Ally paced back and forth in the lounge room, waiting for Madison to come and trying to make some sense of what had just happened out there with Vincent. Yes, she had some feelings for him, she knew that. She was potently attracted to him, she already knew that as well. But that kiss. He’d known she felt more than she was ready to acknowledge and he’d played her, just as she’d played him. She groaned in the frustration of it all. But he was right. After that, there was no way she could deny what she was feeling for him. But what about the man that she’d dreamt of. Who was he? Why had he come to her in her dreams twice now! Was she being unfaithful to someone that she didn’t remember? She stopped pacing and flopped onto the couch, staring into the fire, but not really seeing. Two men, one very real and the other possibly a figment. Her feelings for Vincent weren’t going away, they were getting stronger. As he’d just pointed out in an underhanded move.
“Ally?” Madison’s voice broke into her thoughts. She blinked twice and turned her attention to the young girl who stood hesitantly in the door way.
“You look like a new woman, Madison.”
Madison gave her a radiant smile. “Just call me Maddy. Everyone I know does. Can I come in?”
“Of course, Maddy,” Ally patted the seat beside her. “Now I have some good news.”
“Really?” She curled up into the corner of the couch.
“I’ve spoken to Vincent and he’s agreed to take you home.”
Madison let out a squeal. “Seriously? He’s going to let me go!”
Ally felt lighter now that she had at least gotten this concession out of Vincent. “Yes and we will be escorting you there.”
The light in Madison’s eyes dimmed. “Him too?”
“Yes him too,” She reached and took Madison’s hand in hers. “You have every right to be scared of him and if it’s going to be too much just tell me and I’ll find a way around it. But he has given me his word that he will not harm a single hair on your head.”
Madison was still wary.
“I will bring him here tonight and he can tell you himself. And being an empath, you’ll know if he means it or not. Will that make you feel better about it?”
She considered for a moment before giving a brisk nod. “Yes, that will help.”
“Good.” Ally stood up. “Now let’s go and have some dinner and you can tell me more about your family.”
Mabel was just serving up their dinner as they walked into the room. Ally handled the introductions. Mabel took an instant like to Madison and began fussing and clucking all over her. She needed this after what Vincent had done to her.
“So where is home?” Ally asked.
“Fort William,” Madison answered in between mouthfuls of food.
“Mum? Dad?”
“I never knew my dad,” she answered with a sadness that Ally could relate to. Who knows who her father might be. Who knew anything. She swallowed a groan and gave her full attention back to the young girl in front of her.
“But my mum, Arabella, she is a grand enchantress.”
“What is that exactly?”
Madison told her what that meant.
“So are you an enchantress as well as an empath?”
“Yeah.”
“Impressive. If your mother is that powerful I wonder how Vincent is still alive.”
“Well, if she’d been home when they came, none of them would be alive. But Vincent wasn’t actually there when they took me. He’d sent Natalia.” The girl shivered. “Can I ask you something?”
“Anything you like.”
“Are you Vincent’s girlfriend? Cause I thought that Natalia was, well she acted like it, but I couldn’t feel any real emotion on his part. And now you are here and he’s listening to you…so I just wondered.”
Her question was met with an awkward silence. Ally didn’t even know the answer to that question let alone how to answer it. “It’s complicated,” was the best she could come up with.
“Tell me. I’d like to hear it. Besides it’s nice to have someone to talk to.”
Ally relayed to story.
Madison took in the entire tale with a rapt expression. “So you truly have no idea who you are?”
“Nope,” Ally answered taking a sip of her wine. “Not a clue.”
“So why would the immortals take you? It goes against everything they believe in.”
“Which is?”
“They are the guardians of the human race, sworn to keep the vampires under control. That is what they have always done until fifty years ago. I obviously wasn’t alive then, so I don’t know the specifics but something happened and the vampires got the upper hand. Most of the immortals went scurrying into hiding across the globe, with their tails between their legs.”
“Really? I wonder what happened.”
“Maybe ask Vincent. He was probably behind it,” Madison said dryly.
Ally snorted. “I wouldn’t put it past him.”
Madison put both her hands on the table and pinned Ally with a serious expression that made her seem much older than her years. “Why are you still here? Come home with me.”
“I can’t.”
“Because of Vincent?”
She didn’t answer.
