Envisioned (Immortal Chronicles Book 3)

by Samantha Britt

  His smile did not fade as he shrugged his shoulders and said, “I like dogs.” Like those three words explained everything.

  It was the most information Darcie had received from her low-key guard in the week they spent together, and she would take anything she could get. “Me too,” she offered.

  Now, his happy expression bestowed itself on her. She returned the gesture.

  Maybe I won’t be so lonely after all.

  4

  “You cannot seriously wish to watch that insipid movie again,” Gregory sputtered from his position by the doorframe. “That’s the third time in as many days.”

  Darcie sat on a black leather couch in the brothers’ media room, searching for her favorite romantic comedy on a movie app. “I seriously am,” she replied with no remorse. “It’s my favorite.”

  “Can’t we watch something else? Anything else?” Gregory sounded so pathetic; it was almost comical.

  Darcie turned her gaze to the vampire. “I did not think you watched the movies. Aren’t you supposed to be standing guard?”

  Instantly, she saw his somber demeanor return. Gregory rolled back his shoulders and looked away from her entertained expression. Though the two made progress in terms of communication the past couple of days, the vampire still took his duty seriously. Darcie felt bad for teasing him.

  “Oh, alright,” she said in defeat. “I will find something else.”

  Without sparing her a glance, Gregory said, “Thank you.” Though he turned his cheek to try and hide it, Darcie saw the corner of his lips twitch.

  Ridiculous.

  Darcie turned back to the immense flat screen hanging on the far wall and pressed the button for the search feature. As she scrolled through the newest releases, the teenager could not help but think how much more entertaining her time with the brothers could have been if only she’d known about the secret room.

  She had discovered the treasure two days ago and could not believe the immortal family had kept it a secret from her for so long. When she accused Lome of intentionally hiding the entertainment gem from her, he quickly claimed innocence. Besides, as he pointed out, she wasn’t allowed off the third floor in the beginning anyway.

  She decided to let the excuse stand, but now that Darcie was free to roam the entire estate, she was determined to find any and every hidden room. After all, what else did she have to fill her time?

  “How about a musical?” she asked over her shoulder. Gregory’s indignant objection nearly made her lose her cool. She had to bite the inside of her cheek to keep from laughing out loud.

  Darcie scrolled through various options, periodically asking her guard’s opinion. Given that he’d lightened up significantly and managed to make her days more bearable, she did not begrudge his picky movie choices.

  Finally, the duo settled on one of the original James Bond movies. Action and violence films were not necessarily Darcie’s cup of tea, but she’d seen the films with her dad enough to know the spy movies often had intriguing and entertaining plots.

  Burrowing down into the fluffy blanket she found on the couch, Darcie hit play and watched the opening credits. She smirked when she saw Gregory abandon standing and post himself in the recliner positioned closest to the door. His stiff and prepared posture never wavered, but every now and then, he would allow his attention to drift to the film unfolding on the screen in the front of the room.

  Not wanting to discourage his interest by getting caught observing him, Darcie faced forward and gave the movie her full and undivided attention.

  Loud music filled her ears, interrupting the peaceful dream filling her senses. Blinking her eyes open, Darcie scanned her surroundings, trying to figure out where she was.

  Gregory’s amused gaze snagged hers.

  “What?” she asked, self-consciously running a hand through her untamed hair.

  “I cannot believe you fell asleep,” he responded, shaking his head. “Who falls asleep during James Bond?”

  “Someone who has seen it before,” she muttered, wiping the sleep from her eyes. “Is it over?”

  “Yes,” he replied, gesturing to the screen as it rolled through credits. It was the ending music which had managed to wake her from the afternoon nap.

  “Did you like it?” she asked, stifling a yawn. She had experienced another vision last night, and it managed to significantly disrupt her sleep.

  “Yes.” Gregory stood and raised his arms to stretch out his long limbs. “It was quite good.” He reached over and flipped the light switch.

