Subj: Fiery Forbidden Love: A Smoldering Flame -- 2
Date: 11/1/98 12:04:38 AM Central Standard Time
From: Cassie Rademacher

Barnabas looked steadily into his cousin's eyes. Quentin began to feel as if he were under a hypnotic spell and shook himself. He looked away. "Why do you want to go there?" he asked.

"I think you know why," Barnabas answered calmly. "I intend to be with Laura again. The first step in accomplishing that was reverting to my former state."

"So that's why you haven't let Julia help you. I can't say that I don't understand the sexual attraction you have for Laura. I do. I don't understand why it's become such an obsession for you."

"I don't feel that I owe you any explanations, Quentin."

"I don't feel I ought to participate in your destruction. Book your own passage."

"But I want you to book passage for both of us. I need you to come with me." Stunned, Quentin looked at Barnabas only momentarily. Then he looked away again because he feared Barnabas' power when he was this intent on some purpose. "I need someone who is familiar with Ra and The Book of the Dead. You have been to Alexandria before as well. I will need protection."

"Take Willie. He's your watch dog."

"Look at me, Quentin." The voice was strong and irresistible. Reluctantly, Quentin turned his eyes to his cousin. " I have no desire to hurt you because I understand your intentions were well meant when you interfered between Laura and myself. However, the harm all of you have done to me and Laura must now be undone. You are going to help me, willingly or not. Is that understood?"

"I don't want to." It was very difficult to say, but somehow he managed it.

"If you don't help me, I will punish you. You think that you cannot be harmed because of your portrait, and you are right-I cannot kill you. I would not. But I can make you suffer, Quentin. I am desperate enough to do that. Now, look into my eyes and see the possibilities-see that you must do as I say."

Several images passed through Quentin's mind-he himself in pain, not dying, but in agony. Julia's face…pale, drained of blood. That, more than anything else, frightened him into instant obedience. He knew without a doubt that Barnabas was beyond the stage of reason and would harm Julia if he felt he had to. "Yes, all right!" he cried out, to stop the frightening images.

"You will get us to Alexandria, Quentin. You'll guard my coffin by day. There is someone there who can help us-help me find Laura again. You'll do it tomorrow, won't you?" Quentin nodded, and Barnabas went on, "Once Laura and I are together again, you will be free to go. You may go and join Julia and your children and return with them and Elizabeth to Collinwood."

"What will you do?" Quentin asked fearfully. An alliance between Barnabas and Laura? The potential there was frightening. "Are you going to follow Ra's wishes, then?"

"I will do whatever I need to do to have Laura," Barnabas said coldly. "And that means that we will eventually claim our child, James. That child carries my genes and Laura's, and he must be taught to harness and use his power."

"But Ra will demand that you sacrifice your son, Barnabas…" Quentin began, protesting.

"Be silent!" Barnabas hissed. "I don't want to listen to your lies! I do not know that to be a fact, and I will not listen to anything more you have to say. Meet me here at dusk tomorrow, and you had better have the news I want
to hear. Is that understood?"

"Yes," Quentin whispered. With that, his cousin slowly dematerialized until there was only a slight lingering mist. He shuddered. He wanted desperately to call Julia in England and talk to her but he was dreadfully afraid. What
if Barnabas found out? He had to do as Barnabas demanded, for the sake and safety of himself and his family…was there no one to turn to?

On the great estate in England, Julia restlessly gave up trying to sleep. She missed the warmth of Quentin's body next to hers dreadfully and looked forward to returning home as soon as possible. Roxanne seemed relatively happy--as much as could be expected, Julia reflected. Jamie seemed to be adjusting well to his new environment. It's time to go home, Julia thought. The children need stability, and so do I. They've been from home to home, then to The Abbey, and now to England. It's time to give them the settled home life they deserve.

Realizing that there would be no more sleep this night, she slipped out of bed, put on her robe and descended the great stairs to the drawing room. Surprised, she saw Cassandra seated before the dying embers in the fireplace from the cozy fire of the night before. Inexplicably, Julia heard Quentin's voice in her mind: Julia, I'm afraid... She stopped, stunned, feeling the hairs prickling on her arms and on the back of her neck. Cassandra turned and looked at her, a distraught look on her face. "It has begun again," she said.

Next...Bev? Or?