"Wow," Monique whispered, her face pressed to the
window of the car so she could look out at the pedestrians
walking, and of course the aged houses covered with large amounts
of ivy.
"Open the window and stick your head out…it wouldn't
surprise me if you did." Eddie sighed, one hand steering the
car and a frown set on his face.
Monique turned and bubbled over with laughter, "You're the
best Eddie," giving him a huge wet kiss on the cheek, which
he immediately wiped off and grimaced, making Monique laugh
harder. "You're the sweetest Eddie."
He rolled his eyes. "Monique, why are we here?"
"You wouldn't believe me, if I told you." She sat back
and smiled, brimming with excitement as they rolled into Sorsha's
driveway. Bursting forth from the car, Monique wasted no time
running up to the front door and pounding on it heavily, leaving
Eddie to take care of the suit cases.
Monique knocked on the front door again with excitement.
"Eddie, come on!" she wailed, watching him dig the
suitcases out of the rental car. Suddenly the front door swung
open and a dripping wet body stood there, with a large towel
around her. A large smile was playing over her face and she
laughed. "Sorsha?" Monique questioned almost timidly,
looking at her. Eddie came up to the door beside Monique with the
suitcases and stopped dead seeing the woman inside the door.
"Hello. You must be Monique." The smile grew wider and
the eyes flashed to Eddie, who stared at her marvelously. "
I have a bathsuit on," Sorsha quickly put in before another
shadow of a figure came up behind her.
"You must Monique," the other soft voice whispered.
"Uh, Catherine, we've discussed this already, where have you
been?" Sorsha snickered. "Please, Monique, come
in."
"Thanks!" Monique said overwhelmed, stepping inside of
the immense house, drawing Eddie in with her. "What were you
doing?" Monique asked, looking at the two wrapped up in
towels.
"In my jacuzzi. It's awesome, we were blowing bubbles
and...."
"Blowing bubbles?!" Monique squealed. Eddie struck his
head with his hand and grumbled something.
"You like blowing bubbles?" Catherine asked.
"I am the ultimate blower of bubbles. The sultan of the
bubble world."
Eddie smirked, "She can blow well."
Monique hit Eddie on the arm and gave him a sharp look. Catherine
and Sorsha shared a laugh and then quieted themselves.
"Why don't you get into a bathing suit?" Catherine
shrugged.
"Yeah, there's enough room for all of us." Sorsha
agreed. "Even Eddie if he wants to take a dip in the
jacuzzi."
Eddie shook his head violently, "Naaah."
******************************************************
"Wow, you really can blow a bubble, can't you Monique?"
Sorsha asked, watching a large doubled up bubble float by.
Monique shifted in the jacuzzi and smiled, preparing to blow
another bottle, dipping the blower into the soap and swishing it
around. Eddie sat by the side of the jacuzzi, almost ready to
doze off in male boredom. "Thanks, you guys can blow a damn
good bubble too."
Catherine laughed and wanted to protest, but she shook her head,
"You're staying here, right?"
"Oh no, we couldn't put that responsibility on Sorsha!"
Monique gasped.
"Yes you could, and you are. It's no such responsibility
whatsoever. Don't worry about it." Sorsha leaned back in the
jacuzzi and blew some more bubbles.
"Yeah, don't worry about it," Eddie said, lying on his
back, with one arm over his face.
Monique suddenly smiled evilly and then splashed a ton of water
on him, making him sit up and yell. All the girls laughed.
******************************************************
Gina stepped past the overweight heathen that had sat beside her
the entire plane ride from Boston to New Orleans. She removed her
purple-lensed sunglasses and gave him a dirty look. The beast
backed off immediately and stepped aside. Taking quick, long
strides, Gina made her way to the baggage pickup, letting her 2
inch heeled boots click along the way. Sorsha had told her over
the net that she would be picked up by someone. Who that someone
would be Sorsha wasn't sure at the time, but as Gina scanned the
area with her gray blue eyes, she couldn't see anyone in
particular looking for a 5'4", 17 year old.
Plopping down in a seat, Gina shifted her lap top on her knees
and thought about connecting right here and now to inform Sorsha
no one was here for her, but in the process of searching for her
phone, she decided it was too weighty of an idea. Instead, Gina
dug her headphones from her backpack and shoved the headphones
over her ears. "One Headlight" came blasting through
the plugs and a slim smile broke over Gina's lips as she looked
around the airport.
Another song broke over the headphones, "Sympathy for the
Devil." She couldn't help but break into a fit of laughter.
Standing, Gina searched the area again. Without even trying, she
spotted a tall blond male barely 100 ft. away. Her senses had
become attuned to that type of man. Blond, tall, blue-eyed. His
back was turned to her, and he was slowly turning his head, as if
in search for someone.
"Hey you, hey you!" Gina belted, without any
consciousness.
The man didn't even flinch, he seemed too caught up in searching
for someone. She sat in the chair turned to him as his head
finally was looking at her. Lowering his purple lensed
sunglasses, he stared at her for a long moment with gray eyes.
Gina put on her purple lensed glasses and hid her own eyes,
staring at him through the purple tint. As he approached her, she
purposefully tossed her curly brown hair around her shoulders to
look more pleasing, then gave him a charming smile.
