Daniel stood at the entrance of Night Island and looked up at the gigantic building he once called home. He decided to put the majoriti on anyway because his scars were his own business and he didn't want them to feel sorry for him. He decided to keep to tradition and dress all in black: long cotton pants and long sleeved cotton shirt, the shirt he had the sleeves rolled up. He still had his hair poofy and the black triangles under his eyes; no way in hell he was going to change his style for them.
Looking up at Night Island the old fears started to come back to him. Would this just be a replay of the night six years ago. It was a night very much like this one. He was just finished feeding and was about to go shopping for "Vamp Daddy's" birthday celebration when he got a page that told him to come home right away. He came home without a second thought and when he entered the flat he saw the coven looking at him with enraged eyes.
It was a weird looking design with a lot of little
lines on it and some freaky looking code. After turning the paper
around a few times he decided it was HTML. "I don't know, Armand,
what is it?"
"I found this in the safe with a map of Night
Island."
"So? I don't use the safe," Daniel said,
"hey wait-a-minute you think I had something to do with this? I don't
even know what it is?"
"It's a map to the secret rooms in Night Island
where I and our guests sleep, your room is not on the map."
"It's a map?" Daniel said looked at the piece
of paper again, "I've never seen a map like it before?"
"You were going to betray us, weren't you?"
"Why would I betray the coven? Anyway this
isn't my handwriting besides if I did set that up I wouldn't have left
it in the safe for you to find, Armand. This is a set up!"
"Then who did it, Daniel?" Marius asked.
"How am I supposed to know?"
"It had to have been you," Santino hissed, "I
just knew one of these days you'd show your real colors and I'm glad I'm
here to witness your downfall."
"Santino is right and I don't know why I trusted
you," Eric nodded, violently.
The coven gathered around him, it was then Daniel
realized they were going to kill him. "Listen I didn't draw that
stupid map. I'm innocent here!"
Backing up he ran into Louis, who hit him in the
back of the head. Daniel fell to the ground hard and used his hands
to cover his face and neck; he knew what awaited him: oblivion. Claws,
fists, knees, elbows and kicking feet all came down at him like the wrath
of God. Blood gushed from him at dangerous rates and all he did was
pray: 'Darkness cannot hurt me, nor can the light for the only true power
is the power of night.'
Somehow Daniel got up and broke away from the
blood hungry coven and escaped Night Island. It was all a flash to
him, he didn't care how he got free all he knew was that he was alive.
Daniel collapsed in the parking lot and started to crawl away. He
looked up and saw a woman dressed in grey and a grey veil covering her
face, "Darkness cannot hurt you nor can the light for the only true power
is the power of night," she said as she pointed toward a glowing house
on the coast, "I have brought Guildenstern here for you. He is in
that house, the one only you can see glow."
Yes, he was the only one who saw it glow and somehow he made it to Guildenstern's house and was saved. He knew who the Lady was, she was the Old Crone, a woman who communed with the powers of the Night and had a gathering of those who worshipped the Night. He was one of the many that followed her, though he kept it a secret from the coven and she in turn for his faithfulness had saved him.
Daniel again looked up at the building and decided to enter, the crumpled, bloody, map in his hand as he walked in. People looked at him funny, which he was used to, and some of the older employees recognized him but looked stunned at his new look. No one tried to stop him as he acceded the stairs to the top floor. After a flight or two he decided to run the rest of the way and made it to the apartment in record time. He caught his breath and said a little prayer, "Lady of Cats, queen of protection, help me make it through this challenge so I may better serve the night in all it's glory."
Daniel knocked on the door and he heard a voice ask him, "Who is it?"
"Lord of Bats," Daniel replied.
"Who?" the voice asked confused.
"Ask Marius and he'll tell you, Davie," Daniel sighed.
"Daniel?" David asked then said, "Jessie, go tell the others that Daniel is here."
The door flung open and Jessie swung out. She looked at him a moment and her mouth dropped, "Ohmigod… Daniel what happened to you?"
Daniel half bowed, "Hello to you too, Jessie."
"Daniel…"
"Daniel-Ptolomy now, I dropped my last name and put a dash between my first and middle names."
"What happened to you?"
"Six years can make a lot of difference."
"Listen about sex years ago," Jessie said, "why did you walk out like that?"
Daniel couldn't help but laugh and Jessie tilted her head in confusion, "What is so funny?"
"You can't be serious, Jessie, you were there that night. Don't you remember anything?"
"Are you drunk?"
"No, I haven't been drunk in six years."
"Daniel, listen I don't know…"
"Please, Daniel-Ptolomy, it's my name now and as for six years ago no one really remembers it so I really don't want to talk about it. I'm just here to sit for a damn painting then I'm going to go back to the hotel."
"Marius said you were staying here."
"Marius can go sit on one of Vladmir the Impalers stakes for all I care," Daniel shrugged, "I told him I was staying at a hotel and I'm staying at my hotel."
Jessie smiled, "You travel light, Daniel, and I'm sure that Armand would buy you some new clothes, god knows you need them…"
"Number One: my Book of Nightfall is back at the hotel. Number Two: these are new clothes and this is my style. Besides I have company with me."
"Really? Great then Louis did find you!"
"I haven't seen Louis, Jessie."
"Then how are you with?"
"That is really none of your business," he sighed, "I'm here paying a debt I owe Marius."
"But Daniel…" Jessie started to whine as they heard Marius from the main room, "Jessie, let Daniel in here and stop talking his ear off. I'm sure we all have the same questions we would like to ask him as well. Lets not bother him with having to repeat the same answers over and over again."
"Okay," Jessie answered allowing Daniel in, "but brace yourselves."
Jessie led him into the main room but Daniel hung back a moment and out of everyone's view. Jessie looked at him and said mentally, 'You wanna change before seeing everyone?'
'No,' Daniel replied, 'I am just wondering what I'm doing here.'
With that Daniel cut the connection between he and Jessie off and he knew by the look in her eyes that she tried to reconnect but couldn't. The look in her eyes was priceless. He took a deep breath, said another small prayer and walked into the room.
Part 2
Marius was sitting on the couch along with Armand and Pandora. Lestat and Santino were talking near the window; David and Eric stood near the doorway. Each of the vampires had a look of complete shock and horror at the appearance of Daniel. This was not who they were excepting. They were excepting faded jeans, some horrible T-shirt and hiking boots. What they got was some gothic/Wiccian nightmare. Armand was the first to react, "Daniel? Daniel Molloy? My Daniel? My beloved fledgling?"
"Used to be," Daniel replied.
"That is obvious," Santino stated, "what in the hell happened to you?"
"Lets just say I found the old time religion and dressed accordingly," he explained, "I did not tell you everything about me. My religion is not Christian of Atheist, as I’m sure most of you thought. I am a Cronian, a night revering people, also known as Casters. I decided to submerse myself with religion after what happened to try to piece myself back together. But shall we not talk of the past, it’s rather depressing, and I am not here to wake the past dead so shall we get this over with?"
"The artist is not here," Eric said, "we wanted to see you tonight and catch up. I see there is a lot to talk about…"
"Like where have you been?" Armand explained, "lets start there, shall we?"
"People were nice enough to take me in, I work at a little gothic nightclub and do a little singing with the club band’s lead singing has night school, which is Tuesdays and Fridays. I keep the books and do inventory every three months."
"Where is this club?" Marius asked.
"Why do you want to know?"
Marius nodded slightly, acknowledging Daniel’s defensiveness, "We know the Baltimore Coven hid you somewhere…"
"Actually, Marius, you are quite wrong. Guildenstern did not hide me nor would I have wanted him to. I thought I did well enough on my own, don’t you?"
"You!" Armand said, shocked, "you hid yourself from us!"
"It was difficult at first but my health and ability have increased greatly since then."
"Health?" David questioned.
"Do not concern yourselves," Daniel said mentally kicking himself in the ass, "I am quite fine now."
"You are speaking in riddles," Santino said, "and I don’t like it."
