Louis and David

Louis and David
© Dark Angel
rueroyale@yahoo.com

Spoilers: VampChron to TotBT
Status: Complete
Characters: David & Louis
Disclaimer: This work is an AMATEUR effort and is in no way expected to make any money. It is not intended to infringe upon the rights of the author of the Vampire Chronicles, Stan Rice, Mojo Rice, Knopf Publishing, Random House, Geffen Pictures, the officials and citizens of New Orleans, the shoppers of Westin Canal Place, nor you, dear readers.
Author's Notes: Hello my sweetest SPECtroscopes! My dears, I must warn you that this work does contain a rather wordy insult to the PROMISE KEEPERS ORGANIZATION. If this offends you, then you probably won't like the rest of the spec either, so you needn't waste your time. Have I mentioned this is another one of those "What happened when David arrived at the town house that first time" SPECs? Well, it is. So if you have been there, done that, you have just wasted precious minutes reading this intro. Sorry. Go your way in peace. The rest of you, who are up for another version of this, ENJOY!

KEY:
' thoughts '
~~~memories~~~
4 Septembre 1998

Chapter One

Hearing a knock at the door, Louis rose from his desk and cautiously advanced to the front hall.
He looked to clock standing there and noted that it was after 3 a.m. Very unusual for mortals to come calling at this hour, whatever the reason. Unless it was police, perhaps. Others of his kind rarely came, but if it had been, certainly they would not have bothered knocking. More likely they would have come straight in. He listened. He heard nothing. No voice, no movement, not even the soft sounds of mortal breathing. He could detect a faint scent of blood, but even very small humans had a much stronger aroma. He waited another fifteen or twenty minutes. Still no movement. Louis walked soundlessly to the door and peered out the small peephole Lestat had installed.
' Oh God, no,' Louis thought.
It was Lestat. Lestat in his human body. What had happened? Had he had another encounter with the body thief? Was he here to ask again that Louis give him the blood. Lestat had barely forgiven him for refusing the last time. Could he refuse again?
Louis pulled open the door.
"Good Evening."
Louis slammed the door closed immediately. That was not Lestat. That was not Lestat's accent, nor was it the kind of greeting Lestat would have given him. It was vampire. Louis had seen its fingernails. Raglan James? What has happened to Lestat? If it was Raglan James, then he could easily
steal a mortal body as dawn came and destroy him in the day.
'I was right, Lestat led him to me. Mon Dieu, Lestat! What have you done now? Well, I have a better chance against this monster now, while I am conscious, than I will when the sun rises.'
Louis looked out again. The vampire remained, calmly standing on the gallery, hands behind his back, looking vaguely concerned, but patient. Waiting. Unafraid.

Suddenly, David heard a voice behind him.
"Who are you and what do you want?"
It was not a friendly voice. It was quite menacing, in fact. David recognized the accent as French and thought that some how Pointe du Lac must have exited the house and come upon him without his knowing. A surprising feat for one with as little power as David had always been led to believe. David turned toward the voice to confirm the identity of the speaker.
"DON'T turn around!" the voice commanded. David heard a scratching sound, he smelled fire. He turned back to the door, and wondered if he were about to be immolated.
"My name is David Talbot. Lestat de Lioncourt took my life the night before last, and made me a vampire. I have come to see Louis de Pointe du Lac, and to ask if Lestat has returned here." David related this information in as steady a voice as he could manage, given the circumstances.
"That is a lie. If David Talbot had been made into a vampire, he would go immediately to the Talamasca for help. If David Talbot had been made a vampire by Lestat, Lestat would certainly not have released him on his own so soon."
David felt the warmth of the fire against his back, very close. "Please! I mean no harm. I left Lestat. I wanted to be away from him. He took me by force. I thought that this would be where he would come. If he has not, then I shall leave you, if you will allow me, and I shall not return."
Louis recognized the cadence of the voice as the same as he had heard from David Talbot in London, when Lestat had first visited the Talamasca. Also, this being seemed quite comfortable in his body, his movements seemed natural. Lestat had said that the body thief had seemed stiff and ungainly in the body.
Besides, it sounded exactly like something Lestat would do. Louis sighed and dropped his torch into a rain barrel at the side of the gallery. He walked to his door. He bowed his head to David.
"I hope you will accept my apologies, Monsieur Talbot. I am Louis de Pointe du Lac."
David visibly relaxed. "But of course. I am pleased to meet you." David held out his hand.
Louis took David's hand. It was noticeably harder than his own. "Enchante." Louis opened the door. "Please come in."
"Thank you." David walked through the door of the town house in the Rue Royale. He had read about it so many times, in the books and in the files. This was the house where Jesse had seen the apparition. He never thought he might see it with his own eyes. And certainly not in this condition. "Splendid!" David commented, under his breath.
Louis laughed quietly. "Merci, Monsieur. It is all Lestat's doing, of course." Louis closed the door behind himself. "Would you like to sit in the parlour?" Louis indicated a well furnished room beyond the door.
"Yes, thank you very much." David walked through the doorway. The parlor was decorated with Louis XV furnishings, in beautiful condition. The spinet against the wall held the warm glow of polished wood, and looked antique. The carpet was thick and soft, Persian. Heavy curtains of red velvet hung on the windows. Between the windows sat an exquisite antique desk. It looked like a museum display of a room from the nineteenth century - that is, until Louis tapped a light switch on the wall. The chandelier above blazed into brilliant light, reflected back and again from each delicate crystal hanging and sparkling from the thirteen separate lights. The electric light may have been anachronistic to the time period, but it only made the room more dazzling.
Louis politely waited while David stared up at the chandelier. They may have been there all night, but 40 minutes later, the clock chimed the hour, and roused David from his trance. At the sound he lowered his head and blinked a few times.
"Perhaps you would be more comfortable on the divan, Monsieur," Louis said.
"Oh, yes," David laughed, a bit embarrassed. He sat down. Louis sat after him.
"I am sorry," David explained. "I became somewhat enthralled."
Louis smiled warmly. "I understand. These new powers, the heightened senses. It can be overwhelming, especially at first."
"Yes," David smiled gratefully. "Yes, exactly so."
"Lestat is not here, Monsieur," Louis told him. "I do not know when he will return."
"Please, call me David."
"David," Louis acknowledged.
"Actually, I didn't expect him to be. Not quite so soon, at any rate. I would think he has only just discovered my disappearance. But I do believe that he will return here."
"He may, but he just as likely may not. It could be weeks or months before he returns. Lestat's travels are seldom predictable. May I ask what it is you want of him? Is it revenge?" Louis asked, his expression worried.
"No, no, nothing like that. I simply wish to be with him again. But first I should like to talk to you, if you are willing."

"I am. You want to talk about Lestat, I assume." Louis looked at him. David became lost in Louis's eyes, so deep, such a vivid shade of green. They were magnificent. They were magnetizing.

"David?" Louis tried to call him back to the moment.

"Yes, Louis." David shook his head, as if to clear it. "I was distracted. But yes, I would like to discuss Lestat." David caught himself, "May I call you Louis?"

Louis smiled. "Please."

"Thank you," David took a deep breath. "I don't know where to begin,' he laughed.

"May I ask a question?" Louis inquired.

"Yes, of course," David nodded.

"How did you obtain this body?" Louis asked.

"Oh! Oh yes, of course," David laughed again. "I suppose you must have many questions yourself. Raglan James," David stopped, looking to Louis, to see if he recognized the name. Louis nodded. "Was forced out of Lestat's body, and we had planned then to shoot this body with him in it. But instead, he forced me out of my body, so I had no choice but to take this one, you see?"

"Oui. But now he has your old body? Has he infiltrated the Talamasca?" Louis asked.

"No, no. He approached Lestat in my old body, and tried to convince Lestat that he was David Talbot and that he wanted the Dark Gift. Well, of course as Lestat drank from him, he learned the truth. At that I am afraid Lestat became quite angry and threw my body, with Raglan James in it, against a wall and crushed the head, killing him. So I was left in this body."

Louis eyes had widened during the telling of this tale. "Lestat injured your body, knowing that you would not be able then to regain it?"

"In the heat of the moment he acted rashly. But that is not unexpected from him, is it?" David grinned at Louis, Louis grinned back.

"I suppose it is well documented in his file."

"Yes, in his OWN file," David answered. "In all fairness, I must say that he did try to get medical help for the body, but I was in the vicinity and I stopped him. It was useless really. And I admit, the thought of having several more years in this young healthy body did appeal to me."

"But not eternity," Louis said.

David looked away. "No. I wasn't inclined to ask for this."

"I am sorry, David. As you say, he acts rashly." Louis's voice was full of sympathy.

"Yes, well, what is done is done. And to be honest, Louis, I don't know that it isn't exactly what I wanted all along."

"Immortality, perhaps, but surely not to be taken against your will. David, that is unforgivable. Lestat has passed a limit this time. I do not see that the others will sit still for it. This is not the expected rulebreaking antics of the Vampire Lestat. This is rape." Louis's voice remained quiet, but there was shock and anger in it.

"Do you really think the others will go after him?" David asked, with concern.

"They have never enforced the rules upon him before, but in this case it seems likely," Louis said. "Only Maharet and Mekare exceed his power now. Mekare does not concern herself with the coven. I do not know that Maharet will. Marius will be furious. As will Jesse, I am sure."

"I do not wish to cause any action to be taken against Lestat!" David exclaimed. "Louis, how can I stop it?"

Louis was startled at this reaction. "David, please, do not be upset. I do not know that there will be anything to stop. It is only an educated guess. The actions of the others are never a given, under any circumstance."

"How can I contact them? How can I be sure? I have forgiven Lestat. I do not want any harm to come to him!" David stood and began pacing.

Louis was a bit confused, "David, don't worry, please. Lestat can take care of himself in any event. He always does. You have forgiven him?"

"Yes. I cannot say with any certainty that I wouldn't do it all over again. I am enjoying my vampiric existence immensely. I am just now beginning to understand that it is possible that I wanted it all along, but I simply could not morally justify asking for it." David said this almost as if he were talking to himself. He was only considering this as he heard it come out of his own mouth. "Do you understand? It is as if Lestat has done me the great service of removing my own culpability for this action."

Louis looked a bit sad. "I see." He stood and stepped a few feet in front of David, to bring a halt to his pacing. "There is no cause for this agitation. Please sit down. If this is your true feeling, then I am sure that the others will be able to read it from you, and they will take no action. David, stop this, please. You are only upsetting yourself further," Louis told him, but not with the sharpness of authority. Louis's voice remained calm and respectful.

David did stop. He looked at Louis for a long moment and then nodded, retaking his seat. "Yes, you are right, Louis. I am a bit excitable tonight, I suppose," David let out a long sigh. "I am not myself. I am usually far more controlled than this."

Louis gently laid his hand on David's shoulder. "You must take into account your change. It is not something one recovers from by the next night, David." Louis stopped and thought how to phrase this next question. "David . . .did Lestat . . .teach you to . . . feed?"

David smiled. "He didn't need to, Louis. I am quite capable, I assure you. And yes, I have done so tonight. But thank you for asking. I do appreciate your concern."

"Ah. Well. Bien." Louis looked a bit uncomfortable. 'It seems that I am the only one that Lestat has had to practically force feed the first time,' he thought. Aloud, he asked, "Where were you when you last saw Lestat?"

"Barbados," David answered him.

"You traveled from Barbados to New Orleans in one night?" Louis was not skeptical, but he was amazed. "How?"

"I have the benefit of the ancient blood that flows in Lestat now. I flew." David wondered if this information would provoke any jealousy in Louis. He needn't have worried.

Louis registered surprise. "You must be very tired," he said.

David thought about it. "Actually I am," he laughed.

"I hope you will stay here, then. Lestat has taken precautions, and all of the bedrooms are completely secure and impervious to sunlight." Louis seemed to want him to accept this invitation very much; David briefly wondered if he simply wanted the company. But whatever the reason it was extended, he would accept the invitation. He had nowhere else to go.

"I would be happy to stay. Thank you."

"De rien. It seems the least I can do," Louis answered. "I am sorry, but I must retire soon. May I show you to a room?"

"Ah, yes, indeed. I should have realized. It is becoming early, isn't it?"

"It is for me. Please," Louis rose gestured for David to follow him. They walked to the stairs.

"The bedrooms are on the second floor?" David asked.

"Yes," Louis looked puzzled. "Why do you ask?"

"I suppose I expected them to be below ground," David answered.

"Very few things in New Orleans are below ground, Monsieur." Louis gave him a slight smile, climbing the steps.

"Oh," David chuckled. "I should have known that."
"But as I said, you will be safe."

"I have no doubt of your word, Louis."

As they entered the hall, David saw that the room at the end had been left with its door wide open. Through it he could see a large four poster bed made up with beautiful blue satin sheets, which were in wild disarray. There was a velvet coverlet in a heap on the floor. There was a stack of books, perhaps 10 or 12, to the right side of the bed. Articles of clothing were strewn hither and yon. The room seemed enormous. David had the irresistible urge to touch the satin. It drew him. The shine, the texture, he wanted to press it to his face. And then he was doing exactly that. It was cool on his skin. He could see the pattern of the machine woven threads. So perfect. There was a door, it led to a washroom. White marble and golden fixtures. So clean, so beautiful. He bent and pressed his cheek to the marble sink. Polished smooth. Then he saw the shower, behind glass doors. He slid the door open. The bathtub was large enough for him to lie down in. He spread his arms out. So wide! What would this be in American measurements? Three feet perhaps? Four? He looked up. It seemed the shower heads were so far away. One on each side. And another further down the wall. And on the other side as well. The water pressure must be extreme. Ah water, yes. David remembered the feel of the water on his body as he swam for his first kill in Barbados. Soothing, it had caressed and held his body, the sensation had been immensely comforting and invigorating. He reached above his head for the knob. As he started to turn it, he was stopped by a cold hand.

"I'm sorry, but you may scald yourself, if you do that. Lestat has it heated to 180 degrees Fahrenheit. Open the cold water faucet first." Louis moved David's hand to the next knob.

David was quickly brought to his senses. It registered how ridiculous he must look, lying fully dressed in a bathtub, about to soak himself. Not to mention he hadn't even been invited into this room. What if it belonged to Louis? He sat up and apologized as he tried to step out of the tub.

"This is quite rude. I do apologize-" He slipped as he tried to bring his left foot over the side of the tub.

Louis caught him before he fell and lifted him out. "Are you alright?" Louis held David with one arm around his waist and the other around his shoulders. It was as close as David had been to another vampire. He suddenly felt a bit dizzy. He reached to his waist and grasped Louis' arm.

