Immortal Prophecy
By
Samantha Adams and Kay Fry
Copyright © 2011 by Samantha Adams and Kay Fry.
All rights reserved
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either products of the author’s imagination or used factiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental. All rights reserved. No part of this publication can be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, without permission from the author.
ISBN (eBook Edition) 978-0-646-56960-4
Cover Design by Regina Wamba
Maeidesign.com
Photo by Marcus Ranum
Ranum.com
Dedication
Dedicated to Scott
and my little monkey, Joshua.
Five years earlier…
Two sixteen-year-old girls huddled together outside the billowing silk tent, beneath a sign that read ‘Fortune Teller.’
Kathryn, the young auburn haired girl, was nearly bursting with curiosity and anticipation. “Come on Ally, it’s just a bit of fun.”
Kathryn giggled and dragged the other girl, Alessandra closer to the tent. Alessandra hesitated and flashed Kathryn a wary glance.
“Besides what’s the worst that could happen?” Kathryn asked and shrugged.
Ally cringed. Nothing good ever happened when someone said that.
“Famous last words, Kathryn.” She took her arm back from her friend and looked around the Fair for something else that might interest Kat, but she came up empty.
“Oh would you stop being so serious!” Kathryn cried in frustration. “I know you’re a brunette and all but sheesh!” Ally had to stifle back a giggle despite her current feelings. Kathryn in a huff reminded her of a child having a temper tantrum, and Ally was almost waiting for her friend’s feet to start stomping in protest.
She looked around once more, just in case by some miracle, another stall had opened that would be intriguing enough to distract Kathryn’s attention from the Fortune Teller’s tent. However, it was not to be.
Going to see a Fortune Teller might have been just a bit of fun for most people, but they gave Ally the creeps. There was something unnatural about knowing one’s future. It seemed to defeat the purpose of getting up each day and never knowing what might happen. Life is what you make it, she thought to herself.
Ally shook her head in resignation after seeing the determination on her best friend’s face. Once Kathryn got an idea in her head, nothing could stop her, except maybe another brilliant idea. More often than not, it was easier to give in rather than trying to fight what was tantamount to an avalanche.
“Alright, we’ll go. But don’t blame me when your famous last words get us into trouble.”
Kathryn flashed her friend a dazzling smile, followed by what could only be described as an excited squeal. She then proceeded to drag her best friend into the tent looming before them.
Ally caught her breath as she entered. The air permeated with the scent of jasmine, cinnamon and something else exotic she couldn’t quite name. It was an altogether intoxicating smell. She stopped and looked around the scene before her. White candles were scattered around in candelabras and on tables, with an incredibly comfortable looking pair of oversized cushions covered with an exquisite Indian silk. A large ottoman was in the middle of the space, serving as a table, with a crystal ball in the centre. The woman sitting on the other side of the ottoman, presumably the Fortune Teller in question, appeared to be from some far away exotic land. She was one of the most beautiful women Ally had ever seen. Thick black hair flowed freely with a delicate headdress made of crystals and fine chains hung across her forehead. Ally wouldn’t have been surprised if she had been wearing a belly dancer costume. The headdress reminded her of images that she had seen of Arabian harems.
No doubt every aspect, the woman included, was designed to put the clients at ease. Luring them into feeling like they were somewhere exotic, instead of an over-the-top tent in the middle of a fair. Ally admitted to herself that it was impressive, but still there was something unearthly and not quite right about the woman before her or this place. Ally rolled her eyes at the thought. Her flare for over-dramatizing was taking over again.
The Fortune Teller stood up and beckoned to them to come forward. “Welcome girls.” She smiled warmly at them. “I am Madame Isabella. Please sit down and get comfortable.”
She lit the incense on the table that Ally instantly recognized as sandalwood. Not sure what to do next, Ally and Kat looked at each other briefly. Ally shrugged and turned her attention to the mysterious Madame Isabella.
Madame Isabella opened her bright violet eyes and looked right at Ally, who was taken aback by the intensity of those eyes staring at her. “Ally, I have a reading for you.”
She cocked her head to one side ever so slightly, as she did when she was trying to process something. “H-how do you know my name?”
Madame Isabella laughed softly, and gestured to nothing in particular. “I’m a Fortune Teller, Ally. It's what I do.”
Ally looked to her friend with one raised eyebrow that said, “I told you so.”
Kathryn ignored her and asked excitedly, “What is my name?”
“Kathryn,” Madame stated without hesitation. She turned to Ally, her eyes as round as saucers.
Ally had gone along with this at the start, but now every instinct was telling her to leave. She had always believed in trusting her instincts. You have them for a reason, so why not use them.
She turned to her friend to deliver the news. “Sorry Kat, you can stay, but I’m out of here. This is a bit too much for me.” She got up to leave, but her friend had a firm grip on her arm. Looking at Kathryn, she stated firmly but quietly, “Let me go.”
Kat looked up at her with big puppy eyes. “Ally, I need my best friend with me while I get a reading.”
Ally looked around the tent again, back to her friend and then eyed Madame Isabella before giving in. “Fine,” she said her eyes rolling. “But as soon as your reading is done, we are leaving.”
