RPG SPEC: Dagger of the Mind Sequel to "Hollywood Vampires" Part 6, Posts 151-180 _________________________________________________________________________ Post 151: Jesse Jesse had just set foot on the set when her friend's voice touched her mind. ::Pandy, Jesse! New Orleans.... please come, please help!:: ::Gabby?:: Jesse returned the tought, but there wasn't an answer. The source was so close... Gabrielle was here on the set. Jesse tried to zero in on where she was... the trailers! She was in on of the cast member's trailers! Jesse ran over to where the little clutch of tin boxes were parked. Draperies concealed the roon from her mind, but it couldn't shut out her mind. Gabrielle lay sleeping on the large bed. There was someone in the room with her... Tom! He didn't seem to mean her any harm, and he SHOULD know enough to keep away from a sleeping vampire. Jesse sat down in the shadows to wait for her friend to awaken. _________________________________________________________________________ Post 152: Louis There wasn't much happening tonight. Louis had wandered the beautiful grounds for several hours. His mind wasn't on the moonlit beauty of the place. There were a strange mixture of thoughts... Lestat... oh, yes, he was there, he was always there. Louis came to the conclusion that the best thing to do was to sever all thoughts of Lestat. True, he realised he would be haunted by him for some time to come, but he had to go on. He would just continue without him. Louis sighed. He had to put the past behind him, and that meant putting Lestat and that relationship behind him. That included moving out of the flat on Rue Royale they had shared for two life times... one with Claudia, the second as lovers. There was too much of Lestat there. He'd close up the place tomorrow night and move into a hotel. It was too late to do anything about the place tonight, and he *had* invited Antonio to stay there just this evening. Antonio. Louis smiled. Charming man, beautiful, a gifted actor. Gabrielle's first fledgling. Louis felt a warmth toward him. They had a lot in common. Antonio would be suffering the 'growing pains' all fledglings felt upon losing their mortality, their humanity. He's have to bid his mortal friends and lovers adieu. Yes. That pain was real. As real as the pain he felt over having his lover leave him. _________________________________________________________________________ Post 153: Louis Louis glanced up to see Antonio walking towards him. "Louis? Are you busy?" The beautiful fledgling smiled. "No, I was just... thinking." Louis held out a hand to him. Antonio clasped it in both his. "I was just thinking about you." Tilting his head to one side, Antonio looked up into Louis' dark green eyes. "Thinking about me?" He laughed slightly. "Good things, I trust." "I hope you are alright... this must not be easy for you, the transition." Louis spoke in a soft, concerned voice. "It is quite a different existence, Antonio. Nothing in your mortal life could prepare you for this." They walked together silently. At last, Antonio spoke. "I went to see Brad tonight. I think it may have been a mistake." Louis placed his hands on Antonio's shoulders. "He was your friend, and now he doesn't understand what has happened to you." Nodding his head and letting out a long sigh, Antonio spoke softly. "It is if I am a stranger to him... and I am." Impulsively, Louis took Antonio into his arms. "I'm so *very* sorry this had to happen... I know the pain of loss..." _________________________________________________________________________ Post 154: Gabrielle Gabrielle saw a glimmer such like the shine of a light through a small keyhole. She reached for it, begging the paralysis of sleep the release her. Slowly, the light got brighter and the images of fire faded. SHe blinked once, twice before opening her eyes entirely to the room about her. Antonio's trailer, his bed, how the hell did she get here? She had obviously fallen asleep, she sighed and sat up in bed. Suddenly, she saw Tom standing there, staring at her with unabashed curiousity. She also sensed Jesse's presence in the shadows, she opted to keep her presence quiet at the moment. Gabrielle cocked her head to one side and fixed Tom with an evil grin. "Monsieur Cruise. How nice of you to drop by. Why don't you tell me what's bothering you, chere." She smiled sweetly, turning on her saccharine sweet personality at a moment's notice and she nodded for the mortal to respond. _________________________________________________________________________ Post 155: Tom Tom stared at the vampire, speechless. Then, finally, he collected himself and said, "Your son..." "What about him, chere?" "I met him." "Well, that's nice." "No... I..." he gave himself a mental shake, furiously trying to clear his shell shocked brain. "I saw Antonio too. Your fledgling." "Good. Know where he is?" "Not at the moment. I came looking for him, actually." "And found me instead." "Err.. right." "Interesting." There followed a long silence. Gabrielle continued to smile sweetly, Tom started to sweat. "I think I'll just find Antonio now..." He began backing from the room. _________________________________________________________________________ Post 156: Gabrielle Gabrielle stood, a hand instictively going to her head to help comfort the wave of diziness crashing over her. The sugar coated smile was still firmly glued in place, she took a step towards the actor. He backed away, his eyes reflecting unhidden fear. Sweat beaded upon his forehead and upper lip, "Don'....Don't hurt me, please." Gabrielle stopped dead in her tracks and regarded him curiously, "I wouldn't hurt you, Monsieur Cruise. Any friend of 'Tonio's is a friend of mine. Please sit." She motioned to a chair beside him. he turned on her heal and settle back onto the bed, "You'll excuse me, I'm feeling a bit lightheaded. So, I take it you have questions. Go ahead, ask them." The patented Lioncourt smile curled upon her lips, "I have all the time in the world." _________________________________________________________________________ Post 157: Brad Brad blinked at the door. He'd never seen it open or