"Give me a moment, would you?" David said, his voice was trembling.

"Yes," Louis tightened his hold.

David took a few deep breaths. Then he brought his head up and looked into Louis's face. Louis was concerned, but not agitated. He seemed well in control, as if having strange vampires invade his lair, tell wild stories and then ensconce themselves in one of the bathrooms was not at all unusual. David looked closer. Louis looked weary. Exhausted, in fact. 'Of course,' he thought, 'the morning will come for him far sooner than for me. And here I am keeping him from his resting place.'

"The sun, I think," David said. "It is taking my strength. Thank you."

Louis released him and stepped back respectfully. "Perhaps you should lie here. Lestat will not be back tonight certainly." Louis walked to the bed and began pulling the covers into some semblance of order.

"Here, I can do that. Don't go to any trouble," David said, following Louis back into the bedroom.

"Will you be comfortable here? This is Lestat's room," Louis said, as if that fact was a possible deterrent.

"It is fine Louis. Thank you so much. Thank you for your hospitality," David said gratefully.

Louis kneeled to retrieve the coverlet from the floor, and grasped the nearest dresser to help himself rise. David took the coverlet from him.

"Rest well," Louis said, and again bowed his head.

"Bonne Nuit," David returned.

Louis smiled in acknowledgment of the French, then he turned and walked out of the room, closing the door. David heard him stumble once, then heard a door closing, and then the sound of something very heavy hitting the floor. David wondered briefly if he should go and see that Louis was alright, but he found that the thought of walking to the door was too tiring to contemplate. He kicked off his shoes and fell into bed.

The next night David rose just as the sun was beginning to set. He searched telepathically for signs of life. No one but Louis and a few elementals. Louis was still in the death sleep. He wondered if he dared to explore the house on his own. No, Louis had been far too gracious to be repaid by having someone poke about through his things while he slept. David decided it would be alright to check on Louis, to determine what had hit the floor this morning. He left Lestat's room and stood in the hall. He could sense Louis behind the second door to his right. David walked to the door and opened it.

Louis lay where he had fallen, face down on the hard wood floor.

"That is what I thought that noise was," David commented to himself. He went to Louis and turned him over to determine the extent of the damage. But if there had been any, it had healed during the day. Louis's face was unmarred. His eyes were closed and he was completely limp, without a spark of consciousness. So vulnerable, David thought. He felt Louis's arms and legs, nothing seemed to be broken. He gathered Louis into his arms and lifted him; he was surprised at how little Louis weighed. Then he realized that it was his own vampire strength that caused the discrepancy. David carried him to the bed. It was also a four poster, but it had been made. David wondered briefly if he should undress Louis, or at least remove his shoes. Perhaps not. He didn't want Louis to be embarrassed. David thought it would certainly make him uncomfortable to know that someone he hardly knew had been handling him in his sleep. 'I wonder if he will know that I put him on the bed? Perhaps he will think he got there himself.' David thought briefly of putting Louis back on the floor, but that seemed rather extraneous. David looked about the room. Here also there were piles of books on the floor, but it did seem somewhat more orderly. The two doors that David took to be the closet and the washroom were closed. There was a beautiful copy of Botticelli's "Birth of Jesus" on the wall facing the bed. It was a copy, wasn't it? There were several book shelves. One of them was filled with videotapes. There was a rather startling painting over the bed of Mars chastising Cupid, but David couldn't place the artist. He checked to see that Louis looked comfortable and left the room, closing the door behind himself.

David returned to Lestat's room. He thought briefly of tidying it up a bit, but then he thought that wasn't really his place. Besides, he had no idea where anything went.

Chapter Two

David walked into the bathroom. It still had an unreal quality, in its size and its brightness. All of the surfaces were polished to a high shine. He noticed that the glass doors of the shower had Lestat's monogram etched into them. The towels were embroidered with LdL's of all possible styles. David laughed. The mirror over the sinks took up the entire wall and was lighted. David turned on the water and splashed it over his face. That felt good. He wondered if he dare take a shower? There were certainly plenty of towels. But he had nothing to change into. Then again he could always put his own clothes back on. He didn't think it would upset Louis, as he had been ready to see him take a shower with his clothes on last night. David closed the bathroom door and quickly shed his shirt, trousers and underclothes. He turned on the water in the shower, being sure to turn the cold knob first. He had been right about the water pressure, it nearly took his hand off of his arm! David looked for a pressure control. He finally found a series of buttons next to each faucet, and adjusted the force. When the temperature was tolerable, he stepped in. That feel of the water hitting him from all sides was relaxing and strangely erotic. But of course, Lestat would have found a way to take sensual showers.

David took the soap bar from the dish. It smelled of lavender and sandalwood. Very pleasing. He lathered and rinsed then looked about for shampoo. There were two clear bottles sitting on a shelf set into a wall of the shower. They had no labels. He opened the first and poured a small amount of it's contents out into his hand. Bubble bath. He took up the other bottle, and to his delight found it contained shampoo. He lathered and rinsed his hair. Then he stood under the water for a long while, marveling at the height and strength of this new body. He ran his hands over himself. He did feel that his skin seemed harder. And he was much more flexible. 'Ah, God, what have I done to deserve this good fortune?' he wondered. Just because it felt so good, he washed and shampooed himself again.

He stepped out of the tub, with much more grace this time, he noted, and took up a white towel with LdL embroidered in gold at the ends. It was large and thick. He rubbed himself dry and thought what the night might hold for him. He had taken to Louis right away. He seemed to be intelligent and gentle. And he does have a sense of humor hidden in there somewhere. David redressed in his clothing and stepped back into Lestat's bedroom.

To his amazement, the bed had been made. The books were stacked neatly against the wall. And the clothes had been returned to the closet and drawers. Ah, but not all. David saw a pair of jeans on the bed. As he got closer he saw that it was deliberate. There was an entire outfit. Jeans, sweater, undershirt, shorts, socks and shoes. Louis had left a note on the pillow.

"Dear David,
I hope these are the correct sizes.
I apologize if the style does not suit you.
I thought it best to purchase something nondescript.
Louis"
David quite touched that Louis had gone to this trouble for him. He undressed for the second time and put on the clothing Louis had left. Amazingly, everything did fit, as well as could be expected for off the rack. He regarded himself in the full length mirror which stood to the right of Lestat's closet. Black sneakers, white socks, blue jeans and a grey sweater. He looked like an Indian exchange student at Tulane. But certainly not someone who would cause a second glance in a crowd, except for his height. He liked what he saw. He thought briefly of what godawful thing Lestat would have brought for him. Leather pants and a black lace shirt? Red silk suit? G-string and a nose ring? David laughed out loud. He transferred the contents of his pockets to the new jeans and went downstairs.

He found Louis reading in the parlour. "Good Evening, Louis. Thank you for the clothing."

Louis rose as he heard David's voice. "Bonsoir. I'm glad they are satisfactory. Won't you sit down?"

David did so.

"I must apologize for the state of Lestat's room," Louis continued, sitting after David had, "he packed in rather a rush, I'm afraid. I will certainly settle you into the proper guest room for the rest of your stay."

"Think nothing of it, Louis, please. After all, it is my intention to find out more about Lestat," David smiled.

"So you know he's a slob, what else can I tell you?" Louis asked.

David laughed. "Well, there are quite a few questions I have always wanted to ask you. I have read your book, you know, and both of his."

"I really prefer to think of it as Daniel's book, it is Lestat who continually attributes it to me," Louis smiled. "Not that I deny the story is mine, it is. What would you like to ask?"

"If it isn't too personal, could you tell me what is was that led you to seek out Lestat in Carmel Valley?"

"Please feel free to ask whatever you wish. Many vampires were seeking Lestat then," Louis answered.

"Are his books accurate?"

"As accurate as Lestat can account, yes."

"Does that mean no?"

Louis lowered his eyes and smiled. "We remember our time together in different ways, sometimes. As to his accounts that exclude me, I assume that they are accurate. I have no way to verify them of course. What I will say is that Lestat does not deliberately lie, in his writing. He tells things as he experienced them."

"Do you resent his writings?"

"Non. Writing gives him something to do between grand adventures. Keeps him off the streets, as they say." Louis grinned at David. "And he reveals much more of himself in his books than he ever has in conversation. That is his heart and his soul on those pages. I know some of the descriptions of me have been less than complimentary sometimes, but it is harmless. It gives him such pleasure. And of course he needs his revenge."

"Revenge?" David asked, he was a bit startled at the term.

"Oui. For what I said about him to Daniel. It did not show him in the best light, you'll agree," Louis said. "Also, I believe he has always been upset that he had not thought of it first. Writing a book, I mean. And there are still some reviewers and critics who will write that Anne Rice's Vampire Chronicles went steadily downhill since INTERVIEW WITH THE VAMPIRE." Louis laughed out loud. "You should see him! He'll go on for hours and hours quoting the sales, and reprints, and number of weeks on the bestseller lists that THE VAMPIRE LESTAT, and QUEEN OF THE DAMNED have achieved, even though no one is contradicting him at all."

David laughed as well. "I can see him doing that."

"But his writing has been the best thing for him. He is so much more content once he can get everything down on paper. Just after he has a book published, he is the most blissful, happy and unflappable person. He is almost unrecognizable." Louis smiled a bit. "Of course that usually only lasts three months, perhaps. And then he is back to the old excitable Lestat."

"Why did he use the pen name?" David asked.

"I have never asked him, but I assume that he thought it would help to prove Daniel's book was all lies. You see, if the same author was writing both points of view, obviously the whole thing must be fiction.
He actually uses his proper name very little. He has all of his accounts and investments in pseudonyms. I never know whose identification he is carrying. God forbid if I ever had to bail him out of jail or some such. I wouldn't know who to ask for."

"Who is Anne Rice?" David asked.

Louis smiled. "She is my favorite mortal."

"Would you elaborate on that, please?" David requested as tactfully as he could, his curiosity getting the best of him.

"All right, I'll tell you the story of Anne Rice, as far as I know it. Daniel named her. When he was in New Orleans, looking for Lestat, he misheard the phrase "red beans and rice," which is a local dish that absolutely pervades this city, as "Red Beans Anne Rice," the dish, then the name. Like Oysters Bienville, or Eggs Benedict. You must understand, he was severely sleep deprived, and a bit anemic, which was my fault, of course. Well, eventually, he found out the real name, but when he sent his tapes to his publisher, he asked that they release them under that pen name, Anne Rice, which he thought would leave him free to continue to search for Lestat. He felt that this way Lestat, or any other vampire, would be on their guard against a woman, thus giving him an advantage. Eventually of course, an author had to be produced. By that time Daniel was quite involved with Armand. Armand contacted me, and I found this creative, intelligent, beautiful young girl, and asked if she would accept the role. She agreed. And she has always kept up her end of the bargain.

"She does the book signings, she is open and courteous to her fans, she lets them come through her house, she talks to them, she takes their messages, she is wonderful. We couldn't possibly exist as we do without her. She has even written books of her own, which are very good. So she is in fact, an author. But it is she who carries the main burden of the charade. And she does this with good humor and class. We are eternally grateful to her."

"So you speak with her? You control her actions?" David asked.

"Non, non, not exactly. She and I are great friends. I see her often, and we talk casually about such things when we are together, but often we give her the situation, and she invents the solution. She is exceedingly clever. I told her, after Lestat had released his first book, that I didn't wish to release any more information of my own. One brush with fame was enough for me. At her next appearance, I believe it was a book signing, she explained that she was no longer quite so enamored of 'Louis' and she felt more empowered to be speaking through 'Lestat,' now." Louis smiled wide, showing his fangs. "I sent her twelve dozen roses. I thought that was just brilliant. She is that way. We can rely upon her to cover our mistakes, to reconcile our conflicting tales, make it all look like fiction. As Daniel says, 'She pulls our asses out of the fire and then takes the heat.' " Louis laughed and shook his head.

David looked amazed. "But she knows. She knows what you are, and who you are?"

"Mais, oui. She does."

"She has such power, then. Don't you fear what she may do?" David asked.

"No more than I fear what Mekare may do, or Maharet. They could destroy the rest of us just as easily. But it is not an issue. Though she is mortal, she is part of our coven, Lestat's and mine, Armand and Daniel's, she would never hurt us. No more than you would have endangered Lestat, during his visits, when you were mortal," Louis told him.

"I see, I see," David said, nodding. "Yes, it all seems to make sense now. I must tell you, she is quite a topic of debate in the halls of the Talamasca. There have been all sorts of theories. Some are certain that she herself is some kind of vampire, or other immortal. It has been put forth that she is simply a convenient pawn, or that she is being kept as a mortal slave, in some way. Some think she is a harmless flake, others that she holds some power over the vampires she writes about. Of course when I saw my own name, and Aaron's and Jesse's in QUEEN OF THE DAMNED, I was quite shocked and disturbed."

"I can imagine, but that is to be blamed upon Lestat, not Anne."

"You call her Anne?" David asked.

"Oui, that is her name. Everyone calls her Anne. But of course you know that she was not named that at birth. It has been in the interviews and in the biography," Louis said.

"Yes, but I wasn't certain if that was true."

"It is all true. Everything about her, personally, is true, just as true as Lestat's books are about us. I met her at a poetry reading, in San Francisco. She seemed a bit shy, as am I in those settings, so we ended up in the same corner. She heard my accent and asked me where I was from. I said New Orleans, and from there we must have talked for three or four hours. She was doing research for FEAST OF ALL SAINTS at the time. I said that I had researched that time period myself and we discussed that, completely losing all track of time, until Stan," Louis looked to David, "her husband," he explained, "came to find out where she had got to. The reading was over and we had both missed it completely." Louis laughed. "So we made a date to meet again, and discuss her book, the next night. We kept in touch, as much as we could, and when Armand called me, about coming up with 'Anne Rice,' she was my first thought. And yes, that is Stan's last name, so therefore hers as well. One of the reasons I thought of her first was that she already possessed the right surname."

"But what about all of the parallels between her real life and the books? What about Michele and Claudia?"

