Endured
Thane’s Story
Samantha Britt
Endured: Immortal Chronicles Book V
Copyright © 2018 Samantha Britt
Cover art by Ampersand Book Covers
ASIN: B07C2LZ69N
All rights reserved.
This is a work of fiction.
Any resemblance between actual events or persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental or used fictitiously.
Contents
Reader Advisory
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Epilogue
Afterword
About the Author
Also by Samantha Britt
Reader Advisory
WARNING: Endured is book V in the Immortal Chronicles Series. Also known as Thane’s story which takes place AFTER the original books. Readers are strongly encouraged to read books I - IV to avoid major spoilers for the series.
1
The crisp evening air ruffled Thane’s hair as it blew in through the broken windows. He itched to reach up and rub the tickling sensation from his neck, but he didn’t dare. He didn’t want to risk the rouge immortals below noticing the subtle movement.
On the metal catwalk opposite him, hidden deep in the shadows of the abandoned theatre, Lome flicked his fingers. Thane followed the motion and watched as Des and Eshe shifted into position behind the right wing of the stage, concealed by a tattered curtain. The structure may have been in ruins, but there were plenty of remnants of the Eastern European theatre to cover them as they shuffled forward.
The pair drew dangerously close to the rebellious group, but as long as they remained out of sight, they would remain undetected. Not for the first time, Thane thanked The Creator for their witch allies and the silent spell woven over each of them before they embarked on the mission. Not even his rapid breathing would be heard by their enemies.
Thane looked away from his siblings and took in the rebels below. There were five of them. The number was not great, but even one rebel was one too many in his opinion.
Ever since Adir’s defeat at the werebeast compound in America, Thane and the rest of The Alliance had worked tirelessly to root out all remaining rebels. The troublesome Original Immortal had managed to generate quite the following for his rebellious ideologies, and Adir’s most fervent cronies did not let their leader’s death stop them from carrying out his destructive plans.
After many arduous and intense weeks, The Alliance of immortals and half-breed species believed they’d neutralized all of Adir’s rebels. But one of Darcie’s prophetic visions had revealed otherwise.
Hence Thane, his two brothers, his sister-in-law and a number of loyal lesser immortals infiltrated the abandoned playhouse. The Originals placed themselves inside the meeting place while the rest of their allies maintained their positions outside. If any of the immortal rebels managed to escape the impending ambush, they would not make it far.
From his concealed position, Des glanced up and locked eyes with Thane, then Lome. Lifting an arm, he raised a finger and tapped his brow two times. Beside him, Eshe’s hands illuminated purple with her power, ready to face their opponents.
Thane dipped his chin ever so slightly, acknowledging the signal. Lome followed his wife’s lead and called on his immortal strength. Lavender and indigo flames covered his wrists in the dark corner.
Thane’s fingers twitched, and his blood pumped eagerly. But he resisted the urge to bring his power forward. He wasn’t as well concealed as his siblings, and he did not want to be the reason they lost the element of surprise.
“We still have a chance to disable them,” an excited voice reached Thane’s ears. His gaze traveled over the individuals below until they landed on the speaker. The male was tall and lean but unfamiliar. Briefly, Thane wondered what sort of abilities the man possessed and contemplated how to combat them when they finally engaged in battle. His pondering was interrupted when the male continued to speak.
“Des and the girl have not yet completed their bond. There is still time to hit the Originals where it hurts.”
Thane’s gaze snapped to his middle brother, sucking in a breath. Only one thing could cause his normally stoic brother to lose control, and that was a threat to his One.
As predicted, Des’ face contorted with anger. The muscles beneath his black shirt rippled; they longed to be unleashed and destroy the enemy who dared mention Darcie. Eshe placed a firm hand on the male’s shoulder. The tan beauty might be slender, but there was an effective strength behind her hold. Des would not be going anywhere easily.
“Are you forgetting the girl wields The Veritas?” a different voice spoke up. The shorter male glanced between each of his companions. “Not only is she immortal, but she is a powerful sorceress.”
Sorceress?
Thane smirked.
The term sounded sinister and daunting, and it contrasted greatly with the image of the blonde teenager from the Northeastern United States. Darcie had become an immortal after Adir forced an Elder to initiate her transformation, but she was still a young girl caught up in the whirlwind of the immortal world. She hardly fit the threatening description.
Then again, Thane was forced to consider the sight of Darcie when she’d been under the control of The Veritas’ power. Not only was Darcie an immortal, but she was also a powerful witch descended from Charmian, another Original Immortal. Her grandmother, in fact.
The Veritas, one of the most powerful spell books in existence, had sucked Darcie in and nearly overtook her during the rebellion’s last attack on the werebeast compound. The immortal rebels were right to be wary of her power. The world still didn’t know the depth of Darcie’s abilities. She’d been training with an Elder the past few months, but Thane knew Darcie was just beginning to scratch the surface of her potential.
