“I helped Des kill them.”
“Yes.” He stood up and took a step towards Darcie. Consoling words were forming on his lips, but Darcie stopped them from being said.
“I would do it again,” she stated with no emotion. “Henry was evil. I would help Des kill them all over again if given the chance.”
Paige and Gregory didn’t so much as breathe as they processed her words. Darcie felt no remorse for the part she played in the death of the rebels and Henry.
A very small and quiet part of her knew she should feel some sort of guilt, or even sorrow, for helping to take someone’s life. But all Darcie felt was pride. She was glad Henry was dead. Her only regret was that she hadn’t done it herself.
Paige cleared her throat. “I think I am going to go find my dad.” She sounded hoarse. “He might need my help with something.” Without waiting for a reply, Paige disappeared through the doorway.
Darcie had followed the girl’s path out of the room. Now, she stared at the open door. The hallway was dark, and her enhanced ears did not hear any other movement on the top floor.
“They fear me.” Everyone had decided to give the creepy-looking witch and immortal hybrid a wide berth.
“They fear your detachment,” Gregory corrected. “No one is sure what to make of it. They think you may be unstable.”
“I see.”
“Are you?” Gregory asked.
Her neck rotated until she faced him again. “Am I what?”
“Unstable.” His eyes held no judgment. If anything, they showed his concern and desire to help.
“No,” she told him. “I am stable.”
“But you cannot change…” He trailed off, gesturing to her expressionless face and odd eyes. “That?”
“Apparently not.”
Gregory dipped his chin. “Good to know you have at least tried.”
Darcie did not have anything to say to that. She continued to look at Gregory, noticing the bruised skin around base of his neck. “You were strangled?”
He blinked, surprised. “Yes.”
“Who is strong enough to strangle you?” Vampires were faster than most other half-breeds. She suspected only another vampire could have caught Gregory and inflicted the damage.
He confirmed her hypothesis. “Victor, Rose’s master.”
Darcie’s tone did not convey the surprise she felt. “Victor sided with the rebellion?”
“Yes.”
“Did you kill him?”
Gregory smirked. “Yes.”
Darcie remembered the vampire’s birthday and how he subjected multiple vampires, including Rose, to sit like slaves at his feet. “Good. He deserved to die.”
Again, Gregory’s expression filled with worry. Regardless, he seconded her statement. “Yes. Yes, he did.”
Looking up at the ceiling, Darcie counted the small bumps of plaster. She rested her neck against the back of the couch. “Rose will be free,” she said. “Will you two finally be together?”
“What?” Gregory’s incredulous tone drew Darcie’s attention back down.
“Will you and Rose be together?” she repeated her question, unable to understand why he seemed so taken aback by the question. Darcie had seen the two vampires interact. There was an obvious attraction between them. “Now that Rose is free of Victor, she will be able to do whatever she wants.”
“And you think she wants me?” he asked. “And that I want her?”
“Yes.” It seemed obvious.
Gregory shook his head and released a shaky breath. “I can’t believe this,” he muttered, running an aggravated hand down his face. “Can we table this conversation for the moment?” he asked. “This is not the right time to discuss such things.”
Darcie turned her head sideways. “Why not?”
“Because there is a battle going on, you stupid girl.”
Both Gregory and Darcie looked towards the new voice.
Gregory jumped to his feet. Reaching over, he grabbed Darcie and yanked her over to his side.
Darcie didn’t fight him; she didn’t do anything at all. She felt nothing as she acknowledged the identity of the immortal standing at the room’s threshold.
Adir’s deep blue eyes locked onto her. Flames of fury and victory flickered in his expression. “Found you.”
37
Adir stepped into the room but halted when he observed Darcie’s unusual state. He took in her white eyes and emotionless face, his own expression growing wary as he asked, “What is wrong with you?”
“Nothing,” Darcie replied. Beside her, Gregory stiffened. He was not as unfeeling as Darcie. He shifted on his feet, readying himself for whatever Adir planned to do.
