Light And Shadows (Barnabas Collins x Reader)

Chapter 1- The Past

Liverpool 1760

It's said that blood is thicker than water. It's what defines us. Binds us. Curses us.

Down towards the Liverpool Bay, there are many masts belonging to tall ships. On port Joshua Collins is climbing on a gangplank of the H.M.S. Venture with his wife Naomi and his 9 year old son, Barnabas.

For some, blood means a life of wealth and privilege. For others, a life of servitude.

Walking up the gangplank, Barnabas looks back and makes eye contact with a little girl, Angelique. Barnabas looks away and at the same time Angelique's mother grabs her. "Angelique, how many times do I have to tell you not to stare at him? Remember your place."

When I was but a boy, my father took us to the New World to expand the Collins family empire. We brought English industry to the wilds of Maine and built a fishing business, the likes of which America had never seen.

The Collins stand on top of a hill, looking down at Maine watching fishermen walk along the shore.

~~~

1 year later.

Joshua Collins is walking with Barnabas on a new dock. In front of them is a sign proclaiming 'COLLINSPORT' and behind is new buildings and a bustling dock with fishermen unloading fish.

"A man should take pride in what he builds. But remember, Barnabas, family is the only real wealth. Hm?" Joshua looks down at Barnabas, who nods his head in understanding. Joshua laughs.

As our business grew, the town of Collinsport grew with it and we decided to put down permanent roots.

The Collins family stands in front of a mansion being built. Joshua has his hands around his son and wife, admiring the building being built.

We spend the next 15 years building our beloved home: Collinwood.

An older Barnabas stands in front of the mansion. In his right hand is a cane while the other his rested on his hips.

But not everyone shared in our family's success.

During the night in the drawing room. An older Angelique has Barnabas cornered against a wall, making out. "Let me hear you say "I love you, Angelique. I want you." Barnabas looks at her with sadness in his eyes and pushes her away. "Angelique. I am sorry, my dear, but you would be hearing a lie."

~~~

In the Servant's Quarters, a hand reaches out onto a table to grab a seahorse sculpture. "Make the high and mighty low. Arrogant creatures, down you go." Then the hand crushes the seahorse.

Outside Joshua and Naomi Collins is taking a stroll not noticing the seahorse sculpture on the roof breaking off and landing on them.

Convinced my parent's death was no accident I became obsessed with dark magic and ancient curses.

Barnabas sits alone leafing though an old leather-bound book, one of dozens of books on the table before him. "Lo. Above the Gates of Hell, he found a single letter. A letter proclaiming Satan's true name. Mephistopheles." His hand glides to the 'M' written on the book.

But even then, in the depths of my grief, not all was darkness. For I had found my one true love.

On the Balcony, Barnabas shares a moment with Y/n Du Pres, as delicate a beauty as the world's ever known. "Promise we'll be together forever." Barnabas looks at her with love in his eyes. "God as my witness, Y/n. I swear it."

They come closer till their lips meet, pouring their love in it. By the door Angelique is scrubbing the floor with a dirty look of envy.

Off all the servants I could have spurned, all the hearts I could have broken. I got the one with the secret. I got the witch.

In the Servant's Quarters, Angelique walks to the same table where she killed Barnabas parents. She grabs a piece of Y/n's hair and walks to a pot that was bubbling.

"If he doth another choose, To lend his heart and eye, Then magic shall the slighted use, So all he loves will die." She drops the hair into the pot.

~~~

Caught in Angelique's spell, my beloved Y/n wandered helplessly towards Widow's Hill, where many a despondent soul had leapt to their death.

Y/n walks in a trance to the edge of Widow's Hill, not batting an eye. Barnabas runs through trees and bushes, ignoring the lashing of branches on his skin, desperate to reach Y/n.

Y/n stops at the edge, where Barnabas emerges from the trees behind her, just in time to see her. He stops a couple of feet away. Y/n turns around to look at him, "Help me." She then falls back over the ledge.

Barnabas drops to his knees and looks over the ledge to see Y/n crashes onto the jagged, wave-beaten rocks below. He stands raising his hands and head to the sky and leans forward off the cliff.

"Y/N!"

His body collides with the jagged rocks next to his beloved, but lifts his body up alive. He staggers side to side holding his head. He looks up with blood trailing down his eyes to see Angelique staring down at him.

"What have you done?!" He raises his hands up to see his fingers growing and his nails turns into claws.

Angelique had cursed me to be a vampire so that my suffering would never end.

~~~

Barnabas opens the doors from the Manor open to see a angry crowd with torches and pitchforks screaming. Angelique stood in front pointing to him. "There's the monster." Some men went to grab him.

Resolved that he would never belong to him, she turned the town against me, and condemned me to suffer my anguish alone, in the dark, for all time.

Angelique leads the town, with Barnabas in an coffin, into the woods. They lower the coffin into the ground with Barnabas banging the coffin, begging to be let out. Angelique looks down smiling at what she done.

~~~