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James watched Chase sneaking looks at Mackenzie throughout dinner. She seemed oblivious as was everyone else but something was wrong. Chase’s soulmate was out there somewhere at the mercy of Natalia, and he was slyly looking at the housekeeper’s daughter.
I told them he was trouble, but no-one would listen, James grumbled.
Chase caught his gaze, flushed and looked away, refusing to lift his gaze from his plate after that. James had to sort this out before anything happened. He’d observed in past encounters Mackenzie had a soft spot for Chase, but he’d assumed it was unrequited. After tonight he wasn’t so sure.
He needed to speak with Chase when the chance presented itself, in the meantime he’d keep a close eye on them both.
Ally looked up from her dinner. He turned his face towards hers before she worked out what he was looking at. She’d work it out before long on her own if this kept up without him tipping her off.
She had a gleam in her eye that he recognised as trouble. “What’s caught your attention?” she asked.
“Just staring into space.” He turned away, knowing he couldn’t look her in the eye and lie.
She studied him for a minute, and he squirmed under her scrutiny, until she changed the subject. “Where can we go tonight to talk? I don’t want to be interrupted.”
His mind filled with all manner of images that took place in many of the different secluded spots on the property, but she wasn’t referring to that. He inwardly groaned, she wanted to discuss the conversion, the vampires, and the prophecy.
Damn it, Chase. Why did he have to stick his nose in? They could’ve relaxed and got to know each other without the drama that was unfolding before his eyes. Drama which was only getting worse by the minute, he thought as he saw yet another sly look in Mackenzie’s direction from Chase.
To his credit, the man looked torn and like something was seriously disturbing him.
Ally nudged him. “Is Chase doing ok? He seems even worse since dinner started.”
“He’ll be fine. The man is just scared and worried about his soulmate.” He put emphasis on the last word knowing Chase could hear him. It seemed to do the trick for the guilt and shame was written all over his face.
Ally shrugged, and no doubt went back into her own little world that involved any number of plots and schemes to get Kat back.
“Dinner was delicious, Sophie,” Adele said. “Thank you.”
Sophie lit up at the compliment.
“Our Sophie has quite a talent in the kitchen,” Henry said, his voice full of pride. She smiled widely at him, you could see the love between them. They were the human version of soulmates, true love.
Adele looked at the three immortals before her. “You’ve all got an early start, and we don’t have a clue what tomorrow will bring, so you should all get some rest.”
Chase agreed and thanked Sophie for the meal. He needed time alone to process things. Excusing himself, he rose from the table and headed for the third floor to his bedroom.
Adele, Ally, and Mackenzie occupied the second floor, with James in the master on the first and Sophie and Henry in the servant’s room on the lower ground floor. Sophie and Henry’s room was very different from the traditional servant’s room, having every luxury known to man in there. James treated them as family, so they were accommodated as such. Logan normally slept in the stable master’s cottage that was detached from the house, but given the situation they found themselves in, he was staying in the room opposite Chase on the top floor.
As he trudged up the stairs, Chase heard Mackenzie call out his name. He stopped and turned around.
“Do you need anything else before you go to bed?” she asked.
Images flashed across his mind, conjured by her innocent question, of the two of them locked in a passionate embrace. He regained his focus as another more detailed image stole his breath away.
Finally, he choked out, “No, thank you.”
She frowned at him. “You’ll get her back. Don’t worry.”
He didn’t correct her misconceptions and just said goodnight.
She turned and walked out of sight. He caught his breath and made his way up the stairs again. “Why he doesn’t get an elevator installed, I’ll never understand,” he grumbled aloud.
“You’re an immortal. You shouldn’t need one,” a voice called from behind.
James was coming to take a piece of him. Great.
“Even immortals get tired, James.”
“There is something we need to discuss.” James’ glare always had him quaking in his boots, and tonight was no exception.
He didn’t want to talk right now, all he wanted to do was sleep. But he knew better than to argue when James was angry. “What’s that?”
“Mackenzie.”
“What about her?”
“What’s going on Chase? You have a soulmate; these things don’t happen when you do.”
Chase snapped, “You think I don’t realise that? I have no bloody idea what’s going on James and its tearing me apart. My soulmate in the hands of vampires, and I’m haunted by thoughts and feelings for another woman.”
James’ expression darkened, his eyes grew flinty. He opened his mouth but Chase held up a hand to stay him. “Something is off, but this has been one of the worst days of my life, and yelling at me won’t help either of us or the situation.”
James nodded. “We’ll discuss this tomorrow then.”
“Thank you.” James hadn’t been his biggest supporter, but he was a good man and despite his feelings towards him, he was being fair and reasonable, even willing to help. He turned away and refused to stop until he reached the bedroom, he was done talking for one night. What he needed was a strong drink and a soft warm bed.