"Ah, Michele. She was a most precious child." Louis gave a sad smile. "That was quite a tragedy. But of course, it was only a coincidence, the similarities between Anne's daughter and our daughter. Actually, we find it quite funny how these comparisons are continually made. You can make any character stand for any real person with very little effort. If Anne had written A CHRISTMAS CAROL, then Tiny Tim would have been Michele. You see?"

"Hmmmm." David was unconvinced, but knew that often the truth is the most unlikely explanation.

"Let me ask you a question. If you believe that Claudia is Michele, and Gabrielle is Anne's desire to save her mother, and all that, then who is Armand? What of the 'characters' who have no parallel? For that matter, who is Lestat? Who am I?"

"Yes, I see that of course, but it just seems so convenient," David said.

"I know. Perhaps it is all predestined after all, oui?" Louis laughed.

"Perhaps so. As we were investigating, we continually found these parallels, and we did begin to wonder if either Anne's world or your world was a deliberate falsehood, perpetuated in real time, so that all of the past documents could be authenticated. It was quite a popular theory for some years."

Again Louis laughed. "She will love that when I tell her."

David found himself almost mesmerized by the sound of Louis's laughter. It was a beautiful, infectious sound. It was a thing of perfection. Like the laughter of angels. Low and melodic. The defining example of laughter. David wondered briefly if this reaction was a product of his new vampire hearing, but then he saw that Louis had been waiting, patiently, for him to go on.

David smiled a bit self-consciously, "I was getting caught up again. I apologize."

Louis smiled at him and made a dismissive gesture with his hand. "No need. Do you have any other questions?"

"I do, but I am afraid I must be going out, if you'll excuse me," David said, wondering if Louis would get the meaning behind his words, without elaboration.

Louis comprehended at once. "Oui, but of course. I shall be here when you return."

"Oh? Aren't you . . . going out?" David heard himself ask, and then thought, 'What a personal question! Why did I say that?'.

"I have already been," Louis answered, bringing up his hand to indicate David's clothing.

"Ah, yes. I forgot," David said, unconsciously pulling at the collar of the sweater. He stood. "Well . . ." He found himself somewhat at a loss, and the hunger was growing unbearable.

"Let me show you to the door," Louis said, smoothly covering the awkward silence.

'Victorian manners, European grace, Southern charm, these things were instilled in him. As unchangeable as his development, arrested forever at twenty-five. A young gentleman still, even in this Savage Garden.' David thought, admiringly, as he followed Louis to the door.

"Do you wish me to accompany you?" Louis asked, opening his front door.

David was aware that Louis disliked hunting with others, and was very touched by the offer. "No, thank you. I'll be fine."

Louis nodded and closed the door after him.

David went out into New Orleans with a feverish satisfaction. He couldn't be more delighted with Louis. He felt a certain tenderness, a warmth for him already. He knew now that he had made the right decision in coming here. He was certain that Lestat would return here, and probably soon. He loved actually being in Lestat's city, in Lestat's own house, with Lestat's own fledgling! Things were shaping up marvelously. David quickly took to the air and transported himself to the public housing buildings, behind St. Louis Numbers 1 and 2. He had read in mortal minds that this was a "high crime area" and therefore his kill would cause less of a stir. He dispatched two men quickly, healing the fang marks and hiding the bodies in the trunk of a vacant car. He then thought of returning immediately, but couldn't resist a walk down Bourbon Street first. He was still falling into trances over his heightened senses. Perhaps if he went into the heart of the city, where all of the sights, sounds and smells are strongest, he could effect a "sensory overload" of sorts. After this, his attention and concentration might return. Also, he admitted, he wanted to experience the French Quarter. He wanted excitement. He wanted sensations. He wanted to see how far these new powers could take him. It wouldn't take more than a few hours, Louis would wait for him. And there was always a chance that Lestat would arrive in his absence. He wanted so much to see Lestat again, to share this vampiric existence with his only friend.

After watching David disappear through the side window, Louis went upstairs and opened the guest room. He retrieved David's clothing from Lestat's room, folding it neatly and piling it on the dresser. He opened the window to let in some air. As he was remaking the bed with fresh linens, the enormity of what he was doing struck him, as solid as a blow, and he had to sit on the bed to keep from falling.

'Lestat has made another companion, and I have welcomed him into this house! I had him sleep in Lestat's bed! I am already situating him here, when I have only recently been invited to live here myself! Giving him a room, buying him clothes, answering questions, what am I thinking? What is Lestat thinking? Non, I realize what Lestat is thinking. David helped him when I wouldn't. I am not forgiven. He is playing with me, as he told me he would. Why didn't I pay attention to that? I should know by now that Lestat means all of these little remarks. Mon Dieu, mon Dieu, what shall I do now? What is my next move? What sort of game is this? Was David sent here by Lestat? Is he lying?

'But no, I do not think he is lying. And Lestat has never used subterfuge. Perhaps it was only the act of giving David the Dark Gift that was to be Lestat's move against me. He once made one smaller and weaker than me to keep me near him, so it stands to reason that he would make one larger and stronger than me to drive me away.

'Yet Lestat would have wanted to present this new one to me himself. He would want to see me receive him. Lestat had not planned on David leaving him so soon. And it is through David's own will that he has come here. It is not a part of Lestat's grand scheme.

'If there even is a grand scheme. If I am not simply looking for persecution where none exists. If I am not caught in the vanity of thinking that all of Lestat's bad decisions are somehow a direct attack on me. I must think. Lestat doesn't plan. Lestat acts on impulse. I know this. So David could not be some sort of trap for me, could he? Lestat has always wanted to make a fledgling of David. He offered it to him at that first meeting. And if we are meant to be adversaries, we have certainly gotten off to a bad start at it. David is too intelligent, too mature, and too independent to be Lestat's pawn.' Louis stood up and resumed making the bed. 'And even if he were, it would make him my ally rather than my adversary. So if that was Lestat's plan, he has again chosen his companion badly. And he certainly went about making him in the worst possible way if that was his intention. One doesn't force another into being one's closest friend. Rape is not the type of thing they'll be looking back on in fifty years and laughing about. Well, Lestat might, but I certainly doubt that David will. Poor David, Lestat's latest victim. Lestat befriended him, seduced him, needed him and then betrayed him. And he still loves Lestat. . . .the same as I.

Louis finished with the guest room and walked down the hall to change the towels in Lestat's bathroom. 'Lestat,' he thought, as he entered the room. 'He is like a drug. An addiction. We should form a support group, David and I. Lestataholics Anonymous. Adult Children of Lestat. We could contact Gabrielle and form PFLAG: Parents and Fledglings of Lestat the God. We could march in parades! Or I suppose we could wait until the wives of the "Promise Keepers" go into recovery and join them. One conceited, overbearing control-freak who thinks he knows what is best for everyone, and believes that what is best for everyone is that he be in charge of everything and everyone all the time, is as good as another, I suppose.

'I wonder if that is what his father was like? He seemed perfectly pleasant to me, but of course he was very sick then. And he did admit that there was much he had done to Lestat for which he begged forgiveness. Then again, if I am to believe Lestat's book, he was a complete tyrant. I cannot reconcile the image of the man with whom I ate dinner and played chess, with the ogre who would have his son locked up and beaten and beaten again, and deny him everything that made him happy. What would that do to a boy? And he said this was common, even expected. I suppose it is Lestat who needs the support group. Immortal Survivors of Eighteenth Century French Parenting.'

Louis sighed as he passed Lestat's mirror. There was a picture tucked into the corner of it. It had been taken in Miami, just after the coven had moved there from Sonoma. It was a picture of Gabrielle, Lestat and himself. He remembered that neither he nor Gabrielle had particularly wanted to pose for it, but at that point they would each do anything Lestat asked. They were just so relieved to have him back. Of course it was blatantly against the rules. No exposure to close-up photography and all that. Which was one reason that Lestat simply had to have it, obviously. Louis had tried to convince Lestat to allow him to take it, but Lestat wouldn't hear it. They must all be in it. Lestat had purchased a camera with an automatic timer, just so that neither Louis nor Gabrielle could get out of it that way. Lestat had set up the camera and they must have let it take pictures for thirty minutes, while Lestat told jokes and tickled them and did everything else he could think of to get them both to smile. Louis remembered that there had been dozens of pictures developed in the end. He had counted at least ten in which Lestat was smiling while he and Gabrielle rolled their eyes at each other or stood looking impatiently at Lestat. Louis had thought that these were in fact the best pictures, but Lestat had thrown them all in the fire. But this one had been Lestat's favorite. Louis pulled it from the mirror frame. Lestat sitting on a chair in the middle, Gabrielle sitting on the arm of the chair to his left, Louis sitting on the chair arm to Lestat's right. Lestat had an arm around each of them, and just before the camera had flashed, Lestat had quickly pulled them both down onto his lap. Thank God it had been a wide chair or he'd have knocked their heads together! But he had gotten his result, they had all been laughing when the shutter closed. The next night he shut himself into his room and began to write. It was the last Louis would see of him for twelve nights straight.

Louis put his hand over the right half of the picture so that only Lestat and Gabrielle's faces showed. 'So alike,' he thought. 'The same face, masculine and feminine. Madonna and child.' Louis laughed. He picked up the pad of Post-It notes from the table by Lestat's phone. He covered the half of the picture with himself in it with one note. Then on another he wrote,

"Out takes from the PIETA sessions, pre-sculpture photography. Artist's comment: ' AWFUL! Reverse positions, mother/son. Madonna - less laughing, more mourning. Christ - less clothing, more dying. This is ART, people, ART!' "

He stuck the note under Lestat's and Gabrielle's faces, and slid the picture back into Lestat's mirror. He wondered how long it would take Lestat to notice it. He wondered how soon Lestat might be home. How long would he search for David, before returning? Perhaps he would go to London first? And after that, where? He wouldn't think to look here for David, not if he thinks David is avoiding him. 'So it could be quite a long time before I see him again,' Louis sighed to himself. He walked back to the guest room, David's room, and shut the window. Just then he heard footsteps on the gallery. Lestat?

But as he rushed down the steps he realized that Lestat, while still in charge of his own body, which apparently he was, would never knock on his own door.

Chapter Three

Louis reached for the doorknob and admitted David.
"Thank you Louis. I am sorry to be so long, I took a bit of a detour through the French Quarter." David came in, pink, smiling and well-fed.

"Not at all. It is a sight not to be missed. I should have suggested it," Louis said.

"Yes, quite! I have never seen such a teeming crowd of drunken youngsters in my life," David laughed.

"Ah, Bourbon Street," Louis commented.
"It is an absolute haven for the wilder set, isn't it?"

Louis nodded. "It has been so for quite some time. But of course this is nothing compared to Mardi Gras. Have you ever been?" Louis led him into the back parlour and they sat in chairs opposite each other.

"No, I am afraid I haven't had the pleasure. Carnival starts in Rio de Janeiro soon, and I plan to attend that. Have you ever seen it?" David asked.

"Non," Louis answered.
"You must accompany me then. I am hoping to go with Lestat. I still feel certain he will return here soon. But even if he does not, will you come?"

"Thank you for the invitation. I will consider it. What makes you think that Lestat will return here soon?" Louis inquired.

"Well, it seems to me that he will want to relate the entire story to you, as soon as he can. To try to shock you if nothing else."

Louis smiled at that.
"Also," David continued, "the fact that he has been restoring this residence leads me to believe that he had planned to stay here for a while. His visit to me was a bit spur of the moment, I think."

"Yes, but you ruined his plans. Don't you think he will search you out first?" Louis asked.

"That is quite logical but I have a feeling that he will be here soon. I cannot explain it better than that. I will know when he is within a few miles, if any mortals see him," David said.

"I see. It will be nice to see him again," Louis said casually. "I was wondering why you had never asked him about Anne Rice?"

"Our conversations usually revolved around more esoteric issues. We rarely got down to the actual workings of his life. I never really thought to bring it up when he was with me, and I did censor myself somewhat, hoping not to put him off. I could never be absolutely sure that each meeting wouldn't be our last. One almost was, as you know."

Louis shook his head. "Non, I am afraid I do not."

"But you do know that he went to the Gobi desert, that he laid in the sun?"

"Oui. But he would not talk of it to me. He said he wanted to 'see what would happen.'" Louis emphasized Lestat's words with disapproval.

"Oh," David said, unsure if he should go on.

"He DID mean to destroy himself. . . didn't he?" Louis asked quietly.

"Yes." David met Louis eyes. "Yes he had intended to 'go on,' he said. He said he had thought of a way to 'end it.'"

Louis lowered his eyes quickly. He stared at the pattern in the carpet for a long time. David did not know if he should try to say something, to comfort him, perhaps. He was just about to point out that they could be happy that Lestat had survived after all, and that he was unlikely to try it again, when Louis broke his silence.

"But he came to say goodbye to you first. He told you his plans." Louis voice was lower, almost monotone. These were statements, not questions.

David understood. Lestat had not told Louis. If Lestat had done it, most probably Louis would have been the last to know. And Lestat didn't even say goodbye. David remembered Lestat telling him at one point that his feelings and emotions were felt so much more keenly as a vampire. Love is overpowering, loneliness cuts and tears your heart, abandonment is crushing.

"Yes," David answered. "He came to offer me the Dark Gift once more. To let me know that it would be my last chance."

"I see." Louis continued to look at the carpet.

David was at a loss. He didn't know what to say. He hadn't meant to cause Louis this pain.

"I had thought the others would have told you," David said. "I didn't mean to -"

"Others?" Louis interrupted him, looking up.

There was such sadness in his eyes. No tears, but such pain. And even in this misery, he was so beautiful, just as Lestat had said.

"Yes. He returned to the manor, after he had tried it. And I could feel others, outside the manor, there to see if he was all right. I do not know who, but it was more than one. And I had thought that, whoever they were, they might have told you what had happened. I didn't realize that Lestat had not told you . . . had not told you everything. I am sorry."

Louis stared at David for several seconds, obviously shocked at this news. David heard his breathing stop.

"Louis . . ."David tentatively stood up and approached him. "Louis, it was an impulse. He thought of it and he thought he would do it." David kneeled in front of Louis. "He didn't think it through. He didn't consider the effects. Does he ever?"

Louis blinked several times and took a deep breath. This relieved David, greatly. Louis opened his mouth to speak, but couldn't find words. He finally just shrugged to David, and shook his head.

