From Love to Death - A Spiritual Interlude
© Flamebyrd
flamebyrd@hotmail.com
June 1999Well, people, here's a little interlude in my other spec (From Love to Death, which I'm not sure anyone was still following). It has the spirit in it, because I couldn't keep him out. *laughs*
It sort of tells you what everyone else was doing while Armand was adopting Angel - and also what happened to Daniel.
Spoilers: Up to TotBT, and my two and a half specs, 'Love and Spirits', 'Spirits and Broken Memories' and 'From Love to Death'.
And READ 'From Love to Death'. Things will make so much more sense if you do.
I lay back lazily on the chair, trying to read a book, but finding it impossible with Marius stroking my hair the way he was. "Mmmph," I said. "Stop that, I can't concentrate."
"Do you really want to?" he asked, smiling in a decidedly seductive manner.
I smiled. "Not if you're going to be like that..."
We were interrupted by a crashing in the other room. I jumped out of his lap and was in the room before I could even think about what I was doing. The window had shattered, and as I watched, Lestat flew in, both fledglings in tow.
"Really, Lestat, you could use the door," said Marius, behind me. "Or at least refrain from breaking my window."
He didn't respond to the gentle reproof. "Marius, you have to talk to that fledgling of yours! You will not believe what he has done!"
Marius frowned. "Armand? What's wrong?" The pair of them disappeared into the lounge, Lestat dragging Louis with him, leaving me standing uncomfortably with David.
He was watching me, a puzzled frown on his face.
I blinked at him, nervously. "Er... I'm..."
"A spirit. I know." He smiled a little. "I'm David Talbot." He offered a hand, which I shook, still a little apprehensive.
"I thought you might be," I said, at a loss. "Um... did Lestat mention me, then?" I sat on a chair, still looking at him quizzically.
He closed his eyes. "He might have, once or twice. But that wasn't it." He opened his eyes again, and looked at me, head cocked to one side. "The Talamasca has a file on you, with a rather nice artist's sketch."
"Oh," I said, dumbfounded. What did he know about me...?
"It didn't say, however, that you had any connection with the vampires..." he went on, musingly.
"Well..." I said. "Would they? I thought the vampires were this big secret thing..." I didn't like the idea of there being a file on me. I like my privacy.
"Yes..." he said slowly, still thinking.
"What did it say?" I asked, my curiosity getting the better of me.
"Oh, not that much really. A spirit, no name, involves itself with lovers. Age uncertain. I only remember because the idea of love it believed in was described so accurately. The person who wrote it claimed he had met this spirit."
He seemed to have forgotten it was me he was speaking to. "I'm not an it," I said, piqued. "I'm a he." I have never thought of myself as being particularly androgynous. This was a new puzzle.
He glanced at me. "The author wasn't actually very clear on that point." He gave me an oblique stare. "You are a very ... pretty ... spirit." He shrugged expressively. "Perhaps he was confused." Who was the author? I wondered. Was it really someone I had spoken to? I didn't recall any Talamasca... but then again, I know my own memory.
I folded my arms, and decided to change the subject. "What did Lestat want to talk to Marius about?" I asked David, hoping he would give me a straight answer.
He hesitated.
"It was about something Armand had done? What?"
"Armand... well, according to Lestat, Armand made a new fledgling."
I stared at him, shocked.
He held up a hand. "However, as far as I can make out, it was never actually stated that the fledgling was Armand's - just that he exists and that he is living -- or whatever -- with Armand."
"Surely Armand wouldn't make a new fledgling. Where is Daniel?"
He shifted uncomfortably, and I could tell he didn't like discussing other vampires with me. "I don't know," he said, unhelpfully.
Abruptly, I heard Lestat call from the other room. "David! We are going to talk to Armand. Come soon!"
There was silence as the room next door emptied. I could not help feeling slightly hurt that Marius had left without even a farewell.
:Don't be like that, beloved,: said Marius, in my mind. He 'sounded' amused. :I'll be back as soon as possible.: And then he was gone.
But I don't know if I'll still be here, I thought. I felt a sudden urge to get out, to get away from the deeply loving but somewhat constricted world I had built myself. I still love you, Marius, I said to myself. But, and I hope you can understand this, I have to get away. This not knowing about my own past was beginning to really bother me.
David was watching me again. "Are you all right?" he asked, eventually.
"Oh," I said, shaking myself out of my reverie. "I'm fine. I guess. Are you going to follow?"
"Soon," he said. "Not right now, though." He shifted again.
A familiar voice called from outside. "Is anybody in there?"
Daniel?! I thought. I flung open the door. "What are you doing here?"
He blinked at me, puzzled. "Why?"
I beckoned him inside. David's eyes widened as he realised who the visitor was. "Daniel? How... where...?" I waved a hand to silence him.
"There's something wrong, isn't there," said Daniel, gazing at both of us.
"Well... Lestat and Marius just left to see Armand."
"Armand? Why? What's happened? Is he all right?" Daniel asked, worry clouding his eyes.
David told him what he had told me.
Daniel sat down on the chair, his eyes wide. "But... I..."
David stood up, abruptly. "If you'll excuse me," he said, quietly, "I have to... I have to go out."
I suddenly realised why he had been so uncomfortable with me before. I nodded, quietly, and he left the room discreetly. Daniel didn't even respond.
"How could he make a new fledgling?" asked Daniel, brokenly.
I sat down next to him, and held him lightly. "I don't believe he did, Daniel."
He gazed at me, eyes full of unending sorrow. "Why?"
"He wouldn't. Not without a wait of ten years, at least," I said, trying to make him smile.
It fell flat. "Don't joke, please..." he pleaded, tears glinting in his eyes.
"But I am serious," I said. "He wouldn't do that."
"Then how...?"
"Like David said. Someone else's fledgling he has 'adopted'."
He stared at the floor. "That's almost worse..."
"Oh, Daniel," I said, my heart going out to him. "Look, I'm sure it's not like that."
"No?"
"Why weren't you with him, anyway?" I asked, frowning.
"We... decided to spend some time apart."
I went cold. "You fought?"
"No! No, we just decided it would be best. For a little while."
I thought it was a stupid idea, but I didn't say anything, just sat there, holding him. "What are you going to do?" I asked him, eventually.
"I don't know. Speak to him, I guess."
I nodded. It was what I would have told him. "Ask David to fly you there. I don't understand how you can fly in those awful planes." I shuddered.
"I'm used to it. I had a lot of practice..." His eyes grew saddened, thinking of the past briefly, before shaking it off and returning his attention to his present dilemma. "Will you be coming?"
I paused, thinking. "No," I said. "I don't think I will."
He blinked at me, confused. "But why?"
"It's vampire business. Not mine."
He nodded, slowly. "You don't think some of the others will approve."
I stood. "I'm going out for a bit," I said, giving him a quick hug. "Lock the house when you leave."
He stared at me. "Will you be back?" I didn't reply. I was already leaving.
As I threw myself into the night sky, I embraced my freedom, however brief it would be. I'll be back, Marius, I promised him. But first, I have to find myself.
End.