I have no clue if this will even interest anyone but heck I needed to put something up to celebrate Tim Burton's Dark Shadows movie. I have to say I loved it even if a lot of people were disappointed. The ending was a real twist for me seeing as there was no heads up or clue that gave it away. So this is kind of a hesitant beginning to something I might take further but this is what it will be for now. I guess you could call it a mix of what's in the movie and what came out of my head. SPOILERS AHEAD. Enough of my rambling. Enjoy!
Angelique Bouchard sat in her office, fuming over the Collins family who still resided in the old grand mansion, Collinwood Manor, on the outskirts of town. How they infuriated her, a constant reminder of her lost love Barnabas Collins. She had heard tell that Paul Stoddard had gone missing, the fool. He walked out on his family for wealth and fame, never realizing that he had it all along. The only man in the house was the good for nothing brother of Elizabeth, Roger Collins. She grinned and walked over to the large window, staring out at the town she held under her thumb. His departure just made her plans easier to accomplish. Less people to get in her way, less people to stop her from getting revenge on the whole damn family. A knock on the door made her glance back.
"Come in," she answered. A stocky man walked heavily into the room. He wore torn jeans, a dirty white undershirt, a leather jacket over, and severely dirty black boots. His hair was tied back and pitch black, his face was scruffy with angry dark brown eyes and a grimace to rival her own. Wherever skin was exposed, he had multiple scars. He grunted a greeting as he stalked closer and stopped in front of her.
"When the time comes you know what to do. Only then you will be rewarded," she told him, turning back to the window.
"It will be done then," he replied gruffly. She heard him slam the door shut as he left.
"Let's see how they deal with this new turn of events and the many more to come," she remarked quietly. The Collins would know her wrath one way or another. After all, it would be too kind of her to kill them, so she would torture each one slowly.
-A Year Later-
Banks pushed through the bushes and climbed over fallen logs. His senses were on high alert and his nose was turned towards the wind. The child had been born and was now old enough to survive the burden he had to pass on. Angelique promised him freedom from her wretched ways in return so this would be the last thing he would ever do for her. He glanced up at the sky and shuddered when the full moon shone its light upon him. He had to keep himself together if this was going to work. He approached the Collins Manor and began searching the windows. There, towards the top, was the room he would need to break into. He allowed the transformation to progress enough to give him claws which he used to scale the stone walls, but when he reached the top, the child was nowhere in sight.
"Where is she?" he growled. His ears picked up a woman's voice not too far away commenting on the child's restlessness. He let himself drop, landing on all fours, before galloping off into the giant garden that now held no color to its pitiful plants. He crawled among them to find a woman walking through the path and then towards the Mansion. A small sound made him focus on the bundle in her arms. He watched as she entered and returned to the room he planned on breaking into. He waited patiently for her to return the child to the crib and then step out of the room before he struck. He darted out, climbed the wall, and then pushed open the window. He slipped into the room silently and made his way to the sleeping child. He took one look at her and growled at the unfairness of it all.
"I'll do this last thing for you witch, but only because it will be the last person I will ever make to endure this," he muttered to himself, cursing Angelique Bouchard for her cruelty. He reached in and lifted the child into his arms. She fidgeted once with a frown before falling back into dreams. He waited until she was still before lifting her arm and biting as gently as he could into the perfectly smooth and unmarked skin. Immediately she wailed and he hurried to set her back in the crib. He watched as the wound healed and that was all he needed to see. He bounded for the window and threw himself out, succumbing to the transformation and landing as a wolf-man. He took off for the trees, into freedom, never to be seen or heard from again.
-12 Years Later-
Carolyn Stoddard, now eleven years old, looked forward to midnight when she would finally be twelve. She felt that it would be a turning point in her life when that happened. Like she would no longer be viewed as a child but something more, someone who could make choices for herself and have some control of her life. She sighed and crossed the garden to enter her home. Silence greeted her as always until her cousin David raced down the hall. At seven years old he loved to run and constantly got on Carolyn's nerves. He never seemed to slow down even when she had tried every game to exhaust him. She only succeeded in tiring herself out instead. David had come to live with them after his mother's passing which was still a mystery. He had his sad times but he claimed to have talked to his mother on numerous occasions so that her presence kept him happy. No one really believed him.
