CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

SOREL PEEKED THROUGH the curtains of the front windows of the Brownstone as the incessant knocking continued on the front door. He grimaced when he saw it was Stefan. God, what did he have to do to get rid of him. The man was really making a nuisance of himself. Sorel wasn’t completely recovered from his night of debauchery and he deeply resented having his much-needed sleep interrupted. So needless to say it would take very little to provoke him. Which was the mood he was in when he finally opened the door. He would have preferred to just wait Cassadine out until he got tired and went away, but since the man had been knocking for a good five minutes already, that didn’t seem about to happen.

“Stefan.” He said in very unfriendly tones as he yanked open the door. “What do you want?”

“Barbara, thank goodness you’re all right.” Stefan said as he pushed past her and entered the Brownstone.

“Why wouldn’t I be?” Sorel retorted. “By the way, I don’t recall inviting you in.”

“Barbara, my sources have told me my mother is trying to find Sonny and Carly.” Stefan confided.

“What has that got to do with me?” Sorel retorted, completing forgetting he was supposed to be pretending to be Bobbie.

“Barbara, I realize you didn’t take it well when you learned what Caroline was.” Stefan completely ignored Sorel’s lapse. Now wasn’t the time to bust Sorel’s chops. That would come later. Right now, he needed to succeed at his present goal. “But she’s still our daughter.”

“Well, you have to understand, Stefan.” Sorel tried to cover his error and unknowingly committed another one when he lit up a cigarette since Bobbie didn’t smoke. “ It was a really big shock to me discovering I’d birthed a vampire.” He flopped down in the chair in a very unladylike pose.

“I’m sure.” Stefan practically rolled his eyes at Sorel. The more he watched Sorel the more he became convinced that defeating Sorel would be a piece of cake.

“You still haven’t explained what you’re doing here.” Sorel pointed out. “What could be so urgent that you had to attack my door at such an ungodly hour like some sort of demented woodpecker.”

“Barbara, it’s noon.” Stefan retorted.

“I’m not a morning person.” Sorel quipped. “Besides, I had a rough night. “ He added. “What with Tony passing over to the other side so unexpectedly like he did.”

“That’s strange.” Stefan just couldn’t resist to giving Sorel a little bit of a hard time. “When we were married you were always up with the roosters.”

“People change.” Sorel threw back. “You still haven’t told me why you’re here.”

“I think that would be obvious.” Stefan replied. “What with my mother after Sonny and Carly the way she is, she may decide to try and use you as a bargaining chip against them.”

“I’d like to see her try.” Sorel replied as he curled one hand into a fist and punched it into the palm of his other hand. “If the old bag tries messing with me, I’ll give her more than she bargained for.”

“That’s very brave, Barbara.” Stefan said as he privately thought Sorel was a complete moron who hadn’t even realized he’d completely dropped his act of pretending to be Bobbie. “But my mother is Queen of the Witches. She’s no one to mess around with. Cesar Faison thought he could handle her and he found out just how very wrong he was.”

“Stefan, I’ve been taking care of myself for centuries.” He assured him. “I’m sure I’ll have no problem, at all, of handling some cauldron brewing old hag like your mother.”

“I’m afraid I can’t allow that, Barbara.” Stefan retorted. “You’re the mother of my only child, which makes it my duty to protect you. Besides, there’s much more at stake than you even know.”

“Such as?” Sorel’s ears perked up. He got the sudden feeling that a gold mine was just about to be dropped in his lap.

Stefan knew it wasn’t wise to tell Sorel about the importance of Sonny and Carly’s child. He knew the power-hungry vampire might get it in his head to try and take control of the situation and the last thing either Sonny or Carly needed at the moment was having Sorel after them, as well. But it might be the only way he could get Sorel to agree to live under his roof with him, and that was of paramount importance. Once he and Sorel were living in close quarters, he could begin trying to reach Bobbie and getting her to exorcise Sorel’s spirit from her body.

“Being a mortal, you wouldn’t know about any of this.” Stefan announced. “But Sonny and Carly’s child is very important to many people. I can’t tell you why, but it is. And they could try to use you to get their hands on Sonny and Carly’s baby when it’s born.” He added. “So that’s why I must insist you move into Wyndemere with me, so I can make sure that doesn’t happen.” There, just enough to whet Sorel’s appetite, but hopefully not enough for him to be able to find out the truth.

“You mentioned Helena before.” Sorel pointed out, proving he wasn’t as stupid as he seemed. “Is your mother one of the people after Sonny and Carly’s child? And if so, why?”

