Belle Vie

Brief Candle

The following days passed too quickly for a mortal, let alone the vampire. Charles did not take much convincing, on Lestat's part, to cease the tour; having little else to consider, for Romeo would be unable to travel with them to Europe and they had no other play prepared. Tickets had been booked for London, bags packed and the time had finally arrived for Celeste to bid New Orleans farewell.

The brunette mortal eyed her empty hotel room with detest, standing in the doorway with her luggage in hand.

'Lestat, are you awake?' her mind called out to the immortal. The two had been attempting to strengthen their psychic connection day and night, their minds willingly opening to one another in the hopes their ties may be strong enough to cross the ocean.

Celeste's heart skipped a beat as she felt a hand suddenly snake around her waist, "Je suis là, mon amour," the vampire spoke softly, breathing in those roses, one last time. Taking her bags, the two walked to Lestat's automobile in silence, simply appreciating their final moments together in the quiet night. The many lights from the harbour came into view, people lining up to dock the boat to England.

They embraced as lovers did, Lestat's arms tightly wrapped around the girl with subdued strength out of fear of crushing her. Neither of them shed a tear, remaining as one until the dock had emptied.

"Celeste?" Jeanette's voice called out from the boat, the two breaking apart at the disturbance. The woman watched them with a saddened smile, "Time to go, honey."

The mortal finally looked up at the vampire, fighting to keep her tears at bay. "I could stay," she suggested, hopefully. Lestat shook his head, his eyes harsh with determination, "For now, your place remains with them," he spoke softly, caressing her cheek as his eyes flitted to the boat where the performers stood.

"A year is such a long time," her voice broke, Lestat let out a soft chuckle in retort, "For a mortal, I suppose. For a vampire, it may as well be a brief month or two," he explained. Something flickered in the mortal's sapphires, "I hope we will have forever, one day," she spoke, without a hint of doubt.

Lestat's breath hitched at her insinuation; she had made her choice, too. Forever. And the thought both electrified and terrified him. Would he be able to do it? Could he damn her, as he, too, had been damned? Though he had vowed such a thing, could he possibly keep it, when the time came?

She left him with those words, planting a final kiss on his cold lips, leaving him on the docks. As she boarded the boat, Louis appeared at the blonde immortal's side, allowing Celeste some reassurance that he would not be alone.

"The girl will be fine, Lestat," the fledgling reassured, his maker distracted by the girl's thoughts, as he so put it. "I know," Lestat spoke distantly as her very thoughts projected into the vampire's mind,

'I do love nothing in the world so well as you,' Her mind spoke the words her lips yearned for him to hear.

A small, barely noticeable smile crossed the immortal's lips, 'A heaven on earth I have won by wooing thee.'

The boat jostled forth, Celeste remaining on the deck until Lestat's figure had grown to a mere speck. Then, an arm wrapped comfortingly around her shoulder, "You will see him again," Jeanette's motherly voice spoke.

Celeste simply nodded in retort, "I know."

The boat had spent three days on the ocean, travelling over several hundred miles before Lestat's connection to the girl was severed, their efforts futile. A further week passed before the vessel docked in London, Celeste writing the vampire a letter immediately, to assure him of her safe travels.