Chapter 9

Old House

Barnabas and Vicki's bedroom

Vicki reached for her housecoat to the sound of mocking laughter, "Madam, your husband left your bed at dawn, your houseguests have been gone for sometime and we were alone."

Vicki cinched the housecoat tightly around her waist. "That does not grant you the liberty to lie in my bed."

She shifted away from him to put distance and furniture between her and Radu. "You were having a nightmare and you spoke of needing to be held. I just obliged your request."

Vicki folded her arms over her chest and glared, "In the future do not 'oblige my request by invading my bed. Now, what do you want?"

Vicki kept the bed between them as she watched him from the corner of her eye. He chuckled and sighed, "Oh my dear Victoria, do you know how utterly adorable you look when you are outraged?" He walked to the fireplace and stood, with his hands clasped behind his back and rocked on his feet, "I came to tell you, that tomorrow evening, you should come here to our room in the center of the house. I originally thought your chambermaid would take care of you on the plane, but it seems that there is more to dressing a female and her hair than I originally presumed." He sounded somewhat annoyed at such a dalliance, "I will have Alia waiting for you. Once I have taken care off all the arrangements, I will come for you both. I expect you to be fully cooperative and I will make sure your husband is not injured."

Keeping her arms crossed over her body, she fought back tears of frustration and anger. "I said I would co-operate." Then with eyes blazing with her unshed tears she lifted her head and glared at Radu, "However, if and I mean if anything happens to Barnabas, all promises are null and void and you sir, will not appreciate nor will you forget my wrath. Do I make myself clear."

The courage came from deep within her body and soul and she continued to glare at him. Smiling with untoward glee at such moxy, Radu could not help but laugh and in a blink of an eye, he was standing right in front of her holding her by her arms. He pulled her into his arms and locked her against his body. "Ooooh, I do so love a woman with spirit and you my dear Victoria do have a lot of a spirit." Bending his head he captured her lips and kissed her hard, then released her watching her move her hand over her mouth trying if she could to wipe off his kiss. "Oh, this is going to be good. I think I am going to like being your guard. You will make life more interesting that is for sure."

Vicki pushed against his chest and broke his hold on her. Staggering back she nearly fell on the floor. Catching her balance she stepped past him into her dressing room and slammed her door. Her face burning with her anger she leaned her back to the door pressing her fingertips against her face.

Dressing quickly, she used her time to silently fume, wondering if he was her guard who was going to be guarding him. Pulling her brush through her hair, she stared at her reflection in the full size mirror contemplating what her next move would be if he was still in her room.

Hearing movement in her room, she stepped out of her dressing room, "You really don't . . . " She noticed Mrs. Hudson making her bed and gathering up the dirty laundry in the room. "Oh, Mrs. Hudson hello. I did not realize you were coming in today."

The housekeeper smiled looking up from making the bed. "I thought I would get a jump on cleaning. Mr. Collins said you had a few guests last night, so we might need to keep rooms cleaned and made up in case you have more visitors."

Vicki nodded, "Thank you, I am sorry if this much work is a burden." Mrs. Hudson finished making the bed then looked at her. "Oh pish-posh my dear, not a problem. I brought my sister Henrietta to help me out. We should be done in no time. I left her in Miss Josette's room."

Vicki upon hearing this smiled then a look of sheer panic filled her. "Oh, I forgot something." She turned and rushed down the hallway to Josette's room and stopped short. The door was wide open and Henrietta was standing by the fireplace holding the tablet and the adapter. "Well I'll be, some kind of electrical device."

Vicki walked into the room and took the tablet from her and the adapter. "Oh Miss Taylor, thank goodness you found it! Quentin was looking for this earlier." She took it and smiled.

"I am so glad you found it, it is one of a kind. I will make sure Mr. Collins gets his clock back."

Henrietta smiled. "Funniest thing, it was stuck behind the picture of Josette. How do you suppose it got there?"

