Descent and Ascension Part 2

A few nights later, I no longer feel so tired, at least not all the time, and I am able to begin feeding on my own again, albeit with company. Lestat will not allow me out of the house unless I am with him, he says I am still too fragile. I love him so much, but sometimes he can be unbearable. This sparked a long and heated argument, and I'm afraid I didn't help my case any. I collapsed mid-sentence, and only his outstretched arms saved me from cracking my skull open. Finally we came to a compromise. I will leave the house with him, and he will leave me alone when I feed. It is really no hardship, I just prize my privacy and hate to see it violated.

Tonight, though, we have finished with feeding and have decided on a quiet night at home, laying on the couch watching late night television. Actually, I should say late night webvision. It is an odd thing to change addresses instead of channels, but at least some things stay the same. The Discovery site is having another "Beyond Bizarre" marathon, and it is something Lestat and I can both agree on, since he hates Masterpiece Theater and I dislike action films.

They run the older episodes, about the sculptures made of body parts, and embalmed bodies in universities, but the newer ones are quite interesting. There are people that have genetically modified themselves so they have tiger stripes or gills, and then there are people who insist that drilling a hole in their forehead really does open their "third eye."

I adjust my position, stretching out a little bit more as I lean on my maker. He brings the quilt up around my shoulders and cuddles me close, running his fingers through my hair slowly. I give a little sigh and smile. Lestat's body has always been comfortable enough to sleep on, and his chest is a perfect pillow, his arms an electric blanket. I am more than drowsy. The flickering light of the webvision has a knack for putting me to sleep, but as my eyes begin to close, an ad flashes across the screen for a moment. Apparently there is an auction on another site for Japanese paintings.

"Lestat..." I mumble.

"Hmm?" He's starting to fall asleep as well.

"Have you ever been to Japan?"

"Japan?"

"Mm-hmm..."

Silence. "No..."

"Have you ever been to Asia?"

"No..."

"Australia?"

"No..."

"South America?"

"No...my love, why are you asking me this?"

I crane my neck a little to look up at him. "We are both immortal, with endless lives in front of us, with millions of dollars at our disposal, and yet we've never traveled."

"We go places," he protests, "concerts and plays in other states. We take vacations sometimes."

I shake my head. "But we've never actually traveled. We fly for a few hours, sleep over, and then fly back. We've never spent any time anywhere except New Orleans."

"We've been in Miami," he tries, but then he sees my face and smiles. "No, I suppose that was not a vacation."

"A good dozen vampires under one roof," I laugh. "More like an ordeal."

He laughs with me, and pulls me up a little. "Are you getting a wanderlust, Lou'?"

"Maybe...Lestat, when you were under ground that first time, I did not go anywhere. Armand and I traveled to a few places, but afterward, I stuck to a few haunts and did not move from there. And now...I want to see things! I want to...I don't know..." my voice dies away feebly.

Lestat kisses my forehead and makes me look up at him. "And where would you like to go? Tokyo? London? Peru? Las Vegas? Topeka?"

I smile at his joke. "I just want to go away for awhile, see things I've never seen..."

"All right," he says agreeably. "We'll go when you feel stronger--"

"No, now," I insist, sitting up so I can look at him. "I want to go as soon as possible."

I've surprised him, I can tell by his face, and for a moment he looks worried. Then he grins and hugs me.

"Very well, we'll prepare everything and leave tomorrow. I will need to let David know, and make a few arrangements with a hotel, and then we can go."

"Where?"

"I'll let that be a surprise," he smiles slyly.

I make a move to stand, and he pulls me back down. "Lestat, let me up!"

"Where are you going?"

"Upstairs to pack," I try to break away again, and he merely holds me tight.

"No, chere, there is plenty of time for that. I have something better in mind for tonight."

Lestat puts his hand over the back of my neck and brings my head down. Our lips meet, and I am filled with a warm rush that instills a feeling of safety. He would never let anything hurt me. He turns off the webvision with a thought, and for the rest of the night, the room is utterly dark.

I sigh and stretch, gazing over my new surroundings. I had forgotten what hotels were like, but it's nice to know that some things do not change. The beds are hard, the rug utterly flat, and the chairs are unnaturally stiff. Or perhaps it is just the alien feel which I do not like. And this is in one of the best hotels in Las Vegas, or at least that is what Lestat tells me.

"So, where do you want to go first?" Lestat asks, flopped across the large bed. He opens up a large guide which the hotel gives away as a compliment to their high rollers. "There are shows, casinos...and apparently more casinos. Anything you had your mind on?"

I shrug and sit beside him. "Not really. I do not even know what shows are here."

