THE CURSE OF DARK SHADOWS
Round Four, Part Two

Cristoff drank from Fox's jugular until the mortal was perched between the chasm of life and death. Then, with a gentleness that would have surprised all those that knew the blood sucker, Cristoff withdrew his ivory incisors from the soft artery. The Vampire licked at his own plump, red lips, savouring Mulder's life's fluid until the very last drop. Cristoff had wanted so badly to take the beautiful man, to the brink and then into the beyond. Delivering him over to the other side via an exotic ritual of ecstasy and agony.

The lonely Vampire had desperately wanted a partner, someone whom he could keep by his side for all of eternity, he wanted Fox Mulder to be that special someone. Only a few short century's ago, the vampire had intended to take the young Jamison Du'pre as a spouse.

But then Spencer Collins appeared and Jamison's blinders covered his hazel eyes so that he could see no other's face, save for Spencer's angelic one after that.

The old vampire sighed softly as his erection ebbed. He gently set Mulder on his back into the soft, moist grass. Come morning, Mulder would be fine, as Cristoff had not completed the 'coming over' ceremony by forcing the younger man to drink his own blood. Mulder however, would wake up with one hell of a headache and a new found libido.

Cristoff smiled, with Alex as a love interest, Fox's increased sex drive would no doubt be a welcome side effect.

The only reason that Cristoff had not brought Mulder over, or killed the beautiful man was because that while he drank, his highly attuned emotions had tuned into Mulder's. And the vampire saw the images that ran through the agent's mind. Fox thought of Alex and no one else. Only the agent's love for the green eyed man had saved Mulder from becoming a blood dependent immortal.

Cristoff understood, that if he claimed Mulder for his own: the man would pine for his one true love and would continue to do so through out all of time. Now, whether or not Angelique would win the heart of Krycek, that was the unanswered question. Cristoff knew that despite her bold assertions, Angelique would not play the game by the rules. She would call forth any and every spell she knew in order to bewitch Alex into pledging his body and soul to her.

Not wishing to spend all of eternity at the king of the underworld's feet: Cristoff could only hope that Mulder's love for Alex would prevail.

Cristoff smiled and standing up he back away from Mulder, a plan formulating in his ancient mind. He knew how possessive Diablos was of his favoured creatures. Perhaps he should pay the great one a visit to tell him of Angelique's 'real' intentions toward the Russian mortal.

"Wake my love." Cristoff whispered, then his body transformed into a puff of smoke and he was gone.

~oOo~

"What a dump!" thought Scully morosely. After locking the thin door, she threw her travel bag on the bed and followed it down.

With a heavy sigh, she pulled out her cell phone and tried Mulder's number.

And once again, all she received for her efforts was her partners bland, "I'm unavailable, leave a message that you won't be embarrassed for others to hear."

Scully hung up before the message finished and tried to dial Skinner's cell phone. But because of the storm, whose ferocity was increasing, the transmissions could not break through. She picked the land line, deciding to go that route, but there was nothing but dead air. Somehow she thought that the phones going out was probably normal for this area, and for the time of year.

"At least I still have power." Scully said to the old-fashioned dial phone.

As if to prove that her optimism was misplaced in this place, the lights went out, blanketing the agent in total darkness.

"Shit. That's the last time I go for the *glass is half full* philosophy." She slammed down the phone and fished the small halogen flashlight that she always kept in her blazer jacket.

A few minutes later, after discovering that there were no other means of lighting the tiny room, there was a knock at Dana's door.

"Miss Scully." Called a female voice.

Scully opened the door and greeted the cook who doubled as a chamber maid in the day light hours.

"Hello. I'm glad to see you." Scully invited the cook in by sweeping the way for the middle-aged woman with her flashlight.

The cook walked over to a small table and placed the tray she was carrying on top of it.

"Your dinner." She said with a smile, lifting the silver dome that covered the top of a very large bowl of seafood chowder. Accompanying the chowder was a small, hot loaf of sourdough bread with a small bowl of whipped butter and a small plate of raw vegetables and ranch dip. To drink there was a large stein of micro-brew beer and a pitcher of iced water and a glass to go with it. She pulled a barbecue lighter from her apron pocket and lit two large, fat pillar candles that she had brought up along with the food.

"They don't give off very much light, but at least you can see."

"Thank-you." Scully said, twisting her light off and pocketing it. "The food smells delicious." The agent had not eaten since the morning and her mouth was watering.

"Your welcome." The cook went to the door and opened it, hesitating for a second. Deciding, the cook turned and said, "You should not venture outside tonight, it's far too dangerous for a single woman to be out alone. If you need anything, Rueben will fetch it for you. And if you should hear screams from outside, ignore them, it's only the wind, it always wails like an old woman during storms like this." With that, the cook was gone, shutting the door firmly behind her.

