From: katrinka Date: Wed, 14 Jun 2000 14:23:48 -0500 Subject: New: Darane Svatura (1/10) Source: xff Title - Darane Svatura (1/10) Sequel TO: Closet Secrets Author - Katrinka E-mail address - Katrinka@flash.net Rating - PG. Category - SRA - Story/Romance/Angst Spoilers - NADA Keywords - MSR CROSSOVER X-Files/Dark Shadows Summary - On their first case back with the X-Files, Mulder and Scully come face to face with the cause of Mulder's curse. Archiving-Send it anywhere, just credit me. Tell me if you put it on your page. Disclaimer- Yes, I own all of them. Sure, why not. Okay, if I was Chris Carter I would, but I really don't! I'm just borrowing them. I don't own Mulder, Scully, Skinner, Byers or Langly. Dan Curtis Productions owns Dark Shadows and Characters. Feedback-Hug an author, give feedback. Any feedback will be answered. Authors Note: As this takes part in an A/U I decided it might be interesting if Mulder and Scully had a few 'family secrets'. Since Mulder was told these secrets from his mother, he really doesn't believe them. He takes preventive measures just in case. Another Note: As a Romany-American, I know it is not politically correct to call a person a Gypsy. It is used in this story simply because a Romany character calls herself that. Their first real case since the events of Oklahoma City. Mulder couldn't believe they had been put back on field duty. Of course, it wasn't a real X-files case. Skinner told Mulder and Scully that their getting the X-files back would depend on how this case worked out. It was all or nothing. Mulder let the weight weigh heavy on himself. If he screwed this case up, then the partners would be reassigned. The agents had been assigned to interview witnesses to a crime in Collinsport Maine. A beautiful coastal town. Beautiful, unless you knew some of it's secrets. Mulder was haunted by the thought of visiting this town. The place where his curse began. "Why do we have to take Byers with us?" Scully asked. "I grew up in Collinsport." Byers said simply. "I know the area." "We could have used a map. We didn't need you." Mulder put his hand on Scully's knee. "Please, Scully." "I don't want to read a thing about this case in the Lone Gunmen." Scully warned. "Trust me, I wouldn't write anything about this place in my paper." Byers promised. "Why wouldn't you?" Byers shrugged. "I know Collinsport. It's a boring town. Nothing to write about." *Does he really believe that?* Mulder asked himself. Mulder could see the house on top of the hill, a large mansion. Without thinking, Mulder fingered the pentagram that he always wore. The mansion looked different then he remembered. He had only been ten when he went to visit a friend of his mothers in Collinsport. It hadn't been until his return home that he found out that these people where relatives. Just because some ancestor of his lived in this house didn't mean Mulder could believe the stories his mother had told him, especially the one about the distant cousin who was a vampire? His great grandfather an immortal werewolf. Even Mulder couldn't believe in immortal ancestors. "Do you think you could interview the witnesses by yourself?" Mulder asked. "Mulder, we're partners. We work together." She reminded him. "Just at Collinwood. I'll interview anyone you want in town." "Give me one good reason why I should interview by myself?" "Nothing, it's nothing." Mulder decided to ask the question that had been haunting him. "Do you think a person can be held responsible for the actions of their ancestors?" "Of course they can't!" Scully pulled into the driveway. "We're here." Byers sounded just as frightened as Mulder. ************************ Mulder looked around the grounds of the mansion. Mulder had an ancestor who lived her. He wondered if his great-grandmother hadn't left his great-grandfather, if all this would have been his. "I still think you could do this alone." "Mulder your beings silly." Scully said coldly. "You're my partner, you need to be with me. I really don't have to search this place alone." "I can help." Byers told her. "Yes you can. We're going to need all the help we can get with a house so large." Scully said slowly. "Mulder, you can't just chicken out." "I'm not chickening out!" Mulder said firmly. "Then why so scared?" Scully rang the front doorbell. "Perhaps no one will be home." Byers suggested. A few moments passed, and the door opened. The man standing at the doorway looked to be in his late twenties, his clothes had droplets of paint on them. He was as tall as Mulder, with hair as dark, but eyes white-blue. He stared at Scully. "I'm Special Agent Mulder." Mulder took out his ID card. "This is Special Agent Scully." The man looked at Byers. "Who is this?" "Agent Byers." Byers flashed his FCC ID. The man didn't take his eyes off of Scully. "How can I help you?" "We are here to serve a search warrant." Mulder tried not to stare at this man. He bore a strong resemblance to Mulder's ancestor. "DO you mind giving us your name?" Byers asked. "I'm Quentin Collins." *Calm, I have to stay calm!* Not only did the man look like his ancestor, he had the same name! "Are you related to the Quentin Collins that lived in Collinsport in the year 1897?" Byers asked. The man looked startled. "Why do you need to know that?" "Just answer the question." Mulder told him. "Quentin Collins of the year 1897 was my great-grandfather." Quentin explained. "Do you mind if I read the warrant?" "Sure." Scully handed the man the warrant. Quentin spent a minute reading the warrant. "Can we come inside?" Scully asked. Quentin jumped as if pinched. "Sure, come in." They followed him into the house. Into a large entranceway, there was a staircase, and to one side, open door. Inside it looked like an artist studio. When Mulder had been there before, it had been a sitting room. "Would you mind if we ask you a few questions?" Mulder asked. "Go right ahead," Quentin's eyes never leaving Scully's. *This is strange, do they know each other?* Mulder thought trying to squash feelings of jealousy. "What is your profession?" Byers asked. "I'm an artist." "Elizabeth Collins Stoddard owns this house, not you." Mulder pointed out without thinking. "Yes, yes, she does." The man looked surprised. "I am house sitting while the owner is on a trip to Europe. My cottage is down by the cliffs." "Is there anyone else here?" Mulder could feel something from this man, almost as if he had the curse. "My wife is upstairs, putting our son down for his nap." "Is her name Cassandra?" Scully asked. "No, it's not, it's Janette." He looked up towards the staircase. A woman came down the steps. The first thing Mulder thought was she had a beautiful dress sense. She looked nothing at all like the woman in the photo. She went over to Quentin who put an arm around her. She had a slight accent that Mulder couldn't place. "Darling, who are these people?" "I'm Special Agent Mulder, and this is Special agent Scully and Byers, FBI." Mulder said. "I see," the woman barely gave Mulder a glance. Instead she looked Scully up and down, like she was choosing a piece of meat. "What can we help you with?" "We have cause to think that a known felon, Cassandra Collins is in this house." "There is no one here, beside us and our child." "We have a warrant to search the house." Mulder reminded his distant cousin. "We have nothing to hide," Quentin told him. "Go ahead and search." *************************** Mulder, Scully and Byers searched through the house finding nothing. Byers knew this house, as his mother worked as cook for the Collins'. He had played in this house with some of the servant's children. He had even lived in the mansion for a few months after his mother left his father. The mansion was full of secrets. Some so old, that they were forgotten. Byers didn't understand why Quentin Collins didn't recognize him. He had grown up in Collinsport. He knew all the Collins' that lived in the town. The Quentin Collins that He knew when he left Collinsport in 1982 looked exactly the same as this Quentin Collins. He was also an artist, the way this Quentin was. There were so many memories in this house. He didn't blame the current inhabitants for what happened to his family at the turn of the century. It wasn't their fault that his great-grandmother had left his great-grandfather. The Collins' had treated Byers like family, even though he was only the child of a servant. When he went to college, he found there had been a trust fund set up for him by the head of the family, Elizabeth Collins Stoddard. Finally all that was left to search was the basement. Which seemed like a normal basement, until they found a door. Byers had been told to stay away from the basement as a child, so never went inside it. The doorknob gave Byers a tingling feeling as he touched it. The door was locked! "Do you have a key?" "There's nothing in it, its just a storage closet," Quentin told them. "Is there a key?" Mulder asked. "I can promise you there is nothing in that room." "Our search warrant covers the entire house, including this room." Mulder reminded him. "But...." "Don't argue with him. They are only following orders." Janette pulled a key ring out of her pocket. She unlocked the door. Byers opened the door; it was a room, with a staircase that led to the actual room. It seemed as if the room was empty. So perhaps Quentin had been right. Quentin reached out and grabbed Scully's arm. Scully looked up to him. "Don't go in there, let the men search the room." "Why?" Scully asked. "It's dangerous for you." "How is it dangerous?" Mulder demanded. "Its just is, I can't tell you anymore. But please, you search the room, leave Scully here." the man pleaded. "You mean it's not dangerous to me?" Mulder couldn't keep the disbelief out of his voice. "No, only to Dana." Quentin looked into Scully's eyes. "Please Dana, try and understand." Byers couldn't understand how this man knew Scully's first name. "If I'm in danger, I would feel more safe with Mulder," Dana said firmly. They went into the room; Byers could hear Quentin and Janette talking. "Quentin, you can't change the past." Janette told him. "I can try!" "What happened, happened." she shrugged. "If she doesn't go down the steps, it won't." Quentin said firmly. "I know you feel guilty, but it was 100 years ago." she reminded him. "It wasn't one hundred years to her!" Quentin almost shouted. He went to the doorway. "Please Dana, don't go down the steps!" Mulder put his hand on Scully's arm, then he half dragged, and half pushed her down the staircase. He could hear Quentin shouting " NO!" ************************************* 2/10 Suddenly Mulder and Scully where in a different house. Byers went to the door, and opened it. "We're on the first floor! This is the Old House!" "How could we transport to another house, on the other side of the woods?" Mulder asked. "You two aren't making sense." disbelief dripped in Scully's voice. "Then how do you explain the fact that we're on the first floor?" "Perhaps the stairs lead to the first floor?" She suggested. "We went down the stairs not up." Byers reminded her. Mulder joined his cousin at the door. He looked out. They where at the old house! "Could Quentin have been right?" "I don't think Quentin Collins is stable." Byers whispered. Mulder shook his head. "I felt dizzy when I went down the steps, what about you?" I did too," His cousin admitted. "We should have listened to him." "There has to be a rational explanation for this." Mulder suddenly felt like he was sounding like Scully. Scully shot him a look that could have melted ice. Then she sighed. "Do you remember how we got here?" "We went down the stairs," Mulder walked to the staircase, he touched it, it didn't' feel any different. "Question is, do we go back up the stairs, or do we look around." "I'd never hear the end of it from you if we didn't look around." She smiled at him, and he couldn't help it, he smiled back. "I'll take a look outside." Byers volunteered. "Why?" "I grew up near here. I used to play in the woods. I know this area. If something's different, I'll be the first to know." "Good idea." Scully agreed. Mulder watched his cousin leave. Mulder walked to Scully, he put his arms around her, and he kissed her. "I love you," he whispered to her. The kiss intensified, he felt her lips part, her arms going around him, pulling him closer, encouraging him. "We're on a case, remember?" "Yeah, I remember." he was glad she had stopped talking about Quentin. He was terrified that she would find out his secret. "We have to act as professional as we can. You don't want to be split up do you?" Scully asked. "No," Mulder kissed her again. Scully pulled away from him. Her fingers caressed his lips. "Later, after we figure out what happened here." "Promise?" "Of course I do!" She walked away from Mulder. He followed her into the next room. It was dark in the room; he took out his flashlight. Scully started looking for a light switch. "I can't find any electric switches, not on the walls or the floorboards." "No electricity then?" he felt like he should know what this place was. Was it really the old house? When he visited Collinsport as a child, the old house had electricity. "I doubt it," she paused. "This whole place is strange, I am beginning to think you were right, we should go back. It's creepy." "It's romantic," Mulder pulled Scully to him, she didn't protest this time. She seemed to fit into his arms, as if he was created just to hold Scully. Suddenly a woman appeared in front of them; she was dressed in clothing from the turn of the century. She raised her hand. "Don't move! Either of you!" Mulder tried to move but found he was frozen. The woman pulled Scully away from him. Using all his will, Mulder was able to move towards the woman. "Stop!" the woman commanded. "Both of you! Don't move until I give you leave!" A man stepped out from behind the woman. There was no mistaking this was the Quentin he met at the top of the stairs, but how did he get down here? Why was he dressed so strangely? Mulder watched horrified as the Quentin went over to Scully. "Is this her?" "Yes, it is." the woman was blond, beautiful, very beautiful. "She is dressed oddly," Quentin looked at Scully's legs lecherously. "Though I do like her legs." "Would she make a good gift for you?" The woman purred. "I think she would be very interesting." the man grinned wolfishly. The woman moved in front of Scully, her mouth whispering a spell in another language. One thing Mulder could understand was the word "forget." Finally the woman turned to Quentin. "It is finished, she has a new personality. One that has been molded to please you." "What about her