She walked to the french doors and slipped out onto the balcony. The crisp fresh air seemed to revive her and she felt a sense of calm sweep through her body.
James sat back on his heels and watched her walk out to the balcony. He decided to give her a few minutes to gather herself, before he went out to comfort her.
She pulled the blanket tighter around her shoulders and leaned against the balcony railing and looked into the night. The pale moon in the sky filtered light down illuminating the garden with an eerie glow. Lost in her thoughts, she began to remember snippets of the dream.
She remembered dreaming of Kathryn and a man, then it all came flooding back to her. She felt her legs go weak and just before she hit the ground, she felt strong arms grasping her, pulling her back up.
“Ally,” he cried with concern.
She looked up at him, her eyes wide and brimming with unshed tears.
“What is it?” he asked as a tear began to roll down her cheek. He lightly brushed it away with his thumb as he waited for her to respond.
“Damian and Kathryn,” she said simply then looked up at him again with disbelief and happiness. “They’re alive.”
James stared at her for a moment then he dropped to his knees from the sheer shock of what she had just told him.
His brother was alive.
Ally looked to the stars and sent up a silent thanks to the immortals that had sent her this dream.
She dropped down to her knees as well. “That is why I had the dream about Damian. It all makes sense to me now,” she said breathless with excitement.
“Because he was alive this whole time and we never knew.” He was gloriously happy that his brother was still alive but the guilt of giving up on him was beginning to feel like a crushing weight upon his shoulders.
“I gave up when I should have kept looking, but everything we found made us believe he was dead.”
She laid her hand upon his as a gesture of love. “You did everything you could James, don’t let the guilt overcome you. Your brother is alive and that is all that matters.”
He smiled up at her and threw his arms around her, “Thank you Ally.”
She was touched but couldn’t take the credit, it was the immortals long gone that had shared the information, she was just the vessel. “I didn’t do much, I just had a dream.”
“A dream that told us my brother is alive. There is no greater gift you could give me than that,” he said firmly as he pulled himself and Ally back up then led her inside. It was far too cold for them to be outside and having recovered from the shock, he could think clearly again.
Ally let him lead her back inside and she moved to stand in front of the fire. She was chilled to the bones.
James sat in the chair off to the side of the fire. “Where are they?” he asked.
She shrugged her shoulders. “That’s the problem, I don’t know exactly.”
“Tell me about the dream and maybe we can figure it out.”
She nodded and hesitated before reminding him that someone else would need to be told. “We will need to tell Gran.”
He nodded solemnly, James didn’t blame Adele for moving on but he knew how she would feel when he discovered that Damian was alive. “It can wait till morning,” he said. “There is nothing she can do tonight.”
Ally agreed with the idea and proceeded to tell him about her dream.
“So they are in a dirt cell with no daylight,” James repeated out loud looking for clues to where they might be hidden. “Obviously it’s underground.”
“But that is about all we know.” She moved from the fire to the couch feeling toasty warm. “Could it be a basement?”
He thought about the validity of her suggestion and decided she might be onto something. “It could be, but where?”
“That I don’t know,” she said, feeling discouraged. “They must be in Scotland. At least that narrows it down a bit.”
“All of Scotland is still a big place Ally.”
“Not all of Scotland, it has to be somewhere nearby,” she said, following a thought process.
“How do you figure lass?” he asked.
“We spoke to Chase this afternoon and I had the dream just now which gives us about a twelve hour gap.”
“They could be anywhere if that is our time frame.”
She glared at him, “Let me finish.”
He looked at her and pouted. She took it as a sign that he wouldn’t interrupt her again. “The things that happened in my dream would not have taken place at the same time I had it. They would have happened earlier. She woke up five minutes before they threw her in the cell. If knocked unconscious then how long before she would wake up?” she asked.
“It depends on how they knocked her out.”
“Try to be helpful,” she said sarcastically.
“I am trying to be realistic,” he replied.
“Well sometimes you have to think outside the box James. Radical ideas can sometimes lead to radical discoveries and we need one right now.”
He got up and moved to the fireplace, leaning against the mantle he looked into the fire. His brother was alive and he felt helpless, they didn’t know where to start. Ally was right in that they needed to think outside the box, but where does one start.
“James,” she said beseechingly.
He looked up at her and was met with a pair of loving eyes filled with concern. “I’m sorry Ally, I just feel so helpless and so guilty. I gave up on him too easily and who knows what tortures he has endured for all these years at the hands of the vampires.”
“You can’t blame yourself. I know you would have done everything that you could,” she said trying to ease the guilt that she could see etched into his features.
“Thank you Ally,” he said. “I appreciate what you’re trying to do.”
She shrugged. “You would do the same for me. So what do we do know?”
He shook his head. “We have to determine where this cell is that they are being held in.”
“I still think it is a basement, which means they are being kept in a house.”
“But which house?”
“Do you know everyone around here?” she asked.
