My Lover
Sequel to Enough of Me
Erzsebet Tepes

Disclaimer: Most of these characters aren’t mine. They belong to the woman who we all know and love, and affectionately refer to as the Mater Glorioso. I do hope you all recognized my sarcasm just then. Some of the characters are mine. These characters would be Christine and Ariana.

Spoilers: This contains spoilers for all of the Vampire Chronicles through The Vampire Armand. I’m sure that by now you all know how I feel about Merrick.

Chrys, darling, your moment of glory before the story begins. Let’s see. What can I say about Chrys that I haven’t said already? There really isn’t anything. I’ve pretty much covered how wonderfully spiffy she is in the headings for my other stories. So, I’ll reiterate. Chrysanthemum is a doll. She keeps agreeing to beta my work, even though it goes on and on. She knows that I’m not bound to finish the series I’m writing with Christine anytime soon, yet she still agrees to edit it. Thanks again, you’re wonderful. Plus, she and I form all kinds of fun inside jokes, which I can then work into silly specs.
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My Lover

Chapter One

Christine looked up from her drawing as the door opened and Ariana walked in. The mortal woman’s soft brown hair wasn’t in its usual bun, and she looked a bit flushed.

“Love, what_have_ you been up to?” Christine lay back on the couch.

“Just out for a walk.” The brunette came forward, her green eyes sparkling, and kissed Christine on the forehead. As she turned to walk away, the redhead caught her wrist.

“I can smell her on you.” Christine’s face had become hard and cold.

“What are you talking about?” Ariana tried to pull her wrist away, but the vampire’s grip was too strong. “Who is it you think you can smell on me?”

Christine pulled the mortal woman to sit on the sofa beside her. “Whoever it was you just finished fucking.” The girl’s hand ran up her lover’s thigh. “Now, darling, why would you be fucking someone other than me?”

“I have my reasons.” Ariana lifted the cold white hand off of her thigh and put in Christine’s lap. “One could be because_you_ are a cold, dead bitch.” The woman smiled bitterly. “Whatever happened to the sweet little thing you said you used to be? Has being away from your ‘fathers’ for two years really changed you so much? And you still haven’t told me why you left New Orleans.”

“No, I suppose I haven’t.” Christine looked at her lover blankly. “Have I?”

“God, I hate you.” The brunette stood and began to walk to her room.

“Fine, hate me. I still won’t give you the Dark Gift.” The fledgling went back to her sketching as though nothing had happened.

Ariana turned on her heels and glared at the immortal girl. “You were never going to give it to me anyway. I don’t even know why I’ve stayed with you. You’re so busy sketching that_guy_ all the time, you probably wouldn’t even notice if I left!”

Christine’s head snapped up and she slammed her sketchbook shut. “You looked at my sketches?! You little bitch! I told you_never_ to look at my sketches!!!”

“You_always_ tell me ‘never.’ If I forget one of your precious rules, all I have to do is think of something I like to do and put a never in front of it.” A sneer ran across the woman’s lips. “As for your holy sketchbook, yeah, I looked in it. ‘Cause I was curious about what kinds of things you draw. You know, curiosity. It’s one of those_human_ things.”

Christine jumped off of the sofa. “Yes, I understand curiosity completely! And I feel it just as much as you do. For instance, right now I’m_curious_ as to how long it would take for me to make your pathetic human heart burst.”

“You don’t have the guts.” Ariana was sick and tired of her lover’s ‘holier than thou’ attitude. She didn’t care what she said any more, as long as it hurt Christine. “Face it,_Chrissy_, you’re nothing but a sniveling little girl who can’t get over her daddy!”

“How dare you?” The vampire was furious. Her voice had become a low, menacing hiss.

“And don’t even_try_ to tell me that you never liked it when your daddy fucked you. You probably looked forward to it. Waiting every night until he pulled your panties off and rammed his big, hard cock into your wet – little - cunt.”

Three vases shattered and the television began to sizzle and crack up the front as Christine tried to keep from killing the mortal who stood before her. “Get out!”

“Fine, I don’t_need_ you. I can go find a_woman_ to fuck me.” Ariana turned and walked out, slamming the door behind her. Christine crumpled to the ground as the barrier she had put up against any emotion began crumbling.
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Chapter Two

Christine sat on the floor, rocking back and forth for two hours. Tears ran down her face as she tried to figure out when it was that everything had gone so horribly wrong. She and Ariana had been happy once. But that was before the woman knew. That was back when she thought Christine was a nineteen-year-old mortal girl from Atlanta.

That night when they met in New York had been so wonderful. They had just talked for hours, mostly about silly little things. Ariana spoke of her homophobic roommate, and the fun she had playing tricks on the brat. Christine talked about of the shows she had seen, trying to avoid the topic of her own life.

They had gotten along well, and spoke frequently for the next few months. Through the nights, they had gotten closer and closer. When Ariana showed up at their meeting spot one night with news that she had just gotten kicked out of her dorm for malicious behavior and now needed a place to stay, Christine’s heart had stopped. That was the night she explained what she was, and Ariana came to live with her.