  “Ah!” Darcie threw the blanket over her head for protection from the brightness. “What are you doing? Why don’t you warn a girl?”

  Gregory’s rare and musical laugh filled the space. “Stop being such a baby.”

  Darcie tore off the blanket, planning on giving Gregory the meanest glare she could muster, but froze when her eyes caught sight of the individual standing in the doorway.

  Alexander, looking as refined and handsome as ever, stood at the entrance of the media room. His arms crossed his chest as he leaned against the solid doorframe, his dark-as-night hair concealing one of his ice-blue eyes. “What is going on in here?”

  Gregory leapt to his feet and whirled towards the open door in a bow; he did not need to look up to know who stood before him. “Sir.”

  Darcie observed her temporary guard with bulging eyes. He looked and sounded like he’d been caught doing something he shouldn’t have. She jumped to intervene on his behalf. “We were watching a movie,” she said like it was no big deal.

  Apparently, that had been the wrong thing to say. Alexander ignored her as he openly glared at the vampire in front of him. “Were my instructions not clear?” he asked in a low, ominous tone.

  Gregory remained in his subordinate position. “No, Sir. They were clear.”

  “Did my orders say anything about mid-afternoon movie dates?”

  “No, Sir.”

  Darcie stood from the couch, uncomfortable with watching the tense exchange. She needed to put a stop to it. “I was watching a movie, Alexander. Gregory was standing guard like he has been doing since you left. It wasn’t a date.” The last words put color on her cheeks, but she refused to let her overprotective friend punish her other friend.

  “Apparently, not with the amount of diligence I expected from my second-in-command,” he replied coolly, referencing Gregory’s guard duties.

  Her head furrowed. “That’s not true. He’s barely let me out of his sight.”

  Alexander smirked and ran his eyes over her with a knowing look. “I bet that’s true.”

  “But did you hear me arrive?” he quickly pivoted and asked Gregory, preventing Darcie from wondering about the meaning behind his loaded statement.

  The vampire still did not look up. “No, Sir.”

  “Exactly,” Alexander turned to give Darcie a pointed stare. Then, pushing off the doorframe, he said, “You are dismissed Gregory. We will discuss the matter later.”

  “Your Grace,” Gregory bowed even lower before rising and quickly departing.

  Your Grace? Darcie turned a raised an eyebrow, silently inquiring after the unusual title.

  Alexander noticed and scoffed. “It shows more respect than ‘Sir’,” was all he offered.

  She let it go. “You did not need to be so harsh,” she frowned. “It took forever for him to actually start being nice to me. Don’t ruin it.”

  Alexander shook his head with an incredulous laugh. “I do not believe I have ever heard anyone describe Gregory Fang as nice.”

  Darcie ignored the chill-worthy surname. “Well, he is. He’s been a lifesaver since you left.”

  Well, not the entire time. But Alexander did not need to know the full details of her sad misery the first days of his absence.

  “Careful, little one,” said Alexander with a smirk. “Or I might actually think you missed me.”

  She rolled her eyes. “I know. Weird, right? Who would have thought I would miss your endl
ess nagging?”

  His gaze traveled to the exit as he continued to laugh. “I am beginning to wonder if you have that effect on everyone you meet,” he said more to himself than to her.

  Confused, she tilted her head. “What effect?”

  “The ability to make even the most reserved and distant individuals drop their barriers for you. I have not seen Gregory smile in years.”

  Darcie looked away from his intense stare. She didn’t know what to say to that.

  Years? Gregory hadn’t smiled in years?

  All she could do was shrug as she tried to deflect Alexander’s words. “Beats me. Maybe he is finally coming around?”

  “Perhaps,” he allowed, giving her the out she so desperately wanted. “Other than your activities with Gregory, how have you been since I left?”

  “Fine,” Darcie shifted her stance. “Bored at first, but Gregory helped with that when he finally started talking to me.”

