Envisioned (Immortal Chronicles Book 3)

by Samantha Britt

  “You are willing to risk her?” Thane asked, turning his head sideways as he looked between Des and Darcie on opposite sides of the room.

  “For Bella,” Darcie was the one to speak. “We are all doing this to help find Bella.”

  The wait was nerve-wracking. Darcie was going on the task force, she did not doubt it. But things would be much easier if she didn’t have to sneak out of the mansion to escape Thane’s overprotective notice.

  She was surprised, however, when Thane finally bobbed his head in a final nod. “Very well. Let us move on to discuss who will be joining Darcie’s party for the search efforts.”

  18

  The next two days were full of mayhem as the brothers, The Council, and other prestigious members of the alliance strategically planned the details of the three task forces. Each group would be charged with investigating plausible sightings of Adir or known rebels. Darcie spent most of her time bedridden in her room, but she made sure Gregory reported back all of the information he could gather regarding the specifics of each task force. She had heeded the alliance’s demand only for the sake of letting them feel assured her health would return before leaving the mansion, but she refused to be in the dark anymore.

  Through the vampire, she learned group one would consist of witches and warlocks already working for the alliance, as well as werewolf escorts known for their scenting abilities. Their missions would consist mainly of sniffing out rebel bases and conducting spy missions for the alliance’s use.

  Group two, Darcie’s group, included: Darcie, Alexander, Gregory, two werewolves she had yet to meet, as well as Jennifer and a witch named Mistress Lola. Using the heightened powers of the Nightsbane clan, they would search for Adir with the hopes of seeing through any of his cloaking spells. When she had commented that the number seemed small – she’d expected Thane to insist they send an army with her – Gregory had shrugged and said that The Council did not want to draw too much attention to the group. The goal was for the majority of the alliance, and also the rebellion, to believe Darcie remained safely tucked away in the brother’s mansion.

  It made sense, and Darcie wasn’t about to complain. She enjoyed knowing she wouldn’t be completely surrounded by strangers hell-bent on protecting her. Then again, maybe she would have appreciated the additional buffer between her and her mother. She wasn’t surprised Jennifer Bane was assigned to her group, but Darcie did not like that the woman had inserted herself in her daughter’s life. Especially when the woman hadn’t even tried to talk to her yet.

  She shrugged her annoyance away. Even though there was a third group with the same mission, and one of the Nightsbane warlocks had agreed to separate from Darcie to lend his skills to them, she knew she couldn’t expect the volunteer to be her mother. It sure would have made the impending trip much less awkward, though.

  Darcie stepped out of the shower, careful to tie the belt tightly around her waist before she walked back into her bedroom. Going to the vanity table, she picked up a comb and began working out the tangles in her wavy, wet hair. Shifting her eyes over in the mirror, she saw Gregory sitting in the same spot she left him, still reading the Sherlock Holmes book.

  “Have you ever seen the movies?” she asked, the comb snagging on a knot.

  He didn’t even look up. “Not yet,” he replied, knowing exactly what she was talking about.

  “They’re really good,” she said, working through the troublesome hair. “Robert Downy Jr. is an awesome actor.”

  “We will have to rent them then.” Gregory still didn’t look her way as he grabbed the corner of the page and turned it. Although he was normally nothing but vigilant, Gregory did not attempt to survey the room or turn her direction when she came out of the shower. Darcie remembered how red his pale cheeks had turned the first time he saw her in the thick, fluffy robe. Despite the fact she was completely covered, the vampire had been mortified by her “state of undress” as he called it.

  She smiled but suppressed her amusement as she finally turning her attention away from the secretly-friendly vampire. She didn’t mean to embarrass him, but Darcie hated putting on clothes right after a hot shower. The fabric clung uncomfortably. Instead, she let her skin return to normal underneath the cover of the modest robe.

  “Sure,” she said, talking about the movie. “Sounds good.”