close. One minute Tony was sitting beside him talking about fangs, of all things, and going insane, the next minute he was gone - the only thing marking his passage being the sound of a closing door. Brad sighed heavily. This was major wierdness going down! One thing was for sure though, with Tony out of the room, it was easier to get a grip on things. He sat for a minute, absently chewing on his bottom lip (a bad habit that Tony teased him about relentlessly - "Why do you chew on your own lip, when there are so many pretty ladies willing to do it for you?"). Brad laughed, remembering, then he sobered. They'd been sitting on the back patio of a little Cafe, having lunch when Tony'd said that. It'd been one of the few days they both had off on the last shoot, and Brad had been dying for a bit of sunlight. Tony had taken him to a little place he knew of, and bought him a meal.. Now Tony would be the one dying for sunlight, and Brad didn't want to think about what he did for a meal these days. "Shit. This is just funckin' bullshit!" Brad was furious. He didn't care what the reason was behind it, Tony was too great of a guy to never see the sun again! Tony loved the sun, for Christ's sake. He practically lived on the beach. "God damnit all to HELL!" Brad roared, throwing the bottle of booze at the trailer's small sink, watching is splinter with satisfaction. He jumped up from the sofa, and was preparing to go charging off after Tony, when a swirl of color caught his eye. His window. He couldn't go out and leave it unprotected, so he got a grip on himself and carefully wrapped the glass back in it's protective coverings. He put the picture of his family back on the easel, kissing his fingers, then touching them to the glass like he always did. Next he gathered up the sketch pad and pencils and put them in the drawer, carefully laying the bundled Tiffany glass on top of them, before sliding the drawer shut and locking it. He gave the drawer a good hard tug, making sure it was indeed locked. There! Now his treasure was protected from the many snoops on the set. He took several deep breaths to calm himself before slipping quietly out of the trailer. _________________________________________________________________________ Post 158: Antonio "I know the pain of loss." Louis sighed. Antonio looked at him sharply. "We seem to be burdening each other with our troubles tonight. I tell you about Brad, you tell me about Lestat." He smiled slightly. "Why must this be so complicated? I don't understand. Lestat must love you. You love Lestat. It is obvious. I would love the entire world right now, if only it would let me. I don't understand the problem." Louis smiled at his heavy sigh. "I believe this is called the human condition." "Brad doesn't think me human any more. He thinks I'm dead." "And so you are. What you were, died. But what you are now..." Louis stopped walking and looked at Antonio. "What you are now, Antonio, is something new, and different, and *alive*. It is all still within you, along with many things you have yet to discover. It can be a wonderful time for you." Antonio looked at him seriously, trying hard not to let Louis musical voice distract him from what he was saying. "For me to discover the wonders of this new life, I need to be with someone I can trust. Someone who could teach me..." He gazed deep into Louis eyes again, trancing for the third time that night. Such beauty... "Tony! Damnit, wait up!" Antonio snapped back to reality. How had he gotten so close to Louis? He stepped back hastily as Brad caught up to them. _________________________________________________________________________ Post 159: Brad Brad hurried through the night, looking for his friend who had run away from him. 'He's got to be scared out of his mind,' Brad thought, his heart aching for Antonio's plight. 'I've got to make him see that he can trust me, that I'll do whatever I can to make this better for him!' There he was, by those trees. He was talking to someone, standing awfully close to them, as a matter of fact. Brad desperately hoped the person Tony was talking to was not on the menu! Whoever he was, Brad hoped he'd clear out quickly. "Tony! Damnit, wait up!" Brad rushed up and grabbed Antonio by the arm. "Excuse us, buddy," he said to the man Antonio had been talking to. He did even look at the man, so intent was he on speaking to Antonio before he could get away again. "I need to talk to my friend here." Brad tugged Antonio a bit farther away from the man. He hissed at Antonio in a low voice, "You *are* still my friend, damn you. So quit trying to run off on me! You're one of the Unexplained Mysteries now, Robert Stack would pee his pants if he got a chance to interview you - so read my mind, you dope, and know that I'm telling you the truth!" "You just asked me not to do that!" Antonio retorted. "Well now I'm asking you to do it! Stop giving a hard time, will ya?" Brad shot back, giving Antonio's arm a little shake. "Why are you so angry, Brad?" "Because every time I flip out a little bit, or get mad, you act like it's the end of the world and try to head for the hills, that's why! This shit's hard to swallow, Tony. Give a guy a break here. I'm doing the best I can." "I know you are, Brad," Antonio said miserably. "Please forgive me - it's just that now all my emotions seem so much more intense. I find it difficult to control myself at times." "That's why it's dangerous for the two of you to continue to be friends." Brad jumped at the soft voice that floated out of the shadows. As he squinted in the darkness, the "man" he'd found Antonio with, stepped forward. Brad moved a bit, placing himself between Antonio and the slender figure moving toward them. "Jean-Louis, huh? So you're him, the real one, right?" "That is correct. Louis de Pointe du Lac, at your service, Monsieur." As the figure before him sketched a courtly bow, the part of Brad's brain that never stopped working filed that movement away for future reference. "Going to show me how it's done, eh?" Brad snorted. "I was only trying to be of assistance. You seemed to be having difficulty." "Yeah, well, we can't all be the `living legend' now can we?" Brad said sarcastically. He was astonished when Louis laughed softly. So, Louis had a sense of humor, did he? That hadn't come through in the books at all! "Lestat tends to leave out important little details like that, especially when they concern me," Louis added quietly. That snapped Brad back to reality. Louis had been reading his thoughts!. "Why are you here? What do you want with Tony?" Brad ground out. "Can't you guys leave him alone? Enough's been done to him already!" "Brad, no! Please - Louis is trying to help me! He's my friend..." "So am I, Antonio! I was, I am, and I will continue to be as long as you let me! I'm not going to let your new *friends* run me off. They'll have to kill me from helping you however I can!" "It may very well happen that way," Louis interrupted. "I wasn't talking to you, *Jean-Louis*!" Brad rounded on him. "Brad, please!" Antonio was terribly frightened. Things were happening too quickly here. "Louis was not threatening you, he was simply *warning* you of the consequences of continuing to associate with me. And he is absolutely right, you should walk away now while you..." "You can cut that shit short, Tony. I'm not going anywhere. Read my mind damnit, *both* of you, and know that I mean what I say!" Brad folded his arms and glared at them, first one, then the other. When they both remained silent, Brad directed his attention to Louis. "Since you're here, Monsieur de Pointe du Lac..." "Please, call me Louis." "All right, *Louis*, since you're here in the flesh, so to speak, there's something I need to ask you." "Yes?" Louis asked politely. "How the hell do you manage to love someone like Lestat?" "I beg your pardon?" Louis seemed a little taken aback by the question. "I mean it. How can you stand him? He treats you like shit, but you love him anyway. What gives? I'm not trying to be nosy or anything, but I've got a similar problem myself." "How so?" Louis seemed genuinely curious now. "I've got to be convincingly in love with that overachieving monster they've got me paired with, and for the life of me, I can't seem to get a handle on it! If I don't figure out a way to be convincing with this, it's going to mess up the whole end of the picture. Then I'll have a whole legion of Anne Rice fans down on me for screwing up their favorite part of the book!" Brad turned to Antonio, for help pleading his case. "You tell him, Tony. Tell him how awful that guy was on the last picture. Louis, if it hadn't been for Tony, I'd have busted him in the chops on several occasions!" Louis turned to Antonio with a look of amazement, "Is he serious? Antonio?" "Yes, Louis, I'm afraid he is." "What is it with you guys?" Brad interrupted. "You go around reading peoples thoughts when they don't want you to, and don't when they do! Is there some kind of weird rule book on this stuff or what? "Stop laughing, damnit! I'm serious!" _________________________________________________________________________ Post 160: Tom Tom regarded the situation as totally nuts. Right where it ought to be. Fine... he gave himself over to it. "Md. de Lioncourt," he said formally, "I can see you are under the weather. I wouldn't dream of disturbing you at this time. Please forgive my intrusion." He turned to go in his best Lestat manner, only to stop short, and glance back. "However, when you are more yourself, may I beg a moment of your time? I would dearly love to speak with you." Bemused, Gabrielle watched his performance. "But of course, Mssr. Cruise. If you can find me. We will speak at another time." "Merci." He nodded to her, then hastily departed. When he found himself outside again, he took a few deep breaths. "Ok, Tom, get a grip. They're all here, so just be calm and get a bloody *grip*! If they're here, he'll be here. Eventually. No way can you find him, he'll have to find you. Ok." Feeling a little better, he strode away from Antonio's trailer... only to spy Antonio himself. With *Brad*. His Brad... He caught that thought and nearly choaked. When had he become *his* Brad? "The moment you became Lestat to his Louis, you idiot." he muttered to himself. There was insanity... and then there was insanity. "Ok, we've jumped straight off the cliff, into the abyss. Fine." He headed over. Brad was the first to spy him, and as soon as he did he clammed up. The other two followed suit. Tom pressed on. "'Evening, everyone." he said pleasantly. "Antonio, welcome back!" "To you as well, Tom." Antonio replied evenly. "You're looking... fit." Dazzling was more the word for it, but Tom tried to continue on as normal. "Have you recovered from your ordeal?" Brad snorted. "Come off it, man." He gave him a hard look. "No one is that oblivious." Tom returned his look. "Very well, then." he said quietly. "Rumor has it that you've joined the ranks of the undead." Antonio looked at him warily until Tom smiled. "May I be among the first to congratulate you." Antonio looked perfectly astounded, Brad floored, two down. This was going much better than he had expected. He turned to the third member of the group. "I don't believe we've met." "Louis de Pointe du Lac, at your service, Mssr. Cruise." Tom felt his heart stop. "Louis...?" he breathed, getting a closer look. His height, elegant, gorgeous... "Louis... where's Lestat?" "The last I heard, he was visiting the Orient." "The Orient?" Suddenly Antonio moved to his side. "Louis, you look tired. Perhaps we should retire." "Wonderful suggestion." he said immediately. "Mssr. Cruise, Mssr. Pitt, a pleasure to meet you." "We're not done talking, Tony." Brad called after the rapidly retreating figures. Antonio glanced over his shoulder, then suddenly, the two vampires were gone. Brad and Tom exchanged uneasy glances. "Man, I've got to get some shut eye." Brad said at last, heading in the direction of his trailer. "Brad!" Tom called after him.' "What?" He hesitated. "Nothing. I'm just glad you're back." He smiled. "It's gotten a little strange around here. It's nice to see at least one familiar face." Brad gave him a searching look. "Ok, well, you take it easy. I'll see you tomorrow." "See you then." Tom watched as his fellow