Chapter 1

Victoria Winters felt the drop with the pull of the lever by the hangman. Her voice opened to scream but the tightening of the noose around her neck cut off her air. She could not put her hands up to her throat because they were bound behind her. Darkness pervaded the very area around her. She had just seen Peter Bradford shot and now she was being hung for witchcraft.

Sitting up with a gasp she looked around stunned and deathly afraid. There he stood in front of her Barnabas and Mrs. Stoddard held her tightly speaking in calming tones. "Oh my god! I am not dead! I am not dead! I didn't die! Oh Mrs. Collins I didn't die! You must see if Peter is dead! They shot him!" She clutched to Elizabeth for dear life and her throat felt raw.

Elizabeth pushed Vicki back on the bed and looked at her, "What did you call me?" She looked into the girl's fear filled eyes and distinctly heard Vicki call her Mrs. Collins!

Vicki looked around afraid and shocked. "Your clothes! I'm back! I am back! I didn't die! I didn't die!" She clutched closer to Elizabeth and held tightly to her.

"We have to get her to her room. Roger will you and Barnabas help her back to her room?" Liz turned to peer at Roger and then Barnabas. Barnabas looked at Vicki with absolute fear. Did she know about him?

"Of course Elizabeth, I would be happy to help Miss Winters to her room." He moved forward and saw the fear etch her eyes and then he blanched hearing her next words.

"Barnabas? You are alive! I am so glad. But why did you not want anyone to know you were alive?" She looked confused and her thoughts were disjointed and she felt her memories drifting from the past to what her life had been before the séance'.

"Come Victoria, you are confused my dear. I have always been alive. You are not in the past any more you have returned to his in this time." His words were soft and tender as he spoke. Lifting her from the bed he turned to Roger. "If you would be so kind as to get the doors Roger, I can carry her to her room."

"Of course, follow me Barnabas we put her in the blue room." He led him from the room and down the hallway. Barnabas could have easily found the room but for now he must continue to maintain his façade of ignorance of the outlay of this house. So carrying Victoria to the room he was angry to find she had lost weight and was weighing next to nothing.

"She looks emaciated Barnabas can you imagine what she has been through during this time?" He moved along in front of Barnabas and paused at the door to Victoria's room. "In here." Roger opened the door and noted that Mrs. Johnson had turned down her bed.

Sarah Johnson moved from the bathroom where she must have been preparing a bath for Vicki. She paused looking at the poor girl that had come to mean a lot to the family in the short period of time she had been with them. "Put her in bed and I will help her with her bath." She moved to the other side of the bed and looked from Barnabas to the lifeless looking girl in his arms.

Barnabas lowered her to the bed and felt her arms tighten around his neck. "NO! Please don't leave me! I am afraid I will go back if you leave me!" She clung to him for all she could as she relived the last few hours before they took her to the gallows. Roger frowned and looked at Sarah Johnson.

"Go get Julia she is still hysterical. We may need to give her something to calm her down." Sarah Johnson nodded and turned to leave the room. She paused in the doorway and looked with compassion and concern on the poor girl being held in Barnabas' arms as he sat with her on the edge of the bed.

"Victoria, you must allow us to get you cleaned up and you will not be left alone. We all will stay with you my dear. There is no way we will allow you to leave us again. We have you back and we will do everything in our power to keep you here." He brushed her dirtied hair back and was surprised that he now held two memories from the past. He remembered Miss Wick but he also now remembered Miss Winters.

She wrapped her arms around his neck and sighed softly. "Angelique followed me back through this portal. I know she is here!" She closed her eyes and felt herself falling into a world of darkness for a few moments after murmuring those words to Barnabas.

Barnabas knew she spoke the truth. He had seen her in the mirror and he knew she was in the body of Maggie Evans. He had seen Angelique's image in the mirror when Maggie had stood before it. "I won't let her hurt you Victoria. She will not harm you in any way." He spoke softly to her unconscious form.

Turning he laid her on the bed, stood back and watched her. She was so much like Josette in so many ways. However, she was more Victoria than she was Josette. Though she looked like Josette, she was Victoria and he had to let Josette and her memory go if he was to have any happiness in this time. Bending over he studied her face and how frail she looked.

"Barnabas? What happened?" Julia entered the room with her doctor's bag in hand. She looked at the pale and unconscious Victoria and then to the man that had just stood away from her. "You did not?" She left the question open noting there was no evidence of any bite marks on her neck.

"No Doctor I did not. She fainted and before she fainted she said Angelique had come through the portal and was here and I saw her reflection in the mirror when Maggie moved to the mirror. So Angelique has possessed Maggie Evans." Barnabas stepped back so Julia could examine Vicki.

