Subj: Darane Svatura -- 4
Date: 6/17/00 4:02:27 PM Central Daylight Time
From: Katrinka
As the sun set, Mulder walked back to Collinwood. Fresh blood congealed on his clothes, the blood of his victim. Murderer, he was now a killer. When he had come to, and seen the prostitute's lifeless body, he realized he had to do something. He had dumped her body in the ocean.
Now Fox Mulder trudged the path back to the old house. He had always been afraid of vampires, even studying their habits, to know exactly what to do if he faced one. Now here he was a vampire. He wondered if he had become the type of vampire that lived in Chaney, Texas. He could remember those vampires could go out during the day. The only difference was most of them didn't kill.
//Innocents, how many people will I kill? //
For a brief moment Dana Scully flashed through his mind. //Scully! Will I ever be allowed to love you again? //
Mulder arrived at the old house. The door was locked, he knocked. The Gypsy woman answered it. Her eyes got big as she looked at him. "What happened?"
"I don't think I can explain."
The woman looked at him, really looked at him. Then she held up her pentagram. "What are you? If you are evil, you should be afraid of this."
Mulder showed her his own pentagram. "I wear one myself."
"Why?" The woman looked into his eyes. "Tell me the truth."
Mulder found himself telling her. "A woman named Madga cursed my great-grandfather. Family tradition states that this will keep me from turning on a full moon."
The woman quickly crossed herself. Then she helped Mulder inside; she guided him to a chair. "Then it's true, you are from the future."
"Yes, yes I am."
The woman looked very sad for a moment. "I am sorry for your curse. You are a good man."
"Why? You had nothing to do about it."
Just then the door to the secret room opened, and Barnabas Collins came out. He looked over Mulder, then turned to the woman. "Madga, get our guest some fresh clothes."
"Madga! Oh my god!" Mulder gasped. "You're the one who gave me this curse!"
"Now, Madga." Barnabas ordered. The Gypsy woman left the room.
The vampire looked over Mulder. "How were you able to go out during the day?"
"What do you mean?"
"You've fed. You've been out. How?"
"I don't know! You're the one that did this to me! You turned me into a murderer!" Mulder couldn't control his anger. "You tell me why!"
"You shouldn't be able to go out during the day, unless you're a werewolf."
"I was born a werewolf! My family was cursed by Madga!"
There was sympathy in Barnabas's eyes. "Madga? Then your Quentin Collins' descendant?"
"Yes I am."
"Then your luckier then I. You'll be able to go out during the day. You'll be able to pass as normal."
"I am going to spend the rest of my existence killing innocent people for blood! All you can say is that I am lucky because I can go outside during the day!" Mulder shouted.
"Calm down!"
"Why should I? I'm a murderer! Why would you do this to me?" Mulder demanded.
"I took too much of your blood." Barnabas explained. "If I hadn't crossed you over, you would have died!"
"I would rather be dead then like this! I will kill someone every night. My life isn't worth that!"
"You don't have to kill."
"I don't get a choice do I?"
"Yes, you do." Barnabas said calmly. "You can live off the blood of cattle."
Mulder couldn't believe his ears. "I'll kill cows? Won't someone notice?"
"Even at your hungriest, you couldn't kill one. Cows have a great deal of blood. Enough to feed you for many weeks."
Mulder sank back into a chair. "Why did you take my blood?"
"I waited too long to feed." Barnabas explained. "I want to apologize to you for taking your blood."
"Why didn't you tell me before?"
"I keep my curse a secret."
"Someone cursed you?"
"Her name is Angelique, she cursed me because I couldn't love her."
The anger he felt towards Barnabas faded, replaced by anger towards Angelique. "The bitch that took Scully did this to you."
"Yes, she did." Barnabas looked Mulder up and down. "I will be more careful from now on. You can be sure that I will never take your blood again."
"This curse means I'll never be able to get Scully back."
"YOU can still make love to her. You can sip without crossing her over. I'll teach you how." Barnabas promised.
**********************************
Since becoming a vampire Mulder had trouble seeing with his contacts. Barnabas told him Mulder's change might have affected his eyes. Mulder quickly took out his contacts and put his spare pair of glasses on. Mulder found his vision much better. He sat down on the settee and began to read the paper.
There was a knock at the front door. Madga answered it. Mulder could hear conversation coming from the hallway. Then Byers stepped into the sitting room.
Barnabas was at his desk, working on paperwork. He looked up to Byers. "Hello Mr. Byers."
Mulder put the paper down. "It's about Scully isn't it?"
Byers walked to Mulder, he seemed nervous. "I think it would be best to hear this from me."
"What happened to her?" Mulder demanded.
"The woman inside of Scully's body isn't Scully. It's someone else. She has no memory of our time." Byers tried to explain.
"Scully has not memories. Is that it?"
Byers blurted out the news. "Scully's getting married tomorrow night."
"Married?" Mulder repeated. "Who?"
"Quentin Collins."
"Our great-grandfather?" he gasped. "Why does he want to marry her?"
