Chapter Thirty
Frank dragged Alison into his new dwelling, bringing her straight to Joshua.
"Careful, Franklin. Don't bruise her. You can unhand her. She won't be going anywhere."
Frank finally let her go. She stood in front of Joshua, scared but furious.
"Now, leave us alone. We're in need of some quiet time."
Alison waited until Frank had left the room before she spoke.
"What is it that you want now, Joshua?" her voice full of contempt.
"Such a fiery little thing. I adore that about you."
Alison glared at him.
"There is so much I want from you. We have plenty of time to discuss it all, an eternity, in fact. Right now, I'd want you to join me in a glass of champagne."
"No." she said simply.
"Oh, I insist, my dear. It's a fine vintage I assure you."
"I don't give a damn what vintage it is. I know how you operate, Joshua. You'll drug me in a heartbeat. I'll drink nothing you serve me."
"Now, now. Always pointing out my past transgressions. But I'm happy to see you have some restraint. It's a quality your dear mother never possessed."
"Don't you even speak to me about my mother."
"Alison, my dear girl, you know I have much gratitude towards you mother. She made me what I am today."
"She did not do it for you. She did it to protect me from you."
"Seems many people want to protect you. It is lucky for me they do such a poor job."
Alison did not respond.
"Now, my love you ask me what I want with you. They say that a picture is worth a thousand words, so why don't you take a look behind you for the answer to your question."
Alison turned her back to him, and her eyes caught an image of her own. She stared at the portrait.
"You can't be serious." She said as she spun around to face Joshua again.
"I most certainly am. In fact, I am deadly serious."
Her voice shook with rage as she spoke, "I will never marry you."
"Never say never my dear."
"Oh, I'll say it, because it's the truth. There is no way in hell I will ever be your wife."
"Hell might just be a state of mind. Because I assure you, if you continue to fight me on this I will create your own personal hell. When I do, marrying me will not only be my wish, but yours as well. Of course, it will then be too late."
Alison continued to stare at him. He was out of his mind. She decided to try again.
"It won't work, Joshua. I can't marry you. I am already married."
"My dear, I remember well that you tried to tie the knot with that silly slayer. But you know as well as I do that you did not succeed. A little question of your being siblings threw a wrench in things."
"We may not be husband and wife in the eyes of the law, but in the eyes of God we most certainly are. Rafe and I are married. I am his, Joshua. I always have been. I will never belong to anyone else."
"You will be mine."
"Perhaps you didn't hear me, Joshua. I said never. I will kill myself first."
"You're so dramatic, my dear. No need to inflict harm on yourself. It'd be my pleasure to do it for you."
Alison folded her arms across her chest and looked him straight in the eye. She was unbelievably frightened but she knew she had the strength to face him. He would have to kill her then because she could not imagine having to marry him, having to live with him. Death would be a much better option.
"Go ahead. If that's my choice then do it. I would rather be dead than live out eternity with you."
Sighing, Joshua sat down on the couch, taking a sip of champagne before he spoke.
"Alison. Darling. Perhaps you just need some time to adjust to the idea. I could make you so happy. If you'd just entertain the idea for a moment, I could make you see that. I could make you see the life I can offer you. The kingdom I envision."
Alison turned away again, this time her eyes focused on the other painting in the room. She studied it closely, horrified at what she saw there.
Facing him once more she spoke again. Pointing to the painting she said, "Is that what you're talking about?"
"The New Port Charles? Well yes. That is."
"You intend to take over the town, to make it Vampire Central?"
"Such a common name but yes, you have the right idea."
"What is that there?" Alison continued, her horror growing with each glance at the painting. "You intend to keep people penned up near the river? For what reason?"
"Well. We will all need to dine somewhere. Think of it as a 24 hour café."
"You are sicker than I ever imagined." She said now feeling violently ill.
"I'm sure that's true. You have realized my intentions and now, I will share with you my desire. I want you to rule this new place with me. I want you to be my bride, my queen."
"I will never be a part of this twisted fairy tale of yours, Joshua. You need to give it up."
Joshua's patience was wearing thin. He placed his glass down and walked over to her. He gripped her arm tightly as he spoke.
"Listen carefully my dear girl. I was hoping you'd come into this marriage willingly and quietly. I was hoping you'd enjoy the opportunity I am offering you. I can see that you've been blinded by your love for that pathetic do-gooder, and refuse to see how truly wonderful you're life with me will be. I had wished it would not have come to this, but I don't have time to waste trying to sway you with soft words and romance. There will be time for that later."