"Hey Carolyn! Hey Carolyn, do you want to play?" he loudly questioned her. She shook her head and continued on to her room without answering. She was in no mood to play, she was too anxious for her birthday. Of course, they barely had money like they used to so her birthdays usually consisted of dinner, cake, a present from her mom, and then off to bed. She didn't mind the simplicity of it but this year would be special and she wanted to celebrate it in a special way. If only they still owned all those ships they had in the past. All they had now was their failing canned fish factory which was slowly being overrun by Angel Bay.
"Carolyn, come to the kitchen," her mother, Elizabeth, said as she came into the foyer.
"Is dinner ready?" she asked.
"Yes, and if you want your cake you must eat dinner first," her mother told her. She returned to the dinning room where her uncle Roger sat at the table with the groundskeeper Willie Loomis standing off to the side. David came skipping in but skid to a stop at the sight of his father. The two never got along. He took a seat on the other side next to Carolyn while Elizabeth took the head seat. As always, they had dinner and then cake after. That was followed by a half moon necklace given to her from her mother. She was sent to bed as always, leaving the table with a small smile and a thank you for her mother. David had already gone to bed some time ago. She crossed the large mansion to reach her room and climbed up the steps into her almost too pink room.
She snuggled down into her blankets on her back and laid there admiring her new jewelry. The light of the moon glinted off the polished silver and suddenly she felt dizzy. Her hands began to burn and with a start she dropped the pendent on her bed. A half-moon shape stood out on her skin in an angry burn. Her eyes briefly wandered to the strange markings on her forearm that she assumed was the cause of an accident when she was very little. She had it ever since she could remember. Pain lanced through her body and she gasped. She pushed herself out of bed, determined to alert her mother but she fell to the floor. Her body shook uncontrollably and her bones began to ache.
"What's happening to me?" she cried, hot tears running down her face. She groaned and clutched at her body, trying to ease the pain but it continued. In one swift motion, her body felt like it was torn apart. Strange cracks sounded sharply in her ears as her body changed shape. She caught a glimpse of her hands which curled into claws and fur sprouted from her skin. Her teeth began rearranging themselves into sharp knives while her feet stretched into hind legs. She whimpered from the last few shots of pain before all of it was gone. She felt sore, like someone had beaten her up. Smells of all sorts assaulted her nose and she could taste blood in her mouth. She must have bitten her tongue trying to escape the pain. She ignored the fact that the taste didn't bother her and slowly picked herself up to see her floorboards covered in deep gouges. She heard the few people still left in Collinwood Manor move through the building.
"Mother," she rumbled in a voice not quiet her own but still familiar. A sudden urge to run and hunt surged through her at the moment. She looked to the window, and without further thought, launched out of it. She landed clumsily on all fours and then took off, enjoying the feel of wind in her newly acquired fur. The motions of her powerful muscles made the soreness go away and made her want to run faster. She stopped in a cluster of trees and threw back her head to howl. The action felt needed somehow. Unexpectedly, another howl answered her call. She raced through the trees to follow the next two howls. She soon met up with a black wolf with gold eyes staring back at her. Her fur prickled and she growled. The black wolf stepped cautiously forward but she back away. She had the overwhelming urge to run back the other way now.
The wolf's eyes connected with hers and she froze. In that one look he had communicated with her. He wanted to help, he wasn't a threat. He moved closer and nudged her with his shoulder then took off. She paused curiously before following him. He led her out a wrecked hole in the large Collinwood Manor gates and sped into the awaiting forest surrounding the manor. He took a position in a high bush and remained quiet. She mimicked him, waiting to see what he would do. He bumped her to get her attention before launching out of the bushes and tackled a big buck to the ground. He effortlessly pinned the creature and tore into the throat. Only when the buck stopped kicking did she join him. He looked up and then back down at his kill. He pushed the animal toward her and waited. She remained where she was until her mouth watered and she felt the hunger.
Suddenly, the dinner she had felt like a day away. She sunk her teeth into the buck and tore, the taste invigorating her in a way she didn't understand. She continued to tear into the animal, only pausing when she realized the other wolf merely continued to watch her but made no move to join her. She studied his half wolf half human face for the first time. He seemed familiar to her but the thought left as soon as it came. She pushed away the half eaten animal and looked back at him. He ate a few mouthfuls and then moved to stand next to her. His ears laid flat on his head, giving him a look of apology and sadness. She whimpered and nudged him. He leaned in to lick the blood off her face gently. She felt like the time her mother cleaned her face after she made a mess when eating.