past memories?" Quentin really didn't want to have to deal with her past. "They've been repressed. She is no longer Dana Scully. She will have to have a new name, would you like to give it to her?" "Heather Rosemary," "A beautiful innocent name, for a innocent person." Angelique smiled evilly. "She even thinks she loves you." "That's even better," Quentin also smiled. With a wave of her arm, the woman, Quentin and Scully disappeared. Mulder could move now. "Dana!" he shouted at the top of his lungs. He could hear his voice echoing around the room. ********** A dark woman came into the room. Carrying a lit calendabra. In a thick accent, she asked. "What are you doing in this house?" Mulder looked over the woman, she was dressed strangely. Wearing a dress that looked like it could have been worn at the turn of the century. The dress was extremely colorful. The skirt made of a Romany design. The woman had dark skin, and her hair was long and fell down her back. She wore a pentagram. "I ask you again, what are you doing, trespassing in this house?" Mulder took out his id. "I am agent Mulder, FBI." "Let me look," the woman demanded. She took his ID from him. "This is very good, except for one thing, you are born almost sixty years in the future." "Sixty years in the future," he gasped. "What year is this?" "What kind of question is that?" her accent sounded Eastern European. "Please," Mulder tried to stay calm. "Tell me the year." "It's 1897," "1897! It can't be!" he gasped. "All right, that's enough, get out of here!" The woman demanded. "Or will I have to call my husband to throw you out!" "Wait!" a man commanded, coming into the room. He was in his mid thirties, dressed in period clothes. "This man has a counterfeit ID." the woman told this man. Mulder recognized him. "Dr. Collins?" "You know me?" the man asked. His voice was formal, as if he took care with every word he spoke. "You where my history professor, at Oxford. You must have had lots of students after me, I can imagine that's why you can't remember me." "In what year?" "What kind of question is that?" the woman asked. "I took a class under you in 1982." Mulder continued. "That hasn't happened yet. 1982 is in my future, but yes, I am Barnabas Collins." he glanced at the woman. "Give him his identification, and leave us alone." "Its your house," the woman shrugged, shoving Mulder's ID at him. After the woman left, Barnabas said. "At least you're alone." "I'm not alone, I have a partner, Scully. She came with me, Quentin warned us about this in 2000, but we didn't listen to him.... I didn't' listen to him." he corrected. Barnabas' eyes got large. "Where did she go?" "I'm not sure." Mulder tried to remember. "There was a woman, she came here, made me not be able to move. She had Quentin with her. She then took my.... partner." "What did this woman look like? It's important." "She was blond, beautiful, dressed in a long dress." Mulder paused. "You know who she is, don't you?" "Her name is Angelique, and yes I know her." Barnabas paused. "How much do you believe in the super natural?" Mulder took out the chain he wore under his shirt, showing Barnabas his pentagram. "I've worn this all my life." "You've never taken it off?" "I did for awhile, but something happened...it convinced me to put it back on." Mulder felt strange, telling this man his secret. "Do you have any relatives with the name Collins?" "No, no one. Why?" Mulder lied. He wasn't sure he trusted this man. "No reason." he said mysteriously. Just then Byers came into the Old House. The woman followed him; she had a gun pointed at him. "Mr. Collins, I found another one skulking around the house. His ID had the same years as the other one." Barnabas looked Byers over. "Who is this?" "He says his name is John Byers." "Your mother was cook at Collinwood." Mulder said remembering. "Your Barnabas Collins." Byers guessed. "What year are you from?" "What kind of question is that?" Mulder was beginning to feel like he was going crazy. "Please, tell me. It's very important." "We came from 2000." Byers said. "How did you get back in time?" "There was a staircase in the big house, we went down it, when we got to the bottom, we were here." Byers paused. "I know the story seems fantastic, but it's true." "I believe you," the man said solemnly, "I am like you, from the future, but from 1970." "What year is it now?" "1897," "We are 100 years in the past." Mulder looked around more. "I feel as if I've fallen down the rabbit hole." "Don't worry, I'll try to get the two of you back to your own time." Barnabas said, trying to reassure the two men. ******************** "Since we're going to be working together, perhaps I should know your name." Barnabas was sitting at his writing table writing a letter. "Sorry, It's Mulder, Fox Mulder." Barnabas looked visibly shaken. "Then I've met you before. You came to visit my cousin, Elizabeth Collins-Stoddard. You must have been nine, ten years old." "I was nine." he didn't want to think about what happened then. "If you can remember what happened, you would know it was a nightmare, a long nightmare." "That's why you wear the pentagram." Barnabas guessed. "You saw someone killed by a werewolf." "I really don't want to talk about that." his childhood memory came flooding back to him. The memories of seeing someone killed when he was so young. "Byers, I think it would be a good idea if we placed a spy in Collinwood, you." "Why me?" Byers asked. "Because Angelique has seen Mulder, and she has a memory like a steel trap. You are an unknown factor." "Why do you want me to do?" "Do you think you could be a butler?" "I think so." "Good, Miss Collins has been trying to hire a butler since I arrived at this time." "No one's applied?" "Collinsport is a small fishing town. There are few domestics. She can't find anyone from Portland willing to even apply for the position." Barnabas explained. "I'll do my best then." Byers promised. ****************************** It was getting near dawn. Mulder was getting extremely tired. He finally began to realize that this was really 1897. The papers and other things had drawn Mulder into believing. The clothing had been another reason Mulder believed. Woman didn't usually wear corsets in the year 2000. Mulder couldn't help the picture of Scully in a corset form in his mind. He would love to see her in a corset. Only if he could get her back. Barnabas kept glancing out the window to the sky. That made Mulder nervous. Was his host expecting company? "Is something wrong?" Mulder asked. Barnabas got to his feet. He walked to Mulder. "It is near dawn, and I hunger." "I don't understand." Mulder told him. "I realize you don't." Barnabas looked into Mulder's eyes. The agent suddenly couldn't move. "You can help me the most by not resisting." "What are you doing?" Mulder gasped. "I need to feed." Barnabas' eyes had changed. They now glowed blood red. The older man pulled Mulder to his feet, and then he kissed Mulder gently. Then his mentor's lips left Mulder's and went to his neck. Mulder could feel Barnabas' teeth puncture his neck. Pleasure, a strange pleasure overcame Mulder. It was erotic, more erotic then sex. His hand went to the back of the Vampire's head, urging him on. Then a weakness overcame Fox Mulder, and he felt his life force drain from him. "I took too much." He could hear Barnabas tell him. *I'm dying. * Mulder thought. "I can save you Mulder. Do you want me to?" "Please," was all Mulder could say. Mulder felt the vampire part his lips. Then something wet entered his mouth. "Drink, you must drink." Mulder swallowed. The blood tasted salty, old. Mulder drank until he could no longer drink. Then blackness overcame him. 3/10 Byers knocked on the door of Collinwood. A tall, aristocratic woman answered the door. She looked Byers over as if he was a piece of meat at a butcher's shop. "Can I help you?" "Yes ma'am. I am Byers. I am calling to apply for the butlers position." This woman looked familiar to Byers, very familiar. "Did you make an appointment?" "My former employer, Mr. Barnabas Collins does not have a phone." Byers explained. "I have a letter of recommendation." The woman took the letter from Byers. "Come in. I will tell Miss Judith that you are here." Byers went into the foyer of New House. He house was more like he remembered. There was a sitting room instead of the artist studio. Byers looked around, at the furnishings, the paintings. This place had electricity, but still he could almost feel this was the past. "This is incredible." The woman returned to the foyer. "Miss Judith will talk to you now." Byers followed the woman to the sitting room. An older woman, in her late forties sat at a table, playing solitaire. The letter sat on corner of the table. "Miss Judith, this is Byers." The woman introduced. "Thank you Beth." Judith said dismissing her. "Please shut the door on your way out." "Yes, Ma'am." Beth left. "So you are Byers?" "Yes, Ma'am." "The letters you brought seemed impressive. How did you like working for Barnabas Collins?" "He was a wonderful master." Judith raised an eyebrow. "Master?" "That is what they call employers in England, Ma'am." Byers explained. "Before that, you worked as a gentleman's gentleman for Mr. Mulder in Boston." "Yes, Ma'am." "Yet, from your accent, you're an American." "Yes, Ma'am." "The Collins family has some strange hours, would you be able to stay awake sometimes 20 hours at a time?" "Yes, Ma'am, I would." Miss Judith thought for a moment. "Then I will hire you for a month. If the test goes well, then your position will become permanite." "Yes ma'am." "Your pay will be ten dollars a week with full room and board." the woman looked Byers over. "Will that be acceptable?" "Thank you ma'am." Judith Collins stood up. "Why don't I show you the house?" ************************ The tour of the house finished in the entryway. "When will your baggage arrive?" "Soon I hope." Byer's mind raced. He wasn't sure what would happen when his employer realized he didn't have any clothes. "It would be too bad if your things were lost." Miss Judith sounded sympethitic. "Yes, ma'am it would." "Luckily Collinwood has a large storage of clothing. There should be something you can wear." "Thank you ma'am." There was the sound of voices outside the front door. A man's voice, and a very familiar woman's voice. Byers leapt to his new job. He went to the door and answered it. Quentin Collins's white-blue eyes looked him over. "Who are you?" "Byers sir." "What are you doing at this house?" Suspicion dripped in his ancestor's voice. "I am the new butler sir." "Finally!" Quentin smiled again. "Someone to bring me sherry!" "You could do that yourself." Judith pointed out. "Yes, dear sister, I could. But why should I when we have a butler?" Then Byers saw her. Scully was wearing a dress from the 1890's, her hair was up. She was holding Quentin Collins' arm. She didn't even give Byers a second glance as she walked by him. She doesn't recognize me. //Quentin in my time tried to stop Scully. Was this why? // Byers thought. "Dear Sister! Look at what I brought home." Quentin said, coming into the house. "This must be Heather." Judith smiled at Scully. "I've read so much about you from Quentin's letters. I feel like I all ready know you." Scully smiled. //Letters? She has memories of letters? // //Great goddess, what did Angelique do to you? // Beth came into the entryway. She glanced at scully, jealousy in her eyes. "Cook would like to know if you would like a late breakfast?" "Are you hungry my love?" Quentin asked. "Yes I am. I could do with some breakfast. If cook wouldn't mind." Scully smiled. ********************** After breakfast, Byers went looking for Beth. It wasn't hard to find her. She was in her quarters, sobbing. He knocked softly on the door; there was no answer. So he used his butlers key to open it. Beth sat up, whipping her eyes. "What do you want?" "I was wondering why you aren't at work." "I work enough!" she snapped. "I know you might be angry, but don't take it out on me." "What do you know about anger?" "I was told your name is Beth. What is your last name?" Byers asked. "Chavez, its Beth Chavez." That shook Byers to the core. This woman was his great-grandmother? "Miss Chavez, I'm sorry. I know you must be upset about Mr. Quentin's upcoming nuptials." "Who told you about my relationship with Mr. Quentin? One of the other servants?" "Yes," he lied. "You shouldn't listen to gossip. I might have been intimate with Mr. Quentin before, but not now." She reached for a tissue. Byers took one out of his pocket, and handed it to him. "Thank you." "I'll talk to Miss. Judith. I'll make sure your assigned to something else besides Mr. Quentin's wedding reception." "Why? Why would you do this for me?" She demanded. "The same situation happened to my sister." He explained. "I would like to prevent something like that if I can." **************** Quentin Collins knew that Angelique had cast a spell, making Heather love him unconditionally. He sometimes wondered if she could have learned to care for him before the spell. He had a way with woman; he probably could have made her love him, if there was enough time. He also was unsure of himself, he wondered if the witch had placed a spell on him. "This is my rooms," he told Heather, bringing her into the room. "After we're married, they will belong to both of us." "I like it," she said, looking around. "Since the entire west wing is unused, we can expand our quarters after we have children." "If you wish," she seemed to be haunted. "What's bothering you?" "I have a strange feeling that I've been here before." That struck him, did this mean she was getting her memory back? He smiled at her. "Perhaps that means you where meant to be here." Heather looked into his eyes and smiled. "I already feel like this is my home." "It will be our home, for a very long time." Quentin went over to her, touching the side of heather's face, kissing her lips. Heather kissed him back, as if she had done this many times before. Quentin wondered if she was a virgin, then decided that it really didn't matter. This Heather was his. Now he didn't have to worry about Angelique bothering him. He despised the woman who put the spell on Heather. "We are getting married tomorrow evening, would it be so wrong for you to stay here tonight?" he asked her. She smiled at him demurely, "Of course it wouldn't." He went, locked the door, and then turned back to her. "Now, we can really be alone." "He kissed her again, his fingers found the pins in her hair, he pulled them out, letting his fingers get lost in her red locks. He had been with many women in his life, usually fulfilling