Chapter 22
1845
Quentin entered the front doors, clutched in his hand a perfectly formed goose egg shaped stone of the purest deepest navy blue, it was so blue it was nearly black. He clutched it tightly in his hand. Stepping more fully into the drawing room he noted that Barnabas had set up a table in the center of the room and seated at the table was Angelique, Evan and Barnabas. Notably absent was Evan's alleged brother Peter. "One of us is missing. May I inquire as to why?" His gaze shifted over those seated at the table.
Angelique hungrily eyed the large egg shaped stone in his hand. "Simply because he does not like my brother he has decided to return home to Evans' house." She smiled but her gaze never left the stone he held in his hand. Holding out her delicate pale hand with carefully groomed long nails with her palm up she curled her hand motioning for him to hand over the stone.
"I take it Evan she knows more of the powers of this stone or how to use it than you?" Quentin gently laid the cold stone into the palm of her hand and watched her eyes light up with excitement. She was practically orgasmic with receiving the stone. As the stone touched her hand it gave a small arc of electricity. Quentin flinched and blinked not sure he just saw what had happened.
"Yes, actually she has had practice at this longer than I Quentin, that is how we managed to know one another and my brother met her." Evan smiled that slick swarmy smile and his eyes twinkled with open mischief when he looked towards Angelique now engrossed in the stone in her hand.
Barnabas did not like or this man and he was doing the best he could to keep from ripping out Angelique's throat. He did not trust her but she was his only hope. With every ounce of his being he crushed down his intenese dislike and he curbed his desires to try and end both their lives and pushing down the gnawing hunger for blood he chewed his inside jaw. Quentin noticed Barnabas narrowing his eyes, hands tensing on the table and the tick that appeared in his right jaw. This made Quentin curious, stepping forward her took a chair, sat and then cock his head.
Barnabas felt it a hint of a voice trying to reach out to him. "I feel her, I sense her voice, she is trying to contact me." Barnabas anxiously sat forward cocking his head and closing his eyes. Silently he replied. "Victoria!. . . Hold hope . . .we . . . are going to rescue you soon." Opening his eyes he smiled. "I have contacted her, I told her to hold on to hope we are going to rescue her. I need quiet so I can push out a little stronger to try and reassure her we are doing everything we can to bring her home." For Victoria there was a momentary pause in their conversation. When she heard him again, it was in a stronger voice in her mind. "Do you know where they have taken you?"
He listened carefully and frowned as she replied he opened his eyes and looked at those in the room "She says she is about a mile from Collinwood in a house by the sea that she knows as Seaview, I have not heard of such a place."
Quentin smiled, "I know it well, its not far from Collinwood and faces the seaboard side, it belonged to my cousin who lost his wife and then went to search for treasure and unfortunately for him he was lost as sea." Barnabas nodded and closed his eyes, again he forced his mind out. Speaking to her through their telepathy he frowned when the connection to her was immediately cut off while he was reassuring her they knew where she was.
Opening his eyes he looked at the smile on Angelique's face. She had held the eye of Pandora in her hand and had been whispering words and passing her hand over the egg. Watching her eyes grow wide when the egg began to glow and pulsate with a dark blue light. Feeling the power grow in her palm she began to chant. The words taking on a power of their own she smiled with the rush of absolute power ran throgh her hand and fingertips. Speaking more forcefully she chanted, "Take what was held and return it to the time before. Transport the image of my mind to the time before her time! From the past to the distant future, hide again what was hidden before!"
Barnabas stood abruptly knocking his chair backwards. "NO! What have you done you bitch!" He lunged at Angelique with his hands around her throat knocking her from her chair to the floor. The stone fell from her hand and in that moment, Victoria was transported to the year 2023. Leaving the curent surroundings of Seaview to find her self standing in an old disused house with a large black mass towering over her. Gasping softly she fell back against the wall watching the figure step into view.
2023
Collinsport Maine, Seaview Cottage
"Mother?" The voice was more refined and cultured but a familiar one. The large hand reached behind her and snapped on a light and the room came to life to temporarily blind Vicki. When her vision began to adjust to the eletric lighting she gasped softly. The lighting of the room revealed a gently aging Adam with greying temples, and a scar free face, standing in a charcol grey three-piece suit, dark navy tie, bright shiney patent leather shows and a wide smile lighting up his face. "How is this possible you have not aged at all!" He reached forward to cup her cheek in his large soft hand and smiled into her befuddled and confused gaze.