David tentatively patted Louis' hand, then took it in his own. Louis allowed it. They were quiet for a bit.

"Was it very painful for him, the burning?" Louis asked.

"He was in great pain when he arrived, yes. And for the next two nights. I think he was still in pain the third night, but he went out. Had to buy clothes, you see." David chuckled, hoping Louis would too. Louis did not.

"I wasn't told, David. I would have come to him, then." Now David thought he did see a tell-tale hint of red in Louis eyes, there was almost a sob in his voice. "I would have! I would have come and comforted him, helped him! I didn't know!"

"Of course you didn't, Louis," David consoled him. "How could you? Lestat understands that."

"Mais il ne comprehende pas pourquoi je lui ai refuse l'aider avec ce corps!" (But he doesn't understand why I refused to help him with this body!) Louis raised his voice. He became highly agitated.

The French was an older dialect, and David hadn't been prepared for it. He had no idea what Louis had said. He put an arm around Louis and patted his back. Louis continued in French, but David couldn't understand a word. Louis voice was thick with emotion and strained with the effort of holding back the sobs. David tried, unobtrusively, to read Louis' thoughts. But they seemed to be like waves crashing against each other. One was indistinguishable from the rest. Louis combed his fingers through his hair, then he wound his hand in it and began pulling it viciously, still trying desperately to explain something to David in French. David took Louis's hand and stilled it, then he freed it from his hair. Louis covered his face with his hands and burst into tears.

David stood and pulled Louis to his feet and over to a sofa, so that he could sit with him. The sobs came now, and all David could understand was a "Lestat" here and there.

"Hush, Louis." David took him in his arms. "No, no, you mustn't feel this way." David patted Louis's back, and tried to calm him. "Louis, listen to me. Stop this now," David said gently. "Stop it. This isn't helping things."

"Jamais!" Louis cried to him. "Jamais pardonne! Il ne me pardonne jamais! Jamais!"

This David understood. *Never. Never Forgive. He will never forgive me. Never.*

And how long is never to an immortal? David held Louis tightly, he rocked with him a bit. "Of course he will, Louis. Don't be daft. You know that he will. I certainly know that he will. How could you say this? Never? You don't believe this nonsense yourself. You're just upset, dear boy. Here, calm yourself. Take deep breaths. You are being hysterical, now. You aren't thinking rationally. You have had a shock. You must recover, this is all. Things will look better when you can compose yourself . You'll see more clearly then."

Louis quieted. He stiffened his muscles. He stopped crying, through an obvious force of will. He slowly pulled out of David's embrace. He quickly wiped his eyes, wiped the tears from his face. "Yes, " he said. "You are right, David. I do apologize for this inconsiderate display. I should have excused myself, rather than draw you into it. It was discourteous." Louis raised his face to meet David's. He had a politely bland expression. The sadness was gone, even from his eyes, though they seemed a bit vacant. Was this despair or manners?

"Have you noticed we seem to be apologizing all over each other?" David asked with a smile.

This time Louis smiled back. "Yes, I have. But this behavior does require it."

David shook his head. "More than my keeping you up with my incessant questions until you nearly collapsed in the hallway?"

Louis smiled again. "David, you aren't to blame for that."

"Nor are you for this, Louis. What we are suffering from is an excess of formality. Let us declare a moratorium on apologies from this moment. I think we will be able to communicate much better. And I don't think either one of us would be fatally offended by a lapse in etiquette."

Louis laughed. Then he reached out and touched David's sweater.

"I stained your sweater, I'm . . ."Louis stopped himself before he apologized. "I'm going to have to find you another one."

David laughed. He looked down , there were only tiny spots of blood down the front of it. "It isn't really noticeable. I was thinking of going shopping, why don't we go tonight?"

"Shopping?" Louis asked.
"Yes. I hardly brought an adequate wardrobe, and I didn't expect you to continue to act as my personal dresser." David smiled. "Besides, I need to try on a few things, to find the clothing sizes for this body. In Barbados, I mostly had short trousers and T-shirts, which are fine for that climate, but I am going to need proper attire; shirts, ties, jackets, trousers, a good suit."

"You're building a trousseau," Louis teased him.

David laughed. "Yes, and you'll have to stand in for my mother. Come along."

David stood and walked to the door, Louis followed him, pocketing his wallet and keys from the mantle as he passed.

As they walked down Royal street, David asked, "So what establishments do the well-dressed tend to frequent in New Orleans?"

"David, you are asking the wrong man," Louis said, dryly. "But I will show you where Lestat goes, when he is home."

"Is it far? I could fly us, if you'd rather," David offered.

Louis looked alarmed for a moment. "No, thank you. But if you would rather fly, I could give you directions, and I'll see you when you return."

"No, not at all. I'd prefer that we go together."

"It isn't far." Louis said, as they turned on to Canal. "It is six blocks from here or so."

Louis stopped in front of Canal Place. It was near two in the morning and the mall was dark and deserted, closed for the night. "This is it," he told David.

"All of it?" David asked looking up.
"Non, non, just the bottom three floors. The rest is a hotel," Louis told him.

"I see," David said. He looked at the glass doors and they popped open. Louis' eyes widened, and he looked around, to see if there were any witnesses. David took his arm and whisked him inside, closing the doors behind them. "Marble floors," David commented, looking down. "Very nice."

"You didn't expect any less for Lestat, did you?" Louis asked. He walked forward to the map. "Lestat starts at Brooks Brothers, then to Saks, then Gucci or Jaeger if he needs anything else." Louis pointed to each location as he said them.

"That should do." David said. "Have you been shopping with Lestat often?" he asked, heading toward the escalator, which of course was turned off.

"Too often for me, not often enough for him," Louis answered.

David chuckled and nodded.
They reached Brooks Brothers and David unlocked and lifted the gate. Louis followed him into the store. The lights were off, but they could see well enough. David browsed through the racks and displays, Louis watched him and waited patiently.

"Not looking tonight?" David asked him.
"I consider shopping to be a spectator sport, David," Louis answered.

"Oh come now. Don't tell me you allow yourself to go about without a proper wardrobe," David said. In fact, he knew that this was precisely what Louis did, from Lestat and from Lestat's books. But he wondered if he couldn't perhaps change that.

"I have no need for a 'proper wardrobe' as you call it. I am not interested in clothing and I do not have the need to pass as a mortal. I rarely allow mortals to see me, and the ones that do are most often in no condition to make sartorial comments," Louis said.

"Yes, but Louis, suppose something should come up? You must be prepared, mustn't you?" David asked.

"Such as what?" Louis asked, in a bemused voice.

"Well, anything. Anything that would require you to go out among mortals." David tried to think of something quickly. "Suppose one of the theatres stages MACBETH, and Lestat asks you to accompany him? What would you say? You wouldn't want to miss it simply because you have nothing to wear, would you?"

Louis glanced sideways at David, incredulously. He stifled a grin and said, "David, I did not attend my own mother's funeral, I believe I could find an acceptable excuse to miss what would be my seven hundred and sixteenth viewing of MACBETH." Louis looked back to the racks of clothing. "You'll have to do better than that," he told David smoothly.

'He's on to me', David thought. 'I suppose Lestat has already played all of these games with him a few million times.' David smiled at Louis and said, "Yes, I suppose that was rather weak." David took a grey suit from it's hangar and held it up to himself. "What do you think?"

"I think it is fine, but what you really want to know is what Lestat will think, and Lestat will think you are dressing your twenty-six year old vampire body like a seventy-six year old scholar," Louis answered him.

David laughed. He looked at the suit again. "Yes, you are right," he told Louis. "I must get it!"

Louis laughed as well.
David went into the dressing room to see to the fit of the suit. Louis walked idly around the store, touching the fabrics, looking at colors, and trying to gauge the sizes. He pulled out a houndstooth jacket with leather elbow patches. He would bet money that it was to David's taste exactly. He took it to the rack David had been looking through and hung it in between two suits. He wondered how long it would take David to notice it.

David emerged from the dressing room. "I am sorely in need of alterations," he said, holding out his arms.

Louis looked at him. The jacket was perhaps two sizes too large, but the trousers were far too short. "I do not think alterations will help you," he told him.

"Will you see if there is one in 38 tall?" David asked him. Louis nodded and David went back to the dressing room to remove the suit.

Louis looked through the racks. It had probably been twenty years since he had bought a suit. But the tags were still in the same places. He found one in David's size and took it back to the dressing room. He stopped at the entrance and called, "David, shall I bring it to you?"

"Yes, please do," David answered.
Louis walked into the fitting room and passed the suit over the door to David. "This is a 34 long. I believe it is your size."

"Oh?" David said. He climbed into the suit. It fit like it was made for this body. "Marvelous," he commented, looking in the mirror. He turned to the side. "Bloody marvelous," he said to himself quietly.

"I'll take that to mean it fits," Louis commented.

"What?! Oh, yes Louis, I forgot you were there. Yes, indeed, my boy, it is perfect. What size is it?" David sounded pleased.

"34 long," Louis repeated.
"Ah, well, I was well off, wasn't I?" David said, stepping out from behind the door.

"Very handsome, David," Louis told him.
"Thank you, I quite like it myself," David said. "Do you know, I haven't worn a 34 since college?"

"No, I was not aware," Louis said, trying to sound serious.

"I'm sure it is probably absurd to you," David told him. "But I cannot help but be delighted by it." He walked back to the rack he had been looking at , repeating to himself, "34 long, 34 long."

"Not at all, David," Louis said, following him. "I am happy to see how it delights you."

"Good Lord!" David exclaimed, pulling out the houndstooth jacket. "Louis, look at this! I have one exactly like this at home! Of course it won't fit now," David said, taking off the suit jacket and handing it to Louis. "I think it is my size!" David went to look in a mirror.

Louis was laughing, but quietly, so David wouldn't notice.

"Do they have corduroy trousers, do you think?" David turned to him.

Louis turned toward the back of the store. "If so, they are likely to be . . . yes, here." Louis stopped at a rack. He wondered briefly if, in his excitement, David might hand him his trousers too.

David began quickly sorting through the corduroys. "Ah, yes, these . . . oh, no . . . hmmmm . . that is an odd shade of green, don't you think? . . . and these, and in the brown, I think. I'll be back shortly." David had chosen three pairs of trousers and took them back to the dressing room. Louis was still holding his suit jacket.

Three shirts, two ties, a sweater and a vest later, they left Brooks Brothers. They had taken a few bags to hold their purchases, and Louis had left a sum of money under the cash register.

"How much do I owe you?" David asked.
Louis looked somewhat offended. "Nothing, why?"

"Well, I do have money of my own, Louis."
"It is a gift," Louis told him. "Really David, don't you know brides never pay for their own trousseaus?" he added.

David laughed. "Honestly, I wish to pay you."

Louis turned. "David," he said.
The tone stopped David in his tracks, he looked at Louis.

"I never discuss money if it can possibly be avoided," Louis said seriously. "Never."

"Why?" David asked.
Louis continued walking. "It isn't done."

"But you discussed it with Lestat, it is in your book. Daniel's book," David corrected himself.

"Lestat discussed it. I only dispensed it."

"But you invested it, you acquired it for him, isn't that so?" David asked.

"That was business. It did not require discussion. And this is a completely different circumstance," Louis answered.

"I see. Well, I thank you, then. I am in your debt."

"There are no debts among gentlemen," Louis said. It sounded like a quote.

"Who said that?" David asked.
Louis looked at him. "My father," he answered.

"Oh, " David smiled. "My father used to say 'Everything bows to money.' Erasmus,"

"Did he bow to it?" Louis asked.
"No, not that I ever saw. His point was, I believe, that he had it, and so he was to be bowed to," David chuckled.

" 'Wine maketh merry, but money answereth all things,' " Louis said.

"Your father said that?" David asked.
"No, Ecclesiastes 10:19," Louis replied. "This is it."

"What?" David looked up. "Oh, Saks Fifth Avenue."

"Yes, Lestat's next stop," Louis said. "Would you mind?" He indicated the gate.

"Not at all." David graciously unlocked and lifted the gate telepathically.

They entered and both walked straight to a mannequin wearing a suit of black velvet.

"This, Lestat will love," Louis told David.

"Yes," David agreed, taking down the jacket. "It isn't my size."

"There must be more. We only have to locate them," Louis said.

They made their way to the men's department. David saw the velvet suits first.

"Aha," he said, making his way to them. Louis walked to the shirts.

"White or red?" Louis asked, holding up two shirts.

"Black and red?" David asked. "I'll look like the devil."

"Well, you are trying to impress Lestat," Louis grinned.

"White," David told him.

"White," Louis sighed.

David took the suit and the shirt, and undressed for the fifth time that night. He soon reappeared before Louis, dressed in velvet.

"This is perfect," David smiled.

"Yes, he'll be quite taken with it," Louis agreed.

"I never said I was trying to impress Lestat, Louis."

"But you are, and you will," Louis said knowingly.

"No, actually, I happen to like this myself. If he likes it as well, so much the better I suppose," David told him.

Louis said nothing.

They browsed separately for a bit, David acquiring underclothing, socks, shoes, cuff links, tie tack, and incidentals.

"Louis," David said, when they met up again. "You are coming to Rio, aren't you?"

"I do not know, David. Why?"

"Carnival is a dazzling celebration. The music and the dancing, it is really a pageant of native artistry," David said persuasively.

"Perhaps."

"If you do, you will need something to pack. It will look a bit strange, your boarding the plane with no luggage." David smiled.

Louis smiled right back. "David, if I were going to take an airplane, it would need to be me in my luggage, for safety's sake. And you cannot convince me, after you have flown from Barbados, and offered to fly us both to save us walking here, that you intended to travel by plane."

"Very clever." David acknowledged his defeat.

"Are you worried I'll embarrass you, David?"

"No, no, certainly not," David denied.

"Don't worry, I have clothing. I bought some very recently, in fact. Just after Lestat left," Louis assured him, "if it doesn't meet with your approval, then you and Lestat will be able to spend a few nights telling me everything that is wrong with it. Won't that be 'dazzling'?" Louis said wearily.

"I am sorry Louis. I don't mean to be tiresome," David said.

Louis turned to him and grinned. "You apologized!"

"What?"

"You broke your rule. You apologized."

David laughed.

Chapter Four

They wandered about the mall for perhaps two hours more. David opened gates and locks, then deftly closed them again once they had finished. Louis bought a few books and CDs, always leaving the correct amount near the cash registers, or the safe, having seemingly brought an ungodly supply of cash with him.

"Isn't it going to cause some stir when so many different stores report finding piles of money about?" David asked him.