Vicki felt her world come back into focus. Opening her eyes she saw Julia standing over her listening to the stethoscope. "Just lie still Victoria, I just want to make sure you were not injured by your ordeal." She noted there were rope burns on her neck and she had looked close to being half starved. "I think we will start you on a high protein diet and fluid intake. I want to get some blood and send it to the lab."

Vicki closed her eyes she was feeling sick to her stomach. Then she realized it was due to her unkempt condition. She needed a bath and clean clothing. Wrinkling her nose she sighed softly, "Would you mind if I bathed first? I really need to get a bath and wash my hair." Vicki was drifting from appearing to acclimating to her transference back into the twentieth century from the eighteenth century.

"Would you like someone to help you with your bath Vicki? Are you able to take a bath without assistance?" Julia studied the girl noting she had dark circles under her eyes and she had lost at least twenty pounds since she saw her a month ago.

"No, no I should be able to shower on my own. Thank you for asking Julia. She looked at her and smiled. You remind me of Natalie DuPres, Josette's aunt. She was a very strikingly lovely woman you know. She was devoted to Josette." Vicki sat up and turned to stand. "She was a countess. But you would know that wouldn't you Barnabas?" She stood up and moved to the bathroom.

Barnabas looked to Julia the fear etching his gaze. He waited and then hearing the shower running he turned to Julia. "She knows about me! She knows I am the original Barnabas!"

Julia frowned, "No, I think she is drifting from memories she has from the past to the memories she is trying to cling to now. She is disjointed with her thinking. Do not worry Barnabas I can fix this. I will do this for you. But you must promise me one thing."

Barnabas looked at Julia. "Doctor if you are proposing that I do not pursue my attraction to Victoria I cannot promise you that. I lost Josette to Jeremiah. I will not loose Victoria."

Julia sighed and looked down. "I am asking you not to attack Victoria. Barnabas you know you have not been cured, your blood lust will cloud your good judgment. Do you want to happen to Victoria what happened to your Josette?"

Barnabas turned from Julia and moved to the window to look out over the front grounds of Collinwood. "No, I do not want to see her broken on the rocks at the bottom of Widows Hill. I would rather face the sunlight than see that happen again. But I will not give up on my feelings for her either. Understand Doctor I know you had hoped there would be something other than friendship between us. That is not going to happen."

Julia nodded, "I understand that Barnabas. I want to know if you wish to continue with the treatments?" Julia pinned him with her gaze and waited for him to answer her.

"Are you going to continue to dilute the dosage Julia? Or will you at least consider the fact that we could continue with a strictly patient doctor relationship or do you wish to be considered my friend?" Barnabas turned to pin her with those dark penetrating eyes.

"Barnabas, I admit I was a little hopeful that you would consider me much more than your doctor. I realize now that was a mistake. I do wish to continue to try and help you. But I cannot do it without your co-operation. I would be honored if you would consider me your friend."

Vitoria dried her hair and sat at the dressing table and looked at the familiar that belonged to her. She looked at her image in the mirror and saw her gaunt features and haunted eyes. "Oh Peter what happened to you? Did you die?" Her features blurred and she felt her world spin with her anxiety and sadness over loosing a man she was beginning to feel an affection. It was all too complicated.

She thought she loved Barnabas, she felt like Josette that they were connected and she could have been her reincarnation. Then there was Peter. He had been so supportive and kind to her. He had pledged his love to her and she had to admit due to the extreme stress of what was happening she felt a true affection out of gratitude growing for Peter. Laying head on her arm she sobbed for the loss of Peter, she sobbed for the horror she had lived through and she sobbed for the unfortunate death of Josette, Sarah and all the others she had grown fond of from the past.

A soft knock on the door and she raised her head and wiped the tears from her eyes. Lightly blowing her nose she stood and moved weakly to the door and opened it. David threw his body against hers and held to her tightly. "Oh Vicki! You are back! Sarah said you would be back." Vicki could feel his small body trembling.

"David, it is all right. I am back and I am not going anywhere." She stroked his hair from his face and spoke softly to him. He looked up and smiled.

"I missed you so much and Sarah said you were in terrible danger. I was so worried." He held tightly to her and Vicki was feeling her own strength beginning to ebb.

"I missed you too. Would you do me a favor?" She looked into his eyes and he nodded. "I need you to help me back to my room. I am feeling a little weak and I am afraid I am going to fall David."