Vicki laughed, "Oh that David, he must have hidden it there from Quentin as a joke. Well we will keep this our little secret." She winked at Mrs. Taylor and turned clutching the tablet close to her chest. Walking sedately to the door, she waited until she was clear of the door and down the hallway before she broke into a mad dash to her dayroom.

Closing the door behind her, she secured the lock, walked to her desk and put the table down in front of her. Sighing a breath of relief, she pressed the power button and watched as the dark screen lit up appearing to take on a life of its own. Appearing on the screen were some small icons and she pressed one. Instantaneously the book of spells appeared.

Following Sebastian's directions she began to thumb through the book noting the various spells of protection and warding. Sighing a breath of relief, she looked at the power indicator. Plugging the power cord to the wall and then to the device, she picked up her ring binder notebook and began to make notes on the spells she would need once she got to Transylvania.

Quentin's House

Beach Road

Barnabas paced back and forth he paused looking out to the ocean then back to Quentin. The whole area a contrast with the ocean's waves washing up on a shore that was an ice shrouded beachhead "So, we know there are spies around that are bound to Tepes, we do not know who they are."

Stokes nodded, dropping his monocle from his eye and turned to Julia. "We have been careful to see who might be at Wyndcliffe that would have access to Julia and her lab. So far no luck in determining who is trying to play these cruel tricks on my dear Julia."

Quentin sat slumped in a large wing back chair by the fireplace. "We know whatever Tepes is planning it will be soon. If I were to guess what his move will be, would possibly involve Barnabas being attacked and Vicki being abducted."

George sat in the second wing back chair looking very dour and upset. "So help me God, if anything happens to Vicki, I swear I will rip him apart."

Julia stood and patted George's shoulder. "We are working on all possible plans to cover all basis. No need to unduly upset yourself George."

George covered and squeezed Julia's hand. "So, when do we go to Romania and bring back our family members?"

Quentin stood shoving his hands into his pockets. "We go in pairs. Willie and myself will leave Friday."

Julia smiled and nodded, "Elliott and I will leave two days afterwards. We will tell everyone it's a long delayed honeymoon, hoping it will draw out whomever has been targeting me."

Barnabas looked to George, "You and I will leave three days after Elliott and Julia leave. You will say you are spending time with your children at the Safe house, while I will be telling others I am leaving on a business trip."

Quentin reasoned, "By staggering our departure by the time Tepes figures out what we are doing it will be too late and we will be in Romania. From there we will implement a plan to rescue our family members."

George looked at his hands. He began to study them and it dawned on him. "You are expecting them to make a move on Vicki any day aren't you?"

Quentin walked to the liquor cabinet to pour everyone a drink. "It seems to be the natural order of things."

George stood, turned to hug Julia and thank her, "Thank you Julia and you Professor Stokes for all your help. Well, I guess I had better go tell the kids I may not be back for a while and they will be safe as long as they stay in the safe house. I need to get some things together. I will see you all at the Old House for dinner tonight?" They all nodded and watched him as he left the house.

Quentin turned to Barnabas, "What if Tepes tries to send one of his slaves to remake you what you were?"

Barnabas glanced to Julia and Elliott. "We have that under control. When it happens, the attacker will be in for a surprise."

Julia smiled nodding. "They will find the same thing happening to them that happened to Tepes when Josette injected him with the shot I made up. Barnabas has enough serum in his blood that should a vampire actually bite him, it will make them deathly ill if not kill them."

Quentin smiled then he frowned "What if it is not a slave but another curse from our favorite witch to hate?" His thoughts had gone back to how Angelique had brought the original curse to Barnabas. The bite of a vampire bat had been enough to wreak havoc on Barnabas' life for nearly two centuries.

Barnabas looked to Julia, "Then I will be as I was and of more help to Vicki than I am now as a mortal."

Quentin sighed, "You also risk a lot too."

Barnabas looked down at his fingers and studied his fingernails intently. "That is a risk I am willing to take for Victoria. We know that Angelique is somehow involved because there is another spell on Josette keeping her ignorant of what is going on with Tepes. Sarah has also somehow been blocked."

