Immortals of Indriell- The Collection

by Melissa A. Craven

  TALENTS/SKILLS: A talented musician, particularly a gifted piano player and teacher.

  KNOWN ALIASES: F. Scott Fitzgerald, affectionately referred to as “Fitzie” by the younger McBriens

  TOP SECRET NOTES: He is secretly working on a new book, but he fears success will send him spiraling out of control again.

  ~ ~ ~

  The New Generation:

  Darius McBrien

  When Darius was three years old, I watched him crawl out of his second story bedroom window when he was supposed to be napping. I feared he would wander off toward the cliffs nearby. Instead, the little holy terror scampered down a tree and ran around to the front of the house to ring the doorbell, scaring his mother to death. As I listened to his childish laughter and watched Naeemah try not to smile, I knew Darius would play an important role in the lives of his family. With such an uncertain and frightening future ahead of us, Darius will always be the one to remind us to enjoy life and live it to its fullest. For even Immortals never know how much time we will have on this glorious earth.

  (The next day, Gregg installed bars on his son's bedroom window. He removed them when Darius was twelve. A bad move from my vantage point. The boy rarely stayed there.)

  AGE: 26

  BIRTHDATE: November 24, 1990

  BIRTH STATUS: Unknown Origin. Naeemah found him when he was three months old, waiting in a bassinet beside her car parked behind her yoga studio.

  MENTOR: George Uruk

  CURRENT LOCATION: Cleveland, Ohio

  APPEARANCE:

  EYE COLOR: Midnight Blue

  HEIGHT: 5’10”

  HAIR COLOR: Sandy brown

  ETHNICITY/CULTURAL INFLUENCES: Caucasian American

  OCCUPATIONS: After college, Darius became a Narcotics detective, but has since become the youngest Homicide Detective for the Cleveland Police Department. I've often wondered how this young lad who spent so much time breaking the law in his teens, managed to become an enforcer of the law. But I must admit, he is very good at his job. However, lately Darius has thought about going back to school. I think it's a marvelous idea. Maybe he'll learn something this time around.

  HISTORICAL BIO: Darius was the first of the McBrien children raised on Kelleys Island. His closest friends and training partners were his cousins, Mia, Dean and Erin and his longtime on again and off again girlfriend, Naomi Hauser (daughter of Greyson Hauser). This generation of the Kelleys Island Immortals attended a small local school on the island. (It closed in 2010.)

  At the age of nine, Darius balked at the arrival of his new brother, Aidan. For the first few days, Darius wouldn’t go near his powerful little brother. If Aidan was in the room, Darius left. When he finally agreed to hold him, their brother bond formed and Darius vowed to always give him a hard time, to stick up for him when anyone else picked on him and to never feel uncomfortable in front of him again. When five year old, Sasha joined the family, Darius was fourteen and was rarely seen without the two kids in tow. He was their favorite playmate. After his Awakening, his life took a different direction as training became part of his daily life but he has always made time for his youngest siblings.

  CURRENT BIO: Darius was born into a generation of Immortals with an extremely low female birthrate. The increase in female Immortal births has only just begun to climb again, leaving most of the straight men his age in the same boat—if they know any girls their age, it’s likely they’re related to them. Darius has often dated older women and at times, has a strong suspicion that his Complement is a much older woman. At other times, he senses that she is much younger. Darius experiences a great deal of confusion about his Complement, where most Immortals his age are more certain in what they can sense from their other half.

  At twenty-six, Darius struggles to fit in with the world around him. By mortal standards, he is a fully functioning adult, but by Immortal standards, he’s still an adolescent. He lives with his older brother, Scott and continues his training with his mentor and brother-in-law, George. Sometimes he thinks he would be more comfortable if he just went back to high school and lived as a teenager again like most Immortals his age choose to do.

