Chapter 25

The eve of the grand conjunction

Widow's Hill

1796

Victoria stood looking out at the setting sun and could not help but see that darkness was spreading across the land with is evil intent to hide and cheat those of a dubious nature out of their lives this night. She felt her stomach was in a knot and she was tired and ready to end this all now. David's fever had successfully broken and he now lay sleeping peacefully in his room. Sarah's tiny body had been laid to rest in the mausoleum and Vicki knew her spirit was not at rest. She had heard her call out to her last night shortly after she had died. Vicki had lain awake most of the night and finally fell asleep early that morning. She knew this was the hold all to finally finish off Andréas Petofi.

Quentin had successfully kept Henri at bay and had avoided Petofi to draw any unnecessary suspicion on himself. What he had done was told Andréas he would be spending night and day pursuing Victoria to set a wedding date and to find out how she traveled into the past. Now as Victoria stood looking out of the window of her old bedroom she had been assigned when she first arrived at Collinwood. She was sure she had seen an animal at the edge of the woods, a white huge wolf that appeared to be pacing back and forth impatiently. Perhaps it was her imagination but; she was sure that wolf had paused and noted her standing outlined in the window. It has lifted its snot to the full moon overhead and howled out its salute to the night.

Shadows moved like a liquid living thing shifting and coalescing into various shapes surrounding the huge melancholic looking house on the great cliff overlooking the storm tossed coastline of the great Atlantic. The only sign of life outside was the now growing darkness with a sliver of white that appeared to float in and out of various open sections of the woods. She knew that had to be the wolf she had seen earlier, it kept pace with the rising moon and was restless with its constant shifting about. To Vicki the wolf appeared to be waiting for someone or something to happen and a part of her wondered if that was what she was sent here to do. Vicki wanted to believe in the very imaginative part of her mind that the wolf was her spirit guide and here to help her accomplish her mission. Shifting to sit on the edge of the window seat she pushed the window open and could smell the brine of the ocean as the tide made its way in to shore.

Glancing to the distant horizon it was as it was predicted a storm of considerable magnitude had been brewing for most the day off the coastline and Vicki was sure it was going to blow in as a hurricane from the degree of wind that seemed to be churning up the ocean and making the swells reach heights she had not seen in a long time. She hoped it would stay out to sea long enough for her to bring Petofi's hand to the current King Johnny.

Looking down at her hand she frowned, she missed wearing her engagement ring. It was one concession she had made and that was to leave it on Hallie's dressing table. Rising she walked to her armoire and removed her cape. Folding it over her arm, she walked to her door and paused glancing over to the mantle clock. She had two hours before the big show down between her and Andréas, she needed to go to the Old House and hope that Petofi would follow her. Daphne and Quentin had already left and was waiting for her there. Julia was trying to locate Barnabas. He had been notably absent for the past week since he attacked her on the pathway leading to the old house. She could feel his conflict and knew he had been filled with remorse but she also knew that he was aware he could not have brought her to the brink of death as Julia had feared.

Also notably absent had been Peter Bradford, he had disappeared after Phyllis' body had been discovered beneath Widows Hill. She could feel Barnabas was close and he was avoiding her to try and avoid another incident that had brought her so much harm when he took from her. It was hard dealing with the myriad of emotions that seemed to permeate her with Quentin and with Barnabas. She was becoming so caught up between the two that she was afraid she was loosing her own identity to them both. She had to keep her mind clear and her objective in mind. That is if she wanted to get back to being a normal 20th century productive female ready to embark on a new life with the man she loved.

Victoria walked down the hallway towards the upstairs landing, her head tucked and lost in thought. She was wrestling with her own identity and she was sure of one thing and that was she was actually worried that she might not complete this task that had been set before her. King Johnny had told her and her dream had told her that she was a Romano with the heart of the Romano's and she would be the only one to be able to take Petofi's power. She watched the hem of her dress as she walked and it kicked forward with each step she took. She knew she had to find a place to hide the blade when she met Petofi on the hill. Walking down the steps her progress out the door was halted when Joshua, who had been standing by the mantle in the drawing room, called to her. "My dear Victoria a moment of your time if you please."

Vicki stopped pivoted and turned to face Joshua with a tight but friendly smile. Stepping to the drawing room she paused in the open doorway. "Yes?"

"Please close the door and sit with me a moment. I am greatly troubled about something." He stepped forward and looked anxious. He watched her turn and pull both doors shut and then walk slowly to the sofa and sit on its edge.

