Page 143 (2/2)

He was clearly startled

"You are the damnedest creature!" he whispered "You make me think of the old story about Alexander the Great He hen there were no more worlds to conquer Will you hen there are no more rules to break?"

"Ah, but there are always rules to break "

He laughed under his breath "Burn the book "

"No "

We looked at each other for a htly and warmly, and I smiled I didn't even knohy I'd done it, except that he was so patient and so earnest, and there had been soe in him as there had been in all of us, but with him it was dark and hurtful as it had been with me

It had to do with the whole struggle of good and evil which he understood exactly the way I did, because he was the one who had taught o He was the one who had told me hoe must wrestle forever with those questions, how the simple solution was not anted, but e must always fear

I'd embraced him also because I loved him and wanted to be near to hiry or disappointed in me

"You will obey the rules, won't you?" he asked suddenly Mixture of menace and sarcasm And maybe a little affection, too

"Of course!" Again I shrugged "What are they, by the way?

I've forgotten Oh, we don't make any new vampires; we do not wander off without a trace; we cover up the kill "

"You are an imp, Lestat, you know it? A brat "

"Let me ask you a question," I said I htly on the ar of yours, The Temptation of Amadeo, the one in the Talamasca crypt"

"Yes?"

"Wouldn't you like to have it back?"