“HENRY!” Adir bellowed, making Darcie jerk in fright. The warlock appeared in an instant.
“Lord Adir?”
The immortal’s cheeks were red as he puffed out, “I want those half-breeds to pay. No one betrays me and gets away with it. Start making a plan. Once we win this rebellion, the werebeasts will wish they never decided to side with The Alliance.” The veins in his neck bulged. Darcie had never seen the immortal look so infuriated… and that was saying something.
Henry bowed low. “My liege, our intelligence has revealed that the girl is with the half-breeds at the base of this mountain. If you want to make an example out of the filthy werebeasts, I would attack them while they believe they are secure. Not only will you exact revenge, but you will also retrieve the girl.” As he finished speaking, the warlock dared to lift his head and look at his master.
Adir scowled. “The Alliance would not have deposited the girl in the compound with no protection. Use your head, Henry.”
“My lord, The Alliance does not know of our spy network in their ranks. I have it on good authority that the girl only has a few witches at her disposal. Otherwise, only the werebeasts from the desert region are with her.”
The immortal’s countenance began to lighten. “You are telling me that she is alone? Des is not with her?”
“Correct, my lord. Our sources confirm Lord Des remains in Greece. The Council did not want his presence to alert us to the girl’s relocation.”
The news pleased Adir. He chuckled. “What fools. What complete and utter fools.” The immortal stared out at the distant mountains; a host of emotions played across his features.
Darcie’s body longed to shiver, but she refused to make even the slightest move. She did not want to be discovered.
“Henry,” Adir barked. He made his decision. “Gather the lesser leaders and my warlocks. We attack at dawn.”
Grinning, the warlock bowed again. “Right away, my lord.”
The scene disintegrated before Darcie’s eyes. Five seconds later, she was staring at the carpeted floor she had collapsed on. Without wasting a moment, she jumped to her feet and ran through the Grecian mansion.
Darcie had a vision; she recognized it almost immediately. It was unlike any other she’d ever experienced. Instead of centering around Des, the vision had showed her something much more valuable.
She’d seen Adir.
She knew his location.
Darcie tapped into her immortal speed, but it still felt too long until she reached Des’ study.
She barely took a second to knock before she shoved open the oak doors. Des, Lome, Alex, Lucas, and Brian met her wild entrance with stunned expressions.
Darcie didn’t acknowledge them. She locked eyes with Des. He quickly rose to his feet.
But before he could utter a word, she exclaimed, “I know what Adir’s plan is!”
30
Des
“Are you absolutely certain?” Des watched Darcie twitch in response to his question. He fought off a threatening smile. She was growing annoyed, but he had to be sure her story was without fault.
“Yes,” she snipped from in front of Des’ desk. “I told you. I am absolutely positive.”
“And you are sure it wasn’t a dream?” Lome asked, not trying to conceal his doubt. He stood on Des’ left, eyeing Darcie like he would a wild animal.
“No!” she cried. “It definitely was not a dream. I’m telling you, Adir is planning to attack a desert pack in America.”
“But why?” Lord Brian questioned, swirling a glass of scotch in his hands. “Correct me if I am wrong, but I do not believe that pack has signed on with The Alliance.” He looked at the only werebeast representative in the room.
Lucas cleared his throat. “You’re right. Joseph Parker’s pack has opted to remain neutral. But,” he paused and warily glanced around the room, “a member of my pack proposed to hide Darcie in one of the desert pack’s compounds.”
Darcie’s neck snapped towards him. “What? When?”
“Recently,” Lucas revealed, “but I dismissed the idea almost immediately.”
“Why?” Darcie asked. “It sounds like a great idea! It is just like my vision. I’ll go to the pack’s compound in the Rockies where I will act as bait to draw out Adir.”
Multiple growls of disapproval vibrated in the air.
“You are not bait,” Des said through clenched teeth. “You cannot put yourself in such danger. We cannot put you in such danger.” He worked to control his instinctual anger. But, beneath the protective fury, it was fear fueling his reaction.
