Immortal Prophecy Page 2
“No!” she shouted, then collapsed where she stood.
Her whole existence was spinning out of control, the world got blacker and blacker. But, she welcomed the darkness. She welcomed anything that blocked out the pain, shock, and truth of what had happened. Two parts of Madame Isabella’s prediction had been right. It meant what she’d been told was true, and her life as an ordinary girl was over.
Ally's eyes fluttered open and she was held by strong, comforting arms. Her vision was filled with the stranger’s unusual eyes staring at her. He had caught her as she had passed out. Ally could tell he was concerned about her. It was reflected in his eyes and in the energy that flowed out of him. It filled the room. She felt a connection with this man, but she didn’t even know who he was. Who was this man that he could make her feel anything, even for a moment, after what she had just found out? She stood up and the worry lines around his eyes relaxed. He held her in his arms until he was sure she could balance on her own. Then helped her into a chair and stood to one side.
Her grandmother fluttered about asking if she was okay and telling her she should go lay down.
“No. What happened to them?”
Adele’s face paled and it took her a moment to respond. “It looked like an animal attack.”
Ally’s mind raced, absorbing the information. “No, n-n-no. There aren’t any animals around here that would do that.” She took a breath, and the words from Madame Isabella played over in her mind. “Vincent!” she cried. “Was it Vincent?”
Adele stopped and stared at her before she looked at the stranger. Heavy silence engulfed the room. Ally watched them. She couldn’t understand why she thought this, but she was certain they were communicating.
“Who are you?” Ally demanded. She had the feeling she was being kept on the dark and she didn’t like it one bit.
“I’m sorry, darling.” Adele glanced at him. “This is James Carlisle, a family friend. He was invited here this morning by your parents, but...”
“Oh, God,” Ally whispered. James Carlisle, her guardian, the other man from the prediction was standing in her kitchen right in front of her. She gaped at him, in shock and disbelief, whilst at the same time, she wondered if there was more between them than just being her guardian. By the look in his eyes, he felt it too. Did Madame Isabella leave something out?
James spoke with concern. “Alessandra, I’m so sorry for your loss. Your parents were wonderful people.” He looked at her grandmother and said, “Adele, I must go, but I will return.” Turning his full attention back to Alessandra, James studied her for a moment longer than necessary before saying, “It was a pleasure to have met you Alessandra. I’m just sorry it was under such tragic circumstances.”
Gazing into her eyes, he took her hand and laid a gentle kiss upon it, then turned around and walked out.
Ally watched him leave then whispered to herself, “My time as an ordinary girl is over. It’s begun.”
Adele dropped the coffee cup she’d been holding. It landed on the floor with a loud crash as it shattered into pieces. Her eyes widened with shock. “What did you say?”
Feeling defeated, Ally couldn’t even manage a reply for her grandmother. Instead she sobbed for the beloved parents who had been taken from her, and a fear of what or who was coming for her next.
2. THE STAKEOUT
Five Years Later...
Ally sat in her black car and stared out the windscreen at the pale full moon and bright stars, ruminating over the mystery of her parents’ deaths. It still plagued her. Not in the way that she missed them and wished that they were with her. She did, but it wasn’t that. If it had been she might have been able to lay their ghosts to rest by now. What bothered her was the way they’d died.
The police and coroner had said the cause of death was due to an animal attack. That was the first problem she had. There were no animals that would kill a person, or rather two people in this case, that way. Snake bite, spider bite, or even a wild boar. Any of those things killed people if they didn’t seek medical attention. But that was not what had happened. To the best of Ally’s knowledge, and she’d spent countless hours researching the facts, no known animal in the country could drain their victims of all blood through two puncture wounds on the neck.
The only thing she thought might do that would be a vampire. And they didn’t exist.
