Enraptured: Immortal Chronicles Book IV

by Britt, Samantha

  “Oh?”

  “I never told you… Bella’s body arrived right after I came out of it,” she explained one of the reasons behind her delayed reveal.

  “I see.” Des’ replies were short and neutral. He was giving Darcie the prodding she wanted without applying any pressure. “What was in the vision?”

  At last, Darcie opened her eyes. Still staring at her lap, she said, “It was about Adir. And Charlotte.”

  Only the sound of the crackling fire reached her ears. Her heart thudded against her sternum. She didn’t know what to expect.

  Would Des be sad? Or mad that she hadn’t told him?

  Darcie wasn’t sure which would be worse. Her nails began digging into her skin, but that did not stop her from tightening her fists.

  “You saw Charlotte?” His voice drew her attention to his face. It was blank; she could not read his emotions.

  “Yes.” She elaborated without prompting, “You were with her. At a lake house, I think.”

  “And Adir showed up?”

  She nodded.

  Des leaned back against the couch, running a heavy hand down his face. “I remember that day.”

  Darcie wasn’t sure what to say. She waited for his impending question.

  Finally, he looked her way. “What else?”

  It was time. She couldn’t delay any longer. “I hope you forgive me for not telling you sooner, I just couldn’t ever find the right time or the strength to do it. The last thing I want to do is make you upset.”

  “Darcie,” Des reached over and grabbed one of her clenched hands. He pried it away from the other and laced their fingers. “Whatever it is, I will be fine. Just tell me.”

  She nodded and cleared her dry throat. “Adir is the one who did it. He killed Charlotte after she refused to leave you for him. He killed them all, Des. Every single one of us.”

  She was rambling, but the floodgates were open. There was no stopping. “I should have told you the moment I knew. I was afraid of your reaction. I am so sorry, Des. I am so, so sorry.”

  “Hey,” Des moved his body closer and wrapped an arm around her shoulder. “Relax. It’s okay, Darcie. I’m okay.” He guided her head onto his shoulder and rested his own against the top of her hair.

  Darcie let him soothe her. The guilt had been pressing down on her. She hadn’t been able to sleep after the conversation with the Elder. The last thing Darcie wanted was to hurt Des, but she couldn’t avoid telling him any longer–not when her life was potentially endangered by the criminal who had ended so many young women’s lives.

  “Did you see Adir harm Charlotte?” The question was spoken softly, but it might as well have been shouted in her ears.

  “No.” Darcie lifted her head out of his embrace. “I only saw them talking. Adir threatened her, and it reminded me of what I learned in Italy–” She stopped talking, horrified to reveal she’d known about the culprit’s deeds long before her vision.

  “It’s alright, Darcie.” Des sensed her unease. “It’s not your fault.”

  “I didn’t tell you,” she blurted out. “I thought you would not let me help The Alliance if you knew Adir was behind everything.”

  There it was: the selfish reason behind her secret. A part of Darcie was surprised to realize her excuse for not telling Des, but another part of her knew it all along. She had been so tired of being left out and coddled. Darcie averted her eyes, ashamed of her selfishness.

  “Darcie.” Des reached out and gently guided her chin back towards him. “Let me reassure you. I knew. I knew it all.”

  The synapses in her brain shorted out. His words were unbelievable. The myelinated cells could not process the incoming information and convert it to something Darcie could understand. She was struck dumb.

  The grandfather clock ticked in the corner of the room. Darcie’s eyes locked onto Des. Seconds later, her nerve endings started to fire again. “You knew?”

  Des nodded. Then, he stopped himself. “Well, I suspected… I highly suspected Adir was behind their deaths.”

  “When?” she whispered. How long had Des known his immortal sibling was responsible for preventing his happiness for centuries?

  “From the moment Adir attacked you in the dungeon.”

  Darcie’s mind flashed back to that day.

  With the help of a warlock, Adir had managed to isolate her in an enclosed shield in the dungeon. He tricked her into getting close enough to the prison bars to touch her, and once he did, he sent an excruciating bolt of power into her body. It was only due to her concealed powers that Darcie survived his attack–his attempt to kill her.

