Seek out the loose end. It might not be easy to see, but try and rotate the ball until you find it.”

  Darcie followed the instructions. Using imaginary hands, she cupped the glowing ball and gently moved it around. It glided effortlessly, showing no resistance with her manipulation.

  There.

  It was so small she nearly missed it. A wisp of golden-white detached itself from the ball and floated in the air.

  Careful to not disturb the integrity of the orb, Darcie’s fingers closed in on the wisp of power.

  “That’s it. Now, tug.”

  Darcie wasn’t sure how Paige knew when she successfully grabbed the strand, but it was irrelevant. The power thrummed though her fingers and her mind cleared of every other thought as she heeded Paige’s command.

  She pulled the string.

  24

  Bright lights shot past her. Their speed made her dizzy, and their intensity forced her to close her eyes. Air blew into her face, giving the illusion she was moving.

  Looking down, careful not to focus on the stomach-turning scene, Darcie saw the thread of power still in between her fingers. She exhaled, slightly relieved. She was still in her own head.

  Suddenly, everything stopped.

  The air grew stagnant, and the moving lights ceased. Darcie frowned and turned in a circle, wondering what trick her mind had decided to play on her. Aside from the glowing ball of power in her hand, she saw nothing but inky blackness.

  Did Paige lace her oils with hallucinogens?

  She dismissed the notion almost immediately. Paige wouldn’t do such a thing. Whatever was happening, it was caused by something else.

  “Hello?” she called into the darkness. Her voice traveled away, never echoing back. “Is anyone there?”

  No one responded.

  Panic began to set in. With one arm clutching the ball of power to her chest, she lifted the other out in front of her. Waving around, she slowly moved forward.

  Darcie must have continued on like that for dozens of feet. It was tedious. She wanted to quit multiple times, but knowing there was no use wallowing in frustration, she continued on.

  A door appeared in front of her. It was closed, but light glowed around its edges. She didn’t know what to do. The whole scene seemed odd, and she worried about what might be waiting for her on the other side of the door.

  It’s the door or wandering through darkness for the rest of your life, her conscious pointed out.

  Needing no more motivation, Darcie reached out and turned the circular knob. She stepped through, and her eyes drank in the view.

  She stood on a veranda the size of a basketball court. It was made of stone and fearful gargoyles topped the pillars placed strategically on the edges of the area. It faced a body of water lined by juniper trees. The air was warm, and a light breeze greeted her as she surveyed the scenery.

  Darcie took another step and heard the familiar click of the door closing. Spinning around, she gasped when she realized the door was no longer behind her.

  Don’t panic.

  She turned back towards the water, looking around for anything familiar.

  A bright head of hair caught her attention. Focusing on the stranger, Darcie believed she had seen the woman before. She was tall and thin. The fabric of her corseted gown flowed behind her as she walked alongside the railing. But, try as she might, Darcie could not place her.

  A masculine voice interrupted her efforts. “Charlotte, come. Our guests are arriving.”

  Hearing his voice stirred her soul. Turning around, Darcie drank in the sight of Des, standing in the sunlight on the veranda. He held his hand towards her. On instinct, she moved to take it.

  The woman, Charlotte, beat her to it.

  Jealousy twisted in Darcie’s stomach, but Des did not notice. He only had eyes for Charlotte. The couple walked towards the home attached to the veranda.

  Uncertainty filled Darcie. She suspected she was having a vision of some kind, but she wasn’t entirely sure she wanted to take part in it. After all, seeing Des fawn over another woman was not her idea of a good time. It didn’t matter if she was his soulmate; the scene wasn’t something she wanted in her head.

  Darcie stayed put, but the mysterious door did not reappear. She sighed, realizing she needed to see whatever she was meant to see before she would be able to return to the real world. With no other option, she followed the couple’s path and slipped inside.

  The house was average looking, nowhere near as luxurious or impressive as the brothers’ home. The furniture looked nice, but was obviously used. Darcie wondered where the lake house was located. She did not believe she had ever been there before.

  Quiet voices led her to a parlor room. Charlotte sat on an elegant couch while Des stood beside her. Neither of them turned as she entered. Their attention was focused on a handsome young man grinning from ear to ear as he spoke.

  Adir.

  Pure hatred coursed through her veins. Darcie clenched her fist, resisting the urge to walk over and punch the immortal for what he did to her. She was braver in visions than she might have been in real life.

  “How is Julisanna?” Des questioned his immortal sibling. “We are all hoping you two will finally settle your lives and be happy together.”

  Adir smiled sheepishly. It pained Darcie to admit, but it made him look charming. “Do not get your hopes up. We are still seeing how it goes before we make any major decisions.”

  Des grinned approvingly. “Very good.”

  Julisanna? Are they talking about their sibling? Darcie couldn’t imagine it was anyone else. It wasn’t like the beautiful immortal’s name was popular.

  “Would you like to rest before dinner?” Charlotte asked. Her tone was light and musical. “Des can show you to your room.”

  “My dear, immortals do not tire so easily. Remember?” Des leaned down and retrieved Charlotte’s hand. He placed a kiss on her knuckles. It pained Darcie to realize he had kissed her in the same way not even two hours ago.

  “Of course.” She blushed prettily.


  “But perhaps Adir would like a drink.” Des turned to him. “Brandy or whisky?”

  “Whisky. Thank you.” Adir sat down on the couch across from the couple.

  Des nodded. “I will return promptly.” With that, he left the parlor. Darcie wanted to follow him, but her feet seemed glued in place.

  The room was quiet. Adir sat on the edge of his seat. Darcie heard a door close. Then, the immortal began to speak.

  “You have made your decision?” Adir asked, his face hard and empty of emotion. The charming guest was gone.

  Charlotte’s blush deepened. “I have. I hope you will forgive me.”

  A flash of pain crossed his eyes before Adir got himself under control. “You have known me for years. I courted you. You said you would be mine.”

  What?

  Stunned, Darcie looked at Charlotte with fresh eyes. The woman knew Adir before Des? And they dated?

  The young woman fidgeted with her fingers. “You have to understand. There is a connection to Des. I cannot explain it. I am just… tied to him.”

  “Years, Charlotte,” Adir’s voice turned cold. “I have loved you for years.”

  “You have loved many women in my village,” she replied. “Do not forget, I have many friends whose hearts were broken by you.”

  “Flings. Nothing serious. I asked you to come away with me and be my wife.”

  “Yes, but you did not tell me about your immortality. What was going to happen? I go away with you and when I get old you toss me to the side? Des offers more than that.” Now, Charlotte’s cheeks colored for an entirely different reason. She was angry–angry at Adir for hiding things from her.

  “I did not tell you because I did not want you to run from me. I was working with a friend to try and figure out a way to change your mortality. That way, we could be together forever.”

  The conversation was surreal. Was Adir actually in love with one of Des’ soulmates?