I do not own the characters or the concept of Dark Shadows. This is strictly a not for profit fan fiction to promote an interest in the series. Dan Curtis Production and any subsequent entities reserve all right by their entireties. No copyright infringement intended.

Shadows Summer Nightmares

Fear, panic, an overwhelming sense of impending doom permeated her mind and body as she slept fitfully in her upright position. She struggled against the darkness that surrounded her. She stood in a cavern of immense size, the smell around her reeked of death.

She could feel the approach of something so evil it made the bile rise up in the back of her throat. She wanted to run, but her legs would not move. Looking down she saw she was shackled to the center of the room. The area filled itself with menacing shadows. Then occasionally she would get a glimpse of the shadowy figures and they terrified her.

Their bodies were long misshaped with knuckles that drug the stone floor. Their heads were hideously deformed with sunken eye sockets, long pointed ears, noses that flatten to their faces and the mouths hung open like craving maws. It was their teeth that frightened her the most. They were long canine teeth that slavered and dripped for blood.

Their moans were deep and echoed the cavern. She wanted so desperately to run, to get away and hide. They advanced on her the sound of their boney knuckles dragging across the floor, the shuffle of their bare feet that sounded like sandpaper across a wooden surface, and the smell of decay filled the air choking her with its presence.

She clawed at the shackles that bound her, desperation made her dig her nails into her legs and it drew blood oozing up to the surface like a water fountain. It acted as an impetus for the creatures' advance. They pushed in on her and began to move their mouths over her body, some sniffing before they bit into her body, and the pain was immeasurable she screamed.

Sitting up she gasped, shook her head thinking it would remove those images from her mind. Taking deep breaths she had to calm her self and anxiously she glanced over at the man with the child like qualities while he slept peacefully. His over sized body barely fit on the double bed. He curled into a ball, his body began to unconsciously feel the dampness of the cramped small room that had been their hideout for over a week.

Vicki Collins shuddered and noticed when she had shudder so had Adam. Because of a sick and depraved man, something more than an affinity connected them. They were physically a part of each other since Dr. Lang's experiment. Pushing back her personal emotionally charged nightmare. Vicki had to remember what affected her affected this innocent man.

She glanced around the room. She sighed it was a pitifully small room that had housed the coachman at one time. It had been a time very long ago. The West wing of Collinwood had not been used in over 60 years. Her grandfather had begun closing down parts of the estate since they were no longer needed. The west wing had been the first to succumb to Jamison' Collins power.

Now she sat in the darkness with only a small wood-burning stove to light the night and warm the room she reflected on her life. Those reflections would be recorded in her journal. She stood and moved to get her journal from the bedside table.

Pausing she studied her surroundings and mused on how quiet it was. She had imagined the west wing servant quarters of Collinwood would be more astir than this silence. Oh there were the sounds of the snow and ice melting under the warming sunrays. The rustling of tiny clawed feet of the vermin that sought comfort from the cold and surely occupied the disused part of Collinwood.

Those sounds were only minimal to the other sounds she thought she should hear. A house as old and as purported to be full of otherworldly supernatural residents remained silent. She set there looking down at the journal she had begun; there should be the sounds of the house settling or something other than Adam's slight snore or the constant dripping of the melting snow and ice.

Getting up she moved with care to Adam. With hands that were gentle she smiled stroking back the dark hair and looked at his scarred face. Pity and compassion for this poor soul filled her and it frustrated her that she could not do any more for him than she had. He shifted and smiled feeling her gentle fingertips on his forehead.

Reaching for the heavy blanket, she covered him and watched him smile in his sleep and snuggled down into the blankets' warmth. He must have realized she was standing over him and had covered his body because he opened his eyes and peered up at her. Softness played over his face; his voice was deep and gentle he spoke his words precisely and with care to say the words right. "Thank you Vicki."

She smiled. "Go back to sleep Adam, its late you need to rest."

"If you say so." He closed his eyes and drifted back to sleep. He was in her mind no different than David, except Adam had a voracious appetite for knowledge. She could not keep him from reading and the endless questions were always at the forefront of his thoughts. Vicki found her patience wearing at his insistence to learn more. She figured that this was training for her future role as a mother with her child's inquisitive mind.

