Broken Promises, Broken Hearts 

(A Role Playing Game)

Players

Armand.................. Cecilia

Daniel.................. Mindi

David................... Smoke

Gabrielle............... Carla

Lestat.................. Beverly

Louis................... Deb

Marius.................. Christina

Post No 41/Louis

<i> "So, Lestat has left you," he said, watching unconcerned how Louis paled. "What did *you* do this time? Are you aware Lestat might do something stupid?" </i>

Louis quickly turned his back on Armand so that the tears that threatened to fall would not be seen. Struggling to find his voice, Louis quietly asked, "Do you really think Lestat might do

something to harm himself?"

The silence that followed caused Louis to turn back to face Armand. The look of anger on Armand's face caused Louis to worry about his own safety. If Armand decided to harm him, there was little that Louis would be able to do to defend himself. He had always

counted on Lestat to protect him from the other members of the coven and now Lestat was not here. Louis had no idea if or when Lestat would return. Taking several deep breaths to calm himself, Louis asked, "What do you want Armand?" For a moment Louis was certain that any question he posed would go unanswered. "I wanted to speak with Lestat," came the cool response. Louis was about to reply, when Armand continued, "But I see you drove him away again."

Again the tears of frustration and guilt over his fight with Lestat threatened spill down Louis' checks. After several failed attempts to speak, Louis finally managed to find his voice, "Yes,

Armand, I did manage to drive him away again." As Louis admitted it, the tears fell down his ivory checks unchecked. Nothing Armand could do to him would be any worse than the guilt he was already feeling. When Armand remained impassive, Louis' temper began to grow. "Since you now know that Lestat is not here, why are you still here? What do you want from me?" The only response was a slight shrug of Armand's shoulders. Finally tiring of Armand's game, Louis' temper flared and his tears stopped. "Damn you Armand! If you want something from me, then say so. If not, then leave. I am not in the mood to be playing games with you. We both know that if you felt I deserved it, you could hurt me. So do or say whatever it is that's on your mind and then leave me to my misery." Louis' eyes were blazing with

the anger, the hurt and the frustration that had been building. Armand might end up hurting him badly, but he wasn't going to back down now. When Armand raised his hand, Louis flinched but otherwise gave no indication of the fear he felt.

Post No 42/Armand

Armand's first impulse was to hurt Louis. It would have been so easy to send him hurling away. But the look in Louis' eyes convinced him that Lestat's fledgling was feeling as miserable as Armand himself.

"Why?," Armand asked, his voice still cold. "Why do you always drive him away? Don't you love him enough?"

Louis just stayed there looking at him, his eyes rimmed-red, his whole body tense.

"Answer me, damn you!," now Armand's hands were in Louis' shoulders, shaking his roughly. He felt the anger rising in his chest again. "Why did Lestat leave?"

Post No 43/Louis

<i> "Answer me, damn you!," now Armand's hands were on Louis' shoulders, shaking him roughly. He felt the anger rising in his chest again. "Why did Lestat leave?" </i>

Louis felt his head being snapped back as Armand continued to shake him. He could barely make out the question Armand had asked him. Finally Armand quit shaking him and Louis dropped to the ground. He rested his head in his hands as more tears fell. He knew he had treated Lestat badly and he felt guilty enough without Armand demanding answers. Louis finally glanced up at Armand who stood staring at him, his anger showing in his eyes. Bowing his head for a moment, Louis tried to stop his tears. As he realized how much of this night was his fault, he knew what he had to do. Slowly he rose from the ground and turned his back on Armand, finally getting the courage to answer the question he had been asked earlier. "Lestat left because I drove him away. I do not deserve him. Take care of him. Take his pain away."

Then before Armand could stop him, Louis ran as the tears fell again.

