Some of my favorite parts of the old/new Lestat and King Louis XIV book!
Spoilers below and the list is looonnggg……..
Lestat calling Louis “the tender one” and saying this about making Louis and Claudia ♥️♥️♥️:
I was so young when I made Louis, I couldn’t give him great strength. But I gave him love. And I fed off his capacity to love me and love others. Ah, that was the season for fervent embraces, soft spoken words and tender soundless kisses - - the years of making Louis and Claudia.
Lestat calling his trauma “gifts”:
Something else was different too. All my past battles, all my adventures had left me enhanced. It’s kind of charming and ironic. I always get loose from the fetters prepared for me, and I always take away certain gifts.
Lestat aching for Gabrielle 🥺:
Gone, just like that, into the gathering evening, and out of all collective knowledge as though the stars had taken her prisoner when she made her inevitable ascent. Maybe if I’d answered, maybe if I’d turned around, she would have stayed. I should have said “Mother, I love you.” I should have asked her to stay. But she’s so cold, so ruthlessly indifferent. She chills me, more than comforts me, and she can be so heartless to the others of our kind who only wish her well.
Gabrielle being vicious to Marius with zero fucks given 😂:
To Marius one evening she said casually that she loathed all Romans for what they’d done to Celtic Europe and she wished he would get out of her sight. How marvelous to feel so passionately about political events of the era before Christ? How pitiless to take it up with a bloodrinker survivor who saw his Empire fall over hundreds of years, and lived on to see other realms and cities vanish from Earth. Besides, I’ve never heard anyone speak this way to Marius the Great.
Louis and David taking care of Lestat while he’s in the coma and changing his clothes and also Lestat and Sybelle 😭 and Lestat and Armand 😭:
Sybelle came with David and Louis to change my clothes, ever an awkward situation, my being gently pulled up, a limp doll as they adorned me with a fresh white ruffled shirt stitched with the usual lace, very thick and indulgent, and then a handsome red velvet coat of perfect fit, soft natural shoulders and big deep cuffs….I was given new dove gray pants, sleek and handsome, and a new pair of exquisitely tailored black leather boots. When that was done, I kissed Sybelle’s narrow tender hand and everyone took heart at that. “He’s waking!” My soul sighed and I became drowsy once more and my limbs grew heavy. I laid back down, crooking my right arm under my head….But as I tried to reinvoke my dreams, Sybelle decided to brush my hair….I loved the brushing, too much for a sleeping man, I think. I was dully amazed by Sybelle’s kindness, and glimpsing in an unfocused and deliberately hazy way that Armand stood by approving all this, and took the brush when she finished from her hands. “Now he looks beautiful again,” Armand said. Didn’t I always? I was born beautiful! What an annoyance. There were other remarks, unimportant to me. When I considered my vanity and pettiness, I gritted my teeth in self hatred. Play, Sybelle, play the music! “Loveliest and most gifted,” I whispered to her - - startling Armand but not her - - and then I settled once and for all, a statue on the floor, the dying Gaul in a new form.
Lestat finally waking because he thinks Sybelle is in danger:
I was for the first time truly concerned. Of course, whether I joined the battle or not, I was the magnet that drew these damned flies. Still I didn’t speak. A scream came from Sybelle. My torpor broke as if it had been a witch’s spell. I sat up. We heard a soft thunder of feet on the distant north stairway. And then a dreadful, woeful crying, vampires weeping in the most tender and unstinting way. Old powerful vampires with the hard lustrous and eloquent voices of the old, always more modulated, more powerful than any words piped by the young. I turned and was on my feet in an instant.
One of the rogue vampires challenging Lestat and Lestat setting him on fire:
“I’ll take you on,” the male said, raising his voice to me needlessly and foolishly, his eyes dancing viciously over me. “Vampire Lestat!” he sneered. “I’ll go down in history as the one who wakened you.” A swanky pair, a cityfied pair most assuredly, not even twenty years old, with the golden blood of Southern climes in their veins. “What tragic little fools you are,” I whispered. I was already shaking with anger. I tired desperately to hold myself in check….“You do this in my city!” I said, my voice stronger than it had been before. I felt my belly become ragingly hot. “Send the fire!” I said speaking to my own powers. It was a wild impulse, without justice or reason, and in horror, as I convulsed, I saw the two set ablaze. The others scrambled back. The fire of the two bodies shot up almost to the ceiling of the Chapel. Benji cried out. Even Marius was startled, reaching hastily for Pandora. I myself was shocked. The instant lurid light was hideous. The crackling and screaming made me cover my ears. I shivered at what I had done, watching them burn on the marble floor, dancing, screaming in the fire! “Oh, God, this accursed power,” I said, unsure and grief stricken myself for these suffering idiots. “Again,” I whispered and sent the blaze to finish them, to end their monstrous execution.