his own passions without worrying about the partners. Heather was different. She would need a genteel touch. His fingers felt for the zipper of her dress, unzipping it, pulling it down, slipping his hand inside the dress. He pulled away from her, took her into the bedroom, then locked that door too. He was surprised to see her taking off her dress, then the petticoats and shoes. "Heather..." he said slowly. "Its all right...I want this too." She walked over to him, then reached out, unbuttoning his shirt. Quentin's fingers felt for the ties on heather's corset, and untied them, as soon as the corset was off, he kissed her again. He fought back the idea of heather being a loose woman. Perhaps her actions where from latent memories. Perhaps he reminded her of someone. Perhaps it was something that Angelique put in her mind. "When you visited me in the New York, I knew you where a perfect gentleman. I knew then we would be married." she smiled at him. Quentin didn't quite know what to say as she undressed him. He knew the visit wasn't real, but she thought it was. He *did* know she had memories of him spending a summer with her father. He opened her chemise, slipping his hand inside, feeling at her breast; suddenly his fingers touched something, hot burning hot. He pulled away from her, opening her chemise to reveal a tattoo, it was only the size of a nickel. It was in the shape of a pentagram. "How did you get that?" "I don't know." she sounded just as puzzled as him. Before he could say anything, she put her fingers around his cock; she began to stroke it with expert care. He groaned in the back of his throat, Angelique had been right in picking this one. Quentin pulled her onto the bed, as he did, he worked on getting her pantaloons off. When that was done, he ran his hand down her leg, and she parted them slightly, as if she had done this before. His fingers felt her bud, she was wet, very wet. "Are you sure you want to do this?" he asked her one last time. "Whets one day?" she asked. She rolled onto her back, pulling Quentin on top of her. **************************** Mulder woke. He was lying on a bed in a shuttered room. The room was dark, but Mulder could see. His vision reminded him of night vision goggles. Had the previous night been a dream? Was Scully still with him? Mulder's neck hurt. He reached up and touched his neck. His fingers hit a fresh wound. //It really happened! // //Barnabas Collins is a vampire. // Mulder knew the Doctor Collins of his time. That man wasn't a vampire. In fact he always thought of the older man as a mentor. He realized if he worked to defeat this man, then he wouldn't have an ally to get Scully back. //I hunger...// Scully, he wanted her. He wanted to feel her blood in his mouth. Wanted to taste her blood. Wanted to cross her over, make her completely his. The hunger, he had to fight this hunger. He couldn't endanger Scully. Still, the hunger reminded him of his lover. Mulder had found his bloodtaking pleasurable. That was what he hated the most. He felt as if he had cheated on Scully. That by letting Barnabas take his blood that he had pushed his lover away. Mulder got off the bed. He went to the window, opening the shades. The sun hadn't set yet. All he could think of was the feed. A wave of dizziness overcame him. He clung to the shutters. His mouth began to itch. He reached up, opening his mouth, touching his canines. Cutting his finger. He pulled his fingers from his mouth. Blood welled up on his finger. He hungered. Blood, blood was what he needed. He put his finger into his mouth and sucked. He needed to feed. All he could think of was a meal, nothing else. For the first time ever, he could hear a heartbeat that came from far away. Collinsport, the noise came from Collinsport. Food, he could find food there. //Fly, I need to fly. // He found flying incredibly easy. In no time, he was in Collinsport, waiting by the peer. He could find a meal here, he knew. A woman came up to him; she was dressed in what would be a very short skirt for the time. She only wore a corset without anything on top. "Hello gorgeous, you must be new in town." "Been here a couple of days." "Are you here unattached?" "Yes, I am," he lied. He realized what she was. "What is your rate for a date?" "For a dollar I will I'll do anything you want me too." she smiled. Mulder smiled tightly "Where shall we go?" She took him to a deserted alleyway. He pushed her against the wall, pressing his lips to hers. The hunger began to overcome him. She pulled up her skirt. Then her fingers felt for his pants. The unzipped them himself. She pulled him to her, and he found it easy to enter her. As he thrust, Mulder could feel the remaining parts of his humanity drain away. "Wild one aren't you?" she teased. He didn't answer, instead spending his time thrusting hard inside the woman. She was a prostitute words weren't needed. As he neared climax, Mulder pushed her head to one side, and bit down on her neck, drinking deeply. 4/10 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. 5/10 Would Mulder ever get used to his new life as a vampire? He was supposed to be the wedding reception. The only problem was his need for Scully had grown too strong. He had to leave before he turned. What would Scully think when she found out that he was a vampire? Could he ever get her out of his mind? He craved Scully. He could remember the day that his partner had a cut. He had flirted with Scully, by bringing her cut finger to his lips. Kissing it better was what he called it. He had tasted her blood. Now he couldn't get that taste out of his mind. //Why do I have to want you so much? // Mulder was hiding on an out of the way patio. He watched the stars, as if they could give him the answers to his problems. Barnabas had taught him to feed, so no one else would die from his hunger. Drinking cows blood was all right, but Mulder craved something else, something he couldn't name. "It's beautiful tonight." Scully said from behind him. "Yes it is, Mrs. Collins." Mulder couldn't look at her. She wore her wedding dress. The sign that she was married to someone else. "Please, call me Heather." She stood beside him. Mulder could hear the beating of Scully's heart. The sound beckoned to him. The hunger for Scully grew stronger. "Can you please leave? I want to be alone." "Do you wear a pentagram?" "Why?' Scully walked in front of Mulder. She reached out, unbuttoning his shirt, pulling out the pentagram as is she knew exactly where it was. "I've seen you with this before." Mulder looked down to her; he tried to hide the hope he suddenly felt. "Can you remember when?" "You wouldn't believe me." She paused. "Your real name isn't Martian, it's Fox, Fox William Mulder. You once told me that you even made your parents call you Mulder." "How did you know that?" Mulder gasped. "I saw it in a dream. Then when I woke this morning, I had some memories." Her fingers ran over his shoulder. "I shot you once. You have a scar there from it." His hand held the one holding the pentagram. Scully's hands were shaking, almost as hard as his were. "The dream is true. My real name is Fox." "My memories say that we're lovers." "It's true, we're lovers." He couldn't help but smile. Scully seemed upset. "I can't remember it all. I want to, but I can't." "At least you remembered some of it." Scully remembered their relationship, she really remembered. He kissed her lips very gently. He didn't want to scare her off so soon. She put her arms around him, pulling him closer. They kissed for several moments. He tried to keep the hunger out of his kiss. Scully pulled away from Mulder. "It's just as I remember." Mulder couldn't keep the tears out of his eyes. "I love you." Scully reached up, whipping a tear off his cheek. "You're crying blood." "There's a reason for that." he told her. "Something's changed since we arrived at Collinwood. I'm a vampire." "You're a vampire." she said slowly, her hand dropped. "I'm a werewolf too. Don't you remember getting the tattoo?" There was disbelief written in Scully's eyes. Mulder realized he said too much. He turned from Scully. He waited for her to leave. Instead, he felt Scully's arms go around his waist. "We've seen things together at the X-Files. Things we can't deny. I should try and trust in you more, try not to be so skeptical." Mulder turned in her arms. She remembered the X-Files. "If you weren't skeptical, you wouldn't be my Dana." "Your arms are something I didn't know I was missing until you touched me." She whispered. "Make love to me Mulder, make this nightmare go away." "I'm a vampire. I could cross you over," Mulder wanted Scully badly, but he didn't want to kill her. He still wasn't sure he could control his hunger. "I have a feeling that if we make love, I'll remember more." Scully begged. "I want to remember everything." "It's dangerous." "You've never hurt me before." Her voice soft, genteel. "I trust you." Mulder knew he couldn't make love to her in the open. They might get caught. He looked around quickly. There were bushes bordering the patio. Mulder pulled her into the bushes. There was a large ledge attached to a shuttered window. Mulder picked Scully up and placed her on the ledge. It was dark here. He couldn't see her eyes as they changed. Mulder nestled between her legs and kissed Scully, this time letting her feel his hunger. His eyes began to change. He could feel the same amount of hunger from his lover. He wanted to taste her. //Slowly, I have to go slowly. // Mulder reminded himself. Something nagged in the middle of Mulder's mind. Something that he needed to remind her. "Are you sure you want to do this? You'll be committing adultery." "I want to remember, if this can make me...." Scully reached out, unfastening Mulder's pants. Her hand went inside, caressing his hardness. "Scully your married." "I don't care. I didn't want to marry him. I wanted to marry you!" Her fingers remembered how to love Mulder. "In my dreams you loved me. Give me your love." "I do love you. I want you to remember." He tried to fiddle with the back of her dress. It didn't help. He couldn't find the clasp. "How am I going to get all these clothes off of you?" "You don't need to." Scully pulled up her skirt. Revealing the fact that even though she wore many petticoats, she wasn't wearing any underwear. Scully let go of his cock, and pulled him to her. Mulder entered her slowly, carefully trying to control his hunger. His lover wrapped her legs around his body, pulling him even more inside her. He had missed this feeling. Of their bodies becoming one. He wanted to make this feeling last as long as he could. Mulder began to slowly thrust. As he did, he could feel his teeth grow. Mulder couldn't help the groans he made as he thrusted. He could hear Scully chant, "Yes, Mulder. Oh goddess, don't stop!" Mulder could smell Scully's blood. He tried to hold back as he loved her, but the blood scent was too strong. He had to taste his lover. Mulder's lips left hers, trailing their way to her neck. Mulder pulled her collar open. His teeth found her juggler vein. He could feel her blood pulse under his teeth. He bit down slowly. Scully screamed in orgasm. Mulder drank, just a taste. It was her; the taste of her blood was heavenly. He wanted to drink of this taste forever. As he pulled away from her neck, he came, his scream like the howl of a wolf. Afterwards, they clung together. Not speaking, just holding. Mulder checked Scully's neck; she looked as if she had been pricked with a hatpin. Finally Scully spoke. "Let's get the hell out of here." The tone of Scully's voice made Mulder realized that the person known as Heather was gone. Mulder helped her off of the ledge. "Let's go." ************************* As they walked through the woods, Scully had a very hard time trying to keep up with Mulder. She had trouble breathing with the corset, and with the shoes she was wearing, it was almost impossible to walk fast. Mulder was very upset. Was he angry that she married Quentin? Would he ever forgive her? "Mulder, wait for me, please." Mulder stopped, and she ran to his side. She stood there for a moment, trying to catch her breath. "Why the hell did woman wear clothes as awful as this?" "I have no idea." Mulder seemed preoccupied "You do look good in them." Scully reached out to Mulder, touching him gently on the cheek. "I want to thank you for rescuing me." "We're not safe yet." He reminded her. "When we're safe, I'll take you into my arms and hold you like you've never been held before." "Can you slow down a bit?" "Sure," He took the hand that was on his cheek, and they began to walk. "What the hell are you doing with my wife!" Mulder heard Quentin Collins yell. He stood in their way on the path. There was a wild look in Quentin's eyes. "Scully, run!" Mulder ordered. "Not without you." Scully had just gotten Mulder back; she wasn't going to give him up so easily. Mulder's eyes were serious. "This time, just do as I say. I can handle myself with him!" There was something in Mulder's tone of voice that made Scully run. Quentin grabbed Mulder, pushing him hard in the face. Mulder fell to the ground, his nose bleeding. "Heather is an innocent rose! I won't let you take her away from me!" Quentin yelled. "It's too late! She remembers everything!" Mulder got to his feet, only to be hit again by his great-grandfather. Suddenly Angelique appeared on the path in front of Scully. "You are too much of a bother." "Leave me alone!" Scully said firmly. She wasn't going to let Angelique intimidate her. "I'm no longer a child you can beat into submission!" Mulder couldn't believe that his partner had such courage in the face of the enemy. Mulder stood up; he pulled out his pentagram. That was enough to make Quentin back up. Mulder would be at his partner's side, supporting her. "You were a troublesome child, and your trouble now!" Angelique hit Scully hard across the face. Scully fell to the ground. The witch raised her hand, and something like lightning hit Mulder square in the chest. Mulder wasn't sure what it was, but it hurt. "Leave him alone!" Angelique said a few words in French, from her hand shot out a green light. It hit Mulder, and made him gasp in agony. The light wouldn't stop. The pain throbbed though Mulder's body. "Do you like to see your lover suffer?" "Scully, don't worry about me." Mulder gasped. "The pain will increase until you die." Anqelique's eyes got bigger, and the light turned blue, the pain grew until Mulder found himself screaming. "I will have my revenge on you Fox Mulder." "If I go with you, will you let him go?" "If you come willingly, yes." "I want your guarantee that you will not hurt him." "Of course I won't, Dana." Scully got to her feet. She turned to Mulder. "I know Angelique. I know she can kill you with the flick of her wrist. I have to go with her." "No, Scully, No! I'm not worth it." Mulder gasped as the pain got worse. "You mean everything to me Mulder." There were tears in her eyes. "I love you too much to let myself stand here and watch her kill you." "Don't trust her." Mulder gasped. "I have too." Scully turned to the witch. "Let him go. I'll come with you." Suddenly the pain stopped. As it did, Dana Scully and Angelique disappeared. "If I catch you on my Collins property again, I'll kill you!" Quentin threatened before walking off. Mulder punched the ground, tears pouring down his cheeks. He had lost Scully. He got to his feet. Heartbroken, Mulder walked towards the old house. 