Immortal Fate

by Adams, Samantha

  He stood up and went to her closet. He pulled out the warmest clothes he could find and placed them on the bed next to her. “Get dressed.”

  Ally gave him a look. “Are you mad? It’s two in the morning.”

  Vincent flicked a glance at the clock. “It’s two thirty actually.”

  Ally waved her hand dismissively. “Where are we going?”

  A mischievous glint lit his eyes and a half smile appeared on his sensual mouth. Her heart skipped a beat and then she scolded herself for it.

  What’s the matter with you? He’s a bad guy. It doesn’t matter how incredibly gorgeous he is or how perfectly formed his body might be…

  He held out a hand and pinned her with a heated look. “Let me show you a new world, Alessandra.”

  Involuntary warmth spread through her body and pooled in the bottom of her stomach at the clear desire written in his eyes. She knew the difference between the forced emotions and the genuine ones now and this was genuine... and powerful.

  Oh no…I’m in trouble...

  She accepted his hand and tried to ignore the potent tension she was beginning to feel between them.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Vincent led her outside and into the trees surrounding the house.

  “Where are we going?” Ally asked with a growing sense of anticipation.

  “Somewhere that we can be alone,” he replied with a devilish grin.

  Ally felt a thrill run through her body and continued to let him lead her in silence. Finally, the trees began to clear and she found herself in a familiar clearing. “I know this place,” she whispered as she gazed around, her eyes widening. “Why do I know this place?”

  Vincent watched her, the animation in his face growing by the second. “I have no idea.”

  Searching her mind, she tried to remember why she knew this place, but nothing seemed to come forward. The excitement dwindled but she held firm. “I don’t remember why, but I have been here. Something sad or important happened here.”

  “Perhaps it did,” Vincent allowed. “It’s interesting that you are remembering some things.”

  Ally sent him a sharp look and clarified. “Not remembering really, just impressions and feelings.”

  He scrutinized her face. She didn’t know what he was looking for. “You’re more powerful than I ever imagined you’d be.”

  Ally crossed her arms and tilted her head to the side. “What an odd thing to say. Shouldn’t you already know my capabilities?”

  He waved dismissively in her direction. “Just close your eyes and trust your instincts.”

  “Huh?” She replied her eyes widening with alarm.

  Vincent moved closer to her and took her hand in his to reassure her. “There is a reason for this. Now close your eyes and do whatever your instincts tell you to do.”

  He dropped her hand as she closed her eyes.

  Without a sound, he took a few steps back. The human pretence fell away and the hunter took over. He stalked around the clearing once, but he could feel her energy vibrating around him. Could feel her unconsciously trying to connect with him. He managed to block her out, but it wasn’t easy to do. Finally, he came to halt ten metres behind her. A feral look came over him and he ran at her in a blur of speed. His incisors lengthened in anticipation. His eyes locked on the ivory skin on her exposed neck. Blood roared through his veins. An unexpected desire for her and a less than surprising desire for her blood raged through him. He could think of nothing else. She wouldn’t be able to fight him off, he was almost sure of that. He was the stronger of the two, but he was keeping a single shred of rational thought at the front of his mind to protect her from his baser instincts. He didn’t want her dead yet. With that final thought, he closed his eyes and flew at her.

  Eyes still closed, she followed the energy she could feel behind her. Closer, closer…then she reached out and grabbed him. A split second later he was pinned to the ground by a beautiful immortal who looked rather pleased with herself.

  Vincent felt something stirring within him. A warmth that began in his stomach and spread up into his throat and burst out of him in a deep, warm laugh. He was so startled by the sound that he jumped.

  Ally laughed with him as their eyes met. Slowly the laughing dwindled off. “You know that’s the first laugh I’ve heard from you.”

  Vincent took a deep breath. “I haven’t laughed in centuries.”

  Ally’s face dropped. “That’s the saddest thing I’ve ever heard.”

  His face glowed with wonder as he stared up at her. “What are you doing to me?” He whispered intently.