She should have known from how well Ariana took it that it was too good to be true. All the mortal had had to hear was the word “immortal” in order to be hooked. For all her intelligence and general good nature, Ariana was terribly vain. The idea of being young forever was a lure that she couldn’t possibly resist. Christine knew the blood was all she wanted, but it didn’t matter at the time. As the months passed, and the woman asked more and more for the Dark Gift, Christine blocked her mind from the pain of love. If Ariana couldn’t love her it was just fine, but Christine needed the illusion. She craved the sweet denial she found in lust.

After about a year Christine had lost all trace of human emotion, at least as far as Ariana could tell. She became introverted and took up sketching to fill the lulls between sex, feeding, and sleeping. Flavius was the only thing that could evoke emotion in her. At night, when Ariana was asleep, the girl would draw Flavius as tears ran down her cheeks and stained the paper with little red splotches.

Then the arguments started. Most of the were brief, and quickly followed by “make-up sex.” Some, however, would last for an hour. Things would be thrown across the room, usually glasses or vases. They both said things that they didn’t mean, but that was only when they ran out of hurtful truths.

Christine tried to stop crying, but she couldn’t. She got up and turned on the stereo, searching for a good station to listen to. It had been two years since she had sung anything, and she wanted to now.

Finding that there were no good songs, she popped her Savage Garden CD into the player. What could she sing? She pressed the ‘random’ button and decided to sing whatever came on first. Track 11 “Gunning Down Romance,” began. It was probably the lowest song, rangewise, on the whole album. Christine adjusted her voice to match Darren, the singer’s, tenor and began to sing.

“Love and other moments are just chemical reactions in your brain/ And feelings of aggression are the absence of the love drug in/ Your veins/ In your veins/ Love come quickly/ Because I feel my self-esteem is caving in/ It’s on the brink/ Love come quickly/ Because I don’t think I can keep this monster in/ It’s in my skin.”

This really wasn’t helping. Christine wasn’t quite sure whether the lyrics about love upset her or if Darren’s low, sultry voice mingled with the lyrics aroused her.

“Love and other socially acceptable emotions are morphine/ They’re morphine/ Cleverly concealing primal urges often felt but rarely seen/ Rarely seen/ Love I beg you/ Lift me up into that privileged point of view/ The world of two/ Love don’t leave me/ Because I console myself that Hallmark cards are true/ I really do.”

Oh, she was definitely aroused. Somewhere along the line, things in Christine’s mind had been jumbled. Now anger and arousal went hand in hand; it was the same with grief and arousal. Perhaps that was the price she paid for growing up with Thomas.

Christine felt the thirst boiling up in her and she bit her lower lip, making it bleed a little. If only Ariana were here, then she could “vent” some of her frustration. Then again, she didn’t_want_ Ariana. Ariana had only slept with her and let the redhead feed from her because she wanted the Dark Gift. No, Christine wanted the carnal lust she had had with Ariana combined with love. Love she’d only gotten from one other person, but he didn’t want her any more. He wanted his beloved fledgling.

“I’m gunning down romance/ It never did a thing for me/ But heartache and misery/ Ain’t nothing but a tragedy/ I’m gunning down romance/ It never did a thing for me/ But heartache and misery/ Ain’t nothing but a tragedy/ Love don’t leave me/ Take these broken wings/ I’m gonna take these broken wings/ And learn to fly away/ And learn to fly away.”

The music faded and the next track began as the phone rang. Christine turned the stereo off and answered the frantic ringing. “Hello?”

“Hello, Christine de Lioncourt?” It was a pleasant feminine voice. A tad too pleasant, perhaps; it sounded a bit fake.

“Yes, this she. Can I help you?”

“I’m calling from the Metropolitan Hospital. Ariana Goldwyn has been in an accident, and you’re listed as her emergency contact. We need you to come down here immediately.”

Christine’s heart stopped as she heard the words “Ariana Goldwyn has been in an accident.” This couldn’t be happening. How could Ariana get in an accident? Christine heard the voice on the other end of the line calling her.

“Hello? Ms. Lioncourt? Are you still there?”

She snapped out of her trance. “Huh? Yes, thank you. I’ll be right down.”
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Chapter Three

Christine ran to the hospital as fast as inhumanly possible. Once there, she was directed to the ER. A kind faced, slightly heavy nurse directed her to sit in the waiting area and fill out some paperwork until a doctor could talk to her.

Sitting between two older men, one of whom kept eyeing her cleavage, Christine started filling out the medical forms the nurse had given her. The form asked for information about Ariana, then a little about Christine. Finally: “Relation to the patient?” The girl stopped and thought for a moment before writing in that she was Ariana’s cousin.

Things would be easier, in this case, if she lied. Christine was sure that the doctors wouldn’t approve of a relationship between a minor and an adult. Pedophilia is generally frowned upon, even without it being associated with lesbianism.