She stretched as much as one can in a car, and ran her hands through her chocolate brown waves, she’d done it from the time she was a little girl to calm herself when she felt uneasy. She scanned the area for the cause of her uneasiness, but there was nothing out of the ordinary. Not a soul was out at this time of night, all the neighbouring houses had long since turned out the lights and headed for bed. But no matter what she did, she couldn’t shake the sensation that something wasn’t right.
She rolled her shoulders and admonished herself for such fanciful reactions. There was nothing unusual about what she was doing. As a Private Investigator, she often sat in her car in the middle of the night waiting for cheating spouses to come home and get caught out. The night work suited her. Normally it was quiet, peaceful, and calming. Tonight, however, was altogether different, it was haunting and set her teeth on edge.
She shifted her gaze to the passenger seat. “Not long now, Coco,” Ally said, half expecting her dog to respond. The little cavalier just lifted her head, looked at her, and went back to sleep. Ally chuckled and gave her puppy a scratch behind the ears. “I can always count on you to keep me entertained on assignments,” she said, as she picked fluff off her jade knitted top.
Ally reached behind the seat, looking for her coffee flask and a snack; essentials on any stake out. She found the flask and brought it out. Her hand touched something she wasn’t expecting, and she twisted it to see what it was. It was a pink post-it note attached to her flask. A snort escaped her, this was from her grandmother. Whenever there was something important to tell Ally, she would put it on a post-it and leave it where it’d be seen. Most people would send a text message, but not her grandmother. Adele had told her often she was tech-challenged, and this was easier. She grabbed the note and read it aloud, “Don’t forget the Ball tomorrow night, Ally. Love Gran xx”
“How could I forget?” she muttered. It was all her grandmother had spoken about for the last few weeks. The Masquerade Ball had become an annual event to raise money for whichever charity needed the most help. Adele was a humanitarian at heart, always looking for charities and endeavours to support. Supporting a local charity was an event her father had started years before and she continued doing it in part to honour his memory.
Kat was invited to this year’s event, and Ally was certain it’d be awkward. She missed Kat, but so much had happened and Ally hadn’t spoken to her in five years. “Think positive,” she mumbled as she poured some hot coffee.
It was then her target arrived home. “Really, is it so hard to be faithful to your husband, Sarah?” Ally’s voice dripped with disdain as she placed the cup down, managing to spill a bit on her new denim jeans. She groaned and wiped it off before she looked up at the window again.
Observing her target, Sarah, made Ally check her own reflection in the rear-view mirror. Wavy hair fell half-way down her back and vivid green eyes reflected at her.
The woman in the crimson-silk evening gown whom Ally had been hired to follow was Sarah Carrington. Former highly paid escort to the rich and lonely men of Melbourne, now adulterous wife of Richard Carrington. Sun kissed blonde hair and baby blue eyes, Richard, also had a body that most women would worship.
As much as she hated to admit it, Sarah was what she considered a rare beauty. Blessed with a tall, curv
aceous, yet slim figure that men would drool over. With a pair of legs that seemed to reach the sky, and long blonde hair that sat perfectly. Ally understood why a lot of men would try to coax her away from Richard, but if she’d loved him, she wouldn’t stray.
She glanced back up at the window to see Sarah, no longer alone in the bedroom. Her guest had arrived. From Ally’s position in the car she had a clear view straight into the bedroom. It was damn inconvenient when the target hid behind curtains. Fortunately, these two didn’t seem to mind being seen.
The man came into her focus now. He was sin itself in tight fitting dark denim jeans and a crisp black shirt that grabbed in all the right places. “Oh my,” Ally murmured and grabbed her camera to snap the evidence Richard had requested.
She understood what Sarah saw in him. What woman wouldn’t? As she looked closer through the lens of her camera, she was drawn into a trance, hypnotised by the sight of him. Tall with a taut body and raven tousled hair that sat just below his ears, he filled her vision. She couldn’t see his eyes as they focused on Sarah, but she made a guess they’d be a piercing blue. She noted his aura seemed to send out a dangerous energy. But even though his pull was phenomenal, and he was a walking advertisement for sex, something deep inside her was repulsed at the same time.
