Subj: Family life part 4
Date: 6/7/00 9:55:48 AM Central Daylight Time
From: Julianka and Beverly

Quentin watched as the two children huddled close together, the little girl clutching at her brother, tears welling
in those big blue eyes.

"I want Mother. I want Father. I want to go home......!" she wailed.

The little boy, though not much older manfully tried to comfort her. "Hush. I'm here. I'll take care of you." he said as he patted her back, and held onto her possessively, as his father had taught him to take care of his sister.

Barnabas kneeled down to the children. "Don't cry, sweetheart."

"Are you lost?" he enquired of the boy.

Nicholas did not know if he could trust these men, even though they appeared to be mortal, his undeveloped god senses told him they were not. He did not know what they were, but he did know they were not gods, and he knew that at one time they had been very human. He could see it deep inside their eyes, where his father had taught him that's where every story was told of any creature he came in contact with, and was uncertain of their origin. Although, he was very young, and his father had taught him many things, he knew the curse of the one holding Angelique. It was a very old curse, older than his grandfather, maybe older than the Titans, and it originated with Hecate and the Emusae. He could see the curse clinging to him like a shroud. The younger looking man was suffering under the same curse as Nicholas's friend Petofi's father, King Lycaon. He could see it, the wolfman, his grandfather, Zeus was the origin of this curse. The other, Nicholas shuddered, he is and yet isn't a nightwalker, a blood-drinker. His mortality was always at war with his immortality. He really didn't understand any of this, he always thought the blood drinkers were evil, and bad. His father had thrown them out of Tartarus, so that had to be bad, but he didn't see any bad in this man's eyes, but he saw cruelty hidden deep down He needed to remember that.

He had no idea of where he and Angelique were. All he knew is what they had been sucked into a vortex and wound up here. He knew his father would be displeased with him for for getting himself and his sister into this mess. But at present he had no thought of what to do.

From these immortals -- yes, that's what he would call them -- their strange dress, and the palace they lived in, he knew that they were far indeed from home.

Everything was so strange and alien here.

"Help me Father." he prayed silently.

Barnabas looked at Quentin perplexed. Quentin signaled to him to come away from the children
for a private word.

"Barnabas, you did hear who they said they are, didn't you?"

"Quentin, don't be ridiculous. I admit the little girl looks something like Angelique. But why and how would Nicholas and Angelique show up here as children? It makes no sense. It has to be a coincidence these children having those names."

"I do not share your opinion, cousin. Something is up. Mark my words, we are in for trouble. I can feel it coming."

"They just children. Quentin."

Barnabas turned again to the boy and girl. "We are only trying to help you. We mean
you no harm.

Angelique turned from Nicholas, looked up into Barnabas eyes. She seem fascinated with him. "You are pretty. I will stay with you." She said as she raised her little arms to him.

Barnabas picked her up. And Angelique clasped both arms about his neck. "I am going to keep you." She stated.

Quentin drawn in a shuddering breath as he watched Barnabas drawn into the little girls clutches.

To be continued..........