STEFAN SAT AT a table at Luke’s Club watching Luke sitting at a table with Felicia staring adoringly at her while he continuously puffed on his cigar. The spell was working perfectly. He couldn’t stop from smirking as he continued to watch Luke. “That’s right, Spencer. You keep all your attention on the annoying Mrs. Scorpio, while I spend all my time with Laura.”

Alexis came up to his table and took a seat. “All right, Stefan. Why did you ask me to meet you here.”

“Take a look at Spencer.” He motioned to Luke and Felicia. “It seems he’s found a new object of his affections.”

“Felicia Scorpio?” Alexis asked in disbelief. “What could he possibly see in her?”

“Maybe it’s something he’s smoking.” Stefan smirked.

Alexis narrowed her eyes at him. “You put a spell on him, didn’t you?” She accused. “Are you insane. What if Luke realizes what you did and figures out the truth about us.”

“Why would he?” Stefan replied unconcerned. “After all his rooting around in the Cassadine family closet, that’s one particular skeleton Spencer has never uncovered.”

“Well, I’m not willing to take the risk he might.” Alexis replied. “What would I tell Ned if it became common knowledge what we are.”

“Even if Spencer found out,” Stefan assured her. “He’d never believe it. His kind never do.” He added. “Your worrying about nothing, Alexis. Your precious Ned will never discover we’re witches. Now to the reason I called you here. Mother is up to something.”

“Helena is always up to something.” Alexis told him. “Always plotting some plot to attain herself some more power.”

“Well, I think this may be the mother of all plots she’s scheming this time.” Stefan declared. “One of my contacts in the European Covenant told me she’s got something going with Damian Smith and that it’s something big.”

“Stefan, I want no part of this business.” Alexis exclaimed. “I’m not part of the covenant, and I try very hard to forget what I am. If you want to find out what Helena is up to, you’re going to have to do it on your own. I want no part of this.”

HELENA LOOKED DOWN at Jason as he laid motionlessly in a wooden box. The box rested on a conveyor belt and a few feet away the fire of the crematorium furnace was burning brightly. “Are you sure you’ve de-animated him?” Helena turned to Tracy.

“Of course I did.” Tracy replied. “Can’t you tell.”

“No, I can’t.” Helena replied. “He’s no more animated now, then he was when he was walking around. Which is why I want him cremated to make sure he will rise no more.”

“Is that really necessary?” Tracy asked.

“Yes, it is.” Helena replied. “He’s screwed up my plans enough as it is. I won’t have him returning and doing it, again.” She turned to Faison. “Do it now.” Faison pressed a button and the wooden box slipped inside the crematorium furnace. “Burn, baby, burn.”

“You don’t have to take such pleasure in it, Helena.” Tracy complained. “You could show a little respect. He was a member of my family, after all.”

“Please spare me the crocodile tears, Tracy.” Helena. “We both know you had no love lost for him. Now if you’ll both excuse me, I have to make plans for, tonight.”

Tracy looked from Helena to Faison. “Is there something going on you’re not telling me about?”

“Tonight, Helena will be acquiring the specimen sample she needs to impregnate Alexis with. “ Faison revealed. “But how she’s going to do it, she has yet to share even with me.”

“All in due time, Faison.” Helena replied. “All in due time. Now I must be off.” She took Faison aside for a moment. “Remember what I told you about Tracy. She can’t be trusted. Odds are she’s Edward Quartemaine’s eyes and ears.” She added a warning. “If anything you tell her helps Edward to ruin my plans, you will pay the consequences. Just you remember that.” With that she vanished from the room.

“What was that all about?” Tracy asked as she sidled up to him.

“Nothing that concerns you.” Faison took out a cigar and lit it. “So, what sort of plans do you have for, tonight.”

She took his cigar out of his mouth and took a puff on it. “I’d say that was entirely up to you, Faison. It’s been a long time since we’ve been together. Maybe it’s time we got reacquainted.” She added. “Or are you still pining over Anna Scorpio.” She rubbed her hand up his chest. “You know even if you did get her, she’d never be able to satisfy your appetites the way I can.”

“You know, Tracy. “ Faison sighed. “As long as I’ve been around, and it’s been a great many centuries, I’ve never met a woman who enjoys smoking cigars as much as I do.”

“That’s not all we share in common.” She took his hand and began leading him over to the empty slab Jason had occupied only moments ago. “Come with me, Faison, and I’ll remind you of all the other tastes we share in common.”

“In a mortuary?” He asked.

“Where better?” She replied.

