Disclaimer: Vamps belong to Anne Rice, not me. I make no money from this.

Spoilers: Queen of the Damned

Armand woke up, fluttering his eyes for a moment. His brow furrowed in confusion. Why did the room seem to be warping around in circles? He blinked hard, then looked again. Bad mistake, that only made it worse. Now there were dark spots spinning like tops and the room was still warping. He groaned, and was surprised to hear the rasp that came out of his throat. Pain shot through his body, pulsing steadily in time with his heart. Tears formed in his eyes, but they weren't the soft tears he'd always had. Now they were thick and black and blinded him, scratching his eyes. He shivered under the blankets, but he knew that was wrong. He curled up on his side and moaned in agony.

Several minutes later he felt soft hands on his shoulder, trying to turn him over. Armand tried to pull away, but he was too weak to shrug them off. Daniel felt the resistance, though, and stopped.

"Armand? Armand, what's wrong?"

"Don't...know..." Armand hacked. "Hurts..."

Daniel sat up and bent over his lover, placing one hand on Armand's forehead to smooth the hair from his face. As his fingers brushed the skin, though, he breathed in sharply. "Armand, you're burning up! My God, I think you actually have a fever!"

Armand nodded, then stopped as the motion gave him a headache. "Cold..." he murmured. "So cold..."

Daniel was stunned for a moment, but he quickly gathered his wits about him. "I'll be right back," he said, jumping out of bed and heading for the door.

"Danny?"

"It's all right, I'm just going downstairs. Don't move." Halfway down the hall, the fledgling turned the thermostat up to almost its highest setting, even though the humid air was already warm. He went to the kitchen and set a huge pot of water to boil, then gathered a few dusty water bottles from a forgotten closet. A few minutes later he poured the heated water into the bottles and carried them up to Armand, who was now shivering violently under the blankets. Once Daniel eased the hot waterbottles under the sheets up against his maker's body, Armand's shivering lessened and he visibly relaxed.

"Are you hungry?" Daniel whispered, sitting down.

Armand shook his head. "Exhausted."

Daniel stroked Armand's forehead and sighed. "Go back to sleep. I'll watch over you." The only reply was the slow, steady breathing that told him Armand was in a mortal sleep. He sighed again and leaned back in his chair. "Oh, Armand...what's happened to you?"

Daniel sat straight up. The sheer power of the words sent chills down his spine. "Mekare?" he wondered. It was less that he heard the words and more that he felt them.

"Sick with what? Bad blood?"

"How did he get it?"

"Can it be cured?"

"But how?"

Daniel was about to ask another question, but he felt the contact sever. Apparently she had told him all she wanted to.

Armand woke up in a violent coughing fit. He sat up and grabbed the box of tissues that had miraculously appeared on the nightstand, hacking into a wad of tissues. When he finally stopped and pulled back, he was astonished to see blood in his hand. Cursing in a raspy voice, he tossed it into a wastebasket. He rubbed his throat, but flinched when it hurt even more. His entire body was stiff and sore. With a muted moan, he lay down again and tried to keep very still. He was in too much pain to fall back asleep.

"Daniel?" he rasped, wondering if his fledgling could hear him.

There was a noise from the window, and when he titled his head slightly, he could make out someone's silhouette in the moonlight. His sight was so blurry, though, that he was not certain who it was. He closed his eyes and sighed. If it wasn't Daniel or one of the coven, he couldn't stop them.

"Armand?" Daniel whispered. "Are you awake?"

Armand nodded slightly. He felt like he was hearing everything underwater.

"Are you hungry?"

"Yes, but...can't..."

"Hurts too much?"

Armand nodded again. "Can't...sleep." He felt a weight near his left side, which meant Daniel was sitting next to him. "No...stay 'way...might...catch..."

Daniel lay his fingers on Armand's lips and brushed the hair from his face. "Hush, don't talk. It's all right, I won't catch it. Mekare told me it wouldn't even hurt me." He sighed and stood up. "I'll be right back. I'm gonna prepare another bed in the next room and get it all warmed up for you. Just try to relax."

