Envisioned (Immortal Chronicles Book 3)

by Samantha Britt

  “What’s going on?” Bella asked, crossing the room to stand by Darcie’s side.

  Faine’s gaze flicked between Bella and Darcie before landing on the teenager. “I am here to witness your transition. I brought one of the Elders with me.”

  Darcie groaned.

  Like I know what any of that means.

  Bella, on the other hand, knew exactly what Faine was talking about. The immortal gasped loudly, drawing Darcie’s attention.

  “That is what Henry meant by transition? Absolutely not,” Bella said in a shaky voice. “This is madness. You cannot do this Adir,” she swung her gaze to the rebel. “It goes against nature. This is not right.”

  The lingering feeling of dread began to grow in Darcie’s gut. The atmosphere in the room intensified exponentially.

  Adir waved a hand in the air, dismissing Bella’s objections. “Nothing in this world is right so long as The Council and the brothers hold power over the rest of us. Completing Darcie’s transition and securing her powers for our cause will help rectify that.”

  Her uneasiness began to gnaw at her. “What transition?” she asked. “What are you talking about?”

  Surprisingly, it was Faine who answered her, “Your transition of mortality. Not long from now, you will undergo a ceremony to change into an immortal.”

  She wasn’t sure what an appropriate reaction would have looked like, but Darcie suspected her unreserved laughter was not one.

  The immortals around her all looked at her like she was crazy.

  “I am glad you seem to find levity in the situation,” Adir finally said when her laughter began to die down.

  Darcie choked on her words, wiping tears from the corners of her eyes. “That is so bizarre. For real. I can’t believe you think I would buy that.” Her amusement continued while Adir’s frown deepened.

  “Trust me,” his voice was annoyed. “I am not trying to get you to ‘buy’ anything.”

  It was his serious tone, Faine’s stoic expression, and Bella’s horror which finally drained Darcie of all amusement.

  He’s being serious.

  “But how is that even possible?” Darcie asked with alarm. She wanted to dissuade them from their manic plan any way she could. “I’m just a human. A half-breed. Whatever. I can’t be an immortal.”

  “Ah,” Adir interrupted. “But, actually, you can. Are you not Des’ One? Just like Eshe and Bella transformed, so will you.”

  “But they were only able to do that because they were married,” she countered. She spun around to face Bella with pleading eyes. “Right?”

  Bella stood still. Her face was frozen with horror. She didn’t say anything.

  Darcie turned back to Adir to try another tactic. “Des hasn’t even confirmed I am the one,” she lied. “This won’t work.”

  “Oh, but I think it will,” Faine spoke up. The words were not said cruelly, but they would forever make the immortal one of Darcie’s enemies.

  Darcie clenched her hands. “You don’t know anything.”

  “Oh, but I do,” Faine was undeterred. “I happened to overhear one of your many conversations with Des. Or, should I say, I stumbled upon the two of you when you were expressing your feelings for one another.”

  She willed no emotion to show. “So, we care about each other. That doesn’t mean I’m his one.”

  Instead of considering her rebuttal, both Adir and Faine laughed. They laughed in her face.

  “Oh, Darcie,” Adir chuckled. “You are adorable. You don’t give up, do you?”

  She crossed her arms and turned her head. She did not want any of them to see her distress. She had to find a way out of the situation.

  “You are going to make an excellent life partner,” he continued. It almost sounded unintentional.

  “I don’t know what you think is going to happen,” Darcie returned her gaze to him as she spat out the words. “But we aren’t a thing, Adir. And we never will be.”

  The immortal was unaffected. “It is a pity no one ever told you of the intricacies of transitions and bonding. Rest assured, Darcie, I will never willingly leave you in the dark once we are bonded.”

  She leaned away from the awkward and intimate word. It was the first time she’d heard him mention anything about bonding. The same could be said for Bella, and the immortal’s reaction to the information was not favorable.

  Darcie’s immortal friend surprised them all by shoving her down to the ground before whirling around and slicing the air with a beam of her blue immortal power.

