By: Emily Jorrey
All rights to the characters here are the property of Anne Rice, Knopf and anybody else who profits from what she does. Except for Astral of course. This is for the sole purpose of entertainment.
Spoilers up to TOBF
Astral (11/?)
"Hello. You look quite cold. What's your name?"
"Astral." He was laying in an alley, frightened an alone; it had been 3 weeks since he had run away.
"Well my carriage is right outside this alley."
Astral pulled back, "You've been following me."
The stranger nodded, "Yes, I have. But not to hurt you, not like the others. I see you go into taverns with different men and women."
Astral nodded, "It's the only way I can get money."
"Yes, but you're sick, please come with me Astral. I promise I won't hurt you." The stranger had a lovely face with even lovelier black eyes. Despite his better judgement, Astral took the stranger's hand.
"And what is your name sir?"
"Nathaniel Copper."
Astral's eyes opened, "Damn dreams," he whispered. Louis was still asleep beside him. The body seemed at perfect peace. The black hair, the cheekbones, the lips, everything had been molded perfectly. So unlike himself. Astral sighed. "I'm always so unworthy of my loves."
He thought back to last night. He didn't really hate Lestat; it just seemed to be the right thing to say at the time. Astral did not consider himself to be the kind of guy who slept around with anyone. He was with Louis and no amount of Lestat's flattery or forces could make him break that. But he had been telling the truth when he told Lestat about pain and love. Love could always over come the pain. When there wasn't any, the pain could become unbearable.
Louis eyes began to open, Astral practically fell off the bed with excitement, but he kept hold. Soon he was looking into those green eyes, unable to speak.
"Astral?" Louis murmured softly.
"Uh-huh?"
"Why are you looking at me like that?"
"Like what my lord?"
"Like I'm some kind of god."
"Because I know of no other gods to look upon."
Louis smiled softly shaking his head, "Astral?"
"Yes?"
"Kiss me."
Under a tree the ground started to move, the dirt gave way to a single hand and then a small woman pulled herself from the earth.
Lizbetha looked around; there was no one to be seen. Good. She checked behind the tree, her bag was there with its things still inside. This was also good. Lizbetha made her way to a pond to prepare herself. She couldn't show up looking all dirty and disgusting, just her presence would be terrifying enough.
Louis watched from the shadows, as Astral made his way to his victim. An old man, laying in an alley. Astral seemed to prefer the elderly. "The memories," he whispered to Louis, "tend to be so much fuller." The old man was stroking Astral's hair, whispering the memories of love and pain. Astral smiled and gently sank his teeth into the old man's neck. No pain, no pain.
Astral propped him up and covered the wounds. He kissed the dead cheek before walking away, a kiss of lipstick and blood. Louis embraced his lover who was still under the swoon of blood. "The way you do it almost seems . . ."
"Beautiful?" Astral whispered. "No. You're the one who kills beautifully."
Louis pulled away gently, "What we do isn't beautiful Astral."
"Probably not but it seems that way. I saw you take that woman tonight, she smiled as you drained her. My mistress . . ." Astral's voice trailed off.
"What? What did she do?"
Astral sighed, "She loved watching them fight. She would pick the ones whom as they say 'had so much to live for'. Those who truly didn't want to die."
"I have picked ones who didn't want . . ."
"But you pick randomly! She picked them solely for that. She would attack them, and then as they struggled she would tear them to shreds. Sometimes she would make me do it."
"Astral . . ." Louis reached out, but this time it was Astral who pulled away.
"Please my lord, don't make me discuss this any more." Rubies where streaming down Astral's face. "I don't want . . ."
"No. No you don't have to talk about it if you don't want to." Louis gently embraced the trembling form, "No. It's all right my love. Shhh . . ."
"I tell you Lestat. Something about him just isn't right." David said.
Lestat had not bother to meet David's gaze, David thankfully had not found out, and Lestat had hoped it would remain that way. "Why do you think so, love?
David shook his head "I don't know. It's just something. When I look into his eyes, I see a sort of imbalance."
"Madness?"
"I wouldn't call it madness. At least not a violent madness . . .Lestat? Is there something wrong?"
'What?"
"You've been awfully quiet this evening. It's not like you at all. Not only that but for the past few days the idea of going out hasn't interested you. What's wrong? What has happened?"