David moved to her side and wrapped his arm around her waist and slowly backed her to the door to the dressing room and then to her bedroom. He could hear Julia and Barnabas' voices through the door and he called. "HEY! I NEED SOME HELP!" The door was thrust open and Barnabas stood looking at David supporting a weak looking Vicki.

Barnabas rushed forward and swept her up into his arms. "I have her David." He moved to the bed and laid her on the bed. Julia took her pulse then reached for the blood pressure cup and took her blood pressure. She frowned.

"I am not so sure we should not have her transported to the hospital she has a weak pulse and her heart rate is thready. I fear she could be seriously ill from her ordeal."

"I refuse to have her taken to the hospital Julia. Can you not see to her needs here? She has just been returned to us and I don't think we need questions asked as to what happened to her." Elizabeth had entered the room followed by a suspicious looking Carolyn.

Carolyn gravitated to Barnabas' side and stood looking from Vicki to Julia. "I agree. We don't need any more questions especially with what happened to Daphne." Carolyn watched Julia with a degree of distrust.

"All right, we will make her comfortable here. I will need to go to town and pick up some items I believe we will need to help her over this first part of her acclimation and integration back into our lives." Julia stood and looked at David who had taken her spot on the edge of the bed next to Vicki. "I am sure David you can help take care of Vicki for me while I am gone?"

David nodded, "Yeah sure. I will stay here and wait for you to come back Doctor Hoffman."

Elizabeth stepped forward. "We all will help. What I suggest is we leave Vicki alone so she may rest." Elizabeth looked at the occupants of the room.

"No, please Barnabas, please don't leave me! I am afraid!" Vicki looked panic ridden at the thought of being totally left alone. "

Barnabas stepped forward and smiled. "Of course I shall stay with you until you are asleep my dear. I won't leave you alone." He looked at Elizabeth in a silent question and she nodded.

"Of course Vicki we will have someone sit with you and Barnabas will kindly help us by being the first to do so. Come Carolyn and you too David. We will let Vicki get some rest and we shall all come back to check on you later Vicki."

David hesitantly did not wish to leave Vicki but did as his Aunt requested. He moved to the door and paused. "I will be back later Vicki to make sure you are safe." He moved back to the bed and bent over and placed a gentle sweet kiss on her forehead. Then he turned feeling embarrassed by his show of affection and dashed from the room.

Maggie moved about the great house in the foyer, her gaze moving over the changes that had happened in over two hundred years since she was here last. Roger moved from the drawing room to her side and pulled her into his arms. "I will only be gone for a week at the most. Will you drive me to the airport?" Roger had pulled her close to him and laid his lips against her ear.

Maggie pulled from his hold. "Do you think this is wise to be so affectionate in the middle of the foyer?"

"I don't care what anyone thinks Maggie, once I go to England and take care of this situation with Laura, I want the whole world know about my feelings for you. I want us to get married and have a life of our own and no more sneaking around or avoiding others because of what others might think."

Maggie put the foyer table between then and she frowned. "I want what you want Roger, but not now. I will take you to the airport when are you leaving?" She played with the statue in the middle of the table. Angelique had this body and she was not about to let up on her revenge against Barnabas. If she could not have him she would be damned to hell if she allowed anyone else to have him.

"We should leave in an hour. I really want to check in on Vicki and then we should be able to leave. We could go by your loft before I go and have a little us time if you want." He smiled thinking of making love to her before they left.

Maggie had to think of a way out of being in bed with this man, if she had to take another body to get close to the people in this house so be it. "All right Roger if that is what you want." She smiled and sauntered into the drawing room watching him go up the stairs. Turning she moved to the kitchen and saw Mrs. Johnson preparing lunch. Moving to her side she touched Sarah's shoulder and felt Maggie's body grow weak as she entered the body of Sarah Johnson.

Turning to the small mirror over the sink she smiled seeing her reflection in the mirror she had now assumed the perfect body to be able to watch everyone in this house and keep a close eye on what was developing between Victoria and Barnabas. Looking at Maggie's body on the floor she smiled. Standing she closed her eyes and then rushed to the stairs in the main part of the house and began to scream. "HELP! SOMEONE PLEASE HELP! IT"S MAGGIE! SHE HAS FAINTED!"

The response was immediate, the sound of running footsteps was heard and Roger was beating Julia down the stairs. "Where is she Mrs. Johnson?" Julia came up behind Roger.

"In the kitchen she came into the kitchen and she just fainted. You need to hurry!" Sarah Johnson stepped aside and watched them rush off to rescue Maggie and she smiled, then she looked upstairs. She was now in a position to poison Vicki if she wanted or destroy the whole Collins Family. Moving slowly towards the kitchen she looked around one more time and smiled, then she assumed the politely worried look and entered the kitchen.

