Immortal of Darkness

IMMORTAL OF DARKNESS

By

Alexis McNeil

SMASHWORDS EDITION

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PUBLISHED BY:

Alexis McNeil on Smashwords

Immortal of Darkness

Copyright © 2011 by Alexis McNeil

All rights reserved. Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of both the copyright owner and the above publisher of this book.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, brands, media, and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of various products referenced in this work of fiction, which have been used without permission. The publication/use of these trademarks is not authorized, associated with, or sponsored by the trademark owners.

Smashwords Edition License Notes

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each person you share it with. If you're reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then you should return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the author's work.

Other Books by Alexis McNeil:

Immortal of My Dreams

Immortal of My Heart

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Baby, this one's for you!

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PROLOGUE

Cain fell weightlessly through the wavy wormhole, drifting through time. Half-awake, in a dream-like stupor, he let the time-traveling current move his languid body. To achieve his destination, he visualized a middle-aged woman with long, brown hair, keen in druid magic. Julianna also happened to be his good friend. He craved to be immortal again. His future depended on reversing the spell Rowena had tricked him into casting.

Rowena. Cain gritted his teeth. He hoped his mother had been destroyed, or else, when he turned immortal again, he’d return for the conniving witch and finish her off.

Cain grabbed the side of his ribs, grimacing. He'd have to have Julianna look at them when he arrived. Without warning, the wormhole vanished, leaving him to plummet into blackness. Arms flailing, pain coursing through him, the dark night sky encompassed him.

Emerging like a bullet out of the heavens, he plunged through a roof, a ceiling, a second story floor, and finally, landed onto hard ground. As he crashed to the floor, Cain gasped out in pain. Fighting to keep one puffy, red eye, open, he slumped against a smooth wall at his back. He opened his right fist, sore from hitting the wall on his voyage down, and flexed his fingers. As they opened, they brushed across a smooth wood floor. He squinted through the darkness. Shadows of a table with chairs and its intricate carved legs sat before him.

Making a small movement to sit up, Cain sharply inhaled through his teeth. Being mortal sucked. Misery consumed his entire body.

W-who’s there? a feminine voice suddenly called out. A dim light switched on over an oriental carpeted staircase to Cain's left. I-I have a bat, she continued to say. I’m not afraid to use it!

Cain wanted to laugh. The trembling in her voice suggested otherwise. The last thing Cain remembered, before blacking out, were two bare legs poking out from under an oversized t-shirt, and a club raised over his head, ready to strike down. His muscles tensed. Eyeing the weapon with dread, he had no choice, but to accept that his human body ached. Excruciating pain radiated through his ribs, and vulnerability filled his body for the first time in his long life.

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CHAPTER ONE

Gwen carefully nudged the crumpled form at her feet with the tip of her well manicured toes. No movement. She craned her head…and cringed. Bleeding scrapes marred the man's stubble covered chin and cheek, while shaggy blond hair hid the rest of his face from sight. Lacerations marked his naked, heavily tattooed torso like roads on a map.

Gwen frowned, noticing the one arm hugging close to his ribs. Biting on her lip, she lowered the bat. Gwen glanced up. Her mouth dropped open. She could see all the way up to the starry night sky through the man-sized hole.

Gwen looked back down at the man sprawled out on her dining room floor. The unusual tattoos caught her attention, mesmerizing her. They seemed to come to life before her eyes, shimmering and moving briefly, before turning dormant once more. Gwen shook her head. Making herself move, she turned to make way to the phone hanging on the kitchen wall. The police would handle the unconscious intruder. A footstep away from entering the kitchen, a groan escaped the assailant. Gwen whipped around, bat posed, ready to strike. Her fingers continuously shifted on the smooth handle. Silently, she waited for the intruder to make the first move. The hair over the man's face stirred as he blinked a few times, before his eyes slowly opened. A raspy curse filled the silent room. Gwen watched as the man, with his teeth clenched, pushed himself up, so he rested higher up against the wall.

The man's head turned her way, revealing his face in the shadowed light. Gwen froze to the spot. Unnatural sable eyes stared directly at her. Covering her mouth with a shaky hand, she glanced away, but hastily returned her gaze, unable to refrain from looking. The man's eyes transformed into clear, ice blue irises, before his head dropped forward. Gwen audibly swallowed.