"Mostly topless girls running in place, it seems," he answers me in a bored voice. "And some paltry magic shows. Of course, there are 3-D rides downstairs we could see."

I shake my head and glance out the window. "I wonder if Marius knows about this place," I muse. "He does," Lestat laughed, "and he calls it a travesty. When I told him we were staying here, he said 'Cesar's Palace makes a mockery of ancient Rome, and should be torn down and replaced with a parking lot'."

I smile, he does a wonderful imitation of our fatherly Roman. "He feels rather strongly about it, doesn't he?"

Lestat nods, then bolts upright and heads to the phone. I am so surprised that I do not think to ask him what he is doing until he is dialing.

"Lestat, who are you--?"

"Hold on," he says, "I know where we're going." He pauses, then starts talking. "Yes, I need to get in touch with the Mirage ticket offices...thank you..." He looks up and grins at me. "Just a moment, chere, I've figured out where we're going tonight...oh, hello? Yes, I want to buy two front row seats to Cirque du Soleil...money is no object...wonderful! Yes, my credit card number, which one, which one..." he feeds them a long string that I cannot keep up with, reading off of his Discover card. "We'll be by to pick them up in awhile. Thank you!"

"What is Cirque du Soleil?" I ask. "I've never heard of that."

"You will love it, darling, simply love it!" Lestat jumps up and puts his boots on. "Come on, I've got a fairly long walk to get there!"

"Walk?" I slip my shoes on, and he helps me up. "Why don't we take a taxi?"

"What?" he gasps in mock disgust. "No, you have to see everything! Believe me, you'll enjoy the trip.

Just let me know if you start to feel tired, and I'll carry you."

"Lestat!" He takes my hand and pulls me steadily out of the room, taking me down in the elevator to the bottom floor. It would take hours if we took the stairs, we are on the top floor in the suites. We walk outside, but he draws me to the side where there is a large man-made lake near the hotel. It looks remarkably empty, and for such a crowded street, that seems unusual.

"What are we doing here?"

"You should read the guides more, darling. Just wait a for a few minutes."

I follow his example and lean on the rail, watching the water idly as it laps against the edge below me. He puts his arm over me, and while I instinctually flinch, I manage to fight it down and hold still. I have seen many male couples here, and it seems to be less of a problem than elsewhere. Still, he notices. "If this makes you uncomfortable," he starts, but I shake my head before he can finish.

"A force of habit," I admit. "I really do not enjoy the looks we receive sometimes, especially the cruel ones. But no, this is not uncomfortable."

He kisses my cheek. "My poor lover, to be cursed with modesty. Don't worry, I'll keep you safe."

"I believe you," I whisper, leaning against him.

Suddenly a voice blares out over a hidden intercom in the street lights beside us. "Ladies and
gentlemen, the water show will begin in thirty seconds."

"Water show?" I ask, but Lestat only nods and holds me closer. Now I do not mind so much, the night is rather chilly and his body is warm enough to keep me sheltered. A soft mist appears at one end of the lake, slowly increasing until the entire lake is covered, and the mist rises around us, nearly hiding us from the crowd. Of course that is when Lestat makes me kiss him.

Now the music starts, I recognize it as one of Mozart's best, and huge jets of water, pushed by what must be bursts of air, fly more than a hundred feet into the air in time with the notes. The fountains run across the lake, then back the other way, then criss-cross each other, mimicking the music. The water spins around in wide circles and does tricks I did not believe possible. Then, as the song comes to its close with strong, slow notes, the water shoots up in synchronized volleys on each side, slowly coming in to the center. Finally the song finishes with a great finale, and the water shoots up throughout the lake, creating a powerful wind that blows across the audience that has gathered.

"Did you like that?" Lestat asks.

"That was beautiful," I reply. "How did you find out about this?"

"I have my methods," he responds slyly.

As the crowd disperses, mostly into the casino, Lestat takes my hand and guides me through the sea of mortals, weaving between clusters of people. We walk for several minutes, waiting impatiently at intersections and moving quickly through the sidewalks. We are often besieged by people on the corner trying to hand out free pornographic material, but Lestat influences them to turn away from us. It did take a rather forceful look from me to make him ignore them, though. At last we arrive at the Mirage, but we don't go in immediately, as I thought we would. There is another crowd growing near a smaller lake, and Lestat effortlessly takes us through to the front, where I may lean on the rough hewn rope railings. This hotel front is done up in a Caribbean theme, complete with one miniature galleon on one side. Men in costume are getting in, and I guess that we are in for one more show.