"I'm sorry," he rumbled in a deep voice that echoed through her mind. He howled in anguish before taking off too suddenly for her to see where he disappeared to. She tried picking up his scent but couldn't so she returned to Collinwood Manor, dragging herself through the garden from fatigue. She was only partially aware of her body cracking sharply back into place. She staggered once but managed to reach the doors and open them. She used her still sensitive hearing to monitor any movement. Luckily she returned to her room undetected. She barely managed to get out of her torn and bloody clothes and into new bed clothes. She threw a rug over the claw marks on the floor, kicked the ruined clothes under the bed, and then finally let her worn body collapse on her soft and comforting bed. Sleep swallowed her quickly in darkness with the only thing spiraling in her mind; the gold eyed wolf who showed her what she must do to survive.
By the next morning she managed to hide any and all traces of what transpired the night before. The necklace gave her no pain when she tentatively tapped it so it must only hurt when she was close to transforming or already changed. The word werewolf knocked around her head every so often. Since that night she sought out a calendar to keep track of the phases of the moon. Every time she transformed on a full moon, she would search every inch of the forest for the black wolf but he was long gone. His scent was no longer detectable and no new scent ever became present. Never the less, she quickly took up the skill of the hunt. She needed to eat more since the change. It was strange to think of her memories as a human when she was running through the night as a wolf but a particular memory came to her just then. She remembered waking one morning to an intense desire to eat a lot.
"Do you want pancakes Carolyn?" Willie had asked her.
"Yes, and do we have bacon?" she replied.
"Yeah," he answered.
"And sausages?" she questioned. He raised an eyebrow at her but nodded.
"Ok, then could I have all that?" she said.
"What's gotten into you Carolyn?" he mother asked as she entered the dining room. David gave her his now frequent questioning glances and Roger continued to ignore everyone as always.
"I'm hungry," she mumbled with some embarrassment.
"You are a growing girl," her mother replied. She smiled and nodded. That was what happened when she failed to hunt when she could. She knew the skill better but had not perfected it yet and sometimes the deer got away but she succeeded sometimes. As years passed she learned what to do and not do in her condition. She felt she should at least tell her mother but decided against it. It was a strangely unique burden that often times got her into trouble. She found that David agitated her more and more as they got older. She picked on him and he returned the treatment. Her anger tended to explode when put to breaking point and she flew into a rage she couldn't control and only feared what could have happened after the tantrum had passed. She watched as she got in more and more fights with everyone and knew that no matter how hard she tried she kept distancing herself until she spent all her time in her room.
She reluctantly joined her small family at the table and endured David's now constant talk of his mother with gritted teeth; waiting to snap at her cousin should he throw an insult her way. It didn't get better when Elizabeth called in a shrink for the loony kid. Her name was Dr. Julia Hoffman and in Carolyn's opinion, needed just as much help with her pill popping alcoholic ways. As she ran wild on full moons, the thought of leaving always intrigued her. She wanted to be free and on her own by age sixteen. Maybe she would leave to New York. She was now fifteen years old, no longer looking forward to celebrating her birthdays, and only interested in counting down the years to her sixteenth when she would leave. It was finally within her reach.
She was leaning back comfortably in her hanging woven chair in her decked out room. It changed over the years to contain a furry rug to cover the whole floor instead of that one area, posters left no wall bare even if the paint under was bright as it was, and music memorabilia littered her room. She found music was the best source to calm the beast in her. It was the only escape from the irritation of living in the derelict old mansion with people who could never understand her. She heard Elizabeth call up the stairs and turned up the music only to receive a louder call to get her attention. She grumbled, turned down the music, and then stood, pushing the chair away with her foot as she went. It swung slowly back in forth as she leaned on the doorframe to shoot her mother a bored but questioning glare.
"I would like you to meet Victoria Winters," she told the teen. Carolyn quickly studied the new face and noted her scent before replying.
"So you're here to babysit the loony. Maybe you can help him. After all, there were five others before you who tried and failed," she told the newcomer in a monotone manner.
"Carolyn, don't talk about David that way," her mother reprimanded.
