Chapter 4

Julia took Urien's pulse. It was no use. He had not changed since he had fallen into a coma.

"Still the same?" George asked.

"Yes."

"If I thought that this was over, I would ask you to use Barnabas' life force to bring him back."

"Yes. I thought about that."

"It would finally give Barnabas what he wanted all this time. And make things easier for me and Georgina..." George admitted. " But..."

"You know, we may not need Barnabas. We have Megan and she may recruit someone else. Like Cecily or the children... they owe me."

"Yes. But Megan is not here. She is tracking down any information that might help us, and asking anyone she knows. Until she comes back, the only vampire we have is Barnabas. The only one that cam make sure no one is compromised by them."

"I know..."

"I would like to investigate this. I know, I was kept out of it. Not enough supernatural powers. Just regular human. But I am a cop. I know when something looks suspicious. I know what questions to ask."

"And..."

"And how come no one wondered about Hallie Collins? Why did she show up here? She may be under their control again. She was once, same as Buffy and Frank, and Redwolf...How come no one asked her anything?"

"You think."

"I think that it is about time that we asked her some questions.


Amy prepared herself for the next dream. It was up to Anselm Trask to make the right decision and identify the High Priestess.

Willie had already succeeded in his task. And after Trask would come eight others to choose well and build a ladder strong enough to support her weight.

And, if they chose wrong, to shatter it beyond repair..

For David's sake, for Eliot' sake, for her own, they could not fail now.


Anselm thought of the card that he had drawn. The High Priestess. He had to summon her in his sleep and bring her to Amy.

He had no doubt as to who it was. It only could be Angelique. But what worried him was if he would be able to summon her as he had been asked to.

Amy told him that he could, and that it was easier than he thought, but yet he doubted that he could do such a thing.

And the nagging doubt persisted. Was he doing right in participating in Amy's rituals, which were not precisely Christian? Was that what a Christian minister ought to be doing?

Yet it must be done.


Willie rose from his bed. The moon shone in the horizon, and it was time for him to work, to finish the wooden star.

He wondered how Trask was doing, and if he would choose right the next person in the ladder.

He could not help there. All he could do, he was doing. He had to trust Amy's judgment., and Trask's.

Maybe this time they would be rid of the phoenix for good.


Angelique heard the knock on the door. She went to open it and found Reverend Trask in front of her.

For a moment it was as if he was the other Reverent Trask. Or the one she met in 1897... but no, it was Anselm Trask... and yet he was not for himself, but representing something else instead.

"We need you, Angelique." Trask said. "Will you help us?"

"Yes, of course."

"Then follow me."

She did. She stepped outside her door and was not surprised to find herself in a corridor, a mist-shrouded one. It was fitting, she knew.'

She had seen those corridors before, and the doors within. She had used them for her own purposes. But she always knew that there was more to them that the use she made of them... As with all her spells... There had been so much more to them that the shallow, selfish ends she sought to satisfy through them...

Finally they reached the door, which Trask opened.

She flinched. She remembered what she had put behind doors like these. What would she find?

"Come, Angelique, you must enter."

"Is it not the Dream Curse again, is it?"

"It is not a curse. There is a good reason for it, as you shall learn. Do not be hasty in passing judgment."

Reluctantly, she approached the door and went through it. As she did, Trask's hand reached out to her and gave her a piece of cardboard, which she clutched, nervously.

The door closed behind her.

"Hello, Angelique" Amy said. "Come to me."

She did, and saw the cards lying on the table.

"You have the card with you, don't you?'

She was now aware of what she held. "Yes, I do."

"Lay it down."

She laid down the High Priestess close to the Hierophant.

"Yes. This is your card." Amy said.

"Yes, it is." Angelique admitted.

"Do you know why it is yours?'

"Because of my powers. Because of what I know and what I can do. And because I am no longer foolish in my use of them. This card means Wisdom too, and I have acquired it, thought I was slow in doing it. It has been painful to me, but I no longer use my powers to the detriment of others or of myself."

"Nor will I ask you to do so."

"Amy...Amy... is this really you or is it just a dream?"

"You know what dreams can be found here. And you know of a special destiny that was promised me. I have come upon it at last."

"Then you escaped."

"Not fully... I shall need your help for it."

"I will help you then."

"Before you do, look at the card which guides the spread which I am building."

"It is Justice."

"Remember this when the doubts come to you as to whether it is right for you to do what must be done. For without Justice, indeed, what you and I are doing is just another curse, something you have forsaken. What will you do will free me and David, and end the terror under which we live."

"Then it is fitting that I shall help you."

"Eight days from now you will go to Trask's church. He will be there and will help you. There shall be a ceremony in which you will call then power of Darkness against the power of Light."

"I shall do it."

"Good. Now for the other, thing. You must get a card from the deck."

Angelique did so.

"It is the Seven of Wands."

"There is a person in Collinsport to whom this card corresponds. Tomorrow in your dream, you must enter this persons' dreams, as Trask entered yours, and do with the Seven of Wands as Trask did with the High Priestess.

"Who is this person?"

"You will know when the time comes."