Subj: Fiery Forbidden Love: A Smoldering Flame -- Chapter 13
Date: 11/25/98 10:18:39 PM Central Standard Time
From: Cassie Rademacher


Stunned, Barnabas could only stare at her. He had to control his fury with her for as much as he would like to dispose of her, he could sense that she was not lying. She really was pregnant. How was it possible? He wondered. Perhaps Laura would know… He composed his features so that he looked coolly polite. "I see," he finally said. "Well, you must be sure to get some rest then, mustn't you? Perhaps it would be a good idea for you to go and visit Julia and Quentin for awhile." He reached into his pocket for a key. He gave Roxanne a slightly contemptuous look. "By the way, you have no need of that ridiculous potion. Quentin will not be troubled by any more dreams."

Roxanne looked at him, startled. "I know far more than you and those gods who claim to want to help you. I am more powerful than they are. I am the one who decided Quentin would not dream anymore-not you." Barnabas hissed at her, opening the door. Julia stood just inside, her face pale. "Good evening, my dear Julia, here is some company for you. I am sure you have much to catch up on. Please forgive the inconvenience of this temporary confinement. In the morning you shall find that you are free to go."

"Is that so?" Julia asked coldly and suspiciously.

"Why, yes. By then, Laura and I will have taken our leave. I trust that you and Quentin will do nothing to disturb us at home." He gave her a long, meaningful look. "You do nothing to interfere with us, and you and Quentin will find you will lead much happier lives. You should focus your attention on each other-and on your children." He smiled, a very unpleasant smile that hinted of a sinister threat. "Besides, you will have Roxanne to look after. It seems she has gone and gotten herself with child again." With that, Barnabas pushed Roxanne into the room ever so gently. He shut and locked the door in their stunned faces.

Willie walked Maggie up along the drive to the door. "Thank you for the movie and the ice cream sundae," Maggie was saying. "I've been enjoying this little vacation a great deal!"

Willie put his arms around her and kissed her. She still tasted of the crushed peppermint candy she'd asked for on her vanilla sundae with chocolate sauce. When it was time to come up for air, he asked, "Does it feel strange to
stay in this big house with everyone gone to Europe?"

Maggie laughed. "No more so than for you to stay at the Old House."

Willie laughed sheepishly. "You know-I have an idea, Maggie. I found one of those old-fashioned popcorn poppers. You know what I mean. With the long handles. Why don't we go down to the Old House now and I can make us some popcorn over the fireplace?"

"What a lovely idea!" Maggie exclaimed. "Well, why not? I don't have to do anything early in the morning! Sure, Willie!" He wanted one more kiss, remembering the peppermint taste of her mouth and how soft her lips felt pressed against his. He put his hand in her hair, stroking it. It was so soft…better go, there was time enough for more kissing…

They turned toward the path to go to the Old House. Nicholas Blair stepped out of the shadows of the trees, watching them go, glaring balefully at Willie's back. Is that speck of rubbish the cause for his pell mell run back to Collinwood? Surely Maggie wasn't in any danger from that little mouse! Still…he had been kissing Maggie quite passionately, and she seemed to be enjoying it. Obviously, she had forgotten him. That could not be allowed…

Nicholas followed them down the path to the Old House.

"Tell me again about these people you spoke with," Julia asked, once she had ascertained that Roxanne was physically fine. She spoke softly so that she wouldn't disturb her sleeping husband. He lay still and looked peaceful, a small smile curving his lips.

Roxanne noticed her worried glance. "I have something for him if Barnabas wasn't telling us the truth," she said.

Julia smiled grimly. "Oh, I believe he was telling the truth. Now that he has no further need of forcing us to cooperate, he can afford to be 'kind' and stop tormenting Quentin. Who are these gods?"

Roxanne shook her head. "I'm sorry-I wish I could tell you more, Julia. It all seems foggy to me, as if I was dreaming. I have a feeling though that they are close by and that if necessary, they will come forward-or maybe they'll act through me." She leaned forward and pulled the crescent moon charm on the necklace out from under her blouse to show Julia. "This was given to me by Selene to protect me against Barnabas' powers. I need to be able to find Laura's scarab-I was not to do anything to it, I am just to find it."

"We may have to return to Collinsport before we're able to do that." Julia drummed her fingers on the table. "If only there was a way to get into their room…"

They heard the sound of voices next door-Barnabas and Laura. A door closed and the voices were in the hall way, receding. "They're going out!" Roxanne exclaimed. She looked toward the door which connected their suites. "Have you a nail file?"

Julia was already searching through her purse. Fumbling, she found one and handed it to Roxanne, who took it to the door. She tried to slide the nail file into the keyhole. It fit easily because it was much too small; the nail file moved back and forth uselessly. Roxanne sighed with frustration. "What the hell are you doing?" Quentin asked sleepily. Both women started, turning round with their mouths opened in surprise. Quentin laughed at the looks on their faces.

