Chapter 5

Collinsport Hospital Emergency exam room

Vicki laid on the gurney and looked at the ceiling tiles, they had a star pattern and she began to count the stars. She had gotten to four hundred twenty stars when Eric Lang walked into the room holding her chart. "Well my dear you had a nasty tumble down those stairs. I think we will discharge you but with strict orders that you go straight home and to bed. You are going to be very sore in the morning." Eric Lang posed his most charming smile, tilted his head and studied the young woman in front of him. There was something very different about her. She has this look of purity and innocence although he knew she was married she was not like most the countless hard bitten, live, love and peace groupies he had seen come and go from this town. Walking down the hallway to his office, he pulled a vile of blood from his pocket and smiled.

"Eric? What are you doing here? I thought you were going home after Dr. Carlton came in?" Julia walked with a sense of purpose down the hallway to confront the controversial Dr. Eric Lang. His theories in school had matched hers only his was in finding a cure for death where hers had been blood disease. Where they had laughed her off the stage from her dissertation speech, they had sat enthralled with his outrageous ideas of transferring one soul into the dead body of another and reanimating the dead to bring it back to life. She wanted very much to have been taken as seriously as Eric's outlandish ideas had been well received and she knew it was because he was a man and she was a woman and should be married and dependent on her husband. She even recalled that was called out to her when she had taken the stage initially.

The comment had raised enough uncomfortable laugher when she glared at the one that had made such a sexist call and when she told him that his ideas were from a very narrow mind that was not obviously set in the scientific world of medicine. The resulting return comment was, "And yours should be set in science fiction Ms. Hoffman." Julia had the grace to not respond and turned to the moderator to see if he would call down the heckler when it was not forth coming she continued with her dissertation ignoring all further comments.

"Dr. Carlton called in and said he would be late, so I stayed over Julia. Nice to see you too." He coyly smiled and slid the vial of blood back in his pocket. "What brings you to he hospital and not Wyndcliff?" He continued to walk down the hallway toward his office and knew she would follow him. He paused outside his door and nodded, "Care to join me in my office? I have some notes to make about my patient's tonight." He opened the door and waited patiently for her to enter.

Julia followed him in, paused in the middle of the room and looked around. It was just like Dave Woodard's office only a little larger, one desk and chair, two patient consult chairs, a file cabinet, one window, with blinds no curtains, a closet, a coat rack to hang his lab coat and stethoscope on. Lying on his desk was his head mirror. Swiping it into his desk drawer he sat and folded his hands on his desktop and smiled charmingly for Julia. "Did I hear you got married?"

"Eric, you took care of one of my patient's tonight, I just wanted an update on her." She sat on the edge of one of the consult metal chairs and knew they were uncomfortable so that patients would not camp out in the doctor's offices. She held her purse and actually did want to know about Vicki but she was also waiting on her own blood test results as to why she had gotten so dizzy and disoriented earlier.

Eric sat back, folded his elbow to the chair's arm, cupped his palm to his chin and smiled watching her for a moment. "You are still a very beautiful woman Julia, so who did you marry?" He was not quiet ready to answer her questions. He wanted to make her squirm a bit before he gave in. They did after all have a little of a rivalry when they were in college together. He rather enjoyed being bested by her; she was a spitfire with that red hair and those flashing green eyes. He watched her slid back in her chair and fix those calculating eyes on him and it made him excited to see he had finally gotten under her skin.

"I married Elliott Stokes, Eric if you really must know. Now about my patient . . . " She had tried to steer him back to her patient and once again he smiled a charmingly sweet smile his own eyes lighting up with delight as he took her off track again.

"Oh 'The Elliott Stokes? The one that studies the dark arts and teaches various religious tribal beliefs and the such at the University?" He leaned back and stretched out his long legs under the desk. He waited for her to loose her cool. He saw those eyes and could wonder at what was taking place in the back of her mind as she tried to evaluate him and knew he was baiting her.

"Yes, Eric, Elliott Stokes who teaches at the University and I guess I will wait and get the records on my patient later, now if you will excuse me, I am no longer in the mood for cat and mouse and will not play this incessantly annoying game of yours." She stood and turned to leave. When his voice arrested her in her steps.