Post No 44/Armand

Armand stood in the night alone as Louis ran away. The breeze was playing with his long auburn hair, the chilly night making mortals around him hurry their pace. But Armand was oblivious to all that. The green-eyed vampire's words were ringing in his head still: <i>"Lestat left because I drove him away. I do not deserve him. Take care of him. Take his pain away."</i> What would he possibly mean? Was he leaving Lestat at last? It would not surprise Armand if Louis left his maker. But no, something was wrong. He scanned briefly the other vampire's mind and he could feel the intense despair in Louis' heart. ::Louis!,:: he sent, but no answer came. Armand started walking fast after the younger vampire, still calling. ::Louis! Don't be such a fool! Come back!:: He had to make sure Louis didn't do something stupid. Lestat would blame on him whatever happened to his fledgling. The blond vampire always blamed Armand for his own mistakes. And Armand did care for Lestat, but those feelings were buried deeply in his heart. He would never expose himself to be rejected, not again.

Armand was moving at the limits of his preternatural speed, mortals could not see him as he hurried past them. They could only feel the air moving around them, but nothing else. At last, Armand could see the slim figure of Lestat's fledgling. "Louis," he called. The other vampire turned his head slowly and locked his gaze with Armand's soft brown eyes.

Post No 45/Louis

Louis only looked at Armand for a second before turning his head. His tears had stopped and now in addition to feeling a deep despair, he was now beginning to feel anger as well. Anger at Armand for following him around. Anger at Lestat for leaving him. Mostly he felt anger at himself. He had

driven Lestat away and then he had shown weakness to Armand. While Armand might not be his enemy, he is by no means his friend either. And that made him angry. So angry he needed to hurt someone. Louis wasn't sure if he really wanted to see the sunrise or not, but sunrise was still hours away.

He still had plenty of time to decide that. In the meantime, his anger was still building. Turning back to Armand he practically shouted at him, "What do you want from me?!" When there was no immediate reaction, Louis

approached Armand and glared into his eyes. "Answer me, damn you! What do you want!?" Louis reached out and gripped Armand's forearms as hard as he could, shaking him slightly. He was beyond caution. He knew that Armand hated being touched and yet he was powerless to stop himself from doing exactly that. Louis didn't care what happened to him at this moment.

Post No 46/Marius

By the time Marius had arrived in New Orleans dawn had still been several hours away. However, the weariness he had felt from all the travelling and not to mention the turmoil in his head had caused him to not seek Louis until the next evening. To pass the time, he had taken the liberty of procurring a set of rooms in a small inn towards the outer

edge of the French Quarter. He had retired early needing to rest and try to force his ghosts to the darkest corners of his mind.

The sun had not set when his eyes opened the next evening. The death sleep had lifted her veil, but the weariness he felt in each limb still bound his body. There would still be ample enough time to accomplish a few things before Louis would rise. A slight smile crossed his mouth. Even for the short period that Lestat and Louis had resided on the Island, Marius could recall the black-haired vampire rising well past the sunset. A change of clothes would be needed, he thought as he rose from the bed and gazed at the windbeaten image in the mirror. The dull pangs of hunger raced through his body and tonight he would succumb to the thirst. He needed energy as his own was zapped beyond measure.

An appropriate victim had been easy to find, he thought as he wiped the corner of his mouth with a red silk handkerchief. He slipped the kerchief into the pocket of the linen pants he wore. The pants fit well and the old vampire could not help but take certain delights in the way the

garment slid across his legs as he walked. He wore a plain longsleeved white shirt which provided little contrast to the muted parchment color pants he wore. As he walked, he let his mind wander like fingertips pressing into the thoughts of Louis. The connection was easy enough for the

Brat's fledgling rarely did a thorough job at veiling his thoughts. A shockwave passed through his body as he caught thoughts of frustration coming from the younger vampire. Despair still clung to this vampire's thoughts, but now the emotion was diluted with anger and frustration. Marius stopped as he saw through Louis's eyes his own fledgling. Armand was here? Angry words were being passed and Marius felt a sense of panic as Louis had begun to run away from Armand. Through Louis's eyes he saw the surroundings which would lead to where these two children of the night were

haunting. He shook his head letting his thoughts disengage. Soundlessly and unnoticed to the mortals on the street, he let himself rise into the air. His mind guided his body to the place where these two had exchanged words... and as Marius allowed himself to descend to a rooftop he saw a

flash of auburn hair rush below him on the street calling to the vampire ahead of him. With the grace of a cat, Marius followed above the street. Until the two below him stopped. Neither one of them sensed his presence.

