Spoilers: Tale of the Body Thief

Disclaimers: Don't own the vampires, Anne Rice does. I wish she didn't, though, and that someone else, not me or any other fanfic writer, but someone else, maybe Tori Amos, was able to write different stories with them, because all of this wonderful potential Mrs. Rice created is, in my opinion, being wasted. That's why I wrote this.

So strange...I know my surroundings, yet I am still lost...this place is unfamiliar...I know I have to do something, but I do not remember what that is...there is a fog in front of my eyes, settled in my head...I can't think straight. I cannot see. The wall in front of me warps and twists around in a spectral dance, leaping off the ground as its bricks ripple.

There are voices in my head. They're trying to tell me something, but I can't hear them. They are vague whispers in the back of my skull, and they speak with different accents. Some of them are happy, some of them are cruel, some of them are sad, and some of them are simply exhausted.

I feel dizzy, as if I am about to fall. Am I sick? Impossible. I'm just tired. I want to sleep, but if I did, they would get me. It's all dark, and I can't see. Where am I? I know, but I won't tell myself. I can't, we're all alone. My head hurts so bad, it feels like it is cracking apart. Stars are exploding in front of my eyes, bursting information into my brain. I stumble to the left and strike a wall.

I'm so tired.

"I'm so tired."

I whirl around to see who spoke, but I can't see anyone nearby. I really am alone. Then who said that?

Why is it so damned humid? I could be walking in the rain for all the water in the air, it hangs like a pall on my skin. I would kill for the sky to make up its mind, rain or no. Mind...mind...yes, I could kill. I think I would like that. Rivers of blood...I am walking in a river of blood...

Where are the others?

There are black shapes in front of me, made of ebony that reaches the sky shaped like squares. Inside are globes of light swirling like a Van Gogh painting. I think there are people inside, I see their silhouettes darting through the light. They are demons floating through oil. I duck down and hide behind a street lamp so they won't see me. They'd hurt me if they had the chance. I run from them and make my escape. They won't find me now!

The streets are so damp, they are like black rivers swallowing my ankles. Mud clumps in the corners and slurps out toward me. The moon fades behind a cloud of oil, and now I can't see the monsters in the river. I want to step out of this dead Nile up onto the sidewalks, but if I do that, they'll find me. I can't let them find me.

I know they want to kill me.

They do.

I'm not paranoid.

I'm not!

Yes, you are.

For God's sake, who is that talking?!

Am I paranoid?

Maybe.

Does not mean they are not out to get me.

I walk down the street, heading out of the shadows. There are shadows everywhere, nightmares that move on their own without benefit of candles. The water growls as I splash through it, it wants to drown me. Hah! I am not the one in the swamp! Or was that yesterday? I pull my coat tighter around my shoulders to shield me from the ghosts here.

Finally! I get to the park and onto the stones, out of the water. I step on something soft and it screams like a baby. I hardly care. But does it taste good? I look down and it is gone. I glance behind, I want to escape this park of screams and goblins, but the path of stones ends at the river of black blood and water. Back to the park, then.

I stagger over the uneven stones, trying to ignore the other stones, the tall ones with names on them, evenly spaced apart. There! An angel, gray in the clutching shadow, holding her hands up, trying to escape. I turn my eyes. She does not move, her eyes are dead. She doesn't want to talk to me. I am evil. I live. She...heaven is dead and beautiful. But aren't I dead? I can't make up my mind. Of course, I don't even have one anymore.

I leave her behind in her unmoving dance. Water blood swishes past me on fire it is not water it is gasoline dancing on the rocks...

"There he is..."

"Be careful with him..."

"Louis, can you understand me?"

Damn! I can see them! White vertical ghosts floating like hot candles burning into my eyes, coming close to me. I try to run, but they seize my arms and tie barbed wire around me. One of them holds me almost kindly, but I know he wants to kill me. He could crush me but he wants me to die slowly.

He is taking me to my grave. He murmurs something to the others, and then takes me in. He lays me down and stretches beside me, he wants to watch me die. I feel the dirt fall on me, and I struggle. He tries to calm me down, but he speaks nonsense. I know I'm crying and begging them to let me go, I'll be good, I'll serve them, I'll drink black blood. Then everything goes dark.

Years later...

When I open my eyes again, everything is changed. I feel like I can...think. I can almost breathe. At last. My eyes are clear. My head no longer hurts. What happened to me? Where am I?