Joshua ran a finger down the side of her throat. Alison cringed at his touch as he continued.
"Cutting to the chase, I will now tell you the consequences you face if you defy me. I am sure it will make you reconsider."
"Joshua, I will never consent to becoming your wife. Listen to me closely. I love Rafe. My heart belongs to him. I love him with everything I have, with my whole heart and soul. I will never want you or any other man because I am his and only his forever. There is nothing you can say that can convince me to marry you."
"Are you sure? I beg to differ. I have something to say that I am certain will make you change your mind. Sit down, my dear so I can spin a tale for you."
Joshua pushed Alison back into an overstuffed chair. He pulled a footstool over and sat on it before her. Alison looked at him with disgust, causing him to smirk with delight. Her expression will change soon enough, he thought to himself. He looked her straight in the eye and began to speak.
"Surely, you have noticed that there are more and more of us roaming the streets of Port Charles each day. We are taking over, slowly but surely. You know well, my dear that there are only two so-called slayers in town. One is experienced and holds a great deal of power. The other, your dear Ms. Coe, is losing her powers rapidly. Were you aware of that?"
Suddenly full of worry and concern for Lucy, Alison softly said, "No. Oh my God. Lucy."
"Well. I assure you it is the truth. Now, I can see you are concerned, but please, let me continue. I am sure you have now guessed whom I am referring to when I talk of the one slayer who still has any power at all. Your precious Rafe."
Just hearing Rafe's name filled Alison's eyes with tears. She bowed her head and stared at her hands in her lap, her fingers twirling the ring he had given her as she did. They were always connected and Alison prayed he could hear her thoughts now. "Help me, Rafe. Please. I know you'll find me."
"Aw. Hold your tears. You haven't heard the end of the story, my dear. The sad part has not yet begun. I will get to that in due time, but as a preview let me say this. He will be the one to suffer for your defiance. Rafe is the one who will pay most dearly."
Alison looked at Joshua then, already pleading for him to spare Rafe harm with her eyes.
Joshua stared back. He knew she'd comply once he'd heard his plans, but it would be far easier than he ever imagined. This thing called love that she shared with the slayer had such power. He could see her decision was nearly made, and he had not even mentioned the type of harm he had in mind. Joshua decided to fill her in anyway, in case she ever dared to have second thoughts, in case she dared to think that she could get away.
"Let me explain to you what will happen, my dear. If you insist on refusing my kind proposal to spend your eternal life with me, here is what will occur. The things I describe, what I will do to your darling fiancé, will happen because of your own choice."
Alison's eyes filled with horror as he spoke the next words, tears began to pour down her face. There was evil and then there was Joshua. She could barely believe her ears.
"I will capture your slayer. I will lock him in a cell, much like the one you visited here. I assure you, however, this one will be without so many luxuries. He will be held in a small, cramped, windowless, dank and dreary room. Don't worry, my dear. He won't be alone. I assure you the room will be crawling with various species of vermin - to keep him company."
Alison began to shiver at the image in her mind. To imagine Rafe being held prisoner at all was horrible enough. To imagine him tortured like this was unbearable. Tears ran down her cheeks, she didn't care what Joshua wanted with her anymore. She needed to spare Rafe the hell Joshua described.
Joshua knew he had her cooperation already, but to see her so distraught was actually making him happier by the second. He continued on.
"Rafe will be surrounded completely by darkness, all day, every day. No one will speak to him, on my orders. He will be given the smallest amount of food and water, just enough to keep him alive until he slowly but surely begins to lose his mind. If he defies me, if he fights me at all I will instruct his guards to beat him, to torture him in a number of imaginative ways until he complies. When I am sure he's been broken, when he is a shell of the man he once was, I will have my final revenge."
Alison was clearly sobbing, the unbelievably horrible image he had placed in her mind making her sick and even more furious. If Joshua were able to capture him, Rafe would fight him with all he had. She was sure that he would. Her choice was becoming clear. If she did not marry Joshua, Rafe would be hurt in worse ways than she ever imagined. "No-no-no." she cried.
"Yes. I had planned to give you a wedding gift, to turn you, to bestow the honor of being one of us on my blushing bride. But, since you have refused, I will simply hold you here, under nicer conditions than your "true love" of course, for as long as it takes to break him. When he is in the state I just described, I will allow you a small reunion before you both meet your ultimate death."
Alison continued to cry, continued to be tortured herself by the vision Joshua had placed in her mind. He was relentlessly cruel, as he continued to tell her how it would all end.