“I can’t tell you anymore, Barbara.” Stefan replied. “To know more would be to put you in even more danger than you are at present. You just have to trust me when I say for the sake of our future grandchild, you must come and live at Wyndemere with me so I can make sure certain people aren‘t able to get you into their clutches to use against Sonny and Carly in some attempt to gain control of their child when it‘s born.”

So, Sorel thought, he may have finally found a way to get his revenge on his old enemy Corinthos. He was going to have to learn more about this, then come up with a plan of his own. And the only one who could tell him was Cassadine. But, he slid his hands subtly down Bobbie’s body, he had just the weapon he needed to loosen Cassadine’s lips and get him to spill it all to him.

“I do trust you, Stefan.” Sorel said in appropriate simpering tones. “If you think it best that I move into Wyndemere with you, then that’s just what I’ll do.” He added in a submissive tone of voice. “When would you like me to move in.”

“I think immediately would be the best course of action.” Stefan replied. “In fact, why don’t you go upstairs and pack while I wait for you.”

“Whatever you say, Stefan.” Oh, yes, indeedy, things had just gotten a whole lot more interesting. He could smell the scent of being on to something big. Something a whole lot bigger than landing a rich husband, that was for sure.

Stefan narrowed his eyes as he watched Sorel walk up the stairs. And so it begins. Somehow he was going to have to get past the fact that Sorel was inhabiting Bobbie’s body at present to seduce her into his bed. That was the only way he could think of to reach her. Sex was always something extremely good between them. And he knew if he made love to her body he’d be able to reach Bobbie. But the question was, could he really go through with it knowing Sorel inhabited her body. It would be like he was making love to the hated vampire that he’d staked out in the sun?

ALEXIS NERVOUSLY ENTERED Edward’s office at ELQ. She’d been summoned there and she was fearing the worse. What if the King of the Warlocks had realized she and Ned where plotting against him. Up until she’d had better success with Edward, then Ned had been having with Helena. He made her his apprentice and he’d been teaching her several tricks of the trade. Deep down Edward was a male chauvinist pig, and she doubted it would ever cross his mind that a mere female such as herself would dare to plot against him. However, Edward didn’t reach his position as the most powerful warlock in the covenant by being stupid. So it wouldn’t be smart of her to ever drop her guard when she was around him.

“You wanted to see me, Edward.” She gave him an innocent smile.

“Come in, my dear.” Edward smiled at her. “Please be seated. And just how is my great grandson doing this day.”

“What makes you so sure it’s a boy.” She asked with the raise of an eyebrow.

“It’s pre-ordained.” He informed here. “When your child is born it’ll be a boy and when Sonny and Carly’s baby is born it’ll be a girl.” He added. “And when they grow-up they’ll come together and have a child of their own and that child will rule the underworld kingdom.”

“The baby is just fine.” Alexis assured him. “Have you called me here to see if I’ve mastered the latest trick you’ve taught me.” She leaned close. “In case you’re wondering, I have.”

“Alexis, my dear, I’ve never had such an adept pupil as you.” He informed her. “But no, that’s not why I summoned you here.” He leaned back in his chair. “It appears we have a little situation on our hands.”

“What sort of situation would that be?” Alexis was immediately uneasy. Did he know?

“Helena is actively trying to find Sonny and Carly.” He informed her. He didn’t notice the sigh of relief she expelled at the news he didn’t suspect anything, yet. “We can’t let her get her hands on them. That’s where you come in.”

“How?” Was Edward going to demand Alexis find Sonny and Carly the same way that Helena had ordered Ned.

“As Corinthos’ attorney.” Edward began. “You have access to his personal papers. Maybe there’s something in there that will tell us where Corinthos and Carly have taken off to.”

“You want me to go through Sonny’s private papers?” She asked and Edward nodded. “Well, if that’s what you want, sure. If I should find out where Sonny and Carly are, what will you do with that information?”

“There’s no need to worry your pretty little head about that.” Edward assured her. “I have no intention of harming them, unlike Helena does.” He added. “As soon as Sonny and Carly’s child is born, she has every intention of disposing of the both of them.”

“But you don’t?” Alexis asked. “I don’t see Sonny and Carly handing their child over to you anymore than they will to Helena.”

“Well, they won’t have a choice in the matter.” Edward informed her. “With your help, my dear, we will convince Mike Corbin and Bobbie Spencer to sign commitment papers committing them both to Ferncliffe for the rest of their lives.”