A doctor came over to Christine and asked her to come with him. He took her to Ariana’s room, and they stood outside by a window as he explained what had happened. “It seems Ariana came around a corner too quickly and crashed into another car at full speed. The driver of the other car is fine, and there were no passengers, but Ariana is in critical condition. There was some internal bleeding which we think we were able to get under control, but we’ll have to keep her under watch for at least a week. Also -” The doctor took a deep breath and let it out as he tried to figure out how to word his next sentence. “Also, she broke her spine. There is sure to be paralysis, we just don’t know to what extent, yet. I’m sorry. You can go in and talk to her right now, if you like. If you have any questions, you can page a nurse.” The doctor walked off to take care of another patient as Christine entered the room.

“Ariana?”

“Christine? What the fuck are you doing here?”

“The hospital called me. I’m your emergency contact.”

“Aw, crap. I have to remember to change that before I go careening into my next car.” Ariana tried to laugh, but it made her stomach hurt.

“Would you stop joking for once in your life? This is serious. Have the doctors told you about your condition yet?” Christine took a seat next to the bed.

“Yeah, yeah. Internal bleeding, broken spine, yadda yadda yadda. You know, you could try helping.”

Christine looked away. “Even if I gave you the Dark Gift, I don’t know how it would affect a broken spine. You could end up paralyzed for eternity.”

“At least I wouldn’t bleed to death internally.”

“The doctor said that he thinks they took care of it.”

“Christine, sweetie, when a doctor says ‘thinks,’ it’s a_bad_ sign. What that really means is ‘it’s going to get worse, but it’s not_my_ job to tell you that.’”

“You’re so cynical.”

“I’ve lived with_you_ for two years. What do you expect?”

Christine began to leave. “Why did I even come down here?”

“Chris, don’t go. Please?” Ariana’s voice became gaspy and panicked.

Christine stopped with her hand on the doorknob. “Don’t call me Chris.”

“All right, I’m sorry. Just please don’t go. I’m scared. I don’t want to die. Please, Christine. Please make me immortal.”

Christine turned to look at the woman. She started to feel sorry for Ariana, and began to walk to her bedside. Stopping short, she looked down and shook her head. “No. I can’t.”

“What? What do you mean you can’t?” Ariana’s façade disappeared. “Are you going to turn your back on me_now_? Fine, then go. Just get out! I never want to see you again!” She picked up a TV control and threw it at Christine, who caught it as it came flying toward her head.

The vampire walked out of the room, leaving her mortal lover behind. She stopped by the desk to drop off the phone numbers of Ariana’s family. Then she left, only bothering to retrieve her sketchbook and CDs from her apartment, and decided to go back where she belonged. She needed to get away from the hard accents and bright lights of New York, away from the busy nights. She headed back to where she had first felt safe. A place where she first fell in love, and had a real family. She headed back to New Orleans, back home.
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Chapter Four

Christine had to stop in Virginia on the way home to rest during the day, but she arrived in New Orleans the night after she left New York. She loved being back in the South. The air was warmer and smelled fresher somehow. Lazy vines crept up the sides of old plantation houses, and there was much more greenery than in New York.

Christine made a quick stop by her mother’s grave to say a few prayers and apologize for her absence before heading to her home on Rue Royale. When she got there, she sensed another presence. Walking in the front door, she heard Armand call from down the hall, “Louis?” He entered the living room and stared at Christine for a moment before smiling. “You’re back.”

“Yeah.” The word came out slowly as Christine tried to figure out what was going on. “You didn’t move in while I was gone, did you?”

Armand snorted. “No, I came over from Venice to see how Louis was doing.”

“Oh. Are you back with Marius yet? Wait, why did you need to see how Louis was doing?” Christine became concerned. “Is he all right? Where is he?”

Armand’s face saddened. “He’s out feeding. Don’t you know?”

“Know what?” She looked around the room and scanned the house for any other vampires. “Where are Lestat and David?”

“You really don’t know, do you?”

“Armand, what are you talking about? I can’t handle games right now.”

“Lestat and David left.”

“Obviously, but_where_?”

Armand came forward and put his hands on her shoulders. “They’re in England – together.”

Christine put her hand to her head and lost her balance a little, but Armand kept her from falling. “What?! They ran off together? They left Louis here_alone_?” Armand walked with her to the sofa, where she sat down and put her head in her hands. “Of all the stupid, bastardly- Armand, what happened?”

The boy sat beside her. “Louis said that David decided you had the right idea when you left New Orleans. He left for the Cotswolds about two months after you did. A few weeks later Lestat went out and didn’t come back. Louis didn’t hear any word from him until I came. I had come to see how he was doing on his own. I thought he knew that Lestat and David were together. When he asked if I had heard anything about Lestat’s whereabouts, I knew what had really happened.

“I contacted David, who said Lestat had joined him a while ago. He said Lestat had told him that he told Louis where he was.”

Christine sat back. “Oh, god. You mean Lestat left Louis, then lied to David about it?” Armand nodded. “Why didn’t Louis try to call someone?”

“He said that after Nebari, he didn’t want to get anyone upset. He was certain Lestat was just up to his usual antics.”

“I can’t believe he would_do_ that to poor Louis.”

“That’s just the kind of person he is.”

“That’s no excuse!”

“I know, but it’s an explanation.”

The door opened and Louis came in. He closed the door and tried to smile when he saw Christine. It was obvious to him that she already knew what had happened. She got up as soon as he came in and put her arms around him. He kissed the top of her head. “You’re back already? Wasn’t the world exciting enough for you?”