6/10 Mulder hated himself for being a coward. He had wanted to fight back against Angelique, but his love for Scully had stopped him. Scully only had her dreams. If Quentin found out about them, he could be able to take even those away from her. He could still remember the joy in his lover's eyes when Mulder told her what she remembered was true. The completeness he felt as they made love. The taste of her blood. Now Scully's dreams had been taken away from her. The freedom they shared had been brief. She had turned herself in to protect him. //I'm not worth it, // he thought. Mulder reached out to Scully through the blood tie. Mulder could feel Heather taking over Scully's mind. He could see Angelique putting a cameo around her neck. As she did, Scully's memories faded away. He could feel her worry, then suddenly, nothing. She was no longer Scully. She was Heather Collins, and she loved her husband Quentin. Fox Mulder hadn't felt this empty for a very long time. His other half was gone. He tried to forget seeing Quentin kissing her. Try to forget the fact that she was married to him. Mulder had always hoped that perhaps someday, they would be married. Someday they would have a life together. I want to believe. That was always what Mulder thought, even when his mother told him about the curse. Even when his sister disappeared, even when Scully gave him her father's diamond, that had been blessed. He reached down, touching it. A part of her, this was all he had left of Scully. Angelique had taken his lover from him. Mulder walked back to the old house. Madga was at the card table in the sitting room. She shuffled and reshuffled her tarot cards. She looked over Mulder. "Sit down." "I want to be left alone." "Sit down!" she waved her hand, and Mulder found himself sitting at the table. "What did you do to me? Why did you make me sit down?" Mulder demanded. "Because it is time to have your cards read." "I could read the cards myself." "You are not a gypsy, you do not have my experiences. Let me read your cards." "If I don't, you're going to make me." Mulder guessed. "It is time." Madga busied herself shuffling the cards. "Why did your parents call you Fox?" "That is none of your business." Madga shrugged. "You tell me on your own, or I make you tell me. It is up to you." "Why do you have this hold over me? How can you force me to do things?" Mulder was angry, he didn't really care if this woman knew it. "I am able to control you because your barriers have been lowered." Madga explained. "You've been attacked by that woman." "What woman." "Angelique." the name coming out of Madga's lips sounded like a curse. "Why did she do this to you?" "I tried to help Scully escape," he admitted. "That is something you can't do alone. She is too powerful for you to just march in and take your lover." "There's no one who can help me." Mulder said morosely. "Your own flesh and blood can." "Byers you mean?" "Yes, he is an insider," "He is also a wimp." "So tell me, why do you wear the pentagram?" She asked again. "Has the pentagram helped you? Protected you from the curse?" "The only time I ever changed was when a former girlfriend persuaded me not to wear it." he took a deep breath. "I killed someone." "That was not your fault, it was the curses fault." she shoved the cards across the table at him. "I would like to read your cards." "Would it tell me if I get Scully back?" "Perhaps," she said mysteriously. "The cards say a many things." "I guess it wouldn't hurt." "Shuffle the cards." Mulder did, then he gave them back to her. She laid the cards out on the table, "You feel lost now." When he nodded, she went on. "She is the other half of you, not just a lover, a friend, but the other half of your soul." "That's how I feel." he confessed. "Each of you are hiding a secret from the other." She looked down at one card. "Why haven't you told her yours?" "She wouldn't understand." "Scully has a secret, one that is just as powerful as yours." She laid down two more cards. "Her secret will be the thing that saves you both." "She can't remember who she is," he told Madga. "Then you must work to help her remember. If you do not, then no good will come." "Quentin has forbidden me to be near her." "Quentin Collins is very powerful," she agreed. She took a necklace from around her neck. She pressed it into Mulder's hand. "When you get your lover back, give her this. It will protect her." Mulder put the necklace on. "Thanks." Madga laid down another card, then another. She raised a hand to her lips. "Oh my god. You are my flesh and blood." Tears swelled in Madga's eyes. She turned over another card. "Your grandparents were first cousins. Your grandmother descended from my sister Jenny. Your grandfather descended from another child of Quentin's." "Your cards told you that?" "Yes, yes they did. You are a Gypsy. I should have seen it in your eyes. You have the tragic look about you." she put down the cards. "You should not be here! Your love, you are doing something that is forbidden. Traveling in time is wrong." "I didn't get the choice." "Then you must get her, your cousin, and go back to where you came from."= "I can't. Angelique stands in the way." Mulder reminded her. "If I get Scully here, Angelique will come here to the old house and take her back." "Then she will have to be taken care of. I can make sure she will not be able to enter this house. You depend on your family to take care of you." Madga said firmly. "We will take care of you and your lover." ********************* It was a rare night for Quentin Collins, not spending it with a woman. His new wife had been very tired and turned in early. Angelique had done more magic with Heather, making her forget even more. Some how the process had left his wife exhausted. Heather had been involved with someone else before the marriage. This raised complications. Quentin could still remember seeing the pentagram that Mulder wore. He went over and over it in his mind. It was unmistakable that Mulder was a werewolf, but how? There was a knocking at his door. Probably Byers bringing that drink he ordered. "Come," He said, leaning back even more in his chair. What came in was not his butler bringing drinks. Instead it was Barnabas Collins. "Can I speak to you?" "Sure why not?" Quentin watched his cousin come into the room, and shut the door. "Are you here to apologize for your attorney?" "I don't know what you mean," "I caught Marty Mulder kissing my wife." "Yes, you did. " Barnabas admitted. "Do you think that perhaps Heather had a life before you?" "My wife's former life is gone." "Before Angelique took her. I expect she made Heather's amnesia even more powerful." Quentin looked up to the man. "What do you know about it?" "Even you aren't slimy enough to take another man's fiancee." "Heather's my wife." Quentin reminded him. "Before that her name was Dana Katherine Scully. She's engaged to my attorney." "Things change, she loves me." "If you really believe that, then let Angelique give Heather back her memories. Let Heather be the one that chooses." "Why are you here? To discuss my wife?" Barnabas put something on Quentin's desk. Quentin picked it up, he looked at it. He couldn't believe the dates on it, but wouldn't revel that to Barnabas. "So he's from the future." "Did you know he wears a pentagram at all times?" "Many people wear pentagrams." he tried to sound non-chanlant. "Did you know that his parents named him fox to try to appease the sprit of Madga?" "Why would I care if his parents wanted to do something like that?" Quentin was beginning to think his cousin was insane. "His mother is your granddaughter." Quentin looked back down to the photo. His eyes, Mulder had eyes that looked so much like Quentin's mother. "Let's say he's my great grand son. Heather has nothing to do with him." Barnabas handed Quentin a photo. A picture of Heather and Mulder. It was obvious in the photo that they where happy together. There was something else strange. The photo was in color. "How was he able to make a photograph in color?" "It is common place in his time." "If he is really my great-grandson, then he won't have trouble finding another girlfriend." Quentin couldn't believe he was having this conversation. "Angelique has given you Heather as a gift, haven't you wondered what she wants in return?" the vampire persisted. "Why do you think she wants something in return?" "Angelique always wants something in return." Barnabas countered. "She's put a spell on you. Why would you let her?" "What do you really want?" Quentin demanded. "The truth, not these games!" "When Angelique is finished with Heather, she will be destroyed." "How do you know she'll do that?" "Because that's what Angelique did with my Josette." "I can't let her do that," Quentin gasped. He realized that that was what Angelique would do. She would destroy his wife. Then she would turn on him. He couldn't remember the spell she placed on him, but he knew he was under one. "Then help us protect her, help us return her to her own time." "How will that help? To return her? She would be safer with me." "Scully would be safer in her own time, with her own memories. She can protect herself. She doesn't need you." "Heather is only a woman." Quentin pointed out. "Scully is a Federal Agent. She can take care of herself." Barnabas countered. It dawned on Quentin, he had to help. "What do you want me to do?" "Just distract Angelique tomorrow night," "You'll take care of the rest." Quentin said. "If she finds out I'm involved, she could hurt Heather." "When Angelique finds out, she will be angry with me, not you." "I love Heather," Quentin admitted. "If you really loved her, you would give her up. Let her go back to her own time." "It's going to be hard, I hate Angelique." Quentin mused. "But she has been begging me to spend the night with her." "Just close your eyes and pretend she's someone you want." Barnabas tried to smooth. Quentin realized that his cousin was right, but he really didn't want to become involved. "All right, I'll distract Angelique, but don't tell me anything else, I don't want to be held accountable for it." "Agreed." Barnabas said. There was a knock at the door. "Come in!" The door opened, and Byers came in with the bottle of sherry. "I brought your drink sir." "Thank you Byers. Can you bring me a bottle of whiskey?" Quentin couldn't help but notice the look that passed between Barnabas and Byers. The butler put the sherry on Quentin's desk. "Of course sir." ######################################################################### Time: The next day Byers stepped out onto the porch of the servants quarters. It was morning, just an hour before he began work. Byers couldn't believe what he saw. In the woods, Mulder was jogging. He wore a gray T-shirt and his dress pants. Mulder looked very desirable. //He has Scully, he doesn't want you! // Byers reminded himself for the millionth time. He knew that Mulder was straight, Byers had never pressed his desire for his cousin. For the past few days Mulder had been oozing sexuality. Byers went out into the woods. He had to see why his cousin was jogging. This was 1897; people didn't jog in this time period. "Mulder," Mulder jogged over to him. His cousin was very pale, far paler then usual. "How's it going?" "I'm getting tired of being a butler." "You could always quit." "If I did that, you wouldn't have an insider." Byers reminded him. "So why are you out jogging?" "I jog every morning." Mulder swayed, and held onto a tree. Byers moved closer to his Mulder. "Are you okay?" "I'm fine." Mulder didn't move. "Really Fox," Byers reached out and touched his cousin. "What's wrong?" "I hunger," Mulder said hoarsely, his hands where shaking. "I can help," "Yes," Mulder sighed. "You can." Mulder pulled Byers into the woods. He pushed the shocked Byers against a tree and kissed him passionately. A strange thrill went through the man. The kiss felt very good. Mulder pulled away from Byers, his eyes were red, blood red. Then Byers saw Mulder's teeth, they where fangs! What had Mulder turned in to? "What are you?" "I can't help myself. I need this...John. Please try and understand." Mulder gasped. Suddenly there was the pain of Mulder's teeth biting his neck, soon replaced by an estasy that was far better then making love had ever been. Then just as suddenly it was over. Mulder pulled away from Byers' murmuring he was sorry. Then Mulder vanished. Byers reached to his neck. His fingers touched blood. So that was it. Mulder was a vampire. He could hear someone inside yelling for him. Byers fastened his shirt and went back inside. ******************************* 7/10 Byers was in his room. He had the window open, the excuse being that it was a warm day. The real reason was more complicated then that. The window opened up to the servant's porch. He had been amazed of what he saw on that porch. Servants having affairs. People gossiping. This was the hub of social life at Collinwood. Now he watched Scully standing on the porch. It made him wonder why she would use the servants porch, when she had the nice one off of Quentin's quarters. Beth was with her. Perhaps that was the reason. Scully had become friends with the maid. The rest of the help stayed off the porch while she was there, respecting the thin line between the masters and the servants. //I wonder if she knows that a proper woman shouldn't socialize with the help? // //Why doesn't Beth tell her? // In the distance, Byers could see Quentin, with Angelique. He pulled the woman close to him, kissing her passionately. Then he picked the witch up, and carried her to the cottage. The sign, this was the sign. Byers left his room, and went to the doorway of the porch. He could see Mulder waiting in the bushes. "Miss Heather, she doesn't mean anything to him." Beth told Scully. "Then why does he go off with