Hey! Well, I decided to vamp the rating up to 'M' because I've thought up some scenes that are very mature. They may or may not be anytime soon, but be on the lookout for warnings at the beginning of the chapters. If you find these scenes offensive, then turn back from this story and don't look back. If not, then please enjoy this chapter of Devil in the Shadows.

Disclaimer: I do not own anything related to Austin & Ally

Chapter: 2

The Price of Magic

Ally's POV:

I walked down the long hallway towards my father's study when I stopped to check in with my mother. My mother, Lady Penny Dawson, was a beautiful woman with the same chocolate brown hair and eyes as I did. Her skin was a little darker than mine, but that was only because of the amount of time she spent outside. Some people say that I look like her when she was younger, but I don't see it.

I found my parents room, knocking before I walked in of course, and heard my mother's voice from the other side. I poked my head in to see her sitting at her vanity with his dress robe on and her lady's maid holding her hair while she curled it. I smiled as I walked over to her.

"Good morning, mother." I said as I kissed her on the check. She smiled at me before returning to her hair and make-up. I looked over to her lady's maid and made a small curtsy towards her.

"And good morning to you, Mrs. De La Rosa." She smiled back at me and curtsied back at me. My mother's lady's maid is her best friend as well as Trish's mother. In fact, it was from that friendship that Trish and I ended up being friends.

"A good morning to you as well, my lady and a happy birthday to you. I can't believe your sixteen years old! Why it seems like only yesterday you were nothing but a newborn babe suckling at your mother's breast." I blushed at the last part. My mother then turned around, her hair still clinging onto a roller she was taking out. She had a very serious expression on her face, one I'd only seen after my father refused to give a servant the correct amount of pay.

"Ally, darling, that is actually something I wished to speak to you about. Please, come sit down." She said, motioning towards the couch by the window. She excused Mrs. De La Rosa from the room and turned back to me.

"Ally, today you will be officially welcomed into a higher society where there will be certain expectations of you to fulfill. One of them is choosing a respectable and well-known husband." I rolled my eyes as I began to massage my temples, the onset of a headache beginning to form. I knew she would bring up that topic sometime today.

"Mother, I know you think that me getting married is the most important thing in your life, but I'm not ready for it. I want to see the world, meet new people, and learn new things before I settle down." I saw her face drop, but I continued on with one more important thing, "I also want to be in love like you and father were when you got married." Her face instantly brightened when I said that. She smiled at me and then kissed me on the forehead.

"I understand that and that is a very good philosophy to go by, but you must see it from the view point of your father and I. We simply want to be reassured that you will be taken care of if, God forbid, anything did happen to us." She said. I smiled and kissed on her forehead as well before another maid came in. She bowed before my mother and I before speaking.

"Pardon the intrusion my ladies, but his lordship has requested that Lady Penny meet with him in his study, alone." She bowed again and walked back out. My mother gave a small laugh and then a sigh as she stood up, putting on her long, cap sleeve blue dress and matching flats, and proceeded to walk towards the door.

"Your father must be fiddling with the party plan trying to find an even cheaper way than we already have to have this party. You would think a party for your only child's coming of age would be where money is no option." I laughed with her as I got up to walk with her. However, she stopped me and told me to wait until she sent Mrs. De la Rosa to come for me. I nodded my head and watched as she left. I sighed and went back to the couch, grabbing a book from the nearby bookcase as I went.

Penny's POV:

I walked the little ways to my husband's study and stopped when I heard voices coming through the other sides. I could tell that the voice was that of a young male and by my husband's yelling, I could tell he was not happy.

"If he thinks he can just walked in here and take her from us then he is severely wrong!" Lester said. I then heard the other man laugh.

"You know the agreement was struck the second you took that elixir and now the time has come to collect. You used magic and now you must pay the price for it." I heard him say. When had Lester used magic? More importantly, why did he use magic? He knows that there are consequences for using such things especially when you don't listen well enough.

Wizards, witches, and such always use riddles to confuse those who seek their help so that they can take whatever they wish as a price for that magic. Lester had mentioned a 'her' being taken away… he couldn't mean Ally could he?!

