Immolate

IV. Fuse

Maybe this skirt was a bad idea. Who was she kidding? Thinking she could pull off a short skirt when she never wore them. The car Lestat had sent to pick them up was sleek and black, and Saida was having a tough time getting inside, with heels and a skirt that refused to sit comfortably past her thighs.

Luckily, Dave was coming along and entered the car first before the driver could notice Saida, who was struggling to keep her outfit in place. The vehicle sat close to the ground, making her entry even more difficult. "Why did I let you convince me to wear this?" She groaned while clumsily landing in her seat.

"Someone's nervous," he chuckled, eyeing his own appearance in the rearview mirror.

"Can you blame me? This is my second meeting with a famous recluse who's an industry giant. Who also had to save me, a pathetic damsel in distress, in his event space. The last thing I need is to look more like a fool." She opened her old compact, applying more concealer to where bruising was more noticeable.

Dave snatched the makeup sponge from her hand, "You'll look more like a creepy doll if you use any more face paint."

"Very funny. I'm not the only one who is dolled up," she joked, giving him the side eye. Dave was relatively private about his affairs but did little to hide that he loved Lestat ever since he heard the artist's debut album. Saida was pretty behind on the times, and she had Dave to thank for introducing her to Lestat's music. It made sense to bring Dave to meet one of his favorite musicians.

"I'm so excited to hear what's in store for you!" Dave exclaimed, clapping her on the back. "You did good this time, Saida."

"It's the least I could do after messing up the tour schedule," she responded sullenly, trying to push the thought of Jules out of her mind.

"Hey, you know better than to blame yourself for that. At least the jackass can't go around hurting someone else now, right?" Dave reasoned.

"That's true; I just wish - " her sentence was cut off as their driver interrupted.

"We're here, miss. Please follow me once we're parked."

Saida and Dave nodded before they made their way inside a large brick building, inconspicuous among the beautiful architecture of New Orleans. It truly felt like a magical city with its rich history and culture. It was her first time here, and she quickly fell in love. Nighttime was approaching, and the sun quickly set into the western sky. It made the street look even more picturesque, with shadows and light appearing side by side.

The building looked like it was hiding a secret, one it was willing to share with her as she came to a flight of stairs leading to a dimly lit basement. She involuntarily gasped as she approached a state-of-the-art recording studio. It was incredible, fully stocked with everything one would need to experiment with different sounds. Her eyes widened at seeing a familiar microphone, an item she could not afford about a year ago. "Dave, come look at this mic; it's the one I tried to get-" She was about to lightly touch its pop filter before she felt Dave tapping her shoulder.

"Look who's here!" Dave yelled, spinning his friend around. Lestat locked eyes with Saida, smiling brightly. His every expression illuminated her on the inside, she noticed. Good looks aside, she did not understand his effect upon her.

"You made it!" Lestat's tenor voice carried throughout the studio. He turned to face her companion. "Is this Dave?" he asked politely.

Dave did not respond right away, completely in shock. Saida poked him in the ribs to speak up. He remained silent.

"Y-y-yes, this is him. Thank you for inviting us. This studio is amazing!" Saida said excitedly while fidgeting with her dress behind her back.

"That's very kind of you to say...' Lestat responded after shaking Dave's hand. He gave a quick look at Saida, giving her the once over.