"What troubles you so Mr. Collins?"

"My dear Victoria we have known one another long enough that you may call me Joshua. I have taken liberties of using your given name so please use mine." He separated his coattails and sat on the edge of the fireside chairs. Folding his hands in front of him he studied the floor a moment and began to explain his concerns. "I may be too forward to expect or even allow myself the right to ask, but I would dearly wish you would reconsider your acceptance of marriage to cousin Henri. I personally need your help here and would be very grateful and would pay you generously if you would remain here at Collinwood and consider taking on the tutelage of Daniel. You see with the death of Barnabas, Sarah, Jeremiah, and Josette, this had become a sad house and the only bright moment is your calm demeanor when I see you smile or walk into a room. I would take it as a personal favor to me if you would consider staying here with us and I would welcome you as a member of our family."

Vicki was touched by his offer. Standing she walked to the window to peer out and saw that same white wolf watching her in the window. "Mr. Collins . . . "

Joshua stood walked to her and placed his hands on her shoulders, "Joshua, please call me Joshua we have known each other through the worse of times and for a while, please dear Victoria call me Joshua. I look upon you as a daughter and soon if you marry Henri, you shall be cousin Victoria." He gently turned her to look kindly into her over bright gaze. He watched that enchanting smile begin at the corner of her lips. Lifting her gaze to peer into his she spoke softly.

"Joshua, I will stay as long as I can. I appreciate you so much and all your kindness to seeing to my needs when I arrived here some six weeks ago. I will stay and help with what I am capable." He took his folded fingers and lifted her chin. He smiled a bitter sweet smile.

"I had so hoped that Barnabas would have taken an interest in you and you two could have possibly made a match then I would call you daughter. As it stands, now I adopt you as my daughter and ask that all you need to do is continue to love this family as much as you seem. I want to extend that invitation to your sister but I know she has obligations to her husband and may be leaving us soon." He dropped his fingertips and looked to the distant horizon. "A storm is coming in my dear, you should not stay out too long." He turned from her and walked back to the sofa, lifted his coattails and sat.

Vicki felt her emotions choke her, she walked to the door and made her way to the front door, she had said what she had come to say to him and now she needed to clear her mind. There would be a marriage to his Barnabas but not in this time or this place. Opening the door she spoke because she knew that Joshua had followed her. "Joshua, whatever may happen know that there is a place for Barnabas and myself in the future maybe a distant one but there will be a Victoria and Barnabas and they will be very much in love." Rushing from the room, she hurried down the drive to the pathway that would take her to the Old House. She needed her Barnabas now and with the night fast approaching and the hour of her mission upon her she just needed to be held.

Count Henri's Room Collinwood

Quentin had been awake for over twenty-four hours and it was growing close to the time for his part to end and his girl to come home to him. Closing his eyes he drifted off to sleep. While he slept Andréas Petofi walked into the room smiled looked down at the man that would be his to own some day. All Henri had would be his. Henri had avoided him for the past three weeks and now he was determined that he would have what Henri had and more. Closing his own eyes he began to concentrate and rising his hand he reached forward and touched Henri's body and blinked surprised. Henri's consciousness was not the strongest currently present in this body, which made it entirely better, he would take Henri much faster, his will was strong. However, the present owner was stronger, but not stronger than Andreas or his powerful hand.

Shifting his consciousness into the body of Henri he placed Henri's consciousness in his body and placed it in a deep sleep. Opening his eyes he smiled, he was now Henri Collins and he would have his answers and he would have Victoria Winters one way or another he was determined to take and know of this future that they had all spoken so knowledgably of when she confessed who she was and where she was originally from. Rising up he looked down at the unconscious body he had so enjoyed for over one hundred years and now it was time to move on and find a better and more attractive body. His friend Henri's body would do nicely.

1969 Professor Stoke's house

The moment that Petofi entered the body of Henri, Quentin was thrown back into the future he opened his eyes and frowned. What happened? He was frustrated and he needed to find a body and go back and find out where he was and why he had been sent back. He could not leave Victoria and Daphne vulnerable to the conditions he had first found them. Closing his eyes he with frustrated he had to get back there and find a body that he could use to see this to the end. Focusing on the destination and the need to ethereally leave his body he found he was earth bound. Opening his eyes he slammed his fist down on the table.