  “I could ask you the same thing,” Ally replied with equal intensity.

  “This wasn’t part of my plan…” he mumbled.

  “What wasn’t part of your plan?” Ally asked and shivered as a cold knot formed in her stomach.

  “You,” he answered as he reached up and pushed a stray hair behind her ear.

  Ally stared down into his eyes and tried to catch the emotions slipping through them. Tried to decipher what he was thinking. Without conscious thought she slipped past his defences and into his mind, but before she could see anything other than the name Olivia, he threw her out.

  “No,” he said firmly then flipped her over onto her back. “Now I’ve got you where I want you.”

  The electricity crackled between them. His face moved closer to hers. She wanted to feel his kiss more than she wanted to breathe at that moment. He wanted it too. But at the last possible moment, she drew her legs up and flipped him over behind her. She jumped up and spun around. He was up and stalking towards her. The rage radiated out of him.

  She winked at him and tried to blind him with the most seductive smile she could manage. His eyes narrowed but the rage was dissipating. “Well that’s two for me,” she said cheekily. “And one for you.”

  “Enjoy your victory, Alessandra,” he said with an edge to his voice. “It won’t happen again.”

  “Perhaps,” she said and moved closer to him. She had seen the dangerous side of this man and wasn’t eager to test him too much yet. At least not until she knew him a little better. She walked away and then sat crossed legged on the ground. She patted the space beside her. “Come sit with me.”

  Vincent shot her an irritated look, but went and sat next to her anyway.

  “What just happened?”

  “You tried to read my mind.”

  “I can read minds?” She was overwhelmed but excited at the prospect of what she was able to do. “But I don’t even know how to do that. Didn’t even know that I was doing it.”

  “I know,” he said dryly. “As I said you’re powerful. The mind may have your memories hidden away but for some reason, even though you don’t exactly know what you’re doing, your body does automatically.”

  “Hmm,” she sat with that thought for a brief minute. “So the mind reading and being able to throw grown men about…is that all?”

  “No, there’s more. Fireballs for example and moving with preternatural speed.”

  “Preter what?’

  ‘Faster than the eye can see,” he explained to her.

  “Cool. And Fireballs?”

  “Yes,” he said. “Imagine a fireball in your palm and it will be there.”

  Ally opened her palm and a fireball appeared. She stared in unabashed wonder until a voice from beside her interrupted her musing.

  “Just keep that thing away from me,” he drawled as he eye it with open hostility

  “Why?”

  “I don’t like fire.”

  Ally stared at him confused. “Why not?”

  Vincent hesitated before giving away a secret that might come back to haunt him. “Fire can kill me.”

  Her mouth formed an O. She shook her hand without thinking and it disappeared.

  “Thank you,” he said quietly.

  “So what am I?”

  He picked up a twig beside him and began twisting it around in his hands. “You’re an imm
ortal.”

  “Are you an immortal too?” Ally asked ignoring that hostility that was flowing out of him.

  “Perish the thought.” His voice was filled with repulsion. “No I’m something else entirely.”

  “What?”

  He stopped playing with the twig and turned to face her. She wanted to shy away from the intensity in his gaze but she held it. “I’m a vampire.”

  Ally gasped. “As in Dracula, blood drinker, the undead…all that?”

  His eyes narrowed and irritation swam in his eyes. “No not like Dracula. He’s an insult to our kind, but the rest yes.”

  “Are the Carlisles immortals too or vampires?”

  “Immortals.”

  “Tell me more about why they kidnapped me. You said it was forbidden.”

  “They have a thing about vampires and immortals being together.”

  “All vampires or just you?”

  He stared at her with undisguised annoyance. “Mostly me.”

  “Did we really have a thing going on that I don’t remember?”

  “The most truthful answer I can give you is that our destinies have been entwined for centuries.”

  “Centuries! How old am I?”

  “Twenty one.”

  “Then how-”

  Vincent cut her off. “The prophecy was written a very long time ago. And before you start interrogating me, no I’m not telling you tonight.”