"I don't know. She seems to have memories of a summer Quentin spent with her. She loves him very much."
"Then I've lost her." Mulder sobbed.
"That might not be true." Barnabas looked away from him. "The person who is in Scully's body is not Dana Scully. Your lover still loves you."
"How do you know that?" Byers asked.
"I can feel Mulder's thoughts, his memories. From those memories I can feel her feelings towards him."
"Perhaps I should go back to my own time." Mulder said brokenhearted.
"What would Scully think once she gets her memories back?" Byers countered. "Would she ever forgive you for leaving her?"
Tears burned Mulder's eyes. "What happens if she never gets them back?"
"We have to hope!" Byers said firmly.
"The same thing happened to me." Barnabas said softy. "Once a very long time ago, Angelique put a spell on the woman I loved. My love...married my uncle."
"What happened then?" Mulder asked.
"I was a fool. I challenged my uncle to a duel. I killed him. My love hated me after that." Barnabas looked haunted. "If I can prevent something like that happening again, I would like to."
"What do you think I should do?" Mulder asked.
"Let her see you as many times as possible. Perhaps she can remember you that way." Barnabas suggested.
"How could I do that?"
"Tomorrow night Scully is getting married. I am responsible for getting the invitations out. I can put your name on the list." Byers explained.
"No! I won't go." Mulder closed his eyes, trying to block the image of Quentin Collins making love to Scully. "How could I? Tonight she'll be with him."
****************************
Time: The next day
An evening wedding, it made no sense to Byers. He knew that people would be traveling to come and see the nuptials. Byers busied himself with getting the arrangements completed.
"Why is Quentin so eager to get married? Why couldn't they wait?" Beth asked. She was the person in charge with making sure the guests got settled. She was in Byers' quarters, going over the list of where people would stay.
"I don't know." Byers admitted.
"Something was delivered about an hour ago from the hotel. Can you give it to him?" She asked.
"Of course,"
Beth took a small letter out of her pocket. She handed it to Byers. The envelope was lumpy, as if it had something in it. Byers opened it up.
"That's Quentin's! You shouldn't open his mail!"
Byers ignored her. He took the pentagram on its long chain out of the envelope. Then he took out the ring. "Oh Scully," he murmured.
"That can't be." She gasped. Beth's eyes got big. She reached out, touching the pentagram.
"What? I don't understand."
Beth put her pentagram beside this one. "This pentagram is identical to the one I am wearing."
"Perhaps it was made at the same factory." Byers suggested.
"My pentagram wasn't made in a factory, it was hand made!" Beth's eyes flashed. She took the pentagram out of Byers hand. She held it up, reading the inscription. Beth got pale. "How can this be? This is my pentagram."
"That's silly. You don't have two pentagrams."
"What if there isn't two pentagrams? What if it is the same pentagram?" Beth unbuttoned Byers' shirt.
"What are you doing?" he asked.
Her hand went into his shirt. She pulled out his pentagram. "Why are you wearing this?"
"You wouldn't understand."
"I wouldn't? Then give it to me. Let me show Miss Judith."
"I can't," Byers looked away from her. "I can't give you my pentagram."
"Then tell me, why are you wearing it?"
"It's to protect me from a curse."
"Someone you love has a curse?"
"Not someone, me, I'm cursed."
"You're a werewolf?" When Byers nodded she said. "Then the woman who wore this pentagram must be your lover."
"Not my lover. My cousins. That's why I'm here. I want to help him get her back." Byers admitted.
"She wore my pentagram. I think it's about time you tell me the truth."
"I don't think you would believe me."
"Try me." Beth said coldly.
Byers slowly told Beth his story. Leaving out the part where they traveled in time.
"Your cousin, what does he look like?"
Byers took out his wallet. He opened it, taking out his picture of Mulder. He handed it to her. "This is Fox Mulder."
"He could be the twin of my father." Beth traced the outline of Mulder's face with her fingers. "You're from the future aren't you?"
"How did you know?"
"You have the curse," she said simply. "This woman marrying Quentin. Is she his lover?"
"Yes, she is. But she can't remember who she is."
"Who took her memory?"
"Someone named Angelique."
"I'll help you, I don't know how, but I'll try and help." Beth promised.
******************
Barnabas Collins decided that he needed to talk to Angelique. He waited until dark, then he flew to her room. He found her primping over her new purple dress. The witches blond locks were perfect as usual. That was one thing Barnabas couldn't deny, that Angelique was beautiful. He tried to control the anger he felt towards her. His anger wouldn't' help the situation.
You wanted to see me," Angelique turned from the mirror she had been looking into.
"You've made some lives pretty miserable." the vampire told her.
"Whose life?"
"Fox Mulder's for one. What is your argument against Dana Scully?"
"Whose Dana Scully?" she asked, pretending ignorance. He knew Angelique long enough to know that she was lying.
"Mulder remembers you taking Scully."
"How could he do that?" The witch looked shocked. "Part of my spell was for him to forget."
