Immortal Destiny (The Immortal Prophecy Saga) Page 11

  “I don’t know, but I’m usually right about these things.”

  She looked around as if the walls had ears. “Alright, I did withhold something, but it was for James’ own good. I don’t have any hidden agenda other than keeping him from getting hurt.”

  Ally frowned and a pit of dread formed in her stomach. “It’s something that can hurt James? What?

  Isabella sighed. “I didn’t burn the diary, I still have it. And it contains the true identity of James’ father.”

  Confusion flickered across Ally’s face. “You said he wasn’t the best person walking around, but doesn’t James have a right to know who he is?”

  “I think you’ll agree with me when you discover who his father is,” she said with a sad tone as she stood up and walked over to the dresser near her bed. The drawer opened and she pulled out a brown leather notebook that was worn with age.

  “Here,” she said handing Ally the book. “It’s my mother’s diary.”

  Ally stared at the little book in her hand, but couldn’t form any words.

  “You must promise me that you will never reveal the truth to him or anyone else. I’m only giving you this because I know you won’t leave it alone and the more you poke around the more likely James is to get suspicious as well.”

  Ally thrust the book onto the bed next to her. “I could never make a promise like that.”

  “It’s for his own good.”

  “That’s not for you to decide!” Ally snapped.

  “Just read it, Alessandra.”

  “Call me Ally would you? No one calls me Alessandra.”

  “As you wish,” Isabella said, and sat back down on the bed fingering the diary absently.

  Ally turned to walk out the door, but she couldn’t make her feet move. The information the diary contained almost had her salivating at the mouth. She let out a deep breath and turned back around and gave Isabella a hard look. “I will not and cannot promise not to reveal the information in this book, but I will promise to read it completely and speak to you before I breathe a word to James. Will that do?”

  Isabella nodded and handed the book over once more. Ally took it and left the room to find a hiding place for the diary until tonight, when she could sneak off and read it.

  She put it in her suitcase at the bottom of the wardrobe in her room. James wasn’t likely to go in there anytime soon.

  The rest of the day, she was fidgety and distracted. All she could think about was the diary and who James’ father might be. The night finally fell, and everyone went to bed.

  She feigned a headache and waited for James to fall into a deep sleep before she crept out of bed, grabbed the diary and ran down to the stairs the lounge room.

  She stoked up the fire then crawled into one of the chairs beside it with a blanket and opened the diary to the first page.

  Chapter Eighteen

  21st May 1708

  Dear Diary,

  I have a secret that I can’t tell anyone…

  I probably shouldn’t even be committing this to paper lest it be found, but I simply cannot help myself.

  Tonight when I was out walking, I met a handsome stranger.

  I dare not tell you his name though, for if my parents found out I would be in trouble. They say I have a soulmate according to one of the seers named Ashley, but the man I meet is not called that.

  I know the seers are usually right, but if what I felt tonight is not a soulmate connection then I don’t know what is!

  I saw him and the world stopped spinning.

  My body burned with an all-consuming fire that I had never thought possible.

  When he approached me, I couldn’t move a muscle. It felt as though my feet had grown roots and buried them deep into the earth.

  And when our eyes locked…I melted.

  He took me to the loch and we sat talking about everything and nothing at all. I didn’t even realise how long I’d been gone when the dawn began to break.

  I jumped up and began to run home lest I be discovered by the maid that I was not in bed, but he stopped me. His powerful hand grabbed mine and he pulled me into his arms.

  He kissed me and I’ve never felt more alive than I did in that moment.

  He told me that he wanted to see me again and asked if I would meet him in the same spot in two days time.

  I said I would and I’m simply bursting with excitement at seeing him again.

  I know, my dearest confidant, that I shouldn’t have gone off with a man that I didn’t know, but something about him and the way I felt made it impossible to resist.

  Oh, my heart is racing just remembering the feel of his arms around me.

  I hear someone moving through the house. I simply must get into bed before I am discovered!

  “Wow,” Ally said, eagerly turning the page.

  23rd May 1708

  Dear Diary,

  It has been two long days, but I saw him again tonight.

  He was so sweet to me, and just as handsome as I remembered.

  He told me a bit about his life, and I find myself intrigued with the idea of another race much like ours, but different in a very fundamental way, but I digress.

  We kissed again, and my heart was almost beating out of my chest. I would have died from embarrassment if I hadn’t been so caught up in the moment. A man like that is bound to have kissed more than his fair share of women.

  I didn’t stay out as late this time for fear of being caught, but it was almost painful to drag myself away.

  I really do believe I am in love with him.

  We are meeting again tomorrow night at our secret place.

