Immortal Destiny (The Immortal Prophecy Saga) (7 page)

“Argh,” she cried and then took a deep breath. “Again!”

She took one more depth breath and cleared her mind of everything but James. The rest of the world melted away and the thread between them burned bright. James could feel her pushing into his mind and the pride shone on his face, but he didn’t utter a word for fear of breaking her concentration.

The words weren’t just shimmering in her mind this time. She could hear them! “You said, ‘I’m so proud of you.’” Her eyes opened and her voice rose. “I actually read your mind, James!”

“Well done, little one.”

“I want to try again. Think something else.”

She closed her eyes again and began the same process. His voice filled her mind once more. “I love you with all my heart.”

James nodded.

“I’ve never experienced anything like last night in all my three hundred years.”

She opened her eyes in surprise at what she had just repeated. “Really?”

“Really! I still don’t think you understand what you do to me, Ally.” The intensity in his eyes as he spoke held her rooted to the spot.

“I think I’m starting to get an idea.”

James looked pleased by what she had said. “Try again. But this time, see what you can find on your own.”

“What do you mean?”

“When we read minds, we just don’t just hear thoughts. We can dig around and find memories, see what people see through their own eyes instead of ours.”

“Really?” she asked, fascinated.

He shrugged. “Try it.”

Ally dove into his mind with gusto. She was eager to know how he saw her. She flicked through memories quicker than she expected until she found one that she recognized. It was her when she was sixteen years old. But it wasn’t just the image she saw, it was what he felt too. He saw her and the world stopped spinning. Nothing else mattered to him anymore. She felt his heart constrict at the sight of her and his temper flaring at the knowledge of what happened to her parents and that he would now have to wait longer before claiming her. She kept going and saw several of her during the five years that she thought he had left.

Its true…he never left me
.

She continued looking through and found herself again at the masquerade ball. She felt the all-consuming need, love and desire that had taken over him when he saw her. As she searched through each of the memories involving her and the feelings that he felt she realised not only the depth of his love for her, but the suffering he had endured as well. All in the name of love.

Being with her, but not
being
with her physically hurt, and she flinched as the feelings assaulted her. She was filled with a mixture of horror and love at what he had felt.

Is this because he’s an immortal male or just because he is an immortal?

“It’s an immortal thing, not just a male thing. This is how we feel when we meet the one but cannot be with them. You felt it too, just not to the extent I did, because you’re only half immortal.”

“I’m so sorry James…”

“Never apologise for that sweetheart. It’s not your fault.”

Ally pulled out of his mind and looked at him with new found respect, love and devotion. She leaned in and kissed him, trying to show him what she felt. He kissed her back with passion and pulled her down with him onto the grass.

Ally felt tears falling from her eyes and kissed him harder.

James broke the kiss and wiped away her tears with his thumb, then took her face in his hands. “Now you know how much I love you. And there has never been another immortal so crazy in love with his human soulmate that he would willingly put himself through agony, just for her.”

“James,” she muttered. Unable to form any other words, she just stared into his eyes and then kissed him again.

“As much as I’m loving this, the cleaning staff are still here and soon I won’t be able to stop,” he said breaking the kiss. “So unless you want an audience, we’d better get back to training.”

Ally shook her head, trying to clear her mind and focus on the training, but it was almost impossible with all these new feelings floating around. “Before we start, there’s something I want to say to you…Thank you, James. You put yourself through hell so I could have time to choose you ‘cause I wanted to, not because I had to. I’ll never forget that.”

“I’d do it all over again.” He kissed her forehead.

“You would, wouldn’t you?”

James nodded. “Without a second thought.”

Ally stared at him in silence for a minute before James broke the silence by bringing the subject back to the present. “I want to show you fighting but with people hovering around, it’s probably not the best idea.”

“Can’t you just mind thingy them?”

James laughed. “Ally, ‘mind thingy’ really isn’t the technical term for it. Besides wiping people’s memories isn’t something we do unless there is no other choice.”