"Now, there are some loud noises and flames in this," he warns me, "but those will be over quickly." I give him a nervous look, but it is too late to back out. Then men on the ship, dressed as pirates, begin their act, boasting over the treasure they have just stolen. A moment later another ship, this one with men dressed as British sailors, actually seems to sail into the lake and commands the pirates to stand down.

That's when the cannons begin to fire, and explosions burst out around us. One gigantic firestorm opens up above us, and I cannot help but huddle against Lestat. I will admit that fire is beautiful, but so much of it also scares me half to death. I instinctually turn to my maker for protection, and he eats up my need for him. And in a minute, much to my astonishment, the British ship actually sinks. The captain goes down with his ship, and the pirates celebrate, inviting the crowd inside to share in their victory. As the people begin to go in, the British ship starts to rise, and the captain is still standing on his ship! Mortals continually amaze me, and I am beginning to believe this trip may not be so awful after all.

"You all right?" Lestat whispers.

I nod and step back a pace. "Yes, the fire only startled me."

He smirks, and I can tell he knew I was frightened, but he is kind and lets it slide. "I promise this next show will be easier on your sensibilities," he says, leading me into the casino.

As soon as I step into the Mirage, I am immediately disoriented. There are buzzing and ringing slot machines everywhere, with mortals walking in and out from corners as if this place was a honeycomb. The lights are distracting, and I feel the onset of a headache.

"This way," Lestat says, quickly taking me through the floor. I don't know how he can find his way so fast, but soon we are out of that mess of gambling and in a quieter hallway with a ticket office. He stands in line, and suddenly everyone in front of him inexplicably has something else they need to do. Within seconds we have our tickets, fourth in the front, and he is assured that they are the best in the house.

Then he takes me to the shop just across the hall.

It must be the Cirque du Soleil shop, and now I have my first clue as to what goes on in this show. There are old fashioned masquerade masks, posters, and other items. I head to the CD selection first, though, and listen to the songs on each disc. They are strange and wonderful, and as I smile, Lestat insists that we buy them all. He would do anything to make me happy. He hates to see me depressed, and I wish I could be less despondent, if only for him.

Once we have all the CDs in a bag, we stand in line, close to the front. We go in as the doors open and take our seats, and I am surprised by what I see. The room is vast and wide, painted entirely black, with a large stage in front. As we snuggle down together, an interesting pre-show is taking place. A man dressed in a disheveled tuxedo is standing with the ushers to lead people to their seats, but instead he takes each couple around the audience, sometimes crossing the stage before taking them back outside without going anywhere. It becomes great fun to watch him work, and now I know why Lestat didn't mind standing in line to get in, instead of being fashionably late. We avoided becoming targets, and he knew I did not want to be seen so openly.

"Lestat, did you know about this?" I ask.

"Danny gave me a few tips before we left," he admits.

The lights darken, and then mist pumps over the stage. Spotlights shine down on two dancers, who are dressed in gorgeous costumes of red and orange. They flicker like candles, spinning and tumbling effortlessly. After what seems like a short time, they disappear and three swings come down from the ceiling, and the three girls on them begin an air show that involves them flying back and forth on elastic cords. I am reminded of birds, if song birds partook of aerobatics. Their routine and the music that accompanies them are amazing.

Now they go back into the ceiling, and a single man dressed only in tight pants comes down on two wires with a frame of a cube around him. He whirls it about almost casually, performing stunts and maneuvers of great dexterity. Occasionally he soars across the room like an angel, followed by a girl on stage that moves as elegantly on foot as he does in air. Lestat stirs beside me, making a small sound of appreciation, and I feel a twinge of jealousy. I reach over and pinch his hand.

"Louis! What was that for?" he asks in a voice only I can hear.

"They are off-limits," I respond testily in kind.

"Chere, I would never eat them! It would be a crime to destroy such talent."

"I did not mean that sort of off-limits."

A slow smiles spreads across his face as he understands, and he relaxes back, but this time he caresses my hand.

There are many other performers, all dressed as imaginatively and all as graceful, but the show is over too soon for me. I sigh sadly as the lights come back on.

"Did you enjoy that?" Lestat asks.

"Oh, it was wonderful! I wish we could see it again!"

He rises and helps me stand, and we head back outside. There are shops that we visit, but we make very few purchases. I notice Lestat is checking his watch periodically, and I ask him why. He refuses to answer, only saying "it's a surprise," and smiling devilishly.

An hour later I am back on the street, following Lestat to another casino. The lights outside are stunning and keep the street lit up as if it were day, or at least as much as I can remember the day, but the machines are so loud that I am never tempted inside. We pause in front of our hotel to watch another water display, and then we finally arrive at a hotel which I do not spot the name of. However, I do notice their marquee sign. They have a different performance of Cirque du Soleil on in half an hour.

