Shadows Bliss

Chapter 1

Logansport, Maine

Crows Nest Bar and Grill

The tender had been watching the shadowy figure hunkered over his beer for the past hour. He had come in, ordered one beer and nursed it like he would never get another beer. If it were not for the fact it was a slow night Max Grogen would have been tempted to ask him to buy another beer or pay rent on the stool he occupied. One thing was for sure, he was not in a hurry to leave or finish his beer.

Max was normally an even-tempered man with a lot of patience. He was pushing past his mid forties and not looking forward to a half-century birthday that was coming up sooner than he wanted. Max was a barrel chested man with a few beers, along with his years on his tired old frame. His back creaked when he bent over so he did the wall crawl down and the shimmy back up and prayed when he dropped something. He glanced to the window and saw that just north of him a thunderhead was building and a gully washer was on its way. "Looks like a real down pour coming hope you weren't planning on leaving soon?"

He had put it in a form of a question because he wanted to know if the guy was going to move. He watched the head slide up slowly and those black soulless eyes shifted over the stalwart form of the man behind the bar. "Nope not planning on goin' no where. You got a problem with that?" The words were not said with a threat it was more of a statement of fact of someone looking to set someone straight if they did not like how he was conducting his business of drinking his hot beer.

Max held up his hand and shook his head. "Nope, kind of glad you are here. Been pretty slow tonight. You from around here?" He asked more out of trying to be friendly and make conversation. Because there were just two of them in the bar, Max was just feeling jittery with the storm blowing in and a stranger that was not very friendly sitting at the bar.

"Nope." The man said and lifted his bottle sipped from it slowly draining the last of his beer then sitting the bottle down with slow deliberate ease. He offered no more than his simple nope. Max studied the bent head with the ball cap cocked low over his brow; the slender build belied the muscle mass under his peacoat. He looked like an old salt but he carried himself like a land lover. The pants were seafarers usually issued to naval sailors in the service. Although the local Army Navy surplus store carried them and a lot of civilians also known as civvies liked wearing them. He looked at the empty bottle contemplating it then turned to Max and spoke softly and that was when Max noticed there was a hint of an accent to his voice. "Another if you please."

He fished into his pocket pulled out a five and laid it on the bar. "Keep the change." His voice was soft and that is when Max noticed his hands looked soft too, so he was no sailor or old salt, he was a civilian want to be. Max nodded offered up a slight smile scooped up the five and felt his soft hand come down on top of his hand and those steely black eyes fixed to his face. Max startled by the action halted his action of scooping up the five and gently withdrew his hand from under the stranger's hand. "Collinsport, how far from here?"

Max thought at that moment he would not have to worry about his half-century birthday with the look the man just gave him and realized what it was about him that seemed so different. He looked like those pictures his mother used to have from a tribe of gypsies she had lived with when she was young. He had that swarthy look to his face it was his hands that were different. They were artistic, slender and long and held a tension to them that unnerved Max.

"Yeah, its about sixty miles to the north where that storm is going to make landfall."

"It is owned by the Collins Family correct?" He looked back at the fresh beer that was starting to colace with condensation on the bottle's surface. He drew his hand back and gently wiped the bottle off with his dry hand, lifted the beer and took a small sip then fixed those cold black eyes on Max again.

"No it was established by the Collins Family. That is why it's named Collinsport. They own half the town but not the whole of it." The man nodded to the five that Max held in his hand now balled up with the tension of this odd conversation that was happening. "They live on the hill overlooking the town below on a place that was called Widow's Hill." Max straightened out the five put it in the cash box then grabbed his towel and wiped the bar.

"What do you know of those that live in this place called Collinwood? Do you know of them?" Max noted the stranger now seemed to be interested in conversation and figured he was one of those that needed to feel comfortable with those around him before he spoke and the fact he had given him a three dollar tip made it worth the conversation no matter how odd he appeared.

"I know that the house matriarch is Elizabeth Collins Stoddard, her daughter Carolyn Stoddard, her brother Roger Collins, his kid David Collins, then there are two cousins. That would be Quentin Collins and a Barnabas Collins who is about to get married in the summer. I think Barnabas lives in the original home known as Collinwood but they call it the old house."

