A short time later, Barnabas Collins, along with cousin Quentin Collins, Dr. Julia Hoffman, the former Avenger known as Mantis and two of their students, Bradley Black, also known as Black Wolf and Mantis's son Jacques, also known as Starr, who had used his powers of teleportation to bring the entire group to Collinwood, arrived and surveyed the situation.
Mantis and Bradley went to search the area around the house to make sure that the attacker was not still around. Dr. Hoffman went to examine the body while Barnabas and Quentin consoled Elizabeth Stoddard Collins.
"I am so glad you were not harmed, Elizabeth", Barnabas said. "But we need to know exactly what happened. What did you see?"
Elizabeth took a deep breath and described the events, as they happened, to her cousins.
"So what do you think?", Quentin turned and asked Barnabas.
"I'm not sure", Barnabas said grimly. "You say that you recognized the young man, Elizabeth?"
"Yes, it was James... James Jennings. He used to come here to Collinwood during the summers. I hired him to do repairs and labor. But it can't be James."
"Why not?", Quentin asked.
"He died a few weeks ago. Some kind of hunting accident.", Elizabeth said.
Quentin and Barnabas looked at each other.
"Well, whoever or whatever that was", Julia Hoffman said as she walked over to join the other three. "He certainly did some damage."
"Mrs. Johnson? Is she...", Elizabeth asked, rising from her seat.
"I'm sorry Elizabeth, but she's dead", Julia said sadly, placing her hand on the older woman's shoulder.
"Oh no....", Elizabeth said, tears forming in her eyes. "I knew it when I saw her, but I had hoped..."
Elizabeth started crying as Quentin wrapped his arms around her, embracing her.
"We have another problem, Barnabas", Julia said. "We have to call Sheriff English and report this."
"I know", Barnabas said grimly.
"And we all know exactly who they will be blaming", Quentin added.
"No, they can't...", Elizabeth said. "I saw the... thing that did that to poor Mrs. Johnson. I will tell them..."
"Regardless of what you say, Elizabeth, they will just assume you're trying to protect Barnabas", Julia said. "You know how the authorities are around here."
"It can't be helped", Barnabas said grimly. "Go call the Sheriff's office, Julia."
"Actually, I don't think that we'll have any problems with the locals", Quentin smiled.
"Why do you say that, Quentin?", Elizabeth asked.
"Something my dear cousin seems to have forgotten", Quentin smiled. "Mantis is an Avenger. And both Barnabas and I have reserve Avenger status. So if they get too annoying, we can always just call New York and have it stopped."
"If we need to do that, we will", Barnabas agreed. "But at the moment, I'm more concerned about this young fledgling vampire running around. We have to find him and destroy him before anyone else is murdered."
"I agree", Quentin said. "So how do you want to do this?"
"We'll attempt to track him down and find out who sired him", Barnabas said. "We need to find out if there are any other vampires in the area."
"And I would suggest that we station someone here at Collinwood, just in case he comes back", Quentin said.
"I'll have Willie come over here and stay", Barnabas said. "If that's fine with you, Elizabeth?"
"That's fine", she replied.
"No offense to Willie, but I'd prefer someone who's a bit more capable in a fight", Quentin said. "I'll call Dani at the school."
Julia spoke up, looking at Elizabeth. "I think you'd best lie down for a little while", she told the older woman. "Maybe in the study, until the Sheriff gets here."
"That might be a good idea", Elizabeth agreed.
"Come on and I'll help you", Julia told her as she touched her on the arm and helped the family Matriach into the other room
After watching Julia escort Elizabeth from the room, Barnabas started to speak once more.
"And... Willie. I just realized. If the lad, James fled from here, he's liable to head over to the old house. Willie needs to be checked on and protected."
"Already done", Julia said as she walked back into the room. "Elizabeth is laying down in the other room. When Mantis and Bradley went to search outside, I asked them to go by the old house and check on Willie as well. By the way, we just got a call from town. The Sheriff is on his way. He'll be here within the hour and told me to warn everyone not to corrupt the crime scene."
"Excellent", Barnabas said. "Thank you, Julia."
"So what have we decided?", Julia asked.
"I'm going to have Dani come and stay here at Collinwood with Elizabeth", Barnabas said. "I'll have Willie here as well, just in case our young vampire comes back."
"I think you should stay here too, Julia", Quentin said.
"No, my place is at the school", Julia reminded them. "Especially if both of you will be out searching for this killer and Dani will be here too. Dolly, Agatha and I can handle things at the school."
"Speaking of which, do you think we should use any of the students in this?", Quentin asked. "Some of them are quite powerful and could be extremely useful."
"I'd rather not", Barnabas said. "For all their power, they're still just children."
"I agree", Julia said. "Even though I think they might not."
"Speaking of the children, has anyone seen Jacques? He teleported us here and I haven't seen him since?", Quentin asked.
"I'm here", Jacques said as he stepped into the room. "I had stepped into the library where it is quieter and was attempting to do a telepathic probe of the area, to see if I could track down the killer."
"Any luck?", Julia asked.
"Nothing", Jacques said glumly. "I guess he's shielded or something."
"Most vampires have an immunity to telepathic scans and attacks", Barnabas said. "But it was a good idea to try."
"I heard what you said about the other students and how you're not going to use us in this", Jacques said. "You're not serious, are you?"
"Very serious", Barnabas said. "I'll not allow you children to be placed in danger."
"Look at us, Barnabas", Jacques said. "We're hardly children. And Mrs. Collins is very well liked by everyone at the school. By threatening her, they threaten all of us. We have the powers and we protect our own."