If it is possible, they perform just as well, if not better, as their counterparts at the Mirage.

Finally, a few hours before dawn, we are back in our hotel. Having a hot shower feels relaxing after that long walk, but it is the foot rub I receive in bed that really eases my sore muscles. As I lay back on the pillows, Lestat slowly works his way up my legs and back, massaging all of the tense spots. I am half-asleep when he finishes and lays beside me.

"Did you enjoy tonight?" he asks.

I smile at him and kiss him. "Thank you, my love. It was a perfect night. I had not seen such beauty in ages, if ever." I kiss him again. "Except when I look on you, of course."

"Oh, but I pale in comparison to you," he says, playing with my hair.

"Mmm...are the windows shut and covered?"

"Mmm-hmmm..."

"And the door locked?"

"Locked up tight."

"And the 'do not disturb' sign up?"

"Of course, with a message to the main desk not to bother us during the day."

I smile and snuggle into his arms. "I'm glad we're so high up. The slot machines will not wake us up." I close my eyes, and I feel him pull the blankets up over us.

"Tomorrow night, I will take you to see the replica of Michelangelo's David," he whispers in my ear.

"A replica?"

"Eighteen feet tall, just like the original. In fact, they say it is made from the same marble block as the first. And then we will go to the art shops, and the Venetian hotel so you may buy a few masks, and then we can watch Siegfried and Roy."

"Who?"

"They are a pair of magicians, my love, supposedly very good. But they can wait until tomorrow."

"Especially since I have things I want to do right now," I mumble.

"Like what?"

"I'm very sore, Lestat. My legs are still aching from all that walking we did. But I know that certain activities would take my mind off of that for awhile."

He grins at me. "Activities? Like what?"

I smile and nuzzle his throat. "Let me show you."

We remain in Las Vegas for several nights, but finally we both grow bored and decide to go somewhere else. I mention that we both decide only to leave. Once again, he is the one deciding where we will go. I know this is partially out of his concern for me, and partially because I know of very few places, but it bothers me when I know also that he controls me totally. He is mine and I am his, but the force of his personality is so strong that I inevitably yield to his whims.

This leads to a fiery argument, where I call him domineering and controlling and he calls me demanding and overly emotional, and for a few moments I actually consider slapping him. Then in the middle of telling him that I would like some say in where we visit, I get dizzy again and collapse. He catches me before I hit the floor, and he sits on the bed as he holds me. I think he knew I might lose control once more. I feel like a rag doll in a child's hold, and I merely lay limp in his arms, my head on his shoulder.

"I'm sorry," he whispers to me. "I do not want to argue. I did not mean to force you to another place. It's just..."

"You do not want me to over-exert myself?" I ask.

"Yes," he admits, kissing my cheek. "we have not been out for very long, and it's all been such a shock to your system...you used to be able to fight with me all night."

I smile and return his kiss. "I know you mean well...but I am not an invalid, Lestat. I can think for myself. I want to know where we are going, all right? I want to know where, and when."

"Perhaps I should not have encouraged you to say what you think and feel," he grins. "Very well, I surrender. You'll have a greater say. But, can I still have a few surprises for you? Please?"

He gives me his sad puppy face, and he knows I cannot resist that. I kiss his pouting lips and nod. "Yes, you may have that. Now, where are we going?"

"Walt Disney World."

I look up in what must appear to be shock, because he starts to giggle. "Lestat, that is a child's park!"

"Not entirely," he insists. "Look, they're having a special week in a few days, and this would be the perfect time to drop in."

I narrow my eyes. He has a habit of giving himself away without knowing it when he talks, and I can usually catch his little slips. "A special week? What is it?"

He looks down on the ground. Oh, this cannot be good. "Lestat...?"

"Well...I mean, you don't...like being...stared at, and I thought...I thought maybe it'd be nice...if...if you would kiss me in the street without caring what people think, or hug me or hold my hand in public...without moving away..."

"Lestat, you are not answering me."

"Disneyworld...has a time when...they invite...well..." he looks at me, and I suddenly realize his meaning.

"Same-sex couples," I finish for him, and he nods again, staring at the rug. I lift my hand to his face and make him look at me. "It is all right, I am not angry at you. You should have told me before, but...it is fine."

"You aren't angry?" he asks, and this time his sad puppy face is not an act.

I shake my head. "No, it is entirely agreeable. You are considerate in your own ways." I hug him tightly and rumble in pleasure as he reciprocates. "Now, shall we leave?"

