Chapter 9

Vicki sat watching Daphne, Quentin, Joe and Maggie dance on the floor of the Blue Whale. She looked at her fingers that were tightly held by her husband. She smiled when he would occasionally raise her hand to his lips and press a kiss to her fingers. Propping her chin with her palm she rested her bent elbow on the tabletop.

Barnabas studied his wife with her dreamy look. "Darling would you like to dance to the next slow song?" Shifting her gaze to her husband's face she shook her head, sat back and covered her hand over his. "No, my love. I was just thinking about our wedding day and how I danced with you and knew then my world was complete." Barnabas was filled with the love of his wife's words.

Barnabas shifted in his chair and turned to face his wife. If ever he thought she was lovely before he could see the deeper beauty within her soul. She was his absolutely and completely and she now carried his daughter within her body.

He wanted so much for this to be his happily ever after but knew deep down that he had not earned his right for that ending until he made up for his darker deeds. He knew he had more pay back forthcoming, he only wished it would at least be after his child was born. "Vicki."

He had paused before he continued, "My love for you knows no boundaries and I would move heaven and earth to protect you from any danger."

She smiled sadly thinking about how much he had suffered for the past two hundred years. "The only thing that held me back in the beginning was how you kept saying you were fond of me. A woman needs to hear they are loved, fondness is friendship at most or it is considered superficial to love."

Barnabas kissed her fingertips curled around his hand. "I only said those words because of Angelique's curse, if I had professed my love in the beginning, you surely would have died."

Vicki thought about his curse and his punishment for being in love with the wrong woman. "I realize that now Barnabas, just as long as you realize that curse is behind us and I am going to protect our family from any further damage or harm."

Barnabas watched the couples on the floor end their dance and stood waiting for the next song. A record fell in the jukebox turntable and a song she had long associated with their love played, "The Closer I Get to You."

That song melted her heart and she turned to her husband, "I changed my mind, I would love to dance this song with you." Barnabas stood and offered her his hand. Taking his hand, they moved to the dance floor and in flawless motions they began to waltz. Barnabas and Vicki had not realized that the other couples had drifted back to the sides of the floor to allow them full range of the dance floor.

Barnabas held her close and they matched move for move gliding on light feet around the floor. He was entranced by the shine of love in her gaze. That gaze was fixed to his eyes, she moved with balletic grace for her current state of pregnancy. She had remarked earlier she felt she was waddling with her steps.

Barnabas saw no evidence in her comparison to a duck's walk; there wasn't any sign of her weaving back and forth when she walked. If anything to him, she moved like a leaf on the wind. She was graceful and winsome with a light foot to the music drawn into the moment by what the words meat to her. They reflected her love in a way she felt she was unable to express vocally.

When the last strands of the music ended, Barnabas dipped her back. The room exploded in a round of applause led by Quentin clapping the loudest. "Bravo! Bravo!" Quentin called and was soon joined by the other merry makers Vicki flushed as Barnabas righted her. Offering that half curtsy as a thank you she allowed Barnabas to lead her back to her chair.

The room quieted and another song was being played on the jukebox. Vicki sipped her water to cool her now flushed body. "My dearests are you well?"

Barnabas sat next to his wife and she nodded, "Just embarrassed by everyone's attention."

He smiled, "You see it's that modesty that drew me into your web. I fear I was doomed the moment I met you. I wanted to deny that you were my destiny from the beginning. But, like a moth to flame I was drawn into your light and hope to perish in your love forever." Vicki flushed when he set the tone of his devotion with words that touched her deeply.

"Your manner and words were only one of the qualities I had learned to love about you, my husband." She lifted his hand and kissed the back of it. "When I am with you, when you touch me, you make me feel as a newborn, fresh and alive and loved."

Quentin led Daphne to the table and smiled, "May I interrupt this little tête à tête? " Vicki flushed and sat back assuming a more sedate manner while their friends rejoined them at the table.

"It is good to be home again."

Barnabas smiled watching his wife. Quentin had stated what he was feeling, he was happy to be back with his wife and family. "Yes, it certainly is something to celebrate. I think it's worth a toast with some fine wine."

Quentin laughed, "I would have suggested champagne unfortunately the Blue Whale does not subscribe to such fine refreshments."

Vicki thought a moment, "No, but they do have a finer selection of wine. Though I must pass, I would suggest you ask for their list."

Quentin stood, "Well if you all will excuse me, I shall take my cousins suggestion and see what I can find."

Vicki looked around, "If you all will excuse me, Josette has shifted her weight and is pressing against my bladder."