actor retreated back to his trailer. Then, glancing in the direction Antonio and Louis had headed, followed after. _________________________________________________________________________ Post 161: Marius Marius woke to the wonderfully comforting pressure of Armand's embrace and a nagging thought at the back of his mind that had disturbed his dreams. He sighed, rolling over to find that Armand's dark eyes had slitted open and were regarding him. Marius smiled. "So, you are awake." "Only just," Armand replied softly. His fingertips lightly traced the small line between Marius' brow. "What's wrong?" Marius caught his hand, pressing a kiss to the knuckles. "Just thinking." He lay down, resting his head against Armand's chest. Armand silently ran his fingers through Marius' hair, waiting. "We should return to New Orleans," Marius said quietly. "The others- Louis, Gabrielle, Antonio- deserve to know where he is, what he's doing. And, it just wouldn't be right to tell Gabrielle or Louis without actually being there, I think." "Yes," Armand agreed, his dark eyes growing dim as he thought over the suggestion. "Yes, it would be right to do that." A small smile touched his lips. "And then, Padrone? Where to then?" Marius looked up, smiling. He reached up to trace the soft curve of Armand's lips before kissing him. "And then, caro," he whispered, "I'm going to take you somewhere private, and quiet, where there are only the two of us. Somewhere where the others won't bother us, and we can do whatever we like without half of the family knowing about it, and it won't matter if I decide to keep you in bed all night long. Would you like that?" Armand sighed softly, a contented sound. "You know I would," he replied. Marius kissed him again, drawing away slowly and relucantly. "The sooner we get this over with, the sooner it's done," he sighed. He smiled ruefully, and extended a hand to help Armand up. "Shall we?" _________________________________________________________________________ Post 162: Daniel Daniel had been watching the activity of the coven from a distance. Antonio, Brad, and Louis had met that night. Daniel couldn't help laughing about Brad's expression after Louis had threatened to kill him, or rather *warned* him, as Antonio had so gracefully called it. Mortals! Daniel couldn't understand why they liked to get in trouble. Why did they always have to get involved with the children of the night? Then again, why did the vampires have to get involved with them? "Very simple, Daniel," he spoke out loud. "they are your substenance. Humans are food!" He just had to laugh. What a crazy adventure, this one. Coming to the set of this movie...Nonsense! Now, who's idea had this been? Probably Armand's! or maybe Lestat's? He couldn't remember. It didn't matter anyway. They were there. And now, thinking about Lestat...where would he be at the moment? And where were Marius, and Armand, and Santino? Where was David? Gabrielle and Louis were there, he knew it. What about the others? _________________________________________________________________________ Post 163: Brad Brad headed for his trailer practically running. Damn that guy anyway! He'd just managed to get somewhere with Louis, and had Antonio actually laughing, when Mr. Cruise decides to put in a appearance. Of course he had to immediately monopolize the conversationon. And like always, everyone suddenly remembered somewhere else they just had to be! Antonio practically dragged Louis out of there, and Brad couldn't blame him either, with the way Tom was giving Louis the eye! Just let the real Lestat (Brad shuddered at the thought of there being a real one of those running around loose!) catch him looking at Louis that way, and there'd be one dead mega star! That reminded him...::Louis? Are you there?:: Brad hoped his thinking at Louis would work. ::Should I answer you, do you think? I'm not sure anymore. You get angry if I do, and angry if I don't. If I shouldn't, pretend you're making my half of this conversation up, and I'll quietly fade out...:: ::Cut it out, will ya? Geeze who'd have thought *you'd* turn out to be such a joker! Listen, look after Tony, okay? I mean, he's really shook up. I can tell, ya know? Anyway, he needs a friend right now, Louis... You are his friend, aren't you?:: ::Yes, I am. Don't worry, Brad. I shall make sure he comes to no harm.:: ::Thanks, Louis. You're a okay guy, or whatever.:: ::You're welcome, Brad. I believe you are an "okay guy" as well.:: ::Brad, really, stop worrying about me, I...:: ::Damn it, Tony!:: ::I wasn't supposed to be listening, was I?:: ::No, you weren't. I didn't call you, I called Louis, and...oh never mind. Just forget it, I give up!:: Brad's mind was filled with the laughter of two voices. ::I will see you tomorrow night, Brad. I'm not running out on you this time, I just have to go.:: ::It's cool, Tony. I'd better see you tomorrow night, or I'll come looking for you!.:: ::Brad?:: ::Yes, Louis?:: ::Patience, a lot of patience.:: ::Huh?:: ::You asked how I dealt with Lestat, correct?:: ::Uh, yeah, a while back. I thought you forgot.:: ::I remember everything, Brad...so far. As I was saying, it takes a lot of patience, and that sense of humor that Lestat forgot to mention in his books. That's saved the both of us more than once.:: ::Patience and humor, Got ya.:: ::And just a touch of fear.:: ::WHAT?:: ::It keeps him interested.:: There was that soft laughter filling his head again. Brad shook his head in amazement. ::Louis? Louis are you still there? Are you *serious*? Louis!:: Nothing. Chuckling to himself at the revelation that was Louis de Pointe du Lac, Brad opened the door to his trailer and went in. _________________________________________________________________________ Post 164: Antonio Antonio looked around in awe. He was in *the* Rue Royal flat! The one he had read about twenty years ago!! THE flat! It was so ordinary! Louis laughed as he caught the thought. "Of course it is. It's just a place. We don't live within these walls... we only sleep here. I sleep here, in any case. Lestat added extra security measures. I'll show them to you." The tour was thorough. The