No, there had to be another way to get back there and then he smiled, he knew exactly what he would do. Closing his eyes he began to focus on something and someone closer to home. He knew that George Patterson would be in Collinwood and he would use him to go to the stairway of time. Have him travel through the stairway to find Elliott who was occupying Ben and ask him what was going on. This was the night of the grand conjunction. He had to be there to make sure that Victoria did not fail in her mission so she and Daphne could be brought back to this century.

Redirecting his ethereal form he stepped forward and found the 47th parallel and walked through the halls of Collinwood. He looked around and saw George sitting in the drawing room looking over the evening paper. Walking to George he sat down in his body and felt only a momentary resistance until George heard Quentin's voice in his mind. "Relax George we are going to rescue our family." George's confusion was complete but because he felt it was Quentin possessing him he allowed it for now.

Standing he walked up the stairs and to George's bedroom to his closet, withdrawing his gun belt and his gun, he added additional ammunition and put on the gun belt grabbed his hat and went to the west wing, with little effort he found the closet and opened the door and concentrated. The stairway sensed the essences of Quentin and the room began to shift and reform to a stairway. Stepping into the stairway he headed for the year 1796 and to the night of the grand conjunction.

1796

Old House

Victoria walked up to the front doors or the old house and paused looking around she had an eerie feeling she was being followed. Sitting complacently at the edge of the pathway was the large white wolf that she had seen earlier. She did not fear this wolf. It seemed to be her guiding spirit or a friend to what she was about to do. She nodded to the wolf turned and opened the door and stepped in, pausing only for another moment to glance at the now setting sun. She walked more fully into the foyer closed her eyes and listened to the sound of her breathing. Mentally she called out to him. "BARNABAS! I NEED YOU NOW!"

She felt him behind her before she had finished her call to him mentally. "My dear you do not need to shout to me, I can hear your thoughts very clearly. I am here my dearest one turn around and allow me to hold you." She smiled and slowly began to turn and looked with love and adoration into his piercing gaze.

"Are you going to take from me this night my love, if you are I am not sure I will be able to complete my mission can you not wait to take what you need once I am done?" The door opened and the voice that spoke from the darkness caused Victoria's hackles to rise.

"Oh how endearing, it seems that Barnabas has already forgotten his dearest love Josette and now he seeks you as his blood mate? I should have killed you first!" Victoria spun around and glared dangerously at Peter Bradford. Before she could speak she was caught and pushed behind Barnabas as he stood protectively in front of her.

"Go get your blade and go to Widow's Hill my dearest love, I will meet you there once I have dealt with this one." Victoria shot her hand out holding Barnabas from attacking Peter. Within a few milliseconds, Victoria was in front of Bradford, shoving him with all her ancient super human strength. She knew he was really no match for her, she was faster and more powerful because she had the life essences of an ancient vampire and an immortal flowing through her body. She saw the look of surprise and shock as his body was thrown back into the center of the front yard of the old house.

"How is this possible!" He shouted his frustrations and once again before he could rise, she was down in front of him moving faster than his eyesight. Lifting him with one hand she held him up. "Because in my veins are the lives of two and one is an older vampire than you Peter, you may think you are so very smug by being this monster of the night but you are nothing more than a puppet for Angelique! If you know what is good for you, leave before I end your life tonight too!" She flung him again with all her anger and frustration to the wood and he landed hard and felt the bite of the wolf on his arm as he tried to rise, the eyes of the wolf glowed red and the teeth were locked into his arm to the bone.

Once again Victoria was at his feet and she looked at the wolf and using a language she had not heard except in her dreams she spoke to the wolf, "paza l bine prietenul meu, voi reveni în scurt timp o dată ce am adunat în centrul anilor Romano." The wolf fully understood her command to guard well the strigoi until she returned with the blade or the heart of the Romano's. The wolf let go of the arm and stepped back. When Bradford tried to move the wolf growled low and from the darkness six males appeared they held in their hands crucifixes and advanced on a now screaming Peter Bradford.

"Take the strigoi and bind him in his casket with those crosses, I don't need any distractions this night and in one hour our tribe will be safe." Vicki turned and walked back at a more sedate pace to see Barnabas standing on the top steps. He held the blade in his hands and smiled.

"I believe you were looking for this were you not my dear?" Vicki went to embrace him and take the weapon. Holding her close he glanced to the moonlight and then to her neck lifting his chin he turned preparing to bite when he heard Julia's voice from behind.

