Chapter 3 – And Fight I Shall!
"You must be Carolyn…" came Angelique's voice from downstairs. Elizabeth frowned. This was exactly what she didn't need right now.
"We're growing into quite the fetching creature…" Liz heard Angie say as she reached the top of the stairs.
"Angelique" Elizabeth said loudly and firmly. Angie turned around, smiling her trademark grin. "Elizabeth…"
Carolyn backed away as Elizabeth started to walk down the stairs and Angelique walked towards her. "You're looking well" Angie said.
"And to what do we owe the pleasure?" Elizabeth said dryly. She had never liked her. There was something not quite right about Angie... and it was thanks to her that their business was all but ruined.
"I'm here on behalf of the town council to welcome our new visitor to Collinsport…" Angie said sweetly. 'Sure you are…' thought Liz. She would wager money Angie just wanted to stick her nose in where it didn't belong.
"He's asleep I'm afraid…" she said coolly. "During the day… how odd…" said Angie, in an innocent voice.
There was the sound of a door opening upstairs and Barnabas walked out onto the landing, shielding his face. "What was that infernal banging…" he said irritatedly. Angie grinned.
"Barnabas… we have a guest" Elizabeth pointed out, a note of distaste in her voice.
Angie walked past Liz as Barnabas came down the stairs. As soon as she couldn't see her Liz pulled a face, her eyes flicking upwards and her lip curling.
"I am sorry Madam… I have just arisen. You must think me a fright Miss…" she heard Barnabas say behind her.
"Hello Barnabas… my name Is Angie Bouchard…" Angie said silkily.
"So it is…""Do you know what I would very much like to do with you?" he said huskily.
"I can only imagine…" Angie purred.
Elizabeth rolled her eyes. She thought she might be sick.
"I would very much like to have a word with you in the drawing room with our permission Elizabeth… would you excuse us?"
Elizabeth shrugged. "Sure…" she said casually.
They headed into the drawing room and she went upstairs, trying not to think about what they might be doing in there. She didn't care… she didn't…
"Angel Bay. The very audacity of the name summons vomit to the recesses of my mouth" Barnabas said, pacing back and forth in Liz's office.
When he had told Liz that Angie was a witch and former lover of his a lot of things had fallen into place. It explained a lot. Particularly why she had such a grudge against their family.
"I always knew there was something off about Angie… but a witch" she said. A few days ago she hadn't believed in witch. But if she could accept that Barnabas was a vampire she could certainly accept that Angelique was a witch.
"Indeed" he said dryly. "A witch with imperishable hatred of me…" he continued.
Elizabeth thought about it. "Hate… no. If she merely hated you she would have killed you" she pointed out. "A curse takes devotion…" she said softly, looking at him. She felt bad for him.
"Why must I alone bear the rotten fruit… of our cursed family tree?" he lamented, walking over to the window. "My parents taken…" said sitting down at the keyboard, then leaning on it and accidentally pressing one of the buttons. A steady beat came from the keyboard.
"My true love… taken…" he continued, putting his head on the keyboard, making the keys sound.
"And what did you do?" Liz asked gently, walking up to him.
"I attempted to throw myself of a cliff… tragically to no avail…" he said in a calm but sad voice.
"Then I became a vampire… and started to kill… innocent townspeople" he said, pain in his voice as he put his head on the keyboard again.
Elizabeth turned off the keyboard, cutting off the noise. She walked around him and stood behind him. "Yes… but you also kept the family business afloat … and tried to keep the manor" she said encouragingly.
She put a comforting hand on his shoulder, unable to resist the urge to touch him. She wished there was some way she could help him.
He lifted his head from the keyboard. "Yes I did… didn't I?" he said, perking up a bit at her words.
She gave his shoulder a gentle squeeze. "You fought on Barnabas…" she said supportively, her voice showing her belief in him.
She moved closer, so one arm was around him and her lips were near his ear. "In your own miserable way you fought on… until they had to drag you away and lock you in a iron box to keep you from fighting" she said passionately, conviction in her voice.
Her passion, her conviction, her belief in him pulled him out of his slump.
"My god you're right!" he said, courage returning to his voice.
"You fought on because its in your blood…" she said, her voice almost a whisper.
"In our blood Madam" he said, jumping up.
"And now you have a chance to fight again" she said, looking at him. She was so proud of him right now. Life had beaten him now but never broken him. He was still the brave, handsome man she had always admired.
He took several steps forward. "And fight I shall!"