Carolyn again whispered a name, this time questioning out loud if she was actually seeing what she thought she was seeing, her long dead cousin Barnabas Collins, whom she believed had died decades before in the late 70s.
But how was this possible? How could he be in front of her now when she thought he was long dead!
"Barnabas? Is that really you ?" Carolyn said stepping closer to the doorway where the shadowy figure stood, this time her voice stronger in tone but still weary of the answer that was to come.
Barnabas too stepped into the drawing room allowing the flickering orange light of Carolyn's candle to catch his face. He looked around, the room had changed over time, but it was still the home he knew for so many years.
"Carolyn," Barnabas said looking at his aged distant cousin. "this is extraordinary. So much has changed!" He said tapping his cane on the floor and reaching out to her for a hug.
"Who's that?" Kat whispered over to Caleb in a quiet aside.
Caleb, like all Collins family members, knew the legend of his father David's ancestor Barnabas, but like Carolyn, he believed he had died decades ago. Caleb didn't know how to answer but knew something had to be said or his detective girlfriend would naturally start to suspect.
Caleb, like all Collins family members, knew the legend of his father David's ancestor Barnabas, but like Carolyn, he believed he had died decades ago. Caleb didn't know how to answer but knew something had to be said or his detective girlfriend would naturally start to suspect.
"He's our cousin, but we haven't seen him in ..." he paused to find an explanation of Barnabas' missing years and settle on "forever."
Leopold felt a twinge of discomfort. He had never been around another being like him before. It was as if the walls were closing in, he could feel Barnabas' power in the air. Collinwood belonged to Barnabas, and it was as if the building itself knew it's master was home--again.
"How? How can ..." Carolyn said still in shock and clutching Alexandra's hand.
"The universe works in very mysterious ways! I never imagined we'd be all together like this, here...in this time." Barnabas said cryptically as Kat's facial expression showed confusion to his choice of words.
"Uhh...Its very nice to finally meet you." Caleb said as he cautiously extended his hand to Barnabas. "I've heard so many stories."
"Have you?" Barnabas said shaking Caleb's hand. "My reputation often precedes me. Who might you be?"
"My name is Caleb, my father is your cousin David." Caleb explained sensing Barnabas' confusion.
"David's son! David has a son?!" Barnabas said excitedly and looking over at Carolyn who nodded as confirmation.
"And this is my mother, Dr. Kimberly Collins, my girlfriend Detective Katharine Banning, and this is Carolyn's daughter Alexandra." Caleb said introducing everyone to the visitor.
"And David? Where's David?" Barnabas who had last seen David a teenager in 1978.
Kimberly and Caleb looked at each other waiting for the other to answer, then Kimberly spoke:
"We haven't heard from David since our divorce. It's been about 20 years." She Explained.
"Unfortunate. I would have loved to see him too. And you? Who might you be?" Barnabas asked, motioning towards Leopold who kept to himself.
"My late husband's cousin Leopold." Carolyn interjected covering up Leopold's true identity. She sensed the awkward feeling coming from Leopold who didn't say a word. "Listen Barnabas, it's been a very long night for all of us, the storm has taken out the power and you must be exhausted from traveling. It's getting late, why don't I set you up in a room and everyone else can settle in as well." Carolyn added.
"That would be wonderful, but a room? Why don't I stay in the old house?" Barnabas questioned not knowing Leopold was staying there.
"Leopold has been staying there, and I'm afraid the rest of the old house has to be renovated. I'm sure you'll be fine here." Carolyn said, nervously motioning for Barnabas to follow her into the dark foyer.
"Well, it was lovely to meet you all. I hope to re-acquaint myself with the family again soon." Barnabas said with his trademark 18th century politeness and a slight bow to the full room.
For Barnabas this all had a feeling of deja vu, this wasn't the first time he had come back to Collinwood from the past. But this time things were different, Barnabas could feel it inside. There was much more to everyone he met in the drawing room. He could sense tension and suspicion all around.
For Barnabas this all had a feeling of deja vu, this wasn't the first time he had come back to Collinwood from the past. But this time things were different, Barnabas could feel it inside. There was much more to everyone he met in the drawing room. He could sense tension and suspicion all around.
"Are you ok?" Alex asked Leopold as Barnabas and Carolyn stepped out.
Leopold only nodded, never uttering a word. His nerves were on edge, everything seemed to have changed in a matter of minutes since Victor's death and it was making him go mad.