flat was spotless, as though it was a museum. At the end Antonio was impressed. "You've got some wonderful antiques here." Louis smiled. "When we purchased them, they were not antiques." "How will I ever get used to the concept of immortality?" "You never do. At least I have not. It's one day at a time, as it always was." Antonio smiled, liking Louis more and more. _________________________________________________________________________ Post 165: Louis Louis smiled to Antonio. "Now, which room would you like? I'd offer you my own, but it's not as secure as I'd like it to be." Antonio raised an eyebrow. "Not secure? What do you mean?" Louis turned away slightly embarrassed. "The draperies are down in the east window. The night Lestat left..." Louis' voice trailed away. Changing the subject, he opened the door to what had been David's room. "I think you'll be quite comfortable here, you may use the bed," Louis gave the top of the ornate chest on the floor as slight push. It revealed the satin lining of a coffin. "Or you could choose this. I find it quite humourous, do you agreee?" As Louis watched, Antonio walked around the room, looking at the lush furnishings. "This is a wonderful room, thank you." He glanced up to see Louis staring into space, his brow knit, his thoughts distant. "Louis? Are you alright?" Louis glanced over at him, his eyes were sad and slightly misted with crimson. "I'm sorry, were you speaking to me?" _________________________________________________________________________ Post 166: Antonio Antonio sighed. "Louis," he said softly, frowing, "I am generally a direct person. Forgive me if I offend you... but it is obvious you are grieving for Lestat. Why do you try to hide it? Why deny it? It will only make things worse." Louis flinched slightly. "Everything makes it worse." he replied softly. "When I remember him, it hurts. When I try to forget, I feel as though I betray him. There's no end to it." "Nor will there be, for some time." Again Antonio moved to his side, placing his hands gently on Louis' shoulders. "Allow yourself time to mourn, mi amigo. The weakness is not in the grieving, but in the denial of the grief." He looked deep into Louis' eyes. "Do you understand?" _________________________________________________________________________ Post 167: Louis Antonio walked over to Louis and placed a hand on his shoulder. Louis tried to gather enough strength to look into the soulful brown eyes. "I do understand, Antonio." Louis said softly, as he hunted in his pocket for his handkerchief. He could feel the tears beginning to burn his eyes. He blotted the blood tears away, shaking his head. "Do you have any idea what your kind support means to me? I could quite get used to your companionship." Antonio smiled gently as he brushed back the curtain of blue black hair that had fallen into Louis' eye. The softness of his hair invited more than a casual touch. Again, Antonio lightly stoked the hair back from Louis' temple. The touch of Antonio's hand sent a warmth through Louis' being. He lifted his hand to Antonio's face and let his fingers trace the finely made cheek bone. His pulse quickened as he realised, incredulously, the mutual attraction racing between then. Slowly, his fingertips trailed to Antonio's lips. Antonio sighed softly, closed his eyes and raised his face slightly to Louis' as he bent forward. The slight sound of a cleared throat snapped them back into reality. Louis glanced toward the open door. Santino stood in the hall, an eyebrow raised. _________________________________________________________________________ Post 168: Tom Tom didn't feel the chill in the air. He didn't notice those around him. All he could do was stare at the flat. Why had he been so surprised when it read Royal Street? But he was here. This was it. He had seen Louis and Antonio walk in, Louis with the familiarity of many, many years of residence. Somehow, he imagined it would be bigger. But it was, in fact, rather compact (by millionaire standards). The glory of the place was the decorative iron works which surrounded the upper porch, along with the near floor to ceiling windows. They were not covered, he was surprised to note. In fact, he could see within quite clearly. He stood and watched as Louis and Antonio stood together, speaking in quiet, intimate tones. Then Louis smiled, and led Antonio away. To a bedroom? It was nearing dawn, after all. At least he thought it was. What now? It had been a mad impulse to follow them. But he *had* to see the place. The flat where Louis lived with *him* for so many years. And maybe, just maybe, Lestat would return. At least Tom now had a place to begin his search. His eyes narrowed when he remembered the image of Antonio, his head inclined ever so slightly to catch Louis' words. Interloper! Intruder! He was taking Lestat's rightful place! It was one thing to mimic a vampire. It was quite another to tread in the footsteps of the Brat Prince. No doubt Lestat could handle such an upstart fledgling on his own, Tom assured himself. However, perhaps there was somthing which could be done to assist the process. It was the least Tom could do for him... Still wrapped in his own thoughts, Tom hurried away. _________________________________________________________________________ Post 169: Gabrielle Gabrielle stretched back out on the bed, folding her hands behind her head, she giggled which happened to bring on a wave of lightheadedness, "Alright, sweetie, you can get yourself out of the shadows now, he's gone." Jesse took a step towards the bed and settled in the chair opposite, "Oh, girlfriend. You don't look too good." Gabrielle closed her eyes and smiled, "Well, you know, all those years of partying finally caught up with me. Maybe this is the hangover to match those years, eh?" Jesse's face registered an expression of concern, she reached out to touch Gabrielle's arm, "Gabby, you can't stay here. We're going to have to take you somewhere else and to be blunt, you really look like shit." Gabrielle laughed, "Nice to know we both have some measure of sense of humor still in us." She slowly sat up in bed, pushing away the