"I will bring him to you after he's been battered and destroyed and will let him look on in horror as - well, I see no need to sugar coat it, he will look on as I kill you. By biting your flesh and draining you of every last drop of your blood, I will take your life. Then, after you are gone, I will leave him to die."
"No." Alison said again. It was not her own death she feared, but the thought of such a fate for the man she loved with all her heart and soul.
"At that point his death should happen quite quickly. But of course, there is a way to change the ending of that sad story my sweet. You become mine, and I will spare him."
Joshua was right. Here was the one thing she could not bear. She could not have Rafe die that horrible death because she was too scared or too stubborn to give in. He had a second chance at life and could live it if she did this. She would save him. It was her only option.
"You will leave him alone?" she asked finally.
"I will."
"You won't hurt him? You'll keep him safe?" she asked again.
Joshua watched his victory unfold. He spoke again. "I know that your so- called prince will come here eventually to rescue you. You will need to send him away. Once he leaves, I will spare him. But he needs to leave peacefully. If he attacks, I will follow through with my original plan. I will have you, and I will crush him."
Alison could not believe it had come to this, but it was her only choice. Rafe could not die that way. If she had any hope at all that he would be spared she would do whatever Joshua demanded of her. She loved Rafe far too much to let it happen if she could stop it.
Alison continued to sob, grieving for the loss of her dream, which had been so simple. Her dream was to build a life and a family with Rafe. If she did this, he will have the chance to find someone else to love, to maybe realize the dream himself. He'd probably be too stubborn to take the chance, but at least she could spare him the torturous death Joshua described.
She sobbed at the thought of what Joshua could do to her, but she knew in her heart, if she stayed with him she could keep everyone she loved and cared about safe. She could influence how his plans get carried out. She could work from the inside, doing as much good as she could. Maybe she'd find a way to destroy Joshua herself. If she did, Rafe would be alive and they could possibly be together again. It was the only hope she had. This was the only solution.
Her voice was full of pain, her breath broken as she said finally, "You have won, Joshua. I will be your wife."
Author's note: Get out the Kleenex Rali fans - it's going to get really sad soon. Almost as sad as PC being cancelled. ( which is the saddest thing ever. Never fear - there's always a happy ending - well at least until something else pops up!
Frank dragged Alison into his new dwelling, bringing her straight to Joshua.
"Careful, Franklin. Don't bruise her. You can unhand her. She won't be going anywhere."
Frank finally let her go. She stood in front of Joshua, scared but furious.
"Now, leave us alone. We're in need of some quiet time."
Alison waited until Frank had left the room before she spoke.
"What is it that you want now, Joshua?" her voice full of contempt.
"Such a fiery little thing. I adore that about you."
Alison glared at him.
"There is so much I want from you. We have plenty of time to discuss it all, an eternity, in fact. Right now, I'd want you to join me in a glass of champagne."
"No." she said simply.
"Oh, I insist, my dear. It's a fine vintage I assure you."
"I don't give a damn what vintage it is. I know how you operate, Joshua. You'll drug me in a heartbeat. I'll drink nothing you serve me."
"Now, now. Always pointing out my past transgressions. But I'm happy to see you have some restraint. It's a quality your dear mother never possessed."
"Don't you even speak to me about my mother."
"Alison, my dear girl, you know I have much gratitude towards you mother. She made me what I am today."
"She did not do it for you. She did it to protect me from you."
"Seems many people want to protect you. It is lucky for me they do such a poor job."
Alison did not respond.
"Now, my love you ask me what I want with you. They say that a picture is worth a thousand words, so why don't you take a look behind you for the answer to your question."
Alison turned her back to him, and her eyes caught an image of her own. She stared at the portrait.
"You can't be serious." She said as she spun around to face Joshua again.
"I most certainly am. In fact, I am deadly serious."
Her voice shook with rage as she spoke, "I will never marry you."
"Never say never my dear."
"Oh, I'll say it, because it's the truth. There is no way in hell I will ever be your wife."
"Hell might just be a state of mind. Because I assure you, if you continue to fight me on this I will create your own personal hell. When I do, marrying me will not only be my wish, but yours as well. Of course, it will then be too late."
Alison continued to stare at him. He was out of his mind. She decided to try again.
"It won't work, Joshua. I can't marry you. I am already married."
"My dear, I remember well that you tried to tie the knot with that silly slayer. But you know as well as I do that you did not succeed. A little question of your being siblings threw a wrench in things."