He grins and tightens his grip on me. Our bags and souvenirs are already packed and on their way to either Rue Royal or the Disneyworld hotel, so all he must carry is my body and the soft blanket already around my shoulders. He goes to the open window and steps out, and then we are drifting through the air. I look down at the pretty lights below us, but the sheer heights are disconcerting and I bury my face in his chest for most of the flight.

We must stop half way across the country in Texas, and we bed down in the soft red dirt there. I have never really seen the desert before, and Lestat allows me a long time to merely take in my surroundings. There is no town nearby, so I can see the entire sky without any light blocking my view. I can see the Milky Way flung out over the heavens so that the sky looks almost white in areas, and other stars twinkle in the heat. I lay down beside Lestat, who keeps the scorpions, tarantulas and lizards away from us, but we can still hear the small frogs croaking in the distance. Frogs in the desert, imagine! He points out various constellations, showing me lesser known formations that I had only read about.

"How did you learn all of this?" I ask. I was a wealthy child, and even my education did not include as much information as he knows.

Lestat smiles at me and holds my hand. "Ah, Lou', when you grow up in a dark castle in a dark forest, with little light except for the moon, you learn the stars if only to find your way."

A coyote howls in the distance, and a dozen more howls answer to it. An owl hoots not too far away, and I see a silhouette of a bat fly across the full moon. I can hear a rattle snake slithering around beneath a prickly pear cactus only a few feet away, but it is not coming near us. Lestat has projected the idea that we are poison to everything nearby, and they leave us alone. There are wild flowers beside us, unopened, and a tumbleweed unexpectedly runs right over us. And I had thought the desert was a vast expanse of dead land.

Finally I cannot keep my eyes open, and he holds me as we sink into the hole we'd already dug. The cooling dirt washes over us, and I fall asleep with him beside me.

The next night we finally arrive in Disneyworld, and literally fly into the hotel room. At first the management does not know how we entered our room, but Lestat convinces them that we already had a key through the mail. As he speaks to them at the door, I root through the drawers by the beds and discover a map. I sit cross-legged on the bed and unfold it on the mattress, and the burst of color dazzles my eyes.

"I thought I would never get rid of them," Lestat huffs as he closes the door and comes back in.

"Chere, we have to see Tomorrow Land," I interrupt him, pointing at the spot. "And we have to visit Adventure Land, too. And I want to see the Haunted Mansion, and the Pirates of the Caribbean! And look, they have dance clubs here, too, we can go there, and see the fireworks...oh, Sea World is nearby, and so is University Studios..."

"Universal, Louis."

I look up, and he is smiling at me. I know why, it is because I am so exuberant right now. I rarely appear eager for anything, and whenever I do laugh and smile, he just stands back and watches.

"Can we go there?" I ask. I sound like a child to my own ears.

He laughs and sits by me once more. "Yes, we can go see the fish and dolphins and sharks, and then we can ride all the movie roller coasters...Now, would you like to get some sleep, or would you like to go out and explore right now? We do have this room for a few weeks, so we have plenty of time."

I shake my head and sigh. "I wish I could, but I'm so tired right now...that was such a long flight."

"Shhh...let me help you..." He does his best to refold the map and gives up halfway through, tossing it on the floor. I do not complain, as that is probably the safest place for it right now. He pushes me flat against the mattress, slowly undoing the buttons of my shirt with his teeth. The touch of his soft lips sends tingles down my spine. Once he finishes my shirt, he moves to my jeans, carefully opening them up, his tongue occasionally flickering elsewhere. The sight of him there doing that is erotic enough, let alone the sensation of his hands wandering around. My shoes are already off, so he just moves to my bare ankles and grabs hold of the denim in his teeth, steadily pulling at them. My pants are tugged off, and he puts his lips to my foot, kissing his way back up to me. I groan as he comes up my leg, but I can't help my sharp whimper when he comes between my legs. Then he is moving back up to my chest, playing
with the crevices of my body.

"This...isn't exactly...getting some sleep..." I manage to gasp out, clutching at him.

"But it is getting some..." he laughs quietly. "Relax..."

It is the only warning I receive. A moment later he assaults my body, gently conquering me as he enters, filling me up entirely. I hug his body tight against mine, and I curl my nails into him. Blood runs down my fingers. He snarls involuntarily and digs his fangs into my throat, taking long drinks from me. Blood surrounds me.

I shut my eyes until it hurts, and I bite my lip in sexual agony. I want it so much...I want him...to have him completely...but I might lose what I value dearly...

But it was my humanity that drove me to insanity...

Let me know exactly how you feel. Do not worry so much about decorum and politeness, that was what he said, yes? And I want to, so very very much...

