SPEC: INTO THE NIGHT (RPG)
Part 6, Posts 90-100


POST No 90/Daniel

Daniel was standing at the table in front of Melisande before she even had
a chance to look up. She let out a scream and jumped back in her chair. The
drinks spilled all over the little table. The customers in the cafe had
been somewhat alarmed by her scream. The waitress came immediately to clean
up the mess. Daniel laughed and sat down across from Melisande. "Jumpy
little thing, aren't ya?" he said, after the waitress had gone. He wasn't
grinning anymore. His violet eyes had turned dark and serious. "Only when
I'm surrounded by the Undead." she replied, pushing her glasses up on her
nose and looking around the little restaurant, searching for an escape
route. "Oh, no" Daniel said. He reached across the table and gripped her
arm. "Don't even think about it." he finished. From the customer's point of
view it simply looked like he was caressing her arm. Not unusual for young
lovers. When actually he had her in a vice like grip. "You're not going to
get away this time, sweetheart. I need answers. Now get up and follow me
like a good little girl."
Melisande scowled at him.
"Why should I?" she asked.
Daniel leaned in close.
"Because I could end your life right now."
"How do I know you won't anyway?" she shot back.
He was genuinely hurt by this.
"Because, I just wouldn't do that. I give you my word."
She studied him for a moment.
"And what does that mean? The word of a murderer."
Something about her face. Why did she look familiar to him? Her eyes bore
into him.
"They should look familiar." she said.
She was reading his mind!
"Come on." he ordered and began to walk toward the exit of the cafe. She
sat looking at him for a minute, and then obediantely got up to follow him.
Once they were outside, Daniel took her arm again. He didn't mean to be
harsh with her...but she winced when he gripped too tightly.
"Sorry." he muttered.
She looked at him skeptically for a moment, but then the distrust returned
to her eyes.
He easily discovered where she lived by reading her mind. She was trying
desperately to shut him out, but his power was by far superior. He suddenly
heard Lestat calling him.
"I'm alright' he sent to Lestat.
"But, Armand..."
"Need to be alone.....now" he sent and then blocked his mind from further
intrusions.
They came to the tattered building she called home. Daniel waited patiently
as she wrestled with the keys in the dark hallway, her hands were shaking.
Well, it was good she was afraid. Wasn't it?
Inside the little flat was quite cozy. She had it decorated as homey as
possible. It left a lot to be desired space wise, but it was nicer by far
than many places Daniel had lived in before running into Armand and his
money. She gestured to a chair. He sat....she sat across from him.
"Now, suppose you tell me how you know Armand.....and where did you learn
to read minds?"

POST No 91/Armand

He heard Lestat calling Daniel, but knew it was useless. Daniel would not
come back to him. He had been right in restraining all the images from his
past life before, he had been so right! Now Daniel knew all about Armand,
and he did not love him anymore. How could he? He had been such a monster
in the past, how could anyone love a creature like him? Maybe that was why
Marius never returned to him and instead went to look for Lestat. Tears
started rolling down his cheeks when he remembered his reunion with Marius
in Maharet's house. It had been so sweet... and so short... And now, Armand
had lost another lover, his child.
He stood up from the bed wearily, his decision was made... he would go
away. Nobody would miss him anyway. Daniel was gone. Lestat barely stayed a
moment with him when he needed so much his company. Gabrielle was mad at
him and Pandora... maybe Pandora also hated him. He jumped through the
window and started walking too fast to be noticed by mortals. He did not
have a direction, he just walked...

POST No 92/Gabrielle

She did it! Pandora had returned to life! And now she was with her, Pandora
had just... greeted Marius, Gabrielle did her best to restrain herself when
they kissed passionately, she adjusted her fist the hardest she could for
not making a jealousy show again, untill it began to bleed a bit, and then
Marius had walked away then, kind thing for him to do, Marius always so
nice and the best of friends...that was the good old Marius. And now she
was alone facing her lover.
"Dearest..." Pandora took her hand while it healed miraculously "Jealousy
again?"
"I'm doing my best, but it's not so easy."
"Remember I can go into the earth again" Pandora joked "We are still very
close."
"No! Not even kidding." Gabrielle threw herself into the other's woman arms
"I don't want to lose you again, I love you. Tell me again you love me."
"More then anything, Gabrielle, my love...forever."
"Really?"
"And now what lover?"
Pandora faced Gabrielle as an adult would face a mischievous child.
"Is that..." Gabrielle was'n sure of what she was going to say so Pandora
prefered to read her mind.
"Gabby de Lioncourt! I'll never leave you, even for Marius, I don't want to
return there without you again."
"Sorry...I don't want to cause you problems, it's only...Pan, I had not
given my heart to anyone since a long time ago, I don't want to suffer..."
"Neither of us will suffer," Pandora reached for Gabrielle and kissed her
passionately "but we must trust each other, can you?"
"For you..." Gabrielle said under her breath letting Pandora's arms enfold
her body "Pandy...we are in the cementery..." she tried to push Pandora a
little.
"Then the deads will look something goo!" Pandora laughed and threw herself
over Gabrielle in the floor, Gabrielle laughed with her lover, happy she
could have Pandora again in her arms, and promised to herself she would
never let that woman step away of her life again.

