Chapter 34
DARCIE
“No.” Bile crawls up my throat as I hold Bella’s stare. “No!”
This can’t be real.
This can’t be happening.
“I made a mistake.” Bella’s hands twist together. “Like I said, I was young. And Adir consoled me and—”
“You cheated on your husband.” The words scrape out of me.
Bella loves Thane.
I can’t rationalize that the Immortal I’ve come to know, my friend, would ever do something like this.
It’s not her.
“I made a mistake,” she repeats, her eyes forlorn.
“But I thought you and Thane were perfect.” My chest tightens, fear creeping in that everything I’ve believed is a carefully constructed illusion. “I saw it myself. You guys love each other.”
Don’t you?
“Of course we do,” she answers my silent plea. “But no one is perfect. No relationship is perfect.”
Of course not. But this?
God.
I didn’t see this coming.
“So what?” My voice sharpens as anger surges up to protect the part of me that wants to crumble. “You cheat on Thane with Adir, and now you’re helping him with the rebellion? You’re betraying Thane because you and Adir had an affair in the past?”
“It is not like that.”
“Then what is it like?” I snap. “Because from where I stand, you look like a traitor. We all have been worried sick about you, and all this time, you’ve sided with the enemy!”
My pulse pounds in my throat.
How could Bella do this, not only to Thane, but to everyone?
Her face pinches. “I didn’t have a choice.”
“Explain.”
She shifts her weight. “I’m not proud of what I did. Adir promised to keep it to himself, but part of me always knew he’d enjoy lording it over Thane whenever he wanted to hurt him.”
“Why not tell him yourself before Adir ever had the chance?”
“I should have.” Her head drops, and she stares at her slippered feet. “Looking back, I wish I had been brave enough to face whatever consequences came from my foolishness. I can’t imagine anything could’ve been worse than what we all endure now.”
“It’s not too late, Bella. We can leave. Now.”
She jerks her head. “I can’t. Not after what I’ve done.”
“Thane will understand—”
“I am the one who helped Adir escape the dungeon.”
I snap my mouth shut so hard my teeth clack. “What?”
“I helped Adir escape the dungeon,” she repeats.
The pieces slot into place with sickening ease. The alliance believed Adir escaped with the help of double-agent warlocks.
But it wasn’t warlocks.
It was Bella.
What will the Council do if they realize one of their own helped free their enemy?
What will Thane do?
Bella lifts her chin, spine straightening. Even so, she looks weak. A shell of herself.
“I didn’t help Adir only to keep my affair a secret,” she says, voice gaining strength.
“I helped him because I truly believe the Council needs to reevaluate its policies. Their rules only widen the divide between us, the lesser Immortals, and half-breed populations. We cannot continue like this, Darcie, and Adir knows it.”
“Adir wants power,” I counter. “He told me he wants to kill you, Bella. And Eshe, too. You can’t trust him.”
She shakes her head. “He wouldn’t do that.”
“I saw him attack you on the balcony,” I argue, the memory flashing sharp and undeniable.
I throw a hand toward her, as if I can physically point to the truth.
“He was trying to hurt you. I don’t know why he didn’t go through with it, but you have to know you cannot trust him.
” My voice shakes with frustration. “He wants to weaken the brothers, and the best way to do that is to get rid of you and Eshe.”
How can she not see that?
Bella continues to shake her head.
“You don’t know what you’re talking about. Adir is going to overthrow the Council, but he will leave us alone. All he wants is for things to be fair.” Her mouth tightens. “And all I want is not to have a target on my family’s back.”
It’s like arguing with a stranger.
Nothing about this person feels like Bella.
If Adir blackmailed her, I can understand why she’d be tempted to help him to keep him quiet…to a point.
But to turn on her husband?
On her entire family?
Nothing should convince her to do that.
Before I can figure out what to say next, the metal door behind Bella opens.
My body reacts before my mind does.
I take a step back and position myself in front of Gregory again, shielding him with my stance.
He hasn’t moved once during the entire conversation. I glance down. Relief punches through me at the continued rise and fall of his chest.
I turn back to the door.
My blood runs cold.
Adir saunters into the room with the arrogance of someone who believes he’s already won.
From his perspective, I suppose he has.
But I’ll be damned if I don’t fight back.
“Hello, Darcie.”
I don’t respond.
I just stare, pouring every ounce of hate and resentment I have into my gaze, wishing it could burn holes through his pretty face.
“Oh, come on.” His voice is slick as oil. He flicks a strand of golden hair away from his forehead. “Don’t be this way. I went through a lot of trouble to find you.”
A shiver skates down my spine despite my effort to stay still.
I maintain my silence.