Armand half-opened his eyes and took in his lover's kind face. He gave him a tiny smile, then allowed his body to go limp. Daniel pulled the blankets up to his maker's chin, then went into the neighboring bedroom. He hated to do it, but not only was it ill-advised to disregard the queen's warning, he had a nagging feeling that it was also treason. Still, he sighed as he took the silk rope from under the bed and prepared the bed so that when he brought Armand over later tonight, it would be simple to tie him down.

Daniel checked on the small collection of rats he had locked in a tight, wooden box. He didn't want to have to leave Armand if either of them got hungry. Once he was certain all of them were still inside and not fighting, he went to the bathroom and filled several more bottles with hot water. He slipped them between the bedsheets, then returned and started up a warm shower. With the thermostat still turned up ridiculously high, the bathroom quickly became uncomfortably hot. Daniel stretched once and sighed. The night was hardly half-way through and he was already tired.

He went back into Armand's bedroom and gently uncovered him, sitting him up. Armand couldn't voice his discomfort. The most he could do was whimper.

"It's all right, baby," Daniel whispered. "Don't move. I'll do everything for you." He stripped off Armand's clothes and then his own, throwing them in a corner, then carried Armand to the shower, where he stepped into the steady stream of hot water. Somehow Armand's body managed to relax even further, hanging loosely in his fledgling's arms as Daniel not only bathed him, but cleansed his hair and massaged the weary muscles. When they finally emerged, Armand felt much improved, and he only felt even better when he was set in his new, already warm bed.

"Hungry..." he mumbled, his hands feebly clinging to Daniel's.

"Okay, let me get you something." Daniel went to the box, which he had set in the closet, and took out one rat, which he immediately killed. He took the mug from the table and slit the rodent's throat over it, filling the glass with blood. Once he was done, he tossed the rat out and took the mug to Armand.

"Now, let me sit you up," Daniel said, cuddling Armand into his arms like a child. Lifting the mug to his maker's mouth, he slowly fed the weak blood into him. It took twice as long to drink it as it would have if Armand was healthy, but the pain slightly diminished with the fresh infusion. "Think you can sleep?"

Armand nodded, his head lolling back uncontrollably. It was obvious he was exhausted. Daniel kissed his forehead, then lay him back down and covered him up. Once he could hear the change in Armand's breathing, he reached down, took up the rope, and tied Armand's legs loosely to the foot of the bed. Then he tied Armand's left hand down to the side, and did the same for the right hand. When he was finished, Armand only had a limited range of motion.

"I'm sorry, darling," Daniel whispered sadly, "but it's for your own good."

Armand moaned weakly, turning his head from side to side. Daniel, his eyes red with exhaustion, sat straight as his lover fully woke up. It had been three days since the sickness had first started, and Armand had only been getting progressively worse. His body was far too hot; he shivered constantly. Daniel struggled to keep his lover as warm as he could, but the effort was dragging him down. He shuddered at the thought of their next electric bill.

"Danny..."

Daniel almost didn't hear the faint rasp. "Just a sec. Lemme get ya another rat." He methodically repeated the ritual, slicing into the rodent and holding Armand up so he could feed him. Once he was done, he lowered his maker's body back to the bed and put the mug aside.

There was a rush of air past his cheek, a strangled cry, and when he turned around, Armand was crying, his fragile skin seemingly burned by the ropes on his wrists. Armand's fangs were bared, his eyes shut tight in pain. Daniel's hand went reflexively to his throat. He could feel the slightest scratch on his skin. Armand had almost clamped down onto him.

"Hungry..." Armand groaned, twisting ineffectually in his bonds. "So hungry..."

Daniel took a deep breath, silently thanking Mekare for the advice. "All right. I'll go find you something bigger, a dog, maybe--"

"Human..." Armand insisted. "Please..."

Daniel considered, then nodded to himself. "I'll find one. Someone clean, small. I'll be right back, okay?"

Armand nodded feebly. Daniel took one last look at his lover, then disappeared out the window.

Fifteen minutes later he returned, an unconscious teenager slung in his arms. Daniel lay the boy across the bed, then untied Armand so he could wrap his emaciated arms around the body. He had to be helped to lift the body to his lips, but then instinct took over and he managed to bite into the boy. Only a third of the blood made into his mouth. He didn't have the strength to get the rest. With a sated sigh, he fell back on the mattress as Daniel finished off his first human meal in days.