  24th May 1708

  Dear Diary,

  You’ll never believe it, but he wants me to run away with him and be his bride! It has only been a few days since I met him, but I am very tempted to agree to it.

  I told him that I need time to think about things.

  He wasn’t pleased with my response, but he said that he understood and would give me all the time I needed to think about things.

  What a considerate man he is!

  I think I shall say yes, but what of my family? They will disown me!

  But I am so deeply in love with this man, I feel I have no other choice but to do what my heart tells me to do. I wish I could talk to someone wise and sensible about this. All my sense seemed to run out the door when I met him.

  I feel like I’m no longer myself anymore, that I would do things that I never thought I ever would, that I could be anything he wanted me to be.

  I need to find out more about him, I think before I can commit to this forever.

  Forever is a very long time after all…

  2nd June 1708

  Dear Diary,

  It has been over a week since I saw him last and finally tonight I did!

  I told him that I needed some questions answered before I could say yes. I began to realise over the week that I knew so little about him. I started by asking him where he lived and he has promised to show me one day when I can sneak away, which of course, will be as soon as possible.

  And then I asked him more about what he was…

  His answer frightened me a little, but he reassured me that he is not like the others of his kind. That he is different. I find that I believe him.

  So tomorrow I shall find a way to sneak off and go to him at his house.

  Till then, my dearest confidant.

  3rd June 1708

  Dear Diary,

  Something happened…something that shouldn’t have happened, but did nonetheless.

  We made love.

  It was the most incredible experience of my life. I have tried to put it into words in my mind, but there truly are none that would do it justice…

  I feel so alive and so in love that I could do just about anything right at this moment.

  There is something that happened, which if I’m honest with myself, did unsettle me a little bit, but I am loathe to think of it and the biggest pr
oblem is I enjoyed it.

  It was like a drug, and I fear that I can’t wait for it to happen again.

  I realise I have been eluding to a lot and not giving you full explanations, but I will tell you what he did and you will realise what he is…

  He bit me…

  “Oh my god!” Ally shrieked and threw the book down. “James’ father is a vampire!”

  She got up and began pacing back and forth across the room, eyeballing the offending diary.

  What the hell was she doing with a vampire? No wonder Isabella isn’t so keen on telling James what his father was…

  She took a deep breath, put another log on the fire and sat back down with the book in her hand. “I’ve started now…I have to finish it.”

  20th June 1708

  Dear Diary,

  I know my last entry was a while ago and probably came as surprise.

  To tell you the truth I have been avoiding writing in here again as I didn’t want to read the words myself…

  I am still madly in love with him, and have agreed to be his wife. We’ve made plans to run away together in a month. I so desperately want to tell my family about him and have their acceptance, but I know it is an impossible dream.

  It’s a strange thing to feel so elated and so miserable at the same time.

  I’m meeting with him again tomorrow so I shall tell you more after that.

  10th July 1708

  Dear Diary,

  Something startling happened today, and I begin to question my decision to run away with him.

  He is still the same man I thought I knew, but he has been acting strange today, even snapping at me over the most inane things. This behaviour is something I have not seen before.

  He says that he is worried I will change my mind, and that my family will tear us apart if they ever find out. But the most disturbing thing, is that he wants to change me.

  He wants me to become like him…

  I can accept him for what he is, but I am an immortal. That is not something I think I ever want to change. I’m giving up so much to be with this man, but I cannot give that up.

  I told him I would think about it, but I was simply buying time in the hopes he would see that he was asking the impossible of me.

  15th July 1708

  Dear Diary,

  I think I may have made a mistake about this man’s character.

  I don’t want to even admit this to myself, let alone you, but I told him I could not become a vampire that I wanted to remain an immortal and he flew into a rage!

  He claimed that I was not accepting of him after all if I couldn’t become a vampire, that I thought I was better than him and that I needed to be brought down a few levels.

  I was so hurt by these false accusations that I ran out of the house and came straight home.

  Today’s behaviour was not in line with the man I thought I knew…but maybe it was a mask. Maybe I was a fool to believe him.

  I will go to our place tonight and wait to see if he comes.

  I have also made another discovery that is even more shocking than the first, but I shall tell you about that tomorrow.

  16th July 1708

  Dear Diary,

  I can scarcely write for my hand is trembling so badly.

  I went to our special place in the hopes he would come and apologise for his behaviour but instead I witnessed something so terrifying that I am afraid to even write it…

  He is not the man he claimed he was…he is a monster!

  As I sat waiting, I saw him not too far away, so at first I was so happy. Then I noticed the woman he was with. She was beautiful and he was kissing her and nuzzling her neck.

