Chapter 1
DARCIE
The Grecian sun blasts down from the cloudless sky, and the typically reliable Mediterranean breeze is nowhere to be found as I stand in the middle of the immense field of grass outside the brother’s mansion.
Using the back of my hand, I wipe away the beads of sweat gathering just over my brows, but I don’t dare glance away from my opponent.
Not for a second.
“You can do this,” Alex calls out. “Focus and get out of your own head!”
The meant-to-be-friendly advice only grates my nerves. I want to throw a clump of dirt at the vampire standing on the sidelines.
Concentrating on the athletically clad warlock across from me, I eye Henry’s posture and attempt to gauge when his next strike will come. I shift my feet to the right, seeing him trace the movement with his cunning gaze.
I move left. He tracks it again.
“Stop dancing around, Darcie,” Alex commands. “Advance!”
I huff.
Stop interrupting me every five seconds, and I actually might be able to make some progress!
Unable to let his incessant nagging go, I keep my eyes forward but throw my words to the side. “I’m trying.”
“Try harder,” he replies with zero empathy. “Do you think Adir is going to let you take breaks in between his attempt to abduct you?”
He doesn’t wait for me to answer the question. “No, he will not.”
“Henry,” Alex addresses my opponent, “stop holding back.”
Henry tilts his auburn head forward in acknowledgment before his eyes lock on me. He didn’t look particularly friendly before, but after Alex’s order, his determined expression makes him look even less so.
Shit.
I bend my knees, lowering my center of gravity. Whatever spell Henry plans to throw at me, I need to stay on my feet. Only then can I worry about countering his attack.
Not that I have the magic to do that…
Henry extends his right arm and spins in a circle, looking like an Olympic shot putter. The purple flame from his palms forms a solid sphere just before he launches the attack. The spell moves quickly.
It starts to descend, and I realize the ball is much bigger up close. My nerves go haywire.
Focus, I tell myself. Just block it.
I hold out my arms, rotating my wrists to make my palms face out.
Furrowing my brow, I work to create a shield out of the traces of magic residing in my veins. I bite down on my lip when the effort only produces puny sparks of light. The coppery taste of blood coats my tongue.
Come on!
I will warmth into my hands.
Come on!
At last, a faint outline of a shield appears. The size might be small, only about the circumference of a large pizza, but it’s a shield, nonetheless.
I stare happily at my creation, taking in all of its little details.
I did it!
After weeks of trying to conjure any sort of physical manifestation of my powers, I finally did it. I finally managed to use my powers.
And I did it all without her.
I’m so preoccupied with patting myself on the back that I almost miss Alex’s warning.
“Duck, Darcie!” the vampire shouts. “Lift the shield!”
I glance over and catch the urgency in his wide eyes.
Instinctively, I do as he says and angle my arms higher, but make the mistake of not heeding the first command.
I turn to the side just in time to see the purple sphere collide with my shield. The impact reverberates through my hands and down my arms. The defensive object shatters, allowing the sphere unhindered passage toward my head.
I cross my forearms in front of my face and cower beneath the useless protection of my mortal body, praying for a miracle.
The sphere never makes impact.
But a hit on my side sends me sprawling out across the grass.
“Oomph.” I throw my hands out to protect my face from scraping along the ground, rolling over and over until I stop, staring at the cloudless sky as I work to catch my breath.
A throat clears beside me.
I meet the frustrated blue eyes of the duel’s spectator.
Alex’s lips turn down. “You weren’t focused.”
I groan and drop my head back onto the soft grass. “I know.”
“You had a shield.” His pitch rises an octave. “Why didn’t you use it?”
“I tried.”
“No, you didn’t.”
I sigh. “I got distracted. Okay? It was the first time I was able to conjure a protective spell. I was excited.”
He doesn’t accept the excuse. “You were reckless. Henry’s spell could have done serious damage.”
“Lucky for me, I have you and your crazy vampire speed to save me.” I give him a weak grin.
He doesn’t share my amusement.
“Darcie.” He tilts his head back and stares at the sky, as if searching the clouds for answers. “What am I going to do with you?”
Sensing he doesn’t plan to let up on the lecture anytime soon, I push myself off the ground and into a sitting position, too woozy to stand.
“I’m sorry. I’ll try harder to stay focused. But you have to admit,” I add with a happy smile, “that was some pretty awesome progress.”
“Yes,” he allows. “But you can’t let such a thing distract you from the task at hand. Who is to say you won’t manifest a new spell in the middle of a conflict? Would you just stand there in awe over the achievement, or would you use it?”
“I would use it.”
Obviously.
“Then practice that way, Darcie. How you practice any task is how you will perform it in real life. Develop the habits now in this low-risk situation.”
He’s right, but I hate the way he’s speaking to me.
I’m not a dumb kid.
“I got it, Alex.” I grit my teeth. “It won’t happen again.”
Rocking back and forth, I use my body’s momentum to stand. From across the field, Henry raises a hand in apology. I lift one back and wave, assuring him I’m unharmed.
Wanting to be done for the day, I turn and walk back toward the mansion. Using his speed, Alex catches up and matches my stride.
We walk in silence, and I occupy myself with admiring the endless field of green before us.
