Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters besides Curtis Von Levoe. Anne Reice owns them all and she is one lucky author. All my stories are written as a testement to her greatness.
This story is for MOM, Paula and starline. Thank you all for your friendship and your great stories. Love, Koj
Once there was a man named Curtis Von Levoe
He was Count of the Prussia's lands
Old before his time
Went crazy when he was nine
Always carried a stake
would get this terrible shake
whenever it was night
He had a fright
and hid from the darkling
named Amadeo.
The Count killed himself
when he was forty on
the Winter Solstice
swear he would have his
revenge on the darkling
Amadeo. - Curtis Von Levoe, 1678
The Count pout down the pen and blew on the paper to make the ink dry. He then blew out his candle and the room went
dark He swore, "Be afraid, thou damnèd darkling, I shalt haveth mine own revenge on thou. Thou hast not seenth the last of
me." Then he unsheathed the dagger and finished his life but started a legend.
Night Island- 1999
"Okay," Daniel said as he leaned over the protective glass case, "you paid 20 million dollars for a really old, crappy poem
that is barely readable?"
"I knew the author," Armand smiled wryly, "After writing that poem to me he committed suicide."
"Oh," Daniel said, "I take it you two were close."
"I wouldn't say that," he said bitterly, "he killed himself to get free of me."
"You cared for him?"
Armand nodded, "I very nearly loved him. This poem he wrote was supposed to be a curse against me. I really believed
myself cursed till I met you."
Daniel got up and kissed Armand, "You won't be troubled by any curse as long as I'm around. I'll protect you with my life."
"No, beloved, you are my salvation and it will be I who will protect you."
Daniel put his arms around his maker and held him close, "don't be troubled, Armand, lets go out and make a night out of
having fun."
"Is that all you can think about?" Armand said as he pulled away looking annoyed.
"Why not? Nothings wrong , no vile creature is out to destroy us and," Daniel said as he gave Armand butterfly kisses on his
face, "you are too tense. You need to loosen up and maybe, god forbid, relax."
Armand laughed slightly as he grabbed Daniel's chin to ward off his gentle kisses, "If you keep that up, Daniel, I will
eventually be relaxed but we won't get out tonight."
"Yes, you do know that I love to hold you after we make love."
"That's while we'll never get out," Armand said, "because I like it when you hold me close but I know you must be hungry..."
"The pickings were horrible since someone drug me off to a ball/ polictal fund raiser. All I had to talk about was a return to
family values, prayer in school, sex education..."
"The candidate is conservative..."
"I'm voting for Al Gore! He won't screw any interns, isn't stupid enough to lie about his mistakes, he probably runs the
country already instead of Clinton and..."
"No political conspiracy theories..."
"He would've let us dance," Daniel said with a smile.
Armand could not help up smile. His face used to hurt when he would smile since he rarely used those muscles but now the
smile came naturally to him. The smile came from the smile in his heart that was Daniel Molloy.
"I can't believe you did that!" Armand exclaimed as the reentered their apartment much later that night.
"You choose a male strip club to feed at..."
"It was on the way home from the theatre and I had no idea you'd actually strip in front of everyone."
"Well there had to be a damn good reason that we were there."
"I was horrified."
"It was fun," Daniel laughed at how jealous Armand was reacting. It was so funny that he was warned that Armand didn't
show strong emotions and to be patient with him. If they only could see him now, "After feeding they didn't know the
difference."
"The owner approached me to strip, remember," Armand hissed, "you didn't have to volunteer to do it; I could've handled it."
"I always wanted to strip just once just to see what it was like..."
"Oh god you sound like Lestat," Armand sighed, "but next time when you get the urge to strip do it for me alone, all right!"
"Promise," Daniel said as he slid into Armand's arms. He could still feel the effects of his act on Armand for his sex was still
very much erected. Daniel smiled and whispered into Armand's ear, "you know how to turn me on."
"It's hard to stay angry at you," Armand sighed blissfully happy as he started to work on the zip of Daniel's pants," to be
honest you're stripping was very erotic and I hated sharing it with the women. Only for me, Daniel, only for me?"
"Anywhere, any time," Daniel said as they heard glass smash.
"Curtis's poem!" Armand said as he ran into his room, followed by Daniel.
The poem was floating in the air.
The poem was glowing
Blood dribbled from the rotting page.
"Curtis!" Armand screamed, "it cannot be! Daniel run quickly..."
"Ar...man...d? What is... happening... to... me?" Daniel asked as he collapsed, his eyes rolled up in the back of his head.
"Daniel? DANIEL!" Armand screamed, "Curtis, for god sake, stop this; Daniel has nothing to do with us."
"I saidth that abou' mine own wife and babies and kin. Thy slaughtered them all, Amadeo," his ghostly voice said bitterly,
"And thy doth enjoyed it."
"Your wife was unfaithful and 'your' children her bastards."
"I knowst I wast cuckold but I loved them."