"I do not ask or desire your approval, Santino…"
"I can’t take it anymore!" Lestat shouted, "Daniel, have you seen Louis?"
"Jessie said something about Louis looking for me," Daniel said, "but no I have not seen him."
"He said he remembered something about that night, he talked so fast and wildly that it didn’t make sense: something about you, a map and a lot of blood."
Daniel looked down at the floor and nodded slightly, "Oh I see."
"Care to inform me what Louis should remember that would drive him to sheer craziness?"
"I, of course, will look for Louis and I am sure to find him and he will be just fine."
"I want answers not promises."
"That wasn’t a promise, Lestat, I don’t make promises. Whenever a promise is made it usually in some way is broken. I was only stating what I would do."
Armand walked over to Daniel and touched his hand gingerly, Daniel ripped his hand away as if he were burnt, "Please do not touch me," Daniel said between a choked sob and a hiss.
Armand looked as if he had been slapped and took a giant step back. Marius stood up and exclaimed, "What was that for? He was not hurting you!"
Pandora stared at his hand a moment and stopped Marius from saying anything further, "Marius, look at his hand where Armand touched him."
"Pandora…?"
She walked over to Daniel, "Give me your hand."
"No," Daniel said simply putting his hands behind his back.
"There is something wrong with your hand, let me see it."
"There is nothing wrong with my hand."
"Daniel…"
"Daniel-Ptolomy."
"Excuse me?"
"I have been meaning to say I changed my name from Daniel Molloy to Daniel-Ptolomy. Dropped my last name and put a dash between my first and middle names."
"When Armand touched you something same off your hand, it looked like make up of some sort, and I could’ve sworn I saw scars."
"Scars?" Marius asked, "Pandora…?"
"I know it’s insane but that is what I saw…"
Daniel slyly looked down at his hand and the majoriti had come off and it should not have. Only he can remove it… how did Armand do it? Now he was in a spot because he would never get out of the house without being forced to show his hands.
Daniel-Ptolomy, I know you can hear me. Do as I say and show the Coveniets your hands.
The hair on the back of Daniel’s neck stood straight up, the Old Crone again was talking to him. She had taken a special interest with him from the beginning. She saved him, nurtured him, taught him spells and magic and protected him from the New Orleans Coven. She was Gaia to him.
Daniel looked down at the ground and said; "If you promise not to touch me I will show you my hands."
The Coven looked up at him, stunned, and Pandora said, "I do not understand why you do not want us to touch you but I will respect your wishes."
Daniel put his hands in front of him and showed the part of his hand where Armand had touched him. Two of the more nasty scars had been revealed. Marius, Armand and Pandora looked at his hand carefully horrified by the sight. "Do you have anymore scars, Daniel?" Armand asked quietly.
Answer them, please, Daniel-Ptolomy. This is the time to make your peace with the Coven and its members. To make peace with them is to make peace with yourself.
"Yes, I have more on my hands, neck and face."
"No wonder you don’t want to be touched," Pandora said, "it is a miricle that you are even still alive if all your scars as are bad as these."
"You shouldn’t have scars," Marius said more to himself than to anyone else.
Armand looked him right in the eyes; "Tell me who did this to you and I will kill them myself. No one will ever hurt you again, Beloved, you are safe with me."
"Do you really love me, Armand?"
Armand looked hurt by the question but quickly answered, "Yes, I love you. Oh what has happened to you to make you doubt me and us."
"Something horrible happened that night," Lestat said, "and Louis remembered it. I fucking want to know what happened."
"Nothing happened worth remembering. I will straighten Louis out when I see him next…."
The phone rang and Armand answered it with, "What!"
After a moment he said, "Yes, send him up this second."
"What is it?" Santino asked.
"Louis is here and is on his way up."
Part 3
Two days earlier in Taiwan:
"Excuse me, Sir, are you Louis de Pointe Dulac?"
Louis looked up at this bizarre looking man who looked like he belonged in the 1800's gentry and dressed accordingly. He spoke prefect French and bowed his head when Louis looked up. "Who wants to know?" Louis replied tartly.
"I am Wolfgang and I am looking for Louis because I hear he is in Taiwan on a on a lead to find a certain Mr. Daniel Molloy."
"Daniel?" Louis asked, his eyes brightened in hope, "yes, I am Louis. Tell me what you know about Daniel."
"Only that he left Taiwan, I do not know where or why but my Mistress does."
"May I meet your Mistress? A public place is preferable."
Wolfgang gestured with his head behind him; "Do you see the lady with gray hair and all in gray?"
Louis did see this woman and nodded. "That is my Mistress and she will see you now if you would like. She is very worried about, Daniel, I can't say I blame her. I saw him while his brief stay here and he did not act like himself at all."
"I will see your Mistress now."
Wolfgang nodded, walked over to the woman and whispered something to her. She in turned walked over to him and said, "May I sit down?"
"Yes," Louis said, "you are most welcome."
"Thank you," she said sitting down, "Daniel Molloy is alive and well… his mind is very badly off though. I fear the psychological damage was worse than the physical damage done to him. He has become very cold and distant, spending all his energies on work and casting. Very, very unlike the Daniel we all know and love."
"Oh my God," Louis whispered, "oh Daniel!"
"Listen I know what happened and Daniel does as well, I explained it all to him, but he is still too frightened to try to make peace with your Coven and himself."
"I love Daniel like a brother, I would never hurt him," Louis swore.
"I know that or I wouldn't be telling you some information on how to fix this whole mess."
"Do you know who put that 'map' in the safe?"
"Do not worry about that, Louis, it would be best for Daniel if I were to deal with the person alone."
"No, I want to rip this person to shreds myself… I know when Armand realizes what has happened he will want to have at him or her himself."
"Keep your friends close and your enemies closer," her smile full of ancient wisdom, "I will tell you this: the Baltimore Coven had nothing to do with it, no matter how much blame you want to put on them."
"Damn, there goes the easy answer."
"Nothing in life is rarely easy, Sir," she said, "now listen to me very carefully. Marius has gotten back in touch with Daniel and has made use of his debt on Daniel to make him come to Night Island. Now remember you are the only one out of the whole Coven who remembers what happened that night. Marius wants a portrait done of the whole coven together hoping to be able to bring Daniel back into the Coven. As I said before Daniel is a very frightened man, though he does not appear to be, and if something should happen he might become scared witless and do some harm. You and I both know Daniel would never hurt anyone."
"Yes, of course Daniel would never hurt anyone. He always told me he loved the Coven as if it were his own family."
"You must get back to Night Island in two days, Daniel will know already that you remember that night. He will be extremely scared but if you do not touch him but treat him tenderly he will not hurt you."
"Yes, of course," Louis said, "I will treat him very tenderly and protect him from the Coven if I have to."
The woman handed him a picture, "This is what Daniel looks like now, I want you to be prepared. The man he is in the picture with is Shylock, a Jewish vampire who likes to serve other vampires. He will be accompanying Daniel on his trip. When you see Daniel call him Daniel-Ptolomy, the name he is using now, and tell him you bring good wishes from Wolfgang from Taiwan. He will understand that you have talked with me and might calm down a little bit. As for Shylock, he will probably be around but do not worry about him, think of Shylock only if you see Daniel outside of Night Island. He is very protective of Daniel-Ptolomy."
"Thank you for all your information but who are you?"
"Who I am will mean nothing to you nor should it. Remember what I have told you and if you need advice do not hestitate to ask."
"How can I get in contact with you?"
"I am like an invisible eye, Louis, I am nothing yet I see all. Good bye, Louis."
Present:
Louis rode the elevator up to the living level of Night and looked around nervously. He had hoped and dreaded this day since he remembered what had happened that horrible day six years ago.
The day he nearly killed Daniel, his kindred soul brother.
Now he had to go and help Daniel find himself again, to undo the damage that he helped to cause. Yes, he could sense Daniel's fear of his arrival but was not afraid himself. Daniel would never hurt him and he knew that but he did he have the strength not to hurt Daniel?