NED ENTERED THE Quartermaine Mansion with a determined stride. Edward was waiting for him in the living room. “All right, Grandfather, why have you summoned me here.”

“Ned, my boy, please sit down.” Edward smiled at him in return.

Ned narrowed his eyes in suspicion. “What are you up to?”

“What makes you think I’m up to something.” Edward asked innocently.

“You’re being nice to me.” Ned retorted. “When you’re nice to me, you’re always up to something.”

“What a thing to say.” Edward replied in offended tones. “Can’t a grandfather ask his grandson to visit him without him being suspected of some nefarious plot.”

“Not this grandfather.” Ned replied, unmoved. “So, what are you up to, this time.”

“All right.” Edward dropped all pretense. “I was wondering when you were going to do the right thing and marry Alexis.”

“Excuse me?” Ned asked in disbelief. “You didn’t say what I just thought you said, did you?”

“Ned, you’re not getting any younger.” Edward informed him. “It’s time you thought about settling down and having a family of your own.” He added for good measure. “Surely, you don’t want AJ to get the drop on you.”

“In case it’s slipped your mind, I already have a child.” Ned answered. “Her name is Brooke Lynn.”

“Yes,” Edward replied. “And you have nothing to do with her except for the sporadic visits Lois allows you to have. She’s not being raised a true Quartermaine the way Michael is.”

“And I thank god for that.” Ned declared. “This family destroys everything it touches.”

Still,” Edward was like a dog with a bone. “AJ’s building a dynasty for himself. What are you doing.” He added for good measure. “You and I both know you should be the person to rule this family when I’m gone, not AJ. You’re the one whose always helped us navigate through the rough waters that more times than not AJ has steered us into. But without children being raised as Quartermaines that will never happen.” He paused for a dramatic moment before delivering his finally zinger. “Do you really want AJ and Carly to rule this family when I’m gone, when you and I both know the person ruling this family should be you and Alexis.”

“Grandfather, give it up.” Ned replied. “This isn’t going to work.”
“Fine,” Edward shrugged. “If that’s the way you want it. Maybe it’s for the best, anyway. AJ has got such a big jump on you I doubt you’d ever be able to catch up, anyway.”

“What is that supposed to mean.” Ned narrowed his eyes in suspicion.

“I guess you haven’t heard the news.” Edward replied. “This morning, AJ announced that he and Carly are going to have another baby. That will make two Quartemaine children growing up in this house, while you have none.” He added for good measure. “Like I said, how would you ever catch up.”

As Ned turned on his heel and stomped out of the mansion, Edward smirked. “I’ve lit a real fire under him, now. Nothing like a little competition to get exactly what you want.”

STEFAN ENTERED A seedy looking dive on the waterfront and awaited for his cousin, Dimitri Cassadine to arrive. Years ago, Helena had set Dimitri up to helping Sean Donely steal the Quatermaine fortune from them and because of that, he had earned a very high position in the European Covenant. Luckily for Stefan, Dimitri was as opposed to Helena being leader of the European Covenant as Stefan was. Tonight, Dimitri would tell Stefan what Helena was plotting this time.

Stefan smiled as Dimitri entered the Bucket of Blood. Dimitri was dark-haired and dark-eyed and could charm a nun into dropping her drawers for him. “The Bucket of Blood, cousin?” Dimitri asked as he took a seat at Stefan’s table. “Wouldn’t this be a better meeting place for our vampire cousins.”

“Dimitri, I don’t find that amusing in the least.” Stefan sternly replied. “You know vampires can’t help their need for blood. That something about their physical body structure requires them to take in fresh blood on a daily basis the same way mortals need to take in food to survive. And it’s no doubt our fault for making them the way they are. ” He added. “It’s very undignified not to mention cruel of you to joke about that. It amounts to the same way mortals are always poking fun at us witches as constantly cackling over a cauldron while we drop eyes of newt and tongue of toad into a boiling kettle of water.”

“Forgive me, cousin.” Dimitri apologized as he began to eye a scantily clad waitress already planning to occupy her bed before the night was over. “I forgot how touchy you are on the subject.”

“Because of mortal hysteria,” Stefan replied. “And the ridiculous tales that sprung from it, our kind has been persecuted for centuries. Are you forgetting the Salem Witch Hunts where many of our ancestors were burned at the stake by close-minded peasants like Luke Spencer.”

“You know,” Dimitri mused. “I’ve always wondered if that’s the real reason you despise him so. Because one of his ancestors, who looked a great deal like him, tried to burn you at the stake during the witch hunts.”