In the green eyes there was anger as they glared to Armand. Even Marius was shocked as the younger vampire clasped his hands around Armand's arms to shake him. This could not end good, Marius thought as he dropped to the street.

"Armand," Marius cringed as he hissed his child's name. He had not meant to even call Armand's name.. and he had definately not meant for the name to come out so wrong. Louis had been shocked as he dropped his hands from Armand... and Marius could read nothing from his child's expression.

Post No 47/Armand

Louis' hands on his forearms, the anger radiating from Lestat's fledgling. Armand had wanted to prevent Louis from doing something rash. In a way he cared about Louis. The long years they had spent travelling together after the events in Paris had created some kind of bond between them. Was it friendship? Armand was not sure. The green-eyed vampire had been too hurt to see outside his own pain. And now this display of anger convinced Armand that every trace of friendship was lost between them. He was about to shove Louis away roughly when an unexpected newcomer joined them.

"Armand!" Marius voice cut through Armand's strained nerves. The Roman vampire was there, and it was plain Marius blamed him for whatever was happening there. The cold mask Armand always wore in front of his maker fell into place.

Marius paled visibly and his voice sounded strange when he spoke again. "Armand, I am sorry for the intrusion but...," the Roman vampire fell silent when he saw the coldness in Armand's eyes.

"I didn't harm him," Armand said, turning around to go.

"Don't go, please," Marius' plea stopped Armand in his tracks. But he didn't want to face his maker, not now. Armand could feel Louis' anger fading, being replaced with anguish and despair. Marius could take care of Louis. He always did. Marius was always there for everybody... he had been in Cairo for Lestat, he had come now to save Louis. He had been at the Sonoma Compound to try to save the world. A shiver coursed through Armand's body when he remembered the long centuries without Marius. His maker had never come back for him! He started to walk away.

"Amadeo!," his maker's call only unsettled him. And when Marius' hand rested on his shoulder Armand shoved it away, his eyes wide with rage.

"Don't touch me!," he hissed.

Post No 48/Marius

"Don't touch me!"

His hand stopped in mid air as Armand had shoved him away. Shocked... and

beyond belief. As soon as he had rested his hand on the small shoulder of

Armand, he had been shoved away. With such force, the shove was not a

mistake. Fire burned behind the large brown pools. An inner rage seemed to

have consumed the younger vampire before him. Marius's cobalt eyes seemed tobe locked beyond his control on those large brown eyes. Never had he seen such anger... such a deadly fire... in such a cherubic face. Marius looked

at his hand in disbelief... the whole of his body frozen in one motion. He

closed his fist and let his hand fall by his side, his mouth still open in

shock. If there were such things as angels and goblins sitting on one's shoulder, Marius could have sworn he heard a demon laughing. All composure

had been lost... he had never thought the distance between Armand and him

was so deep. Definately he realized there were so many problems, aspects of

a relationship that needed to be worked at.. things put into some sense of

closure. Perhaps it was just not the shock of his angry fledgling, but

perhaps it was the final truth-- there was no relationship now, was there?

Behind him, he could still sense the presence of Louis. Color flushed his

cheeks when he realized that there was a witness to such a scene. One thing

to know your failings, but another to have another privy to such mbarassement.