Part 4
The door opened to the apartment and Daniel froze in his tracks. Louis waltzed in the room like he owned it, or maybe it was his own imagination. Lestat ran over and hugged Louis and he thought for sure would crush his rip cage in. Daniel very slowly began to move backwards until he was against the wall. No one had noticed him.
Louis talked quickly then looked at Daniel a moment, Louis did not blink twice at his clothes or attitude. "Hello Daniel."
"Louis."
"I bring greetings from Wolfgang of Taiwan."
Wolfgang? Impossible! That would mean he had seen the Old Crone and then he would know everything. "Do you really?" Daniel asked, "isn't that nice to know he was thinking about me. He is staying with a good friend of mine, nice man."
Daniel's heart was going a mile a minute, the blood in his veins froze and he could not move. He swallowed hard and tried to keep his composure as long as he could. He could not keep it long. "Daniel, are you all right?" Eric asked his voice full of worry.
Louis looked at him a moment and said very gently, "Daniel, I am not going to hurt you."
He could not keep it back anymore and he started to shake, "Stay away from me," he warned.
"What is going on?" Armand demanded.
"Armand. Marius. Pandora. Get away from him," Louis said, "he is scared witless of you."
"What are you talking about?" Pandora asked very confused.
"Don't question me now and do as I say… please!" Louis said.
"I… I don't want… to hurt anyone… but… I will if… I… have… to," he said his eyes wide with fear, slowly sliding against the wall into the corner.
"Louis, I demand to know what is wrong with him," Armand said as he started too walk toward Daniel but Louis quickly moved in front of him, stopping him.
"Armand, I swear to you that I will explain everything later… to all of you, but right now you must all stay back and speak calmly or you will frighten him further."
"I didn't do that... that map," Daniel spoke wildly, "never… want to hurt… anyone. Don't kill… me… love you… all of you… even Santino…"
Louis took a step toward him; Marius walked up to Armand and pulled him back. Armand did not want to go and tried to break free but Marius held on tight. Louis smiled sweetly, "Daniel, you did not make that map and we all know you would never do anything to hurt any of us. She said that you understood what happened."
"She?" Armand asked trying to keep his voice even as Louis ordered.
"Armand, you aren't helping," Louis whispered.
"Yes," Daniel said nodded furiously, "I know…"
Daniel, remember what I taught you? Eyes are mirrors to the soul; look Louis in the eyes. Do you see bloody murder in his eyes?
Daniel took many deep breaths and tried to calm down but he could not no matter how hard he tried. He looked Louis in the eyes and could see his own reflection in them. He took like a wild animal trapped in a cage but he couldn't help it. He then turned his eyes toward Armand a moment then back to Louis. "You said before… you… would… never hurt me… you broke that promise…"
"What are you talking about you little…" Lestat shouted, causing Daniel to curl up in a tight ball.
"Lestat, please," Louis said, "stop it you are scaring him to death. You don't remember what happened yet so until you know everything please be quiet."
Daniel began to prey, he whispered the prayer he knew by heart. "Darkness cannot hurt me nor can the light for the only true power if the power of night…" he repeated that confession of faith over and over again for five minutes while the rest of the Coven fought amongst themselves trying to figure out what was going on. Marius took a step toward Daniel and looked him right in the eyes. "Daniel, I am not going to hurt you," he smiled gently, "I know you don't believe me but I won't hurt you."
"You want to kill me," he whispered.
"No, never, dear Daniel, I want you to tell me what happened."
"Please, don't… I don't want to remember."
Louis walked up to Marius and touched the older vampire on shoulder. 'I'm amazed that he is letting you so close to him.'
Why? Louis, what do we do with him?
'Let him calm down first and to do that everyone has to stop screaming. That is making him worse instead of better.'
Yes, I will get everyone out of the room and you try to talk to Daniel…
"Will you stop that!" Daniel screeched, "stop it, stop it… STOP IT!"
"Stop what, Daniel?" Louis asked.
"I'm amazed that he is letting you so close to him. Why? Louis, what do we do with him? Let him calm down first and to do that everyone has to stop screaming. That is making him worse instead of better. Yes, I will get everyone out of the room and you try to talk to Daniel…" Daniel said mocking Louis and Marius' voices.
Louis and Marius stared at each other dumbstruck a moment; "Daniel… how did you?"
"I don't know… I just can do that sometimes… I don't mean to," Daniel cried, trying to get up but his legs would not hold him.
Daniel, you are in no condition to leave.
"I want to leave," Daniel whispered.
"You are in no condition to leave," Louis said.
Marius went over to help him but Louis stopped him, "Don't touch him, please."
"I… I would never betray the coven… I… didn't do it… I am innocent."
"Daniel," Marius said, "I know you would never betray us, you love us and we all know that."
"Yes… love you… all of you… Armand… my… heart, mind and soul… is he… rather die… than see him… hurt," he said bursting into sobs, "love him… more than… own life."
"Daniel, Armand knows that," Louis said.
"Have to hurt… him… if… he remembered… what happened… that… not Armand who attacked me… I… knew that… but was scared… I did… it."
"Daniel, what did you do?" Armand asked.
"Casted spell… that… night… six… years… ago…"
"You aren't saying what I think you are saying?"
"Don't wanna hurt… anyone!" Daniel screamed, "I knew… that you all weren't yourselves… never hurt me… had to protect myself… I AM THE REASON YOU… DON'T REMEMBER WHAT HAPPENED THAT NIGHT!"
Part 5
"Daniel… but how?" Louis asked.
"I… casted a spell… so you won't come after… me. Every…one was chasing after me… didn't want nice people to be hurt… or hurt you."
"How?" Armand asked sternly.
Daniel did not answer but took many deep breaths and stood up. He looked Armand straight in the eyes; "I knew the cast by heart. Every Crorian must know three casts: Confession of Faith, Supernatural Healing and Memory Loss. This is done to insure that we survive."
"It appears that you have calmed down," Marius said.
Daniel-Ptolomy, your fear is lessening because of your faith that is good but it will not last long. No not give yourself over to a false hope for you can only save yourself in the end. For that, Fledg, I am sorry.
"Only…way… to leave is to calm down. Can't walk out of here like I'm about to have a nervous breakdown, can I?" Daniel asked still eyeing the whole room.
"It's all right," Louis smiled, "I think after I have a little time to talk to everyone I'm sure they will more than understand your reasoning."
"I truly don't care about your explanations," Armand said, "I want to know if he is all right now."
"Why do you care?" Daniel mumbled.
"Great," Santino said, "he goes from being insane to defensive. I prefer him out of his mind…"
"Be quiet, Santino," Eric said sternly, "let Louis help everyone understand what is going on here."
"Yes," Louis said, "please I ask everyone to leave the room."
Daniel pressed his back against the walls in the corner, his fears were returning to him again. No matter how much self discipline he had or how well he had repressed his fears before they kept returning and getting much worse. He wanted, oh yes, he wanted to run right into Armand's arms and beg his Sire to hold him tight and to never let him go. Daniel knew he could not do that and he hated it.
Daniel?
Louis. Daniel sighed inwardly. 'What do you want?'
You were fine a moment ago and now you are looking like you are not at ease again…
'Maybe I am not at ease, Mr. Smarty-Pants. Just because you remember what happened that night doesn't mean you know what I went through. Don't stand there like Santino and pass judgment over me. I've got news for you, hon, you don't have the fuckin' right.'
I'm not passing judgment over you…
'Bull shit! If you are not passing judgment then stop acting like it. I demand to be allowed to leave this moment!'
Daniel, we all want to help!
'I don't want your help, Louis, I want to be left alone…'
"Daniel?" Armand asked.
Daniel's looked at Armand, his head jerked instead of turning, "Armand."
"Leave."
"What?" Louis exclaimed and questioned Armand at the same time, "if you let him go we might never see him again."
Armand looked Daniel over quickly, "I trust Daniel will keep his word and return in two nights for the portrait."
Daniel nodded slowly and Armand gestured toward the door, "Leave!"
