The Change: Chapter 3

     I began to feel fatigued for this link was very draining. {{{Uh, guys, I thought, can we finish this? I'm getting very tired.}}}

     Almost immediately the link dissolved, and I sagged back against the couch. My head was spinning, and I was trembling. Lestat and Armand were on either side of me. "Are you all right, cheríe?" Lestat asked with a very concerned look on his face. I noticed that Armand's face mirrored Lestat's.

     "Yes," I said, "just a little dizzy is all. You two are very powerful personalities, and I'm not used to this mind-sharing stuff. Then I just sat very still while I let the dizziness and the shakes pass. Since I had my eyes closed, I didn't notice that Lestat and Armand were still communicating silently with each other.

     Armand watched Jamie as she recovered from their mind-link. She had her eyes closed, and he noticed that her hands were shaking just a bit. He then looked at Lestat, who was returning his gaze. {{{Can you sense her power?}}}

     Lestat responded, {{{Yes, I can, my friend. Her power is completely untapped which will eventually endanger her.}}}

     {{{Unfortunately, I do believe that you are correct. But what can we do to protect her Lestat? She is most, how do they say, independent?}}}

     Lestat grinned at him. {{{Just leave that to Louis and me, we can keep her occupied. I am going to take her to New Orleans tonight.}}} Lestat then sent an image, which caused Armand to smile in response.

     Armand thought at Lestat, a little wistfully, {{{You and Louis are indeed charmed.}}}

     A few minutes later, I felt distinctly improved. The dizziness had passed, as had the shivers. But the overwhelming feeling of being inside another person's mind and soul still stuck with me. I slowly opened my eyes and noticed that Lestat and Armand were still looking at me quite closely. I smiled at them. "I'm fine, boys. I'm truly okay," I insisted.

     "To use one of Daniel's favorite curses....bullshit," Armand popped off and pulled me to my feet. He held me in his arms, supposedly to keep me upright. I tried to pull away, but he strengthened his hold on me. Despite his slight nature and appearance, he had a grip of iron, and I couldn't pull away.

     Exasperated, I looked up into his eyes, "I'm fine, really." But looking into his eyes had been a big mistake, because I became entranced with the golden flecks that shone brightly in them.

     I watched as his pupils expanded and darkened, and then he leaned in to kiss me. His kiss was a seduction....soft, slow, long, wet, and completely fulfilling. His tongue gently forced my lips apart and quickly darted inside my mouth.

     I wrapped my arms around his neck, just so I wouldn't collapse to the ground. Now I realize why Daniel has stuck with Armand for so long, I thought to myself. He's a damned good kisser. I completely lost myself in the kiss. Armand shifted his head a little, and deepened the kiss. I returned his kiss...rubbing my tongue against his, and then pulling it away, forcing it to come after mine.

     How far the kiss might have gone, I do not know, because Lestat loudly cleared his throat, and said, "Armand, don't you have somewhere to be?"

     Armand gently broke off the kiss, and I know I looked like the idiot--breathing hard with glazed-over eyes. He smiled at me and said, "I must be going, cara. Daniel will be expecting me back this morning before dawn."

     My mind cleared a little at the mention of Daniel's name. I asked, "So he knew you were coming to see me tonight?"

     Armand nodded, and said, "In fact, the visit was his idea. I think that he really wants me to like you, which I do, but I don't let him know that just yet. It keeps things most interesting, no?"

     I giggled, imagining Daniel's frustration. "That's too funny, Armand, because that is the exact same thing that I would do to him when we were still married," I said, between the giggles.

     Armand laughed and dropped a light kiss on the tip of my nose. "We aren't finished yet, cara, by any means." To Lestat, he said, "Bon soir, and I will talk to you later." And just like that, Armand was gone from the room.

     Before Armand even indicated what his intentions were, Lestat knew exactly what he was going to do, not that he couldn't blame him all that much. He thought to himself, but dammit, did she have to enjoy it so much???

     So when he cleared his throat loudly enough to break the spell that had been woven between Armand and Jamie, he also added, "Armand, don't you have somewhere to be right now?" He knew that Armand knew his true meaning behind the friendly words....get the hell out now, so he was gratified when Armand beat a hasty retreat.

     After Armand was gone, Lestat said to Jamie, "Well, cheríe, that was fun. We need to do that more often. But for right now, go and get your coat."

     She looked confused, "My coat? But it's 100 degrees outside. I'll fry like an egg on a hot skillet."

     Lestat said, "Just go and get it....it'll be cold where we are going."

     Jamie shrugged and went off to get her coat....and while she was gone, he retrieved his cellular phone from his jacket pocket and called Louis.

