Subj: Fiery Forbidden Love; A Smoldering Flame Chapter 4
Date: 11/3/98 8:39:31 PM Central Standard Time
From: beverlylacroix

(Adult, and some violence)

Roxanne had found peace and solitude in Southampton living on the beautiful estate that her husband had purchased for her and Jamie.

She loved walking about the places where she would imagine that Jane Austen had gotten her ideas for Sense and Sensibility, Emma, and the rest of the famous authoress' works, that she couldn't seem to get enough of.

She, Julia, and Cassandra had enjoyed taking the children to the magical New Forest where ponies ran wild, and they had felt as if they were living in a fairy tale.

Cassandra, Julia, and she would play games of make believe with their children in the gardens on the estate. Birds singing, flowers in bloom, the smell of salt in the air from the sea, their play could get quite creative. Sometimes, they would walk down the stone stairway leading to the private beach, and play in the waves with the children. Sometimes Elizabeth would join them, and sometimes she would go off on her own adventures, being very secretive about what she was doing.

After their excursions away from home, they would return to the estate that Roxanne had named Collins Castle, because it was not quite a castle, but neither was it a manor house, it was between.

Exploring the huge estate, Jonathan and Donna had found what they called their Secret Garden, and with the assistance of a couple of nannies and a nurse would entertain their cousins for hours, while Roxanne read, Cassandra painted, and Julia wrote in a neighboring garden. Elizabeth would be off on jaunts of her own, visiting the wealthy shipbuilding families that she had known and went to school at the boarding schools that the very rich attended. According to Julia and Cassandra, this was the first time either one of them had seen her so relaxed, especially after a weekend in Paris.

Roxanne did not want to leave this idyllic life, but knew she must to save her son. And he was her son, no one would ever take him from her. It was she who had felt his first movement in her womb, nursed him at her bosom, and when Barnabas had shed any pretense of caring for her or the baby, he had sent her here so he could pursue his interest of another without.

She missed his hands on her body, caressing her, and loving her. Of course, that had all stopped when Roxanne confronted him about not loving her or his son. He never denied it. And after her confrontation, and him admitting that he still wanted Laura, the very next day he started arrangements for her to leave the country. She didn't argue.

Listening to the waves pounding the rocks below, she walked out to the balcony of her bedroom, feeling the warm mist in the air, took a deep breath, and started to write down what to instruct the servants to pack for her to go home.

"Cassandra, where are Elizabeth and the children?" Roxanne asked after Cassandra joined her on the balcony.

"Touring an old abbey with the children. Better not say that to loud or Julia will hear, and get all the more homesick," Cassandra said.

"I'm not homesick, Cassandra," Julia said entering Roxanne's room with a drink in her hand.

"Oh, I know, you miss that gorgeous husband of yours," Roxanne said good-naturedly.

"I know how you feel, Julia. I miss Roger more than I thought possible for me after my history with Barnabas," Cassandra said with a sigh.

"I know exactly what you mean," Julia said smugly. "And just think, Roxanne, you got him." Cassandra said. Noticing the hurt look on Roxanne's face, she walked over to her friend, put her arm around her, and said, "Roxanne, I'm sorry. But Julia and I know the pain of loving Barnabas. We have been fortunate in learning to love again, and be loved in return."

"Mrs. Collins, there is a telephone call for you, " Mrs. Phllips the very able housekeeper of this enormous place interrupted at the proper interval. The three ladies simultaneously reached for the phone that Mrs. Phillips had in a silver tray, the long cord making it easy for them to access on the balcony.

Oh, Elizabeth thought how much she loved it here in Southampton, Hampshire. Viewing the Netley Abbey Ruins in its peaceful and beautiful setting. This old abbey had been founded in the 13th Century. Its destruction had left behind the fine east window. All so beautiful Elizabeth thought noticing that while still ivy-covered and quietly crumbling, the ruins had become a source of inspiration for 18th century writers and poets, such as Horace Walpole and Thomas Gray. They had come here in search of the romantic and the picturesque, and were not disappointed by these fine old ruins, and neither am I she thought happily watching the children skip amongst the ruins.

"Mrs. Quentin Collins," Mrs. Phillips clarified.

After Julia had hung up the phone, she looked at Cassandra and Roxanne, and told them that Barnabas and Quentin had used a family jet and would arrive here tonight. The three immediately began to plan. Elizabeth being apprised of their plans, after two of the servants had found her and the children at the old abbey, began to make phone calls to Paris, and made arrangements to take the children to France for a couple of days.

Roxanne was jittery. What if Barnabas made her tell him where Jamie was.

Cassandra assured her she would not leave her alone with him. She gave her a crucifix, which they had all decided to wear hidden out of view of Barnabas.

A flurry downstairs alerted them that Barnabas and Quentin had arrived. Quentin decided to leave the coffin on the plane, it was well disguised, because they would be leaving before sunrise. Quentin was as excited as a young boy with his first love, at the thought of seeing his wife and children. Learning from the housekeeper that the children had gone on holiday with Mrs. Stoddard, he was disappointed. He had wanted to see his children, and he could tell Barnabas was not pleased, but for the life of him he didn't know why. The only person that seemed to interest him in the least was Laura. It had been his suggestion after all to stop here and see his wife and children.

