Immortal Destiny (The Immortal Prophecy Saga) Page 3

  “Is everything alright?” he asked as he nudged a cup coffee in front of her.

  “Thanks,” she said and grabbed it with both hands. “Mackenzie wanted to talk to me.”

  “About?”

  Raising an eyebrow at James and taking a sip of her coffee, she asked, “What’s with the twenty questions?”

  He gave her a half smile, and shrugged implying indifference.

  James watched her as she sank into her own world, deep in thought. She’s forgotten about the conversation we had before I left her room. What in the world made her forget that?

  He was about to say something, when he noticed a foreign smell in the room, not at all unpleasant but one that hadn’t been there until Ally arrived.

  “That’s a nice perfume you’re wearing.”

  Coming back to reality at the sound of his voice, she looked at him confused. “I’m not wearing perfume. I got distracted by Mackenzie and forgot to put it on.”

  “So what do I smell then?”

  So much for working up to it…

  She brought the flower out from behind her back, and placed it on the table in front of James. He glared at the flower in front of him, and looked up at Ally with a question in his eyes. “Is that what I think it is?”

  “It certainly is.”

  “Where did you find it?” He had a sneaking suspicion he wasn’t going to like her answer.

  “On the chair in my room,” she answered. “In the same corner that Kat stood during the dream. Or perhaps what I thought was a dream.”

  He ran his fingers through her hair, and spoke the awful truth. “If it had been real, you would be dead.”

  Ally’s voice rose. “Have you ever heard of softening the truth, James? Perhaps you should try it sometime. You’re talking about my best friend killing me, not some random!”

  “What happened to your thirst for the truth?” he drawled, throwing her words back at her from the masquerade ball.

  “There are exceptions to every rule, and this is it!” she shot back.

  He looked at her again and his face softened. “You’re right. I’m sorry. You know how I get when I’m worried.”

  “Hmmm…” she replied, still not entirely satisfied.

  “Ally.” He pleaded as his eyes beseeched her forgiveness.

  “Oh, alright. I know you didn’t mean any harm.”

  “No, I didn’t.”

  “So what do we do?”

  “We need to leave the manor.”

  Ally drew her eyebrows together. “Leave? Don’t you think that’s a bit of an overreaction, James?”

  “An overreaction?” James gave her a hard stare. “No, I don’t think trying to keep you safe is an overreaction at all!”

  Ally let out an exasperated sound and rolled her eyes. “For god’s sake, James. Yes, ok there was a flower in my room. Not great…but leaving? I don’t think that’s necessary.”

  “You might think differently when you hear what I have to tell you.”

  Her body tightened in anticipation.

  “Vincent’s here…”

  “Here in Scotland?” Her voice rose with each word.

  James gave her a short nod.

  “What! He isn’t supposed to be here yet, James.” She stood up and paced around nervously tugging at her hair. “I’ve only been in Scotland for two months. Why is he here?”

  “You know why he’s here.”

  “You know what I meant.” She sighed in frustration. “So what do we do?”

  Getting up from the table, James walked over to the white French doors and looked out over the snow-capped mountains to gather his thoughts before answering her. “Between Vincent arriving, Kathryn being turned and a flower ending up in your room, we need to do something and I think that something is leaving.” He spun around to look at her. She could see the situation weighing heavily upon him and wanted to relieve his suffering in some way. Unfortunately, Ally was struggling with new information as well.

  “We do have a few advantages if we stay here,” Ally pointed out.

  “Like what?” he asked with a small humourless laugh.

  Ally walked over to the doors to be closer to him. “We have Damian back, so that is another immortal to stand with us. We also have Chase, if he decides to come back, and Gran. We aren’t alone in this.”

  He turned his body so he was facing her. “I know and having them will be an advantage, but Damian isn’t the warrior he once was, and may never be again. Besides, we only got him back a few weeks ago. It’s too soon for him to be anywhere near a battle.”

  “I know that, but he’s recovering so much every day,” she countered.

  “You’re right, he is. But the emotional trauma may cripple him if he finds himself up against the vampires again, even a year from now. Fifty years at the hands of those creatures is a long-time, Ally.”

  She shuddered, thinking of all that her grandfather would have endured at their hands. “I guess we won’t know until it happens.”

  “If it happens.” He sighed and turned to look at her. “There’s only one way that flower made its way into your room.”

  “A vampire?”

  “No,” James said shaking his head. “I would have smelt the creature in your room. There’s no way one would even make it onto our property without one of us noticing. The vampires have a very distinct smell…it’s unmistakeable and rather potent.”

  “So if it wasn’t a vampire, then what was it?”

  James didn’t want to even contemplate the idea, but he knew there was only one conclusion to be drawn. “A human. More specifically, one of my staff.”

  Ally gasped. “But no one here would ever do such a thing! These people love you, James. How could you even suggest that?”

  His face was filled with a mixture of sadness and guilt. “You’re right, no one here would willingly place that flower in your room, but they could easily be compelled to do such a thing and have no recollection of the event.”

  Ally sat in stunned silence.