"You can call me Vicky and I'll do the best I can," Victoria decidedly spoke up to avoid awkwardness; however Carolyn had already retreated and slammed the door on them. She didn't come down to dinner until she had absolutely nothing else to do. She picked out some music and then made her way down the stairs and out into the dining room. Elizabeth was already seated at the head of the table with Victoria next to her. Carolyn put on the record and set the needle on before retreating to her far off chair on the other side of the table. It was where she felt she had space, and right on time because Roger came marching in demanding food from Willie who carried the dinner on a tray. Roger never was someone she could ever get used to. The three of them at the other end struck up a conversation which was briefly interrupted by the appearance of Dr. Hoffman but Carolyn only focused on the music. She began to relax when a loud voice startled her.
"Carolyn, will you please turn that down?" Roger exclaimed. She opened her eyes to glare at him before fluidly rising to turn off the music. She sat back down haughtily with a frown. The conversation was effectively silenced for the time being. Victoria took a bite of her food and then looked up to stare at the doorway. Carolyn rolled her eyes and let out a small irritated grumble. No one else seemed to care about the small figure under a sheet.
"David this is Vicky. She will be your new governess," Elizabeth commented, continuing to eat and not looking at David. David complained and threw off the sheet to sit next to his father.
"Dammit David, stop cutting holes in the sheets," Roger told him in irritation.
"I was terrified," Victoria told him. David smiled and she returned it.
"You don't have to be nice to him just because he's nuts," Carolyn grumbled from her seat. Her agitation at his attention got to her.
"Carolyn touches herself," David muttered back. Her agitation shot immediately to fury. She felt the beast fly into a rage and she screamed back.
"You little shit," she growled.
"Carolyn, stop. David, enough," Elizabeth cut in. The conversation quickly turned to the fishing business so she tuned them out until opportunity struck.
"Yeah, we own rusty old boats on the harbor and David's mother is at the bottom of them," she said nonchalantly. David bowed his head and looked away.
"Carolyn, go to your room," Elizabeth told her sternly. She leveled a glare at David and then let the simmering anger in her burst forth again.
"Everyone in this house worries over him and no one cares about me!" she yelled, jumping to her feet and slamming a fist on the table. No one reacted to her outburst so she threw back her chair and stomped out. She growled and slammed her door when she got to her room. She had to hope music calmed her down from this. In the end, it did. She waited until her frustration was completely gone before she left to read a magazine by the fireplace. It was her second most favorite place to be. The fire was comforting and warm.
Her room was a safe haven but often felt cramped where the smell of the fire reminded her of the trees outside. She was just getting into her magazine when David came to quietly sit by her on the floor. He silently played with his dinosaurs and didn't speak a word. She ignored him in favor of the article she was reading. She looked up when she heard a new voice and an odd scent harassed her senses. A pale man with circles around his eyes and short black hair was standing in front of her. She wondered what the hell he was thinking, wearing clothes that belonged to another time. She noticed Willie in the corner but otherwise paid him no mind.
"Are you stoned?" she questioned the newcomer incredulously. It was the only explanation she could come up with for his odd behavior. His presence was out of the ordinary.
"They tried stoning me my dear but it did not work," he replied matter-of-factly. She watched him in confusion. She had to admit, she wasn't expecting such an answer.
"Carolyn, look," David remarked, pointing at the portrait above the fireplace. She looked up and immediately spotted the similarity.
"Uncanny is it not but it was worth every hour posing. Forgive me, my name is Barnabas Collins," the man said proudly. Carolyn remained alert and gave the man no response. He set off some warning in her.
"We are distantly related. It is a pleasure to meet you," Barnabas greeted, bending down to offer David a hand shake. She tensed but remained were she was.
"Stay away from him children," Elizabeth commanded from the staircase. Barnabas straightened to give her his attention. She walked down the steps to confront the man.
"A word please," she demanded in a tight tone. He bowed slightly and the two left. Carolyn never found out what her mother wanted with Barnabas but she could guess. Her mother was in charge of the mansion as long as she could remember. Nothing got by without her permission. She left the unexplained man to the judgment of her mother so she could finish her magazine and then go to bed. In the morning she awoke, got dressed, and came down for breakfast only to see that the man known as Barnabas was sitting at the far side of the table in her usual chair.
"He isn't staying with us is he?" she asked Elizabeth with an irritated frown. She took a seat to the right of Elizabeth as she addressed her. David chose this time to speak his mind. His father glanced at him by his side.
"I like him," David stated unabashedly. Elizabeth sighed but didn't say a word. Roger picked up a conversation on what Barnabas did for a living which he replied that after always working in the fishing business he wanted to focus on family now. The odd things the man said confused her but her mother was always quick to correct him. It was then that Dr. Hoffman walked in and all eyes were on her. She sat down and neglected to notice Barnabas until she was looking right at him.