"Barnabas no! Stop, you can't take from Victoria! To take from her tonight would be disastrous. I brought you some blood it's in the cellar." She stepped towards the pair and noted that Barnabas had stopped before he bit her and turned looking at Julia. Dropping his head in embarrassment he turned from Victoria.

"You must go Vicki go now and do what you have come to do. Just know you take my heart and my love with you this night." Barnabas turned to Julia and together they walked into the house closing the door behind them. Vicki glanced down at the blade in her hand and felt the knot growing in her stomach. Turning she began to walk slowly towards Widow's Hill.

West Wing of Collinwood

George Patterson's body with Quentin guiding him stepped from the closet door into the hallway and walked down to the east wing, going to Henri's room he opened the door and frowned. He saw Petofi sleeping in a chair. Walking over to Petofi, George patted his face. "Hey you wake up, you have a meeting to make!" He watched Petofi scrunch up his face and then open his eyes.

"What! Who dear sir are you and what are you doing in my room?" Petofi stood and staggered to the dresser and looked up with a shock and confusion on his face. "What the deuce! ANDREAS!" He spun around and looked at George. "He did this or did you and what manner of dress are you wearing?" Without allowing Quentin as George to respond he waved his hand. Getting a determined look on his face; he straightened his jacket and looked around the room. He spun back around and nodded slowly, "I can do this, he showed me how it is done but he needs to be unconscious."

George ne' Quentin looked at Petofi as if he had lost his mind. "Look Petofi, you and I are going to Widow's Hill you have a meeting with fate. Now come along!" He marched towards Petofi and grabbed his shoulder, which Andréas shook off his hold and ran to the door, with George in pursuit.

"I do not know who you are but this much is for certain if I have a meeting with fate at Widow's Hill then as Petofi I will go because whatever happens if harm is done to the body, then he is forced back into this body and I can be returned to my own!" George followed the body of Petofi to the upstairs landing and what he said finally penetrated his mind and instead of pursuit of the man he was now joining him to go to widows hill.

Widows Hill

Vicki had tucked the blade in her waistband and pulled her dress over to cover the blade; with a growing sense of dread she walked to Widows Hill and stood overlooking the bluff below to the sea. The night had grown cool and the clouds had obscured the full moon, as she approached the hill, nature contrived to cooperate to allow the clouds to part, looking up Vicki saw the three stars aligned in a perfect line from the twelve o'clock position of the moon. Dancing her fingers down the side of her skirt, she found the handle of the blade and curled her hand around the hilt.

"My, my, my what have we here? I would think the great pretender would not put herself in the position to be caught off balanced and thrown from the top of this hill, that would be most distressful for my dear friend Henri, he does have high hopes and plans for you." The voice was Henri's the thoughts were Petofi's. Vicki spun around and looked with open distrust to the man that had ruthlessly pursued her hand for a week.

"Your dear friend Henri? You are Henri, as you stand before me, you are Henri."

He advanced on her and was suddenly stopped in his forward progress watching her bring out the blade and hold the point directly over his heart. "A kitten that had become a she cat with claws how interesting." Henri stepped back, she was watching him with the utmost care and she was looking determined to split him from stem to stern.

When he had said his dear friend Henri, she knew then what he had done and that he had switched bodies. Had he discovered what her intentions had been? Feeling somewhat braver than she had before, she declared. "I suggest you keep your distance Count Petofi, if my calculations are right, you want Henri's body so you can control his power and his wealth. I would suggest you consider your actions wisely."

He studied her and knew who she was and why she had come and he laughed. "Poor Victoria granddaughter to King Johnny Romano, you don't have the body with the power of the hand now do you. This body is a poor substitute to the one I left behind. I shall return with or without you as my wife to the country and I shall become the ruler of that country and woe be unto those that are known as the tribe or gypsy for I will reign down terror and destruction on them."

Vicki smiled and with a quick movement, she was standing behind the man with the blade held to his throat and holding him with her superior strength. "You really do not want to press me Petofi, I am your worse nightmare." She hissed into his ear. "This much I do know, you have no powers in this body except for what was inherited by Duke Henri. Your power rests in your right hand and I am here to claim that hand back in the name of the Romano family."

From the edge of the pathway, Quentin shoving Henri to the front of the path hissed, "GO forward now and have her take that hand Henri, have her throat the hand and you will have your body back and Petofi will never steal another thing from you again." Quentin as George pushed the body of Petofi forward shouting out. "VICTORIA HERE HE IS!"

