Chapter 12

The smoke coalesced into an opaque form. A man's face formed itself, and features began to insinuate themselves in the face.

Verhoff was free, but Burke was still with them.

"I will need a body" Burke said. "If not that one, then another."

"He cannot possess either of you." Dave said. "Unless you welcome him. Deny him, and he will not have a body to use."

Burke laughed, more hollowly this time.

"So I lost the vampire's body. It does not matter. My power did not depend on it. I needed him for one reason only, to make Barnabas tell me what I wanted to know, and he has done that. He has answered all the questions I ask. I can still regain Elsa, once I force you to make her come to you."

"I shall not do that." Edmund said.

"Yes, you will, child. You wasted all your power in these last attacks. You can't find anything else to throw at me. You are helpless. And who will help you? Him?" he indicated Barnabas, derisively. "Or him? he will not tangle with me again." he pointed at Verhoff, trying to regain his feet. "look how weak he is...Him?" He pointed at Dave "What can he do? He can exhort, tell pretty moral tales, that he himself knows are not true. He can try to keep you in the straight and narrow. But if you don't, well, he won't be able to do a thing about it. Ask him what good his homilies did when Barnabas decided that he had lived long enough."

"I can stop you, Burke" Dave said calmly "but it would be better if you were to renounce your ways on your own will."

Burke laughed. "Lecturing as always. that's all you ever knew to do, you pathetic faggot!"

"I speak the truth."

"Truth is what serves your purpose, no more. And your 'truth' does not serve me."

Barnabas concentrated. He wished that he was not so helpless. He wished that there was something that he could do, someone hen could call on for help...

"Peter Bradford" he called "If you can hear me, come to us. We are under attack by a man who is an enemy of Vicky's, who seeks to do her harm. Should he win, he will take a cruel revenge on her. As you cared for her, please help us."

No one paid attention to him. Verhoff was still on his knees., and Edmund only had eyes for Burke and Dave.

"Peter Bradford" he called again "Jeff Clark. Please come to us, for Vicky's sake."

Dave and Burke continued measuring each other. In spite of himself, Burke did not strike. There was a residue of respect for Dave in him, a residue of affection, and that stayed his hand, for a while.

Dave looked at Burke and knew the truth. Burke would not turn from evil on his own will.

What would be would be.

A shadow fell upon them. And another body took shape in the middle of the room.

"I am Peter Bradford and you have called me."

"Peter Bradford" Amy said, shaking her head. "That's a new one. Summoned by Barnabas"

"What can he do?"

"Keep Burke busy a bit longer, It will help us. After vanquishing him, he will be even more willing to believe that you are Elsa."

"You did not expect him?"

"I did not foresee the possibility of Burke wanting to keep Verhoff's body." she shrugged. "it seems that I am as much an instrument as the rest of us. Someone else is calling the shots here... Well, it is basically a bullfight now. We are waving red cloths at him, Verhoff, Edmund, Barnabas, Peter Bradford, even Dave Woodard. With so many red cloths he will not see the sword aimed to the heart... You are the sword."

"Peter Bradford?" Burke spoke with scorn. "And who might you be?"

"I loved Vicky Winters once."

"So did I." Burke laughed. "So you are the one she found to console herself after I was declared to be dead... She had no sense... You are pathetic, Peter Bradford, Jeff Clark, or whatever name you might have. Do you really think that you can defeat me? Are you a sorcerer?"

"I loved her. I promised to help her."

"And your cause is just" Burke mocked him "So how can you lose? You are nothing, you have no powers to oppose to mine. Is he the best that you can do, Barnabas Collins?"

"I will stop you." Peter said with determination.

"Same as the others stopped me? Look at the bunch of them. A child, a paralyzed vampire who's trying to achieve sainthood, and old Hubert Humphrey Democrat, who actually believes that being a knight in a shining armor is a sensible way to behave. And Doctor Verhoff.. Let us not forget Doctor Verhoff, who, if you give him a couple of weeks, might stand up again... and you, another wraith ready to be exorcized."

"Whatever you are, whatever your powers are, I must still oppose you."

"So try. Let's see what you can do. Can you lecture on Right and Wrong like him? he pointed to Dave. "Can you throw away what little power you have, in the hope you'll get luck, like him?" he pointed to Edmund. "Can you scream and swear that you'll never give in, only to do so when the pain gets to strong, like him?" he pointed to Barnabas "Yes, what can you do, Peter Bradford?"

"I can do what I can do."

"Which means more pretty speeches. Come on, lecture me all of you. Maybe you'll bore me enough so that I will leave. Or I'll laugh so much that I will let you go."

"I will fight you."

"So you will? How?" Burke gestured and the image of Peter wavered before them. "Can you stop me?"

"I must."

"You must, but you can't. Begone! Go back to whence you came and bother me not!" Burke gestured and this time Peter was gone.

"Tell me, Barnabas, was that the best you could do?"

"Burke" Dave said sternly "you will not get away with it."

"Begone, you too! I have listened to you long enough! I do not choose to listen to you again."

Burke gestured again, and Dave's shape wavered.

"You are stronger than Bradford, but you must leave. You are not wanted here. No one here who matters cares for what you have to say."

Dave was gone. Now only Edmund remained to face him. And Edmund had no strength left.

"Now you will call Elsa to me."

"And so we come to the end. It is time for Edmund to break. Now he will know that he must give Burke what he wants."

"And I will go to him?

'Yes. The rest will be up to you. Do as I instructed you."

"It might be easier if he had blood I could take."

'But it is not that easy. Be thankful that we have weakened him enough for you."

"No!" Edmund screamed., as Burke reached out and touched him.

"I have you, as I had Barnabas. And you will tell me what I want."

Barnabas screamed, in despair, and so did Verhoff.

"Get up, Verhoff, please, do something."

"How can I make Elsa come to me?' Burke asked coldly. Edmund screamed in pain, as Barnabas screamed with him.

"How can I make Elsa come to me?" Burke asked again.

Edmund knew then that he must give out the information. That he had been meant to give it...

So he did, sobbing to seem to have been broken.

"You see, it was that easy. And it did not hurt that much. Not as much as certain people are going to hurt when I come get what's mine."

Edmund fell to his knees sobbing... It had hurt... but then it had to look good...

"Now I have it all!" Burke said, laughing. " Elsa, come to me! I know the words that hold you! I hold the keys of the cage where Amy Jennings has put you. I can break the lock and bring you to me! And I do so now!"