This seemed to interest the man. "What is the name of his fiancé?" He lifted the beer and took another small sip appearing to once again be nursing the beer. He studied the label of the beer bottle then fixed that cold dead stare at Max.

Max reached under the bar and pulled out the Logansport Gazette thumbed back to the society page and opened the paper up and handed it over to the man. There standing on the grand staircase of Collinwood was Barnabas and Vicki looking lovingly into each other's eyes. Vicki was looking demure and sweet in her lavender colored dress while Barnabas gently and covetedly held a tender arm around her shoulders. "She looks di tribul." He spoke softly peering at the delicate beauty.

Max had no idea what he said but figured he was muttering and must said she was pretty or something like that. The words were strange to him. They were obviously not American in tone or quality. "Yeah she is a beauty all right. I think someone said she was that David kid's governess. She is a sweet thing. I remember she came in here with Carolyn Stoddard one night. Now there was a wild one. " Max thought about that night and how Vicki sat quietly in the corner while Carolyn laughed and danced all over the floor.

Where Carolyn invited attention the little pretty dark haired one sought a quiet corner and waited patiently for her friend to join her in the corner. He even had to go over and chase off a masher that was trying to put too much unwanted attention. She had smiled that sweet sincere smile of appreciation and spoke softly her thank you. Max was smitten by her quiet demeanor and smiled in return. "If you need me I will be right over there just give me a signal and I will chase them away."

Shaking his head he smiled remembering that time and then said softly as he looked at the man studying the picture of Barnabas and Vicki intently. Continuing the conversation he leaned comfortably onto the bar leaning on his folded arms glad to take some of the pressure off his lower back. "Rumor has it that Carolyn Stoddard found a lawyer and is getting married in a few weeks too but they have not posted their wedding announcement. At least not yet that is like her cousin and the governess."

The man nodded slowly he had been listening but had also been reading the society page accounting of the engagement and he had read something interesting. "It lists her parents as Elizabeth Collins Stoddard and her father as George Patterson. Is that the Sheriff of Collinsport?" Those cold dark eyes slid up to pin Max.

"Well I will be damned, I never knew she was old Lady Stoddard's daughter too. Yeah Patterson that friggin piker imagine him getting to cuddle with someone as classy as Collinwood's Princess." Max had not realized he just insulted a Roma Gypsy with that comment and had he noticed the hand tightening on the paper he might have given a second thought to his choice of words.

"Why could he not have been able to lay a claim to the Princess simply because he was born half gypsy? You know his grandmother was from one of the most honored tribes in the Northwest. She was the daughter of the King of all the tribes. Why would you be so disrespectful of him because he was part gypsy?" The voice was cold as death and held little emotion. The eyes cut through Max and he felt he had over stepped his bunds.

"Look I am not making this about his heritage, I don't like the man because he was a pig, he is the law and he arrested me when I was a little younger and threw my ass in jail just because I had a few drinks and wrecked my car. It had nothing to do with the fact he is from a gypsy grandmother its because he is a cop." Max was growing angry just thinking about Patterson that night so long ago when he was young and full of piss and vinegar."Hell I did not even know he was gypsy!"

The stranger relaxed his grip on the paper and looked back at the woman in the paper. "You are lucky gorger, if you had meant to call him a friggin piker because he was gypsy I would have to slit your throat and leave you for the gulls to pluck out your eyes." He had said it with such a degree of quiet confidence that Max had no doubt he had killed others for far less than an insult to the Roma nation. Just to accent the tone and meaning of the strangers threat the thunder rolled across the ground shaking the building.

"You see even the gods don't like the insult laid upon a traveler. You would do well to remember gorger you keep your life tonight and your line will not be cursed because of a petty insult to the di tribul." The stranger took the paper and rolled it into a tube. "I keep this for now." Jerking the hood of his coat up over his head he slid from the bar. "I bid you good night and now shake the dust of this place from my feet."

The door blew open and the man was gone through the door with a slam and left Max wondering who he was or for that matter what he was. It was a cold air that had blow in and filtered around the room circling around Max's form to leave him with a chill. "Never let an ill wind in or you may not live the night through." Max muttered softly and looked at the clock on the wall. It was going to be a long night, he still had another six hours until closing and the place was deader than a doornail.