  Darcie covered her head as portions of the ceiling came down around her. She glanced frantically towards her friend. Bella continued to swipe her hands from side to side. They weren’t the most powerful attacks she’d ever seen, but they were enough to put Adir and Faine on the defensive. The pair knelt behind shields made of their own influence.

  “Get out of here, Darcie,” Bella panted in between bursts of power. “Use your abilities. You should be able to transport.”

  Panic settled in her chest. Adir’s plans must be horrific to snap the immortal out of her brainwashed state. “I don’t know how!”

  “Run to the d–” Bella’s reply died on her lips as a red bolt of lightning hit her in her left temple. Darcie screamed as she watched the electric force enter through one side of Bella’s head and exit the other.

  Her brown eyes turned bloodshot moments before they rolled into the back of her head. Bella collapsed to the floor and remained unmoving.

  31

  “NO!” Darcie jumped up and rushed towards her friend. She threw herself on the ground beside her, choking when she saw the blood trailing from Bella’s ears and nose. She placed shaky fingers against her throat, then her wrist.

  She felt nothing.

  No, no, no.

  She tried to pick up Bella’s limp form, but she was pulled away before she could get a good grip. A strong forearm banded against her stomach while another one latched across her chest and arms to keep her from flailing.

  “Bella!” Darcie cried out, not noticing the hot, angry tears running down her cheeks. She kicked against the person holding her back. “Let me go. Bella! Bella, wake up!”

  The person holding her was strong. She barely registered it was Adir who held her until she heard him say to Faine in a low voice, “Do not question me. She served her purpose. She led the alliance to us. Her time was up. We can’t let Thane keep her. She’s his advantage.”

  Darcie screeched, and her attempts to free herself increased. She jerked her head from side to side, and she noticed Faine’s pale face through her blurry vision.

  “You let him kill her!” she accused in a shout. “You are both murderers!”

  The arm around her chest moved up to her throat. “That is enough,” Adir commanded.

  Then, to Faine, he said, “Go get the Elder. We need to get this over with.”

  Darcie did not need to guess what the immortal was talking about. She started to scream and shout obscenities. She didn’t care that Adir threatened to choke her. While she did not put anything past the immortal anymore, she knew he needed her for whatever he had planned. He wouldn’t kill her. Not yet, anyway.

  So, she continued yelling. She hoped that someone in the house would hear her and come to her aid.

  No one did.

  Darcie wasn’t sure how long Faine was gone. She didn’t even hear her leave. Adir continuously told her to be quiet or else, but she did not heed any of his requests or demands. She would never willingly go along with anything he wanted.

  He killed Bella.

  She wished she could deny it. She wished she could say Bella was just knocked unconscious, but there was no life left in the immortal’s cold, limp body. Of all the horrible things Darcie had seen and experienced, she never could have imagined things would turn out that way. She couldn’t believe her friend was gone.

  The acknowledgement brought on a fresh wave of tears and new stamina. She refused to let Adir complete his plan without a f
ight. Bella would not die in vain. She continued to kick, scream, and fight. Adir never loosened his grip.

  Vaguely, she heard the sound of the door creak behind them.

  “Finally,” Adir barked. “Get started. Now!”

  “No!” Darcie squirmed and tried to head-butt the immortal. A hunched figure appeared in her peripheral vision. Seeing the newcomer made her pause for a moment.

  The individual wore a dark, tattered cloak. A hood concealed his face, but it was easy to see his age through the poor posture and slow movement.

  Surprisingly, however, the individual’s voice sounded strong and youthful. “Are you sure this is what you wish to do, Lord Adir?” Darcie’s hope lifted. Finally, someone who was reasonable and questioned the deranged immortal.

  The emotion was short-lived, however, when Adir responded with a menacing growl. “Do it now, or I swear you and all of your kind will never have a peaceful moment from this day forward.”