Everyone, including Lestat, being equal parts shocked and horrified by Lestat killing the rogues, but Armand being Armand like yeah sure whatever cool let’s kill more:
All the room stood mute witness. A hideous perfume filled the chapel. Who is not horrified by such a sight! Jared and the musicians were astonished. Was this justice or was this evil? I could not stop shaking violently. In unwilling belief I stared at the thick red stains bubbling and drying up on the floor. “Kill more of them!” Armand said, “If you can do that, sweep them all at once.” But I couldn’t move. I stared at the stains on the floor where the two young ones had died. Marius said nothing to me, but he had lost his composure. He had the power of fire inside him, but I didn’t know if he could immolate other vampires. Every speck of decency in David had been shaken. Louis, our youngest and kindest, had become sad. Only Armand seemed quite immune to questions of justice and cruelty. “Don’t waste your pity,” said Armand.
Sybelle comforting Lestat 🥺😭:
I was weeping inside. I wanted so badly to hold on to someone, to make this shaking stop. Didn’t anyone understand? I had more power than intellect, more destructive force than mind? It was Sybelle who knew it, and she came to me and threw her light arms around me. She pressed her forehead to my cheek.
Lestat and Benji — the duo I never knew I needed and Lestat being a cranky old man and Benji taking the utter piss out of Lestat:
As they passed us, silently manipulating the load into the room, Benji immediately planted himself before me, and said, “I’m ready for battle. You can not leave me behind. Don’t even think about it.” I pulled Benji close to me, marveling at his defiance, and tolerance of being grabbed by the collar of his sweater. He scowled at me and made an angry lip. “I know you, big guy, you like me,” Benji said. Armand was anxious. Marius and Pandora stood quiet. Louis and David appeared and David seemed out of place, yet totally himself….His eyes flared with apprehension. “Be gentle with him, Lestat,” said David with his finest British persuasiveness. “He’s a mere boy, and we’re all his tutors.” “Listen, kid,” I said to Benji, “I’m not so kind and patient with child vampires and these others. You’re adorable, I acknowledge, a real prankish little demon. But don’t give me any trouble, not tonight of all nights. I’m stuporous from dreams. I don’t have a taste for any violence, not even your nasty words, got it? My morals aren’t based on beauty anymore. You’re going to stay here, as I told you.” Benji burst into delighted laughter. He winked at me. “Ah, Lestat, you speak good words, both old and new, I like you!” he said, pulling loose from my grip easily. “I read all your books. It’s easy to read now, nothing to it.” “Another brat,” I sighed. “As if I myself were not enough once!” He pulled a fresh cigarette out of his pants pocket, smelled it and licked the tip and fixed it on his lip. “I’m your pupil,” he said with mock deference, narrowing his eyes and then laughing again. “Like David just told you. Listen up, Lestat. And this question of morals haunts me too, make no mistake. You think Bedouins are an immoral people? Morals were born in the desert, in Egypt, on Sinai, on the banks of the Jordan. You got to be my boss and my teacher, big guy. Come on, chill out.” “Oh, for the love of God,” I said, “another lice ridden long gowned wandered out of the Promise Land. Little David, play on your harp and get away from me.” My own vehemence hurt me. My emotions warmed me too much. The present moment struck me like cold waves on a broken shore, yet the dim sweetly tinted spells of my dreams wouldn’t let go. I struggled to focus on the kid. He was taking my measure. But he wasn’t scared of anything. Marius and Armand both smiled at this, rather wickedly, I thought. But they were still anxious. What would I do? David’s expression was a little more sarcastic but none the less loving. “You judge me wrong,” said Benji cockily. “But I forgive you. My heart’s enormous, you see. And I understand your few weaknesses.” His dark eyes blazed with good humor. “Ah, to have you awake and insulting me is magnificent!” “That’s just charming, you little sand beggar,” I answered. “Why hasn’t Sybelle started playing? Go to Sybelle. You always took care of Sybelle. Go.” He ignored this. “I have the powerful blood of Marius in me,” Benji answered, glowering at me again and looking as fierce as his little round face would allow. “I’m going!” He lifted his right hand in a tight fist. “Marius, will you please respond to this nonsense,” I said. “I’m risen, I’m the leader, you have what you want, all of you. Break your silence! Why can’t you even do so much as take control of this boy?” “He can go with us,” said Marius very calmly. “He has extraordinary strength and the capacity to…well, take people by surprise.” “Nicely put!” declared Benji rubbing his hands together. “Yeah, just capital,” I said. “He should go with us,” Marius said. “He needs to know how to protect himself against these young ones. He can be at my side. He’s rather tired of our passivity as well.” His voice was muted and formal as always, but something darker lurked behind his benign expression. He made me furious. Benji leapt in the air and came down with a thundering noise on the polished pine floor. “Yes!” he said. I shrugged, and meant to turn away, but stood motionless.
