The enticing aroma of fresh coffee floated throughout the kitchen. Adele and James sat at the white provincial table, trying to concoct a plan for Alessandra.
Since the prophecy had now begun, Ally was no longer safe living the life she had been. Vincent would not rest until she was dead, and then there would be no chance of Alessandra fulfilling her destiny.
“She knows nothing of the immortals, the prophecy or Vincent and his kind. The best thing we can do is take her into hiding for a while, just until she comes to terms with things. She will need to know everything in order to have a chance of defeating him,” said James, feeling his patience was wearing thin.
Adele sighed. “That may be true, but she’ll never agree.”
James started to pace around the kitchen. The jade and other soft green tones against the white walls in the room had a calming effect on him, but it was only temporary. His soul mate was in danger, and he didn’t know what to do.
James waited for many, many years for Alessandra to be found. Finally, she had been. His waiting had then become watching and protecting until the time had come to reveal himself to her. However, tragedy had struck five years ago when he was supposed to approach Ally, and he was forced to continue watching and guarding from a distance.
His heart had broken along with hers the day her parents had died. He knew them well. Her mother was very pleased he was to be Ally’s soul mate, and she had told him with heartfelt sincerity, that she trusted him with her daughter and no-one else would have been good enough for her Alessandra. James smiled inwardly at that memory.
Ally’s parents were to explain everything to her and introduce him on the day they died. That is how he came to be in her kitchen that fateful morning. James grimaced. And here I am again with great news for her. She’ll never accept me or this life if all I bring is bad news.
He stopped pacing and slumped back down into the chair opposite Adele. “I understand it is a lot for her to take in and accept, but she must. There is no other choice. There never really was. She was just given the gift of ignorance for an extra five years when her mother and father were killed.”
“You’re right. I don’t like it, but you’re right. Her ignorance of the situation nearly got her killed tonight.” Adele was racked with guilt for not telling Ally the truth, but the girl had lost her parents, and it just didn’t seem right at the time to take whatever little life she had left. “If you hadn’t been tracking her thoughts and alerted me, I would never have known. I seem to have become a little too complacent about things.” Adele’s eyes filled with worry and regret. She took a sip of her coffee as James looked at her with determination.
“I’m taking her tonight, Adele. I will not sit by waiting for her to come to terms with things. You know as I do that she won’t accept it. She’ll refuse to believe it!” James ran his fingers through his hair in exasperation. “I heard her tonight. Ally was convinced Vincent was some guy who belonged in the loony bin, because she thought he was from an underground group of vampire worshippers.” His mind was made up. He would take her with force if he had to.
Adele stared at James with a determination that matched his. “You think it will be bad when she wakes up, and I tell her? Well take her away and see what happens. She will never accept you or the immortals if you do that.” Adele knew that it was probably the best option, but she had to argue on behalf of her granddaughter. Immortal men were notoriously dominating and controlling. They thought they knew best and that females should follow orders. She couldn’t help but chuckle quietly at the thought. James was quite ignorant of modern women, and Alessandra would tell him exactly what she thought and do exactly what he told her not to do.
“What could possibly be amusing right now?” he drawled, clearly not amused.
“Oh, James…you have a great deal to learn about women from this day and age. Things have changed a lot since our time.” She chuckled again.
He glared at her with supreme annoyance. “She is my responsibility. I’m taking her.” His tone told Adele that no argument would be tolerated, but he was only taking Ally out of here because she allowed it. The man had no idea what maternal instincts were capable of. Let him think he was controlling the situation. It would hurt no one right now.
Adele looked at him about to agree when she remembered something. “I think she already knows some of this, James.”
“How could she possibly know?” he asked.
“Five years ago she saw a Fortune Teller. She told Ally something that distressed her, and then after her parents died, she said the oddest thing…”
James raised his eyebrows and waited for her to continue.
“She said 'it has begun’.” Adele’s mind raced trying to decipher what she knew or didn’t know. Maybe this would be easier than they thought.
James sat up straight, taken aback. “What a strange thing for her to say. She must know something.” He thought for a minute then continued, “But the plan is flawed because nothing had begun that day.”
Adele took another sip of coffee still following her train of thought. “What if it had begun, but she knew something that we didn’t. I wish I’d asked what it was,” she sighed.