"It may," Louis answered. "It is easier to purchase things when the shops are actually open. But many of them will not communicate with each other about what has occurred. There is no such camaraderie existent in these malls as there used to be among shopkeepers in marketplaces. But even if they should, it will be nothing but an unusual mystery. They will not wish to publicize that someone was able to access this establishment, and so many shops within it, without breaking any locks, nor setting off any alarms. Not only is it bad for their business, it would probably destroy the reputation of the hotel. People do not wish to sleep where they feel they are not safe. No real crime has been committed, so they will let it slip through their bookkeeping and hope it doesn't happen again. Don't worry, David."

David was regarding him with awe. "You have great insight into the modern human mind, Louis."

"The human mind, and human motives, have remained a constant, in my experience."

"Really? In my own lifetime, I feel that I have seen a marked decrease in honor, loyalty and courage, coupled with a distressing increase in greed, violence and deception."

"Non, David. The balance in fact remains the same, it is only that is had begun to be expressed in ways which more and more affected your life, your station, and the level of security which you thought you possessed, simply in being who you were," Louis said.

"How do you mean?"
"Allow me to draw a broad comparison. When you were in your twenties, this is the 1930's, yes?" Louis asked.

David nodded.
"At this time your world was, in fact, quite safe. You were among the British upper class. You could certainly leave your house and automobile unlocked and walk anywhere you pleased unmolested. But at the same time, these areas in which you lived were quite unsafe for members of the British lower classes. They would be spotted immediately and interrogated as to their purpose in such an area. It could be quite dangerous. You, of course, were able to travel and stay as you wished. But unspeakable things were happening in places where you did not wish to go."

"Yes, of course I understand that privilege affords a greater amount of safety. But these places you mention are still dens of violence and crime, and it has now crept into the places which formerly were safe. So indeed it is growing," David said.

"I see that it is only in the way it is expressed. You see the danger has been reduced for those in the lower classes going into upper class areas. They are no longer allowed to be accosted simply for being in the inappropriate area. Their freedom of movement has increased. Though it is true that crime seems to have spread, it is because you are losing benefits, and do not see the benefits gained by others. There is not a direct correlation, in that, say, in this area, we could go without locks, but now we must be more secure, but in this area where it was not safe, it now is. It is much different, gaining one freedom for the loss of another. Of course there has always been jealousy and hate and the bitter results of these, but it is not increasing, if you look at the mortal world as a whole."

"I disagree Louis. I feel that, even as whole, things have worsened. One cannot count upon mercies of simple human decency any longer. Mortals are raping, pillaging and killing each other with little or no provocation now. The acquisition of material gain has far surpassed the concern for the well-being of one's brothers. Fathers do not take care of their children. Children do not care for their elderly parents. There is no patriotism, and I do not mean propaganda, I mean true belief in the ideals of one's country. There is no community. People fear to offer help in a situation, in case that it may be a trap. They could be attacked, or sued, or suffer any other such terrible outcome from this basic human kindness of helping someone in trouble. There is no trust in the world, Louis. There has been a slow elimination of the principle of respect for others. For their property, for their livelihood, for their right to justice. If tragedy befalls a person, it is generally considered to be his fault. Something he shouldn't have done, but did. Something he should have done, but didn't. The responsibility has been taken off of the perpetrator and put on to the victim. It results in this isolationist society that has no compassion for it's members."

"David, I do see that, but it has always been so. Is it more evil for one man to send thousands of others into war, or for one man to rape one child? Is it more evil for one man to be killed in a duel over a matter of honor, or for that man to run from the duel, therefore decreasing the sum total of honorable men in the world? Which is the greater good, to participate in an unfair social and economic situation, so that one may provide safety and shelter for one's family as is one's duty, or to give all of one's money to charity, for those in less fortunate situations, and in doing so, reduce the resources of one's family? Good and evil are at war David, always have been, but it is never possible to determine which side has won a particular battle. What is good for one is bad for the other and vice versa. Don't you see? This is the riddle of the universe. Why are we called to do good when our survival depends upon evil?"

"But Louis, our survival does not depend upon evil! Certainly not. There is a universal good. There is a family of man, and human beings can discover it and live within it and make it work. Do you not see? If there is enough food in the world, then why can it not be distributed evenly? Out of concern for one's fellow man? This is my point. This is the goal that humanity is slipping away from."

"David, that goal will never be reached. But humanity is no farther from it now than they ever have been. I am not saying that it is not possible to feed the world. Of course it is. But to do so , one will have to give up some power, thereby making those closest to him vulnerable. Who will give the food? Who will distribute it? Will this power do it without expecting some return from the people it feeds? Will it enslave them in debt? Will those who have their needs met take their new strength and use it to rise against others? Yes, I believe that the human world can find peace and security. I believe completely in their ability to do so. However, in order to achieve this, they must recognize and accept the evil that is caused by every action."

"So you believe that evil cannot be eradicated?" David asked.

"No it cannot. It cannot even be identified. Nothing can be eliminated because there is always some good that will be eliminated with it, therefore causing more evil. Nothing is truly evil, that is the frustration of it."

"Not even vampires?" David looked at Louis steadily.

Louis sighed. "Non, David, not even vampires. Even vampires can love. Lestat's survival in the sun, is it good or evil? Perhaps evil for the mortals he has fed upon since then, but a great good for me, for my own survival. And for Armand, and Gabrielle, and Marius, and everyone else who loves him, who would have been sent into despair. Was it for you good or evil?"

"Good," David responded immediately.
"Yes. I thought so. But you see, Lestat's evil was in not taking responsibility for that, for whom he would hurt, for the evil he would cause. It is a common mortal mistake as well. Was it evil for me to refuse to make him inhuman once he had achieved humanity?" Louis asked.

"Ah, but that is only for you to answer. Was it?" David questioned.

"It was evil for me. If I had lost him to mortality, I do not know what would have happened to me. I do not know what effect it would have had upon the others. But, I felt it was good for Lestat. I wanted Lestat to have everything he had missed. To have human love, human children, human maturity and finally a release of his human soul," Louis explained passionately.

"But he did not want that. It was an evil to him," David said.

Louis nodded.
"And if the reverse had been true? If it had been you in the human body and Lestat still the vampire? Would that have been good?" David asked.

Louis smiled. " No. It would not. Lestat would have taken me again without hesitation. And I would be in the same situation still. But I would never have even tried to be human again. I know that it is not what I want. But I also know that, were it to happen, I would not willingly become a killer again."

"Louis, why have you never sought a release for your own soul? You know the methods. I do not say that I would encourage it, I do not, but I wonder why you continue, feeling this way?" David inquired gently, curiously.

"David, it would not be responsible. That is the answer. In the beginning, I wanted to find out the reason for beings such as ourselves. Then I had Claudia to take care of. After that, I did not want to leave Armand, as he was being so patient with me, and so kind. When he left, I was without much feeling. I did not have the passion in me to commit suicide. I was too apathetic to act. Soon, Lestat resurfaced, and I needed to contact him, then Akasha, then the body thief, and now you. I have to be honest with myself, whether I completely comprehend it or not, I have to acknowledge that Lestat needs to know that I am existing somewhere, in order to pursue his own paths. Whether I approve of those paths or not, I cannot hurt him. I have a responsibility to him. I owe him for giving this to me. I am in debt to him for giving me Claudia. He deserves my gratitude and my concern for him in that he has never exacted retribution on me for the things I have done to him. I am honor bound to him, and any of the others, to not cause them this loss or this pain. I do own property and companies. I have mortal employees, they are my responsibility. I try not to interact very much with the mortal world, but there are a few unavoidable instances. It would be cowardly and dishonorable for me to go into the sun, only because I feel I have had enough. I was looking to do it to my mother and my sister, but I was young and I was wrong. And I do not intend my own guilt to again hurt those that I love. I cannot say that what I do is right, but I will not deprive Lestat of the one witness he has to those sixty-five years and everything that happened. He doesn't always admit it, but that little coven has such a force in him, such a strong and unfading memory, a triumph for him, he feels. Why else would he feel so close to New Orleans, to regard it as his home? Why restore the town house as he has? I cannot take any of it away from him, not even myself."

"You love him, Louis. It is the strength of love that keeps you here." David put his hand on Louis' shoulder.

"It is," Louis admitted. "And you feel it as well."

David lowered his eyes from Louis's for a moment. "Yes."

They stood for a long while, each lost in his own thoughts, watching the fountains and the patterns the moonlight made in the atrium.

Silently, Louis began walking to the doors, and David followed. As they reached the doors, David opened them and the two walked out into the New Orleans night, carrying their bags and their burdens home.

By the time they turned onto the Rue Royale, their mood had changed somewhat and they were chatting, amiably. Louis unlocked the door out of habit, knowing of course that David could have done the same without a key. Louis showed David to the guest room, but David noticed he was not referring to it that way.

"Let me show you your room," Louis had said. And when they had entered it, "There should be plenty of room in your closet. If not, your dresser is empty, so you could store some things there as well."

"Thank you," David had said. He wanted to say so much more. He wanted to express his joy and his gratitude at being accepted so completely and so immediately into Louis's life. He wanted to explain that he knew how difficult all of this must certainly be for Louis. He wanted to show how deeply touched he was by Louis's effort in masking any jealousy or pain or confusion he must have felt, all in order to make him welcome and at ease. He wanted tell Louis of his happiness, and his respect ,and his growing affection for him. But all David could get out was "Thank you."

Louis had smiled pleasantly and then went to his own room to store his new books.

David removed his new clothes from the bags. He removed the tags and various pins and stickers and put everything away in an orderly manner. As he was pulling the small box of cufflinks from his pocket, his hand had struck something else. Cool, smooth, oval in shape. He knew what it was. He had retrieved it because he knew that sooner or later, Lestat would regret throwing it into the surf. 'But how much greater will Louis's happiness be at seeing it?' David mused. 'I will give it over to him instead. He will cherish it. It belongs with him. And it is something which I can give him that may convey my thankfulness for all he has done for me. Yes, I will give it to Louis.'

David found Louis putting the CDs away in the front parlour. David approached him.

"Louis?"
Louis turned around. "Yes David?"
"Louis, I have something for you. Something that I want very much to give you." David took Louis's hand and opened his over it, dropping his gift onto Louis's palm.
"Merci," Louis said, automatically. Then he brought his hand to his chest and looked. A gold chain, a locket, so familiar. 'Non, it isn't,' Louis thought. 'It won't be, stop thinking that it could.' Louis took the locket in his fingers and pressed the small latch. She looked at him.

Louis gasped. Tears came to his eyes, his hand shook. He closed his eyes and opened them again. It was still there. It was real.
"Doll," Louis whispered. Then he smiled at the small porcelain portrait of Claudia, his daughter, his lover. "Doll, Doll."
Louis looked up at David. "Where has this come from? The Talamasca?"

"Yes, we have had it locked away in a vault for some time. I thought it would give you more pleasure here." David smiled at him.
Louis nodded, looking back at Claudia. Her innocent blue eyes, her pink perfect mouth, her golden curls. He found he had sunk down into the chair at his desk. "David, this is quite astonishing. I had thought this was gone, ruined or destroyed. I cannot tell you what it means to see it again." Louis set the locket against his inkwell, opened, and sat back in his chair and regarded it with wonder. "It looks just as she did, just as it did, rather." Louis stood and took David's hands between his own. "Thank you, David. I cannot thank you enough."

It warmed David's heart to see the locket received this way. "The pleasure is mine, Louis."

They smiled at each other and the moment stretched. The feeling was palpable. It occurred to each that the other might embrace him, but neither did. Louis broke eye contact and gave David's hand a soft squeeze and released him.

"I am afraid I must bid you good day now. I am going to my room," Louis said.

"I'll come with you. I think I feel a bit tired, myself," David answered.

As Louis left the room he looked back at the locket on the desk. He ran his fingers through his loose, dark hair and shook his head, as if he could not quite fathom it being there. David knew he had done the right thing.

The next night Louis awoke to find a note telling him that David had left to hunt and would be back shortly. Louis took this time to bathe, listen to one of the new CDs and contemplate his present state of affairs.

It was quite obvious that David had irrevocably become part of the dynamic between himself and Lestat. If Lestat returned, would he wish to keep them together here? Form a new coven of sorts? If not, what would he do? Would Lestat leave the house to himself and David? Not after he had put so much effort into restoring it. Perhaps he, himself, should leave and allow Lestat to locate him if he wished, once he returned. But does David still need his help? He would miss David's company, but there are things between David and Lestat that will have to be worked out, and that might best be done if the two of them were alone. The issue of his forgiveness from Lestat, or his relationship to Lestat or whatever it was now, would be of secondary importance in Lestat's mind until he had resolved any guilt he had over David. Will Lestat see it as abandonment if he left before Lestat's return? Lestat may not be planning to let him know if he was forgiven or not. Ever. So there is no need to wait for a confrontation which most probably will not come.

'This is my home. I owned it before Lestat. I have lived in it as long as he, and if he wishes that I buy it back from him, I shall, but I am not leaving,' Louis decided. 'If he wants me out, he will throw me out. If he wants David out, I will not allow it. If he wants us both out, then there is nothing I can do. But I will not second guess him. I will wait for him to tell me what he wants. Besides, I admit, I cannot wait to see his face when he sees David here. It may be childish, but I cannot pass it up.'

Louis finished bathing and let the water out of the tub. He stood drying himself in the ridiculously large bathroom Lestat had insisted upon decorating with black marble and silver fixtures. It was entirely too extravagant for a room that was hardly even necessary. All of the porcelain was black. The tile was black enamel with emerald green borders. The towels, all green, had been monogrammed with LdPdL in silver or black. Louis nearly had a fit of nausea when he saw them.