I try to move my arms and find silk rope around them, but my struggles rouse my companion. His blue-gray eyes focus on mine.

"Louis? Mon chere?"

I smile weakly. His voice sounds so strange under the ground, but it is comforting nonetheless. "Yes. Could you please untie me?"

Lestat smiles, and the dirt comes off of us. Once we have space to move, he unbinds me and helps me to sit up. I feel so weak, I'm so hungry that I'm faint. My arms are bone thin.

"Stay there a moment," Lestat says, and I am happy to comply. I rest against the soft dirt around me as he disappears into the darkness, and he reappears only seconds later with several small rats, which he offers me.

I finish them quickly, and as I move to feed, my clothes disintegrate. How long were we asleep? I am left In rotten rags.

Lestat notices my discomfort immediately. "It's all right, I'll get you home in a few minutes. Ready?"

I nod and reach up to him, and he cradles me in his arms like a child. I close my eyes and the wind starts to swirl around us, we are flying. Then Lestat is walking, and I know we are home. He moves so rapidly. He takes me inside and upstairs, where I am set on the huge bed. I remember this bed, yet it looks somewhat strange. It never looked so luxurious before. I remember everything in this room, nothing has changed. There is a fine layer of dust on everything. How long have we been asleep?

"Would you like to go back to sleep?" Lestat asks kindly. "Or would you like to stay up?"

"I...I..." My voice stumbles, but I steady myself and take a deep breath. "I want to stay awake. I'm tired, but I want to know what has happened."

Lestat nods understandingly. "All right, let me get your clothes and then you can get dressed."

I watch him move across the room to the closet and choose a simple shirt and pants for me. He kisses my cheek, and then he lets me be for a moment. I dress slowly, trying to remember the motions, and I begin to recall some of the prior events. Lestat and I had argued...and then...I'd started to cry...and I hadn't stopped. No, I don't want to think about it. I don't want those memories.

My thoughts are interrupted as Lestat comes back in and holds my hand. I just lean against him and sigh. He's so warm. All that time in the ground and he's still so warm. I feel him stroke my hair and kiss me again. It feels so wonderful, I'd missed that. I smell blood on his lips, he just fed right now. I kiss him again, and lick the few drops remaining. He likes it when I do this, and I must admit, I enjoy it as well.

"What year is it?" I ask.

Lestat inches away so he can look into my eyes. "It is the year 2027."

I lay my head on his chest again. "We've been under for ten years."

Lestat kisses my forehead. "Not a very long time at all. How...chere, how...do you feel?"

I know what he wants to ask. Am I mad? He is so kind right now, he really is afraid to ask. "I am fine now, if a little tired." I stare into his worried blue eyes. "No, Lestat. I am not insane. Not anymore."

He hugs me ferociously, then, and I savor every moment. I have not felt this in a decade.

"I was so scared, Louis. And now you're all right again. You're all right again."

"Oui, mon amor." I close my eyes and smile. I really am all right now. I'm just so tired.

Of course the phone would ring right now. Lestat squeezes me once more, and gives me one more kiss, and then he picks up.

"Hello?...Marius, yes, how did you know we--!...you were listening?...Yes, he's fine now, perfectly fine...No, no, I think it's best not..." Long pause. "Very well, I will see you then." He hangs up.

I look at his questioningly. "Chere, what did he say?"

Lestat grins and holds me again. "He wants to come over in a month, along with a few others, to say hello."

I smile knowingly. "And to make sure I'm not mad anymore?"

His grin fades a little, and a tear builds in his eye. He nods quietly. I reach up and caress his cheek, and kiss his lips. They're like soft velvet.

"Shh...it's all right, Lestat. I'm not crazy. I won't lose my mind if you say the words. I understand that they are concerned."

"But...you're so fragile right now," he says softly. "You're still very tired. If you're not rested when they come, you don't have to talk to them."

I nod with a smile. "Thank you. I will try to be ready, but I cannot promise anything. I feel nearly exhausted. Happy, but exhausted."

Lestat brushes my cheek with his fingers. "I know the feeling. Well, do you want to sleep now?"

I shake my head. "I've slept for ten years. At least I can stay up for one night."

"Then let's go downstairs, and see what's on television, see what's happened. We can take a shower later."

I only notice then the dirt still in my hair and skin, but it doesn't matter right now. I just want to look around and orient myself once more. I'll watch with him, and then we can bathe. And then, after that, for the first time in a decade, he will make love to me once more.