“You were hiding in the lodge the entire time.” Darcie wasn’t sure how, but she knew her words were true. “You are lucky no one found you.”
“Luck had nothing to do with it,” Adir growled. “I have survived many attempts to capture me, and I will survive this one. Now,” he pointed a finger at her. “Use your magic to lower the shield around the compound. I will leave you unharmed, but only if you lower the shield.”
“No.”
Adir leaned back as if struck. Gregory inched a step closer to Darcie.
The immortal clenched his fist and lowered his hand. “What do you mean, ‘no’? I can end you and your friend with a snap of my finger.”
“Then you will remain stuck here until someone finds you and kills you.” Darcie wasn’t trying to intimidate him, she was just stating facts.
He ground his teeth together. “What will it take for you to lower the shield? I am willing to negotiate.”
It was that moment when Darcie finally noticed Adir’s appearance. Like her friends, his clothes and body showed his involvement in the physical altercations of the battle.
However, unlike her friends, there was desperation in his face. And, if she wasn’t mistaken, fear swirled in his dark blue eyes.
“You have nothing I want,” she told him.
Adir stared at her, contemplating the best way to proceed. Straightening his back, he hardened his expression.
“Very well. You have made your choice.” Without warning, a red streak of power flew across the room. Its light was dull; his immortal powers were still being masked by the spell around the compound.
Darcie lifted a hand and effortlessly deflected the attack. Gregory audibly gasped, and Adir’s jaw dropped.
She lowered her hand and unnecessarily stated, “I was unaffected by The Veritas spell.”
Adir continued to gape at her. “So, it is true. You can wield The Veritas.”
She didn’t respond, but she didn’t need to. Adir’s spies had informed him well. He was not surprised to learn she had access to The Veritas, only that she was actually able to use it.
“You are even more magnificent than I imagined,” Adir murmured with awe. “We could have done great things together, Darcie. We still could do great things.”
She listened to his attempt to save himself. “I have seen the things you do,” she reminded him. “None of it is great.”
Adir shook his head and stepped forward. Gregory growled, making the immortal think twice about his approach. “I only want equality,” he said with earnest. “You, being both an immortal and half-breed, should appreciate that more than my immortal brothers and sisters. The structure of our society is biased and unfair. It gives advantages to some, but deprives others of the right to benefit from our roles within humanity. Even Faine, my sweet and gentle sister, agreed, and she was killed for fighting for her beliefs. The Council is corrupt, and it needs to be restructured.”
“You have said this to me before.” Darcie referenced their conversation after Adir had abducted her from the immortal ball. “You speak of equality and fairness, but all you desire is more power for yourself.”
“I desire more power for all immortals.”
“And what about the half-breeds who joined your cause?” Darcie asked. “What benefit do they get?�
��
“To be treated as equals to immortals, of course.”
In front of her, Gregory scoffed. Adir turned hateful eyes to the vampire.
Darcie spoke before an argument could ensure. “Only a fool would believe your rebellion’s victory means equality for all. You would rule with lesser immortals doing your bidding, leaving half-breeds to their own devices. You would subject humankind to a chaotic and emotionally charged world. Only destruction and pandemonium would result from your victory.” The words were not predictions. As Darcie made her speech, her mind was filled with visions of the future if Adir won the rebellion.
She saw the destruction of towns and cities as lesser immortals roamed the earth, unchecked as they riled up their desired human emotions. Hundreds of beings fed of human anger, love, sadness, greed, and so much more.
Societies and governments crumbled. Humans were little more than slaves, feeding their eternal masters fuel in the form of draining emotions.
At first, half-breeds watched the destruction from the sidelines, unable to offer assistance to combat the superior beings. But after enough time and destruction occurred, clans, packs, and covens would unite. They would organize and try to defeat Adir’s rule.
And they would fail.