~~~~ "Lestat! This is the product of unbridled narcissism! What is the point of it? No one will ever see this room! What are you thinking?" Louis had demanded impatiently.
Lestat had laughed and laughed and finally kissed his mouth. "But Louis, look at it! It is SO . . . .YOU!!!"~~~~

Louis dried his hair with one of the silly towels. He regarded himself in the mirror. He thought of cutting his hair. He was just opening a drawer to find the scissors when he heard David at the door.

"Louis! Lestat is in New Orleans! He is going to collect his dog, he'll be here shortly!" David yelled to him. Before he could answer he heard David's door close.

'The black velvet suit,' Louis thought, and smiled to himself.

David was dressed and in the parlor in less than five minutes. Louis joined him not ten minutes later, wearing a dark grey, tailored, Armani suit, a black collarless shirt, and a vest of deep forest green velvet embroidered with silver thread in a fleur de lis pattern. He had donned black leather shoes, shiny and modern, with laces. He walked up to David, looked down at himself and shrugged, as if to say, 'Well, this is it.'

"Dazzling!" David commented.

Louis looked down again and laughed, when he raised his face, David could see he'd been blushing.

David, of course, was wearing the black velvet suit.

David looked off into space. "He has left with the dog."

"How do you know?" Louis asked.

"I can see it in the mind of the woman who keeps the dog. He must be very close."

Louis could see the sparkle in David's eyes. He was quite excited. Whatever it was he thought would happen when Lestat arrived, he seemed sure he would enjoy it. Louis wished he could feel so sure about it. They heard Lestat and the dog mount the back stairs. They looked at each other simultaneously, nodded a mutual understanding, and then David went back to his room so quickly that he seemed to disappear. Louis heard Lestat and the dog enter the back parlour. He walked to the doorway and waited.

Lestat entered the hall, Mojo following him. He saw Louis.

'What fresh hell will Louis put me through when he learns of David?' Lestat thought. 'If I truly deserve nothing but misery, then who better to dish it out to me? But, I need not be concerned with that now. Let me look at my home, my beautiful home. So perfect, it seems to have come right through time to me, as if I had only left it for a night, rather than a century. Look at the wallpaper, the carpet, every detail so perfect. Right down to my gorgeous fledgling standing in the doorway.'

The sight of Lestat sent a shock of feeling through Louis. It was strong, but it was a pleasant pain. This had happened before. He remembered the first time it had happened, when he saw Lestat for the first time, after Lestat had drunk from him. Then, Louis had thought the shock was a result of the blood loss. Every time thereafter he had thought it was some reaction caused by Lestat having made him, that Lestat could somehow cause this overwhelming feeling in him by a power that he had not revealed. It was not until he had felt it upon meeting with Lestat in Carmel Valley that he realized it was generated by his own emotions, his own deep and utterly consuming love for Lestat. It came from the depths of his soul. Lestat saw him, looked him in the eye and began walking toward him. Louis thought Lestat might greet him, but instead he heard -

"Don't ask me where I've been or what I've done." Lestat said it in his most commanding voice. He walked past Louis, moving him aside easily without missing a step, and looked around the front parlour.

Louis knew that tone meant, 'You'd best obey me, I am in a terrible mood.' So, of course, Louis answered, "I know where you've been, and I know what you've done."

Suddenly David appeared at Louis's side, he gave him a small grin. It was just what David would have said.

"Oh?" Lestat asked, his back still to them. "And what's to follow? Some stultifying and endless lecture? Tell me now so I can go to sleep."
David was watching Louis. Louis did not allow any expression to cross his face in acknowledgment of this insult. David folded his arms and leaned against the door frame and copied him. This is what Lestat saw as he turned to face Louis: both of them, standing there, looking at him blankly.

Lestat was taken aback. He stared at them, from one to the other. He studied their faces, their clothes. He looked slightly up to David, and then slightly down to Louis. He looked hard at Louis's suit. He blinked twice. He was quite obviously speechless.

'David here? Here with Louis? David and Louis, together? In my house? What? My god, they're beautiful. My lovers, my darlings, my difficult and rebellious sons, so they have joined forces in their disapproval, have they? How unexpected, how unimaginable, and how miraculous. How did this happen? Who has been telling tales to whom? I cannot believe Louis is wearing this suit! Stunning, beautiful one, you have surprised me again. Is it David's influence? How did David find him? This isn't the color of draperies I ordered at all! But look at them, standing there together. They seem like brothers. They seem to share some inner family resemblance. What is it with me and dark-haired men?' The thoughts tumbled through Lestat's head in a confused stream.

Though he showed no sign, Louis was enjoying this little moment immensely. He was trying to fix in his mind each flabbergasted expression Lestat showed, so that he would always remember it. He hadn't seen anything like this since they were running out of the Cow Palace and people started exploding. He was unlikely to see it again in the near future, so he was mentally storing it away now, to be cherished again and again.

Finally David said, "The carnival starts tomorrow in Rio. I thought we might go." David had said it evenly and pleasantly, but Lestat was obviously suspicious.

Louis could see that, as he had thought, these issues between David and Lestat would have to be settled before either could think of anything else. He realized that his presence was not only not required, but most likely not wanted. Without a word, he turned and walked to his room.

Lestat watched him go, listening to the sound of Louis's walking. It seemed to be a melody from long ago. He knew the pattern of those steps and the noise they made in tandem with the wooden floorboards. He knew how many steps there would be, and in what rhythm they would fall. He knew that after seven steps he would hear the turning of the doorknob, then another step, and the closing of the door. It was exact. It was perfect. It was an echo from the past, restored to him along with the silver damask couch and the little spinet. It made Lestat's head spin, it made the years seem to disappear and then return full force as he looked to David. He sat down and called Mojo to him. The feel of Mojo's fur under his hands, and the soft pressure of Mojo leaning against him, somehow grounded him. It stilled the nostalgia so that he could think.

Chapter Five
"You mean this? You want us to go there together?" Lestat asked David, not daring to believe it.

"Yes," David affirmed.
Lestat could not take it in. He had been forgiven? So soon? So easily? And Louis still had not forgiven him for working the Dark Trick on him. Nor had he forgiven Louis for refusing to do so when he had needed him to, when he had been in the tall beautiful body he was looking at now, when it had still been mortal, full of color and full of pain, when it still had blunt canines and its eyes didn't glitter with that vampiric fire. Before he had tasted its blood.

But the body wasn't 'it' anymore, nor was it 'the body.' It was David. David standing here before him. David owned this golden skin, these long legs, this handsome face. David didn't simply inhabit this body, as James had. David assumed its form. David took its strength and imbued it with his own grace.

"And after that, the rain forests," David was going on. David's accent, David's inflections, David's words, but spoken with this deep rich voice, resonating with the vibrancy of youth. Gone were the thinness, reediness, and high timbre that age brings to the vocal chords. David was moving , unfolding his arms, bowing his head, pacing, all with complete ease. Lestat was entranced with his every word and his every gesture.