woman?" Scully sounded lost. "It's his way." Beth said softly. "I learned that long time ago." "The two of you?" "Quentin comes to me sometimes," She admitted. "He doesn't love me. I know he doesn't." Byers thought it was strange that Beth would admit her affair with Quentin. He was wondering if he would see anger from Scully, instead she said. "That doesn't stop you from loving him." "I know, I'm a fool. Our baby won't be loved by him." Byer's mind began to race. Beth was pregnant with Quentin's child. Byers grandfather, she was pregnant with his grandfather. Scully put her arms around Beth. "We're sisters. Letting Quentin Collins use us." //Talk to Scully. // He could hear Mulder's voice clearly in his mind. Byers found himself going onto the porch. "It's a beautiful night." Scully pulled away from Beth. "I'm sorry Byers, I know that I shouldn't be here." "I don't see any problem with you being here." "You won't tell?" Beth asked. "Of course I won't!" //Now! Pull the necklace off of her now! // Mulder commanded. Byers went to Scully; he grabbed the cameo she was wearing around her neck. He pulled it off, then stomped on the cameo; it shattered in several pieces. "That belonged to my mother," Scully murmured. Mulder came out of hiding. He took the charm that Madga had given him off. He slipped it around Scully's neck. Scully looked up to Mulder confused. "Mulder?" "Yes, it's me." Mulder smiled. "Do you remember your name?" "I'm Scully." the woman looked around, her eyes settled on Byers. "What are you doing here?" "Do you remember what happened to you in the past few days?" Byers asked. "Of course I do!" Scully shook her head. "I thought my name was Heather." "What do you think your name is now?" Mulder asked. "Dana Scully." "You need to get her out of here." Beth told them. "You don't want to get caught." "Then we better go." Mulder looked at Byers. "Led the way." "I need to stay here." "You're in danger if you stay here." Beth reminded him. "Now that Scully's gone. I am needed here even more." Byers said firmly. "John, you could be killed!" Mulder gasped. "Without me being an insider, I don't think we could get back to the staircase." Mulder looked Byers over. "Be careful. Angelique will be very angry when she finds Scully is missing." "I'll stay safe." Byers promised. Mulder took Scully's hand. "Let's get out of here." ***************** Mulder knocked on the front door of the old house. A Gypsy woman opened the door. She looked over Scully, and the agent could tell that this woman *knew* her secret. "You must be Scully, you better come in." Scully went into the house, followed by Mulder. The woman locked the door behind them. The woman looked at Scully again, Scully felt as if he soul was an open book that this woman could read. "Were you followed?" A man asked coming into the foyer. "No, I made sure." Mulder said. "Where's Byers?" "He though it might be better if he stayed at Collinwood. Now would be a time we might really need a spy." Mulder explained. "He's putting his life in danger," Madga told him. "I know that. I tried talking him into coming with us, but he wouldn't." "I hope he's careful. It would be a pity to loose such a loyal friend." The man looked at Scully. ""I'm Barnabas Collins, welcome to my house." "Scully, I'm Dana Scully." "I am sorry about what happened to you," The man apologized formally. I'll try to get you back to 2000." "You know I'm from the future." Scully asked, it wasn't a question, really. "I am like you, from the future." Barnabas explained. "Unlike you, I am from 1970." "Barnabas can be trusted." Mulder tried to reassure. "He was my mentor at Oxford." "If you say so," Scully said. "What do you want us to call you, Mrs. Collins?" Barnabas asked. Scully felt sick at her stomach. "Call me Scully." "All right, Scully," Barnabas smiled. "Madga, Scully must be hungry, why don't you get her something to eat?" Scully watched the Gypsy woman leave the room. Scully could remember this room. She had been kidnapped from it. *************** After eating, Scully realized it was late, almost ten PM. She yawned. She wondered why she would be so tired when it was so early. Was her exhaustion a side effect of breaking the spell? Barnabas looked at Mulder. "Why don't you show Scully to a room?" "Of course," Mulder nodded. Mulder took Scully upstairs. There was a hallway with many doors. Mulder picked the first one, and opened it. "You'll be staying here." Scully followed Mulder in the room. It was a very nice room, but obviously unused. Mulder went to the bed, and removed a dust cover. "Where do you stay?" "My room's down the hallway." Mulder folded up the cover, and placed it on a chair. "I won't be staying with you?" She asked. "No, we can't stay in the same room." Mulder sounded as if he thought the whole idea ridiculous. "Because I'm married?" Mulder walked to Scully. He reached out touching her shoulders. "If this was our time, then of course we would sleep together." "So why not now?" "Scully, this is 1897. Proper people didn't live together without marriage." "What if we did?" "I don't want anyone to think you're a loose woman." "What's wrong with that?" "For one thing, no one would respect you." His fingers caressed her shoulders "I can't allow you to be disrespected." "I see," though Scully wasn't quite sure why her lover cared what others thought. "Mulder, I have a secret, something I should have told you from the beginning." "What secret?" Mulder asked. "When I was a child, no matter were my father was stationed, my sister and I were sent to spend summers with a woman I was told was my great-aunt. She taught us magic. She said I was the strong one, but I hated it. When I was old enough, I decided I didn't want to go down that path, especially when I found out the truth." "What was the truth?" Mulder asked. "My great aunt wasn't really my great aunt. She was something else. She's an immortal and her magic passes down to her female descendents. I thought if I denied the truth, it would go away. But it didn't." "Do you think you could defeat Angelique with your magic?" there was hope in Mulder's voice. "Magic is evil," she said firmly. "What if it isn't? What if it's like electricity? It isn't evil, but it can be used to kill someone. That same electricity can save a life." there was belief in Mulder's voice, for the first time, Scully realized that believed in her, unconditionally. "I'll have to think about it." "Now that I know your secret, you have a right to know mine." Mulder told her. "You have a secret," she said slowly. "One that I've always been ashamed of." "Then why tell me?' she asked. "It's something that I should have told you when we first got involved," Mulder reached into his shirt, pulling out his pentagram. "It's why I wear this, why I asked you to tattoo yourself." "Why?" "I have a curse that has been handed down to all male members of my family. A punishment given to one of my ansistors who killed his wife." "Who gave him the curse?" "The woman's sister, a Gypsy by the name of Madga." "You mean Barnabas' servant?" Scully gasped, she got a cold feeling in the pit of her stomach. "Yes," Scully was angry with Mulder, for not telling her the truth. "Who is your ancestor?" "It doesn't matter," "Damn it, it does matter!" she spat. "My great-grandfather is Quentin Collins." "You've descended from that monster? He's a werewolf!" "I know, that's my curse." Mulder looked away from her. "I did tell you earlier." "Did you really think I believed you?" Scully slapped Mulder hard in the face. "Do you think I would have become involved with a werewolf if I had the choice?" Mulder turned his face away from her, but not before she could see the tears that stung his eyes. The bruise that had begun to form on his cheek. "I know you wouldn't have. What's worse, I'm a vampire now." "How did that happen?" she asked. "Barnabas crossed me over. I took your blood, don't you remember?" "You had no right to take my blood!" Scully gasped. "How many people have you killed when we were together?" "My only kill as a vampire came right after I crossed over." He explained. "None as a werewolf. The pentagram prevents me from changing. I've worn it all my life." "So you've never changed?" I did once," he admitted. "Even with your pentagram?" "I was at oxford, and involved with Phoebe Green. She thought my pentagram was evil. She took it from me when I slept. It was a night of the full moon. I turned...the next thing I could remember was waking up. There was a girl beside me. She was dead, her blood was on me." "Is that when you broke up with Phoebe?" "Yes," "You took my blood against my will. Killed innocent people. I don't know if I can forgive you." "It's okay, I don't know if I can forgive myself." With that, Mulder left the room. ***************** Mulder walked though the woods. Tomorrow night would be a full moon. It frightened Mulder, even though he knew with his pentagram he wouldn't change. He had fed from a cow, but still he hungered. Barnabas had told him to expect this kind of hunger. The hunger that only human blood could fulfil. Barnabas had told him about the need for slaves. A person who was used only for the blood taking. Barnabas had his, and Mulder would have to find his own blood slaves. Mulder thought he wouldn't have to deal with the hunger anymore. That when Scully returned, the hunger would fade. The need hadn't faded; instead it had grown stronger, much stronger. He would have to feed, but not back at the port. Someone might catch him there. He pictured Byers in his mind's eye. //Come John, come to me. // //I'm coming. // He could hear his cousin say. It puzzled Mulder, his need for Byers. He was loyal to Scully. But the hunger was something different. It pushed Mulder into making a choice he didn't want to make. //I love Scully. // //I must feed. // Byers came through the woods. His pace quickened when he saw Mulder. Byers heartbeat called to Mulder. The sound of it was like a beautiful melody. //I don't want to do this. // Mulder thought as he walked towards Byers. //Why can't I control myself? // There was no need for words as they met. Mulder kissed his cousin passionately. His teeth began to grow. Byers kissed back with just as much passion. Their tongues battled for dominance. He would give anything to kiss Scully this way. "John, I can't force you to do anything." "You're not forcing me." Byers pulled away from Mulder. "I want this as much as you." Mulder hated himself as he pushed Byers against a tree. He damned himself as he rubbed his teeth against his friend's throat. The desires for Byers began overcome everything. Mulder let his hunger take control. Mulder had to complete the feed. He pushed Byers head to the side, and bit down on his neck, drinking deeply. *********************************8 Scully woke late; it was almost eleven am. She found Mulder in the sitting room, reading. He looked up to her; there was an almost healed bruise on his cheek. "How was your sleep?" "Refreshing." She straightened the clothes that Madga left out for her. A skirt, a man's shirt. She had taken off her corset, and hadn't put it back on. She felt more like herself without it. "I've been thinking. My ancestor taught me many spells. I think I can help us get back to the staircase." "Are you going to kill Angelique?" "If I did that, I would be as evil as her." She thought for a second. "I know of a binding spell, I could render her powerless until we got away." "What do you need for the spell?" Mulder asked. "Herbs, does this place have a kitchen?" Mulder smiled. "I'll show you where it is." Mulder took Scully to a small kitchen. The kitchen didn't look like it had been used for a while. There was a rack of fresh spices, and an icebox. The only modern appliance, even that didn't have electricity. Scully opened the box. There was a half-frozen piece of ice, and food inside. She shut it. Dana looked back at her work. "There are thing I need to do the spell, will you go into Collinsport and get them for me?" "Just give me a list, and I'd be glad to." Scully found a piece of paper in a drawer, and a pencil. She wrote a fairly long list for Mulder. Then she gave him the list, for the first time, Scully realized that Mulder still wore her father's ring. With one long look at her, Mulder left. As soon as Mulder left, Scully realized that she had been wrong in loosing her temper, she should have calmed down and thought more about what Mulder told her. Mulder had been more then understanding with her secret. He had believed in her. She wished she could have been brave enough to tell him the full truth, who her ancestor was. Mulder was a werewolf, a vampire. He was in danger right now. Scully knew that Angelique had quite sway over vampires. Scully needed to protect her lover. She looked around the kitchen; there were the right herbs to make a charm for him. If something happened to her, Angelique couldn't touch him. But first she had to do something for someone who helped her. ******************************** There was a small tapping at the back door. Scully went to it and looked out. Beth was standing there. Scully opened the door. "Hello Heather, I came by to see how you where doing." Beth said. "Come in, please." Beth came in, and she shut and locked the door behind her. "I hope you didn't mind me coming by, I had to see if you where safe." "I'm all right, really." "Where's Mulder?" "He's fine, he went to get me some herbs." she told Beth. For a moment her friend looked pale. "Why don't you have a seat?" Beth nodded. She sat down on a chair. her hand briefly touching the small bulge that she was trying to hide. "When's the baby due?" Scully asked. "In the winter, around Christmas." "You still have time to make a choice." she told Beth, then kicked her, in this time in history; woman didn't have a choice over their bodies. She would have to have this baby. "I've already made my choice. I can't stay here. Quentin will never commit to me fully, and I don't want this baby growing up as the bastard offspring of the Collins." she said, "My sister lives in Boston, I've already contacted her. We're going to pretend that I am a widow." "I hope everything turns out all right." "I do too, I just hope that Quentin will let me go." she seemed haunted for a moment. "If he finds out, he'll try to stop me." Scully turned back to her work, and took the cigar box that she had filled with materials. She placed it in front of her friend. "I have something for you." She opened the box. "I don't understand." "You helped me escape, I'm paying you back. This is an illusion spell. The instructions are inside it. All you have to do is follow them, and you'll be able to get