  “Oh come on!”

  “No. You’ve already learned enough for one night.”

  “Killjoy.”

  “Be that as it may, I don’t want that pretty little head of yours exploding with all the information I have in my possession.”

  “Alright. For now.” At least the uneasiness she felt around him was beginning to make sense if he was a vampire. But there was one question that she wanted answered. “Why haven’t you bitten me then?”

  Vincent let out a huff of surprise. “I don’t want to kill you.”

  “Why does it sound like that surprises you?”

  “That you asked that question?”

  “No,” she replied watching his face intently. “That you don’t want to kill me.”

  His eyes shuttered and she felt a wall go up between them. “It doesn’t. I was simply surprised by your directness.”

  “Who is Olivia?” Ally asked hesitantly.

  Vincent froze. “I don’t know who you’re talking about.”

  “Yes you do,” she said. “I saw her name when I slipped into your mind before. Who was she?”

  Vincent sighed in defeat. He had to give her something or she’d never let him have a moments peace. “I loved her with all my black heart.”

  “Black heart?”

  He forced himself to look into her eyes. To watch her flinch away. To stifle these strange and unwelcome feelings that intruded inside him. “I’m not a paragon of virtue and light, Alessandra.”

  He waited for the blow…but it never came.

  “I didn’t think you were if I’m being honest with you.”

  His eyes questioned her but he felt no deceit, just truth. It blindsided him for a minute. “And yet here you sit in the dead of night, alone with me.”

  “Yes.”

  “Why?”

  “I don’t know.”

  “Yes, you do.”

  “There’s something about you. I should be scared of you. But I’m not. I’m pretty sure you’re not telling me the whole truth about what’s going on here, but physically I don’t think you want to hurt me.”

  “And what makes you say that?”

  “It’s your eyes. They reveal every emotion. That’s how I know you’ve been lying.”

  “Clever girl,” he smirked. “My passionate nature is a blessing and a curse. That’s why my eyes tell all. You’re the first one that has noticed though.”

  “I’m probably the only one that isn’t afraid to look you in the eye.” She quipped. “Olivia was your true forbidden love, wasn’t she?”

  “Yes.”

  “I don’t expect the truth about this tonight. But I do want you to tell me at some point what’s really going on and when you do, that’s when you’ll have my complete trust.” She stood up and began to walk back towards the house, leaving Vincent stunned in silence.

  What the devil? How did she work all that out in less than twenty hours!

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  James glared at the thrashing vampire in front of him. “I will only ask you one more time. Where is Vincent?”

  The vampire looked at his captors on either side of him. Tristan and Kat had him pinned against the stone wall of his lair. He stared in horror at the ball of fire moving closer towards him. He hissed and fought but knew it was useless.

  “I don’t have the information that you want,” he spat at James, still fighting to get free. “But I know someone who might. I can tell you where to find him.”

  The flame moved closer. “Tell me.”

  “Josiah,” the vampire choked out. “He’s in Sterling. Go there but don’t tell him that I sent you. He’ll have me killed.”

  James smiled wickedly. “Oh that won’t be a problem.” He gave a subtle nod to Tristan and Kat and let the fireball fly straight at the vampire. Tristan and Kat jumped out of harm’s way as they watched him turn to ashes.

  “This is the fifth vampire we’ve been sent to!” James growled and kicked the ashes.

  “It might be another five before we find him, James.” Kat patted him on the back. “He’ll be covering his tracks well. But we won’t give up until we find her.”

  “I know,” James grumbled. “I just want her back. Now.”

  “We’ll find her,” Kat soothed.

  James nodded wearily. Exhaustion showed in his every move. He glared once more in the direction of the ash. “Off to Sterling for the second time then.”

  Sunrise was nearing as the three checked into the first half decent motel they could find. James opened the door. “Don’t be overawed,” he said over his shoulder.

  “All I care about is a place to sleep and not getting incinerated,” Kat said wearily. “At this point anything will do.”

