DESTINY
CHAPTER ONE
Judah Zachary's malevolent laughter filled
Collinwood's foyer as he stared down at the lifeless form
at his feet. Julia was at Barnabas' side in an instant,
turning his body over as she automatically felt for a
pulse. Even as her fingers pressed against his wrist she
knew it was a futile effort.
"Julia! What's happened?" Elizabeth exclaimed in
shock.
On the stairs, Victoria watched in mute disbelief
at the events that had just unfolded, but she made no
sound. Her hand was raised to her mouth as if to silence
the tumult of emotions that were at battle within. At
first she could only stare at the prone form on the
floor, and although her first impulse was to run to his
side some unseen force seemed to immobilize her. Slowly
her gaze left Barnabas and turned to the tall stranger at
the foot of the stairs. The stranger who had just
announced that he was her father.
Julia slowly lowered Barnabas' arm and an audible
gasp escaped her lips. Eyes wide with shock, she
struggled to find the words. "He... he's...dead!"
"No!" Liz cried. "He can't be!"
"...he's dead..." Julia repeated in a whisper,
staring off into space, looking at no one.
"I'll call an ambulance," Elizabeth announced and
she took a step toward the phone on the foyer table.
Julia took a deep breath and shook her head. "It
won't do any good," she said, her voice barren and far
away. "It's too late..."
Liz hesitated only a moment, her gaze going from
Julia to the man standing by the stairs. "The sheriff
then," she said determinedly as she reached for the
receiver.
"Put the telephone down, Elizabeth," Judah
commanded, his voice strong and compelling.
Liz looked up sharply. She was not accustomed to
being told what to do under any circumstances. She
looked into the eyes of the man at her side, her mind
racing for an appropriate response. Astounded, she found
that she was slowly putting the receiver back on its
cradle. "But...he needs help..." she managed, surprised
at the almost pleading tone in her voice.
"There is no help for him now," Judah told her, and
somehow his voice seemed to calm her.
Still crouched on the floor by Barnabas, Julia
watched in silence. Elizabeth's entire demeanor changed
as she quietly fell under the warlock's control.
As Liz removed her hand from the phone, Judah
returned his dark gaze to Vicki where she stood waiting
on the stairs. Her hand gradually fell to her side as
something deep within her stirred and slowly rose from
her subconscious.
"Come, Victoria. The time for our reunion is at
last at hand," Judah told her as he extended his arm.
She hesitated for only a moment, as some last
vestige of her free will tried to resist him, tried to
force herself to look away from this strange man. She
knew that if she did as he asked her life would never be
the same. But some force beyond her reasoning seemed in
control and even as a part of her screamed in silent
protest, she found herself slowly walking down the stairs
and a moment later she was stepping onto the parquet
floor. All the while she could not take her eyes from
him, and as she came to his side she placed her hand in
his. A sensation like none she had ever experienced
filled Vicki's body at his touch and a current seemed to
pass between them as an unholy union was formed.
She never once looked down at Barnabas' body.
"Come, both of you. Into the drawing room," Judah
told his former lover and their daughter. "There is much
to be done." He guided them both toward the double doors
of the drawing room, ignoring Julia completely.
"You'll pay for what you've done here tonight,"
Julia spat, her jaw firm with rage as she stood to face
him.
Judah merely stared at her for a moment, an evil
grin on his face. He made no response to her threat and
merely closed the doors in her face as if she were
nothing.
She turned and looked down at Barnabas and her
anger instantly transformed to grief. With halting steps
she walked back to where he lay and slowly bent down. A
wave of despair and hopelessness crested and washed over
her. Judah was right. Without him she was nothing.
Gently she cradled his head in her arms and softly
began to cry.
* * * * * *
Angelique nervously paced in front of the mantel in
the drawing room of the Old House, pausing only long
enough to look at the clock as it chimed the half hour.
It served only to remind her that Barnabas had left the
house over an hour and a half ago, promising to return
shortly. She tried to convince herself that he hadn't
been gone that long but a feeling of uneasiness had been
growing within her all night; a sense of foreboding that
seemed to gain a stronger foothold with each passing
minute.
So much had happened these last few weeks for her,
and danger seemed to be at every turn. Danger...and
temptation.
Her journey to this time had been successful, for
she had changed history, this time defeating Petofi by
accepting the power of the Mask of Baal. But that
victory had carried with it a price. Even though she no
longer possessed the Mask, she remembered only too well
the thrill of its dark power as it called out to hungers
and passions within her soul. No one who used the Mask
was left unscathed, for eventually it consumed them with
its evil, allowing them to be one with its Maker.
