Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Vampires… if I did I wouldn't have to worry about the SATs Saturday… nice thought. This story is not meant to insult Anne Rice but is a tribute to her greatness. Also I don't own "Bat Out of Hell" Meatloaf does, I believe. I don't to insult him either. Don't sue me because I am dirt broke.

Note: "Bat Out of Hell" is used within the story, it's a monologue. I'll use Italics to highlight it. Also this story is has some violence in it. I don't write the violence but it is referred to throughout the story and a little bit of citris but no real sex


    I'm no stranger to pain. I've been hurt many times; sometimes though pain is good. It reminds us that we are still alive. I've found the worst sort of pain is heartache which I've experienced many times.

Marius.

Lestat.

Louis.

They were my major heartaches then there is Daniel, not as much of heartache as a headache most of the time. I am Armand; I can handle it. I know Daniel never means to hurt me, he never does and he is always sorry. Most times he is like a child and eager to please me, making me smile was his goal in life. He is very smart though he plays dumb for my benefit, he thinks I don't realize it but I do.

Daniel used to leave me all the time after we'd fight; our fights are always brutal. Before he can even get a good sharp word in I'd rip him to shreds. I look back on those fights with self-loathing. I was driving him away, I realize that now and if he didn't really love me he would've quit me years ago. I love him too but I don't know how to tell him… how to express the emotions I know he deserves to know! These thought haunt me tonight for Daniel isn't back yet… he said he'd be right back. I don't know what I'm scared of; he never comes back right away. My thoughts are so jumbled tonight. I feel like something is very, very wrong. I hope Daniel returns home soon.


Armand closed his journal and looked out the window. Daniel was in trouble; he just knew it. They hadn't fought in weeks and Lestat and Louis were on a "honey moon" type of vacation and didn't want to be disturbed. Why wasn't Daniel back?

Marius warned him after he created Daniel he'd act like an overprotective, worry-some mother to him. Never had his feelings of dread run free throughout his consciences.

Armand picked up the phone and decided to call Daniel on his cell phone. Hearing Daniel's voice would soothe his nerves. The phone rang ten times before Armand hung up. Then he paged Daniel twice using the emergency code; still no answer.

Something was terribly wrong.

The phone rang a few moments later. Armand always waited till the third ring to pick up any phone calls but this time he picked up on the first ring, "Daniel?" he asked not to show his worry.

"It's Louis, Armand," he said quietly, "I'm sorry."
"Sorry about what?"
"Armand, its Daniel."
"Daniel!" Armand cried as he jumped out of his chair.
"He's badly hurt," Louis said in a near whisper.
"What?" Armand questioned him with an uncontrollable rage.
"Lestat heard Daniel's telepathic cry for help. We found him bound with fishing line to a chain-link fence: he was beaten nearly to death with a baseball bat."

Armand pictured Daniel as Louis described him. The image made Armand ill and fueled his rage. "Who did this to him, Louis?" he said, his voice barely surpressing the violence he felt inside.

"We don't know, Daniel hasn't come to yet."

"Where is he?"

"At the house, Lestat is tending to him. He is responding to the blood, his wounds are healing but slowly. We almost didn't make it in time.

'I almost lost him,' Armand thought, 'ohmigod, I could've lost him.' "I'll be right over," he cried.


Louis bent over Daniel, a blanket wrapped around the wounded fledgling. He was still breathing; Louis smiled, Daniel was made of some tough stuff to still be alive after all that. He knew that if he, himself, would've been administered that beating he would be dead by now. "Daniel, its Louis. Armand is coming; he will be here shortly. Lestat has gone out to feed but he'll be back soon."

He could've sworn he saw a smile creep up on Daniel's lips and never more shocked when Daniel spoke, "Don't want Ar…mand to see me… like this. Please.. my face 'n' hands… wash them."

Louis quickly got a basin of warm water and a wash cloth. He heard the door bell ring and ring and ring. Armand had arrived in blinding speed. Louis threw the wash towel across his shoulder and answered the door. "Where is he?" Armand asked frantically.

"In the guest bed room, but," Louis said chasing after Armand, "wait! Daniel doesn't want to see you yet!"

Armand stopped dead in his tracks; Louis nearly ran into him, "Yet!"

"He wants me to wash his face and hands. He wants to be cleaned up… it's bad."

"He thinks I would care about his appearance at a time like this? Give me the water and the cloth. I will tend to Daniel."