“How did we get on this topic.” Stefan snarled, not wanting to talk or think about Luther Spencer, Luke Spencer’s great-great grandfather. “I asked you here to find out what mother is up to.”

“You’re not going to like it.” Dimitri told him. “You remember the old childhood tales about a child born of two pure-blooded vampires and two pure-blooded witches being heir to the underworld?” Stefan nodded. “Well, Helena has teamed up with Damian Smith and she’s trying to make that tale a reality.”

“But that’s impossible.” Stefan replied. “Witches and vampires do not mate. We prefer mortals because we hate what we are. We long to be normal and mating with a mortal is as close as we can get.”

“Not all witches hate what they are.” Dimitri reminded him. “Your parents are a prime example of that.”

“Mikkos and Helena were power-hungry.” Stefan replied. “That’s the only reason they got together. They both had an unquenchable appetite for power. If my father had succeeded at his plan to control the world, it still wouldn’t have been enough for him. He would have wanted more.” Stefan added on a note of disgust. “He was so power-hungry, he would only mate with witches, refusing to waste his precious sperm on a mortal, which is how Alexis was conceived.”

“The point is,” Dimitri pointed out. “There are witches who do mate, so two full-blooded witches having a child is not an impossibility. You’re living proof of that.”

“Vampires are another story.” Stefan retorted. “They have even more of an aversion to their own kind than witches do. And they certainly wouldn’t procreate for the cause. Vampires despise witches for making them what they are. If we stuck to our own kind and didn’t breed with mortals, there would be no vampires and they know it and they hate us for it. They crave to be like mortals more than witches do and they never will be because of us.”

“But what if two vampires actually fell in love with each other.” Dimitri suggested.

“They’d fight it every step of the way.” Stefan answered confidently. “Their natural aversion to each other wouldn’t allow them to acknowledge the truth of their feelings for each other. They’d immediately go out and attach themselves to the first mortal they could find, then proceed to convince themselves they were in love so they wouldn’t have to admit the truth to themselves. That they were in love with a vampire. Convincing themselves they were in love with a mortal would be preferable to being in love with one of their own kind.” He added. “Part of what makes a vampire a vampire is the overwhelming need they have to deny what they are and to pretend they’re normal. The only way they can do that is by being with a mortal. So, two vampires mating would never happen even if by some strange twist of fate they actually fell in love with each other.”

“Brace yourself, Cousin.” Dimitir dropped his bomb. “It’s already happened. Your mother arranged it so events landed Sonny Corinthos and Carly Quartermaine in bed together and now they’re going to have a baby.”

“How?” Stefan was horrified. “How could something like this happen.”

“Helena was very clever.” Dimitri said with a hint on admiration in his voice. “Actually, when Carly first came to town, your mother planned to get them together. Carly was supposed to comfort Sonny while he was grieving for his dead wife, only things didn’t go like she planned because Carly became obsessed with Jason Morgan after Edward Quartermaine had his daughter, Tracy, reanimate him while Sonny continued to be obsessed with Brenda Barrett. Then your mother got rid of Btenda Barrett and got Morgan to convince Corinthos to return to town, and once again Helena planned to bring Sonny and Carly together. She even conjured up that big snowstorm to trap them together to accomplish her goal. Her plan might have actually worked if Quartermaine hadn’t managed to thwart her plans again by bringing Hannah Scott, that Brenda Barrett clone, to town so Sonny would become obsessed with her, while casting a spell over Carly to make her think the only way she could keep her son was to marry AJ.”

“You said they’re going to have a baby.” Stefan repeated. “She obviously found a way to get them together. How?”

“It was actually supposed to happen back in August.” Dimitri confided. “Helena brought Juan Santiago to town to push Corinthos’ buttons so he’d have another of his black spells, then she arranged for Carly to find him like that. Things were going really well between them after a rough start and if they’d been left alone together a little while longer they would have made love, only the old man interfered again, and sent his zombie grandson in to break things up between them.” He added. “So, Helena had to arrange things so they came together a few months later. After the time Carly spent alone with Sonny and what almost happened between them that both of them still haven’t acknowledged, Carly became obsessed with getting Hannah Scott out of Sonny’s life. She, of course, told herself she was only doing it because of the zombie. Once the truth about the Scott broad was exposed to Corinthos, Helena arranged for Carly to see Morgan with Elizabeth Webber so she’d get the wrong idea and one thing lead to another. It wasn’t the best way to get them together, but it worked.”

“And now a full-blooded vampire child is on its way into the world.” Stefan sighed. “What of Edward Quartermaine. Why has he tried to stop it from happening.”