He did not wait for Armand to order him to leave again and ran out of that room, apartment, building and island so fast that no one saw him. When he returned to the hotel and the room Shylock had gone out to check the city out. Daniel took off all his clothes, went into the bathroom and took the hottest shower possible. The heat did not burn as bad as his broken soul.
"Armand!" Louis exclaimed, "how would you let me leave? He is very vulerable and in so much pain…!"
"Yes, he was in so much pain that is why I let him leave," Armand shouted, "being here like this was torture to him and I would not let him endure such agony. Did you see the look in his eyes? He was frightened… the pain and the anguish in them ripped right through my heart. He loves me, I do not doubt his word, even in the fear, pain and anguish he looked at me with as much love as could be shown along with such emotions. In my love for him I could not just let him suffer. I know Daniel will be back, I believe in him. He wants to come home… I just think he doesn't know how."
Part 7
The nightlife of Miami has not changed in the six years. Sex alcohol and the other pleasures under the sun could still be found here. None of the pleasure could out weigh the painful memories each club and corner brought to the surface.
Against his new habits tradition took hold. Shylock followed him, a step behind which annoyed him but was better than when he used to walk a foot behind him. He couldn't understand why Shylock thought himself lowly compared to Daniel. Actually that thought made him laugh. "Daniel-Ptolomy," Shylock sighed, "Why are we out shopping in this city? What they try to sell as clothes are merely scraps of cloth."
"You've known me long enough to know I don't wear just cloth scraps, dear Shylock, and I don't plan to start know."
"Of course but I do not understand why you feel the need for new clothing. Those clothes you have brought are only a few months old and you keep them so nice and mended…"
"Shylock, I am going to have this blasted portrait done and I don't want to be painted in something I would actually wear. My clothes make me stick out, which I like, but for this portrait I want to blend in… so much that I am forgotten about in the painting."
"Yes, that is understandable."
Daniel stopped at his favorite store to shop at for Armand, Hagger, where he knew the prefect outfit was waiting for him. He looked in and around to see if any of the Coven was in there, but there was barely anyone. He could see his reflection in the glass, tonight he only put on majoriti and none of his other usual make up. Just wore a plain long sleeved black shirt with black jeans. For once in six years he wanted to look semi normal and he knew Shylock was alarmed.
"Tell me, Shylock…"
"Anything."
"Have you ever been in love?" Daniel asked as he entered the store.
"What a mood you are in tonight, sir, and in public."
"Sorry, I forget talking about personal things in public upsets you."
He shrugged and looked through the store, Daniel went his own way, he knew exactly had he wanted and found it quickly. A lightweight purple turtleneck, pitch-black dress stacks; he would have to by dress socks and nicer shoes to go with it.
"Armand is worth it," he whispered to himself out loud but stood there in shock about his own thoughts. He was not doing this for Armand; he was going this to blend out of the picture.
"Daniel-Ptolomy," Shylock said as he appeared by Daniel's side, "you are thinking about Armand again. You still love him so?"
"Yes, I do and I don't know why."
"What you need is someone to love you," Shylock said, "someone adoring you and loving you are two different things. Have you met anyone you think you could love?"
"Besides Armand? Yes, only two people after all these years I could ever imagine being in love with."
"Both men?" he whispered.
"Yes, Shylock."
"Have you tried to reach out to either of them?"
"No, I've been too afraid of rejection."
"Understandable," Shylock said as he took the clothes from Daniel, checked the sizes and took them to the register, "allow me, Daniel-Ptolomy, Guildenstern insisted everything you buy he must pay for. He feels bad not coming along with you himself."
After a few moments they were out of the store and headed to a shoe store from there they took the long way back to the hotel and feed. On their way back they stopped to walk on a near deserted beach, Daniel took his shoes off. Shylock was confused by the action but said nothing. "Shylock?"
"Daniel-Ptolomy?"
"You asked me earlier if I could love anyone else…"
"Yes."
"Why?"
"I'm worried about you, that is all. I was going to suggest you tell me whom you think you would like to have a relationship with. I would be more than happy to help you in anyway possible."
"And if I said, Shylock, that you were one of the two how would you react?"
Shylock stopped walking but Daniel kept going without turning around. "Don't worry, Shylock, I am used to rejection and am not disturbed by it. I do beg you to return to Guildenstern this very night because I do not want you in this awkward situation. I will be just fine on my own, trust me. I will send Guildenstern an e-mail explaining the extremely messed up situation that is my life. I'm sure he will understand."
"You will do no such thing, Daniel-Ptolomy," Shylock said, as he appeared beside him again, "I will not allow you to be in this city with your worst enemies by yourself. I don't like the fact that you must be in Night Island alone with them but I will not stand for the whole city."
"Oh Shylock…"
"Don't Oh Shylock me, young man," he said sternly, he was never stern with Daniel before, "everyone knows that your heart will betray you in the end and without a guiding hand Armand…"
"Don't mention that name!" Daniel exclaimed, "I could go the rest of my life without hearing that name again."
"Everyone saw the fifty writing books you have filled with poems and love letters to Armand; I even believe that you brought them with you."
"Yes, I did as a matter of fact."
"And what will you do with them?"
"Do what I have intended, of course."
"What is that?"
Daniel never answered and started back to the hotel without another word. Shylock did not follow him back but could be heard throwing an awful fit on the beach.
Armand came back into his apartment after a night of shopping, along with Marius and Pandora. Shopping, whom was he kidding? He was searching for Daniel and without success. Where could Daniel possibly hide where Marius could not find him? Someone must be hiding him because me was never very good at hiding. Maybe he got better in six years. Who would Daniel bring with him? If Daniel brought a protector he or she would have accompanied him last night. The two other options where Daniel traveling with a group, which he detested, or had a lover…
The thought of Daniel having another lover drove Armand over the edge. Another person touching Daniel's soft white skin and luscious thighs and pushing himself into Daniel's tight, hot, welcoming ass. Gentle lips and sensitive tongue that knew just where and when to kiss and lick him. Daniel's desire was to please rather than to be pleased. He put up with Armand's moods: depressions, rages, ego trips, jealousies, passions, extreme submissiveness and those periods where he would ignore Daniel.
"Mr. Armand?" the maid asked as she came out from the dinning room, "packages came for you, sir."
"What are you doing up?"
"Got a knock on my door asking me to make sure you got these packages tonight. Owed him a huge favor and I didn't mind doin' a little something for him."
"How many?" Armand sighed as he sat down on the couch, "and who from?"
"Fifty boxes, Mr. Armand, each one has a book in it, I was told."
"Fifty boxes!" Armand exclaimed looking quite astonished, "whom from?"
"The same man who delivered them to my door, Mr. Molloy," she said half proudly.
"Daniel!" Armand's heart overjoyed with the mere mention of his name and took off down the hall and into the computer room. There sat the fifty boxes with a note on top of the first stack of five.
Armand opened the note and read it:
Dear Armand,
I know to tell you this you must think I am lying but I will say it anyway. Armand, I love you. After what happened, I'm sure Louis has told you by now, I hope you can understand why I kept away and hidden so well. My heart did cry out for your presence every waking and unwaking hour since I left. I didn't want to love you anymore, seemed fruitless and just plain stupid, but I couldn't stop. For some bizarre reason I seemed to be the favorite of the Baltimore Coven, I wouldn't mock your intelligence when I know you knew whom I was with. Like you in the New Orleans Coven, I could have had my pick of anyone in the Coven to have as a lover. I didn't. Shylock told me it was a fear of rejection, I don't know. Yes, I, Daniel Ptolomy Molloy, admit I know nothing. I'm sure Santino will be pleased.
<Please, Armand, read these books… they are poems and letters I have written for and to you for the past six years. Maybe you will understand me better if you read them. I am frightened of your rejection of me but by right these are yours.
-Danny
Armand tore into the book with the "#1" written on the brown paper cover and began to read, tears streaming down his face. His Daniel had come home after all.