The body of Petofi staggered into view and Vicki dropped Henri's body turned and smiled. Henri as Petofi instinctually raised his right hand in front of him, feeling the power surge, he just needed to touch her.

Lifting the blade over her head she shouted. "I CLAIM THIS HAND IN THE NAME OF THE ROMANO FAMILY AND ALL OF GYPSY KIND!" She drew the blade down over the hand that was outstretched trying to block the blow and felt the hand cleave from his wrist to the ground. As it had before and did now, a silver band encased the hand and Petofi's stump; sealing both from bleeding. The scream when the hand was cleaved from his body was horrific. To add insult to injury, from the darkest shadows a white streak of fur dashed into view, reached down and grabbed the hand in its huge mouth and bounded off into the woods.

At the precise moment she made her blade strike true, a series of events began to unfold. Daphne's body began to shimmer and fade, Julia was drawn back through time to awaken pregnant in her body, Professor Stokes opened his eyes and gasped slumping to the table. Henri in Petofi's body was back in his own body; Petofi was shaken and now disoriented on the ground at her feet. Barnabas had occupied his own body was thrust back through time to his body and he opened his eyes confused and peering around the room at the others.

Victoria stepped back as the wolf grabbed the hand and turned looking at the man now cowering at her feet. "Stand Petofi and know what it is like to no longer hold any power or dominion over others. Stand and face your future."

George Patterson suddenly found himself conscious in his own body, his mind not ready to comprehend what was happening. Stepping into view, it distracted Vicki as she turned to see her father standing there she was shocked. "How? Father? How did you come to be here?"

George seeing his daughter was about to be attacked by another unknown male drew his weapon and fired into the charging body of Andréas Petofi and watched as from the woods once again the white wolf bounded into view and jumped into the chest of Petofi toppling him backwards and down the cliff with another horrified scream of fear and facing death. Petofi did not want to die and for this night the grand conjunction had been in his favor for his life had been spared as he hit the cold waters of the Atlantic and he floated to the surface to peer up at the moon and the aligned three stars. He smiled, he was not going to die this night but he was bereft of his powers through the hand.

The wolf turned and padded back into the darkness of the night and disappeared. Vicki took her father's hand and led him down the pathway to Collinwood and paused, "Welcome to Collinwood when it was first built father." George frowned he knew the house had seemed different and now it did appear less weather worn and new. He smiled and shook his head. Then with a startled look he turned to Vicki and began to fade from view. "Vicki?"

Vicki felt her own body begin to tingle and she clutched the blade tightly closing her eyes she had completed her mission and now she was ready to go home and be with family and friends. When she opened her eyes she was stunned, she was not in her time or her Collinwood, this Collinwood was slightly more modern but had a different feel to it. Watching the porte conchere she noticed a carriage and four horses standing at the entrance with a livery in attendance. "Where am I?"

"The real question my dear is where have you been? You were lost for several weeks and now I see you are back and dressed rather old fashioned for our time, were you at a masquerade?" Quentin stepped beside her and smiled that deliciously devilish smile she had come to loath in Henri.

Vicki sighed a shuddering breath they knew her here and she was not sure how it was they knew her but was sure before this night was over she would have all her answers. "What year is it?"

Quentin quirked a bow and laughed, "Why we are in the very modern age of 1846, my dearest Joanna!"

Professor Stokes House 1969

Daphne appeared lying on the sofa of the room, but Vicki was still nowhere to be seen. They all jumped up looking around the room to see where she was and they could not find her, the area was still locked in time and they were all unable to move from the house. "She has not completed her assignment she must be trapped back in time and time is waiting for her to finish what she needed to do." From the depths of the room a beautiful girl with long flowing white hair and incredible blue eyes stepped from the shadows and she spoke.

"What was set in motion must continue. Victoria must now stop the past from repeating itself and she has been sent to another time to prevent a grave injustice from happening. Until she can keep Petofi from receiving the hand back, she must now play out her life in the time of great darkness and correct the sins of the past." She turned to look at Quentin, "And you know what that sin was."

All eyes turned to look at Quentin who had slumped over his arms now folded on the tabletop and he moaned. "Oh no, she has to stop me from giving Petofi back his hand."

So ends Shadows Bliss the next segment is Shadows Sins of the Past. Join me as Victoria attempts to prevent Petofi from regaining his hand and the story behind Daphne and Quentin.