"You said something to me, I don't remember when," David paused, thinking. "Maybe it was an image I caught from you before it all happened, something about a temple, which mortals didn't know of, lost in the depths of the jungle. Ah, think of how many such discoveries there must be!"

Lestat was not distracted, he had to know. "Why have you forgiven me?" he asked.

David stood still and looked at him. Before David could speak, Lestat raised his hand, for silence. David could not only see Lestat staring at him, taking him in, but he could actually feel it. Lestat's eyes roamed over him like curious hands.
Lestat lowered his hand, gesturing for David to answer him.

"You knew I would. You knew when you did it that I'd go on loving you," David told him, without anger. "That I'd need you. That I would seek you out and cling to you of all the beings in this world."

"Oh no, I swear I didn't," Lestat told him sincerely.

"I went off a while to punish you. You're past all patience, really you are. You are the damnedest creature, as you've been called by wiser beings than I," David said. "But you knew I'd come back. You knew I'd be here."

"No," Lestat stated, a mist forming in his eyes. "I never dreamt it."

"Don't start weeping again," David said.

"I like to weep," Lestat countered. "I must. Why else would I do it so much?"

"Well, stop!" David said irritably.

A mischievous smile turned up the corners of Lestat's mouth. "Oh it's going to be fun, isn't it? You think you are the leader of this little coven, don't you, and you're going to start bossing me around."

David raised his eyebrows. "Come again?"

"You don't even look like the elder of the two of us anymore, and you never were the elder. You let my beautiful and irresistible visage deceive you in the simplest and most foolish way. I'm the leader," Lestat informed him. "This is my house. I shall say if we go to Rio."

David laughed at this show of dominion. "You are the leader?"

"Yes, I am," Lestat stated, unequivocally. "So you ran off," Lestat continued, as if to a child. "You wanted to show me you could get along without me. You could hunt for yourself; you could find a hiding place by day. You didn't need me. But here you are!" Lestat smiled again.

David refused to be baited. "Are you coming with us to Rio or not?"

"Coming with us?!" If it weren't so ludicrous, Lestat would have been truly angry. No one was taking Louis anywhere. Louis had been his for 202 years. Did David truly think he could revoke a bond of over two centuries? For that matter, did David really think Louis would go with him? To Rio, of all places? Out of the question. Louis belonged to him and David belonged to him. They did not belong to each other. And they most certainly were not going to create some sort of alliance to try and control him. He had made them, this was his coven, and there was no 'us' without him. It was absolutely laughable. "Did you say 'us?'" Lestat demanded.

"I did," David affirmed. He walked to the end of the sofa and sat.

Lestat stared him down, and won. David wouldn't meet his eyes. David crossed his legs and tossed back his hair. Finally his composure gave way to an overwhelming feeling of hurt, sadness, and confusion.

"I tried to hate you," David whispered to Lestat. "I couldn't do it. It's as simple as that."

"Why not?" Lestat asked, still holding his gaze, directly into David's eyes.

"Don't play with me," David answered, in a low, menacing voice.

Lestat looked surprised. "I've never played with you! I mean these things when I say them. How could you not hate me?"

David relaxed and sat back against the sofa. "I'd be making the same mistake you made if I hated you. Don't you see what you've done?" David opened his hands and held them out to Lestat, asking for understanding. "You've given me the gift, but you spared me the capitulation. You've brought me over with all your skill and all your strength, but you didn't require of me the moral defeat. You took the decision from me, and gave me what I could not help but want."

"Then rape and murder are our paths to glory? I don't buy it. They are filthy. We are all damned and now you are too. And that is what I've done to you." Lestat tried to make him understand. He had taken David just to prove what an evil soul he was, to completely confirm that he hadn't only rejected being mortal; he had rejected the chance for salvation it offered. Magnus hadn't given him a choice, and he had always had that fact to lean on. Lestat could always deceive himself into believing that he was simply making the best of a bad situation. He hadn't chosen to be a vampire, but now that he was, well, what can he do? He had been spared Louis's guilt. He could view each kill he made as simply survival. He had been spared having to live with his own choice, until James gave him another chance. And Lestat had chosen to return to the Devil's Road, actively, deliberately and without guilt. He wanted it. He didn't care about the deaths of mortals, or the taking of their blood. He wanted his power back. His lust for vampiric existence won out easily over any compassion he held for mortals and the mortal world. How could David view this as a favor to him, when Lestat had done it completely out of selfishness? He had wanted David and so he had taken him. It wasn't any moral act of mercy!

"It took you two hundred years to learn that you wanted it. I knew the moment I woke out of the stupor and saw you lying there on the floor." David's eyes widened with the memory of it. "You looked like an empty shell to me. I knew you'd gone too far with it. I was in terror for you. And I was seeing you with these new eyes."

"Yes." Lestat nodded, remembering the relief of regaining his vampire eyes, after straining through the clouded and fuzzy mortal vision of the body.

"Do you know what went through my mind?" David asked him. "I thought you had found a way to die. You'd given me every drop of blood in you. And now you yourself were perishing before my very eyes. I knew I loved you. I knew I forgave you. And I knew with every breath I took and every new color or shape I saw before me that I'd wanted what you'd given me - the new vision and life which none of us can really describe! Oh, I couldn't admit it. I had to curse you, fight you for a little while. But that is all it was in the end - a little while."

Lestat realized that this was the truth. This explained so much. This explained how he felt. This explained what Louis was feeling. 'Perhaps we were taken too young,' Lestat thought. 'Before we had reached the maturity we needed to live this life. This is why I have acted as I have. This is why Louis still feels as he does. He cannot admit it. He has to curse me and fight me. But he was too young, in his twenty-five years, to see that it need not go on forever. This is why Armand killed Claudia and pushed me off the tower. It was childish greed and childish revenge. David, in his seventy-six mortal years, has surpassed us all in our hundreds. My god, are we as doomed in our youthful minds as Claudia was in her child's body?'

"You are much smarter than I am," Lestat whispered.

"Well, of course. What did you expect?" David grinned.

"Ah this is the Dark Trick. How right they were, the old ones to give it that name. I wonder if the trick's on me? For this is a vampire, sitting here with me, a blood drinker of enormous power, my child, and what are the old emotions to him now?" The red mist clouded Lestat's eyes once more.

David looked at him. What Lestat had said had pained him. He shook his head. He stood and walked to Lestat. Kneeling before him, he put his hands on Lestat's shoulders and said, "You're the same." He shook his head again. "The very same."

Lestat loved the sight of David before him. He loved the nearness of him. "The same as what?"

"Oh, every time you ever came to me, you touched me; you wrung from me a deep protectiveness. You made me feel love. And it's the same now. Only you seem all the more lost and in need of me now." David leaned closer. "I'm to take you forward, I see it clearly. I'm your link with the future. It's through me that you'll see the years ahead."

"You're the same too. An absolute innocent. A bloody fool." Lestat sat back and made to flick David's hand off of his shoulder. It didn't budge. Irritating. "You're headed for trouble. Just wait and see."

"Oh, how exciting," David said. "Now, come, we must go to Rio. We must not miss anything of the carnival. Though of course we can go again . . . and again . . . and again . . . But come."

Lestat didn't move to stand. He gazed at David. He thought of all the times he had gone to see him when he was mortal. He thought of the first time he had offered him the Dark Gift, David standing there, fascinated by him, Louis in the other room, shaking his head, then turning his back. In a way it was just as they were tonight.

This silence worried David. "What is it? Are you grieving for me?"

"Perhaps, a little. As you've said, I'm not as clever as you are at knowing what I want. But I think I'm trying to fix this moment in my mind. I want to remember it always - I want to remember the way you are now, here with me. . . before things start to go wrong."

David didn't want to dwell on this pessimistic view of their future. He wanted to get to Rio. He got to his feet, pulling Lestat up as well, which Lestat had not expected.

"Oh, this is going to be really something, this little tussle," Lestat told him.

"Well you can fight with me in Rio, while we are dancing in the streets!" David told him. He turned and left the room, gesturing for Lestat to follow.

Lestat patted Mojo and walked toward the doorway David has just gone through. As he passed Louis's desk, he saw the locket. He took it and stared at her little face. 'Claudia,' he thought. 'I have a coven again, here in this house. And if we last sixty-five years I'll be shocked. Louis is no longer a frightened fledgling, kept in the dark. He knows everything now, and he has survived on his own. And he is living here of his own volition, simply because I invited him. And David is not a tiny living doll who will occupy our time and be the center of our lives. David is strong and intelligent, and already knows what he wants from this nightly existence. But we have now. Right now. And we'll have Rio. And I won't make the same mistakes I made before. Perhaps I'll make new ones. Perhaps they will as well. But I know this time that I must forgive them these. I must find patience. The patience to lead them where they must go. The patience to guide them where they will not be led. And the patience to watch them when they will not take guidance. Oh, Claudia, I don't know that I can do this. I have never been a patient creature. Will I yet again find myself stabbed and bleeding on the floor while my fledglings make their escape? I hope not, Claudia. I hope you taught me something, my little love. My darling daughter. I do miss you so.'

Lestat found David waiting in the hall. He was standing at Louis's door. As Lestat joined him, he tapped at it politely.

"Louis? May we come in?" David asked, through the door.

Before Louis could answer, Lestat reached for the doorknob and burst through.

"Drop that pen, Louis, we're going to Rio!" Lestat announced.

Louis had been sitting at his desk, writing in his journal. He looked up calmly at Lestat. Then he very slowly and determinedly turned his eyes to David, who was still standing in the hall, looking at Lestat in annoyance.

"Yes, David. Please do," Louis replied, as if Lestat's outburst had never happened. He stood as David came into his room.

David walked to him. "Louis, Lestat has decided to join us in Rio," he said, as if Lestat was not in the room.

As Louis opened his mouth to answer, Lestat grabbed him and spun him to face him. "Oh, no. No, no, no, no," he said, reaching to take David's hand. "This is one little game we are NOT going to play. Louis, as you well know, and David, as you should know, if you have read Louis's lurid piece of fiction, one thing I will not tolerate is being ignored. So you two can drop it right now." He put his forehead against Louis's and looked into his eyes. "Hmmmm?" he asked.

Louis lost his composure and smiled, nodding slightly. Lestat pulled David to him, and did the same to him. David gave a sighing smile and nodded as well.

"All right then. What arrangements have you made?" Lestat asked.

Louis looked to David.

David moved out of Lestat's embrace. "I have made provisions for up to five bags to be shipped by air. I trust that will be enough to tide us over." He looked meaningfully at Lestat, who held an expression of complete ignorance to whatever David was referring to. "If we get them to the terminal before 6 a.m., they will arrive in Rio day after tomorrow. As for ourselves, I assumed we'd take to the air, as well."

"What about Mojo?" Lestat asked him.

"Mojo?" David asked.

"Yes, my dog. What provisions have you made for him?" Lestat inquired.

"Well, I hadn't expected that you would want to take him," David said.

"Lestat, you cannot be serious," Louis said.

"I most certainly am. I only just got reacquainted with him. You don't expect me to abandon him again so soon do you? And I have no one to leave him with," Lestat told him.

"Take him back to the woman you lodged him with before," David said.

"David, she never stays in the city for Mardi Gras. She'll be gone by tomorrow morning, probably," Lestat countered. He was quite enjoying throwing this little spanner into David's works.

"Then I'll stay and take care of him until you return," Louis said. He was still being held about the waist by Lestat. David knew that he could not release himself, unless Lestat allowed it, the difference in their power being so great. Louis refused to express any embarrassment or frustration he may have felt, preferring ignore the possessive gesture, as if he were standing unrestrained. David wondered at the amount of forbearance it must take to keep from giving Lestat the struggle he was obviously trying to provoke.

"Out of the question!" Lestat said to Louis, giving him a little shake.

"Then we shall kennel him somewhere," David said.

"David, it is far too late to make arrangements for that if you want to leave tonight," Lestat said. "Nor do I relish the idea of leaving him with strangers. We have no idea how long we'll be gone."

David sighed. "Lestat you are being difficult for the sake being difficult. Do you want to see the carnival or not?"

"But of course I do, David. But we cannot simply take wing and fly away. I have responsibilities, you know." Lestat looked exactly like the cat who ate the canary. He was enjoying this far too much. There was a silent stalemate for a few minutes.

"Anne," Louis said.

"What?" Lestat asked.

"Anne. Anne will watch him. She is no stranger. She stays here through Mardi Gras. She is used to being awakened at ungodly hours by you and your absurd demands. She will keep him for an indefinite period of time. And she loves dogs. There, your problem is solved. Go and deposit him and we will pack your things." Louis kept the triumphant smile from his lips, but not from his eyes.

Lestat stared at him. He was wondering if he wanted to go any further with this or not. He decided not. "Louis! What a positively useful suggestion! But I think you had better take him. I haven't fed well tonight, and she can be so tempting." Lestat smiled an evil smile. Louis smiled back. By this time he could distinguish real threats from teases. This was a tease.

"Besides," Lestat continued. "I'll do a much better job of packing for you than you would for me."