Cain slowly raised his head. Bile rose into his salivating mouth. He focused on the quick, shallow breaths he panted, willing himself to stay awake. He threw his hand to his throbbing skull. His vision steadied, and gripping his side, he took in his surroundings, only to behold a shocked looking, pint-sized lass, standing in front of him.

His gaze traveled up sleek, naked legs, from the tips of dainty feet, up to a pale oval face framed with long, jet-black, hair. Wide eyes peered down at him. Cain silently cursed. When he had time-traveled to escape Rowena’s wrath, he had visualized his old friend, and mentor’s home, but the woman standing before him was definitely not Julianna. Who knew where and when he had ended up.

A warm, thick substance ran down over Cain’s right eye. Raising his hand, he grunted out in pain. He glanced down at his fingertips. Blood. Cursed humans! Now, he was one of them, a most undesirable sort. He bled like them, felt pain like them, and God knew what else he would do like them. He had been an Immortal, a champion, a true male to be reckoned with, but that was before Rowena had tricked him. A nasty smile curved his mouth. Immortality would course through his body again if it was the last thing he did.

Cain closed his eyes, focusing on the power within. Black magic flowed sinuously through his veins, permeating him with power. The energy didn't seem as intense as when he had been immortal, but he'd avail every ounce of power he had, after he acquired the complicated spell of immortality. Soon, he'd revert back into the indestructible warrior he had been.

He was well aware of the fact that Julianna possessed his sacred spell books which held the incantation he needed. Julianna had stolen them from him and then hid them away, thinking she was helping him. Now, he just needed to find her to recover his books.

Stay where you are! the lass yelled, flicking on the dining room light.

Ah, the human. He had almost forgotten. Cain glanced up to the woman, his face now illuminated in the bright light. Leave me.

Gwen froze. That face. That voice. Was it really him? She wanted to reach out and touch him, make sure he was real. Are you crazy? her inner voice screamed. You need to get away from him! What if she comes? There’s nothing here of any value. Leave now, and I won't call the police.

A smile curved one side of Cain's mouth. Little did the wench know, she had just given herself and the valuable baubles in the house away. Lucky for her, he wasn't a common thief. His gaze lingered on the accelerated rise and fall of her chest.

Cain smiled coldly. His licentious gaze wandered up to her frightened one. I thought a woman named Julianna lived here. Cain noticed the slight tensing around her mouth. This woman did know Julianna.

Goosebumps rose on Gwen's flesh. The man before her definitely resembled Cain, but how had he found her? Had he gained his memory back? Had he been searching for her? Gwen watched his face for any signs of recognition. It didn't seem Cain remembered her at all.

Gwen blinked, focusing back on the situation before her and realized her mistake. After her unfortunate pause and the cocksure expression on his face, she knew she had been found out.

Ah, he said quietly, scooting up the wall, grimacing as he went, "so this is her dwelling."

She pointed the bat at him. D-don’t move! Keeping her ground, Gwen painfully studied his unforgettable features. She knew deep down in her heart that the injured man before her was Cain. Her heart filled with pain as she held the bat in shaky hands. Hurting him was the last thing she wanted to do, but she would, if it meant keeping her promise. Stay where you are.

Turning for the phone, her guard dropped for a split-second, and in the next moment, she found herself flat on her stomach, with the bat rolling across the floor. A tight grip encased her ankle. Glancing back over her shoulder, she glimpsed a snarl unlike one she'd never seen, plastered across Cain's face. Bile inched up her throat. Her stomach clenched.

She was wrong.

This wasn't the Cain she had known. What had happened? Was it because of what she had done? She cringed thinking she had anything to do with his new terrifying person. Pain drenched his features, but his grip continued to hold like that of a vise.

Cain felt the sweat break-out on his forehead once more. With each breath, agony filled his lungs. Get-Julianna! he roared. Gwen jumped to life. Twisting and pulling, she struggled to pull her foot loose. Cain yanked back on her ankle.

Ouch! Gwen cried out. I can’t get her. She’s not here!

The energy Cain had been filled with immediately dissolved. His hand dropped away as her foot slid out of his grip. Quickly, Gwen squirmed away, cornering herself against the wall and the bottom step to the second floor. Cain sagged back against the wall. When is she to return? he gritted out.