Another thrust into me, and I hiss with ecstasy...I cannot stop myself I do not want to stop myself I want him entirely in every way I bury my fangs in his throat and drink back what he has taken. His body hardens against me in surprise, if not abject shock, that I have finally given in and done this. He reacts out of sheer confusion and withdraws, trying to escape, but I grab him and hold him, rolling over to pin him beneath me. His blood is an elixir of love and passion and spices whirled into one, and now that he realizes what is happening, he no longer fights me. Indeed, he turns his head aside to oblige me. He doesn't turn it far enough for me, though. I put my hand up to his jaw and draw his face away even farther.

I drink and drink and drink, and he only moans in my hold, allowing my attack. His arms come around me, but a strange thing is happening. His arms, once strong enough to crush me without a thought, no longer feel so mighty as they did before. I spot one of my hands out of the corner of my eye, and it is growing even whiter, the fingernails like mirrors. Any lines that were left disappear. I feel him try to adjust his position, and I shove him back down. I laugh wildly and stare into his eyes.

"Now, Lestat," I grin mischievously, "it is my turn."

He puts his arms around me and kisses me deeply. "Take me, chere. I won't resist."

"Of course you won't," I tell him. There are curtain cords on the window, and I easily snatch them through the air.

When I look back down, Lestat is seemingly awed that I have mastered this skill the first time I used it. I tie the cord around his left wrist and loop the other end around the bedpost, then throw it to the other bedpost and tie his right wrist, stringing him up nicely. He could break them easily, but he loves this fantasy. I play with him, Lestat would make a perfect boy toy if only he were weaker. He arches his back, and I slip my hands beneath him and lift his hips up. He opens his eyes wide as he figures out what I am going to do to him. For so long he has been the one on top, in control, that now becoming the one on the bottom is a jolt. I smile and look into his eyes as I push into him, violating him sweetly. He moans and his hands clench into fists, almost unable to stand the pleasure. Is this how I have looked to him?

I am in him for several minutes, and the clock ticks each second by slowly. Finally I climax, and he does simultaneously, and I fall on top of him bathed in a cold sweat of blood. I languidly stroke his arms, still bound, and I tease him by only slowly undoing the knots, releasing him to hold me against his chest. He kisses me tenderly, and pets my hair. I simply relax in his arms, exhausted from my efforts.

"I suppose this really is the happiest place on earth," I whisper.

"Only when you are here," he answers. "And now, chere, I believe you wanted to go to sleep?"

I cuddle up to him, safe and warm in his embrace. "Mmm...sleep..."

"Louis...why...?" he starts to ask, but I silence him with a kiss.

"Not right now," I hush him, "tomorrow. We can talk tomorrow. Right now, I need to sleep before I pass out."

The next night, the amusement park has for some reason decided to stay open insanely late into the night. The things Lestat can do when he wants...We walk down the cobble stone street, hand in hand, not nervous about it because most of the other men are doing the same thing. Men kiss men in the street, and women hug each other, no longer merely girlfriends in the platonic sense. There are very few "normal" people on the street, and they do not seem to care what we do. I have never felt so unencumbered by society.

"So, now what shall we do?" Lestat asks me, leaning against the ivy encrusted wall. "We have been through Epcott, Tomorrow land, and seen Mickey Mouse's house."

"Now we have to go to Adventure land," I insist. "And we still have to see the Haunted Mansion, I want to see that. And the Indiana Jones ride, and the Pirates, and--"

He holds up his hand to stop me. It annoys me when he does this, but in his defense, I could have gone on for ten minutes. "All right, to the jungle we go. Just remember, don't cry to me when we come out soaked."

It takes a few hours, but since Lestat influences the mortals to look the other way as we walk through the long lines, we see much of what the park has to offer in one night. Many of the rides are indeed enjoyable, but I like the Indiana Jones ride best. It is so dark and cool in the tunnels, with black lights on glowing cobras and paintings on the walls. There are even puffs of wind from the walls that really feel as if arrows are being fired at us. And Lestat was right. We do come out of Adventure land soaked. Never sit in the last seat on the log rides. There is no one to lean over you and cover your back. The best part, though, is sitting on the roof of the Cinderella castle and watching the fireworks. Since no one can see us and nothing can block our sight, we have a marvelous view of the exploding lights and colors. With our legs dangling over the edge, I lean against his body and rest my head on his shoulder.

"They are like thousands of candles flickering in the wind," I whisper, as a white sparkler pops. Lestat chuckles and puts his arm around me. The breeze up here is icy. "That one looks like a river in the sky," he points to a blue one. A bright orange one flares up. "And there is the sun."

After a few minutes, the grand finale explodes before our eyes, and just before it finishes I look over at Lestat's eyes. They reflect the fireworks so beautifully, I swear he has the most clear eyes I have ever seen.