She blew over his question, knowing that it was just something to try and keep her from seeing how upset he was. “Why didn’t you call me?”

“You were out piecing yourself together. I didn’t need to worry you with my problems.”

She let go of him and looked into his eyes. “I_want_ you to bother me with your problems. You’ve bothered yourself with mine; it’s only fair.”

Louis smiled at her, sincerely this time. “Thank you.” He looked over to the boy vampire. “At least Armand got to tell you what happened before he leaves. I would have had too hard a job of it.”

Christine turned to Armand. “You’re going?”

The auburn-haired boy nodded. “I was just waiting for Louis to get back so I could say goodbye. I’m going back to Paris, to Marius.” He shrugged uncomfortably and smiled a little. “I miss him.”

Christine took Louis’s hand and led him away from the door. He stood to the side while Christine hugged Armand goodbye and joked that he had gotten soft since they first met. Then Armand and Louis embraced and said goodbye.

The boy vampire put his hand on the dark-haired man’s cheek. “Don’t let him hurt you any more.”

“He doesn’t mean to hurt me. He really doesn’t.” Louis removed Armand’s hand from his face.

“Sometimes I’m not so sure.” The boy turned to leave. As he opened the door, the oldest of the three vampires stopped and turned to Christine sheepishly. “Do you want me to – umm -.”

“To what?”

“Do you want me to say anything to Flavius? If I see him, that is.”

Christine looked at the floor and clasped her hands in front of her, staring at her fingernails. “If he cares.”

“What do you want me to say?”

She shrugged. “I don’t know. Just forget it. I doubt he even thinks about me anymore.”

Armand gave Christine a sympathetic look and went out the door. It wasn’t fair that she should help him with Marius and still be so lonely. It wasn’t fair that Louis should be so lonely either. Neither of them deserved it. He almost wanted to cry at the injustice of it all. At least soon, he’d be in the arms of his Padrone. Then everything would be better.
* * * * * * * * * * *





Chapter Five

Armand entered Marius’s apartment in Paris. Before the door even had a chance to close, Marius had swept him up in his strong arms.

“My Amadeo.” The blond began kissing his fledgling’s cheeks and eyes, and finally his lips. “I’ve missed you.”

“I’ve missed you too. Being away didn’t help me deal with the loss of my children.” He pressed his lips to his maker’s, his tongue slipping into his lover’s mouth. He pulled away and pecked Marius’s cheek. “This does.”

Marius kissed down Armand’s throat. The boy sighed, but stopped him before he was able to drink. He let his lips brush against his maker’s ear as he whispered, “Where are Pandora and Flavius?”

“They’re talking in another room. Be with me now.”

Armand looked down at his dirty hands; he needed to bathe. “I’m filthy.” He pouted a little.

Marius looked at him for a moment before grinning. He took his lover’s hand and made his way to the bathroom that was adjacent to his bedroom. Leaning Armand against the counter, he began kissing him and unbuttoning his shirt. The redhead smiled and kissed his maker’s throat. As Marius undid the last button, Armand began to drink.

The swoon was magnificent. Armand felt dizzy; his lover’s hands ran over his chest as the blood flowed into his mouth. He pulled himself up onto the counter and wrapped his legs around Marius’s waist, drawing him deliciously close.

Pulling away, Armand began to remove Marius’s shirt, placing a kiss on each bit of skin as it became visible. The Roman caressed the boy’s cheek softly. This was too perfect. He half expected to wake up or be attacked suddenly, but neither happened.

Marius undid the boy’s jeans, causing Armand to swallow the lump of anticipation that rose in his throat. The blond’s hands ran down his lover’s bare thighs and rested on his knees as he leaned forward to place a kiss on the smooth, naked shoulders in front of him. Armand let out a long, low moan as he felt his boxers slipped off of him.

Marius tore himself away from his angel just long enough to turn on the water and make sure it was warm. When he returned to the counter, Armand was shivering slightly. He lifted the boy and carried him to the tub, placing him in the seductively warm water.

Armand knelt up in the tub, and Marius’s knees almost gave out as he watched the water run down the boy’s beautiful chest. The younger vampire shook his head. “You don’t get to stay dry tonight, Padrone.” He removed his maker’s belt and undid his fly; a quick tug and the pants fell to the ground. Armand’s slender hands roamed up his Padrone’s legs, catching hold of his briefs and snatching them off as well.

The boy stepped out of the tub and pressed his hot, moist body against his lover’s. Marius thanked God he wasn’t human, otherwise he would have come right then. The redhead placed a long, lingering kiss on the Roman’s chest before turning and lowering him into the tub. Armand straddled Marius’s waist as they kissed, their tongues interweaving.

Marius kissed down the boy’s throat and chest. He stopped to let his tongue play with one of his fledgling’s nipples. Armand whimpered and bit his lip, accidentally drawing blood. The blond ran his tongue along his fledgling’s lip, the blood sending a shiver through him. His hands ran over Armand’s buttocks and up his back, into his hair.