“The bitch won’t know we’re coming until it’s too late,” the original rebel spat out. He sounded overly confident and impulsive.
Des’ fury intensified. Thane could feel the emotion rolling off him. He watched as Des turned red and his arms began to shake. Eshe strengthened her hold and added her other hand for good measure.
Thane looked up to the decrepit ceiling, praying to all that was good and holy to intervene and keep his brother from unleashing hell on the unsuspecting rebels. The Council would want them alive, but that was becoming more and more unlikely with each word uttered from the traitor’s mouth.
The seconds ticked by.
Gradually, Des gained control of his temper. His olive skin tone returned, and his fists unclenched. Sensing him relax, Eshe dropped her hold. She looked up at her husband and Thane. She tapped her eyebrow twice, giving the signal again, then rose to her feet.
Her long legs carried her forward, initiating phase one of their plan: catch the rebels off-guard.
“Well, well, well,” Eshe’s Egyptian accent lilted the word. She kept her illuminated hands by her side. “I’d be careful how you talk about my friend.”
Instantly, one of the lesser immortals fired off a shot.
As if attracted to the attack, Eshe’s power flew from her fingers and deflected the attem
pt with ease.
Eshe tsked. Her eyes flamed with annoyance. “That wasn’t very nice.”
Not getting the message, another weak tendril of lesser immortal power traveled through the air towards Eshe. Again, she stopped its trajectory with hardly a thought.
Not able to continue to watch the attacks on his wife—no matter the fact they were not dangerous in the slightest—Lome jumped down from the elevated catwalk and landed soundlessly on the scuffed wooden stage behind the line of immortals.
Thane cursed low before he jumped down as well. Lome was supposed to remain in place while Eshe attempted to subdue the rebels peacefully. In hindsight, that was probably asking too much of any husband. But it was the plan they all agreed to nonetheless.
Thane’s feet barely touched the ground before Lome fired a stark purple bolt into one of the rebel’s backs. The shorter male from earlier fell into a heap at his associates’ feet. He’d been knocked unconscious from the pain, but he still lived.
“Next one of you who fires at my wife will receive a shot straight through your brain.”
Eshe glared at her husband. Lome would be receiving an ear-full once they returned to the mansion.
Thane stepped forward, finally drawing the attention of the rebel immortals. Terror filled each of their eyes as they identified him. Thane wasn’t the most powerful brother—that honor rested with Des—but his strength and raw power was enough to warrant the fear threatening to turn the males into quivering piles of panic.
One of the rebels—more than likely the strongest of their group—enacted a protective barrier around him and his friends. He wasn’t a lesser immortal. From this distance and based on his display of power, Thane concluded the man was a warlock—one of Charmian’s descendants.
Thane shoved his hands into his pockets, trying to appear unthreatening.
“How did you find us?” The strongest immortal barked at him.
Thane continued to move forward. “Does it really matter?” Now that they had arrived, there was no chance of the rebels getting away. The “how” was not relevant.
The tall rebel clenched his jaw before spitting out, “Answer the question.”
Thane’s eyebrow almost reached his hairline. The rebel was brave. Foolish, but brave.
With a snap of Thane’s fingers and one purposeful thought, the meager barrier disintegrated into nothing. One of the silent rebels released a strangled shout of dismay. Despite the shocked reaction, none of the rebels could have been that surprised by Thane’s display of strength. After all, he was an Original Immortal. Not to mention, one of the brothers—the most powerful of them all.
Thane readied himself to turn his abilities into a lasso, eager to subdue the four males in front of him to initiate a peaceful negotiation. His actions faltered when he saw a swirling portal develop from the corner of his eye.
Turning to face the unexpected object, Thane missed the flash of hot white light fly past his shoulder and collide with the forming portal. A high-pitched, feminine cry sounded from the swirling opening, and a cloaked woman fell out of the portal.
A witch.
Des rushed from behind the curtain, firing off another well-aimed bolt into the vortex. Another female screamed, but no one fell forward.
For a moment, Thane was unable to process what was happening. He’d never seen a transportation portal. He’d heard the strongest of Charmian’s half-breed offspring were capable of the feat, but with bloodlines diluted over so many years, he did not know of anyone living strong enough to accomplish the task. Except for Darcie and her mother, of course.
The opening widened, and a warlock came roaring out, throwing a bright red wave of light towards Des. The Original Immortal stopped and lifted his arms to thwart the attack. The delay gave the avenging warlock all the time he needed.
Lifting a strong arm, the warlock called on a gust of wind and threw three of the rebels through the swirling portal to safety. One continued to lay unconscious on the floor while his tall companion used the distraction to try and harm Lome. Eshe intercepted the spell, shielding her unsuspecting husband. When the couple turned their eyes on the offending rebel, the male began to quake with fear.