  Darcie stared at her reflection as she continued to work through her wet hair, noting the slight tan to her skin and the emergence of new freckles. Normally, she hated the inherited feature, but the small brown dots paired well with her newly bronzed skin. The Grecian sun had left its mark on her winter skin tone. Though she was far from being as tan as the immortals, at least she had the vampires beat. She grinned and flicked her gaze over to Gregory. Still engrossed in the book, he did not notice her perusal.

  His eyes were several shades darker than Alexander’s pale color. The darker blue contrasted more with his skin, making him seem paler than her first vampire acquaintance. Darcie’s mind wandered and she contemplated what other vampires might look like. Did they all have midnight black hair and blue irises? Or were there variations in Adir’s offspring that she had yet to see?

  “Are you done?” Gregory asked, not looking up from the pages.

  She blinked. “Am I done with what?”

  “Staring at me.” Gregory lifted his gaze and raised a hand to brush away strands of his hair.

  Instead of being embarrassed, Darcie verbalized her internal questions. “Do all vampires look like you? Are you all descendants of Adir?”

  Gregory closed the book. “No. Vampires can come in all forms, especially those who were created, not born. But, yes. All born vampires originated from Adir’s bloodline.”

  “So, he is your father too?” Darcie struggled to think how difficult it was for Alexander to turn on his father and help the alliance. Even though Adir was evil, it couldn’t have been an easy thing to do.

  Her worries for Gregory’s conflict were alleviated when he shook his head. “No. My father was another vampire–Alexander’s former second-in-command.”

  Her eyes widened. “Vampires can have children?”

  “With human women, yes.”

  Her stomach churned. “Oh. That’s uh… a little creepy.”

  He smirked. “I would agree. But do not fret, my father loved my mother. Once I was born, he turned her. I grew up in a stable, two parent household.”

  Even some vampires get better childhoods than me.

  Almost as soon as the thought crossed her mind, Darcie dismissed it. Her dad gave her a great life. She didn’t need a mom.

  “Is that normal?” she asked, still looking at him through the mirror. “For vampires to have kids with humans.”

  “Not at all. My parents are the only couple of their kind.”

  “That’s kind of awesome.” Darcie spun around and leaned against the vanity table. “I might regret this question, but how long ago was that?”

  Gregory’s smile grew wider. “Less than one hundred years ago. And before you comment, you should know I am young in terms of vampire standards.”

  Darcie snapped her jaw back up. She hadn’t realized it popped open. “If that is young, how are you Alexander’s second-in-command? He’s like… a thousand years old. Shouldn’t someone way older be his go-to-guy?”

  His back straightened and pressed against the chair. “I am strong and loyal like my father. Once he stepped down, King Alexander requested I take his place.”

  Darcie cringed. She didn’t mean to offend him. She was still trying to wrap her head around everything; she should have realized how her question would come off.

  She cleared her throat. “I didn’t mean anything by it.”

  His rigid posture relaxed. “I know.”

  Then, he said, “You still haven’t asked about it, you know.”

  She tilted her head. “Asked about what?”

  “The fact Alexander is a king.”

  “Ah,” Darcie averted her gaze.
Her eyes roamed the room until they landed on the violet panels covering the far window. Knowing he waited for a response, she shrugged and said, “I shouldn’t be surprised. I knew he was a leader. He is a natural at bossing people around.”

  A short laugh reached her ears. “Yes. Alexander is very good at his position.”

  Darcie crossed her arms. “How did he get to be king? Isn’t it supposed to be hereditary or something?”

  “There are five of Adir’s children still living. Alexander is one of them. A couple hundred years ago, there were skirmishes between covens for territory. The human casualties were immense, and The Council felt the need to step in,” Gregory explained.

  Her eyes traveled back. “What happened?”

  “Adir intervened and proposed the vampire world be divided up amongst his children. They would be in charge of monitoring the activities of vampires within their region, and they would be the enforcers of The Councils’ rules regarding vampire activity and behavior.”