The boy panted and gasped; this teasing was too much. He felt one of his maker’s hands leave his hair to run down between his legs and lightly stroke his sex. Armand closed his eyes and his lips parted as he whispered, “Padrone?” He was sure no mortal would have been able to stand this; he wanted to feel his lover’s fangs pierce him. Why was Marius being such a devil?

Marius kissed Armand’s temple. “Yes, Amadeo?”

He smiled coyly. “Are you trying to kill me?”

The blond ran his tongue up the boy’s throat and nipped his earlobe before whispering, “Always.” He let his fangs scrape down his fledgling’s cheek and throat, then bit into the perfect flesh. Armand pierced his lover’s vein moments later.

They pressed their bodies together as the swoon hit them. Hearing one another’s heartbeat pound in their ears and feeling it pound against their chests, they let their hands rove over every bit of flesh they could reach. Finally, holding each other tightly, they drank for a few last seconds before pulling away.

Marius leaned back against the wall, and Armand turned to lay back against his chest. The Roman caressed his lover’s hair and the boy massaged the older man’s thigh. “Padrone?”

“Yes, Amadeo?”

“We have to do this again.”

Marius sighed and kissed the top of his fledgling’s head. “We will. We have all the time in the world.”
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Chapter Six

Pandora and Flavius were sitting on a sofa chatting when the lovers entered. Pandora looked up and smiled. “Marius, correct me if I’m wrong, but you’ve been gone for_at least_ a half an hour.” She shook her finger at her maker, reprimanding him jokingly. “And I could swear you were wearing different clothes when you left us.”

Marius simply sat in his chair, pulling Armand into his lap. He kissed the boy’s cheek and felt him lay against his shoulder. “I suppose I’ve been gone for a while.”

Flavius cleared his throat and quickly changed the subject. He knew that Pandora would continue her little jokes and teasing for as long as she could, and he didn’t especially want to hear about his old friend’s intimate affairs. “Armand, where have you been during the last two years?”

The boy picked at Marius’s button a little, wishing that the two of them were alone again. The blond pinched his waist lightly and he stopped. “I spent most of my time in Venice, some in Rome. The last few weeks I was visiting Louis in New Orleans.”

“Oh? New Orleans?” Flavius remembered that horrible place. He’d managed to lose two lovers in one night just a few miles from the town. Louisiana in general wasn’t a place he wanted to be, which was ironic; he had spent long nights holding Nebari in his arms and wondering what it would be like to go to New Orleans and meet the “Coven of the Articulate.”

Armand sighed an acknowledgement and began picking at Marius’s button again. “She’s back, you know.” His voice was somewhat passive, although he didn’t mean it to be.

Flavius’s heart skipped a few beats. “What? She’s already gone back home?”

“She came back early tonight. I asked her if she wanted me to say anything to you, but -” Armand left the button alone and turned to face forward, sitting between his maker’s knees. Now Marius wished the others were gone. “She thinks you don’t care about her any more.”

Flavius’s heart fell flat. How could she think he didn’t care about her? Hadn’t Louis told Christine that he’d come for her after she left? He wanted to go to her so badly. He wanted to get up and walk out the door that very instant, but he was paralyzed. This was foolish; he couldn’t just go to her. What would he say? What would he do? He had failed her. And as far as he knew, her heart was hardened against him.
* * * * * * * * * * *



Chapter Seven

When Louis woke the next night, he found Christine in the living room listening to her CDs. He was worried about her. She’d spent all of her time the previous night asking Louis how he was, and if he was going to be okay. When he finally managed to convince her that he was perfectly all right – a lie she saw right through- and asked her what she had done while she was gone, she became withdrawn. She had said nothing more than, “I saw a few shows in New York,” before going to her room for the rest of the night.

Louis sat on the couch for a moment, watching Christine sway to the music. As the song began to fade out, he decided to try and find out what she was upset about. “Christine?” He gestured for her to sit next to him, and she complied, turning off the stereo as she walked over to the sofa. “Christine, is something bothering you?”

“No.” She looked away. It was unforgivable to lie to Louis of all people, but she didn’t want him to know what a horrible person she had become in New York. “Why would you think -”

Louis’s voice became even softer and caressing than usual. “Christine, what_is_ bothering you?”

“Really, Louis, it’s nothing. It’s, it’s -” Her voice trailed off and she sighed. “I had a lover.”

“Oh?”

“A_mortal_ lover.”

“I take it things didn’t go well?”

Christine looked at her hands. “If she hasn’t bled internally and died yet, then she’s lying in a hospital bed. She’s paralyzed because I wouldn’t give her the Dark Gift.”

“Did you paralyze her?”

“No.”

Louis put his arm around her. “Then you can’t blame yourself.”

“I was horrible to her. I either ignored her completely, had sex with her, or argued with her. I don’t think we ever had a_really_ civil moment. At least when we were first together we could carry on a conversation without throwing things.” She leaned against his shoulder and held back a few tears.

“Sometimes relationships just don’t work out.” A tear ran down Louis’s cheek. “Hope and try as you might, things can fall apart right when they seem to be coming together.” His voice was hollow, but full of pain.

