Immortalis - Book 1 (The Keeper's Immortals)

by Marisa DeMaris

  “What was that?” I asked Reid, who remained still on the staircase while already turned to head up back to Blake’s room bursting into the room to find him on the floor. “On my God Blake.” I yelled as I rushed to his side, diving towards the floor. Reid ran into the room to see me holding Blake’s head in my hands only to leave to get the others after I told him to get everyone else. Just after Reid left Blake woke up in my arms and I hadn’t ever been more relived. I hadn’t ever seen him have a vision before so it more than spooked me.

  “Nora?” he asked as he put his hand to his head.

  “Yeah, yes I’m here…are you okay?” I asked. He sat up and looked at me almost with a bewildering look; he seemed confused but by the look on his face I knew he realized that I was truly worried about him.

  “Aye. I had a vision, a powerful one at that. I need to talk to Seba..” he started to say only to fall to his knees mid sentence. I grabbed him, pulling him back to the floor.

  “I sent Reid to get everyone. Does this always happen every time you see something?” I asked as I continued to hold him up by a hand on his shoulder. He answered after he finally stopped the room from spinning.

  “Sometimes, if the vision is really powerful, violent, then yeah but I’m okay. Thank you Nora.” He told me kindly, while looking into my eyes, just as the others entered the room. Reid and Jaryn helped him up and into a chair then Jaryn came and stood by me. Sebastian asked his brother to explain what he saw because of the intensity of it. The older ones stood around Blake with wonder in their eyes while Jaryn simple took a hold of my hand and didn’t let go.

  As Blake’s vision came to light Jaryn’s hand squeezed tighter with every passing word.

  “It was in the chambers if The Keepers, I saw all three of them. There was a man there…he was demanding they turn him but they denied him because his reasons were all wrong. They dismissed him, he left but he was angry; so angry. He vowed he would return and if they didn’t change him then they would pay. I saw him return and he killed them. Somehow he was able to kill them.” Blake finished. I looked at Jaryn who looked at with me fear in his eyes. I looked around at everyone including Reid and they all were terrified looking.

  “Well what are we goin’ to do Sebastian?” Ashwin said with panic in her voice. Everyone started talking at once besides Jaryn so I pulled him off to the side and asked him what exactly was happening because I was clueless at the moment. It took a moment for him to snap out of his trance but when he did he explained the story that was unknown to me.

  “The Keepers will only change someone if they think that the reasons behind the change are just.” He explained.

  “Like you’re parents who wanted to spare your lives?” I asked. He hesitated for a moment but continued.

  “Right and the other thing is the legend goes that for one life, must come the essence of another. Our parent’s were split between the five of us; their lives for ours. The thing is that The Keepers don’t age, they just exist and like us are immortal but there is always a loophole.”

  “And the loophole is?” I asked.

  “Rumor has it that a man named Takeo Nakamura, who had traveled from a small village in Japan to ask for immortality but was denied because they didn’t think that he had a good reason, he didn’t think that they would turn him down but he didn’t know all of the myth before he traveled so far and left angry, vowing that he would one day get revenge against The Keepers. His story goes that when he went back to Japan he created a sword - a katana and he had paid a witch to place a curse on the sword saying that it could kill anyone be they mortal or immortal. He had planned to come back and kill The Keepers himself but before he could he was murdered.” Jaryn said.

  “Ironic.’ I plainly said. ‘But what happened to the katana?” I asked him.

  “No one knows, apparently Takeo hid it just before his life was taken. The person who killed him was looking for something because when they found Takeo’s body his home was trashed. The myth goes that the katana has never been found.”

  “And if this man who had threatened The Keepers knows this legend then there is a chance that they’re in real danger.” Sebastian said as he looked over at me. They had all stopped talking to listen to Jaryn as he explained everything to me.

  “If The Keepers die then so do every person they have ever granted immortality to…including us.” Blake finished. That sentence starting pulling at the strings to my heart. The process that would break my heart had begun.

  “The Keepers aren’t going to just allow us all to storm in there. Why would that listen to us?” Ashwin asked. She was truly scared. I could see it in her face.

  “I take it that this hasn’t ever happened before has it?” I asked Jaryn.

  “No it hasn’t, at least not to our knowledge and we’re some of the oldest immortals of The Keepers.” He answered. For the first time since they had been changed every single one of the Hollings were facing a possible mortality.

  Seven

  “Do you know when this is supposed to take place Blake?” Sebastian asked his brother. Blake shook his head, holding it still as it was throbbed from the fall.

  “In order to kill The Keepers he would need the katana and we don’t even know if that myth is real or not. Other than that folklore there isn’t anything that can kill them so for all we know were going on a wild goose chase. I’m not doin’ it.” Reid barked as he walked across the room and stood beside me.

  “But what it the legend is true Reid? If were in danger than so are you.” Ashwin said with sounds of tears forming.

  “This is crap. This is just another ploy to get me stay yeah?” Reid yelled.

  “It’s not Reid, I wouldn’t do that ya. You should know me better than that.” Blake snapped as he removed his hand from his still pounding head. He was being more than defensive and he had a right to be.

