On Silent Paws
by Lara
February 1999
This is an amateur effort and does not intend to infringe on the
rights of Anne Rice and her companies.
Dedicated to Minky and Daisy, and to Romeo, who is the current furry
charmer in residence.
The sound of the door made Armand look up from the book he had been
reading. Smiling he saw that Daniel had come back, his skin a slight
touch of pink and looking absolutely human from the recent hunting.
Fledglings, they don't know how lucky they are. His own cheeks
did not blush after feeding anymore, thus making it necessary to use
makeup when he wanted to pass as a mortal.
'Hello beloved,' he said, his voice raw, sounding as seducing as
anyway possible. He loved to kiss Daniel when the taste of his victim's
blood still lingered on his lips, and tried to get this prize as often
as possible.
'Erm...hello Armand, didn't know you were home.' Daniel looked as if
he had been caught in flagranti with Maharet, Armand thought, chuckling
at the image that his mind presented him with. 'Didn't you plan to stay
with Marius as long as I visit Jesse?'
'He is busy introducing Pandora to the twentieth century, and you
know that I don't really get along with her.' Armand marked the page and
laid the book on the table, gesturing Daniel to join him on the couch.
'So I've only spent a few days with them and then decided to wait for
you here. Did you have a nice time?' What he got as a reply was not what
he had hoped for.
'Um, yes. Jesse and Maharet send you greetings, by the way.' Daniel
smiled nervously, shrugged and picked up his bag. 'I'll go and unpack if
you don't mind.' Armand stared at his fledgling in surprise. Something
was strange about his behaviour, that was clear. Well, perhaps he was
just tired from the flight.
'Are you sure you don't want to join me here?' Armand asked, leaning
back into the cushions he had pushed in behind his back. Daniel nodded,
which puzzled his maker enourmously. Usually he was the one who resisted
attempts to share some kissing, not Daniel. Something was going on here,
and he would be damned if he didn't find out what exactly it was. 'I can
help you with the luggage if you want,' he proposed, stretching his
throat to expose the artery. He knew the blood was pulsing loud enough
for Daniel to hear it clearly.
'No, thank you. I'll manage.'
What is going on here? Armand was severely distressed now.
That Daniel resisted a spoken invitation was theoretically possible, but
that he managed to ignore the temptation of the blood was a wonder. For
a moment Armand suspected that his fledgling was ill in some way;
polluted blood perhaps, or maybe he hadn't noticed the stopping of the
heart, but he dismissed the thought again. Every vampire sensed the
death of the victim; as for the blood, well, from his time at Woodstock
Armand remembered that drugs and alcohol didn't really effect immortal
bodies. Ah, the sixties. How delightful these years had been. The music,
the people, the whole atmosphere had felt free. And here he was, center
of the free love period, and could not get his lover to cuddle. No need
to say that Armand was getting nervous.
'Perhaps we could watch a movie together? I've taped...Citizen
Kane...' The first title his mind had presented him with had been 9 1/2
weeks, but that would have probably been too obvious, he'd better try
the innocent way. Classics weren't really Armand's preferred movies,
after all he had seen them when they were called brand new and
revolutionary. But Daniel liked them, and if he had to wonder about
Rosebud two hours in order to get close to him it was worth the try.
'Later perhaps. But I don't really feel like it tonight. Maybe
another time.' With these words he left in the direction of his
room.
That's it! Armand thought. Now he has gone completely
crazy. And he's going to pay for this. He thought of pouting the
next time Daniel tried to seduce him, but decided that this would not
get him anywhere. The same with forced watching of Interview With The
Vampire, Armand would suffer as well. Suddenly a grin spread over his
face, and he sneaked to Daniel's room. That unwilling fledgling would
soon find out that his maker was more powerful.
Pushing the door open a fraction, he noticed with surprise that
Daniel wasn't there. First he lets me down for his dirty socks, and
now he isn't even here? Daniel, what are you up to? Armand entered
and slumped down on the bed, completely confused. At least he could wrap
himself into Daniel-scented covers when he couldn't feel his
embrace.
What was wrong with Daniel? Or was he simply not attracted to Armand
anymore? The trip to Sonoma might have changed him a lot; Jesse was a
most unusual vampire in every aspect. Perhaps Daniel felt that she was a
better companion for him? After all they were children of the same
century, and even nearly the same age.
A sudden noise made him turn his head, only to feel that his hair
must have got caught somewhere. Reaching up to free his curls, Armand
touched something that did not feel like bedsheets or his own hair.
Something breathing.
Daniel hurried back to his room, carrying two big carton boxes. Jesse
had provided him with everything he might need, but smuggling the things
into the house without Armand noticing anything was close to impossible.