away." she explained. "Can you promise me something Heather?" "Sure, anything." "Take care of Mulder for me, make sure that he stays safe." "I don't understand, why do you care so much for Mulder?" Scully asked. "He's my future." her hand touched her stomach again. "Mulder's my great-grandson. He looks so much like my father..." "On my goddess." she said, realizing what this woman said was true. "I promise you, I'll take care of him. If you can promise me you'll take care of yourself." Beth got up. "I will, promise." Scully hugged the taller woman. "I'll miss you." "I'll miss you too. Thanks for giving me a new future." With that, Beth left. 8/10 **************************** Mulder brought the materials that Scully wanted into the kitchen. He hoped that his earlier feeding might change the hunger he felt towards Scully. It didn't. He still felt a need for Scully that wasn't just a hunger for her blood. Mulder wanted Scully, forever. Only problem was, his partner was angry with him for lying. He didn't blame her. Mulder watched Scully work. The sleeves on her shirt were rolled up. It reminded Mulder of the way that she acted in her lab at the FBI. For her safety he knew they would never be able to have a relationship. That the most they could be was friends. Finally Mulder decided to say something. "I brought your items." "All ready?" She didn't look up. "Byers told me where I could find them." "Great," Scully dismissed him. //She doesn't want me here. // He told her quietly. "I'll see you later." Scully looked into his eyes, and put her hand on top of his. "Why don't you stay?" "Are you sure?" "I'm positive." She picked up something, a small cloth bag on a thong. She slipped the thong around his neck. Her fingers caressed the thong. She looked into his eyes. Something, almost electric passed between them. "You must wear this. It'll protect you." "What is it?" he wondered if Scully felt the same spark. "Just some herbs." Her fingers continued the stroking. "I lost my temper with you." "You had every right to be angry. I lied to you." "You told me the truth. I just refused to believe it." Scully's eyes met his, for an instant Mulder felt as if she could read his mind. "I blamed you for being related to Quentin. As if it was your fault that Quentin worked with Angelique. Your fault that I was forced to marry him. That's why I got so angry." "The only time I ever talked to Quentin was when he punched me in the face." Mulder pointed out. "I know that, I'm sorry. How can you forgive me?" Scully paused. "I wish I wasn't so skeptical." "If you weren't skeptical, you wouldn't be Scully." Mulder reached out, stroking her lips. Scully pulled Mulder's head down, and kissed him. It felt good to kiss his lover. Her lips had been something he really missed. //Dangerous, this is dangerous. // Mulder pulled away from her. "We can't, we can only be friends." "Because I'm married." She guessed. "That's not it at all." Tears welled in Scully's eyes. "When I thought about marriage, I thought I would marry you." "We can never marry. Not now." "It's because of what I did." Scully looked away from him. "I left you, I cheated on you. I'm your step-great grandmother." "Damn it Scully, it's not you it's me! I'm a vampire!" he pulled away from her, and walked across the room. Tears of blood poured down his face. "If we made love, I could kill you. I'd rather be alone, then see you hurt." "You didn't kill me the last time we made love." She reminded him. "We were lucky. Next time, we might not be so lucky. I might kill you." "Shouldn't that be my desistion?" "Making love is a two way street." He reminded her. "I can't risk making you like me.... dead." "Your dead?" Scully asked skeptically. "Yes, I am." Scully went to him. She took his hand. Her fingers felt on his wrist. "You have a pulse Fox Mulder! Dead people don't have a pulse!" She put an ear to Mulder's back. She was quiet for a moment, listening. "You're breathing. Dead people don't breathe!" "I'm dead! I'm a vampire." "You might be a vampire, but you're not dead!" Scully was trying hard to control her temper. "You wear glasses. Last time I looked dead people didn't have troubles with their eyes." Mulder turned to her. To let her see his tears of blood. "Humans don't cry blood." "That means you're a vampire. Where does it say that a vampire must be dead?" Scully cocked an eyebrow at him. "Barnabas told me I was dead. I believed him." "You said that when you went to Oxford, Dr. Collins wasn't a vampire." "That will be then, this is now. In this time zone he is very much a vampire." "Don't you see what that means? That means there is hope for you! There is a cure!" Scully grabbed a stool, and pulled it up to him. If he weren't so upset, he would have teased her for using the stool. She got onto it. She was now eye to eye with Mulder. Then she kissed him. "Scully..." Mulder pulled away from her, but not by much. "I trust you. I trust that you won't hurt me." Scully took off Mulder's glasses; she put them in a drawer. The hunger for Scully grew, Mulder pulled her to him, and kissed her. Mulder's fingers went over her body, touching her, for the first time realizing she was no longer wearing her corset. She was braless. It excited him. His fingers went to the front of her shirt, finding her nipple, kneading it. Scully pulled away from him a bit. "Won't Barnabas walk in on us?" "He's in his coffin." "Madga?" "She went into town with her husband." "We're alone then?" she sighed softly. It was getting hard to hear his lover's voice over the sound of her heartbeat. It was loud, calling out to him. "All alone," He agreed. "Don't let go of me, I feel so safe in your arms. Please, make this nightmare go away, make love to me." Scully begged. "Your wish is my command," Mulder kissed his lover again, picking her up in his arms, putting her on the cabinet. He settled between her legs. "Do you want me to take off my clothes?" "No, you look wonderful in them," Mulder pulled up Scully's skirt, reveling bare legs. "I love you," he murmured, as his fingers snagged the top of her underwear, pulling it down. She helped him take it off. His fingers went up her legs, she split them. His fingers found her bud and began to stroke. "You're so sexy like this.' Scully's fingers found his pants, opening up the fly, reaching in, finding his cock, and stroking it. Mulder let out a sharp gasp as his teeth grew. Trying to keep his eyes from hers. He didn't want to frighten her with his eyes. "Do you like that?" Scully asked, the pressure on his cock increased. Mulder could only nod. He didn't want to talk. Didn't want Scully to see his teeth. In response, Scully's fingers left Mulder's cock, and she pulled him to her. He tried to be slow as he entered her. He had to fight the hunger. The overwhelming craving for Scully's blood. He stood there for a moment, not moving, trying to fight down his excitement. Trying not to look at his lover. Mulder felt a hand on his chin, and she turned his head. "Mulder, please." "Don't look at me, I'm a monster." Mulder tried to move his head away. "I love you, all of you. Even the vampire side." He looked at her, letting her see his eyes. "Please don't hate me." "How could I hate you?" Scully put her legs around him, pushing him into her. Mulder's senses left him, and he began to thrust with abandon. He could feel her arms wrap around him, encouraging him. Thrusting in time with him. The hunger came back, Mulder knew he must feed from his lover. He couldn't leave a mark this time. His fingers found the opening to Scully's shirt. Quickly he unbuttoned her shirt. He pulled the shirt apart, and found one of her nipples. He stroked it with his fingers; the sound of Scully's heart grew louder. He replaced his fingers with his tongue. He was able to find the vein in her breast. It pulsed beneath his lips, beckoning to him. Mulder bit down softly, and felt Scully's blood flood into his mouth. In the background, he could hear Scully's orgasm. His body responded to the feeling of her channel spasming around his cock. Mulder came, hard. After he came, he stood there with Scully, holding her in his arms. "I love you." "I love you too," she said softly. They had made love, and Scully remained safe. For the first time in a long time, Mulder felt hope. His lips left hers, he held her close to him, marveling about how small she was. He whispered. "Marry me Scully?" Mulder felt her nod against him as she cried, then Scully looked up to him, through the tears she smiled. "How can I not say yes?" ****************************** It was mid-afternoon when Byers got the call. Mulder needed him, he found that he couldn't resist. He had to go to his cousin. He found Mulder standing behind the old house, just looking at the surrounding land. Mulder was munching on Sunflower seeds. It seemed strange to Byers that a vampire would want to eat food. "What are you doing here?" Mulder said, not looking at him. "You summoned me." Byers said quietly. "I had to come." "I was thinking about us..." Byers could barely hear Mulder's voice. "What do you feel about being a blood slave?" "What's there to think about?" Byers moved closer to Mulder. "You hunger, I can feel it." "Doesn't it bother you that I take your blood?" "No, it doesn't." Byers took Mulder's hand. He brought it to his neck; Mulder's fingers stroked his vein. He wanted Mulder to take his blood. It felt good to have a shared link. "I love Scully." Mulder said before kissing his lips. "I know you do." Byers opened the neck of his shirt. "Don't take this personally, I already have two men in my life. I don't need another." Mulder pulled away from Byers a bit. His eyes had changed; they were now blood red. "But this... It's cheating, isn't it?" "You're simply taking some of my blood. Nothing else." Byers put his hand on Mulder's cheek. "You're having trouble controlling your need." I can't always help myself." he confesses. "Sometimes the hunger just comes onto me. Like when we..." "It's okay, Fox. I won't tell anyone that this happens." "I love Scully. I don't want to risk our relationship." Mulder ran his lips over Byers' juggler. "You're a vampire. You need human blood. You can use me, or someone else." Byers tried to reason. "You know me. I'll keep your secret." Mulder sighed, then bit down on Byers' neck. Byers put his arms around Mulder, holding on for dear life. This blood taking was more intense then the last time. Then Mulder pulled away from him. He stroked Byers cheek. "I'm sorry." "It's okay." Byers looked around. He could see Scully watching from the back door. //Oh shit. // "You better get back to work. You'll be missed." Byers nodded. He buttoned up his shirt and left. He felt guilty that his cousin would be facing the wrath of Scully. He knew it was his fault. He should have never answered the call. 9/10 Scully watched Mulder feeding from Byers. The smaller man holding onto Mulder for dear life. Mulder thrusted his body against Byers as he fed. It seemed strangely erotic to Scully. It made her wonder if there was more going on between them. Byers and Mulder where cousins. Scully couldn't think of cousins being this intimate. But the way Mulder kissed Byers, all the passion that Mulder had in that kiss. That was more then simply friends, more like lovers. //I wonder whose blood Mulder's taken? // Jealousy overcame Scully. She knew it wasn't a sensible feeling, that she should have trusted her lover more. //I thought taking my blood was special. // Scully thought. //I guess it meant nothing to him. // Scully realized that she had been lied to. She was nothing but a feed. Then Byers left. Mulder watched him leave, and turned towards the house. His eyes set on Scully. Her lover walked to the house, every step full of guilt. There was a stain on the front of Mulder's pants, from the orgasm. The feeding had given Mulder something more then just food. The jealousy flared up again. As he walked into the kitchen, Mulder said. "Scully it's not how it looks." //Why does he care how it looks? // Scully thought. "What do you think I saw?" Mulder couldn't look at her. "I'm not sure." "Then I'll tell you what I saw," Scully tried to control her temper. "I saw you kiss Byers. I saw you take his blood!" "Yes, I took his blood." Mulder admitted. "What else has happened between the two of you? Are you lovers?" Scully accused. Mulder looked shocked at the idea. "Of course we're not!" "What do you mean of course? Look at your pants! You came!" "Oh," Mulder briefly touched the wet spot. "I'm a vampire. I need human blood. Byers gives that to me." "A feeding shouldn't give you sexual satiation." "It wasn't like that!" "Look at the evidence!" Scully countered. "What about us? You took my blood! Didn't that satisfy you? Did you really have to go to him?" "I tasted from you. I can't risk feeding from you." "Why? Why can't you? You can feed from him, but not me?" "I can't risk it." Mulder insisted. "Why can't you?" "Because I could kill you!" Mulder almost shouted. "I can't risk loosing you!" "What else have you done with him? Your lovers aren't you?" "I told you before, Byers and I aren't lovers." Mulder said calmly. It angered Scully to see Mulder so calm. "There is only you." Scully lost her temper. "Bullshit! After what I saw? You expect me to believe that?" "You only saw me take his blood, nothing else!" "Was this the first time you've taken his blood?" "I have to have a blood slave. Byers is the most logical choice." "You sound like Mr. Spock!" "This isn't Star Trek." Mulder said calmly. "Scully, don't you understand. I'm a vampire. I have to feed. The feedings mean nothing to me." Scully couldn't believe her ears. "That's it Fox Mulder, we're finished! Do you understand? Finished! If we ever get back to our time, I am going to ask for a transfer!" Mulder moved closer to her. "Dana," "God damn it! My name is Scully!" She yelled. "If you ever lay a hand on me again, or use your power to call me, I'll stake you myself!" ******************** Mulder stood at the window in the sitting room. He watched the sun set. He hated himself. His hunger had made him loose the woman he loved. Mulder hated being a vampire. Without the hunger, he would never have called Byers. Scully would have never seen him feed, and they would still be together. //Center, I must center my thoughts. // //If I'm not careful, I'll call her. // Mulder still wore her ring. He would have to return it to her once she calmed down. He had really messed up this time. The vampire wasn't sure how he should have explained Byers. He just knew that the explanation should have been different. //It was an orgasm of sorts. I should have admitted that. I should have told Scully