"Armand…"

"Louis!" he exclaimed, his rage coming to the surface, "give me the damn bowl and cloth now.

Louis quickly gave him what he wanted and Armand went to Daniel. Nothing would've prepared him for what he saw. Daniel's neck and wrist here tore up by the fish line, he was a human bruise and his left eye was swollen shut. Blood mattered his beautiful ashen hair. A murderous rage swept through Armand but he forced it aside. Tend to Daniel now and find the bastard responsible later.

Armand pulled up the chair that was in the desk at the corner, he put the cloth in the warm water, wrung it out and over so gently wiped Daniel's face with it. He could barely see any skin, it was covered in dried blood. Daniel moaned, no whimpered, as Armand wiped the blood away tears of anguish formed in his eyes. "Ev..en through… the cloth," Daniel whispered trying to hide the pain in this voice, "I know you…r touch, Armand."

"Oh Daniel," Armand said, emotion took over his voice, "I'm here now, you have nothing to worry about…"

"Don't… want you to see me… like… this…" Daniel breathed.

"What? You think me so taken by appearance that I will love you less now. Do you think me that shallow?"

"No… 'course not.. I… love… you… ashamed… I'm ashamed to be like this…"

Armand could no longer combat the tears and they rolled down his cheers, "No, Beloved, no don't be ashamed. You aren't weak; it wasn't your fault."

Daniel opened his good eye; tears gushed from it, "Love you… I'm… glad… you… are here."

Armand put the cloth back into the bowl, the water turned a dull red, and again he wrung out the cloth and went back to work on Daniel's face, "I won't leave you."

I'm glad."

As Armand finished cleaning Daniel's face neither of then talked. It was when Armand began work on Daniel's right hand that he asked, "Daniel, who did this to you?"

Daniel looked away and didn't answer. "Daniel, answer me, beloved!"

Still Daniel wouldn't answer; Armand grew very frustrated. He became a brewing pot of emotions be never had to face before. He felt as if he were going to explode from them. Before he had a chance to go off Daniel said, "I never saw him. All I know is that he was very, very strong and extremely quick. I never knew what hit me nor did I stand a chance. I tried that mental crap you and Marius taught me but I couldn't find his mind. It was like I was fighting something that wasn't there."

"What did it want? How do you know it was male?"

Daniel shuttered, "The voice."

"What did he want?"

"No."

"No?"

"Don't make me tell you. Please? Armand?"

Daniel was afraid of whoever hurt him, afraid of what he wanted. Armand wanted to hold Daniel and tell him that everything was going to be all right. His fledgling was too tender to hold… he'd rather suffer any torture than hurt Daniel. That realization shocked him to the bone and fueled his desire to punish the abuser. "Tell me."

"Armand, I beg you…"

"Now!" he exclaimed in quiet order.

"He told me… he was a hunter… I wasn't who… he was after… but he wanted to… make an example… out of… me."

"Who did he want?"

"I don't know."

"Dammit, Daniel."

"I don't know, I swear, "Daniel cried, tears started to leak from his swollen eye.

"Shhhhh! It's all right, Daniel, I believe you. Calm yourself, beloved."

"I don't know," he whined, "I don't."

"Shhh. Shhh," Armand said soothingly until Daniel calmed down.

"How long before dawn?" Daniel asked taking the hand that Armand was washing and with obvious struggle got it to hold on to Armand's hand.

"Two hours," Armand said briefly glancing at his watch.

"I don't want to sleep, Armand!"

"You will be better when you wake up tonight." If I know you, you will be a hundred percent again."

Daniel laughed slightly, "With a huge case of paranoia."

"He won't hurt you again, Daniel, from now on….. we hunt together. One will watch out for the other."

"You like to hunt alone…"

"Not with that psycho around," then he promised, "I will find him, Daniel…"

Lestat opened the door, followed closely by Louis. "Armand, how is he?"

Armand smiled and dried his eyes, "He'll be fine, thank you Lestat."

"Welcome," Lestat said walking over to Daniel, "Dead yet?"

Armand looked horrified at the way Lestat greeted Daniel but Daniel just smiled and answered, "Not… yet… Thanks, Le…stat."

"No, problem, Danny, no problem."


Hour and a half later Armand and Lestat had a battle over whether to move Daniel or not. Lestat won: Daniel remained there. Armand prepared a place for him to spend the day. "It's a queen size bed, Armand," Daniel said nervously, "you can share it with me."

