A/N: Aaaaand I left you hanging for a long time :/ Sorry about that, I was really, seriously stuck in place in this story and despite my efforts I couldn't move! At last, another chapter has been posted, and I made this one a little long (or tried to) to hold you over until I can actually get the ending going. It's going to be climactic...I hope 0_0; Enjoy!
The world swirled and mixed in vibrant, unnatural colors as he struggled to regain his focus. His limbs felt heavy as if there was a boulder on top of him, and his head pounded with the steady beating of his heart. At last, he was able to pull himself into an upright position and he turned his head slightly as the sound of rustling paper. He could make out a dark shape sitting in what appeared to be a chair; his eyes slowly began to focus and he found Barnabas Collins with a book in his hands above him. The vampire was quiet for some time, seemingly oblivious to his newly acquired prey trying to steady himself on the floor at his feet, and then he looked down cocking an eyebrow up as he said, "Ah, you're awake. I was beginning to worry." The professor narrowed his eyes, "Don't play games with me, I am not in the mood in the slightest. And let's not dance around the subject either: I know what you are, and where you've come from, you and your monstrous wife!"
Barnabas quietly closed the book, and placed it on the table beside him, clasping his hands under his chin as he peered down at him and remarked, "Oh?" in mock surprise.
Elliot slowly regained his footing, rising very slowly as he pointed an accusing finger his way. "And I'll tell you something else; you will not get another chance to harm anyone else ever again. I will go to Collinwood at once; I will divulge your horrible secret to the family. And then, I will wait until I have my chance. I will come for you and drive stakes into your hearts until I am certain you are removed from this world!"
Barnabas rose then, and before Elliot knew what was happening the vampire had him pinned against the wall near the doorway. His hand tightened slightly around his throat as he snarled, "To go to my family with such distressing news during this already stressful time would be most unwise of you, Professor. Suppose I do let you go, and you tell them this fascinating story you've uncovered; what then? What shall my family say of you? They shall say that for all your brilliance, you have completely lost your mind, and can no longer tell the difference between legends and life." He then unceremoniously let him fall to the floor, and looked down upon him, "It is a pity that I shall have to end your life." He said, but there was no trace of sympathy in his voice, nor compassion.
"Why?" Elliot managed to choke out, still trying to catch his breath. Barnabas continued speaking as he walked around him slowly, "You broke your end of the rules by leaving your room, and you attacked Willie: my family matters to me, I care very deeply for them, and anyone who touches them in such a way as you did must be punished." He nudged Stokes over using his foot with what appeared to be little effort, but his powers caused the older man to roll onto his back unable to look away as the terrible face came toward him again. In a sheer moment of panic, he managed to blurt out, "I was compelled by a witch!" The vampire paused, narrowing his eyes as he said, "You are merely trying to buy yourself time which you no longer have."
"I-it's true; the only event I remember is from the previous night when you left me in the room. I have no recollection of getting out, harming William, or anything else save for the visions she showed me using the portrait." Barnabas slowly rose, contemplating on what needed to be done concerning the professor with this new revelation.
His thoughts were interrupted when Samantha gently knocked at the doorway and he looked at her, "Yes, what is it?"
"We have a visitor downstairs." She thought she had been able to hide the emotion in her voice, but Barnabas's senses were keen as ever.
He frowned, crossing over Stokes to reach her, "You're upset, what is it?" She looked up at him, "My Father; he is downstairs waiting for you. Shall I send him away?"
"No, that won't be necessary. We are adults, and as such I believe we can have a civilized conversation. Shall we?" He asked over his shoulder, twitching a few fingers, which caused Elliot to rise upright onto his feet. They stopped at the top of the stairs, and already they could hear Josiah and Willie fighting. Barnabas gently placed his hands on her shoulders saying quietly, "You do not have to come down, I completely understand if you would prefer to stay here. It might be best anyway, you should not be under any distress."
She turned her head, "Willie is there, and wherever Willie is, I am." She then proceeded to go down with the men trailing behind her.
"It is truly a miracle that my daughter was not harmed during the altercation—thank God I arrived now, for who knows what else could happen under this hellish roof." Josiah pointed an accusing finger at Willie, "Some husband you are! You are not at all a good provider nor protector; you should be ashamed!" Willie smacked at Josiah's hand—missing it entirely—just as Burke Devlin knocked on and opened the front door. "Ah, Burke, so nice of you to join our little gathering."
"Apologies, Josiah; I was at home with my daughter—as you're aware she is still very sick."
"Ensure in the future that you are not late again. Now, since you did not divulge it on the phone, what was so important that you felt it necessary to ask me back to the entry to hell?"
