Immortal Prophecy (The Immortal Prophecy Saga) (25 page)

She turned around and wished to god she hadn’t.

Chapter Eighteen

J
AMES ROLLED HIS EYES.
H
E WOULD
have been better off not saying anything at all. Women! he thought to himself. He was trying to save her the terror of seeing what was chasing them.

The vampire in pursuit appeared to be human, apart from the fact that he was running ridiculously fast.

James didn’t recognise him or have any idea as to how the creature managed to learn the location of Ally.

That was something to figure out at a later date. He manifested a fireball in his hand and threw it behind him at the vampire to slow him down. The creature dodged, but the fireball hit him on the shoulder, momentarily throwing him off balance. He righted himself in a second and was back in pursuit.

James looked forward to Ally. She was a mixture of fear and awe. He felt pride run through him that he had impressed her. Oh good god he thought, I am acting like a school boy when we have a vampire hot on our heels.

He focused back on the task at hand. James threw another fireball behind him and this time he managed to score a direct hit to the heart. It wouldn’t kill him but it was enough to make him back right off and gave them the chance to make it back to the house. James didn’t know how many there were or if they had already made it back to the house and doubled back finding them by mistake. Part of him didn’t want to know.

The thought of anyone at the house being hurt make him physically ill. When these people came to him as servants and friends he vowed that he would protect them and keep them safe from harm no matter what. They had to get back quickly to get Ally safe and make sure everyone else was ok.

Ally blocked everything out once she saw James hit the vampire in the heart, things were serious and they needed to get back to the house as quickly as possible. She was terrified but she forced herself to look back a few times. This was a good chance to see what she would be up against. Meeting Vincent was one thing, seeing a vampire in action was something else entirely. She knew that Vincent was a hell of a lot more dangerous than this vampire chasing them but she hadn’t seen Vincent displaying his full potential, he had only been toying with her. As she thought back over the night she understood why James had snapped at her on the plane. He knew what she was up against and up until this moment it hadn’t been clear to her.

She accepted the betrayal by James and her Grandmother. It made perfect sense now. Who would want to tell someone they loved that this was their future. She couldn’t stand there and say she would have done it differently because she knew that she wouldn’t have. She would protect those she loved with her dying breath and looking at the vampire once more she realised that it might be just that, her dying breath.

It was time to stop playing around and working things out in her head. She needed to work with James and learn how to fight them, it was more important than their relationship right now. She knew he would agree with her. They both understood the importance of her role.

Ally hated that she was seeing this but no-one could have asked for a better introduction in dealing with a vampire. It was a lesson that she had needed to learn.

She felt focused and determined. Her path in life was right in front of her and she was jumping on it. These vile creatures needed to be removed from this earth. Humans wouldn’t stand a chance against them without the immortals guarding them.

She felt anger towards the immortals that had fled. She knew that wasn’t fair but she couldn’t help it. They had a role to fill as well and damn it all, if she was going to hold up her end of the bargain then they bloody would too! Ally decided she would contact each one personally if she had too. Surely being the prophecy girl had some kind of pull with these people.

They had been pushing the horses hard and fast for half an hour and finally Ally could see the fences surrounding Carlisle Manor coming into view. They were almost home almost safe. She glanced back again to see James was almost beside her. The vampire had disappeared behind them.

“Come on,” he yelled. “We have to jump. I won’t stop to open the gate. Can you do it?”

“I can,” she replied firmly.

“Let Destiny do all the work, just hang on,” he advised.

“I know what I’m doing James,” she snapped and urged Destiny to go faster. The gate was almost upon them. She let Destiny have her head again. The horse knew what to do. Ally trusted her.

James watched in terror as Destiny and Ally approached the gate. He felt the relief rage throughout his body that they had cleared the jump easily. James had backed off a bit to give her room, now he urged his own horse faster and let him jump the gate.

He called to Ally to keep going. “Don’t stop until you see Logan or the stables.”

She nodded back to him.

Logan came running around the corner of the house his relief was visible upon seeing Ally and James. He had heard two horses thundering towards the house and people yelling. Logan didn’t know what to make of it but he had a feeling it wasn’t going to be good.

Ally stopped when she reached Logan as instructed and jumped off Destiny. She handed over the reins and waited for James to catch her up to her and do the same.

“Is everyone alright?” James asked breathlessly, once he jumped off the horse.

“Aye, what’s happened?” Logan asked his eyes wide with concern.

James sighed with relief. “We had an uninvited guest on our ride.”

“A vampire?” Logan asked shocked.

“Aye, a vampire.”

Logan scratched his head in thought. “How would they know where you live, let alone where you were?”

“I don’t know but I intend to find out,” he said not even trying to hide the fact that he was visibly shaken and very concerned for everyone’s well-being.

“Hold on” Ally said, as something rather obvious occurred to her. “It’s daylight.”

James and Logan both looked at her and said, “Aye.”

Ally rolled her eyes, “Aye” she mocked. “What the hell is a vampire doing running around in the daylight or is that a myth?”

James looked at her in awe. He had been so consumed by the fact that a vampire was chasing them that he hadn’t even noticed that crucial point.

“No little one, that’s not a myth. They shouldn’t be running around in daylight as you put it.”

“So why were they?” she asked.

“Remember your dream, they descended upon the village in a fog, today it was a thunder cloud. What had they done to become our equals?”

