Adele made a decision. “I will stay behind and protect them. You need Chase and James with you Ally.”
“Thanks Gran, but are you sure?”
“I am sweetie, besides, I’m an old woman. What use would you have for me,” she joked.
“Adele you are younger than me,” James quipped.
“Yes, but you seem to have aged better,” she said with a wink.
Ally leaned in closer to James, once people had begun talking amongst themselves and said softly, “I want to talk about the conversion later when we are alone.”
“We are going to be alone later are we?” he said with a sultry smile and gleam in his eye.
“Not that kind of alone time, but I thought we could talk, spend some time getting to know each other better.”
“I’m growing on you aren’t I?” He teased.
Ally smiled and said, “Maybe.”
“I told you that you would come around,” he said feeling very pleased with himself.
She teasingly punched him in the arm. He mocked her with a show of pain.
Adele was standing off to the side, watching Ally interact with James. They really were a perfect match and they seemed so much more comfortable tonight than they had before the ride this morning.
She had watched her granddaughter grow so much in the last week. It appeared that Ally had really found herself in this land, with James and with her role as leader. People were already looking up to her and following her without question. It was a small start, but it was promising. The incident with the vampire seemed to only strengthen her resolve. She had expected Ally to go to pieces the first time she met with a vampire but then she had met Vincent and survived to tell the tale. The girl was made of stronger stuff than Adele gave her credit for. She wished that Ally’s parents were here to see her, they would have been so proud. It was hard for Adele watching her only daughter’s child walking the path of destiny that she was, but some things were bigger than us. Ally seemed to have a firm grip on that concept. Adele’s heart filled with love and pride for Ally.
Adele found herself wondering what else happened on the ride that Ally hadn’t mentioned. Something had definitely changed between James and Ally but she wasn’t entirely sure what.
Adele needed to have a word with Ally before things progressed further than what she had suspected. Ally needed to know what she was in for once the time came to be intimate with James.
Sophie excused herself to go start dinner. Everyone would need a good hearty meal in their bellies for tomorrow. It wasn’t much, but she felt like if that was all she could do to help, then she would do it to the best of her ability. Sophie’s heart went out to Ally and Chase, they had both lost someone dear to them in different ways. She remembered James and Adele when they had lost Damian. She had been a lot younger then but she would never forget the hurt and pain that had been inflicted upon them that day. It still haunted them to this day, she could see it in their eyes but Ally appeared to bring them both the happiness that they truly deserved. She couldn’t recall ever seeing James this happy despite the situation. Sophie thought back to when Chase had entered the room and Ally flew into him. Ally had courage taking on an immortal. It was completely deserved but Sophie knew she never would have the nerve to do it.
Mackenzie had come downstairs to the kitchen, “Do you need a hand?”
Sophie jumped and turned around to face her daughter. “Oh Mackenzie! You startled me. I have it covered for now, but come back once you have made the room up for Chase. I will need help then.”
She studied her daughter for a moment. “Are you alright, sweetheart?”
Her lower lip began to tremble. “I’m scared that Chase won’t come back or that he will come back different like he was tonight when he first arrived. That wasn’t the Chase we all know.”
Sophie walked over and pulled her daughter into a warm embrace. “We must hope for the best but be prepared for the worst in case it does eventuate.”
Mackenzie nodded.
“Why are you so worried about Chase in particular?”
Mackenzie shrugged and blushed. “He is a nice guy and it would be a great loss if he changed or worse was killed.”
Sophie wondered why she had never seen it before. Her daughter was in love with the one man she could never have. Mackenzie was in love with Chase.
Sophie hugged her again. “Oh my dear girl, I never knew,” she said, letting on that she had worked it out.
“I never told you,” Mackenzie said softly. “I knew I could never be with him. I’m not his chosen soulmate so what was the point. I just watched and loved him from a distance all these years.”
“Unrequited love is never easy but in this situation you can take heart that it literally isn’t you. The immortals are different to us. You can see that just by looking at James and Ally. They each have one partner and one only that they can ever be with.”
Mackenzie appeared to be mulling things over. “It’s so romantic but it is also a tragedy in waiting,” she said at length.
Sophie hadn’t grasped what she was getting at, “Why?”
“Think about it mum, there is only one person out there for them. First they have to find them and then they have to keep them safe from all types of dangers for eternity. I know that there aren’t fights to the death between immortals and vampires every other day but what if it happened and you lost your one true love forever, because it could literally be forever. “
“You’re a very astute young lady Mackenzie.” Sophie smiled proudly at her beautiful daughter.
She blushed again. “Thanks mum, don’t tell dad but I think I got that from you.”
Sophie laughed and promised to keep it to herself.
”It may seem like a big risk to someone on the outside like you said, but if you felt what they feel for each other I believe that even someone like you that plays it safe would throw caution to the wind and grab onto it with both hands.”