"Look, regardless of what you may think the price was doesn't matter to my master. He will come to collect what was promised to him, he has been waiting for her after all." The man turned on his booted heel and began to walk to the window. Suddenly, he stopped and turned back around.

"Oh, and by the way, I wouldn't try and put up any kind of resistance. My master can see through anything you might use to keep him from what he wants." With that the man changed into a Red Robin and flew through the window.

I saw Lester fall into his chair and his head fell into his hands as his breathing quickened and then slowed. I opened the doors and ran to my husband's side. I kneeled down and placed my hands on his as I tried to calm him down. If this really had to do with Ally, as her mother, I needed to know.

Lester finally calmed down enough to lift his hands from his face and look me in the eyes.

"Lester, who was that man, what did he want and why was he talking about our daughter?!" Hearing myself screaming at him, I took a deep breath before I began again, "And why did he say you had used magic? You, of all people, should know that magic always comes with a price." He took a deep breath, took my hands in his, and began to speak.

"What I did was to better us, give us a chance at something we both desired. At the time I would have given anything for it, but now that I know what it costs, I wouldn't have done." He told me. I still didn't understand what he meant, but I did know that it involved Ally.

"What does he want with our daughter? Please, Lester, if this involves my little girl, I need to know!" I felt myself lip quiver as the tear began to show in my eyes, my breathing coming in short pants as my husband cupped my check.

"Ally is the price I must pay for using magic. That man, Dez, is the familiar of the man I bought the magic from and he has demanded that Ally be given to him as payment." I felt my heart drop to my stomach. My Ally, my only baby, would be taken, ripped from me to become a servant of a wizard, who could do God knows what to her without a second thought. I didn't say another word as I dropped to floor and began to wail.

Dez's POV:

I had done it. I had delivered my master's message as he wished, but I did it with a heavy heart. I stayed behind to see how the mother would take it and now I think I should have just flown away. I know how it must feel; to love something for so long and then one day having it ripped out from under you. I mean, they knew that one day she would leave home, but not like this. I took to the sky and found the campsite my master had made. I found him sitting on a stump, his hooded cape pulled over his face and his pipe pulled his lips. He blew out a breath of smoke and looked to me.

"Did you do what I asked Dez?" He asked. I nodded my head, a foul expression on my face. I didn't believe in what he was doing, but I had no other choice. Bound by contract, I couldn't do anything to stop him, but I could still speak my mind.

"Austin, in all honesty, wouldn't it be better to request something else? Lord Dawson has gold, rare jewels, land, anything that he would be more than willing to give you. Why must you take away his only child?" It felt good to speak my mind, but I soon regretted it. He lifted his head towards me and I could feel my throat begin to tighten. I was choking, air slowly slipping from my grasp and I began to claw at my throat. I looked towards Austin and he released his hold on my air way.

I began coughing in order to properly breath again as Austin stood up from the stump and walked over to a clearing of trees. The clearing had a clear view of the Dawson manor as well as the surrounding areas. I got back up as Austin opened his mouth, another puff of smoke coming out.

"I gave Lord Dawson 16 years to bring me anything he desired to me as payment. However, if he was unable to do so, I would set and collect my own price. When I first saw the girl through your eyes, I knew she was the one. I will take nothing and no one else." Even with that crazy explanation, I still had no idea why he wanted Lord Dawson daughter. What was so special about her?

"Well then, if you don't mind me asking, what are your plans for her when you do take her? What purpose would she serve in our world? She's a human, not a witch, elf, or any other magical creature." Austin turned his head at me and gave me a knowing look.

"In time, my friend, you shall see what purpose she serves not only to me, but to everyone in this world. Little Ally Dawson may prove to be the key to bridging our two worlds together." He smiled and told me to pack up the caravan and be prepared for an eventful night.

Alright, so I've been trying to decide about to do the party scene because that is when Ally finally meets Austin. I have two ideas:

The first is a masquerade ball, where Austin sweeps Ally away through dancing, but then mysteriously disappears, leaving her very perplexed.

The other is Ally goes to the gardens for some fresh air (and an escape from the persistent suitors) and finds Austin singing in her mother's garden.

Either way, Austin does leave an impression on her in both. As always, review, favorite, and follow this story. It really does help me. Thanks!