  “I do know you, better than anyone.’ He let out a huff. ‘Look I’m not staying here. I’m doing what I came here for in the first place, I’m taking Nora home.”

  “Reid?” I said only to have him look at with a curtain amount of disapproval. Apparently I was butting my nose into business where it shouldn’t have. I knew that this was a family matter but I couldn’t help but to throw in my thought in hopes that he would do what was best for his family as well as himself.

  “This isn’t open for discussion Nora. Say your good-byes once and for all because you will not be seeing any of them again.” Reid told me as he stormed down the stairs. I turned to look at the others who were just as speechless as I was.

  “I…” Was all that I could get out. Sebastian placed his hands on my shoulders and told me to go and that they would be fine. I was worried about all of them but I didn’t understand Reid at all. I gave Jaryn one last squeeze and hurried down the stairs, stopping when I could feel someone starring at me still. I turned to see Blake watching me and I turn and waved to him slightly. His right hand rose slightly, as if he wanted to wave back but didn’t want to show a mortal kindness in front of others.

  Once we were outside I hurried to Reid’s side and stopped him from walking any farther. He wasn’t happy looking and although he was the same amazing guy who had swept me off my feet a day ago he was different in a way. “What is wrong with you?” I asked. I looked over him, noticing how his entire demeanor had changed and his eyes had grown darker. It was as if he was a completely different person. Hostile and slightly fearful. I wasn’t scared of him but I had become indifferent about him.

  “I want to get away from my family that’s what. No one is that house is stable mentally.”

  “And you are? Am I? Reid they’re your family and you should never give up on family.” I barked back.

  “You spend one day with them and you think you know them?” he asked me with a condescending tone. I was getting exasperated with the arguing already. I threw up my hands and started walking away from him only making his temper raise more but he didn’t come after me but rather than storming
off myself, into the unknown I turned back.

  “I didn’t say that but you just seem like a different person all of a sudden and I don’t understand where it came from?” I advised him. I didn’t even think that he knew he had changed so I explained what was different about him.

  “This is what happens when I’m around them. I’ve always been a man of self control but when I’m with them I start to lose it. We’re a stereotypical Irish family; hot tempered. My family brings out the worse in me and this isn’t even the worst that I have been. Nora I don’t want to be that person anymore, let alone have you here to watch it happen.” His comments about his self control, right now the lack there of it, was baffling to me. He said that he was always a man of self control but I had been told that it was something force upon him. I was frustrated that there was still so much of him I didn’t know about. I had spent far less time with Blake and Jaryn and I knew much more about them. I didn’t think that Reid was lying to me as he had promised he wouldn’t anymore but I didn’t think that he was telling me everything.

  “I know what you’ve done Reid and I don’t care. I still care about you, all of you, and this is why I want you to stop and listen to what Blake is saying. If The Keepers are in danger then it affects you to and if they need your help to stop it then why the hell would you leave, how could you?” I yelled at him. He was thrown back by the words being tossed at him. He seemed highly frustrated because he knew that I was right but he didn’t want to admit it and he didn’t want to have to rebuild a half burnt bridge.

  I turned away from him, facing the house. In the window I watched Blake watch me and my every movement. He was so far away, no one could be certain that he was looking at me but somehow I knew that he was. Having Blake in my life was like being on a rollercoaster at all time; up and down with unexpected turns so it was making me rather sick but at the same time I couldn’t help but to care about him in some way because I thought I understood him to some degree no matter what he said. For someone who seemed to care very little about me, I seemed to care too much about what he thought about me. Behind me I heard Reid grunt in frustration. He was having an inner battle with himself and his morals as well as fighting with me. Our first date had blown up and was nothing like what either of us thought it would be like. I finally felt his hand on my shoulder, turning me around he passionately kissed me. “Nora…’ he said after he had removed his lips from mine. ‘I’m sorry. I’m just torn on what to do.” He stated. I looked to the warm stare of Reid who looked more upset than I thought he would. I uncrossed my arms and placed my hands on the hem of his shirt as he pulled me closer. This was the Reid that I knew.

  “It’s your family Reid. You shouldn’t even have to think about it. I would do anything for my brother even though he and I don’t get along either all the time. Please…if they need you to help stop something that could be fatal...I mean if what Blake saw was true then everyone is in danger, even you.” I told him, hoping to knock some sense into his thick skull. He gently rubbed my arms, warming me up from the chill of the night air.

  “You’re right, I know you’re right and you also know that I just don’t want to admit it.’ He said as he smiled brightly. ‘You have a power of your own. You can figure people out pretty darn easily including me. I don’t know if that is a good thing or not though.” He said with a wink. I smiled and pulled myself into his body for a hug which he willingly gave.

  “So are we going back in then?” I asked.

  “I want to take you home first. You don’t need to be in the middle of this mess.” Reid advised to me but I rejected his choice.

  “You don’t have time to take me all the way home, that is an eight plus hour flight in the other direction. You need to go to where ever The Keepers are and I know they’re not in America. I’ll stay at the house even but you and others need to attempt to stop whatever is happening.” I explained.