Christine put her arms around his neck. “Oh, Louis, don’t cry. If Lestat doesn’t see how wonderful you are, then he doesn’t deserve you.” She felt a tear run down her cheek as Louis’s sadness melted her defenses.

“That doesn’t mean I don’t still love him. I don’t think I could ever stop loving him.” Louis’s voice was quivering. “But I do have to stop going back to him, don’t I? I have to stop letting him hurt me.”

“I’m sure he loves you, in his own way. Maybe someday -” Christine wasn’t sure if she was lying or not. She just wanted to find something that would comfort her father.

“I know he loves me. He just doesn’t know how to show it.” Louis thought for a moment. “I think he’s afraid.”

“Afraid of what?” Christine looked at him, trying to decipher what he had just said. Before Louis had a chance to answer, there was a knock at the door.

Christine stood and released her father as he went to answer the door. The redhead already knew who it was; she could sense it. Her hair stood on end, causing a tingling sensation to cover her body. A chill ran up her spine and her heart stopped in mid-beat. As Louis opened the door and greeted the visitor, she saw his lips move but heard no sound. The sound of her own rushing blood had filled her ears, deafening her to all other noises. She watched as though she were in a dream as Louis asked her something. She couldn’t hear the words, but nodded instinctively.

The black-haired vampire stepped back from the door as Flavius came in. He stopped in his tracks and stared at Christine with hesitation. Neither of them moved or spoke. Louis said something, but Christine only heard jumbled whispers. She felt his hand on her shoulder; another string of whispers. Flavius came forward, and she could see that he was also speaking. Christine’s head swam, and small black spots danced across her vision. Then – nothing.
* * * * * * * * * * *


Christine woke up on the floor with Louis crouching over her. “Chere, are you all right?!”

The redhead sat up and pushed her hair back. She didn’t see Flavius anywhere, but she knew he was nearby. “Did I pass out?” Louis nodded. “I’m sorry. I must have worried you.”

“It’s all right. I just didn’t expect it. I asked you if it would be okay for Flavius to stay with us for the night. I had thought -”

“What?!” Christine cut in on his sentence. “He’s staying with us?!”

“You said it was all right. If you want, I can tell him to go to St. Elizabeth’s.” Louis helped her up. She wobbled for a minute, but quickly regained her balance. “Would you prefer that?”

“NO!” She looked down and calmed herself. “I mean, no. Uhh – he can stay here if he wants to. We have plenty of extra rooms; it would be a shame to waste them all. Where is he, anyway?” Christine looked around as though she hadn’t already searched for him.

“He’s out in the garden. He thought it would be best to be gone when you woke up.” Louis stopped and looked at her, trying to read her expression. “I didn’t tell you before because it slipped my mind, but – he came back for you.”

“What? He came back for me? When?”

“Shortly after you left. He seemed heartbroken when I told him that I didn’t know where you were or when you’d be back.” He touched her face and looked into her eyes very sweetly. “He loves you very much, Christine. Finding someone who loves you unconditionally, and can admit it freely, is a hard task. You have something that’s very rare, don’t let it escape you. And never abuse it.” He kissed her cheek as a tear trailed down it.

“Louis? Are you all-” She choked on her words. Oh, she knew Flavius loved her. She knew it with every fiber of her being, but she was afraid.

“I have to go too, Christine.”

“Why? Will you come back?”

“Of course I’ll come back. And if it’s easier for you, I won’t leave until after Flavius does. But I’ve been here too long. The two years that Lestat’s been gone, I’ve been here waiting for him to come back. I think – I think I need to move on with my life.” The words were so painful to him. It didn’t feel like he was trying to move on with his life. It felt like he was trying to forget Lestat, and he didn’t want that to happen.

“And you can’t do that here, can you?”

“No, I can’t. You could come with me if you wanted to.” Both of them were crying now. Louis knew how Christine felt about abandonment. He didn’t want her to think he was abandoning her.

“It’s all right, Louis. I’ll be okay. I belong here, at least for a while. Maybe I can join you later. And you don’t have to stay until Flavius leaves. I have to work some things out with him before_I_ can move on. Go. Be happy, you deserve that much.” She put her arms around his neck and kissed his cheek.

The two immortals held each other for a few minutes before Louis went to his room to get the things he had packed three nights before. They hugged each other again, wishing luck to one another in what they both faced. Christine made Louis promise not to look back, or regret his going. When he asked if he was making a mistake, she assured him that this was something he should do for himself. Then Louis left the place he had thought of as home for two centuries.
* * * * * * * * * * *





Chapter Eight

Christine plopped down on the sofa and wiped away her tears as she began to think about the men involved in her life. There were Marius and Armand, who had both helped in their own ways. Marius had fed her after those first few painful nights as an immortal. And, from what Louis had told her, he was the one who finally convinced Lestat to accept her. Armand was sweet, though he didn’t want anyone to know it. He came to her rescue after Nebari tortured her, then sat by her bed and nursed her back to health.

Then there were her fathers. David was the biggest help right after his torture, evil as that may sound. Tending to him had helped Christine grow. She had needed someone to take care of; it was her nature. Lestat had healed Christine physically, taught her what he could of her new body, and gave her a new chance at life, but beyond that he only held the legal title of her “father.” Louis had done the most to help her heal. They would talk through the night about anything that upset her; whether it be the plot of a story or some half-dreamed memory. He would always be there for her.