Gwen's mouth opened and closed, but nothing came out. I-I don't know, she finally said. I swear! she added quickly when Cain made a move toward her. I've been expecting her home for two months now.

Cain eyed her, his gaze holding hers an extra moment until she peered down at the floor. Continuing to stare, thoughts raced through his head. What had happened to his friend? He knew Julianna could take care of herself. After all, she was very talented in the art of supreme magic. Cain narrowed his eyes at the young woman. She now rubbed her ankle where he had held. Tears welled in her eyes. Typical lass, when things get tough…cry.

Gwen glanced back over at Cain and quickly looked back to her ankle. He stared straight at her with a look of pure hatred. Gwen swallowed back a sob. Quickly, she swiped the tears from her eyes. More than anything, she wanted to run over to Cain, hold him, and beg for his forgiveness. But how could she? He didn't even know who she was, or why she would be pleading for absolution.

Gwen gazed back over at Cain. His head leaned back against the wall. His eyes lay shut. Gwen took the time to study the man she had never stopped loving. Foreign tattoos covered skin that used to be clean and unmarked. Where previously a kind, affectionate man resided, now an aggressive, dangerous stranger inhabited. Ever since she had vanished from him, she had thought about him nearly every day for those ten years. Her chest sunk. Here he sat in her home, and after finally being able to see him, she had to make him leave as soon as possible. Inhaling a deep, shaky, breath, she turned before he caught her watching him.

How do you know my…mother? Gwen asked.

I’m an old friend, he said quietly. His head continued to rest against the wall, eyes still shut.

Gwen shook her head. No. My mother had friends in the upper circles of society, not…not…. Maybe, if she insulted him, he'd leave.

Cain's eyes snapped open. Not what? He wanted to say. Not friends with a druid warlock, an immortal man, or a bloody heartless bastard? Instead, he simply shrugged, closing his eyes once more.

On wobbly legs, Gwen rose. It was crucial she send him on his way. She had to remember that first and foremost. Her memories and emotions would have to take a back seat. I-I’m giving you ten seconds to get out of my house.

No.

Gwen pursed her lips. She really didn't want to call the authorities on him and see him get hurt.

All of a sudden, Cain pressed his hand against the wall and slowly rose. The other hand tightly gripped his ribcage. Your mother had a study. Lead me to it.

Gwen crossed her arms, her chin tilting slightly upward. No. A hint of mockery laced her words. Cain stood erect to his full height. Gwen immediately uncrossed her arms and retreated a step. Her hands came up short against the wall behind her. If she had any doubts about who this man was before, they were wiped cleanly away. She opened her mouth, but caught herself before she blurted out his name. Cain stood over six feet tall, with a rock-hard body of well-built muscle. His shaggy blond hair hung down almost to his shoulders, longer than she'd ever seen on him, but incredibly handsome, none-the-less.

Cain's mouth thinned. I’ll ask ye once more. Show me your mother’s study. Cain knew Julianna kept spell books in that room, not to mention the one book he desperately wanted. The only response from Gwen was a slight shake of her head. Cain snarled.

Without warning, Cain’s eyes mutated into disturbing, black orbs. A wicked wind materialized in the dining room. Gwen quickly swiped her hair away from her face trying to see what he was going to do next. Sucking in a breath, she viewed the possessed man before her.

She turned to run upstairs, but flew backwards instead, slamming into his chest. He groaned out in pain, but continued to keep a strong arm around her. He leaned down close to her ear. Show-Me-Now.

The smells of jasmine and exotic spices enveloped her. Gwen squeezed her eyes shut from the onslaught of emotions that the unforgettable scent created. Her body went lax against him. The sooner he left, the better. She had never thought about "if she ever saw him again", because there had been no chance of that, or so she had thought. Lifting her arm, she simply pointed to the stairs. The wind immediately ceased. Gwen didn't know if his eyes continued to glitter the empty black, and didn't want to find out. Cain pushed her forward, holding on tightly. As they moved simultaneously up the stairs, she felt his muscles flex under her. Being in his arms without any return of emotion besides hate, was too much to bear. Reaching the top stair, Gwen pointed to the third door on the left. Cain steered them over and then gently pushed her through the threshold.

Familiar sights and smells overwhelmed Cain as he released Gwen, letting her stumble off to the side. With a deep breath, he let the peacefulness of the well-known room soak into him. He had met with Julianna over a dozen times here. He’d never forget the feeling of her study. Warmth, friendship…trust. This, and one other room in her house were the only ones he had ever occupied. Julianna had been adamant about that. He wasn't to appear anywhere else in her house.