POST No 93/Myst & Lestat

"No you are right, I do not hate your type anymore, I have come to
understand your lifestyle through Pandora, I am in a way greatful that she
has become a vampire, no don't you dare tell anyone I said so, but if it
was not for Marius, my beloved daughter would have died years ago."
"And yet I can still sense that there is something between you and Marius
",
"That is different, I do not hate Vampires as a group, but I have not yet
forgiven Marius, and I do not think that I ever will",
Lestat closed his eyes for a second then said, "Humm , Pandora has
returned, are you not going to go to her?",
"No, I will not interfere in her life, she knows I am here, if she needs me
I will be there. Can you see where Marius is?"
"Yes, he is on his way here. Would you like me to leave you two alone?",
"Thanks, gee you are not all that bad, sorry for giving you all that
trouble earlier. Oh and as a gift for you, listen, Armand needs someone, go
to him.",
"Er, I was just with him",
"It did not help any. He needs someone now or he is likely to do something
strange or stupid. Oh, and remember, he drank from me which means that he
now has thousands & thousands of years of feelings to contend with,"
With this Lestat stood up, turned to Myst, thanked him, then rose into the
air................

POST 94/Armand

Armand was walking slowly now, not bothering to see were he was going. He
had scanned the city looking for Gabrielle and found her with Pandora. But
when he found the two lovers he also found... Marius! He saw him through
Pandora's eyes. Marius! His maker, his ancient lover. He started to
tremble, damned blood. That cursed inmortal or whatever he was! Since he
fed from him, Armand had been feeling strange, moody. But better not think
of him now, he had to go to Marius, he needed him now. He was near the
cementery now, and he sensed... Lestat!, the blonde vampire was there. And
that strange man, Myst was his name, he was there also, and he was thinking
of Marius! Armand focussed in Myst and hurried his pace. He was about to
reach the man when he felt a hand in his arm. He turned around, ready to
attack the insolent. "Lestat! What the hell you think you are doing?"
"We need to talk Armand."
"No. Let go off me, we can talk later."
"Don't be silly, come with me and..."
Lestat never finished what he was going to say, Armand sent him sprawling
to the floor. "Now leave me alone!" - the auburn-haired vampire said. And
he started walking towards Myst again.

POST No 95/Lestat

Lestat lay stunned on the ground where he had fallen. What the hell had
gotten into Armand? Slowly he stood up and started after Armand When Armand
realized that Lestat was coming after him a rage came over him. Something
that had never happened before, a blinding rage that drove all other
thoughts out of him, he even forgot about Daniel. With all his vampiric
strength he flew at Lestat, with only one idea in his mind, he was going to
stop Lestat from interfering in his life once and for all. Lestat saw
Armand turn around and he could feel the rage radiating off Armand. The
pure hatred Armand suddenly had for him. What the hell? This new turn of
events had taken him by complete surprise. Myst had warned him that this
could happen, but still the absolute and total hatred was amazing. But the
problem was not the feelings, it was, what do you do when a 500 year old
vamp is after you. There was only one thing to do, he closed his eyes and
using all of his powers, the powers of his maker, the powers of his now
dead queen, he stretched out his consciousness...

POST No 96/Marius

Marius was well aware of the audience he was aquiring. He sensed Lestat,
and Myst. He knew him.....but momentarily had forgotten how. Oh well it
would come to him. Marius had finished with Gabrielle and Pandora, but now
was uncertain as what to do. He knew he had to let Pandora have her space,
yet leaving her, knowing she would find comfort in the arms of Gabrielle
hurt him more then anything in the world. Just as Marius had made up his
mind to leave, a new presence entered the cemetry. Armand! Lestat and
Armand were talking, and then fighting. Armand hit Lestat, and sent him
flying across the grounds. Marius knew Lestat would never put up with that,
and that his Child was in danger. With a thought, he landed a few feet from
Lestat. "Are you alright, my friend?" he asked. "I'm going to killl that
son of a..." "Perhaps its best if you wait over here while I talk to
Armand, ok?" and Marius was gone, leaving Lestat mumbling under his breath.
Armand turned quickly as Marius came up behind him. No doubt Armand was
expecting Lestat. Armand ran to Marius' arms, but Marius stood frozen, his
eyes fixed on Myst.

POST No 97/Lestat

... and he started to draw in the power of the Ancient Vampires whose blood
flowed through his veins. He brought the image of Armand into his mind,
when Marius landed a few feet from Lestat. "Are you alright, my friend?" he
asked. "I'm going to killl that son of a..."
"Perhaps its best if you wait over here while I talk to Armand, ok?"
"Fine , speak to him I do not care. This is one fight I did not start" and
Marius was gone, leaving Lestat mumbling under his breath.

Armand turned quickly as Marius came up behind him. No doubt Armand was
expecting Lestat. Armand ran to Marius' arms, but Marius stood frozen, his
eyes fixed on Myst.