Her mortal fathers were another story. One man ran off before she was even born. His name was as much a mystery to her as his identity. The other was a vicious monster in the disguise of
Prince Charming. Thomas had been nothing more than a greasy, sweaty brute in a business suit. He had scarred her beyond words. She was the fortunate one, however; she had lived to tell about it, and get him arrested. But others hadn’t been so lucky; Momma, Red - and _her._ _She_ didn’t even have a chance when Thomas found out about her.

Christine began to cry again. She whispered frantically to herself in an attempt to calm herself down. “Don’t think about her. It won’t do you any good to think of Lilly Baby now. It’s too late for her.” The redhead just cried harder. “She’s gone. Oh God in heaven, forgive me. She’s gone.” Christine wrapped her arms around her stomach, curled into a ball, and began rocking back and forth.

She heard the back door, that led into the garden, open and close. Then Flavius’s soft, footsteps approaching. They came to a halt as he entered the room. “Christine? What’s wrong?” He began to move to take the girl in his arms, but stopped himself. If she didn’t want him, then getting too close would upset her. She already seemed upset enough. It killed him, but he wasn’t about to make matters worse by invading her space.

“Louis left.” It may not have been what was really upsetting her, but it was a good enough answer. There was nothing that could make Christine try to explain to Flavius what had happened with Lilly Baby. Even Louis had been denied the story of Lilly Baby. The whole thing had been Christine’s fault. Yes, it was all her fault. She had had the power to save Lilly Baby, but did nothing. She had_let_ that monster take Lilly Baby the way he took everything else.

Then again, maybe she could tell Flavius. He loved her. They had shared blood. Wasn’t it possible he already knew about her? No, he would have been disgusted with Christine if he knew. Besides, she had forgotten about Lilly Baby, tucked the memory away in her mind until a few moments ago. He couldn’t know, he mustn’t know. She made the decision then to block her mind from him.

Christine excused herself from the room. She didn’t want to leave Flavius; in fact, she wanted nothing more than to hide from her pain in his arms, but she had to go. If she weren’t able to compose herself, then concealing her mind wouldn’t do any good. Christine was the type who would blurt out just about anything if she was upset enough, and that couldn’t be allowed to happen. Much as she loved him, he couldn’t find out about Lilly Baby.
* * * * * * * * * * *





Chapter Nine

Flavius wasn’t in the house when Christine woke up the next night. She checked all the rooms and found his things in were still in the room across the hall from hers. So, he was coming back.

After about an hour, Christine heard Flavius return as she sketched in her room. He paced briefly before she heard him retreat through the back door. The redhead thought about going out into the garden to meet him, but she couldn’t do it.

How was she going to talk to him if neither of them could manage to confront the other? There was no way she could get up the courage to face him, even if he did still love her. How could she walk up to him and tell him about Ariana? It wasn’t possible.

Christine went out into the living room and turned on the radio, curling up on the loveseat to read an old book of poetry Louis had given her before she left. She jostled her foot, chewed and picked at her fingernails, and twisted her hair around her fingers. Finally, she slammed the book down on the table and headed for the back door. As she reached for the doorknob, however, she lost her nerve and slinked back to the safety of her music.

Christine sorted through the CDs she and Lestat shared before returning to her room to retrieve a Melissa Etheridge album, Breakdown. She listened to this part of that song and some part of another, until she finally got bored and decided to start dancing.

The CD switched to track 10, “My Lover.” Christine sang low, and her voice took on a rawness. It sounded very sensual coming from her, though it would have just sounded raspy from others.

“No one conceals me like/ No one reveals me like/ My lover/ No one can disconnect/ No one can resurrect/ Like my lover”

As Christine sang with the music, her whole attitude and manner became seductive. She swung her hips with slow, fluid motions, dipping them every now and then.

“My lover makes me weak/ Gives me breath to speak/ My lover takes me home/ Cools the rolling stone/ My lover’s thorny kiss/ The reason to exist/ I wonder/ I wonder”

Christine sensed that Flavius was watching her from the garden door. The redhead closed her eyes and, without consciously meaning to, became slightly more seductive. She ran her hands across her stomach and up her sides, extending them above her head before bringing them back down to rest on her thighs.

“No one can saturate/ No one manipulates/ Like my lover/ The sensuality/ It’s immortality”

Christine danced against the entertainment unit. She slid her back down the side until she almost sat on the ground, then straightened her legs and slid back up.

“My lover/ My lover needs to seize/ Bring me to my knees”

She dropped to her knees, her feet out behind her, and bent back until her head touched her toes. Reaching her arms out ahead of her, she got up as though she were being pulled by an unseen partner.

“Reads me like a prayer/ Calls the spirits there/ Secretly inspires/ Strips me to desire”

Christine ran her hands from her shoulders to her knees, causing Flavius to shiver. He wanted so badly to touch her again; to wrap his arms around her while they drank from each other. The Greek tore his eyes away from Christine’s lithe, writhing form and rested his head against the wall while she finished her song.

