Page 16 of The Immortal’s One (Bound to the Immortals #1)

A cloudless blue sky stretches above when my eyes snap open. I’m not sure when I closed them, but it must have been sometime between the sensation of being dragged through the floor and the chaotic tumble of being tossed around like laundry in a dryer.

I gasp for air and try to sit up, only to realize I’m being carried. My head tilts back, my temple pressing against a solid surface. The man from the grocery store bathroom is here, holding me.

Dark stubble shadows his sharp jawline, and his chest and arms are thick with muscle. His chin is lifted, and I can’t get a clear view of his face as he effortlessly carries me, his breathing even and steady.

“You’re awake,” he says, not looking down at me. “Good. We’re almost to the house.”

“I can’t believe you kidnapped me.” I snap, anger at my situation momentarily overriding any sense of caution I’d typically possess.

Except I can’t escape the nagging feeling that I’ve been in a situation like this before.

Where I was saved from people out to hurt me, taken somewhere I didn’t recognize.

But that’s silly… isn’t it?

He snorts. “You took my hand willingly, remember?”

Yes, but that was before you used some trippy drug on me.

There’s no other explanation for the strange feelings that overwhelmed me before I somehow traveled here from the grocery store bathroom. Not a reasonable one, anyway.

Though, how he managed to drug me, I’m not sure. Maybe it was actually Evetta. Who knows?

The point is, something strange is going on here. And I want answers.

I narrow my eyes and glare at the guy. “Where are we?”

The muscle in his jaw tenses. He doesn’t answer.

That’s not reassuring.

He saved me from Evetta, but I have no guarantee he isn’t leading me into an equally dangerous situation. Though, that pesky instinct that says he won’t hurt me lingers, dulling the worst of my anger.

Still, I plant a hand against his torso, pushing with everything I’ve got. “Put me down.”

He doesn’t.

“Seriously?” I push harder, my whole body straining, but the distance between us barely increases an inch before my strength fades and I’m resting against him again. Every inch of me aches like I’ve been hit by a freight train.

“Your mind and body are disoriented from traveling through the rip,” he says, his voice low. I think it’s in an attempt to be reassuring. “Me carrying you is for your safety.”

What the hell is a rip ?

“I don’t care.” I shove against his chest again. “Put me down.”

He clenches his teeth. “Believe me, I don’t want to carry you. But it’s either this, or I wait for your body to settle, and we don’t have time for that. I need to speak with the others before Thane does something stupid in retaliation for your attack.”

My head whips up. “You know Thane?”

A gust of wind ruffles his hair. He still doesn’t glance at me as his pace remains steady. “Thane is my brother.”

“Your brother?” My brow furrows. “But I thought Lome was his brother.”

“People can have more than one brother.”

I bristle, unsure what to make of this guy. One moment, he’s helping me, and the next, he’s cold and dismissive.

His steady heartbeat pulses against my palm. I pull my hand away, folding my arms against my chest. “Who are you?” I demand.

“No one important.”

I don’t believe him.

Tearing my glare from the infuriating man, I scan my surroundings, hoping to spot something that will reveal where I am.

We cross an open field and begin to climb a gentle hill. Wild grass brushes his knees, and the long shadows of towering fir trees stretch out at the edge of a dense forest to my right.

Nope. I have no idea where I am or how I got here. And that’s one too many unknowns for me not to panic. My pulse spikes. Sweat beads on my forehead. I’m about to beg him to take me home when he speaks.

“We’re here. ”

A massive three-story mansion looms at the bottom, its imposing structure stark against the surrounding wilderness. Inspired by ancient Grecian architecture, the mansion boasts a grand facade of white marble and limestone, its surfaces catching the pale light.

Rows of Corinthian columns support a pediment etched with weathered carvings.

Tall hedges line the semi-circular driveway, carefully manicured to contrast the wild growth beyond the estate’s iron gate.

The path curves toward oversized dark wood double doors, each carved with intricate patterns and flanked by gleaming white pillars that rise like sentinels guarding a forgotten temple.

The place looks like something straight out of a painting—a dream for any history or art enthusiast. But instead of admiration, a deep sense of dread settles in my gut.

The sight only serves to confirm my worst fear: I’m not in Maine.

“What in the…?” I trail off, my eyes wide as I take in the scene. “Where… where are we?”

And more importantly, how the hell did I get here?

“I told you.” The man shifts me in his arms, his fingers grazing the exposed skin on my back. I flinch, sparks racing through my body at the unexpected contact. He quickly pulls his hand away, his fingers pressing firmly against the back of my jacket. “We’re at Thane’s house.”