In fact, Ally felt as though she were two different people at that moment. One half drawn to this sinfully handsome man while the other half sensed pure evil and told her to run. The trance broke as he walked behind a curtain.
Coco barked and the sound brought her back to reality. “For God sakes, Ally, focus on the job,” she scolded herself. She prided herself on being a complete professional on a job, but there was something about the man in the apartment.
Coco surveyed the apartment above them. “So, even dogs think he’s gorgeous, hey pup?” The bark changed to a deep low growl.
Ally turned back to the window and saw Sarah in his embrace, her neck exposed as if in offering to this dark man. Her face void of emotion. “Something’s not right, is it girl?” Coco didn’t move an inch and endured with her low growling. It was unlike her furry companion to react this way.
Now the handsome devil appeared to be feasting on Sarah’s neck. It was animalistic, frantic, but controlled at the same time. She couldn’t put her finger on what was going on until she saw the twin lines of crimson running down Sarah’s paling neck. “What the hell?” she cried out.
Torn between calling the police and wanting to get the hell out of there before he came after her, she waited just another minute to see if she was mistaken. This wasn’t what she thought it was. Was it?
Ally had heard of underground groups that worshiped and even pretended to be vampires. Sarah could’ve been into that and she’d gotten the whole scene wrong? She doubted it.
“Just another minute, girl,” she whispered to the puppy still sitting beside her.
Then everything froze.
Sarah’s lifeless body, now white as snow, fell to the floor with an inelegant thud. The crazy vampire wannabe turned to the window and looked outside. He appeared to be searching for something or someone. Ally was well concealed, and he shouldn’t be able to see her. At least, that’s what she thought. She held her breath as she watched his gaze drift to her location. He focused on her car and she felt the pull.
“Oh shit, he can see me,” she panicked. Ally knew with every instinct in her body, and felt it in her bones, that this man would kill her next.
Ally tried to drive away, but the car wouldn’t start. “Oh seriously, this is too cliché!” she yelled as she hit the steering wheel with both hands.
Throwing open the door and grabbing her baby girl, Ally ran. That was the moment she heard him speak. The fiend had a voice that sounded like angels singing. “Where are you off to, Alessandra?” He was less than a few feet away now.
She froze. How had he gotten to her so fast? “How d-do you know my name?” she sputtered.
“I have been searching for you for a long time, my dear girl.” He crooked his finger and curled it, luring her towards him. She had to resist the pull, but found she had little will to fight him. She was a puppet, unable to control anything while he pulled her strings.
What he’d said triggered a wave of fear, but she was too terrified to remember what it meant. Next, Ally heard her grandmother’s desperate voice in her mind, “Resist him with everything you have.”
Gran? So, now I’m having delusions? What is happening? She screamed in her mind.
Ice-cold fear ran through her veins. All her basic motor skills failed her. She needed to think, and think fast, if she wanted to survive this. The only thing that stood out in her fear induced stupor was that he seemed to be the dramatic type. Could she get him to talk, even boast a bit? That might be her best shot out of this situation. Ally just hoped she’d be able to revise the plan as needed.
“Who are you?” she asked with a challenge to her voice and with an air of confidence she did not have.
“Why, I should think you already know who I am,” he said with self-importance. “Adele should have told you by now.”
“Adele?” That caught her off guard. Knowing Ally’s name was creepy and strange, but also knowing her grandmother’s name. What in the hell was going on here?
“How do you know my grandmother? As far as I’m aware, she doesn’t befriend psychotic killers.”
“You have spirit, don’t you,” he sneered. “Just like your mother before she died.”
Dread slithered down her spine at the mention of her mother. Pieces of the puzzle seemed to click together, but she didn’t want to acknowledge them. If Ally let the pieces come together, she wouldn’t survive this. She’d become overwhelmed and she needed to keep a clear head.
