Subj: Where are the Angels Chapter Eleven
Date: 6/23/00 2:43:31 AM Central Daylight Time
From: Melissa

"Hello, yes I’d like to confirm an appointment, that was made several months ago," Angèlique said over the phone. "It would be under the name Josette duPrés," she waited as the woman looked up the appointment. When she came back she confirmed that it was still set. "Thank you."

I don’t know how much more of this I can take, Angèlique thought to herself. Josette was coming in two days, and that idiot Ben hadn’t asked her out again.

She made a few more calls, then decided to go take a nap. She fell asleep as soon as her head touched the pillow.

There was a knock on her door, she got up from her bed still sleepy and opened the door, it was Barnabas.

"Angèlique, I have to get you back, I was a fool, if only I realized what I was losing before. Please forgive me," he said taking her into his arms, and kissing her deeply. She wrapped her arms around his pulling him closer to her. He pulled at her blouse kissing her throat, the spot that took her breath away. She tugged at his pants struggling to pull them off, got off of her and removed them, as she took off her skirt. She moaned as he touched her softly.

Her door flew open and at the door stood the Countess, her face was full of rage, she flew over to where they lay. "How could you!" she screamed. She grabbed Angèlique by the hair and dragged her to the floor.

"Barnabas please help me," she sobbed, but Barnabas just stood by watching her on the floor, he was dressed. "Why won’t you help me," she cried.

The sound of a motorcycle woke her, she felt tears in on her cheeks, she wiped them away as she went to her window, which over looked the garage in the back.

She saw Barnabas getting off a motorcycle, then disappear into the house. Barnabas had been polite to her following their conversation that night, but she knew that he still did not want her here.

Barnabas slammed his bedroom door, he had been keeping his distance from Angèlique at Collinwood, but she always seemed to be around. He was sure that she was listening to his conversations with Josette after dinner, so he began making them in his room.

He grabbed the remote to his stereo and turned it on, hoping that the music would drive all the thoughts of Angèlique out of his mind. He didn’t care how loud the music was, he needed the peace that it brought him.* Josette would be here in two days anyway.

"Hi Ben," Angèlique said, she had been looking for him, hoping today would be the day that he would ask her out, she needed to get him on her side. Josette would be here soon, and she was running out of time.

"Oh hi Angèlique," Ben said surprised to see her there.

"What are you doing?"

"Finishing up some things for Barnabas, what do you think about this," he asked holding up a picture of a house.

"It’s lovely."

"Barnabas wants it for him and Josette."

"It will be perfect," she said trying to sound happy.

"What are you doing tonight?" he asked.

"Nothing, I’ve completed all the wedding arrangements."

"Great I was wondering if you’d go out to dinner with me tonight."

"I’d love to."

"Great," he said, "I’ll be done here in an hour."

"I’ll be ready," she said.

Ben pulled Barnabas’ old car into the driveway of the only other restaurant in Collinsport, besides the Collinsport Inn, The Milan; he wanted to impress Angèlique. His mind went back to when he told Barnabas about his date with Angèlique. He seemed relieved somehow, when Ben said that he thought she like him.

He got out of the car and went around and opened the door for her. "I hope you like this place," he said as he took her arm and led her inside the restaurant. When they were seated Ben smiled nervously at her.

"How long have you been with the Collins," Angèlique asked.

"Seven years I guess, I started while I was still in high school, in fact Barnabas went to school with me, I’ve known him practically all my life. How long have you worked for Josette’s family?"

"All my life, my mother worked for Josette’s mother, until Madame duPrés died. I became her secretary when I came back from the university."

"You and Josette must be good friends," he said.

"Yes I guess we are, we used to play when we were small."

A waiter came to their table, "Can I get you something to drink?"

Ben looked at Angèlique, "I’d like a mineral water please," she said.

"I’ll have an iced tea," Ben said. "So are you going to be in the wedding?"

"Yes Josette asked me before I left."

"So am I," Ben said, he looked at her again. "Are you all right?"

"Yes of course," she said smiling at him, "So what do you suggest?"

"How did you like the Chicken Parmesan?" Ben asked as they walked along the docks.

"It was wonderful, I never had it this good before, how was your lasagna?"

"Good, but you know my mother makes the best lasagna."

Angèlique smiled, the evening had been wonderful, she had actually enjoyed herself, despite her thoughts about what she had to do.

"Would you like to see my apartment?" Ben asked.

What a moron, she thought, couldn’t he think up something more original? "Sure," she said hoping not to sound sarcastic.

Ben helped her into the car and drove to a part of Collinsport that she hadn’t been in yet. "Here we are," Ben said pulling into a parking lot. She followed him up the stairs of an old apartment building that wasn’t as run down as it seemed from the outside.

Ben stopped in front of one door and unlock it, Angèlique went inside. He flipped on the lights, it was barely furnished there was a couch, a TV, in the large room, she could see a kitchen, and down the narrow hall were two more rooms, most likely a bedroom and the bathroom, she thought.

"You got a nice place," she said.

"Thanks, would you like anything to drink, coffee, tea, a coke?"

"Coffee would be nice."

Ben went into the little kitchen, "Have a seat," he said over his shoulder.

She sat down and looked around the room, she saw a stack of videos on the side of the couch next to the wall, she saw that they were adult movies with names like: The BIG Kahuna and The Hostage. Angèlique rolled her eyes, she almost felt sorry for the guy.

"Here we go," Ben said handing her the steaming cup of coffee.

Angèlique turned so he could not help, but look into her beautiful blue eyes, but what he saw there made him shudder. "Listen to me Ben Stokes, you have no will of your own, my will is your will, you will be my eyes and ears. You will help me win back my lover, you would die for me Ben Stokes. You are my slave. I want you to help me make Barnabas mine."

"No I won’t do it," Ben said weakly as he fought to keep his mind clear from what she was saying to him. "You can’t control me."

"But I can. And you will do as I say won’t you Ben," Angèlique asked.

Ben seemed to be weakening, but at the last moment somehow he found the strength to fight her, "Never," he said getting up and picking up the phone.

"What are you doing," she asked.

"I’m going to call Barnabas and tell him what you are."

"And what am I Ben?"

"A witch," he said and dialed the number.

"Whenever you try to tell anyone about what I am you will lose the ability to speak," Angèlique said to Ben, she rose and moved closer to him.

Ben opened his mouth, but no words came out, he grabbed his throat dropping the phone, she picked it up and put it back. "Will you tell anyone about me Ben," she asked.

"I’ll do what you want," he said, "but you’ll have to do something for me."

"And what would that be," Angèlique asked coyly. She slipped out of her dress, as his hands moved over her body.

Back at Collinwood, in her own room, Angèlique stood under the shower as hot water sprayed her body. She began to scrub away every trace of Ben Stokes. She began to cry, and slide down the wall of the shower. She had to do it, she kept telling herself, Ben Stokes was under her control, and later she’d get even with him.

* The song that Barnabas plays is called Cope by the Gigolo Aunts It's a cool song, if you would like to hear it either rent the movie Swimming with Sharks or ask me and I can sent some of it through email*