She realized long ago that the remnants of her
humanity were her only hope of ever keeping Barnabas.
Although she had no intention of giving up her powers,
neither would she give up that part of her self which
allowed her to remain, first and foremost, a woman.
But the Mask had awakened old enticements and a
part of her longed to possess it once again. But that
seemed highly unlikely. Judah had regained the Mask and
it was extremely doubtful that its power was something he
would share with anyone. For that, at least, she could
be thankful.
At least, she wanted to believe that was the way
she felt.
For what seemed the hundredth time, she went to the
window and pulled back the white lace sheer and looked
out into the night. As all the previous times, there was
nothing to see except the moonlit landscaped gardens and
lawn of the Old House.
From somewhere within the house a creaking sound
came to her ears and for a moment she seemed startled.
But she quickly realized it was merely one of the many
natural noises associated with this old mansion. Still,
it merely underscored how on edge she felt.
She looked about the drawing room looking for
something to distract her but found instead a flood of
memories. How many times had she stood in this room,
under various circumstances? And in how many different
roles? Wife. Mistress. Enemy. She had been all of
these things and more. And this house had been witness
to much of her history, always pulling her back.
No. Not the house but rather the master of the
house. She was bound to Barnabas -- throughout eternity.
She had known that for some time, and now, thanks to her
powers, tonight he was aware of it too.
But what would he do with that information? After
she had shown him a portion of their life together in
1692 he had been moved, of that she was certain. But
would the revelation that he had loved her in a previous
life draw him closer to her or have some unforeseen
repercussion?
It didn't matter. She had shown him the past in
hopes that he would realize the danger he faced with
Judah in order to convince him to leave Collinsport. But
instead, it had only seemed to fuel Barnabas' decision to
confront the warlock.
Normally she preferred solitude, but as her anxiety
grew so did her desire to be near someone. It was a
decidedly human feeling, she thought to herself. What a
pity there was no one with whom she could share that
thought...even if she wasn't alone in the house.
No, that wasn't entirely true. If she were here,
Julia would be the one person she could confide in. And
surprisingly, she knew Julia would believe her.
It had been a very long time since she'd had a
friend.
Another sign of her humanity, she thought ruefully.
Perhaps Barnabas might see some hope for her after
all.
She tensed, suddenly aware that she was no longer
alone. The air in the room seemed to stir ever so
slightly, as if charged by some form of energy or
presence. She looked about the room sharply, her blue
eyes darting from corner to corner, trying to see who or
what had joined her.
"There is someone in this room," she announced. As
if in answer, the chandelier above her began to weave
slightly, the tinkling sound of the crystal filling the
room.
"Whoever you are, " she commanded, her voice strong
and without fear, "reveal yourself to me."
And then she was enveloped in the entity as the
very essence of the spirit engulfed her, causing her
flesh to tingle and her mind to be filled with its
presence...a presence that was familiar and full of
melancholy. She closed her eyes, overcome by the
experience...
And then, just as suddenly, it vanished.
Angelique's eyes opened wide with fear and her face
twisted with grief as the realization struck her.
"Barnabas!" she cried out in anguish. Her hand went to
her mouth in a futile effort to stop the wail which
followed. "No!"
There was no mistaking who the spirit had been.
Her worst fears had been realized.
He was dead.
But before she could give in fully to her grief,
the sound of the front door opening came to her. She
hurried toward the entranceway, knowing that it was
foolishness....that it couldn't possibly be him....
Willie stood just inside the door, his hand still
on the handle, as Angelique rounded the pillar to stare
at him.
"You!" she said, crestfallen.
Willie tensed immediately. He had never been
comfortable around this woman and he never would be.
"What is it? What's wrong?" he finally managed.
"Never mind," Angelique barked as she pushed past
him and opened the door. "Come with me."
"Come with you?" Willie repeated. "What's goin'
on? What's wrong?"
"There isn't time to try to explain it to you,
Willie," she told him curtly. "Just do as I say."
"Well, where...where we goin'?"
"To Collinwood," she called out over her shoulder
as she descended the steps. A moment later she was
heading for the path that led through the woods to the
great house. Willie looked inside the foyer for a brief
instant as if to find someone who could extricate him
from the task, but the sound of her voice calling his
name cut through the night air and he knew there was no
escape. He slammed the door and hurried down the steps
after her
* * * * * *
On the path, less than ten feet in front of Quentin
and Carolyn, the man that had called himself Cyrus
Carrington glared at them evilly...and then transformed.