“Well, is there something else you can do?”

James thought about it for minute. “There is actually. I’ll close the blinds and make sure they don’t come out here.”

“And if they do, then they get the mind thingy.”

“Yes.”

“Well off you go,” she said, playfully shooing him. “I need to learn while you’re still willing to teach me.”

James had run inside, closed the curtains and sat down again before she had even registered that he was gone.

“I want you to read my mind and work out what I’m going to do.” He instructed. “You can’t beat an immortal or vampire any other way at the moment. Your only chance is to outmanoeuvre them.”

He stood up and brought her with him. “Now get inside my head, then we’ll begin,” he said and took a step back.

Ally closed her eyes and made the connection. She opened them again and watched James while waiting for him to start thinking about his moves.

His first move came before she had much chance to react, but she spun to the right to avoid him grabbing her.

“Nicely done,” he complimented. “Let’s keep going.”

Ally nodded and James began to circle her. She watched his eyes change to those of a predator, but instead of freaking her out, it fascinated her.

He came at her again, she ducked. James backed up and motioned for her to do the same. “Run towards me,” he said as he motioned her forward. They ran towards each other, at the last second she knew what he would do and threw herself to the ground, sliding underneath him. She was back up in a second and spun out of the way of his next hit. He came towards her slowly and made a swing at her, but she deftly leaned to the side. He tried the same move on the other side, but missed again. He stopped to give her a break.

“You’re doing better than I thought, little one. It seems you’re a natural.”

Ally stood holding her sides, catching a breath. “Thanks. It’s actually kind of fun.”

“It’s fun for us, but it won’t be when you’re fighting a vampire.”

Ally nodded and pushed the thought out of her mind for now. “Let’s try the fireballs again,” she suggested as she raised her hand and faced it palm up. She concentrated and tried to picture a fireball hovering in her hand. To her surprise and delight a small flame flickered and burned brighter the more she concentrated.

“Just be careful where you aim this time,” James joked.

She rolled her eyes. “How do I extinguish it?”

“Other than throwing it, just imagine it disappearing.”

She imagined it going away, and it did. “I love that.”

“I think we should do try fireball aiming at the beach. You can throw it into the water that way.”

“Good idea,” she said remembering the last time she’d handled a fireball and threw it out the window in Scotland.

“The fireballs and mind reading will take its toll on you while you’re still human, so I don’t want to overdo it.”

Ally sat back down on the grass. “Speaking of still being human, I want to know how I become an immortal.”

James looked hesitant, but he walked over to where she sat and lay down beside her. He looked up at the sky stalling for a minute before answering her question. “It’s a complicated process…”

“Well, that clears everything up for me,” she said sarcastically.

James rolled his eyes and looked at her. “To gain immortality you have to face death…and conquer it.”

Ally’s eyes widened. “Metophorically?”

“No…literally.” James told her. “Your human side needs to die.”

The guilt and pain on his face made her realise he was deadly seriously. “What?”

“That’s why I’ve avoided telling you. But I think you’re ready to hear it now…” he confessed. “In order for it to work you need an anchor, and you need to want it bad enough.”

“And if I don’t?” Ally asked biting her lower lip.

James didn’t even want to say the words, but she had to know how serious this was and what was at stake. “Then you will die.”

Ally couldn’t form a response. She had lost the power to even think. If she died trying to become an immortal then what was the point of all this. The prophecy, her and James, and of course Vincent would win. It didn’t make any sense to her.

“It’s irrelevant what the point of all this is because you aren’t going to die. I know you will survive this, Ally.”

“How?”

“Because I know you!” he said with conviction. “I’ve been inside your mind, little one. You’re the most determined person I’ve ever met…Death doesn’t stand a chance against you. And I also know how much you want me. I’m your anchor to this life.”

“I do want you, but I’m still scared. I don’t like this idea at all, James!”

