Chapter 4

Collinsport Cannery

Collinsport Maine

"Death has arrived, we must prepare for the arrival of the most high Ra." Maggie with her eyes fixed staring straight ahead walked into the room turned to peer out the window then to Roger. "You will be judged and will be found wanting. I need to find a way to protect you." It was Maggie but not Maggie's voice that was speaking through Maggie. Roger stood and walked towards Maggie.

"What is this talk of death and judgment Maggie?" He reached to to touch her arm and watched as her eyes fluttered softly shut, her chin lifted and she collapsed gracefully into his arms. Roger caught her and carried her to the long sofa that adorned the interior wall of the office. "Elliott, what is going on?" Roger looked at Elliott with concern edging his eyes.

Elliott had stood also and now he walked to Roger's side bent down and began a cursor exam of Maggie, pulling apart her eyelids he noted her eyes were milky white and glazed over. "She has been possessed and is delivering a message I think intended for you Roger, allow me." He pulled a chair up to the sofa bent over Maggie and asked softly, "Whom are we speaking with?"

Maggie turned her head opened her eyes and gazed with that milky colored eyes at the questioner, "You go against a powerful foe. He has come to claim what he was owed and to hold it he has taken those that she loves and expects the others to follow."

"We all realize that, and I must ask you once again, whom are we speaking with and why have you chosen Maggie as your vessel?" Elliott was excited he had heard of possession by another but had never really seen it except when he watched what had happened to Victoria at the clinic.

Maggie's voice was joined by the multitude of other voices. "We are the innocent that died by the devices of he who has taken those you love. We come to warn you that you will not be alone when the time comes to bring them home. We join in your cause but we warn you that some of you may not survive this trek you now propose to take."

Roger was astounded by what he was witnessing with this possession of Maggie. "I only wish to try and understand why do you come now and why are you using Maggie?"

"Because she is the right one to use, she is the strongest amongst you all in order to go against the darkness that is Drake Darkhart you will need her and her gifts." Maggie's eyes fluttered again and she collapsed against the sofa with a soft moa. Moving her hand to her forehead she began to rub her temples. "What, what happened?" She opened her eyes and with a look of astonishment saw the confused and puzzled looks she was receiving from Roger and Elliott. Her eyes were clear and her voice was weakened by the possession.

"You were possessed by several spirits Maggie, they said that death was coming and that we were going against a powerful dark power and that we would need you to help us because you were the strongest amongst us. They also said they would be there to help us through you." Elliott gently helped Maggie to sit up. "My fears are this Maggie, we are using Laura's contacts with Ra to go after Diablos or as he is being called today Drake Darkhart."

Maggie set up and looked around. "How did I get here? I was with Pop at the Bar when suddenly I felt odd." She slid her legs around and planted her feet on the floor. Pushing her curly auburn hair out of her eyes she saw the look of concern in Roger's eyes. "What?"

"I am worried about you sweetheart. I can't stand seeing you like this. It really scared me." Roger moved to sit next to Maggie and Elliott took that opportunity to stand and leave them together. Walking to the main lobby he was filled with a thousand questions over what had just happened. Moving to the phone on the desk counter, he knew he needed to dial nine to get an outside line. Calling Collinwood he waited for the phone to be picked up.

The phone being picked up interrupted the phone's third ring. "Hullo? Collinwood." It was an unfamiliar voice. Elliott sighed deeply and with that sigh he realized he must have sounded like an obscene phone caller. "Look if you think I am going to listen to you while you play with yourself you can forget it!" Then the phone line went to a dial tone.

"Damnit" Elliott muttered softly, and then redialed Collinwood. When the phone was picked up he spoke rapidly, "This is Professor Elliott Stokes, is Quentin Collins or Barnabas Collins there?"

"Elliott, what is wrong with you? Why are you speaking so fast?" Quentin's voice was filled with curiosity.

"Why are you answering the phone I got some grumpy lady earlier that I did not recognize her voice. When I sighed she thought I was making an obscene phone call and hung up on me, I thought it was her answering the phone again."

Quentin chuckled and spoke to the woman that must have answered the phone earlier. "It is alright for now Mrs. Walker, its Professor Stokes and he accidently made a sigh and you thought he was breathing heavy. I have it now you can go on." Quentin had explained to the lady called Mrs. Walker. Coming back on the phone Quentin explained, "Mrs. Johnson's sister Matilda Walker came today. Mrs. Johnson is being released home tomorrow so she came a day early to help get things together and ready."

