My true acceptance?
“I am still your friend. I want to be, Quinn.”
“Oh Krystal. Thank you.” He wiped his eyes with his handkerchief. Smile tugged at the corner of his mouth, though it was a weak attempt.
“I never wanted the girl to perish, truly. It was purely an accident. I was clumsy.”
When I finished my meal, with Quinn drinking the rest of his blood-wine (it’s a special that they have at restaurants nowadays), he joked, “I’m tall but a klutz.”
I smiled back. “Now we’re on the same ground here. A toast!” I touched my glass of heaven and earth jasmine tea with his.
The other humans didn’t look at us. His crying and admission of his darkness was all below their frequency. Even I had some problem listening to his whispering. People don’t and wouldn’t believe such a handsome guy can murder anyway! Roguish. Yes. Delicately built? Nah.
At the park, a more secluded area, couples dating, dogs and owners walking or running, bushes. Dimly lit street lamps flickered on around. The moon had risen. Quinn had his arm around me, walking to match my pace. I was about to say something else when his phone vibrated.
“Hello? Oh Louis! I’m fine. We’re in Siena Park outside the Bourbon. Oh ok. Let’s see. How about near the fountain? Do you know where that is? Yeah. See you. Bye.”
“Louis is coming?”
“With Lestat. In a few minutes.” Quinn’s euphoria rose, a velvet at the thought of meeting his fellow kin.
“Great!” It was to my benefit, Louis had received my telepathic message about the incident, how I almost blew the perfect reunion dinner here. I had been so worried and at odds with myself. Quinn’s speech was magnificent.
“I want you to know something. It's very difficult for me, to trust people totally. But you’ve shown me mercy and kindness. Haven’t seen that yet in any mortal outside my family. And, I’m not as respectable and perfect as I showed myself to you. I’m sorry to deceive.”
I shook my head, trying not to be dazzled by the shimmery material on his shirt. The buttons! Since he is so tall, I don't look up or I will suffer a crick in my neck. Only at certain points do I look at him, maybe his throat.
“Don’t be. It was my fault for bringing it up. I should be sorry.” I brushed on his sleeve, uncovering a silver bracelet. “Hey so nice!” I examined it further, it caught the light fully, a plain one but it reminded me of a pure heart.
"Thank you. Jasmine bought it."
When a heart is pure, pain and suffering help to strengthen you.
Lestat interrupted--- Bianca did you hurt him? Why did you remind him of that time?
I said I was sorry. Really. Um, where’re you?
I felt him coming closer. Louis said- hey she didn’t mean to. She just wanted to be candid. You know her character.
But still! --- Lestat cried out. I could hear them using telepathy to converse. Because Louis feels uncomfortable doing that up close. They just realized that the process of the Veiling coming between them is actually reversible. Since there'd been no exchange of blood for such a long while, Lestat was delighted that he could once again hear his favorite fledgling's mental telepathy without any mediator's help.
Now the pair of them- blond young 18th C man and his graceful pupil in lace stepped out in sync beside the fountain. Lestat sported a midnight double-breasted suit, flashed sunglasses. His fledgling was in green, his favorite color, and matched his eyes. The lace ruffs were beautiful against his fair hands. There was no need to glove themselves here.
The latter said, “It’s better to let me handle this ok? Don’t talk back to him.”
I agreed.
Bratp was mad, he brushed past me. He greeted Quinn and hugged him. “Sorry. I did remind them not to discuss the touchy past. Under any conditions.”
“No Boss. It’s better to have come clean. We’re all right now. Krystal is very merciful.”
I blushed at the compliment. They walked ahead of Louis and I , chattering amiably. Quinn laughed.
They still talked about his health though. “So you’re all better?”
“Yep. In the pink and purple.”
Louis said, “He blew up. I had to ask him to calm down.”
“I am at fault.”
“But you’re a kid. It’s worked out, so that’s good. Do you want to go home?”
Midnight.