  “So Adir just established these underground monarchies?” Darcie frowned. “What about humans? Or the other half-breeds?”

  “Most vampire rulers have no sway over the other half-breeds in their area. Clans and packs tend to have their own hierarchy of power within their respective communities. It is only Alexander who has made the effort to foster a relationship with the other supernatural beings in his region.”

  She nodded, not surprised given Alex’s friendship with her mother. “But what about humans? Where do we fit in all of this?” Darcie might be a witch, but witches were still human. She had no plans to join one of their clans, and she needed to know what impact that would have on her future.

  “The Council’s stance is explicit. No human life is to be interfered with in a negative way. They limit lesser immortals’ interactions with humans as well as our own.”

  “But how does that work when vampires ‘turn’ humans or have kids with human women?” Darcie shook her head. “No offense to your family, but those don’t seem like positive interferences.

  “Vampires who unwillingly turn humans face decapitation at the hands of their leader. Though, some monarchs choose to be more lenient than others.”

  “Alexander?” Darcie didn’t want to think her recent friend allowed his subjects to commit such crimes.

  “Most of his days are spent hunting down the violent members of his coven. None go unpunished.”

  Darcie slumped back against the table. Her chin dropped with relief. “Good.” At least she knew she was right to trust him.

  “Are you prepared for the task force?” Gregory asked, taking her mind off of her friend’s unique job. “Is there anything else you think you might need.”

  “No.” She managed a small grin. “You and Eshe seem to have taken care of everything.”

  While the higher-ranking alliance leaders planned the strategy for the missions and security of the task forces, Gregory and Eshe took it upon themselves to meticulously plan for Darcie’s departure. Their frivolous packing included a variety of clothing, toiletries, and entertainment activities just in case “things grew dull”.

  Darcie had laughed in Eshe’s face when the immortal told her about everything she had sent to group two’s safe house. Despite her best attempts, Darcie could not convince either of her friends that the extra items were unnecessary. She was going on a manhunt, not a vacation. Gregory and Eshe had ignored her.

  He shrugged, unaffected by her subtle teasing. “You will thank Eshe and I when the stakeouts last for hours. I’ll be sure to add the Sherlock Holmes’ movies to the online database. We can watch it anywhere we have internet.”

  “Thank me for what?” Eshe walked into the room, not bothering to knock. She glanced between the sitting Gregory and robe-covered Darcie.

  “For oversupplying me with everything,” Darcie answered, pushing off of the vanity. She walked towards the bathroom. “I’m going to change. Afterwards, do you guys want to grab some lunch? I’m starving.” Long gone were the days she felt awkward eating with immortals who didn’t need food and vampires whose diets were a tad bit disgusting. Gregory and Eshe were her friends, and friends ate meals together. Not to mention, Darcie craved the normalcy of the activity.

  “Sure, but we will need to be quick. You are scheduled to leave this afternoon.”

  “Got it,” she effectively hid her anxiety as she continued towards the adjacent room.

  Once inside, she closed the door and leaned against the solid structure. Darcie inhaled deeply, willing her nerves and fear to disappear. She reminded herself that she wanted to go on the mission. She was excited to no longer be left out. A little anxiety was normal. At least… that’s what she told herself over and over until she started to buy it.

  “There they are. See, I told you they wouldn’t be late.”

  Darcie and Gregory walked into the garage. The mansion’s extension was located on the back of the property and filled with numerous vehicles of all shapes and sizes. In the center of the space stood Thane, Alexander, Des, and two average-looking individuals. Off to the side, Charmian stood with her three offspring. Their heads were lowered and they spoke with soft voices. Registering it was Alex who addressed their entrance, she and Gregory moved to stand by the central group.

  “Right on time,” Thane said by way of greeting. “I trust you are prepared for your departure?”

  “Yes,” she replied.