Mackenzie shrugged still not totally convinced the concept of soulmates was a good one.
Sophie smiled knowingly and decided to phrase it differently. “Let me ask you this. You see what Ally and James have between them, keeping in mind she is fighting the emotions she feels, would you give your very life for a chance at a love like that?” Sophie asked, trying to get her daughter to understand that some things in life were worth the risk. Her daughter had a habit of playing things safe.
Mackenzie sighed wistfully imagining what it would be like if she was Chase’s soulmate and knew instantly that her answer was an easy one, “Yes I would.”
Sophie embraced her daughter once more and then sent her on her way. “Now run along and sort out his room. Make sure it’s perfect, that is the least we can do for the poor man.”
Unbeknownst to Sophie and Mackenzie, Chase had been in the corridor listening to every word. He hadn’t meant to eavesdrop, he had been coming in to get a glass of water when he heard his name and stopped instinctively. Chase listened intently to the conversation. Mackenzie had been so worried about him that it touched him to the very soul but he also discovered she was in love with him. That he hadn’t seen coming.
Looking back, the signs had been there over the years but he hadn’t noticed. Chase always thought she was beautiful and sweet, and there had been a spark if was honest with himself, and still was. He had thought of her as a child until he saw her again tonight. Last time he laid eyes on her she would have been fifteen. That was four years ago. He had been away seeing the world while Mackenzie had matured now it seemed that something more substantial was brewing between them. However Kathryn was his soulmate. All of a sudden, Chase felt so confused about what he was feeling. Kathryn was lost somewhere out there and here he was thinking about another woman. Some soulmate he was turning out to be. Something was wrong, Chase thought distraught to his very soul. He shouldn’t even be noticing another woman. Perhaps he should speak with James about it later but the priority was getting Kathryn home safely. He wan
dered back upstairs to the lounge room lost in his thoughts about the two women that had suddenly occupied his heart and soul, each in their own ways.
Chapter Twenty
SOPHIE CAME BACK UP THE STAIRS to announce that dinner was ready. Mackenzie had come back down to help Sophie serve up the feast for everyone. They all moved to the dining room off to the side of the lounge and sat down to eat. It appeared everyone was lost in their own thoughts tonight, which was to be expected under the circumstances.
James noticed that Chase was sneaking looks toward Mackenzie. She seemed oblivious as was everyone else but something was very wrong. His soulmate was out there somewhere at the mercy of Natalia and he was slyly looking at his housekeepers daughter.
I knew he was trouble but no one would listen to me of course, James thought to himself.
At that moment Chase caught his gaze and he looked away again with a decidedly guilty expression. James would need to get to the bottom of this before anything happened. He had noticed that Mackenzie appeared to have a soft spot for Chase but he had thought it was purely one sided. After tonight he wasn’t so sure.
James decided to speak with Chase when the chance presented itself, in the meantime he would be keeping a close eye on them both.
Ally looked up from her thoughts. James felt her gaze and quickly held it before she worked out what he was looking at. She would work it out before long on her own if this kept up without him tipping her off. He had a feeling it would be difficult to keep anything from her once she caught a sniff of it.
She had a gleam in her eye that he was beginning to recognize as trouble. “What caught your attention?” she asked innocently.
“Just staring into space,” he said without looking at her. He couldn’t look her in the eyes and lie.
She studied him for a minute and he started to squirm, but decided it wasn’t important enough to follow for she changed the subject. “Where can we go tonight to talk? I don’t want to be interrupted.”
His mind was instantly filled with all manner of images that took place in many of the different secluded spots he knew of on the property, but she wasn’t referring to that. He inwardly groaned, she wanted to discuss the conversion and the vampires.
Damn it Chase! Why did he have to stick his nose in, they could have been relaxed and getting to know each other without the drama that was unfolding before his eyes, which only seemed to worsen by the minute he thought as he noticed yet another sly look in Mackenzie’s direction from Chase.
To his credit the man did look torn and like something was seriously disturbing him.
Ally nudged him. “Do you think Chase is doing ok? He seems even worse since dinner started.”
“He will be fine. The man is just scared and worried about his soulmate.” He put emphasis on the last word knowing that Chase was able to hear him. It seemed to do the trick for the guilt and shame was written all over his face.
Ally shrugged and went back into her own little world that involved any number of plots and schemes to get Kathryn back. She was trying to feel hopeful that they would get her back but despite trying as hard as she might, Ally just felt down.
“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 for his wife. She smiled widely at him; you could feel the love between them. They were the human version of soulmates, true love.
Adele looked at the immortals before her. “You need to be off to bed, you are rising early and will need your strength.”
Chase agreed and thanked Sophie for the meal. He needed some time alone to process things. He excused himself and went up the stairs heading for the third floor where his bedroom was located.
Adele, Ally and Mackenzie occupied the second floor, with James in the master on the first and Sophie and Marcus in the servant’s rooms on the lower ground floor.