Looking the room over he sighed and thought about taking inventory. Turning he walked to a door behind the bar and opened it. Stepping inside he began to look at the stock on the shelves when he heard the tinkling sound of the door opening and closing. "Be right there!" He called out to the bar, laid down the manifest, stepped to the door and peered out to see whom had come in. A spectral figure dressed in a long coat with a hood, wearing dark glasses and holding a leash with white bony fingers stood in the door way.

"What the hell?" Max muttered as the figure stepped out of the doorway and more fully into the room. Max walked from the rear room and stood at the bar. "Can I help you?" He glanced down at what he thought originally was a dog on the leash and blanched on the end of his leash was a white tiger with blue eyes watching every move that Max made. It growled low in the back of its throat.

"Quiet Tasha, I am sure the good man can find you a bowl of meat scraps." The thin looking odd man turned that sightless look behind those dark glasses on Max. "Can't you Max Grogan?"

"Do I know you?" Max had walked towards the kitchen door and opened it and pulled out half a lab shank, turning he threw it to the floor at the feet of the white tiger. The man let the leash go and allowed the tiger to drop down and begin to tear the shank apart with a low growl over her food. Max turned away not wanting to think about this animal thinking of him as her next meal. He glanced back at the new arrival.

"No, why should you know me Max Grogan I am no one. I want a coke and a big bowl of water for Tasha she will be thirsty once she is done with her meal." He reached into his coat pocket with those thin boney looking fingers and pulled out a twenty-dollar bill. "Is this enough for the meal for my friend?" He let his hand trail over the head of the tiger. Those blue eyes peered up at the man and that long thick tongue laced out and slurped the hand that pet its head. He smiled, "Yes my love I know he was here and he seeks the answers to the one to bring back the glory of the Roma people. And free them from the hold of the darkness."

Max thought that had it not been for the storm now blowing through the town he would have sworn it was a full moon this night because if it was not it missed a good chance to be a full moon. Setting the ice-cold coke on the counter he took the twenty. "Yeah that is plenty you got change coming if you want it." The white hand waved it away.

"Keep it. Now the man that was here recently, Tasha smells him. What did he want and do you know where he went?" The voice was strangely soft and near a whisper as he spoke but it was a comforting sound, which lulled Max into a sense of security.

"He was asking about Collinsport and those that live at Collinwood. Got real picky when he thought I was insulting the gypsies. When I was insulting the cop that runs the town." As Max spoke he looked at those magnetic blue eyes of the white tiger that stared intently at him but continued to chew and eat her food. He almost felt he was drowning in the depths of those eyes they were as blue as the oceans he had crossed.

"Really, the people of Collinwood were of interest to him?" The boney fingers caressed and scratched the head of the tiger and she seemed to enjoy the feel of his hands gliding over her head and digging into her fur. She turned her head and licked the hand again.

"Yeah, he was real interested in Barnabas Collins and his finance a sweet girl by the name of Victoria Winters only I think she is a Collins too. Just found that out." Max liked this guy even though his looks creeped him out and gave him the willies. That was why he kept looking at the cat and her eyes.

"I see, well you have been very helpful, if you don't mind, my friend and I shall wait here while the storm passes and Tasha finishes her meal." Max had no objection besides who was going to argue with a large white tiger and a pathetic old man.

"Sure, if you need anything just holler out. I got to take inventory." Max turned and walked back into the store room where he took up the manifest and began to take inventory again. The old man sat at the table near the bar and looked down at the tiger.

"I saw Tasha, but he seemed to be helpful and a nice man. Tonight he lives perhaps on our way out of town I shall give him to you but for now we must fine Gregor, he will I am sure lead us to Petofi. You will enjoy Petofi he will fill your need for a long time." The hand held a rhythmic feel to it as it brushed through the soft fur of the white tiger. "We must be patient our time will come and we will have all our answers soon."

The large tongue licked out and cleaned the old man's boney hand. "Yes my sweet soon we will find all our answers." He felt the large head lay in his lap and he sighed and through that boney face a hideous smile appeared to slash through his emaciated features.

Collinsport Maine

Old House, Barnabas' bedroom

Vicki curled her body into Barnabas's and snuggled close to him. He felt her restlessness and it seemed to grow more intense with the advent of the storm that lashed at the windows and the house outside. Finally, she sat up and pushed her hair out of her face. "What is it my dearest one?" Barnabas sat up and turned his body to face her. He saw the torment and the anxiety in her gaze.