Part 8
Shylock had left that night with no note or good bye for him. Daniel only knew that Shylock was gone because of the absence of his things. No doubt the overprotective Guildenstern will make him turn right around and come back immediately but at least now he was alone.
Armand told everyone about the letter and the books as they arrived. Yes, everyone took it as a good sign that Daniel wanted to come back. The letter was pasted around joyfully until it got to Santino, who was angry at Daniel's comment about him. Santino went and sulked in the corner not wanting to admit how much the comment had hurt him.
"Yes," Eric said, "this is all fine and good but I think we would better understand this whole situation if we knew what happened that night."
"Louis," Lestat said, "though you did promise to tell us what happened you seem like you really don't want to."
Louis sat down on the couch beside Marius and sighed, "It's not a pleasant story and I feel horrible when I even get a glimpse at a memory from it."
Marius nodded, "It's a necessary evil if we are to get Daniel back. You want Daniel back, don't you?"
Louis sighed, "Lestat and I arrived a night early before Marius' birthday celebration. Armand and Daniel were fighting, again, because Daniel insisted on always picking up the phone. The night of the celebration I found out why…"
"Louis, thank god I found you!" Daniel said, "my present for Marius finally came in…
"Is that why you've been answering the phone like a crazy person?" Louis asked
"Listen would you do me a favor and if anyone asks where I am tell them I went out to feed and I'll be right back.
"Of course," Louis said with a smile, "but be back as quickly as possible."
"Don't worry I can't wait to see Marius' face when he sees what I got for him."
"Daniel then went out the door with the biggest smile on his face," Louis sobbed, as Lestat sat down beside him and held his lover close, "that is the memory that stands out more than anything. It couldn't have been more than a few minutes before Armand entered the room with a worried look on his face…"
"Louis, I have been looking for you!"
"What is it, Armand?"
"Have you seen Daniel?"
"No he just went to pick up… er… went out to get something…"
"So his present for Marius finally came in. Poor Daniel was going crazy there for a while," Armand said going off on another tangent but then rubber banded back to his original topic, "The safe is open."
"What! Is anything missing?"
"No but there is something inside a strange drawling that wants to be a map. Most bizarre thing I have ever seen. Even Marius…"
"Marius is here?"
Yes, he just arrived along with everyone else…"
"When?"
"He arrived when Daniel was planning his great sneak out… only my Daniel," Armand sighed.
"Where is this map?"
"Come with me," Armand said as he headed toward the office.
"It wasn't a map more like one of those doodles one makes with the box with a smaller box inside it then another smaller box and another and another you get the idea but all the boxes are connected. It wasn't a map at all and the writing on the bottom was one of those computer languages. The "map" was the worst attempt at a set up I had never seen," Louis sobbed again hugging Lestat with all his might.
"Louis…" Lestat said, " you can finish this later…"
"NO!" Louis shouted, "if I don't finish it now I never will. Armand picked up the paper and passed it around. As soon as I touched the paper I was filled with his horrible hatred and rage that was totally focused on Daniel for now reason at all. I don't remember much about what happened next. Someone called Daniel and asked him to come back as soon as possible. He arrived in record speed and we accused him of trying to have us all killed. Of course Daniel denied it; he was innocent after all. We attacked him then. It was a bloody mess and a haze in my memory but what I do remember was when we all backed away to watch him die. His neck, hands and face were ripped apart skin was just hanging off of his face. Blood was everywhere; most of it coming from his right arm was it was hanging on by a thread of muscle. His other arm… his elbow had been shifted and turned around. The skin broke because it was not used to the joint being backwards. Daniel's hair had nearly all been ripped out and laid at his feet… drowned in blood. Ankle had to have been broken and other knee cap shattered, couldn't get up but he crawled away like a beaten baby…"
"STOP IT!" Armand screamed "stop it, Louis, now! I can't stand to hear anymore! This was not what happened; I would never let anything like that happen to my Daniel…!"
"But Armand it wasn't us… that paper what some sort of spell or something on it that made us hate Daniel and want him dead. Why do I remember all this? I don't know but I do and it is so horrible!" Louis whined.
"Shhhh," Lestat said as he kissed Louis in the head.
Santino mumbled something. "What was that?" Marius asked.
"I was just wondering why Lestat just didn't blow Daniel up?" Santino said in an almost conversional tone.
The whole coven looked at him with daggers in their eyes. "Whoever did this certainly wanted Daniel dead and chose us to be the executioners because dear Danny wouldn't even think to attack us. Whoever it was must not have known about Lestat getting the extra power…"
"Santino makes a good point," Pandora said, "whoever it was wasn't in the coven or knew anything about us or they would've known that."
"They knew Daniel," Santino said, "why would anyone want to kill an imbecile like Daniel for, he's not worth the time or the effort nor worth the vengeance I will get for this insult."
Again the Coven just stared at him but Santino shrugged it off. Louis sighed, "I've been trying to figure out who the person is but I haven't had much success. The person that led me back here and to Daniel knows but refused to tell me."
"Who was this person who knows of the bastard?" Santino hissed, "they won't be so secretive when I get through with them."
"Santino," Eric said, "shut up before Armand and the others kill you."
"Thank you," Marius said.
Armand sat down and put his head in his hands, "My poor Daniel… my beloved…"
Marius put his arms around Armand and held him; "Don't worry, Daniel is back now and we will regain his trust."
"No you won't," said a voice from the doorway.
"Excuse me, Mr. Armand," the maid said as she pushed in front of the unwelcome guest, "a Malcolm Duncan to see you, sir."
Malcolm entered the room, pushing past the maid, "I'm glad I arrived after the unveiling of the truth. Couldn't be more better if I planned it that way."
Armand signaled the maid away and she left with haste. "I wondered how long it would be before a Baltimorian showed up."
"I came of my own free will; Guildenstern has no idea that I am here. Shylock just returned to the Coven house, Daniel has upset him something horrible. In turn it is my time to watch over Daniel while he is here. If you believe for one instant I actually trust this coven then I believe you all to be bigger fools that I originally thought you were."
"Tell me what you know," Marius ordered.
"Only that the Master has divorced Portia and that could only have been done if both of them were in love with other people. Portia had more affairs over the years than I ancestors."
"Interesting, so he is going to remarry Desdemona or one of the other Ladies," Marius asked in a bored tone.
"Nope, he has his designs on Daniel."
The whole room grew deathly quiet as Malcolm continued, "Daniel is the darling of the coven. Everyone just loves and adores him… yes me included. This is why I refuse to leave him alone in this city with all of you. He will not be hurt again by any of you."
"You can't have Daniel, Malcolm," Marius said flatly, "he belongs with Armand."
"He belongs with me," he said, "Daniel has been living with me for the past six years…"
"As roommates," Armand said, "but he said that he had slept with no one else."
"So he did give you those volumes. I am glad because it is a way of personal cleansing."
"He loves me," Armand said as he got to his feet and walked over to Malcolm.
"Maybe yet maybe not," he said, "he has done his duty to all of you and when that duty is over he will be free. Oh and he will find even greater freedom in my bed…"
Armand tackled Malcolm to the ground and started to beat him in the face but Malcolm threw him off without much effort and quickly exited Night Island. Lestat, Pandora and Marius went after him. Santino just plain disappeared and Armand just sat on the floor and cried. He cried for his Daniel, the one who he had nearly killed and then abandoned to Malcolm. Daniel was defenseless against Malcolm and now that bastard wanted Daniel in his bed. "You won't have Daniel, Malcolm, you only want to use him to hurt Marius and myself. I WON'T LET YOU DO IT!"
Part 9
Tonight was the night Daniel dreaded since his return to Miami. He knew that Louis had told the coven what had happened. He could feel their disbelief and their anguish; the anguish surprised him
He expected for them to feel nothing.
Daniel sat in a half store half coffee shop- glass separator and open doorway- half-used and new bookstore. He sat in the coffeeshop half with the used book he just bought. He was reading it slowly. Malcolm was in town. If Malcolm wanted to find him then he would, he knew if there was a used bookstore in town then that is where Daniel would be.
