Immortals of Indriell- The Collection

by Melissa A. Craven

  “I'm not all that powerful.”

  “You must surround yourself with some pretty impressive Immortals if you think that is remotely true.” She could feel his power as strongly as her own.

  “I have some powerful friends.” He nodded across the room to the hellacious redhead and her dark, broody dance partner.

  “They should have won this whole thing,” Tess murmured, wondering why two such insanely powerful people would hold back when they could have easily taken the purse for themselves. She wasn't sure how much her gift would have really helped her against either of them. Against the pair of them, she'd have no chance at all.

  “We're not here for entertainment,” Dean said. “It's best if we not call too much attention to ourselves.”

  “Please, I don't want to know why you guys are here. Don't tell me any more.” Dean was far too free with information about himself and his friends.

  “You're trustworthy,” he said simply.

  “You're naive.”

  “Not naive. I have a quirky little gift that tells me when a person is honest. A little something I inherited from my grandmother. My gift tells me you're one of the most honest and loyal people I've ever met.”

  “You shouldn't talk about your gifts. Not here.” Tess darted a look around them.

  “What are you so afraid of?” Dean said softly.

  “Amrita isn't just a game,” she hissed. She shouldn't tell him any more. Soma would want to recruit those just like him and his friends. Part of her wanted to let that happen, so she wouldn't have to let him go at the end of the night, but another part of her knew that the life she'd chosen for herself was not for everyone.

  “Like I said, we're not here for a fun distraction, Tabitha. We have a very good reason to be here, looking for clues about our missing friend.”

  “TMI, Dean.” Tess shivered. She didn't want to know the details about them or their missing friend.

  “He's actually my uncle, and he means a great deal to my cousin over there.” He pointed at a beautiful, tall young woman with golden brown skin. She wasn't as inconspicuous as her friends were. She looked like she was grilling one of the Amrita guards about his mark. Tess shifted uncomfortably to make sure her own mark on her ankle was covered.

  “She'll stop at nothing to get him back,” Dean said softly. “Amrita's a place where you can find information if you look carefully enough and talk to the right people. So we're here for him.”

  “She's going to call too much attention to you guys.”

  “You know an awful lot about what goes on here.”

  “Anonymity, Dean.” She shrugged, refusing to tell him about her connection with the club. “If you're here for your uncle, then why are you spending so much time talking to me?”

  “You are an unexpected distraction.”

  “You get distracted easily.” She glanced nervously down at her hands in his.

  “Can't you feel it?” Dean whispered, reaching to cup her face.

  “What?”

  “The connection between us? It's been an instant reaction for both of us. I took one look at you at the bar and couldn't walk away.”

  “What the hell are you talking about?” Her voice cracked, and she licked her lips nervously.

  “Relax.” Dean chuckled at the look of horror on her face. “I'm not saying you're my Complement; I've just never met an equal before. I imagine this is how it feels, though.” He brushed his thumb across her bottom lip, tilting her face up to meet his gaze. “Instant comfort with another human being, who happens to be a lot like me in some ways and opposite in others. I don't know about you, but that's not something I experience every day.”

  “Equals?” Tess murmured. That would explain her strong reaction to Dean. And the growing dread of what it would do to her to walk away from him.

  “We are simpatico. I've seen it before.” He nodded again at the redhead and the handsome boy who never left her side. “It's a powerful thing when two equals meet. I'm not this smooth guy.” A frown creased his forehead. “I have no game. Ever. But my awkward game is epic.”

  “I find that hard to believe,” Tessa said. He'd said and done all the right things, all night.

  “It's you. You make me comfortable in my own skin,” he insisted.

  Tessa had to admit, he made her feel the same way. “Equals.” The word sounded strange on her lips. It wasn't a rare occurrence. It happened often in the modern world where meeting other Immortals wasn't as difficult as it used to be. But it wasn't something that typically happened at their age. “I think you're right.” She squeezed his hand. It would be that much harder to let him go now that she knew what drew them together.

  “But?” Dean arched a brow at her.

  “It can't come to anything.”

  “We can be friends,” Dean said. “Amrita is an anonymous place for a reason, but this is something special. I don't want to leave tonight knowing I'll never see you again.”

  “Neither do I, but it has to be that way, Dean. I'm sorry.” What would it mean to have a real friend in her life? Dean was someone she could easily fall for. But she couldn't afford that kind of distraction. Could she? And could he ever understand her ties to Soma? Her ambition?

  A smile tugged at the corners of her mouth as she thought just maybe he might get it. Then her smile wilted at the sight of Ben making his way through the crowd.

  “You need to go.” Tess shot to her feet, pulling Dean up behind her. “Just for a second. I'll come find you at the bar.” She nudged his shoulder.

  “What's wrong?” He glanced up at Ben's approaching figure.

  “Nothing. I'm right behind you. Promise.”

  Dean nodded and turned to melt into the crowd.

  “Made a friend tonight?” Ben asked. “That's a first. I've never seen you actually enjoy these parties. It's about time you loosened up.”