She thought back over the dream, it dawned on her, “The immortal blood.”

“Aye, back then they only would have known about a few things that it would grant them. That was fifty years ago…”

She finished the thought for him. “So you think now that they have had fifty years to experiment and perfect things they have discovered they can get about in daylight?”

He looked at her full of pride. “That is exactly what I’m thinking.”

“Hmmm, that’s not a good thing,” Logan said with obvious worry.

“Logan, my boy, don’t worry. I will take care of it,” James said with confidence and slapped him tenderly on the back.

“Aye James,” he said as led the horses to the stables to tend them.

Ally and James started for the house. She took his hand and held it in hers, “Let’s go find Gran and tell her what’s happened. She might have some ideas that will help us.”

He stopped and looked at her. “Are you alright? You seem very calm and although I’m impressed with how you handled things out there and just now, it worries me.”

She smiled and said, “I came to a few conclusions on the ride back home.”

“You will have to tell me later.”

“I will.” They turned and walked up the stairs to the terrace and inside to the kitchen.

Sophie walked into the room just as they were arriving. “Back already?”

“We had an unwelcome guest,” Ally said.

Sophie looked to James who confirmed it by nodding his head.

“What? They don’t even know where this house is? And how could they know where you were?” she asked, confused and very concerned.

“Logan asked me the same questions and I don’t know the answers.”

“Well this is very troubling indeed.” She sat down and put her hand to her cheek. “What are we going to do?”

James considered telling Sophie he had no idea and that they were probably all doomed but he had to at least try to inspire some hope. “I don’t know yet, we need to speak with Adele. The three of us will work something out.”

Ally reached out and took his hand again to comfort him. He looked down at their hands joined together and looked into her eyes. He hoped the gratitude was conveyed in them. James didn’t want to worry Sophie but this was serious and Ally seemed to understand that, without being told.

“Everyone here is ok?” he asked appearing to be bright and easy.

Ally knew it was only a mask that was being held in place by a thin thread.

“I think so,” Sophie said. “I saw Henry and Mackenzie not fifteen minutes ago.”

“Good, then everyone is fine.” James felt another surge of relief. No-one had been hurt. Perhaps they didn’t know where he lived after all.

Sophie was fidgeting so Ally thought it might be a good idea to give her a small task to keep her busy. “Would it be too much trouble to ask you for some coffee?’

Sophie smiled, “Not at all my dear.” She got up and started fussing about in the kitchen making a pot of coffee.

James smiled at Ally. “Thank you,” he whispered.

“Now we just need to find Gran,” Ally whispered back.

As if summoned Adele popped her head in the kitchen with a big bright smile and said, “Did I hear my name mentioned?”

She saw James and Ally holding hands and almost leapt with joy till she looked at their faces. Instantly she knew something was very wrong. “What’s happened?”

“A vampire,” Ally said.

“In broad daylight?” Adele asked shocked.

“So it would seem,” James replied.

“You’re both alright?”

“Fine, but we thought it best to tell you what happened,” Ally replied calmly.

Adele noticed how calm Ally was and looked to James for more information. He just shrugged his shoulders and looked down at Ally lovingly.

Sophie brought over a pot of coffee and four cups. Ally served everyone a cup while James relayed what had happened, in great detail, all except for the part where they had almost slept together.

Adele couldn’t seem to make heads or tails out of it either.

“This is a big problem,” she said absently.

“But what is the solution, that’s the bigger problem,” James said with a growing frustration. He felt helpless and it was not something he liked. Ally, Adele, Sophie, Henry and their family were all in danger. At least Adele was an immortal and Ally was half immortal but the rest of them were only human. If they were attacked when he wasn’t there, they wouldn’t stand a chance and depending on how many creatures attacked, they may not stand a chance even with him present. He wiped his hand over his face in an effort to remove some of the frustration. James felt like he was always running at a disadvantage these days, be it with the vampires or Ally. They needed to find a solution and fast.

Ally spoke up and grabbed their attention. “I think it’s time I learnt to hold my own against these guys.”

Adele smiled in approval of Ally’s idea, “I agree.”

They both turned to James. His expression made it perfectly obvious that he was reluctant to agree with the plan. “You’re only half immortal Ally. I don’t want you anywhere near the vampires yet.”

She looked at him deadly serious. “I don’t want to be anywhere near them either and I don’t intend on seeking them out, but the reality is that one managed to find us today. I need to know what I am capable of as a half immortal and what I can do to defend myself should the need arise.”

He looked at both women sitting in front of him and knew he was going to lose this argument.

He agreed that Ally should be prepared but he didn’t know what she was capable of at this point and he didn’t want to tempt the fates by teaching her yet.

In the end, logic won the day. He had to teach her, she was the prophecy girl after all. They were only delaying the inevitable by keeping her in the dark.

He nodded in agreement. “I will teach you, but promise me that you won’t take on too much in a battle until you have become a full immortal.”

“I promise.”

“Why do I have a bad feeling about this?” he muttered to himself.

Ally and Adele chuckled quietly at him.

“When do we start?” Ally asked.

“We might as well start this afternoon but I need to make a few inquiries beforehand about the information that has come to light. Perhaps another immortal has come across this before.”

“I will do the same,” Adele said.

James was grateful for the help. “Thank you.”