"Who the hell is he?" she questioned. Barnabas gave her a look that clearly meant he didn't like the tone she used. Carolyn smirked.
"This is our distant relative Barnabas Collins. He's going to stay with us. Barnabas, this is Doctor Julia Hoffman," Elizabeth said. Barnabas rose to bow before sitting back down, a comment about women doctors and strange times made Carolyn tilt her head curiously. His comment baffled the doctor. Carolyn looked back at her mother.
"I think he's just tired from his trip," she said assuredly. Everyone accepted her statement and began to eat. Barnabas reached out and tentatively tapped a fork and then picked it up so he could examine it.
"I see you sold off the family silverware," he said. Carolyn glanced at Roger before looking away. She had enough trouble with her necklace so she didn't want anything to happen with the silverware. She convinced Roger to sell them, claiming that the family needed the money. He was enough of a thief not to care why she thought this important.
"How can you tell? These are exact replicas," Roger shot back.
"Had this been real silver my hand would have burst into flame with the slightest contact," Barnabas replied. Carolyn looked at him with growing curiosity and only briefly glanced down at the palm of her hand where a faint outline of a half moon was still present. How ironic that she was given that particular pendent. She wondered if her mother knew or not all along what would happen when she hit puberty. She glanced at Elizabeth but she was busy correcting Barnabas again.
"Yes, I remember you saying you have a terrible metal allergy," she said. The others looked from Barnabas to her and then back again. Conversation moved on when Elizabeth told him the fortune was gone but Barnabas disagreed. He said he was here to stay and would bring back the fortune. Roger disagreed, telling him of Angelique and her control of the bay. Barnabas refused to give up and told them he would start there and take back what was rightfully theirs. Carolyn looked to the door, Vicky had just entered and with her presence Barnabas shot from his seat. David introduced her to Barnabas who couldn't seem to take his eyes off her. Carolyn rolled her eyes and poked at her breakfast while they stared at each other. Vicky sat next to Carolyn after Roger cut into their greeting.
Barnabas took his seat as well. A few plans were made to get Barnabas started but Carolyn left to return to her room. She was in dire need of her music. She relaxed for a while and then left with her cassette player when she had nothing better to do. She was walking out to the fireplace when she heard a woman's voice, as sharp as a razor and just as dangerous. Her music was momentarily forgotten. She halted when she came face to face with Angelique Bouchard or as the town liked to call her, Angie. She never liked the woman and always felt like snapping at her. If she was in her wolf form she would be snarling. As it were, she could only back up a few steps and give her a guarded stare. Angelique set her sights on her and advanced.
"You must be Carolyn," she said with a fake smile. Carolyn only watched her suspiciously.
"You are growing into one fetching creature," Angelique said as she walked a little closer. Carolyn considered running but Elizabeth descended the stairs at that moment.
"Angelique," she called. Angelique turned away to face Carolyn's mother.
"Elizabeth," Angelique answered. Carolyn backed away until she was far from that woman. She was sure her mother could handle her but she didn't want to be in the same room as her. Only after she could no longer feel Angelique in the mansion did she show her face again. Something about that woman made her feel on the brink of change even when there was no moon in the sky. Being what she was, she just knew there was a kind of darkness in Angelique. The only positive thing to come out of her visit was Barnabas' determination to bring back the family business by doing everything he could to fight against Angel Bay.
The mansion was cleaned out and re-painted, Barnabas spent every chance he got finding a place to sleep, and then he worked to open up the Collins' canned fish factory. The place was a dump when the family first opened the doors but with a lot of work it was back in working order. For the most part Carolyn spent her days normally, helping only when needed. It was time to start keeping an eye out for the moon soon and she wanted to remain focused to keep her anger down. So, it was with one day when she was lounging in the couch watching TV when Barnabas walked into the room with that slightly interested, slightly confused, and slightly alarmed expression he always got when he discovered something he had never seen. Carolyn watched his reaction with a bored expression and waited for the worst.
"What sorcery is this?" he wondered as he waved his hands at the TV. Carolyn sighed and leaned back. He ran to the back and nearly destroyed the TV looking for the person inside. Carolyn only rolled her eyes. Besides terrorizing anything electronic, Carolyn often caught Barnabas going out for walks with Victoria whether it was day or night. She smirked at his obvious attraction to her. When he wasn't with Victoria, he was out on errands at night to further Collins Canning. Sometimes he even visited Dr. Hoffman to see if his condition could be cured. The doctor was fascinated in him. Shocked at first, but fascinated.