  The tears rolled down my face and I felt sick! I wanted to run away, but I forced myself to watch the scene before my eyes.

  But then it got worse…

  I realised the woman was a human.

  She didn’t stand a chance against him.

  He ripped open her throat without any warning and began feasting on her blood.

  My stomach rolled violently, but I knew my life depended on my ability to remain unnoticed. He finally dropped her and walked back the way he came.

  I can never be with this man again, and I feel disgusted with myself that I ever let him anywhere near me to begin with.

  But, there is something else that is worse than all that.

  I’m pregnant with his child.

  21st July 1708

  Dear Diary,

  I have decided to go into hiding and have my baby without him ever knowing that it exists for he will kill me or the baby. I know that to be a certainty within my soul.

  I have told my sister everything, and she has been so sympathetic. I don’t deserve it, but it has made things easier for me. She is going to keep my secret and help me to get away.

  I will write a letter to my parents explaining what has happened so they know why I have left. By staying I am putting them in as much danger as myself and my baby.

  So I will go where no one knows me and start again.

  I will no longer be known as Olivia Mandrake.

  From this moment on I will be known as Nicola Ashworth.

  I will leave in two days’ time, but never fear my dear confidant; I will be taking you with me.

  23rd July 1708

  Dear Diary,

  I have found a safe passage out of Scotland and I am bound for London. I shall stay there until my baby is born and make my decision on what I am to do after that.

  I know that for the moment I am safe from the monster that haunts my dreams, but that will not last. When he discovers I have gone, the hunt will begin.

  Since leaving my home in Scotland and my family, a sickness has settled in my heart. I don’t know that it will ever leave me, but I must hope.

  If I do not hold tightly to that, then my courage was for nothing.

  3rd March 1709

  Dear Diary,

  Never in my life have I ever felt such love for another human being than the moment I set my eyes on my little boy…

  He is healthy and strong, and so beautiful.

  I have named him James, after my grandfather who was a wise, strong and wonderful man. It is my dearest hope that James will grow up to be just like him.

  Once I held him in my arms and I could no longer bring myself to regret my affair with that creature if this is what I received in return. How something so wonderful and pure could come from him, I do not know and nor do I care.

  I will keep my son safe, no matter the cost to me or anyone else.

  16th July 1709

  Dear Diary,

  He has found us!

  We must flee England at once, but I fear that he will find us wherever I go.

  I have given an idea a considerable amount of thought, and it is not a decision I will make likely and one that threatens to crush my soul, but I don’t think I have much choice in the matter.

  I’m returning to Scotland, but I will go to Glencoe.

  I will make my final decision when I see the type of people they are, but my eyes are overflowing with tears already at the thought.

  If you hear from me again, then you shall know I have reached my destination.

  8th August 1709

  Dear Diary,

  I am in Glencoe, but not alone.

  He has followed me and knows that I am here. But by some miracle, he does not know the child exists!

  I told you that I would keep my precious little James safe, no matter what the cost to myself…and I fear I must follow through on that promise, but not in the way I had intended when I wrote that.

  The Carlisles are the family that I have been watching. They seem to be kind immortals, but they are strong and they are powerful. In a way, they are almost royalty among our people.

  I had heard of them before, but never in my wildest dreams did I think I would need them for this…

  The decision has been taken out of my hands. It is only a matter of time before he finds us, an
d if I die then so be it. But not James.

  I will take him there tomorrow and make sure that they take him in.

  He will be hidden from his father in plain sight.

  19th August 1709

  Dear Diary,

  Before I left Scotland, I met an immortal who was a seer. She told me something I had forgotten until now, but it seems important that I pass the information on for James sake.

  The seer told me, he would be the soulmate of the chosen one from the prophecy. That he was her guardian and protector.

  Not only is this important for him to know, but it gives me hope that he will survive. That somehow I turn this mess into something worthwhile and my son has a real chance at life.

  I have watched Anita Carlisle with her son, who is not much older than James. She is a doting mother to him, and I believe she will be the same for my son. The Father, William is much the same, but I can sense the powerful vibrations radiating of the man.

  My heart is breaking as the dawn breaks, I know this will be my final day with my son.

  But it is for the best, no matter what my heart tells me…

  20th August 1709

  Dear Diary,

  It is done.

  My eyes are swollen, my soul is sick and my heart is broken. I do not know how I will carry on without my little boy, but carry on I must, for him if for nothing else.

  I watched the Carlisles find him and take him into the house, before I snuck closer and looked to make sure they were taking care of him.

  I could see Anita was already in love with him, as was William.