It is two weeks later, and I feel just as tired as the night we rose. Lestat is so sweet. He says that he felt the same way when he rose the first time, too. He says that I shouldn't try to do anything strenuous or difficult, but just relax and sleep as much as I need to. I sleep all day and much of the night as well. He worries so about me. He even thought that I might be pushing myself too hard when I started reading again, but after a little insistence, he allowed me to stay in my library as long as I want. Tonight he is being especially stubborn. He says he doesn't want me to read anything too difficult, and that makes me laugh.

I shouldn't have laughed. Lestat looks so hurt, and he tries to turn away to hide the tears that I know have sprung to his eyes. I forgot that he has a hard time understanding some of the books I read, that he must struggle through a few of them, like Faulkner and Woolf. He's sensitive about it, and I laughed at him.

I reach out and grab his shoulders before he can walk away. I won't let him go angry or upset. I won't repeat past mistakes. I don't know for certain that they are past mistakes, my memories are a little fuzzy on that, but I won't take that risk.

"Lestat, wait," I whisper.

"Non, let me be," he whispers harshly.

"No." When I need to be, I can be just as stubborn as he is. I move to face him, and I force a kiss from him. He can't resist me, he never could. He returns my advances and holds me. "Lestat, don't go. I did not mean to laugh. I love you."

"And I love you." Lestat buries his face in my hair, he always likes to do that.

"Will you come with me to the library?" I ask, and I feel him tense. I have to speak fast. "So that I can read to you?"

"I'm not a child to be read to!" he says sternly.

I shake my head. "No, you aren't. But will you let me read to you, as a lover to his lover?"

Lestat steps back a bit. "You aren't making fun of me?"

"When have I ever?" I insist reassuringly.

He smiles. How I love to see that smile! "What will you read to me?"

"Perhaps a Danielle Steele novel?" I tease.

He laughs and escorts me to the library, and I allow him to choose the book we will read. He chooses A Midsummer Night's Dream. I should have expected this, but at least it is not Macbeth. By now, we both know that play by heart. Besides, Shakespeare can be immensely fun to read if one has a partner and a sense of humor. Of course, Lestat must play Puck and Bottom and Theseus and Oberon, which is immensely amusing, especially when all of them are on stage. I merely sit and read, and watch him act out his parts. Our laughter fills the house for the rest of the night.

The next night I am crying, and cannot stop.

I wake up as usual, only when I stand and look out the window, waves of sadness hit me and drive me to the small chair in the corner, which is where Lestat finds me a few minutes later. He goes to his knees in front of me, trying to soothe me and tell me it is all going to be fine, and for a time he is mildly relieved when I eagerly accept his embrace.

He holds me for such a long time, petting my hair and caressing my face, stroking my arms and my eyelids, occasionally kissing me. For awhile, it helps. I stop crying incessantly and merely end up sniffling on his shoulder. But then I am weeping profusely once more, and no amount of his care alleviates my pain. I hate crying now, I know it hurts him as much as it hurts me. I can't stop, and when he says he wants to get up and call Marius, I shake my head and hold him tighter, pleading for him not to leave me.

"No, no, don't go away," I weep, "stay with me."

"But what can I do to help you?" he asks desperately.

"Just hold me. That's all. Just hold me."

Lestat does not let me go. He continues his ministrations, and an hour later I finally finish and drop into a long silence. Lestat is frightened. Afraid that I may start up again, afraid that I may go insane again. So am I. He kisses my cheek, and I smile feebly.

"Are you better now?" he asks with a catch in his voice.

I nod a little. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be. You should cry when you need to. How long have you been feeling like this?"

I shrug, unsure.

"Louis...tell me. Please."

"A few days now."

He nods, as if what I said proves a theory of his. "Louis, I know this is difficult for a man of your era, but you have to show your emotions more often."

I look at him in confusion. "What do you mean?"

"My love, for the last two centuries, you have hidden your emotions. You were trained to do so when you were mortal, and now you continue to do that. You bottle every little thing up, and when it becomes too much, you explode."

I look into his eyes. I know what he is really saying. "You mean, the reason I..."

"Yes, Louis. Your emotions are the reason you drifted into madness. You had to release your feelings, and so many years of repression burst out at one time that you needed a decade under ground to heal."

I nod slowly. "But why would I cry now? I've been awake for two weeks and...and..." I start to whimper pathetically, I feel so ashamed.