"I know you," she said abruptly, removing the
headphones, and putting them away, getting ready to leave. She
also put her sunglasses back on and grinned, tapping the lenses.
"Good taste, huh?"
The young blond male stared at her as she began picking her
things up. "You know me....."
"Oh sure...." Gina smiled, tossing back a few brown
curls, giving him a mischievous smile. She put her backpack over
her shoulder and the laptop on the other one. Lifting the
suitcase she walked past the young man.
"Where are you going?!" he asked, surprised.
"I don't know. I would rather think that you would know
since you're the one picking me up."
"I don't even know you and you seem to conceive the
strangest idea that you know me. I've never met you in my
life!" he exasperated. His mouth stayed open a gap and Gina
could see the enlarged canines.
"I'm Gina," she said bluntly, almost like 'no duh'.
"Angelique…from Moonscrolls. You know, the Cookie
Mistress of something or other. I'm here for the hunt." The
man blinked at her, looking down. "Yeah, yeah...you're
taller."
"How did you? I didn't even know...you won't let me read
your mind."
Gina smiled. "I know what I did. I just knew you were here
for me. Let's see...how many blond, blue eyed, tall vampires do I
know?" Gina flashed another smile and then slipped into her
companion's arms, shocking him further. "Come on, Lestat, I
won't tell them I got you, if you don't," she whispered up
to his ear, releasing him, moving back to her suitcase.
*****************************************************
"How fast?" Gina cried out, laughing with her arm
around Lestat's waist. The two of them made it up Sorsha's
walkway, carrying Gina's few things.
"120 miles per hour!" Lestat laughed back at her,
"Around the curve...."
They fell into laughter again as Sorsha appeared at the door with
Catherine, Monique, and a delighted Eddie behind them. Louis,
Armand, and Daniel also stood within the door, their white faces
glowing with the pale moonlight.
"Yeeesh, you two," Sorsha said, looking at the two of
them doubling over with laughter.
Louis descended the steps slowly and helped with the one
suitcase, "Gina, I presume?"
Straightening her blousy shirt and vest, along with her black
tight jeans she nodded politely, "Yes, that would be
me...."
Lestat coughed, "Brat."
"I heard that...." she growled, bumping him with her
hip. Lestat laughed and moved voluntarily, before grabbing her up
off her feet.
Louis sighed, "Oh, please be careful....Lestat.....be
careful...."
Gina kicked her legs and tried to pry Lestat's linked hands at
her waist. Sorsha looked at Monique, Catherine, and Eddie, as
well as giving a glance to the other immortals whom stood staring
back at her. "Uh oh. I think we've found Lestat's feminine
equal."
After Sorsha had convinced everyone to come into her living room,
Gina finally piped up to them all, "I am very happy that you
decided to ask me to come and join the scavenger hunt. I hope I
am able to fulfill my duties."
Lestat merely shrugged. "If you don't, they'll hand you over
to us and we get to keep you as a toy."
"You'd like that too!" Gina laughed, sitting on
Lestat's lap, giving him a giant hug. "So who's coming
next?" she continued, resting in the blond vampire's arms
restfully, looking at the rest.
Louis shrugged and snuggled closely to Sorsha, who immediately
responded by nuzzling into him. "That is undecided," he
whispered softly, his voice purring.
"Actually," Sorsha said, nuzzling deeper into the crook
of Louis' arm, "I plan to call Lizette in a few minutes and
invite her."
Lestat raised an eyebrow and looked at her quizzically. "I
thought you said that this would be posters from TVC?" he
asked.
Sorsha smiled. "Lizette lives right here - she'll be very
useful for us mortals! Besides, you've told me many times she's
practically family."
"Hmmph!" he responded, his brows furrowed for a moment
as if in deep thought. Then he brightened. "Well, I will go
invite her for you, so that you can keep these lovely creatures
company!" he said, and gently lifted Gina from his lap onto
the couch.
Sorsha's antennae went up immediately. "It's not a problem,
Lestat. I can call her," she said.
Lestat smiled what he hoped was his most charming smile and waved
his hand in the air with a decidedly French flourish. " I
will go get her for you, ma chere. Don't trouble yourself for a
moment! I need to go out for a while anyway."
Before anyone had time to protest further, he was out the door.
******************************************************
Lizette looked up from her inventory when the sound of the little
bell alerted her that someone had entered the curio shop. Odd.
She could have sworn she had locked it. "The shop is closed,
friend," she called out. "Come back tomorrow at
noon."
No answer. Light flooded through the cracks of the silk brocade
curtains separating the storage room from the shop.
Irritated, Lizette rose and stepped toward the curtain, wrapping
her hand around the baseball bat she kept in the corner. "I
said, the shop is *closed*," she said, her voice icy. She
pulled the curtain back and glared into the room.
"I know this, ma chere," came the amused response.
"I have excellent hearing, have I not told you about
this?"
Lizette rolled her eyes and let the bat fall back into its place
before she stepped into the room where Lestat now stood.