that bloodtaking makes me come. // //How would I have been able to make Scully understand? // Mulder realized that he loved Scully that no matter what she decided, he would always love her. Mulder could feel Barnabas's presence. He didn't turn around. "Good evening Mulder," the older vampire told him. "Evening." Mulder couldn't say it was good. "What's upsetting you?" "How do you know anything's upsetting me?" Mulder paused. "I forgot, we share a blood tie." "Are you still quarreling with Scully?" Barnabas stood beside Mulder. "We made up for about an hour, then..." "What happened?" "I went outside to think. I only wanted to think, but somehow I called Byers." "You have to mask your thoughts when you think of your slave." "I know that now. Scully saw me with Byers." Mulder said quietly, so quietly that only a vampire would hear. "She doesn't understand the concept of a blood slave. She thinks that I am sexually active with Byers." "Did you try and explain to her?" "It didn't help. I don't think she would have believed me anyway. The idea of my being a vampire is too new to her." Mulder tried to gather his thoughts. "I wanted to ask you, why can I go out during the day? If you crossed me over, shouldn't I be like you?" "You're a werewolf. Your physiology is a bit different then regular humans. That difference made you able to go out during the day." Barnabas thought. "You recognized it, as if you saw it before." "The same thing happened to Tom Jennings. He was a vampire-werewolf hybrid. He didn't need home soil." Mulder could barely hear the vampires voice. "He was your cousin." "I know who he is." Mulder closed his eyes, trying to get the vision of his younger brother's death out of his mind. "He killed someone I loved." "Your brother." "Exactly." Mulder decided to change the subject. "Why don't I sleep in a coffin?" "Do you want to sleep in a coffin?" Barnabas countered. "Not really." "If you wanted to, I suppose you could. I don't have to sleep in a coffin. I would rather, when I'm in it, there's a lot less of a chance of being exposed to light." "Do you have sex?" "Why do you want to know that?" "Because I need to know if I'm normal. I've been wanting sex a lot since I've crossed over." Mulder tried to gather his thoughts. "I orgasm when I feed. Does that happen to you?" "Of course it does. The orgasm during a feed is different then one with someone you love." Barnabas told him. "I can have sex, but I come from a different time. A time were people don't have sex the way they do in your time." "Wasn't 1970 in the middle of the sexual revolution?" Mulder asked. "It might have been. The only thing was, I was crossed over in the year 1795. That time was much more conservative then 1970." "Can I father children?" "I have no idea." Barnabas admitted. "I haven't tried, so I don't know if you can." "Scully said that I couldn't be dead. That I have a pulse. I thought that vampires had to be dead." "Your humanity is dead. So in a way, you are dead." "Is that what you meant by being dead?" "Exactly." Mulder thought for a moment. "I'm worried about Scully. She saw me use Byers for food." "You could hypnotize her into forgetting what she saw." Barnabas suggested. "If I did that, then I would be just as bad as Angelique." "Perhaps the truth would sound different coming from someone else's lips." Mulder looked at Barnabas. "What do you mean?" "I could talk to her. Explain that you had no intention of betraying her." "Scully's very stubborn, she might not believe you." "Don't you think it's worth a try?" "I suppose it couldn't hurt." Mulder turned and went back to his bedroom. ************************ Barnabas Collins had never been a good teacher. Most of the people he crossed over had gone on killing rampages before Barnabas could teach them anything. The previous crossovers had been accidental. Mulder had been the first one to stay and follow directions, the first to be crossed over on purpose. Barnabas came into the kitchen. "How is your work Dr. Scully?" "Good, hopefully I'll be able to bind Angelique soon." She put down the flask she was working on, and turned to the vampire. "Did you need to talk to me?" "How much do you know about vampires?" "Before I came to this time, I would have told you they didn't exist." "What about now?" "I have to admit they do exist." Scully turned back to her work. She reminded Barnabas of Julia Hoffman's dedication. "When a vampire crosses over, and their first feed is human. Their hunger won't be truly satisfied with animals blood." Barnabas explained. "The vampire gets a slave. A person who the vampire feeds from." "Mulder asked you to talk to me, didn't he?" Scully sounded impatient. She lifted up a vial, and looked into it. She shook it, and put the vial back down. "He has no idea I'm here." Barnabas lied. "Because I shared blood with him, I know his feelings for you." "He doesn't love me." "Fox Mulder loves you more then he even loves himself. He would die before he saw you hurt." "Yeah, and that's why he went to Byers?" Scully said sarcastically. This woman had a sharp tongue, the same was Julia had. Barnabas would have to reason with her to make her understand. She was too intelligent for the vampire to try and hypnotize. "Exactly. If he didn't love you, he would have used you as a slave. He would have put his needs above the risk to your life." When Scully refused to answer, Barnabas said quietly. "I'll prove it to you. I'll show you what a vampires feelings for their slave is." "How can you do that?" Barnabas closed his eyes. He focused on Sandor, his closest slave. "Come here, I need you." Then he opened his eyes. "How long do you think the walk from the barn takes? Five minutes?" A few minutes passed. Sandor, the husband of Madga stood in front of Barnabas. The man stood in front of Barnabas. "You wanted to see me." "I hunger." the vampire told him. Sandor opened the collar of his shirt. "Yes," "Stop!" Scully walked to Sandor. She shook the man hard. "He's in a trance!" "Of course, he's my slave. When he goes back to his duties, he'll have no memory of what happens." "What if you get a lover?" "Then I will need him even more. I couldn't risk hurting my lover." "Couldn't you feed from your lover?" "If I did, my lover would become like him, a slave." Barnabas took the man's wrist. He pulled Sander's sleeve up, and bit down on his wrist. The slave gasped, threw his head back and moaned in ecstasy. A familiar wet patch appeared in the front of the slave's pants. He drank deeply. When he was finished, he put Sandors wrist down. "Thank you my dear, go back to work." "I will go back." he repeated, leaving the house. "He orgasmed." Scully gasped. "All you had to do was take his blood, and he came." "I think the satisfaction that Sandor gets is an exchange for the blood." Barnabas told her. "If he didn't have an orgasm, he wouldn't come when I called." "That means your lovers." "A vampire's slave is simply a food source." The vampire whipped the blood from his lips. He buttoned his jacket, so that his wet spot would be covered. He couldn't let Scully see what happened. It would only confuse her more. For an instant Barnabas could feel Scully's thoughts. //He's ashamed of what happened. // For an instant, the sight of Mulder being so went though Scully's mind. Her lover had been just as ashamed as Barnabas had. "Will he be like that for the rest of his life?" Scully asked. "Your slave, to be used?" "No, I'll release him when I go back to my own time." "Have you ever been intimate with him?" "Of course not!" Barnabas was shocked. "He's my slave, not my lover." "I see, and what if you wanted to make him your lover?" "That couldn't happen. I've fed from Sandor too many times. The only choice I have is to free him or cross him over." Barnabas paused. "The reason Mulder took Byers as a slave is because his hunger for you got too strong." "What do you mean?" "When a vampire can't have the person they love, they crave that person. The only way to make the craving livable is to take a slave." "He took the slave because he wanted me." Scully said slowly. "If he hadn't taken a slave, there was a risk he could have attacked you. You would have been killed." "Mulder wouldn't do that." "If he didn't have a slave, he would have." Barnabas left. *************************** Scully couldn't help but believe what Barnabas told her. Especially after his slave had come to him. She wished she could talk to Mulder, but how? Then she remembered how Barnabas had summoned Sandor. Scully closed her eyes. She envisioned Mulder in her mind. Then she spoke. "Mulder, come here!" A few moments passed. Mulder came into the kitchen. "You summoned me. How?" "I thought if it worked for a vampire to summon someone, that it might work the other way." Scully explained. "So you wanted to talk to me." Mulder seemed guarded, as if he was worried he was in danger. Scully raised her hands. "See, no stake." "You might have one in the drawer." Mulder pointed out. Scully pulled the closest drawer out. "Haven't had time to sharpen one." Mulder still didn't move closer. He was afraid she realized, afraid of her. He looked her over. "Did you want me to find my own stake?" "Of course not!" Scully took a deep breath and let it out. "I'm sorry." "What for?" "I know I don't have the right to be jealous after what I did." "You didn't do anything." "I cheated on you. I married your great-grandfather." Scully couldn't look at him. "Do you know that technically, I'm your great-grandmother?" "You're not my great-grandmother, Heather is." Scully looked at him. "I'm Heather. I still have her memories." "What you did was against your will." Scully could barely hear Mulder. "If you were in your right mind, you wouldn't have married Quentin." "How do you know that?" "Because I know you." There was faith in Mulder's eyes. "Why do you still believe me after all this?" "I love you." Mulder's voice was hoarse. He looked away from Scully. Scully went to Mulder; she reached out, touching his cheek. Mulder flinched. "I'm sorry that I was so jealous." "I can imagine how the feeding looked like." Mulder said softly. "I came all over the place when I fed." "The orgasm was secondary to your feeding." She told him. "I forgot that you live on blood. Forgot that you would starve to death without food." "If I could keep you by starving, I would never feed again." Mulder vowed. "If you did that, you would put both our lives in danger." "When we get back to our time, I'll find another way. I won't use Byers." "When you went to Oxford, Dr. Collins wasn't a vampire." She reminded him. "He found a cure!" "So when we get back, we can find him." "That's the idea." Scully walked to Mulder. This time he didn't move. Mulder smiled for the first time. "It would be a dream come true. To be normal again." "We'll find the cure." Scully promised. "Together we will." Mulder kissed Scully. She put her arms around him, pulling Mulder closer. Scully could hear voices speaking in another language. Then a man said in English. "Oh Madga, where did you put the potatoes?" "Potatoes? We ain't got no potatoes Sandor." Madga said. "Oh..." Mulder jumped away from Scully as if she was on fire. Scully looked over the couple. She had met Madga before, Sandor too in a way, though he didn't remember her. Mulder turned away from them, Scully could see him literally push his fangs back into his mouth. Scully pretended to ignore Mulder. "Can I help you?" "My Sander is hungry. I thought I could fix him some dinner." "I need to go ask Barnabas something." With that Mulder quickly left the room. Madga watched him leave. "When you get back to your own time, watch out for him." "I will." Scully promised. "He might be only an eighth Gypsy. But he has the Gypsy tragedy in him." "Mulder's a Gypsy?" Scully asked. Sander put his hand of Madga's arm. "Please dear, I am hungry." "Fine, fine. Go back to your chores. I cook you something." Madga said as to a little child. "Thank you," The man left. "Men, so much like children." Madga clucked. She took something out of the icebox. "Was that your husband?" Scully asked. "Sandor's such a fool, but I don't know what I would do without him." She put the pot on the stove and turned on the fire. "With you and your Mulder, it's the same thing?" "Yes, it is." Madga looked Scully over. "You must be hungry too. I cook you something." "You don't have to." The woman shrugged. "I am cooking anyway. What difference is it if I add one more serving?" ************************* After eating, Madga stayed in the kitchen, cleaning the food mess. Scully went back to work on her formulas. She looked Scully over. "Why are you doing all this?" "I am trying to devise something to help us get back to the staircase." "What's the staircase?" "That's how we got here. There is a magical staircase in Collinwood. It lets someone travel in time." "So how will this help you?" Madga went to where Scully was working. She examined the potions. "Most of these are only good if your magic is good. Do you practice magic?" "Not really, but I was taught some as a child." Madga looked at another bottle. "A binding potion. You want to trap Angelique?" "I want to avoid her." Scully said. "If not, bind her." What if you cannot avoid her? And binding, she will know all your spells," the woman countered. "You will need some magic that she doesn't know." "Your right, Angelique knows everything I do." Scully admitted. "She does not know Gypsy magic. I would teach you how to defeat her, would you like that?" "What would you like in return for helping me." "Nothing," the woman's dark eyes where serious. "I do not like this Angelique. She is evil. If you can defeat her, you will be doing me a favor." "What must I do?" Scully finally asked. Madga gave her an old-fashioned type purse. "Inside you will find red chalk and rock salt. You must put a circle of red chalk around her, and then put the salt on top. This will contain her, she will not be able to leave the circle." Scully attached it to her belt. "Thanks, I'll use it if I need it." Madga grabbed Scully's arm and led her out of the room. "I have a lot of magic. It will help you. You listen carefully." The end of Part 9 10/10 ******************* It was a full moon. Most of the servants in Collinwood where out, looking for the creature that had attacked several people. It was a man who walked as a wolf. The attacks always came on a full moon. Scully and Mulder had been able to slip into the house by the servants quarters, without anyone being wiser. "I wish I was as strong as you," Mulder told Scully, as they went through Collinwood, looking for the magic room. The room that held the staircase. "I'm not strong," she tried