Immortal Prophecy

chapter Twenty Four

“Looks like it should be condemned,” Ally said as they sat on their horses, looking at the house from a safe distance.

“I think that’s the idea, Ally,” Chase said stating the obvious.

She turned and glared at him.

“We all have our parts to play, and we stick to the plan,” Ally said looking pointedly at Chase. “No renegade missions.”

“If I have the chance to kill Natalia, I’m taking it,” Chase said coldly.

James nodded in agreement while Ally looked at them both like they had two heads. “She is your sister Chase.”

“She was,” he said with no emotion. “Now she is Vincent’s vindictive puppet that has wrought destruction and chaos long enough. My sister is literally dead.” As he turned to face her, his eyes softened, and she saw the unshed tears he tried to hide.

She nodded. There wasn’t anything she could do to stop him from achieving his goal and when the dust had settled, Chase was the one who had to live with whatever decision he made…not her.

They got off their horses and tethered them to a nearby tree. The plan was to leave the horses here out of sight and walk to the house. Hopefully, that way no one would see them approaching. The cover of the surrounding forest would be good camouflage.

Ally had lost her heart to this land and this man. She wouldn’t have changed coming here or meeting him even if meant she would have lived. As far as she was concerned life without this man or this country was no life at all.

They hurried through the bush with James leading the way, Ally following behind and Chase covering the rear, in case of a surprise ambush from the vampires. They had both decided Ally would be kept safe by staying in between them.

As luck would have it, they met no one and saw nothing to alert them to any signs of danger. The closer they got to the house the less the forest seemed alive. Everything around them had begun to die and rot; the birds no longer sang in the trees. She couldn’t even hear a cricket or frog.

She whispered to James, “Do you hear that?”

“Hear what?” he asked on full alert.

“That’s just it. I hear nothing. No birds…crickets…nothing. And the vegetation around here is dying and rotting.”

“That means that a vampire is in residence nearby. Nothing can stand being near the pure evil that resonates out of them.”

“Right,” she said taking it all in. This was a visual on how evil vampires were, and the creatures that caused this had Kat and Damian.

Something had been bothering her about Kat’s abduction. A few things didn’t seem to add up. As she began analyzing all the information that she had been given about the situation, Alessandra found that she was left with more questions and no answers to the ones she initially had. Why had Chase been left alive and not taken with them? How did they know that they would be there? And was Kat simply a pawn in the game of cat and mouse between Vincent and herself or was there something more to it that she hadn’t figured out yet?

They were getting closer to the house, closer to her doom, unless she did something and thought very fast. Ally felt like the answer was right there in front of her, but she couldn’t see it. She stopped in her tracks and turned on Chase. “Why did they take her?”

He was startled for a moment then said, “I hadn’t thought about it, but I suppose it would be to lure you out so they could kill you before the prophecy was fulfilled.”

She nodded. “Why weren’t you killed or taken with them?”

Chase thought about it for a moment. “To send the message back to ensure you would come and find them.”

James had stopped walking and was listening to the information unfolding with concerned interest. He had only thought of getting them back safely, he hadn’t considered the finer points of the situation. Ally was right. Something was off.

Alessandra suddenly understood why she would die.

It wasn’t because she was destined to, that fate had changed, or she had altered things somehow. It was because she was unprepared that she was going to die. Ally felt a strange relief knowing that she hadn’t done anything wrong to change the fates. The fates had simply conspired against them and put Ally in the line of danger before she was ready.

Vincent wanted her dead. He had planned this from the start. Kathryn was the bait to lure her out before she was ready so that he could finish Ally off. It was simply a chance coincidence that Damian was there as well.

James interrupted her thoughts. “It’s a trap.”

Ally nodded solemnly. “My thoughts exactly. So what do we do?”

“We go home,” he said without hesitating. “I am not putting you at risk.”

She was getting so frustrated with his attitude. “James, look around would you. I am at risk no matter what. My role in life is to be at risk. My God damn destiny is to be at risk! Fight it all you want but the danger is going to find me whether I hide or not, and death seems imminent, unless we start getting smarter than these God damn vampires!”