  “So any of them could be used against us, or rather, used against you. They could do little harm to an immortal, but you can easily be killed.” James voiced changed. Gone was the warm man she knew and loved, and in his place was the dominating immortal. “I can’t and won’t keep you somewhere that is unsafe.”

  She nodded understanding but was still in shock that one of their own could be used against them in such a way.

  “And I won’t risk the lives of my friends either. The only way to keep everyone safe is to go somewhere else. Somewhere that I know I can protect you.”

  “Perhaps,” Ally said slowly coming back to her senses. “Which one of them do you think did it?”

  “Logan maybe. He is the only one who really ventures off the property. He exercises the horses out in the fields a mile or so away. A vampire could easily have gotten to him there without anyone knowing…but realistically, it could be any of them.”

  “I dunno, James.” Ally said softly. “I don’t want them to get hurt or have them being used to get to me, but isn’t there safety in numbers at this point?”

  “It depends on the numbers…”

  “I guess. But we can’t just leave the Muir’s defenceless.”

  James shook his head. “No, of course not. Adele and Damian would stay behind to protect them should the need arise.”

  “Something tells me running away isn’t going to solve much…”

  “Come on,” he said and grabbed her hand. “We need to tell them what happened.”

  He reached out with his mind and began to communicate with his brother. “Damian, where are you and Adele?”

  “In the garden. Is everything alright?” Damian replied

  “Not really, something’s happened. Ally and I are coming out. We need to talk.”

  Damian and Adele were sitting together on the wicker sofa underneath the tall billowing willow tree, both wearing matching expressions of angst. Ally and James each sat on chairs opposite
the sofa.

  James told them what had happened and the conclusions he had drawn. Both immortals sat very quiet and very still until he had finished speaking. The horror that one of their own could manipulated in such a way was evident in their faces as well.

  “I fear you are right, James,” Damian said with a sigh. “I can’t see any other explanation for how it got there in the first place.”

  Adele agreed with him. “It’s just awful. Whoever was compelled won’t even have the faintest idea they are being used against us.”

  “It’s not their fault,” Ally added, defending them.

  “Of course not, sweetie.” Adele reached over to grab Ally’s hand. “We’re not blaming them.”

  Ally took comfort in her grandmother’s touch and asked her directly, “But what about James and I going away? I can see why he wants to, and even a part of me wants nothing more than to go into hiding for a little while. But that won’t solve anything, and when we come back…what then? There will still be humans working here that can be compelled.”

  Adele looked at Damian and James. “She’s right about the last part. We need to do something about the Muir’s before you return, if that’s what you decide to do. But I think James is right. We need to get you out of here fast. There is just too much danger in Scotland right now and until you’re ready to face Vincent and we have the elder council members assembled, we need to keep you safe.”

  “What about Coco?”

  Adele’s face softened, and James rolled his eyes. “Oh sweetie, I’ll keep her safe. Coco is the last thing you need to worry about.”

  She might have been just a dog to everyone else, but Coco had become one of her closest companions after her parents died. “Thanks Gran.”

  James looked from Damian to Adele then finally his eyes rested on Ally. “So it’s settled then. I’ll take Ally somewhere safe for a while until we figure out what we are going to do here.”

  “I’ll agree to this on one condition,” Ally put in.

  James could feel the shackles rising; he knew she was going to say something he wouldn’t like. He was getting to know her too well. “What condition?”

  “While we are away, I want you to teach me how to fight them. Not just little things like the fireball. I want to learn it all.”

  James groaned. “Ally, I’m trying to keep you out of trouble, not teach you how to attack when you go out and find it! You will have to learn at some point, but I will not agree to that.”

  “We’ve been over this James. Fighting them is my destiny. I can’t avoid it.” She sighed in frustration. “So you either agree to the terms and teach me, or I’m not going anywhere.” Ally crossed her arms and turned her nose up slightly to emphasise the point.

  Damian smiled knowingly at his granddaughter and James. She was a headstrong girl who wouldn’t let James push her around. He had observed them over the last couple of weeks and found himself enjoying their exchanges. His little brother had his work cut out for him. “James, she has to know these things. It’s crucial to keeping her alive.”

  Alessandra nodded once at James, making a little ‘hmpf’ sound, then turned to Damian. “Thank you! I need someone else to talk some sense into him. He won’t listen to a word I say… obviously!”

  James rolled his eyes again. “Thanks for the support, bro.”

  “We can sit here arguing about it all we like, but I’m going to learn whether you like it or not. Now, I can learn from you while we are away or I can stay here in danger and learn. It’s your decision.”

  James gave her an intense stare, debating internally before deciding she was right, and that he couldn’t let the fear control his actions any longer. She was the prophecy girl and needed to know this. “Fine, I’ll teach you.”

  Ally smiled at him and said, “Thank you.”

  Damian interrupted the argumentative pair. “Where will you take her?”

  “Italy,” James replied. “I’ll rent a villa somewhere remote and we can take refuge there for a while.”

  Despite the situation, Ally found herself excited at the prospect of going to Italy with James. It might have been to keep her out of danger, but it still sounded awfully romantic.

  “When will we leave?” Ally asked.

  “Tonight,” he replied. “We better start packing.”