"I do not know what to do..." he paused mildly shocked at the timbre of his

voice, "...Armand." Waves and waves of utter sadness corsed through his

veins, his heart, his mind. "I accept responsibility for your life... being

hell. I accept responsibility for bringing you into this life as you are. I accept responsibility for not being able to protect you. I accept responsibility for not coming for you..before." He closed his eyelids as he

searched for words that would not come to him. "I do not know what to do

now. I try, by the gods I try to somehow reach out to you... to reach and

appeal to who you are no longer. What can I do that will be enough... that

will cleanse some of the guilt that I have? What can I do?" he had reached

out his hands as if he too were on a crucifix.

Post No 49/Lestat

Lestat arrived at the compound still smarting from his rejection by Louis. He had wanted tonight to be perfect, why did it matter to Louis if David had been his lover? That was in the past, but what an interesting night that had been, Lestat smiled in spite of his dark mood.

Lestat found David watering the house plants in the glass fronted conservatory. David never heard him arrive, he hadn't expected any guests.

"Haven't you a maid for such menial tasks?" Lestat asked, trying to stop the grin that threatened to appear on his lips. David looked so damned good, loose dark hair tumbling to his shoulders and the way his watch glistened on his wrist, nestling in the golden hair of his forearm.

"Lestat!" David spun around quickly, "don't you ever knock?"

"Never, my name isn't Louis."

Lestat's mood darkened again, damn you, Louis, for making me feel that I was in the wrong.

"Can we talk?" Lestat's face was expressionless.

"Of course, my friend. Go into the study, I will be with you shortly."

Lestat sat himself in the old, worn leather chair. He flicked through the book on the table beside him, but the words bored him.

David entered the room, going over to the fireplace and replacing a glowing coal that had escaped the flames. He sighed as he took in Lestat's mood.

"It's Louis, isn't it? What is it this time?"

Lestat laughed, bitterly.

"Actually dear David, you were the cause of our disagreement."

David raised his eyebrows, "I see."

"Louis wanted to know if we had ever been^Å" Lestat hesitated, watching David's face acutely, "lovers," he finished.

A flash of something remembered in David's eyes, then the shield went up.

"Come sit by me, David," Lestat said, firmly.

David complied, a puzzled expression on his face.

"Jesse, where is she?" Lestat asked softly.

"Out with Maharet, I believe. She will be gone for a few nights.." David stopped, as he saw the glow flare in Lestat's eyes. He had seen that look before, the night they had made love for hours, giving everything to each other, and still wanting more. The memory made him feel slightly uncomfortable, but how he had craved Lestat's body that night.

Lestat reached forward, and touched David's cheek softly.

"Want to repeat our passion? he asked seductively.

David drew back slightly, trying to break the spell Lestat was weaving.

"I think that would be very foolish. You are angry with Louis, you will regret it later."

"I will not. Don't tell me you are refusing me, David? The Vampire Lestat will not be refused twice in one night. Now will we do this civilly, or do I have to force you?"

Lestat was past caring. His words were cruel. David was shocked, he could read that in his face, but Louis' refusal had hurt terribly. Lestat felt he had to take that hurt out on somebody. He waited for David's reply, knowing full well that whatever it was, he would still take what he wanted.

Post No 50/David

"...force me?" David thought. He was appalled and it showed on his face as he looked Lestat squarely in the eye. There was very little he would or could refuse this devil but this callously phrased demand brought with it a brief, unwanted image of his making. Though he loved Lestat and had grown quite comfortable with this life, it was not what he had wanted then. This was not the new life he'd envisioned for himself in this elegant and strong, young body. Lestat had not actually forced him into anything since

that time. "Just let him try it now."

He came to his feet quickly from the raised hearth where he'd seated himself at Lestat's feet, ready to devote the rest of the night talking through any problem Lestat needed to discuss. His hands balled tightly into fists, his broad shoulders went rigid as he spoke. "Really, Lestat,

don't you ever tire of just taking?" he hissed through his teeth with icy cold indigence.

Lestat's face darkened. Not exactly the response he'd expected. "Is that a yes, or a no, David?" he asked calmly, folding his arms across his chest and tilting his head to one side.