"David, love . . . I"
The door opened and Lestat froze. He saw David's eyes darken, "My god, Lestat what have you done?"
Louis entered with Astral hanging on to him, whispering things into his ear. Of course Lestat and David could hear them very easily, but that didn't seem to matter.
"You are so lovely my lord . . .you make me so happy . . ." Astral turned to look at Lestat and David, "Hello. How are you fine gentlemen faring?"
"Hello David," Louis said not bothering to look at Lestat, "It's a lovely evening . . ." Astral tugged at his arm.
The gravely voice shook Lestat to his soul. "Come on my lord . . .I'll read you a bedtime story."
David laughed, "I think he's a bit to old for that . . ."
"Not if it's by the Marquis de Sade."
Louis face was one of amused embarrassment "Astral! The Marquis . . ."
"Is trashy, vulgar and obscene. But I'll even read it to you in its original French text."
"Well David. I guess I'll see you tomorrow." Louis gave a polite nod before following Astral into the bedroom.
Lestat looked up, and he wasn't the least bit surprised to see David's eyes filled with rage.
"Lestat what did you do to him?"
"I didn't mean to . . .I was jealous! Please my love! I fear that I have already lost Louis! Don't make me lose you too!"
"What did you do?"
Lestat began to weep softly, "When both you and Louis where out. . .I tried, I attacked Astral, I tried . . ."
"You tried to rape him didn't you?"
Lestat nodded yes, then fell into sobs, "Oh David. Forgive me. Help me." Lestat's felt David's touch and it only made him cry more. "When I threw him on the bed. It was like he went into a trance."
"Trance?"
"Yes. He started talking about someone named Nathaniel. Then he talked about someone getting his head torn off. That's when I stopped, and that's when Louis came in. Oh David!"
"Easy Lestat. I don't hate you."
"You don't?"
"I'm furious with you, but I can't hate you. I love you too much." David sighed, "But now I fear it's that child in there we must worry about. We must find out where he came from. I fear that danger might follow him.
Lizbetha saw the clerk smile when she walked up to the counter; she was used to that. They always smiled; she seemed so small and so cute. They always smiled, until they met her eyes. That's exactly what happened to the clerk.
"Ma'am?"
"Hello, I'm looking for this man. He might have stopped by to pick some cargo up. Have you seen him?" She held up a picture of Astral. She used a little bit of mind games to draw the information.
"Huh . . .yeah! I remember him. It was a couple of months ago. But I remember him. He had a weird shipment of cargo. A big metal box and some other things."
"Do you remember where he was headed?"
"Ma'am I can't . . ." Lizbetha forced her way in to his weak mind, "yes he said something about New Orleans."
"Thank you." Lizbetha walked away, with an smirk on her face. "New Orleans. I should have known. Home of those terrible novels." She turned again to look at the clerk. He was getting off work soon. She would meet him, and then she would rip out his throat.
Astral (12/?)
Emily Jorrey
"No! Absolutely not!" Louis stomped his hand on the desk.
"Please Louis," David pleaded, "it's in our best interest to know where he came from. How he survived Akasha. Why he has such . . .visions."
"He only had such visions because of . . ." Louis fell silent, he still hadn't said a word to Lestat.
David put a comforting hand on Louis shoulder, "You know that's not the only times he's had them."
Louis nodded, "He talks about a cruel mistress on occasion."
"Yes and that's why I'm worried. For she may be looking for him."
Lestat finally spoke up "We don't want you . . .him . . .anyone hurt." David looked at his maker, Lestat looked tired, the eyes where colorless.
Louis sighed, "Yes, that may be the right thing to do. Astral! Astral! Can you come in here please?"
"Yes?" Astral walked in rather demurely, "what do you want?"
David smiled, "Sit down. We'd like to talk to you?"
"About what?"
Louis lowered himself gracefully on the couch, "About you. Come, sit with me."
Astral did snuggling close to Louis, "What about me?"
"About where in the hell you came from." Lestat growled.
"Lestat!" David admonished, "You are in no place to threaten him in that manner!"
Astral huddled closer to Louis "My lord," he whispered, "you really want me to . . ."
"Yes. We're worried, sometimes you talk about such terrible things and we have so many questions. The only thing you've told me about your past is when you where made and at what age. Your maker is still shrouded in darkness."