Lestat wanting Louis to stay behind to protect him and leaving David there to keep Louis safe and saying goodbye to Louis, knowing if he actually allowed himself to wallow in the feelings Louis stirred in him that he’d lose his resolve and not go through with cleaning up the rogues 😩😭♥️:
Louis appeared then, out of the shadows of the corridor. “You want me to stay behind?” he asked. “I suppose it’s wise and practical.” “David will be with you,” I said. I had no time for his feelings. He looked sad, as he had when I burnt the two slayer vampires. His black hair was uncommonly mussed, and his long jacket was distressingly worn and dusty, and he made the picture of a graceful, sensitive mortal who is desperately bereft and forlorn. But he nodded, came to me and kissed me on both cheeks, then turned and entered the gold chamber where the others were speaking in muted voices. He knew we could not use him for what we had to do.
Again, Lestat and Benji 🥺:
I was shaking all over. Benji took my right hand. “What’s the matter, Boss?” he asked, his round face looking up at me with loyalty and undisguised excitement….“Nothing,” I said forcing myself to form words. “Only that you understand our cause is selfish and we are as evil as those we destroy.” He smiled, working the unlighted cigarette easily, his round black eyes filled with dancing light. “I grew up in Jerusalem, Boss,” he said. “Has more blood been shed in any other city? Marius is getting steamy, let’s go.”
Lestat remembering his time with Louis and Claudia at Rue Royale and still grieving his lost child 😭:
I faltered. I didn’t care who saw it. The memories were too sharp and vivid of the days two hundred years ago when I had come here, young and greedy as these vagrants whom I wanted to kill now. But it was not the scent of mortal blood that came to me - - that was too common to me - - it was the engulfing atmosphere of our civilized flat, where we had become a family, Louis, my precious child vampire Claudia and I. I heard the clop of horses’ hooves, I smelled the fragrance of the old gas lights, but above all I was deep within my richly appointed lair among the velvet fauteils which Louis had so loved, and Claudia was laughing. Claudia was happy, a beaming doll in ringlets and ribbons, twirling about in slippered feet. Claudia was not driving a knife into my chest. Claudia was not dead. Claudia in her adorable and enticing six year old body and not yet eaten of the fruit of the Tree of Good and Evil. Hallucinations were overtaking me. I saw a heap of ashes in a brick lightwell begin to dance and take the form of a spirited and carefree little girl. As if she could rise now, out of the centuries and out of the vile light shaft where the sun had destroyed her and come back to us with outstretched arms. Where was her soul? All of this passed within an instant, spontaneously and potent as a drug.
Armand trusting Lestat to look after Benji:
“Armand,” I said, “can you cover the city, find the fleeing ones, the weak ones?” “I should love to do it,” Armand said with a sly smile. “But you take Benji with you. I know where you want to go, to your own house where they are holding fast though they know what’s taken place only blocks away.”
And again, more Lestat and Benji and Lestat keeping a portrait of Claudia on his desk 😭:
Benji was so obviously a newborn. He was ripe from his kill. He was a human to all appearances. He circled my drawing room, looked at the fancy little secretary desk against the wall, and looked at the oval portrait of my lost Claudia in its gilt frame that stood there. “Benjamin,” I said, but not with much conviction. “Benjamin, you saw that creature, that beautiful vampire. You saw him take his leave. What did you think of him?” Benji stopped his tour of the place and gave me a startled look. “You’re asking me, Boss?” he piped. “Yes, what did you think of him?” “Why, he’s very handsome, and at first I didn’t know whether he was a boy or a girl, but then I thought he was a man, and he bowed to us and smiled at us and was most gracious. I thought you had let him go deliberately. We could tell from below that you wanted him to be safe from us. What a character.” He went back to inspecting the place. I gave him a permissive gesture.
Lestat wanting no part of the drama and just wanting to go see Mojo:
I was still profoundly resentful of my comrades’ insistence that I lead this slaughter, particularly when they had proved to be such fierce combatants. And I did not wish to entangle myself yet in the ongoing drama of our confused and uncertain camaraderie.
