Chapter 7
Josette… Josette…
Looking about, Leigh peered into the darkness. "Hello?" she called. "Is someone there?"
The sound was so delicate, wafting gently on the warm breeze. Perhaps she simply imagined it. Oh great! Now she was hearing things…But why the name Josette? It was unfamiliar to her. A name from another time, another era. Just like... Barnabas. Barnabas... Instantly her thoughts turned to the tall Englishman. Why couldn't she get the image of him out of her brain? Especially those eyes. Dark, penetrating. They seemed to engulf, almost...almost consume her. My God, what's wrong with me? Lying back upon the warm sand Leigh rested her head in her hands as she gazed up at the millions of stars twinkling down at her in the clear black night. Slowly her eyes closed and she breathed deeply, the salty sea air invading her senses, a strange aura of calm washing over her entire body.
Barnabas crept closer. Now! Now was his chance to take her. To taste of her. To have her!
"Barnabas."
The vampire froze. Was she aware of his presence? For the second time this evening she had called his name without reason unless...Could it be? An incredible feeling of hope rose to his chest. Pulling back into the shadows, he waited. Watching...
Leigh bolted upright and looked around, confusion furrowing her brow. Had she fallen asleep? How long had she been here? Barnabas watched as she wandered over to douse the flames when a spike of glass sliced into her tender foot. "Damn!" she screamed falling to the ground. Reflected in the dancing firelight was an empty bottle of tequila shattered against the boulder. Those two. Go figure. Leigh held no expectations of Robin or her sister ever becoming her bosom buddies and she truly didn't care. She couldn't help it if Wayne was into her and not Jaclyn. She didn't care about that either. She wasn't looking for friends. She wasn't looking for sex. She merely had to bide her time in this hole until, quite literally, her ship came in.
Inspecting her bleeding instep, the girl suddenly began to tremble with an unknown fear. A dark presence seemed to loom from above. Slowly, her gazed traveled up to rest on the gaunt face of Barnabas Collins and she gasped in a mixture of both surprise and relief.
"I'm sorry to have frightened you Miss Oksil but I was walking along the beach and heard a cry. You appear to be in distress. Could I be of some help?" At her nod the Englishman smiled. Resting his walking stick against a piece of driftwood, Barnabas lowered himself to his haunches lifting her injured foot carefully into his lap.
Cold fingers tenderly caressed her bloodied flesh and Leigh inhaled deeply, biting her bottom lip to stem a moan of pain. The vampire's nostrils flared as the sweet red warmth coursed onto his long fingers, his lust nearly overwhelming him. With a low growl he whispered, "It's quite deep, I'm afraid."
"Fantastic. Can you remove it?"
Barnabas hesitated for once he did, he knew her blood would flow freely and there would be no possible way to stop himself. His need was already controlling him; he so wanted to taste her. If this woman was the true reincarnation of his beloved Josette, he must tread wisely. There was only one choice possible.
"Look at me," he urged, his voice warm and gentle, stroking her mind, forcing her will to submit to his supernatural powers. "I know it seems odd, but I can take away your pain. However, you must do exactly as I say. Now look."
Slowly, emerald orbs focused on his steely gaze and she nodded, now completely under his thrall. He growled at the blankness he saw there. This was not what he wanted, damn it! He did not wish to control her… but the lust… the craving… he couldn't resist!
Staring into her fair face, Barnabas saw not the slightest grimace as he wrenched the shard from her flesh. Only when her hot blood surged onto his hand, did he lie her onto her back, sliding himself along her beautiful body and draw her, unresisting, to his mouth. His fangs pierced the warmth of her long throat as he desperately, hungrily drank reveling in the sweet untouched taste of her.
Closing his eyes his mind pleaded: Josette… Josette… Forgive me, my darling!
Leigh stirred under his cold lips and murmured dazedly in a lilting French accent, "Je vous pardonne Barnabas, pour moi n'ai jamais cessé de vous aimer." (I forgive you Barnabas, for I have never stopped loving you.)