  “It's nothing. What did you need? I've left your tip with your assistant like always.” Tessa crossed her arms as if to protect herself from Ben. He was a jerk, but he was also her boss.

  “Recruit your friend,” Ben said. “And more importantly, his friends. He arrived with two girls, but they joined with the redhead and her boyfriends. We need to bring them all in. They are exactly what we are looking for tonight.”

  Tessa shook her head in confusion. “I've never been trained to recruit.”

  “But you have an in with your boy. He trusts you. Recruit him and the others, and you'll get to keep all of your winnings tonight.” Ben turned and walked away, leaving her gaping at him.

  The temptation was there. She needed the money. Living and training at Soma was so expensive. Having her full winnings would finally put her ahead.

  An unexpected surge of anxiety filled her. It wasn't even a question. She'd chosen her life at Soma because it was right for her, but it wasn't a life she would wish for Dean-not at his age. Growing up in the Fold had prepared her for the demands of Soma. There was no way she was recruiting him tonight. She had to get Dean and his friends out of here.

  ~~~

  “I need your help,” Tessa said to the stocky young man at the edge of the dance floor. James was the closest thing she had to a friend at Soma. They shared some of the same secrets and counted on each other when an ally was needed.

  “A reoccurring theme tonight,” James said with a knowing smile. “What's up little Tessie?”

  “Must you?” She rolled her eyes at the childhood nickname.

  “I must. Now, what have you gotten yourself into? I saw you with Mr. Brown eyes over there. You looked cozy.”

  “Ben wants me to recruit him.” She let a little of the panic she was feeling into her voice. “What do I do? I don't want … I can't let that happen.”

  “I've always told you not to get too close.”

  “I got too close. Now, I need to make him and his friends disappear.”

  “Use your rank.”

  “My rank?” She was a class four student with trainer status. About
as high as you could go as a Soma student.

  “Girl, are you blind?” James sighed patiently. “You have a rank for a reason. Half of the Amrita employees think of you as a celebrity, and the other half is afraid of you. Use that to your advantage.”

  “How?”

  “Walk out of here like you own the place. I'll keep Ben occupied while you do whatever it is you need to do.”

  ~~~

  “There you are.” Dean's smile did something to light her up inside. It wasn't just the male attention, although she'd had precious little of that in her nineteen years. It was just him and knowing without a doubt in her mind that he was right. They were equals. Everything in her responded to him and reminded her of how lonely she in with her solitary life. She couldn't face letting him go before they had a chance to explore this thing between them, but they were out of time. Dean needed to leave before he discovered more about Amrita than he ever wanted to know.

  Tessa had always supported Soma and their agenda to reach the younger generations to ensure they were properly trained. So many families insisted on sticking to the old ways. Keeping their kids at home and teaching them the way they'd been taught hundreds and even thousands of years ago. It was more important than ever for her generation to break away from the traditionalists to be taught by those who actually understood their modern gifts. Soma was the teacher so many of them needed, but it was a hard life. She didn't feel right about coercing anyone into it. Amrita existed because Soma needed new students. Most of those who came to Soma understood what they were getting into, and how lucky they were to be accepted. Dean was not one of those students. He was obviously trained well and didn't need Soma. And there was a big part of Tessa that just didn't want to see him make the kind of sacrifices she had.

  “It's time for you and your friends to leave,” she said quietly as she joined him at the bar. “Now.”

  “What's going on?” Dean asked, glancing around the bar with a worried frown.

  “No questions. Just trust me, okay?”

  “Okay.” He nodded. “We have what we came for now.” His hands tightened into fists at his sides. “We're going to get Quinn back.”

  “Quinn?” Tessa gasped. It couldn't be the same Quinn. She'd seen him around Soma often these last months. But she saw the family resemblance in Dean's strong jaw and lean build. He looked a great deal like his uncle. Not that she knew all that much about Livia's star pupil. What on earth could Dean and his friends have learned about Quinn tonight? He was back at Sterling Tower, far away from anything to do with Amrita. This was the last place Dean and his friends needed to be poking around for clues about their friend. Like it or not, Quinn was with Soma now. They needed to let him go and respect his decision to train with Livia. She and a million others would give anything to have that chance.

  Dean scowled down at her, his jaw ticking with tension, but he let the subject drop. “You're right. It's time we left.”

  “Can you get a message to all of them quickly? Tell them to follow us at a discrete distance?”

  Dean nodded. “Be right back.”

  She watched as he made his way through the crowd, seemingly comfortable with the party scene, like he was having the time of his life. He spoke with the redhead and returned to Tessa's side at the bar.

  “Are we good?” she asked.

  “Let's go.” Dean chugged the last of his beer and took her hand casually, but the warmth and easiness between them was gone now. As if speaking about Quinn had broken the spell of their romantic night together.

  Tess walked slowly with Dean at her side, trying to come up with a plan. One by one, his friends joined them seamlessly. They were so … natural together. Tessa's heart was pounding out of her chest, yet they all acted like a group of popular kids at the prom.

  “What's our next move?” Dean asked, twining his fingers with hers. “You've got this. Just tell us what we need to do.” He gave her hand a gentle squeeze, but he still seemed miles away from her now.