“Oh, he’s not against this happening.” Dimitri revealed. “He just wanted to make sure the events of the conception happened in the worst possible way so he could get control of the child. Quartermaine has the same goal as your mother. The old man thinks he’s going to be able to keep from Corinthos that the child Carly’s carrying is really his. But as we speak, Helena is having your ex-wife spill the beans to him and when that happens all hell is going to break loose.”

“Okay.” Stefan exhaled a deep breath. “The vampire child has been conceived. So that just leaves the witch child. Has the parents for that child been decided, yet?”

“It depends on who you talk to.” Dimitri returned. “If it’s Edward Quartermaine, then the parents will be Alexis and Ned. And if it’s your mother, then the parents will be Alexis and you.”

“Ate you mad!” Stefan exploded. “Alexis is my sister. I would never breed with my own sister.”

“Tell your mother that.” Dimitri quipped. “I got the impression she doesn’t intend to ask you for your permission.” He added. “Besides with medical technology the way it is these days sexual intercourse isn’t a requirement to impregnating someone. Sure, Sonny and Carly did it the old-fashioned way, but all Helena would need is a sample of your sperm, then all she’d have to do is abduct Alexis and artificially inseminate her.”

“She’ll never get a sample of my sperm.” Stefan declared.

“Cousin, this is your mother we’re talking about.” Dimitri countered. “I wouldn’t underestimate her I were you.” He added. “If you don’t want Helena to succeed with her plans, you’d better convince Alexis to get pregnant by Ned Ashton post haste.”

HELENA HAD JUST finished whipping up a special facial cream when Faison entered her yacht. “So, how did your little romp in the mortuary go?” Helena asked.

“How did you guess?” Faison took out a cigar and lit it up.

“It just seemed the obvious next step,” Helena replied. “If Damian’s right and Edward Quartermaine is trying to undermine me, the first step he’d take would be to get his daughter to try and seduce my most trusted ally away from me.”

“So what were you doing while Tracy and I were trying to raise the dead.” He exhaled a puff of smoke.

“I was whipping up this facial cream for myself.” She held up a jar of cold cream.

“What?” Faison retorted. “Oil of Olay not good enough for you?”

“This is a very special cream, Faison.” Helena told him. “Let me demonstrate.” She began to apply the cold cream to her face. He watched in shock as her facial features began to change before his eyes until she looked exactly like Laura Spencer. “Like it.”

“My god!” Faison’s cigar fell out of his mouth. “You look exactly like Laura Spencer.”

“How else do you think I’m going to be able to get some sperm from Stefan.” She asked. “I can’t just go to him with a jar and ask him to fill it up.”

“Are you telling me you’re going to go to Stefan and pretend to be Laura Spencer.” Faison was aghast at the very idea. “That you’re going to have sex with him to obtain a sample of his sperm.”

“A used condom was good enough for Katherine Bell.” She reminded him. “It’s good enough for me.”

“But he’s your son.” He pointed out in revulsion.

“Faison, the meek shall not inherit the earth.” She informed him. “The ones brazen enough to break all the rules are the ones who’ll inherit the earth not to mention the throne of the underworld.” She added. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I have to find Stefan. The effects of this cream are only temporary and I need to get what I need done before it wears off.”

EDWARD WAS WAITING up for Tracy when she arrived home. “So, how did it go?” Edward wanted to know. “Did you tell Faison he’s Ned’s father, yet.”

“Not yet, Daddy.” Tracy replied. “I’m taking this thing slow. Faison’s not dumb. This can’t be rushed. Tonight, I renewed our ancient sexual relationship and from there I’ll play it by ear.” She added. “I don’t know when I’ll reveal to him that he’s Ned’s father, but I’ll know when the time is right.” She changed the subject. “So, how are things going, here. Has Corinthos caused anymore trouble.”

“No,” Edward groaned. “All’s been quiet on that front. But I’m sure he’s off plotting somewhere on how to get his hands on his child once its born.” He suddenly exploded. “Damn, Bobbie Spencer. Why couldn’t she just keep her big mouth shut. Everything was going fine until she had to blab to Corinthos that he was the father of Carly’s child.”

“Daddy, it would never have worked, anyway.” Tracy informed him. “ Sonny Corinthos isn’t stupid. The minute AJ bragged to him about Carly being pregnant, he was suspicious. The question is, what are you going to do about it now that the cat is out of the bag.”

