Immortal Prophecy

chapter Ten

“Where is she? What happened?” James asked impatiently.

Adele pulled herself together. “She was in the garden. I went to check on her, and I smelled it. Not Vincent…but a minion.”

James’ heart jumped into his throat. “Go on.”

“I sensed her fear and knew she was alive, so I ran straight to her. I found her with Kathryn. They both seemed disturbed by something in the bushes, so I got them back inside as quickly as I could without raising too many suspicions.”

His body was as tightly strung as a violin, the fear was threatening to paralyze him. “Is she ok?”

“Yes, but if I hadn’t gotten there when I did…” Adele didn’t have to finish the sentence; they both knew what would have happened.

“Where is she now?”

“She’s with Kathryn and Chase in the lounge.”

He sighed with relief. Ally was alright. James could take his anger out on the vampire that tried to hurt her. “Where is the vampire in question?”

“Sorry, James.” Adele sounded disappointed. “I had to make a choice. I chased him as far as I could, but I didn’t dare stray too far from Ally.”

“I’m glad you chose Ally.”

Adele wandered over to the counter and leaned against it, letting a sigh fill the room. “I don’t think the creature is hanging around out there, but I don’t know for sure.”

“He’ll be long gone by now,” James replied absently.

“I thought she was safe here, at the house at least,” Adele murmured.

James’ heart was heavy. “I am beginning to think that nowhere is safe.”

They both sat down at the table to form a plan to get Ally safely out of the country that night.

“We need to get her into a deep sleep in order to get her on the plane,” James said. “We both know she’ll refuse to go if given the choice.”

“You’re right. I will take care of that, you just stay out of sight.” With that, Adele got up from the table and went in search of Ally.

He nodded and went to make himself a coffee. It was going to be a long night.

Whilst searching for Ally, Adele met Kathryn and Chase.

“Where is she?” Adele asked, as she looked frantically around the room.

Kathryn put her hand on Adele’s arm gently, “She's on the veranda.”

Chase and Kathryn shared a look.

“Ally needed some air,” Chase remarked, the guilt was showing all over his face.

Adele looked from one to the other, then raised her hand to rest on her hip. “Why would she need some air?”

Chase knew he was about to be in a whole lot of trouble. He started to say something, but Kathryn cut him off. “She knows part of it, Adele.”

Adele looked at her with sheer disbelief, which then quickly turned to fear and annoyance. She turned to Chase, “And how would she know anything?” They had a plan, Ally was to be told by them, not Chase.

She felt him squirm. “Well, I’m waiting!”

“She caught me off guard, Addie.” His answer was weak but it was the best he had. And it was the truth. Ally had taken him by surprise.

Adele was not pleased. “Surprised or not, you shouldn’t have told her.”

“Adele, she needed to know, one way or another,” Kathryn said gently. “Perhaps Chase just helped you get started.”

She looked at Kat and was about to snap at her out of frustration, but thought better of it, realizing her nerves were frayed, and she was panicking. None of this was Kathryn’s fault, and she was right – Ally needed to know, one way or another, and now things have been forced into the light.

“What does she know?” Adele asked.

“Not much and only really basic information. I didn’t go into great detail,” Chase replied. “But she knows about James, Vincent, removing memories and that there is a prophecy.”

Adele took a calming breath. “Right, so there is still a lot to tell.”

Chase hung his head. The guilt weighed heavily upon him, but he still stood by his decision. If he were in that situation, he would’ve done the same thing as Ally. She was tough, and he liked her.

“I need to take Kathryn home, Addie.” Chase looked at Kat and smiled warmly. “We have a lot to discuss.”

As Adele watched Kathryn and Chase staring dreamily into each other’s eyes, she felt a pang deep in her heart. She was happy for them, but it reminded her of a time long ago…

“Kat, Chase will tell you who we are and what we are doing,” she paused. “It will be very dangerous, and I cannot guarantee your safety if you do come. But you are like another granddaughter to me and a sister to Ally, so you have as much right to be there as any of us but…” She trailed off, not knowing the right words to say.