"Lestat, you don't need -"

"Stop wasting time arguing, Louis." Lestat released him, and pushed him toward the door. "David wants to get to Rio tonight!" Lestat looked over at David. "Don't you, David?"

"Yes, but not -"

"Now don't you start, David. Louis has found a perfectly reasonable solution for us. Go and pack." Lestat pushed Louis ahead of him into the hall and called Mojo.

When the dog lumbered to a stop in front of him, Lestat knelt down and looked into his eyes. "Mojo, this is Louis." He looked up at Louis. "Pet him."

Louis settled beside Lestat and put his scentless hand to the dogs muzzle, then petted his head.

Lestat turned back to the dog. "Now I am letting Louis outside, and you have to watch him." Lestat patted the dog. "You." And then patted Louis' head. "Watch him," he repeated to Mojo.

"Lestat." Louis was laughing in spite of himself. "Is this really necessary?"
"Hush, Louis, don't interrupt," Lestat said, he turned back to Mojo. "You are going to a friend's house. When you get there, you stay and we'll see if he can get back here on his own. Understand?"

Mojo looked at Louis a long moment then turned back to Lestat. He opened his mouth and panted.

"Very Good." Lestat hugged the dog. "And I'll come and get you when I return." Lestat stood as did Louis. "Walk to the door." Lestat told Louis. Louis did so, and Mojo stayed right at his side. "Alright, take him. Tell her I will have Christine transfer sufficient funds for his room and board to her account."

Louis looked back to Lestat. "Are you sure you don't want to put me on a leash for him?" he asked.

"I would, but he thinks it barbaric to keep pets on a leash," Lestat answered him. They smiled at each other briefly and Louis took Mojo out the door.

Lestat turned and went back down the hall to David's room. David was, as Lestat had asked, packing. Lestat entered the room soundlessly and kissed David on the back of the neck.

"Lestat!" David smiled.

"I am so proud of you, David." Lestat said, turning David to face him. "I am so happy that you have taken the most difficult steps first; killing alone, finding your own sleeping places, meeting Louis. We're going to have grand adventures, David. Side by side we'll go out into the world and conquer it. It will be so satisfying to have a real hunting partner. I won't have to worry about you keeping up with me, I'll only have to worry about you trying to overtake me." Lestat laughed. "Which you never will."

David looked deep into Lestat's grey-blue eyes. "Lestat , I have missed you." David leaned forward and met Lestat's lips with his own. Lestat pulled David into his arms and deepened the kiss. David flicked his tongue across Lestat's sharp fangs and bled into his mouth. Lestat moaned softly and gripped David more tightly. David wound his fingers in Lestat's hair as Lestat cut his own tongue. The blood flowed and was swallowed and flowed again. It was as it had been in Barbados, when Lestat first gave David his blood, only this time it was mutual, it was with consent and it was far more pleasurable.

Louis arrived at the back door of 1239 First Street, Mojo right beside him. Louis raised his hand and knocked; knock . . . knock knock . . . knock . . . knock knock . . . knock. It was sort of a pre-arranged signal. After all, it can be a bit frightening to have someone knocking at your door in the dead of night. This way, the Rices knew it was Louis, and not some emergency, or a stalker, or God knows what.

After a few minutes, Stan opened the door. "Louis!" he said sleepily, "what are you doing up so late?"

Louis smiled, it was an old joke between them. "I have come to ravish your wife, Monsieur, step aside."

Stan chuckled, as Louis walked past him. "Not a chance. She could take you easy."

"Probably so." Louis laughed, Mojo had followed him through the door.

"You have a shadow," Stan said, looking to Mojo as he closed the door.

"Non, actually YOU have a new boarder," Louis told him.

Stan looked closely at the dog. Then he said to Louis, in a serious voice, "It isn't Lestat, is it?"

Louis laughed. "Non, non, he has regained his body."

"He has? Marvelous!" Anne said, coming to the door. "But of course we knew he would, didn't we?" She stood on her tiptoes and kissed Louis's cheek. "It is good to see you, darling dear. Who is your friend?"

"This is Lestat's dog, Mojo," Louis said.

Anne knelt down and petted the dog. "Hello Mojo."

Mojo laid on his back and presented his belly to be scratched. Anne obliged.

"Let's go into the parlour and sit down," Stan said.

They did.

Louis sighed. "I have come to ask a favor."

"It's the dog, isn't it," Anne said.

"It's the dog," Stan affirmed.

"Lestat returned, with Mojo, this evening. But now he plans to go to Rio, and he has invited me to go with him. Insisted upon it, to be honest. So we have a bit of a dog problem. Would you mind keeping him, until we return?" Louis asked.

"Of course not." Anne patted Louis's back.

"Merci. Lestat will have Christine transfer funds to you for his upkeep," Louis told them.

Anne waved her hand in a 'whatever' gesture. "So Lestat returned? That must have been a shock."

"There is a greater shock actually." Louis looked from one to the other and then to the floor. "He has given the Dark Gift to David Talbot."

"WHAT?" Stan asked.

"The Talamascan?" Anne looked worried.

"Yes."

"Jesus," Stan swore softly.

"Where is he?" Anne asked.

"At the town house." Louis told her.

"He brought him to see you?" Anne asked.

"No, David came on his own. He arrived two nights ago."

"My God, Louis." Anne put her arm around him. "Are you alright with this?"

"There is nothing to 'be alright' with. It has already happened. It simply is," Louis answered. "But David and I are getting along very well. He is a wonderful conversationalist."

"Yeah? Well that makes up for everything, then," Stan said sarcastically.

Louis smiled. "I know we have a lot to talk about, but I am afraid I must go. Lestat and David are waiting for me." Louis stood. Anne and Stan rose with him.

"Call me soon," Anne said, hugging him.

"I promise."

Stan hugged him too, pounding on his back. "If it gets too much for you in Rio, don't try to stick it out. Come right back. Right?"

Louis nodded. He walked to the door. Mojo followed him. "Stay Mojo!" Louis told him. The dog sat. "Thank you again for keeping him."

"No problem," Anne said.

Louis walked out the door.
"Hey, if you're going to Rio, you should really get some sun. You look like hell," Anne called after him. Louis turned, waved and smiled, and Anne closed the door.

Chapter Six

David heard Louis' footsteps down the street. He rolled over on the bed. "Lestat, Louis is coming."

Lestat opened his eyes. "Ah, good! We can be going now!" He leapt out of bed, pulling his clothing on. "I suppose I should go and pack for him," Lestat said, and was gone.

David rose more slowly. He felt his neck, wrists and groin, the bite marks had healed. He wasn't sure why, but he wanted to hide the fact that he and Lestat had been drinking from each other. Of course, he didn't wish to upset Louis. But he felt somehow guilty. Though he had acknowledged to Louis that he loved Lestat, and he had never said he wouldn't drink from Lestat. Still, it felt uncomfortable. He dressed and packed quickly as Louis opened the door.

"Louis, Louis, you're back and you're packed." Lestat said, walking meet him.

"I shudder to think of it." Louis said to him.

Lestat laughed and took Louis in his arms, he spun around with him and kissed his mouth. "I've packed you a decent wardrobe, beautiful one. Don't worry." Lestat walked back to David's room, dragging Louis with him. "David, if you haven't packed it yet, it's not going!"

David was bent over an open suitcase. "Lestat, be patient. I am almost through." David folded a pair of trousers and laid them in the suitcase.

Lestat sighed, as loudly as possible. "Ten minutes!" he told David. Then he turned on his heel, took Louis's hand and walked to his own room. He pulled Louis over to his bed, and sat him on it. "I suppose I may as well pack myself. Keep me company?" Lestat asked him, with a charming grin.

Louis smiled back. "You haven't packed? What have you been doing?"

"Packing for you, you silly fool. Playing your valet. Working and slaving for you!" Lestat said melodramatically.

"Ah, yes, I see." Louis smiled a small smile.

Lestat pulled half of the contents of his closet out and deposited it all in a pile next to Louis on the bed. "Hmmmm, now, what should I take? Jeans, yes?" He looked to Louis.

Louis gave him a disbelieving look. "You aren't asking me, certainly."

"Oh I don't know Louis. The suit you are wearing tonight is quite nice. I approve." Lestat stroked the velvet vest. "And you used to have quite tolerable taste in clothing, in your day."

Louis shook his head and chuckled. Lestat continued pulling things out and stuffing them into his suitcase. "Shorts, you think? It is warm there now, isn't it."

"It is," Louis answered.

"You know, you don't have any shorts, Louis. We'll have to buy you some when we get there."

"Lestat, I couldn't possibly wear them, don't be ridiculous."

"Why Louis? I want you to look like a tourist. I want us to blend in. You'll have to wear them."

"Lestat, I will call far more attention if I do wear them. I am far too white for short pants or short sleeves."

Lestat lifted his head from his packing and looked at Louis. "Ah, yes." He looked down at his own tanned skin. "Between David and me you'll be quite conspicuous, won't you? That might be a problem."

Louis picked up a shirt and folded it carefully. Keeping any emotion from his voice he said, "I'll stay if you like. You know I'm not much for dancing in the streets."

"I told you that is out of the question. We're forgetting that it's carnival, Louis. People will think it is paint or something. You won't even be noticed, I am sure. And you dance very well." Lestat looked at him with affection. "Do you think I don't remember? I can still see you waltzing your way around the old ballrooms, everybody wanted to dance with you. Even me, Louis."

Louis laughed, embarrassed.
Lestat walked to his dresser. He grabbed a hairbrush and a pair of cufflinks. He. looked into the mirror and ran a hand through his hair. Then something in the frame caught his eye. He pulled the picture from the frame and read the note. He laughed loudly and turned on Louis. "YOU!" he said as he pounced on him, pinning him down on the bed.

"What?" Louis asked, doing a good job of looking bewildered.

"You know what!" Lestat held the picture before his eyes, and read the note Louis had written out loud to him. Then Lestat tossed the picture into his suitcase. "You think that's funny, do you? Making fun of a man's mother? These are the manners I brought you up with???" Lestat asked him in a mock angry voice.

"Lestat, I don't know - " Louis began to deny.

Lestat pushed his hands under Louis's vest and began tickling him. "Oh, you don't know anything about it?? Oh no, not you!"

Louis was laughing and trying to capture Lestat's fingers. "Lestat!"

"You may have everyone else fooled with this serious and brooding act, Louis, but not me!" Lestat shook his head.

Louis was laughing and out of breath, " 'Stat! Stop!"

"I know what a little devil you really are! I know what devious thoughts lurk behind those emerald eyes, Pointe du Lac!" Lestat was enjoying this. He had done it perhaps four or five times before, pulled the tickle torture on Louis. It wasn't something he could use often. If he abused it, he knew it would anger Louis, and then he would never again see what he saw now. Louis, without his natural reserve, without his usual quiet calm, without that eternally troubled expression. This was Louis as he must have been as a boy, laughing, fighting a bit, having fun. Lestat cherished it. He wished he could capture it and hold it in his heart. Louis couldn't possibly know how much it meant to him. He never would.

But, he knew he couldn't prolong it. Louis's dignity and Louis's pride wouldn't allow it. And Lestat didn't want to lose either of those qualities either. Lestat stopped tickling and put his hands on the bed, at either side of Louis's head. "What am I going to do with you?" He leaned down and kissed Louis, full, long and deep on the mouth. Then he released him and stood up.

Louis sat up and rubbed his face, trying to get the smile off of it. Then he stood as well and straightened his clothes. He was about to say something when Lestat put his finger to his lips.

"Not now. We'll talk later." Lestat clicked his suitcase closed. "Go and get your case, it is in your room."

Louis obeyed. Lestat followed him out of his room and went into David's. "Your ten minutes are up! I am calling a cab for you. You take the luggage to the shipping office, I'll close up the house and meet you there with Louis."

"You have everything all worked out, do you?" David asked, a bit amused, a bit annoyed.

"David, I am only trying to help you. This is all your, idea, may I remind you. You want to go to Rio, so I am doing all I can to make this possible. You mustn't always make me out to be the villain." Lestat looked hurt.

David relented. "Call the cab, Lestat."

After Lestat and Louis loaded the luggage and David into the cab, they walked back into the town house. Lestat secured the upstairs, as Louis secured the downstairs. They walked out the door and Lestat set the remote alarms, as Louis locked the gate.

"That's done. Come here," Lestat said to Louis, who walked to him. Lestat put his arm around Louis's waist. "You remember this from when we went to London, don't you?" Lestat asked.

"Yes," Louis said, putting his arms around Lestat's neck.

"It shouldn't be quite as cold this time," Lestat said as they rose quickly into the air. Within minutes they had landed and met David.

"Everything has been arranged," David said, pocketing the claim tags and receipts.

"Perfect." Lestat smiled at him. David smiled back. Lestat pulled David and Louis into a tight hug.

"Oh my fledglings, this is going to be exciting!"

"To Rio!" David said.
"To Rio!" Lestat and Louis answered.

And the three rose into the air, high over the their pasts, through the night, toward their future, together.

FINI

THE END