Subj: Quentin's Thoughts and Barnabas' Demise XII
Date: 5/26/99 9:43:15 PM Central Daylight Time
From: Mysterious Millicent
Quentin's Thoughts and Barnabas' Demise XII
Woods outside the Old House.....
"Your crazy, old woman! If we git caught here, we go to jail!"
"Ah, you're just a scared rabbit, old man! We ain't gonna git caught." and the woman moved to a partial clearing in the trees. "There. We're almost there."
"I swear you're gonna be the death of me, you fool woman!" the man said, as he too stepped into the clearing. "Barnabas is gone and there's no one to protect us and you know it!"
"We don't need Barnabas." the woman said as she looked down at the carved wooden box she held snugly against her body. "We have the Hand of Petofi to protect us."
"You don't know nuthin' about how to use that hand. Only the direct Romano descendants know how to make it work. You're gonna git us in more trouble! When King Johnny finds out, we'll be......"
Magda looked at Sandor in disgust. "You always worry 'bout nuthin' Sandor!" and she smiled with pride, "It don't take no knowin' to use this hand. It works on it's own. You will see, Magda will make it work." Looking back at the Old House she said, "Now come on. We gotta find Quentin."
And the two figures moved stealthily into the darkness, unknown that they were being watched.
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Petofi's House by the mill.....
The voice boomed in the darkness. "Aristede? Aristede? Aristede?" {Where is that fool? What woman has he taken up with now? What a worthless slave. Now I will have to find someone to replace him!}
Petofi lit the lights and started to walk towards the inner room when he stopped dead in his tracts. He stood perfectly still, not moving an inch, and his eyes grew even larger. He could feel something very strong. A power that he was very familiar with. And a slight smile crossed his lips. "So, my dear Magda. You have conveniently brought with you a possession of mine. This will be much easier than I thought." And he let out a cruel chuckle.
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Inside the Old House
Two figures stood in the dim light of the candles in the middle of the drawing room.
"Mr. Collins, I am so glad that you were not hurt trying to fight off that creature!" Rachel said as she moved closer towards the man in front of her.
"Can't you call me Quentin, Rachel? I would really like that." Quentin said as he put his hands around her waist. "I think that we have known each other long enough to use first names, don't you?"
Rachel put her head on Quentin's shoulder and smiled. "Yes, that is true."
And they held each other for a few minutes before Rachel lifted up her head to look into his sky blue eyes. He was such a handsome man. And so very kind. She had always liked him. She remembered the first day she met him how truly kind he was to her and she really hadn't given him the chance. Things would be different this time! She wanted him! AND, she needed him. But before she had a chance to tell him he suddenly pulled away from her and doubled forward in obvious pain. "Quentin! Quentin, what's wrong?"
Quentin looked at Rachel for a brief second and yelled at her, "Get out of here, Rachel, get out of here now!" And he again doubled in pain and agony. Rachel looked on in horror.
At this very moment two figures came through the front door. They gasped for a second, and then the woman laid the box she carried on the stairs and ran in front of Rachel. In a split second, the man that had once been Quentin Collins had been transformed by a wolf looking creature! Rachel screamed. Sandor ran towards her and grabbed her to protect her. Magda stood in front of the werewolf holding a silver object dangling from a necklace. "You will not hurt anyone here!"
The werewolf's eyes grew larger and it growled deeply, putting his paws in front of his face. In a few seconds, the creature had run out the opened front door and out into the woods. Magda walked towards the door and peered into the darkness.
Rachel had fainted and Sandor carried her towards the couch. Magda shut the door and came into the main room. She saw Rachel lying on the couch and told Sandor to get some water from the kitchen. Sandor looked at Magda and nodded, but before he got to the door he turned around and said, "Now we are in more trouble than we were."
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A room at the Inn.......
Tabitha seated herself in a chair near the window. She closed her eyes and invoked the Affinity of the Side Step. With this ability, only bestowed to the oldest and most clever of the gypsies, she was able to step into the umbra of anyone at will, and for any given time. She relaxed and began the process. Her focus was clear and within a short period of time, her body began to fade. Soon, there was only a shadow of an old woman sitting in the chair by the window.