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"Ye gods, no It's a dreary thing, really My black period, you ht say But I do wish they'd take it out of the da it in the front hall? Some decent place "

I laughed

Suddenly he became serious Suspicious

"Lestat!" he said sharply

"Yes, Marius "

"You leave the Talamasca alone!"

"Of course!" Another shrug Another smile Why not?

"I mean it, Lestat I'm quite serious Do not meddle with the Talamasca Do we understand each other, you and I?"

"Marius, you are remarkably easy to understand Did you hear that? The clock's striking ht Island now Do you want to come?"

I didn't wait for hi sighs of his as I went out the door

Midnight The Night Island sang I walked through the crowded galleria Denilasses; hands shoved into the pockets ofinto the open doorways, perusing stacks of shining luggage, silk shirts in plastic, a sleek black manikin swathed in mink

Beside the shi plumes of myriad droplets, an old wo coffee in her tre hand Hard for her to raise it to her lips; when I s voice: "When you're old you don't need sleep anymore "

A soft whoozy hs prowled the video emporium; blood lust! The raucous zip and flash of the arcade died as I turned ht the swift beguiling, hter The theater was full of black and white giants speaking French

A young woman passed me; dark skin, voluptuous hips, little pout of ait back into its cage Do not need the blood Strong now as the old ones But I could taste it; I glanced back at her, saw her seated on the stone bench, naked knees jutting froht little skirt; eyes fixed on me

Oh, Marius was right about it; right about everything I was burning with dissatisfaction; burning with loneliness I want to pull her up off that bench: Do you knohat I am! No, don't settle for the other; don't lure her out of here, don't do it; don't take her down on the white sands, far beyond the lights of the galleria, where the rocks are dangerous and the waves are breaking violently in the little cove