Elizabeth joined Julia and Roger in the kitchen. Roger had with gentle care and a great deal of concern lifted Maggie from the floor and carried her to the drawing room. Laying her on the sofa he stood back so Julia could examine her. Reaching into her bag, Julia pulled out a ampule and broke it then waved it under Maggie's nose.

Maggie's eyes opened and she sat up with a gasp. "I am back!" She looked at Julia and then around the room. "She had me in her thrall and I was helpless I could not break free. Then we, we went somewhere and . . ." Julia knew what she was talking about but Roger was standing with Elizabeth looking clueless.

"What the hell is she talking about Julia? She is back? Where did she go and what the hell does she mean by being in 'her' thrall?" Maggie laid back down her head was spinning and she needed to think rationally.

"Roger take me home please. I need to go home. I want to see my father and I want to lie down in my bed." Roger looked at Elizabeth then to Julia.

"Should she be left alone? I mean she passed out on the kitchen floor. Now she is talking gibberish."

"Roger, she had a minor shock to her system, she did suffer a mild shock when she was trying to rescue Miss Wick. I fear she may have gotten the main charge of the power surge and it took its time to affect her. She should be fine home and you can take her there as long as you call me if you need me Maggie." Julia saw that it was Maggie when she turned to peer at Maggie in the mirror over the fireplace.

"Of course Julia, I will be on the phone to you immediately if there is any problems." Maggie hoped Julia read between the lines to let her know she would be in touch to tell her what happened. Her problem was trying to figure out who Angelique had in her possession now.

Julia nodded, "All right Maggie but you really should go to the hospital tomorrow and have them run an EKG on you to make sure nothing is wrong with your heart. With a shock like that it could throw your heart out of rhythm."

Maggie stood slowly and nodded. "Of course I will and I understand perfectly what you are saying Julia and will go get checked out tomorrow. Right now I just want to go home and lay down in my own bed."

"Roger do you think you should be traveling to England at this time?" Elizabeth had stood looking on worriedly from Maggie to her brother. She had suspected for sometime that her brother was secretly seeing Maggie and now with all this odd occurrences happening she was not sure he should be traveling to England to check on Laura.

"Liz they say she is missing. I really need to go and find out what is going on. Once I do, if it just a matter of her checking herself out of that place and not bothering to tell them, then I can take my next steps and end this marriage once and for all."

"Roger, if Laura has come out of her coma and is missing do you not think the one place she would try to come back is here to see her son?" Elizabeth was trying to be the voice of reason.

Roger was so anxious to end this marriage he could reasonably see where Liz was going with this argument. "I suppose you are right. I guess I can postpone the trip for a week, if we do not hear from her in that time or they cannot locate her, then I can take the trip."

Liz smiled and felt relieved. "Good, take Maggie home and I will see you later?"

Roger leaned over and kissed his sister's cheek. "Of course you will. Come on Maggie let's get you home and into bed and I will be by tomorrow morning to pick you up and take you to the hospital." Roger helped Maggie to stand and began to lead her to the door.

Opening the door they were stunned. Standing on the front door step was a beautiful blond with wide blue eyes and a curvaceous body dressed stylishly in a two-piece suit with a hat. She smiled seeing Roger then her eyes grew wide and she flew into a rage with hands extended and nails raking at Maggie. "Bitch! You will not lay claim to what is mine!"

Maggie staggered backwards and Roger blocked the woman from harming Maggie. "Laura! Damnit stop it!" Roger held her arms to her side and glared at his wife. "Maggie go out to the car and wait for me there." Roger lifted Laura from the front door step and carried her into the drawing room and unceremoniously dumped her on the sofa. "Don't you move! Or so help me Laura I will call George Patterson and have you thrown in jail!"

Elizabeth had stood transfixed at seeing Laura try to claw out Maggie's eyes. "Laura calm yourself. You surely do not wish your son to see you acting so crazy?"

Laura tuned and her gaze swept over Elizabeth and then raked over Roger. "Where is David? I want to see him now." Laura stood and straightened her clothing. She glowered her anger at Roger and waited for an answer.

"As the hour is late, he is in bed where he should be. Now I shall have Mrs. Johnson prepare you a room and you can see him tomorrow until then I want you to promise me you won't do anything that would cause us to have you removed from this house." Elizabeth had spoken and Laura knew she would not broke no argument.

"I promise I shall be a perfect lady Elizabeth as long as that slut is not in this house near my family."