He was taken aback by what she had said, but she was right. He didn’t want to admit that to her, but she was. The prophecy girl had a simple purpose, kill or be killed if you narrowed it down to the point.

“Alright, so what do you suggest we do then Ally?” he said with frustration and agitation.

Chase cleared his throat. “I have an idea if you two love birds have finished bickering.”

He earned himself a glare from them both which he returned with a wicked smile and a gleam in his eye that inevitably meant trouble.

“Obviously I have the least to lose here, so I will go in as bait and you two find a way down to the basement and get them out.”

James looked thoughtful. “You know that’s a suicide mission.”

Chase rolled his eyes. “I know what I’m doing. Ally is the one that was chosen to fulfil the prophecy, and she must be kept safe at all costs.”

“We agree on something,” James said dryly.

Ally glared at James. This wasn’t the time for petty arguments.

“What would you do James if that was Ally in there?”

James answered begrudgingly, “I would go in as bait.”

“Thank you,” Chase said looking rather proud of himself. “I think I’ve made my point.”

Ally stared at him. “So let’s say for a moment that we go with this crazy idea, you have to have more of a plan than going in as bait.”

“I’ll wing it,” he said. “We can stand here arguing about it, or we can all agree on it. I’m going in there as bait regardless, so make your choices, work with me or against me.”

Ally put all her effort into giving him the best death glare she could muster, then turned to James with a look begging for backup.

“I don’t like it either little one, but he is right. We need a new plan. He is the one with the least to lose, and if we work together we might just save his sorry behind,” James said with a gentle smile towards Chase.

“This is insane!” Ally exclaimed.

They both looked at her, waiting for her to agree so they could get started.

She threw her hands up in the air as a sign of defeat. She turned to Chase. “If you get yourself killed in there out of pure stupidity, I will find you in the next life and kick your sorry behind!”

James looked on proudly as his human soul mate threatened an Immortal without a second thought.

Chase looked over Ally’s head to James. “I see why you sometimes call her your little spitfire.”

Ally looked at him indignantly and slammed her foot down onto his without a second thought.

Chase made a noise that was a combination of pain and surprise, whilst James was leaning against a tree so as not to fall over from laughing. Ally turned on her heel and walked back to James, who earned a glare for laughing hysterically.

“Sorry lass,” he said trying to pull himself together.

“Chase,” she said turning back to where he stood behind her. “Go act bait like and we’ll find a way in to rescue Damian and Kathryn.”

He smiled at them both then said, “Despite being slapped in the face and having my foot stomped on, it was an honor to have met you Ally. I deserved both those things, and if I don’t survive tell Kathryn I love her and…” he trailed off for a moment. “Tell Mackenzie I’m sorry that I didn’t make it back.”

Ally looked at him bemused but smiled. “I will but make sure you don’t die, and you can tell them yourself.”

“Don’t wait for me, just get them and go. I will find a way back.” With that he took off towards the house so fast that he was just a blur.

“Are you ready?” James said to Ally.

“As I’ll ever be,” she said trying to appear as confident as possible. Maybe she wouldn’t die but had she just sent Chase to his death in her place?

James took her hand and led her half crouching, half running towards the house. They made it there without any incident and leaned with their backs flat against the wall.

“There has to be a way in that won’t give our position away,” James muttered.

Ally looked around and noticed a trap door in the ground beneath her feet. “James,” she whispered and pointed to the door below. He smiled and nodded. It looked undisturbed so it hadn’t been used in a while. The vampires may not have even noticed it was there.

They crouched on either side of it and lifted the door slowly and quietly. Beneath them, they heard labored breathing and hoped it was Damian.

James lowered himself into the hole first, if there was danger he could fight it.

He looked around and adjusted to the darkness. Sunlight filtered in from the hole above him and a weak light from the candle in the wall sconce, but that was it.

It was a dirt cell just as Ally had seen in her dream. James sensed there were vampires present, so he looked back up to Ally and motioned for her to come down. Ally let James help her in, and she was nearly blown away when she looked around. “This is exactly what I saw!” she exclaimed.