"So its true, Heather is Scully." Barnabas said. "I want to know why did you change her identity?"
"That is my business." Angelique said firmly. "But I will have revenge."
"You don't even know her, but you want revenge."
"I don't want revenge on Dana Scully, I want to protect her!"
"Why are you so interested in protecting Miss Scully?"
"You wouldn't believe me if I told you."
"Try me," Barnabas said levelly.
"When you left me in Martinique, you did something to me. I am very interested in protecting that legacy."
"What has that got to do with Scully?"
"Simple, you left me alone and pregnant. When Josette was brought to America, I allowed a neighbor to adopt our child. Dana Scully is our descendent."
"Why didn't you tell me about a child?" The vampire demanded.
"Would it have changed anything between us?" she asked. When he didn't answer, she smiled. "You see, it wouldn't have."
"What are you protecting Miss Scully from?"
"The great grandson of Quentin Collins, Fox Mulder! Once I stop his happiness, I will change history!" There was victory in Angelique's eyes.
"So you want to prevent Mulder from being happy?" he couldn't believe his ears.
"Exactly, when Mulder gives up and goes back to his time, then history will change."
"For good or for bad."
"That is my business." She said firmly, and with that, she was gone.
****************
The guests where arriving. Byers spent most of the afternoon opening and shutting the door. It gave him a good chance to people watch. To see the cream of the crop of Maine's culture. At least for the year 1897.
A man came to the door, dressed all in black. He looked Byers over. Byers suddenly felt as if he was a piece of meat. "Please tell Miss Judith that I am here."
"And whom may I say is calling?"
The man's look turned to contempt. "Tell her its Reverend Trask."
So this would be the man who would conduct the ceremony. Byers gave a quick bow, and went to the study. The door was shut. Byers tapped on the door.
"Come in," Miss Judith said.
Byers went into the room. Scully was in the middle of the room, being primped at by three maids. She wore a beautiful white post-anabellum dress. If only, the dress she wore should have been for her marriage to Mulder. Byers had to admit it, Scully was very beautiful.
Judith didn't bother to look at him. "What is it Byers?"
Byers tore his eyes from Scully. "A man by the name of Reverend Trask wanted me to tell you he was here."
"Tell him I'll be right out."
"As you wish Ma'am." Byers went back into the foyer. He found Trask talking to a pretty blond woman who was dressed conservatively.
Byers walked to him. The man glared at him. "Well?"
"Miss Judith will be right out."
"Very well, you may resume your duties."
Byers went back to the door, wondering if perhaps Reverend Trask had a cigarette smoking great-grandson. This man gave him the same type of creeps that the smoking man did.
Fifteen minutes passed one of the groundskeepers, dressed as a doorman replaced him. Byers checked the refreshment table. He had to make sure that none of the guests went hungry. Oh there were cooks and maids to help out, but it was his head that went on the chopping block if this wedding bombed.
Ten more minutes passed, and Barnabas Collins arrived. Behind him was a very pale, very uncomfortable looking Fox Mulder. His cousin wore a dark formal suit. He no longer wore his contacts; instead glasses perched on his nose.
//Perhaps they don't have contact solution in this century. // He thought.
He watched as Mulder talked some with Barnabas. Then Mulder caught Byers' eye. Mulder walked to him. "Have you seen her?"
"She looks beautiful."
"I can't believe Scully would willingly marry Quentin." There was pain in Mulder's voice.
"This woman inside Scully is NOT Scully. She doesn't even use the name Scully." Byers looked over Mulder. "I didn't think you were going to come."
"I wasn't. But Barnabas said if I was going to stay with him, I would have to go to his families weddings." There were tears in Mulder's eyes. "I wanted her to marry me. This should be our wedding."
"You'll have a wedding." Byers promised him.
"I'll never get to marry Scully, not now." Mulder said sadly.
Miss Judith came into the room. "Everyone! If I can have your attention! Please proceed to the back garden. It's time for the wedding!"
*********************
Byers stood at the side of the garden. Chairs had been set up for the wedding. The first few rows reserved for the family. Barnabas and Mulder sat in the second row. The older man kept whispering to Mulder. The younger man would nod. Mulder looked as if he had something terrible on his mind. It was probably hard on him to have to watch the woman he loved marry someone else.
The organist took his seat. Then the groomsmen came out, standing to one side. After that, the flower girl walked down the isle. A young girl named Nora. Then the Maid of Honor walked down the isle. It was Angelique! Mulder startled as he saw her. He began to stand up, but Barnabas grabbed his arm and forced him back in the seat.
Then the traditional wedding march started. Quentin Collins oldest brother walked Scully down the isle. Quentin glowed as he watched her. For the first time, Byers realized that perhaps Quentin did love Scully. The older Collins handed Scully to Quentin then stepped aside.
Instead of watching the wedding, Byers watched Mulder. His friend cried through the wedding. This was a horrible thing to witness. Byers wished he could turn away, but he couldn't. He had to stay. Finally Reverend Trask invited everyone to stay for the reception. Mulder got up out of his seat, and left.