I’m pretty sure he didn’t tell me that…

I continue to admire the gorgeous mansion in front of me, trying to understand the impossibility of my situation.

Who would live in a place like this?

Evetta’s terrified voice echoes in my head: “Do not be hasty, my Lord. We only meant to do you a favor… ”

I tilt my head back and narrow my gaze. Is this guy a noble?

Wait… is Thane?

What in the world was he doing in Brunswick?

Questions swirl in my mind, making me dizzy. The man keeps walking downhill, carrying me toward the front door. I expect him to set me down, but instead, he shifts my weight to one arm and pushes the door open, stepping into the foyer. The door slams shut behind us with a heavy thud.

Marble pillars rise from the polished mosaic-covered floor, stretching to a painted ceiling adorned with a fresco of cherubs floating among clouds in a brilliant blue sky. Painted scenes of men and women in dramatic poses unfold like visual stories along the room's edges.

I blink, my mouth hanging open. I’ve seen paintings like these in textbooks—depictions of gods and heroes from ancient cultures—but none of these are familiar. None resemble any of the stories from the Bible, either.

I don’t have time to take in the lavish details before I’m carried through a hallway to the left.

Velvet wallpaper stretches along the length of the corridor, and gilded frames display portraits of men and women dressed in elaborate costumes.

One man is in Victorian garb; another woman is in a Grecian toga.

Costumes, I assume. But why pay to have these portraits painted? And why are there so many?

The click of heels echoes down the hallway, growing louder.

My body reacts before I can stop it. A vivid image of Evetta’s spiked heels and the invisible force that nearly strangled me floods my senses. My hands grip the stranger’s shirt, and I bury my face in his chest. I’d be embarrassed if I weren’t so terrified.

I inhale deeply, and a masculine scent fills my nose. Evergreen . A thread of recognition tugs at the back of my mind.

The heels stop. A woman gasps. "What in the world?"

The man’s chest vibrates as he speaks. “Where is Thane?”

“He’s in his office.” The voice draws closer, the sharp click-click-click of shoes on the floor tapping against my chest. I shiver. "Is this… her ?"

The man’s grip tightens. His breath brushes the top of my ear. “Are you all right?”

I swallow down my fear, willing the traumatizing memory to fade away. “Yeah.”

“Can you stand?”

I part my eyelids and lift my chin. The man stares over my head, not looking at me. Still, I nod.

He lowers me to my feet. The second I try to stand, my legs wobble. He grabs my elbow, steadying me. Once I find my balance, he lets go quickly, as if I’ve burned him.

Maybe I did. I definitely feel warmth where he touched me through my jacket.

That’s probably not normal…

“I need to see a doctor.” I press my lips together. “I think that woman drugged me.”

“What woman?”

I turn. A petite brunette with wide eyes stares at me, concerned.

I say, “Ev?—”

“Bella,” the man cuts me off, “I need to find Thane and Lome. Can you keep an eye on her?”

What?

I spin around, my balance faltering. I tilt sideways, reaching out to stop myself from crashing into a narrow table along the wall, my hands just inches from the expensive-looking figurines on top.

A strong arm wraps around my waist, hauling me back into a firm chest.

Breath whooshes out of my lungs—not from impact, but from the heat pouring off his chest, pulling at something deep inside me. It’s intense. Distracting. Comforting.

I want to sink into it.

“I thought you said you could stand,” the man growls.

His rudeness shakes me out of the daze.

“I can stand.” I shove my palms into his abs.

He releases me and takes a step back. An icy draft sweeps over me in the absence of his warmth. “

Bella.” He grinds his jaw. “Watch her.”

A throat clears delicately. “Of course.”

The man shoots me a final, loaded look before storming down the hallway. I watch him go, annoyance mixing with an unfamiliar unease at his sudden departure.

“Don’t take it personally.” The woman’s voice breaks through my thoughts. She wears a sympathetic smile, and there’s a soft edge of something that feels almost… knowing. “He’s always been a little rough around the edges.”

I couldn’t care less.

“Who are you?” I demand in an attempt to focus on anything other than the unsettling tension twisting my stomach now that the man has left.

“I’m Bella.” Her smile widens as she steps closer, her lavender sundress flowing around her slender frame. The fabric looks light, out of place for winter, but I guess it’s appropriate based on the warm weather outside. “It’s nice to meet you. ”

“Nice to meet you, too.” My eyes dart to the expensive knick-knacks on the table beside me. “Where am I?”