sick feelings that suddenly were threatening to overtake her. "Alright, Jess. Pick a spot nearby where I can rest and I'll go. I warn you, you're gonna have to carry me, I don't think walking is such a good idea. Oh, and tell Pandy where we're going, wouldn't want her losing her way." _________________________________________________________________________ Post 170: Jesse Jesse took Gabrielle by the hands and pulled her to her feet. "Wait a minute..." Gabby closed her eyes."Everythings, going around..." "What have you been doing?" Jesse asked, as she steadied her friend. "I'll tell you later... let's just get out of here." Gabby sighed. Holding Gabrielle firmly around the waist and by the hand, Jesse guided her down the narrow steps and into the night air. Gabrielle took a few deep breaths. "Ah, much better..." "Don't get any ideas about doing this yourself, just hold on to me." Jesse said softly. "Where are we going?" "Lestat's Penthouse" "How do you know about that?" Gabrielle asked. "I'm nosy. I asked him once and he took me there." They rose into the night sky. "It was the most wonderful two weeks of my life!" Gabrielle's mouth dropped open. "Just teasing! God, what do you take me for anyway?" Jesse gave Gabrielle a squeeze. "At least that woke you up!" "Woke me up! Damn near gave me a heart attack. The thought of you and Lestat..." "You *know* me too well to think I'd fall for Lestat's line of Bullshit. You know how he turns it on. It's all for show. He's a lost puppy without Louis." Jesse smiled. "Then you don't know, do you?" Gabrielle asked quietly. "Here we are. Put your seats in an upright position and extinguish all cigarettes. We're landing at Chez Lioncourt." Jesse laughed. They landed on the little terrace. Gabby held on to Jesse's arm while Jesse unlocked the door. "Now then." Jesse helped Gabby to the leather sofa. "What were you going to tell me?" "You don't know Lestat and Louis have spilt?" Gabby sighed. Jesse sat next to her friend. "We've got a little time before dawn. Tell me. What's gone wrong?" _________________________________________________________________________ Post 171: Daniel Daniel kept wandering around the set. He saw Tom going inside Brad's trailer. What was going on? For a brief moment, he was tempted to get in there as well. Tom would not be happy to see him, that was a given--specially now that he was with his "Louis" "How stupid can he be! I mean, he _really_ thinks he's Lestat!" Daniel said, throwing his arms up. He looked upon the night sky. Beautiful night, indeed. Beautiful...hmmm why mess it up for anyone? If Tom wanted to spend sometime with Brad, that was fine with him. He would find another occupation... And now that he remembered, didn't he want to find the others? The easiest way to do it would be by asking Louis or Gabrielle. Daniel decided to go with the second option. He scanned for Gabrielle and found her...strange. Her shields were very weak...she was very weak! What was going on? He began walking towards Antonio's trailer, Gabrielle was there. As he walked, a realization hit him: Gabrielle was not alone! Jesse was with her! Well, that was even better. He would just drop by and say hello to the girls. Daniel began walking fast, trying to reach the trailer as soon as he could, and when he was almost there, Jesse and Gabrielle left! Damn. They were going to Lestat's Penthouse. It would take them a very short time to reach it. For the zillionth time in his immortal life, Daniel wished he could fly! _________________________________________________________________________ Post 172: Daniel Daniel reached the flat several minutes later. Getting in had been a little harder than he'd expected. Lestat was certainly good about security measures. After some struggle, Daniel was finally able to get in. We walked inside the house and immediately heard Jesse's voice: "We've got a little time before dawn. Tell me. What's gone wrong?" "I wouldn't mind if you guys filled me in as well...," Daniel interrupted. Jesse and Gabrielle stared at him in disbelief. He had come out of nowhere. "What are _you_ doing here?" Jesse asked. "Fine...It sounds like you're happy to see me," Daniel snapped. "It's not that Daniel," Gabrielle's voice chimed in. "We are just a little...surprised, that's all." Daniel nodded. He walked towards the other vampires and taking a closer look at Gabrielle, he frowned. "Whatever is the matter with you, Gabrielle? You look like you have not fed in weeks!" _________________________________________________________________________ Post 173: Jesse Jesse took Daniel by the hand. "She looks like death warmed over... and that's why she doesn't need extra company, 'Boy Wonder'." "Geeze, Jesse!" Daniel moaned, "Why is it everybody's always dumpin' on me! All I wanted to do was to talk to you girls and catch up on what the hells goin' on, and now you're giving me the heave-ho!" "It's not *like* that!" Jesse hugged him. "I'm not trying to get rid of you... I like you! I *really* like you, Daniel" "Oh... let him stay." Gabrielle leaned back into the softness of the couch and shut her eyes. Jesse cast a worried eye back to Gabrielle."Are you sure? I could kick his little butt out the window..." "You just said you liked me!!!!" Daniel cried. "Just kidding. If you're gonna hang out with us, you're gonna have to learn how to take the crap we dish out. We're always doing that!" Jesse placed a kiss on Daniel's cheek. "Hmmm. I guess we should be *nice* to him, Gabbs. After all, he *is* Armand's baby boy..." "Yeah." Daniel folded his arms and tried to look baleful. "He can toast your booty faster than anyone I know." Jesse gave Gabrielle a wink. "If 'The Black Knight' is soooo strong and powerful, how come his baby boy can't fly? Hmm?" "Dammit Jesse, you know how touchy I am about that!!!" Daniel was pouting. Jesse gave him a slow smile. "What if I let you drink from *ME* and give you some flying lessons?" Daniel's mouth dropped open. Gabby's mouth dropped open. :::Girlfriend, Armand's not going to like that::: Gabrielle's voice came into her mind. :::I know what I'm doing.::: Jesse sent back.:::He's a big boy, he should be able to