"Louis...last night...why did you finally drink from me?" he asks.

I smile softly and look at the ground so far below us. "I was wondering when you were going to ask that."

"It's not that I mind," he starts quickly, but I wave him down.

"No, I know that. It's all right." I lean against his body, staring at the stars for awhile. "I'm not sure. I don't want to be weak anymore, that was certainly part of it. And I've always wanted to be able to hold you down beneath me."

Lestat laughs. "Yes, that was certainly enjoyable."

"But most of all, I simply wanted to. I wanted to taste you, I wanted to have you in every possible way. I missed out on ten years, Lestat. I just wanted back a little of what I missed."

"You wanted to own me," he whispers.

I am about to protest when I stop to think about it. I nod slightly. "Yes, I believe that is true. I want to be strong enough to make you mine."

Lestat hugs me and gives me a sweet kiss. "That is how I've always felt about you, chere."

"But you've always been stronger than I have," I argue.

He shakes his head with a chuckle. "Physically, perhaps, but it's hard to be spiritually strong enough to love you. I have to learn to hold my violent temper in check, and learn to compromise. Bad enough that I have to be mature sometimes."

I start to laugh, and for several minutes he merely holds me as I pitch into a laughing fit worthy of my brat prince himself. The thought of him trying to be mature sends a picture of Lestat in a business suit into my head. Lestat with a power-tie, oh, that is quite an image. Finally I stop laughing, and he tilts my face up so he may kiss me.

"Ready to go to bed?" he asks.

I nod, and he gathers me into his arms. Careful to avoid the gaze of any humans, he takes me back to our hotel.

"I will make arrangements with Sea World tomorrow," he smiles to me, getting into bed. "And once we have finished our shopping here, we'll fly over there."

"And we have to see Universal Studios," I remind him. "I want to see everything." I strip off my clothes and climb into bed, remembering only now the danger of stripping in front of Lestat. It is like dangling a piece of meat in front of a tiger, and while it is not a flattering comparison, I rather enjoy the results. He rolls and pins me down, kissing me fiercely. I am strong enough now to stop him, though, and I decide to show him exactly what I can do now. I brace myself, then flip him onto his back and hold his wrists down. With gravity on my side, he can't push me off. He struggles a little until he realizes that he has no choice in being on the bottom tonight.

"Ah, so now things are starting to get interesting," he grins, relaxing.

"Mon chere, you have seen nothing yet." I force a kiss from him, trespassing deep into his mouth. His lips are like delicate sweets, to be slowly unwrapped and savored. I break away and stare into his eyes, cool and gray. I can see my reflection in them. "I wish I could find chains heavy enough to hold you down," I whisper in his ear, "so I could take my time, without worrying if you would escape."

He grins and lets his head fall back. He can be quite the seducer, it's as if his entire body has perfected the 'come-hither' stare. "What if I promise not to move?" he replies. "I would do my very best to hold still."

"Then keep your hands here," I say, pushing his hands out to the edges of the mattress. "You may hang onto the bed if you feel the urge to move."

Lestat grabs the sides, yielding himself up to me. He trusts me so much, and I have only seen it now. I was so blind before. He would be my slave if I only asked.

Tonight I'm asking.

I may never have shown him what I am truly capable of in bed, mostly because I was never strong enough to conquer him, but now I will show him exactly what sort of lover I am. I run my nails down his chest and stomach, drawing little red streaks down his perfect skin and watching as they fade away. I bend down and kiss his right nipple for several minutes, almost making it numb with all the soft rubs my lips give it. Lestat groans as I do this, and he wants to bring his hands up, to hold me or perhaps even to turn the tables and do this to me, but instead he only grasps at the mattress.

Now that he no longer expects anything harsh, I gently nip the skin at my teeth and suckle the blood from him. Out of the corner of my eye, I see his arms tighten until he is unbelievably tense, and I hear his claws dig into the bed. I smile at my ability to do this to him. My other hand drifts down from his chest to his side and slips beneath his body, slowly teasing my way
along the center of his back. His body arcs up, trying to escape its touch, but he can only rise a few inches before he must stop, held back by his grip on the mattress. Of course, since he's several inches off the bed, I lightly run my fingertips over his skin, then scratch down the center of his back. He groans and strains in my hold, so I put my hands on either side of him, where his ribs end, and squeeze just enough to get a firm grip. The result is immediate. He whimpers and falls limp against the bed, his blonde hair flung out against the blue pillows. He is gasping for breath and I have not even used all of my nergies yet.