“So, let me get this right…She went to see a Fortune Teller and was obviously distressed by what she was told. Her parents are killed and then she says 'it has begun’.”
“Exactly.” Adele was feeling proud of herself for putting these pieces together.
James looked at her with absolute disbelief and irritation that she hadn’t mentioned it before. “And you didn’t think to tell me earlier because…?”
“Because I didn’t realize its importance at the time.” Adele glared at him.
James sighed, putting his head in his hands for a moment. “Sorry, I’m just out of my mind here. I don’t know what to do.”
She reached across the table and patted his arm gently. “I know, James.”
He looked up and at her with soulful eyes that conveyed his thanks for her understanding.
“I have an idea,” Adele said with a hint of excitement. “I agree that we should take her away, but the Ball is tomorrow night.”
“And that is important because?”
“You have to be a female to understand, but the ball is also for charity. I can’t just ditch them now.”
James admired her honor, but surely at a time like this, there were exceptions to be made. He could always write them a big cheque later. “Adele–”
She held up her hand to make him stop speaking. “No, hear me out. We make her forget what happened tonight. She can go to the ball and feel like Cinderella for a night with her Prince Charming. This is where you come in. Then we tell her the truth after the ball, and take her to Carlisle Manor in Scotland.”
James looked at her, ready to dismiss the idea straight away, but then he thought about it for a minute. He had to admit the offer was very tempting. One night with Alessandra before chaos reigned would be a nice memory to hold onto. She could get to know him before she found out that they were destined to be together. He got up and started to pace again, mulling things over in his mind.
Adele smiled secretly, knowing she had won that battle.
After a few minutes, he stopped and looked back. “Straight after the ball we tell her?” he clarified.
“Yes, straight after the ball. She will be here with you and me, plus another immortal I invited. No harm will come to her. Everyone has a wonderful time, and then we leave.”
James sat back down. “I have an awful feeling about this, Adele.”
“Stop worrying and have fun for once in your long, boring life,” she joked.
“Very funny, Adele.” He smirked at her over the coffee in his hand.
“Go upstairs and make her forget tonight, only temporarily though,” she said her voice becoming suddenly serious.
James got up from the chair and headed towards Ally’s bedroom. He started up the stairs lost in his own thoughts about tonight. What if I hadn’t gotten th
ere in time? Vincent was so close to her! And how the hell did he find her? As he reached her bedroom door, he paused and collected himself. He needed to focus on what he was about to do, or it wouldn’t work.
“I still think it's a bad idea,” he muttered to himself as he put his hand on the doorknob. James opened the door. Silently, like a cat, he glided into the bedroom. Ally would never know he was there, unless he wanted her to.
He sat down by her bed. She looked so peaceful, in her white wash wooden king-sized bed, tucked up under the white sheet and simple violet quilt. James gathered from her taste, she was a woman who liked the little luxuries life had to offer. He would offer luxuries she had never dreamed of, and a love like no other. Leaning in closely, James whispered in her ear, “My darling Alessandra, please forgive me. I do this to protect you.”
“James,” she whispered softly in her sleep.
It was almost his undoing. His name was on her lips, her voice soft and husky. A voice that was the most seductive thing he had ever heard, and Alessandra was the most enticing sight he had ever seen. He wanted her with a fierceness he had never felt before.
They were soul mates, two halves of the same whole. She called to him, and he answered.
Fighting temptation with everything he had, James leaned down once more, and in a soft, smooth, sexy voice filled with compulsion, he whispered, “Forget tonight for now, my darling Alessandra. You will remember what happened later, when you need to.”
All immortals and vampires could inject compulsions into their voice, leaving the victim no choice but to do what they demanded. She experienced the evil side of compulsion tonight with Vincent. He had compelled her to stay. James had felt her struggle against it but in the end, Vincent would have won. Until she was brought fully into the Immortal existence, Ally would be controlled easily. Once the transition was complete, she would be immune to compulsions from Vincent or anyone else.
He placed a light kiss upon her forehead. She was deep in sleep. James got up and moved to the one seater chair next to the fireplace, opposite her bed. There was nothing else to be done, so he sat down and got comfortable, deciding he would spend the night watching over Ally to make sure she was safe, and no other harm befell her.
Chapter Four