Carolyn took to his idea to thought and spent many hours and even days listening to music and wondering if she could be cured. Yet the more she thought about giving up her burden, the more she thought of the kindness that black wolf had shown her. It didn't help that she heard the howls of the secret passage and felt like answering their call. One day as she kicked back in her room with the thoughts of the full moon swirling in her thoughts, Barnabas entered her room and sat silently in her big bag chair. He looked odd in such an environment. He sat perfectly still even though the seat he chose was not meant for such posture. It was meant to sink into, yet he remained perfectly straight.
"I need to know how to court a woman in this time," he said plainly.
"I don't feel comfortable discussing this with you," she replied.
"I seek to court a woman of this time and who better to tutor me than a woman of your age," he pointed out. When she didn't answer he continued.
"What is your age, if I may?" he asked.
"Fifteen," she answered.
"Fifteen and no husband?" he questioned.
"Times change," she replied easily.
"Do you think me too weird for a woman of this land?" he wondered.
"You obviously mean Vicky," she stated. It was only obvious to her every day he was here.
"She has the most fertile birthing hips I ever laid eyes on," he confessed.
"You are way too weird," she assessed.
"Do you really think so?" he asked.
"You're all stiff and proper and old fashioned," she told him.
"And Victoria, is she not proper?" he responded.
"She likes to pretend she's rock n' roll but she's a Carpenters chick for sure," Carolyn explained.
"Do you mean to say she has a penchant for wood workers?" he questioned in slight confusion.
"The Carpenters is a musician stupid," she sneered.
"Ah, music; I am rather fond of music," he replied.
"Ok, but if you want to get with her you gotta change your approach. Drop that London thing and hang out with a few normal people," she advised him. He hummed in thought so she suggested a group of people she knew and sent him away. She had to prepare for the full moon tonight.
As the night crept closer and closer, she could feel the moon calling to her. She quickly jumped from her bed to lock the door. She unlatched the necklace around her neck, caressing it one last time before placing it in her drawer. She threw on already torn clothes and waited. The change didn't take long. When it struck it no longer pained her as much as the last so maybe someday it would be fluid and cease to be painful. Her body reshaped itself until she was in her wolf form. She relaxed her tense muscles enough to remain calm then jumped out the window and down to land perfectly upon the ground. She let loose a howl into the air and ran.
The smell of blood blew through the air and she followed it until she found the stench she could only describe as Barnabas and his latest victims dead around a freshly extinguish fire. She didn't begrudge him a meal even if it was the most laid back people in town. She had never tried human but was afraid to should she crave it. She advanced slowly and sniffed the nearest blonde chick. Hesitantly she bit into the girl's side. The taste was far better than deer but she coached herself past the addicting taste and told herself never again. This was nothing but a test run. She dropped the body, longing to eat all of them but managed to turn away and hunt down a nearby animal. She returned back to her window as the transformation was wearing off. The minute she set foot in her room she reverted back to her own body. She grabbed a towel and ran to use the shower. Sweat and blood were not a good mix when she was trying to sleep.
When she returned, she got into bed to hopefully get a good amount of sleep. The next day found Carolyn lazing about the house with David who was surprisingly not upsetting her. She had heard Barnabas was with Dr. Hoffman and later he had plans with Victoria to go for a walk. Nothing got passed her ears when she wanted to snoop. By night, she heard Angelique wanted to have a meeting with Barnabas. Carolyn new something was up and she didn't like it. She stayed up listening for his return and when he did she smelled Angelique's scent all over him. It made her inner beast bare its teeth and growl. She marched back to her room brimming with fury but stopped dead at Victoria's room. By the sounds of it she was having a nightmare. Carolyn hesitated at the door but ultimately moved on. An eerie light behind her made her shiver so she hurried away from the area. Sleep didn't come easily but she managed. The next morning she sat quietly at the dinner table listening to Barnabas' plans to throw a ball.
"It will be a most splendid one," he said to the family.
"A ball for who?" Elizabeth questioned.
"A ball for everyone in the town of course," Barnabas replied confidently. It was then that Carolyn had to point out the obvious for the oblivious Barnabas.
