Subj: Angelique's Cure -- 2
Date: 6/18/99 1:30:27 AM Central Daylight Time
From: Beverly LaCroix

Ch. 2
Desire

"Janette, I will not be a party to this!" LaCroix exclaimed.

"LaCroix, it's not what you think," Janette said poutily in her lilting French accent.

LaCroix was angry, because he knew he wasn't going to be able to deny his beautiful daughter. Damn it, he thought. People quake at the thought of my name, and yet I am unable to deny this bit of girl anything she asks.

Janette had been watching her father's expression, the emotions that played over his face, caused a smile to come to hers. She had him.

The carriage had let them out at Collinwood after LaCroix had visited the beutiful blonde woman, Angelique Bouchard Collins. LaCroix smiled at the thought of the woman. She was lonely, and definitely not a mere mortal, a challenge to be had.

Knocking at the double doors of the great house, Janette seemed nervous and he talked to her in her native tongue to ease her anxiety. Why she wanted to come and visit Quentin Collins was beyond him. They had met Quentin in Alexandria, and gave him refuge during some messy business with a family member. LaCroix had not gotten involved with him. He was trouble. He could tell just by looking at him, and the way he behaved. Janette had enjoyed him quite thoroughly, and had not wanted to leave, but NIcholas was jealous, and it was threatening to be a family squabble that he did not want to deal with. So, he had gathered his errant children and left.

They had arrived in the United States a couple of weeks ago, and Janette had insisted they look up this Quentin Collins, and Nicholas had been so angry he took off to see about another cure. He had heard about a Dr. Julian Hoffman in Pennsylvania, and LaCroix had let him go. He was weary of Janette and Nicholas' quarrelling.

Angelique arrived at Collinwood just as LaCroix and Janette knocked. She saw the beautiful brunette with the extraordinary stranger that had interrupted her morbid thoughts earlier. She felt her heart leap to her throat when she saw he was real, and not a vision. She had convinced herself that he was the vision of a very lonely and hurt woman. Who was the woman? Angelique felt jealousy threatening to possess her, when the tall handsome stranger turned around and smiled at her, and his ice blue eyes told her he knew what she was thinking, and he was laughing at her. Now, she felt hurt. What was wrong with her. Why was she having this myriad of feelings that were usually reserved for Barnabas. The voice startled her, it was Lucien LaCroix.

"Ne soyez pas Angelique jaloux et bel." (Don't be jealous, beautiful Angelique) The soft whispery voice said so sensual that Angelique felt desire go through her like she had never felt, not even for Barnabas. She was having a hard time standing. Her legs felt like butter. God, who was this? What was this man?

"I am a vampire, Madame Collins," LaCroix said bluntly gazing into her blue eyes, and the man in him took satisfaction at her raw naked desire he saw reflected in those beautiful eyes.

To be continued

Dark Shadows is a Dan Curtis Production.