Where a man in his sixties had been standing there was
now the snarling form of a werewolf, crouching --
preparing to attack.
Carolyn's shrill scream filled the night as she
backed away from the creature. Quentin once again
quickly glanced about the clearing in search of a
something he could use as a weapon...and found
nothing.
The beast uttered a low, guttural growl as it took
several tentative steps forward.
Carolyn screamed once again and despite himself,
Quentin took his eyes off of the werewolf long enough to
look in her direction.
And saw a silver cross dangling around her
neck.
In a flash he reached over and grabbed the slender
chain and jerked. The clasp gave way easily and by the
time Carolyn had put her hand to her throat the cross was
in Quentin's hands.
He brandished the silver crucifix like a weapon, a
smile spreading across his face. The werewolf, now no
more than five feet from them, stood transfixed and for a
moment was unable to take its eyes from the pendant. In
a bold move, Quentin stepped forward, pushing the
necklace in the werewolf's face, actually grazing its
snout with the holy symbol.
The creature howled in agony and stumbled backward.
Quentin took the initiative and moved forward, swinging
the cross on its chain.
"Let us pass, or so help me I'll tie this around
your neck!" Quentin threatened.
A snarling growl which bordered on a bark escaped
the werewolf's mouth as he bared his wet, glistening
fangs at Quentin.
An instant latter he bounded into the underbrush
and was gone.
Quentin watched after it for several moments to
ensure that it had truly retreated. From some distance
he heard the sound of padded feet threading through the
undergrowth. Satisfied that the imminent danger was
past, he turned his attention back to Carolyn. She had
backed away from the scene and was leaning against a
small maple tree, her hands still clutching at her
throat.
"It was the same creature that killed poor Dorcas!"
she cried. "Dorcas..." Quentin repeated numbly. It
had happened again. Carolyn was gone -- replaced by some
past life incarnation. And it wasn't very difficult to
deduce who it was this time.
"Father must make the sheriff do something!" she
continued, half sobbing, her chin quivering. "That
monster must be destroyed! Thank the Lord that I was
wearing my cross. It seemed terrified of it."
Quentin stared at her for a moment, not knowing
exactly what to say. And as was his habit, sarcasm
sufficed. "Yes, Charity...by all means, thank the Lord
but don't thank me." He reached out and took her by the
arm. "Now let's get out of here before our friend
returns. We're not too far from the Old House."
With that, he hurried them down the path. Nearby,
the mournful howl of the creature pierced the cool night
air.
* * * * * *
"I don't understand any of this," Elizabeth said,
almost to herself. She turned and looked at Judah as he
closed the drawing room doors. "How can you be
here?"
He strode across the room to join her as Vicki
watched from where she stood behind the sofa. "Because
this is where I am supposed to be," he told her,
playfully caressing her chin.
Sluggishly, Liz pulled away from his touch, a look
of disgust on her face. She tried to focus her thoughts
but for reasons she couldn't understand she was having a
difficult time thinking. Shock. Perhaps she was in
shock. No. Not shock. He did something to her. With
his voice. That's why she couldn't think. But that
thought skipped away as quickly as it came, lost in the
swirling tumult of confusion that now blanketed her mind.
Vicki stood, unmoving, and silently stared at the
man in front of her. Judah turned from Liz and looked
across the room at his daughter.
"You believe that this is where I am supposed to
be, don't you my dear?" He smiled at her, a triumphant
look on his face.
"...Yes," Vicki answered. Her voice sounded far
away and strange to her. As if it belonged to someone
else.
Liz watched the interaction between them and a
sense of panic grew within her. Her brow knitted as she
tried to concentrate. And then, for a moment, her
thoughts cleared.
"Barnabas!" she exclaimed. "You did something to
him -- you made him die!"
Judah turned his attention back to Elizabeth, a
look of mild surprise on his face. The spell he had cast
should have prevented her from being so...focused. But
that was an easy enough matter to rectify. He walked to
her side once again, his gaze intent. She looked up at
him, and became lost in his dark eyes, unable to look
away.
"You don't want to think about that, Elizabeth," he
told her soothingly. His voice slipped within her
consciousness and he molded her to his desires. "You
only want to sit down and remain calm..." He took her by
the elbow and ushered her to the couch. She sat down
automatically, the wrinkled brow of her forehead
smoothing away as she relaxed.
Judah stood back, looked down at her and continued.
"In fact, you enjoy this sensation of calmness, don't
you my dear? You've never had it before. Not at any
time in your life. But you will have it now, Elizabeth.
You will be content to sit quietly and relax, regardless
of what is going on about you."