Kat smiled at her, and turned her attention back to Madame Isabella. “What do I have to do?”
“I need an object that belongs to you.”
Kathryn looked to her hand. “My ring?”
“That’s fine,” said Madame Isabella smiling and extending her hand. She enclosed the ring in her palm, at the same time closing her eyes.
Kat turned to Ally with a look of pure excitement written on her face. She reminded her of a child on Christmas morning. Madame’s voice interrupted her thought. “Kathryn, you will meet the love of your life but…” she paused, clearly hesitating.
Kathryn’s voice trembled slightly as she asked, “What? Is it something bad?”
Ally turned to Kat, and sent her the ‘I told you so’ look again.
Madame opened her eyes and said, “Your life will cease to exist as you know it before you meet him.”
Kathryn was staring at Madame Isabella with shock and confusion. “Cease to exist in a good way or bad way?”
Madame Isabella looked down at the ring again and answered mysteriously, “When the time comes you will know.”
Ally wanted to hit the Madame. Why did she say that? It was clear that Kathryn was just in here for a bit of fun. Would it have been too hard to say nice things, and why be cryptic about it all? Kathryn was clearly distressed by what she had been told.
Ally was just about to get up and take her friend out of this place, when she heard Kathryn mumble to herself, “Famous last words…”
“Come on Kat. Let’s get out of here,” Ally said.
Kathryn whipped her
head around and stared directly into Ally’s eyes. “No, not yet. It's your turn.”
“Uh…I don’t think so.”
As she was about to make another attempt at escape, Ally heard her friend’s voice addressing her with a firm authority. “Alessandra DeCosta! You are having a reading, and I won’t hear another word about it.”
This was another one of those avalanche moments. Ally knew there was no point in fighting Mother Nature or Kathryn. She couldn’t help but smile at her red-haired friend, despite her eagerness to leave. Kat certainly lived up to the reputation redheads had. She sat back down and gave in.
“Alessandra,” Madame Isabella began, the tone of her voice becoming ominous and foreboding. Ally felt a shiver of dread run through her body. She should have listened to those instincts and gotten out of here, but no…
“You are a hunted woman, Alessandra. Two men are bound to you by destiny, but both have very different purposes. James Carlisle has been sent to protect you. Trust him with your life, he is your guardian and soul mate. Vincent, the other man, wants you dead…” She paused as she looked into the crystal ball, her eyes widened slightly and her lips parted in surprise. “Someone you love is keeping a secret from you that will shatter your world and change your life in ways you cannot imagine. You are not who you think you are, Alessandra.”
Ally, was vaguely aware of Kathryn’s arm around her. The feeling of dread had completely absorbed her to the point that she was paralyzed with fear.
“Are you ok, Ally?” her friend whispered, while giving her arm a squeeze.
Ally’s only response was a vague nod.
Madame continued, “Two people close to you will die, you cannot stop this. It is all meant to be and will mark the beginning of the prophecy…the prophecy you were born to fulfil.”
Ally’s breath caught in her throat. “Prophecy? What prophecy?”
“You were born to save an ancient race and kill Vincent. He will die at your hand if the prophecy is fulfilled.” The fortune teller paused for a moment, feeling desperately sorry for the sweet innocent girl sitting before her, but she knew that hiding the truth from her would ultimately lead to her demise. She leaned over and grabbed Ally’s hand in an effort to offer her some comfort. “The destiny that has been chosen for you will not be an easy one, but you were born to do this. No matter what do not lose hope, if you lose hope, then you have already lost, and you will die. Vincent will win, and the human race will be slaughtered with no one to protect them.”
Ally snatched her hand back as if it was burned. With a deceptively calm voice she said, “I want to go home, Kathryn. Now!”
“Of course,” Kathryn said as she helped her friend up.
“Ally,” Madame Isabella continued. “Remember that when you lose those people, things will have been set in motion that no one can stop. It will have begun.”
Unable to form any words, Ally glared at the woman, until Kathryn pulled her along and got her outside the tent.
Once outside, Ally felt like she could breathe again. They started walking so fast it was almost a light jog. Both were eager to get as far from that place as possible.
Madame Isabella watched the girls leave with a peculiar look on her face. “So the prophecy is true,” she muttered, shaking her head slightly in disbelief. “Poor girl, you have no idea what is coming for you.” A tear rolled down her cheek as she turned and walked back inside.
“I’m so sorry, Ally. I should never have forced you into that.” Kathryn felt dreadful for insisting that Ally have a reading too.
“It’s not true,” Ally muttered shaking her head. “It can’t be.”
Ally was still walking without a destination in mind, the only requirement she had was to be far away from Madame Isabella. Kat was walking with her, gently guiding her through the crowds. She could tell her friend was not watching where she was going.
“Not a chance that was way too bizarre,” Kat said, trying to be reassuring. However, they both knew that it more than likely was true. Madame Isabella seemed to be the real deal.
“Right.” Ally smiled trying to perk up. If I don’t believe it, then it won’t happen, right? Losing two people close to her, Vincent, a guardian and soul mate named James. It was all too much. Then the reality of what she had been told hit her. The air was knocked from her lungs, she couldn’t breathe, couldn’t think, and then everything went black…