"That's where I would like her to remain . . ." Astral began to cry, "Please no. I don't want to talk about her . . ."
Lestat stood up in anger, "That's it! I think the little bastard is lying! You cheap whore!"
"You hold your tongue," Louis snapped, "you of all people shouldn't be talking!"
Astral sighed, "Stop fighting. Please. If you want me to tell I will tell."
Astral took a deep breath, "I have no idea where I originally came from. That's because she never told me. My mistress' name is Lizbetha. She was very small with long white hair that went almost to her ankles. She raised me since I could remember. She told me that nuns brought her to me a few days after I was born." Astral laughed sadly I remember those time being happy ones. I lived just like her. I slept during the day and rose at night. The only strange things where, was when I had nightmares, or maybe I should call them daymares, she never came to me. It was always the servants. And they never let me go to her. But other than that, everything was wonderful. She was so loving back then, she was always showering me with kisses and telling me how much she loved me."
"Where did you live?" asked David
"All around, she had many house in many different places. She was always moving, getting bored and moving again, which in those days was no small deal."
David nodded, "How did she afford the house and the travel?"
"She wrote hymns for the church, really beautiful ones. I found out later that she also ran a series of whorehouses in various places. My mistress was so wonderful. She taught me art, poetry, music, Latin, everything. But around the time I turned 11 strange things started to happen. She began to get cold, I saw her less and less. Then one day this strange man entered, he was yelling at her in French, calling her all sorts of hideous things. I remember he kept on saying 'you're breaking the code, you're breaking the code. She had him sent away of course but that still bothered me. When I asked her about it, she grew angry and told me to shut up and get back to my studies. Nothing much happened, then when I was thirteen, she . . ." Astral's voice trailed off "She . . ."
Louis touched his shoulder comfortingly, "What did she do my love?"
"She dragged me out of bed. She had the servants wash me and put me in the kind of clothes I typically wore to a play or an Opera. I thought that's what we where going to do. I asked her 'mother what are we going to see?' I still called her mother, she just looked at me and said, 'tonight, I am going to make you a man, have somebody else teach you what I can't."
"Good lord . . ." David whispered.
Astral nodded trying to hold back tears, "she took me to his bar where we met this couple, the owners, I guess. I remember them saying how pretty I was. She gave them some money and she said, 'you will get the rest of this when I return and I see that you have done a satisfactory job'. They took me back to a room and then they . . . they raped me. They cut me. And the whole time, they just laughed, like it was funny. When I cried they only beat me more . . ." Astral burst into tears, "I can't remember how long it lasted . . .hours. When my mistress returned, she paid them and took me home. That was the night I started referring to her as my mistress. She told me to start calling her that and I have ever since."
Louis hugged him, "I'm so sorry. I, I . . ." he fell silent. Even Lestat didn't know quite what to say.
Astral sniffed, then he giggled just a bit, "Hey don't get too upset right away, it gets much worse."
Astral (13/?)
By Emily Jorrey
It's the emptiness that follows you down
It's the ache inside when it all burns out
It's poisonous, it muscles it aches
It's everything you had when it breaks
- Hole "Use Once and Destroy
Louis head was in his hands, "How could it get any worse?"
Astral shook his head "The night after. She woke me up, I got so scared when I saw her, I tried to run away but she held me down, I fought back, but she was so strong, which was confusing, because at that age, I was already far taller than she was. She forced me into her bedroom. 'Your youth is over my precious Astral, now your training begins.' she hissed this at me. Then . . .then . . ." Astral swallowed hard, "I can't . . . oh Louis . . . I never even told . . ."
"Who? Who are you talking about?"
Astral shook his head viciously, "She took me down a secret compartment in her room, one I didn't even know was there. She forced me down there." Astral shuddered, "Everywhere there were people. Bloodied and beaten. And the smell! The smell of rotting corpses burnt flesh and blood. I, I, felt sick to my stomach, I tried to run away but she held me. She dragged me over to some stocks. She forced me into them. Right in front of me was a young woman. I cried I cried so hard. I begged my mistress to release me, to release the girl, but she wouldn't listen. She slapped me and told me to 'shut up' .She said that soon I would enjoy it. She grabbed a handful of the girl's hair and tore it out. The girl screamed, it was so terrifying.
"Why?" Asked Louis, "What had the girl done? Did you know?"