  “Agreed.” Tristan added as he guided Kat into the room. “Besides it’s better than the last place we stayed at.”

  James dropped his bag on the floor and fell on the couch with a whoosh. Kat and Tristan did the same. Nobody spoke for a while. Exhaustion and frustration was almost a pulsing physical presence.

  Running his hands over his face, James sat up. “You two get some sleep. At nightfall we’ll start hunting for Josiah.”

  They nodded sleepily and made their way to the darkest of the two rooms. Kat stopped in the doorway and took in the picture that James made. Her heart turned over for him. “Get some rest too, James. We all need to be at our full strength to find her.”

  James inclined his head and lay back down on the couch.

  She let out a little sigh and went into the bedroom, closing the door behind her.

  Rest? James thought to himself. There is no rest, not really. I’m still no closer to finding her than I was the day she disappeared. I hope Adele is right. That he really does have some big elaborate plan. Otherwise, she could be dead by now. He groaned and rolled over onto his side. There has to something more we can do beside following these leads we get from each vampire. All we seem to be doing is going around in circles! Maybe there is something I haven’t thought of. Kat is right though. I do need to sleep. I’ll be no use to anyone, especially Ally and she needs me more than ever. Her life depends upon it.

  Twelve hours later, they were back on the hunt.

  “I think he’s an ancient,” Tristan said after a couple of hours of tracking that yielded little results. “They are craftier than the newer vampires.”

  “Just our luck,” muttered James.

  “Wait,” Kat whispered and pulled them behind a building. “I can smell a vampire coming this way.”

  “She’s right,” Tristan confirmed. �
��I think it might be him.”

  The three remained hidden by the wall until he walked past, then they tackled him and pushed him up against the wall. It spat, hissed, kicked and bit with everything it had.

  Finally they had him subdued. “Where’s Vincent?” James demanded.

  The vampire laughed. “Why should I tell you and what do you want with him?”

  “He has something that belongs to me,” James said menacingly as a flame appeared in his hand.

  The vampire stopped struggling at the sight of the fire.

  “And,” James continued. “If you don’t tell me, I’ll be turning you into a pile of ash. So start talking!”

  Josiah glared but remained silent. “Why don’t you just save us all the trouble and kill me already. I’m not talking no matter what you do.”

  “Why the loyalty?” Tristan asked.

  “Ha,” it returned. “You’re a vampire in league with immortals. What would you even know about the word.”

  “I was loyal to Vincent once. I was his second in command.”

  “Tristan?” Josiah said with a slight tremble.

  “The one and only,” he said. “So since you know my name, you know what I’m capable of. This guy, James, he’ll just turn you into dust…whereas I will spends weeks and weeks torturing you and after that you’ll wish that you’d told us what we want to know. Vincent wouldn’t protect you, so I wouldn’t protect him if I was you.”

  Josiah was silent and appeared to be weighing his options. After a while he spoke. “Alright I’ll tell you what I know. He has the prophecy girl in a house somewhere. It’s in Scotland, around the Glencoe area, but no one except him and Natalia know the exact place.”

  “Thank you,” Tristan said and gave a subtle nod to James and Kat. James threw the fireball and the vampire was once again just a pile of ash.

  “What now?” Kat asked, moving away from the pile of vampire dust.

  “Now, we go back to Glencoe,” James said sounding exhausted.

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  What is it about him? I’ve only known him a few days and I can’t get him off my mind. I know that he is dangerous, that I can’t trust him and yet…I’m drawn to him beyond all reason and logic. It doesn’t help that he is devastatingly handsome and sexy as hell…He fascinates me and intrigues me. And the looks that he sends me sometimes…I fear that I might just melt on the spot the next time I see that potent desire lingering in his eyes. It makes me ache for him…but it’s more than that. I am beginning to feel more than just lust and that scares me more than anything, more than not knowing who I am. I’m not in control of myself anymore…he is taking control of me, one touch at a time.