Scully pondered the woman's words as she secured the door, wondering if the lady was warning her or simply giving her good advice.

~oOo~

Alex returned from the kitchen, carrying an antique tray with three mugs and a large pot of earl grey tea. He set the tray down, along with the tea, were small bowls of cream, sugar, honey and lemon. Virginia, though conspicuous in her absence had thoughtfully prepared the tray and left it out on the counter.

Alex sat down across from the late night guest and smiled nervously. Angelique was staring at him so intently that he was starting to feel uncomfortable. He broke away from her intense gaze and glanced down at his watch. Fox had been gone for almost half an hour now and Alex was becoming worried. Fox was only supposed to step out for a minute, just for a breath of fresh air. Though the storm had abated, it was now picking up again and Alex couldn't stand to think that his lover was out there, wondering, lost in thoughts of ghosts and reincarnations with out the benefit of a jacket.

"Don't worry for Mr. Mulder, Spence..... uhm ....Alex. I'm sure he'll be fine." Angelique picked up the pot, her delicate hands seemed too small for the over sized crockery, but her hands did not waver as she poured out a cup of tea.

She offered some to Alex, but distracted, he waved her off.

"What did you just call me?" Alex got out of his overstuffed chair.

"I called you Alex...." Angelique stood too, chastising her self mentally for making the simplest of mistakes. Spencer Collins had changed over the millennia, it was time she realised that.

"No, you called me Spencer." Alex walked over to the window and pulled the curtains, his worry for where Fox was came out in the form of anger. Whirling around he half yelled, "Look, my name is Alex not Spencer I'm not some reincarnate of your long lost love."

"Mon` Cher, don't upset your self." Angelique approached Alex and tried using her special gift of a hypnotic voice to 'soothe' her intended.

But it was not working, the younger man was too worked up over his missing lover, Angelique could feel his emotions raging within his self.

"Listen lady, I am not your love. I don't know you and you sure as hell don't *know* me!" Alex turned his back to the beautiful woman and continued to stare out the window, his eyes focuses our into the distance. A bolt of lighting zagged down from the dark skies and lit up a peculiar dark rock on the distant cliff. It took Alex a few seconds to realise that the overly large lump was actually Mulder's still form. But once he did, he spun quickly and meant to leave.

Angelique knowing that Alex had spotted Mulder; tried to intercept her reluctant man.

"Wait a minute." She said, wrapping an unearthly strong grip around Alex's thick wrist. "Please don't go."

Alex briefly dropped his eyes and examined the delicate hand that had such a strong hold on him. Then he raised them again and gave the visitor a sweet, innocent smile. He covered her small had with his own and caressed the spot between thumb and palm seductively, then he dug his own strong thumb in and broke the grip.

Surprised by the pain and by Spencer's very un-chivalrous like actions, she cried out and pulled her hand away.

"I may look like this Spencer dude, but honey, make no mistake, I am nothing like him. Don't ever try to come between Fox and me. `Cause, I have no compunctions about hurting a woman if I have too. I'm no pussy."

With that said, Alex took off running for the front door and within seconds, he was on his way to Fox, who had started to stir.

As Angelique rubbed the feeling back into her hand, she realised that Spencer or rather, Alex was more firmly attached to this Jamison than he was to the last one. Perhaps because he had no sister this time to 'influence' his decisions. Angelique did not like the pain that her loved one had caused her, nor did she appreciate his words. It would take her some time to get used to feeling emotions along with the earthly pains and pleasures of existing in a human body again. Angelique went back over to the window and looked out over to the two men. She had excellent eyesight, and did not need the aid of light to see her Spencer gently pulling Jamison into an embrace.

"Their love is too strong. They were cursed with never being together and your curse is that you'll never have him. You need to understand that."

Angelique heard her faithful maid Virginia speak. She was standing near the table that held the tea.

"Such words Ginny. You cut me with them."

"It is because I love you that I tell you the truth." Virginia picked up the tray.

"I will have him, come hell or high water. No matter what the cost."

"I know mistress." Virginia, though holding the tray, made no motion to leave the heavily shadowed room.

When Alex helped Fox to rise, Angelique scowled. Cristoff was supposed to have taken care of Jamison. She had sent the damnable man out onto the cliffs, serving the handsome Jamison up on a silver platter for the irritating blood sucker. Why had he not finished the job?

"Where is Cristoff?" Angelique inquired, her voice haughty now.

"I don't know." Virginia said, knowing that it was time for her to leave the room before Angelique took her fury out on her.

Alone again, Angelique knew that Virginia had spoken the truth to her.

~oOo~

Chad's up next.