"Don't you know the town kind of hates us?" she queried.
"Balls are demonstration of power. Balls are how the ruling class remains ruling class," he answered.
"Exactly what I was saying; this family could use some balls," Roger joined in agreeably.
"Indeed, and the Collin's family have always held the biggest and most wonderful balls," Barnabas said. Dr. Hoffman walked in at that moment and demanded that the blinds be shut. Barnabas gave her a sympathetic look but Carolyn knew it was another hang over by the looks of her. Willie shut them and she sat down.
"Barnabas is right. It's about time we throw some money around. It will show the peasants that we're back in action," Roger continued to agree.
"People don't throw balls anymore stupid," Carolyn said with a bored expression, twirling a fork in her hand.
"What do they throw?" Barnabas asked her.
"They through happenings," she replied certainly.
"And how, pray, does one throw a happening?" he responded.
"Well, first things first, you'll need a mirror ball," she begins with a small grin.
"Whatever that is we shall have it," he says for sure.
"And booze; lots of booze," Carolyn added slyly.
"Carolyn," her mother reprimanded her without looking away from her newspaper. Victoria glanced at Carolyn before hiding a smile in her drink.
"We shall have spirits enough to fill a sculler's hull," he assured her. She leaned her head to the side and spotted a picture on the newspaper.
"And Alice Cooper," she added with a smile. Victoria hid her snickers by looking away yet the others remain quiet, listening to the two talking.
"Does she reside in Collinsport?" he questioned.
"Not exactly," Carolyn answered truthfully.
"Well, she shall be our guest none the less," Barnabas replies. Elizabeth gave him an appreciative smile while Carolyn decided if he was serious or not. The dinner wrapped up rather quietly and then plans began to be made. By night, everything was in order. Carolyn was just glad it wasn't a full moon. She approached Barnabas at the door in a simple red dress.
"I have to hand it to you, this is a happening. I guess the only thing missing is Alice Cooper," she told him honestly.
"Perhaps you should direct yourself to the evening's entertainment," he replied formally before walking away. She watched him go and spotted over his shoulder Alice Cooper preforming on the grand staircase. Carolyn was happy to watch with the crowd. On the next song, she was called up to say the opening lines. She delivered them in a sickly sweet way, the words catching her mother's attention. The lines made her think about what happened to her father as well but her dilemma never made itself known.
She hopped off the stage and let the band take over once more. As she walked back into the crowd, she passed Barnabas who made it his goal to join Victoria outside on the balcony. Carolyn watched them talk and then moved on to enjoy the music but as she started to get lost in the slow soothing words, she caught the scent of Angelique. She slowly scanned the crowd but couldn't find her. The feeling persisted until she was unconsciously tightening her fists and then she was gone. Carolyn had no idea if it was just her or if she was actually there.
The next day had everyone doing odd things around the house. Carolyn was busy snooping around. She felt the disappearance of Dr. Hoffman but was still unsure. She wandered passed the main hall on the upper level and stopped when she saw the scene before her. Barnabas stood in a ray of light, smoldering until he caught fire. Willie put the fire out but the damage was done. David ran off first followed by a horrified Victoria. Carolyn watched them retreat but was not surprised herself. Her senses always told her something was off about him but she couldn't place it. He was a vampire but she could care less. She was a werewolf, and together, they proved how abnormal their family really was.
Barnabas left after that. No doubt to seek out Angelique so that he could be with his love Victoria. It took her a couple minutes to realize Roger was gone too, although she knew he would be gone for good. Carolyn leaned back in her bed and twirled the half-moon pendent in her hand, occasionally lining it up to match the mark on her palm. The scar on her forearm finally made sense but when did it happen. When did she loose her human life and trade it in for one filled with a monster that she became every time the moon showed full. She growled and squeezed the pendent in her fist. She knew of only one person who hated them enough and Barnabas was off to bargain with her.
Carolyn paced in her room, wondering when Barnabas would be back. She didn't worry for him but his absence meant something must have gone wrong. That bitch must have done something to him although she did not know what. A flare of light out the window caught her attention and she ran over to peer out. The Collins Canning Factory was a bonfire, lighting up the sky. She ran out of her room and almost crashed into David. He stood in the middle of the hall. She was about to verbally bash him for getting in her way but he wasn't paying attention to her. He nodded to someone and then took off.