“His mother didn’t get mentioned during our first conversation. I was curious as to who this historically rich man could be. Stat showers him with attention and is equal to us, all of us children. Quinn invited me to his apartment in Miami. He studies there… and Rowan saw me, roaming about New Orleans.”
Louis’ story with Q:
‘ I really respected you. You are the first vampire I know connected with Lestat.’ Quinn said extended his slender hand.
Grasping mine, his was soft. The young ones have soft skin. Lestat is friendly to lots of people, but I hadn’t met him. ‘Wow you’ve many of those I lik Lord of the rings, Sherlock Holmes, Jrr Tolkien. Shakespeare.’ On the desk were stationery, paper, cameos in their case and a worn copy of maths.
Quinn’s eyes regarded me cautiously. I gently told him I was okay with this distance, casual before intimacy. I thought he was more reserved than I was. Quinn understood, he is quintessentially the contemporary person like me. He loves classics and romances. Then we discussed about family. How he changed when he mentioned his son and uncle who is so little! Photos of them at proudly on the mantelpiece, the computers.Quinn was not in one, ‘After what happened I can’t allow myself near a camera. I’m afraid they will find out about me if I stand too stiffly or smile too widely. I do forget myself. ‘
‘Yes I see.’
‘Your family? I know of Claudia.’
He emanated sympathy. A claw gripped my heart and twisted but I won out. Quinn sat down, inviting me to do the same. ‘My aunt Queen was also dear to me.Louis, do you like your new family?’
I smiled. at the time, he hadn’t met Lestat for many years. They’d lost touch. And he also hadn’t met you. Quinn was thrilled at this possibility. So he asked me about you guys. Your warmth and acceptance.’
‘We’ve got cozy memories. Sometimes I feel stressed, but I like everyone together. Lestat’s the clown as usual, and my papa. My lover.’
Before I left he hugged me . I saw why Lestat loved this little boy, and he was innocent. I a 250 year old gap between us.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
The two of them had come back, arm in arm. Lestat gestured for us to talk.”What were you discussing? I heard my name…”
“About the time you invited me. Nothing bad,”Louis replied softly.
Bratp didn’t talk to us the whole time. when we reached home, he turned on violin music.
Did you deliberately ask him? About the murders?
It was accidental….
Please do not repeat this again.
All right.golden color of peace.
Revolution in english
Heels I’m in are so fragile
I can’t take it, all my dreams gne
His eyes bore into mine mercilessly
Too much love and passion
Oh, I’ve fallen for him!
I can’t breathe (what’s the situation?)
So whose the one? whose fault is it now?
Can’t resist this terror inside
Next minute I’m confused and spinning into despair
Wanna run away, Devil’s control
Dreams come true.
I want my fiercest freedom!
Abandon all to revolution, see me at my victory
Coz the air’s too tight when I’m tense
Can’t breathe!
I’ll see through you before I crash and burn. Take off your mask.
He said patsy abused him everyday. “When my brother died, she blamed it all on me. she cursed at my life that I should’ve died too. What did I do, to deserve that?”
Quinn faltered at the word son. The serval of our house ignored him sitting the furthest away. Whipped his tail. “What’s wrong? He seems hostile to me.”
I thought at my bro to cool it and he was a guest. Be polite. He simply rubbed his head on the chair.
Lestat stopped the music downstairs. He came up quickly. “Settled in?”
Quinn asked what was wrong with our serval?
“Oi, don’t be rude. You can throw tantrums but don’t make me lose face k?” Lestat said. Gestured for him to sit still. Ivan snarled, hackles risen.
“Is he mad at me? I’ll go out.”
Lestat lifted his lips showing his fangs and stared him down. Went on for a full long twenty minutes. Then as if something had been settled between them, the vampire rose to his full height again. Good boy. Want to play kitty catch?
Lestat took out a rubber ball and bounced it. Ivan pawed it, ears twitching. He chased it.
“Sorry.” He left us.
Later I explained that it was his turn to evolve so he wasn’t so friendly. These days Ivan stayed as his beast shape, scent marking, catching rodents and growling at any one who came near. He didn’t attack yet, which was the good news.