drive, er.. fly!:: Jesse led Daniel over to the other sofa. "Sit down beside, me, Sweetie." She drew him down next to her. "You really want to be able to fly, don't you?" "More than anything, Jesse... more than anything!" He sighed. "I can't guarantee it, Daniel. But we can try, can't we?" Jesse bit herself on the wrist and held the wound out to him. "Drink, Daniel. Let's see if this will do the trick..." Daniel grasped her arm, closed his eyes and took the bleeding wrist to his lips. Taking a deep breath, he covered it hungrily with his mouth. _________________________________________________________________________ Post 174: Daniel "I can't guarantee it will work, Daniel," Jesse said, "but we can try." Jesse bit herself on the wrist and held the wound out to him. "Drink, Daniel. Let's see if this will do the trick..." Daniel grasped her arm, closed his eyes and took the bleeding wrist to his lips. Taking a deep breath, he covered it hungrily with his mouth. Gabrielle watched as the fledgling clung desperately to the fountain of immortality, flowing from Jesse's veins. "Enough, Daniel!" Jesse cried. "Ouch, that's enough!" Daniel couldn't let go. He was thirsty. Jesse's blood was sweeter than any he'd tasted before. It was warm and placid, like mortal's blood. And then again, she was young! Jesse was a fledgling, just like him. Although she had the strength of the ancients, he blood was still fresh, and virgin. She didn't have a child of her own. "Ouch, Gabrielle, he won't let go!" Jesse said. Daniel was in a trance, not listening to the words that were spoken to him; he was no longer aware of his surroundings, all he knew was the blood, the dark blood... "I said enough!" Jesse yelled. She slapped Daniel and forced him to let go. Daniel opened his eyes and looked at Jesse. "I'm sorry...I just couldn't stop," he said apologetically. Jesse sighed. She rubbed her wrist. The wound was beginning to heal. "It's okay, Daniel. But now, I'll have to wait till tomorrow to recover what I gave you..." Gabrielle shook her head and smiled. Children, she thought. "Should we try my new powers?" Daniel asked. Gabrielle and Jesse looked at each other, but before they were able to reply, Daniel marched towards the window and jumped out. "Aggggghhhh!" They heard him scream, and later, they heard the sound of his body landing on the floor. Jesse helped Gabrielle to get up from the couch and they rushed to the window. There, 4 stories below lay Daniel's motionless body. "Well, we know he's not dead...," said Gabrielle. "A few broken bones, perhaps?" Jesse added. Daniel opened his eyes. Every limb of his body hurt. He could barely breath. His face was covered with blood as was the rest of his body. "Are you okay, Daniel?" Jesse called out. He tried to speak. "I think so...I could use some help to get back upstairs, though..." "Hang on, I'll be down soon," Jesse said. She looked at Gabrielle. No, she didn't look good. "Are you okay, Gabby?" "No...I'm so very tired," Gabrielle whispered. "Get that boy up here...I have to rest." _________________________________________________________________________ Post 175: Jesse Jesse jumped out the window with all the grace of a cat. And like a cat, she landed on her feet. Daniel had rolled over onto his back and lay there groaning. Jesse helped him to sit up. "You idiot! You just don't JUMP!" she shook her head and using a fireman's hold, hoisted him over her shoulder. Daniel moaned. "Jesse... I'm DYING!" "No, you're not, you'll be alright. I'll take you upstairs." Jesse ascended back up to the window and carried him in. Gabby sat watching. "Daniel, you just don't jump!" "I know, I know..." he groaned. "He landed flat on his face." Jesse called over her shoulder to Gabby as she carried Daniel into the bedroom. "Here you go, 'Boy Wonder'. She plopped him on the bed. "Daniel, why don't you go to sleep and heal those bones? I promise, tomorrow night I'll take you out for a lesson." "Oooooooo...." Daniel wailed. "I've broken every bone in my body..." "I doubt that." Jesse gently smiled to him as she covered him with a blanket. "You'll feel much better in the evening. Now, go to sleep!" Jesse checked the windows and made sure they were secure from light, and left the room. Gabrielle exchanged glances with Jesse. "What are we going to do with him?" She said. Jesse shook her head. "He's so sweet, but he can be such a jerk." Jesse plopped herself down next to Gabrielle and put her arm around her shoulder. "All men are jerks, Girlfriend," replied Gabrielle with a sigh. "Louis' not a jerk." Jesse yawned. "Yes, but Louis'..." Gabby rolled her big blue eyes. Jesse choked back a giggle. "You're bad, Gabby." "Horrible." Gabrielle replied, laying her head on Jesse's shoulder. "So, do want to want to know what happened to me, or what?" _________________________________________________________________________ Post 176: Gabrielle "Yes, of course I want to know what happened to you!" Jesse exclaimed, draping an arm around Gabrielle to support her, "You look like you've been to hell and back." "Nice choice of words, Jess. Just about sums it up." Gabrielle sat there and relayed the entire story of Armand, Marius, Lestat and Antonio and herself, detail by detail. Making sure not to leave one thing out, she rechecked her facts and took her time. "And then I was caught in the fire.....I blacked out and then the next thing I remember was Louis." Jesse shook her head for a moment, her eyes rounding themselves into perfect saucer size, "Wow..." she breathed and smiled, "I mean that's horrible and all, but wow." Gabrielle fell back into the cushioned couch, clutching her head in the process and moaned, "Yeah, really 'wow'. I should be healed by now, Jess. I shouldn't be feeling this way, the fire did something to me. And when I close my eyes, I have dreams of the fire and of Armand....and of Lestat. They won't go away! They're continents away and they're STILL not out of my life." She put and hand on Jesse as a wave of disorientation swept over her, her eyes rolled back into her head and she whispered, "Jesse, catch me, my strength just took a dive on me." Gabrielle flopped into