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The Blood of Christ inside hi his lips, his unclean lips, his Undead lips, the Blood of Christof him a monstrous Ciborium? The Blood of Christ?

"Let me drink!" I cried out suddenly "Lestat, let me drink, from you, let me drink your blood that has His blood inside it!" I couldn't believe my own earnestness, my oild desperation "Lestat, let ue and my heart Let me drink, please; you can't deny me that one moment of intimacy And if it was Christif it was" I couldn't finish it

"Oh, mad and foolish child," he said "All you'll know if you sink your teeth into me is e learn from the visions we see with all our victims You'll learn what I think I saw You'll learn what I think was made known to me You'll learn that my blood runs in my veins, which you kno You'll learn that I believe it was Christ, but no more than that "

He shook his head in disappointlared at me

"No, I'll know," I said I rose froiveof you for all eternity Let me put my lips to your throat, Lestat, let me test the tale, let me do it!"

"You break"You always did "

"Don't judge me!" I cried

He went on, speaking to me alone, from his mind as much as with his voice I couldn't tell if anyone else there could even hear hile word

"And what if it was the Blood of God, Armand," he asked, "and not part and parcel of some titanic lie, ould you find inMass and snatch your victims froame that would be, Armand, to feed forever only on Holy Communicants! You can have your Blood of Christ from any one of them I tell you, I do not believe these spirits, God, Memnoch, these liars; I tell you, I refuse! I wouldn't stay, I fled their damned school, I lost els clawing at me when I ran away froo do in the dark church to the fisherman's Mass and knock the sleepy priest aside frorab the Chalice from his consecrated hands Go ahead, do it!

"Blood of Christ!" he continued, his face one great eye fixing me in its merciless beam "If it was ever in me, this sacred blood, then my body has dissolved it and burnt it up like candle wax devours the wick You know this What's left of Christ in the belly of His faithful when they leave the church?"

"No," I said "No, but we are not hu sory vehemence "Lestat, I'll know! It was His blood, not transubstantiated bread and wine! His blood, Lestat, and I'll know if it's inside of you Oh, let et every da you've told us, let me drink!"

I could scarcely keephiruesome temper I'd lay hold of him and make him submit I'd take the blood-

But these thoughts were foolish and vain His whole

tale was foolish and vain, and yet I turned around, and in a fury I spit the words at him:

"Why didn't you accept? Why didn't you go with Me Hell we share, why didn't you?"