The labored breathing was still rhythmic, and they looked around the dark cell and became aware of a figure crouched in the corner.

“James!” it cried in disbelief.

“Damian, we are getting you out of here,” James said as he walked over to the figure.

Ally watched the middle-aged man in the corner with a quiet awe and wonder; this is my grandpa, she thought.

James picked him up and carried him back towards Ally.

“Where is Kat?” Ally asked. “I don’t see her anywhere she was supposed to be here with Damian.”

Damian’s weak scratchy voice was barely audible. “Natalia took her.”

“Oh, God,” Ally whispered as her heart jumped into her mouth. “What has she done to her?”

“I don’t know.” Damian looked at Ally with sadness. “I tried to stop them, but I’m so weak.”

“Come on we have to get him out of here.” As James uttered the words, they heard a screech of hatred come from inside the house. All three turned towards the sound and stared.

“Chase obviously got their attention,” Ally said as they began moving back to the trap door as quickly as they could. James could be out in a second but not with Ally or Damian holding him back.

He urged Ally back up through the hole. Once she was back up on top she helped James pull Damian through the hole to freedom.

Damian collapsed from sheer exhaustion once he had made it to the grass. The vampires had kept his blood so low that he was just barely alive. They never let him reach close to full strength for they knew he would kill them.

James came up behind them and helped Damian to his feet, while Ally went around to his other side, and together they supported Damian and began to run for the cover of the forest.

Ally turned to James. “I’m not leaving without Chase or Kathryn.”

James growled a sound of displeasure. “Chase knows what he is doing Ally, and we don’t even know where she is. We have to get Damian and you back home.”

“I’m not leaving my friend,” she said firmly.

They made it back to the forest and took cover. “Call Henry and tell him to bring the car. We can’t take Damian all the way home on horseback.”

“I can do it,” Damian said weakly.

“Another argumentative one in the family I see,” Ally said as she rolled her eyes.

James laughed softly. “If you think I’m argumentative you’re in for a treat. Damian is legendary.”

The man beside smiled weakly, then looked between James and Ally as he said, “Thank you for saving me.”

“I’m only sorry I didn’t know that you were alive earlier,” James said, bitter with guilt.

“How did you find me?” Damian uttered.

He looked to Ally proudly. “Your granddaughter had a dream that you were alive, and that dream led us here.”

Damian’s eye fluttered in surprise. “My granddaughter!”

James smiled down at his older brother. “Ally is your granddaughter but we can discuss all of this later.”

Damian turned to Ally, and she smiled down at him warmly. They shared a moment, and Damian felt a tear roll down his cheek. His mind was racing. He had a granddaughter and a son or daughter somewhere out there. He felt warmth steal through him at the thought.

A male scream of anger ripped through the forest and broke the moment.

“Chase,” Ally uttered with fear in her voice.

She was about to run, out of instinct towards him, she wasn’t going to let anyone die today. Ally knew that she had so much to live for, but she would fulfil the prophecy, no matter what. If she died because of it, then so be it, but she was not dying today if she could help it.

A high-pitched voice filtered through the trees. “Ally come out, come out wherever you are.”

It taunted her, but she didn’t know who it was; she had never heard that voice. Ally made an educated guess that it was Natalia, and she looked to James for confirmation.

The fear in his eyes confirmed that it was. She looked through the trees trying to see where the voice had come from, but she couldn’t see anyone.

Ally looked back to James to ask him what they should do when a movement out of the corner of her eye caught her attention.

A beautiful blonde, tall as the sky and as entrancing as a full moon, walked from behind the house with someone in her grasp. She squinted trying to see who it was that she held.

The closer they came to the forest the more Ally could focus on the person in her grip. It was Chase as she had expected. Natalia had him in what appeared to be a death grip. She was poised and ready to kill him in a second without the slightest hint of remorse if her current stance was anything to go by.

“Come out of your hiding place Ally or Chase dies,” the vampire called shrilly.

