Chapter 21

Pulling up under the Porte conchere, Barnabas helped Vicki out of the car and left Maggie and Willie to get her things out of the car. Moving to the front door of the entrance, they paused a moment.

"I suppose everything is under control and we can enter?"

Vicki opened the door and found the house strangely silent. "Mother? Carolyn? Is anyone home?"

George Patterson moved from the den into the entrance. "Hello honey. The house has been searched from top to bottom so the all clear as been issued."

Vicki moved to place a chaste kiss on her father's cheek. "Thank you Daddy, I feel very safe with you, the boys and Penny staying here."

Liz moved into the doorway from the drawing-room. "Darling, come into the drawing-room, George and I have something to say."

George was grinning from ear to ear and moved to put his arm around Elizabeth. Barnabas, Vicki, Elizabeth and George moved into the drawing-room.

Liz looked at George, "Do you want to tell her?"

Vicki was getting excited she had anticipated the news and held close to Barnabas. "George and I were talking and we have decided after the proper amount of time passes, we will be quietly married here in the drawing-room."

Vicki rushed to hug her mother and then her father. "I think fall of next year will be a good time to do this."

George was looking from Barnabas to Liz as he spoke and held tightly to Vicki standing at his side and protected in his arm that held tightly to her waist.

Liz smiled at George, "So, I have asked George, the boys and Penny to move in. They are going to move in after your wedding."

Vicki could not tell them how happy she was to hear this. She knew with George in the premises the family would be a lot safer.

"I am so happy for you both. Of course I would want my parents to be together, this is one of the perfect wedding gifts you could have given me. Thank you." She moved to kiss her mother's cheek and hug her and then did the same for George.

"Darling will you be staying here tonight or at the old house?" Liz asked as she moved to sit on the bench in front of the fireplace.

Barnabas answered for her, "Vicki will be staying at the old house tonight, we have a lot of deliveries being made tomorrow and I will need to be in Bangor."

Liz smiled at Barnabas, "Then you to should stay for dinner. We were going to make this announcement to the children at dinner. It would be nice to have you there for the announcement."

Barnabas moved to sit on the sofa and looked from George to Liz, "Of course we will be here for the announcement, we would have it no other way."

Vicki turned to look at Barnabas, "I could get my things we could go back to the old house and then come back for dinner. I really was hoping for a shower and a change of clothing."

Liz smiled, "That is fine my dear."

Vicki moved to kiss her mother's cheek one more time and disappeared upstairs. Pausing on the landing to look over the entrance and smiled, such a short time ago, she had come here a stranger and now this just seemed natural.

Opening the door to the second floor, she moved down the hallway to her bedroom. Going into her bedroom she went to her closet, upon opening it she was struck by an odd sensation.

There was something wrong about the way her clothing was arranged. It appeared someone had gone through her wardrobe and hastily put it back into the closet.

Stepping back, she looked the room over and again; the corner of a piece of material in her dresser draw was caught when the drawer closed. Moving to the drawer, she opened the drawer and found all her clothing was a jumbled mess.

She wondered if David had been in her room but knew better and went about refolding her things. Pushing the irritation aside she packed a bag for the evening and picked out a dress to wear to dinner and hurried from the room.

Going out to the car she found Maggie had moved her things out and Vicki put her things in the back of the car.

Willie leaned negligently against the banister of the grand staircase arms folded as he awaited Barnabas.

"Willie, I will get Barnabas and we can leave when you are ready."

He smiled and nodded. "Oh and Vicki thanks for allowing us to put more stuff in the kitchen. Barnabas also hired a cook and house keeper once you and he are married."

Vicki stopped and smiled at Willie, "And your place? What will it be then? I am not so sure I am going to enjoy another cooks food as much as I have enjoyed yours."

Willie broke into a big smile, "Thank you Vicki, that is nice of you to say."

Vicki moved past him and walked into the drawing-room. "Maggie is all settled in and I have taken my things out to the car. Oh by the way did anyone go into my room and search?"

George stood up and frowned slightly, "We walked in and opened up your closet."