She rose to go to the bathroom, when she pushed the door open she stopped. It was a familiar and scary feeling that revisited her. Sensing her body growing with panic, she turned forgetting the pressure on her bladder and rushed towards the bar area. Her words formed she called in near panic, "Barnabas!"

Her call was loud enough to bring attention to her by all the patrons. Barnabas rose hearing the tone of her voice and rushed forward, "Vicki?"

Quentin turned seeing his cousin rush to his wife and the look of shear terror on her face alerted him to impending trouble.

Barnabas held her close, "What is it my love?"

She held onto him and spoke through her fear, "Lang, he is close. I can feel him."

Barnabas' face grew red with his anger. "Come we have to get you home where you will be safe."

He guided her to the table, grabbing her coat; he helped her slip it on. "We are going home Quentin, I suggest you all follow us. Vicki says Lang is close."

Quentin had arrived at the table with Barnabas helping Vicki with her coat. His look clouded and he turned to Daphne, "You know what to do?"

Daphne stood drawing on her own coat. "Yes, I will go to the inn, put the crosses at the door, and windows and wait until I hear from you."

Quentin leaned into his fiancé and kissed her forehead. "Joe, Maggie would you mind taking Daphne to the inn and seeing her to her room."

Maggie was as concerned as the rest of her party, "Of course, what do you need us to do?"

Barnabas turned to Maggie and Joe, "You both are welcome to come back and stay at the Old House. We are not sure how protected the rest of the family are, but we will need to alert them to the trouble. Quentin, will you go alert Liz and George?"

Barnabas turned to peer at his cousin. "Of course, you get Vicki home and secured in her room."

Barnabas nodded, "I will do just that and then I am going to kill Lang." The little group split up moving with much haste to their respective locations.

From the darkness a pair of feral eyes watched the Collins family make their hasty retreat into the darkness. Lang stepped out into the light of the lamppost and smiled, "Yes, little ones run, run as fast as you can for I am here for the gingerbread woman."

Lang bastardized the child hood saying from a story his mother had read to him as a child. From his position he watched the Collins family scramble for cover. "Like little mice scurrying from the mouse. You really think you can protect yourselves from me." He chuckled, "I am afraid nothing can save you now."

Barnabas chewed his bottom lip while they drove towards their home. His wife was pushing the speed limit in the process of making their getaway. "My love you need to slow down. I fear the roads are not salted and there might be patches of ice on it." Vicki released the pressure from her foot on the gas pedal. "I am sorry, I was just so afraid I wanted as far away from that man as I could get."

He smiled and reached for her free hand and gave it a squeeze. "I understand my precious one, but we must not throw caution to the wind. I plan to spend a very long time loving you." Vicki forced herself to relax as she brought the car down to a more respectable speed.

Barnabas watched as their driveway came into view. "Vicki I want you to leave the car out front. I will have Willie put it in the garage. You know what must be done?"

She nodded, "We need to secure the secret passage from entry to our room."

Barnabas blinked, "I did not know you knew about that passage?"

She smiled as they navigated the front drive, closing the gate behind; she waited for the gate to close automatically securing it with a clang and click. "I found out when Radu was in the house. He had been using one of the interior rooms to hide. That is where he took me after he drugged me."

Barnabas was feeling a different kind of anger towards the upstart Radu Florescu. "That is another score I need to settle some day."

Vicki parked the car in front of the house. "Please Barnabas he was an ally in the end and he has not troubled us since."

He sighed, "I know my love I just get angry knowing how much pain this must have brought you."

Vicki glanced down at the ignition and removed the key, handing it to her husband she spoke, "Its over, and I have moved on."

Barnabas moved to open her door and help her to the house. "You go to our room and put the security measures in place. You might wish to check on Adam and put the securities in place for him as well."

Vicki leaned up and kissed her husband on the cheek. Turning she climbed the stairs intent on doing as she was instructed.

Barnabas turned and moved to the kitchen and the backstairs. Going to fetch Willie Barnabas was determined that before this night was over, he would kill Lang. Barnabas lightly knocked on Willie's door. "Willie, wake up I need you."

Willie staggered to the door opening it to peer with sleep filled eyes, "Yeah?"

Barnabas frowned, "I need you awake Willie, get dressed and meet me down stairs."

"Yeah sure Barnabas." He rubbed his face and turned to throw on his clothing. Barnabas continued down the hallway until he reached the top of the stairs and there he was standing in the hallway. Lang smiled and Barnabas reacted, "YOU, you are going to die tonight."