“Not everyone but I know a few that are close by,” he said not sure of where she was leading.
She thought a moment. “The house would have to appear unoccupied, can you think of places like that around the area?”
James looked back into the fire and studied it for moment. Then he looked up at Ally with excitement dancing in his eyes. “There was a house that Damian and I found once, it was only an hour from here, it appeared to abandoned but something about it didn’t seem right. We never went back to find out what was going on because he went missing and I forgot all about it till now.”
“Then we start there,” she said decisively.
Ally felt hope surge through her again, they would find Kathryn and reunite Damian and Adele. “I still think we should leave at first light, we can’t risk the vampires at full strength.”
“I agree, we can tell Chase and Adele of our findings in the morning.” He walked over to Ally and took hold of her hand. He pulled her up and into his warm embrace. “Thank you little one. You are amazing.”
She warmed all over. What girl didn’t want to be called amazing.
“Now let’s get you back into the warm bed,” he said with a wicked smile.
She smiled back at him with an expectant glance towards the bed. She wasn’t quite ready to be with him yet but she knew it would be soon, she wouldn’t be able to fight the temptation much longer.
They crawled back into bed and Ally fell into a deep sleep.
James sat up on his elbow and watched her sleep for a while. “I love you Alessandra,” he whispered into her ear, then rolled over and stared at the ceiling for the next few hours thinking this new information over.
Chapter Twenty-Three
ALLY WOKE UP TO FIND HERSELF curled up in James’ arms. Breathing a s
igh of contentment, she was amazed by how right it felt to be lying in this man’s arms. He stirred next to her. She rolled over to find herself staring into those beautiful eyes that she would know anywhere.
“Morning,” he said still shaking off the sleep.
“Morning,” she smiled dreamily.
He kissed her on the forehead and she smiled again.
“Did you have any more dreams?”
She frowned looking a little disappointed. “No I was hoping I would, but nothing about Kat or Damian.”
He nodded. “The abandoned house it is then.”
She rolled onto her back and stared at the ceiling for a moment then said, “I have decided that we aren’t telling Gran yet.”
He studied her for a moment.
“You know we have to,” he said solemnly.
“No, I don’t want to cause her any unnecessary pain. I saw the guilt and heartbreak in your eyes when I told you. What if I’m wrong? She would be better off not knowing anything until we know for sure.”
“If that is really what you want?”
“It is,” she said firmly. “We will tell Chase once we leave.”
“We have to leave soon, the sun in starting to rise,” he observed.
She looked out the window and saw that the sun was beginning to rise above the mountains. The mist from the night was trying desperately to coil its wispy arms around the ground. She pulled back the covers and grabbed a gown that was hanging on the back of the door. The gown belonged to James but she was cold and knew he would have another. Ally was startled when a knock sounded at the door.
“Come in,” James said.
Sophie opened the door and came through with a breakfast tray and steaming hot coffee.
Ally could have hugged the woman; she was in desperate need of a coffee this morning.
“I thought you both might be in here,” she said with a sly grin.
Ally turned a shade of crimson with embarrassment.
“Coffee Ally?” she asked as she was handing her a cup. “I thought you could use one.”
She smiled gratefully. “Thank you. You thought right.”
Sophie set the tray down on the coffee table in front of the fire that had reduced to embers during the night. She lay more wood in the fire and set it alight. She walked back to them saying, “There that should be toasty soon.”
James spoke, “Thank you Sophie for everything.”
“Don’t go talking like that,” she scolded. “I expect to see all three of you back here tonight safe and well.”
James and Ally both smiled at her. “We will try our very best Sophie,” he said with a sad little smile.
They all knew that they were taking a big risk. There were no guarantees that everyone would return safely.
“Ally your grandmother wants to see you before you leave,” Sophie said then turned around and left the room.
Ally took her coffee out onto the balcony. She wanted to watch the sun make its upward journey over the peaks and terrain of this wild country. She tried to prepare herself for the day ahead, not knowing what it would bring. If they managed to find Kat and Damian there would inevitably be a battle, she wasn’t ready for it but it didn’t matter, this was about saving them. Her life was changing more with each day and she had to accept that.
Ally began to tremble as she thought about the vampires. She didn’t have many defences against them but she would use all she had. James was going into battle alongside her but she knew that he would have enough trouble keeping himself safe. He would make her the priority but she couldn’t risk losing him out of a misplaced sense of duty. She needed to protect herself.
James slipped silently beside her and wrapped his arms around her. “Everything will be fine.”
“We don’t know that,” she snapped.
He looked at her with surprise. “I will keep you safe, Ally.”
“Keep yourself safe.” With that she turned and walked back inside.
James stayed outside a moment, watching her leave. He had no idea what had happened or why she had snapped at him like that. He wanted to go to her and comfort her but he knew that she needed some space.