"Quentin! How are you feeling?" Julia asked.

"Rested, my dear," he responded, in a slightly wondering tone. "Rested enough to want to throttle my dear cousin-if that was possible, but it's not. What are you doing? What's Roxanne doing here?"

Julia explained quickly as Quentin climbed out of bed and came over to help them. "May I?" he asked Roxanne. She put the file in his hand, and he began to work with it. "You need to be an expert at this, Roxanne," he explained in an easygoing tone, working the file around slowly. "There's a certain little button that you've got to pop…" He paused. They heard a small click. "There it goes!" He gave them a triumphant smile and bowed mockingly.

"Expert, eh?" Julia teased, pleased to see some of her old Quentin returning.

"Used to do this all the time when my father locked me in my room," he explained. "It wasn't a nail file I used though."

"Oh? What was it?" Julia asked as Roxanne opened the connecting door.

Quentin leaned over and kissed Julia lightly, playfully. "My dear sister Judith's hatpin-pinched for occasions like that." Julia laughed in delight. Roxanne had already entered the room. Everything was suddenly business. "What are we looking for?"

"The scarab," Julia answered. "Do you know what it looks like?"

"Yes I do-like a beetle. What are we supposed to do with it?"

"Locate it-that's all."

As they moved into the room, all three of them felt a spasm of fear. What if Barnabas returned? Julia feared Barnabas' icy hands around her throat. Quentin feared the return of the nightmares and the threat to Julia's and the children's safety. Roxanne thought of her unborn child. "Where would someone hide a beetle?" Julia wondered.

"Here," Roxanne said faintly, lifting a pillow from the bed. They all looked at it with disgust. Slowly, she let the pillow fall. "All right, now we know that she has it and where it is," she said. "If we aren't to do anything to it now, perhaps she'll keep it in the same place once they return to Collinwood."

"Perhaps," Julia agreed. She looked at Quentin. Both of them were thinking the same thing: are we sure we want to interfere with Barnabas and Laura at all?

Roxanne saw the look that passed between them and understood it. Is that why you appeared to me, Selene? She could not blame them for how they felt. Barnabas was repulsive to her now as well. But for Jamie's sake…Jamie wasn't of her blood, but he was of her body. He was as much hers as theirs. She could see that Julia understood what she was thinking, too. Quentin shut the door behind them. He looked at the doorknob, thinking. "Well, Houdini, do you have any ideas?" Julia asked, crossing her arms and looking at him. Quentin looked over his shoulder and grinned at her ruefully. Her eyebrows arched up in expectation. "Well, what did you do when you returned to your room when you were a boy?"

"Usually Father was waiting for me and I got spanked." Quentin's smile grew a little broader to hide the fear he felt. He shrugged.

"That won't happen this time," Roxanne assured him. She concentrated deeply. Selene, I don't understand your powers, but help me now. Please, Selene. She put her hand on the knob, feeling it grow warm under her touch.

"Roxanne!" Julia exclaimed in a warning tone.

Roxanne looked down. The doorknob glowed brightly, and she pulled her hand away. Julia grabbed her hand, examining her palm. There was no burn. The three of them looked at each other with wonder in their eyes. The doorknob was no longer glowing. Julia reached out for it, tentatively, and found it was securely locked. Now the look they shared was one of triumph.

Willie had settled Maggie on the sofa before the small fire he had kindled. They kissed again, as only new lovers did over and over, seeming not to weary of it. "I'll be right back," he said to her softly. The popcorn and oil were in the old fashioned kitchen; the skillet was hanging on the wall just inside the cellar door. He found the popcorn and oil without any trouble, but when he reached for the skillet-it wasn't there.

Grumbling with frustration, Willie opened the door a little further and stepped inside. He seemed to feel a push from behind and yelled, startled, as he was thrown forward. He lost his balance and tumbled down the stairs, hitting his head at the bottom. Maggie heard him fall and jumped up in alarm. "Willie!" she exclaimed. She started to run into the hallway when the front door blew open. She gasped, frightened. There was a figure standing there on the steps, and she screamed more from surprise and shock than from horror.

"Maggie! Don't you know me? It's Nicholas!" The figure stepped inside, and Maggie recognized the man who had romanced her and almost married her. She really couldn't believe her eyes-she never expected to see him again after what he'd done.

"What are you doing here?" she gasped.

"Why-I have come back for you, my dear!" He went to her and pulled her into her arms. She struggled, freeing herself and stepping back. "Maggie…"

"Willie!" she cried out, turning and running for the basement door. Behind her, Nicholas rolled his eyes in exasperation, wishing he knew a good spell to make a human body vanish. He could hear her heels clattering on the stairs as she ran down, hoping she wouldn't slip and knock herself senseless. "Willie, Willie!" she screamed.

Sighing, Nicholas walked to the door and looked down into the depths of the cellar. He knew what he would find. Maggie knelt beside Willie's prone body. He wasn't moving at all.

To be continued…