Vicki frowned, "Not my drawers?" George shook his head. "We only opened the closets and that is it. Why? What is this about?"

Vicki sighed deeply perturbed, "Well I found my dresses rearranged and my dresser drawers messed up."

George truly looked disturbed, "Was anything missing?"

Vicki shook her head no.

Liz stood and moved to George's side. "What does this mean?"

George looked frustrated and turned to pat Liz's hand. "it means that whoever was in here last night must have hidden in Vicki's room and then rank sacked her things looking for something. We really need to put in an alarm system here Elizabeth, something to prevent this from happening again."

Roger walked in from the foyer and nodded to Willie waiting by the staircase. "Loomis is still waiting."

Roger moved to the liquor bar and poured himself a drink. "Why is everyone looking so upset?"

He turned to look at all the concerned filled faces and took a sip.

"Roger, did you find anything out-of-place or missing from your room?"

Taking his drink he moved to sit in one of the wing back chairs. "No, everything was fine. Why?"

Liz moved to stand by the French windows. "Because Vicki's room had been rand sacked. George thinks we need an alarm system.'

Roger snorted and shook his head, dryly he spoke, "With all the ghosts we have anyone trying to break in here would be a fool. Vicki my dear are you sure it was not a prank pulled by David?"

Vicki nodded, "I am positive it was not David."

Roger sighed and sipped his drink, and then looked at Liz, "You would think with the Sheriff of the county going to move in here, that anyone wanting to do damage or cause harm would have to be idiotic. That or an utter and complete fool."

George went to Liz, "It was just a suggestion honey, nothing more."

Liz smiled at George and shook her head. "No, I suppose we should have an alarm put in. I have a safe in my room that houses the family jewels that is something I suppose I do not have to worry about."

Barnabas turned to Vicki, "Maybe we should go. We have been gone all day from the old house. I want to make sure that nothing is amiss there."

Vicki went to kiss Liz on the cheek and then kissed her Uncle Roger and then her father. "We will see you later."

Barnabas helped her on with her coat then put on his coat and the three of them went out the door.

Gilda drifted from room to room and turned twisting and finding her perusal of the house fun. "Oh yes, I am going to have a lot of fun with this one."

She moved into Josette's room and looked around seeing Vicki's clothing in the closet and her personal items on the vanity. "Oh and I know exactly how I am going to get you to come to me."

She went to her closet and pulled out a dress. "How dull can you get Victoria"

She took the dress off the hanger and paused, the picture over the fireplace gave off an eerie glow. "What is this mischief? I know you are there, you may as well show yourself."

Josette's ghost appeared in the middle of the room and she looked at Gilda. "Oh you are the spirit that once was his greatest love." Josette did not speak she just studied the woman. "So you cannot speak from the world of the dead?"

Josette drifted past her and to the vanity. She touched the various items there and turned, "No, I can speak. I just chose not to. What are you doing here?"

Gilda laughed and moved to the picture of the once lovely French woman. "I am here to make Barnabas mine."

Josette sighed deeply and moved to the windows facing the front gardens. "You will not succeed. He is very much in love with Victoria."

Gilda laughed, "You should not under-estimate me Josette Collins. I can be very persuasive."

Josette turned and glared at Gilda, "Then I will warn him."

Gilda shrugged, "You will see that your threats mean very little to me. Do what you must, what has been pre ordained cannot be undone."

Gilda took the dress and moved to dab some of Vicki's perfume on her throat and behind her ears. "Lilacs, how uninteresting. Unlike the jasmine you are wearing."

The sound of Willie, Barnabas and Vicki coming into the house allowed the distraction Gilda needed to turn to smoke and drift from the room.

Josette was feeling frustrated as she watched Gilda disappear from the room. "Evil one you will not harm Barnabas."

She drifted back to her picture and tried to enter the picture and found her body earth-bound. "What is going on?"

A soft chuckle of familiar evil intent filtered into the room and Josette turned, "The witch is behind all of this. I must warn Barnabas."