Darcie saw all that and so much more in those few seconds. Adir, however, was unaware of her visions.
He continued his attempts to convince Darcie of his goodness. “I only want peace. If you let me go, I promise to end the rebellion once The Council agrees to stop regulating our interactions with humans.”
For a moment, despite her impassive demeanor, Darcie pitied Adir. His thoughts and memories flashed into her head as if they were her own:
Adir had loved his siblings. He benefitted from conflict, but he cherished his family. It was only when Des, Lome, and Thane began growing stronger that his dislike began.
He tried to convey his unhappiness with the arrangement. His Original siblings all understood his dismay, but none agreed to change their minds. His jealousy and envy only magnified as Thane and Lome married their human soulmates. He watched the happy couples thrive with strength and power, commanding the rest of the immortal community like they ruled the world.
Adir cursed The Creator for allowing such a disparity to exist amongst his creations. All Original immortals should have been created equal. The Creator had wronged him, and he was determined to make it right. That was the moment he decided to continue killing the brothers’ soulmates. Lome had already found Eshe before he could intervene, but Adir successfully prevented Thane and Des from forming the powerful bond until Bella entered the picture.
Adir still cursed himself for not keeping a closer eye on Thane during the century he found Bella. It was the first time Thane had encountered a version of his soulmate, and he wasted no time in whisking her away to form the bond. He was not prone to taking his time like Des. The middle brother always gave Adir ample opportunity to prevent his soulmates from living to see a bond.
“At least I managed to steal Bella away in more ways than one.” Adir’s sick thoughts played images of him seducing a young and vulnerable Bella. Then, his mind flashed to the day he killed her with a single red bolt to the head.
Darcie shoved the mental intrusions away. Nausea rolled in her stomach and her head ached. Her focus was blurred by another quick vision, but it disappeared almost immediately.
Shaking her head, Darcie locked Adir in her unforgiving gaze. “You stole my humanity.” Her voice turned frigid; her stoic features filled with hate and loathing. “You killed many innocents. You harbored jealousy, greed, and anger when you could have enjoyed the gift of everlasting life and immense power. Peace will never be enough for you. This ends now.”
Adir’s calm façade vanished into the air around them. He was done begging. Red flames matching those in the room’s fireplace covered his hands.
“Why not finish me yourself?” he asked with misplaced bravery. “Why don’t you use your superior power to end my reign of terror?”
Despite the return of her tumultuous emotions, Darcie remained calm. “Because there is someone else who deserves that privilege.” She heard the approaching footsteps, just like she had in her vision. “There is someone you have wronged who seeks vengeance.” She looked over Adir’s shoulder expectantly.
Adir maintained his fighting stance, but he followed her gaze to the open doorway. He hissed and pivoted his stance so his body was perpendicular to Darcie and the newcomer. Gregory muttered his own surprise.
Filling the doorway, with broad shoulders and an unforgiving expression, stood Thane. The immortal’s eyes sported the same shadows weeks of grief had painted there, but his expression was masked with determination and resolve.
* * *
Darcie was not surprised when Adir used his immortal speed to position himself behind her. He wrapped his strong arms around her torso and neck, pulling her against his body. Gregory whirled around but halted his impending strike when he saw the position she was in. Adir’s flames licked the skin on her neck. The power felt warm, but it did not burn.
“You will let me pass, or I will kill her.” Adir tightened his hold on Darcie.
Thane did not move from the doorway. Darcie watched the distant immortal, fascinated by his calm demeanor. She would have expected him to burst into a rampage the moment he came face-to-face with his wife’s murderer. Instead, the leader of the immortal brothers stared at Adir and Darcie without moving a muscle.
“I mean it,” Adir shouted. “I will kill her.” He let his power seep past the top layer of her skin. The pain was familiar, reminiscent of the time he attacked her in the dungeon.
However, unlike that encounter, Darcie was no longer afraid of the immortal. He couldn’t hurt her. She knew it, and so did Adir.