  As Ally stood up to leave, so did Adele. “I’ll help you,” she said and put her arm around Ally’s shoulder.

  “Thanks, Gran.”

  Unbeknownst to the small group, someone had been watching them and listening intently to the conversation. “A little trip away,” the eavesdropper muttered to themselves. “The master won’t be too happy about that.”

  Silently, the intruder walked backwards out of the garden. He had heard all he needed to at this point and was eager to tell the vampire that had recruited him this new information. He pulled out his phone and made the call.

  The vampire answered on the first ring. “What?” it demanded.

  “He’s taking her away tonight.”

  “Damn it!” The voice exclaimed. “Where are they going?”

  “Italy.”

  “Well, looks like I’ll be taking a trip to Italy then…”

  Chapter Five

  Ally sat down on her bed next to Coco with a sigh. “I’ve got to go away for a while, girl.” The dog looked at Ally with her big brown eyes. “But don’t worry, Gran is going to take good care of you while I’m gone.”

  “Yes, I am,” Adele said, as she sat down on the bed on the other side of Coco.

  Ally smiled up at her, but it didn’t quite reach her eyes.

  “Everything will be alright, sweetie,” Adele said reassuringly. “James will take care of you. I wouldn’t put your life in the hands of anyone else.”

  “I know he will,” Ally said. “That’s not what’s troubling me. I feel so guilty about the Muirs. If it wasn’t for me, whoever it was would never have been compelled in the first place.”

  Adele looked at her granddaughter with her wise violet eyes. “You can’t blame yourself. It was a vampire that did this, not you. And they’re all very much aware that working for James comes with some aspect of danger for them.”

  “I guess…” Ally lay back on the bed and looked at the ornate ceiling. “And this whole going away thing, it makes sense but I have this feeling in my gut that the trouble is going to somehow follow us wherever we go.”

  “It won’t,” Adele promised. “No one will know exactly where you’ve gone except your grandfather and me.”

  Ally nodded but she still couldn’t shift the feeling of unease that had settled in her gut.

  “You’ll love Italy. It’s a beautiful place and it’s very romantic.” Adele winked mischievously.

  Ally couldn’t help but smile at Adele. “I won’t lie it does have a rather romantic feel to it, apart from the running away from danger part.”

  Adele laughed. “But running away from danger can be very romantic!”

  “Gran…sometimes I wonder about you.” Ally shook her head and let out a low chuckle. “My life is in immediate danger, and you’re getting swept away in a sea of romance.”

  Adele patted her hand again., “How are things going with you and James?”

  “Great mostly…he’s everything I could ever want in a soulmate or partner but I just…” She drifted off mid-sentence. “This isn’t a conversation I should be having with my grandmother.”

  Adele eyed her knowingly. “A sex conversation?”

  Ally cringed and felt the blush climbing its way up her cheeks. “Yeah in a way. We haven’t done that yet…he said he will wait for as long as I want, but I feel like there is something wrong with me!” Ally confided.

  “Why?”

  “Because for a start he is possibly the sexiest man walking the face of the earth and I don’t want to do that yet…actually that’s a lie, I do want to, but I’m not ready.” Ally was frustrated with herself and made a strangled sound. “I’m sure every other gir
l in the world would have been ready by now.”

  “Oh, Ally,” Adele said as she gave her a quick hug. “It’s not something you jump into and it shows that you’re being mature about this. Sex is a big step and it will happen when you’re ready. Honestly, don’t fret about it. James has said he will wait and that’s good.”

  “I guess. It’s a bit sad being a twenty- one year old virgin though.”

  Adele firmly shook her head. “Not sad, no. You met James when you were sixteen and that changed things for you, whether you knew it or not. A part of you connected with him and once that happened no one else would’ve held any interest for you. It’s an immortal thing.”

  “Makes sense.”

  “Feel better?” Adele asked.

  Ally smiled weakly, feeling a little embarrassed about the conversation she’d just had with grandmother. “A little…yeah. Thanks Gran.”

  “Right, now let’s get packing.”

  Once all the packing had been done and they had taken everything downstairs, Ally began to feel the first wave of butterflies take up residence in her stomach. She saw James sitting on a chair in the lounge room, with his arms resting on his knees, having a conversation with Henry and Sophie.

  As she got closer, she heard what they were saying.

  “But if you’re going away things must be bad,” Sophie said, clearly fretting.

  Henry put his arm around her and said, “Sophie, James just said not to worry. He is taking Ally away for a break and nothing more.”

  The way Henry looked at James showed that he suspected more was going on, but he attempted to make sure Sophie remained calm. He was such a sweetheart with his wife and had a special place in Ally’s heart…they all did. She fought back a stray tear that threatened to fall when she thought one of them had unknowingly betrayed them. If they ever found out, they would be crushed.

  James spotted her and stood up. “Adele and Damian will be here at all times, so don’t worry,” he said to Sophie and Henry.

  They both nodded. Sophie and Henry hugged Ally goodbye before leaving the lounge room together.

  “Is she alright?” Ally asked.

  James watched the doorway they had just exited. “Sophie thinks of me like a son and now you like another daughter, so she worries. But I think I reassured her concerns.”