Angelique appeared in the room from behind the curtains that Gilda had disappeared through. "I don't think so Josette, every time you find that you wish to warn Barnabas of what is about to befall him and his precious Vicki, my dear Josette, you will find you cannot speak. You may not be of human form any more but you are not free of my powers."

Josette disappeared from Angelique and was left with her mocking laughter.

Vicki stood back to survey the ballroom. The chairs for the wedding ceremony were set up and the soft blue ribbons decorated each row of chairs.

The same decorations adorned the reception area chairs. A moment of excitement filled Vicki as she stood back and surveyed the room. This was for her and she was marrying the man she loved who would become her life partner.

She had avoided him all day to pay homage to the superstition of bad luck seeing the groom on the day of her marriage. The whole house had been a buzz since they got up. The day began with a bridal breakfast for Vicki, the family, and her bridal party.

George moved into the ballroom and stood by Vicki and smiled down at her. "So, do you have your something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue?"

Vicki shook her head. "I have everything but the blue." George reached into his pocket and pulled out a large sapphire ring set on a gold band.

"This was your Grandmother Julianka's ring. It was handed down from her great Aunt that died while on a mission for her brother Johnny Romano. Everyone said she looked like her Aunt Julianka and that is why she was named for her. This has been in the family for many years. As the oldest daughter of my family, I am going to let you borrow this and then decide if you wish to keep it." Vicki felt a prickle of tears as she looked down at the ring.

"I shall cherish this ring and for now consider it borrowed until Penny marries. Then maybe I can loan it to her and she can keep it."

George folded his hand over hers and shook his head. "I gave Penny Grandmother Patterson's ruby medallion necklace as a graduation present. This is something I am letting you pass on to your children."

Vicki hugged her father and laid her head on his shoulder. "I love you Daddy. Thank you."

He kissed the top of her head. From the doorway, there was the sound of a polite cough and Roger entered the room. "Am I interrupting anything?"

George smiled turning to Roger and turned back to Vicki loose as he turned to leave her with Roger. "Wait George, I actually came to talk to both of you."

George turned back and walked to stand next to Roger.

"When we walk Vicki down the aisle, I thought we should practice this."

Vicki smiled and looked from her father to her Uncle. "Well, I was thinking that I would hold my bouquet like this."

And she demonstrated it, George hooked his arm through her right arm and Roger hooked his arm through her left arm and they practiced how she would be taken down the aisle by both men.

It flowed so naturally for both men to walk side by side with her that she was thrilled. As they did it again and all of them became comfortable, Vicki tip toed to kiss them both on the cheek and moved to check the reception area, leaving Roger and George to speak quietly with one another.

Liz entered Vicki's bedroom carrying an elaborate lace veil. Vicki bent down as Liz pinned it in her hair.

"I had Carolyn take your reception dress down to the room you used to change in when you did your waltz. So after the people go through the receiving line you will have time to go and change. Darling, I must tell you how beautiful you look."

Vicki smiled and kissed her mother on the cheek. "Thank you for letting me use Naomi's veil. It is so perfect with this dress and somehow I think that Naomi would have been pleased that I was allowed to wear it. She liked me."

Liz straightened the veil over her shoulder and stood back to look at her, "Joshua had it made in France and shipped to Naomi to wear when they got married. Every Collins bride has used this veil and now it is right that you wear it on your wedding day to a Collins."

Penny entered first to the soft strands of the music and the sweet tone of Patricia Johnson, began to sing Ava Maria. Carolyn followed Penny, then Maggie, and finally Julia moved down the aisle, leaving Roger and George to wait for Vicki to step between them.

Vicki waited and then the music of Josette's music box began to play. Hearing the sweet music being played on a piano, Vicki waited and then with George on her right and Roger on her left she moved forward.

It was then George being the father saw that Vicki had eyes only for Barnabas. This was from the moment she stepped between them, and they each took an elbow and moved down the aisle with her. Vicki held a radiant smile as she moved towards her groom.

