61.

120      CONTINUED:

MARIUS
Lestat, if you cannot forgive me,
so be it. But I beg you, don't
provoke her. If you perform at
this concert, you will be
vulnerable. I cannot protect you.

LESTAT
Did I ask for your protection?

Lestat goes to the window, trying to contain his excitement.

LESTAT
I waited for you two hundred
years, and all you have to say is
'don't' and 'can't'.
(shakes his head)
You can kill me right now if you
choose, but I will make my debut
at that concert. And it will be a
sensation.

MARIUS
Hmmm... that I don't doubt.

121      INT. VAMPIRE'S NIGHTCLUB - NIGHT

Same as when Jesse was here, except there are no mortals in sight. The Vampire Lover we remember feeding on the girl in the corner is there at the bar... The BARMAN polishes glasses, talking to one of the Punk Vampires who tried to attack Jesse.

VAMPIRE LOVER
Slow tonight...

BARMAN
Should be some mortals here soon.
I gave out a heap of cards.

122      EXT. VAMPIRE NIGHTCLUB (SOUTH LONDON) - NIGHT

We SWOOP DOWN ON a desolate urban spot TO a deserted old house surrounded by junkyards and car-parks.

CUT TO:

123      EXT. VAMPIRE NIGHTCLUB - FRONT DOOR

The vampire doorman opens the door and peers out... The same strange MUSIC emanates and we conclude that this is the same Vampire nightclub moved to a new location.

62.

124      VAMPIRE DOORMAN'S POV

The street is empty.

125      ANGLE ON VAMPIRE DOORMAN

as he peers into the night. A figure floats towards him...

126      AKASHA

moves towards him, still more statue than human.

The vampire doorman is frightened, but mesmerized as she moves in...

127      INT. VAMPIRE BAR

The Barman looks up at the sound of the DOOR SLAMMING. He does a double-take and watches in awe as...

Akasha floats in, wiping her mouth, looking more human as if the doorman's blood has helped bring her back to life. She is distracted by the TV -- another Vampire Lestat video PLAYS.

The Vampire Lover Jesse saw feeding on the mortal girl looks up from his position by the stage. Seeing Akasha, he slides up next to her.

VAMPIRE LOVER
You like Lestat, do you?

AKASHA
Yes.

VAMPIRE LOVER
Jeez, luv. You're lookin' a wee
stiff. Wait a bit -- there'll be
some choice pickin' comin' in here
soon. Nice suck of the ol' red
'n' bubbly to loosen you up.

But Akasha isn't listening. Absentmindedly she takes him in her arms and begins kissing him, just as he kissed the mortal girl. He swoons, knowing he's in trouble, but unable to stop himself.

AKASHA
Come here often?

(CONTINUED)

63.

127      CONTINUED:

The Barman looks up as the Vampire Lover collapses on the floor, withered to a brittle shell. Now Akasha is moving to the bar. He starts as...

The DOOR LOCKS itself loudly.

AKASHA
Where is Lestat?

BARMAN
I dunno... I guess he's in L.A.
for the concert...

Akasha reaches over, places her hand on his throat.

AKASHA
Don't worry, this won't hurt...
too much.

Akasha pulls the Barman lightly over the bar and attacks him as if she were just reaching out for a snack. He flails but is overwhelmed by her strength...

The Vampire Girl who Jesse saw vanish with the Yuppie, flies towards Akasha, knife raised, but Akasha just turns, smiling...

Suddenly there is an explosion of flames. The Vampire Girl screams as she is consumed.

The piano player and guitar player go up in flames...

All hell breaks loose as the other vampires run for the door. The lock won't budge and it's too late anyway as the flames overwhelm them...

And THROUGH the flames, we see Akasha, looking still more human, smiling...

LIGHTNING STRIKES.

128      INT. AIRPLANE - NIGHT

A tall, shapely female flight attendant sways down the first-class aisle of an airplane, her BACK TO us.

She stops by a seat where Jesse sleeps uncomfortably.

Pulling out a blanket, the attendant drapes it over Jesse, tucking it closely around her neck, then, curiously, the stewardess leans down.

64.

129      CLOSE ON LIPS

begin to sensually kiss Jesse's neck...

We begin to hear the BEATING of a HEART, getting LOUDER...

The lips part to expose fangs... slowly sinking themselves into Jesse's skin.

She murmurs in her sleep...

