"Sarah, I'm afraid."

"Don't be. You wanted to go home," the little girl replied, squeezing Maggie's hand to reassure her. "I'll be with you."

Sarah kept up the chatter and singing as they reached the door to the Blue Whale, a popular hangout in the village. As Sarah kept up her stream of endless chatter, Maggie was having visions of eyes like burning coal, fangs descending from a cruel, sensual mouth coming towards her, all the while, hands were gently caressing her, touching her in sensitive places, causing her body to betray her, then the hands would become rougher, more demanding, and she would be in a state of uncontrollable desire, that her tormentor knew only too well -- "Maggie!" -- the voice broke her reverie -- "We're here. go in! Go." The little girl coaxed her, standing by her until she opened the door.

The three people sitting at a table were deep in conversation, but the dark-haired woman in the group, Victoria Winters, noticed when the door opened, and gasped, as she stood up, "Maggie!" The two dark-haired men with her also stood. Burke Devlin, Vicki's fiancé, was genuinely surprised and astounded to see Maggie. He had thought her dead, as nearly everyone in Collinsport had. The face of the other man also registered surprise, but not for the same reason as his two companions.

He, along with several others, knew that Maggie was alive. The fear that now permeated Barnabas Collins was a living entity, palpating his entire being. The fear that was thrumming through him was effecting the elements. When Maggie had entered the small establishment, the weather had been calm in the seaside village, but out of what seemed to be nowhere, the sea was starting to churn in conjunction with the lightning flashing across the sky, followed by thunder so loud and continual that it shook the Blue Whale to its very foundation.

If he had had a heartbeat, the normal eye would have been able to see it pounding in his chest, for finally his fear of exposure was a reality.

Barnabas Collins was aware that with the extraordinary powers that he had, he could destroy everyone in the room in seconds, but he did not want that. He would *wait* and *see.*

Maggie was coming nearer. She was circling the table, and seemed disoriented. She stopped, and looked at Burke, then Vicki. She showed no sign of recognition. She then looked at him, and he could feel her fear. She kept looking at him, and he was able to hear with his superior hearing what she said. In a barely audible whisper, she said the words, "I now what you are." No one else in the room was able to hear her. He reached through their blood bond, and was surprised, and somewhat taken aback to feel longing. He leaned on the bond a little more, probed just a little deeper, and he was startled to learn that the longing was for him, more than just longing, intense desire. She wanted him! He looked at her, and their eyes locked.

The obsession of Maggie Evans was just beginning.

to be continued.

Beverly Collins-LaCroix
Cousin/GSS/DP
"Death hath no dominion"