Some where deep in the bowls of the Tepes crypt the 13 men moved in the sacrifices, stripped and laying them into a curved concrete bed, they systematically began to slit their necks, letting the sacrificial innocents' blood flow into the center vat that held the ashes of Vlad Tepes. The hum of their chant echoed the chamber as the vat of blood began to roil and bubble. An unholy scream erupted and the blood-covered body of a man arose from the vat of blood.

The chanters rushed forward with blankets and wrapped the blood covered form in the blanket and moved it to a crypt, the chanting continued as other followers moved forward to remove the dead blood drained bodies from the sacrificial beds dumping them into the vat the figure had previously occupied.

Laying the forming body of bone, sinew, and blood in a stone crypt. They formed a circle around the crypt and finished their chant. All eyes were closed as they watched the crypt began to form a mist and a hand moved from the interior of the crypt.

Vicki turned to look at Barnabas and turned to hand her bouquet of flowers to Maggie, the Judge turned and asked, "Who gives this bride in marriage?"

Roger spoke first, "I her Uncle, gives her in marriage." Then George turned and helped Liz step forward and took Vicki's hand and handed it over to Barnabas, "Her mother and her father give her hand in marriage to this man."

Barnabas took her hand and nodded to Roger, George, and Liz and smiling happily, raised Vicki's hand to his lips and kissed it, then held it and they turned to face Judge Hanley. Judge Hanley smiled and welcomed the guests. As he began the service of uniting Vicki and Barnabas, a darker ritual was still happening thousands of miles away.

Vlad rose from the crypt, and turned accepting his jacket, standing he looked to his brother-in-law, his father in law and the rest of the council. Not addressing anyone in particular he asked, "Have you completed the assignment?"

Heimlich moved forward and bowed to Vlad, "My Lord, Radu is in the United States as we speak. He has taken Gilda and he awaits your orders to move."

They moved to the car and Vlad slid in. "The witch?" He asked as he waited before closing the door. "She waits for you at the Castle." Vlad closed the door of the car and sat silent as the chauffeur drove him towards his home.

Entering his castle, he moved to the guest bedroom, knowing she would be there. Opening the door he stepped in and looked to the bed. She certainly was as beautiful as he was told and she smiled beguilingly at him. "You are Angelique?"

She nodded and stood from the bed. "Everything is in place my Lord Tepes, all you have to do is say the word and your command is my wish."

She was beautiful, but not as beautiful as his Elizabeta.

"I will need a month to gain back my strength. Then we will be ready to move. However, until then . . ."

He moved to Angelique and captured her lips and pulled her to him kissing her deeply. Pushing her away he stood back and moved from her room. Angelique pressed her fingertips to her lips, they felt bruised and she had never felt so much power in one man.

Smiling she felt triumphant. Now, not only would that milk toast Vicki Winters be taken care of, she would have her revenge on Barnabas and he would be as he was, undead, broken and grieving the loss of another love. This filled her with such joy she began to laugh that deliciously evil laugh.

Back at Collinwood, Judge Hanley turned the happy couple around and introduced them to the assembly, "Ladies and Gentlemen, may I present Mr. and Mrs. Barnabas Collins. Barnabas you may kiss your bride."

Barnabas pulled Vicki into his arms and kissed her and then lifted her hand and kissed it, again to the music of Josette's music box, they moved down the aisle as man and wife, followed by Julia, Elliott, Maggie, Joe, Carolyn, Willie, Penny, and Quentin to form a receiving line.

Row by row the guests were directed to stand and go through the receiving line. The bridesmaids were looking stunning in their strikingly beautiful red gowns and the men dressed in black tie and tails.

As the guests filed past and shook hands and exchange chaste congratulatory kisses to the cheek, Vicki was so self-conscious that Barnabas was standing next to her as her husband and that tonight he would fulfill his husbandly rights.

The thought of this thrilled and frightened her. Thanking everyone for coming the final guest moved past them, and Vicki excused herself to go and change into her reception dress. Barnabas patiently waited for her outside of the room. His thoughts were complete with how happy he was and afraid it would end too soon.

When Vicki opened the door and stepped out in her reception dress, Barnabas was as enchanted with this dress as he had been with her ceremony dress.