"We may not be husband and wife in the eyes of the law, but in the eyes of God we most certainly are. Rafe and I are married. I am his, Joshua. I always have been. I will never belong to anyone else."
"You will be mine."
"Perhaps you didn't hear me, Joshua. I said never. I will kill myself first."
"You're so dramatic, my dear. No need to inflict harm on yourself. It'd be my pleasure to do it for you."
Alison folded her arms across her chest and looked him straight in the eye. She was unbelievably frightened but she knew she had the strength to face him. He would have to kill her then because she could not imagine having to marry him, having to live with him. Death would be a much better option.
"Go ahead. If that's my choice then do it. I would rather be dead than live out eternity with you."
Sighing, Joshua sat down on the couch, taking a sip of champagne before he spoke.
"Alison. Darling. Perhaps you just need some time to adjust to the idea. I could make you so happy. If you'd just entertain the idea for a moment, I could make you see that. I could make you see the life I can offer you. The kingdom I envision."
Alison turned away again, this time her eyes focused on the other painting in the room. She studied it closely, horrified at what she saw there.
Facing him once more she spoke again. Pointing to the painting she said, "Is that what you're talking about?"
"The New Port Charles? Well yes. That is."
"You intend to take over the town, to make it Vampire Central?"
"Such a common name but yes, you have the right idea."
"What is that there?" Alison continued, her horror growing with each glance at the painting. "You intend to keep people penned up near the river? For what reason?"
"Well. We will all need to dine somewhere. Think of it as a 24 hour café."
"You are sicker than I ever imagined." She said now feeling violently ill.
"I'm sure that's true. You have realized my intentions and now, I will share with you my desire. I want you to rule this new place with me. I want you to be my bride, my queen."
"I will never be a part of this twisted fairy tale of yours, Joshua. You need to give it up."
Joshua's patience was wearing thin. He placed his glass down and walked over to her. He gripped her arm tightly as he spoke.
"Listen carefully my dear girl. I was hoping you'd come into this marriage willingly and quietly. I was hoping you'd enjoy the opportunity I am offering you. I can see that you've been blinded by your love for that pathetic do-gooder, and refuse to see how truly wonderful you're life with me will be. I had wished it would not have come to this, but I don't have time to waste trying to sway you with soft words and romance. There will be time for that later."
Joshua ran a finger down the side of her throat. Alison cringed at his touch as he continued.
"Cutting to the chase, I will now tell you the consequences you face if you defy me. I am sure it will make you reconsider."
"Joshua, I will never consent to becoming your wife. Listen to me closely. I love Rafe. My heart belongs to him. I love him with everything I have, with my whole heart and soul. I will never want you or any other man because I am his and only his forever. There is nothing you can say that can convince me to marry you."
"Are you sure? I beg to differ. I have something to say that I am certain will make you change your mind. Sit down, my dear so I can spin a tale for you."
Joshua pushed Alison back into an overstuffed chair. He pulled a footstool over and sat on it before her. Alison looked at him with disgust, causing him to smirk with delight. Her expression will change soon enough, he thought to himself. He looked her straight in the eye and began to speak.
"Surely, you have noticed that there are more and more of us roaming the streets of Port Charles each day. We are taking over, slowly but surely. You know well, my dear that there are only two so-called slayers in town. One is experienced and holds a great deal of power. The other, your dear Ms. Coe, is losing her powers rapidly. Were you aware of that?"
Suddenly full of worry and concern for Lucy, Alison softly said, "No. Oh my God. Lucy."
"Well. I assure you it is the truth. Now, I can see you are concerned, but please, let me continue. I am sure you have now guessed whom I am referring to when I talk of the one slayer who still has any power at all. Your precious Rafe."
Just hearing Rafe's name filled Alison's eyes with tears. She bowed her head and stared at her hands in her lap, her fingers twirling the ring he had given her as she did. They were always connected and Alison prayed he could hear her thoughts now. "Help me, Rafe. Please. I know you'll find me."
"Aw. Hold your tears. You haven't heard the end of the story, my dear. The sad part has not yet begun. I will get to that in due time, but as a preview let me say this. He will be the one to suffer for your defiance. Rafe is the one who will pay most dearly."
Alison looked at Joshua then, already pleading for him to spare Rafe harm with her eyes.
Joshua stared back. He knew she'd comply once he'd heard his plans, but it would be far easier than he ever imagined. This thing called love that she shared with the slayer had such power. He could see her decision was nearly made, and he had not even mentioned the type of harm he had in mind. Joshua decided to fill her in anyway, in case she ever dared to have second thoughts, in case she dared to think that she could get away.
