After negotiations and dealing with a few dissenting warlocks and witches, Thane believed the clan would no longer be causing them any more trouble. At last, it seemed The Alliance was done dealing with the remnants of Adir’s treacherous rebellion.
Besides, even if some rogue members wanted to continue their vengeance on behalf of Adir, they would have to do it without The Veritas. After considering Darcie’s inability to dominate the book’s power, as well as the Negrisi clan’s dangerous intent for the book, it was decided that the world would be a better place without the dangerous volume’s existence.
There were some—Charmian, in particular—who opposed the book’s destruction. But after putting it to a vote, the decision was made, and The Veritas was destroyed.
Now, the royals’ interaction with The Alliance focused on opening their borders to one another. Both parties were interested in learning more about the powerful individuals located in the realm so close, yet so far, from their own.
“Lord Thane,” the prince returned the greeting. “Thank you for inviting us to the celebration. We are very happy for our young friend and her soulmate.” The husband and wife had grown close to Darcie in the months they trained her on her mental gifts.
Thane smiled. “Don’t thank me. Eshe was responsible for planning this whole thing.” He gestured toward his sister-in-law. She and Lome were trying to dance, but her large belly kept getting in the way. Not that Lome minded. Eshe could go into labor any day now, and Thane knew his brother couldn’t wait to be a father.
The prince nodded. “We will be sure to thank her, as well.” He took his wife’s hand and unraveled it from his arm, clasping her palm in his. “Shall we go dance, my love? We can speak with Eshe while we are over there.”
Princess Gwenevere beamed happily. “Of course. Goodbye, Lord Thane.”
Thane watched the couple move gracefully towards the dance floor. The prince swung his wife into his arms and stared at her adoringly before pressing a loving kiss against her lips.
A memory flashed. Thane had done the same thing with his own wife many times.
“Thane!”
Pulled out of his thoughts, he turned around and saw Darcie running across the room towards him. The crowd in front of her stepped aside, leaving an opening as they curiously observed her.
“Thane!” she called again, reaching out and placing a hand on his arm. She looked up at him excitedly.
“Darcie?” His forehead furrowed. “What is it? What’s wrong?”
She shook her head, her blue eyes bright. “Nothing is wrong.”
“Then why did you run across the room shouting my name?” he asked as Des arrived behind his excited fiancée. Thane lifted an eyebrow. His brother simply shrugged, unable to explain his One’s impulsive behavior.
Thane lowered his gaze to Darcie’s wide grin.
“I have something to tell you,” she began, unable to hide her astonished happiness, “but you might want to sit down for this.”
Twenty-five years later.
Thane exhaled, and his hands trembled, rattling his coffee cup against the table. He still couldn’t believe what Darcie had told him all those years ago, let alone that the time had finally come. He sat outside a café in Stowe, Vermont. It was summertime, and the small town was bustling with visitors there to enjoy the stunning mountains and charming lakes. Trying to calm his nerves, he took a sip of his coffee and continued to watch the entrance of the quaint bed and breakfast across the street.
“Are we just going to sit here all morning, or are we going to go over there and try to run into her?”
Thane looked at his niece. Nebet’s dark brown eyes, outlined by long, black lashes, assessed him. She’d inherited the beautiful features from her mother, but her light brown hair and olive skin tone came from Lome. As for her impatience, that could have come from either of her parents. “We’re waiting.”
“For what? Paint to dry?”
Thane fought back a smile. The last thing he wanted to do was reveal his amusement. Doing so would only encourage his niece, and he wanted to focus on the upcoming meeting with his soulmate.
Soulmate.
The word sent his pulse racing and his stomach twisting. He’d spent the past quarter of a century struggling to accept what Darcie’s vision had revealed all those years ago. No one had expected Thane’s One to return in the form of another. Everyone had believed that since Bella had been immortal and the cycle of her reincarnations had stopped, it would continue to remain that way after her death. Thane had loved and lost, and he’d been resigned to live the rest of his days alone.
But The Creator had other plans.
On the night of her engagement party, Darcie had seen the moment Thane would reunite with Bella.
No, Thane corrected himself. Not Bella.
The young woman Darcie had seen might be Thane’s reincarnated soulmate, but she would have a different name. All the memories and history he shared with Bella would not be remembered. Though the other half of his soul had belonged to Bella for centuries, it was now living inside of a stranger. A stranger, Darcie had revealed, who was home for the summer during a break in her graduate studies. Hence, his trip to Vermont.
“Hello? Uncle Thane?” Nebet waved a hand in front of his face. He’d been staring off at the home across the street. According to Darcie’s vision, Bella’s reincarnation would be eating breakfast at the location. She said he was going to run into her once she left.
The wait threatened to unravel Thane’s composure. In all truth, he was a wreck. He began to doubt that he was ready to come face to face with his soulmate’s reincarnation.
“Yes, Nebet?” He looked at his pretty niece, aiming to sound calm. Ever since Nebet had been born, she had Thane wrapped around her finger. The little girl had brought such happiness to his dark existence, and Thane knew she played an invaluable role in helping him live through the last twenty-five years.