A bright flash blinded Thane. He growled and stomped forward, knowing full well that the light was another attempt to distract them. Relying on his memory, he moved closer to the portal to block the warlock’s escape.
The male’s cloak brushed against Thane’s arm, alerting him to his position. In an instant, he had the man in a chokehold. The rebel bucked, throwing him off balance. The two tumbled to the floor, but Thane did not lessen his hold. He refused to let the man get away.
Seconds later, the bright light from the portal dissipated and revealed a theatre empty of everyone except his family and the warlock locked in his grasp. The portal had disappeared. The other rebels had escaped.
Frustration curled in Thane’s chest. He flexed his bicep, pressing against the warlock’s throat.
“Where did they go?” Thane growled in his captive’s ear. The Council of Original Immortals would be expecting an interview with the captured rebels. The Alliance needed to learn how the group managed to evade their search parties for so long. Since the rebels from Darcie’s vision had managed to get away, the warlock would be their only source of information.
The man did not answer. His lips pressed in a firm line, resigned to his fate.
Des approached and stopped just shy of Thane’s legs. “That didn’t go as planned.”
Thane released an irritated growl.
Eshe and Lome drew near.
“I’ll inform the immortals outside about what happened.” Eshe’s gaze swept over their surroundings, looking for any lingering threat. “Let’s get out of here. We can interrogate him in the dungeons.”
Thane clenched his jaw, irritated that their mission had strayed so far off the designated path. But there was nothing he could do about it now.
So, with a resigned nod, Thane called on his power. He closed his eyes and brought the image of his family’s Grecian mansion to his mind’s-eye. Using the image, he transported himself and his captive back to Greece.
2
When Thane parted his eyelids, he stood on the south lawn, facing the magnificent structure that was his family’s home. The white pillars reminiscent of ancient times gleamed in the daylight and the wind rustled through nearby trees and bushes, generating a peaceful sound to accompany the sight.
Lome appeared and swiftly stepped forward to relieve Thane of his charge. Within an instant, the captured warlock blinked out of view as Lome took him to a cell in the dungeons. No doubt, the impending interrogation would be painful. Lome was still furious about the rebels’ attempts to harm Eshe. He would make the warlock pay for their violence. He’d always been the most effective interrogator.
Eshe and Des popped into view a second later, blinking as their eyes adjusted from the dark, abandoned theatre to the bright, Mediterranean sun.
“You’ve got some nerve, Des!” Looking to his right, Thane watched Darcie as she stomped across the well-manicured lawn. She crushed the bright green grass beneath her feet.
“Oh no.” Des’ desolate exhale made Thane want to laugh despite his frustration with their failed mission.
In all the centuries they’d been alive, Thane had never seen his imposing brother look scared. But one look at his angry soulmate, and Des’ face had drained of color.
“I told you she would be mad.” Eshe crossed her arms, and a smirk lifted the corner of her mouth. “You should have told her about the mission.”
Thane swung his attention to his brother. “You didn’t tell her?” How was she kept in the dark if her vision had been responsible for planning the mission in the first place?
“No.” Des admitted with a sigh. “I lied and said we weren’t going to investigate her vision. She would have wanted to go…” And there was no way Des would have allowed that to happen.
Thane understood his brother’s de
cision. The last thing Des wanted was for Darcie to enter any dangerous situation, but that did not justify his actions. Des knew it. And so did Darcie.
The volatile blonde finished her approach. She fisted her hands and put them on her hips as she stared at her mate. “Well? Do you have anything to say for yourself?”
“No.”
Thane bit his cheek. Wrong thing to say.
Darcie’s eyes narrowed into a burning glare. If looks could kill, Des would be a pile of ash drifting off in the breeze. “You lied to me.”
“Yes.”
“You didn’t tell me where you were going!”
Des shifted his stance, revealing the depth of his discomfort. “You would have wanted to go.”
“Of course, I would have wanted to go!” Darcie threw her hands in the air. She turned her angry gaze to Eshe, then Thane. She looked for support, but neither of them planned to enter the couple’s argument. In fact, Thane cleared his throat to excuse himself, but Darcie cut him off with a question.
“What happened?” she asked the oldest brother. Des moved closer to her, reaching out a hand to touch her before thinking better of it.
He dropped his arm and answered for Thane. “We did not retrieve the rebels, but we managed to capture a warlock who helped them escape.”
Surprise flickered in Darcie’s gaze, but she did not acknowledge Des. Instead, she continued to look at Thane. “A warlock?”
Thane nodded, jumping in, “He used a portal to facilitate their escape.”
Now, her surprise was more than a flicker. Her blue eyes widened, and her lips parted. “A portal? Really?”
Endured (Immortal Chronicles Book 5) Page 1
