She was only surprised by one thing. “Gregory is ruthless?”
“Yes.” Paige bobbed her head emphatically. “He is a skilled fighter. Some say he is even stronger than King Alexander.”
Even though she knew Paige was being sincere, Darcie found the information amusing. Sure, Gregory came off as distant and stern in the beginning, but his actual personality was nothing but pleasant. She decided to keep the information to herself. She didn’t think Gregory would appreciate her spreading rumors that he was actually as soft as a teddy bear.
But, she thought conspiringly, I might just let him think I did. The idea made her laugh involuntarily.
Paige looked at her like she’d gone insane. “What’s so funny? I’m being serious.”
“I know,” she struggled to reign herself in. “I know you are. Sorry. I’m sure Gregory and Alexander are known for many things, but both of them have looked out for me since the day I met them. I trust them.”
Paige sat back, shaking her head. “I cannot believe you are so casual with them. It is almost as if you are friends.”
“We are friends.”
“I would be careful,” the girl said in a low voice. “Vampires are fickle creatures. They express loyalty one minute, and then turn on you the next.”
Undeniable frustration filled Darcie’s chest. She could not resist the urge to defend her friends. “How do you know that? You already said you haven’t spent much time around vampires.” Her tone was sharp and disapproving.
Paige, at least, had the decency to look embarrassed. “I’ve heard stories. My father and King Alexander have had disagreements in the past. It did not end well for my pack.”
Some of the fight left Darcie. “Maybe you should use those stories to be cautious, but let yourself decide if Gregory and Alexander are trustworthy on your own.”
Don’t let prejudice dictate your opinion of them.
The girl’s large brown eyes continued to watch her a moment longer before she rose from the chair. “I need to go shower,” she said, averting her gaze. “I’ll see you later.”
“Alright.” Darcie watched Paige disappear down the same hallway as Alex and Gregory. Part of her wished she had resisted calling out the biased comments about the vampires. It wouldn’t hurt for her to have another ally in the group. But she just couldn’t sit back and let her be afraid of Alex and Gregory, especially when Darcie knew how loyal and trustworthy they could be.
Sure, Alex could be a pain and act like he was all-knowing. The scene from Des’ bedroom came to mind. Even though she was still angry about his behavior, Darcie knew she’d already forgiven the vampire for his overprotective reaction.
She just needs time, Darcie told herself. Once Paige sees Alex and Gregory on her own, her opinion will change. Just like mine did…
Without even trying, Des’ handsome face filled her mind. She’d once considered him cold, distant, and arrogant.
Now, she knew there was much more to the powerful immortal, and she couldn’t wait to learn everything there was to know about him.
21
“You don’t seem to be trying.”
Darcie pushed herself up and bent down to brush the sand off her knees. She glared at Gregory before turning back around to face Mistress Lola. The gentle witch had taken up the role of Darcie’s trainer, and she met her pupil’s frustrated gaze with a patient one.
It was only their second session, but she couldn’t help but feel irritated by her lack of improvement. No matter how much she tried, or how many different techniques Mistress Lola suggested, she could not figure out how to manifest her abilities into physical form. The first and last time she’d experienced success was when she conjured the shield with Henry.
“Try again,” the witch stated calmly. “Take a breath. Relax your mind.”
Darcie did as instructed and inhaled, letting the salty sea air fill her lungs. The group’s condo had a private beachfront, and it was where her magical training sessions were held. Despite the fantastic view of the ocean, she was slowly growing to resent the sandy practice space. In a few more days, all she would associate with it would be failure.
Stop it. She shook her head and inhaled again. She needed to learn how to use her powers. She could not risk coming face to face with Adir without them. She wouldn’t give up.
Releasing the breath she’d been holding, Darcie closed her eyes and focused on her palms. She imagined orbs filling her hands, perfectly picturing the shapes she’d seen from her friends and the warlocks and witches. A bead of sweat rolled down her temple, its path distracting her for a split second. It was enough to cause her to lose focus. She ground her teeth, fighting the urge to give up.
Darcie flexed her fingers back before closing them in a fist. As always, she felt a subtle tingling sensation just underneath the top layer of her skin. The feeling always showed up whenever she tried to call on her powers. It seemed like the magic desired release and tried to push itself to the surface.
But it never did.
“Gah!” she unclenched her hands and opened her eyes. Her breathing was ragged as she struggled to catch her breath. She must have forgotten to breathe. She leaned forward to rest her trembling hands on shaky knees.
“That was better,” Mistress Lola called out as she moved closer. “I could feel more of your power coming forward that time.”
Darcie wiped the sweat from her forehead, but continued looking at the small grains of sand near her feet. “Why isn’t this working?” Even her voice sounded fed-up.
“Your powers spent years isolated from you,” Mistress Lola reached her side. “Think of them as a living, timid thing. They want to be released, but are unaccustomed to having access to your mind and body.”
“Shouldn’t they want to just jump out after being cooped up for so long?” Darcie stood and moved her hands to her hips, still panting. “My clairvoyant gifts certainly don’t mind wreaking havoc whenever they want.” She paused to catch her breath. “But I barely catch glimpses of any other powers. Maybe I don’t have a lot?”