“No matter what you do or don’t do, you will not be leaving here alive.”
Darcie felt the moment Adir acknowledged the truth of Thane’s words. His already tense body became immovable against her back. Then, he flicked his wrist and sent his strongest burst of power into Gregory. Despite it being his best effort, the attack only knocked the vampire unconscious.
“He wasn’t your most formidable opponent,” Darcie couldn’t resist pointing out. She took a moment to acknowledge her lack of fear could be construed as reckless. Des would, no doubt, have something to say if he ever heard of it.
“Shut up.” Adir’s powers returned threateningly to her neck. He whispered, “I may not be able to kill you, but I bet I can still do some damage.”
Normal Darcie would have quaked with fear, but the detached Darcie only smirked at his pathetic attempt to maintain control.
Tired of the stand-off, she placed a cool hand against the forearm pressed against her chest. Picturing what she wanted to happen, Darcie sent a sharp pin-prick-sized spell into his arm. She used her mind to guide its path through his skin until it pressed against white bone.
Adir hissed and flung his arm to the side, but he continued to hold her with his other hand. “What in the–. What did you do, you little bi–”
Darcie sent another pinprick into his other arm, forcing him to release her or continue to suffer her painful contact. Adir released a slew of curses, and she stepped out of his grasp and moved to stand by the wall.
Now free, Darcie couldn’t help but sigh. She was disappointed that escaping Adir had been so easy. Either the spell surrounding the compound masked his powers more than she thought, or she was much stronger than she realized.
Thane and Adir faced each other. No barrier separated them. Thane’s eyes gleamed with untamed rage. “You killed my wife.”
“Your wife came to me,” Adir threw back, sounding more confident than he looked. “The sun was shining when she joined the rebellion.”
“I know why she came to you,” Thane stated. “And I know that you manipulated her and used her for your own gain. She made mistakes, but none of her crimes would have ever been enough for me to wish her gone from thi
s world. You will pay for taking her for me.” Not wasting another second, Thane shot blue streams of power out of his palms.
Adir created a shield, but it was weak and threatened to disintegrate under the constant barrage of power. He started mounting his own offensive while also dodging Thane’s attack.
Darcie contemplated assisting Thane. The fight would be over in two seconds with her help, but she knew Thane needed to kill Adir on his own. He had been dreaming of the chance to enact his vengeance, and she would not be the one to deny him the opportunity.
So, she remained standing against the far wall. Whenever a stray bolt or shot came too near her or Gregory, Darcie enacted an invisible barrier to deflect its path. After the fourth shot came too close, she decided to leave the barrier up for good. Crossing her arms, she continued to monitor the fight.
Both of the immortals were limited in their abilities, but it was obvious Thane was the superior being. His attacks were bigger and caused more damage than Adir’s haphazard attempts. Slowly, but surely, Thane was wearing the rebel down.
“This ends now,” Thane roared, deflecting Adir’s recent bout of barraging bolts of red power. “You have lost, Adir. Accept your fate.”
“This won’t end with me,” Adir cried out with fury. He knew he was seconds from losing, but he could not resist throwing another dagger into Thane’s confidence. “You lost your One. You will never find another. Soon, my followers will reunite and destroy Eshe.” His manic eyes landed on Darcie, “And you will be next.”
Darcie met his stare evenly. She wasn’t frightened by the threat.
She was in the middle of holding his gaze when a bright blue light encompassed his entire body. Darcie watched his silent scream as Thane forced his power into the immortal.
Adir’s eyes turned pitch black, and the rest of his body disintegrated into a pile of ash.
38
“You are unharmed?” Thane’s question drew Darcie’s attention away from Adir’s smoking remains.
“I’m fine.”
The eldest immortal brother eyed her with skepticism before he stepped toward her. Darcie lowered her constructed barrier as he knelt down beside Gregory and confirmed he had a pulse.
Enraptured: Immortal Chronicles Book IV Page 25