Madison shook her head. “But why? He is all that is evil.”
“Not with me. He’s never going to be a knight in shining armour, but I’m drawn to him in a way that I can’t explain. It’s irrational and goes against all logic, but there you have it.”
“Does he feel the same?”
Ally held her hands up and shrugged. “He feels something but what it is exactly, I don’t know.”
And idea flew into Madison’s head. “I can answer that question for you.”
“How?”
“I’m an empath remember. When you bring him here tonight, I’ll find out and tell you.”
Ally couldn’t help the laugh that escaped her. Madison looked so proud of herself and wanted to help. What harm would it do to let her try. “Alright. You’re on.”
One corner of her mouth turned up as Ally watched Vincent pacing back and forth in front of the house. Less than two hours ago, she’d been doing the exact same thing. Perhaps he did feel something. Maybe she wasn’t alone in her jumble of emotions. “Are you coming to see her or are you just going to skulk around here all night?”
He stopped pacing and he gaped at her. “Just how long have you been standing there?”
“Long enough to know you’re losing touch with your spidy senses.”
He bristled. “No I’m not.”
“Really?” She teased. “The Vincent from a week ago would have known I was there before I’d set foot on the porch.”
He growled.
“Oh stop being such a bear and come see Madison.”
“Why?”
Ally rolled her eyes. “Because she wants to meet you again and decide for herself that you won’t hurt before being forced into a car with you.”
“Car?”
Her eyebrows scrunched together. “Are you alright?”
“Fine.” He curtly replied.
She stepped down onto the grass and walked over towards him. “Something is eating at you. What is it?”
“Nothing,” he hissed. “Come on, let’s get this over with.”
He stalked back into the house, leaving Ally staring after him with a confused expression. She sighed, shaking her head and followed him, before he scared Madison all over again. With a burst of speed she caught him in a manner of seconds. “Behave,” she warned in his ear.
Vincent watched the young girl standing in front of the fire for a few moments. He’d never really looked at her before. She’d only been a means to an end. A bargaining chip. Now that he saw her, shame washed over him. Innocence and goodness radiated out of her like a palpable force. Ally had been right, damn her. She was just a young innocent girl that had been caught up in his scheming. Taking her home was the right thing to do, even though it still grated a bit that he’d been played by his infuriating immortal.
“Madison,” Ally softly called from behind him.
The girl looked up at him with huge blue eyes. Her fear shone from their depths. He saw her breath catch and heard her pulse trip. She really was terrified of him. A fresh wave of guilt that he couldn’t shake off passed through him. Ally walked past him to go stand by the girl. He resisted shaking his head. She was the girls champion and wouldn’t hesitate to rip him apart if he tried to harm her.
Vincent to be as unintimidating as possible, which was an almost impossible task. Especially with Ally sending him a ‘I told you so,’ look. He sauntered further into the room. “Madison,” he began, but didn’t know what to say. He was in unfamiliar territory. He was about to continue when a bright smile formed on the girls face.
“Why are you smiling?” he barked.
“She was right,” Madison said in a voice filled with a curious wonder. “You’re not the same Vincent that I met.”
“What is she talking about?” He asked Ally. “Is she cracked?”
Both the girls laughed.
“Told you he was a big bear.” Ally grinned at him. “Nothing to be afraid of. He won’t hurt you now.”
“Bear!” Vincent raged. “I’m not some bloody overgrown teddy that you two can dress up and play with, you know.”
“Of course not,” Ally said with the straightest face she could achieve. “I told you Madison is an empath. She can tell what you’re feeling. I didn’t even need you to say anything. Just be in the same room with her.”
Madison moved closer and looked up at him with her innocent eyes. “What you did to me was almost unforgivable, but I can feel that you aren’t the same vampire. I can guess the reason for the change.” She winked at Ally. “The Vincent I met two weeks ago would never have felt the shame and guilt that you just did. I forgive you.”
Vincent was at a loss. His mouth flapped around like a fish gasping for air.
She reached to take his hand. “You don’t have to say anything. I can feel it.”
He threw his hands in the air and stalked out of the room muttering about woman, immortals and bloody empaths. The girls laughter followed him out of the room and out of the front door. It should have made him furious, but instead he felt lighter than he had in centuries. And despite his best efforts, he could no longer keep a straight face. Bear, indeed.