James watched him climb the stairs and turn the corner. He’d never seen this before. He wasn’t sure what to think about it. Was Kat his soulmate? Had they made a mistake?
Either way it needed to be dealt with, but first he had business of his own to handle. Ally was waiting for him in the lounge room. He found that he was bursting with excitement at the idea of spending time alone with her, even if it wasn’t exactly the alone time he had in mind.
––––––––
HE LED ALLY TO THE door of his room and opened it. She saw where he had taken her, and she was suddenly uncomfortable. “Why are we going into your bedroom?” she asked.
He smirked and then put her mind at ease by saying, “This is the only room in the house where we won’t get interrupted.”
“How convenient,” she quipped, as James nudged her through the door.
She took in the room and turned in a small circle. It was huge. She turned to James. “This isn’t a room. This is half a house.”
“Do you like it?” he asked.
Ally looked at James like he had two heads. “Do I like it? Of course, I do. It’s beautiful,” she said in awe. “I thought I loved my room, but I’ve changed my mind. I want this one.”
“It’s yours anytime you want it.”
A wicked grin spread across her face. “Oh, that’s so sweet. You would move into my room and give me this one.”
“That’s not what I meant,” he said as he drew her into his arms, “and you know it.”
She smiled at him, and he leaned down and kissed her softly.
She felt bereft when he pulled away and fought the urge to pull him back.
He kept her hand in his. “Come with me.” He led her over to the pale blue couch in front of the fire. The room was in an L-shape, hiding the balcony until she reached the couch.
“A balcony too,” she said her eyes wide. “Now I definitely want to switch rooms.”
He smirked and said, “I’m sure you can work out how you gain access to this room.”
“That’s called coercion.”
James gave her a lazy smile. “Perhaps, but I’m not above it to get what I want.”
She studied him. “I doubt there is much that you wouldn’t resort to, to get what you want.”
He wasn’t sure how to take that. “That sounds like an insult.”
She looked surprised and hurried to explain. “Not at all. I admire you for it.” She got up and wandered over to the french-doors leading onto the private balcony. “You know what you want, and you won’t let anything stand in your way. You won’t accept defeat. I envy that.” She sighed.
He walked over to where the crystal decanter of whisky sat on the sideboard. He gestured to Ally with an empty glass.
“Is that whiskey?” she asked, as she sat on the couch.
“Scottish whiskey. Sixteen years old, single malt and one of the best in the world,” he said, as he admired the glass before him.
“Sounds like you know what you’re talking about.” She curled her legs under her. “I wouldn’t be able to tell a good one from a mediocre one.”
“Ah, but that’s because you’ve never had a good one. If you had, you’d be able to tell the difference straight away.” He handed her a half-filled glass, the whiskey sloshed the sides as she grabbed it. “Now this is exceptional. In fact, I have plans to produce one that’s even better.”
She cocked her head and raised her glass in a toast. “To whiskey making and prophecy fulfilling.”
He laughed and raised his glass to hers, the clink of crystal filled the room.
Ally took a sip made an appreciative sound. “I like that.” She surveyed the glass in her hand. “You’ve got good taste.”
He grinned and stared at Ally. “I do.”
She caught on to what he meant. He was talking about her and not the whiskey. She ducked her head. Would she ever stop feeling self-conscious around him? She changed the subject. There was something she’d been curious about. “How old are you?”
He considered his whiskey glass. “I’m two hundred and eighty years old.” He turned to Ally, gauging her reaction. She would have known that he was older than he looked, but she wouldn’t have realised just how old he was.
Ally’s mouth fell open and her eyes widened. “You’re two hundred and eighty years old,” she repeated incredulously.
“Give or take,” he said with a shrug.
“Wow,” she muttered aloud. “I’d guessed around a hundred.”
He laughed. “Afraid not.”
It was quite a shock, to say the least, but it didn’t bother her as much as she first thought. James stared at her, his expression one of concern. He needn’t be, she was fine now. “Old man,” she joked.
The relief that ran through him was visible. “So, you’re not bothered?”
“I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t surprised, but no, it doesn’t bother me,” she answered honestly. “So, how old is Gran?”
“She’s about two hundred and twenty.”
“God, I’m newborn compared to the both of you.”
He laughed. “Now would you like to see the prophecy as promised?”
She nodded her head eagerly. She truly was curious to read it, it’s not every day you find a five-hundred-year-old prophecy written about you.
Staring into the fire, Ally lost herself in her thoughts for a moment. A few minutes had gone by when his words brought her out of the daze that had claimed her. “Here it is,” he said, holding a yellowed piece of parchment that had been rolled into a scroll and tied with a red ribbon. It looked so old and fragile. She was nervous to touch it in case it disintegrated in her hands.
James couldn’t help the wide smile that spread across his face as he sat down and took in her expression. “It won’t fall apart, I promise. It’s not as fragile as it looks.”