"How long have you been treating a vampire Julia? Have you been successful?" He had said is so softly that is caught her off guard and he saw how she had tighten her muscles in her back. He watched her turn and look at him in mock surprise.

"What did you say Eric?" She paused and folded her arms across her chest sending her handbag to swing back and forth with the force she was holding her arms. Then there was the tick in her jaw when she locked her teeth together, she must have been biting her tongue to keep from saying anything else.

"I said how long have you been treating your vampire and were you successful with your cure?" He was being so casual knowledgeable that she had to wonder if Vicki had said something to him about Barnabas.

"As memory serves me very correctly, and my memory is very good Eric, I recall you were one of the many that laughed me off the stage that day I gave my dissertation, so what makes you think I have a vampire I am treating and what business would be to you if I were successful or not. You and your knowledgeable colleagues all thought I was writing a paper for a science fiction magazine instead of my dissertation."

He chuckled, "Still as sharp tongue as ever I see Julia. You know it's a shame that you ended up with Elliott. You should have married me. Together we could have conquered the world with our theories and we could have won the Noble Peace Prize. You can stand there and deny all you want Julia but I know and I have the proof in the blood. Your patient is Victoria Winters and she has a very specific cell that is not common for her. I surmised she has been bitten and the cell was transmitted into her blood and has lain dormant. Now the only reason as I recall your theory was that it would lay dormant is because the transmitter had been cured and no longer had control or command over that cell."

He had the gall to put his feet up on his desk, and laced his fingers together folding them behind his head to support it. He had nailed her with his gaze and smiled. "See, I did pay attention and I thought your dissertation was brilliant by the way." He watched her to see if she would become unnerved. He marveled at her terminality to continue to stand and be in denial.

"Eric I am sure I have no idea of what you are speaking of or about. I merely wanted to know the condition of my patient whom you had treated earlier. I will bid you good night." Julia knew that she to leave this office before she said another word that might jeopardize her relationship with Barnabas. Turning she put her hand on the doorknob.

"I know because of her blood she was bitten by whomever and I know you are not ready to talk about it Julia so I will be patient but I will let you know one thing. I am here to help. So, if you need my help I can keep a secret and I can help. As for your patient I released her to bed rest at home. I will send a copy of the medical notes and copies of her blood work to your office at Wyndcliff." He leaned forward and lowered his feet to the floor folded his hands together on his desktop again and watched her pause for a moment.

"Thank you Eric but I don't see I would need any help since you are assuming something that is impossible and merely the figment of someone's wild imagination. Goodnight Eric." She opened the door and went out closing it with more force than she intended. She heard Eric's chuckle as she went with some force down the hallway to the lab.

Old House

Barnabas Vicki's bedroom

Barnabas pulled the covers over Vicki as she slid down in the bed and looked at him with pain etching her face. "It still hurts does it not darling?' she nodded slowly and was still unable to speak for to do so would cause her to erupt into tears. He sat on the edge of the bed and gently stroked her hair from her face. "Its not really the pains from the fall but finding out you are not pregnant?" He had spoken so softly stroking her hair back from her face and looking with love and patience into her lost gaze.

"I had hoped so desperately that I was pregnant. I don't know why I fell, but as I lay there unconscious I remembered another time my dearest love. I remembered being with him and having his child." She closed her eyes and let her mind go back to that period of time while she lay unconscious on the sofa and on the ride to the hospital. In that time she had lived half a lifetime.

1684

Castle Dracula Burgos Pass Transylvania

War raged outside the castle walls, and once again she felt the hard cramp and the need for life to be born. Opening her mouth she screamed out as the pain ripped her apart and the nurse scrambled to help ease the baby out of the birth canal, with one more hard push, her hair plastered against her face and back, she pushed and screamed again. Then it happened instant relief, and the announcement. "It is a boy! The Prince has a son!" Within moments, an angry fearful cry erupted with the wail of new life. They laid the boy on her stomach after cleaning him up. She had ran her fingertips through the silky mass of dark hair that crowned his soft spot of his head. They then encouraged her to try and breast feed him. It was so awkward that mother and baby were fighting against one another.