"Adam! You changed? Your scars are gone and your vocabulary has increased to that of a learned and distinguished educated man." She began to tear up looking at the large man now handsome and restored to a more normal look. "You are so handsome and look you have greying temples!" She gently touched the side of his face letting her fingers run through the soft grey hairs.
"The Collins Family said you went missing over forty three years ago mother. Where did you go? You missed out on so much. I am married with grown children. Barnabas was so distraught he moved back to England a broken hearted man because you were gone." He gently traced a large fingertip over her face. His eyes fixed to her standing before him.
"Forty-three years? I have been gone for that long?" She was incredulous. She watched him nod then gather her close to his chest. Resting his cheek against the softness of her hair, in inheld the scent of her and closed his eyes. In that moment once again Vicki felt the hair on her arms stand up as the static built around her and she was once again thrust through time and space to find herself standing in the center of her bedroom at Collinwood wearing the wedding dress that Elizabeth had hoped she would wear to marry Barnabas.
1969
Collinwood, Victoria's bedroom.
"What is going on?" she let out a soft breath and turned to the sound of a door opening behind her.
"I found it darling, Naomi's veil, it will go perfectly with the dress and may I say how lovely you look, you remind me of myself when I married Carolyn's father." She draped the veil over her head and lifted it to let it fall gracefully around her body. "You really must show Carolyn." She stepped forward and placed a motherly kiss on her forehead.
Vicki stepped back and shook her head and buried her face into her hands. "What is going on!" She whispered and once again felt the shift of time and space as she found herself now standing in the unfinished foyer of Collinwood wearing Naomi's veil and Elizabeth's dress. "No! This can't be happening not again!"
1795
Collinwood, foyer
The door opened and Jeremiah stepped through the door to peer at her in astonishment. "May I help you?" He was stunned seeing a beautiful woman in a white wedding gown of unusual make standing before his half finished house. Vicki fell back against the grand staircase shaking her head. "Have I gone mad? What is going on?" Then before Jeremiah could answer his figure shimmered and disappeared and Vicki found herself in a black void of nothingness. The air around her cool and the whispering voices from the past, the future, and the present were dancing around her making her feel she would surely die if she would not get out of this place. Then it happened again and she was standing in the center of the old house Drawing Room dressed in Liz's wedding dress looking confused and exhausted.
1845
Old House Drawing Room
Sitting at the table was Magda, Sandor, Julianka, Barnabas, Quentin and Evan Hanley. Angelique was gagged and tied to a chair and looking shocked to see Victoria Winters appear in a wedding dress in the room. Putting her fingertips to her face she turned watching Barnabas rush to her side holding onto a large blue stone. "Quickly, Victoria hold the stone it will stabilize you from any more transitions." He pressed the stone into her hand, closing his hand over hers.
The sensation of a thousand ants crawling through her body and the disorientation was beginning to clear. Exhausted she collapsed into Barnabas arms with a softly uttered moan. Barnabas swept her up in his arms. "Someone summon a doctor! I will take her to her room and whatever you do, do not take that gag off of that woman!"
Magda smirked, "Not to worry, she vill do no more 'arm in dis 'ouse again. I am about to send 'er back to 'er dark master who I am sure vill not be pleased she 'as failed 'er newest assignment. Julianka, come ve 'ave much to do." Sandor jerked Angelique up none too gently from her chair and forced her down the hallway towards the basement. The only sounds heard from Angelique were uttered muffled derogatory curses at being manhandled and Sandor was pretty sure she was threatening him
"Shut up vitch, ju are lucky ve send ju back in one piece." He shoved her down the stairs and out of sight. Magda and Julianka turned to look at Evan together, standing side by side, the lifted their hands and formed a triangle with their index fingers and thumbs together they began to speak in their native tongue, "Vă trimite înapoi la cel care susține sufletul nevrednic și nepocăit. Du-te la demonul întunericului, du-te unde ți-e locul și nu arată fața ta în această casă, din nou, l-am comanda pentru țiganii din tribul românești. În numele Johnny Romano. înapoi la cel care te nascut."
Quentin knew the language and translated the words in his mind, "We send you back to he who claims your unworthy and unrepentant soul. Go to the darkness demon, go where you belong and do not show your face in this house again, we command it for the gypsies of the Romanian tribe. In the name of Johnny Romano. Travel back to he who birthed you!" As they completed their chant Evan's body began to burst into flames and he screamed out in terror and pain.