Barnabas pondered the odd occurrence Elliott had earlier in the week. Of all things he never expected a visit from his long dead uncle. "However, Jeremiah was not blocked and he at Josette's request appeared to Elliott to tell him Angelique is involved in this diabolical scheme. Jeremiah has no love loss for Angelique and is keeping us informed on what is happening at Castle Dracula."

Elliott looked to Barnabas, "Did Sarah do as she was instructed? Did she take Vicki to the stairway through time?"

Barnabas smiled, "She did. Now, Victoria has some valuable information from the future Sebastian Shaw to protect herself from Tepes and his minions."

Stokes sipped his brandy, carefully placing it on the table. "Excellent, then I would say we shall allow the pieces fall where they may." Quentin stood and raised his glass, "Then I propose a toast. To our family and their safety no matter the outcome."

Castle Dracula

Carolyn rubbed her arms as she looked out her bedroom window at Castle Dracula's grounds. She looked at the surrounding area all wrapped in a blanket of pristine white snow. From behind Petru stepped to her and rubbed her arms. Pressing his lips to her ear he spoke softly, "I meant to tell you my dear how beautiful you looked tonight."

Carolyn knew she should resent him and his shallow comments but knew the blood bond he held over her would not allow her to keep any secrets from him. Mechanically she spoke softly, "Thank you. The snow is really starting to pile up outside. How long do you think we will be trapped here?"

Needing to put space between them, she stepped away from his touch she walked over to stand by the fireplace intently watching the flames. She failed to see the look or irritation sweep over Petru's features when she broke his caressing hold on her arms. Looking into the flames and noting a silence between them she began to speak more for the need to break the sudden tension that had grown between them. Peering up she smiled and asked again, "How long do you suppose we will be trapped here?" She waited for his answer. She had noted the slight frown he made when she pulled away from him. "It is hard to say my sweet, perhaps a week at most. By then your, I mean my sister should be here."

Carolyn pretended to not hear him make his mistake of saying his sister would be here. She had heard him say your sister. She had one sister. That sister was Vicki. What did he mean by that. Lowering herself to sit in the fireside chair she pulled a coverlet over her while she continued to watch the fire. "It will be dawn soon. I am sure you have other duties to attend, you do not need to stay and entertain me Petru."

Petru studied her face noting she was showing signs of fatigue. "Should I send in Natalia? She will help you prepare for bed, you look tired my love."

Carolyn forced a smile to her lips. "No, its very late and I can undress myself and get ready for bed." Petru bent to place a light kiss on her forehead.

"Then until this evening my dear. I bid you good eve." He let himself out of her room. Carolyn waited counting to 100 then she threw the coverlet off her body and hurried with some furtive movements to her mother's room.

Knocking lightly on her bedroom door, she called softly, "Mother?" Waiting, she began to turn her doorknob, when Elizabeth was already opening her door. Liz grabbed her youngest daughter by the wrist and pulled her into the room.

'Carolyn, what are you doing up?" Pushing the door closed, Elizabeth locked the door behind her.

"Mother I am afraid. I think I found out who is playing the part of Elizabeta."

Liz stepped into her bedchambers to a large comfortable chair by the fire and stared at the flickering flames. "I already know who is playing the part of Elizabeta."

Together they spoke "Vicki". Carolyn looked shocked and Liz looked frightened. "How did you find out?" Carolyn sat on the footstool of the chair her mother occupied.

Standing Liz walked to the bedside table, opened a drawer then removed a large old volume that had the title of Walachia Book of Noble Births." A section of the book had been marked with a deep purple satin ribbon. Liz walked back to her chair, opening the book to the marked page, she turned and handed the book to Carolyn, "This is Princess Elizabeta, daughter of King Alexandru Rudolpho Mircena Banal of Bulgaria."

She waited while Carolyn looked at the picture. "Now here is her family, mother, father, and brother Petru." She turned the pages and allowed Carolyn to soak in the pictures. Seeing the look of incredulity on her face, she waited.

