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"Why?" he asked "Why would I bother with such an apparition?You knohat I'er to the ical revelation You knehen you were a living ht die without knowing the e priest to demand of the poor fellow, 'Do you believe in God?'"

"Yes, but it just all happened at the same time And when you claim there's no connection, I justI don't believe it," I said

"You are the damnedest creature! You really are!" he said His exasperation was mild and patient but still there "Lestat, don't you see that what ihter, Dora, was the sa that compelled me to co out for the supernatural You were crying to Heaven to be laid waste! Your taking David, that was perhaps your first real step towards utterand stupid

"But to bring David over, against his will! To take the soul of David and make it vampiric? That was a crime of crimes That was a crime that cries to Heaven, for the love of God David, e had an interest in hiht take "

"Ah, so the appearance to David was deliberate "

"I thought I said so "

"But Roger and Dora, they were simply in the way "

"Yes Of course, you chose the brightest and ood at what he did¡ªhis criood at what you are It was a bolder step Your

hunger is growing It becoerous to you and those around you You don't take the downfallen and the bereft and the cutthroats any longer When you reached for Roger, you reached for the power and the glory, but so what?" "I'm torn," I whispered

"Why?"

"Because I feel love for you," I said, "and that's so I always pay attention to, as we both know I feel drawn into you I want to knohat else you have to tell er And about Dora I think it is all connected And when I think of God Incarnate¡ª" I broke off, unable to continue

I was flooded by the sensations of Heaven, or what I could still remember, what I could still feel, and the breath did leave reater than any I ever expressed in tears

I must have closed my eyes Because when I opened the bothand uncommonly smooth How cold er; flawless My hands wereernails flashed like ice in the sun as they always do

He dreay, and it was excruciating My hands reid, clasped, and utterly alone

He was standing yards away fro out over the narrow sea His wings were apparent, huge, anduneasily, as if an inner tension caused him to work the invisible muscular apparatus to which they were attached He looked perfect, irresistible, and desperate