****
Barnabas followed Carolyn up the main staircase and into a hallway lined with photos of many departed Collins family members like Barnabas' parents Joshua and Naomi, cousins Quentin and Amanda and even Carolyn's beloved mother Elizabeth.
"Carolyn what year is it?" Barnabas asked stopping Carolyn in the hall looking up at Elizabeth's portrait.
"It's 2016." Carolyn said with a sigh.
"Elizabeth?" He asked softly as he stopped in front of her portrait.
"She died Barnabas. About 35 years ago. Caleb, Alex and I are the last of the blood family. And David, if he's still alive." Carolyn said sadly.
Barnabas didn't often touch on his human emotions, but knowing Elizabeth was dead clenched what was left of his vampire heart.
"If feels like a book I travel through. Every chapter I enter I encounter a new version of our Collins family." Barnabas said touching the painting of his beloved mother.
Carolyn seemed to understand, remembering the moment she met Barnabas
"Well, this chapter of the family, is just as interesting as the others, I assure you." Carolyn said sarcastically.
"If feels like a book I travel through. Every chapter I enter I encounter a new version of our Collins family." Barnabas said touching the painting of his beloved mother.
Carolyn seemed to understand, remembering the moment she met Barnabas
"Well, this chapter of the family, is just as interesting as the others, I assure you." Carolyn said sarcastically.
Carolyn then lead Barnabas into a spare bedroom towards the end of the east wing of the third floor that was mostly shaded by trees. She knew Barnabas needed the darkest room possible. She then closed the door behind her. Barnabas was removed his coat and got comfortable.
"Alright, what is this? What are you doing here?" Carolyn said abruptly, feeling the freedom to speak without holding back.
"Trust me, you're not the only one in this room who's surprised. But I have to tell you, this wasn't my doing." Barnabas explained to Carolyn as she continued to keep her distance with the lit candle close to her face.
"Trust me, you're not the only one in this room who's surprised. But I have to tell you, this wasn't my doing." Barnabas explained to Carolyn as she continued to keep her distance with the lit candle close to her face.
"I dont understand. What are you talking about?" She questioned.
"No doubt you've met Evangeline, or perhaps you'll know her by the name the nuns gave her at the orphanage: Claudia. She traveled all the way back in time to 1972, a power she inherited no doubt from her mother; traveled to the very moment before I died. And Instead of allowing me to die she saved my life." Barnabas said.
"Claudia! Of course. She's been terrorizing us since the day we returned. I should have known she was behind this." Carolyn scoffed. "Wait, how do you know about Claudia's past in an orphanage?"
"More surprises, dear cousin, Claudia--or--Evangeline as she was named at birth--is Angelique Bouchard's daughter...I am the father. When she was born, I made a terrible mistake. I took her away thinking she would have a better life away from Collinwood and her mother. I took her to a different time. Away from all of us. I should have never done that." Barnabas confessed. "Claudia is a Collins just like you and I. She is my family."
Carolyn felt sick. Everything Barnabas and Alex had been was starting to make sense. When Alexandra asked her about Barnabas in the blue room, it had actually been Claudia possessing Alex wanting to know about her father, about all the history of her birth family. All the twisted things Claudia had been doing was her way of revenge, Carolyn thought, but there was one more question:
"So why bring you back to our time? Why did she do that?"
"Simple. I promised her. I need to make amends for what I did, and the only way to do that was to come back, here, to a time she was present in." Barnabas explained.
"Do you really think that's possible? Do you really think you can have a relationship with Angelique's child, a child mind you, that has been using the same type of powers that cursed you into the creature you are today! Don't you think it's dangerous to have her around?" Carolyn scolded knowing how much he resented Angelique for the curse she placed on him all those centuries ago.
"The fruit may not fall from the tree, dear cousin, but I am sure my return is not a mistake." He replied. "Now I have a question ...this Leopold ...I can sense he is, shall we say, different. I know your keeping something from me, so go on, tell me....what is he?" Barnabas said, his voice deepening and turning cold as he stepped closer and closer to Carolyn and her flickering candle.
Carolyn paused and took a step back and looked over and Barnabas as lightening flickered from the sky outside brightening the room. Would she tell Leopold's secret?
*****
"I should get going and let you all sort this new visitor out." Kat said with a grin grabbing her bag and jacket.
"I'll walk you out." Caleb followed.
The two walked out to the front courtyard of Collinwood, Kat shivered in the chilly damp air, the rain had stopped but the sky still showed a dark face...a warning of more storms to come.