JESSE
Lestat.

She stirs awake to see...

The face of Akasha, her green eyes flashing bright.

CUT TO:

130      JESSE

wakes with a start.

JESSE
Akasha!

Jesse looks around to find herself in a plane. No vampires anywhere in sight. The real ATTENDANT is standing next to her, offering her a tissue.

ATTENDANT
Bless you.

Jesse takes the tissue, pretends to clear her voice.

ATTENDANT
We've started out approach into
L.A. You should fasten your seat
belt.

Jesse nods and fiddles with her belt obediently.

131      EXT - HOLLYWOOD BOULEVARD - LATER

A bleak, flat day. Jesse makes her way down the boulevard, which is crowded with the usual punked-out homeless kids gathered around McDonald's. But there's an unusual number of Goth kids hanging in bunches up and down the street. A Goth SCALPER passes.

SCALPER
... Tickets?

(CONTINUED)

65.

131      CONTINUED:

JESSE
How much.

SCALPER
One for two hundred, a pair for
three-fifty.

JESSE
Just one, thanks.

She takes out her money, he looks around casually, makes the exchange...

JESSE
You wouldn't know where Lestat
lives, would you?

The Scalper smiles -- another Lestat groupie -- slides closer, more familiar than she'd like.

SCALPER
C'mon.

132      EXT. DARK ALLEY - SOON AFTERWARDS

The Scalper and Jesse squat next to some wasted GOTH KIDS who are huddled on the ground, smoking and sipping from paper bags.

WASTED GOTH
... They got this stupid fake
castle set up on Franklin, but
Lestat doesn't live there. It's
like a decoy. He's living up
'round Lake Hollywood. Fuckin'
surveillance fortress.

JESSE
Thanks.

WASTED GOTH
I wouldn't be going up there if I
was you.

JESSE
Why's that?

WASTED GOTH
I know three girls been up
there... never seen 'em again.

66.

133      EXT. GETTY MUSEUM - NIGHT (LATER)

Marius looks out on the panorama of West Coast Los Angeles from a ledge above the museum.

Planes hover above LAX like fireflies.

He looks out across the city.

People bustle along the streets. Through the crowds, here and there, a few figures move with that strange staccato speed, moving in and out of the bounds of time and distance... Other vampires.

Marius observes all this with a deep concern, it seems, for the world and its fate.

He suddenly looks up to see...

A tall, hooded figure standing across the courtyard.

Before he has time to react, the figure streaks toward him with supernatural speed, knocking him clear off the ledge...

And onto the glass atrium roof below.

Looking up from his rough landing, Marius stares into the face of Mael, the Druid vampire who captured Marius 4000 years ago.

MARIUS
Mael...

DRUID
(in a strange tongue; subtitled)
Marius, you are a great
disappointment to me.

Rising to his feet, Marius dusts himself off. Looking around he sees the ancients have gathered, standing like awesome gargoyles. Pandora, the dark-haired beauty in her sari; Armand, the boy sage, in his medieval robes; Khayman, the desert vampire, his robes discolored with dust, his face obscured by rotting bandages and -- Mael. It's like a living gallery of the mythical drawings we saw hanging in Talbot's office.

MARIUS
Pandora, Armand, it's been a long
time. Khayman, to what do we owe
this honor?

(CONTINUED)

67.

133       CONTINUED:

They all keep their distance from each other. They speak softly, but their VOICES seem to carry a great distance, ECHOING around the Getty architecture.

KHAYMAN
Your child has woken us all.

PANDORA
He's quite the devil.

ARMAND
Keep your amorous thoughts to
yourself, Pandora. He is a brat
and must be dealt with.

PANDORA
He's just doing what all of us
have wanted to do.

They all look at her.

PANDORA
To live in the light.

MARIUS
Our problem is not Lestat.

ARMAND
Your child has violated our code.
He has put us all in danger. You
cannot protect him.

KHAYMAN
Marius is right. Our real problem
is Akasha.

MAEL
Yes, Akasha...

ARMAND
We've all felt her presence, even
as she hides from us.

The others nod, acknowledging the truth of this.

KHAYMAN
She is killing the young ones to
build her strength.

MAEL
You failed in your duty.

(CONTINUED)

68.

133       CONTINUED:    (2)

MARIUS
I kept them both safe for three
thousand years! As if I had the
power to control her!

ARMAND
What does she want?