She felt so much love pour through her body as she held her son and looked upon the perfect tiny features that so resembled the man she knew was a the reason she was alive. The door was thrust open and he entered in his body armor covered in blood. He rushed to the bed, looked down and smiled seeing his son being nursed by his mother. Gently she edged the baby away from her teat and handed him his son. She watched him gaze at the baby in wonder and awe. "My son! We shall name him Mihnea cel Rău. He is my first heir!"

Radu entered the chamber bowed to them both. "My lord the Ottoman are breaching the first row of defense, you are needed." Vlad had gently handed their son back to her, kissed her forehead and turned with only a backwards glance at her before he disappeared to the war that now rage with such ferocity they had moved her to a more secure location in the castle. Just as she was to lay her son down to sleep in his own cradle her life was interrupted with a sudden jerk back to her current reality.

1968

Old House Barnabas and Vicki's bedroom

She shook her head she could not get that dream out of her mind. She looked up into the concern that was written across his face. Lifting her hand she cupped his cheek and smiled bravely. "You know how much I love you?" She whispered softly and turned her head to press her lips to his palm. "I love you so very much that a part of me would die if you were to go away or not return that love." She closed her eyes and the tears began to flow. Barnabas scooped her up in his arms and cradled her close to his chest.

"I love you too my dear sweet so very giving Victoria. You are my life, my heart and my soul. I would not wish to live. When we first met I was so attracted to you my love, you were so much of what I thought I needed in my life." He was gently stroking her hair as he held her close to his body. "I had found someone else and wanted to recreate and image of a past life and love. How was I to know that one innocent sweet giving young woman that had such a bright and curious mind would steal my heart and take me from my original plan and become what I really needed and wanted in my life." He leaned down and gently kissed her lips. "That was you my precious one, you whom I fell in love with and would also die if you did not return that love to me."

Vicki laced her arms around his neck and she spoke against his shoulder, "Make love to me my dearest one, make love to me and hold me. Since I cannot sleep for a few more hours we might as well make good use of our time." She had spoken so softly and he gently laid her down.

"Are you sure?" He looked into her gaze and knew she wanted him to make love to her, her gaze spoke volumes and he being a good husband obeyed his wife's desires. They spent the rest of the night locked in a romantic embrace and made love until dawn when they both fell exhausted into a deep sleep of blissful satisfaction.

Romania Burgos Pass Castle Dracula

Vlad sat in his library awaiting the call from Sorin. He was irritated and when he got irritated someone usually paid the price. The price he had exacted from Angelique did not satisfy his need or means to feel he had been successful, so he had her taken to the dungeon where she was now chained to one of the cell walls awaiting a decision from him as to what he wanted to do to her. She had interfered not helped him with his problem. A subtle knock on the library door distracted him from his irritation. "Enter." He commanded and he did not sound cordial or happy.

The man that entered through the door was dapper dresser, three piece suit with shiny polished black shoes. His mustache had been very carefully groomed, he carried a bowler hat and wore grey gloves and stood rather pointedly in the doorway awaiting an invitation to sit. "Yes, how may I help you?" Vlad studied the man and there was something too polished about him. He appeared to be expecting him to know who he was. His smile was fixed to be charming. "I presume I am speaking with Vlad Tepes?"

He was still standing waiting for an invitation into the room and to a seat. "Yes and you are?" Vlad was growing increasingly annoyed with the man.

"Oh forgive me, my name is Nicholas Blair." He bowed and stood looking at Vlad expecting him to recognize the name. When he saw that Vlad had no idea of who he was he smiled again and there was something about that smile that was as annoying as the man that stood before him.

Vlad sighed and looked to the window then back to the man. "Please enter and have a seat and explain what you want and why you think I should know who you are." He watched Nicholas enter and with deliberate ease take off his gloves and lay them in his hat on the nearest table. Walking with casual ease into the room he almost with deliberate calculated movement sat on the chair and crossed his right knee over his left and allowed himself to become more comfortable.

"You must forgive me, I came here because I was sent by my master. It appears you have my sister as a guest here. Angelique Bouchard?" He smiled and began to turn the black onyx ring on his pinky finger and watched the dawning realization come across Vlad's face.