"Go ahead and cry, my little angel. You need to voice what you feel. You've been awake, but you are still tired and frustrated, yes?"

I nod again. Am I such a weakling that I cannot even master my emotions? "But it was easy for so long," I protest in vain. "Two hundred years and I didn't feel anything."

He takes my hands and kisses the knuckles. The sensation sends shivers down my spine. "Because you had a single mortal lifetime to hold, but then you had another lifetime, and then you were starting on another lifetime. Repressing what you feel is not healthy. I mean, I show everything that I feel, and I still get depressed at times."

Quite an understatement. His little jokes always work on me. I smile up at him, and he grins back.

"So...I must show my emotions?" I ask, slightly confused.

"Yes. Let me know exactly how you feel. Do not worry so much about decorum and politeness. Be demonstrative in public, yell at me when you are angry, and tell me what I can do to help."

"But I might hurt you!" I argue.

"Then just apologize, and explain yourself later when you are not so angry. I will understand, I swear."

I sigh, then stare into his eyes. "Very well. If you promise to understand, then I promise to vent my emotions."

"Good," he grins broadly. "Let's try it out. What are you feeling right now?"

I grin back. "Oh, relief, anxiety, happiness, and a little bit of lust."

He laughs and pulls me close. "Lust, hmm? Anything else?" He kisses my lips.

"Mmm, plenty now," I mumble.

He kisses me again, deepening the kiss to devour my mouth. "Anything now?"

"Ahh, you taste wonderful," I answer, loving how he seduces me.

Lestat kisses the corners of my mouth now, showing me he is in charge, and I would have it no other way. Gently, as if I were made of glass, he pushes me back on the bed and plies my throat and shoulder with more kisses, following up with soft strokes across my chest and abdomen. His fingertips touch mine, and electric shocks travel through my entire body. I feel his hand through my hair, tugging at stray strands absently, only hard enough for me to feel it. It is like someone breathing on my skin. His hand wanders to my side and squeezes. He knows I love that. Lestat reaches down and squeezes my inner thigh, I like that too. I reach up and kiss him, and scratch my nails softly down his back. I know exactly how to play my lover. He groans in ecstasy and arches involuntarily, providing me with the perfect opportunity to kiss his throat, and my tongue darts out for just a moment along the skin.

"Louis...my lover," he whispers raggedly as my nails draw down his sides and back up his tight stomach.

"Always," I reply as his hand slides under the small of my back and slowly lifts my hips a few inches.

His other hand runs beneath my buttocks, massaging the muscles. My hands occupy the top half of our bodies, touching all of the right buttons on his body. He whimpers and cries so sweetly at the same times I do...a float across his nipples...a soft nuzzle to his cheek. We turn over, and now I am on top. I scoot down carefully and lick his navel. He growls affectionately and holds my shoulders like an anchor. I am terribly glad he is used to my cool body, no one else can stand my touch for long. But him...my Lestat warms me up. Warms me up indeed.

Now I can stare down at his lovely face, the soft cheeks that sing to me to kiss them. His gold hair spills over his face, and before he can move to push it away, I gently brush the silk strands back. Lestat is so strong, yet so helpless in my hold. His eyes close slightly, and his hand strokes my bare side again. I notice then that he is still partially clothed. His shirt is flung open, so I walk my fingertips down his chest to his pants, and he groans and squirms under my hand. I take a firm grip on the fragile cloth and pull it away, stripping him to nothing but his shirt.

"My little submissive," Lestat grins, staring up at me. "How you rule me..."

I kiss his lips again, laying over his body to do so. I edge my right hand under his thigh, and my other arm wraps around him. His hand holds the back of my neck, making our kiss last longer. His other arm clutches my hips to him, and now I am trapped in his grasp.

"Love me," I command when I can breathe again. He has no choice but to obey. He rolls and pins my body down face first on the bed. I hear a soft rustle of clothing behind me, and immediately after, the velvet blindfold slips over my eyes.

"Shall I make you my slave for the night?" he asks, always considerate. He knows it may be too soon to play these games again.

I think a moment, then nod. "But only my hands," I insist. "In front."

I feel him move about and gather my hands above my head. I hear his shirt tear, and then my wrists are bound with the silk strips. Apparently he has a little left over because he tickles my face with a piece.

"Lestat," I complain mildly, and the strip moves to my throat and arms, tickling my sides. Of course I writhe under him, but I cannot escape. What a euphoric feeling, to be helpless under the one I love.