As he glanced around the study, he realized nothing had changed from the last time he had visited. Books of every size and color lined dark mahogany shelves on all sides of the room, from floor to ceiling. Old novels, new books, encyclopedias, works on the Celts, Scottish lore…. Medieval manuscripts and the way of life from so long ago, filled one complete wall.

Cain’s finger brushed an old, leathery spine belonging to a book on Scotland and its history of burghs. A wistful smile fell across his mouth…and quickly vanished. How long had he been away from home? How long had it been since he started using black magic for everything?

Technically, he had just left thirteenth century Scotland, but the fight with Alexander, Kaelyn, and Rowena, seemed like ages ago. His injured body, however, reminded him of the fight happening only mere moments before. A floorboard creaked from behind him. He sliced his head to the left. Gwen was tiptoeing toward the door. Ah, ah, ah. With a wave of his arm, the door slammed shut. Gwen jumped back, plastering herself against the book shelves, squeezing her eyes shut.

Cain studied the woman who claimed to be Julianna’s daughter. She stood there shaking, barely dressed, eyes closed, her dark hair tussled wildly around her. Julianna had never mentioned a daughter to him. Perhaps, that’s why she always wanted to meet in her study. It was quite clear now that Julianna had not wanted to expose her daughter to him. Had she been ashamed of him?

What’s your name? Cain asked gruffly.

The lass flinched. G-Gwen, she said, continuing to keep her eyes tightly shut.

Look at me, Cain said, wanting her to look him in the eyes. Slowly, she opened her eyes, and bit-by-bit, bright green eyes met his dark ones. He watched her tongue dart out over luscious, plump lips. His groin tightened and hardened after noticing a feathering of light freckles across her pale cheeks. An unnerving urge to run his thumb over her face filled him.

A deep, piercing pain hit Cain right in the heart. He grabbed his chest. Abruptly, he bent over as his eyes cleared from black to blue. After catching his breath, he stood back up, only to see the look of concern on the woman's face. Bloody humans! He had to fix his health. Now. He didn't want any human pitying him, even if the wench was extraordinarily beautiful.

I-need-your-help, he gritted out. Since you're Julianna's daughter, ye might ken what I'm searching for.

If I help, will you leave?

Aye.

After a moment of silence, she asked, What are you looking for?

A private smile curved his mouth. Humans, so quick to place trust in a stranger.

Gwen peered down at the floor and began to fiddle with a lock of her hair as she waited for him to answer. Cain’s breath halted. That gesture. He shook his head before he could think further on the painful memory that just assailed him. After clearing his throat, she brought her head up. I'm looking for a verra old tome, he began. 'Tis thick with a torn, green, leather spine.

I-I wouldn’t know where it would be if it’s not in here, she lied. Secretly, she would never forget the day that book came into her life….

Gwen had been reading in Julianna's study when Julianna rushed in, her hands full of old, ratted books, her dark brown hair disheveled, falling out of her long braid.

What are those? Gwen asked inquisitively.

You never mind, Gwendolyn. Forget you saw them.

Gwen frowned. Why?

Why! Julianna snapped, because they're terrible, monstrous books! Here, help me. Gwen closed her novel and followed Julianna over to the far wall. Open this middle panel, Julianna directed, gesturing with her head. Gwen knelt down and pried the panel loose, exposing a small, hidden cubbyhole. Julianna hunched down and quickly placed the books in the dark space. She looked over her shoulder as she closed up the panel. Remember, Gwen, forget these. And if anyone comes looking for them, do anything to stop them from getting the books. Gwen nodded as Julianna rose. She leaned over, giving Gwen a quick hug. I have to go. I'll be back late. And with that, Julianna rushed out.

Gwen stared after Julianna until she left and then glanced over her shoulder at the secret panel. One look wouldn't hurt. After all, they were only books. Gwen strode over and removed the panel. She reached in and pulled the biggest book out. Laying it on her lap, she slowly ran her fingers over the frayed, worn leather. A prickly sensation tingled across her fingertips.

Gwen jerked her hand back. She shook her head and opened the book. As the cover flipped open, a huge blast of light shot out, sending her flat on