An irritated noise escaped David's lips as he turned to leave the room. Lestat was on him in a second, tackling him to the floor and straddling his hips as he shredded the blue cotton shirt David wore. He bit into David's

shoulder, drawing blood. "You know I love it when you fight me, David," he breathed viciously in his ear.

David pushed back against him but only succeeded in turning his own body over onto it's back. He reached up and tangled his hands in Lestat's hair before Lestat could pin him by the wrists. Pulling himself up to Lestat's face, he fiercely kissed him, murmuring into his mouth, "No you don't, Lestat. No you don't."

Lestat relaxed, his anger subsiding. He broke the kiss and rolled off David to lay beside him silently. David propped himself up on his elbows and tossed his hair out his face with a shake of his head. He looked down at his ruined shirt, "Damn you, Lestat, this was one of my favorites," he

said with gentle humor.

Lestat's laughter was mixed with his erratic breathing. "Oh, David," was all he could manage.

David brushed the hair from Lestat's face with his finger tips and looked at him with knowing eyes that reflected the dancing flames from the fireplace, "You must go back to him."

An uncharacteristic sigh of resignation came from Lestat. He took David's hand, kissing the palm of it. "I know, mon cher ami. Come with me?"

"I don't see how that would possibly help matters."

"Please?"

"I believe I shall regret this but I won't refuse you twice in one night."

Post No 51/Louis

The presence of Marius had surprised Louis. He had been so intent on hurting someone that he had not sensed Marius' approach at all. Now he felt like he was trapped here listening to the angry words being exchanged between Armand and Marius. Louis knew he should not be here. What was

being said between Armand and Marius was for them alone. They did not deserve to have observers.

Louis was not sure what he felt for Armand especially now that they had fought and he was also not sure what he felt toward Marius. He only knew that he was very uncomfortable in Marius' presence. Louis wondered what Marius would do to him if he did caused Lestat to do something drastic or

dangerous. Marius did care for Lestat, that much Louis knew. But would Marius be angry with him since he would be the cause of Lestat's rash actions?

"Pardon me," Louis quietly interrupted. "I'm sure the two of you would like some privacy, so if you will excuse me, I will leave you alone. You are welcome to go back to the flat to continue you discussion. I can walk around for a while to give you some time."

Without waiting for a response from either of them, Louis turned and walked away from the two older vampires. Once he was away from the others his thoughts turned back to Lestat. His sadness and despair returned. He didn't really have any plans, Louis just knew that he needed to get away from everyone. Perhaps he would return to the flat as close to dawn as he could or perhaps he would sleep in the ground or an abandoned cellar tonight or perhaps...

Post No 52/Gabrielle

They walked away from the airport. She should have gotten a boyfriend who could actually fly, but what the hell! He was gorgeous.

"You really know no limit, don't you?" he was laughing his lungs out.

"What are you talking about? I was just giving you a kiss!"

"Sitting on my lap and with a couple of nuns sitting behind?"

"Well it wasn't me the one who invited them to join us!"

"I was just being polite! Besides, one of them was dying to, and I think not really for me..." Daniel kissed her still laughing "What now, Marquise?"

"We could check the Rue Royale. We didn't make all the way to New Orleans for nothing."

"Just a problem honey, look at your clothes."

Gabrielle did what he said. Her sweater was a bit ragged and her bluejeans kinda dirty. Her hair falling free needed to be brushed too "What about my clothes?"

"Gabrielle, get clean, OK? Your son has this unbelievable custom of bathing, cleaning, dressing and eventually necking every wild thing that goes in front of his eyes."

"Well, you seem fallen from a Marilyn Manson video too."

"C'mon, most girls like to go shopping, you'll enjoy it."

"We'll lose time..." Gabrielle was going to begin her argument when she realized they were just in front of the mall "You planned it all along, you kid..."