Since their arrival in the closed off section of Collinwood, Vicki had managed to discover its kitchen, which was used in addition to Mrs. Johnson's kitchen for her wedding reception. She had lucked out finding everything they would need for a couple of weeks. The caterers had left can goods and other tasty treats in the kitchen.

For the most past her mother had been thorough in having the kitchen updated and kept in good repair. Vicki thought it was because she had thought to continue to use the west wing for special parties and occasions. This was especially true since her mother was no longer a prisoner in her own home.

Elizabeth Collins Stoddard Patterson had escaped the clutches and evil intent of Jason Maguire. In a sense she owed Jason for finally telling the truth. Liz had not murdered her husband Paul Stoddard.

Since the discovery of her innocence and the need to protect her secret she had been freed to go where she wanted. One of the first places she had gone was to the cannery. There she met many of the employees and was excited that with the help of her new husband and sheriff would have parties in the west wing once again.

The thought of Christmas parities for the cannery employees and George's staff combined with thoughts of a summer picnics to bring their employees up to Collinwood as a thank you for all of their dedicated good work made her excited and happy. It was nice to see her mother a free woman and able to get on with her life instead of slowly dying and decaying in this house that had been her prison.

The use of the west wing would be good for charity events. Liz had even entertained the idea of having a Collins annual liberty ball with the theme being each member of the Collins family would come as one of their ancestors.

With elections for Sheriff coming up, it would be an ideal time for such a festive event to get votes and donations for George's campaign. George had not decided that he wanted to run for an elected office again, a part of him did not want to let go another part of him wanted to spend more time with his family and wife. She smiled remembering how her mother had said, "Well darling you do what your heart desires you to do. I will support you no matter what."

Vicki had not opened up other rooms for fear it would draw unwanted attention to their presence in the west wing. It also gave her a chance to monitor Adam. He had a curious nature and like a precocious child, he too had to explore his surroundings.

She had tried to keep him corralled to certain areas with explicit instructions to stay put. Inevitably Adam would venture off to other areas and come back with a book or an object with a thousand questions.

When Vicki tried to patiently explained to him why he needed to stay put, he always came up with the proverbial 'why?' With the patience of Jobe, Vicki tried to explain. Each explanation brought more 'whys'.

Reaching over for a candle, she lit the candle and drew her journal to her lap. It was beginning to become more difficult with her journaling because she was loosing lap real estate with her growing belly. Adam had been fascinated by the concept of another human being growing inside her.

It was too early to explain the reproduction processes to him; she would give him a couple more weeks before she tried to approach the subject and wished she had books to show him. Opening up her journal she looked at what she had written earlier.

My name is Victoria Winters Collins my travels have brought me to this place high a top Widows Hill, to a house called Collinwood. I have had many challenges since my arrival from a fondling home in New York. I have gone back to the year 1795 and traveled back to 1546.

I have found the one man that completes me with his love. I carry his child inside me and she promises to be the hope for those that live on the hill. My husband; is missing. He was reported missing in a boating accident. I fear the doctor from whom I hide created the accident. I pray daily he is found and returned to us. I do not wish to think that I will raise my child by myself it is a thought that is not only heartbreaking but not acceptable.

My mother and father have finally reunited and have combined their families. Collinwood has the room to accommodate our ever-growing family. I anxiously await the arrival of their return. Then I can expose Dr. Lang and all his hideous acts including the one main act his 'creation' Adam.

I have faced many dangers since my arrival to Collinwood, they range from a blood crazed delusional man calling him self Vlad Tepes. Vlad believed that I was the reincarnation of his dead wife Elizabeta. To perpetuate this belief, was Angelique, a vile and vengeful witch. I know she used her sorcery to refine Vlad's belief that I was Elizabeta.

Thanks to some help from Barnabas, my family and friends, I was along with my mother, sister and best friend Maggie Evans, rescued in a daring raid by mercenaries.

During my imprisonment and marriage to Vlad, I gained a powerful ally, Radu Florescue, Vlad's Captain of his guard and a very old vampire. His close contact with me softened his heart and allowed him to break an age-old trust formed over 400 years ago. His profession of his love made me uncomfortable until he said he realized I loved only one man and that man was Barnabas Collins.