  The hooded figure dipped his head ever so slightly. “As you wish.” Then, he began muttering in an ancient language. For a second, Darcie thought it might be Latin, but she realized quickly that none of the words triggered her memory. She would have recognized at least something from the years she spent studying the dead language.

  Despite the newcomer’s submission, Darcie refused to give up the fight. She kept twisting, thrashing, and shouting for help. Her desperation increased when she saw the hooded man lift two age-spotted hands towards her.

  “No, please! Don’t do this.”

  The man did not stop. A suffocating feeling pressed down on her and filled her nostrils. She lost the ability to scream. Her lungs expanded with the unknown sensation, making her feel like she couldn’t breathe.

  No. Tears completely flooded her vision. Please, no.

  Darcie didn’t believe what was happening.

  She couldn’t believe Adir had won.

  She refused to believe he had killed Bella and was not being punished for it by some cosmic-power.

  Where was The Creator? Where was the being responsible for the entire mess? Where was he when her innocent friend was killed by one of his creations? Why didn’t he stop him?

  Why doesn’t he stop him, now?

  The man’s voice elevated. With the rise in volume, the power pressing down on Darcie increased exponentially. Dark flecks popped up in her vision. It felt like her head was about to explode just as the hooded man uttered his last word.

  Please, God, she uttered in a desperate, silent prayer. Please don’t let Adir win.

  A small sense of peace floated into her mind. It almost felt like her pained skull was being gently cushioned by a pillow and caressed by reassurance. Darcie barely had time to acknowledge the surprising relief before the world exploded in a whirl of color and pulled down a black curtain, casting her into darkness.

  Epilogue

  It felt like every muscle in her body was tearing. She swore she heard the sound of her bones popping even with her agonizing screams filling the room. With a desperate gasp for hair, Darcie flung herself up into a sitting position. She was having a nightmare. No one was actually trying to pull her limbs in different directions.

  At least, not physically.

  Frantically, Darcie whipped her head around, taking in her surroundings. She was alone and in the over-the-top room Henry had escorted her to.

  The same room where the hooded man completed whatever spell he placed on her.

  The same room where Bella died.

  Darcie’s eyes landed on the spot she’d last seen her friend. There was no trace of what had happened, but the image would forever be seared in her mind. A lone tear rolled down her face. She felt its path keenly until it dripped off her face and hit the comforter covering her. The sound of a faint plop met her ears.

  She stiffened and glanced down at the single wet spot on the fabric.

  Did I just hear a tear fall?

  She was going crazy. Darcie threw off the heavy blankets and rushed to the double doors. She pushed and pulled on the iron handle, but it didn’t budge. She was locked inside.

  With a cry of frustration, she hit the wood with her fist. She jumped back in shock when she heard the wood creak in protest. She stared at the remaining hole, stunned that she had managed to leave such a mark.

  What is happening?

  Darcie rushed over to the mirror. Staring at her reflection, she recognized the blue eyes staring back at her, but everything else was different.

  Even in the dark, her blonde hair looked smooth and shiny. Her curls fell perfectly and framed her face like she’d been at the hair salon. Cautiously, Darcie lightly touched her face. Her skin was flawless and felt softer than ever.

  Did Adir give me a makeover?

  Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of the lock turning. She whirled around in time to see a hooded figure slip into the room. She grabbed the silver hairbrush next to her and reared back to throw it when the man held up two elderly-looking hands.

  “I am here to help you,” he said using the same voice that spelled whatever curse had knocked her unconscious.

  Darcie’s grip tightened. She thought she heard the handle groan in protest. “What did you do to me?” she asked him. “What’s wrong with me?”

  His voice was filled with patience. “Nothing is wrong with you. You have just transitioned. It will take time to get used to the differences.”

  Her arm dropped. She understood what he was saying. “I-I transitioned.” She paused to swallow the lump that lodged in her throat. “I-I’m an immortal?”

  Adir really did win.

