Page 36 of The Immortal’s One (Bound to the Immortals #1)

Gilded masks glitter beneath the flicker of torchlight. Laughter dances through the air, chased by the strains of music that drift over the grand ballroom Silk skirts brush against marble. Brocade clings to every curve. The night is endless, perfumed, unreal. My escape.

Then, I see him.

A man in a crisp white shirt, sleeves cuffed just so. Black mask. Dark trousers. His hair—ink-dark and just unruly enough—curls at the nape of his neck.

Something in my chest stirs, aching. I don’t know his name.

But I want to.

I need to.

“Darcie?” A soft prod nudges my back. “Darcie?”

“Mmm?” I roll onto my back, still caught in the haze of sleep, clinging to the echo of him—the man my mind stitched from fantasy and longing. He’s already slipping away.

The ornate ceiling above me sharpens into view, all painted scrollwork and faded elegance. For a moment, I can’t tell if I’ve woken in this world… or another.

Argos shifts against my legs, letting out a disgruntled huff.

Someone laughs, low and rich with amusement. “Sorry, boy, but it’s time for dinner.”

My heart skips a beat as I bolt upright. My gaze finds Des standing at the side of my bed, a smirk tugging at his lips as he watches me and his dog. “I see Argos has made himself comfortable.”

“Uh, yeah.” I wipe my mouth with the back of my hand, checking for any embarrassing drool. “Sorry. I didn’t think you’d mind.”

“I don’t.” He glances over his shoulder toward the open door. “Dinner was served ten minutes ago. When you didn’t show, I thought I’d come find you.”

Butterflies stir in my stomach, threatening to take flight. I try to pin them down, but they’re stubborn. Something about Des always manages to catch me off guard, spurring to life feelings I dare not give my attention.

“Wait.” I whip around, searching the bed for my phone. “What time is it?”

“Half past seven.”

Oh, no!

I was supposed to call Dad at five!

My fingers scramble under the quilt until I find my phone, unlocking the screen. There’s a missed call from Dad and a text.

Sorry I missed you, sweetheart. Call me if you get the chance. If not, don’t worry. We can chat more tomorrow.

My chest tightens.

Des watches me with a furrowed brow. “What is it? ”

“Nothing.” I force a smile that doesn’t quite reach my eyes. “I was just supposed to talk to my dad today.”

Dad and I have been like ships passing in the night.

The time difference makes it hard enough to reach him, but now that he has a clean bill of health, he’s dived back into work, full throttle.

He told me that since I’m gone, there’s no reason not to start drafting another book proposal for his publisher.

I want to tell him I’ll be back sooner than he thinks, but I don’t want to jinx it.

Des’s gaze softens with understanding. “You can call him back. I’ll tell the others you’ll be down shortly.”

My stomach growls loud enough it practically echoes in the room.

“Or not,” he chuckles.

Damn it.

The butterflies, now unleashed, flutter madly and make my pulse spike. How can his laugh sound so effortlessly sexy and musical all at once?

I lower my chin to my chest, trying to hide the heat rising in my face.

“I’ll just call him later,” I mumble, standing up but shifting to the side. “Excuse me, Argos.”

I try to slide my legs over the edge of the bed, but Argos’s heavy paw rests on my foot, pinning me down. The dog huffs in response, clearly unwilling to move.

“Argos.” Des’s voice drops an octave, taking on a commanding tone. “Off.”

Argos growls low in his throat but eventually obeys, shifting off the bed and padding to the side.

“I can’t remember the last time Argos warmed up to someone so quickly,” Des comments, as if more to himself than to me .

I can’t help the smile that tugs at my lips. “I like him, too.”

My feet hit the floor, but I realize too late that they’re numb from disuse. My balance wavers. Des’s hands snap out, gripping the skin just above my elbow with surprising strength.

I gasp, the contact sending an unexpected jolt through my whole body. My heart stutters as the air between us charges. Heat rushes from where his hands hold me, shooting up my arms and spreading outward like wildfire.

I blink rapidly, trying to make sense of the dizzying sensation.

I’ve felt this way before…

Des stares down at me, his expression unreadable. His eyes, those impossibly vivid eyes, hold mine with an intensity that steals my breath. For a moment, everything else in the room falls away, and all I can focus on is the pull between us.

Seconds stretch into wondrous eternity.

Kiss me.

Des’s nostrils flare.

His grip tightens. For a blissful second, I believe he’s heard me. His beautiful eyes lock on my lips. But instead of closing the distance between us, he grabs my waist and lifts me like I weigh nothing at all and sets me back on the bed.

He backs up without looking away until he hits the far wall. Then, his gaze drops to the floor. His hands curl and uncurl into fists at his sides.

An awareness buzzes through me, a low hum that sharpens my senses.

“What was that?” My voice is barely audible, still shaken from his electrifying touch. The sparks linger on my skin.

“Nothing.” The word is strained .

He’s lying.

I scoot to the edge of the bed and stand. My knees wobble. I lock them in place. “Please… don't lie to me.”

He clenches his jaw. “It’s nothing, Darcie. Forget it. For both of our sakes.”

Impossible.

“Des, I?—”

Before I can say another word, he pivots and stomps out of the bedroom, but the weight of his reaction and the emotion within me hovers heavy in the air.

Argos’s head swings between me and the door. He sniffs my palm, gives it a lick, and then trots after his owner.

I don’t know how long I stand there, heart racing, stunned.

What in the world was that?

My skin still tingles from Des’s touch.

Where have I felt that before?

And his eyes… I’d never seen a color so bold and vibrant. So… stunning .

A gasp tears from my throat.

No… it can’t be…

The truth hits me square in the face. I blink, trying but failing to convince myself that my eyes deceived me, that I imagined everything.

But I didn’t.

No matter how badly I try to convince myself otherwise, there’s no denying the truth. Des’s eyes weren’t their usual hazel color when he touched me.

No.

Des’s eyes… they were green.