POST No 98/Myst

"Interferring in others lives again I see. You have already made Him one of
yours, so what are you going to do this time ?"
I could feel the conflicting emotions radiating off Marius, then nothing,
he had shut me out. Very few people had the ability to completely block off
their mind to me, and Marius was not one of those at first, but I suppose
two thousand years of the two of us at each others throats, taught us about
each other like no other could know us. Damn him, he was always interfering
in other peoples lives , could he not leave well enough alone. Yes Pandora
had left him, tough get used to it, I had to spend 500 years without her
before we had at last agreed to differ, and even then the link between us
is very thin and one wrong move on my side and I could lose her forever.
Well I suppose we both do love her, but that still did not mean that he
could make her one of them. Looking back I suppose we did have some good
times together, Marius and me, the time I had almost found the first ones,
we had spent 10 years chasing each other, me trying to kill the Queen and
him trying to protect them, that fiasco had ended in the two of us drunk
out of our minds.
That was the first time I had learnt that vampires were affected by whose
blood they had drunk, that they were influenced by their victims, a sort of
last dying atempt by the mortals to hold on to life, even if it was only
though the mind of their killer. But even now I still hate Marius for what
he did to my Pandora. Oh I understand the vampire psychic better than most,
but to me that only makes it worst, perhaps it was because in the end it
was I that left Pandora, not Marius. And here we are again 2000 years later
and nothing had changed......

POST 99/Daniel

"Well?" Daniel asked.
It had been at least two or three minutes and the girl still hadn't said a
word. He was growing impatient. She regarded him coldly. As if she could
shoot daggers at him with her eyes. The scent of her blood was growing
stronger with every passing moment, bringing with it that heady sensation
he knew so well.

"I'll tell you nothing!" She spat, and started to get up. Daniel was on her
in a flash. He had her pinned to the bed before she knew what hit her. She
gasped as she looked into his violet eyes, burning with supernatural fire,
and definite anger. She began to tremble despite herself. She struggled
against him, but Daniel only smiled. Did she actually think she was going
to out wrestle him? He had her wrists captured in one of his hands, pinned
high above her head. He began to caress her cheek with the other hand. Oh,
the scent of her! The blood. He began to run his hands over her body as he
continued to look into her eyes. She was taken aback by this. She was also
becoming excited. Her breathing accelerated, and he could hear her heart in
his ears....pounding faster and faster. She shook her head as if to clear
her mind and clenched her teeth.
"What do you think you're doing?" she said, "We both know you couldn't get
it up if you wanted to!"
Daniel winced. But then he realized what she'd just said. He began to
laugh. He laughed so loud and hard, Melisande had to cover her ears. He had
released her hands and was holding his side.
".....Couldn't....get it up if I....." he sputtered between peels of
laughter. What a pistol this one was. He knew she was slowly scooting of
the bed to make a break for the door. With one hand he grabbed her arm and
slammed her back down on the bed.
"We'll just see if I can give you pleasure, Love." he said, serious now.
"I'll die before I'll tell you anything!"
He shrugged.
"Have it your way. Of course, I could make you a vampire."
She laughed.
"You can't if I don't drink from you, imbecile."
Without another word Daniel sank his fangs into her neck. Instantly she
arched her body against his, moaning. He paused for a moment.
"I told you." he whispered against her neck.
He drank from her for what seemed like forever. He saw her life. Her
family, her friends. All dead. Killed by his own kind. Ah! There's where
the hatred comes from. Then he saw Melisande with another girl. Their
resemblance was uncanny. He knew this one! She was the girl from his dream!
The girl on the yacht! His first victim. She was Melisande's sister. He had
fed on this child's sister! Daniel instantly withdrew from her and backed
away. Still in the clutches of the swoon, he stumbled drunkenly over a
chair. Melisande was still breathing. He saw the slow but even rise and
fall of her chest.
"Yes...." she whispered. He read her mind for the rest of the sentence as
he fled the room. "It was you....and now what have you done to me? Am I
dying? Please......Daniel...."

POST 100/Armand

He turned expecting to see Lestat in front of him and ready to knock him
down again if necessary. Nobody was going to keep him from meeting Marius
again. He felt better now, the strange effects of Myst's blood wearing off
slowly. His mind was getting clearer by the minute. When he turned around
he saw... Marius! His maker was there, not the blonde fiend he was
expecting but the serene face of his maker. He almost ran into his arms,
but stopped suddenly when he saw Marius stiffen, his eyes locked with...
Myst. Damned him! Was he always to be in the middle of his life? And now he
was accusing Marius of interferring in everyone's life! How could he! He
started to walk towards Myst, murder in his eyes. It didn't matter if his
blood was dangerous, he would kill him... at least for a while.
"Be still caro," he felt Marius' arm restraining him, "this is between Myst
and I."
"If he hurts you, I..."
"He can not hurt me," Marius' eyes were locked again with Myst's. "But
don't go please, I want to talk with you."
Armand complied and stood there watching Marius and Myst walking away
together, the tension between them radiating from their bodies. He sensed
Lestat behind him and slowly turned around. "And now, are you going to kill
me Lestat?"