They were far from the traditional servant’s room, having every accommodation 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, he was currently staying in the room opposite Chase on the top floor.
As he was walking up the stairs he heard Mackenzie call out his name. He stopped and turned.
She really was a vision he thought unconsciously.
“Do you need anything else before you go up to bed?” she asked innocently.
Suddenly images flashed across his mind of the two of them locked in a passionate embrace. Another more detailed image stole his breath away.
“No thank you,” he managed to choke out.
She smiled at him and said, “Good night Chase.”
“Good night Mackenzie.” She turned and walked out of sight. He caught his breath and started making his way up the stairs again.
“Why he doesn’t have an elevator installed I’ll never know,” he grumbled aloud.
“You’re an immortal, you shouldn’t need one,” a cheeky voice called from behind. James was now coming to take a piece of him. Great he thought sarcastically.
“Even immortals get tired James, you know that.”
He laughed quietly. “There is something I think we need to discuss.”
Chase decided to feign innocence. He didn’t feel like talking right now, all he wanted to do was sleep. “What about?”
“Mackenzie.”
Oh crap, Chase thought before asking. “What about her?”
“What’s going on Chase? You have a soulmate; these things don’t happen when you have one.”
Chase snapped, “You think I don’t know that? I have no bloody idea what’s going on James and its tearing me up. I have a soulmate in the hands of vampires and I’m haunted by thoughts and feelings for another.”
James was concerned, his initial feeling was right, something was definitely wrong he just didn’t know what it was. He decided to leave it for tonight, “Get some sleep Chase we can talk about it tomorrow, things might be clearer then.”
Chase felt grateful, he knew James had never forgiven him for the prank but he was a good man and despite his feelings towards Chase he was being fair and reasonable, maybe even willing to help.
“Thank you.” With that he turned again and decided he wouldn’t stop until he reached the bedroom, he was done talking for one night. He needed a few scotches and a warm soft bed, preferably with Ally in it.
James watched him climb the stairs and turn the corner, he had never witnessed this before. He didn’t know what to think about it, maybe Kathryn wasn’t his soulmate and they had made a mistake.
It was something that 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 thought of spending some time alone with her.
He walked into the room quietly and found her sitting at the black grand piano; she was running her hands lightly over the ivory keys reverently as though they were precious and a thing of beauty.
She gingerly touched one and hearing the ping she smiled softly to herself. Her posture straightened and her hands hovered above the keys, she silently let them rest upon the keys. Ally appeared lost to this world. All that existed was the piano and the harmonious sounds that she made. James hadn’t known that she could play. He had noticed a keyboard at her house but assumed it was Adele’s.
James stayed silent and didn’t move a muscle, he wanted to watch her play and listen to the music that she chose. He was rewarded a moment later when Ally positioned her fingers and began to play the haunting classic, Moonlight Sonata by Beethoven. He felt goose bumps run over his skin.
Ally played with a beauty and skill that he hadn’t seen for a long time, she was a natural. He watched her with an intense gaze from just outside the room. She played the first movement and then smiled as she finished and ran
her hands over the keys once more.
Ally looked up to find that James was watching her. “How long have you been there?” she asked embarrassed.
“Long enough,” he replied with a smile.
She was glad that she hadn’t faulted in her playing, it was still something that she was learning but she felt a love for the piano. She had always wanted to learn it and finally she stopped procrastinating and started learning. Moonlight Sonata was her favourite piece and so far the only one she had accomplished playing the whole way through. James looked pleased and she couldn’t help but feel excited that he had enjoyed it.
“How long have you been playing?” he asked.
“Not long, it’s more of a self-taught hobby. I have always wanted to play so I finally got up the courage to try and now I can play a few tunes but Moonlight Sonata is my best piece,” she laughed self-consciously.
“You played beautifully Ally. I’m glad I caught you doing it.”
She blushed at the compliment. “Do you play?” she asked.
“I do, it’s something I love to do,” he said.
She smirked. “So you play piano, speak Italian, ride a horse perfectly and look like you just stepped off Mount Olympus. Is there anything about you that isn’t perfect?” she asked jokingly.
He smiled broadly. “I hate to spoil the image that you have going but I’m far from perfect little one. I have a short temper and I have a tendency to be controlling and dominating,” he smiled and then added, “But I am also fluent in French and Spanish if that helps.”
She laughed at him, “Of course you are!”
“I hope that you will come to love me in spite of my flaws,” he whispered provocatively.
“I like flaws in people it’s what makes character.” She said leaning closer.
“That’s an interesting way of looking at things,” he said, as he cocked his head to the side.
“It’s true. If we were perfect we would never learn anything or experience situations that challenge us. It’s the situations in life that we have to strive and achieve things in spite of our flaws, that build character and in turn shapes us into the people we are.”
Immortal Prophecy (The Immortal Prophecy Saga) Page 21