"Trying to defend yourself?" he whispers in my ear.

"But I can't," I reply. Not true, we both know, but the fantasy is too nice to destroy.

"Is it because I've tied you up?"

I can almost see his smile. "Mmm-hmm..." I mumble pitifully and make another flirtive struggle. Before I can even twist an inch away, he seizes me tenderly and traps me again, stroking my arms to let me know I'm safe.

I grin and tighten my legs together. I want to make this something of an erotic effort for him. He feels me adjust, but he says nothing. Instead, he begins to kiss the back of my neck, and his hands wander down to slowly caress my thighs, light at first, then heavier so that he is almost massaging them. I am his pet to play with. He is strong enough to merely push them out, and tied up as I am, with my eyes covered, I am in no position to stop him. Indeed, I am more in a position to accommodate him. Yet he is as much a sensualist as I am. He wants to coax my legs apart so they will allow his invasion willingly, and he does an admirable job.

His warm hands slide over my thighs, relaxing them a bit. As my legs begin to part, he eases his fingers farther in between them, never pushing, but just stroking them even more. My legs part more, and more, until finally he succeeds and I open up to him. He laughs gently and pats my bottom, and he rubs my legs a little more.

"Are you ready?" he whispers.

"Yes. Take me."

He blankets me with his body, and his hands hold mine, sweetly mocking my vulnerability. I feel his hips rub up against mine, and then suddenly I am invaded, gently taken in a slow and steady rhythm that rocks both of us. I think I moan, and my accent becomes unbelievably thick as I am pushed forward in little bursts. I grab ineffectually at the bed sheets, and they slide through my fingers. Lestat manages to kiss my throat, and his arm comes under me, pulling me up against him.

"I love you," he whispers, his French accent driving me wild.

"Mon 'mor, m'love, m'life," I moan, biting my lip in pleasurable agony.

"Like it?"

"Luv it," I manage to gasp. "Don' stop, nev'r stop..."

"Mon petit Cajun," he sighs.

I've never understood how he can talk during these love-making sessions, but I know how to stop him cold. I tense my body, tightening my muscles, and he arcs up until he is nearly perpendicular to me.

"Aahhh! Lou'....ahhh..."

I relax, taking pity on him, and let him down. I chill so quickly when he is not on me, I like having his warm body over mine. He keeps pushing, and we both keep moaning, and seemingly hours later we reach our summit and fall apart at last, covered in blood sweat. I merely lay still, and I feel him pull me to my side. He kisses my lips, licking the blood droplets from my forehead and cheeks. Somehow I manage to put my bound arms over his head, and a minute later he nuzzles my cheeks with his lips. I wonder what he is doing, but then he gets the velvet between his teeth and pulls my blindfold off. Lestat's face is as drenched as mine, but he has a weary smile on his face. He slips my hands from around his shoulders and holds them between us, and he smiles playfully.

"Should I untie you, or should I keep you helpless on my bed a little longer?"

"And how long would I be at your merciless whims, master?" I ask. He loves to be treated as a
victorious conqueror lording over his prisoner of war, never mind that I surrendered without much of a fight.

"Ohh, centuries at least," he answers, toying with the strips around my wrists, pretending to untie them and then tightening them a little. I smile at him, I enjoy this domination game so much. I love to belong to him as much as he loves to rule me. He kisses me again. "I could keep you tied up on my bed for ages and ages, defenseless...vulnerable...naked..." He touches me with every word, teasing every sensitive area expertly. He takes my arms and holds them up over my head, pushing them against the pillow. "I could keep you stretched out like this forever, so you could never escape."

"And how would you do that, lover?" I ask. I love these descriptions, they're so exciting.

"I would bind your hands to the headboard," Lestat answers, kissing the skin just behind my elbow, and following that he manages to tie my hands as he describes. Now I am indeed stretched out like a musical instrument. "I would tie your legs to the bed posts with pretty red ribbons so you couldn't run. I would keep you blindfolded all night, unless I wanted to stroke your eyes." His hands run over my sides and chest, caressing my face and my thighs. He seizes my left ankle and holds it still so he may play with my foot, tracing the sole with one finger and laughing gently as I try to jerk it away. "You would be at my mercy for the rest of eternity, bound up and existing solely for my enjoyment. Of course, I would make
sure you were kept happy, too." He kisses me again, petting my hair. "No one would help you and save you from my evil clutches."