"They tried to kill you," Armand cried as he held Daniel as he went into a seizure, "Oh god Daniel, no, oh god... please
Curtis, he is an innocent; stop punishing him for my crimes. He is just a boy!"
"I wilt not slaughter thy darkling childe, Amadeo, I am wakening him for I wilt not kill him but I am not 'bove using his body.
I know thou wilt not hurt thy beloved."
"No!" Armand shouted, "leave him alone! Your possession could destroy him."
Curtis laughed, "Wast it not thy how doth taught me to use and destroy all I couldth?"
"You want revenge? Fine then take me..."
"What pleasure wouldst bringth forth? Destroy thine savior and thine salvation. I wanth thy to suffer as thou hast made me
suffer."
"Curtis, I never meant to hurt you..."
"Thou meant to driveth me to Bedlam and thou nearly did. Revenge I tried to taketh on thou but thou hast no heart in thy
chest until now. I saw thy dark intention wit' the boy and I wanted to save the boy but the fool wast too in love wit' thy to seeth
thou for what thou art."
"And this?" Armand gestured to the seizuring Daniel.
Curtis laughed. Armand held Daniel down then sent a wave of telepathic energy at the open. The poem grew dull then fell to
the ground. The blood evaporated off the carpet. Daniel stopped shaking and opened his eyes, "Armand, what happened? I
got a splitting headache."
"You got attacked by a Ghost but you are all right now; I got rid of him."
"I feel so freaky, Armand, like I'm me but someone else."
'No, oh no!' Armand thought, 'I failed him; Curtis has possessed him.'
"Daniel, beloved, relax. Don't "freak out" when I tell you this but... you've been possessed."
"Possessed!" Daniel said freaking out, "as in The Exorcist type of possessed?"
"Please," Armand said soothingly, "the more hysterical you get the more power Curtis has over you..."
"Curtis? You mean the poet who wrote you a curse?"
"Von Levoe, yes."
"Shit!"
"Just relax and we'll figure out a way to get rid of him."
"But... how can you stay so calm?"
"Because, thy whoreson, white-livered rabbit-sucker, Amadeo is the cold, distant Coven Lord, remember?" those words
came from Daniel's mouth but not his voice.
"What just happened?" Daniel asked, "I just did..."
"That wasn't you," Armand said gently trying to comfort his fledgling, "it's all right."
"I'm frightened, Armand," Daniel whispered.
"Daniel's head shot down and slowly rised with a vindictive smile on his lips. "Thy canst protect thine beloved and thy
knowst this. He is mine own now and I willst enjoy him."
"Curtis, you may be strong but I'm older, more powerful and have resources to send you back where you belong."
"Destroy me? Even if you burn the poem you will never get me out of Daniel's mind."
Armand realized what Curtis told him. The moron told him how to defeat him; Von Levoe was his own worst enemy.
Armand smiled and blew the poem up. "You cannot run any more, Curtis."
"Hello?" Daniel called from in his own mind, "oh Mister Curtis, where are you? I'd like to get back into control here."
"Mister?" a man appeared out of thin air, "Doth thou know I am royalty?"
"As long as you are in MY mind you are going to be Mister and be glad for that much."
Curtis Von Levoe was rather tall about 6'2" Daniel guessed with long brown hair and tight skin. To look at the man made
Daniel's face hurt. "Boy, I am on a crusade to rid this world o' the darkling, Amadeo. I wanted to save thou but I couldth not.
I am eternally sorry, childe. Alack, quite the situation Amadeo hath got us in."
"Armand?! You possessed me!"
"If he would've just died then you or I shant be in this mess."
Daniel noticed that his English was changing more to modern English. Amazing how quick the Count was learning. "Why do
you want revenge? Why don't you want peace?"
"After 31 years of hell? Oh no, he killed my family, my wife and my friends all so he could have me all to himself. Thank
God, boy, that none of your family or friends were around or he'd have killed them too."
"Curtis, he is not a monster."
"He said he loved me but he drove me insane. You got out lucky with your sanity," Curtis sighed, "now listen I don't know
why we can't be friends."
"I can tell you why: you took over my mind, want to kill my beloved and..."
"But besides that," Curtis said as he got down on one knee in front of Daniel, "I swear on my honor as a knight that I will
protect you in this life and after words with my body and soul."
"Huh?"
"I've just sworn complete and utter loyalty to you, boy. I want to protect you, why else would I have let my poem leave my
castle. I hid it in the next life. Only I can bring the castle to this world again. If Amadeo can love you you must be special."
"Curtis," Daniel smiled, "you want total and utter revenge on Armand? I can tell you how to have it."
"Really?" Curtis said jumping to his feet, "tell me how! I knew I'd find an ally in you."
"Go on to the next life, be happy with all those that Armand killed. That is your revenge to be happy with all of those he
didn't want you to be happy with, Curtis."