He had had hell of a time to keep from giving in to the seduction
attempts of his; and it had been more than just mere luck that Armand
had not paid enough attention to his surroundings to hear the extra
heartbeat.
'Oh no!' Daniel groaned when he saw that the door to his room was
opened. Had he managed to escape? No, Daniel was rather sure that he had
closed the door properly. So this meant that his worst fear had come
true. Armand had discovered his new companion. He probably was just
draining him.
He hurried along the corridor, nearly losing one of his cartons in
the process. Pushing the door open with his knee, he was prepared to see
the corpse of his friend when he entered.
What he saw was nothing at all.
His room looked as always, only the sheets were messed up and were
hanging down at the far side of his bed. No corpse. But also nothing
that could confirm him of the little one's wellbeing. Well, he had to
try and call him.
'Amadeo,' he cooed. 'Amadeo, where are you?' Rustling then silence
again. 'Amadeo?' Suddenly he heard a soft laughter, and two heads perked
up from behind his bed, one with auburn curls and the other with furry
ears. Daniel sighed with relief.
'Really, caro,' Armand climbed to his feet and shook his head. 'You
named the cat Amadeo?' Daniel blushed, causing Armand to chuckle.
'I never knew your ears could be that red.'
'I didn't name him, it was Jesse,' Daniel tried to defend
himself.
'Jesse? Oh, then you're innocent in this.' Armand settled on the bed,
Amadeo curling up in his lap. 'Why didn't you tell me that you want a
pet?'
'Well,' Daniel tried to find the right words, 'when we visited Lestat
and Louis the last time, you didn't really like Mojo and...well, I just
thought you wouldn't like to have a cat in the house.'
'You believed that because I don't like big dogs who keep licking my
face I don't want any animals around? I might be not a dog person-'
'That's pretty obvious, I'd say,' Daniel interrupted. 'The poor dog
probably still doesn't dare to enter the guest bedroom after what you
did to him.'
'Was it really that bad?' Armand asked innocently. Daniel refrained
from answering and set the cartons down, giving him an expectant
look.
'Didn't you say you would help me with unpacking before?' Armand
smiled, removed the kitten who had wrapped himself around his leg, and
began to observe the contents of the first box. His eyes grew bigger and
bigger.
'I didn't know that you need so many things to keep a cat.'
'Hm, let me see,' Daniel had a closer look. 'Jesse said it is
necessary to take proper care of him. We don't want our Amadeo to get
sick or anything, do we?'
'Of course not. What's that?' Armand held up a bright yellow plastic
ball with spikes.
'I'm not really sure. Looks like something to play with. Is it soft
or hard?'
'Soft. And it has a bell inside. Must be a toy, or Jesse has gone
completely crazy now. Where did she get him from in the first place, by
the way?'
'Maharet's cat, she got kittens.' Armand stared at Amadeo in
amazement.
'He's from royal blood? Wow, I'd never thought that our pet would be
from a higher social rank than us. Perhaps we should call him Highness
Amadeo from now on. Of course that would mean that you have to call me
the same.'
'No way.' Daniel took out a bag of cat litter. 'You don't get a title
just because of the cat. Can you find me a box for this?'
'Hm? Sorry, I was talking with myself. Don't I look sweet when I'm
curled up like that? Ah, my furr is wonderful soft.'
'Stop being silly. I should have known that choosing Amadeo would
only make you even more arrogant. Lestat would have been better.' Armand
blinked in surprise.
'Jesse named all the cats after vampires?'
'Mhm. Lestat, a nice black and white spotted one, the two blacks
Louis and Santino, little tiger Gabrielle and the russet Amadeo.'
'Fascinating.' Armand grinned. 'I'd like to see Lestat's face when he
finds out about this. I'm sure he is the brat of the litter.'
'You can be sure of that. He even bit me!'
'Well, what did you expect? After all it's in his nature.' Daniel
took some cat food out and handed it to Armand. 'Fancy Feast? Sheba?
Whiskas? I hope that's the best you could get. I'm not going to allow
myself to eat minor quality food, you know. Perhaps you should prepare
me some tuna paste, I'm sure I'd like that.'
'Armand, beloved, do me a favour. Stop talking as if you were the
cat, it's getting confusing.'
'I like to confuse you. It's only fair after what you did to me
before.' Daniel crawled over to him and put his arm around the slim
form.
'I'm sorry, but I had to get Amadeo inside. You have no idea how hard
it was for me to resist you.' He placed a kiss on Armand's cheek. 'Did
you think I don't want you anymore?' Armand made a dismissive
gesture.
'Of course not.' Daniel sighed and drew him into an embrace.
'You must never think something like that. I will always want you,
just because of yourself. Never think I could stop loving you.' Armand
nodded and rested his head against Daniel's chest, reaching for his
hand.
'As will I,' he said.
The End