"Let me explain to you what will happen, my dear. If you insist on refusing my kind proposal to spend your eternal life with me, here is what will occur. The things I describe, what I will do to your darling fiancé, will happen because of your own choice."
Alison's eyes filled with horror as he spoke the next words, tears began to pour down her face. There was evil and then there was Joshua. She could barely believe her ears.
"I will capture your slayer. I will lock him in a cell, much like the one you visited here. I assure you, however, this one will be without so many luxuries. He will be held in a small, cramped, windowless, dank and dreary room. Don't worry, my dear. He won't be alone. I assure you the room will be crawling with various species of vermin - to keep him company."
Alison began to shiver at the image in her mind. To imagine Rafe being held prisoner at all was horrible enough. To imagine him tortured like this was unbearable. Tears ran down her cheeks, she didn't care what Joshua wanted with her anymore. She needed to spare Rafe the hell Joshua described.
Joshua knew he had her cooperation already, but to see her so distraught was actually making him happier by the second. He continued on.
"Rafe will be surrounded completely by darkness, all day, every day. No one will speak to him, on my orders. He will be given the smallest amount of food and water, just enough to keep him alive until he slowly but surely begins to lose his mind. If he defies me, if he fights me at all I will instruct his guards to beat him, to torture him in a number of imaginative ways until he complies. When I am sure he's been broken, when he is a shell of the man he once was, I will have my final revenge."
Alison was clearly sobbing, the unbelievably horrible image he had placed in her mind making her sick and even more furious. If Joshua were able to capture him, Rafe would fight him with all he had. She was sure that he would. Her choice was becoming clear. If she did not marry Joshua, Rafe would be hurt in worse ways than she ever imagined. "No-no-no." she cried.
"Yes. I had planned to give you a wedding gift, to turn you, to bestow the honor of being one of us on my blushing bride. But, since you have refused, I will simply hold you here, under nicer conditions than your "true love" of course, for as long as it takes to break him. When he is in the state I just described, I will allow you a small reunion before you both meet your ultimate death."
Alison continued to cry, continued to be tortured herself by the vision Joshua had placed in her mind. He was relentlessly cruel, as he continued to tell her how it would all end.
"I will bring him to you after he's been battered and destroyed and will let him look on in horror as - well, I see no need to sugar coat it, he will look on as I kill you. By biting your flesh and draining you of every last drop of your blood, I will take your life. Then, after you are gone, I will leave him to die."
"No." Alison said again. It was not her own death she feared, but the thought of such a fate for the man she loved with all her heart and soul.
"At that point his death should happen quite quickly. But of course, there is a way to change the ending of that sad story my sweet. You become mine, and I will spare him."
Joshua was right. Here was the one thing she could not bear. She could not have Rafe die that horrible death because she was too scared or too stubborn to give in. He had a second chance at life and could live it if she did this. She would save him. It was her only option.
"You will leave him alone?" she asked finally.
"I will."
"You won't hurt him? You'll keep him safe?" she asked again.
Joshua watched his victory unfold. He spoke again. "I know that your so- called prince will come here eventually to rescue you. You will need to send him away. Once he leaves, I will spare him. But he needs to leave peacefully. If he attacks, I will follow through with my original plan. I will have you, and I will crush him."
Alison could not believe it had come to this, but it was her only choice. Rafe could not die that way. If she had any hope at all that he would be spared she would do whatever Joshua demanded of her. She loved Rafe far too much to let it happen if she could stop it.
Alison continued to sob, grieving for the loss of her dream, which had been so simple. Her dream was to build a life and a family with Rafe. If she did this, he will have the chance to find someone else to love, to maybe realize the dream himself. He'd probably be too stubborn to take the chance, but at least she could spare him the torturous death Joshua described.
She sobbed at the thought of what Joshua could do to her, but she knew in her heart, if she stayed with him she could keep everyone she loved and cared about safe. She could influence how his plans get carried out. She could work from the inside, doing as much good as she could. Maybe she'd find a way to destroy Joshua herself. If she did, Rafe would be alive and they could possibly be together again. It was the only hope she had. This was the only solution.
Her voice was full of pain, her breath broken as she said finally, "You have won, Joshua. I will be your wife."
Author's note: Get out the Kleenex Rali fans - it's going to get really sad soon. Almost as sad as PC being cancelled. ( which is the saddest thing ever. Never fear - there's always a happy ending - well at least until something else pops up!