He held out the scroll for her to take. She gazed at it, and then looked at James, taking the scroll slowly, just in case. When she was confident it was sturdy enough to be handled, Ally pulled the ribbon to set the paper free and unrolled it.
She was surprised at first by the way it was written. Ally had been expecting detailed paragraphs, but instead it was filled with verses written in the most intricate writing she had ever seen. She read the words that had sealed her fate.
From the bloodshed she will rise,
The granddaughter of a warrior lost,
Born under the cover of darkness,
Hidden from prying eyes,
She will bear the mark of a lunar eclipse.
Immortals will spread far and wide,
She will bring them back,
No more reason to hide,
Destiny has chosen this one,
But out of fear,
She will try to run.
The Chosen One must have faith,
Or all will be lost,
The Dark One will rule the land.
She can win this battle,
But only by her hand.
The Elder Council will rise once more,
One by one,
Six will heed the call.
Nothing like you would expect,
These are yours to revere and protect.
One who knows what she is not told,
One to fight the battles foretold,
One to feel what is not hers,
One from the world which we protect,
One from the enemies which we chase.
And the Chosen One,
Who they will embrace.
When the council has risen,
It is time to strike,
Gather your army,
And go to the fight.
Courage will win the day,
But only if she has chosen to stay.
Ally finished reading and let her hands drop to her lap with the scroll in them. She sat there for a moment taking it all in. “It’s very cryptic,” she said. “How do we find these council members when we don’t even know who or what they are?”
“We don’t know for certain who or what they are but read it again and see if you can work out what they might be,” he instructed.
Ally looked at him and pulled her eyebrows together, then picked up the scroll and read it aloud, one line at a time to work it. “Ok so the first one, ‘One who knows what she is not told.’ that could be a psychic, right?”
“Yes,” James said, motioning for her to continue.
“‘One to fight the battles foretold.’ Could that be a warrior like Damian was?”
James nodded. “Most likely.”
“Ok, so next we have, ‘One to feel what is not hers.’” Ally sat pondering that one for a second, then her face lit up as she remembered something Adele had told her. “An empath. That must be an empath, right?”
James smiled at her again. “Yes, an empath.”
Ally was proud of herself. She didn’t decipher old prophecies every day. “And ‘One from the world which we protect.’ Ok well that’s a human.”
“Yes. The next one.”
“You worked this out already, haven’t you?” she asked.
“Sort of. But nothing is certain, it’s all guess work.”
“Hmm, I guess so. So next, ‘One from the enemies which we chase.’ vampire, right?”
Again, James nodded.
“But how could there be a vampire on our side? That doesn’t make much sense.”
“You’re right, it doesn’t. However, it’s in the prophecy, so somehow I’m willing to bet we’ll have a vampire on our side.”
Ally squirmed a little at the idea of trusting a vampire. “I’m not loving that idea to be honest, but what choice is there.” She shrugged.
“I don’t like the idea any more than you, but it’s in the prophecy and so far, everything has happened, so I’ll bet we’ll have to get used to the idea.”
Ally agreed, but she was still uneasy. She looked at the scroll again to read the last line. “This one is easy, ‘And the Chosen One.’ That is obviously me. So, a psychic, a warrior, an empath, a human, a vampire, and myself.”
“Correct.”
Ally took a deep breath and made a humph sound. “So, once the council is formed, that is the time to strike, right?”
“According to that, yes.”
“So, what do we do now? Are we supposed to be out looking for them or are they going to come to us?”
“I’m not sure. I’ve thought about it many times, but I still don’t know.”
“There’s more I want to know, but we have to think about tomorrow before we go solving this problem,” she said motioning to the scroll in her hand.
James leaned in and placed a soft kiss on her forehead. “True.”
“So, what kind of defences do I have against the vampires, should we find them tomorrow?”
He gazed at her with sadness in his eyes and brushed a stray lock of hair behind her ear. She sighed inwardly at the loving intimate gesture. “To be honest, my love, you may not have any. You’re only half immortal, and we haven’t had time to put your abilities to the test to discover what you have, or if they would be useful against the vampires.”
He was concerned, it radiated out of him.
“Then we have to adapt and work around it. Is there anything we could do tonight to test it out?”
He studied her for a moment. An idea struck. “Maybe,” he said, testing the idea in his mind.
“What is it? Don’t keep me in suspense,” she urged him on.
He liked her enthusiasm for the potential plan, but he wasn’t sure if it was a good one or not. She was right though, they needed to know if she had any defences. “I’m not sure that this will work, but it’s the best idea I have right now. We can try a few different things and see what you can do. We’ll start with something easy, so I can gauge where you are at.”
“I’m ready,” she sat up straight eager to start.
Studying her for a moment he said, “You’ll need to trust me, Ally.” He paused. “Do you trust me?”
“With my life,” she said without hesitation.
He nodded. “Then let’s begin.”