Kat smiled warmly. “I don’t know half of what is going on, but if Ally needs me, I will be by her side no matter what the danger. You can count on me Adele.” She embraced Adele saying, “And I love you too.”

Adele felt a tear well in her eye but held herself in check. “Thank you, my dear girl.”

“Let’s go,” Chase said with a final look to Adele.

“Remember what I said Chase, I shall hold you responsible,” Adele warned him with a sincerity that vibrated throughout the room.

“I know, Adele,” he all but growled. Adele loved Kathryn. He knew that, but Kat was his to protect now and no one else’s. He would not tolerate interference from anyone.

“This is getting out of hand already,” she muttered as she watched them leave. Adele turned to find Ally. It was time they told her everything.

“Alessandra,” Adele said as she walked out onto the veranda.

Ally was leaning against the railing staring out into space. She was visibly startled when she heard her name called, and turned her head around to look at Adele.

“Oh, hi Gran,” she said sounding tired and worn. She appeared to be absorbed in her own thoughts still.

Adele felt the hurt and confusion radiating out of her granddaughter as she sidled up next to her.

“What’s wrong darling?”

“Nothing…Just looking at the stars…”

“They are beautiful,” Adele answered warily. This was going somewhere, she could feel it.

“Do you think our destinies are written in them?”

And here it is, Adele thought to herself. Fighting back a mental groan, she forced herself to answer. It wasn’t supposed to happen this way. They had a plan, and Chase had compromised it. Adele continued looking at the stars as she spoke, “Sometimes, yes they are.”

Ally turned her head to study her grandmother for a moment then turned back to the stars. “You see, I always believed we made our own destinies. Nothing was foretold or preordained…things just happened.”

“You can’t hide from destiny,” Adele said softly.

“No I suppose not.”

Pushing off the railing, Adele looked at Ally. “We need to talk.”

Ally didn’t even flinch or turn around. She had wanted to know, and now that she had been given a taste of the knowledge she craved, Ally wasn’t so sure that she wanted it after all.

“Do we have to?” she asked. She was so overwhelmed, she wasn’t even angry or feeling betrayed any more. All she felt was numb.

“There are things you need to know,” Adele began.

She unwillingly turned to her grandmother. “I don’t think I want to know anymore.”

Adele was surprised. This wasn’t like her granddaughter at all. Ally had spirit and courage. She wasn’t a shell. The girl standing in front of her was a stranger.

“Ally, come sit down.” She led Ally to a nearby rattan outdoor sofa and sat down on it. “What’s going on? This isn’t the girl we all know and love.”

“I don’t even know who I am.” Ally was clearly distressed about this evening’s revelations.

“You are Alessandra DeCosta! One of the strongest, most loyal and loving women I have ever had the pleasure of knowing!”

Ally looked at her grandmother dubiously. “Apparently I’m also some sort of prophecy girl.”

Adele took a deep breath. “That is one of the things we need to discuss with you.”

“We?”

“James and I. He plays an important part in this too.”

“Right,” she said noncommittally. “The soul mate.”

“Ally, you need to listen to this…” Adele was starting to get frustrated. If this attitude kept up, then Ally was doomed. “Sometimes in life, our choices are taken away from us, for the greater good. It’s not always about what we want, but there is a reason that you have been given this destiny.”

“To ruin my life a little bit more?” she asked sarcastically.

“Alessandra, I have never been disappointed in you in my life! Don’t make me start now! Not when our entire race is on the line.” She was intentionally harsh on Ally, hoping that a bit of shock treatment might bring her out of the desolation she was in.