Armand watched as Daniel retied his wrists to the bed frame, making certain that the knots were secure. He looked up sadly at his fledgling. "Am I...really...such a danger...to you?"

Daniel glanced curiously at him. With a trembling hand, he felt Armand's forehead. He smiled in disbelief. "The fever...it's broken," he gasped. "You're getting better!"

Armand winced. "Don't yell...hurts..."

"Sorry, sorry," Daniel said, lowering his voice. "How d'you feel?"

"Sore...very sore..." Armand shut his eyes and sighed. "How long've...I--?"

"About four nights," Daniel whispered, stroking his lover's face and hand. "You've been drifting in and out of consciousness."

Armand opened his mouth to ask another question, then thought better of it and relaxed his body. Daniel smiled and drew the blankets over Armand's smaller body.

"Go back to sleep," he said quietly. "I'll be right here watching over you."

Armand nodded wordlessly. A few moments later he was breathing regularly, telling Daniel he was asleep. Daniel lay a kiss on Armand's lips, then stood up and paced to stretch his legs out.

He froze, nearly tripping over himself. "Mekare?"

Daniel nodded nervously. "Um, yeah. He's better now, ma'am. Almost normal."

"The last two nights were really hard on him, but finally tonight he was able to take a human again."

"Yes, just tired."

Daniel laughed. "I promise." He felt the contact break then, and he sat back by Armand. After a moment's thought, he snuggled up under the blankets with his lover. "G'night, angel. Remind me to look up what a Botticelli is tomorrow."

Daniel woke up looking into soft brown eyes. He smiled and kissed the warm cheek. "How you feeling?"

Armand smiled back. "Much better. The worst is over. I only feel a bit weary, and that should pass with a feeding. Let me up, won't you?"

Daniel smiled wickedly. "I don't think that's wise. You're still not fully recovered."

Armand's eyes narrowed. "Danny..."

"I think I should keep you here for a few more nights. I'll make sure you feed. Trust me," he giggled, pushing the sheets down and running his hand along the smooth stomach, "I'll take good care of you."

Armand tried to grab Daniel, or at least slap him, but his hands were still bound down to the bed. He jerked on them in frustration, glaring at his fledgling. "Daniel, let me up, or I swear when I do get up, I'll have you in chains for a week!"

Daniel laughed. "Do you promise? If you do, I'll keep you here a bit longer."

Armand grumbled to himself. "Should never have created a masochistic fledgling."

Daniel fondled his helpless lover a bit longer, then bent to kiss Armand. As they kissed, Armand's tongue gently swept by Daniel's lips, tasting his mouth. Daniel reciprocated, devouring his maker's mouth.

Suddenly Armand struck, latching onto Daniel's tongue, piercing it. Daniel fought to pull back, but Armand's grip was too strong. Mekare's warning rang in his head. No vampire blood. With a deep breath, he put all his weight into falling to the side and off the bed. He landed hard on the floor, whimpering in pain. His mouth was full of blood. After a moment of fleeting self-pity, he rose up and stared at Armand. There was no blood in his mouth. Safe.

Daniel cursed at himself as he swallowed his own blood. So stupid! He looked back at Armand, who was pleading silently with his eyes for something to eat. "I'll be right back," he whispered harshly. "With a human." He turned and left through the window.

Armand watched him leave, then started to cry. He hadn't meant to bite him, or bite so hard. And now Daniel had gone. He'd been angry when he disappeared. Who knew if he would really come back? Armand tried to get up to follow him, but the ropes were still too strong. He yanked hard on them, tearing his own skin in his efforts. Finally one rope snapped, and then the other snapped. Instead of getting up, though, he rolled on his side and howled. His wrists hurt terribly. He looked at them and saw not only ripped skin, but rope burns, lost blood and cracked bones. "Danny..." he cried feebly. "Daniel, please, come back..."

It was half an hour before Daniel returned with an unconscious mortal, but when he saw Armand, he dropped the body on the floor and ran to his lover, turning him over carefully. "Oh, Armand..." he whispered as he saw the damage. He raced to the bathroom and grabbed a long roll of bandages, then returned and started to wrap Armand's wrists.

"Daniel?"

"I'm here, baby. I'm here."

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to bite you."

"I know. Let me just finish, then you can eat."

Armand sniffled. "Want to eat now."