"My dear may I tell you how lovely you look." Vicki blushed and reached for his hand. "Well shall we go and do the opening dance?" He led her to the entrance of the ballroom and the bandleader announced to the guests.

"Ladies and Gentleman, may I present Mr. and Mrs. Barnabas Collins." Applause echoed the room as the couple entered the room and took up place in the middle of the dance floor. As the music to Josette's music box once again resounded through the night, Barnabas and Vicki danced the minuet. The dance finished Barnabas bowed to Vicki and she curtsied to Barnabas, he led her off the floor to their table.

The floor opened up for more dancers and George went to have a dance with his daughter. Barnabas in-turn danced with Elizabeth. As the formalities were performed, the guests were being served a meal.

Then the dance floor was open for all guests to dance if they choose to do so. Vicki glowed as she was enveloped in the love of her new family and husband. The Dunst twins were a main attraction with their brother on the dance floor as they took turns moving around the room to the music.

Barnabas leaned over to Vicki and whispered in her ear, "I have a surprise for you my love. We will be leaving first thing in the morning for a honeymoon cruise."

Vicki hugged her husband tightly and squealed with delight. "Oh Barnabas when did you arrange that?" Her eyes shone brightly as she peered at him.

"The day I left you and Maggie at the Blue Whale."

Vicki kissed him, "And where are we going?"

Barnabas smiled and leaned over to kiss her lips lightly. "A surprise for my love. We have the honeymoon suite of rooms on the cruise ship. I promise you it will be days of sunshine and evenings filled with wine and star lights."

Vicki leaned into him and spoke softly, "Do you know what? As long as I am with you, it does not matter where we go. If we were poor as paupers and living under a bridge, I would be happy as long as I am with you."

Barnabas took her hand and pulled her up and took her to the dance floor. Barnabas nodded to the bandleader and he began the music to "The Closer I get to you."

The male singer was enchanting and in his own way made the song more personal as they glided around the room, Vicki glowing and Barnabas enchanted with his new bride.

As the song ended, Vicki nodded to the bandleader and he played ' The only girl in the world," with a black female vocalist singing the song. It was a more upbeat song and Vicki smiled as her husband adapted to the music and glided with her held close to him. As the song ended, he bent over and whispered in her ear.

"After this dance, I am going to announce to everyone that we will be taking our leave. Elizabeth said she would make sure Willie had help to take our wedding presents to the Old House, we can open them when we get back as I am sure we will need to send out thank you notes to everyone."

He kissed her as they danced on the floor and for the first time for a very long time Vicki felt herself ecstatically happy. She felt her life wrapped in the light of love and was grateful that she was who she was and now was the wife of Barnabas Collins.

Vlad Tepes sat at the large desk in his den. He looked over at his attorney, "I wish to see the file now please." The attorney handed over a large file and Vlad opened the file and pulled out a stack of photographs. Laying them all out on the table he looked at them.

"This is?"

He picked up a picture of Elizabeth Stoddard, "That would be her mother Elizabeth Stoddard. Victoria just found out that Mrs. Stoddard was her mother."

He picked up Carolyn's picture and Vlad studied it. "She reminds me of Ravinia."

The attorney looked at his page and smiled, "That is her ½ sister Carolyn Stoddard."

He picked up the picture of Roger Collins,

"Her Uncle Roger Collins."

The picture of David, "That is David Collins, son of Roger Collins."

He studied the picture of Maggie Evans and Quentin Collins. "That is her best friend Maggie Evans, and a cousin Quentin Collins."

Vlad smiled, "Ah, the immortal werewolf Quentin Collins."

Laying the pictures down he reached for the picture of Victoria and looked at it for a long time.

"She is Elizabeta, she just does not remember. The witch says she can open those memories. I don't trust the witch; she will need to be contained until I have what I want. I do not want her to meddle with my revenge."

Holding Victoria's picture he moved to lay it on a side table, then going back to the desk with the other pictures.