No one else would come after him but Malcolm. Why would anyone but Malcolm come after him?
"Hello, young man."
Never having had any idea that anyone would come over to him but Malcolm he automatically assumed that it was he. "Hello," Daniel replied, he never looked up from his novel.
"Reading Camus? I didn't know you were interested in the absurd?"
"You know better than me about the absurd…"
"Do you even realize who you are talking to or are you talking to who you want to be talking to?"
Daniel looked up from his book an instant then resisted the terrible urge for a double take. "I believe myself to be a realist," he mumbled trying to hide his disbelief as the unexpected visitor sat down across from him.
"Realist?" the visitor asked, he was totally and utterly confused.
"I never in a thousand years thought you would come to see me. Unless it was with a fire and weaponry to kill me."
The visitor looked in Daniel's eyes with an almost mournful look to his eyes. Daniel was taken back. "Please," he said, " don't tell me that is what you think of me?"
"Many of the coven feel the same way."
"You are a child…"
"What a statement. You think of me like that?" Daniel asked mockingly as he put his nose more into the book.
The visitor paused a moment then quickly ripped the book from Daniel's hands. "Hey," Daniel whined as he reached out to grab the book back but the visitor was too fast for him.
"We were under a spell," he whispered as he leaned over the table, "I may be crude sometimes but I do care about you."
"But…"
"I have seen the coven wonder and worry about you. I have seen Armand and Marius lose themselves in each other's flesh…"
"I thought so," Daniel sighed.
"Don't judge them. None of us handled innocent, obeying, loving Daniel: more like a lap dog than a fledgling…"
"Ha! Lap dog I am not. I fought with Armand more than obeyed."
"Even the most adoring lap dog will snap at its master when he is stuck by him."
"You are acting very weird and you are scaring me."
"You make me act weird," he admitted, "ever since we were first introduced… I wanted to know you."
"You hate me!"
"I'm jealous."
"Of?"
"I have always wanted to have a fling with you… or Armand thought even better… you and Armand together."
"I'm completely shocked."
"I'm here to completely shock you… shock you the way you shocked us. Louis told us what happened and I do not doubt his word."
"Why confront me about it then?"
"You are getting defensive, Daniel, I'm glad to know you've learned something from us."
"I still haven't mastered your dodge the topic method."
The visitor smiled and bowed his head, "Aren't you supposed to me afraid of me?" he joked.
"I'm used to dealing with my irrational fear of you, Santino."
"I'll take that as a compliment."
"You didn't come here to bear your soul to me…"
"Yes… and no. I wanted to let you know I wasn't your enemy…"
"Okay, sure…"
"And I wanted to know who did this… who used us to hurt you," Santino hissed.
Daniel looked down and reached for a bag by his feet, the plastic was stuck to his leg and when he moved his leg to kick the bag over to his hand he accidentally kicked Santino. "Sorry," he said as he took out another new book and began to read.
"No, you are not."
"You bastard! I didn't kick you on purpose, you self righteous…"
"Enough," Santino said as he grabbed Daniel's hands," enough."
"I want to leave. Good bye, Santino…"
"I will only let you leave when you tell me who did this!"
"I don't know, please, Santino!"
"Don't you know how badly you hurt everyone. You just disappeared."
"None of you wouldn't have believed me if I told you the truth."
"Everyone couldn't believe you would abandon Armand for good. You treated us with the fear and respect we deserve. Like we were gods in your eyes and we grew accustom to that attitude from you."
"You are not gods," Daniel stated flatly," I realize this… this… this… this fear I have of you all of you…. Are you pleased by it?"
Santino opened his mouth to reply, but Daniel quickly cut off any attempt to refute his statement. Daniel ignored the look of six hundred plus years of pain and torment on his face. He himself knew that look on his own face many times.
The amount of lifetime means nothing but the experiences that make the life time the are what count.
"I am not quite understanding this," Daniel sighed, "you would rather have my fear than my respect? Fear and respect are two different things. You have my fear in spades and you always have. My respect, though, you seriously lack. You are not kind nor do you show respect to me. You hid your emotions so well yet if I even try to conceal myself you consider that an insult. Everyone wants me to be like Armand… or Louis… or David. I am sorry but I am not Armand, Louis or David. Every time I try to fit your ideal Daniel profile everyone grows angry and scary. You have this double standard for me, which is impossible for me to live up to. I have only one soul, Santino.
Daniel broke Santino's hold on his hands then stole back the book that was taken from him. "We only wanted what was best for you," Santino said striking back, "you obviously didn't know what that was!"
"The only thing that is the best for me is for me to be… me!" Daniel grabbed his bag and put his stuff in it.
"This is not you."
Daniel paused a moment before he headed out of the coffeehouse. "Maybe."
Santino sighed and looked up at him with this look of tired helplessness, "See you at the sitting? Daniel?"
Daniel never responded he just walked out the door mumbling something to himself. Santino sat there with his head in hands a moment worrying about the damage he caused and how to fix it with Malcolm in town.
Part 10
Notes: There is another language in this spec. Don't worry there is a translation underneath so don't freak out.
The artist arrived a half an hour early to talk to Marius about how he wanted the painting to be done. She was a weird woman this Mia Zale, but an excellent artist; both Armand and Marius collected her works. She was a rather tall woman with her reddish brown hair in a loose bun, her bands her in silvery green eyes. Se looked like a tornado hit her dressed in a pair of black pants and a short sleeve dark blue top. "Of course I can get the painting done in two weeks. We can begin now if you would like, I have all my supplies with me," she said, pushing her glasses up to the bridge of her nose.
Marius sighed and looked at David, who frowned and shook his head.
Daniel still had not arrived yet. "We are still waiting for someone," he trailed off apologetically.
"Oh, Mister Marius, I am sure the person you are waiting for will arrive soon," she said as she began to prepare for tonight's sitting.
Marius looked around at the small group. After Louis told them about what happened that night everyone had a cloud of gloom and doom over them. When they woke to tonight they all regained their memories of what happened that night as if they had never forgotten it. Armand had not spoken a word all night; he just sat and stared at the floor with a look of bewildered rage in his eyes. If Daniel did not show up tonight they did not know how he would react.
"Excuse me, Mr. Armand?" the maid asked from the hallway.
"Armand is rather preoccupied at the moment," Lestat answered.
"Mr. Daniel wants to know if he can come in."
Armand immediately snapped out of his trance at the mere mention of Daniel's name and jumped to his feet. "Let him in, Mrs. Wade, and be quick about it."
"Yes, Mr. Armand."
The whole room grew quiet as the maid opened the door. Everyone else stared at the door intently; Mia did not even look up to see the long awaited arrival.
Daniel entered the room slowly his eyes looking low but not at the ground. He wore that purple turtleneck that made his eyes a more brilliant violet. He cut his hair and then brushed it back. He wore the black dinner jacket and matching pants, which clung, tightly to his waist and thighs but loose the rest of the way down. The cuff of the pants rested on his obviously new soft black leather shoes. "Hello," he whispered.
Armand slowly walked over to Daniel and smiled, "I'm glad to decided to come. Welcome, Daniel."
Daniel cleared his throat and looked up, finally. The expression on his face was unreadable but he tried to smile slightly. "I'm not used to having everyone be so quiet. Is something wrong?"
"No, Armand said, " now that you are here everything is fine."
Daniel saw the canvas in the corner of the room and the sounds of someone working behind it. "I see the artist is here; shall we get tonight over with?"
"In a moment, I want to talk to you."
"About?"
"How much I have missed you," Armand said as he lightly kissed Daniel on the lips.
Daniel bowed his head slightly; "You are too kind."
"We do need to talk," Armand said as he put his arm around Daniel and walked him over to the group.
Louis smiled at Daniel Welcome!
Daniel looked around, trying to break free of Armand's hold gently. "Where do you want me to stand? May I stand on the end? That would be rather nice, don't you think? Especially since I'm not around much anymore."
"Nonsense," Marius said, "you must be in the middle with Armand, he is the host after all and you are his partner.