  ABILITIES: Darius is a cop for a reason. His defining gift lies in the realm of Clairvoyance. He can sense crimes shortly after they’ve happened. The worse the crime, the more he can see. When entering a crime scene, Darius can see a physical recreation of what happened. He can see all the details left behind in that first instant. He doesn’t see faces, only the action of the crime. He can see what details of the scene have been left to interpret and he can instantly tell what’s not there—like a missing murder weapon or missing fingerprints. He is also a gifted profiler. He can read individuals like a book, deducing a great deal about them through their appearance alone. He has very little control over this gift. He sees what he sees and there is no shutting it off. Very little escapes his notice, and this more than anything, has affected his past relationships.

  He also has an affinity with sound. He can amplify or suppress any sound. He can make a concerts sound even better to those he’s with or he can soundproof a room. This gift is connected to his sense of hearing, so there isn't much he can't hear from his immediate surroundings.

  WEAPONS: Prefers fighting with a samurai sword or a custom double bladed Bo staff.

  TALENTS/SKILLS: Darius has a talent for forging official documents, a talent Graham is also developing. His forgeries are so realistic they pass for the real thing. He has worked hard to keep this particular talent from the Senate because the last thing he ever wants is to work for them shuffling paper around a desk. He creates documents for the family and no one else. Since Graham’s Awakening, the two have worked together to develop Graham’s talent.

  TOP SECRET NOTES: Darius has conflicting feelings for Allie. He is fascinated by the fiery redhead. He is attracted to her, but at the same time, he feels no need to change their current friendship. He also sees her in a way the others do not. He doesn't see her as the inexperienced Immortal who needs to be cared for, but rather as one who has taken a tremendous blow in stride and has come through to the other side, stronger, more confident and capable than ever before.

  Their feelings for each other strike a chord of fear in me. Not for myself, but for them and what their future could hold should they continue on their current course.

  ~ ~ ~

  Naomi Hauser

  Naomi is a spirited, but troubled young woman. For most of her life, she has been on the wrong path that often leads to self-destruction. She wants a family of her own, but she's only ever known the love of her father and she longs for a mother and siblings––a home filled of her own family. Instead, she has always found herself on the outskirts of the McBrien family.

  Naomi is finally set on a path that will lead her to what she wants, as long as she doesn't continue to self-sabotage. It breaks my heart to watch her push people away just to protect herself. She is not as hard and callous as she would like you to think she is. She is a prickly sort, but her armor is fragile.

  AGE: 27

  BIRTHDATE: November 12, 1989

  BIRTH STATUS: Unknown Origin, born near Madrid, Spain. Naomi was taken in by an Immortal woman, but the mother-daughter bond never formed for them. When Greyson met the feisty three-year old girl, they took an immediate liking to each other and over time, their father-daughter bond formed and he eventually took her home to the States.

  MENTOR: Imogen El Sadawii

  CURRENT LOCATION: Cleveland, Ohio

  APPEARANCE:

  EYE COLOR: Amazonite blue

  HEIGHT: 5’6”

  HAIR COLOR: Dark brown with golden highlights

  ETHNICITY/CULTURAL INFLUENCES: Ambiguous with Asian, African, European and Spanish heritages.

  OCCUPATIONS: PHD candidate at Case Western Reserve. She studied abroad for her Masters in art history and will be an Assistant art history professor at Cleveland State University in the fall. Naomi is as intelligent as any scholar I've ever met, but
she is also a powerfully gifted and talented young woman––a triple threat. She will be formidable once Proven.

  HISTORICAL BIO: Naomi grew up with Darius, Erin and Dean McBrien, but she was a lonely child, living with her single father in hiding. She was quite a wild child and was always in trouble. She dated Darius and Dean off and on through high school and after high school, she dated Scott McBrien for a short while. Recenlty she's dated Aidan but currently has her sights set on Liam.