"The girl's only crime was the fact that she existed. My lord her only crime was that her family was poor and they couldn't resist my mistress' offer of money."
"Go on," whispered Lestat, "what did she do then?"
"She then picked up a whip and began to hit the girl. I knew. I knew that there was no way that my mistress should have been able to handle that whip. I was a big bullwhip. Yet she handled it like a man three times her size. Blood splattered everywhere . . .and . . . and . . ."
Louis touched Astral's face "And what, and what love? She's not here, she can't hurt you anymore."
Astral's breath began to come out in short gasps as he tried to talk, "My mistress . . .she made . . .girl . . .she made the girl . . .recite the Hail Mary while she was whipping her."
Lestat's eyes narrowed, "Made her?"
Astral nodded, "She yelled at the girl she said, 'I'm going to stick a red hot poker up your cunt, if you don't say it!' So the girl said it . . .she was coated in blood, my mistress hit so hard, I could see the bone . . .Then she put the whip down and tore into the girl's neck, while tearing her flesh with her nails . . . I knew then that she wasn't human. She wasn't my mother anymore she was a hideous monster. She came over and kissed me, like she never had before. She put her tongue deep into my mouth, I cried, and she just laughed. She told me that someday, I would be like her, that I would feed on blood like her."
"How long did this continue?" Asked David.
"Almost every night she would take me down there. She would take me down there and she would make me watch. Sometimes she would take me out and force me to service hideous men and women. She said it was all a way of making me tough, making me feel hate like she did. It didn't work I guess. But, some nights she was kind and sweet, some nights she would get down on her knees and beg for forgiveness. And then . . ."
"Then what?" David's heart was aching for this poor creature; he was surprised that Astral hadn't gone completely mad.
"Once in a while, she would wander the house, like she was in a trance. She would sing old hymns. She'd have conversations with people that weren't there. I remember there was some one named Agatha. Sister Agatha."
Lestat shook his head, "A nun. Don't tell me this woman was a nun."
"I don't know. Maybe she was. Well after about six years of this, I couldn't stand it anymore, so when we where in Greece, I escaped. During the day, when she was asleep, I bribed a guard to help sneak me out. It was so strange, seeing the sun. I had to cover myself up to keep it from burning my weak skin, I had rarely been out in the sun. But it was beautiful. You all know that though. Maybe I over glamorize the moment in my mind. But I just remember being in awe." Astral ran a hand through his hair and sighed. "I don't know how I managed to get to England, but I did . . ."
Astral (14/?)
By Emily Jorrey
Astral broke in to more sobbing. Louis kissed his forehead, "You don't have to continue." It was strange, this creature that had seemed so mystical to him, now seemed fragile and broken.
"No," Astral shook his head, "I want to continue. Once I arrived in England, I had no where to go. I had spent all the money I had getting there. For a while I slept on the streets, sometimes I managed to find a room in the poor houses. Most of the time I was cold and hungry. Then one night, this strange man rode by in his carriage. He stopped and invited me to his house, he promised I could get some food and some new clothes if I did the things he asked. I did and he kept his word . . .I figured that was the best was to make money, to prostitute myself. It worked, I got enough money to by a room at an inn once and a while and I was fed most of the time. But it drained my soul. There was so much pain and my body was always covered with aches and bruises. Sometimes, I wouldn't get my money either, they'd beat me up rape me and dump me in an alley. I got used to it after a while, the pain. I became numb.
"Then one night I saw a man staring at me. He was quite handsome, he had black hair and black eyes. He had gorgeous lips that where surrounded by a goatee. But those eyes, they sparkled with a light I have never seen. But despite this I was afraid. He didn't approach me, he just stared, the expression on his face was so sad. I had to run away, so I did.
"I kept on seeing him, night after night. He'd watch me, as I entered carriages and taverns. Nothing much changed until about a month after I had first laid eyes upon him. I had been beaten particularly bad by an old English lord, that, and I was probably suffering from pneumonia. I was lucky, it could have been syphilis. Anyway, I stumbled from an broken down old tavern and into an alley. I was laying there, waiting for death, when he came upon me. My master." Astral closed his eyes savoring the memory, "He said his name was Nathaniel Copper. He invited me to come to his house. He was so gentle, so sweet, yet I didn't trust him. I didn't trust him but I went anyway."
"What did he do?" David asked.
