Subj: Love's Familiar Face ch17
Date: 6/29/99 8:35:58 PM Central Daylight Time
From: miranda

Chapter Seventeen
Parallel Time

It was late into the night at the great estate of Collinwood. Angelique Collins sat waiting quietly in her room as Quentin entered.

"I saw you today and I want to be quite clear that will not tolerate being made a spectacle," Angelique said with a hard tone.

Quentin did not take kindly to be accused, especially when he had no idea of what it was he was being accused of doing. "What? What are you talking about?"

"I was watching from the window when you went walking with that tall blond woman. I saw the way you were looking at her. Don't think me so naïve that I don't know what that look means."

Quentin became enraged, "You have nerve to accuse me of being unfaithful! Do you think me naïve enough not to know about your numerous affairs?"

Angelique began to laugh quietly. "I was wondering when you would come around to speaking to me about that. I was wondering if I had married a timid mouse or a man."

"Do you want to know why I held my tongue?" Quentin fumed. "I'll tell you why. It was for Daniel. You are his mother and I didn't want him punished by your behavior. I knew if the day ever came when I confronted you I would not be able to stop myself from what I have to say. I hate you Angelique! I have hated you for a long, long time. I'm going to get a divorce. Let's see how you like it when you are no longer the beloved mistress of Collinwood and you go back to being the nobody you always were."

"No Quentin. I'm afraid you will be the one departing, but not in the way you would have imagined me leaving." Angelique calmly rose from her chair. "You see Quentin, I do not need you anymore. You outlived your purpose long ago and now that I know who I truly am, I have absolutely no need for you."

Quentin was bewildered, but too angry to truly care. "What are you talking about? Oh never mind." He abruptly turned on his heel to leave. "I'll call a lawyer in the morning." Suddenly Quentin stopped in his tracks and grasped his throat.

"You won't be called anyone Quentin for tonight you will meet your Maker." Angelique slowly sauntered around the room as if Quentin dying was a mere distraction. "You see Quentin, I like being the Mistress of Collinwood. Unfortunately for you, I do not need you to be alive to be in that role." Quentin dropped to his knees as his eyes silently pleaded with Angelique for his life. "I have many new plans Quentin: plans for revenge, plans for my happiness. I can not allow you to interfere with my future."

The sound of glass shattering interrupted Angelique's triumphant moment. Angelique turned towards the window and beheld the dark figure of Josette standing menacingly before her. Quentin fell flat on the floor, momentarily released from Angelique's hold. Josette stared at Angelique with a deadly hatred that made even the centuries old witch begin to shake with fear. Before Angelique could respond in any way, Josette leapt upon her with lightening speed. She viscously plunged her teeth into Angelique's neck and began to suck Angelique's life away. It happened so fast that Angelique could not even bring herself to scream. As Angelique's body began to weaken, Josette let loose her fury by violently stabbing her teeth over and over again into her throat, tearing apart a good portion of her neck in the process. Then, as quickly as it had begun, the moment ended. Josette rose up on her knees as the crimson blood of her enemy poured down her chin onto her already soaked clothing.

Josette looked over at Quentin who was still lying on his side on the floor with his eyes wide open and mouth ajar, in shock from what he had just seen. "Look into my eyes," she commanded. "You will remember nothing of the events of this evening. You will rise and go to your room. There you will sleep soundly until morning."

Quentin obediently got up off the ground and followed Josette's instructions. Once alone she removed a small vile from her pocket and opened it. She poured the contents over Angelique's lifeless body. "Angelique you will listen and obey. You are under my control now and will do as I say. You will not rise until I command you. You will not rise until I command you." Josette licked her lips for one last taste of her foe's blood. "Then you will know even more pain that what I have inflicted on you tonight. And I will have my final revenge."