“Don’t tell me you are mad at me,” he finally says.
“Nope.”
“Are you sure?”
“Positive.” I won’t give him the satisfaction of more than one-word answers.
“Darcie.”
“What?” I stop walking. “I’m not mad at you. No way am I irritated with how you heckle me day in and day out while I train. Nope. It doesn’t frustrate me a bit. Happy now?”
Instead of spouting a stream of apology, he rolls his eyes. “I forgot how irksome mortals can be.”
I clench my jaw but resist the impulse to stomp my foot.
“Maybe you should do yourself a favor and appoint someone else to be my shadow?”
I swear, I can’t do anything without Alex’s constant disapproval hanging over me.
“It’s part of the deal, little one,” he replies, unaffected by my irritation. “Des and I agree that you need to be guarded at all times. And since Des finds himself preoccupied, that leaves you with…” he trails off and gestures to himself like he’s revealing a grand exhibit.
“Give me a break,” I mutter. Rather than continue standing in the sun, I resume my path to the air-conditioned home.
Alex keeps pace with me.
Only this time, he doesn’t let tense silence settle between us.
“Perhaps we should solicit another warlock or witch to assist Henry. He seems well-versed in protection charms, but appears to lack the ability to instruct you in attack spells.”
I shrug, knowing he’s not really asking for my input.
Though if he were, I’d say Henry is perfectly capable of teaching me offensive uses of my power. I, however, am unable to bring them to fruition.
For a reason that remains hidden, I struggle to tap into my abilities.
Alex sighs. “I wish I could just get a hold of Jennifer. Surely she knows how best to instruct you in such things.”
My spine grows rigid at the mention of my mother’s name.
“Haven’t managed to find her yet, huh?”
“No. She’s proving herself extremely difficult to locate, but do not worry.” He peers at me through the corner of his eye. “I will find her.”
“I’m sure you will.”
And I am.
There’s no doubt in my mind that Alex will eventually figure out where my mother is.
What I do doubt is whether Jennifer Abernathy, if that’s still her last name, will actually come to my assistance.
Something tells me that the woman who abandoned me as a child might not be too eager to rush back to my side.
Did she leave us because she wanted to be with someone else?
Did she regret having a child?
So many reasons for her abandonment gnaw at the back of my mind, tangled with questions about how our impending reunion will go.
Will she cry?
Will I cry?
Or will I be angry?
Will I use the opportunity to unleash my frustration on the woman who left me and Dad all alone?
Will I finally let her hear what I think about her and her selfish decision?
If I were a betting woman, I’d put my money on the latter.
Alex and I walk up the back stone stairs and walk into the Immortal’s Grecian mansion. Cool air kisses my heated cheeks. Sweat dries on the back of my neck, sending a chill down my back.
We climb the wide staircase in the middle of the home when I finally end the silence between us.
“I wish you would just tell me what I want to know about her,” I murmur. “It would be easier than waiting.”
Though the reason for her abandonment remains a mystery, I did discover my birth mother is a member of the supernatural community. A half-breed, to be exact.
As a descendant of the Original Immortal, Charmian, Jennifer Abernathy is a witch.
At first, no one knew if she had magic or if it was my proximity to the Immortals that resulted in my ability to fall into visions.
But after Alex admitted he knew my mother, he confirmed that she is, in fact, a powerful witch.
And yet, she still chose to leave me, not bothering to warn me about the powers destined to manifest within me when I turned twenty-one.
My mother took off into the proverbial night, leaving me with my unsuspecting dad.
John Abernathy is as normal as normal can be. There’s no way he was set up to handle his daughter sprouting supernatural powers. From where I stand, my mother’s actions were negligent.
And I demand answers.
“I understand your anticipation,” Alex says, “but the story is not mine to share.”
“Fine.” I huff, taking the refusal in stride. “Whatever. It’s not like it matters anyway. I have Henry. He’s plenty of help.”
I pretend not to notice Alex’s skeptical glance.
I have bigger things to worry about than a potential reunion with my mom. For example: figuring out what happened to Bella and saving her.
An ache throbs in my chest.
It’s been two weeks since Adir escaped the dungeon.
Fourteen days since I had a vision of him attacking Bella on her balcony.
Nearly half a month since there’s been any news on the missing Immortal.
And we still don’t know where she is.
I’m desperate to learn something—anything about what happened to Bella. We all are.
But my desperation is what motivates me to throw myself into training with Henry.
Alex had wanted me to wait until he found Jennifer to train with my magic, but I refused to delay.
I want to help the Immortals. I need to help.
But to do that, I need to practice and master my abilities.
“I can see the gears working in there.” Alex reaches over to lightly tap my forehead. “What are you thinking?”
I clear my expression.
“Nothing,” I answer as we arrive on the third floor. “Just looking forward to my next sparring match with Henry.”
“Hmm.” He looks me up and down. “Good. I am glad to see you are planning ahead.”
“But,” he adds, his eyes gleaming as he stops me from veering off toward my room, “perhaps we should get you a helmet first.”
I swat his shoulder, but he taps into vampire speed and races down the hallway, leaving behind a trail of laughter that lessens some of the ache in my heart.
Until I think of Des.