Elliott could have cared less about Matilda Walker or Mrs. Johnson he had something important to tell Quentin. "Look, we have to bring someone else in on this mission and it is not going to make Laura happy."

Quentin chuckled, "I don't think at this point she gives a good rats ass about anyone except for her god Ra. Right now she is entertaining him in the drawing room and get this she has even given him a room here at Collinwood."

Elliott nearly choked, "We have Ra as a guest at Collinwood?" He was speaking in incredulous tones while he could hear the light laughter that must have been Laura.

"Yes we do. When are you coming home?" Quentin slid his hip up on the table to rest it against the top. He folded his arm under his chest while he held the phone to his ear watching the drawing room and th way Laura was pampering the man who came to earth and proclaimed himself to be Ra. "He seems to be everything you would expect an ego maniac to be. He is demanding, no easily amused and rather stoic. Kind of like my cousin Barnabas." Quentin had used his dry tones to describe what was happening.

"Well how is she going to explain him to Roger, he is bringing Maggie and we are headed that way soon and something else Quentin, Maggie was possessed by a bunch of spirits. They brought a message to me through her and they said they would help but that they would only do it through Maggie because she is the strongest of us all. Now explain to me how she could be stronger than an immortal former werewolf and a vampire?"

Quentin did a soft whistle, "That sounds like some serious heavy crap there Elliott. Well maybe we can figure this out once you get back here. Laura is trying her level best to convince Ra to help us, might as well bring Maggie and see where we go from there."

Quentin hung up from Elliott and turned to move towards the drawing room when a hard knocking sound was heard at the door. Turning he allowed Mrs. Walker to go to the door and open it. Nicholas stood with his well-worn smarmy smile on his lips and his beady little eyes alight at seeing Quentin. "Ahh just the person I needed to see my dear boy."

Quentin smiled at Nicholas and then thought about his association with Diablos and who is was that now held his family. He had to wonder if Nicholas had been behind this debacle that was being played out in Romania in the Carpathians Mountains. "Ahh Nicholas, just the person I needed to see, come in and meet the newest member of our little family gathering. A dear friend of Roger's estrange wife Laura."

Quentin watched Mrs. Walker disappear into the rear of the house headed he knew to the kitchen to get supper prepared. Waiting for Nicholas to join him; Quentin smiled a mischievous smile of pure delight. If Nicholas was behind this attack against the Collins family then he was in for a nasty surprise when he met Ra. Leading Nicholas to the drawing room he noted that Ra stood in front of the burning fireplace with his back to them. He was, Quentin had to admit a commanding figure in his black duster coat, his black shirt and pants with his black long hair pulled back in a ponytail at the base of his neck.

Laura had been standing by his side facing the door and when Quentin appeared with Nicholas at his side; Laura tensed and spoke softly, "A follower of Diablos has arrived my lord." With an affected turn on the balls of his feet he pinned those dark glowing eyes on Nicholas.

"You are a member of the cult of the Prince of Darkness?" His voice held a deep ominous tone as he allowed those eyes to glow with a hint of his withheld anger.

"I am a member of the cult that worships the one called Diablos." Nicholas nervously played with the golden onyx ring on his pinky finger and studied the figure in front of him.

A slow smile spread across Ra's face. "You have chosen wrong time and the wrong house to visit my friend, sit." He pointed a finger to Nicholas and then the sofa. Nicholas was teleported from the doorway and found himself forcefully moved to the sofa.

"What is the meaning of this Quentin? What is going on and who is that man that dares to move me around like I was some kind of tissue paper that needed to be manipulated?"

Quentin stepped forward and said softly, "Nicholas Blair may I present Ra, God of Egypt and Laura's master." He nodded to the attractive blond woman that was now standing in front of her master with her arms cross and glaring at Nicholas. "You! I thought I warned you about messing in my business."

Ra placed a hand of comfort on Laura's shoulder. "Now, now my dear. We shall have a bargaining chip now for our exchange; Drake must learn he is weak while in human form just as I am vulnerable without our fire. So, we work together and I think Mr. Blair will come to recognize he has chosen the wrong god to back. For now Mr. Blair I give you free reign to move about this small quaint . . . " He had accented the word quaint, "Town for now, when the time comes I will find him and we all together will go and confront Diablos about his little mix up in taking one of mine from me."

