Angéliqué felt dissuaded to be a part of her cousin's life again, but even more enraged when she saw Vénessa walk down the aisle to her beloved vampire. Although she had wanted Barnabas for herself, Angéliqué began to see the truth and knew that although she was performing the wedding, nothing would change. She didn't want his child now that she was the godmother of his child with Vénessa. When Vénessa reached Barnabas and took his hand, they walked towards her three steps and stopped. Angéliqué couldn't help but scream inside again, and then she began the ceremony:
"From the night we come, to the night we go,
Cursed or blessed to walk the Moonlight alone.
Sometimes another soul walks our path,
Then two become one, in love everlasting.
Come forward, Chylder of the Blood,
And welcome this couple to your brood,
Within each other, these two are found,
Bear witness as their souls are bound."
Angéliqué then bound Barnabas' and Vénessa's wrists over a goblet of red wine, and then continued on:
"Stand now as ye will stand forever,
Like this crimson cloth your hearts are tethered,
This goblet's wine is your blood of devotion,
So sup from this dedication potion."
Then, she passed the goblet of wine to her cousin, who supped from the goldben metal first, then gave it to Barnabas. He gradually took a sip of it, only to leave a drop for Angéliqué to pour onto the alter before their feet. "Vénessa, Barnabas, I want you two to repeat the vows to one another now."
Vénessa began first: "I will stand by your side, hunt at your back, and fly within your Soul. I will stand between you and all which would harm you. I will shield you from the Light of Day with my flesh. I will never betray you, for you are my Heart, my Soul and my Life."
Then Barnabas intervined: "I will stand by your side, hunt at your back, and fly within your Soul. I will stand between you and all which would harm you. I will shield you from the Light of Day with my flesh. I will never betray you, for you are my Heart, my Soul and my Life."
And then Angéliqué finished the words:
"Above you are the stars, below you are the stones. As time passes, remember, like the star should your love burn brightly, like the stone should your love be firm. Be close, yet not so close that you restrict one another. Possess one another, yet grant each other the freedom to grow. Be understanding and compassionate, and have patience with each other, for storms may come, but they will quickly pass. Be free in giving affection and warmth. Fear not, lest the ways or words of the unenlightened give you unease. For the Lady and Lord are with you, now, and always.
As both your arms and the cloth form the symbol of eternity, may your love endure through this life and all others. As the Gods and the old ones are witness with those of us present now, I proclaim them Husband and Wife, and thus are they Bonded in Blood. The two are now one.
I present to The Blood, Barnabas and Vénessa Collins. Forever Bound, Eternally Free! You are husband and wife for eternity. You may now kiss."
Barnabas looked at Vénessa and kissed her with an undying passion. His lips claimed hers, and the truest of true love was shared through that kiss, and then the people of Collinsport, who had been sitting in the benches with enthusicastic silence, clapped and cheered for the new Collins couple. Carolyn, who was sitting next to a fully-recovered Ben Stokes, stood up with Barnéssa in arm and cheered as well. All of Collinsport was overwhelmed as was Angéliqué. She was happy at last to see Barnabas smile again as well as her cousin. But then, an unexpected prescence and voice bloomed darkly from out of nowhere. "Well, cousin Barnabas, it's a great shame that you didn't say anything about her before; she's quite lovely if I may add." Barnabas held his new wife close to him, and then Carolyn and Ben interceded on their own doing. The mysterious vistor eyed the baby that lay asleep in Carolyn's arms, and then laughed a devious cackle: "Oh my, and what a beautiful child you have, cousin. And yet again, we have a new Collins everybody! How exciting! Maybe Daniel can play with her when she gets older. They would make rather nice playmates, I think; don't you agree, cousin Barnabas." Silence befell Ben, Carolyn, Vénessa, and Angéliqué, but not Barnabas. But then Barnabas saw who approached him and his family, and saw the unresting deviousness in the eyes. But then again, the mutton chops weren't much of a hider for his identity either. "Quentin, I beg of you, leave and nothing will happen that will make either one of us regret in the future," Barnabas pleaded, but unbeknownst to him, Angéliqué disappeared. Quentin, however, just stood on the altar step smiling his devious smirk as usual. "Quentin, I-" Barnabas began, but was stopped by the sight of Angéliqué gathering next to Quentin's side. Angéliqué embraced Quentin's lips with her own for a mere second, then gave an eye of deception and betrayal to Barnabas and the rest of his family. "You traitor. Angéliqué, I thought you had changed for the better!" Vénessa hissed, spilling her anger out towards her cousin. "Oh, it seems you like the type of women with fiery attitudes and souls, cousin! I do believe you made an excellent choice in bringing a Délacroix into the family," Quentin smiled. Barnéssa cooed in Carolyn's arms as the sound of Quentin's voice jarred her awake. "Oh, cousin. I think she wants to know me now." "Quentin, don't you dare touch my daughter!" "I won't hurt her, I swear it." But then, Carolyn fainted as a ghost flung itself right through her and snatched Barnéssa into its ghostly arms; it floated its grotesque way over to Quentin and handed him the baby. Barnabas' eyes grew wide and defensive. "Barnabas," Quentin began, stepping away from them with Barnéssa in arm, "If you ever want to see your daughter again, you'll do something for me." Barnabas felt desparate now. "Quentin, I will do anything you ask. Just please; give back Vénessa and I our daughter!" "I won't until you've heard my proposal. Well, it's more of a request from Angéliqué actually." "Go on, Quentin. Just say it." "You, cousin Barnabas, will let Angéliqué take the full guardianship of your daughter. Your daughter will live with us, and we will raise her as our own; should you refuse, then you may take matters up with the leader of the Leviathans. Because if you refuse, your wife will die yet again and your daughter will never know her true father. But of course, it's such a shame it has to be this way." "Why do you want my daughter?!" "Because, Barnabas, you've forgotten one little thing." "And what would that be, snake?" "You made Angéliqué into a vampire, and you should know what happens to vampire women afterwards." "Quentin, what is the reason of all this torment!" "Angéliqué can't have children, cousin! You have made it impossible for her to ever have children!" Silence crushed the very fabric of Barnabas' voice and soul; the people of Collinsport including the rest of the Collins family gasped. "Ah, now you're catching on, cousin. But then again, what torment would we bestow on the sweetest little girl Angéliqué and I have ever seen? Until then, cousin Barnabas." But then darkness crept back into the world the blackest it had ever been, and with his wife by his side, Quentin evaporated into shivering mist with both Angéliqué and Barnéssa in arm. The people of Collinsport fled the scene, and left a grieving Barnabas and family all alone. Vénessa fell broken into her husband's arms, and then Barnabas held her the tightest he had ever held anyone before in all his life. Carolyn and Ben as well as everyone else began to weep for them; as a whole circle, they encompassed the new Collins couple into their midst of condolences. But through Vénessa's eyes, the tears of heartbreak fell gently from her eyes as she continued to weep into Barnabas' throat. "Vénessa, I never meant to hurt you. But I swear," he began to say, looking her in the eyes, "That bastard will not keep our daughter forever. We will find her; I promise."