The witch shook her head. “It is no surprise your clairvoyant abilities were the first to emerge. Given your bloodline, you are no doubt one of the most powerful clairvoyants and cognizants in the world.”
No matter how many times she heard it, the news still filled Darcie with dread. She didn’t know why, but something told her it was not a good thing to be the best of anything witch related. Her limbs continued to shake involuntarily.
“Your other abilities will simply take more time to call on and control,” Mistress Lola continued, seeming unaware of the teenagers less-than-enthused reaction. “But do not worry. They will come.”
Darcie remained unconvinced. “But I’ve turned eighteen,” she countered. “All my powers should have revealed themselves already. Right? I haven’t seen any evidence of other powers, I only feel them. Maybe they just aren’t strong?” Darcie didn’t know why, but a small part of her hoped she was right. Even though additional powers would be useful in a dangerous situation, she couldn’t deny she would be relieved to learn her abilities weren’t anything noteworthy. Maybe it was just a desire to be semi-normal? Or maybe she was just afraid of what the abilities might be.
Mistress Lola frowned and opened her mouth to object.
Before she could utter a sound, Gregory interrupted. “That is not entirely true.”
Both of the women turned to face him. “What isn’t true?”
The vampire gave Darcie a pointed look. “King Alexander informed the alliance of your actions in the dungeon with Adir. You utilized your powers then.”
“What?” She frowned and shook her head. The only time her powers worked was that one time with Henry. Otherwise, she’d been a complete failure. “No, I didn’t. Trust me, I would remember.”
Gregory did not back down. “Do you recall when Adir touched you? Of his powers attempting to harm you?”
Her mind flashed back, and Darcie felt a fresh wave of pain seep into
her nerves as Adir’s red lightening traveled across her skin. She remembered throwing her weight to try to break the immortal’s hold. She couldn’t believe she had been stupid enough to get close enough and allow him to grab her.
Unwilling to stay in the memory, she forced the torturous visions away. “Yes, I remember,” she bit out. “It’s kind of hard to forget.”
He nodded. “As it should be. Adir was attempting to kill you, and he would have succeeded if it wasn’t for your powers rising up to protect you.”
Darcie gaped at him. Just as she was about to deny it, Mistress Lola interrupted.
“He is right,” the witch stated calmly. “You would not have survived if your powers did not protect you. Adir knew you were a witch from that moment on.”
“But that doesn’t make any sense,” Darcie said, remembering how shocked and pleased Adir looked once he released her. She could still hear his crazed rambling. “Adir is an Original immortal. Immortals are stronger than half-breeds. He shouldn’t have had a problem killing me if he really tried.”
Over the past few weeks since his escape, Darcie had convinced herself that Adir hadn’t really been trying to kill her. He was just trying to hurt her, but he stopped when he realized Darcie’s concealed powers were trying to protect her. Nothing else made sense, but none of her allies shared her opinion. They all continued to believe Adir had actually tried to kill her.
“I cannot explain why Adir’s attempts did not work, but thank the Creator they did not,” Mistress Lola said seriously. “Your powers protected you for long enough, and that is what matters.”
Knowing that was the best she could hope to get out of them, Darcie let her shoulders sag as she dropped her hands from her hips. She knew she was being unreasonable. She should be thanking her dormant powers for saving her life in the dungeon, not trying to find a way to explain away their existence.
“Are we done for today?” she asked. She needed to be alone.
Mistress Lola’s expression softened. “Yes. We are done. You should get some rest.”
“Thank you.” Darcie nodded towards the witch before moving away to the condo’s backdoor. She couldn’t hear Gregory’s silent steps, but she did not need to turn around to know he was right behind her as she walked across the sandy beach. He did not let the change of location impact his role as her bodyguard. No matter where she was, Gregory was never far away.
When Gregory remained silent, Darcie asked, “What is it?” She knew there was something that kept the normally talkative vampire quiet.
He barely allowed one second to pass before saying, “Why do you wish to keep your abilities hidden?”
She stopped walking. Turning to him, she did not waver as she said, “I’m not.”
He didn’t believe her. “Then why are you trying to convince others and yourself that your abilities did not save you from Adir’s attack?”
“Because it shouldn’t have worked,” she said without hesitation. “An Immortal, especially one of the Original Nine, should be able to kill a half-breed easily. Right?”
Slowly, Gregory nodded.
“Exactly,” she exhaled. “It doesn’t make sense. If Adir was trying to kill me, my powers shouldn’t have been enough to stop him.”
She contemplated not saying it, but she couldn’t fight the desire to share one of the many worries troubling her. “After Adir realized my powers were hindering his attack, he stopped. On his own. Not because my powers made him. Once he let go, he started rambling about how I had to be kept alive. I don’t know what he realized, but whatever it was, it put me even higher on his list.”
“He realized you were a witch,” Gregory stated plainly. “You may not realize it, but powerful witches and warlocks are few and far between. I would bet Adir got a sense of how strong you are. That is why he has interest in you. That is why he stopped trying to kill you.”