"I want Gilda to distract Collins. I think I would like him here to witness my wedding to Elizabeta. So, we start with the woman who resembled Collins mother, and is the mother to my beloved Elizabeth\a. We shall see if Count Rudolph would like to entertain her. Then we will send Petru to seduce the sister Carolyn. How right that we shall have her entire family here."

The lawyer paused and glanced at the pictures he had grouped together. "What of her father?" Vlad waved his hand. "She has a father. We do not need the father."

Then Vlad moved to pick up Julia's picture. "Now for the estimable Doctor Hoffman. I have something very special in store for her. I believe that we shall send Sorin, to do what he does so well. I want her to be so afraid of what is going on around her, which she will be driven mad, or takes her life. Whichever, it matters not to me."

"And Victoria? When do you wish her brought here?" Vlad sat back and smiled. "By the end of this month, I shall be back to full strength. By that time, we will have all the arrangements made to have another wedding. I am a patient man, but even the most patient man can grow weary of waiting.

So, we shall wed under the laws of the Crown of Wallachia and she shall become my wife again. So, it is up to you to see to procuring the license and hiring the right people to see we have a proper wedding waiting for her when she returns."

The lawyer stood and gathered the pictures he had not selected and put them back in the file.

"Which castle shall we have these happy proceedings performed?" Vlad had stood in front of the window and his hands clasped behind his back. "The Summer Castle, make arrangements to have it readied for occupancy, let Count Rudolph know I will speak with him now."

The lawyer gathered the folder and left the pictures in a stack on his desk. The picture of Elizabeth sat on the top of the stack. The Count moved into the room passing the lawyer.

"My Prince, you have need of me?" Count Rudolph moved into the room.

"On my desk, the top picture."

Rudolph moved to lift the picture of Elizabeth. "Who is this lovely lady?"

Vlad smiled and turned to face his father in law. "Your new wife. This is Elizabeth Stoddard, Victoria's mother. I figure if she wishes to keep her mother alive, she will do as I ask. Not only is she Victoria's mother, she is the exact double for Barnabas' mother Naomi Collins, you will find Naomi's picture under that one." Count Rudolph moved to pick up Naomi's picture.

"She does have a striking resemblance to Naomi. The bloodline does have a persistent strength. "

Rudolph moved to sit in a chair in front of the desk and glanced over and saw Carolyn's picture. "And this blond beauty?"

Vlad smiled, "I think she will make a nice plaything for Petru, that is Carolyn Stoddard, Victoria's half-sister."

Count Rudolph began to chuckle, "You are surrounding her and leaving her no outlet."

Vlad smiled and turned his back to the window. "I am leaving no room for error this time. Collins will once again be as he was, an undead and under our council rule, her mother in your care, her sister a part of Petru's life and their precious Dr. Hoffman mad or dead. I will have what I deserve."

Rudolph sat back and glanced to see a picture of Angelique. "And the witch?"

Vlad smiled and moved to sit back behind his desk. "Once I am done with her, she will be cast back to hell, this I have promised Diablos. He wants her sent back to him. He is not done with her."

Rudolph laughed, "You are a shrewd man my son. So when do we begin?"

Vlad steeple his hands together and tapped them against his lips. "I want Petru gone by the end of the week. He must begin his part of this assignment by the end of next week. I have sent Sorin to begin his part of my plan tonight. Once Petru gets to Collinsport, he is to send Radu home. I wish to have him do some preparations for me. I will send my faithful gypsy servants to collect Mrs. Stoddard."

Rudolph looked down at the picture and smiled, "It will be nice to have a beauty such as her on my arm again. There is a lot to be said for a mature beauty such as her."

Vlad smiled, "I know she is not Marisa, but she will be a prize to show off to your friends. After all, she was the vessel of our Elizabeta to be brought back to us."

Rudolph stood, "Then I suppose I must have the Winter Chalet readied for her arrival. I will need to buy some proper clothing for her."

Vlad waved his hand. "Take whatever money you wish from the account of the council."

Vlad stood to show the conversation was concluding and moved to hug the old gentleman. "Soon Rudolph, we shall have our Elizabeta back."