"Anyway," Jessie said, "you will be around a lot more now, Daniel, with everything settled now."
"You are quite mistaken," Daniel said simply, "nothing is settled."
"You are just being stubborn, Daniel," Lestat said.
"You are a fine one to talk about being stubborn, Lestat," Daniel said as he stopped dead in his tracks. Armand could not move him gently and Marius shook his head, which caused Armand to stop trying.
"Takes a stubborn person to recognize another stubborn person," Lestat said, "you want to make a case out of it."
"I am being stubborn and I admit it. I want to do this on my own, find the person in question I mean. How do you all know that person's effect on you hasn't gone away, and might go off again. No thanks I'm loneing it on this one."
"Jefs fvesigj eosrekeks attiutew. De-Daniel-Ptolomy-eiek?" asked Mia.
"Cye," he replied back.
Mia peeked out from behind the canvas and smiled, "So it is you."
Marius was puzzled; "You two know each other?"
Daniel answered, "Yes, I've seen Ms. Zale at Walter's Art Gallery; her art shows are quite extraordinary and the talk of the town."
"Oh," Marius nodded.
"Bah, what silliness," Mia smiled, "Daniel-Ptolomy was my first patron and put up the money for my first supplies and my first art show. I couldn't get a sponsor because my work was too "gothic"."
"Daniel… Ptolomy?" Armand asked.
"I dropped my last name and hyphenated my first and middle name together. Daniel-Ptolomy is my name, legally."
"You changed your name?" Marius questioned his face twisted slightly in confusion and surprise.
"I've changed a lot of things," Daniel explained.
"I did not know you were interested in the arts," Louis said.
"I saw Mia trying to sell "Blood of Vladmir" to a crap store that only bought it to recycle the canvas. The painting was too wonderful to let go to waste so I bought the painting for a mere one hundred dollars."
"Wait," Armand said shaking his head in confusion, "you own "Blood of Vladmir" that painting is worth over 12.5 million dollars!"
"Yes, it is in my living room," he said as he walked over and kissed Mia on the cheek, "it is so nice to see you doing portraits again. They are your best work."
"Thank you very much," she said, "but flattery will get you no where. Now everyone take your places this sitting is about to begin."
Daniel walked back over and stood next to the last chair on the left. Marius walked up to him and whispered, "I want to talk to you."
"If it is about where I am standing then the subject is rather… closed!" Daniel exclaimed quietly.
"It would mean so much to Armand if you would sit next to him."
"I would rather not," Daniel said, "I don't want to get his hopes up."
"What do you mean, Daniel?"
"I'm only here, Marius, because of the painting. If it had not been for the painting I would still be at home. I'm here to sever all my ties to everyone here."
Marius went rigid, his shoulder back, "You don't mean that. We all saw those volumes you gave to Armand over the years. You still love him."
Daniel shook his head, "It's over, Marius."
Marius became quietly enraged and whispered, "I would rather kill you than let you put us through the past six years again."
"You had your chance to kill me, Marius, but if you or anyone so desires another crack at it I won't run . . . I'll rip them to shreds."
Marius looked him right in the eyes and Daniel laughed morbidly to himself as he saw the shock in Marius' eyes when he realized Daniel was not bluffing.
Part 11
"Daniel, you cannot be serious," Marius whispered as if someone kicked him in groin.
Daniel looked around at everyone, his eyes not staying on anyone too long then returned to Marius. "Yes, I am being extremely serious. I am not afraid of you anymore."
"Daniel, I am glad to hear this…"
"Santino told me how much you all liked the fear I had for you…"
"He said what?" Marius asked as he leaned into Daniel slightly.
"Fear and respect are two different things and I feel none of the above," Daniel started to explain but Marius walked away and went straight for Santino.
'Oh god' Daniel thought to himself and couldn't stop himself from walking in between them. Marius and Santino were surprised by the action, which was obvious by the look on their faces. "Gentlemen," Daniel said, "if you don't mind I would prefer to make it though tonight without any blood shed, thank you."
"But," Marius said sounding like a child fighting with its sibling.
"No 'buts', Marius. I know Santino was only being Santino and that is the only person I expect him to be. There is no permanent harm done."
"But you just said…"
"Will you refute what was said?" Daniel asked then thought better of it, "never mind we are on Mia's time so lets get this sitting over with."
Armand walked up to the group; "Yes I think that would be wise. We will talk afterward."
"No, we will not talk about this subject again," Daniel said as he said down on the chair to the right of him in the middle, "is this where I'm supposed to go?"
It was three in the morning when Mia stopped working and packed up her things. "All of you did a wonderful job with staying so still," she said, "I was rather surprised. The first session is usually the hardest one to get through."
"We are used to these kind of things," Louis smiled.
"Not quite," Mia said, "every new challenge is not like any others."
"Thank you a lot, Ms Zale."
"Is your name Louis?" Mia asked with no preamble, "I must ask because he asked me to do a portrait for him but from a written description. It was a very well done description and in such detail… the man's name was Louis. From the way Daniel-Ptolomy talked about this man I could have sworn he was his much-loved brother. Oh I did the portrait and it was excellent, if I do say so myself. He seemed very impressed with it and paid me much too well. He is a very generous man."
"Yes, I am Louis or a Louis. I have a feeling you would not have asked me if I was Louis unless I matched your painting."
"Not my painting but Daniel-Ptolomy's description. I know you are not brothers, nor lovers but he loves you deeply. He said you had kind green eyes, sea green eyes that were so clear your mood could be easily read in them. Your mouth was such that you could easily get big words out yet would look just as normal when you had nothing to say at all. Your face was pale as that of scholar and slightly messy black hair to match. Yes, you do fit his description perfectly."
Louis looked down at the ground a moment in humble shock at Daniel's kind words then looked up. "He said that?"
"And much more but I must be going," she said as she picked up her things, "he loves you. It doesn't take eyes to see that."
"He loves someone else," Louis started to protest.
"Maybe it is because I cannot see well I see so many other things people don't. It's time, Louis, that you stop seeing things and close your eyes a while. Maybe when you open them again you'll see things differently. Good night," she said as she left.
Louis watched her leave and then turned to Daniel. Yes ever-gentle Daniel was still there trying to make his escape while trying to keep Marius from doing permanent damage to Santino. Did Daniel love him? No, his feelings for Armand ran too deep and yet Daniel's mind was thinking about someone else. He was thinking about Malcolm Duncan.
Louis walked up to Daniel and smiled, "I wonder what is going on here."
Armand sighed, "I have no clue. It seems Santino found Daniel and said something to upset him."
"That explains why… er… never mind."
"Explains what?"
Louis turned the other way and started to walk away quickly but not quickly enough. Armand caught hold of his hair and pulled him back over. "Explains what? He is thinking about Malcolm, isn't he?"
With that he let Louis go and walked over to Daniel. Armand's rage burned so hotly that it melted even his common sense. He carefully broke through the crowd and went right up to Daniel. "You bastard!" Armand exclaimed as he slapped Daniel across the face, "you dishonest son of a bitch. You are thinking about Malcolm, I know you are."
"Armand," Marius cried out, "stop it at once."
"No!" Armand exclaimed, "I want this cheap whore out of my sight forever."
Daniel looked up in horror feeling the ever familiar sting of Armand's hand slamming itself down on his cheek. Cheap Whore replayed itself in Daniel's mind over and over and over again. He was not a cheap whore. The ungodly fear began to tear through him like a hurricane but he forced it back.
He was Daniel-Ptolomy and he was in control.
"Yes," Daniel said, "I was thinking about Malcolm but not as you thought I was. It is nearly 3:30 and Malcolm said if I was not out of this apartment by 3:30 that he would barge through this door like the pirate everyone thinks he is and get me. If you do not believe me then so be it, I DON'T GIVE A FUCK!"
Now Daniel was angry after all he had tried to do for them… for Armand this is his reward. Armand: what a jealous bastard! For his reward he would never be in his heart or in his bed again. Daniel pushed past Marius and the others and headed toward the door without looking back. Jessie and David tried to stop him but he was too quick for them and was out the door in a blink of an eye. Louis decided to follow him.