"But I could still scream for help," I try to provoke him.

"And I could silence you with a kiss," he said, proving it right then. "And when I'm not kissing you, I could merely place a gag in your mouth so that you could only mew as I took advantage of your enslaved body."

"A willing body," I laugh.

"Yes," he agrees, caressing the length of my side and my chest. "So willing." He grins wickedly and fondles me without any shame. "And if I wasn't making love to you..."

"Yes?" I ask eagerly.

"I'd be tickling you!" Suddenly his hands turn rough and hit my sides and my legs, probing and wandering, and all I can do is try to gasp for breath as I can't stop laughing.

"Lestat! Lestat, stop, stop!" I wriggle and my arms pull free from the headboard. I try to beat him off, but my hands are still bound and are no help. At last he stops, and I am left breathless. Tears squeeze from my eyes, and he laps them up like milk. As I smile, he pulls my wrists to his mouth and uses his teeth to untie me. So wonderful that he does not roll over and fall asleep after sex.

"I love you," he whispers, laying down beside me.

I cuddle up next to him, and kiss him, and stroke his hair. "I love you, too. Am I displaying my emotions well enough now?" He laughs and nods. "Oh, yes. You display them perfectly, especially during these little playtimes we have." He nuzzles my lips and runs his fingers through my hair. "I adore you, my one and only. I would put you on a pedestal if you would just let me." He puts his arms around me and holds me close, and I rest my face against his chest.

"The sun is rising," I say sadly.

"I know," he replies. "I'll stay with you all day, and I'll kiss you awake tonight."

I smile at that pleasant thought, and I kiss him once more, and I am still kissing him when I fall asleep.

A long while later, I wake up one night smiling, and put my arm out to touch my lover, but the bed space is empty. I pat the mattress several times before I open my eyes and see that Lestat is gone. I can hear voices downstairs. I sit up, clutching the sheets to myself, and then I spot the note he left on the pillow. I pick it up and read it.

I sigh and put the note on my nightstand. Must I go downstairs? My eyes grow heavy and my limbs feel faint. They're my friends, and I'm still afraid to see them. I take a deep breath, then stand up and retrieve the clothing Lestat has set out for me. I smile at his selection. He's chosen a simple green shirt with black pants, both quite comfortable. I head for the bedroom door, but halfway there my head grows light. I see flashes of light before my eyes, and I become dizzy. I fall to my knees. I am still so weak, I must go back to bed.

The conversation below stops at the abrupt noise, and a moment later Lestat is by my side, helping me over to the long sofa. He sits me down on it and makes me rest against a large pillow, placing a soft afghan over the lower half of my body. He brushes my cheek with the back of his knuckles, soothing me as I catch my breath.

"Are you all right?" he asks, such sweet concern riding in his voice.

I am about to say I am fine when I remember that he wants me to tell him everything that I am feeling. I shake my head reluctantly.

"No, I still feel tired. When I am in bed, it is not so bad, but whenever I try to stand, I can't help but fall."

He nods in understanding. "My poor little bird. Do you think you can see any of them, or would you prefer to go back to sleep?"

I give him a lopsided smile. "I'm sure they won't go until they are assured I am no longer mad. I can see them--but, not all at once," I hastily add.

He holds my hand and pets it like a living creature. "All right. I'll let Marius in first. Remember, venting your feelings goes for them, too."

"Lestat, I just learned to speak with you. Give me some time to learn to be honest them!"

He grins and kisses my cheek. "I know you'll do well. Love you." He stands and goes to the door, giving me one last look before going down.

I reach for my book, a comedy about dragons and a princess, and I hear the conversation start up again, and then I hear soft footsteps on the stairs. There is a knock on the door.

"Louis? It's me, Marius. May I come in?"

"Yes," I call out, and no sooner have the words left my lips than he is already inside.

He is dressed in what I can only guess is the recent fashion, shredded jeans and a tattered shirt, and he looks even younger than I remember, yet he still manages to look fatherly. He smiles and pulls a chair close, and sits beside me.

"How are you feeling?" he asks softly.

"Passing fair," I whisper. "I'm all right, I'm just very tired."

Marius nods as if he expects that. "I would be surprised if you weren't. You were so weak going under, and it was your first time in the ground. I'm glad you're back."

I smile at him. "Then do I pass the test?"

He chuckles. "We know you are not mad, Louis. We would have felt it immediately if you were. No, we are here to welcome you back, and offer our help if needed. We were all so worried about you two."