  “Bored? Indeed.” His lips turned down. “I am sorry to hear that.”

  “Don’t worry about it,” she was uncomfortable with the sense of pity she picked up from him. “What about you? How was your trip?”

  Alexander released a heavy sigh and sat down on the recliner Gregory had vacated. “Unsurprisingly unenlightening,” he replied. “The whole thing turned out to be a dead-end.”

  Sensing he seemed more open to discussing the matter than he was before he left, Darcie asked, “What was a dead-end?”

  He squinted at her, trying to decide if he should share the information. Eventually, he offered, “I met with some of my contacts from the rebellion. Unfortunately, not one of them offered a solid piece of intel regarding Adir’s location.”

  “Oh,” she said, slightly disappointed. It was only then that Darcie realized she had been hoping he was gone to search for her mother.

  Alexander did not miss the disheartened reaction. “What is it?”

  “Nothing,” she looked away and shrugged. “I thought it might have been about my mom.”

  “Ah,” he said knowingly. “Do not worry. I am still working diligently on that front, as well.”

  Darcie looked back at him and lifted the corner of her mouth. “I know. Thank you, Alex.”

  The vampire stiffened, and his eyes widened. “What did you just call me?”

  “Alex,” she replied, confused by his tense response. “Is that okay? It’s just that Alexander is such a mouthful. I figured Alex would be easier to say. Friends often use nicknames with each other…” she trailed off, forcing herself to stop rambling. His reaction was odd, but she did not need to babble like a nervous child.

  He continued to stare at her, unfathomable thoughts playing behind his blue eyes. There was something about the nickname that hit a nerve, but as Darcie continued to watch him, his reaction gradually relaxed. “Yes,” he said. “Alex is fine.”

  Darcie let loose the breath she had been holding.

  “Alexander?” an enchanting voice called from the hallway. Darcie and Alex turned to face the opening and watched as Julisanna came into view.

  The Original immortal wore a pale pink sundress, adorned with tiny yellow flowers. The design was concentrated at the hem and slowly faded as it moved up the A-line skirt. She tilted her delicately arranged blonde hair and watched the pair with curiosity.

  Whatever she saw put a tiny frown on her pink lips. “Alexander?” she repeated, eyes darting back and forth between them. “Are you ready for our walk?”

  The vampire donned his brightest smile as he looked at the beautiful immortal filling the doorway. “Yes, love. Just permit me one more minute and I shall meet you by the garden gates.”

  Julisanna’s eyes briefly narrowed, unhappy with being told to wait. But rather than voice her discontent, she smiled back at him with equal brightness. “Don’t take too long,” the words might have been said with a flirty tone, but Darcie heard the subtle warning. The immortal’s skirt flared out as she turned and walked away from the media room.

  Unable to hide her curiosity, Darcie looked at Alexander with a raised brow. “Love?” she repeated his term of endearment.

  He rotated and met her gaze without hesitation. “Yes?”

  Darcie rolled her eyes. “I wasn’t calling you love,” she said. “So… you and Julisanna, huh? Talk about a power couple.” She tried to say the words as a joke, but Darcie could not control the hint of disbelief covering the words. What was he doing spending time with the female immortal?

  Alexander merely shook his head and said, “Careful, little one. Jealousy is unattractive… even on someone as lovely as you.”

  5

  Training was cancelled the following day. Alexander had appeared at her bedroom door when she wasn’t at the field on time. Whatever reprimand he planned fell from his lips once he took in her state of disarray. Darcie had another insignificant vision in the middle of the night. It was the third one in a row, and she woke up in the morning with a queasy stomach and pounding headache.

  Whereas her first few visions had been interesting moments starring Des and the immortal alliance, the recent sights were nothing more than random peeks at daily occurrences throughout the mansion. Not that she did not care about the portly cook hired frivolously by the family, but Darcie was not keen to lose sleep over watching him debate the next dinner he would serve her.