"Mother! This is Vicki, you, Peter, and Count Rudolph!" Liz nodded, "I now know, why we are here. We are to be used as bait to draw Vicki here so that monster can force her into a marriage with him."

Carolyn stood walking to the bedside table, replacing the book in the drawer she shook her head, "We can't let them do this to Vicki, and we have to do something. This castle cannot keep us hostage forever."

Liz sighed and shook her head; " I was told if we tried to do anything we could expect consequences for those we love."

Carolyn began to pace back and forth. "We have to at least get Maggie out of here, she is an innocent in all this mess."

Liz glanced down at the heavy ring on her finger. "They said they would kill Roger, David, Quentin, George and Barnabas if any of us tried to leave."

Carolyn's eyes pricked with tears; angrily she dashed them from her eyes and knelt to her mother's side. "Then we have to be more clever than they are. We are Collins and are made of hardy stock, our ancestors settled the wild Maine coastline and carved a life out for themselves we can at least try to save our family."

Liz smiled at her daughter, "You did not tell me how you found out about Vicki."

Carolyn waved her hand shaking her head, "It's not important Mother, just suffice it to say, I do know and I want to help protect my sister. They keep us divided so we cannot plan anything. Well we must make our plans while they sleep in the day and play our parts at night. I am sure we can come up with something to prevent this fiasco of a life from happening."

Elizabeth looked at her youngest daughter with pride she had grown up so much in the past year. She sighed softly, she was tired and she was afraid. When Rudolph had said he would make life difficult for her if she tried to escape, she had considered it a mild threat.

That was until Vlad took it upon himself to remind her of her family's ties in Collinsport. That David could find his life cut short at a tender age, then there was George Patterson and his children, she surely would not like to see their heads hung on a pike at the gate of his castle would she?

That had made her blanch and clutch her heart in absolute fear. The man was ruthless and cruel. He had shown her snap shots of her family at their most vulnerable times of their lives. "Surely, you can see that I am closer to your family than even you realize. How easy would it be to snap young David's neck and throw him from that cliff you call Window's Hill? His death would appear to be a tragic accident."

She had run her index finger over the picture and the face of her nephew. "You would not harm a child?" Her eyes had pricked with tears looking up at the emotionless face of her nemesis.

He had taken the picture looked dispassionately at David's image and tore it in half. "He means nothing to me, he does mean something to you. So, I would suggest you show some civility to my father in law, play your part and your family here and in the Americas can live happily and safe. The choice is yours."

She had sat thinking the stain of her tears splashing down her face to land on her hands. "Rudolph, come we have more to discuss, let us leave the fair Countess Balan to think over her future and her cooperation." He had bowed to Liz, turned paused then turned back to Elizabeth. "When you have decided, I am sure you know how to find your way back to your room."

They left her alone in the library. Liz had stood after they left and blindly looked over the room. Her heart was heavy with the decision she would be forced to make and could only imagine what it would mean to Carolyn and Maggie. Standing she began to at first blindly walked about the room she paused at one particular shelf and glanced at the titles of the books that graced this library.

She was impressed with the priceless works of art that were displayed and one volume caught her attention. "Royal Births of Romania-Transylvania." She read the title out loud, pulled the text from the shelf and began to thumb through the pages her gaze catching interest with three pages. Bringing the book down and turning to sit, she opened the book fully in her lap and was shocked to the beyond belief.

She ran her fingers over the page that spoke of the Balan family, there she saw Rudolph's picture, along with Petru, a woman that looked like her and a picture of their daughter. Elizabeth paled hearing a slight buzzing sound in her ears she felt light headed. Her index finger ran over the features of the beautiful young woman known as Princess Elizabeta Balan. "Oh Vicki, my darling Vicki, what have they planned?"

Clutching the book to her chest, she walked to the door, down the hallway and up to her room. Rummaging around in the drawers of her dressers she found a purple ribbon and marked the pages then hid the book in her drawer. Now more than ever she had to fight, if for no other reason to keep Vicki from becoming that monsters wife.