  Even though she couldn’t see his expression, she knew the man’s head had dipped in sorrow. “Yes. I am afraid I could not avoid completing the ceremony. Adir would have simply killed me and found another Elder to do it for him. At least, this way, you have a chance to avoid the bonding.”

  “Wait,” she wasn’t sure she heard him correctly. “The bonding hasn’t happened? Did Adir change his mind?”

  “Hardly,” the man said with disdain. “But I convinced him that you could not undergo the bonding ceremony without rest. He plans to complete it tomorrow. You must leave here before then.”

  Darcie did not need to be told twice. “How do I get out?” she asked.

  “The entire house is under my glamour, but it will not last long. You have exactly thirty minutes until they all become aware. You need to get out of here and as far away as possible.”

  “Thirty minutes?” That was hardly any time.

  The hood shifted to the side. “I take it that you still have yet to master all of your abilities.”

  She shook her head, hitting her face with her long curls, and added, “I also have a mask on them. But even without it, I do not know how to transport. Could you help me?”

  Her hope was immediately shot down. “No. I can only transport myself, or else I run the risk of breaking my own kind’s laws regarding our involvement in immortal affairs.”

  “Oh.” Darcie cursed the stupid laws. “Well, how do you suggest I get out of here?”

  He did not hesitate. “Down the hallway, there is a case of servant stairs. Use them. They will lead you to the garden from where you entered the house. Run towards the distant vineyard as fast and as far as you can. I might not be able to move you myself, but I can contact The Alliance and let them know of your location once you are off Adir’s property.”

  She nodded. She could make it that far in thirty minutes. “Thank you. I won’t ever forget this.” She moved towards the door.

  The man bowed. “I only wish to serve the greater good. Please, be sure to tell your mate of my regret for my part in what has happened to you.”

  She stopped walking and blinked. “My mate?”

  “The immortal,” he did not hesitate. “Des. The Death Immortal.”

  “Oh, right. Of course.” There was no point in trying to convince the man that she and Des weren’t mates. The term made her think of wild animals. “Thank
you, again.”

  The cloaked man lifted a hand in farewell before she raced through the open door.

  As quietly as she could manage, Darcie ran through the large house and down the narrow, steep stairway. Her heart beat was fast. She had no idea how long, exactly, she had until Adir realized she was gone, but she was determined to be far away before that time came.

  Once she made it outside, she gave up trying to be quiet and sprinted through the gardens. She brushed past the bushes and shoved away low hanging tree branches. Twigs snapped and grass crunched as she moved.

  Darcie saw the vineyard growing closer. She had just hopped over a low, wooden fence when a dark figure collided with her side, knocking her to the ground.

  She immediately swung an arm out, hitting the attacker with all the force she could manage. She heard a masculine grunt, and she quickly following the maneuver with a swift kick. She would not go down without a fight.

  “Darcie,” a familiar voice groaned. “Enough. It’s me.”

  She froze. “Alex?”

  All of the sudden, her vision cleared and she was able to recognize the vampire in his midnight black cloak. She jumped and threw her arms around him when he finally stood up. “Thank God.”

  Alexander placed a gentle hand on her back. “Are you okay?”

  She nodded, not even trying to fight off the relieved tears. “I am now. How did you find me?”

  He released a relieved sigh. “Gregory got free. He came back to Greece to tell The Alliance what happened.”

  “Gregory escaped?” Darcie tightened the hug. “Is he okay?”

  “Aside from some lingering pain, he will be just fine.”

  Her grip loosened. “Good.”

  “What about you?” Alexander pulled back and forced her to meet his eyes. “Are you alright?”

  A wave of emotion threatened to drown her as she took in the concern in her friend’s gaze. The tears picked up their pace. “Bella’s d-dead,” she choked on a sob. “And I-I’m not human anymore.”

  Understanding and sorrow highlighted the vampire’s features. “I am sorry. We suspected something happened to Bella. The brothers felt a change almost immediately. We hoped to get to you before Adir could do anything to you. I’m sorry we weren’t here in time.”