Subj: Consequences of Falling ch. 22
Date: 7/19/01 12:35:46 PM Central Daylight Time
From: Nicole

Collinwood, 5:45 PM

The first thing Angelique saw when she came to was Josef's face. "Good afternoon, sleepy head," he whispered.

"What happened to me?"

"Nothing. Well, you passed out. But I've let you be: I haven't touch you."

Angelique wondered why he had not. She hated to admit that she wanted him but her yearning for him was becoming unbearable. She could hardly watch the fluid movement of his limbs without tightening the hold of her crossed legs. Josef attempted to seem aloof but failed miserably. Each time she moved, Angelique noticed the way his eyes would subtly follow. "Where is Constance?" she asked.

"She ran. The stress was getting to her."

"Who could blame her? She hadn't expected the past she was trying to leave behind to return so suddenly."

"And what do you think?"

"About what?" asked Angelique.

"What do you think about my return?" asked Josef.

"I'm not sure."

"You didn't seem pleased to see me Wednesday."

"I hadn't expected to see you. I've not thought about you in some time," explained Angelique.

"Am I so horrible a memory that you've repressed our time together completely?"

"No." Angelique did not want to stare at him, but she could not help it. He was so beautiful, possibly the most beautiful man she had ever known. Josef had to know the affect he had on her as he took a seat across from the loveseat, his unnaturally soulful eyes plastered onto her as she sat up. "Why are you marrying Carolyn?"

"Not again! I've already been through this with Constance," moaned Josef.

"And she probably didn't believe you. Why don't you tell me the truth?"

"Honestly," he laughed, "I'm here because I have nothing better to do. I met a blonde (you know how much I love blondes!) and started up a little romance. Before I knew it, she was talking marriage and silly things of that nature. Anyway, while she was discussing who should be invited, she mentioned that she wanted her cousin Quentin to attend but she feared his new wife Constance DuVane wouldn't let him return to Collinwood. That struck me strange: our Constance was married! And then Carolyn went on to talk about how Constance's sister was living on the family estate. It shocked me that Constance's sister sounded so much like you. Well, I hated that she was saying such horrible things about the two of you so I told her I was Constance's brother. I can't believe you two went off and had fun without me."

"I wouldn't necessarily call this fun."

"Then why are you here?" asked Josef.

Angelique was not going to tell him that she was trying to torture a former lover. At this moment, it seemed her bad karma had truly decided to come back on her. "That's for me to know and for you not to learn. And you're here to torment Constance and I? It seems losing your freedom to a spoiled little rich girl is a price to high to pay for your brand of fun."

"Well, marriage could prove interesting. I'll have a chance to see how the other half lives."

"The other half doesn't live as well as you obviously think they do."

"What about Constance and Quentin."

"Constance and Quentin are too bizarre to be the other half," laughed Angelique. "You'd have to find someone else if that's your model of the other half."

"Hmmm...like you?" asked Josef.

"Our relationship ended many years ago. It's over and can go no further."

"Because of what I am?"

"I'm friends with Constance in spite of what she is. No Josef, I could never be with you again because you are an arrogant bastard who believes too fully in his own genius and self worth."

In spite of what she had just said, Josef maintained a confident smile. "Was I so bad when we met?"

"You were worse."

"Then why did you come to me?"

"I didn't come to you. We came to each other."

Josef uttered an exasperated grunt before rising to take a seat next to Angelique. He slowly slid his hand up her arm as he asked, "Then tell me why we came to each other?"

"We were the only options available to one another."

"You're lying."

"Does that matter?"

"Yes. For once in your life, you should tell the truth."

"All right!" snarled Angelique. "I thought that you were immaculate and I wanted to know what it would feel like to be with you."

Josef grinned widely as he fell back into the loveseat. "I take it I was the best?"

"I wouldn't overestimate your performance. But you couldn't have been that confident. You sure wanted to know my opinion." Angelique leaned into Josef's lap and purred, "You are a very handsome man, but you only make a moderately pretty girl."

"I don't know what you're talking about!"

"Come on! I know you did your little succubus disguise the next day so that no one would care if you stuck to my side. And you've called me subversive! That truly was a surprise but I suppose it's to be expected from one such as you," sniped Angelique.

For a moment, she thought she saw Josef's resolve crumble. He recovered quickly, however, and his hands slipped beneath her shirt. "You said that I was amazing."

"I wanted to build your ego."

"Well, you succeeded. Bravo!" Josef rolled his eyes but took Angelique into his arms, laying her head against his chest and kneading his hands through her hair. "I don't think we should snivel with each other. It's pointless."

"So is this." Angelique rose from his embrace, moving to the far end of the loveseat. "You feel nothing for me. If I give myself to you, I will only set myself up for disappointment."

"I want you," he insisted.

"Who don't you want? You think you love me but you'll leave me the moment you feel the urge to ruin some poor mortal's life."

"That's were you're wrong." Josef sat up and took her hands into his. "I've been celibate for two years."

Angelique wanted to believe him, but she knew there was no point to it. There was always a flaw to Josef's logic, one only had to look a little to find it. "You may have been celibate for two years, but I know you probably impregnated the last woman you slept with."

"Yes," he conceded, "but she wanted it."

"Nonsense! You think all women would be happy if they were barefoot and pregnant."

"No! She actually wanted it. The man she wanted to have a child with was hesitant. I swallowed my pride, did the succubus thing to obtain his semen, and morphed into him to have sex with her. She had the baby at the beginning of last year. It was healthy and not the freak that superstitions imply. She is happy and he is clueless. It's perfectly fine."

"That is so subversive," chided Angelique.

"I hate that you say that!" growled Josef. "What makes incantations and curses more direct? It's the same damn thing. And that's why you get along with Constance and that's why you're attracted to me: we're you with a twist."

Dark Shadows is a Dan Curtis Production.