"He took care of me. He cleaned my wounds and nursed me while I was sick. He would ask me questions about where I came from, but I told him very little. I was still scared of my mistress. But after a while, my fear of her faded. The only fear that remained, was that he would someday toss me back out on the streets, but he never did.
"Where you lovers?" Louis felt a flush of jealousy.
Astral nodded, "Yes my lord, we where. He was my first true master. He was kind enough to wait until I was 21 before taking me. As to what happened, I can't revel. Some things are too sacred. But we where lovers. He called me his pet and I called him master. I loved him with all of my heart. He destroyed the numbness, the shame and the pain. I rarely thought of her. I thought of my childhood, when she was my mother, but not of the days that came after my 13th birthday.
"It was majestic we'd go out into the streets and cause quite a commotion. We'd come out dressed in the most vulgar colors. We'd ride his stallion through the streets. Sometimes I'd ever go out dressed as a woman." Astral laughed out loud, "I fooled them too."
"Nathaniel was the son of a wealthy merchant, and know to be quite the rebel. The upper-class hissed about the relationship, but they really couldn't do anything about it. He didn't try to hide me away like some secret concubine. We went to Paris and Rome, which in hindsight was probably foolish . . .because Rome was where, was where . . ." Astral fell silent. He head dropped and he began to whimper softly, "Nathaniel . . .I'm sorry, I tried . . . I begged her, I should have . . . master forgive me . . ."
Louis patted Astral's hand, "It's alright. Listen . . ." He was cut off by a scream, a scream that shook him to his very core. Astral collapsed on the floor.
"No . . . No . . . please mistress! Leave him alone! Master! You don't know what she's like . . ." Another scream. Astral shook violently, muttering to himself softly.
"He's mad." Lestat hissed, "I knew there was something wrong with him."
Louis knelt beside his lover and whispered into his ear, "Astral, I'm here. I won't let her hurt you. Please tell me what happened."
"His heart." Astral voice was ragged.
"Heart?"
"We . . . we where in his villa. We where laying together in his bed. Everything was so perfect. It was a villa in the country. Nobody was around . . ." Astral took a deep breath, "Then she came."
"She."
"My mistress. She broke open the windows. Glass flew everywhere. She was covered from head to toe in blood. She screamed at Nathaniel. She told him she was going to kill him. He just laughed, she was so small he didn't think that she was much of a threat. He walked up to her, she lashed out at him and knocked him back on the bed. That's when I saw her fangs, she barred them like a wild animal. I tried to protect Nathaniel. I told her I would go with her, if she only left him alone. She shoved me aside and then she jumped upon him, I ran at her scratching and hitting, she threw me into a wall. Then right before my eyes . . . she . . . oh god, Louis . . . she tore out his heart. I heard him scream, he screamed out my name."
"She wasn't done, she hauled me to the bed forced me down. She made me look into his eyes, his cold dead eyes. Then she made me into a vampire, all the while I had to look at him, my master my lover . . .it's seems she's stolen everything I have ever loved. I can't go on. I don't want . . ."
David smiled gently, "Of course you don't. Louis, take your lover to his room I think he needs you."
Lestat said nothing. He felt sorry for the poor bastard, but Louis was his, and there was nothing that was going to change that. So wrapped up was Lestat in his own jealousy, that he didn't feel the presence of another vampire. A vampire lurking somewhere in the shadows of the night.
Lizbetha watched the glimmering window from afar. Just like in the book. Nice and fixed up. Could Astral had run into Lestat? No. Lestat just wasn't Astral's type. She knew her pet had a certain affinity for black hair. She smiled, "Louis? That one? That weakling? But then again my Astral. You can bring out the beast in anyone." She looked up at the sky. It would be morning in a couple of hours." Tomorrow night she would attack and tomorrow she would have her revenge.
Astral smiled in his death sleep, for a sweet memory had filled his head. He was up in Nathaniel's study reading a book, when his lover had entered.
"Astral?" Nathaniel smiled at him, his eyes glowing.
"Yes?"
"Tonight you're 21."
"Yes? And?"
"Come with me. To my room." Astral followed happily. His life had been so wonderful since he came to live with Nathaniel.
"Nathaniel sat down on his bed and patted the spot next to him. "Sit down."
"What do you want? You said something about me being 21."
"Yes. You're 21 and I think that means you're ready."