  “Follow me.” Tessa took a deep breath, dropping his hand and taking the lead. “Stay close. We're only going to get one shot at this.” She headed back down the corridor toward the VIP room with Dean and his friends at her back.

  A few guests lingered at the buffet as the crowd thinned near the arena. The euphoria of the last hours left her as they retreated across the quiet space.

  “What's up Natalie, er … wait, it's Tabitha, right?” The Amrita guard was just the guy she wanted to see. He was new and dumber than a box of dirt.

  “Heya, Tim.” She gave him a brilliant smile. “Just taking these guys to visit Ben.” She pointed over her shoulder at Dean and his ridiculously large group of friends. They were all idiots for coming here together like this. Individually, they might have pulled it off, but together they were bound to draw unwanted attention.

  How did I get caught up in this mess? Right, the cute boy at the bar. She caught Dean's gaze and gave him a hesitant smile. He returned her smile, but she got the sense he no longer trusted her. That crushed something inside her.

  “Oh, good, Ben's expecting you,” Tim said. He was busy stacking up all the rock climbing gear from each of the arrival points along the subway tunnel.

  Tessa had arrived by limo, but all of the Amrita guests had to prove their worth by scaling the enormous Detroit Avenue bridge to gain access to the arena. Neat piles of cam clips, bundled in groups of five, lay in precise lines across the table. Boxes of ropes and safety gear the guests weren't offered were already packed and ready to go beside the table. Those were for the Amrita staff's use during set up and take down, which meant take down was complete, and no one would notice a few kids scaling the bridge now.

  “He's in his office on the west bank.” Tim pointed down the long, dark tunnel. “You can't miss it. It's the only way out.”

  “Thanks, I've been looking for him everywhere.” Tessa shot him a grateful smile as she quickly grabbed two sets of cam clips when he wasn't looking. “Come with me, guys.” She waved for her “recruits” to follow.

  Tessa set an authoritative pace along the train tracks, daring anyone to ask her what she was up to. Dean and his curly haired cousin tailed her closely while the others dropped back a few paces. She wasn't even sure they really understood what was happening right now, but if Tess was caught helping them slip away, they'd all be in a boatload of trouble. She'd probably get kicked out of Soma for it.

  “We have to move fast,” she whispered.

  “We won't get far with those few clips you swiped.”

  “It might be enough for you all to make it to the street above us, though.” She grabbed his hand and moved quickly out of Tim's sight. “Through here,” she muttered, ducking through the narrow arches that stood between them and the open night. The wind whipped Tessa's hair as she leaned over the side of the bridge to see if they had a shot of making it to the top. “Right there.” She pointed to the nearest concrete pilaster. “You can climb up.” She pressed the clips into Dean's hand.

  “I've got it,” the cousin said, taking the cams and climbing out the archway like she did this kind of thing every day. “Send the others up behind me.” She leaned back in a moment later after placing the first of the cam clips into the solid concrete wall.

  One by one, Dean's friends filed out of the arched opening, moving swiftly and quietly.

  “Thanks,” the redhead said, dipping her head back inside after climbing out. “I like her.” She nodded at Dean. “She's good people.”

  “I'll be right behind you,” Dean said, turning back toward Tess. “Look, I-”

  Tessa grabbed his shoulders and pulled him down to meet her frantic kiss. His mouth pressed firmly against hers, and they leaned into each other. Their painful parting was only a breath away.

  “Come with us.” Dean pressed his forehead against hers, pulling her toward the edge.

  “Part of me wants to, but I just … I can't.” She pulled her hand from his vise grip. “You have to go, Dean.” She shov
ed him through the archway.

  He cupped her face, pressing his lips to hers one last time, and then he was gone.

  “My name is Tessa,” she called into the darkness behind him.

  ~~~

  CHAPTER

  THREE

  "What do you mean they left?" Ben stood behind his temporary desk, towering over Tess like an ominous storm cloud.

  "I looked for them all night." Tess tried to put the right amount of earnest sincerity in her voice, but she wasn't a good liar. She was quite terrible at it, actually. "I'm not a recruiter, Ben. I haven't had that kind of training. You know I'm a top tier student. Recruiting has never been part of my curriculum."

  "You spent all night with the brown one."

  "The brown one, really? Do you even hear yourself right now?”

  "In Egypt, I was an original brown one. I get to say that. Now, tell me how he slipped away like a ghost. One minute he was with you and the next, they all disappeared."

  "I tried to tell him about Soma but I spooked him. He and his friends are crazy powerful. Who knows what they did after I ran him off?”

  “You actually used the name Soma? Are you stupid? Remind me never to use you for recruiting ever again."

  “Relax. In three months, I'll be out of your hair forever.”

  "You've been counting the days since you started working my club. You think you're better than this place.”

  “Quite frankly, yes, I am. My assignment is coming through soon. Livia promised."

  "That was before her new prized pupils joined her household. Liv's forgotten all about you with Santi and Quinn at her heels like well-trained puppies."

  "Not so well-trained from what I hear," Tess muttered. "Can I go now? I have a suite at the Ritz calling my name.”