Disclaimer: This is a work of amateur, non-profit fiction and is not meant
to infringe on the copyrights of Anne Rice or her publishers. The story is
mine, anyone who tampers with it, or tries to pass it on without my
permission,
remember, I know where you lie!
Warning: This spec contains spoilers up to the end of TVL.
Dedication: This spec is dedicated to my soulmate, Cher, who gave her
guidance when proof reading, pointed out my mistakes, and panted at the steamy
bits! Also, to Lestat, for being the lovable wretch and ultimate rebel that he
is.
by
Beverley Lee
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
(mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED])
We stepped inside the safety of the compound gates and into the building.
Automatically I switched on the alarm system and pressed the button to draw
the
blinds, sunrise was not too far away. They swished together before almost
complete darkness enveloped the room, save for the moonlight which shone
through the single skylight. He turned his face and looked at me, his eyes
glowing
luminously in the half light.
"Don't go on stage tonight, Lestat," he said very softly. "There is too much
danger around. I can sense it." The sound of his carefully restrained French
accent tore through me like a knife. He looked away then, no doubt expecting
me to condemn him with some harsh remark. He must have been remembering all
our arguments decades past, how I always had to be right no matter what the
cost. We had caused each other so much pain, all those years ago, so much
time wasted.
He touched me lightly on the arm and inclined his head towards the two
mortals, heavily asleep, sprawled across the white leather sofa. I had almost
forgotten Tough Cookie and Alex were there, I was so used to their presence,
but
Louis looked uncomfortable. Even though he had let go of my arm I could still
feel the pressure of his fingers. I tried not to let it distract me.
" Come," I murmured . "We'll have more privacy through here." I led the way
along the passageway dimly lit by recessed spotlights, to the end door which
was solid oak.
Once inside I locked the door, maybe it was pointless but after all this
time I didn't want to let him go so easily. He had seated himself gracefully
on
the edge of the bed which had a wrought iron frame and was covered in emerald
silk drapes. Now I understood why I had ordered that colour, it had never
seemed important before. I could feel his eyes studying me intently, taking in
everything. Of course he had never seen me in 20th century clothing.
" I think I prefer you in dark velvet and white lace," he said, a small
smile on his face. My heart leapt in my body and I could feel it hammering in
my
chest. My mouth was dry. Oh Louis, you always knew how to tear me into little
pieces. After all this time he was still the most exquisite creature I had
ever set eyes on. A strand of black hair fell over his eyes and he pushed it
back impatiently. A feeling of deja vu overcame me as I remembered him
sitting at his desk in our little house on Royale, scribbling furiously, his
face
softly lit by a single candle which flickered in the slight draught from the
open window, causing the shadows to caress his face.
His hair was always falling into his face when he wrote, and the way he ran
his fingers through it and pushed it back had always had me entranced. I used
to watch him working as often as I could, although I knew he didn't like me
doing it. He didn't like me to follow when he went out to hunt either, but of
course I still did it. The sight of him taking mortal blood sent pleasurable
emotions surging through me. His victims were so enamoured with his ethereal
beauty they hardly seemed to notice when he savagely ended their existence.
Quite often I would silently join him after the kill, pretending to be just
passing by. He would walk by my side, his skin flushed, his eyes bright, and
he would try to read my expression. I, of course, kept my face perfectly
unreadable. Did he ever know I had watched him feed? I rather hoped he did.
My thoughts came back to the present
"Who butchered your hair?" I asked, in a slightly too demanding tone. The
question was out before I had time to think. It had been a great shock to see
him with short hair although it did grace him with an elfin beauty. I knew he
must have cut it when he awoke and I wondered if this was an act of defiance
on his part, I had always loved his hair long.
"I cut it myself. Sometimes it goes better with the image." He shrugged and
I looked at the loose mis-shapen sweater and hated it. My Louis should never
wear such ugly garments. A misty memory swirled before my eyes of Louis,
resplendent in a black and gold frock coat and breeches , his silken hair tied
back with a black velvet ribbon, walking by my side along Rue Royale in the
shadow of St. Louis cathedral, the night air heavy with the scent of
honeysuckle. He read the anger in my eyes and retorted sharply, "It does grow
back , as
you know." His hand clutched the rail of the bed frame tightly and he moved
his lips as if to speak but no sound came out. He was like a beautiful caged
animal, restrained by invisible cords.
This wasn't going very well. I could feel the air between us heavy with
electricity. I cursed not being able to read his thoughts. His very demeanour
said 'Please don't upset me. I've come to see if there is anything left for
us.'