"You just come, right?" he dragged her into the shop, they saluted nicely the clerk and began looking for something to wear. Gabrielle took at once a brown leather big jacket and a blackjean she would have loved to wear, but instead of dressing up like a man she gave them to Daniel, he just nodded and came back from the dressers looking like an angel just fallen from heaven, as noticed all the gals and a few guys at the shop.

"You look adorable baby, not let's get in our way..." Gabrielle started her way out but a powerful hand stopped her tracks.

"Wait a bloody minute, it was not me we had to dress up, young lady." She complained for a while, but he did not hear her at all and found something he loved: it was a short blackjean dress, but that material was thickest from the one of his pants, it had a little chain in the waist and he loved picturing it on Gabrielle, and then taking it away later, maybe... "Here." he gave it to her.

"Yeah right, in your wackest dream. This is a D-R-E-S-S."

"Oh, but she spells!" Daniel began jumping and clapping, all the looks on him "You'll look hot in it."

"Just pull me shorts and a shirt, that's it, that's Gabrielle."

"Well, Daniel doesn't dress himself up as Ken neither, but I'm doing it for you. For me?" he gave her a sad puppy look, she moaned something, took the dress and went to the dressers complaning. While she was there, Daniel took a pair of heel black shoes for her, and passed them below the dresser's door. "Try them on dear!"

He went bak to the clerk to pay for it all. Oh, Armand's golden card...no, no way he was going to begin suffering about him again, he was with Gabrielle, and after a long time, he was enjoying the hell out of life. He paid with the card. Suddenly a girl came towards him.

"Hi there."

"Hi." he said, just for being kind.

"How do you feel about going into my place for a while, I can make your fantasies truth and..."

"Daniel, my dear," the palest arm rounded his neck and his chest "I'm done here, you like it?" she didn't even look at the girl facing Daniel. Daniel looked at her in her new outfit. Someone said something about fantasies?

"Great!" before he could say anything else, she dragged him out of the shop. She allowed him to embrace her and kiss her neck, but he could tell something was in her mind. "Gabrielle, are you jelous or something?"

"What? Of a mortal? Of course I'm not!"

"Then what?"

"I have so many things in my mind, I wish you were all I have in my mind, but I'm afraid, afraid of meeting Lestat, or Marius...or Armand."

"Armand?" he could feel his heart racing "W...Why?"

"Because I don't want you to leave me, I'm happy with you, I can't take you going away the minute you see him..."

"Hey, hey..." Daniel made her stop "I am with you and I'm plannig to keep it that way. Deal here and know, I won't leave you, you won't leave me. I'm every bit as afraid as you, that you will decide you are Gabrielle from the jungle and I don't fit in your world. We have to make this work..." he kissed her with all his passion and his force, playing with the chain of her dress and the beautiful hair he was growing to adore, suddenly, she stiffened.

"Daniel, do you see that?"

"What?"

"Someone..."

He looked in the direction of her eyes to find another fellow vampire.

"My God Gabrielle, it is..."

Post No 53/Daniel

"Oh my God, it's Louis..he looks so sad, what's wrong with him I wonder..." Daniel let his voice trail away as Louis turned and looked to the both of

them...a sad smile playing on his lips.

Gabrielle sighed, shaking her head, "Louis and Lestat must have had a fight..." Her eyes unfocused as she tried to read Louis' mind, her eyes hardened as she saw what Armand had done, "That Little Imp! He has no right..."

Daniel cut her off, his voice warning, "Gabrielle, can we avoid talking of Armand? And besides, what does he has to do with this?"

She shot him a look and he sighed.

"Daniel, Gabrielle... what brings you to New Orleans?" Louis voice was strained as he approached them...