With a disappointed sigh, Adir moves until he stands beside Bella. He places a hand over her bony shoulder.
I clamp down on the urge to tell him not to touch her.
“I suspect Bella has updated you on the state of our dealings,” he says with a smirk. “I’m sure you’re happy to see she is unharmed and that she is not my prisoner as the alliance would lead you to believe.”
I would hardly call Bella’s hollow-eyed, subdued state “unharmed,” but I keep the thought locked behind my teeth.
Adir’s sapphire eyes harden as his mask slips, just enough to show the villain underneath. “I suggest you start responding to me, Darcie, or I’m afraid I will not be able to guarantee your friend remains unharmed.”
I shift an inch closer to Gregory.
“He’s your descendant,” I snap. “Are you really the type of person who would harm your own family?”
“That vampire is an abomination.” He removes his hand from Bella. “He is the product of a vampire and human relationship, and his kind should not exist. The only reason he isn’t already dead is because my son is fond of him.”
I force my face to stay blank.
I will not react and give Adir a single clue about what I know, or don’t know, about his relationship with Alex.
Or Gregory’s bloodline.
“Nothing to say?” He tuts softly. “I’m disappointed. I thought you cared for your friends more than that.”
He raises an ominous hand toward Gregory.
“What do you want?” I demand. “Why am I here?”
Adir lowers his arm.
“That is a complicated question.”
It really isn’t.
I grit my teeth and wait, refusing to play into whatever web he weaves as much as possible. But I won’t stand by and stay silent if that means he leaves Gregory alone.
Adir watches me. Bella does, too.
My focus remains on the unstable Immortal, braced for what comes next.
“My initial hope was to utilize you and your abilities for my cause.” Adir rocks back on his heels.
His lips lift into an eerie grin. “You must understand, not every witch or warlock has the strength to withstand an Immortal’s powers like you did in the dungeon.
For that reason alone, you are valuable. ”
“Not to mention,” he adds, with a wistful note, “possessing you would cause unfathomable distress to the rest of my siblings.”
A shudder shakes my entire body.
“And now?” I clip out. “Why do you want me now?”
“It’s an interesting story, actually.” He begins to walk the length of the room, his tone easy, conversational.
It grates my nerves. “For weeks, I’ve been trying to figure out a way to lure you out of the brothers’ mansion, but I could not come up with an idea.
Until lovely Bella, here, reminded me about your father. ”
Blood pounds in my ears. “Leave my dad out of this.”
Adir pivots, eyes bright. “Imagine my surprise when I dropped in on John Abernathy in Rome and recognized him.”
My eyes narrow.
What?
“You recognized him?” Bella speaks, a flicker of shock breaking through her careful tone.
“I did,” he answers, but his stare never leaves mine. “And I was astonished. How could I have not realized what you are?”
The words hang between us.
I don’t walk where he is trying to lead.
“Realized what?” Bella asks, glancing between us. “What are you talking about, Adir?”
“You do not know?” he asks with exaggerated surprise. “Do not worry. I didn’t either. Not until I saw it with my own two eyes.”
His smile widens. “Now, I cannot believe I did not see it sooner.”
My stomach churns.
“Know what?” Bella presses.
“That our dear Darcie is not only a descendant of Charmian…but also of Eros.”
“B-but that is impossible,” Bella sputters. “It cannot be.”
I flick a quick glance to Bella, confused by her reaction, then back to Adir.
“But it is,” he says smoothly, savoring the words. “Darcie is the descendant of two Immortal bloodlines. It is rather extraordinary.”
“I don’t see why it matters.” I keep my voice steady, forcing myself to act unaffected despite the fact that this crazed Immortal just admitted he’s been near my dad.
“It matters because you shouldn’t exist,” Adir replies, and the certainty in his tone makes my skin prickle. “Never before have two Immortal bloodlines mixed. You are an anomaly.”
His eyes gleam. “An extraordinary anomaly.”
That…that doesn’t make sense.
My mother told me about Dad’s bloodline like it wasn’t a big deal. It didn’t seem rare or special.
So why is Adir looking at me like he’s just won the war?
I clear my throat. “Regardless of whatever you think, I’m not going to help you. You’re wasting your time.”
“Tsk-tsk.” He wags his finger. “Is that any way to talk to someone who has the power to cause you pain? To harm your friends?” He tilts his head slightly. “Or even your father?”
My heart slams in my chest.
“Where is my dad?” The question comes out as a terrified whisper.
“In Rome.” He smirks. “For now.”
Oh my god.
Turns burn my eyes as the threat registers. “Please…don’t hurt him.”
Adir slides his hands into his pockets, casual again, and says, “Now, why would I wish to harm my future father-in-law?”