Completely stunned, he pulled away. Although far from sated, the vampire ended his feed and removed the puncture marks. Lifting his dark head, piercing eyes returned to her vacant stare. "Josette?!" he growled, shaking her roughly, "Dear God, don't do this to me! Please, come back... Josette!"
Blinking in confusion, the woman stared up at him curiously; she had returned. "Miss Oksil, are you alright?"
"I don't know…" she said hesitantly, "I- I think so…What happened?"
"I believe you fainted when I removed the piece of glass from your foot."
Leigh gasped and put a trembling hand to her temple. "Piece of glass? I don't...I don't remember hurting myself. I'm not in any pain." She gazed into his powerful eyes. "But I feel so tired. What's wrong with me?"
Raising himself, Barnabas stood and held out his hand to her. "Perhaps you should come to the Old House with me," he proposed. "It is closer than town and I would feel much more at ease knowing that you were safe." Having no compunction when it came to reviving his long dead fiancée, he simply wished Leigh to be surrounded with all things familiar to Josette. "Come," he murmured huskily, his voice deep with desire. Leigh took his hand with a timid smile, unable to reject his invitation. Unbeknownst to her, she was now a part of him and her company was what he required. Gathering her into his strong arms, Barnabas buried his face against her soft fragrant tresses. "Lay your head against my shoulder…that's right." The warmth of her flesh penetrated the fabric of his cloak and her gentle breath breezed against his throat and jaw.
Carried swiftly through the woods, Leigh found herself completely comforted by the vampire's nearness. A deep smile of pleasure spread across his gaunt features as he felt her drift to sleep in his arms, her head slowly lolling to the side. "Barnabas…" she murmured as an arm tightened around his back.
Kissing her temple lovingly, he closed his eyes. "My Josette. You will come back to me this time. I know it."
"Please God! Not again!"
Leigh awoke with a wild shriek, tossing the heavy coverlet from her body as she sat up, frantically searching the room for something. What, she didn't know until she saw him standing at the mantle, a glass of wine in his hand.
Barnabas rushed to her side in an instant. "Jos... 'ahem' ...Just lie still. All is well. Nothing will harm you here."
"I had a d...dream," she stammered. "It was so real!"
"Sadly dreams can sometimes be like that."
Carefully sitting himself on the edge of the bed, he fastened his penetrating gaze on hers. "Tell me of your dream," he urged gently, taking her small hand in his. At the horrible memory, a violent shiver coursed through her and without hesitation, Barnabas pulled her trembling body into his icy embrace. Comforted, Leigh breathed against his lean chest.
"Tell me."
"It was night," her voice wobbled. "Completely dark and at first I was confused but not afraid. Then, as the clouds drifted past the full moon, I could see myself standing at a edge of a monstrous cliff. I could hear waves pounding against the rocky shore below. Suddenly I heard a voice. It was a woman's voice and it frightened me. It was filled with such such...hatred. The voice told me to kill myself."
Barnabas frowned as he stroked her hair, a shudder rocketing through her. No! Not again!
" 'Jump… jump...' She repeated the word over and over, and then… then she screamed at me. 'You will never have him! He is mine… forever!' " With a tormented cry, Leigh lowered her head into her hands realizing how close she had come. One final step, only one, and she would have done the woman's bidding; plunging to her death. He held the young woman tightly until some of her fright had eased. Cupping her tear-stained face, Barnabas directed her watery gaze to his.
"…And then?"
"No. Please, don't ask me..." she begged, shaking her head, "I can't." Staring fixedly into the depths of his penetrating eyes, Leigh strangled on the sob lodged in her throat. "And then," she continued, "as I was looking down I felt a hard shove against my back. Just before I went over the edge, I turned and looked into the face of the person who wanted me dead."
Angelique! The vampire's jaw clenched painfully. And yet, for some odd reason, he heard himself ask, "and it was?"
She turned away unable to look at him, simply staring into the fire. "You, Mr. Collins. You deliberately pushed me from the bluff."