"Daniel, for godsake, some back here!" Lois cried.
"You were the one who told the jealous fool that I was thinking about Malcolm."
"I thought…"
"If you thought then I beg you to stop thinking, go back in that room with Lestat and leave me a-fuckin'-lone!"
"He did not mean to strike you…"
"No, Armand never means to strike me," Daniel said mockingly.
"Daniel, please, I beg you to calm down and come back."
"No," Daniel said as he came to the elevator and pressed down, "never again. Give my apologies to Mia but I am not coming back for the next sitting. I want nothing to do with this coven again. I'm going home."
"Daniel, if you leave I will find you."
"No, Louis, you won't. Right here, right now I'm going to cut off all connections to you. It was our mental and emotional connections that we have always enjoyed that caused you to remember what happened, I figured that one out. If I cut them then you will have as much luck as Armand trying to find me."
"You wouldn't…"
Daniel said nothing as he severed the connection between himself and Louis. It was hard and took a lot of energy. There was a lot of emotion involved but Daniel did not even blink an eye at all the hard he was causing himself. Then it was gone, the connection was gone and he felt very alone in the world. After the loneliness he felt nothing. Louis looked at him straight in the eyes, he was very upset and hurt but Daniel really did not care. The elevator opened up, he stepped in and the door closed.
Daniel Molloy was dead.
Two weeks later Daniel-Ptolomy was in his living room reading a biography of Queen Mary Tudor called Bloody Mary while he burned a rain scented candle burned quietly on the coffee table. He sat on his reclining couch while a familiar person was lying on the couch, his head on Daniel's lap. Fortinbras was checking his e-mail on his new lap top. Things have been quiet the past two weeks and thankfully so. Daniel and Fortinbras loved the quiet and after Miami Daniel could not take too much more excitement.
One thing Daniel forgot to mention to Armand and the others was that he was living with Fortinbras.
Oops.
"Hey, Pharaoh," Fortinbras said as he looked up, the nick name come from his name Ptolomy that was also a line of Pharaoh's in Egypt's New Kingdom, "aren't you checking your e-mail? Malcolm blames that on me, little pirate bastard! Seems Armand and Company are up Guildenstern's nose about those books you gave Armand."
"Really?" Daniel asked innocently, "whatever for?"
"Whatever for," Fortinbras laughed quietly and slapped Daniel playfully on the thigh, "you big silly you know what I'm talking about."
"I do?" Daniel asked, not taking his eyes away from his book.
"Those volumes you gave Armand mysteriously caught on fire when you left and are not ashes of ashes that Armand is keeping in one of those vases people keep their cremated dead."
"Ever the victim never the guilty."
"I don't know why you won't let me teach him a lesson?"
"Armand isn't worth your time, Love, besides," Daniel said as he sat the book down, "I'm rather selfish and would rather have you with me."
Fortinbras sat the laptop on the floor, pulled Daniel down to his lips and thoroughly kissed him. "Have you eaten, my love? You look rather thin and pale tonight."
Daniel grabbed Fortinbras by the shoulders and pulled him onto his lap. "Fortinbras…"
"If you go out there I promise you won't find Louis this time. Anywhoo you can out smart that adult child any day of the week. You've proved it when you went out on your own tour of the Orient."
"I'm sorry about leaving you like that," Daniel sighed, "I just have to know who wants to kill me."
"I am much stronger than Armand and those others I would not fall under the spells…"
Daniel muttered something under his breath then said; "I know who is out to get me, his title I mean. Finding the bastard by name and his location will be much harder. I trust your powers and will but I don't want you to get hurt."
"I don't hurt easily…"
"Claws of lightening, teeth as sharp as metal shards, a wolf in man form with instincts to match. Human is his name his form changes with his un-nightly power. Lord of Wolves shall his name be, accursed son of Set: god of Evil.
"Daniel?" Fortinbras asked with a worried look on his face.
"Lord of Wolves wants me dead."
"Where did you get such silliness?"
"The Book of Nightfall."
"Why would this 'Lord of Wolves' want you dead?"
"I don't know," Daniel admitted, "but the pattern that was the map is his symbol."
"Weird…"
"Some cultures believe that werewolves and vampires don't get along. Maybe that is why he wants me dead, he is a werewolf type being. I am the only vampire I know of that really practices the religion and he wants me out."
"Ever since you started with that religion…"
"I have been Cronian since I was seventeen and I don't plan to change."
Fortinbras got off Daniel's lap and put his fists on his hips. "Listen here, Daniel-Ptolomy, I don't want you going off the deep edge here and try to take me with you. Set and the other Egyptian gods do not exist, I should know. This religion of yours is total and utter bullshit; look at what it is doing to you."
"You mean the make up? You want me to walk around with my scars visible to the world? The makeup helps to cover them up and if I didn't have the scars I would not wear it, I swear."
"Your scars do not bother me or anyone else in the Coven…"
"They bother me."
"No matter is you have the scars or wear the make up people will stare at you!"
"Then," Daniel stated, "they will at least stare on my terms."
"We have this discussion every night…"
Daniel looked at the clock, "And about the same time."
Fortinbras sat back down but at the other side of the couch, he looked away. Daniel picked up his book and began to read quietly. "Fortinbras?" Daniel asked.
"Yes?"
"We don't talk anymore all we do is disagree."
"That's not true, we have different opinions so we naturally disagree…"
Daniel closed the book firmly; "Lets face it, Fortinbras, I'm no good. I know it and you know it."
"Daniel-Ptolomy," Fortinbras said as he turned toward him.
Daniel stood up and headed for his bedroom; "I'm moving out."
Fortinbras let you a choked exclamation but Daniel still went ahead and began to pack his clothes. "Excuse me?" Fortinbras asked as he entered Daniel's room, "you are doing what?"
"You heard me," Daniel mumbled, "I don't want to cause anymore trouble…"
"Goddamn it," Fortinbras said as he grabbed Daniel by the shoulders and made him face him, "Daniel-Ptolomy, I know you are used to such mistreatment but just because we fight doesn't mean you have to go. I love you and I don't want you to go. Wherever you go I will find you and bring you back here. I am old and set in my ways; you are the one doing all the changing in this relationship but I don't want that. We must change and grow together not just one of us. We've been through a lot these past five years and I'm not giving us for anyone."
"What do you want me to do then?"
"Honestly?"
"Yes."
"Relax on the makeup maybe and make this room into a gallery for Mia's paintings."
"Where…?"
"That huge kings size bed I have is big enough for both of us to have plenty of room. I want us to stop being roommates and live together."
Daniel blinked twice in confusion but then broke out into a huge smile. "Are you serious?"
"I love you, I trust you and of course I want you in my bed," Fortinbras said as he reached up and kissed Daniel.
"But… er… how can I pleasure you?"
"There are more than one way to get sexual pleasure, my ever considerate Daniel-Ptolomy, orgasms can be achieved by blood too. Take my body, my blood all of me."
Daniel hugged Fortinbras and swung him around in the air, holding him very tightly. "You have my heart, mind and soul. My blood is your blood and I will take care of you from now to forever," he said as he started to cry, "I've never been so happy in my life."
"Shhh, my love, relax… oh my little Pharaoh, I understand that you have had a bad time of it until now but now we are together and we shall have a glorious future."
The phone rang from the hall, the pair groaned, "Who has such wonderful timing?" Fortinbras asked thoroughly annoyed.
"Portia," Daniel answered, "I'll get it."
Fortinbras reluctantly let go of Daniel as he answered the phone. "Hello? Who is speaking please?"
"Hello, darling Daniel-Ptolomy, its Portia. I'm sorry to call you but it's rather important."
"What is it, Portia?" Daniel asked and Fortinbras rolled his eyes.
"Mia Zale is back in town…"
"Coothies," Daniel interrupted, "is that all?"
"She isn't alone."
"Aw shit…"