“You intend to have them both institutionalized for the rest of their lives?” Alexis was appalled. If it were her, she thought she’d rather be killed then have that happen to her. “Wouldn’t it be better just to kill them?”

“Perhaps,” Edward agreed. “But if they’re dead they won’t be able to supply us with anymore children that are full-blooded vampires.”

“Why would you want more than one?” Alexis asked, appalled. “Isn’t that all you need?”

“Perhaps.” Edward sighed. “Or perhaps not. Alexis, my dear, just think. If one full-blooded vampire child mating with a full-blooded witch child is so powerful that he will sit on the throne of the underworld. Wouldn’t two or three or more like that be just as powerful. If we keep Sonny and Carly alive and force them to breed for us, just think of all the power that could be in our hands.”

Watching Edward eyes fill with greed at all the power he was imagining being in his grasp physically repelled Alexis. Up until now she hadn’t thought Edward was as bad as Helena. Now she was beginning to think that he was actually worse than Helena ever thought of being.

CARLY WATCHED THE flames from the fireplace reflecting on Sonny’s skin and painting it a golden color as he lay sleeping before the hearth. She loved watching him when he was completely relaxed. It didn’t happen very often. Right now he reminded her of a big jungle cat laying out in the sun without a care in the world. Who was she kidding. She just plain loved him. But did he love her? She knew he loved making love to her. The sex was incredible between them. It quite simply defied words. And they’d made a baby together that would bond them together for all eternity. But that didn’t mean he was in love with her, and she craved his love even more than she did his body. Who would have thought when this whole thing began that she’d end up craving his love above all things.

Which was why she was so insistent on the two of them going through the vampire marriage ceremony together. She knew how incredibly dangerous it was. They could both die by draining each other completely of their blood to attain the closeness that the vampire marriage ceremony was rumored to give two vampires who went through it. Or one could die while the other survived. Still, she wanted to do it. She wanted Sonny to be willing to die for her just to attain the ultimate closeness with her that it was possible for two vampires to achieve. She knew it was selfish, but that was the way she wanted Sonny to feel about her, since that was exactly the way she felt about him. To be as close to Sonny as it was humanly possible to be, she was willing to take the risk of dying to attain it. But would Sonny’s feelings for her ever reach the point where he’d be ready to go through with the vampire marriage ceremony with her?

She didn’t know, but she did know until the day arrived living as they were at present just didn’t satisfy her. As far as the world was concerned she was nothing more than Sonny’s pregnant mistress. If Sonny couldn’t belong to her body and soul through the vampire marriage ceremony, then she wanted him to belong to her in the eyes of the law. She wanted to be wearing Sonny’s wedding band on her finger and she wanted to bear his name as she would soon bear his child. She wanted Sonny to make her his wife as soon as possible.

“What are you staring at?” Sonny asked as he opened his eyes and stretched.

“Just you.” She came over to him and cuddled up next to him. “I could look at you for the rest of my life and be happy.”

“Well, lucky for both of us we can do much more than look at each other.” Sonny had woken up in an amorous mood and the only thing he wanted to do was make love at the moment.

But Carly had other things more important things on her mind at the moment. “Sonny, let’s get married, tonight.”

That had the effect of dumping him in Lake Ontario in the middle of winter. “What did you say?”

“I said let’s get married, tonight.” Carly repeated. “I think it’s long past time that you made me your wife.”

“Carly, I’m not ready to do the vampire marriage ceremony, yet.” He told her. “You told me unless I feel totally ready for it, it won’t work.”

“Relax, baby.” She caressed him like she was trying to calm skittish stallion. “I wasn’t talking about that, I was talking about us going through the mortal marriage ceremony.”

He sat up and put some space between them. “I thought the only wedding ceremony you wanted to go through with me is the vampire marriage ceremony.”

“That was because I thought if I agreed to go through with the mortal marriage ceremony then you wouldn’t want to go through with the vampire ceremony at some time in the future.” She confessed.

“That could still happen if we go through with a mortal wedding ceremony.” He admitted. “Being married to you in the eyes of the law could be enough for me.”

“I know.” She sighed. “But it’s a risk I’m willing to take. You may never be ready to go through with the vampire wedding ceremony and just being with you and having your child isn’t enough for me anymore. I want to you to be my husband and I want to be your wife and I‘ll take it any way I can get it. I want the world to know we belong to each other.” She added. “So, Michael Corinthos, will you do me the great honor of making me your wife?”