Carolyn glanced around curiously but found nothing.A screech outside alerted her to an approaching car. Elizabeth came down the stairs and Carolyn followed her to the front doors. She stepped out to confront the group of angry people but Carolyn stayed by the door. She felt anxious and had an overwhelming urge to run. With everything going on she hoped it was just nerves, but the restlessness within her said otherwise. Never the less, she remained at the door with her mother to keep back the angry crowd as much as possible.
"Ladies, I'm sorry but I have to take you in," an officer addressed them.
"Bill, the Collins family built this town. We built it with our boat and our nets. The sacrifice is in our blood, and this is how you repay us?" Elizabeth demanded as she stepped down the stairs. Angelique was not impressed. She stood with a cocky knowing smile. Carolyn wanted to rip it off her face.
"You've been harboring a murderer. Arrest them," Angelique commanded, staring down Elizabeth. Carolyn recognized his scent before seeing him.
"I shall go willingly whatever punishment awaits; provided, no harm befalls my family," Barnabas stated as he stepped out of the manor and down the steps to stand next to Elizabeth. The cop, Bill, tried to stop Barnabas but a quick hypnosis shut him up and got everyone's attention. Carolyn watched the conflict while the anxiety got worse. She held a hand to her chest where the necklace began to irritate her skin. The dizziness set in and she leaned on the doorframe.
"Provided, Miss Bouchard goes with me," Barnabas continued to announce. It was the last thing Carolyn heard before she began to retreat, closing the doors behind her. She stumbled once but broke into a run for her room, slamming the door when she made it in; just in time for the transformation to begin. The breaking of her bones and the reformation of her body tore her clothes in some parts. She could vaguely hear the fight going on under her and leaped to a safer distance up in the rafters of her room. The need to be free, running, or fighting gnawed at her. She snarled and tightened her hold on the beams, creating claw marks deep in the wood. A shattering crash sent Angelique through the floor, hitting the window, and then falling on Carolyn's bed. Carolyn spotted her and growled.
"Get, out of my, room!" she roared, her claws tearing into the poster next to her and her sharp teeth bared at Angelique who merely righted herself and floated back down to face Barnabas. Carolyn took a moment to collect herself; listening to the battle beneath her room. Her mother had her shotgun and Barnabas was trapped. It was time for her to help. That witch had to die. She dropped off the rafter, through the hole, and landed facing Angelique.
"Leave us alone," she threatened, her piercing gold eyes trained on her.
"Carolyn," Elizabeth called at the sight of her daughter. Her tone reflected confusion and shock. Carolyn turned to her mother.
"I'm a werewolf ok, let's not make a big deal out of it," she told her. She focused back on Angelique who by now had the house on fire. Carolyn growled and leaped at Angelique, attempting to bite her. Angelique fended her off and threw her against a wall. She yelped and fell, taking a picture with her but she knocked it out of the way and ran on all fours to try again. This time she managed to hang onto Angelique's arm and sink her teeth in but Angelique threw her off a second time. She hit the stairs at an angle and passed out. Elizabeth dropped her shotgun in favor of getting to Carolyn.
"What have you done to my daughter?" she demanded.
"Oh, well your family lacked a little pedigree so I sent the werewolf who bit Carolyn in her crib," Angelique replied scathingly. Elizabeth grimaced and held on to Carolyn who finally gave in to the darkness. She woke up outside with her mother hovering over her. She looked down and saw that she was back to her human body. Her clothes were torn but not too badly. Elizabeth helped her to her feet. She saw Collinwood Manor and hugged her mother. When Barnabas came out David directed him to Victoria. He left without further hesitation.
"What will we do?" David asked after Barnabas was gone.
"We do what we've always done. We endure," Elizabeth replied. Carolyn pulled away and watched her home burn to the ground with her cousin and her mother, her only family left. She stiffened and held her nose to the air. Elizabeth watched her curiously.
"Barnabas…and Victoria?" she questioned in confusion. She turned around, the other two following, to see Barnabas trudging through the forest towards them. In his embrace was Victoria but she looked different. She resembled Barnabas' chalk white features. Carolyn recognized the strange undead scent that followed Barnabas except it was mixed with Victoria's scent. Barnabas had saved Victoria but in his own way.
"Do not fear my family for we will not give in to this despair. We will rebuild Collinwood Manor and our family business," Barnabas stated. Victoria looked up at him and smiled. The Collins family would endure the only way they could; as a human, vampire, werewolf, and ghost.