  Darcie moved her eyes to the two dark-eyed strangers. “I don’t think we’ve met. I’m Darcie.” She held out her hand.

  The unfamiliar man stepped forward and took her palm in his. “Lucas,” he introduced himself. “Pack leader of the Northwestern Pack.”

  Realization dawned as Darcie finally placed the man. When she had first spied on the alliance’s meeting, Lucas was particularly vocal about his mistrust of Alexander and his coven. She learned later he was a werewolf… werebeast… whatever they called themselves. His thick build and dark brown hair fit him well, making him look years younger than he was.

  Her gaze darted to Alexander. He seemed to read the silent question in her eyes and said, “Lucas and his daughter will be accompanying our task force for their scenting ability.” As he finished explaining, Darcie’s attention moved to the young woman standing beside Lucas.

  She was a little shorter than Darcie, though not by much. Her hair and eyes were a rich chocolate brown, and her skin looked darkened by the sun. The young woman looked to be of Native American or Hispanic descent. She was obviously really pretty, but a deep frown marred her overall appearance.

  “This is my daughter, Paige,” Lucas introduced.

  Darcie held out her hand again. Though she looked like the act pained her, Paige gave it a quick handshake before immediately dropping her arm. The young woman focused her gaze on the floor.

  So… she’s not friendly. Got it.

  “Nice to meet you both,” Darcie managed despite her unease. “Thank you for being willing to help us.”

  Lucas tipped his head forward. “Our pack will do whatever it can to facilitate the capture of Lord Adir. We have the best scenters in the entire werebeast community. If he has left a scent anywhere, we will find it.”

  Her responding smile was shaky at best. It did not escape Darcie’s notice that Lucas still bestowed a formal title before Adir’s name. It seemed all half-breeds viewed the Original Immortals above themselves. Except for Alexander. He was the only one who treated the originals like normal people.

  But they aren’t normal.

  Darcie needed to remember that. She’d seen a different side of the immortals, and she knew it was only because they believed she was one of them. A part of her wondered how different things would be if she met the brothers as a member of the Nightsbane clan. Something told her she may have not received as much consideration… or care.

  “The Alliance appreciates your assistance,” Thane stepped forward and clasped a hand on Lucas’ shoulder. “Your skills combined with the tracking spells of
the Nightsbane clan will no doubt lead us directly to where Adir is hiding.”

  Lucas lowered his head even further. Thane did not let the movement disconnect his hand.

  “Do not forget about Gregory and myself,” Alex spoke up, drawing the entire group’s attention.

  “Of course.” Thane finally disengaged from the bowed man. “I am indebted to you and your second for offering your protection services for Darcie. As you all know,” his head swiveled around the group, “she is invaluable to my brothers and me, but her training with the Nightsbane clan is of the utmost importance.”

  Darcie’s cheeks flamed, and she averted her eyes. Unfortunately for her embarrassment, they decided to land on Des. The two hadn’t spoken much since their heated conversation, and she was unable to ignore the feeling that he was avoiding her. Darcie had tried to wander into areas of the house he might be, even going so far as to knock on his bedroom door the previous day, but she never found him.

  Now, however, Des was there, and he wasn’t avoiding her gaze. The conversation continued around them, but Darcie did not hear a word. She was lost in a sea of green, dazzled by the emotion she felt shining out of his stare. There were too many to name, but she swore she detected regret.

  Suddenly, Des held out a hand to her. Without thought, she lifted her arm and placed her palm in his. It was strange; she almost felt hypnotized as Des led her away from the group. Vaguely, she realized the garage settled into a moment of loaded silence as they walked away.

  Darcie didn’t care. Her attention remained solely on the hand which held hers, and the sparks of attraction she had started to miss.

  Des continued to walk out of the garage and into a grass field. Darcie’s shorts proved ineffective in protecting her against the tall grass despite Des’ best attempts to clear a path for her. The exposed skin stung with small red marks before they finally stepped onto another well-manicured lawn.