  “If something is happening.” He said, back talking me. I felt my eyebrows raise and I knew that I looked like my mother which made the skin crawl slightly. Loved my mother but who really wanted to be like their parents?

  “Just go in with an open mind and listen to him…please.” I begged. I could tell that he was dreading it but knew that I was right. It wasn’t just their lives that hung in the balance; his did to.

  “I’m only doin’ this so I’ll have more time with you.” He said. I smiled at his words but was puzzled slightly. “If I die then I won’t be around and you I want to be around.” He hugged me closer as I bit my lower lip, trying not to look embarrassed but I could feel myself become warm. After we parted we walked back to the house where I saw that Blake was no longer standing in the window, watching. Once inside we found everyone in the sitting room, a fire burning filled the room with a smell that overwhelmed my senses making me both warm and terrified for some reason.

  Ashwin, who was sitting on an arm of a chair looked up just as we walked in; looking bitter and cold towards us both but I knew that nothing was actually directed at me. I just happened to be with the one person she despised at the moment. “What are you doin’ here? Thought you wanted to take your little girlfriend home?” She asked.

  With her words said I could also see Reid’s point of view of not wanting to be around some people even if they are family. Since I had been within the Hollings family everyone single one of them had been going from hot to cold; the only one who had remained warm towards me since the start was Sebastian, and finally Jaryn once we had arrived in Ireland. Jaryn reminded me a lot of my own brother only he didn’t roll his eyes at everything I said, which was probably the reason I bonded with him so quickly. Sebastian was the oldest and was always kind even when you could tell there was an underlining to it. Ashwin had her kind moments but if one thing happened she became a completely different person which I guess could be like every other girl - myself included. I don’t know why I wasn’t used to it, Trish did it on a daily basis and I had to endure it since I filled the role of her best friend. I guess I thought a woman that had lived so long would carry herself differently but in the end Ashwin was still a girl.

  Blake on the other hand was like no one I had every met and no matter what he thought, I thought that I understood him even if it was only slightly. He wouldn’t ever admit it to himself or out loud but I knew better. I found myself staring at him longer than I probably should have and he caught me. Although I didn’t think that I was doing anything wrong I turned like I was.

  “I’ve come back to help you.” Reid told his younger sister.

  “We don’t want or need your help.” She snapped, her words harming Reid slightly.

  “Cool it would ya Ashwin.” Jaryn said causing him to get a look that could kill. Luckily she didn’t have that kind of power. Jaryn walked from the mantle and stood in front of his brother and finally smiled. “Thank you for comin’ back brother.”

  “Nora persuaded me so you should be thanking her.” Reid said with a shy smile. Jaryn turned to me, grabbing my hand warmly.

  “Oh I was. I never thought you made this choice on your own.” He said with a chuckle.

  “You come back and make sure that your life is safe and then you’ll just leave again. With that in mind, I don’t see a reason for you to stay here. I’m sure you would know if The Keepers are alive or not.” Ashwin roared, jumping from the chair.

  “Stop being such a child Ashwin.” Jaryn yelled, thinking that her actions were ironic since she was older than she was.

  “Both of you stop it. He’s here not just for himself but for you all as well.” I said, blurting out was more like it. From Jaryn I got a look of shame because he knew that I was right but from Ashwin I got a rude come back followed by a cold shoulder.

  “Why are your lips flapping? You have nothing to do with this mortal.” Blake said as he strutted down the stairs that led into the sitting room, a whiskey on the rock in his hand. Trying not to show that the words hurt me I stiffened my upper lip so that I wouldn’t release any tears
before turning to him.

  “I’m just trying to help.” I said in a weaker tone than normal. That wasn’t as strong sounding as I had wanted it to be. Being around Blake made me feel helpless at times and I hated it. I hated him for making me feel this way and I didn’t know why he had that effect on me.

  “Well you’re not…you shouldn’t even be here.” He said harshly. Those words harsher than the ones before really made me fight the tears back. Ashwin walked next to Blake, her arms crossed showing that she was siding with him.

  “He’s right Reid. This is a family matter so unless she had Hollings blood running through her veins then she needs to leave.” She stated firmly.

  “Are you both mad? If it wasn’t for her then I wouldn’t be here.” Reid said. I let go of Jaryn’s hand and grabbed Reid by the shoulder. I didn’t want them fighting anymore and I was starting to bottle my feelings up and when I did that I was known to explode if it got to full. I just wanted to attempt to defuse the situation before it got worse for everyone involved.

  “They’re right. You all go and take care of things and I’ll stay here…if that’s okay with them and once you all know that you’re all safe then we can go home. I would leave now but there isn’t time.” I said as I started to walk off towards the hall, not wanting to look anyone in the eyes.

  “Nora, don’t…” Reid started only to stop when I placed my hand on his chest, signally for him not to bother.

  “I’m gonna go upstairs. Is that alright with you Blake?” I asked snidely, my words only adding fuel to the already burning fire that had formed between us.

  “Oh please feel free just to take over our whole house why don’t you?” He barked back. His eyes changed colors from the flames causing him to look rather demonic.