     Louis answered on the first ring, "Ouí?"

     Lestat said, "It's me, and I'm about to bring a visitor."

     Louis, bless his heart, was quick on the updraw, because he said, "A visitor? Well, then I'll need to make sure the room is ready then."

     Lestat smiled and said, "Mon amí, we are definitely working on the same page. We'll be there in less than an hour," and hearing Jamie's footsteps coming towards him, quickly said, "I've got to hang up now. Be ready," and hung up the phone.

     I was completely baffled by Lestat's request that I should go and get my jacket, but knowing that it was useless to argue, went and dug it out of my closet. I must really be crazy...wearing a jacket in the middle of the summer. I walked back into the living room, and said to him, "Okay, I've got the jacket. Now where are we going?"

     He escorted me outside, using his mental powers--which I rarely witnessed him use--to close and lock the door behind us. Since he didn't know the security access code, I had to set it. No sooner than I had finished with this, that I found myself wrapped in his arms, and rising in the night sky.

     "Lestat!" I gasped, and held on for dear life. I wrapped my arms around his neck, my legs around his waist, and I buried my face into his neck. "What are you doing, you idiot?"

     Lestat merely said, "I'm taking you somewhere special."

     "But what about my clothes, my job,....my kids? I need to let them know where I can be reached," I protested.

     Lestat said, "That's already been taken care of. Now just be quiet and enjoy the view."

     Knowing somehow that Lestat would not let me fall, I lifted my face from his neck. I turned my head around so I could see everything. We were so high in the air, I could see airplanes flying at a lower altitude than us. Fascinated by everything, I simply watched as we made our way from Dallas to, where were we going? Suddenly, I knew....he was taking me back to New Orleans. He was taking me back to, I gulped suddenly, the flat. I flushed hotly remembering what had happened there, and he was taking me back there? I knew it was useless to ask him, so I just lost myself in the memory of what had happened there....

A Few Months Earlier....My Last Night in New Orleans...

I do remember that Lestat was frustrated with me because I wouldn't reveal the knowledge of who exactly Michael and Michelle were. Since this happened before our mind-link tonight, I didn't realize that he couldn't just retrieve the image from my mind. I remember that he cajoled and cajoled, but I wouldn't give up the knowledge of my children.

Finally, in frustration he grabbed my hand and said, "Come on." He practically dragged me to his big, black Harley that he had ridden.

     I protested, "But? What?" I gave a sharp yelp when I felt him jam the helmet onto my head. "Dammit, that hurt."

     "Climb on behind me," Lestat said, tersely, and "hold on tight, because I'm not going to go slow."

     And he was definitely true to his word. We sped loudly and quickly through the streets of New Orleans until we finally reached his townhouse. We skidded to a stop, and he said, "Get off."

     I wasn't going to just meekly walk inside, and I let him know this straight up.
     "Now wait a minute!" I shouted. "What the hell do you think you're doing?"
     "Sshhh," Lestat hissed, "and just come inside. All will be explained."

     Frustrated, I allowed myself to be taken inside, because I knew that there was no use in arguing with him. Lestat took me to a small room downstairs. "Wait here," he said, gruffly, "and change into this." He tossed me the sheerest nightgown I had ever seen.

     He wanted me to put this on? He's crazy, I thought, and I'm stuck in his den. I should have just told him when he asked, but now it's the principle of the thing. I'm not telling him a thing. He noticed that I wasn't making a move to change clothes. "Well?" he asked.

     "Well, what?" I responded, with a mutinous glower on my face.

     "Put on the gown, Jamie," he ordered, "or I'll do it for you."

     I tell by the stubborn set of his jaw that he was serious. "Well, all right," I said grudgingly, "but only if you'll get out."

     He smirked," Why?"

     I growled at him, "Just because."

     He laughed softly as he left the room. I changed quickly. I noticed my reflection in the mirror, and blushed. This gown left nothing to anyone's imagination. You could see everything that I had to offer. I dragged the comforter off of the bed in the room, and wrapped it around myself. And then I waited.

And waited.

     I was dozing when the door to the room finally opened. I jerked to attention, and I saw Lestat's silhouette in the doorway. He simply held out his hand, and said, "Come."

     I walked over to him, comforter and all. He chuckled and said, "But we cannot have this, I'm afraid," and took the comforter away from my shoulders. Instinctively, I crossed my arms over my chest. "Non, non….none of that," he chided, and unfolded them.

     Knowing now that I was completely out of my league here, I mutely followed Lestat up the stairs into a dark, yet candlelit room. I walked inside and Lestat closed the door after us. He moved into a dark corner of the room, and left me standing in the middle of the room.

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since September 10, 1998

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