To Daniel's surprise Armand accepted his invitation though he couldn't tell if he really wanted to or was just humoring him. At that moment Daniel really didn't care. Armand climbed into bed and kissed Daniel lightly before going over to the edge of the bed to rest. Daniel pouted, "I don't want to sleep."

"We've been over this," Armand sighed, "Why don't you want to sleep?"

"Part of me… is always afraid yo…u won't be around… when I wake up," Daniel admitted, "you are so far away from me now…"

"Oh… oh Beloved," Armand said as he rolled over near him, "The sirens are screaming and the fires are howling, Way down in the valley tonight. There's a man in the shadows with a gun in his eyes, And a blade shining oh so bright. There's evil in the air and thunder in the sky, And a killer on the bloodshot streets. Oh and down in the tunnel where the deadly are rising, Oh I swear I saw a young boy, down in the gutter, He was starting to foam in the heat. Oh baby, you are the only thing in this whole world that's pure, And good and right. And wherever you are and wherever you go, There's all ways gonna be some light. But I gotta get out, I gotta break it out now, Before the final creak of dawn. So we gotta make the most of our one night together. When it's over you know, We'll both be so alone.

"Like a bat out of hell, I'll be gone when the morning comes. When the night is over, Like a bat out of hell I'll be gone… gone… gone. Like a bat out of hell I'll be gone when the morning comes. But when the day is done, And the sun goes down, And the moonlight is shining through. Then like a sinner before the gates of heaven, I'll come crawling on back to you."

Daniel through his arm around Armand, ignoring the pain in his body and held him close. Tears of joy, not pain coming from him. "You… don't… know how wonderful it is to hear… you…"

"Shhh," Armand said falling into the sleep, "no words are need, beloved…"


The next morning Daniel woke up perfectly fit but weak. He rolled over to find Armand gone. Before he could react he heard Armand say, "How are you feeling?"

Armand was carrying in some clothes and sat on the bed, "Fine," Daniel replied.

"Louis is lending you some clothes since the ones you wore…"

"Last night are in shitty shape. We are going home now?"

"Yes, we are going…"

Louis ran in, "Armand come quickly."

"What is it?" they said in unison.

"They found a man dead late last night… from the ID they found on him his name was Hunter. Police found him in the harbor. They found fish line and two baseball bats on him and a lot of steroids."

"Sounds like it was him," Daniel said breathing a sigh of relief.

"How did he die?" Armand asked.

"Drug overdose. Took too many steroids at once. He probably thought he'd need the strength to overpower Daniel."

Armand nodded. The cold aristocratic air that made him love and feared had returned to him. 'Fuck,' Daniel thought, 'after he took all his barriers down and we actually had a meaningful talk about us now he's playing the cold and distant coven master again. I'd rather he chew me out then do this to me. All I want is his love…'

"Daniel?"

"Yes, Armand."

"We are leaving," Armand ordered, "Louis, thank you for your help and thank Lestat again when he gets back."

"Yes," Daniel said sitting up, "thank you."

Armand turned toward him, "Haven't you put those clothes on yet?"

Louis knew his cue to leave and took it gracefully as Daniel quickly dressed himself. Armand walked out of that house like the King of England, with Daniel trailing along behind him like his mistress. They got into Armand's car and drove off.


Daniel returned home shortly before midnight. Traffic was terrible and Armand did stop to eat. He watched Daniel like a hawk, even though he tried to hide it. Daniel let Armand play his game, it made his beloved feel good.

As they walked through the doors to their apartment Daniel plopped down on the couch, his strength finally starting to return to him and Armand went to check the days messages. Alone with his thoughts, not exactly want Daniel wanted to be right then. He kept getting flashes of last night: crack across the side of the head, the end of the baseball bat shoved in his left eye. Daniel started to whimper from the memories. Armand came back out to find Daniel curled up into a ball. "Daniel… Daniel!" Armand exclaimed, "come back to me."

Slowly Daniel sat up and looked at Armand. Emotion stirred in Armand's eyes, emotion that Armand tried to combat. He didn't know whether to feel sorry for Armand or mad at him.

His Beloved walked over to him, his face still stone and said in his no nonsense tone, "Go into the master bedroom, get naked and be quick about it."

"Excuse me?" Daniel asked not sure of what he heard.

"You heard me," Armand said, "I'll be there instantly but first I'm going to make sure we aren't disturbed."