Des was worried for her safety. He stared down at a paper on his desk, trying to conceal his emotions.
“I know there is a risk,” Darcie said to him, moving her head down to force him to meet her eyes. “But this is our one shot to have Adir right where we want him. In the vision, he thought I would be alone. This is our chance to catch him off guard and end the rebellion.”
Gradually, the tension began to seep out of Des’ muscles. He still wasn’t happy with the idea of intentionally putting her in potential danger, but he understood the importance of what Darcie was proposing.
Unfortunately, he wasn’t the only one who needed convincing.
“If your vision is true, then Adir will know exactly where you are,” Lord Brian stated the obvious. “Clearly, there is a well-informed spy in our midst.” He looked pointedly at Lucas, not subtle in his accusation.
Lucas’ lips thinned. “No disrespect, but you are the latest addition to our confidence. Not to mention, you are Adir’s offspring. If anyone is suspect, my money is on you.”
The London vampire feigned insult. He turned toward Alex. “Is this the type of treatment I should expect from our allies, brother?”
Across the room, sitting on the couch, Alex tapped his long fingers on an end-table. “You accused Lucas first.”
Petty comments and snide remarks bounced across the room. Des leaned back in his chair and warily watched the exchanges. From the corner of his eye, he saw Darcie bite her lip; she did not want to rush them to make a decision, but she was clearly losing her patience.
Darcie sat in the leather seat across from him. Feeling her attention, Des returned her gaze.
Weakly, he smiled. He meant it to be reassuring, but the frown on her lips revealed his failure.
Alex’s voice rose above the others. “If we decide to proceed with this plan, we must act as if nothing is amiss. Tell those you would normally tell. Keep it a secret from those who do not need to know. We need to make this look like a legit mission.”
Des’ attention returned to the conversation. Were they agreeing to the plan?
“Surely, we are not really going to allow Darcie to go to the compound alone?” Brian questioned in an obvious tone. “That would be unwise.”
Over my dead body, Des thought without hesitation. He would lock Darcie up in a prison cell before allowing her to leave Greece without him.
“Of course not,” Alex returned. “We will have our forces concealed around the compound. When Adir arrives, he will not know what hit him.”
“What about The Veritas?” Brian asked, moving his eyes to Darcie. “You haven’t mastered the spell yet, have you?”
Des turned to see her response.
“No,” Darcie admitted. “But I don’t need to have the spell mastered with this plan.”
Warning bells went off. Des looked at his One. “You want to go to the compound without the protection of the spell?” Disapproval dripped over his words.
“I don’t need the spell,” she tried to convince him. “I will have you guys there. I am only there to lure Adir out.”
“What if he finds you before we get to him?” Des questioned with growing anxiety. He was not happy with Darcie’s plan to be a sitting duck.
“I’ll be fine, Des.” Darcie’s eyes ignited with frustration, but Des did not care. The plan was already risky enough; he’d be damned if he let Darcie wander int
o a dangerous situation without all resources at her disposal. She needed to use The Veritas.
“Can we have the room?” Darcie asked aloud. Des was surprised, but none of the other men were.
In fact, all four men quickly exited his study. Not one spared him a glance on their way out. They had picked up on the quarrel about to ensue, and they wanted to be as far away as possible.
Once Lome closed the door behind them, and Des could no longer hear their retreating footsteps, he looked toward Darcie. She had moved to stand by the bay window facing the gardens. He watched her as she observed something on the ground below.
In a soft voice she asked, “Why are against this plan?”
“I am not against the plan,” he returned in an equally quiet tone. “I am against your desire to be reckless.”
Darcie sighed, still facing the window. “I know you are worried about my safety, but… I can’t explain it, Des. I just have a good feeling about this. I’m not able to control what I see in my visions, but I saw Adir and what he was planning. This is an opportunity we cannot afford to miss.”