Daniel taped off the last piece of gauze. "All right, now." He scooped up the body, then gathered Armand into his arms and held him to the mortal, watching him feed quickly. When he finished, he lay Armand back down and took the body back outside for disposal. Armand was fast asleep when he returned.

Daniel sighed explosively and sat back down in his chair. Everything had been so much better just a few hours ago. And now? He didn't want to think about it. He leaned back and went back to sleep.

"Danny? Daniel, are you awake?"

Daniel's eyes opened slowly, as if his lids were made of lead. He focused on Armand's face, then swept his stare over the rest of his body. Warning bells went off in his head. Armand was not tied down. He sat up straight without a word and took a piece of rope from under the bed, looping it around the bedframe, then around Armand's chest and back to the other side of the bed.

"I won't bite you again," Armand pleaded, weakly bringing his arms to the rope. "I promise. Untie me."

Daniel shook his head. "No. You're delirious. You can't control yourself."

"Please..." Armand tried to claw the rope apart, but his hands only fell back on the bed. "I'm so hungry...why can't I have your blood? You taste like sugar...under a fog."

Daniel shut his eyes. "You aren't making sense. You're still sick, just not so bad now. I'll let you up when you're better." He stood up and moved to the closet. "No human blood again, either. Not for awhile." He opened the cage and took out another rat, once again slitting its throat and filling the mug. Held up in his fledgling's arms, Armand sipped it all down, then closed his eyes and drowsed. Daniel lay him gently back on the bed and covered him up.

"Poor baby," he whispered, kissing his forehead. "I'm so sorry you have to go through this. But I'm gonna stay right with you, I promise. I won't leave you."

"I love you," Armand sighed. "Kangeroo on a rainbow...fourteen buttery cookies."

Daniel just smiled and nodded. "Just get some sleep. I'll keep you safe."

Armand didn't understand him, though. He kept muttering nonsense, sometimes in English and sometimes in Italian, and once in a rare while French, and twisting around, trying to get away from the rope. Only an hour later did he manage to work himself to sleep. Daniel yawned and stretched out next to his lover, falling back asleep.

Daniel's eyes shot open and he bolted up. "The dog ate my homework!" he yelled before he remembered where he was.

Relax, child, you're not back in school, Maharet chuckled. I can see why Armand likes you. You are so amusing.

Daniel smirked. "Thanks, I think."

"Yeah, how'd you know?"

"Very. It's hard to keep my eyes open."

"What! Is he gonna--?" Daniel almost burst into tears.

Daniel wiped away his sudden tears. "Sorry, I just get real nervous about him, that's all."

Daniel frowned in confusion, then smiled. "I get it. Thanks. For everything. We may not have made it through this if not for you two."

The contact severed at that point. Daniel's eyes widened as he realized he might have two extremely powerful vampiresses coming to visit sometime, with more than a social call on their minds.

Armand woke up the next night, his gaze sweeping over the dark room. He could hear someone breathing next to him, but he couldn't tell who it was. "Danny? Is that you?"

"Mmf--oh, hi boss," Daniel groaned as he woke up. "How y'feeling?"

"Restrained," Armand grumbled, tearing off his ropes. "Why the hell did you tie me down?"

"You kept trying to attack me," Daniel defended himself. "You were delirious--"

"And I suppose these are just scratches?" Armand mocked, holding up his bandaged wrists. "Stupid fledgling, I never should have made you when you were drunk. I won't make that mistake again."

Daniel backed away as if he'd been struck. Anger welled up in him, and he let it all go at once. "You self-righteous, arrogant bastard!" he yelled, ignoring Armand's stunned face. "I sit up with you, I take care of you, feed you, keep you safe, and all you can do insult me? I should have punched you when you bit me, maybe that would've kept you quiet! You cold blooded son of a bitch!" He turned his back on him and headed for the door. "Forget this shit. I don't have to stay and take this crap." He had his hand on the door and started to turn the knob.

"Danny, wait!"

Daniel flung the door open.

"Daniel...I--I'm...I mean, I'm..."

Daniel didn't turn, but he didn't leave either. "You're what?" he demanded.

"I'm..." Armand took a deep breath. "I'm sorry."