"Ready? For what?" Astral realized that Nathaniel was stroking his hair gently. "What is it you want?"
The onyx eyes looked right into his, "I want you Astral. I've wanted you ever since I laid eyes on you. But I've been waiting for just the right time." He kissed Astral's lips, producing a moan.
"Why. I'm ugly."
"No. You're the most beautiful thing I've ever laid eyes on. You're beautiful and don't you forget it." Nathaniel gently pulled Astral's shirt off. "I want you as my lover and my slave."
"Yes." Astral let Nathaniel gently push him back on the bed.
"Call me master."
"Yes master." At that moment, Astral sank into sweet oblivion.
Astral (15/?)
Emily Jorrey
"Mon seigneur. R�veillez-vous." A voice came out of the darkness. Louis heard a laugh, his eyes fluttered opened, to find Astral hovering over him.
"Vous parlez fran�ais?"
"Yes my lord."
"Brillant."
"My lord." Astral whispered, "Can we go out to night? I mean not just to feed, but really go out?" Astral seemed to have forgotten all about last night, it was like the memories where nothing but pages in a book, remembered but not thought about that often.
Louis nodded, "Sure my love."
"Thank you. We'll get dressed up and go out."
Louis smiled gently and sighed, "Forgive me my dear, I'm not as stylish as you are.
"Wear some of my things. I'm sure you can find something to your liking."
Lestat stomped in with David following close behind. He had insisted they both feed early. "How strange," he thought, "I've seemed to have switched places with my darling fledgling." Astral was sitting on a couch downstairs. Lestat glared at him. "Waiting for something?"
"Why yes." Astral stood up.
"God . . ." Lestat hissed. Tight red vinyl pants and a black turtleneck with the shoulders cut out. Astral eyes where a mess of blue eye shadow and black eyeliner, his lips where silver. The memory of the sliver lipstick on Louis cheek came back to Lestat. "Vous ressemblez un whore."
"Lestat . . ." David began but Astral cut him off.
"Don't worry David. French must be the language of the night!" He nodded to a surprised Lestat, "Yes I know, you said I looked like a whore. I consider that a complement, for just I few nights ago, you where telling me that I was one." The sound of footsteps echoed from upstairs. "My lord are you ready?"
"Yes my pet. A bit nervous though."
Lestat saw the look of shock on David's face and he turned. Louis stood before him dressed completely in sliver. The button up shirt was loose and wild and the pants where impossibly tight. There was a little bit of sliver eyeliner, the green eyes sparkled enhanced by the color. Louis was an angel. And Astral was the demon who stole him. Once again Lestat was in awe.
"Please Beautiful One don't go . . ." He begged. "I don't want you to leave."
Louis sighed, "Lestat it's over, you have David now. So this shouldn't worry you." Astral walked up and put his hand on Louis shoulder, Louis kissed it gently, "Astral don't tease him."
"Why not?" Astral kissed Louis check and began to toy with his hair. Lestat heart was thumping in his chest like a mad drum.
Louis sighed, and kissed Astral's cheek. "Let's go."
"Do you have to mock him like that?" Louis asked angrily as they walked down the street.
"I don't have to but I want to." Astral stood in front of Louis. "Kiss me."
"No."
"Please?" The brown eyes glittered from under the blue and black. Louis once again felt that wave of lust come over him, he grabbed Astral by the shoulder and kissed him hard on the lips. He could taste Astral's blood in his mouth. He grabbed the mass of brown hair and pulled Astral away. Then he smiled.
"Are you happy my pet?"
"Yes my lord very happy."
Lestat flipped angrily through one of Louis'books, while David read beside him. "Astral," he thought to himself, "you calculating bastard. If I can't soil you in the eyes of my Louis, I'll find some other way to separate you two."
Just then the window's flew open. Lestat jumped back, how could he have not heard that coming? He leapt up to close them, but he saw a small woman standing in a balcony. She was a mess of blood and dirt, he clothes where ripped and shredded. She had long white blond hair that fell to her ankles.
"Where is he?" She hissed
Lestat smiled, "Why you must be Lizbetha."
"So . . ." Newly cleaned and clothed Lizbetha sat in a chair with a look of suspicion. "I can have him back if I don't hurt Louis?"
"Yes my dear, because if I wanted to, I could protect them. Despite are age differences . . ."