“You saw his intentions, Darcie, but that is where your information ends. You did not see his forces. You did not see the battle begin or end. You have no idea what the actual outcome of this venture will be.”
She turned to him, and her expression hardened. “You can’t let fear keep us from acting.” Her eyes implored him to listen. “I’m tired of running, Des. I want this to be over.”
“What about the book? Why can’t we wait to mount an offensive until you master the spell? Neutralize the magical folk working for Adir, and he doesn’t have a chance.” Des saw the logic in his statements, and he wished he could force his perspective on Darcie. She was being stubborn, and he was terrified that her stubbornness might get her killed.
“I’ve tried working with the book. The Elder has been helping me, but it’s not easy.”
“I’m sure you will master it with time.”
“But we don’t have time!” Darcie shouted. “Adir is mad. He is harming innocent people every day.” Her breathing was heavy. “Adir doesn’t know about The Veritas, but what if he finds out while I try to master it?”
Des pressed his lips together; he didn’t know how to reply to her outburst. The last thing he wanted was for her to be angry with him, but he could not erase the fear gnawing his gut.
Darcie used his silence as an opportunity. “If Adir realizes we have the book–if he figures out what I am trying to do–he might not just want to bond. There is a very good chance he will want to kill me.”
Rage brewed in Des’ chest, but he succeeded in keeping the emotion from his face. He did not want Darcie to see just how strongly her ploy affected him.
“He might try to kill you in the compound. Did you ever think about that?”
Darcie shook her head. “No. You don’t understand. Adir wants power from me, more than anything. His goal is to force a bond between us, but,” she paused for dramatic effect, “that might change if he knows about The Veritas… if he knows what we’re planning.”
The image of Adir bonding with Darcie… of his tanned fingers marring Darcie’s fair skin with its touch… Des couldn’t bear it. He would do anything to keep Adir from ever laying a hand on his soulmate. Absolutely anything.
Caught between opposing emotions and desires, Des ran a shaky hand through his hair. He wanted to believe in Darcie and her plan, but his protective instincts screamed at him to go against her wishes.
Des looked back at Darcie and noticed she watched his movement with interest. Without warning, she moved away from the window. Des rotated his chair as she walked behind his desk. She stopped just short of his arm’s reach.
The view was unique. Des did not think he ever had to look up to see Darcie’s face. She was tall for a woman, but she was still half a foot shorter than him. Des determined he liked the different perspective. He had a better view of her full bottom lip from a lower height.
Darcie raised her hand and tentatively reached out. Des did not hesitate to grab the limb and pull her forward until she sat on his leg. He released her hand and wrapped his arm around her lower back. He made sure to keep his other hand safely on the chair’s armrest.
Her cheeks turned his favorite shade of pink as she dipped her chin down. “What if someone walks in?”
Des could think of nothing he cared less about. “They won’t.”
Darcie nodded and looked back towards the open study. She exhaled. “I know you are worried, and you have every right to be. But I just want you to trust me.” She moved her gaze back to Des. Her ocean blue eyes were watery.
“It is not a lack of trust,” he spoke softly, unable to stop his free hand from reaching up and brushing his fingers against her cheek. “It’s a lack of desire to risk losing you. I’ve already told you, I don’t think I would be able to handle it.”
Her breath blew against his fingers, making his stomach tighten in longing. “I’m not going anywhere, Des. I promise.”
Des’ expression filled with sorrow. “I wish that was something you could promise.”
Darcie blinked slowly. Then, she moved forward and wrapped her thin arms around his neck.
Pressing her forehead against his, she sighed. “I’m not leaving you, Des. I want to help end this rebellion. That’s it. I swear, I won’t leave you.”
Des’ chest constricted. The hand around her back tightened and pressed her closer for an embrace. His lips pressed a kiss above her ear as he held her. Darcie ran a soothing palm down his back, making him hold her even closer.
