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"Oh, what sorts of investments do you have?" asks Victoria.

"Oh, you know," Sky says vaguely. "Finance, that kind of thing. Say, anybody want to go snorkeling? I've got all the equipment, and plenty of extra bathing suits for guests."

"I think I'm going to go to my room and rest," Angelique says. "Sunny day, you know. Fine for swimming, not so fine for migraines."

Maggie gets a little flustered when the subject of Barnabas comes up, admitting that he feels some attraction towards her (and almost certainly betraying that she does too).

"It was nice talking to you," she tells Angelique as the latter heads off.

"Yes, I hope you feel better," says Victoria. "Snorkeling sounds like fun. Maggie, are you up for it?"

Seeing that at least one guest is ready to join him, Sky shows them wear the swimsuits and equipment are located.

"Meet in, say, fifteen minutes at my private landing," he says, indicating the place they found before, that seemed to be hidden.

Once Victoria and Maggie have some privacy, she picks out a sensible one-piece swimsuit, not feeling confident enough to wear a bikini, and changes into it.

Maggie does decide to try a bikini, figuring she's unlikely to get another chance to show herself off like that for a while (helped along by the slight sense of unreality about the place).

Sky arrives in his own bathing trunks, carrying snorkels and masks. You might think even a happily married man would spend some time admiring the company, but he seems preoccupied. He enters a motor boat tied up at the dock, gesturing for the others to climb in.

"Better place for skin diving on another part of the island," he explains. "Can't walk there; rocks too rough."

Victoria boards the boat. "But the boat can get there, right?" she asks. "How deep is the water there? What kinds of aquatic life can be found there?"

Instead of answering, Sky pushes forward the throttle and steers the boat away from the island, toward the mainland, but not in the direction of Collinsport itself, but to a more isolated part of the rocky Maine shore.

Victoria keeps an eye out, looking for any signs of life.

As the boat draws closer to the shore, it is possible to see a sea cave, illuminated by what seems to be flickering candlelight. Within there appear to be two people in long robes, standing near a large stone construction of some sort. This seems to be Sky's destination.

"Who are those two?" asks Victoria. "Friends of yours?"

Maggie strains her eyes trying to see what it is the figures are standing next to.

Mr. Handy wrote: ↑Sat Dec 11, 2021 5:51 pm

"Who are those two?" asks Victoria. "Friends of yours?"

Sky sighs heavily. "One could hardly call them that. Just . . . acquaintances." He seems oddly troubled.

d20

Try as she might, the cave is too dark, and the flickering candles too dim, for Maggie to tell anything about the stone structure. This may be a moot point, as Sky heads directly for it, landing the boat near the cave entrance. Once on shore, it can be seen that the figures, although mostly hidden by their hooded robes, are a man and a woman, both tall and slender, with long, pale hands emerging from their sleeves. The structure next to them seems to be some kind of strange altar.

"I've done what you asked," Sky says. "Now will you leave my wife and I alone?"

Realizing that the strange pale couple are likely vampires, Victoria grips her crucifix and prepares to brandish it if they approach her and Maggie.

The two persons lift their hoods, revealing their faces, which seem ordinary enough. The woman approaches Victoria, showing no fear of the crucifix.

"It is time for the One whose image you carry to be replaced by the One to come," she says, displaying no emotion.

The man draws forward, holding a wooden box with the same multi-headed snake image as on the altar carved on its top. He offers it to her.

"Take this to Megan and Philip Todd," he tells her. Victoria recognizes the names as the owners of an antique shop in Collinsport. "Only one free of all corruption may carry it without being joined to us. Both of you will be free to go. Or, if you prefer, you may become one of us. Or, failing that also, you may be given to the One to come," he finishes, pointing to the altar.

"I don't like either of those last two options," says Victoria, taking the box, "so I guess I'll have to take this box to the Todds. What's in it, and who is the One to come?"