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Nevertheless members of the Talamasca studied the theoreticians Jesse read the works of all the great psychic detectives,related to the occult

And ht of Maharet's advice What Maharet had said was true Ghosts, apparitions, psychics who could readto those itnessed it firsthand But to the hue it meant very little There was not now, nor would there ever be, any great occult discovery that would alter human history

But Jesse never tired of her work She became addicted to the excitement, even the secrecy She ithin the worew accustos-

to antique lace and poster beds and sterling silver, to chauffeured cars and servants-she herself became ever more simple and reserved

At thirty she was a fragile-looking light-skinned wo so that it would fall behind her shoulders and leave her alone She wore no cosmetics, perfume, or jewelry, except for the Celtic bracelet A cash ool pants, or jeans if she was in A a little ht was best Love affairs she had, but they were always short And seldom very important

What mattered more were her friendships with the other members of the order; she had so many brothers and sisters And they cared about her as she cared about the her At any hour of the night, one could go downstairs to a lighted parlor where people were awake-reading, talking, arguing perhaps in a subdued way One could wander into the kitchen where the night cook was ever ready to prepare an early breakfast or a late dinner, whatever one ht desire

Jesse one on forever with the Talaious order, the Talamasca took care of its old and infirm To die within the order was to know every luxury as well as every medical attention, to spend your last moments the way you wanted, alone in your bed, or with otheryour hand You could go home to your relatives if that was your choice But most, over the years, chose to die in the Motherhouse The funerals were dignified and elaborate In the Tala of black-dressed men and women witnessed each burial

Yes, these had become Jesse's people And in the natural course of events she would have remained forever

But when she reached the end of her eighth year, so that led eventually to her break with the order

Jesse's accomplishments up to that point had been i under the direction of Aaron Lightner and she had seldo council of the Talae

So when David Talbot, the head of the entire order, called her up to his office in London, she was surprised David was an energetic ray hair and a consistently cheerful lass of sherry and talked pleasantly about nothing for fifteento the point

Jesse was being offered a very different sort of assignave her a novel called Intervieith the Vampire He said, "I want you to read this book "

Jesse was puzzled "The fact is, I have read it," she said "It was a couple of years ago But what does a novel like this have to do with us?"

Jesse had picked up a paperback copy at the airport and devoured it on a long transcontinental flight The story, supposedly told by a va reporter in present-day San Francisco, had affected Jesse rather like a bad dream She wasn't sure she liked it Matter of fact, she'd thrown it away later, rather than leave it on a bench at the next airport for fear soht find it

The laht down to it-had formed an evil little family in antebellum New Orleans where they preyed on the populace for over fifty years Lestat was the villain of the piece, and the leader Louis, his anguished subordinate, was the hero, and the one telling the tale Claudia, their exquisite va year after year while her body reirl Louis's fruitless quest for redemption had been the theme of the book, obviously, but Claudia's hatred for the two male vampires who had made her what she was, and her own eventual destruction, had had a er effect upon Jesse