Castle Darkhart

Carpathian Mountains Romania

The horses were being pressed in a race back to the castle, Victoria held the lead with her body laying head next to the main of her horse. Both horse and rider appeared to blend into one complete working machine as she guided him towards the gate and the path back to the stables. All she wanted was distance from him and his odious taunts. The ride had started out with her sitting her horse in silence and with him telling her what was expected from her as the future wife of the soon to be proclaimed king of this land.

He had grown quite testy with her assumed silence. "Why do you persist in making me force you to comply? I found that even though you were soiled goods I was willing to forgive you as long as you pleased me." Victoria felt the burn of the anger she held to her self. While he continued to 'explain' her duties and her soon to be elevated position.

"There are a great deal of nobly birthed women that would gladly change places with you Victoria, the sooner you realize that you are to meet your destiny the quicker you are prepared to give me an heir." He had softened his tone when he spoke of their coupling for her to provide him with an heir. "You realize how childish this is that you don't speak to me?"

She bit her bottom lip clicked her tongue to the roof of her mouth and spurned her horse on into a gallop. He chuckled watching her ride away from him. He called after her, "You can run from me but you will never be able to hide from me." He caught up with her and reached for her reins. "I would suggest you slow the horse and listen to me. We are about to go into a village where they adore me and if they suspect we are not a happy that will upset them and they will not be happy with you."

Victoria sighed deeply, if she was ever to be away from this horrible situation then she might try to pretend she was happy with her lot he had dealt her. "Fine Drake, I will smile when it is necessary and I will be nice to those that you govern and I will give it my best effort to try and appear that I am ecstatically happy to be in your company when the very opposite is the truth."

Though she was showing her outrage at his affront to her and her intelligence he found her spirit and show of defiance amusing and he chuckled. "What you need Victoria is a real man to take you and make love to you. That would temper your anger a bit I think."

He had found the nerve he hoped to find when he watched her eyes open wide and her mouth drop open and the expected, "You would not dare!" Come out in an aghast rush of outrage.

"I would dare but not today. Today we greet our people and welcome you to our fold. Come now and be civil, I know you know how you have demonstrated it on many occasions when you thought I was not looking."

He led her into the town proper to the center of the town square. Dismounting he turned to Victoria and turned holding his hands up to help her down blocking her from dismounting as he had. Putting his hands to her waist he lifted her easily from the small bay's back and let her slide down the length of his strong body. His eyes held her gaze with a look of his own defiance giving the appearance he was waiting for her to try and resist his gallant action. "See now this is not so bad is it?" He held her close to his body and she could feel the beginning of his arousal.

"No, but we are gathering a crowd should we not turn to greet our people?" She was feeling the tension between then and wondered did he create a sexual tension between them? Stepping away from him she placed a sincere and bright smile on her lips. She watched the town's people become excited and a buzz was set up in the now growing number of those that lived in this village. She could hear them say "Este Prințul el a adus mireasa lui să fie." The words held little meaning for Victoria until Drake translated them for her, "They say it is the Prince he brings his bride to be with him.. So I suggest you nod politely to them and smile"

Victoria smiled and between clichéd teeth, "I am smiling how much more do you wish me to do?" Her words were said in a subtle angry tone.

Grabbing her and pulling her with him to the small dais in front of the courthouse he stood with her at his side. In Romanian he began to make a long drawn out speech which resulted in the crowd laughing and clapping each time he made an expressive gesture and then he turned to Victoria and said softly, "I just introduced you to them make them welcome by saying the following and listen carefully, 'Sunt onorat să te cunosc. Plec de asemenea bucuria mea cu voi la plecare nostru și sperăm că mă acceptați cât mai curând pentru a fi regina Victoria."

"What am I saying to them when I speak those words?" She was defiant not realizing she was coloring with her heated anger. "I wish to know what I am saying." She kept her smile in place but blushed and the crowd thought he had told her something about their wedding night, which was why she was blushing.

He laughed, "I merely told them that, 'I am honored to meet you. I also leave my joy with you upon our departure and hope that you accept me as you're soon to be queen Victoria.' What harm is there in that statement now be a good bride to be and say what I just told you."

Victoria much to his surprise said the exact words he had said to her earlier with the right inflection which somewhat amazed him and caused the crowd of people to clap and exclaim the new bride to be was trying to learn their language. He hugged her tightly feeling her tense up and then laughed softly in her ear, "Remember you must prove to them you love me and if they see you tense up they will not believe that you are the right choice for me. Show a little more affection now Victoria your family's life depends on it." His words had taken on a more subtle and dangerous tone.