"Do you think... that would work? Yes, it would! That's brilliant, boy. I will do it. I will bring Mama, Papa, Katherine: my
sister, Mary Jane: my wife, and our children back to the castle and we can haunt it together forever. Happy, Daniel, to be truly
happy again and to have Amadeo to constantly wonder if or when we will return. It's wonderful. And everyone thinks you are
dumb..." Curtis said as he disappeared.
"Okay, this is really weird," Daniel said to himself as he regained consciencness.
"He's waking up," Daniel heard a voice say.
"Thank you, Marius," Armand said as he ran over to Daniel, "how are you feeling?"
"Just peachy," Daniel said as he tried to sit up but Marius forced him back down.
"You're body has been through a lot thanks to Von Levoe. It seems he has left you."
"Yeah, he went back to haunt his castle and is bringing his wife, parents, sister and kids back with him."
"He'll never learn," Armand said as he held Daniel, "at least he left you."
"He swore loyalty to me though, it was weird."
"Damn," David said from he back, "when a ghost swears loyalty to the 'living' you know you'll see them again."
Daniel could hear Lestat's laugh, "Daniel, at least you know that Curtis shall stay around, mon cher."
"Lestat," Louis scolded, "now isn't the time to be telling tasteless jokes."
Daniel stared straight up at Marius's and Armand's worried faces. They were his family and they were worried. Family?
Why did he think that Marius was about of his family? Was that what he and Armand was? Family? Curtis Von Levoe killed
himself for his family and now he was with them. Daniel knew he would kill anyone who tried to hurt his family.
Lestat, Louis and David came up and stood over him as well. "Danny," Lestat said, "you look like shit."
"LESTAT!" Louis said, thoroughly embarrassed plus Marius and Armand gave him dirty looks.
"You know what?" Daniel asked Lestat, "I feel like shit too. What is everyone doing here?"
"Easy," Pandora said as he approached the group, "Armand sent out an S.O.S. saying something bad happened to you and
we all came as soon as possible."
"Something about a killer ghost," Eric said, "Santino knew him."
"Curtis Von Levoe," Santino sighed, "never thought he'd actually come back."
Daniel laughed, "When it comes to us anything is possible Santino."
"Quite right," Eric said dryly.
"At least you are all right," Pandora said, "we all were very worried about you. We weren't sure if you were going to make it
or not."
"He's Danny," Lestat said as he put his hand on Daniel's shoulder, "he can survive anything."
"With Von Levoe swearing loyalty to Daniel," Louis said, "this means that it isn't over with."
"Von Levoe," Daniel started thinking his words over carefully, "wanted a family. Some people to love him and he thought he
had that with his family, wife and kids but he knew he didn't. He took it out on Armand because he took them and his pretend
relationships with them and destroyed them."
"I only wanted to protect him..." Armand said and he put his hand on Daniel's hand, "I never knew that Curtis would come
back just to hurt you."
"He wanted closure I think," Daniel said, "because as soon as I had a solution, even though it was a crappy one, he took it
right up and left."
"Von Levoe isn't the smartest guy in the universe," Santino sighed, "never knew what you saw in him, Armand."
Eric stood up, "Daniel, you do look rather worn and it's almost sun rise. I think we should let you get your sleep."
Louis took Lestat and David out and Eric was followed faithful by Santino. Marius was about to leave but Daniel grabbed
his hand. Marius turned around. "Marius, you and Armand are the first real family I've ever had in my life. Thank you for
coming."
Marius kissed Daniel on the forehead, "You are a good boy, Daniel, I'm glad you are better. I think I'll stay here until you
fully recover."
"Yes," Armand said, "of course."
"Von Levoe might decide to come back and we must be ready," Marius said as he left.
Armand smiled, "Marius loves you like a son, Daniel. He never understood what I saw in you but I think now he does. The
family comment you just made has made him very happy."
"What is everyone else doing here?"
"I called them to try to come up with an idea to help you. You should've seen how everyone was pacing the room. Even
Eric was worried about you."
"I don't understand."
"They all love you. You helped bring Santino and Eric back together after that horrible fight. Everyone else was afraid to do
it but you did it. Pandora wanted to go on a date with David and who set it up? I believe that was you. They've been going
together ever since."
"Marius will kill me when he finds out about that," Daniel smiled.
"He won't for Pandora is happy," Armand said, "And you know that Lestat and Louis love you. You always were the
referee in any of their fights."
Daniel smiled and yawned, "It must be almost dawn."
"Yes, it's time for us to get to bed," Armand said as he carried Daniel to his room.
Three weeks later an envelope appeared on Daniel's desk. It said "To Molloy" on it. Daniel opened it up and a piece of
paper fell out. It read:
"Thank you for your kindness,
thank you for your body,
thank you for sharing your mind with me,
thank you for setting me straight,
thank you for giving me something to live for,
I will protect you, Daniel, but remember this warning well:
watch out, dear Daniel, for the Sybelle. -Curtis Von Levoe 1999"