MARIUS
I don't know. She's sucked the
life out of her King like a
preying mantis. I feel that there
is terrible danger.

PANDORA
How do you know, Marius? She
might not do anything. She might
go back to sleep...

There's a LOW RUMBLE. They turn to see a female figure float from the shadows. She is beautiful, slender with long, red hair, alabaster skin. She is so old and powerful that the others step back in awe. And yet there is a suppleness about her that is quite different from the others.

PANDORA
Who are you?

MAHARET
I am Akasha's enemy.

The others stare.

KHAYMAN
Maharet...

They all turn to Khayman, surprised by the depth of feeling that rises from this creature's chest.

MAHARET
Khayman...

KHAYMAN
I didn't know...

MAHARET
... that I survived? It's what I
wanted...

KHAYMAN
You look... beautiful.

(CONTINUED)

69.

133       CONTINUED:    (3)

MAHARET
It's good to see you.

Khayman looks away ashamed.

KHAYMAN
I would not have you look on me
as I am...

The others exchange looks, immediately understanding that there is history between these two.

MAHARET
Yes, we know Akasha.

MARIUS
Please, tell us...

Maharet and Khayman turn to the others.

KHAYMAN
I served at her court as the Royal
Steward, before she made me what I
am.

ARMAND
But how is this possible?

The other Ancients are fascinated as Khayman continues.

KHAYMAN (V.O.)
All traces of my world are gone...
because that's the way Akasha
wanted it. In the time I was
born, immortals did not hide and
feed in secret. They ruled the
world by night.

134       FLASHBACK - 2000 YEARS B.C.

Egypt before the Great Pyramids, before the giant Sphinx -- a more feudal-looking fortress city.

KHAYMAN
We prayed to these great creatures
for help and guidance, which they
sometimes gave. But mostly we
made sacrifices to appease their
hunger.

Rows of naked men and women hang upside down like sides of beef. They scream in terror as Akasha and Enkil stroll forward hand in hand, fangs smiling.

(CONTINUED)

70.

134      CONTINUED:

KHAYMAN (V.O.)
Our elders volunteered their
lives. Still Akasha came to our
houses by night and took our
children. So we became a people
of warriors. Our aim -- to
enslave others so we ourselves
might be spared.

A deep pit, covered by a grate, filled with living men and women, struggling to breathe.

Khayman slips morsels of bread and water to a young red-haired woman Maharet, who passes the food to her pregnant sister, Makare.

MAHARET (V.O.)
My sister Makare and I were two
such unfortunates, kept in the
palace crypts like animals until
it was our time to die.

Khayman, wearing fine robes and the Royal Seal on his chest, flinches as Akasha's and Enkil's shadows swoop down on the twitching victims.

MAHARET (V.O.)
... Perhaps Khayman felt sorry for
us. Perhaps had witnessed too
much horror... He resolved to save
us, or die trying.

The sun burns over the ancient city...

Khayman lifts the grate over the pit, and helps Maharet and Makare climb out.

MAHARET (V.O.)
... my sister was with child, so
we left her in the care of
Khayman's family, and we set out
alone...

Khayman and Maharet flee on camel across the desert.

The sun sets swiftly...

Khayman and Maharet huddle around a campfire, when it flares up unnaturally. They stand back to see Akasha, walking towards them smiling...

(CONTINUED)

71.

134       CONTINUED:    (2)

MAHARET (V.O.)
I did not think Akasha would
follow. I did not understand the
depth of her spite.

Akasha rises up looking for vengeance, and floats TOWARDS CAMERA. BLACKNESS.

135       BACK TO PRESENT

The other listen transfixed...

KHAYMAN
She forced the dark gift on us
both. Then sealed me beneath the
cliff where I remained for a
thousand years, until my body was
nothing but bone and dust, my mind
made mad by the pain of the
hunger.

PANDORA
Why have you hidden from us?

MAHARET
After a couple of millennia, I
found that I had very little left
to say. Besides, I've been
occupied...

ARMAND
Can Akasha be killed?

MAHARET
Perhaps.

PANDORA
Perhaps. What does that tell us?

MARIUS
If Akasha dies, then so do we all.

Maharet knows something she is not willing to share.

PANDORA
How do we even find her?

MAHARET
You would be wiser to hope she
does not find you. There is a
reason Akasha has awoken.

(CONTINUED)

72.

135       CONTINUED:

PANDORA
Lestat.