Ally put down her coffee and went to her own room. She needed to get her head together. The thought of battles and the possibility of losing someone she loved today weighed heavily upon her. The fear that she was wrong about Damian being alive was eating a hole in her heart. If she was wrong about the dream, perhaps Kat wasn’t alright either. Even if she had been right then, who knows what could have happened between now and then?
Ally took the curling stairs two by two in an effort to reach her room quickly before anyone came upon her, she didn’t want to talk. She needed to get ready for whatever it was that would come. More than anything, she wanted a shower to clear her head and then she would get dressed and make her way downstairs.
Half an hour later, Ally emerged from the shower feeling less bemused and helpless. She walked over to the walk in robe and grabbed her favourite jeans, black v neck top and her fleece lined black knee length jacket. She got dressed and pulled on her black kid boots and took a deep breath. Then she stood up and walked over to the door and downstairs to find Adele.
Adele was sitting in the kitchen talking with Chase and Mackenzie when Ally walked in. They all stopped talking and she had the feeling they had been discussing her. Adele walked over and drew her into a warm embrace.
“What’s that for?” she asked.
“Can’t I just give my granddaughter a hug?” She asked feigning innocence.
Giving her a side smile Ally said, “I will be fine,” with a confidence that she didn’t feel.
“Of course you will.” She could tell her Gran was trying to be positive but she couldn’t blame her for feeling nervous. Chase and Mackenzie watched on in silence.
She looked over Adele’s shoulder and smiled at them, “Morning guys.”
They both greeted her in return.
“You ready for this Ally?” Chase asked solemnly.
She shrugged her shoulders, “As ready as I will ever be.”
He thought her attitude was admirable but Chase had a sneaking suspicion that she was feigning the small amount of confidence she portrayed.
Mackenzie was scared that the man sitting next to her may not return. But then she found herself heartbroken at the prospect that he would return with his soulmate in tow. She didn’t wish any harm to come to Kathryn and hoped for her safe return but she just didn’t want to sit around watching Chase and his soulmate in the throes of new love and passion.
She liked to think that she possessed a quiet inner strength but she knew that some things even the strongest person couldn’t handle. Chase laying his hand on hers shook her out of her thought. She felt a spark of energy run through her body that started in the place where he touched her. She almost jumped from the sensation and looked up to meet his deep brown eyes.
They held eye contact for a moment longer than was appropriate. Mackenzie had been the first one to look away. He whispered so the others wouldn’t hear, “Be careful while we are gone. I don’t want to come back and find that something has happened to you.”
She looked at him startled and saw something swimming in the depths of his eyes. She didn’t know what it was or what to make of it, but she knew that it was something intense. All she could do was nod her head and say, “I will.”
He seemed relieved that she had complied with his request. She couldn’t make any sense out of what had just happened. She didn’t know much about Soulmates or Immortals but she was fairly certain this wasn’t supposed to happen when you had a soulmate. Mackenzie thought she might have read the situation unfairly but her instincts told her that he was showing more than just friendly concern.
James had come down to find Chase and Mackenzie sitting at the table looking very involved in something while Adele and Ally were standing together talking.
He was still questioning her decision to keep the information
from Adele regarding Damian but he knew that it was Ally’s call in the end and he wouldn’t disrespect her by divulging the information she had chosen to share with him. He knew that there was a small chance that Ally was wrong and it would break Adele’s heart all over again but he felt it to his bones that she was right and that they would find Damian and bring him home.
Ally sensed James was nearby and looked up to find him standing watching Chase and Mackenzie with an inquisitive air.
What is going on there? She wondered as she focused her attention on Chase and Mackenzie trying to ascertain what had caught his interest. She watched and noticed Chase’s hand upon Mackenzie’s and the way they were lost in each other’s eyes. Ally was trying to understand what was going on between them when she felt James’ gaze resting upon her. She looked back to him with questions in her eyes. He knew something about those two that he wasn’t sharing and she intended to find out what it was while they were out tracking Kat and Damian.
James must have heard her thoughts for he decided it was time to get started on their journey.
They all said farewell and the ones remaining behind would be home waiting for their safe return with Kathryn.
As they left, Ally noticed Chase and Mackenzie sharing a longing look. Something was definitely going on. He claimed to be Kathryn’s soulmate yet she was in the hands of the vampires and Chase was making eyes at another woman! She couldn’t fathom it, she hadn’t noticed any other man beside James since she had met him. That was how these things worked.
Ally decided that there were more important things to focus on this second and followed Chase and James out of the house to the stables.
Logan was waiting with three horses. Destiny whinnied when she saw Ally.
“Hi girl,” she said as she walked over and stroked the white mare’s muzzle.
Logan wished them all luck and sent them off on their way with a wave.
The three of them looked out to the wild mountainous ranges before them and then nudged their horses into a gallop. They had to get a good start. The horses could rest later.
Immortal Prophecy (The Immortal Prophecy Saga) Page 24