“I wonder/ I wonder/ My lover needs to seize/ Bring me to my knees/ Reads me like a prayer/ Calls the spirits there/ Secretly inspires/ Strips me to desire/ I wonder/ I wonder/ No one can visualize/ No one can make me rise/ Like my lover/ They/ They dream of paradise/ They’ll never ever pay the price/ My lover/ My lover/ My lover/ My lover”

Flavius listened to the guitar solo. As he heard Melissa’s voice sing the last few lines, he realized that Christine was silent. He looked into the living room to see that she had left. The man walked inside and looked around. Reaching to turn off the stereo, he felt Christine come up behind him and slip her arms around his waist. She pressed close to his back and whispered into his ear, “Leave it on. Come dance with me.”

Melissa finished the last lines of the song alone as Christine kissed Flavius’s shoulder. “No one conceals me/ No one reveals me”

Flavius swallowed a lump in his throat. “I can’t dance.” He was melting. Christine was_so_ close, but he didn’t do anything; he couldn’t move.

Christine turned him around to face her and pushed him onto the sofa as the next song, “Sleep,” began to play. “Then sit with me.”

Melissa sang alone as the redhead slipped into her lover’s lap.

“After your laughter like thunder/ After your skin like coffee and cream”

Christine ran her lips down Flavius’s cheek and kissed his chin. “I’m sorry I left.”

“After it takes our bodies into the night/ After we’ve come to the extreme/ I wanna lay down on your shoulder/ Just inside your arm/ I wanna listen to your heartbeat/ And your breathing on and on/ I wanna lay down on your shoulder/ Surrender to your peace/ And go to sleep”

Flavius slipped his arms around Christine’s waist and kissed her. “I’m sorry I let you leave.” He kissed down her throat as she ran her hands up his chest and over his shoulders.

“After we’ve gone a million miles/ Made true our dreams with sweat and bone/ After we’ve built it up with our bare hands/ Made strong a place we can call home”

“Do you love me, Flavius?” Christine nipped at his ear.

“I wanna lay down on your shoulder/ Just inside your arm”

“I will always love you.” His voice was so full of emotion. Christine sighed when she heard the words and rested her head against his chest. Flavius ran his hands down her back, kissing the top of her head.

“I wanna listen to your heartbeat/ And your breathing on and on/ I wanna lay down on your shoulder/ Surrender to your peace/ And go to sleep/ And when the light in my eye is failing/ When running water becomes too deep/ Finally angels turn my fire to dust/ And when my soul’s no longer mine to keep”

The redhead sat up and pressed close to her lover, whispering into his ear, “I want you.”

Flavius was caught a bit off guard. He had never expected to hear her say something like that. As he kissed her, Christine looked over his shoulder and saw a letter that was addressed to her lying on a table behind the couch. Then she saw the return address: Ariana Goldwyn.

Christine’s heart stopped; it had been doing that a lot lately. She crawled out of Flavius’s lap and took his hand, leading him to her room. He couldn’t see the letter, not before she had a chance to explain things. They heard the music finish as Christine closed the door.

“I wanna lay down on your shoulder/ Just inside your arm/ I wanna listen to your heartbeat/ And your breathing on and on/ I wanna lay down on your shoulder/ Surrender to the peace/ And just go to sleep”

Flavius put his arms around the girl and kissed her with every ounce of passion in him. She kissed him back, but it was a weak kiss. Her mind was wandering back to New York; to the hospital room where she’d abandoned her mortal lover.

Noticing her distraction, Flavius touched her face to try and bring her back from wherever she’d gone. “Christine, what’s wrong?”

She smiled at him. “Nothing. I’m just – so happy to be with you again.” That was the second lie she’d told him since he arrived. How could she tell him that she was thinking about her mortal lover? She had been so upset when he thought about Nebari while they were together, and she hated being hypocritical.

Flavius caressed her cheeks and kissed her again. This time, she wrapped her arms around his waist and began to move toward her bed. Christine pushed her lover down onto the mattress and ran her hands up under his shirt as she kissed him. The girl’s tongue slipped between his lips, and she dragged it across one of the man’s fangs.

As the sweet, metallic flavor dripped into Flavius’s mouth he let his hands linger on Christine’s hips. He looked into his lover’s eyes as she pulled off his shirt, tossing it to the side. Then he watched as she pulled off her own shirt.

Flavius ran his hands over her stomach and sat as she straddled his hips. He began kissing the parts of her breasts that weren’t covered by the silky, black brassiere.

Christine closed her eyes and let her fingers slip through Flavius’s hair. She felt his fangs pierce the flesh he’d been kissing and in a moment the swoon hit her. It was such a wonderful feeling, better than when she had drunk from Ariana. Flavius loved her, and she knew he meant it. This was what she wanted; to be wrapped in his arms forever.

Flavius felt the blood rush into his mouth and he felt Christine’s hands on him, but other than that there was nothing. Her blood carried none of the images to him that it had before; her mind was blocked. His heart sank and he thought to himself, “Why would she do this? I thought she loved me. I thought she wanted me. So why hide herself from me? What happened while she was gone?”
* * * * * * * * * * *


END