VAMPYR REQUIEM: Lestat De Lioncourt

19. Old Foes, Old Acquaintance

"WHAT ARE YOU THINKING?" I asked in a murmur as I gently stroke her black curls on her head with my fingers.

Tala tightened her caress on me while we both lied on the bloody floor, next to Isabella's now cold corpse.

"The sunrise." She answered.

Our eyes were blankly staring at the window ahead, with its glass broken. We could see what's outside - the road, the buildings, but oh, the spark of colors above; blue, pink and violet playing in the sky... the dawn was nearing.

"I miss the warmth of the sun on my cheeks." Tala further spoke, but it was reduced into a whisper. "I miss the feeling of its radiance, its heat... sometimes unbearable, sometimes delightful. But it's just a passing thought. I'll always trade the sun for the moon and stars. They're more beautiful anyway."

I brushed her cheek with the back of my hand, feeling the delightful smoothness of her soft skin. "You're my moon and stars, and I'll always trade the sun just to be with you."

"When the sun comes up, it will be our first sunrise together. Our ashes would mingle as one, a dance of romance even Shakespeare cannot comprehend."

"You're awfully romantically macabre." I kissed her forehead. "But not today. Someday." I stood up and gently pulled her with me. "Come, our caskets await us."

A loud knocking on the door suddenly disturbed us. "Mi'lady?! Are you alright? We heard loud noises coming from here...but we were hesitant to check because of your arrangement with...um...your lady friend. But it got me so worried..."

"It's Selda, Isabella's head housemaid..." Tala whispered. "What do we do?"

"Let's wash our hands clean from this murder to keep the truce with the Mayfairs." I replied. "Let her come in, and I'll take it from there."

Tala opened the door and once Selda stepped inside, she held her breath in terror and surprise when she saw Isabella on the floor, drenched in her own blood. Selda tried to scream, but as she was about to, I enthralled her to keep her mouth shut and focus only on me.

"We were never here." I uttered. "You slaughtered Isabella because you're sick in the head. You're a psychotic madwoman. And once the sun is up, you'll admit your crimes to the authorities..."

Selda nodded silently.

"Now you'll stay here beside Isabella. Eat some parts of her, so they'll believe you're capable of snatching a piece of her spine."

Selda nodded again.

I turned to face Tala, only to find her grimacing. "You're ruthless."

"Said the one who snapped her spine."

"Touché."

________________________

IT WAS DUSK WHEN I got up from my casket. I glanced beside me, and hers was still closed. I could sense Tala dreaming peacefully inside, so I let her sleep more.

After all those nights alone, she was finally home with me. My heart was smiling and everything felt like heaven.

I silently went to get dressed. I pulled out my usual outfit of velvet and leather. Afterwards, I left the house.

The night was cold and gray, but it was cheerful. Down town had always been filled with music and laughter, but I did not care to appreciate it, until now. Everything turned out to be so special right about now. Tonight could never be so perfect.

I dropped by a designer's store. There's a lot of beautiful colorful dresses and gowns on mannequins lining up, but there's only one that had caught my eye. It was a white chiffon gown topped with lace and embroidered with pearls and glimmering rhinestones.

"You know, you should let the bride decide what she wants to wear."

Hearing his intrusive yet smooth voice made me chuckle and shake my head. I turned around and greeted him while he stood by the mannequins. "Good evening, Armand. I'm glad you came."

Armand, with his perfect white teeth, smiled. His amber eyes were gleaming under the fluorescent and candle lights as he proceeded to look at me in intrigue. "It's been a very.... very long time since we last saw each other. We had an agreement to preserve the sever of our ties, until you sent me a letter that you're marrying a fellow Blood Drinker and requesting me to officiate the unholy matrimony. I admit, I'm a bit surprise that you would choose me after all that had happened, and also surprise you would want to marry."

"You seriously want an answer to that?"

"Perhaps some clarity."

"I'm in love."

Armand rolled his eyes. "You were always in love."

"Well, this time it's different." I stepped closer toward him, wanting to seize his uttermost attention to make him understand. "She's already mine when I turned her. But marrying her in our tradition would make it more sacred and everlasting. I want that with her, because she's the only one..."

"Careful, prince." Armand's hand found my red cravat. He was smoothing it at first, until he gripped it and roughly pulled it that I slightly felt strangled. "You don't handle promises well..... You wouldn't want to spiral because of some inevitable consequence from it that you might find unappealing later on, now would you?"

"Of course not. I could handle myself perfectly fine." I slapped his hand away from my cravat. "And you're mistaken. I handle my promises well. And this is why I want one of these promises sealed by the power bested in you."

Armand smiled again. "I'm flattered, really. I thought you would come to my maker for this."

"Marius?" It was my time to roll my eyes. "You know how he could be."

Armand raised an eyebrow. "Obstinate?"

"Very."

Armand chuckled, then stepped back and turned around. "I'll see you love bats at midnight." But before he could open the door and leave the store, he glanced back at me. "The gown looks lovely."