Daniel turned around and looked at his maker. Armand's face had lost its sneer and taken on its old blank look. Then the soft brown eyes started to fill with tears.

"I'm sorry," Armand whispered. "I don't like being weak, it makes me feel helpless."

Daniel's heart melted at the sight of those tears, but he didn't move. "You shouldn't have called me stupid," he said quietly.

The room was silent for a long time. They could both hear the clock tick off the time.

"I know...but...I'm scared...I'm scared of being weak...everytime I'm weak something bad happens..." Armand almost viciously wiped his tears away, unwilling to cry even now.

Daniel smiled and returned to sit by his lover. He pulled the smaller body into his arms, easily holding him when Armand instinctually resisted. His body was still weak from hunger.

"Daniel, let me go," Armand ordered half-heartedly, running on automatic.

"Oh no," Daniel kissed his slighterly warmer mouth. "I'm never letting you go. You're my lover."

"I'm also your maker," Armand mumbled. "Let me up."

Daniel stole another kiss from Armand. "You know, I really did take care of you. Mekare and Maharet were both worried about you."

"The Queen?" Armand gasped in wonder. "She contacted you?"

"Mm-hmm," Daniel grinned. "Maharet said she'd hate to see our Botticelli angel leave us."

"I had no idea..." Armand mused. "They were concerned about me?"

"You don't know how much the coven loves you, baby," Daniel sighed. "Everyone cares about you. I care about you."

"Danny, what would I do without you?"

"Miss me?" Daniel laughed. His right hand trailed down Armand's throat and chest to his stomach. "Actually Armand, I had to take care of you for almost a week. What do I get for all my hard work?"

"My gratitude?"

"I was thinking more along the lines of your body," Daniel giggled.

Daniel lay Armand down on the bed, ignoring his comments about how he was Daniel's maker and the fledgling should obey every word the maker says. Armand's soft hair framed his face beautifully, and his eyes glared weakly at Daniel.

"But Armand, I have you here, completely naked, at my mercy. Tonight may be the only night I get to use you without you fighting back. And I intend to use this chance!" Daniel bent over Armand and fiercely kissed him, licking every crevice in his mouth. To his delight, Armand reciprocated. The elder tried to bite Daniel's tongue again, but Daniel expected that and pulled away in time.

"Ooh, naughty vampire," the fledgling laughed. "You need to be punished."

Armand was abruptly pulled up and stretched over Daniel's lap. For a moment he had no idea what his fledgling intended. Then he felt the first hot slap on his rear. He yelped in surprise, then struggled to rise as another slap fell, and another, and another...

"Danny, stop that this instant!"

"Why? You do it to me all the time." Another slap. "I think I like spanking you. Your skin feels so smooth and warm."

"Daniel! I'll drink you dry after this!"

"Oh, then maybe I should get my licks in before that happens." Armand's eyes opened wide as he suddenly felt something not just odd, but peculiarly pleasurable. Something warm and wet and supple slipping in between his bottom, until it reached his--

"Aah!" Armand practically shrieked, never having felt that before. "Good grief, Danny, what are you doing to me?"

"Don't tell me you never had someone do this to you when you were in all those brothels?" Daniel cackled wildly. "Granted, it's a hell of a lot cleaner now--"

"Danny...let me up..."

"You don't sound so sure now."

"I--I mean it...I think."

"Right..." Daniel gathered his maker's arms together behind his back, then loosened one of the ropes from the bed and threw it around Armand's arms. He wrapped the rope around Armand's feminine wrists and knotted them snugly together, then looped the rope around his upper arms and tied them around his chest. When Daniel finished, Armand's upper body was completely strapped down. And Armand wasn't complaining.

"What...what are you going to do?" Armand gasped breathlessly.

"Well, as much as I love looking into those pretty eyes of yours," Daniel sighed wistfully, turning Armand on his back, "I think a blindfold would look great on you right now." He tore a strip of cloth from around his shirt, revealing his taut stomach, and Armand's pretty eyes grew as large as saucers.

"Please, Danny, let me watch at least," he pleaded. Daniel just smiled and shook his head.