"Are you sure you…"

"Daniel, don't question me right now just do as I say… please."

"Fine by me," Daniel said starting toward the master bedroom, "off the clothes go."

Armand quickly called up the head of security and informed him there had been an emergency and they couldn't be disturbed. As Armand headed back into the hallway that led to the master bedroom he felt his barriers melt away. Daniel was alive and wanted his love. The pained look in his eyes though out the night hurt Armand. All his beloved wanted was his love and that was not what he was giving him. To be open with emotion made him very uncomfortable and Daniel respected this but now he needed it, plainly spelled out just for him.

He opened the door to the bed room fears flying through his mind. What if he wasn't naked? What if he wasn't interested? What if it was too late to make it up to him? Armand needn't have worried for he found Daniel naked, half aroused just by the sight of him, on the bed. Armand ripped his own clothes off, Daniel jumped up to hold him but Armand grabbed his chin and pulled it down so he could look straight in Daniel's eyes. "I love you," he said, "I may be viciously unkind, cold and distant but I love you. Last night I was faced with the fact that I almost lost you. The moment you die I will die to. I don't know how I got along without you, you make me feel alive."

"I love you too, Armand, I will never leave you of my own free will. We may fight and need time apart but I will never leave you. I hope you understand that."

Armand nodded and kissed his love passionately. Daniel wrapped his arms around Armand and held him very tightly. Armand's hands roamed free along Daniel's body, starting at the shoulders, down his back slowly tickling with teasing fingers as he worked down to the small of his back. Daniel winced slightly and Armand pulled away, "You are still sore?"

"A little," Daniel admitted.

"Maybe this wasn't such a good idea…"

"No," Daniel said as he picked Armand up and laid him down carefully on the bed, "I need this and so do you."

Before Armand could object Daniel laid down beside him and held him again. "Daniel?" Armand said as he put his head on his lover's chest.

"Yeah?"

"Hold me," he said as he snuggled into Daniel, "just hold me."

"I can do that," Daniel said as he kissed Armand on the top of the head and put the side of his face against Armand's hair. Armand wrapped his arms around, half his body on Daniel's half on the bed. They said nothing for a very long time for there were no words truly to say. Daniel knew what he meant to say and that was enough; he would only take what Armand was willing to give him and force no more out of him.

"If you died last night I don't know what I would've done," Armand said quietly, "on my way to Lestat's I could see you dead. I almost lost you, Daniel, and it hurt. I've lost many people but the grief that I felt overwhelmed me. It made me think back on all our times together."

"Really?"

"Yes," Armand said as he picked his head up and kissed Daniel, "what was that song you used to sing constantly… 'You don't what you've got till it's gone. They paved paradise and put up a parking lot'?"

"Yellow Taxi, I believe," Daniel said.

"I've got to get something," Armand said as he broke away from Daniel, "do you remember that argument we had last December about music? You gave me a brand new CD and told me that 'this is real music'."

"Yeah," Daniel said and smiled, "Meatloaf's Bat Out of Hell. I have Bat Out of Hell II but I never got around to buying the first one again, why?"

"You remember what I told you last night… about being there when you got up?"

"How could I forget?" Daniel sighed, "you cannot imagine how great it made me feel…"
"I recited the lyrics from the title track from Bat Out of Hell. I've played that CD so many times that I wore it out and had to buy a new one. That song just hit home with me and I never could figure out why… until last night. Those were the words that I always wanted to tell you."

"Meatloaf's music is good at that," Daniel said as he saw Armand put a CD in the CD player. He didn't even notice that Armand had a boom box in here but then remembered he put it in here so he could listen to music as he worked. This was his favorite room in the house and the most quiet.

Armand turned around as Bat Out of Hell started to play; he gestured to Daniel to stand up. "We don't have a song, Daniel, you always said we needed one. I think this one would be prefect, don't you?"

"Ideal, beloved, just like you, ideal," Daniel said as he got up and walked to his maker.

"Dance with me," Armand said.

"Nothing would please me more," Daniel smiled as he opened his arms.

Armand rushed in and crushed himself to Daniel, resting his cheek on Daniel's chest. The pair started to slow dance there bodies never parting and stayed that way to dawn. Armand never felt such peace of mind and heart with joyous love and Daniel never felt so right or so loved in his life. He secretly feared that Armand would rebuild those blasted walls around himself but that night he enjoyed spending time with the love of his life: the real Armand.