Louis and David
Chapter Six
David heard Louis' footsteps down the street. He rolled over on the bed. "Lestat, Louis is coming."
Lestat opened his eyes. "Ah, good! We can be going now!" He leapt out of bed, pulling his clothing on. "I suppose I should go and pack for him," Lestat said, and was gone.
David rose more slowly. He felt his neck, wrists and groin, the bite marks had healed. He wasn't sure why, but he wanted to hide the fact that he and Lestat had been drinking from each other. Of course, he didn't wish to upset Louis. But he felt somehow guilty. Though he had acknowledged to Louis that he loved Lestat, and he had never said he wouldn't drink from Lestat. Still, it felt uncomfortable. He dressed and packed quickly as Louis opened the door.
"Louis, Louis, you're back and you're packed." Lestat said, walking meet him.
"I shudder to think of it." Louis said to him.
Lestat laughed and took Louis in his arms, he spun around with him and kissed his mouth. "I've packed you a decent wardrobe, beautiful one. Don't worry." Lestat walked back to David's room, dragging Louis with him. "David, if you haven't packed it yet, it's not going!"
David was bent over an open suitcase. "Lestat, be patient. I am almost through." David folded a pair of trousers and laid them in the suitcase.
Lestat sighed, as loudly as possible. "Ten minutes!" he told David. Then he turned on his heel, took Louis's hand and walked to his own room. He pulled Louis over to his bed, and sat him on it. "I suppose I may as well pack myself. Keep me company?" Lestat asked him, with a charming grin.
Louis smiled back. "You haven't packed? What have you been doing?"
"Packing for you, you silly fool. Playing your valet. Working and slaving for you!" Lestat said melodramatically.
"Ah, yes, I see." Louis smiled a small smile.
Lestat pulled half of the contents of his closet out and deposited it all in a pile next to Louis on the bed. "Hmmmm, now, what should I take? Jeans, yes?" He looked to Louis.
Louis gave him a disbelieving look. "You aren't asking me, certainly."
"Oh I don't know Louis. The suit you are wearing tonight is quite nice. I approve." Lestat stroked the velvet vest. "And you used to have quite tolerable taste in clothing, in your day."
Louis shook his head and chuckled. Lestat continued pulling things out and stuffing them into his suitcase. "Shorts, you think? It is warm there now, isn't it."
"It is," Louis answered.
"You know, you don't have any shorts, Louis. We'll have to buy you some when we get there."
"Lestat, I couldn't possibly wear them, don't be ridiculous."
"Why Louis? I want you to look like a tourist. I want us to blend in. You'll have to wear them."
"Lestat, I will call far more attention if I do wear them. I am far too white for short pants or short sleeves."
Lestat lifted his head from his packing and looked at Louis. "Ah, yes." He looked down at his own tanned skin. "Between David and me you'll be quite conspicuous, won't you? That might be a problem."
Louis picked up a shirt and folded it carefully. Keeping any emotion from his voice he said, "I'll stay if you like. You know I'm not much for dancing in the streets."
"I told you that is out of the question. We're forgetting that it's carnival, Louis. People will think it is paint or something. You won't even be noticed, I am sure. And you dance very well." Lestat looked at him with affection. "Do you think I don't remember? I can still see you waltzing your way around the old ballrooms, everybody wanted to dance with you. Even me, Louis."
Louis laughed, embarrassed.Lestat walked to his dresser. He grabbed a hairbrush and a pair of cufflinks. He. looked into the mirror and ran a hand through his hair. Then something in the frame caught his eye. He pulled the picture from the frame and read the note. He laughed loudly and turned on Louis. "YOU!" he said as he pounced on him, pinning him down on the bed.
"What?" Louis asked, doing a good job of looking bewildered.
"You know what!" Lestat held the picture before his eyes, and read the note Louis had written out loud to him. Then Lestat tossed the picture into his suitcase. "You think that's funny, do you? Making fun of a man's mother? These are the manners I brought you up with???" Lestat asked him in a mock angry voice.
"Lestat, I don't know - " Louis began to deny.
Lestat pushed his hands under Louis's vest and began tickling him. "Oh, you don't know anything about it?? Oh no, not you!"
Louis was laughing and trying to capture Lestat's fingers. "Lestat!"
"You may have everyone else fooled with this serious and brooding act, Louis, but not me!" Lestat shook his head.
Louis was laughing and out of breath, " 'Stat! Stop!"
"I know what a little devil you really are! I know what devious thoughts lurk behind those emerald eyes, Pointe du Lac!" Lestat was enjoying this. He had done it perhaps four or five times before, pulled the tickle torture on Louis. It wasn't something he could use often. If he abused it, he knew it would anger Louis, and then he would never again see what he saw now. Louis, without his natural reserve, without his usual quiet calm, without that eternally troubled expression. This was Louis as he must have been as a boy, laughing, fighting a bit, having fun. Lestat cherished it. He wished he could capture it and hold it in his heart. Louis couldn't possibly know how much it meant to him. He never would.
But, he knew he couldn't prolong it. Louis's dignity and Louis's pride wouldn't allow it. And Lestat didn't want to lose either of those qualities either. Lestat stopped tickling and put his hands on the bed, at either side of Louis's head. "What am I going to do with you?" He leaned down and kissed Louis, full, long and deep on the mouth. Then he released him and stood up.
Louis sat up and rubbed his face, trying to get the smile off of it. Then he stood as well and straightened his clothes. He was about to say something when Lestat put his finger to his lips.
"Not now. We'll talk later." Lestat clicked his suitcase closed. "Go and get your case, it is in your room."
Louis obeyed. Lestat followed him out of his room and went into David's. "Your ten minutes are up! I am calling a cab for you. You take the luggage to the shipping office, I'll close up the house and meet you there with Louis."
"You have everything all worked out, do you?" David asked, a bit amused, a bit annoyed.
"David, I am only trying to help you. This is all your, idea, may I remind you. You want to go to Rio, so I am doing all I can to make this possible. You mustn't always make me out to be the villain." Lestat looked hurt.
David relented. "Call the cab, Lestat."
After Lestat and Louis loaded the luggage and David into the cab, they walked back into the town house. Lestat secured the upstairs, as Louis secured the downstairs. They walked out the door and Lestat set the remote alarms, as Louis locked the gate.
"That's done. Come here," Lestat said to Louis, who walked to him. Lestat put his arm around Louis's waist. "You remember this from when we went to London, don't you?" Lestat asked.
"Yes," Louis said, putting his arms around Lestat's neck.
"It shouldn't be quite as cold this time," Lestat said as they rose quickly into the air. Within minutes they had landed and met David.
"Everything has been arranged," David said, pocketing the claim tags and receipts.
"Perfect." Lestat smiled at him. David smiled back. Lestat pulled David and Louis into a tight hug.
"Oh my fledglings, this is going to be exciting!"
"To Rio!" David said.
"To Rio!" Lestat and Louis answered.
And the three rose into the air, high over the their pasts, through the night, toward their future, together.
FINI
THE END
The Rise and Fall of a Coven - Book Two Trio in Rio
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