I could scarce believe it. I fell to my knees, and threw my arms around his huge soft bulk, and let his enormous tongue have at my eyes and my lips as he wanted it. The clean natural smell of the dog was inexpressibly sweet, and his long abundant fur too wonderful beneath my fingers as I drew him close to me, his ears falling back submissively and his massive weight resting against my leg trustingly. “You know me!” I said, “you do!” As always, I burrowed my face in his clean fur, and he seemed content to remain motionless in my embrace, though his long tail was wagging eagerly. He lifted one monstrous and beautiful paw and rested it heavily on my chest. “You know me,” I said again. “You remember me.” I kissed him all over his dark brown and black haired face and looked into his extraordinary dark eyes. Memory had been true to his eerie, intelligent expression. He gave a faint whimper as he bent his head to the side and snuggled it beneath my arm against my jacket. Starting to cry, I quickly found my handkerchief and wiped away my tears. He then made to lap at them with his tongue. That was fine. Anything that the old lady should not see blood tears and be disturbed by it.
Louis taking care of Mojo while Lestat was in the coma and Mojo loving Louis too 😭♥️:
“Of course the dark haired man comes to walk him, you know, your friend, the Frenchman,” she sighed and looked up. “And what a handsome man that is, though he’s so gaunt, he needs meat on his bones, and I told him. He ought to let me cook for him. My mother’s gumbo would fatten him up. But what a striking face, made me think of the old time actors which you’re too young to know, with their black hair and gleaming eyes. You young men, both of you, you are such adorable boys!” “And you’re too sweet, ma cher,” I said. “God exists wherever people are kind and loving,” I went on, though why these words came so easily out of my mouth and with such emotion I didn’t know. “He’s such a gentleman,” she said almost blushing. Catching an easy telepathic image from her unguarded and pure little heart, I saw it was Louis who’d come. I had never imagined that he would. My sleep had been deeper than I ever supposed. I’d never sensed that he was doing me such a favor. “How marvelous,” I said gratefully. “And Mojo took to him?” “And he goes out with Mr. Louis,” her French pronunciation perfect again, with the emphasis on the second syllable of Louis’ name, “and he’s happy enough with Mr. Louis, but really, but just look at the poor thing, how he loves you.”
Mojo and I took off. Over and over, as we walked together back through the Quarter and uptown, Mojo leapt in the air beside me to lick my face, or lay his paws on my chest and I always patiently let him do it, loving it, and hugging him, mystified as always as to why this simple creature did not sense the evil in me. It had been a mystery to me from the beginning, when I’d first come upon this dog, in the rear yard of a Washington townhouse. Why did the dog not shy away, as such creatures often do, from me? Dogs know what vampires are, don’t they? But maybe I was wrong on this account. I’d never been much interested in dogs since my mortal life when I’d slept in my father’s castle in France with all heap of giant mastiffs to keep me warm, mastiffs who were my powerful hunting companions. Whatever the case, I gloried in my love for this animal. It brought out the human heart in me to revel in this simple pleasure.
(Just rip my heart out right now! This is so pure and so sweet and so tender and Lestat! LESTAT! You can see someone’s heart by the way they treat animals and Mojo is Lestat’s baby! 😭)
The ENTIRE “little drink” excursion which is quite possibly one of my favorite Lestat moments ever written 🤣🥵🔥🔥 It’s soooo him and when he crashed the wedding and actually had the bride?! And then getting swept away with the champagne girls and walking them all to their doors like the gentleman *ahem* cheeky brat that he is?! LESTAT! 🥰:
Marius not-so-subtly taking the piss out of Lestat’s body swapping ordeal:
“For the moment let me remind you that when you became entangled with the Body Thief, and you were tricked into switching your immortal body, with all its power, for his mortal body, a theft itself, I did not interfere, which I might have, for pure self interest.” “I know,” I said. “I know what I did. I put tremendous preternatural gifts in the hands of a scoundrel.” “Yes,” said Marius appreciatively. “And when that scoundrel, fully anchored in your body, ran out on the bargain to return it to you - - as anyone with sense would have known he meant to do - - I gave you no help.” “I understand why you didn’t,” I said.
Lestat being a sulky brat (again):
Marius explaining why he turned Benji and Sybelle for Armand and also peep that foreshadowing to Daniel’s arc in the show (bet on it that Rolin has read this draft too. Also, ARMAND! 😭):
So yeah, I’ve only got the last revised Chapter 7 to finish, and I don’t want it to end! This should’ve been completed and published, because it’s so good and fills in so many gaps and explains so much of the lore surrounding Lestat (he was being established as the most powerful vampire in existence) and what exactly happened to him while in the coma and that which he couldn’t explain to Quinn in Blackwood Farm other than they “harmed him” and it was too painful for him to talk about it. 💔😭 Ultimately, I’m still glad Anne went ahead with Merrick because it gave us the ultimate Loustat moment, but seeing some of this plot incorporated would’ve been greatly welcomed too!
Also, Anne’s notes on her thought process while writing are fascinating, and I can’t wait to dig into the other early drafts we’ve been blessed with. I started on the early draft of The Vampire Lestat the other night, and my heart is already about to burst through my chest. 😩
Oh, Anne. You are sorely missed. ♥️
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