That night a stranger arrived in Collinsport. The tall, dark man wore a trench coat and a hat and carried a cane. He set foot on the docks and examined his surroundings. He lit a pipe and blew the smoke into the cold New England air.

"Welcome to Collinsport, stranger" whispered a shady character.

The stranger nodded.

"Now gimme your money!" The stranger turned with a surprising look, then laughed and continued walking. The thug then jumped the stranger. It was the last mistake he'd ever make.

Melissa walked in the garden that night, making plans about her assignment.

"It will be a beautiful garden when you're finished with it." said Carolyn, walking up behind her.

"Thanks for the vote of confidence," Melissa smiled.

"Can I ask you a question?" Carolyn nodded. "Do you believe in ghosts too?"

Carolyn was a bit surprised. "Now that's an odd question to ask."

"It's just that Luther and David both mentioned hauntings and ghosts and stuff..." she trailed off.

"Well, I haven't seen any ghosts for years!" Carolyn laughed even though she knew the subject was serious. If I told her the truth, she would leave on the next train, she thought.

"That's a relief. Not that I believe in that stuff anyway. Oh, I have a few ideas I would like to go over with you."

"Sure, but please let's go inside. It's rather cold out here."

The two walked back toward the great estate, leaving behind a solitary figure who had been watching the two women. They shouldn't be out here so late, thought Luther. Luther was still afraid Mrs. Loomis would fire him after yesterday's incident. He'd been trying to avoid her the whole day.

"Luther!" yelled a male voice.

"Mr. Quentin. I didn't see ya comin'."

"Or you would have hid from me too?" Quentin asked. "I know what you're thinking, but you'd better fix that step right now! And I don't want to hear anymore excuses."

"Okay" he trembled. He started back towards the house, but paused next to a patch of barren earth. "I coulda swore" he mumbled.

"What's wrong?" Quentin asked.

"There were these flowers over there yesterday..." he seemed confused. "Real weird flowers, I ain't never seen them before."

"It's just your imagination. Now go fix that step." Quentin took one last look at the spot. That was the exact spot where Marissa had planted her exotic flowers that she brought back from Africa. No, those flowers died that summer. Plants don't have ghosts, do they? Was Marissa trying to tell him something? Quentin shook it off and followed Luther back to the house.

David was busy in his office. He preparing some documents for one of his clients. He could hear the clock chiming the eleventh hour. I need a break, he thought. He decided to go downstairs for a cup of coffee. As he passed by the door to the West Wing, he heard what sounded like singing coming from behind the door. It was very faint. David pressed his ear up against the door, but the singing had stopped. Maybe someone is playing a radio or the TV. He shrugged and continued downstairs.

Melissa was their going over some ideas she had come with earlier. "David" she called to him. "Would you like to see some of the ideas I came up with?"

"Actually I would." Melissa handed him some sketches. "These are really wonderful. You're very talented."

Melissa smiled. "You're very kind."

"Tell me some more about yourself." David sat down on the chair across from her and poured a cup of coffee.

"Well, there's not much to tell. I grew up outside of Hartford. My parents owned a beautiful house. I always go back to that house as my inspiration for my career. My parents divorced when I was in my teens and I moved to California with my mother. That's where I went to school and began my career." Melissa was smiling nervously and couldn't look David in the eye without blushing. David was listening to every word she said. "Not too interesting, I'm afraid."

"On the contrary" David smiled. "I find everything about you interesting.

Dutch had given Luther a ride home from the Blue Whale later that night. Luther had been drinking rather heavily. He stumbled toward his cottage, nearly tripping over a stone. He closed the door, locked all five locks, then slumped down on the sofa. He turned on the TV and began to doze off.

Suddenly a knock came at the door. Now who the hell could that be at this hour, he thought.

"Who's there?" he mumbled.

He was answered by another knock.

"Okay, okay, hold your horses." He fumbled with the locks, then slowly opened the door.

A slight breeze brushed his hand as he opened the door to reveal a tall stranger. His face was masked in darkness. "What do ya want?" he asked.

"Luther, aren't you going to ask me in?" the stranger said mockingly.

"Huh? Who the hell are you."

"Interesting you put it that way" he laughed. "Tell me you don't recognize me?" He stepped into the light, revealing his face.

"N-n-no! " Luther shrieked. "It can't be you. You ain't real! They told me so. I'm drunk, that's it. 'I

Mortimer Thornwood no longer smiled as he approached Luther menacingly.

Passing the pen over....

Sheriff P

Dark Shadows, 1974 – Part 6
Dark Destiny Pt 6
Date: 10/3/97
From: MelodyX

Mortimer Thornwood glared at Luther. "You bloody fool!" Do you realized you almost ruined everything?"

Terrified, Luther huddled against the wall, but didn't answer him.

"Consider this a stem warning. If you make so much as one mistake that could jeopardize everything, you will wish you were dead by the time I get through with you. If you even forget to put away one tool, if you as so much as leave a tiny drop of grease or dirt anywhere where I can see it, you will have to deal with me."

Luther's face was white as a sheet as he continue to just stare at Mortimer Thornwood.

"Do you hear me?" Mortimer roared

"Ye ... Yes Sir." Luther mumbled.

"Good!" Thornwood smiled "Now get some rest. I may need you to do a few things for me in the coming days and weeks."

Mortimer turned and went out the door and slammed it so hard, a portrait fell off the wall.

"No!" Luther cried as he raced into the bathroom. "No! No! No"

Mortimer was still smiling as he made his way along the narrow path that lead to the Collins Family Cemetery and Crypt. Holding a white rose that seemed to glow. He walked past the elaborate marble angel statue that marked where Marissa's grave was.

Stepping over fallen branches and walking through piles of dead leaves, he stopped before a plain looking and slightly eroded headstone.

He knelt down and pulled out the weeds and gently set the rose down.

"Your revenge is my revenge." he said lovingly "It has come to past exactly as you predicted. The new destiny has arrived. After all these years Quentin will get what he justly deserves and David will get what he has always wished for just as you promised."

A bolt of lightening suddenly streaked across starless sky.

"Yes." he said "Her will is strong, but mistakes have been made that will be to our advantage. She has no protection from any outsider it won't be long before she becomes one of us." A clap of thunder shook the ground, nearly making him stumble.

"David will marry by the next blood moon. That is my solemn vow to you. I will do everything in my power to make your promise and prophecy come to be."

As Mortimer gazed upward, he saw a shooting star shoot across the sky.

"My only wish is to be able stand by David's side and guide him on his path." A sudden scent of lavender and sandalwood filled the air and Mortimer laughed as he walked away.

Julia Hoffman sat up in her bed. Now in her early 70s, she spent the majority of her time in a small cottage Quentin had built for her at the other side of The Collinwood estate. Except the occasional visit to Collinwood and The Collinsport Library, she usually preferred her solitude.

"Something is not right."

She reached for the crucifix necklace in her drawer and put it on. Then got up, hobbling over to the phone. She decided to call Betty, the Collinwood head housekeeper and her dear friend of 20 years.

"Betty will tell me. The secret we share binds us." She reached for the phone and cried out "Oh My Lord, I am too old for this!"

Passing The Pen