ARMAND
Lestat is the reason that Akasha
has woken. So Lestat must die.
When Akasha learns of Lestat's
death there will be no reason for
her to remain and she will return
to her slumber.

MARIUS
That is simple-minded logic.

ARMAND
Marius, in this, you voice does
not count.

MAHARET
Akasha bides her time until
Lestat's concert. She loves an
audience...

Khayman nods his agreement.

MARIUS
You think she means to punish him.

MAHARET
I don't know... I do know that she
is cruel, and takes pleasure in
destroying life. If she cannot be
stopped, I fear for the mortal
world.

As we remain on the Ancient Ones. Akasha's HEARTBEAT creeps back in over...

136       INT. LESTAT'S SOUND STUDIO - NIGHT

Loud, intense music as the band rehearse and we PULL BACK to reveal...

137       LESTAT

magically hanging upside down from the studio's ceiling creating a fantastic melody around the beat while below, his band plays along oblivious to his antics totally into their music.

73.

138       INT. SOUND STUDIO CONTROL ROOM - CONTINUOUS ACTION

While Lestat and the band continue playing on the other side of the glass, Roger talks on the phone, his finger stuck in his other ear cutting out the noise of the band.

ROGER
(down phone)
So just give me the numbers again
... Good.

Lestat finishes up the song with one last soul-quaking note.

139       INSIDE STUDIO

Lestat lets the note trail off, eyes closed, the reverb still ringing in the room...

LESTAT
I do love the Twenty-first
Century.

140       EXT. HOLLYWOOD HILLS

Meanwhile, Jesse makes the long climb up through the hills. In the distance she sees the Hollywood sign, and Lestat's sprawling mansion below it.

141       EXT. LESTAT'S MANSION - SOON AFTER

Jesse makes it to the cul-de-sac where Lestat's mansion sits, encompassed by a huge stone wall.

She walks over to the high, iron gates -- its top covered in spikes and barbed wire.

142       INT. LESTAT'S MANSION - SOUND STUDIO

Meanwhile, as the technicians pack up for the day, Roger and the band watch the TV in the corner.

143       ANGLE ON TV

TV REPORTER (V.O.)
Scalpers are making a killing on
the Lestat concert tickets,
selling for up to $500.

(CONTINUED)

74.

143       CONTINUED:

ANCHOR (V.O.)
Do we assume they'll be scheduling
more dates?

TV REPORTER (V.O.)
No, rumors have been flying, but I
heard directly from a Lestat
spokesperson that there will be
only one show.

Lestat reads an issue of Rolling Stone with himself on the cover.

LESTAT
What does 'Metal God' mean?

JAMES
Where?

LESTAT
In this newspaper, they're calling
me a 'Metal God.'

MAUDY
Ouch! That hurts, man.

JAMES
We're not head-bangers.

LESTAT
(delighted)
Head-bangers?

Maudy and James immediately start throwing their hair up and down and playing air guitar like a heavy metal act.

JAMES
This is a head-banger.

MAUDY
Head-bangers are boys with long,
greasy hair and no clothes sense.
It's not cool.

LESTAT
Yes, of course. We mustn't be
uncool.

Suddenly, Lestat looks around, like a cat sensing its prey.

75.

144       EXT. LESTAT'S MANSION - NIGHT

Jesse's leather jacket lands on top of the wire and she pulls herself up.

Jesse hoists herself up, gingerly trying to avoid the razor wire and embedded glass.

Finding her balance, she gets ready to jump down when...

Two GREAT BARKS break the night's silence...

Looking down, she sees Lestat's MASTIFFS staring up at her. The BARK again.

JESSE
(in a loud whisper)
Nice boys.

The dogs fall silent. Relieved, she smiles and turns to see...

Lestat staring right at her.

LESTAT
Boo.

Losing her balance, Jesse tumbles clear off the high wall, disappearing down its steep angle and...

Falls... disappearing down the steep incline towards the ground.

Jesse is about to hit the ground when Lestat swoops down saving her.

The two stare at each other for a moment. Jesse stares into his entrancing grey eyes.

Lestat drinks her in with his eyes, marking the soft paleness of her skin, her long red hair.

JESSE
Hi.

LESTAT
I know you...

Remembers the nightclub.

LESTAT
It's you... You must be very keen
to die.

Jesse's heart pounds but she fights hard not to panic.

(CONTINUED)

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