Louis and I got cameos which Quinn made sincerely. Mine is Artemis, with her beloved unicorn and fierce huntress expression. I was too shy to accept it after kind of insulting him. “I love Greek myths. You’re well acquainted with them?”
“Yea. Some, like moon goddess Serena and Endymion, Theseus, the gorgons. I like Artemis the most!”
“Thank you. I haven’t got one yet,” Louis added. He scrutinized it. a pattern which I couldn’t make out. He loved it. “You carve them? How long?”
“During freetime. Used to make a lot for my family. Runs in the genes.”
“Great you should teach your kid how to make this.”
“Nah he ain’t interested,” he drawled. “He’s into law and practical things. Loves country western though. We grew up on them.”
Tonight the Bratprince’d wanted to stay out for gatherings. Picking among the riffraff. “Stat’s so moody these days.”
“He adores Rowan doesn’t he?”
Louis sighed.
Quinn said, “I tried to tell him. I know he wants to hear from her, they promised to keep in touch and he feels sad. She didn’t call him again. Rowan’s so buried in work.”
I wanted them to be together. “It’ll be our secret plan. Can’t we? Then they will find true happiness.”
“I don’t mind. Though I am jealous.” Louis murmured.
“Mona has told him before, the Mayfair Medical is her fortress. She won’t leave it. But it’s not acceptable to Boss. He hasn’t stopped pining.”
One time recently, thinking of her, I’d asked what about her?
Who?
Rowan. Why don’t you call her? Maybe she forgot.
No. I don’t wish to talk about it. it’s pointless. I’m okay. ------ he said denying how lonely he was. A melancholic tune on the violin.
Then he smiled. Really nothing’s wrong. I’m healthy and of sound mind. I’m not lovelorn
“You left him suddenly. In his last chronicle he came home and didn’t see you.”
“We saw Khayman. Totally forgot and thought he wanted to be solo.” Quinn continued. He frowned. “We must’ve been so ill mannered.”
Even though it was so late, had been 10 years since it happened, we decided to write a letter to leave on his desk.
Sorry to have left without a warning, Boss. We thought that you needed to be alone in my house. Please don’t feel that you’re a failure. You’re an awesome guy!
Do you feel so lonely? You are pretending but I truly know. Cheer up.
Q and I signed it.
*****
Next dusk, the master arose. I greeted him with a rainbow. He beckond to me.
“So happy. All good?”
“Yea! Did you see our letter?” I wanted to know. I touched my hair at the mirror. Stat stretched and folded his blanket.
“Where? I came straight here last night.”
“In the study.”
“K, I’ll go read it now.” He walked out.
I read some of his books of mystery and detectives. As a typical Scorpio he is intrigued by such genre more than others. Moments had passed but there had been no response from the sensei. Was he crying or in shock? I went to the study.
Lestat had changed to a beige pullover and jeans. It diminished his age so he appeared as if he were a teenager. If only he wore this more often! Now he does, all the modern styles, loafers, slacks. I wondered why. " Hi. What is it?" Lestat came out from behind the shelf containing thick volumes.
I started. I had been silent. " Hi. Um what did you think?"
Silence. He held up the paper. His words were soft and deliberate. "Why did Quinn suddenly decide to write this? I was lonely, at that time. You said cheer up?" He rose and came beside me.
" Sit. Do you know why? It has been so long. I almost forgot about that."
I took the chair opposite, fiddled with my hair ends. " He felt that he had disappointed you. Quinn said we three would stick together, I remember that. Recently you've been... sad. We're , concerned, for you."
Lestat brushed his hair back from his face as he leaned back. " I'm not pretending. I can't do that." He laughed.
I smiled. " Yea, but we just thought... it should come now. Better late than never."
The young marquis drew up his legs indian style. " Ok. Thank you."
He added, " Tell Quinn I have forgiven them both. The boy's still thinking about that, gosh."
What of her? You're pretending you don't miss her. It's so sad. --- I thought.
