"So what's next, Marius?" asked Lestat as he stretched himself out on a divan, feigning weariness everyone knew he could not possibly feel. "Going to install a little crib in your crypt for the newly adopted baby?"

Marius flashed Lestat a look and this time, to everyone's surprise, so did Formosus, whose mind had released a shock of insult almost immediately.

"Lestat, I need to make something clear to you," he said, speaking slowly and with a more commanding, adult voice than Marius had ever heard from him. "It's something that based on your experience should be obvious but of which you obviously need to be reminded."

"And what is that?" Lestat sighed with disinterest.

"Despite my youthful form and despite the way I deport myself as a gentle, singing fairy slave, so to speak, I am no weakling, no fledgling to be toyed with, but am a powerful individual with my own will. I prefer to be peaceful and loving, but I am not bound to that and I will not take abuse or disrespect. I am not a baby and I think the fact that I had survived so long totally on my own should be a testament to that."

Lestat rolled his eyes and frowned but it was clear he had heard. "All right, but that still doesn't answer my question. What's next?"

Formosus was quiet for a moment. "I don't know exactly. On the one hand, I would like very much to stay here and be in the company of my own kind - for the first time in my life - but at the same time, I would like to learn more about the world. I would like to travel, to investigate, to read. There is so much for me to explore. Eventually I may want my own life. But for now? If it is not too much of a burden, I would like to remain in New Orleans."

"Here with Marius?" Lestat asked.

Formosus looked to Marius, who nodded and smiled.

"Yes, here with Marius," Formosus replied happily.

"Fascinating development," Lestat murmured. "I was wondering, Formosus, if you would be at all interested in coming to visit me at my place."

"Tonight?"

"Hmmm, good question. As I said, Louis is out hunting for blood and books. Perhaps we should wait until he comes by here. I think he probably will, since I told him I thought something was going on, that I had sensed something last night in the hour before dawn. It was you, correct?"

"Yes, Marius and I were on our way home."

"From hunting?"

"Yes."

"And how did you like the hunting in New Orleans?" Lestat asked as if he were requesting a dining review from a friend.

"Good. Of course I am still adjusting. 1,000 years is a long time to go without."

Lestat was silent. Everyone knew that since awaking from his trance on the floor at St. Elizabeth's he had made a vow not to take human life. But whether or not he was keeping that vow, no one knew for certain, although each of them had their suspicions.

Lestat did nothing to resolve the issue, instead opting to switch topics.

"So we will wait for Louis. Or perhaps someone could call him for me. Armand? Marius? Anyone? Meanwhile, Formosus, tell me what do you like to do?"

"See, you're being interviewed again," Marius chuckled.

"Not a problem. What do I like to do? I suppose I like to listen, to watch. I love poetry, singing, dancing. I like acrobatics. I think I would enjoy seeing some plays or concerts. I love reading but I have so much to catch up with, all these languages, typestyles. I need to read a lot more history, there are so many holes. I like to travel, I -"

"That's enough," Lestat cut in. "I don't need a personal ad, I was just curious. Sounds like you would be a good match for Louis. He had all sorts of books he could lend you and would introduce you to all the modern authors and poets. Personally I tend towards watching movies and listening to records. I like to go out to dance clubs."

"So I would imagine," Formosus said. "I admit that that is less my style. I can't relate to the modern electronic world very well. At least not yet."

"Oh, then you will certainly enjoy Louis. Goodness knows he needs to be more social," Lestat mused, until all at once he noticed a few heads had turned. Louis had arrived.

Louis had obviously come in a rush. His hair was tousled from running and his cheeks were colored from recent feeding. As he spotted Formosus, his paced slowed, then stopped. His hands, each holding a book, dropped to his sides and he stared at the scene in puzzlement.

"Pardon me, have I missed something?" he asked in his usual polite manner. When no one answered immediately, he took a few steps forward, stopping at the edge of the patio.

"Marius," he said quietly. "You called me. And now I see this new creature here. He isn't by chance another child of yours, is he?"

Marius tossed his head back and closed his eyes. "No, Louis," he said lightly, by now taking this question as a kind of standing joke, "Formosus, whom you will soon meet, is no child of mine. He came to me last night after a long journey. He seeks company and an introduction to the age. I have given him my protection."

"I see," Louis said evenly. "Well then, Formosus, welcome to our little New Orleans circle."

Placing his books on one of the tables, Louis approached Formosus and offered his hand. Knowing just enough of manners to understand this signal, Formosus took the hand, shook it gently, and smiled.

"You are very kind," said Formosus in Latin, afterwards repeating the remark in English.

Louis gave him the tiniest of odd looks as he let go of the hand. "May I take a seat?"

"Oh, Louis, do emerge from your 18th century shell, will you?" Lestat interjected, finally rising from the divan and indicating a nearby chair.

Looking a bit embarrassed, Louis complied.

"Louis," Formosus said softly, "just for your information, personally I find your '18th century shell' delightful. Consider yourself far ahead of me. The last century I kept up with was the 11th."

Marius laughed. It was really too funny, this dialog that only immortals could be having. He was really beginning to enjoy the way Formosus dealt with all the different personalities. He was quite deft actually, especially considering that he had never spent any time among vampires.

Louis meanwhile had registered a look a shock. The 11th century? How old were we talking about?

Formosus naturally caught the thought and answer accordingly, tossing in a brief summary of his life and concluding with mention of his recent decision to remain in New Orleans and study the age.

"I've already told him you'd be a good guide," Lestat chimed in confidentally. "At least for literature. For clothing, maybe not, but certainly you'd be a good guide for reading."

"That might be something we could talk about," he said, non-committal. He would need to become better acquainted before offering to share his time with anyone on a regular basis. For the most part, he still preferred to be alone. Then again, this creature was mightily attractive and he might be able to compromise himself just a tad. "Yes, definitely, we could talk about that," he said.

"Thank you, that would be lovely," Formosus replied.