“Corinthos will never get his hands on that child.” Edward declared. “I arranged for Taggert to arrest one of Corinthos’ minions, Roy DeLucca, tonight. He’s going to lean on him to try and get him to roll over on Corinthos. If that happens, Corinthos will be rotting in prison when his child is born. Even if DeLucca doesn’t give Corinthos’ up, I’ll make sure Corinthos’ legal problems continue so no court will even consider giving him custody.” He added. “Without Carly on his side, Corinthos doesn’t stand a chance.”

“Are you sure she’ll remain loyal to us?” Tracy asked.

“Of course she will.” Edward assured her. “She despises Corinthos as much as we do. Besides, she knows without us on her side, she doesn’t stand a chance against Corinthos.” He nodded his head in certainty. “Carly will remain loyal to us. If she wants to keep Michael, she has no other choice.”

“What if Carly and Sonny join forces against us.” Tracy mused.

“It’ll never happen.” Edward said confidently. “They despise each other. They can’t get along with each other for five minutes.”

“Daddy, people who despise each other don’t have sex together.” She pointed out. “There’s a very fine line between love and hate. And sometimes what looks like hate is actually love. You’d better prepare yourself. It could happen.”

ALEXIS SIGHED WEARILY as Stefan took a seat at her table at the Port Charles Hotel dining room. “All right, Stefan, what do you want now.”

“I can see you’re pleased to see me.” Stefan smiled. “Actually, I’ve been thinking about our last conversation. Your worry over Ashton finding out what you are. I think I’ve found a solution for that.”

“Stefan, why would you care about Ned and me?” She asked suspiciously. “What’s in it for you?”

“Alexis, you wound me.” Stefan replied in wounded tones. “Your my sister, after all. Why wouldn’t I care about your welfare.”

“Let me see.” She countered thoughtfully. “Maybe it was the way you caused Ned and I to break up when we first got involved. Or it might be the fact that you don’t usually come knocking at my door unless you want something from me. “ She added. “So what do you want, this time, and please drop the concerned brother act. I‘m not buying it.”

“All right,” He replied. “I found out what Mother is up to and it involves you. Helena wants you to use her as a brood mare.”

“Excuse me?” Alexis couldn’t believe what she just heard.

“You heard right.” Stefan told her. “Without going into details, Mother has devised some sick and twisted scheme where she intends to impregnate you with my sperm.”

“But your my brother.” Alexis was horrified.

“I know.” He shuddered in revulsion. “That’s what makes her plan so depraved. And there’s only one way you can stop Mother’s plan from succeeding. That’s to get pregnant with Ned Ashton’s child, immediately.”

“Ned and I haven’t even discussed having children.” Alexis told him. “I can’t just decide to have a baby without discussing it with him, first.”

“Alexis, you must.” He declared. “If you don’t, very shortly you’re going to find yourself pregnant with my child. Do you want that? You know when Mother sets her mind to something, nothing will stop her.” He added. “Besides, look on the bright side. If you get pregnant with Ashton’s child, you won’t have to worry about losing him if he finds out the truth about you.”

SONNY ENTERED HIS penthouse like he was dragging the weight of the world around on his shoulders. He’d just come from the police station where he’d arranged for his vampire compatriot, Roy DeLucca to be bailed out of jail. Alexis had informed him that because of the arrest his chances of getting custody of his child had gone from slim to none. What was he going to do? He had to save his child from being raised in the Quartermaine household. But how could he when he was trapped in his position as leader of the Brotherhood.

Sonny looked around his penthouse, or as he’d begun to think of it, his glass coffin. What kind of life would a child have being constantly guarded by members of the Brotherhood. That wasn’t the sort of life he wanted for his child. And there was really no way he could guarantee his child would be safe as long as he remained leader of the Brotherhood. Maybe the time had come to admit the truth. The minute he’d learned Carly was going to have his child he’d begun to think about it. And tonight’s escapade had only confirmed what he had to do. He had to leave the Brotherhood and this time he had to stay out. It was the only way he could give his child the kind of life he wanted to give his son or daughter.

Leaving Port Charles and living on that godforsaken island for a year hadn’t worked. When he’d returned to town, he’d gotten sucked right back into the Brotherhood. So that left him only one other alternative. As much as he hated the idea of doing it, he was going to have to dismantle the Brotherhood.

His thoughts were interrupted by the ringing of his doorbell. Earlier, he’d given Johnny and Francis the night off so they could go prowling the streets for prey, wanting to be alone for the evening. He went over to the door and opened it. To his immense shock Carly was standing there holding Michael in her arms. “Carly, what are you doing here?”

She pushed her way past him and inside the penthouse. It was the first time he noticed she was carrying a suitcase. “I’ve left AJ. I’m giving you the only chance you’re going to get to be a father to your child. Don’t blow it.”