The two were as close as an uncle and niece could be. Thane took Nebet on countless adventures, and his niece had grown into an intelligent and courageous immortal. He was eager to see what she’d accomplish with her many gifts.
Nebet had been an unexpected blessing to his entire family, but she would forever be his life-saver.
But seeing Nebet’s impatient expression made Thane wish he’d heeded Lome’s advice to leave his daughter back in Greece. He adored Nebet, but she was young and impulsive. She didn’t always think before she acted. Eshe often said her daughter was nothing at all like her sister, Nebet—his niece’s namesake.
“What are you waiting for?” She gestured to the bed and breakfast. “Go over there.”
The café’s waiter arrived, interrupting Thane’s response. “How is everything? Do you need a refill, sir?”
Thane’s brow arched at the polite title. He and the waiter looked like they were the same age. He guessed the waiter had heard Nebet refer to him as her uncle. Perhaps that made him think he was older than he looked.
“No, thank you,” Thane said, but the young man wasn’t looking at him. The tall, muscular youth only had eyes for Nebet. His niece blushed, but she did not meet the young man’s gaze. Instead, she stared diligently at the glass in her hands.
“Would you like more water?”
Nebet shook her head, her blush darkening. “I’m alright.”
Having run out of reasons to linger, the waiter dipped his head and walked back inside the café. But not before his eyes trailed longingly over Nebet’s wavy hair.
The blatant admiration ignited Thane’s protective instincts. He might not be her father, but he still wanted to chase away any young man who came within five feet of his niece.
“Calm down, killer.”
Thane’s eyes snapped to Nebet’s. She was grinning. “You’re as bad as Dad.” Lome loathed his daughter dating. Eshe had to practically tie him to a chair whenever a young man came around.
He smirked. “Well, we are brothers.”
She laughed
and sipped her water. Her blush faded.
Suddenly, Nebet’s back straightened. Her eyes locked on the building across the street. “Uncle Thane. The door is opening!” Nebet had inherited all of her parent’s immortal abilities, enabling her to hear the door’s handle click and turn. Thane swallowed thickly. Then, he turned his neck.
Three young women stepped out into the sunshine, saying goodbye to someone inside the home. One was blonde, and the others were brunette. Each of them wore big sunglasses, concealing much of their face, but Thane’s gaze zeroed in on the one in the middle. He knew, without a doubt, she was the young woman from Darcie’s vision. She was wearing a pair of black athletic shorts and a light blue racerback tank. Her friends wore equally athletic attire, making Thane wonder if they had completed a light jog before having breakfast.
“That’s her. In the middle.” Nebet bounced in her chair.
Thane tore his gaze away to look at his niece. “How do you know?”
“I’ve seen pictures of Aunt Bella. Duh!”
Thane looked back at the young woman walking with her friends. It was true. Even though the sunglasses hid her eyes, her pert nose and soft jawline resembled Bella greatly. She was also short like Bella, but her legs and arms were tanned from time spent in the sun.
The resemblance between Bella and her reincarnation was another thing that troubled Thane. How was he going to handle looking into a face which looked so much like his lost love, knowing it wasn’t really her? How was he going to separate the previous love of his life from the woman across the street, while also giving the stranger who owned half of his soul a chance?
Thane had sought Des for advice. His brother had encountered his One many times over the centuries. He’d fallen in love with his soulmate only to have her taken away time and time again. Yet, Des fell in love with Darcie.
How had he separated all of his past loves from the woman currently in his life?
Des’ answer had been simple: they were not the same women.
His brother had revealed that though each of his past soulmates had shared the same soul, they were each their own person. The pain of losing someone you loved never truly went away, and it was worse for Thane because he’d actually married and bonded with Bella, but that didn’t mean it couldn’t be done. Des reminded Thane that his beloved wife would have wanted him to be happy. And, after twenty-five years, Thane had to admit that he truly wanted that for himself, too.
The three women stopped at the gate bordering the property and chatted while exchanging hugs. The stranger’s two friends walked to their cars parked along the road and hopped inside. He saw the brunette smile as she waved goodbye, and it his soul sang at the sight.
“Oh, good grief.” Nebet pushed back her chair. “I’ll do it myself.” Without waiting, she rushed off the patio and into the street.
With a groan, Thane stood up and threw his napkin onto the table. He rushed after Nebet, cursing his niece’s impulsivity.
He stepped on the sidewalk just as Nebet said, “Hi! Do you live around here?”
The young woman looked up and gave a friendly smile, lifting her sunglasses to rest on top of her head. “Hello. Yes, I do. Are you visiting?”
Seeing Thane’s approach, she glanced at him. She was moving her attention back to Nebet when her eyes snapped back to him. A flicker of recognition crossed her soulful brown eyes, but it was swiftly replaced by confusion. She didn’t understand. Seeing him elicited strange, yet comforting, feelings. Thane knew it was true because he felt the same way.
The young woman’s wide eyes assessed him, trying to understand what caused her strong emotions. She didn’t realize that she’d just met the other half of her soul, but there was no way Thane could deny it. A soft, reassuring pressure wrapped itself around him. His soul was content. It was finally reunited with its other half after many years of loneliness.