"Mmm, I love hearing you beg, but now, sweetie, I don't want you to know what's coming up." He tied the strip around Armand's eyes and pushed him back down on the bed. He watched his lover for a few moments, relishing this brief time he would have him tied up beneath him, then put his lips on Armand's right nipple, gently sucking and licking the firm skin, circling it with his tongue. Armand writhed and bucked under him, trying to escape. Daniel just clamped his hand down on his lover's shoulder to keep him from getting away.

He moved to the other nipple then, kissing it and prodding it with his lips. Armand groaned in ecstasy, expecting only more of the same. Then Daniel's fangs grazed the sensitive skin, scratching at it and chewing tenderly on it. Armand's body stiffened, then went limp as he gave up resisting.

"No, you don't get to relax," Daniel smiled wickedly. "Be right back." Armand had no choice but to wait helplessly in the dark as he was left alone on the bed. His word shrank to the rope around his naked body, the silk sheets and the ticking of the clock.

Ice suddenly teased his lips.

He opened his mouth wider, accepting the cool drops that spilled over his face. Daniel liked taking the ice cube over his cheeks, drawing little designs with the melted water. Of course it made Armand squirm, but what else could he do? The ice was traced over his lips and chin, down his throat, slowly making its way to his already sensitive chest. It touched the first nipple, and then another cube joined it on the second. Armand couldn't stand it.

"Please, please, Danny, no, not there, too cold...too...oh, for the love of...Daniel, this is torture!"

"Yeah, it is." The ice was moved, then, not because Daniel had any pity for his lover, but because he wanted to see his reactions with the ice in different places. And he got them.

As the ice cubes coursed down Armand's stomach, making a little puddle in his navel, and drifted down between his legs, Armand whimpered and twisted, but the ropes held firm. Each cube trailed down its own thigh, and the cold made Armand spread his legs trying to escape the uncomfortable temperature. Then the ice was on his feet, and he almost screamed with the sensation.

"Ah, so that's where it counts, huh?"

"No, no, no--" Armand moaned as Daniel's fingers tickled him, pinching the joints beneath his toes and even flicking his tongue over the soft skin. "Ohhh...my Danny, my fledgling..."

"Are you ready?"

"For what?"

His only answer was a cruel little laugh. Still blind and immobile, he could only feel Daniel's weight creep over his much smaller body, the long arms enveloping his body. He was cradled in his fledgling's arms and turned on his side so that Daniel was behind him.

"I've never done it this way before," Daniel admitted, "but I'm gonna try it. Tell me if it starts to hurt."

Armand felt his fledgling enter him from behind, a bit shaky at first, and then stronger as he got the hang of it. Armand rocked rhythmically in his hold, at first only gently taken. The thrusts grew stronger and stronger though, until his own hips were pushed out with each plunge. He tried to pull away, but Daniel only held him tighter. His larger hands returned to his lover's chest, toying with him again. Armand moaned at the sensual torture, but he never complained.

Finally Daniel withdrew, leaving Armand feeling empty inside. Daniel turned his maker back over and took a long, lingering kiss that Armand eagerly returned. The blindfold came off at last, and Armand looked into his fledgling's amethyst eyes.

"Danny," he whispered.

"Yes, baby?"

"Tomorrow night..."

"Yes?"

"I'm taking you over my knee," Armand laughed.

"If you keep that up I might not untie you," Daniel warned him, drawing his fingertips along the line the ropes made on his skin.

"But then I can't tie you up."

Daniel considered. "Hmm, you may have a point. Still, it's nice having you on the bottom for a change."

Armand smiled. "It is nice, but not as fun as what I have in mind for you tomorrow night."

"Tomorrow? Does that mean you'll let me rule you tonight?"

Armand closed his eyes and lay his head back, exposing his throat. "I didn't say that. But I am helpless and naked and at your mercy tonight..."

Daniel grinned. "If this is the fun I get, maybe it wasn't so bad that you got sick after all."

"Oh, Danny...you're my fledgling in every way," Armand smiled.

"That reminds me," Daniel said, sitting up a bit. "What's a Botticelli?"

Armand looked up at him. "What?"

"A Botticelli. Maharet said you were a Botticelli angel. What's that?"

Armand stared in disbelief, then shook his head. "Tomorrow I'm taking you to the museum, child."

"And tonight?"

"Don't say anything, Daniel. You do your best work when you use your entire body."

Daniel smiled. "Whatever you say, boss." And nothing further was said for the rest of the night.