Post No 54/Armand

<i>"What can I do?"</i> Marius' final question was still ringing in his ears when he heard Louis offering his flat for them to talk. And then Lestat's fledgling left. Armand felt somewhat relieved Louis was not there anymore. He had been so close to hurt the green-eyed vampire. But there was no way Armand would accept Louis' offering. He couldn't risk to have Lestat coming back and intruding in the middle of any conversation with Marius. Lestat would surely mock him, he always did. And Armand would react, and Marius... his maker would probably take sides with Lestat. Of course Marius would protect Armand, a sense of guilt and gentlemany would prompt him to do it. But Armand would see the real truth in the cobalt blue eyes. Lestat was the one he really loved. The one he had found worthy to share his secret with, the story of Those who Must be Kept... A small sound of pain brought Armand out from his musings. He blinked twice and slowly looked again at his maker. Blood tears were dwelling in the Roman vampire's eyes. It sadenned Armand to see the suffering in his maker's features. But the anger came back again, almost choking him. What use had for him Marius' guilt now? That could never erase the long centuries of loneliness. Of emptiness. But he still loved Marius, that he could not deny.

"Nothing, you can do nothing. Forgive me," he said, "I had no intention of causing you pain. I must leave you now."

"NO!!," now Marius' seemed to be out of himself. "Stop this Amadeo, please. Let us go to Louis' place. Let us talk in peace."

"We have nothing to talk about, Marius. I won't hurt Louis. Now please, let me go."

Post No 55/Marius

Everything swarmed in Marius's head. Every bit of control he had fought to

hang onto now dwindled. A frustrated hand wiped away at his eyes as the

blood tears seeped from them on towards his cheeks.

"No! There is much to talk about," before he had even realized it he had

grasped Armand's wrist in a tight grasp refusing to let his child move

anymore. His heart pounded, embarassed to use his strength against his

child. "I can't... I can't let you go. Give me audience... talk to me. Why

did you come here? Why?" his mind raced as his voice took on an edge of

slight panic. "Did you come to seek comfort with Lestat? Is that why you are here?"

Marius's eyes seeked out Armand's. His expression had not changed even at

the mention of Lestat. Marius's brow creased trying to decipher the blank

expression that his child wore. "It is the reason, isn't it? But why? You

show up, you leave, you leave Daniel who loves you-- you leave me who wants

for some way to show you that I," he paused "that I love you. But you leave, and you leave to come to the Brat? No, we must talk," his thoughts were racing and his own words seemed incoherent to him as he stumbled over each word.

Armand had not moved ever since Marius had tightened his hand on the small

wrist. Not until had Marius moved to wrap an arm around the slender waist,

did he feel his child make a weak attempt to move. He grasped Armand tightly to him and took to the air forcing his eyes to not look

towards the brown eyes of his child. It had never been in his taste to force what he had wanted on anyone, and now he was above New Orleans finding his way to the flat Louis had generously offered. Desperation had moved him. How many years would Armand let pass between them because of Marius's appeareance in New Orleans?

Softly, Marius felt the floor of the balcony meet his feet. Effortlessly, he opened the locks to the doors with his thoughts. A little clumsily he pulled his child into the flat. No one was here, and for once Marius felt relieved. He released Armand and walked a few steps away from him. "I'm sorry," a soft exasperated laugh escaped from his throat, "I am at my wits

end, Amadeo."

Post No 56/Armand

Marius' hand circled Armand's wrist and the usually gentle eyes showed nothing but madness. Armand shivered slightly when he realized that Marius was not going to let him go. Years of fighting for the control of his life

screamed into him. He could not allow this to happen again. Not even for Marius, whom he loved with all his heart. He was about to try to pull away when a strong arm circled his waist and suddenly he was in the air, in Marius' grasp. Armand panicked, the feeling too close to the absolute fear

he suffered when raiders entered his village and took him away from his life. They had pulled him up on a horse and to the child's mind it had been as if they were flying. He closed his eyes, fighting the dizziness and the nausea. This was not a raider, this was his maker, Marius, who at least loved him some. Soon they were in the balcony of the flat and then Marius

all but shoved him inside. <i>"I'm sorry...I am at my wits end, Amadeo."</i>

It took several measures of time for Armand's heart to stop racing, for his thoughts to clear again.