"Ahh, I see Diablos sent you because I am unhappy with her work?" Vlad took a seat and now he had to wonder what he would do with a male with and a female witch under his roof. "Are you aware she deviated from what I asked of her? I am sure that Diablos has told you of my disappointment with the work she has done so far." Vlad wanted this interview over and the phone call from Sorin so he could tell him of a change of plans.

"I believe that is why he sent me to make sure she followed your plans to the letter. He is aware of her personal interest in the particular subject matter that had taken your interest. We know that Angelique has a gift but we are aware that sometimes she sets her own agenda and for that she has been repeatedly punished. I have been sent to make sure she keeps to the script that you have written and provide the service that you have requested from Diablos." He has been so precise and self-assured of his intentions that he had not paid attention to the body language of Vlad Tepes. Which had grown increasingly defensive.

With a clipped tone of annoyance Vlad spoke "Are you aware she nearly undid all the plans I had placed into play? She went against my wishes and now she is in the dungeon chained to a wall while I decide what I plan to do with her." He watched Nicholas slid forward on his chair and with a look of apology he laughed uncomfortably.

"I can assure you that we take these types of complaints seriously Prince Vlad, that is why I was sent. May I see my sister and at least try to see if I can make her see the light of your wisdom?" He was pouring on the charm to smooth over an already volatile situation.

Vlad played with the pen on his desk, running his fingers to flip the pen end over end as he considered Nicholas' request. "Perhaps I should give you an adjoining cell so I can let Diablos know how seriously upset I am over what she has done. You Mr. Blair I don't like. You are too full of your self and your abilities when I am the Prince of this castle and you all should bow down to my wishes. However as I am a benevolent Prince, I shall allow you to go and speak with your 'sister' and if you can make her see the error of her ways we may be able to renegotiate our terms."

Nicholas stood and bowed. "I thank you for your open mind and allowing me a chance to redeem our services on behalf of our master." Walking to the table where he laid his hat he waited as the Prince pulled the chord by his desk and the male servant that had escorted him to the room now reappeared.

"Take him to the dungeon to see his sister, then prepare him a room for him. We have a new guest." The servant bowed and turned expecting Nicholas to follow him. Vlad watched him leave the room and looked at the clock in another hour Sorin would call him and he would tell him of his change in plans. He had already put much of his plans into affect and it would be beneficial for Sorin to know what he intended. He sat back and thought about how he had come up with this plan and how it seemed fitting that he would move his plan of operations with all his contacts to the United States but allow Collins to think that he was still operating out of Romania.

Sitting back he closed his eyes and smiled. This plan had come to him after he had grown angry with Angelique. It had come to him so clearly and that was when he began all the phone calls he needed to make. There had been a transfer of funds and a flurry of activity to see the fruition of his plan. It was too good and so very appropriate from his perspective. Sitting back he looked down at the top of his desk and smiled, he was looking at his new home that would be occupied soon by him and all his staff. He just had to make sure that Sorin had everything in place on his end before he moved in mass to Mount Desert Island.

He looked at the location and then the location of Collinsport and smiled. So far but so close am I not right Barnabas Collins? We will do battle but on my terms and on my grounds." He sat back and chuckled at the plan he had just hatched. He was about to bring the taste of old world vengeance to the new world of the Americas. He would have his Elizabeta at his side and he would rule from his new castle he had just purchased. He would give her another month with her husband Barnabas and then he would make his move one loved one at a time leading a trail to here to this castle when in fact he would have them at his new home on Mount Desert Island, Maine in his castle. His plan was so perfect he was amazed at how well it fell into his own plans to get back what he wanted.

Absently, he played with his pen on the desktop and then growing bored he decided to go to the dungeon to check on both his guests and to see if Nicholas had been successful in altering Angelique's views. Standing he walked to the window and looked out over the bleak and dreary existence that had been his to command for over four hundred years. He was back on his game now he had time to heal and plot. Now it was time to execute on one decision and he had made it. If Angelique would cooperate he would allow them to join him on his journey to the new world and his new life with his beloved Elizabeta.