Dark Prince [ Lestat De Lioncourt ]

Chapter Twenty Eight - Someplace Safe

Rose's POV

We were on the road for the longest time, hours it had seemed. And yet we were still going. I didn't know where. And if I'm being honest, I didn't care. I couldn't even register much around me. I was completely numb, all I could feel was this constant emptiness inside.

I couldn't pay attention to anything. Not even Louis who had turned around in the front seat and put his hand on my knee reassuringly. He began to look at me with sympathetic eyes. When he saw I wasn't even paying attention, he bowed his head sadly before pulling his hand away and turning back around.

I couldn't pay attention to anyone around me. Because the person I wanted to see most wasn't here.

Saying goodbye to Lestat was one of the hardest things in the world. I had cried so much during those last precious moments I had with him. So many tears I had shed. Yet at the end of the day it didn't make a difference. He was still gone.

Now all I had left of him was his jacket. I pulled it close around me so I could still feel connected to him. His scent was still on it. And for a moment, just a moment --- I felt like he was still here. But then the realization that he wasn't quickly kicked in. And I went back to feeling empty inside.

So I just tilted my head against the window and watched closely as we made our way down more dark empty roads. I then looked up and saw that moon began to rise into the sky, and the bright stars start to form around it.

I wanted to stay strong. But deep down I know I couldn't, the pain was unbearable. It was all my fault, I made this happen. If I had just died that night, instead of being turned, none of this would have happened. I've put everyone in danger, and I hated myself for it.

I began to weep softly as waves of guilt and shame rushed through my body. I then started to sob here and there as thoughts of Lestat remained in my head, never leaving. I couldn't keep myself together at all. Sooner or later the pain of him being gone always came back.

Louis heard my weeping in the front seat and buried his head in his hand in distress. Because he knew he couldn't do anything to help me, at least not right now. He furrowed his brow and sighed sadly as he heard me sob heavily behind him.

"Be strong brave one." Marius told him when he saw Louis start to get restless. He could tell my sobs upset him dearly. Louis struggled to stay still as my cries came more frequently. He wanted so badly to make it better.

"We have to pull over." Louis told Marius sternly.

"I can't brave one." Marius said.

"For God's sake Marius! Look at her! Let me help her! Please!" Louis begged.

"We can't risk it, we have to get Rose to safety. It won't be long before Akasha eventually sends people after her." Marius responded to him with a strained voice.

"Sends people after her? What do you mean?" Louis questioned him with a worried tone in his voice.

"Akasha never spares anyone who speaks out against her. So the fact that she spared Rose tonight surprises me beyond comprehension. But one thing I do know for certain, it won't happen again. So we have to keep Rose safe. Because sooner or later Akasha will gather followers, and she will send them after Rose. That I'm sure of. I have no doubt what Akasha is capable of." Marius responded earnestly to him.

"But why would she send people after Rose? Lestat told her she wasn't a threat!" Louis yelled in an agitated voice.

"Because Rose is the only thing that can bring Lestat back. And when Akasha finds that out, she will send all of hell towards Rose's way. It won't matter if Rose is a descendant of her or not. She will do everything in her power to get rid of her. She wants her king, and she's willing to to anything to get him." Marius responded