to tell him. "I'm just as terrified as you." The agents hadn't been able to find Byers, though they had been looking for him for hours. Mulder had called and called through the blood link, but he felt nothing in return. That worried Mulder. That meant that they might have to return home without his cousin. She could see the doorway right ahead of them. Mulder's hand tightened around Scully's. "We're almost home." There was a flash, and suddenly Angelique was standing in front of them. She was dressed in a green gown. Her hair perfect. A look of fury marred her beauty. "You!" she glared at Mulder. "Am I ever to be rid of the curse of Quentin Collins?" "I am my own person," Mulder tried to control the fear that was trying to overcome him. "You have the blood of Quentin Collins within you!" She told him. "His blood controls you." As he was talking, Scully tried to do a binding spell, but Angelique turned to her, and put her hand out. She shoved the air; Scully was lifted up, and thrown against the wall. "You my darling descendant, will be much better off once I do away with this Mulder." Scully tried to struggle to her feet, with another wave, Angelique pushed her again. "What have you done to Scully?" Mulder demanded. "I'm protecting her. Angelique reached her hand out, and a lightening bolt came out of her hand. It traveled toward Mulder. It hit him, but he didn't feel anything. He realized it was the amulet that protected him. "Your magic doesn't work!" Again Angelique tried a lightening bolt; again there was no pain. "I don't understand, why can't I do anything against you?" "I have Scully's magic to protect me." There was faith in Mulder's voice. Faith in Scully. "Dana hasn't told you the truth, has she?" Angelique asked, gloating in her voice. "I know she's a witch", "That doesn't bother you?" "Of course it doesn't," "Did she tell you where she got her abilities?" "It doesn't matter to me." "Perhaps if you knew who, it would. She got them from me, I taught her everything she knows." The woman's eyes blue like Dana's got big, as if she was really enjoying this. "She is my descendent!" "I don't care who Scully's descended from, I love her." Mulder turned back to his lover, who sat helplessly on the floor. Mulder was powerless to help Scully. Perhaps with the protections Scully had given him, she would be able to save them both. He took off his pentagram and his thong. "A talisman, I should have known." Angelique whispered. "If you take it off, you will be powerless in front of me." "I don't care." Mulder's voice cracked. He placed the tokens around her neck, and Scully looked up to him for the first time. "It's okay, you'll be safe now." Scully couldn't believe that Mulder would sacrifice himself for her. "But you," There was a tear in Mulder's eyes. "It doesn't matter what happens to me, I love you." Angelique went to the window; she opened the curtain, the light from the full moon shone through. "Get away," Scully, warned. "Mulder run! Hide from the moonlight." "I don't have to see the moonlight to change." Mulder sank to the ground, holding his side. "It hurts, it hurts." "What hurts?" "The change...it hurts." "What are you doing to him?" Scully demanded. "I'm doing nothing. What happens to your lover is his own choice!" Angelique gloated. "He's a werewolf. They change during a full moon." Mulder writhed on the floor, in pain. The last thing he could gasp was. "Dana, get away from here go back to our time, don't worry about me. I love you!' Scully wouldn't have believed the change if she hadn't seen it. Mulder slowly turned into a werewolf. The werewolf got to his feet. He turned towards Scully, growling. Scully raised Mulder's pentagram. That made the werewolf back away from her. "Hunt werewolf!" Angelique commanded. "Go to ground." Mulder jumped out the window, a look of triumph crossed Angelique face. "Your lover has gone to hunt. Now your helpless." Scully touched the chain that Mulder had given her. He had faith in her. All ready she felt stronger. She stood up. "I am your descendant, I have the same power as you." "Your not as strong!" "Perhaps alone she wouldn't be as strong," Barnabas told her, coming into the room, followed by Quentin Collins wearing clothes from another century. Behind them came Byers. "She has us, and we will help her." The modern day Quentin said. "You changed into a werewolf!" Angelique said. "I saw you!" "That was me yes, but not me." Quentin said. "No person can be in two places at once." The witch pointed out. "Perhaps I can." Quentin paused. "Tell me what is your quarrel with Fox Mulder?" "In the year 2000 Fox Mulder defeated me. I lost all my powers. Just by coming back in time, he's changed time. If I can prevent his going back to his time, he will not be there to defeat me!" "What about Dana? She has enough power to defeat you." "She is a child. She has no power against me." While Quentin was distracting Angelique, Scully took the red chalk that Madga had given her. She drew a circle around Angelique, then she heaped the salt on top of the chalk. "You think a line of red chalk will hold me?" Angelique sneered. "Try it, if your pure of heart, you will be able to leave the circle." Scully told her. Angelique tried to move, but her hands hit the air like she had an invisible wall around her. "You might keep me in here, but that doesn't mean that you can stop my power over Quentin Collins. I will order him to kill Fox Mulder!" "As the chalk keeps you in the circle, the salt will contain your powers." Scully told her. "I never taught you that!" Angelique said enraged. "Do you really think Scully's magic only came from you?" Byers asked. "Scully has magic inside of her!" "Don't wait your time arguing with her." Barnabas said. "Go back to your own time." "I can't." Scully told them. "This might be your only chance." "I'm not going anywhere without Mulder." "Scully's right," Quentin said, "We have to find Mulder!" "What about her?" Byers asked. "She'll follow us." "Give me the salt and the chalk, I'll keep her here," Barnabas said. Scully considered for a moment then gave them to the vampire. ********** Scully left Collinwood with Quentin and Byers. Scully could hear the two men talk about finding Mulder. Without Mulder, they couldn't return they both agreed. Quentin seemed so nice, so concerned about Mulder. They would go back to the old house. Perhaps Mulder might show up there. Scully stood a few feet from the men. Something inside her reminded her that this man couldn't be trusted. Quentin turned to face her. "I know you don't trust me." "Your right, I don't." "I can understand your distrust, but I know what will happen to you." "How could you?" "I went forward in time and asked him to help." Byers told her. "I see, that's why Mulder couldn't' find you." Scully guessed. "Why didn't you stay in the future? Why did you get him to help us?" Quentin and Byers exchanged hesitant looks. Something had happened, Scully could sense it. Finally Quentin told her. "I had to correct a wrong." "Well, you didn't prevent Angelique taking my memories." "I'm sorry about that. If I could do it again, I would do everything in my power to keep Angelique from using you." There was sincerity in his voice. "Can you trust me a little? I just might save your life." The truth came to Scully. "I was killed." "How did you know?" Byers gasped. "I'm not sure. I just knew." "You might not understand this, but if I don't help you, you will die tonight." There was truth in Quentin's white-blue eyes. "How?" "The werewolf side of me killed you." Scully looked up to the full moon. Then back at Quentin. He was a werewolf. He should have changed. "Why haven't you turned?" Quentin took a pentagram out from under his shirt. "I learned something from Mulder, that wearing this would keep me from becoming a werewolf." "Your no longer a werewolf." Scully said slowly. "I'm still a werewolf. Without the pentagram, I would be out there, on the hunt." Scully still couldn't trust Quentin. "What's in it for you?" "I've never forgiven myself for killing you. Never forgave myself for Mulder's suicide." "Mulder killed himself?" "He thought he had murdered you." Quentin's voice cracked. "He saw your body, and before anyone could say anything, he staked himself." There was a bey of the wolf. A shiver went through Scully. She could feel that it was Mulder. She felt sorrow in the fact that she had never believed Mulder's tales of being a werewolf. Perhaps if she had, none of this would have happened. "Scully, we have to call for the werewolf." Byers interrupted her thoughts. "Do you know how to do that?" "Yes, I do." Quentin pressed a modern gun into her hand. "Do it!" Scully began to chant the spell that she had been taught in her childhood. A chant to call werewolves. This was the only spell that Angelique never beat her about. Scully could hear someone coming towards her. Then a rustle of leaves. The werewolf appeared, it was wearing the clothes of Quentin Collins. The werewolf lunged towards Scully. Something streaked past her. The second Quentin tackled the werewolf. "Scully, shoot him!" Quentin ordered. "I'll kill you!" she raised her gun. "Don't worry about me!" The werewolf slashed Quentin across the face with its claws. Scully aimed the gun. She shot once, then twice. The werewolf slumped to the ground. Quentin got up; he took a handkerchief out of his pocket, and pressed it to his open cheek. "Thanks." "I killed you." Scully gasped. "If you did, he wouldn't be alive now." Byers pointed out. "Are you all right?" She asked. "No perminate harm." Quentin smiled. Scully had to admit she did like his smile. "We have to find Mulder, he's in danger." She took off Mulder's pentagram and pressed it into Quentin's hand. "When he gets here, put this on him." Scully began the chant. She could feel the werewolf come closer. Until Mulder stood in the clearing. Mulder had turned this way to save Scully. Both Quentin and Byers launched themselves at Mulder. The two men were able to fight Mulder to the ground. Then Quentin put the pentagram back on Mulder. An inhuman scream came from Mulder. Then slowly Mulder turned from a werewolf back to himself. Scully ran to him, kneeling down, feeling for a pulse. Mulder's pulse was strong. "We have to get him back to the stairs." Byers reminded them. "Your right," Quentin picked Mulder up in his arms. He half ran-half carried him to the back door of Collinwood. Scully and Byers had a hard time keeping up with him. By the time they caught up, the back door opened. Beth opened the door. "Oh my god! Has he been killed?" "He's just unconscious." Quentin told her. Beth fingered her pentagram. "How can this be? It's a full moon!" "I know he looks like Quentin, but he is my cousin." Byers told her. "He's from the future." "Quentin Collins is in the forest. He's been shot." Quentin told her. "He's going to need your care when he comes back around." Beth's eyes got huge, and she left the house. Quentin watched her leave, regret written in his eyes. "Perhaps this will change her future." "What happened to her?" Scully asked. "She killed herself because of me." Quentin led them to the secret room. The staircase was still there. Quentin carried Mulder down the stairs. Byers and Scully followed. Suddenly they where at the stop of the staircase. Scully glanced at Quentin; the wound on his face had healed, leaving a thin scar. "Do you mind putting me down?" Mulder asked. Quentin did as he was told. Byers opened the door to the room. He stepped outside, then came back in. "It worked!" Yes it's 2000," Janette said, coming into the hallway. Quentin went to his wife and hugged her. "I saved them!" Janette pulled away from her husband and gave him something. He turned to Scully and pressed it into her hand. She looked at it; "it's our marriage license." "I never registered It.," he admitted. "Once you burn it, there will be no record of us ever being married." "Is there a fire anywhere?" "There's one in the fire place," Janette said. Scully followed Quentin and Janette back upstairs. Scully threw the marriage license into the fireplace. Mulder went to her and put her arm around her waist, they watched the paper going up in flames. "Why did you go back in time and help us?" Mulder asked Quentin. "Perhaps it's because I am the only one that knew I double crossed you. My self centeredness has caused me to loose too many loved ones." His white-blue eyes grew haunted. "I couldn't let it happen to you." "You really loved me," Scully said, it wasn't a question, not really. "I still do," Quentin admitted. "I know you don't love me, it's all right, you have Mulder. I hope the two of you can be happy." "We will, thanks to you," Scully went to him, and kissed him gently. ****************************** Time: October 1897 The time had come. Quentin had fallen for yet another woman. Still he continued to come to Beth. The entire time, trying to convince her that it was she he loved not the others. Heather had been the last straw. When he married her, Beth knew there would never be anything between them. Except for the child that she carried within her. Beth had been waiting for the perfect time. Beth knew it would have to be now. Quentin's mind had been taken over by Count Petoffi. Now the possessed man was after her. He wanted to see her die. Beth was a few feet from Widows Peak, a cliff where woman threw themselves to their deaths. She took out the box that Heather had given her. Opening up the lid, she took out the instructions for the spell and the herbs. Then with her fingers trembling, she cast the spell. An Illusion spell, she didn't quite believe it could work, when she was finished with the spell, she hid in the woods, and waited. Moments passed then another her stood on the edge of the cliff. Quentin ran into view, beside her double, not touching her. "What are you doing out here?" "Don't come near me!" her double countered. "Your going to jump, you can't! What about us!" "There is no us!" the double said, tears in her eyes. "I hate you! I hate you!" Quentin moved towards the double, a wrong move, because she jumped, off the cliff. "NO!" Quentin yelled, looking over the cliff. Then he turned towards the real Beth, tears in his eyes, "she never realized I loved her." For an instant Beth felt like telling him the truth, then something reminded her of her choice. She could feel the baby within her move; she was six months pregnant. She wouldn't be able to hide this from the world much longer even without wearing petticoats. Her sister had offered Beth a home; they would tell the neighbors Beth was a widow. It would be better this way; her child would be away from the curse of Collinwood.