"It's good to know we were missed."

"Missed immensely. These past ten years have been dreadfully boring. I have to warn you, Lestat's readers are ready to openly march in the streets if they do not have another book soon."

I laugh. "I suppose my spell will be the subject of a new book, perhaps The Vampire Louis."

"Oh, David has already nagged all of us into writing our life stories, although I must admit Eric's is one ong sneer, and Daniel's is one long beer commercial."

We both laugh for a long time, so much so that it wears me out, and I am forced to lay back on the couch. Still, Marius grins at me.

"It is the strangest thing, Louis. We've known each other for so long, and yet this is the first time I've ever heard you laugh so well."

"It's all part of Lestat's plan," I tell him. "He says I must give voice to my feelings more often, that the reason I went insane was because I had it all bottled up inside."

"It's logical, but I'm amazed the brat thought it up. I'd have thought David would have to suggest that."

"Don't let the blonde hair fool you. Lestat is quite intelligent, he just does not like to show it much."

"How has he been treating you?" he asks, holding my hand. "Any arguments, or does he still hurt you?"

I shake my head. "No, he has been the model lover--I mean, maker!"

Too late. He smiles at my blush. "Well, that tells me all I needed to know. So things are fine between you two?"

"He's been so sweet lately. He is understanding and kind, and let's me do what I want to do with very little resistance."

"Resistance?"

"He didn't want me to start reading so soon, he said I needed more sleep. A few minutes later, I had him in my lap, reading Shakespeare with me."

"Macbeth strikes again?"

"No, it was Midsummer. We had a wonderful time."

Marius smiles. "I have a feeling that the time underground helped both of you. Downstairs right now, Lestat seems more open and relaxed, and he has not snarled at Armand once. He seems happier, as do you, little one."

I fall silent a few seconds. "Marius?"

"Yes?"

"Why...why was Lestat allowed to take me to ground, when we usually..."

"When we usually put a mad vampire down?" he asks softly.

I cannot meet his eyes, but I feel his hand on my shoulder.

"Because we all love you. If Lestat had not fought for the right to save you, any one of us would have. But he took care of you, and we promised to watch over his estate while you slept." He pushes the hair from my eyes and makes me look up at him. "We would never abandon you. You're the soul of our coven."

I rest my face in his hand for a moment. "Thank you, Marius. It means all the world to know we are not alone in the night."

He kisses my cheek and rises. "I'd best return downstairs. Would you like me send someone else up, or do you want to be alone for awhile?"

I smile broadly, and he is mildly surprised. He's never seen me smile so before. "I'd like some more company, I think. Armand and Daniel, or Jessica, it would be nice to see them again."

He nods and heads for the door. Before he leaves, though, he turns back to me. "Is there anything you need right now?"

I shake my head. "Only a few more day's sleep, that's all."

He chuckles and disappears. A few minutes later I hear feet pounding up the steps, and then a burst of red hair swirls around me, and I am trapped in a strong bear hug.

"Good to see you too, Jessica," I groan.

She finally jumps back and sits down, but she can hardly hold still. "Oh, Louis, it's so great to see you again! I missed you so much, I wanted to talk to you so often, and now you're back, you're finally back! How do you feel?"

I laugh at her exuberance and take a good look at her. She is also dressed in the modern fashion, with shredded jeans and a stripped shirt.

"I'm fine, only a little tired," I say. "Really, I wasn't away for so long."

"Louis, it was forever! No Lestat running around and making a mess, no Louis to write to or defend in an argument! But don't worry," she starts to rummage in her bag and pulls out three books I do not recognize. "I kept your book club subscriptions going! You've got over ten years worth of books to catch up on. They're all in your library, I was in charge of that."

I take the books from her, dissertations on ancient texts and the texts in question, but then I look up at her again. "'In charge'? I do not understand."

She grins at me. "Well, we knew you were gonna come back, so we divvied up the house and took care of a section! I had the library and your room, David had the downstairs and the finances, and Daniel and Armand took care of Lestat's room and the lawn!" She looks proud of herself and leans back. "You should have seen them, they were so funny! Armand kept trying to find Lestat's diary, and he never found out it was in the library! And then when Daniel tried to mow the lawn himself...the mower kept getting away from him until he bought one of those types that you ride on, and he looked so pleased that he'd thought of it all by himself!"

We both laugh and talk for a bit longer, and when I gingerly bring up Maharet, Jessica smiles and holds my hand.