As I fondle him with one hand, I run my other hand through his hair, caressing his face and throat. He turns his head to the side to encourage me, and I brush his cheek again. My dearest is such a sensual creature, he loves to be handled. He needs me to show that I love him with all my heart, no matter how many times I say it. I kiss him once, then trail my kisses down his face to his throat, nuzzling the spot I will bite. He bares his throat to me, so eager for me to take him. I begin to part his legs to the side, to make my access to him easier, and he sighs sadly. He thinks I have given up the idea of drinking from him. Little does he realize I have no intention of restraining myself, although this little maneuver will take a great deal of agility and strength. Still, he has no idea what I have in store for him.

I reach into the nightstand and pull out a small jar of perfumed oil. Of course, he has no clue as to what it is for. I have a feeling he has never even heard of lubricants before, let alone used them. He is so accustomed to straight-forward love-making, and no one has introduced him to the benefit of mortal luxuries...in a way, I don't mind. It just proves he's been faithful to me in the most physical sense. Now I am the one to show him what love can truly be.

"What...is...what...?" he whispers discoherently.

"Something I picked up in one of their bath and body shops," I say quietly. I open it and dip my fingers in, gathering enough to smear upon his hind end, and I laugh as he gasps in shock.

"Lou', what...are you...doin' to...me?" He tries to look down at me and see what I am up to, but with his arms spread so far, his shoulders only rise an inch.

"I just want this to be as gentle as I can possibly make it," I smile. He looks nervous, as he usually does when I smile. It never bothers him when he's on top, but when I smile and I am in control, for some reason he becomes disturbed. I know it is not because I went mad, however. He did this before then. I think I scare him sometimes.

"But...it's cold..." he whimpers.

"Shh...I know," I add another handful just to tease him. "Don't worry, we'll warm it up."

"Ohhh, hurry..."

I put the jar aside and get into position, straddling him possessively. He loves this, he simply devours every occasion I take to make him mine. I wonder sometimes if I could be the dominant in our relationship all the time. I am sure he would not argue one bit, but then I don't think I could keep it up. Besides, he is so strong and I am so tired...

But not that tired. A few final adjustments and then I slide into him, relishing his cries of ecstatic agony. The scented oils are the perfect addition, they make this so much easier. It takes less effort, and now I am able to keep this up for much longer. I climax once, and he does about the same time, but I have much more energy and keep going. He groans and tightens his hold on the bed, body taut and sweating. I take a deep breath, plunge into him as deeply as I can without hurting him, and then bend radically at my waist. I have always been the most flexible of our coven, (save perhaps for Daniel, but then he has much more practice at it than I do) and with a little exertion I manage to dig my fangs into the lower part of his
throat. I drink, but even over the blood rush I hear his cry, and then a strange tearing sound. I drink and thrust, and finally we both reach our zenith once again.

As I withdraw, I notice that my lover's breathing is ragged and short, and his skin is paler than usual. I lift my head and look into his eyes, and they are rimmed red with unshed tears.

"Lestat, are you all right?" I ask, putting my hands on his face.

He nods, and I sigh in relief. I collapse against him, turning my head to the side, and only now do I see what that tearing sound had been. Lestat has ripped two pieces of the mattress away, a frazzled chunk in each hand.

"Oh, my love," I whisper and kiss him. He must have tossed the pieces away, because now he wraps his arms around me. Several minutes pass by as he kisses me deeply, invading my mouth. Now that I no longer expect anything, he flips me onto my back and holds my hands down. I didn't even think he had any strength left, let alone enough to keep me prisoner. Still, it's not as if I am fighting back very much. I lay still, allowing my hair to fly around my head, and he moans merely looking at me. I will admit, it is a boost to my ego that I can do this to him.

"Are you certain you are the weakest in the coven?" he asks slowly.

I smile slyly. "Not after what we've done these past few nights. I imagine I could pin Marius down if I put my mind to it."

His hands tighten around my wrists, and I give a faint struggle, enjoying the sensation of being
restrained beneath him. "If you even go near the others with any amorous intent at all, I will not only toss you over my shoulder and carry you away in front of all them--"

"You wouldn't!"

"--yes I would, and it wouldn't be very good for your virtuous modesty, would it?--I would also tie you up, lock you up in our bedroom, and spank you."

"Sounds tempting."

Lestat is about to make another retort, but an abrupt yawn cuts off whatever he was about to say.

"It's almost time for the sun to rise," I say, a sad note creeping into my voice.

He nods, reluctantly releasing me. We both snuggle together, with the blankets just up over our shoulders, and our legs tangled together. He takes me into his arms, and I fall asleep as I have for many nights now, with my head against his shoulder. No matter how strong I may grow, it is always a comfort to be embraced by my maker.

Part 3