Every fiber of Des’ being urged him to deny her request. His soul shouted at him for even entertaining her dangerous plan. The plot consisted of many great risks, not the least being Adir getting his hands on Darcie and fulfilling a forced bond.
But the plan also had the potential for the greatest success: finally putting an end to the traitorous immortal.
Des’ brain could not logically support Darcie’s plan, but his heart knew what he had to do.
“Aright,” he whispered above the crest of her ear. It went against all of his protective instincts, but Des knew he could not stop her.
He never could. It’s what he had always loved about her.
Darcie stiffened in his arms. “Really?”
“Yes.”
“Oh, Des. Thank you!” Darcie pulled back enough to allow her lips the space needed to find his. She kissed him deeply. The caress of her soft lips magnified his longing tenfold.
Des broke the kiss against his own yearning. Now was not the time to succumb to the desires of his flesh. He cupped Darcie’s face with his hands and lightly kissed her nose.
Pulling back, Des captured her with his stare. “You are not the only thing that matters to me, Darcie. But you are, by far, the most important thing I have ever cared for in my long life.”
Love, devotion, fear, anticipation, hope… Des feared all of those emotions and more were written plainly across his face.
Despite his naïve attempts to keep his distance, despite his absurd assumptions that he could run away from his One, Des had managed to gain the affection of the beauty in his arms. He wanted to steal Darcie away and protect her from all the evil in the world. He wanted to spend the rest of his immortal life earning her love.
But, Des couldn’t do that.
He knew Darcie, and he knew she had a role in the immortal game. He couldn’t take her away from her cause; he couldn’t prevent her from fulfilling her destiny.
That’s not how you treat someone you love.
31
Darcie
“I thought New Mexico was supposed to be warm,” Paige complained. “Aren’t we in the desert?”
Darcie laughed as she burrowed deeper into her insulated jacket. “It’s not warm in the mountains of New Mexico,” she said. “I’m pretty sure you were told to expect cooler weather.”
Paige made a show of shivering. “I thought Dad was joking. Why in the worl
d would you want to come to this frigid compound after living with the immortals in Greece? I know I’ve grown accustomed to their fancy lifestyle. How will you stomach this?” Paige’s hand gestured to the snow-covered ground.
The two teenagers stood within the desert pack’s compound at the base of a tall, snow-capped mountain. Twenty-foot-tall stone walls surrounded the thousand-acre plot of land. Various homes and buildings interrupted the hilly landscape, as well as decently maintained walking paths. She and Paige were in the middle of walking down one until the pretty brunette decided she could not take the cold weather.
With a laugh, Darcie turned around to head back the way they came. “I won’t be here for long,” she said to her friend. “Just until Nightsbane can find a safe house within their clan.” It was a lie.
Darcie felt bad, but Paige wasn’t allowed to know the true purpose behind their presence in the compound. The leaders of The Alliance had agreed to implement the plan to lure Adir out of hiding, but only a select few outside of their ranks were allowed to know the truth. To everyone else, Darcie was being transported from safe location to safe location in order to keep Adir and his minions on their toes.
“Thank God,” Paige’s breath fogged in the cold air. “I wanted to offer to stay with you, but I thought about changing my mind when I realized how freezing it is here. I guess I can last a few days, though.”
The offer touched Darcie. “You don’t have to do that,” she said sincerely.
Paige waved away the comment. “What else are friends for?” she asked, then smirked and said, “Besides, I heard the guys in this pack are de-licious. We can pass the time checking out what the desert region of America has to offer.”
Darcie laughed as Paige waggled her eyebrows. The comment was something her childhood best friend, Marie, would say, and the resemblance between her two friends was too funny to ignore.
Just as the girls were steps away from entering the main lodge, movement against the far-stone wall drew Darcie’s attention. With her immortal vision, she could see immense wolf-like creatures patrolling the edges of the walls. She had never seen a werebeast in their animal form. She longed to take a closer look.
Enraptured: Immortal Chronicles Book IV Page 20