Swallow your pride, Lestat, I told myself again, don't lose him before you
have a chance to tell him how you have missed his presence, how every day the
gnawing ache for him has grown stronger.
I seated myself beside him, one knee up, my head resting on it and studied
him closely. Time had been very kind to my dark angel. His skin was a little
paler, a little more translucent, but his eyes were still like frozen jewels
fringed by thick dark lashes. He caught me looking and lowered his eyes, the
shadow of his lashes darkening his pale skin. He pressed his lips together
tightly and took a sharp intake of breath. His eyes widened and to my horror I
saw the blood red tears well up in them and the words he had wanted to say
spilled out.
"I came here to tell you I had no need for your company anymore." His face
was so full of sorrow, his eyes split open my soul, always my dark angel with
a broken wing. I waited for his next words, his condemnation.
"But I was wrong , Lestat, so very wrong. I have been alone for so long I
had convinced myself it was what I wanted, what I needed, but seeing you
again...," he paused ,desperately trying to regain his composure, " I have
missed
you more than I ever knew."
In an instant my arms were around him, I cradled his head against me,
running my fingers through his short silky hair. I thought if the world ended
here
I couldn't think of a better place to be. Raising his face to me I gently
kissed the tears from his face, letting my lips caress his skin. He was warm,
some unsuspecting victim had fallen foul of his innocent appearance and had
paid for it dearly.
The scent from his blood tears invaded my body, corrupting my senses. I
realised I hadn't fed since early yesterday evening and the feel of my beloved
Louis in my arms and the scent of his blood was almost more than I could bear
" There have been so many deaths ," he said plaintively. " I prayed I would
find you before it was too late."
" I don't think praying for me was such a good idea," I answered ruefully "
There won't be a red carpet reception for my soul, you know."
He smiled gently, realising the irony of the words he had spoken. Such
innocence on the face of the most brutal vampire of all. Suffer not anyone who
stumbled into his feeding path.
I pulled him down onto the bed, expecting recriminations and finding none.
He reached out his hand , and entwined his fingers in mine. A simple gesture
but I knew it meant don't stop, when you have opened your heart and soul to
another words are not needed. I traced the line of his lips with my finger. He
opened his mouth letting my finger feel his fangs, small but deadly. I felt
his tongue around my finger, a moan escaped my lips as I realised my Louis
was doing a very good job of beginning to seduce me. But then the seduction
had
begun the moment I laid eyes on him.
Bending to him, I let my hair fall over his face, I began to kiss where my
finger had been. I could feel his breath on my face, his eyes devouring me,
smoky with passion. " Let me in, Louis," I whispered, my voice sounded strange
in my ears. For heaven's sake Lestat, don't weep. I struggled to keep
control. "Years ago I gave you eternity, now let me take you into heaven and
hell
and back again." He took hold of my hair and pulled me down, his lips parted
awaiting my touch. Kissing his lips softly at first, I began to probe into his
mouth with my tongue.
"Wait one moment," he stopped me suddenly. For a second I felt the anger
course through me. Was he leading me on just to deny me? Such a cruel game
Louis, my love, has time etched an ice cold edge to your angelic facade?
His hand around the back of my head broke into my thoughts, his fingers
roughly ensnared in my hair, he pulled me down, smiling as he realised he had
me
reeling. Fastening his lips to mine I felt his tongue probing and I gasped as
the taste of fresh, hot blood flowed into my mouth. Entering his mouth I
found the source of that sweet nectar. He had purposely driven one of his
fangs
through his inner lip. He murmured into my mouth, "Who's the little devil
now, Lestat?"
Incensed from the taste of his blood and the feel of him at last in my
grasp, I pinned his arms above his head using far more strength than was
necessary.
"You little bastard," I growled , hoping I sounded commanding but knowing I
didn't, " If you weren't already dead, I could eat you alive!"
He tried to look reproachful, but I read the words in his eyes, he gave in,
a lop-sided grin lighting up his face. Why had death granted him such a human
countenance? The Dark Gift was different for each of us, but in my Louis it
had excelled and created a fallen angel with a razor's edge.