  CURRENT BIO: Naomi is currently living in Europe, finishing her Master’s degree in Paris before she moves on to pursue her PHD at Case Western Reserve, in Cleveland. She and Aidan grew closer during his last visit to Paris and she genuinely likes him, but she knows he is interested in someone else and is only looking for a distraction. She struggles with her relationships. When she lets herself get too close to anyone, she ends up getting her heart broken so she will almost always put an end to the relationship before she ever has a chance to get hurt. When she met Allie over the summer, the two took an instant disliking for each other. Naomi gets the impression that Allie is just jealous of her relationship with Aidan and her history with Darius, but there is much more to their mutual animosity than either girl suspects, and it has very little to do with boys and jealousy.

  ABILITIES: Naomi can create illusions that she can leave behind as a gift or a curse—these illusions can also be more sensory than visual. She is responsible for making the McBrien stone grottos a peaceful place. Anyone visiting there will feel at ease. The illusion fades over time, but she can breathe new life into it when she returns. As an extension of this gift, she can induce pleasure or pain, but only when it's used to counter or enhance existing emotions. Naomi draws strength from the lunar cycle. She is at her strongest during a full moon and at her weakest during a new moon. She also has excellent night vision.

  WEAPONS: Pair of long serrated blades

  TALENTS/SKILLS: Naomi is a gifted musician––a passion she and Aidan share. She plays a variety of instruments and has a talent for singing and dancing. She is also a talented teacher. She has a way of helping students overcome their weaknesses and succeed where they have always struggled.

  TOP SECRET NOTES: Part of Naomi's problem is her complete lack of a maternal influence. In most cases like hers, an Immortal girl would develop a connection with a mother figure––which might develop into a mother-daughter bond, but not always. Naomi's true mother is Isabeau Delgado, the Portuguese Princess held captive by the Coalition. Until Isabeau is set free, Naomi will always feel a void in her life––a void that can never be filled with adventure, chaos, partying or men.

  ~ ~ ~

  Quinnton Greggory Loukas

  I have never had the pleasure of meeting Quinn in person, but I've often underestimated him as the quiet one. The forgettable one. The wall of muscle behind Aidan. But others have made some of those same assumptions about me and lived to regret it. Quinn has no aspirations for greatness. He is perfectly content to stand beside Aidan as his most steadfast ally and friend. But I wouldn't be surprised to see Quinn rise to a leadership role once he is Proven. Quinn will be a formidable, wise man––that is, if he can overcome his current circumstances and not let it affect his future.

  AGE: 19

  BIRTHDATE: April 3, 1997

  BIRTH STATUS: Unknown Origin, born in a small village orphanage in Nairobi, Kenya. Emma and Daniel adopted him when he was still an infant.

  MENTOR: Naeemah El Sadawii

  CURRENT LOCATION: Atlanta, Georgia––Midtown

  APPEARANCE:

  EYE COLOR: Blue Tanzanite

  HEIGHT: 5’11”

  HAIR COLOR: Dark Brown

  ETHNICITY/CULTURAL INFLUENCES: Kenyan heritage

  OCCUPATIONS: Unknown

  HISTORICAL BIO: As the oldest of his group of friends, Quinn has always been the first at everything, and has felt the responsibility of setting a good example. Always the quiet one, Quinn is the calm voice of reason among his friends, especially with Aidan. The two have been close friends since childhood, but Quinn has a knack for talking Aidan out of his funks.

  As children, Quinn and Sasha were very close, almost inseparable. As young teenagers, they grew even closer when their relationship naturally evolved into a romantic one. But the relationship never seemed to work. It was good for a time and then they would fight and break up, and the cycle repeated again and again. After Quinn’s Awakening when his gifts began to manifest, he withdrew from everyone, but particularly with Sasha. His gifts were volatile and difficult to control, which left him constantly worried that he would hurt her since she had not yet come into her power. After her Awakening the following year, they rekindled their romance only to repeat the same mistakes as before. They have finally realized they work better as friends and training partners. But the feelings are always there, just under the surface. Ahh, to be young and madly in love again...

  CURRENT BIO: Unknown

  ABILITIES: Quinn has the gift of invisibility, but not in the literal sense. Your eyes see him, but they don’t tell your brain he is there. He can walk through a room and no one will see him unless he wants them to. He can extend the gift through touch, making another person or object invisible.