"Monsieur Lestat," she said. "What sin have I
committed, that brings such a devil as you to my door?" she
asked, the twinkle in her eyes and slight flush in her cheeks
denying the somber tone with which she spoke.
Lestat, smiling, picked up a crystal from the counter and tossed
it into the air. "Your grandmother would roll over in her
grave, to see you selling these trinkets to tourists," he
said, catching the crystal in one hand and gracefully sweeping
his arm in one fluid motion to indicate the contents of the room
- voodoo dolls, potions, tarot cards, Ouija boards; all manner of
curious objects.
"And you have come to me this night, to lecture me?"
she smirked, moving around the counter to stand directly beside
him.
He smiled a sweet, open smile and caressed her cheek with the
back of the hand holding the crystal. "No, ma chere. I did
not. That is a task much better suited to my Louis," he
sighed, moving closer to her as if he meant to kiss her.
Lizette pushed his hand away and took a step back. "Then
what is it?" she asked, holding his gaze steadily.
"Ahh...Lizette," he sighed, in a mock-wounded tone of
voice. "Could it not be simply that I wished to see you? To
spend time with you? To gaze upon your exotic beauty?" he
whispered, gathering her into his arms.
She laughed and pushed at him. "No, it cannot!" she
said. "I know perfectly well that you feel the most
beautiful thing about me is your own reflection in my eyes!"
she teased, looping her arm through his and leading him to the
small table and two chairs she used for reading palms and cards
for tourists. He sank into one heavily cushioned chair and she
into the other.
"So, tell me, what brings you here? Trouble with Louis
again? Did you apologize to him last time?" she asked,
leaning forward and cradling her face in the palms of her hands.
She was, as he had said, beautiful. She had long black hair and
skin the color of honey, and deep green almond-shaped eyes, with
a pouty little mouth and finely carved cheekbones.
Lestat glared at her. "I did not come here to discuss my
love life!" he said petulantly.
"Oh. So you did not apologize," she said, her facial
expression clearly showing her disapproval.
"I should say not! Apologize for what?" he muttered,
indignant.
Lizette only laughed. "Lestat! You forgot your
anniversary!" she said.
"I did not!" he shot back, "I remembered perfectly
well our anniversary. I merely forgot what day of the week we
were on!" he insisted. Lizette frowned. "You are every
bit as insufferable as Louis!" he ranted, slamming his fist
on the table and crushing the crystal he still held in his hand.
"And you are every bit as wrong now as you were then!"
she countered. "You owe Louis an apology," she said,
"And you owe me forty bucks!"
"For what?" he demanded.
"The crystal. Didn't you read the sign? 'You break it, you
buy it'," she quoted.
Somewhat subdued, Lestat relaxed back into his chair and grinned
at her. "Allright. Forty dollars. But I came here for
something altogether different." Lizette nodded for him to
continue. Lestat smiled. "You are as beautiful and fiery as
your grandmere, ma chere. Did I ever tell you about the time
when..."
"Yes," she interrupted, "Stop stalling. What is
it?"
Lestat frowned. "You know, you modern women could use a
lesson in savoring the moment. Everything is so abrupt with you.
Always in a rush, no time to smell the roses," he said,
gesturing dramatically. Lizette threw her head back and rolled
her eyes at the ceiling.
Lestat smiled in spite of himself. "Allright, then! I've
come to invite you to participate in a little game." Lizette
dropped her head down and looked at him with a raised eyebrow.
"You see, Sorsha has challenged the immortals to a scavenger
hunt - mortals versus vamps, and she's busy contacting all the
sweet little mortals who live off and away from here, arranging
flights and passports and so forth, so I volunteered to fetch
you," he said, smiling benevolently.
Lizette cocked her head to one side and studied him; her sixth
sense told her he was not being totally honest with her. Seeing
her reaction, his grin widened. "Of course, I know you are
much too busy for some trivial little game," he said.
"I will give Sorsha your regrets."
"Not so fast..." Lizette began, but before she could
say another word, he was gone. "It doesn't take an immortal
to know that you're up to something, Lestat de Lioncourt!"
she said aloud. She headed for the door, and stopped, staring in
amazement at the keyhole. It was melted! She shoved against the
door with all her weight, but it did not budge.
She laughed out loud and ran to the back door, only to find it in
similar condition. The phone was dead as well when she checked.
The windows in her little shop were barred on the outside, so
there was no way out through them. She cursed Lestat under her
breath, imagining him to be nearby somewhere, laughing that
maniacal laugh of his, thoroughly delighted with himself for his
apparent victory.
Quickly, she closed her mind, not willing to give him any more
advantages. One thing she knew: if it was so important to him
that she *not* participate in this game, she was definitely in.
Grabbing her purse from underneath the counter, she took out the
cell phone and dialed Sorsha's number.
*****************************************************
Sorsha was laughing so hard that tears stood in her eyes when she
relayed Lizette's story. Louis, who felt it was most
unsportsmanlike of Lestat to cheat at all, much less at the
beginning of the game, went to the shop to get her out. He found
her sitting with her feet on the table, a triumphant, mischievous
smile on her face, sniffing at a rose she held in one hand.
------------------------------------------------------------------------