Vicki watched with something akin to fascination at
the scene before her. A part of her screamed that she
should be terrified of this man -- of what he had just
done to Barnabas and what he was doing to Elizabeth. But
that part of her was growing smaller with every passing
moment as she felt herself drawn to this man.
Her father.
As if reading her thoughts, he looked across at
her, a small smile on his face. "There is no need for me
to place such a spell on you, is there?"
Without even realizing it, she shook her head
no.
* * * * * *
Angelique was still a good distance ahead of Willie
as she emerged from the woods and hurried across the
Collinwood lawn, the bright light of the moon clearly
showing her the way. As near to panic as she had ever
been she rushed toward the front door, her mind racing.
She could only imagine what she would find there.
There was no doubt in her mind as to what happened -- the
only thing she didn't know were the exact
circumstances.
Why had he not listened to her? Why had he been so
headstrong?
She ran up the drive toward the door and tried to
calm herself so that she would be best able to face what
was coming. What would she find inside this house? If
Judah had begun his plan then there was no safety for
her. She had not accepted his offer and therefore he
would consider her the enemy as well.
At the moment, she didn't care.
She threw the door open and the sight that greeted
her could have been pulled from her worst nightmare.
Barnabas' body was stretched out on the foyer
floor, his legs askew, one arm reaching for his chest.
Angelique stared in silence for a moment and did not
move. She knew the tell tale sign of death well and
quietly closed her eyes in a vain attempt at blotting out
what she had just seen. Her throat tightened and she
opened her eyes.
Julia was staring up at her, tears upon her cheeks,
her fingers seemingly frozen where she had been tenderly
stroking his hair. She opened her mouth and took in a
breath but no words came.
Angelique released the door handle and slowly moved
into the foyer, her face a mask of anguish. Her chin
began to tremble with emotion as she gradually knelt
beside the body. She felt the tears welling up within
her, threatening to burst out, but still she would not
cry. Hesitantly, she reached out to let her fingers
graze his cheek.
The flesh was already turning cool to the touch.
She pulled her hand away -- not quickly, but with
resolution. With an effort, she forced the tears
back.
"I knew it..." she whispered.
Julia's sobs came unrestrained, her face contorted
with grief. "He killed him!" she said, looking at
Angelique. "He killed him!"
Angelique reached out her hand and placed it over
one of Julia's. Already the beginnings of a plan were
forming in her mind. "Where is Judah?" she asked
anxiously.
Julia stared at her blankly, surprised by her
reaction. Couldn't she see what had happened? She tried
to calm herself enough to answer. "He...he's in...the
drawing room. With Elizabeth and Vicki."
As Julia was speaking the sound of footsteps could
be heard on the pavement outside and a moment later
Willie was standing in the doorway. When he saw them his
eyes grew wide with shock and fear.
"Barnabas!" he cried. He was beside them in an
instant, his hand reaching out to grab Barnabas' arm.
"What happened? What's wrong with him?"
"He's dead, Willie!" Julia managed, the sobs
returning.
"Dead..." Willie repeated numbly. And then his
face twisted as he futilely tried to stop the tears from
falling that were already in his eyes. "What happened?
How did he die?" he asked loudly.
"Be quiet, Willie!" Angelique ordered, her eyes
betraying the fear that was starting to grow within her.
A door was all that separated them from destruction. "We
haven't time to explain right now. Help me get him out
to Julia's car."
"My...my car," Julia echoed. "Why..take him to my
car?"
"We must leave immediately," Angelique told her.
"Before Judah returns."
"What difference does it make now?" Julia asked,
making no effort to move.
"It could make a difference, Julia," Angelique
explained.
"He's...dead..." Julia blinked. "Judah can't hurt
him now."
"But he can hurt us," Angelique pointed out.
"Please, Julia," she implored. "Trust me and help
us."
Something within her tone caught Julia's attention
and she forced herself to move. "Alright. Alright, I
will."
Angelique anxiously looked toward the drawing room
doors. She thought she heard voices within and only
hoped that they could escape before Judah emerged.
Willie was squatting by Barnabas' side, staring at
his dead benefactor and friend, seemingly oblivious to
their conversation.
"Willie, we must hurry!" Angelique cautioned. "Or
we are all doomed."
Willie and Julia gently turned his body from its
side and Willie slipped his arms under Barnabas and
wrapped them around his chest and lifted. With an
effort, and with Julia's aide, they hurried out to the
doctor's car. Angelique hurried ahead and opened the
back door and a moment later they were speeding down the
drive toward the relative safety of the Old House.