Ally didn’t know what to do, but her mind was made up a second later when another vampire came around the corner to reveal another prisoner. She appeared unconscious, and the sunlight was bouncing off her red hair. She would know her best friend anywhere. Kathryn was in the arms of that vile creature, and Chase couldn’t save her. He couldn’t save himself in the predicament he was in.

Ally made a split-second decision and turned to James with a look of sorrow. “I’m sorry,” she said and ran before James could register what was happening.

She heard him breathlessly behind her, “Ally, no!”

Ally knew it was a trap, but they had Kathryn. James could protect Damian and she hoped that eventually Chase would save himself, but she didn’t know if it would be in time to save his soul mate.

Alessandra knew that she would have to show no fear and let her instincts guide her if she wanted a chance at surviving this.

“Natalia,” Ally said as she sauntered closer towards the vampire goddess.

“The little prophecy girl, we finally meet.” Natalia’s lip curled into what appeared to be an attempted smile.

“Psychopath that took my best friend, we finally meet,” Ally returned with a smile that was anything but friendly.

Natalia dropped the pretence of being nice at that comment and warned, “You won’t defeat Vincent, Ally. I will kill you myself before you get a chance at fulfilling that god damn prophecy.”

She attempted to push inside Natalia’s mind, to see what she was planning and trying to stay focused on the goings on around her at the same time.

“A bit over confident don’t you think, Natalia?” Ally said, trying to shake her confidence.

“I’m a vampire, you’re just a pitiful human. How could you possibly defeat me?” she said arrogantly.

“You forget, I’m not just any pitiful human. You said yourself – I’m the prophecy girl.” She paused and flicked her gaze to Chase who winked at her. “Surely that gives me some kind of edge.”

She began to walk slowly towards Natalia again. Ally knew that if she could throw her off enough Chase would be able to deal with her, and she could grab Kathryn from the vampire.

“So you think you can beat me little girl?” Natalia said getting obviously agitated.

That’s it Natalia, Ally thought, lose control of your emotions.

“I know I can,” she returned with the arrogance that Natalia had shown.

Natalia screeched in hate and anger.

James was watching from the sidelines, terrified to move in case he threw Ally off, but he couldn’t stay and watch her die. “What the hell does she think she is doing?” he said angrily.

Damian smiled, “Living up to the Carlisle and McConnell reputation. Can you imagine Adele or myself standing back from danger when someone we love is in trouble?"

“No,” he said sounding defeated. “Why did I expect anything else?”

If he wasn’t so scared he would have been proud of her for showing no fear and risking everything to save those she loved.

“Go help her. I’ll stay here out of sight,” Damian said softly.

James nodded and went to help his love. He went the long way so if he was seen they wouldn’t know where Damian was taking cover. The last thing he wanted was to see the vampires take his brother again.

He looked to Ally and Chase to decipher what he could do to help them the most.

He decided to double back around the house. He could take the vampire holding Kathryn by surprise and throw Natalia off enough for Chase to free himself, and do away with the creature that was once his sister.

Ally continued to bait Natalia. “So are you going to keep talking or are you going to come and get me?”

She looked down at her quarry and seemed to be weighing up her options.

Ally saw James come up behind the vampire holding Kathryn and decided it was now or never. She flicked a glance to Chase who nodded so slightly she almost missed it.

Here it was, her chance to throw Natalia off. It seemed she might just die after all, but she couldn’t think about that. Chase knew what she was doing, and he would help her; she hoped.

Alessandra walked almost within reaching distance, taunting Natalia as much as possible. She leaned her head to one side revealing her neck to the evil creature before her. “Come and get me,” she said looking straight into her eyes.

Natalia snapped and threw Chase to the side and grabbed Ally in a death grip, her incisors lengthened, and she stared into Ally’s eyes with victory.

“Not so confident now are you, you stupid girl,” she said viciously.

“I’m not the stupid one, Natalia,” she said as Natalia’s eyes widened. “You underestimated your enemy.”

Natalia was losing her confidence.

“You see,” Ally continued, “You seemed to forget that I am not just a pitiful human. I am half immortal.”