I kissed him roughly, my passion throbbing inside me like a heartbeat, the
blood had escaped his lips and was smearing onto his face. I licked at it,
lapping like a cat. I forced my way inside his mouth, although there wasn't
any
force needed. I sucked on the small wound in his lip, slowly at first but
gradually the intensity grew. I wasn't getting what I wanted, my hand held the
back of his head as I sunk one of my fangs into the cut, and I moaned with
pleasure as the blood ran freely again. The feel and taste of his blood
flowing
down my throat was like no other feeling I had ever had. Even when I was
starving and had drunk from Marius, it did not compare to this ecstasy. As I
opened my eyes and gazed at him, Louis' were shut, his breathing shallow and
laboured. Throwing whatever caution I had to the winds, which wasn't a lot at
the best of times, I tore open the sweater that covered his body. Louis
slowly
opened his eyes and grabbed my arm, raking his nails along the inside of my
forearm, almost drawing blood.
" I'll take that as a yes to continue." I was nearly laughing with joy. If
there was a heaven and I wasn't too sure about that, this had to be it. My
hands traced his body, the smooth chest and tight stomach, his skin trembled
beneath my touch. Yes, I had taken him into darkness in his prime. I pulled
off
my T-shirt emblazoned with ' The Vampire Lestat---Dead and Alive.' A voice
whispered inside my head, " It should have been a cloak lined with wolf fur,"
oh Nicky I loved you too.
Louis' eyes were now open, his fingers stroking my skin brought me back to
reality. His lashes were damp with tears, and his body was covered in a thin
film of blood sweat. Pressing my body to his I cried out loud, never in all
our years together had we been this intimate, my pride and Louis caution
always
creating a barrier never to be dismantled, until now. His fingers were
tearing into my back, I could feel the blood pricking out from the lines of
his
nails. This only drove me on further, his head had arched back in his pleasure
and his hair was matted on his forehead. Needing no other invite I plunged
my fangs hard into his neck, feeling them sink into his willing flesh,
revelling as once again the sweetness gushed down my throat.
I heard him utter a single cry as he surrendered.
My fingers stroked his chest finding his nipples, which were hard and erect.
I pulled at them, crushing them between my fingers. He was lost in me then
as I swallowed his lifeblood greedily, his body writhing beneath me. He was
mine even more so than on that distant night in 1791. Why had I chosen him to
be my third fledgling? Third time lucky, as they say in this age. Luck had
nothing to do with it. I prefer to think of it as fate. I was attracted to
him,
not just because of his beauty, but also because of his despair. How I had
wanted to heal that despair, to show him all the wonders that the Dark Trick
could work, but Louis then had been a closed book to me, punishing himself in
immortality over something that had not been his fault. This was my second
chance. I silently promised him my every attention. I would gently cleanse his
despair, and lift it like a shroud from his shoulders.
Suddenly I sensed a change in him. He was still in my arms but his mind had
a new distraction. Kissing my forehead he said, " The morning has come for
me, I'm sorry," he smiled apologetically.
I cursed the coming dawn. I wasn't going to let him go that easily. I pulled
him from the bed, the blood still thundering through my veins, and put my
arm around his waist. "Your timing was always impeccable, beautiful one, but I
suppose I can wait one more night," I hooked my finger in his belt loop
possessively as he put his head against my shoulder kissing me tenderly.
" It just so happens I have a very dark room at my disposal," I grinned.
"Do you only have one coffin?" Louis asked playfully.
" I do believe time has given you a sense of humour," I retorted, leading
him into my sleeping room.
"I've grown out of coffins now my love, but I only have one bed, so you'll
just have to get in with me."
As I locked the door my happiness was complete. I crawled into bed beside
him, the silk sheets cool against my skin. He was laying on his back, one arm
above his head, studying me. A serious expression appeared on his face. "Do
you want to know why after all this time we did what we did tonight?"
I nodded. I waited. Could he hear my heart thudding in the darkness?
"If there is a God and all these deaths are his way of exterminating our
kind," he paused and reaching out his hand brushed a long tendril of hair
behind
my ear.
" I didn't want to be damned before spending just one night with you ." The
silence was deafening.
"So when the devil is dancing on your soul, Louis, you can revel in your
decadence with me?" I chastised him gently. This wasn't the time for talk of
good and evil. He moved towards me and kissed me very lightly, his face inches
from mine, "You are the devil, Lestat, if I am to be damned, only you can make
the pain bearable."
Smiling softly he laid down on the bed and as I watched him sink quickly
into his death sleep I made a silent vow never to let him go again. Tonight I
would appear on the stage basking in the adulation of my fans, and then I
would
take my Louis and make love to him as no other could. I pressed my body to
his, breathing in his scent of sweat and blood, and my last thought as the
sleep descended on me like a dark cloud, was what could possibly go wrong?
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