"You are sorry?," he yelled. "And that's it! You force me to come! What is this Marius, are you playing the kidnapper with me now?" Armand's eyes were wide with rage and a bit of fear. Never had Marius forced him like this. Never.

"We need to talk Amadeo. I will let you go then."

"We have nothing to talk about!" Armand started for the door but an iron grasp circled his arm at once.

Post No 57/Marius

Armand had bolted towards the door. Without a single thought, Marius reached his hand out to grip his child's arm. Inside his chest, his heart hammered. What in the hell was he doing? Never had he acted with such crazed abandon as he did now. "We have nothing to talk about!" Armand's shout startled Marius, but he refused to release the struggling vampire in his clasp.

"No, we have everything to talk about," he was relieved that his voice had taken on some measure of calm. "I am no kidnapper-- you refuse to even listen. You refuse to even let me try and mend what trespasses happened in the past. So we stay and we talk." His voice had become increasingly strained. He looked down towards his hand gripping Armand's arm. The skin stretched taunt across his knuckles from the firm hold. Slowly, he looked towards the penetrating gaze of Armand's brown eyes. Such rage his child held for him now at this moment. "No more running," his voice firmly intoned. Marius squeezed the arm in his grasp one more time firmly to

convey his determination, and then cautiously released his fledgling.

Post No 58/Armand

Armand's thoughts were racing now. Marius had forced him to come, had plainly snatched him up and taken to the air. And now he was pretending to justify himself. He tried to focus in his maker's words, but the noise of his fast heartbeating was somehow deafening. Finally Marius released his grip on him and Armand.

<i>No more running</i> his maker said.

Armand sat on the leather couch, trying to make sense of the whole situation. It was obvious Marius was not going to let him go. He raised his eyes slowly and fixed them upon his maker.

"What more is there to say, <i>Padrone</i>?," he said. But this time it was not the soft endearment he used with Marius. This time he meant is as if Marius were his Master, someone who owned him. Had he not forced himto come here?

Post No 59/Marius

<i>"What more is there to say, Padrone?"</i>

"What more is there to say?!" For a brief instant, anger went rampant in

Marius's head. He ignored the bitter tinged Padrone which his child had

used. At least, Armand had decided to sit down and give up trying to run

from the flat. The culpability Marius felt at demanding Armand to stay put

forced Marius to avert his eyes from the incensed vampire sitting on the

leather couch. "There is much to say. Why did you come to Italy? Why did

you come and then leave when Daniel appeared. I thought you wanted to know

where Daniel was, but I know that is not the true reason why you came. Why

did you run from me? Why do you run from me? Why did you come to New

Orleans?" Marius turned on his heel to look towards the balcony. Quickly

he turned back towards the mute figure on the couch. "Lestat-- why did you

come to see him, Amadeo? What makes that Brat more deserving than me? Has

he ever treated you with kindness? How are my sins more horrid than his

own treatment of you? But you came here, and you can not even bear to talk

with me? Amadeo are you not also tired of how we can never seem to move

on-- how we seem to only speak artificially with each other? Ye Gods, I

would have rather never have found you again if I knew we would never be

able to be who we are around each other again. This is by far worse than

when we no longer had each other."

Post No 60/Armand

Armand stared at Marius open-mouthed. He had never stopped to think about his maker's feelings. Of course he had realized Marius seemed to be distressed, but he had always pushed it to the back of his mind to analyze when he was more calm... when he had time. And it seemed Marius had decided it was the time now. Part of the anger Armand was feeling had gone away. Maybe it was the long night and both the arguments with Louis and now with his maker. But Armand was still tense, a deep line in his brow making it plain. He could see Marius' anger boiling and near to explode.

"I just wanted to see you," he said softly.

Marius' eyes widened, his fists clenching in a sudden move as he closed his eyes. Armand's eyes registered the movement, but gave no acknowledgement of it.

"I was looking for Daniel, yes... but what does it matter now?" He sighed softly and bowed his head, barely suppresing a shiver.