Evan realizing what was about to happen, lifted his hands trying to ward off the sudden sensation of feeling his body torn apart and the insects crawling over his body and through his soul. Throwing up his arms he tried to shield his head and face but the only thing he was able to utter was. "NO! NO!" He was gone in a puff of smoke with the smell of brimstone and sulfur filling the air. Quentin chuckled seeing Evan vanquished from the old house and the presence of the gypsies. Clapping his hands applauding the power of the gypsies he stood and bowed to the two women. Magda snarled and then spit where Evan had sat. Julianka did the same.
"Ju are so smug Quentin, Ju do not take care of Jenny I put ze evil eye on ju next time. Come ve need to make sure Miss Victoria is going to be vell." Magda walked to the stairs and noticed that Quentin was now eying Julianka. "Ju take care Quentin Collins she belong to Romano tribe, zey are ze only vuns zat can hurt Petofi, ju don vant to upset Julianka's father 'e is King of all tribes 'e is Johnny Romano, ju stay avay from Julianka and take care of Jenny!" Magda left Quentin looking over Julianka.
"So, you are the famous Johnny Romano's daughter?" He said it as a question but it sounded more as a smug observation.
"I am, and I am going to my Aunt Magda now, she is right you need to take care of Jenny, why she chose you a gorger over one of her own we will always find it a mystery." Julianka who had been born in Ireland held a better control over her accent as a traveler she turned and followed her Aunt up the stairs to leave Quentin chuckling softly watching her skirts disappear down the shadowy hallway. Turning he walked to the basement door.
Where Sandor met him. "Vhere ju go Quentin? Nothing in dere to interest ju. She is gone the same place 'er brother ze varlock went." Sandor blocked his entrance to the cellar.
"Barnabas?" He was curious he thought she was supposed to be Barnabas' sister.
"No ze male witch that Julianka and Magda sent back to 'is maker. She is gone to 'im who claimed 'er soul and she iz not happy. She never vas a sister to Barnabas; she vas a vitch with dark and evil vays and powers that vould 'ave 'urt Miss Victoria. So, ju don need to vorry no more about 'er she is gone, but beware of ze vun zhat claimed to be the male vitch's brother, he is an undead creature vith a powerful thirst for ze blood and 'atred for Mr. Barnabas."
This caught his attention. "Why do you say that, why does he hate Barnabas?" Quentin finally was going to have some of his answers.
"Because Mr. Barnabas took vhat he vanted and now 'e vants vhat Barnabas vants and 'e vill 'urt Miss Victoria if 'e can. Ju go take care of our Jenny so Magda and I can shake tze dust of zhis place from our feet." Sandor pushed past Quentin and headed up the stairs.
Quentin stood in the foyer with a playful smile edging his lips, he dearly wanted to be there to see Petofi's face when he discovered Victoria was gone. But then he might try to take Quentin's body again and he could not allow that. Not at this time, because he had another mystery the man claiming to be Evan's brother, was a vampire. This was getting more and more intriguing by the moment and he wanted his answers and he too wanted what Barnabas had, he wanted Victoria.
1795
The Old House Josette's Bedroom
Victoria lay sleeping soundly the sleep of the drugged on the bed. Her mind was filled with various voices as she drifted on a sea of tranquil dreams. One voice was insistent that she have a protection spell placed on her. The other voice was calming and cultured. "You need to relax Barnabas, Trask will be lured to your bedchamber where we need to go and summon the succubus. Now I feel Trask will be arriving very soon. You should be on your way to find this Judge Temple."
The three men turned and left Victoria to rest peacefully in the room and secured the door locking it behind them. Stokes, Quentin, and Barnabas walked down the hallway to Barnabas' room. Pausing outside his door he frowned, "I will leave shortly to bring Judge Temple here, I will bring him in by one of the secret passages that connect my room from the cellar below. You two should not be present when Temple witnesses Trask cavorting with the demon. He will know something is wrong if you two are in the room when he spies on Trask."
Elliott smiled, "Not to worry dear boy, the protection spell I have placed on Quentin and on you as well as myself is also a shielding spell. Once you open the secret panel and allow the Judge to witness Trask caught in the throws of passion with the demon, he shall see what we want him to see, Trask having wild abandoned sex with a horrible looking female demon, while Trask will believe he is having sex with Victoria. The spell protects us from the demon and shields our presence." He paused and grimaced, "Although I do not relish the thought of seeing Trask involved sexually with the succubus it must be done to ensure he is snared in her clutches."
Barnabas nodded slowly, "Then shall we begin to summon the demon?" All three men formed a circle and held hands Elliott began to chant softly, the words of summoning that would bring forth the demon they sought.
From downstairs they heard the door opened and a strong clear voice called out. "I know you are here Victoria Winters! Show yourself!"
