I took my shoes off and padded into the bedroom.  I went straight to my closet to get some casual clothes to put on.  Tonight I had left so quickly that I didn't take the time to change clothes.  I pulled out a pair of shorts and a T-shirt and went into the bathroom to change. 

     I came out of the bathroom a few minutes later feeling completely refreshed. The bedside clock said that it was only 10pm.  I wondered if John had brought up my dinner like I'd asked him.  As if on cue, my stomach growled at me.  As I glanced out the door to my balcony, I noticed that my dinner was sitting there waiting for me.  I was thrilled that John would do something so sweet.  I walked out onto the balcony and breathed in the fresh air.  John must have realized that I would love eating out here tonight.  I sat down and began to hungrily consume my food. 

     After a few minutes, I felt a prickling sensation on the back of my neck. Someone was here!  I thought frantically. I was about to fly back into my room to call for help when a soft voice said, “Jamie.” 
     The voice came from the shadowed part of the wide balcony.  “Who's there?” I whispered. 
     He stepped out of the shadows.  He said softly with a slight French accent, “You had better be more careful when choosing your friends.” 

     “You!” I shouted, and then whispered loudly, “Who are you, and what the hell are you doing here?”  
     “Tsk, tsk...such language coming from such an attractive woman,” he said, with a slight smile. 
     “Don't avoid the issue, you bastard.  You come into my hotel room and dare to criticize my language?  Who the hell do you think you are?”  I ended with a shout.  I was royally pissed off by now. 
     He laughed softly with delight. “No wonder he loved you...you're so, how do they say, refreshing,” he said, almost to himself. 

     This situation was becoming more and more bizarre.  “What do you mean by that?” I asked, confused, “and you still didn't answer my question, you know.”  I folded my arms across my chest as I said this. 
     His face grew more serious, although his eyes (those eyes!!!!) were still full of humor.  “I came to warn you, my dear, that you should have heeded the words of the old man,” he whispered softly. 
     “What did you say?” I asked, confusedly. “How did you know about that?”  I was really becoming more and more confused.  Before I knew it he had me by the shoulders. 

     “Remember my warning,” he said, and then his mouth was on mine.  His kiss was nothing like I had ever experienced.  It was full of passion and violence.  He forced my lips open, and his tongue entered my mouth.  I can definitely say that he ravished me with just a kiss.  Suddenly I realized something, I don't know exactly what, but I knew that I could not let him control the situation.  I knew that almost instinctively. 

     I tore my mouth from his, and gasped, “I can't do this.”  But my own passion had been stirred, and I found his mouth again.  I was in control now, at least for the moment.  Without ever breaking contact, I shoved him back into the wall and had my way with him.  I ran my hands up his muscular chest, down his arms, and finally, they rested on his backside. 

     He groaned into my mouth when I did this.  My fingers kneaded the firm globes of his flesh, and I could feel him rock-hard against my stomach.  
     “Enough,” he growled, and tore his mouth from mine.  I was still lost in a passionate swoon when I felt his lips on my neck.  He kissed my neck several times, while running his tongue up and down it.  I think I felt a slight pain, and then I felt nothing at all. 

     She sagged against him, lost in a swoon or dream.  Since he couldn't read her thoughts, he couldn't tell.  He picked her up and carried her to her bed.  He gently layed her down, and covered her up with a blanket.  She curled up on her side, and snuggled into her pillow. 

     Lestat pondered this.  She looked so childlike right now, yet, not five minutes before, she had been like a raging lioness.  Where she had found the strength to shove him into the wall, he didn't know.  He just knew that he had come very close to losing all control.  He wanted her badly, both in the mortal and vampiric way.  He kissed her on her forehead and said, “Sweet dreams, ma chere.  We'll be seeing each other again soon.  I promise you that.” 

     Lestat remembered that he needed to make the wounds go away, and so he brushed Jamie's hair away from her neck.  To his utter shock, the wounds were already closing.  The bruising was virtually gone.  Astounding, he thought.  What was this woman?  He couldn't fathom it.  He was tempted to drink from her again, just to see if her wounds healed again.  But that would have been too tacky, he thought, wryly.  Mentally, he turned off the lights in the room.  He walked out onto the balcony, and closed the doors behind him.  He locked the doors, and then took to the air.  

     Lestat thought for a second.  “Well, she is no threat to us.  She doesn't even believe in us,” he said, breaking off.... 
     Armand picked up some of the images from Lestat's mind.  He saw them watching each other in the dining room, saw them talking on a balcony, saw them kissing, and saw them...”Lestat!” he exclaimed, “you drank from her!” 
     Lestat glared at Armand.  “Stay out of my mind, you miserable, little weasel. If I had wanted to tell you that, I would have.” 

     “Lestat!” Louis chided.  
     Lestat looked at Armand, who seemed hurt by these words.  “I apologize, Armand, it's just that she affected me much more than I thought she would.  I can understand why Daniel loved her so much.” 

     Armand seemed relieved by the apology.  “Yes, he did love her very much.  It almost destroyed him when he made them believe he was dead.” 
     Louis said, “If she stays in town too long, the odds are greater that she and Daniel will run into each other.  Now, if we can keep Daniel in Miami, the odds would shift in our favor.” 
     Lestat looked towards the parlor entrance.  “Too late,” he said.  Armand and Louis both looked towards the door, too.  There stood Daniel...his violet eyes flashing. 

     Louis rose to his feet, and went to Daniel.  “Daniel, welcome,” he said, kissing Daniel on the cheek.  “Have a seat please,” directing him to a nearby chair.  
       Daniel looked at Armand, then Louis, then Lestat, and then back to Armand, who shifted uncomfortably.  “Ok. What the hell is going on here?  I've been sensing that something is bothering all of you, something that you aren't telling me.  And we're not leaving this room, until you tell me what it is.” 

     Armand, Lestat, and Louis all looked at each other.  They all nodded their heads in agreement...Daniel had to know.  And know was just as good a time as any.  Shall I?  Lestat asked Armand. 
     Armand gave his head a slight shake.  No, beloved friend.  Daniel is my fledging, which makes him my responsibility, he thought back to Lestat.  He seemed to accept this, and then he leaned back into his chair. 
     “Daniel,” Armand said.......