"That's what I'm trying to do... protect you", Barnabas said. "And most of the students are not ready for something like this. It's too dangerous!"
"You said most, but not all", Jacques rebutted. "I've fought by your side. You know the training that I've had. Heck, I even went on some missions with the Avengers, including a trip to hell to rescue Dr. Hoffman. So don't try to tell me it's too dangerous."
"I'm not going to argue with you Jacques", Barnabas said curtly. "While I will agree that you are an extremely capable young man, this is a situation that is best left up to Quentin and myself. We're used to dealing with the supernatural. And you are not."
"Well, what about Bradley? Are you going to leave him out too because he's not used to dealing with the supernatural? Oh wait. He's a freakin' werewolf, who's main purpose of even existing is to protect the world from vampires."
"He's got a point there", Quentin quipped, earning him a very nasty look of disdain from Barnabas.
"Go back to the school and help Dolly and the others secure the facilities", Barnabas said sharply to Jacques.
"Fine", Jacques said. "Yes sir, Mister Barnabas Collins, sir! But just remember, you can't protect us forever."
And with a big flash of light, Jacques, also known as Starr, activated his teleportation abilities and vanished, headed back to the Stoddard Institute.
"And what was that, Quentin?", Barnabas scowled, turning to his smirking cousin. "He's got a point there? Big help you were."
"I agree with Jacques", Quentin answered. "While some of the students are not ready for this kind of thing, Jacques and Daniel are. So is Akiko."
"But they are just children", Barnabas said. "And I will not allow them to be placed in danger."
"They're in danger from the day they were born", Quentin said. "And they can't be protected forever."
"But tracking and hunting a murderous creature", Barnabas said. "They should not be involved in this."
"Like it or not, when that vampire came to Collinwood and threatened Elizabeth... when it killed Mrs. Johnson... they became involved. Jacques said it very well in that we're all part of the school. We're a pack. A family. And we we take care of our own."
"That does not mean that they should be out hunting vampires", Barnabas said.
"Maybe not, but I don't think we can stop them", Quentin replied.
And then, breaking out into a grin, Quentin added, "and he's right about Bradley. I can't wait to see you try to tell him."
At that moment, Bradley Black, aka Black Wolf and the former Avenger known as Mantis came walking in.
"Tell Bradley what?", Bradley said as he approached the two men.
"Any sign of our murderer?", Barnabas asked Mantis, purposely ignoring the young man.
"This one spotted signs of someone or something having hurried through the woods going towards the cementary", Mantis said.
"And I got a good whiff of the bloodsucker", Bradley said. "I tracked it as far as down by the beach and then the scent of the salt from the ocean drowned it out. But I know what he smells like and I shouldn't have any problem picking the scent back up."
"So are you going to tell him or what?", Quentin asked, looking at Barnabas.
Barnabas glared at Quentin before turning to Bradley.
"Your part in this is done", Barnabas told the young werewolf. "I want you to go back to the school and help keep it secure while Quentin, Mantis and I go after the vampire who threatened Elizabeth and murdered Mrs. Johnson."
"Are you crazy?", Bradley asked quickly. "I'm a werewolf who was born and bred to kill the bloodsuckers... um.. present company excluded, of course. I have to be a part of this. It's crazy to not be."
"I will not argue about it", Barnabas said sharply. "After we speak to the Sheriff, you will accompany Dr. Hoffman back to the school and help secure it, while Mantis, Quentin and I pursue our foe."
"But I've got his scent and can find him a lot easier than any of you", Bradley said, making it clear that the argument was not over.
"I hate to interrupt, but Sheriff English is here", Julia said as she approached the group.
"I'll go speak with him", Quentin said. "Why don't you and Mantis take Bradley and go see if you can pick up his scent again. Call me on my cell as soon as you've got something and I'll come meet you."
"The Sheriff is already talking to Elizabeth", Julia said. "So we'll have to wait."
"I've already made it clear that I do not want Bradley or any of the students involved in this", Barnabas said.
"Well, he's right that he knows the scent and he's already involved. Bradley can lead the two of you to our vampire and then he promises to stay back and let you and Mantis take care of the dirty work, right Brad?", Quentin said, giving the young werewolf a quick wink.
"Right", Bradley said. "I'll just help lead you to the bloodsucker and then you and Mantis get to do all the dirty work while I'll stay out of the way and just watch."
"I don't like it and don't think I didn't catch that wink", Barnabas said. "But it makes sense and is our best option. You will only help us track the murderer. Nothing more."
"This one thinks it's an ideal solution", Mantis said. "With the two of us there as well, the danger to Bradley will be minimal and we could really use his wolf senses."
"Everyone is against me", Barnabas sighed. "By the way, where is Willie? I understand that the two of you were to bring him here from the old house?"
"He's gone upstairs to prepare rooms for Dani and himself for their stay here to help protect Mrs. Collins", Mantis answered.
"Has Dani gotten here yet?", Quentin asked.
"She's here", Julia said. "She's sitting in with the Sheriff as he talks to Elizabeth."
"Fine", Barnabas said. "Now let's head out", he said to Mantis and Bradley.
"I suggest that you head out through the hidden room in the basement so you don't have to deal with the Sheriff's deputies", Quentin said.
"Excellent suggestion", Barnabas said.
"Why are we sneaking out?", Mantis asked.
"Because there are a lot of idiots on the local police force who, if they see Barnabas, will jump to conclusions first and ask questions later. It's better to avoid any possible confrontations", Julia answered.
With a nod of understanding, Mantis quickly fell in behind Barnabas and Bradley as they headed out to pursue their foe. Meanwhile, Quentin and Julia walked towards the
other room to speak to Sheriff English and to check on Elizabeth.
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