  “Why didn’t you say anything?”

  “Because it wouldn’t have made a difference. At that point, Adir was no longer interested in ending your life.”

  Darcie had nothing to say to that. Des released his hold on her chin, but she did not look away again.

  “Come,” he stood up and held out a hand. “Let’s get some fresh air.”

  “Shouldn’t we be hiding inside?” she asked, but that did not stop her from placing her hand in his. The soothing and familiar sparks ignited her skin.

  “A few moments under the stars won’t hurt.” Des gently tugged Darcie towards the staircase.

  They climbed to the top floor, and Des lead her to a large set of double doors on the back side of the building. A gust of cold air blew her hair back as Darcie stepped onto the wooden deck. There was a picnic table in the far-right corner, and a cushioned bench near the front railing. Des escorted her to the latter.

  Settling onto the bench, Des pulled Darcie until she had no choice but to sit on his lap, facing the dark night in front of them. He wrapped strong arms around her, adding warmth to her chilled body. Darcie snuggled closer to his chest and breathed in a lungful of the fresh mountain air.

  The couple sat in contentment, holding onto one another and observing the stars. Darcie realized it had been a while since she allowed herself time to enjoy viewing the celestial bodies.

  Tilting her head back to rest on Des’ shoulder, her eyes searched for familiar constellations. She was busy searching for Orion’s belt when Des interrupted the quiet.

  “Better?”

  Feeling sheepish, Darcie moved her head against his shoulder. “Yes.”

  His arm tightened his embrace. “Good. I don’t like seeing you stressed.”

  Darcie released an unamused laugh. “I totally get it, but I’m sorry to say there is no getting around that. At least, not until this whole mess is over.”

  “Understandable.” Des’ hands moved to run up and down her arms. Her fluffy robe was keeping her warm enough not to shiver, but Des’ movement made her feel perfectly comfortable; the cold hardly bothered her.

  “Have I ever told you how sweet you are?” she asked, still staring up at the sky.

  Des chuckled. “No, I don’t believe you have.”

  She lifted her head and turned her neck to meet his gaze. “Well, you are. I appreciate how patient and understanding you are.” It was true.

  No matter what she threw his way, Des always treated her with the utmost kindness. Even when he denied their connection, Des had gone out of his way to make sure she was happy. He even convinced Thane to give Darcie back her cellphone so she could talk to family and friends even though it risked their secret to allow communication outside the mansion.

  Darcie leaned over to kiss the corner of his lips. Des’ breath hitched as she pulled back. The sound made Darcie smile. “I’m happy Thane found me in Maine,” she whispered.

  Des’ mouth dropped, but his eyes shined with joy as they darted between her own. He wasn’t sure what to say, and Darcie found his speechlessness adorable.

  In seconds, he managed to close his jaw. Des licked his dry lips and stared into her eyes. He swallowed the lump in his throat and said, “I’m happy, too, Darcie… More than I think you know.”

  33

  The lightness of dawn crept across the snowy ground, bringing with it
the moment The Alliance had been waiting for. It was the day of Adir’s attack and, hopefully, the end of the rebellion.

  After their brief bout of fresh air the night before, Des had insisted Darcie return to her room for the last few hours of rest. When she explained she had trouble turning her mind off, Des offered to stay with her until she fell asleep.

  Darcie eagerly agreed to the arrangement, and she nearly swooned when Des tucked her beneath the covers and laid down beside her on the twin size bed. She knew there was no way he would miss the sound of her increased heartbeat, but he did not say a word. Des turned on his side and motioned for Darcie to do the same. With her back to him, Darcie burrowed against Des’ long frame as he placed an arm around her waist.

  Despite her accelerated pulse and fluttering stomach, Darcie had no trouble drifting off to sleep. In fact, she believed she had never slept so soundly in her life.

