Louis paused, quietly searching the violet eyes of the vampire sitting perfectly still across the table.
“Please go on, Louis,” Daniel said.
He gave a slow shrug of his shoulders. “When I awoke, they had gone.”
“Gone?”
“Yes.” Louis laughed silently. “But there was a note explaining how I was to feed Glennie.”
“But where had they gone?” Daniel twisted around in his chair to where Lestat lay sprawled on the floor, entranced with the telling.
Lestat noticed the young vampire’s inquisitive stare. “It’s not my story to tell, Daniel. It’s not about me.”
“Of course it is! You and Louis have stopped fighting!”
“You haven’t been listening. Again,” Louis chided. “It’s not about Lestat. It’s not even about me. Don’t you see?”
“No, I don’t see!”
Lestat grinned. “It will take more than tonight, Louis.”
“Yes, you were right,” Louis said, nodding. He smiled at Daniel’s confusion. “They were gone two nights. She learned everything Lestat could teach her.”
“And she spent hours just touching my hair,” Lestat quickly added, laughing in delight. “Impossible fledglings!”
“You don’t fool me, Lestat,” Louis said. “You crave the adoration.” He smiled and shook his head slowly. “And we give it, happily.”
“Are you happy, Louis? Finally?” Daniel asked in a whisper.
“Oh, yes. More so than I ever dared to imagine. I’m still the same vampire I was when we first met. But now I’m--” He furrowed his brow, then laughed quietly. “I’m more than I was then.”
Daniel nodded as he searched the eyes of the first vampire he’d ever known. His gaze took in the silky smooth surface of Louis’s skin, so very pale.
“You drank from Lestat again, didn’t you?”
Louis’s smile lighted his entire face. “Yes, about a month after they returned.”
Daniel glanced at Lestat, who was grinning smugly and clicking his glossy fingernails one by one. He turned his attention back to Louis.
“Did it change you? How you felt?”
“Yes. Physically, to be sure. But here.” He touched his chest. “There’s a yearning here like I’ve never known before. A longing for goodness.” He smiled at Lestat. “A gift from my maker.”
Daniel tapped the table lightly with his pencil. “And what about the other powers?”
Louis sighed. “I control the terrible ones, I try to enjoy flying, and I cherish every silent word I hear from Chérie.”
“You can finally read thoughts?” Daniel smiled warmly.
“Thank you, yes.”
Daniel grinned. “God, that’s great! I mean, that’s what I was thinking, how great that is for you.”
Louis smiled.
“So when can I meet her? Where is she?”
“Right here,” came a lush alto voice.
Louis and Lestat rose as she stepped down from the windowsill, a large paper-wrapped parcel under her arm. She was attired similarly to Louis, right down to the black boots, her long brown hair windblown. Daniel stood hastily.
“Did you find it, my love?” Louis asked, kissing her tenderly.
She nodded excitedly as he accepted the large bundle from her hands and set it on his chair. He carefully pulled open the paper and grinned. He lifted a black leather jacket and inspected its back, running his long fingers lovingly over the surface.
“Perfect, Chérie. Exquisite!” He promptly extended the jacket to his maker. “For you, the one thing I absolutely knew you wanted and did not have.”
Lestat held up the jacket, his eyes tinged red. “I can’t believe you found one!” He donned it quickly and did a model’s turn. It was emblazoned across the back, in shimmering gold.
The Vampire Lestat
U.S. Tour 1985
Louis found himself engulfed in leather and gasping for breath. He laughed and kissed Lestat’s cheek as his maker turned to catch up Chérie. Louis smiled as he watched them dance around the room.
“Thank you,” Lestat said breathlessly, putting her back on her feet. “I had given up hope of ever finding one. Merci.”
Louis drew Chérie into his arms and held her close. She was shivering from being out in the San Francisco night.
“Now you’re cold, my love,” he said, kissing her nose.
She laughed and Daniel seemed entranced by the sound. He blushed when she noticed him staring at her.
“This is Daniel, Chérie,” Louis said.
“Daniel?” she said with awe in her voice. “You’re Daniel?”
The young vampire held out his hand for shaking but she enveloped him in a hug.
“I owe you so much,” she whispered in his ear.
Daniel’s eyes shifted, confused, as he held her lightly.
“Owe me? For what?”
“For writing his story.” Her voice faltered. “You, as much as they, gave me this life and his love. Thank you.”
Tears welled in his eyes and he looked pleadingly at Louis and Lestat. But they only stood, side by side, smiling contentedly. Daniel buried his face in her sweater and held her tightly as she stroked his hair.
“Time for his penance, I think,” Lestat said softly.
Louis nodded as he watched Chérie dry Daniel’s eyes.
“Parts of the book aren’t true,” he told her.
She smiled. “I know. We have a somewhat,” her eyes shifted pointedly to Lestat, “edited version at the house. Perhaps it’s time to insist on a new edition.”
“Parfaitement! Très bien, Chérie,” Lestat said.
“Merci beaucoup, mon père.” She held the young vampire’s arm as she brought him before Louis. “Go easy on him, my love,” she pleaded.
“I’m afraid that’s not possible, Chérie,” Louis said, his voice heavy with regret. “Only a terrible penance will help him overcome the monstrous things he has done.”
Daniel’s eyes grew wide as Louis reached out and tenderly touched his cheek.
Louis sighed. “He must come live with us for a time.” He smiled affectionately. “Or forever, if he chooses.”
“What?” Daniel whispered. “That’s supposed to be terrible? Are you kidding?”
“No, little one,” Lestat said. “Your maker is gone and you need someone to guide you, to teach you what Armand did not. Louis and Chérie want to do this for you.”
Daniel staggered back for his chair and sat down hard.
Louis knelt beside him. “You have always been my fledgling, Daniel. Maybe not in blood, but here.” Louis laid his hand over the ashen-haired vampire’s heart. “Come. Say you will stay with us.”
Daniel began nodding before his mouth could form the word, a grin slowly blossoming over his face.
“Yes,” he finally said.
He reached across the table and, fumbling with the buttons, clicked off the recorder.
Louis de Pointe du Lac
San José, California
September 1995
“Louis’s indestructible humanity.”
Lestat (TVL, p504, pb)
Visitors (since Thursday, August 17, 2006):
Established: Friday, April 2, 1999
Last modified: Saturday, November 1, 2008
Your comments are welcome! Please use the Feedback form provided.
Page design: Copyright © 2006