Quentin turned to Elliott and together they began to chant softly, "We summon the darkness and the passionate, we summon the need of one that desires and wants to bond and mate with one to feel the power of the soul and the life essences of the one that seeks another. Come forth now!"
Barnabas as soon as the chant was completed; discretely let himself out of the room and began his part of the plan by heading to Judge Robert Temple's house. Quentin and Elliott stepped into the darkest corner of the room and waited. Trask tried the doors until he came to the one that had been Barnabas' bedroom. In the center of the room a soft light began to pulse and grow. When Trask open the door, he saw a beautiful dark haired woman standing in a pure white gown of soft silken texture, her features wavered as she looked at Trask and her face became that of Victoria Winters. "You seek me Reverend?" Her voice was the voice of Victoria and she sounded frightened her eyes wide with fear and her manner of one of assumed purity.
"Down on your knees woman, give over your soul to God! He demands you to be indoctrinated into the fold of the holy and forgiving. Do you give up the ways of the darkness and evilness that surely must surround you?" He was so caught up he did not notice the sly and calculating look that had come over the eyes of the woman he perceived was Victoria Winters. Behind his back she smiled which to those that observed could only be termed as filled with triumph but mistaken for demure.
"Yes, I give myself over to your capable and forgiving hands. I ask you to take me and make me over in the image you would have me be." She had read his mind and saw how much he wanted to ravish her as a virgin she shifted her form to that of a virginal sacrifice for his wanton needs and lascivious ways. He approached her and slapped her across the face and forced her to the ground on her knees. Holding her by her wrists "Then give yourself over to my capable hands and submit to my demands and needs now."
He smiled his excitement over this triumph was beginning to show itself by the hardening of his sex. She could sense his needs and she smiled and using her hands he crawled up his legs allowing her hands to caress every inch of his body as she drew herself up and pressed into his body.
"Take me! I am yours!" She slid her hand behind his neck and began to drag his face down so she could capture his lips. She kissed him deeply and felt his hands crawl up her body to rip the gown from her body and throw her back on the bed. She fell back her legs sliding wide inviting him to take her. Trask could not believe his luck and he laughed.
"You are a sultry wench I always thought that pure attitude was all a game. Now I will make you mine and make you wish for me and beg for me all the time!"
Elliott and Quentin watched Trask in sickened disgust as he cavorted with the demon, which was a hideous thing to witness in her natural form. Her eyes were white with no irises to color them the edge were rimmed red. Her mouth bisected to open up into a jawline where three rows of sharp teeth could be seen. Her tongue was long and snake like and as she crawled on top of Trask, from her shoulder bones she sprouted black rubbery wings. From the center of her head two long gnarled horns began to sprout and grow so they looked more like bull horns. Her breasts hung low over her stomach and her hair was white and stringy.
"We summoned an ancient one it appears Professor." Quentin spoke softly only to have Elliott raise his hand and shake his head. When Quentin had spoke she had paused in her antics with Trask to sniff the air and turn to peer around the room. Quentin held his breath as she searched the room having held Trask in her thrall she released him.
"Who is here?" She demanded. "Show yourself now!" She looked to the corner where Quentin and Elliott stood and began to walk there when another noise caught her attention. Turning she saw a panel near the fireplace slid shut. Barnabas had quickly allowed the Judge to see Trask cavorting in a sexual liaison with what all could see was a demon. Barnabas put his fingertips to his lips and pulled the judge back.
Hurrying him back down the hallway to the cellar he pulled him along until they were far enough a way to not be detected. "Did you see enough?" Barnabas paused to look expectantly into the gaze of the Judge, who appeared to be repulsed by what he had just witnessed.
"I have seen more than enough to know the man cavorts with the darkness more than he preaches, I shall issue a warrant for his arrest first thing in the morning." Judge Temple was a simple man with a brilliant mind for the newly formed laws and government of this land. "You may rest assure Mr. Collins the man will be tried and found guilty and hanged for his actions. I cannot thank you enough for bringing this to light. I never liked him or his methods of seeking out alleged witches when he himself has fornicated with a demoness!"
Barnabas smiled, perhaps this would stop from what happened in the future, putting Trask in the same position he had put countless other females was a fitting end to his illustrious if not tainted career as a witch hunter. "Thank you Judge Temple, I shall have my man take you home. Just follow this pathway to three doors, take the center door and it will bring you out at the beach head where Amos is waiting for you."
He watched the Judge disappear down the tunnel and waited for the sound of the closing door before he took the second tunnel to Josette's room. He waited for Elliott and Quentin while sitting on Victoria's bed he gently caressed her face. "Soon, we will have you back where you belong and we shall continue to plan our wedding."
