Page 9 of The Immortal’s Curse (Bound to the Immortals #2)

DARCIE

A firm grip wraps around my upper arms, shaking me. A familiar masculine voice groans, “Jesus Christ, Darcie. Wake up. Please .”

“You mean Creator,” I mumble.

“What?” The hand holding me falls away. The surface I lie on shifts. “What are you talking about?”

I have no idea.

My head is fuzzy, and my thoughts are a jumbled mess.

Am I still in the dungeon? It doesn’t smell like dank earth. And the surface beneath me is too soft to be a stone floor.

I open my eyes but immediately squeeze them shut when blinding light sends a stab of pain through my skull. I breathe through my nose, waiting for the pain to pass.

“Darcie? Can you hear me?”

I take a deep breath and crack an eyelid. Kevin’s face hovers over me, worry etched into every line of his face.

“ Finally.” Relief floods his features, and he lets out a heavy sigh. “Are you all right?”

“I’m fine,” I croak. I plant my hands on the couch cushion under me and push. My arms shake. Kevin reaches forward and helps me sit up.

“Thanks,” I pant, rubbing my temple, grateful the pain is beginning to subside. “What happened?”

“You fell asleep.” He drops his hands and leans back, kneeling beside me on the floor. “I’ve been trying to wake you up for five minutes, but you were dead to the world.”

I blink, still disoriented. "I was asleep?"

He motions to the TV behind him. The screen is paused on an unfamiliar scene. “We were watching a movie, and you just passed out. I was going to let you sleep, but then you started breathing really hard.”

“I was?” I rotate and slump against the couch, exhausted.

Kevin’s hand rests on my thigh. He swallows. "I felt your pulse. It was racing.”

I close my eyes, trying to clear the haze from my brain. “I think I was dreaming.”

Images rush back—cold, stone walls. Metal bars. Adir, lying motionless on the ground. A tendril of fear coils at the base of my neck.

“I’d say it was more like a nightmare,” Kevin mumbles. “You looked terrified.”

I open my eyes and place my hand on top of his. “I'm okay.”

He presses his lips together but nods. "If you say so."

I give him a small smile and scoot to the edge of the couch. Kevin stands and steps back to give me room, holding out a hand when I wobble on my feet.

“I’m going to rinse my face.” My body is warm. Maybe cold water will help clear my head from whatever crazy dream I just had.

Kevin lowers his arm. “Okay. Tell me if you need anything.”

I shuffle to the bathroom, careful not to trip where the carpet transitions to wood .

The moment I shut the bathroom door, I turn and lean against it, tilting my head back to rest on the solid surface.

Vivid details from the dream flash across my mind. Sweat beads on my forehead. My heart races.

A dark, curving stairwell. Musty, damp air. Cold stone biting into my skin. Every bit of it felt so real .

Even now, standing in the Jamesons’ guest bathroom, it takes effort to convince myself it was just a dream. I’m in Maine. There’s no way I could’ve stood in a dungeon, watching Des and Adir argue.

I push off the door and walk to the sink, turning the cold faucet as far as it will go, then splash the frigid water on my face.

The liquid rinses away my sweat, cooling my heated skin.

Why would I dream of the brothers’ dungeon?

I cup my hands and let the water fill my palms, soaking the bandage around my hand, watching the liquid flow over my fingers.

Why would my subconscious draw up that conversation between Des and Adir with so much detail? What was my brain trying to tell me?

You’re overthinking this.

I sigh.

I bet seeing Lome today is what triggered the realistic dream. The Immortal’s visit cracked open a door in my subconscious and sent my imagination spiraling.

I splash my face one more time, then turn off the water. I straighten and stare at my reflection, frowning at how pale I am.

No wonder Kevin panicked. I look awful.

I grab a hand towel to dry my hands and face.

“Darcie?” Kevin knocks. “Is everything alright?”

I take a slow breath, ignoring the pain throbbing in my temples. “Yeah, I’m fine. I’ll be out in a minute.”

“Okay.” The sound of shuffled footsteps travels through the door .

My shoulders slump. I can’t hide in here forever.

“You were tired from work,” I tell the girl in the mirror. “And then you saw Lome. That’s all it is.”

I’m only half-convinced, but I give myself a quick nod, like that will make it all true. I leave the bathroom and head back toward the living room where Kevin waits.

The moment I turn the corner, he straightens.

“There you are.” His voice warms as he scans me up and down. “You look better.”

I manage a small smile. “Thanks. I think I just needed to wake up completely.”

“Do you want to start the movie again?”

Wanting to put him at ease, I nod and settle back on the couch, hiding how much the quick movement makes my head spin.

He grabs the remote and plops down next to me as he presses start.

I turn to the screen, but my mind’s already drifting.

Fifteen minutes pass.

Kevin sighs. He lifts the remote and pauses the movie.

I turn, eyebrows raised. “What’s up?”

His face tightens. “Are you sure you’re alright?”

No.

“Yeah.” I blink. “Why?”