The housekeeper could not tell either of the gentlemen the locale, because no one had told her. After Barnabas assured himself with the use of his hypnotic powers that she was telling the truth, he set out to find Roxanne. She would have no choice, but to tell him. Entering the bedroom, he heard Roxanne's heartbeat quicken, because of his entry. She was afraid. He could smell her fear. He smiled an evil feral smile. She would have every reason to be afraid if she tried to withhold his and Laura's son from him. Thinking about Laura, his cruel features softened. Roxanne was dressed in a short silk underslip, she had been dressing for dinner. Roxanne stood in front of him with a smile on her beautiful face, and threw her arms around him, and seemed happy to see him. He took her arms from his neck and held her back, and studied her face, and seeing no guile there drew her into his arms, and caressed down the side of her face, playing his fingers down her neck, caressing her vein, where he had once taken her for his in another time. He would be able to read in her blood what he wanted to know. Holding her repulsed him, he wanted Laura, and no one else would do. Just thinking about her caused him to pull Roxanne into him, and he heard her gasp, and he felt her nipples harden against him. Deciding to play on her weaknesses, he stroked her back gently, feathering light kisses on her neck, and she wantonly turned her neck to him. He ignored her obvious display of, what to him was nothing more than vulgarity. That's the way he saw her, not the way she was. His mind was so jaded by the hot blood of the Phoenix that clung to his veins, another woman did not appeal to him in any way. He knew that Laura's blood was in him. He could tolerate this woman for one night. Then he felt the outline of the crucifix, and his rage was uncontrollable. Walking behind Roxanne, he caressed her neck, and took the crucifix in his hand, Roxanne watched in horror as it burned his hand, but it seemed to have no effect other than that on him. Throwing the crucifix, he slapped her, and called her nothing but an unwanted, and unneeded interloper.

"I do not want you now nor did I ever want you. I was tricked into marrying you, because of my son, mine and Laura's son. Not yours, you were nothing more than the vessel. Now, you betray with your wantoness, I will show you what happens to vulgar young harlots like you, my dear." Barnabas' tone was low and deadly. And he advanced upon her. She saw the insane look in his eyes, and witnessed the change come upon him. She heard the slip rip, and saw him throw it, and watched as he undressed, daring her to move, the whole time his eyes were gleaming red. Then he entered her roughly, like a rabid animal, and she felt his teeth sink in her veins. That was when she started to scream.

Quentin and Julia's reunion was just getting underway, when they heard a scream coming from the East Wing of the house where the master bedroom of the huge house was located. The scream was terrifying. Quentin and Julia grabbed their houserobes, and almost ran smack into Cassandra heading in the same direction. Julia and Cassandra looked at each other trying to disguise the fear that was coursing through them. Upon reaching the door to the bedroom, finding it was locked, Quentin grabbed the knob, and Cassandra pushed him out of the way, and reached her hand out, and let the power flow through it, and the door slowly and quietly opened.

The cold unnatural air in the room met them like an invisible force.

"Barnabas, nooo! " Quentin screamed at his cousin.

Barnabas turned and looked at them from atop a nude, bruised, and very bloody Roxanne. The three spectators gasped, as they looked at the fiendish wolf-like appearance of Barnabas' features. Blood was dripping freely from the fangs of the creature that faced them, and he was snarling like a rabid dog, then he turned back to Roxanne to finish what he had started. Julia and Cassandra noticed the crucifix lying on the floor by the bed, and saw Barnabas look at it, and he looked at them, and he resembled himself again, but not quite, the cold cruel look belonged to someone Quentin did not know. Cassandra and Julia knew it, but never like this. Without thinking, Julia reached in her robe, pulled out the vial of holy water that Elizabeth had purchased from the Abbey earlier as a tourist-type gift, and flung it at Barnabas, he screamed in terror as it burned him. He released Roxanne, and Quentin went to him, and told him they should go back to the plane, and go on to Alexandria.

"I want my son, Quentin," Barnabas said.

"Yes, Barnabas, and you will get him, but not like this," Quentin told him, leading him out of the room.

He mouthed to Julia he would call her as soon as possible.

Cassandra ran and got Julia her medical bag, and Julia began her examination. "Cassandra, he raped her over and over again. He took her blood, and found out that Elizabeth was in Paris," Julia was sobbing.

"Julia, quite down. Elizabeth is not in Paris. Only Elizabeth and I know where she is. I was afraid Barnabas would try something like this, and I didn't leave it to chance," Cassandra said while helping Julia to clean up the hurt Roxanne. Fortunately, Roxanne was not as hurt as she appeared to be. Roxanne told Julia and Cassandra thatt Barnabas was going to get Jamie. Cassandra told Roxanne what she had told Julia, and explained to her that she could not tell her where the children were, any of them.

"Julia, is Jamie still normal?" Roxanne managed to say between sobs.

"Yes, he is. He's very human," Julia told her friend.

"Oh how are we going to help Barnabas now?" Roxanne was sobbing. Julia and Cassandra could only look at each other in askance.

Roxanne could still feel Barnabas' touch, and she felt so ashamed, but she needed him and wanted him. "I still want him, Cassandra, Julia," Roxanne was sobbing uncontrollably, partially from anger at her body's betrayal, and also she was now under the sole will and control of her husband. He had taken her blood. He had told her it tasted foul, vile, only Laura would ever satisfy him, but she would do as she was told. Her will was his, and he laughed a low cruel laugh, the whole time pinning her down, holding back, so she could not reach climax. Making her beg him, he had been so cruel. It was a Barnabas she did not know.

The phone rang, and Julia answered it, and it was Barnabas wishing to speak to Cassandra.

"Cassandra, let me warn you. If you try and use your paltry powers against my plans to regain my son to be with his rightful parents. Do not forget the mother of my son is also the the mother of your stepson. I'm sure Roger would be very interested to know about his wife's first husband, Angelique." and saying that Barnabas hung up the phone.

Next.