With those final words Alessandra shoved at Natalia, and she fell backwards from the pure shock of Ally catching her off guard. She hadn’t expected it. Natalia believed that Ally would roll over and die. That she would sacrifice her life for the ones she loved and up until five minutes ago she might have been right, but something had snapped in Ally, and she refused to give in no matter what.

She saw James out of the corner of her eye. He jumped the vampire from behind and beheaded him without much effort. Kathryn dropped to the ground and still hadn’t moved. James looked to Ally, and they held the eye contact for a moment. It was a mistake that Natalia saw and in a split second, she had gotten to her feet and started to run for Ally. James saw this and yelled out, “Ally!”

She turned back to see the psychotic vampire running towards her at full speed.

Ally heard James in her mind screaming, “Deflect!”

It took her a second to comprehend what he meant, everything seemed to be moving in slow motion, and she realized he had thrown a fireball directly at her. She stepped back and held her hand up to deflect the fireball straight into Natalia’s heart. The look of shock on the vampires face as she noticed what had just happened was something that Ally would never forget. The fireball slammed into her chest, and she fell to the ground.

The fireball itself wouldn’t kill her but the bleeding wound it caused would if she didn’t heal it – and soon.

Ally looked to Chase who was walking towards his half-sister with deadly intent. She decided that Natalia’s fate lay in the hands of Chase.

She ran to James, who was crouching over Kathryn’s body. She felt the defeat flowing out of him. Ally looked up into his eyes and was slammed with the knowledge that lay within them.

She felt the wind knocked out of her lungs, but she pushed herself further, to her friend’s side.

Ally dropped to her knees and laid a hand on her friend.

James looked over to her. “I’m so sorry Ally.”

Ally felt the tears running down her face. “There has to be something we can do.”

“I wish there was, but she has been bitten and depending on what they did, she is either dead or will become a vampire,” he said solemnly.

“How do we know?” she asked her heart breaking.

“We don’t,” he said as he shrugged his shoulders. “Only time will tell and if she is a vampire, we don’t want her anywhere near you. She won’t be Kat anymore. You have to recognize that”

Ally dropped her head. “I’m so sorry, Kat,” she whispered to the girl who had been her best friend.

Chase was standing over Natalia ready to deal the final blow, but he couldn’t do it, no matter what she had done. She was still his half-sister. “Get out of my sight you disgusting creature.”

Natalia hissed and ran into the forest as fast as she could. She knew that she had been defeated this time.

“I won’t lose next time brother,” Natalia screamed as she was running.

Chase looked to find Ally and James kneeling by Kathryn. “Oh no,” he whispered and was beside them in an instant. He fell to his knees beside Ally.

“I’m sorry Chase.”

James and Ally moved back to give him a moment. He put his arm around her, and she leaned into him.

“Will he survive this?” Ally asked.

“Something wasn’t right between them Ally. I don’t know what but something wasn’t right.”

She looked up at him and remembered the look that Mackenzie and Chase had shared. “Mackenzie,” she whispered.

He nodded softly. “I think they might be soul mates.”

“But how can you get something like that wrong?” she asked, not understanding.

“I’m not sure, but I think there might be some things we don’t know about soul mates,” he replied.

She felt a shiver run through her. “We can’t just leave her here. We need to give her a burial or something.”

James looked down at his love and wanted to console her, take away her pain and make things right, but he couldn’t. “The thing is we don’t know when she was bitten or potentially turned. It only takes a few hours before the victim becomes a vampire. Given the circumstances we can’t.”

Ally was destroyed. Not only had her best friend been killed, she couldn’t even give her a burial, in case she rose from the dead whilst doing it.

“Ally,” James said taking her face in his hands gently. “We can have a memorial for Kat. You can mourn her passing in any way you choose. It is only her body that we can’t risk taking home.”

Despite the grief and outrage that Ally was feeling she understood. She turned back to where her friend’s body lay deathly still and pale. Chase was hunched over her, the grief pouring out of him.

Fresh tears rolled down her face again, and she turned into James’ comforting embrace.

She stayed in his arms pouring out her grief until she felt able to deal with what needed to happen next.