  He can also induce a trance where his victim will follow his orders. They weaken from his touch and he fears he will one day be able to take a life as an extension of this gift. He maintains perfect control of his power at all times. Quinn can also attract elements, calling them from the earth to collect in small quantities—possibly a gift inherited from his grandmother, Ming Lao.

  WEAPONS: Quinn prefers hand to hand combat. He will fight with a dagger or throwing blades and is an accomplished swordsman.

  TALENTS/SKILLS: Talented in Math and Earth Sciences—he has a knack for teaching complicated subjects in a way that helps most people understand.

  TOP SECRET NOTES: Quinn is developing a new, rare gift. One that will make him even more powerful than he already is. He must keep this gift to himself or he will never escape his current situation. Only Allie will be able to give him the help he truly needs to conquer and understand this ability.

  ~ ~ ~

  Sasha Louise El Sadawii

  A lovely girl with quite a temper. Sasha is never afraid to speak her mind. She is so much like her father, Gregg, it's uncanny. She's grown up with the McBrien boys, doting on their little sister. She had to learn to keep up with them. As a result, she will always be the sort to act now and ask questions later, but in her current state, she feels helpless. I worry as I watch her fall into a deeper depression. This vivacious girl needs to learn who she is on her own and she needs to stop blaming herself for events that were far out of her control. She will rise to the challenge she faces and she will redeem herself, but she needs to get her strength and fire back if she will succeed.

  When Sasha is fully Proven, she will be a poweful woman with a bright future. I anticipate seeing great things from this young woman.

  AGE: 17

  BIRTHDATE: December 15, 1998

  BIRTH STATUS: Unknown Origin, born in Haiti and spent the first five years of her life in an orphanage there.

  MENTOR: Daniel Loukas

  CURRENT LOCATION: Kelleys Island, Ohio

  APPEARANCE:

  EYE COLOR: Aquamarine

  HHEIGHT: 5’10”

  HAIR COLOR: Dark brown with threads of gold, a sign her heritage is directly linked to one of the ancient noble houses of Indriell.

  ETHNICITY/CULTURAL INFLUENCES: Of Haitian decent. Sasha feels a strong connection to her heritage.

  OCCUPATIONS: Senior at Cliffton Academy in Lakewood, Ohio. She is a straight A student, poised to become valedictorian of her class. She is also captain of the girl’s basketball team and has been since her sophomore year. She also plays volleyball. I wouldn’t want to face her on the court. The girl is fiercely competitive. I much prefer watching and cheering from the sidelines. It is my specialty, after all.

  HISTORICAL BIO: Sasha does
n’t remember a time when she wasn’t a member of the McBrien family. But for the first five years of her life, she lived in an orphanage in Haiti until Naeemah found her there in 2003. Naeemah was traveling with Ming Lao on a Senate mission to deter an earthquake from the area. (Ming’s gift allows her a modicum of control over seismic activity, but she would normally have gone alone or with her Complement, Jin Jing.) Something urged Naeemah to go with her—it was the pull of her youngest daughter trying to find her.

  Naeemah and Gregg had some trouble with the adoption through mortal channels, but eventually brought her home just before her fifth birthday. At the time they did not know how old she was. As she reached adolescence, it became a waiting game of when she would wake one morning to discover it was her sixteenth birthday. When her Awakening came before Aidan’s, it was a surprise to everyone that she was actually older than the brother who treated her like a little sister.

  CURRENT BIO: Sasha always had a close connection with Quinn Loukas. Even as children, they were drawn to each other. Quinn was her first boyfriend, first kiss, first sparring partner and the first to break her heart. As his gifts began to manifest in ways he struggled to control, he distanced himself from her. The two have been on and off again for years, never quite able to find the right balance in their relationship. He has been absent from her life for nearly a year and the separation has profoundly affected her—more than anyone realizes. She keeps her emotions in check, but in his absence, she has floundered, unsure of who she is without him.