  The only common denominator between all her visions thus far was that they all somehow related back to her. Whether it was the immortal family discussing her state of mortality, or Cook pondering which beef dish she would like best, every vision included her in some way. She tried to sit up, but immediately gave up when her stomach churned in protest.

  I thought this was over.

  Squinting her eyes, Darcie mourned the state of her body. Ever since she had started mental training with Henry, she ceased having drastic physical symptoms following her unanticipated visions. She was not entirely sure what caused the improvement in her body’s reaction to the supernatural gift, but she was grateful for it.

  Loud knocking sounded against the wooden door, making Darcie cringe as it sent a fresh wave of agony through her head. Alexander did not wait for a greeting before swinging the door open and entering the space.

  “My word,” he voiced in shock as his eyes took in the sight of her. “What is the matter?” He was by her side in a second.

  “I had another vision,” she croaked, her throat was dry.

  He released a low curse. “I thought you said this had stopped.” He placed cool fingers against her forehead. “You do not have a fever.”

  “That’s good,” she said. “Help me sit up?”

  Alexander wrapped an arm carefully around her shoulders and assisted her into a sitting position. He helped her scoot back until her back rested against the ornately carved headboard.

  Instead of stepping away, he sat on the edge of the mattress. “How long has this been happening? Did it happen while I was gone?” He did not attempt to conceal his worry.

  Darcie shook her head as much as she could. “This is the first time since I started training.”

  “Was it a lengthy vision?”

  She thought back to the recent kitchen scene. It felt like she was trapped there for hours, but she knew that was only because she was bored out of her mind. “No,” she replied. “But this was the third night in a row.”

  Alexander released a low hiss. “That is too much to handle.”

  “I figured,” she said, leaning her head back and closing her eyes. “They aren’t even important visions.”

  “What?” He did not hear her mumble.

  She cleared her throat. “I said, the visions aren’t even important. They are about nothing. Totally not worth feeling this way.”

  She felt the mattress move as Alexander inched closer. Once again, he put his chilly hands against her face. She managed a small chuckled and cracked an eyelid. “I don’t have a fever.”

  He pulled back his hand with a frown. “I wanted to double
check. Any idea why you are having an increase in visions?” he asked.

  Her current pain-filled state was the only reason she did not roll her eyes. “No. I’m not exactly super knowledgeable about this stuff.”

  “Something must be happening,” he said out loud. “Perhaps you are close to tapping into your full abilities.”

  “Well,” she tilted her head forward and met his gaze. “Apparently, my puny human body does not mesh well with my powers. Let’s hope this is as bad as it will get.”

  Instead of offering solace, Alexander’s jaw clenched, his eyes scanning hers. “You are too pale.”

  “Look who’s talking.”

  He did not respond to her joke.

  Alexander stood up and looked down at her, his face filled with anxiety. “I will find Henry and a Healer. Between the two of them, we should find a resolution for your current state.”

  “Sounds good to me.”

  With one last worried glance, the vampire spun around and quickly breezed out of the open door. Darcie gently rested against the headboard once again, praying her once-normal agony would soon pass.

  While Henry was not a clairvoyant warlock, he sure knew the tricks associated with the unique skill. He and the Healer arrived in Darcie’s room together. It was the first time Darcie had been conscious when one of the specialized beings treated one of her many ailments. She did not know what she had been anticipating, but the attractive young healer was not it. Nor, was his treatment protocol anything remotely familiar.

  The man’s chiseled jaw locked in concentration as his bare hands hovered inches above Darcie’s skin. Without speaking, he moved his palms over her entire body, as if scanning for the source of her troubles.

  At first, Alexander and Henry stood by her bed side, resigned to allow the Healer to do his work. When minutes passed with no information, however, both men became impatient.

  “She suffers from overstimulation of the mind,” Henry told the Healer with authority. “She needs to release the pressure.”