  Hours later, when Des gently woke her up, it took every ounce of Darcie’s willpower to get out of the comfy bed. All she wanted to do was fling her arms around Des’ neck and pull him back to sleep, but one reminder of the impending attack had her jumping out of the covers and preparing for the day.

  It was six in the morning, and dawn was a little less than thirty minutes away. Rather than stay in the compound’s main building, Joseph and J.J. proposed Darcie be moved to a small shack near the back of the property. If any of the rebels made it through the compounds defenses and searched for her, the chances of them looking there were very small.

  Darcie’s first thought was to protest the plan. She did not want to be so far from the fighting. If any of her friends needed help, she wanted to be there for them. But she quickly realized the fault in her reasoning. Her presence would more than likely only hinder her friends, not help them. If Adir and his army broke through the elaborate and well-designed Alliance forces, her friends would be at ease to know she was safely tucked away out of Adir’s reach.

  So, Darcie bit her tongue and agreed to be moved to the wooden shack. When she first saw the dilapidated building, she prepared herself for a rough couple of hours, shivering in the cold. She was pleasantly surprised, however, to see cozy furnishings and a battery powered heater in the small, square space.

  Brian stepped inside, bringing in the snow that clung to his leather boots. “Well isn’t this snug.” His forest green eyes narrowed at the beveled roof.

  “It’s perfectly fine,” Darcie brushed past him, unwinding the scarf from her neck. Brian had offered to transport Darcie to the shack using his enhanced vampire speed. No one, not even Des, risked using their natural magic to transport. Chances were, Adir’s witch and warlock minions would be scouring the air for the use of such magic.

  When the vampire first offered his services, Darcie contemplated asking Alex or Gregory to take his place. But when she saw how busy her friends were organizing their coven’s forces, she resigned herself to make do with Brian.

  Darcie had just finished removing her gloves and jacket when Des arrived with Paige.

  “All clear,” the werebeast said, shoving past Brian to enter the shack. “No sign of anyone around our humble hideout.” Paige had been informed of the true reason behind their trip to the compound the night before. At first, she was livid to have been kept out of the loop for so long, but she woke up with a different attitude. Now, Paige was all business and took her guard duty seriously. She plopped down onto one of the wooden chairs and began unlacing her boots.

  Des walked in behind Paige and stepped right next to Darcie. She reached up to brush away the snowflakes clinging to the hair above his brow. He smiled down at her and said, “Thanks.”

  Her cheeks colored as she lowered her hand. “No problem.”

  “Yeesh. Is it warming up in here, or is it just me?” Paige made a show of fanning herself with her hand.

  Darcie’s face burned brighter with her friend’s joke. She averted her gaze and shot a semi-serious glare to her friend, silently telling her to shut up.

  “No, my dear. I do not believe it is just you,” Lord Brian jumped in on the joke. “I am feeling a little overheated myself. What about you, Desmond? Feeling hotter than normal?”

  Peeking up through her lashes, Darcie watched Des throw his neoprene glove at the vampire. “Get a life, Brian.”

  The vampire grinned; mischief covered the amused expression. “Come, little Paige, let us give the lovely couple a few minutes alone. If he does not get the chance to kiss her, I fear Desmond will be useless in battle.”

  Paige groaned but promptly re-laced her shoes. “Alright, but I’m not staying out there forever.” She gave Darcie a pointed look. “No going beyond first base.”

  “Paige!” Darcie cried, horrified. If her cheeks weren’t already fire-engine red, they were now.

  The teenage werebeast only laughed. Her amusement was seconded by Brian; he barely tried to conceal his chuckle as Paige stepped towards him. The pair disappeared through the small doorway. Darcie could still hear them laughing as they walked into the woods.

  “Can you believe them?” she asked aloud without really thinking about it. “They’re children.”

  “I think they needed a laugh,” Des observed. Darcie looked back at him with confusion.

  Des rotated his neck to face her. “Battles raise one’s anxiety. No doubt, both Paige and Brian benefited from the brief moment of levity.” Darcie hadn’t thought of that.