His words did nothing but validate Darcie’s desire to not have powers. Not wanting to argue anymore, she turned around and walked to the condo. Opening the back door, she disappeared inside and moved to the stairs to disappear in her bedroom.
Her escape plan was thwarted by a slender figure standing in the hallway. Jennifer Bane was positioned between Darcie and her solitude, and she didn’t look like she planned to move aside.
“Hello,” her mother said.
It was the first time Darcie had seen the woman since they arrived in Florida. She’d made herself scarce during the couple of days. It seemed like she had been avoiding her daughter.
“Hello,” she replied coolly. A slight shift in the air told her Gregory stopped close behind her.
The woman’s blue eyes traveled over her shoulder. “Gregory,” she greeted the vampire with warmth and familiarity.
“Mistress Jennifer.”
Her mother tilted her head in acknowledgement with a small smile. As she turned back to face her daughter, though, the light expression fell away. Her lips formed a thin line. “I hear your training is not progressing well.”
A bolt of anger shot down Darcie’s spine. “No,” she bit out. “It isn’t.” She resisted her instinct to turn on her heel and walk away. How could her mother think she could just pop up out of nowhere and start discussing her failure with using her powers. It was tactless… and rude.
Instead of saying any of her thoughts out loud, Darcie simply crossed her arms and braced herself for whatever else her distant mother might say. She resigned herself to not let any of her emotions show.
“Has Lola presented different variations for you to try?” Jennifer looked at Gregory. “Has she tried meditation? I know I needed time to get out of my head before–”
“I’ve been given plenty of strategies,” Darcie interrupted, unable to listen to her mother try to make comparisons between them. She didn’t care if they were related or if they had similar traits. She wasn’t in the mood to have the conversation with her, and she doubted she ever would be.
“I’m just not great at it,” she added when both Gregory and her mother remained silent.
From the corner of her eye, Darcie saw her friend move forward until he stood beside her. He bobbed his head towards her mother. “Mistress Lola is proving herself knowledgeable and resourceful.”
Darcie could practically hear his unspoken thought: The problem isn’t the teacher. It’s the student.
Her mother’s lips drew tighter together. “Perhaps I can sit in on a session or two? Maybe I will be able to offer assistance.”
“Thanks, but I’m sure we will be fine. You seem busy.” The words fell out of Darcie’s mouth, almost like they formed on their own.
Not willing to stay to hear her mother’s reply, she said, “I’m tired. I think I’m going to take a nap.” She moved towards her mother and squeezed past her to proceed down the hallway. A murmured conversation met her ears, but Darcie continued moving and started to climb the stairs. She had no interest in contemplating what Gregory and her mother would be talking about. No doubt, it centered on her and her continued failure.
Just as she reached the top of the staircase, Darcie felt a light touch on her elbow. She looked back and was met by concerned, dark blue eyes.
Gregory dropped his fingers. “Are you alright?”
She bit her lip and turned. She refused to break down out in the open. She quickly opened her bedroom door and walked over to sit on her bed. Gregory followed her in and closed the door behind him.
“Are you alright?” he repeated now that they were alone.
“I’m fine.”
He moved closer until he sat beside her on the bed. The mattress dipped, making her body lean towards him, but there was enough space between them that their legs were not touching.
“Care to explain what that was down there?” His tone held no reprimand, only curiosity.
She sighed, surprised to realize she wanted to unload her burden. “I don’t know her. I haven’t spoken to her since we got here. I’m irritated with myself for failing to use my abilit
ies,” she listed off the items like she read them from a piece of paper. “I didn’t want to listen to her try and offer me advice when she’s barely spoken to me.”
He paused. “I see.”
Darcie kept her eyes down on her hands. “Why can’t Henry train me? I was making progress with him.” The last part wasn’t entirely true, but at least Henry was a familiar face–someone she trusted. Someone who hadn’t abandoned her as a child.
“Henry was unable to train you on clairvoyant abilities, and their emergence almost killed you,” Gregory did not hold back. “The Nightsbane clan is the only one who can help you. Mistress Lola is a skilled witch.”
“That’s another thing,” Darcie looked up. “My mom is a Nightsbane witch. Why isn’t she the one training me?”
The bedroom door opened just as she finished the question. Alex quietly stepped inside and shut the door. He turned to face the pair on the bed, but Gregory quickly stood and moved away from Darcie. She looked at the vampire and frowned, noticing his guilty expression.
Why does he look like that? We were just talking.
“Your mother isn’t training you,” Alex’s voice drew her attention away from Gregory. “Because she is needed for scouting missions. Master Ben decided Mistress Lola would oversee your training.”
Darcie frowned. “Why does he get to decide?”
“Because he is the leader of the Nightsbane clan.” Alex leaned against the wall next to the entrance and turned his head as he observed her. “I heard about your training.”
She scoffed. “So my mother just runs straight to you? Figures.”
“No,” Alex’s voice was low. “Lola told me about your training. She said you seemed distracted.”
Darcie shrugged, brushing away the fact that her assumption had been wrong. “I’m not distracted. I am doing my best, but I can’t get my powers to do what I want.”
His eyes continued to assess her. “And your other abilities? Have any visions lately?”
Envisioned (Immortal Chronicles Book 3) Page 16