"Shut up." Lizbetha snapped, "despite our age difference, you're much stronger."
Lestat smiled, a bit rude, but in no way was she like the woman of Astral's stories. The little whore had to be lying. She was quite lovely, her small size gave her a child-like quality. No, Lizbetha wasn't a monster. Lestat truly wanted to believe this, and he was going to believe it. He had to get Louis back no matter what the cost.
"I can't believe you're doing this." David hissed. But Lestat waved him away.
"Don't mind him." Lestat said.
"I won't," Lizbetha was warming up, "I sorry about Louis. Astral has a habit of seducing quite a few people. He's had many other lovers . . ."
"Like Nathaniel." David seethed.
Lizbetha smiled gently, "Nathaniel. Astral will go on and on about his precious Nathaniel. Nathaniel was a drunk and a deviant. He was also quite mad. Whatever Astral has told you, it isn't true."
"If it isn't true," asked David accusingly, "Why are you hiding your thoughts?"
She was indeed hiding her thoughts, and doing a very good job at it too. But then again why should she revel her thoughts? She had every right to hide them especially when David was looming over her.
She gracefully arose from her chair. "I'll wait for them in Louis bedroom. It might be a bit noisy, just ignore it. Thank you Lestat."
Lestat smiled, "See David, Astral was lying after all."
"You know that's not true. You know the truth Lestat, but you just don't want to admit it.
Lizbetha closed the door behind her and let out a little giggle, "So the great Lestat does have a weakness after all. Jealousy, pure jealousy. I can't believe I fooled you Lestat. Well, you'll find out the truth soon enough, when you find your precious paramour ripped to pieces."
Louis and Astral stumbled into the room. They had wanted to stay out longer. But the lure was just too much. Astral was giggling profusely he pulled at the buttons on Louis shirt, but Louis grabbed his wrists.
"Be careful Astral. This belongs to you."
"So?" He kissed Louis' chin, "I don't care."
"I looked so ridiculous in this thing."
"Well Lestat was sure eating you up."
"You remember what I said about Lestat."
"No."
"You where rude to him again."
Astral pulled the turtleneck over his head, "I know my lord. I don't care."
Louis ran his hands down Astral' chest, "Your pushing it again." He pushed Astral back on the bed gently. "I'm starting to enjoy that.
Astral unlaced his boots, "I know."
Louis sat down beside him, and kissed his cheek, "I always thought Lestat would be the one to drive me mad. But it's you. You've changed me. You've given me strength." Louis laughed softy "I never thought I would enjoy dominating another so much.
"But you do."
Louis grabbed Astral's hair and kissed him on the neck, "Yes." He ran his nails down Astral's chest. "My lovely . . ." Louis stopped and lookes around.
"What? What is it? My lord?"
"It feels like someone is watching us . . ."
A cold voice spoke, "It doesn't just feel that way, something is watching you." A figure stepped out of the shadows, a small woman with dark eyes and white blond hair. "My name is Lizbetha."
Astral screamed. "Mistress! Please! Don't hurt him!"
She laughed, "Astral do I ever obey your requests?" She turned to Louis. "I fear you've been dealing in a dangerous game, one where I always win."
"Le . . ."
She cut him off, "Lestat won't help you. I've, made a deal with him, I deal that I intend to break. I told him that I would just take Astral and leave. But you see, I don't let others 'fuck' my Astral and get away with it."
Astral ran at her "Mistress . . ."
"Shut up you harlot!" She slapped Astral hard across the face, sending him back into the wall. "You've escaped me for the last time!" Louis tried to run to Astral, but Lizbetha flew at him, jerking his hair back. "You're not getting away from me!" She tossed him down on the floor.
Louis closed his eyes, waiting for the pain, but it didn't come. When he opened his eyes, he found Lizbetha still hovering over him, with an astonished look on her face. Finally she spoke, "god, you are beautiful," then she smiled coldly, "you might just be the one. I'm glad I brought more than one pair of chains."
"Louis?" Lestat opened the door, it had been quiet for a while too quiet. He flipped on the lights, nothing, no Astral no Louis, nothing except . . . Lestat ran up the markings on the floor, when he saw what was there he screamed in horror and in rage. It bright red blood. She had written:
Lestat.
I said I wouldn't hurt him.
I didn't say I wouldn't take him
Lizbetha
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