  Realizing the joke may have helped her friends relax, Darcie wasn’t as bothered by the embarrassing remarks.

  “Why didn’t you tell me your name was Desmond?” Darcie asked. The first time she heard the old-timey name was from the British vampire. No one in the immortal family, or any members of The Alliance, called him by that name.

  “Because it is atrocious and I despise it,” Des replied. He smirked. “I’ve always shortened it, but once Brian learned of my full name, he refused to not use it.”

  “Are you guys friends or something?” After seeing the pair interact, friendship seemed like a good possibility.

  Des shrugged. “Something like that. We’ve known each other for centuries. I’m close with Alex, so when he introduced me to his brother, I suppose we sort of became friends as well.”

  “It’s hard to believe they are real brothers,” she admitted. “They don’t seem to get along.”

  Des laughed. “They get along more than you think. Which reminds me, it is my understanding you met Cassandra?”

  Darcie nodded, not sure where he was going with the question.

  “She is their sister as well,” Des explained. “There are two other direct descendants, but I have never met them. Alex tells me they prefer to remain isolated in remote regions of Romania and Russia.”

  Darcie was shocked. She had no idea Cassandra was related to Alex. Sure, they all looked alike, but all vampires looked alike to her.

  She thought back to the time she saw Cassandra and Alex kiss on the lips. It grossed her out, but she supposed some cultures showed that type of affection to siblings.

  “No wonder she runs the London coven,” Darcie said, integrating the information with her prior knowledge.

  Des’ lips turned up. “Indeed.”

  It did not escape Darcie’s notice that three of Adir’s own children were working against him with The Alliance. She knew the immortal was evil, but she only started to appreciate the level of evil he had to be for his own children to turn on him. Darcie couldn’t think of a situation where she would do the same to her parents.

  “Are you ready for this?” Des interrupted her thoughts.

  Darcie looked back to him. “Yes. You?”

  “I’m ready for it to be done with,” he said without inflection. He stepped closer and entwined his fingers with hers.

  Grinning softly, he said, “I enjoy this.” He lifted their hands in demonstration.

  “Me too,” she whispered. “I like the sparks.”

  His smile widened. “Me too.”

  Darcie chuckled,
marveling at how easy things seemed between them. She wasn’t sure when it changed, but their mutual comfort was so much different than how things were in the beginning.

  She shook her head. “Remember the club in Maine? You didn’t say anything to me until those two drunk girls knocked me on my butt.”

  “Oh, I remember that well.” His eyes gleamed, not bothering to veil his amusement.

  “Well, of course you do,” she said. “It was the first time you’d seen me.” Darcie said it like a joke, but she secretly hoped Des would confirm some unnatural pull–some proof of the connection she clearly remembered feeling when she first laid eyes on him.

  To her surprise, Des said something totally unexpected. “That was not the first time I’d seen you.”

  It took a moment for her to process the words. “Wait. What?” She observed him, looking for a sign of a joke. She found none. “What do you mean?”

  Des ran his hand through his hair. Darcie recognized he usually performed the gesture when nervous. “The first time I saw you was in Greece. At the National Garden in Athens. We actually spent the day together.” The words left his mouth quickly. It was like Des worried he wouldn’t be able to get all of them out in time.

  When he finished, he looked at her expectantly, waiting for her reaction.

  Darcie had no idea what was going on. “That’s crazy,” she voiced her initial thought. “I would remember spending the day with you.”

  When Des did not retract his statement, a potential explanation flashed across her mind.

  “Oh,” Darcie looked at the base of Des’ throat. She could see his rapid pulse. “You altered my mind.”

  “I wasn’t planning to,” Des revealed, bringing their linked hands to rest against his chest. “But when Thane saw you, I panicked. He had already made assumptions about who you were to me, but I didn’t want to risk your safety.”

  He lifted her hand and placed a gentle kiss on her fingers. “So, I denied it. And I took away your memory so you could deny it as well.”

  Her mind was muddled. Blurry images of the illustrious gardens filled her thoughts, but they faded to black when she tried to focus on them too long.