“Um… hello?” The young woman extended a hand, seeming to forget all about Nebet. “I’m Isabel. Izzy, for short.”
Slowly, his niece inched away and disappeared into the background. Thane hardly noticed. He only had eyes for the young woman staring up at him with wondrously familiar eyes.
He took her hand. “Hello, Izzy. I’m Thane.” They shook hands before Izzy pulled away, letting her hand fall to her side, flexing her fingers. She’d felt the spark.
“Thane.” She tested his name. Though she looked like Bella, her voice was unique. It was softer than his lost love’s. “A-are you visiting Stowe?”
He nodded. “I am. You said you are from here?”
“Yes. Well… my parents live here. I’m in grad school, visiting them for a few weeks before I go back for my summer research.”
“What are you studying?”
“History. Focusing on The French Revolution and The Enlightenment.”
“Indeed?” Those were very interesting topics. Western society had changed drastically as a result of those events. “That sounds fascinating.”
“It is.” She looked back at the bed and breakfast, chewing on her bottom lip. Thane knew she was confused. She felt comfortable around him, but she didn’t know why.
Before she could try to make an excuse to walk away, Thane said, “I just got into town this morning, and I don’t know much about the area. Do you have any recommendations for somewhere good to eat?””
Izzy met his gaze and tilted her head, thinking. “Well, there’s Patrick’s diner. We also have a pretty good barbecue place, as well as a cool hibachi grill down on Park Avenue.”
He smiled. “Which is your favorite?”
“For a night out? Probably the hibachi grill.”
“Perfect. How about you meet me there at seven?”
Izzy blinked, surprised by the spontaneous offer. Thane didn’t regret it. He knew Izzy felt their connection, and he wanted more time to get to know her without needing to orchestrate another run-in. His soul knew she wouldn’t mind his boldness. Bella never had. And even though Des would say they were different people, Thane couldn’t help but think that might not be entirely true.
After all, what made a person? Their soul.
It was Bella’s soul he loved, and the same soul resided in Izzy. He knew Izzy was her own person, but that did not mean the soul he’d cherished wasn’t standing in front of him, reaching out to him after spending twenty-five years apart.
“You want to have dinner with me?”
“Yes.”
“But you don’t even know me.”
Thane shrugged as if that mattered very little. “I want to hear all about your studies. I didn’t say anything before, but I’m kind of a history buff. The French Revolution is one of my favorite topics.”
Her eyebrows lifted. “Really?”
He bobbed his head. “Really. I’m intrigued by its impact and how it led to the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars. It’s fascinating how one event can have such a cascading effect on history, even in other countries.”
Izzy’s mouth had popped open. She snapped her teeth together and shook her head. With a shy smile, she said, “I totally agree.”
Thane returned the grin, but he tried to hide how much her reaction affected him. Izzy was beautiful, and her shy surprise pleased him. He wanted nothing more than to dive right in and explain their connection—reveal to her exactly why she was feeling like they’d known each other all of her life.
For all intents and purposes, they had. Their souls knew one another, even if they’d never met face to face.
“So.” He put his hands in his pockets. “What do you say? Will you go to dinner with me?” He held his breath, waiting for her answer.
Izzy continued to observe him, her eyes trailing over his torso, down to his tennis shoes. When she looked up, a flush of pink highlighted her cheekbones. “Sure,” she said. “Let’s have dinner.”
With his immortal hearing, Thane heard his niece bellow a victorious whoop. He forced himself not to look in her distant direction, but he planned on giving her an e
arful for eavesdropping later.
His eyes shined as they stared down at Izzy. “Perfect. I’ll see you at seven.”
Izzy nodded with another shy smile. “Don’t be late.” Then, she turned on her heel and glided away, leaving Thane with a nervous, yet hopeful, anticipation when she dared another glance over her shoulder.
Thane’s life with Bella would always hold a special place in his heart. He’d never forget her. But he had spent twenty-five years trying to convince himself he didn’t need love—that he didn’t need to find another One.
But he had failed.
The part of Thane’s soul which still heard Bella’s voice in the darkest part of night convinced him that his lonely existence was not natural. Thane wasn’t meant to be alone. He was born to find his One and live with companionship.
Adir thought he had won by ending Bella’s life, but he’d been wrong. Bella’s soul was back, and Thane was determined to reunite with his long-lost One.
He’d waited a long time for the chance to be happy again, and he wasn’t going to take it for granted.
Never again.
The End.
Stay tuned for Gregory’s Story in Envied: Immortal Chronicles Book VI.
Available exclusively in Unleashed: A Paranormal Romance Anthology.
Click here to download.
Afterword
I hope you enjoyed learning more about Thane and how he handled the loss of Bella.
Endured was tough for me to write. I knew I wanted to give Thane a happy ending, but I didn’t want to forget the sincere love he shared with his wife. Bella didn’t die in vain, but I honestly hadn’t wanted her to die at all! I was torn between wanting her to come back, while also knowing that wouldn’t be right. Even if the necromancers could do what they said, Bella’s return wouldn’t be natural. No matter what I (or Thane) wanted, they could never go back to the way things were.
Endured (Immortal Chronicles Book 5) Page 14
