Adult material

Chapter 2

When Barnabas found out about the relationship between Magda and Quentin's dead wife Jenny, as hard as it was for him to believe he had had no choice but to believe and accept it. Magda - that stupid ignorant crone of a gypsy - had put a werewolf curse on Quentin, because in her grief, she had blamed him for murdering her sister. That inept excuse for a woman had not known that Quentin and Jenny had children, and the curse had descended on the first born of every generation. Julia had tried all sorts of tests and experiments on Chris Jennings, a direct descendant of Quentin Collins, to no avail. Nothing, it seemed, was working. But, Barnabas, thought, what's done is done.

And now -- the death of the gypsy girl, Julianka, daughter to King Johnny Romano had created more problems. Magda, Quentin, and he had conducted a seance with the desparate hope of geting the cure for Quentin, but had only served to raise the ire of the dead girl, and she had cursed Magda. The curse was somewhat worded like the one that Angelique had placed on him 100 years before, because he did not love her. He was doomed and cursed to live eternity without love. The gypsy girl or the ghost of the gypsy girl had not summoned a bat from Hell to put a vampire curse on Magda, but had cursed her that whomever she loved would die. Magda was beside herself, stating she could not live without love. Barnabas allowed her to carry on, and finally got her to stop, it was not helping anything. Barnabas thought to himself, she and her arrogance have brought this upon herself.

Barnabas had sent Sandor to fetch the gypsy girl Julianka with her effected cure, and he had not returned. Only Julianka had shown up at the Old House one evening alone. And Sandor not being here was not helping Magda. Barnabas did not sense any danger to Sandor through their link, but it was weak, so he didn't know. One thing he knew he was incapable of, and that was trying to console an inconsolable gypsy, so he deferred to his cousin, Quentin. Quentin had a positive genius in these kinds of situations.

Damn it, he was tired of this century with all its intrigues, secrets, lies, and only God knew who belonged where. As much as he liked Quentin, and they did have some good times together with the male and female prostitutes they would hire and bring to the Old House for their amusement and entertainment == he was thinking about Charity -- Quentin, his second of what they had been termed, "the Dark Cousins", he would never understand how Quentin had carried on an affair with his brother's wife, leave home, go to Egypt, and she followed him. It was shocking! Barnabas laughed out loud. He laughed at the prudish victorian manner he was judging Quentin. It amused him.

Standing at window now for a full five minutes, while waiting for Quentin, all these thoughts had been going through his mind. All of a sudden, he wanted to go hime. A homesick vamire! Now, that was one for the record books. He missed Willie, Elizabeth, David, Carolyn, Roger, and Julia. He missed Maggie. Thinking of Magie made him think of Angeliqe. It wasn't as if he didn't have enough to deal with, she put in her expected and annoying appearance. Why didn't she just go back to Diablos or wherever she came from, and leave him alone! If it were possible, his stomach would be in knots! Oh good, there's Quentin at last. No, it wasn't Quentin, it was Sandor.

"Magda!" Barnabas shouted, "come quickly. Sandor is coming." barnabas knew that he had been responsible for a change in Sandor, but he knew that Magda cared for him, and would be happy to see him. Barnabas did not feel bad or guilty for Sandor's participation in anything or activity that he required or wished of him, because Sandor had done as he had been commanded by his master. Sandor was his servant, and the only will that he had was his master's. Maybe Sandor would help Magda get over the tragedies that had befallen her lately. It was with that thought that Barnabas noticed Sandor looked strange. Something was wrong. He didn't hear the usual heartbeat, he listened very carefully. Sandor did not have a heartbeat. He was dead. He could not feel their link. "Magda! Get away from him. Sandor is dead." Barnabas told Magda in a stern tone. Magda was so hysterical by the time Quentin arrive to begin the evening's festivities, she was having a hard time breathing. Quentin, forunately knew what to do immediately, and within a minute Magda was breathing normally except for the soft controlled sob.

barnabas knew that Magda was aware that nothing had changed. He and Quenting would continure their eveing as planned. The death of a servant, and a gypsy one at that, would not interfere in the lord of the manner's activities or routine. Barnabas did not excuse Magda from the room, but made her watch as usual. About midway through the evening, he leaned over and whispered to Quentin that it would kind of them to excuse Magda for the evening. Quentin agreed.

Barnabas had been watching Magda since the beginning of the evening. She looked so sad. Her big brown expressive eyes had stayed wet, but she never complained. He told Magda to go upstaris and use one of the bedrooms, and try to get some rest. Admonishing her as to what would happen to her if he found her in Josette's Room, she would be joining her husband a lot sooner than intended. With that remark, he nodded, and bid her a good evening. Quentin, standing, offered his condolences once again, also bid her good evening. Both men watched her appreciatively as she walked up the stairs.

Barnabas, having all the hirees clean up any mess that was made, traded a joke with Quentin, looked at the buxom redhead that Quentin was going to take home for the rest of the night, bade his cousin a very good evening. Barnabas decided he would forego any further activities, because Magda was upstairs, and he would show respect for the loss of Sandor.

Walking up the stairs, making his way to Josette's Room, entering the room, heading straight for her portrait, he began by wishing her a good night, expressing his undying love for her, he finished up a ritual he had been doing every night since Willie had released him from that chained coffin. Leaving the room, he decided he'd better check on Magda, stopping and listening for a heartbeat, it was easy to determine she was in his parents old room.
Entering the room, Magda was not aware of his presence, she was sitting on the side of the bed sobbing. He went over to her, and sat down close to her and took her in his arms, and just held her. He never said a word, neither did she. She seemed to take comfort from his presence. Barnabas lay Magda down, after she dropped off to sleep. He covered her, but without his closeness her sobs began anew. He took off his shoes, his jacket and loosened his shirt, and lay down beside her. He gathered his in his arms holding her as close to him as he possibly could. Her heart was starting to beat a little faster. Tonight Barnabas would would be a source of comfort to Magda for a little while.

to be continued..

Dark Shadows is a Dan Curtis Production