"No, Louis, it's all right. You're fine now, and by the looks of things you're not in any danger of going mad again. You're not under probation. We're glad you're back with us." She gives me a kiss on the cheek, and then she stands up. "I've gotta go back downstairs. When I left, Daniel was getting antsy. He must be unbearable by now."

As if on cue, there was a loud command from downstairs. "Daniel, stop fidgeting and sit still! You're making all of us nervous!"

"Awww, but boss, it's not fair!"

"I'll see you later," and she heads for the door. "Write me, okay?"

"I promise."

I hear her dance down the stairs, and then suddenly Daniel bursts into the bedroom and sits down, grinning broadly. He has taken fashion to the farthest, I believe, with barely rags hanging onto him. Armand follows smoothly behind in somewhat more subdued clothing.

"Lou', how're you feeling? Are you all right? When did you wake up? Why didn't you call? How come--?"

"Daniel!" Armand silences his fledgling, then smiles at me. "Sorry, he's been anxious ever since he heard you were up. He still hasn't learned a few minor skills yet."

I smile, but I know he means Daniel doesn't know the difference between what a mad vampire and a sane vampire, or even what an exhausted vampire, "sounds" like yet. I sit up a bit and kiss Daniel's forehead. "I'm all right, Danny. I haven't called because I've been asleep most of the time. I still haven't recovered all of my strength yet."

Daniel smiles and cocks his head like a curious puppy. "Did you have nice dreams?"

Armand's jaw drops in shock that he would ask, but I only laugh at both of them. They are quite a comedic pair. "Actually," I answer before Armand can scold his fledgling, "it felt as if I just closed my eyes for a moment. I didn't dream at all." I decide to change the subject. "Jessica tells me you took care of the lawn for awhile."

"Oh, yeah, the lawn mower," Daniel grins. "That was fun, but not as much fun as Armand had searching for Lestat's--"

"Daniel, hush!"

"For Lestat's diary?" I ask with a chuckle.

Armand looks at me in surprise. "Jessica..." he realizes with a growl.

"You should have looked in the library."

"The library? Diaries don't belong in libraries, they belong under beds and behind drawers," he argues sullenly.

"Not everyone keeps them where you do," Daniel sighs, then clamps his hand over his mouth as he realizes what he just said.

"Daniel, have you read my journal?" Armand asks far too pleasantly.

Daniel leans forward and whispers in my ear. "I'd better run now, so I'll see ya later. Love ya!" He gives my lips a quick kiss, he always was a rascal, and dashes away before Armand can catch him.

The diminutive vampire just shakes his head. "I try to punish him, but he just enjoys whatever I dish out."

I snuggle back on the couch and pull the blanket up an inch. This room can be chilly at times. "You can always make him clean the entire mansion. I'm sure he hates chores."

Armand smiles as he thinks about it. "And dress him up in a maid's outfit? Good idea." He looks at me carefully. "You're still tired, aren't you?"

I nod. "It was my first time going to ground. Lestat says it will be a few months before I am back to my own self again."

"I don't doubt it. Going to ground is no small ordeal. You will call if you require anything, yes?"

I smile. It is wonderful to have so many friends. "I doubt I'll need anything that Lestat can't provide, but if I do, I'll think of you."

"Good. I'd best go down and find my fledgling before he runs off with the car again. I'm sure I will see you again soon." With that, he leaves the room.

I return to reading what Jessica brought me, and half an hour later Lestat comes up the stairs and sits by me. He glances at my books, and shakes his head.

"Such boring stuff," he grimaces. "Louis, my love, I'm afraid you are far too intellectual for your own good."

"I like them," I counter. "And you'd better not toss any of them out, understand?"

He sits back and pretends to take offense at my tone. "Perhaps I shouldn't have asked you to be so honest with your emotions. So, what did your guests have to say?"

"Oh, nothing much, just hello's and what's been going on. Armand tried to find your diary."

"Yes, I know. Good thing I hid it in the library, otherwise all my thoughts would be printed for every mortal to see." He kisses me then, tasting my lips like they were candy. "Would you like to come downstairs?"

I shake my head. "No, I think I should go back to sleep." I lift up my arms to him like a child. "Carry me?"

Lestat grins, he loves it when I lean on him. He eats up any opportunity to demonstrate his love, since he never said it as much in the past. He picks me up and takes me back to the bed, where he covers me up and tucks me in.

Part 2