“His what?” Lestat shouted.
Armand winced slightly. “This woman was Daniel's wife when he was mortal.”
Lestat and Louis looked completely shocked. Neither one of them could say
anything for a minute. This allowed Armand time to consider how he was going
to explain the rest of it.
Lestat was about to speak again, when Louis touched him on the arm to
silence him. Lestat looked sharply at Louis and then nodded. Louis then
shifted
his attention over to Armand. He asked softly, “Why didn't we know about
this woman before now?”
Lestat interjected, “Yes, and why did we never see this woman in his mind?”
Armand considered both of these questions. “Louis, no one knows about her,
except Daniel and me, and now you. And Lestat, Daniel keeps her image
buried deep in his mind.”
Louis asked, “How did you find out about her, Armand?”
Armand responded, “I discovered her existence while Daniel was still mortal.
It took me quite by surprise.”
“And?” Lestat pushed, more gently now. He sensed that this was a sore spot
for Armand.
Armand looked at Lestat, noting how the blonde's voice had softened. He
smiled slightly, and then answered, “We happened to be in one of our night
classes together, music appreciation, I believe.” His eyes twinkled a bit,
“Of
course, this was before you came out with that rot you call music.”
Louis tried unsuccessfully to stifle a snicker, and Lestat gave Armand his
prettiest, full-fanged grin. He laughed a little, and then said, “Never mind
that, Armand, go on.”
Armand grinned (yes grinned) at Lestat for a split second longer before his
face grew serious again. He opened his mind to Lestat and Louis and began
sending them images. “Anyway, as I was saying, we were in a music
appreciation class when our topic of the evening was, I swear, rock music of
the late
sixties to mid-70's.........”
One Night, Twenty or so years ago...
“Armand, hurry up!” Daniel shouted. “It's almost time for class. I've
been looking forward to this lecture.”
I 'm coming, Daniel. Be patient, Daniel heard in his head.
I'm trying, Daniel thought back at Armand.
“I am ready to go now,” Armand spoke up from the stairway. He was in his
student mode...hair pulled back in a tail, jeans, T-shirt, and tennis shoes.
Daniel practically shoved Armand out the door...not a simple feat seeing
that he was only mortal.
Armand was happy to see that Daniel was happy tonight. He was glad that
there were going to be no fights. He intended to make sure that nothing
happened to cause one.
When they arrived at school, the lecture was just about to begin. The
professor was passing out handouts showing an outline of rock bands from
1967-1976. The professor proceeded to discuss songs that dealt with love gone
bad,
and lost loves. All of a sudden, Armand felt an intense wave of sadness
emanating from Daniel.
Armand looked over at Daniel, and he was shocked to see that tears were
streaming down Daniel's face. Armand looked into Daniel's thoughts, and what
he
saw stunned him. A woman's face was in the center of Daniel's thoughts.
“Daniel,” he hissed, “what's wrong?”
Daniel looked with tear-filled eyes at Armand. “What?” he asked.
Armand, really concerned now, put his arm around Daniel's shoulders, which
were shaking with sobs. “Let's go,” he commanded. He helped Daniel to his
feet, and he noticed that the professor was giving him a concerned look.
Armand reassured the professor that everything was all right by giving him a
slight nod.
Armand helped Daniel out of the classroom, and when they got outside of the
building, Daniel collapsed on the sidewalk. The sobs sounded as if they were
being ripped from his soul. Armand didn't know he could help his beloved,
so he just put his arm around him. Daniel buried his head into Armand's
shoulder and cried. After a few minutes, Armand noticed that the sobs were
beginning to subside. “Are you ready to talk about it?” he asked gently.
Daniel looked up and smiled slightly. He looked so child-like...smiling
through his tears. He nodded at Armand, and sat up. “Who is the woman,
beloved?
The one I saw in your mind?”
Daniel stiffened, and then relaxed a bit. “She is, I mean, she was, my wife.
”
Armand, surprised, said, “But you have no wife.”
Daniel nodded, “Not anymore. When I began my travels with you, I made her
think I was dead.”
“Why would you do that, beloved?” Armand asked, gently.
“To be completely honest, I didn't want her to be exposed to you and the
other vampires out there. I was afraid that you might hurt her if you knew of
her existence,” Daniel said, the sobs still shaking his body a little.
“I'm hurt that you didn't tell me about her before, but that was probably
wise. I won't share you with anyone,” Armand said stubbornly.
That brought a smile to Daniel's face. “I know, love. But tonight's class
made me realize how desperately I miss her. Jamie is her name. She was my
best friend,” Daniel said, “we grew up together. We were high school and
college sweethearts. We married just after college. We were very happy
together, at least, until I began my night travels looking for stories. That
she
didn't understand, but she wouldn't give me any trouble over it. She trusted
me implicitly....and look at how I've betrayed her.”
Armand shook his head. “You didn't betray her...you saved her. You loved
her enough to let her go, didn't you? You showed more strength than I ever
could. I'd never give up anything I love, because I seldom find anything
worth
loving. You are my beloved and my best friend, Daniel. If I have never said
that before now, please forgive me,” Armand said.
Daniel smiled lovingly at Armand, and then said, “Let's go home. I'm tired.”
“Anything you wish, beloved,” Armand said, “but one thing, would you like
me to find out how she is doing and where she is?”
Daniel stopped walking and looked at Armand. He violently shook his head.
“No,” he said, “absolutely not. I do not want her exposed to this world
I've gotten myself into at all.”
Armand nodded in satisfaction, “Okay, Daniel. I won't try to find her.”
Daniel seemed to accept this, and they began to walk back to their hotel.
Armand thought to himself, if I have to keep tabs on this woman, I will. But
for now, I'll leave her be........."
Armand ceased the images coming from his mind. Lestat and Louis looked at
him with twin expressions—of understanding mixed with sadness. Armand noticed
that Louis had tears standing in his eyes, and that Lestat looked more
subdued than usual. He asked them, “Now do you know why I need your help,
Lestat?
I've seen this woman with my own eyes, here in New Orleans, and she's
powerful. Very powerful.”
Lestat waved off Armand's question, “Of course, I'm going to help you. That
was never in doubt....I'm too curious not to.” He looked at Louis, who
nodded in agreement. “But what I want to know is, are you going to tell
Daniel
any of this?”
“Not yet....” he stated, but before Lestat could utter a single syllable,
he continued, “not until I find out her intentions and exactly how much she
knows.”
That seemed to pacify Lestat who asked, “So, Armand, what do you want to do
first?”
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