Page 21
"In the beginning, during those first years. Were you happy?"
"Yes," she said. "And, I know that I will be happy again. Life is a gift. Immortality is a precious gift. It shouldn't be called the Dark Gift. That's not fair."
"I want to see Maharet in person," said David. "I want to go with you home."
Jesse shook her head. "She won't allow it, David. She knew what I meant to say when I found you. She allowed this. But she will not receive anyone now at home."
"Do you still trust in her?" asked David.
"In Maharet?" Jesse asked. "Always. Yes, in Maharet."
That was significant. She didn't trust the other two.
She was backing away from us towards the double doors to the hallway.
"I've given you what I have to give for now," she said.
"And what if I want to find that vampire in Geneva?" I asked.
"That would be your decision. He's in love with you. I can't imagine him hurting you. Does anyone ever try to hurt you?"
"Are you joking?" I asked bitterly. Then I shrugged again. "No, I don't guess anyone ever does anymore."
"You're the one they look to ...," she said.
"So Benji says!" I muttered under my breath. "Well, there's no reason for them to look to me. I may have started it but I sure as Hell can't finish it."
She didn't answer.
David sprang up suddenly and went to her and took her in his arms. They held each other silently for a moment and then he went with her to the doors.
I knew she was as good at the Cloud Gift as I was, what with all that ancient blood. She'd leave the hotel by the roof so fast she might as well have been invisible.
David closed the doors behind her.
"I want to go walking," I said. My voice was thick, and suddenly I realized I was weeping. "I want to see that old district where the markets used to be, and the old church. Haven't been there since ... Will you come with me?" I had half a mind to flee now, just go. But I didn't.
He nodded. He knew what I wanted. I wanted to see the area of Paris where once les Innocents, the ancient cemetery, had existed--beneath which, in torch-lit catacombs, Armand and his Children of Satan coven had held court. It was there that, orphaned by my maker, I'd discovered with shock the others of our kind.
He embraced me and kissed me. This was David whom I knew intimately in this body. This was David's powerful heart against me. His skin was silken and fragrant with some subtle male perfume, and his fingers were thrilling me vaguely as he took my hand. Blood of my Blood.
"Why do people want me to do something about all this?" I asked. "I don't know what to do?"
"You're a star in our world," he said. "You made yourself that. And before you say anything rash or angry, remember. That's what you wanted to be."
We spent hours together.
We moved over the rooftops far too fast for the fledglings below to track us.
We drifted through the streets of les Halles, and through the darkened interior of the great old church of Saint-Eustache with its paintings by Rubens. We sought out the little Fontaine des Innocents in the Rue Saint-Denis--a tiny relic of the olden times--which had once stood beside the wall of the vanished cemetery.
This made my heart both glad and anguished. And I let the memories come back to me of my battles with Armand and his followers who believed so fervently we were anointed servants of the Devil. Such superstition. Such rot.
Eventually some of the paparazzi vampires found us. They were persistent. But they kept their distance. We didn't have much time.
Pain, pain, and more pain.
No trace remained of the old Theatre des Vampires or where it had once stood. Of course I'd known that but had to visit the old geography anyway, confirm that the old filthy world of my time had been paved over.
Table of Contents
- Page 1
- Page 2
- Page 3
- Page 4
- Page 5
- Page 6
- Page 7
- Page 8
- Page 9
- Page 10
- Page 11
- Page 12
- Page 13
- Page 14
- Page 15
- Page 16
- Page 17
- Page 18
- Page 19
- Page 20
- Page 21 (Reading here)
- Page 22
- Page 23
- Page 24
- Page 25
- Page 26
- Page 27
- Page 28
- Page 29
- Page 30
- Page 31
- Page 32
- Page 33
- Page 34
- Page 35
- Page 36
- Page 37
- Page 38
- Page 39
- Page 40
- Page 41
- Page 42
- Page 43
- Page 44
- Page 45
- Page 46
- Page 47
- Page 48
- Page 49
- Page 50
- Page 51
- Page 52
- Page 53
- Page 54
- Page 55
- Page 56
- Page 57
- Page 58
- Page 59
- Page 60
- Page 61
- Page 62
- Page 63
- Page 64
- Page 65
- Page 66
- Page 67
- Page 68
- Page 69
- Page 70
- Page 71
- Page 72
- Page 73
- Page 74
- Page 75
- Page 76
- Page 77
- Page 78
- Page 79
- Page 80
- Page 81
- Page 82
- Page 83
- Page 84
- Page 85
- Page 86
- Page 87
- Page 88
- Page 89
- Page 90
- Page 91
- Page 92
- Page 93
- Page 94
- Page 95
- Page 96
- Page 97
- Page 98
- Page 99
- Page 100
- Page 101
- Page 102
- Page 103
- Page 104
- Page 105
- Page 106
- Page 107
- Page 108
- Page 109
- Page 110
- Page 111
- Page 112
- Page 113
- Page 114
- Page 115
- Page 116
- Page 117
- Page 118
- Page 119
- Page 120
- Page 121
- Page 122
- Page 123
- Page 124
- Page 125
- Page 126
- Page 127
- Page 128
- Page 129
- Page 130
- Page 131
- Page 132
- Page 133
- Page 134
- Page 135
- Page 136
- Page 137
- Page 138
- Page 139
- Page 140
- Page 141
- Page 142
- Page 143
- Page 144
- Page 145
- Page 146
- Page 147
- Page 148
- Page 149
- Page 150
- Page 151
- Page 152
- Page 153
- Page 154
- Page 155
- Page 156