Burke quickly explained everything that happened at the mansion on the estate, not leaving out any details, especially his suspicions about Willie and everyone else living in the Old House. Willie stepped forward, puffing up and straightening as tall as he could as he said in a low, threatening voice, "You leave my wife out of this—she has nothing to do with it."
"I have everything to do with it." Samantha said as she joined them, Barnabas and Elliot in tow. "We're family under this roof, so whatever happens to one of us affects everyone." She turned an uncomfortable gaze toward her father, noting that he was staring at her belly. His eyes locked with her own, and for a moment she could swear she observed some sort of guilt in his expression. He moved toward her, mouth open slightly as if to say whatever it was that had been caged within his breast for far too long. But the expression just as soon faded back into an icy, disapproving scowl. Samantha decided to play his game by addressing him in a proper, yet cold voice, "Father, what are you doing here?"
"I am here to help, and I know exactly what is happening." Barnabas stiffened slightly as he and the reverend make eye contact, but the vampire was as calm as ever. He narrowed his eyes, "Before anyone goes off making accusations under his roof, I would very much like to know what you mean by the word, 'help' as your definition seems to be somewhat muddled."
The reverend laughed slightly in amusement before responding, moving about the room and observing his surroundings. "I came because Burke asked me to; the two of us became acquainted when Burke saved my life. One of the old congregation members had been in a bad way, and had tried to attack me claiming I was the devil in a fit of madness." Willie snorted, trying to cover it with a false cough as Josiah shot a glare toward him. Reaching the mantle, he turned and continued, "Shortly after his heroic act, Burke had been sent away as per the result of the trial in Bangor, but I still believed in his innocence and we remained in contact. Out of options, Burke had asked me to come on a religious, spiritual mission, and seeing as my daughter still hasn't moved out (or divorced Willie), I had little choice but to try and cleanse the house while there is still time."
Barnabas nodded, an eyebrow elegantly arched in thought as he said, "Ah, how very thoughtful." He then turned to Burke and asked, "Would you awfully mind coming with me? I have a few questions for you as well." As the two head for the dining room, Josiah noticed that Stokes was acting strange, fidgeting in the most odd manner as though he were nervous or afraid. "Pardon my intrusion, but are you alright? You do not look well." "I had a bad scare recently, and I'm simply not feeling all that well as a result." He offered a pat of reassurance on Elliot's shoulder saying, "Of course you are ill; it is the house's fault that much is certain. But do not fret, all will be set right soon."
In the Dining Room, Burke is slowly pacing around the table while Barnabas sits, watching him. "Where if your wife?"
"Upstairs with Brianna."
"Is she any better? I mean, has there been even the slightest change?" Burke asked hopefully, but Barnabas shook his head in despair. "None." Burke stopped his pacing, timidly reached out, and placed his hand on his shoulder, "I'm so sorry; dammit, if I only understood what was happening perhaps I could help to fix it."
Barnabas turned to him, gesturing for him to sit as his hands gripping onto the edge of the table, "Burke, what do you know in regards to the children?"
"Not all too much, except that they have been adversely affected ever since a strange portrait was found in the Old House. " He leaned in close, almost whispering, "Barnabas, I believe that you, Willie, Josette, and Samantha know exactly what's happening, yet none of you have divulged it and I can't figure out why." The vampire regarded him for a moment—there was so much that he did want to tell him, but there were certain…details that had to be altered. He thought on Brianna; he would do anything for that tiny, defenseless being, just as Burke would for his own daughter. No, he could not keep such secrets from this man any longer—but he would only say what he could—for now. He leaned in a little closer, saying in a soft yet firm voice, " The rumors about the portrait are true; prior to coming down, Professor Stokes had just informed me that the painting is, in fact, connected to a witch that used to live in the Old House in the 1800s. It is my belief that the witch had been using Brianna to help her in preparation for her return, and that David and Lilly had been caught in the crossfire while trying to help."
"If she has such a strong connection to the portrait, then why not simply destroy it?"
"We can't; this vile entity has gained enough of her powers back so that destroying the portrait won't do any good. All she is missing is a way in which to come back—her final step will be to obtain physical form." Burke sat back for a moment, running a hand through his hair. He looked at Barnabas, attempting to speak several times, but nothing would come out. "It is quite the shock, believe me, I know." Barnabas admitted before Burke rose, going back into a fit of pacing as he asked, "So, this thing whatever she is, wants to become like us? She wants to be tangible, real." "Yes." He stopped pacing, and stood over Barnabas as he asked, "How do we stop her?" The vampire laced his fingers together beneath his chin, his dark eyes looked up and he replied faintly, "I do not know."
A/U: Play eerie, Theremin music *here*