During my stay at Castle Dracul I was once again face to face with the one woman that would strike me dead given the chance. Angelique Bouchard was a very powerful enemy who had joined forces with Vlad; her determination to see Barnabas Collins pay for his rejection of her love was the impetus that drove her to have me brought over to the life of a blood-sucking vampire.

It was during this time of so many stressful trials that I discovered I have a power for good. I have a power for right and a power that would help me protect myself from Angelique and Vlad. Being a novice at such things I also met my guide that will help me and channel these powers. My first act was to return to Angelique all the evil she had wrought on others. I was successful.

With the help of Sarah and Josette, resident ghosts of my house I was able to send Vlad, Angelique, and his head assassin Sorin to the depths of nine hells. My fears are that by doing this I am still attached to Vlad and share his horrors in his captivity. Vlad bit me; he had me share his blood so strangely enough I am still connected in part to him.

I had escaped from a winter of mayhem to be plunged into another nightmare world of a power hungry doctor that wanted to play God. He created a pieced together man from body parts robbed from graves. He wanted to create life and his experiments for this required him to use another living being's life force to be infused into the creature.

Though having spent some time with Adam I am loathed to call him a creature. He is a human being. He has feelings and his mind is incredible with its need to consume information. Because I was used as his life force, I now find myself connected to Adam as well as Vlad. Oddly enough my connection to Vlad does not extend to Adam. I feel torn between two forces.

Vicki looked up as Adam sat up in his bed. "Vicki?" She looked over to the shadowy outline of her companion.

"Yes?"

He moved to put his feet on the floor and stood up. Vicki was overwhelmed by his height. Moving agilely for one so large he stooped down in front of her and studied her face intently. He reached up and with fingers so gentle he traced her features, "You are sad. Why?" There it was that incessant why which like the waves on the ocean was a perpetual part of his vocabulary.

She curled her fingers around his fingers and smiled, "Adam, I am concerned which sometimes makes me feel sad. It has nothing to do with you." His dark eyes pinned her to the spot and she felt compelled to give him more of an explanation. "I am worried about you, myself, and my baby." He looked down at her stomach.

Adam was fascinated by the swell of her stomach and every time he touched her stomach she could feel a flurry of movement. It felt like her child wanted to press against his hand to react to his voice and touch. "The baby is ok?" He had to think about his words before he spoke. She could see the emotions of his face while he thought out how to pronounce the words so that he would say it right.

"That is right Adam, the baby is ok. She is sleeping and growing until its time to be born." She had explained to him the process of birth and what she had to expect when Josette was going to be born.

"I don't like it when you are worried or sad. It makes me sad."

Vicki sighed laid her journal down leaned forward and laid her forehead to his. "Adam, I am sorry to make you feel sad. I will try very hard not to let my emotions dominate our lives. Once you get some more life experience, I am sure that you will be transmitting those feelings back to me."

He thought about this word she had spoken. Carefully he asked, "What does transmitting mean?"

She thought a moment then she smiled, "It's like an exchange where we give things back and forth to each other."

He got that look of understanding and nodded, "We will give each other feelings and emotions?"

She nodded and smiled encouragingly at him, "That is exactly right Adam. I hope that once you get more education, the exchange of emotions will lessen. I think we will still be connected by not as closely as we are at this time."

Adam moved to sit next to Vicki on her small bed. He reached over and took her hand in his large one noting the difference in their size. He thought a moment then as he studied their hands, "I won't let anyone hurt you Vicki. Not ever, will you be hurt by anyone especially Dr. Lang. He is a very bad man."

Vicki lowered her chin looking at their hands. "Thank you Adam. I really appreciate your offer. I just hope we can get out of here and have the authorities arrest Dr. Lang, Jeff Clark, and Danni. They need to be locked up for what they did to you and me."

Adam looked curiously at the top of her head. "Vicki, what will happen to me?" His words were filled with fear and curiosity.

Vicki squeezed his hand, "Adam, you will never have to be alone unless you wish it. So put your fears away."

Vicki felt herself gathered into a hug as Adam held her close. "Vicki, thank you. And I . . .' He thought long and hard and from over head buried in his enclosing arms he said so softly she was not sure she heard him, "I love you mother."