Ally snapped her head around to look at her grandmother, “How dare you, Gran! You betrayed me and then you have the gall to sit there and lecture me on being a disappointment. I lost my parents. You have betrayed me. And James, my supposed soul mate has betrayed me as well. My life has been taken out of my hands, and I don’t even know what I’m getting into yet, but if the Fortune Teller is anything to go by it won’t be good. How much can one person possibly be expected to take?” Her voice rose with every word as the blood pumped through her veins. She was angry, hurt and betrayed, but it was also good to vent. Anything was better than that dark place where she’d been. She hadn’t felt that low since her parents had died.

Adele’s expression was one of delight and pride. “That’s more like it. I was beginning to worry.”

Ally stared at her gob-smacked. “You baited me?”

“Yes, and it worked beautifully didn’t it?”

“I love you, but you have issues.”

Adele laughed. Relief flooded through her as Ally had returned before her very eyes. She just had to hit the right nerve.

“You’re not off the hook, Gran. You have some serious explaining to do before I decide if your deception was warranted or not,” she said on a sigh.

“I would expect nothing less.”

Ally yawned. “Can we discuss this in the morning by any chance? I can barely keep my eyes open.”

Adele wasn’t expecting that. Normally, she was like a dog with a bone. “Are you sure?”

“Yeah, I think after a good night’s sleep I will be better equipped to deal with all this.”

Adele nodded.

“There is one other thing though…”

Adele’s eyes flashed with apprehension. “What?”

“Tell James, I want my memories back,” she replied.

“I think that can be arranged,” Adele laughed.

“Good." Ally rose to go to bed. She could barely stand from the exhaustion beating at her.

“Until the morning then.”

After Ally had left the room, Adele went in search of James again. They could still compel her into a deep sleep and get her on a plane. Ally would be angry, but they couldn’t wait until morning. Her life was in danger. Adele just hoped that Ally would see reason when she woke up on a plane with them.

James was sitting at the kitchen table when Adele walked back in.

“Coffee?” he asked.

She smiled gratefully. “Yes, thank you.” Adele sat down at the table and put her head in her hands.

“What’s wrong?’ he asked as he handed her a cup.

She looked up. “Things haven’t gone to plan, thanks to our dear friend Chase.”

“Oh, for the love of God, what has the imp done now?”

She laughed out loud. Chase and James had always had a rocky relationship.

James being older than Chase was only the start of the problem. Things had been cozy between them as children until a prank went horribly wrong and James had never really forgiven Chase.

“Well, Ally somehow figured out enough to put him on the spot, and he told her a few things.”

James chortled. “I should have seen that coming. She’ll stop at nothing to learn the truth of things from what I have observed over the years. But what set her off?”

Adele shook her head. “I really don’t know…there are so many questions in that aspect.”

“I would suggest we aren’t the only ones who have questions. Do you want me to speak with her?” James asked.

Adele took a sip of her coffee. “Ally wasn’t herself when I found her, and she doesn’t want to talk about anything until tomorrow, so it’s probably best if you wait.”

“Should we be concerned, do you think?” he asked. He was more than a little worried about how much this was really affecting her.

Adele pursed her lips. “I don’t think so, she said that she was tired, and she needed a good night’s sleep before she could deal with everything she needs to hear.”

James raised his eyebrows. “That’s all well and good, but we don’t have time to waste.”

“I know, James. I still plan on putting her into a deep slumber. I just hope she’ll forgive one last betrayal,” Adele sighed.

“It’s for her safety. I’m sure she would do nothing less if she was in your position.”

“I hope you’re right James, I really do.”

James sat up straight in his chair and took a deep breath bracing himself for what he knew would be turbulent times ahead. “No time to waste then; we leave within the hour. Pack what you both need, and I will command her to sleep. It should keep her that way until we are in the air. I want to tell her everything before we reach Scotland. She can’t run away on a plane.” With that, he stood up and started towards Alessandra’s room.

“One more thing, James.”

He stopped and turned back. “What?”

“She wants her memories back,” she said, trying to keep the smirk from her face.

James cocked his eyebrow. “So be it.”

He turned back around and continued to Ally’s room.