Forcing her self to relax in his hold she smiled and said softly, "I hope this meets your expectations a bit better. It is the best I can do under the circumstances." He tucked Victoria's hand into his bent arm and walked with her around to the villagers speaking words of praise for this one's accomplishments and complimenting another for another successful year of harvest. When the villagers spoke to Victoria and complimented her Drake translated for them.

Vicki was gracious and very complimentary and when asked to hold a baby or receive flowers from a pretty village girl she bent and kissed the child on the forehead and accepted it with a graciousness that caused the towns people to immediately fall in love with her. This appeared to please Drake as he stepped back to watch her charm the crowd and communicate in the way she knew how, which was through touches, smiles and laughter. For a brief moment Victoria was happy as she accepted more flowers and compliments and the need to touch her hair and her face.

With the day growing longer and the shadows starting to cover the ground Drake knew they would need to be heading back to the castle. He walked towards Victoria and paused she had stooped down to listen to one small child tell her a story in his language and in the universal language of love. He was so caught up in his story to the pretty lady that must be important that his words were coming so fast and Vicki was smiling and laughing and nodding. When he took a breath she took him in her arms and held him tight and whispered, "Never loose that imagination."

He turned his eyes bright to peer up at his proud mother and Vicki turned and motioned Drake to her side. "Please tell the mother her son is very bright and has a great imagination and he should always use that imagination." Drake immediately translated to the mother what Victoria had said and watched the mother hug her son close and tears form in her eyes, when she spoke Drake chuckled and then nodded.

"She wants you to know that he was always quiet around the other children but when he saw you he knew by looking at you, your soul was pure and that you would understand what it was to be like him filled with the love of all times." Victoria was touched by the admission the child had been backwards and unable to communicate to others what he had to her. She brushed his hair from his eyes and looked into them and saw there something she had not seen reflected before and that was hope.

Bending over she kissed his small cheek then turned, "I suppose we must be going now, it will be getting dark soon and I doubt we would want the horses on the trail after the sunsets." Drake tipped her chin up leaned over and for the show to the villagers lightly kissed her lips.

"Yes, shall we go?" He led her to the horses turned and bid the villagers a joyful evening and together they rode sedately out of the village.

When they were within a mile of the gates Victoria feeling she had enough close time with him called over her shoulder, "Race you back!" She kicked her horse into a full out run towards the gate leaving Drake in her dust and she laughed as the air filled her hair and the mane of the horse and her hair mingled, just as she felt the race was hers to win she heard the thunder of the hooves behind her and moaned, he passed her within fifteen feet of the gate reining in his horse to jump from the saddle and wait for her to come at a more sedate speed.

"You will learn I always win Victoria. Now go change we will have your family for dinner this evening and we will be dressed formally, it is time they learned of our engagement." He handed his reins over to the stable boy turned to lift her from the horses back and take her reins to hand to the other stable boy. "Come the night fast approaches and it is time to close the gates."

He ran his arm around her waist and led her into the castle. Angelique watched them from the balcony widow over head. "First it waz Josette and now it iz Victoria that takes what I want. Well we will see how she fares when the time comes for ze wedding." Angelique huffed softly turning and walking to her bed she threw herself across the bottom of the bed. "I thought he waz going to give me Barnabas to toy with? If zat is true where iz he?"

"You know Angelique you should learn patience and to follow orders. I promised you the vampire and you will have them, even now they conspire on how to rescue Victoria and bring her home little do they realize they are walking into my trap." Drake entered her room and looked down at the pouting face of Angelique. "Your face will freeze that way if you continue to pout like that."

"You wanted me brought back I feel you tease me and make a promise that you will not keep."

Drake sat on the end of her bed. "You need to learn to follow orders and you avoided me for these past two hundred years thinking you did not need to return to me after you completed your assignment but you choose instead to stay behind and continue with your own agenda. You should be grateful I released you from the bonds of hell to come back to finish what you started. The only thing I forbid is any interference by you with my relationship with Victoria is that understood?"

Angelique frowned folded her arms over her chest and looked to the ceiling. "I will leave 'er alone. As long as you let me 'ave Barnabas." She smiled thinking of being in his bed again.

"You will have whom I say you are to have. You want the vampire to play with you can play with him for a while but I have other plans for him and you will not interfere with those plans either."

"What about Nicholas? What is he allowed to 'ave?"

"You lave Nicholas to me. Now dress for dinner we have a grand family reunion planned."