James looked at her incredulously. “And you think I do? I’ve spent years protecting you and I’ll be damned if this is going to separate us. Survival is your only option here, Ally. I won’t accept anything less.”

“You’re not the one who has to die, James.”

“No, but if you die…I will too.”

Ally’s face filled with horror and her heart constricted. “No! If something happens to me, you keep on living, do you hear me!”

“A world without you in it is not somewhere I want to be.”

“You’re impossible.”

“Then don’t die, Ally. Survive the process and we never have to worry about being apart.”

“I’m not doing anything until I’m sure I can do this then.” Ally took a deep calming breath. “What’s the success rate of this?”

“Mostly successful.”

“
Mostly...?
”

“It will be easier for you. You’re already half immortal.”

“That’s something at least, I guess. So someone has to kill me then…who? And how?”

“Belladonna, commonly known as deadly nightshade is what will be used. Since it’s given in the form of a drink, you’ll be doing it yourself in a way.”

“Assisted suicide…this thing whole thing just keeps getting better.”

“It’s not assisted suicide. You’re not trying to kill yourself in that sense. Drinking Belladonna is the most pleasant way to do it.”

“I’m still getting poisoned at the end of the day.”

James looked at her beseechingly. “I wish there was another way.”

“Can we do more training later? I need to go for a walk to clear my head.”

“Whatever you need, little one.” He pulled her into his arms and kissed her. “Don’t stray too far though.”

“I won’t,” Ally said as she got up and walked around the house towards the beach.

But she didn’t get very far before the scene seemed hauntingly familiar and took her breath away…

Chapter Nine

Ally stopped dead in her tracks and stared at the red flower that blocked her path to the beach. The offending crimson bloom stood out in stark contrast to the deep green grass surrounding it. Her breath caught in her lungs, and she began to tremble.

Someone had followed them. And that someone had put the flower there intentionally, waiting for Ally to find it.

“Oh, god,” she whispered as she stumbled backwards. The world had stopped spinning for that one moment in time. Her brain began screaming at her to do something, so she did the first thing that came into her mind.

“
James
!” she screamed.

He was there in a heartbeat. “No, it can’t be…” he said, glaring at the flower. He grabbed Ally and moved her back even further before he went to investigate. “
Impossible
!” he cried. “No one even knows we’re here.”

“Obviously, someone does,” Ally whispered.

He turned around and looked at her, the tension showing in his face. “I don’t know what’s going on, but we’re going to find out.” He reached out and pulled her into his arms. “I’ll keep you safe, Ally. I promise.”

Ally buried her face into his neck. “I thought we were safe here, James.”

“I need to call Adele and Damian. Maybe they let it slip somehow.” He pulled out his phone and began dialling the number.

Damian answered on the first ring with a cheery voice. “Hello, James.”

“Have you told anyone our location?” he barked.

Damien’s upbeat tone was replaced with one of grave concern. “Of course not. What’s going on there?”

James shook his head and felt at a complete loss. “Ally just found another flower on the island, so someone knows.”

Damian was silent for a moment. “Perhaps someone heard us talking before you left?”

“Maybe,” James answered considering the possibility. “That’s the only thing that makes sense. But either way we have to get out of here.”

“Yes, I agree. But we haven’t solved the compulsion problem back here yet.”

“Do something then! I’m bringing her home.”

Damian ignored James’ harsh tones. “I’ll have to give them all a new compulsion to override whatever the creature instructed them to do.”

“Thank you.”

“I’ll tell Adele what’s happened. Be safe, brother.”

“We will,” James replied then ended the call.

Ally was white as a ghost as she watched James while he spoke to his brother. “What do we do now?” she asked.

James relayed the conversation.

“So we’re leaving?”

“Yes.”

This time she didn’t put up a fight. She wanted to get away from this place as soon as possible. It would always be special to her because of the wonderful night she’d shared with James, but right now, it was a place of fear and unknown dangers.