Jesse's open arms and moaned softly, "Please, Jesse. Just drag me into a room and put me to sleep. I can't take this any longer." _________________________________________________________________________ Post 177: Jesse Jesse gathered Gabrielle into her arms. A wave of fear crashed over her. This wasn't supposed to happen. Gabby wasn't supposed to get hurt in any way. She fought back tears as she lifted her friend and carried her into the smaller bedroom. Perhaps all it was was a case of shock, but how long had it been since Gabrielle had fed? She looked horrible- pale, thin and drawn. Jesse lay Gabrielle on the bed and cuddled up next to her. "Gabby? Gabby, can you hear me?" She asked softly. Jesse sighed. She knew there was one thing that could bring her around and that was if Gabrielle fed from *her*. Daniel had taken more than enough, but she didn't feel any the worse for the experience. Jesse decided to take her chances. What would happen? She could pass out, but she didn't think blood loss could *kill* her. After all, she was Maharet's child, and the first one after centuries. For the second time in one night, she bit into her own arm. "Come on, Gabrielle... drink!" There wasn't a response. "Gabby, come on!" Gabrielle groaned a little. "Please!!!" Jesse was frightened. What if something happened to Gabrielle. What if she wouldn't drink... "Gabrielle... What do I have to do?" Jesse pressed the bleeding wound to the blonde vampires mouth. Gabby's bright blue eyes flew open and she sank her teeth into Jesse wrist. Jesse closed her eyes. It would be alright now... _________________________________________________________________________ Post 178: Brad Brad was having what his Grandma called "fitful dreams" - small flashes and fragments of dreams, like film clips, played across the subconscious, the theater of the mind. The dreams were mostly about Tony, how he was in the last movie - how he seemed so natural in the role. The dreams remembered for him the first time he'd seen Tony in full makeup. Neil had wanted Brad's reaction to Tony in their first scene together to be genuine, so Brad hadn't been allowed to see Tony until he'd stepped from the shadows of the dank street - elegant, graceful, and sinister. In the little snippet of dream, and on the narrow foam mattress where he tossed and turned, Brad's heart pounded as he lived again the moment he first felt something erie about Antonio and the role he had assumed. "Don't," Brad murmured in his sleep, "Don't say it." But he couldn't stop it. It had already happened, and would happen again. And as Brad thrashed in darkness of the trailer, he felt it again. He felt the hair on his body stand on end as Tony, his skin unnaturally pale, his soft brown eyes gleaming black in the gaslight, reached out a white gloved hand toward him. The first words spoken were lost to Brad's ears as he drew nearer the apparition that obscured the face and form of his friend. The first words were lost, but the rest were burned into Brad's brain: "No one will harm you, I won't allow it," he'd said, tossing his head with a touch of arrogance. "Remember my name. Armand." "Noooo," Brad moaned. "Tony..." The dreams sped on, flashing through the happy times, the few disagreements, and the quiet moments they'd shared together. Silent tears slid from beneath the edges of Brad's sleeping eyes as his heart and mind gave up to him a buried truth. He had lost his friend long ago, only he never knew it. _________________________________________________________________________ Post 179: Gabrielle Liquid fire hitting the back of her throat, she drank it thirstily as if she had been denided it for days. She watched the dizzying flashes of Jesse speed past her eyes, trying in vain to shut them out, away from her. She had no luck, images of the whole coven passed before her until settling upon Lestat and Armand, the reality of the entire situation crashing back to mind. Gabrielle struggled to think in the midst of all the madness, Jesse....she couldn't take this. With the last of her strength, she pushed Jesse away from her. Gabrielle's bright blue eyes snapped open in shock, "Don't Jesse! No more!" Jesse sat on the bed, cradling her wrist, watching the wounds suddenly heal miraculously. Jesse bit the inside of her lip, watching Gabrielle's every mood. Gabrielle sat up and shook her head, a change had taken place with a small amount of the blood. She felt curiously stronger, she experienced a head rush from the powerful blood coursing through her viens. She smiled softly at Jesse, "Thank you of course, dear friend." Jesse shrugged, an impish smile turning the corners of her mouth up slowly, "Well, Gabby, when you said you'd take my secrets to the grave, I didn't think you'd ever actually mean that." Gabrielle laughed softly, she shook her golden mane away from her face. She laid back and rested her head on the soft pillows below her, though the blood helped, she was still horrible tired. She took a strand of her hair and played with it, "The golden thread." she smiled, remembering a far off time that she had compared her own hair with Lestat's while he was a young boy, the thread that connected the two. Her body snapped to attention and she strained her neck to see Jesse, "That's it, I'm dragging my son back here if I have to tell him things he never knew. Jesse, sweetie, how do you feel about....China?" _________________________________________________________________________ Post 180: Jesse Jesse settled back on the bed, her arm around Gabrielle's waist. "China? Is that where Lestat is?" Jesse asked, curling up on her side next to her friend. She was freezing cold. She suddenly sat up and drew the comforter over both of them. She snuggled down next to Gabby once more. "Un-huh," murmured Gabrielle. "Hong Kong. I've got to bring him back here... I've got to convince him..." Gabrielle's voice faded away as she fell into a peaceful sleep. Jesse mentally switched off the lights and lay next to Gabrielle. She listened to her soft even breathing. Jesse closed her eyes and felt the deathsleep tugging her under. China... that's the last place she wanted to go...