“You were staring at the TV but not really watching it.” His frown deepens. “You seem... off.”

“I was watching,” I lie.

“Really?” He snorts. “Then what just happened?”

I glance at the paused screen filled with fiery colors and action-packed chaos. “Uh... something exploded?”

“No.” His lips press together. “Come on, Darcie. I know you. Something’s up. Why won’t you tell me?”

I rub my temples. “It’s nothing. I’m just tired.”

He isn’t buying it .

But before he can press further, I hold up my hand. “Please, just let it go. My head hurts. That’s all. Talking about it won’t help.”

He opens his mouth to argue, then thinks better of it. “Fine. Can I at least talk about something else? Or is talking off-limits altogether?”

I want to roll my eyes at his sulky tone, but I resist. “What do you want to talk about?”

“Summer.” His demeanor brightens a little. “Remember when I told you about Kayla’s plan for the family to visit Iceland?”

I nod.

“Well...” He shifts so he’s facing me fully, a glint of mischief in his eyes. “I think I can get her to change her mind.”

My eyes widen. “What is it?”

“What if you came with us?”

My brows furrow. “To Iceland?”

“No.” He shakes his head. “Not to Iceland. I’m thinking, what if we went on vacation somewhere else? Kayla’s always talking about taking a girls' trip to the Caribbean or something like that. Maybe we could do that instead?”

My eyebrows draw together. “Isn’t it supposed to be a family vacation?”

Kevin shrugs. “You’re practically family. We grew up together.”

I can’t help but laugh. “Except we’re dating .”

His cheeks turn pink. “Yeah, well... I said ‘practically family’.”

Before I can respond, he adds, “Don’t you want to come with us?”

I chew on my bottom lip. The offer is tempting but complicated. A vacation with Kayla and her family sounds fun... in theory .

But I’m not sure tagging along on a family vacation is a great idea, especially with my boyfriend and best friend both there.

Things could get weird, and I’m already feeling pulled in different directions by the Jameson siblings. Between work and classes, I only have so much free time. And both Kayla and Kevin want to claim it.

I open my mouth to voice all this but hesitate when Kevin rubs the back of his neck.

How do I turn him down without hurting his feelings?

I’m not sure you can.

I sigh. “If you’re sure Kayla and your parents won’t mind…”

His smile lights up the room. “I know they won’t.”

Despite my reservations, a small grin tugs at my lips.

“Stop smiling so much,” I say, giving his shoulder a light shove.

His eyes gleam, following my hand as I pull it back. His smile falters, and his eyes narrow. “Your bandage is wet.”

“What?” I glance at my hand and see that the adhesive is soaked through. “Oh.”

I flex my fingers. There’s no sting from the cut anymore, just the soft reminder of it.

“I’ll grab you a new one.” He jumps to his feet. “Be right back.”

“That’s not necess?—”

He’s out of the room before I can finish.

I lean against the couch cushion, staring at the wet bandage, and think about Kevin’s suggestion.

A year ago, I would’ve jumped at the chance to take a trip with my best friend and her family. But now, things are different. And not just because I’m dating Kevin.

A flash of the unsettling dream creeps back into my mind.

Des’s clenched fists. Adir’s mocking words. The white ball of light shooting from Des’s hand and slamming into Adir’s chest .

I inhale a shaky breath.

I was so sure that leaving Greece would help me forget everything—the Immortals, the dangers, the chaos. I believed I could return to my normal life and act like none of it ever happened.

Apparently, my subconscious has other ideas.

Kevin returns holding a fresh bandage and rubbing alcohol. “Let’s fix that hand before we start the movie again.”

I stand and follow him to the kitchen sink. Kevin pours alcohol onto a cotton ball and turns to me, ready to treat the cut.

But when I peel back the old bandage, he pauses, eyes wide. “Whoa.”

“What?” I look at my palm, and my stomach falls to the floor.

I expected to see a scab, maybe a little blood. But all that remains of the cut is a faint pink line.

“Damn, that healed quick.” He shakes his head. “It must’ve not been as bad as I thought.”

My heart thumps wildly. Panic claws up my throat. The urge to correct him tugs at me, but what can I say?

There’s no way to explain how I had a deep cut yesterday that’s barely more than a scar now.

I swallow hard. “Yeah… I guess so.”

“I’ll put this stuff away. Be right back.” He waves the rubbing alcohol and bandage in the air.

I wait until he turns the corner before I bring my hand to my face. I poke and prod the skin, my pulse skyrocketing.

This is impossible.

Is it though?

Unease curls around my chest, squeezing tight.

Lome can heal, but he only saw my bandaged hand. He didn’t touch me yesterday.

Did he? I can’t remember.

He must have. That’s the only logical explanation .

But no matter how many times I try to convince myself that’s true, instinct gnaws at me that something else is going on.

There’s a different explanation for why the cut healed so quickly, and the possibilities will keep me up throughout the night.

And they have me desperately wishing Lome will visit me again, sooner rather than later.