Barnabas hurled himself down the stairs and into Lang, sending Lang staggering backwards with his momentum.

The two men locked into an epic battle of wills and might. Lang had easily overpowered Barnabas and had him pinned to the floor, lowering his mouth to Barnabas' throat Lang plunged his teeth into Barnabas' neck and bit down.

Drawing his blood to satisfy his blood lust he then bit his arm and pressed it to Barnabas' lips, pressing his own tainted blood into him. Just as Lang had the feeling of triumph and preparing his next move to take Vicki, he felt it a hard long wood stake boring into his back and through his heart.

He screamed in pain then collapsed on top of Barnabas. Caan flipped the dead vampire off of Barnabas Collins and peered down at him impassively. Seeing the blood of the vampire on Barnabas' lips he smiled, "Return to what you were and know daylight no more."

Caan moved his hand over Barnabas' body. The change was immediate as Barnabas' humanity was stripped from him and he was once again plunged into the dark nightmare world that he had escaped.

Turning, Caan glanced up the stairs, she was here and it was his time to take what his brother wanted. Shifting from his corporal form to ethereal he floated upwards guided by the scent he sought.

Vicki helped Adam put the crosses over both windows and then together they drew a cross on the floorboards with a piece of chalk. On the door, she hung a crucifix. "Adam no matter what happens, you are not to open this door unless it's me or Barnabas asking you to open the door. Do you understand?"

Adam was concerned and he could feel her panic edged by fear. "No I don't understand. What if you are in trouble?"

She caressed his face not repulsed by the scars and smiled, "I will be fine, you are the one that I am worried about and if I have to worry that you are not safe, then am likely to do something to put us both at risk."

He did not understand but he knew she meant well for his safekeeping. "Ok Vicki I will do as you say."

She turned and left his room intent on heading to her own bedroom, she felt it. There was the strong grip of a man's hands and then nothingness. She knew she was no longer on her plane of existence. She had been taken from her world and was now hurtling towards a far more frightening world that she had ever known.

Time was paused as she came into a new reality. The arms that held her were like vice grips holding her paralyzed with their touch. Pressing back the fear of what her newest reality was impossible. There was no comfort or hope let alone joy in this darkness.

Feeling the pressure released from her arms, she stood on unsteady feet. The hands that steadied her were covered in black leather gloves. The arms covered with bracers and the rock hard body dressed as a Roman centurion. With her head tucked, her hair tumbled over her face and shoulders she heard a voice that was new to her. "Brother you asked for the mortal, here she stands."

His tone had been so cold and impersonal. The impassive tone of the other voice sent a cold tremor though her body. 'Lift her chin, I wish to see her face."

The gloved hand grabbed her chin with a vice like grip and tugged her chin up. Vicki feeling angry having her chin jerked she tugged her chin away from the rudeness of the hands and glared into the cold impersonal gaze of the darkest hearted man she had ever met.

"She has some spirit. Woman you will look at me." The command was filled with arrogance. With open defiance she lifted her head and held it proud glaring at the man dressed in a Greek toga wearing a black cloak that was attached to his shoulders by large gold buttons. He stood resting against a black staff that may have been obsidian rock.

"What is the fuss about this woman, she is unremarkable as she stands here before me. Perhaps I should sacrifice her to a lesser god."

Vicki's fear was cemented in the pit of her stomach hearing this pompous male try to dictate her fate. Squaring her shoulders she glared with open contempt and defiance directed towards the man on the dais. "I think not, I will be no man's sacrifice, and will fight with my dying breath before that happens."

Baal thought a moment watching the fire and the strength of her character. She had transitioned by being mediocre to become noteworthy. "Well now, what have we here brother? It appears our judgment was not mislead."

He turned to the darkness behind him, "Take her and prepare her for our pleasure. We wish to see what else this tiny mouse has for our amusement." Three guards wearing Roman head dresses with tunics stepped forward and grabbed Vicki by the arms, dragging her to the darkness from where they had emerged.

"Brother you have pleased me, you have done well. What do you wish as a favor from your master?"

Caan snorted, his brother was full of himself. No one individual was his master. "I wish your leave to return to the earthbound, I wish to seek out this Timefolder and teach her a lesson."

Baal nodded his approval and waved him on. Caan chuckled, his brother had a new toy and he wanted to play. It was his turn to go and search out the one who had called her self the daughter of the one Baal now planned to claim as his. It was with this thought that he felt warm inside. He had not felt this type of excitement for sometime.