“You're safe now. You're here, you're safe, and I've got you. Just breathe.”
The nightmare had come to him again. Surrounded by fire, on fire. Burning skin and torment. His loved ones, chiseled and carved sculptures in ash. David, Armand, Gabrielle, Daniel, and even Marius were crumbling away on winds that swept the flames higher but through smoke, ash and swirling flames was an illuminated figure with a cold, stormy gaze and wild blond curls. Advancing until he towered over Louis and only then he realized that he had sunk to his knees. Was it to plead for his life or for Lestat to come to his senses? Possibly. Or was it the force of his maker's will that drove him down onto the blackened ground? More likely as solid arms reached down and powerful hands drove themselves through his chest to tear out his frightened, desperately beating heart. A collective cry echoed through his soul as Louis' sharp green vision clouded over and then Lestat began to speak soft, soothing words, which made the horror of it all so much worse. "You're safe now. You're safe now..."
His eyelids flew open at the sound of Lestat's voice against his ear but he found that he could barely move. He was pinned down by the sheer mass and power of his lover's body. Held tenderly yet the vice grip was unmistakable and unrelenting. Louis shifted his gaze to briefly survey their surroundings and came to the swift realization that their bed and most of the furniture within reach was practically torn apart. Had he done this? Clearly, the answer was yes.
Before his attempt to end his own life, Louis did not dream. His power had only progressed minimally over time and when the Death Sleep took him each day, he was clinically a corpse.
After his revival by Lestat, David and Merrick, his life had drastically changed again. That evening spent in Lestat's embrace, the weak and powerful blood flowing in a continuous cycle between them for countless hours until Louis had effectively passed out from the ecstasy, not only restored him completely but given him gifts and abilities he'd only ever seen in his maker and other ancients.
The four vampires that had now become the Coven of the Articulate, had relocated temporarily to an opulent home in the Botafogo district of Rio de Janeiro and there, Louis learned how to navigate and cope with his newfound appearance, strength and powers.
The months passed and though there was struggle, Louis proved an apt pupil in mastering each gift. However, many vampires end up with a gift that may be entirely unique to one or rare to a few. For Louis, it began with dreams.
At first, the dreams were vague and brief. Many evenings were spent sitting beneath a canopy of vines and broad palm leaves while discussing the dreams Louis had but then, the dreams took a turn. Parts of his dreams came to fruition. The most disturbing and frightening parts. His dreams did not simply involve his beloved ones but events that stirred all of their kind whether they rested beneath the surface of the Earth or were dwelling above when the sun slipped below the horizon. These dreams became prophetic visions and he kept these parts to himself.
Louis was torn, once again between the thrill of being able to fully delve into his newfound powers and turning his head in denial of what crept in and covered the nape of his neck in icy, fetid breath.
But it was inevitable that his actions in dreams, against the threats were rising to the surface, were now manifesting in unconscious response not dissimilar to how a sleeping vampire would attack anything seeking to disturb their slumber.
He urgently needed to confide in someone and it should be his closest and most intimate companion in immortality yet, these dreams clearly indicated that Lestat was about to become something more monstrous than he'd ever been. Something worse than even Akasha. A vengeful, angry god of terrible omnipotency. Enough to steal away every last shred of emotion his maker had for him and all his kind. Enough to insure that Lestat was all that was left.
An apocalypse was coming and if Louis spoke, would he become Cassandra? Would Lestat wave it all away and inadvertently hasten this terrible prophecy or if Louis kept quiet, would his silence and halcyonic demeanor spell their collective doom? What if, this time, it was just a dream and nothing would come of it? He'd be seen as an unstable fool who worried unnecessarily.
"I...I apologize. It was just a...nightmare? I cannot be sure. I haven't had one since I was mortal. I am fine now. Calm."