"I feel that our whole lives are about to come unraveled and it is all because of that woman that arrived tonight." She went into his arms and held onto his nightshirt. Barnabas gathered her close to his body and stroked her hair from her face.

"My dear Victoria, relax my sweet. I will not allow anyone to do harm to you. You should know I plan to protect you and keep you safe for the rest of our lives. " His words held a tenderness and his fingers gently brushed her hair from her face. Looking deep into her storm colored eyes he smiled then lowered his lips to hers and kissed her deeply.

He felt her resistance at first. It began with the stiffening of her shoulders that filled her entire body. Then as the kiss went more passionate and deeper he felt her slowly begin to relax in his hold. She began to return his passion and they soon found themselves locked into a love play that would relieve both their pent up sexual tension being so close to each other but would preserve her right to give him her gift on their wedding night. This was one of those times he wished he as not so damned honorable and wanted to take her and show her how much he loved her.

When they had finished they both lay panting in each other's arms. Vicki smiled and felt her self relax in his hold. "Thank you Barnabas I needed that. It was just what was needed to allow me to finally feel relaxed." He smiled and placed a sweet gentle kiss on her forehead.

"I promise you Victoria when the time is right for us both, I shall show you the proper way to love you and you will finally know completion other than this playing at love we do. I know how important it is to you to give yourself to me on our wedding night and I accept that but you test me with your sweetness sometimes I am afraid I may forget I am a gentleman."

She chuckled softly against his chest as she rested her head against his shoulder. She could feel the closeness of his chin against her forehead and the warmth of his breath against her heated body. "I am thankful that you are a gentleman and you have my deepest gratitude. I think now I am properly relaxed I can finally sleep and dream of us my love." She spoke softly and closed her eyes allowing her body to totally relax against his body and felt the secure tightening of his arms as she relaxed with him.

As her mind closed off to the realities of her surroundings and she found herself floating in a blissful sleep of happiness she began to see her wedding day with Barnabas. He was smiling at her and had whispered how radiant she looked. She tried to see his face more clearly because he was hidden behind the wispy material that floated around the gazebo. She was dressed in Elizabeth's wedding dress her veil covering her face and flowing down the back of her dress, she stood next to Barnabas and they said their vows. Before he could lift her veil and kiss the bride, the dream seemed to shift.

She was standing nervously in the bridal suite of a luxurious hotel and they were somewhere she had never been. Crawling into the bed, she pulled the blanket up to her chin and smiled, tonight she would give her gift the one thing the nuns and the caseworkers at the home had always preached that should be kept and given to the man that would be with them for the rest of their lives. She would give to him her maidenhead as he so quaintly called it.

Reaching over she turned off the light and called to the door to the bathroom. "Darling I am ready when you are." She giggled wondering what was taking him so long to join her for this time he had kept telling her he waited so long to experience. The moonlight bathed the room in its glow of enchantment and the door opened and the shadowy figure approached the bed.

Laying on her side with her back to him she took a deep breath and closed her eyes, this was it the moment she had waited so long for and it was finally here. She spoke softly. "I saved myself for you and I am ready to give you my one true gift I have to offer." She felt the warmth of his arms as he scooped her up and gently turned her to press her body into his.

Eyes alight and full of excitement she glanced up and felt her world tilt and a soft gasp escaped her. Barnabas did not hold her in his arms. Instead it was Count Henri; he smiled into her gaze and spoke softly. His voice was so much like Quentin's she stiffened in his hold. "I have waited a life time for this and now with you at my side, the great grand daughter of Chief Johnny Romano I will never fear being haunted by him again!"

Vicki squirmed and struggled against his hold and then she was falling into a swirling mass of darkness one she wondered if she would ever escape. She felt her body lifted and carried and only wondered at where he was taking her. This alone caused her to open her eyes and sit up once again covered in sweat and fear filled the very core of her being. She was in a bed and she struggled against the hold on her body.

Then she felt him on top of her and she nothing else until she felt Barnabas calling her name from a great distance. Opening her eyes she peered up into the concerned filled eyes of her fiancé. Without realizing what she was saying she blurted out. "Petofi wants me because I am King Johnny Romano's great grand daughter!"