Dane

Chapter 2

Mrs Johnson's expression became friendlier at the mention of Julia's name.

"Oh, you know the doctor?"

The man chuckled, lightly. His eyes sparkled with friendly mirth. "That I do," he said. "Is she here?"

"Who is it, Mrs Johnson?" asked a new voice, from behind the housekeeper.

She turned to find Elizabeth standing by the drawing room doors.

"A...friend of Dr Hoffman's," she explained, hesitating slightly on his relation to the good doctor.

Liz moved to the door. "Can we help?" she asked. "I'm Mrs. Stoddard."

The stranger bowed his head slightly. "I was looking for Julia Hoffman, Mrs. Stoddard. I was told that she was living here?"

"I'm afraid she isn't here just now. She's visiting with my cousin, Barnabas." She opened the door wider, "But you can wait for her, if you wish."

Disappoint flashed across his handsome face, on hearing Julia was out. At Elizabeth's offer, his easy smile returned. "Are you sure I wouldn't be disturbing you, Mrs Stoddard? I can easily come back.."

Liz smiled. "It's no in convenience, Mr." she paused over his name.

"Oh please forgive me!" he said, in an embarrassed tone. "I'm Dane Spencer. A friend of Julia's."

Darkness was beginning to settle, as Barnabas began to stir, in his coffin.

Wakefulness came slowly, beginning first with an awareness of the coming night. Then, to his sensitive hearing, would come the sounds that were beyond a human's normal hearing range. Somewhere in the cellar where he rested, a mouse tentatively went about his nocturnal business.

In response to the mouse, his keen sense of smell indicated a potential blood source, and his fangs reacted instinctively. With long practice, and with Julia's help, he had learned to control the power of the bloodlust, when he first awakened.

Fully aware of his surroundings, he lifted the lid of his coffin, and rose; hating to spend in a moment more inside it's confines than he had to. A heartbeat told him, that Julia was nearby.

Roger Collins shook Dane's hand, after Elizabeth had introduced them. "So, Mr. Spencer, you're a friend of Julia's," he stated. "Have you known her long?"

Dane smiled his easy smile. "Please, call me Dane. All my friends do. As for Julia, well, we've been friends since childhood. When she left to pursue a medical career, we kept in touch for a while. But our lives took different paths, and when I moved abroad to work, we lost touch. Since my work has brought me back home, I thought I'd take some time to look up an old friend."

Roger nodded. "I guess Julia will be surprised to see you...Dane," he said, pausing only slightly before using his new acquaintance's first name. "Are you planning to stay in Collinsport, long?"

Dane sighed. "I'd like to. But my business has a habit of catching up with me. But Collinsport has a local that I like. Reminds me a lot of home."

"It's strange that Julia never mentioned you to us, isn't it?" asked Roger, innocently, fighting the urge to ask outright just what his 'business' might be.

Dane shrugged. "I wouldn't say so. We haven't been in touch for several years. It was only after a lot of effort, that I found her at all."

"You must value her friendship a great deal, to go to so much trouble," probed Roger.

"Julia is a remarkable woman, Mr. Collins," said Dane, soberly. "Surely you have noticed it yourself, otherwise why would you endeavour to find all you can about me." He grinned, and chuckled, at Roger's look of guilt. "Mr. Collins, believe me, I mean Julia no harm. I came simply to renew an old friendship. And I'm pleased that she has such sincere friends to look out for her."

"Well, Dane, since you put it that way...care to join me in a brandy."

"Thank you," said Dane politely.

"And while we're on the subject...call me Roger."

When Barnabas entered Julia's work area, she was bent over the worktable, making notes. She leaned over to recheck her findings under the microscope, before returning to her notes.

He watched her for a few minutes before making his presence known. "Have you discovered anything new, Julia?" he asked going over to her.

She looked up, a smile of greeting on her face, which slowly dissolved into regret. "If you mean a cure no, but I think I might have found a partial answer. Look at this."

She moved so that he could see the slide for himself.

Under the lens he saw a mass of cells that seemed to be 'attacking' each other. He looked up at her, enquiringly.

"For some reason, your cells have mutated. Your normal cells have turned against each other, and have begun attacking each other, as they would a virus. It explains why I had difficulty when Jeb reinstated the curse."

"But Angelique was able to remove the curse," said Barnabas, puzzled.

"The only explanation is, that she removed only her curse. Jeb's curse was weakened, for a short time, until we returned back to our own time." She paused thinking. "I ran another analysis of the serum I used before, and I can't find any reason why it didn't work. I've been working on a serum that might work to ease your need for blood, until I can find a more permanent cure. I still have a few tests to do. But it should be ready by tomorrow

night."

Barnabas listened to her news with deepening gloom. The prognosis wasn't encouraging, but he knew that Julia would do her best. He knew she would do more than her best. Challenges always brought out the fighter in her.

"I'm sorry Barnabas."

Her voice broke into his thoughts. "There's no need for apologies, Julia," he said coming back to their discussion. "It isn't your fault. I know if there is an answer, you'll find it."

"The question is when?" she put her hands in her lab coat pocket. "I wish the news was more encouraging than it is. I'll need to work on this for a few more hours, and then I'll call it a night."

He watched her, seeing weariness in her movements; new lines around her eyes. She had been working almost non-stop since the night the curse had returned. He also noticed that she'd lost weight over the past few weeks.

She was, as usual, overdoing it. And all for him, to free him from a curse, they both detested, for different reasons. But more than that, far much more than that, because she loved him. There had been a time once, when he had laughed at the very idea, but not anymore. She had become too important to him, as a friend and as something much more. But that would have to wait. But perhaps there was something he could do for her right now.

"I was going to visit at Collinwood," he said, continuing to watch her in her work. "Will you join me?"

"I have too much to do here, Barnabas," she said, adjusting the magnification on the lens, and adding some amber substance to the blood sample on the slide.

He went over to her, and put his hands on hers. She looked up, at first angry that she'd been disturbed at a crucial time. "I insist that you join me, Julia," he said seriously. "You've done enough for one night."

"But -."

"I insist, Julia," he repeated more forcefully this time.

Resigned to the fact that he would have his way, even if he had to physically carry or drag her out, she complied. Perhaps he was right, and a night away from the complex problem would help her think of other avenues to pursue.

They entered Collinwood together. As they were removing their coats, Roger

came out of the drawing room.

"So you two have returned, from delving into musty old books! How is that book coming along?"

"Slowly," said Barnabas carefully. "Tonight, Julia and I have agreed on a respite from our research."

"I see," said Roger, jovially. "That's just as well."

"What do you mean by that Roger?" asked Julia curious to his tone.

"You have a visitor, Julia."

"Me?" she asked obviously surprised by the news. "Who?"

At that moment Dane walked into the foyer. "Hello, Julia," he said. "It's been a long time."