Who, or rather what, was this evil thing standing before her? If only she knew how to rattle him like he did her, throw his guard off for a minute, then she could run. “I don’t know who you are, but you’d better go find someone else to bother. I’m done here.” Ally figured it wouldn’t be that easy to just walk away, but she had to at least try.
“Stay.” It was a command filled with a compulsion she couldn’t ignore. Her feet were rooted to the ground. “Enough of this foolishness, Alessandra. You have made the task easier by coming to me, so I shall make this quick.” He paused. “Dying doesn’t have to be painful or terrifying. It might even be a pleasurable experience if you allow it to be.”
The evil creature inched closer and closer, all the while Ally fought to break free. Every muscle in her body had turned to mush, refusing to obey her commands. His voice and his smile were at odds with what he really was. How could a person so beautiful be so evil?
He stood before her, searching with his eyes, looking for what though she couldn’t fathom. “Before I kill you though, I’ll answer your question.” He paused and puffed out his chest. He reminded her of a peacock, strutting and preening with an over-inflated ego. “I’m Vincent, the ruler of my kind.”
“Vincent.” She trembled like a leaf as the terror grew inside her. He was the other man from Madame Isabella’s prediction all those years ago. The one who wanted to end her life, and the man she was destined to kill. Her face twisted in horror.
“Oh, shit.”
“You know. This is kind of fun,” he said, as he let out a chuckle full of dark intent. He seemed to enjoy watching Ally squirm.
She had no idea what to say to that, so she stood there and waited for him to continue.
“Cat got your tongue, Alessandra?”
“I figured you had more hot air to let loose, so I’m waiting patiently.” She smirked, hoping she had rattled him.
Vincent hissed his displeasure.
She drew in a sharp breath. Did he just hiss at me?
“Spoil my fun and you shall be punished, little girl,” Vincent told her in a tone which showed he would follow through on his threat.
Ally’s eyes were transfixed on the monster before her as she chanted in her mind, show no fear,
over and over. “You said ‘the ruler of my kind.’ What is your kind exactly?”
“I should have thought it obvious, given you saw me kill Sarah, whatever her name was.”
“You’re a vampire.” The words came out as a statement, but it was also a question.
Great. A vampire. The man I am destined to take out is a vampire. How am I supposed to do that?
His wicked smile made her blood run cold. The game of cat and mouse was ending. “Ah.” He laughed. “The penny drops for the prophecy girl.”
She didn’t understand what was so amusing to him, but his mention of the prophecy caught her full attention. Her mind was working through the information at a rapid pace, recalling the prediction from Madame Isabella, and hoping to find something that would be of use to her. What if she mentioned James and retribution? Would that be enough to scare of him off?
“Right, the prophecy girl. I realise you want me dead, and I know I’m supposed to kill you, but here’s the thing, I’m not ready for this yet.”
Vincent crinkled his forehead. “What are you talking about, child?” he asked.
“I’m. Not. Ready,” she repeated.
“Not ready to die?” He laughed sadistically. “Most people aren’t.”
She stared at him, unable to believe anyone could be that cold, and took an involuntary step back from the creature that repulsed her to the core.
“To be honest, you’re starting to bore me, Alessandra.” He casually examined his fingernails and adopted an unnatural pose.
Her instincts were on high alert, and she felt the end was just around the corner. She grabbed at the only choice she had left to her, mention James. “What about James? What do you think he’ll do once he discovers you’ve killed ‘the prophecy girl’ and his... his girlfriend?” She had said the first thing that came to mind and now she bit her lip waiting for his reaction.
Vincent stared at her, dumbfounded for a moment before responding with an edge to his voice that proved she’d unnerved him. “So, you’re his lover as well as being guarded by him.” Vincent appeared to be weighing up the options in front of him considering this latest information. “I must say it’s unusual for James to become involved with a woman. Makes me curious about you. But, I do have to kill you. And as tempting as it is to take you prisoner for a while to sate my curiousity, well I think it’s best to get this over with, don’t you? Besides, he doesn’t even know where you are. Not a great guardian, is he?”