Elliott and Quentin waited for the female succubus demon finish drinking Trasks life essence not draining him entirely thus would have left him as a husk, she had rather enjoyed her romp with him. He was above average as far as human men from this time would go. Sliding by his now unconscious body she laughed softly stepped to the center of the room. "I have marked you as belonging to me from this day forward Reverend, you belong to me now body and soul."
With a soft flash of light she disappeared from the room. Quentin was ready to leave he had seen more than he wanted but Elliott motioned for him to stand still and wait. After about five minutes Elliott nodded, "We can go to Josette's room now. We had to wait for the residual power to dissipate. Had we moved too soon she would have been alerted we were in the room and she would have come back for us. Now shall we dear boy?"
The two men walked with an air of revulsion but satisfaction down the hallway. Unlocking the door to Josette's room they both stepped in to see Barnabas sitting beside Victoria on the bed. He held a look of concern as he gently stroked her face and hair from her face. "Is it done?" He asked softly without looking up. After a few more moments of silence he then glanced up at his two companions.
"Yes, he is now and forever connected to the succubus, even if he wanted to come after Victoria he will be stopped by the demon. She will not allow him to be with any other but her from this day forward." Elliott stepped to the bedside looked down at Barnabas.
"What happens now Professor?" Barnabas looked up at Professor Stokes and Quentin. His fingers gently tracing Vicki's features looking at the delicate set of her jawline and her pert nose.
"We go back and see if we reversed what happened. I believe with what happened tonight, it will make anything that happened in any other timeline slide back to before Victoria arrived. The only timeline that will not be affected will be her first and second visit to the past. There might be residual memories for you of her in another timeline but for the most part; time should have reset itself. The only difference is that you will not need to rescue her from Trask here after you change. She will simply transition back to as she was."
"We hope that is what happens right Professor?" Barnabas leaned over and placed a light chaste kiss on her lips then stood back. "I suppose now we return to see if the timeline has been reset correct?"
Quentin smiled, "Well I for one will be glad to get back to my creature comforts. These clothes though grand and ostentatious are far to uncomfortable for my comfort." He pulled on the cravat and smiled at Barnabas. "I know you like them but give me my three piece suit anytime."
The three men turned to leave the room, Barnabas paused for a moment to look back at Victoria, then sighed and closed his eyes. "Please make this right, please let her be in our timeline." Turning he followed Elliott and Quentin down the stairs and to the cellar. Finding some crates they all sat and closed their eyes, Slowly one by one they each exited the body they had taken. As their consciousness left the body, the three men, Henri, Ben, and Barnabas fell unconscious to the floor.
1969
The Old House Cellar
Just as Julia and Eric had done, Elliott, Barnabas, and Quentin moved ethereally through the walls to slowly merge their consciousness back into their own bodies. Opening their eyes they looked around and saw Eric and Julia standing and waiting by the open archway. "Well?" Julia asked and waited for them to orient themselves back to their bodies.
"We hope we set the timeline right. We must go and see if Victoria is at Collinwood. Gentlemen shall we?" Elliott stood and walked to the stairs leading to the front foyer. Barnabas, Quentin, Eric, and Julia followed. As they exited the basement the front door opened and all eyes fixed to the figure in the doorway. Victoria laughed uneasily and spoke softly.
"What? Did I do something wrong?" She flushed seeing them look relieved it was her and Barnabas was the first to rush forward to gather her to him.
"No my dear you did absolutely nothing wrong. YOU did everything right." He bent her back and kissed her deeply. She hesitated then returned the passion of his kiss then pressed her palm against his chest.
Breaking the kiss she whispered softly, "Barnabas? What is going on?" She looked embarrassed by his public display of passion in front of so many.
"I am happy to have you back here where you belong my dear. So very happy."
"I see, well um mother sent me down to tell you we have a guest at Collinwood and she wants you to come and meet him. Apparently he is a member of the family from Monrovia and came calling and wanted to meet the Collins family since his great, great, great grandmother was a Collins and married into the Lindbergh family."
They all paused to look at one another and then Barnabas asked, "By any chance is this man's name Grand Duke Henri?" he watched her face light up and she nodded.
"Yes it is and he looks exactly like an older version of you Quentin. He is very distinguished and apparently he is a Grand Duke or something like that."
Elliott, Quentin, and Barnabas sighed deeply one timeline restored and now another changed. "I suppose we need to find out what this is about dear boy, shall we go to Collinwood?" Elliott was the first to recover. Turning he headed to the door pausing to wait for the others to join him.