Dark Light -- 7

Subj: Dark Light -- 7
Date: 3/26/99
From: Flashman

Chapter 7-Barnabas and Blake

Barnabas put on his cape and headed for the door. Annie decided to leave, too. She had an old friend whom she wanted to visit. A score was going to be settled. The first of many.

Barnabas crossed the street and rang Blake's doorbell. A short, plumpish redhead with curly hair answered.

"Allow me to introduce myself, Mrs. Marler. My name is Barnabas Collins. I believe you called on my house this morning and I decided to return the visit. I'm sorry I wasn't home to meet you this morning but I arose very early and decided to take a long walk and see your fair city up close for myself."

Wow, thought Blake. This guy isn't bad looking and he sounds so charming. And living right across the street, too. She'd definitely have to get to know him better. Maybe go to dinner with him some night at Company's. That would make Ross jealous, she hoped. Seeing her with a good looking guy. Ross had moved into Nola's place.

"Yes, Mr. Collins. Delighted to meet you. Won't you please come in?"

"My friend Willie told me to inform you that he enjoyed the fruitcake you brought over," said Barnabas. Glad somebody did, thought Blake.

"So, Willie told me that you're from Maine and that you're going to work at Spaulding. Where in Maine are you from? What are you going to be doing at Spaulding? I should tell you that I'm director of public relations for Lewis Oil. We're Spaulding's competition but that doesn't mean we can't be friends," said Blake.

"I should hope very much to be friends with a charming lady such as yourself. But to answer your first question, I come here from Bangor. A charming little city of approximately 30,000 people. As for your second, I'm not quite certain yet what my duties at Spaulding will be. Probably something in the advisory or consulting area. You see, I've had a lot of experience in the shipping business. Spaulding is in the process of setting up their own and I'm here to help them get started," said Barnabas.

"That sounds exciting," replied Blake. The way he told the story it did.

"Would you like me to fix you a cup of coffee?" asked Blake as the two of them sat down on her sofa.

"I never drink, eh coffee," replied Barnabas. "But I'd be delighted to sit and chat for a while with a woman as charming as yourself."

Oh, she liked this guy already. So smooth and charming. Boy would Ross go through the roof if he ever saw her with Barnabas. Blake hadn't dated hardly any since the divorce so she figured it might as well be time to get back into the swing of things. Don't want to appear too pushy, though. He might think I'm just another slutty divorcee on the make for a new husband.

"So, Mrs. Marler, where is Mr. Marler tonight?" asked Barnabas.

"There is no Mr. Marler, er there is, but he doesn't live here anymore. We're divorced. In fact, he just remarried two months ago," revealed Blake.

"I'm sorry to hear that."

Barnabas looked at a picture of two young boys on the coffee table. Blake Marler's sons, probably.

"Are those your children?" he asked, pointing at the picture.

"Yes, Jason and Kevin. Their father has legal custody. I get them on weekends, hollidays, and three weeks during the summer," replied Blake.

"Forgive me, but I was under the impression that the courts in matters of divorce usually give custody of young children to their mother."

"Usually, but not in my case. My ex-husband is a prominent attorney here in Springfield. He has a lot of clout in the legal community. He used it in our divorce case. Hell, I didn't even get alimony. All I got was what you see here. This house. Better than nothing, I suppose," said Blake.

"Yes, better than nothing."

"By the way, Mr. Collins, are you from Bangor originally?" asked Blake.

"No, I grew up in a tiny fishing village near there named Collinsport," answered Barnabas.

"Oh, was it named after one of your ancestors?"

"Yes, it was."

"How charming."

"Well, Mrs. Marler, I'm sorry for taking up so much of your time this evening. I don't want to keep you from anything," said Barnabas.

"Please call me Blake, Mr. Collins. Mrs. Marler is my ex-mother-in-law."

"Very well, Blake. You may call me Barnabas."

"It's a deal. Gee Barnabas, I sure hope we can become friends. Funny thing about my divorce, almost all my friends sided with my husband. Hell, even my own mother. About the only two friends I have left are Josh and Reva Lewis, they own Lewis Oil. You remember, that's where I said I work," said Blake.

"Well Blake, it's better to have one true friend than a dozen fair weather ones," responded Barnabas.

"How true. How true."

Blake felt better after her talk with Barnabas. Like getting a weekend furlough from her prison sentence. She would definitely have to get to know him better. So nice and yet somehow he had a very mysterious quality about his person. That added to his charm.

Barnabas opened the front door and began walking down the steps of the Marler house. Suddenly, he heard her call out to him again.

"Barnabas, were those coffins I saw you and that Willie guy bringing into your house last night?" she asked.

Barnabas turned around towards Blake and responded, "Why heavens no. What would I be doing with a coffin? Those were merely trunks full of my personal belongings."

As Barnabas crossed the street and went back into his house, he thought that Annie had been right about this Blake Marler woman. She's a busybody, charming though she might be. From her body language he could also tell that she was attracted to him. He sure as hell didn't need that. He decided to try to avoid her as much as possible. Besides, his mind was thinking of a tall blonde named Cassie whom Annie had been telling him about.

Barnabas also felt the urge for blood. It had come over him suddenly. Where could he find a victim? Point Lester. That's where Annie had said most of the prostitutes in Springfield were. Go down to Point Lester and find a nice, sleazy prostitute that no one cared about or would miss if she happened to die. Barnabas didn't plan on killing but his urge for blood was strong. There had been times in the past when he had accidentally killed when the urge was strong. He shape-shifted into a bat and set out to find Point Lester.