"You know for what it's worth, I'm really happy we're getting closer. I really missed you for so long." Kat said stepping closer to Caleb.
"I am too. What made you decide to give me a second chance?" Caleb asked as he put her jacket on for her.
For the life of her, Kat couldn't remember why. She just knew that she wanted to, she had feelings for Caleb years ago, and then she didn't , and now she did again. It was strange. Her memory seemed to be blanking out on her all day.
The truth was, she wanted to get close to Caleb again so that she could get an inside look at the family and find out who Leopold really was. But all that changed once Alexandra's spell wiped her memory clean to keep Leopold's secret. A secret the Collins' family couldn't afford to be revealed.
"Let's just say it was the right decision and leave it at that." The detective said embarrassed that she had forgotten such a detail.
"Sounds good to me!" Caleb said with a chuckle as he kissed her on the lips.
As Caleb and Kat had a romantic moment in the drizzly Collinsport air in front of the Collinwood mansion, Leopold's cold eyes stared out of the window at them, he still didn't trust Kat, and he was going to do make sure that whatever threat Kat possessed to his existence, knowing the truth that he was a vampire buried deep in her psyche, was extinguished once and for all.
****
While Caleb said goodbye to Kat outside the main house, Alexandra found a minute to sneak away to the old house where she had been receiving strange vibes ever since Barnabas returned.
She felt Christopher's energy there but since she hadn't heard from him in since the night when he turned into the werewolf that killed Victor she couldn't be sure it was him. The new powers left inside of her were still strange and new and she couldn't decipher what was real of fake.
But the moment before the lights went out and Barnabas returned she felt Christopher's kiss on her lips. She was suspicious and beginning to feel angry and the possibility Claudia and Christopher were together. It was the first time she had ever felt betrayal. And it was eating at her very soul.
Alexandra quietly opened the main entrance to the old house but saw no one in the first few rooms. The house was quiet, with only the sound of the fire place in the main parlor crackling and burning warming an empty room.
She followed her instincts and walked towards a back room where she could see candle light, Alexandra removed her shoes and continued to quietly tip toeing her way down the main hall and peered into the room to see what she feared most. There it was--her nightmare.
She felt Christopher's energy there but since she hadn't heard from him in since the night when he turned into the werewolf that killed Victor she couldn't be sure it was him. The new powers left inside of her were still strange and new and she couldn't decipher what was real of fake.
But the moment before the lights went out and Barnabas returned she felt Christopher's kiss on her lips. She was suspicious and beginning to feel angry and the possibility Claudia and Christopher were together. It was the first time she had ever felt betrayal. And it was eating at her very soul.
Alexandra quietly opened the main entrance to the old house but saw no one in the first few rooms. The house was quiet, with only the sound of the fire place in the main parlor crackling and burning warming an empty room.
She followed her instincts and walked towards a back room where she could see candle light, Alexandra removed her shoes and continued to quietly tip toeing her way down the main hall and peered into the room to see what she feared most. There it was--her nightmare.
Claudia and Christopher were kissing in the the candle light. And they weren't just small, sweet kisses like the ones Christopher had given her, these were long deep passionate kisses that through her connection to Claudia could feel too.
Alex's eyes turned black and she started to feel an energy build inside of her that came out of her like a wild scream deep within her soul.
The light that Alex's rage created from her body distracted the couple who instantly felt they weren't alone. They looked into the hall but the light was gone and the hall was empty. Alex had suddenly vanished into thin air without being detected, swallowed up into the light her angry energy had oozed.
Alex's was transported undetected outside to the grounds of Collinwood and brought her to the very edge of Widow's Hill, the cliff side that over looked crashing Atlantic waves below, notorious to all Collinwood residents who carried a sad heart. It had also been where she first met Claudia.
Alex looked down and saw the waves splashing up against the sharp black rocks. Inside her mind she felt destroyed and ruined, not only had Claudia taken Christopher from her but left her with this terrible curse of black magic that she couldn't shake.
In this moment of despair she heard a voice echoing up from the shore below, it flowed up to her ears with the Atlantic mist and enter her mind.
"These new powers may actually work in your favor dear Alexandra, if you put your mind to it." the voice said, "the very powers you detest can be the key to Claudia's final undoing."
The voice inside Alex's mind was right, killing herself on Widow's Hill would only allow Claudia and Christopher to be together and happy, and as long as Alex was alive she would never let that happen.
