When your Aunt contacted you on behalf of her old friend Daniel Molloy for a job, you thought it could be a nice chance to get back on the road - after all, concerts had been your life for years.
What you didn't expect was finding yourself at the mercy of every whim of a certain rockstar: The Vampire Lestat.
Hopefully you weren't going to get lost along the way, caught up in the drama that seemed to find him at every corner - but luck was never on your side.
--
"Do you consider yourself undeserving to be loved, Lestat?"
Chapter I
Chapter II
Chapter III
Chapter IV
Chapter V
Chapter VI
Chapter VII
Chapter VIII
Chapter IX new!
---
Metamorphosis
lestat de lioncourt x louis de pointe du lac
A collection of (mostly) angsty one-shots as famous couples from myths, literature and popular stories.
Story I: Apollo and Daphne: with my voice so hollow
Story II: Moulin Rouge!AU Christian and Satine Part I
---
Three Summer Days As Butterflies
lestat de lioncourt x louis de pointe du lac
Louis is Student President at NOIAL, New Orleans Institute of Art and Literature. He is a lover of strict rules and likes to maintain a specific order, especially among the new transferred students. Lestat de Lioncourt isn't exactly a troublemaker, but he still creates quite a commotion everywhere he goes. To Louis is just another pain in the ass. What nobody knows, though, is that Louis has a secret. During the day is drowning himself in his studies, but at night he works at the Azalea Host Club where he's known as The Ice Prince. It would be really unfortunate for his reputation, if anyone found out.
Prologue: Pandora Opening
Chapter I: Secret Keeper
Chapter II: Close Encounter new!
♡ Armand ♡
Kintsugi
armand x reader
Little moments between reader and Armand as he helps you rediscover sex even as you struggle with vaginismus
i: breach
ii: breathe
iii: surrender
iv: opening new!
tailor-made (click here)
armand x reader
You fled from your family expectations and now you work in Paris as a dress-maker. Armand wants you to design clothes for Théâtre des Vampires, and for himself.
♡ Requests/Imagines/Headcanons ♡
Armand is a very attentive partner
Armand taking care of you after a night out (fluff)
Armand as service top giving you multiple orgasms (Smut)
Aftercare with Armand after an intense session (Smut)
Jealous and mean Dom!Armand (Smut)
Armand + breeding kink (Smut)
Dawn was your name, 'cept it wasn't— but it was to everyone who watched you work the pole. Why? Because maybe one day when the sun shines upon your skin, you'll actually deserve to be called it. For now, having a creature of the night call you by it is enough.
Lestat de Lioncourt x Stripper!Reader | 3k+ | cw: gender neutral!reader, you are called by your stripper name a few times, smoking (DONT SMOKE 🔪), mentions of trauma/abuse (from ex), angst, hurt/comfort, smut (spitting, slight degradation, biting [duh], choking, hair pulling),
A/N: ... im shooq at the fanfic ecosystem is in this fandom. yall dont do x readers here 🥲 damn. Gotta carry as always 🤧😩🤣💔 not proofread. gotta go to work first 😔. | Cross posted on ao3
The room smells like Karlie's perfume, candy-sweet and rich, as it always does. She hates smelling the alcohol or cigarettes from the patrons, and makes sure to pack it on heavily before her set each night. It's crazy how I can smell her like she's right next to me on the pole when 2 other dancers have already worked it.
I sigh as I do a twirl and drop down the spinning bar, the click of my soles snapping me out of my momentary trance. I've done this routine so many times, I'm barely thinking anymore. I look out to the crowd that hollers out: Dawn— I don't bother smiling as I reach out for the bills being thrown and waved at me.
Just as I finish stuffing my tips anywhere they'll stay in my tight, glittery outfit, a pair of slender fingers with a large banknote between them reaches for me.
I momentarily still.
The generous tipper grins, lopsided and hungry. He tilts his head to the side, his blonde hair brushing against the shoulders of his expensive suit.
Normally, my heart would pound at the look of him, but tonight, it was only the loud bass thumping in my ribcage. I take his money, immediately smelling the fresh ink on its sleek surface. I walk to the pole and decide to humor him, as I won't be entertaining him with anything else tonight.
My eyes lock with his soul biting blues as I grip the metal beam in front of me, doing my signature move on it. It's easy, though advanced. I've probably done it a thousand times. Somehow, it feels different, though not because I missed a mark or moved the wrong way, but because I was off— I'd been off the entire day.
The audience doesn't notice, none of the did. They didn't care. Why would they when she could see my ass real good from this angle?
My nostrils flare as I descend to my knees, finally finishing my routine. I immediately pick up the remaining bills on the stage and thank my patrons with a half-hearted smile.
"You look stressed, mon cheri."
I look up through my lashes, finding the same fingers holding another large banknote for me.
"I can fix that," he leans his elbows on the edge of the stage.
I take the bill from him, "I won't be doing a private show tonight."
His brow quirks along with his lips, "oh?"
I stand and look down at him.
Though his expression is subtle, he looks intrigued, challenged. He clearly thought it was pet play like most other nights we've shared. Part of me wants to tell him otherwise, to tell him I meant it, that he should take me seriously, that he ought to LISTEN to me— but I don't... because I know what will happen if I do. The thread sewing my sanity together will snap and I'll be torn from the seams.
I exit the stage and head to the back. The dressing room is filled with chatter and sweaty, half-drunk performers with body shimmer and dollar-bills sticky on their skin. I head for my locker and change without a care for decency. My cool skin is immediately warmed by my worn tracksuit which was once hot pink and now baby pink.
I stuff my performance outfit into my bag and grab a small plastic of kibble, stuffing it into my pocket along with my lighter and cigs. I head to the rear door with a red neon exit sign that emerged to the dingy alleyway that was never not damp or dark.
The flimsy metal roofing of the building beside us warbles and creaks with the strong gust of wind. I shudder, wrapping my arms around myself as I walk towards the flickering bulbs on the side of the strip club the owner constantly promises to fix.
I place the stick between my lips, pull my lighter out, and sigh. My breath condenses slightly. I cup the spark as I try to light a flame. One. Two. Three. "Fuck," I hiss as my hands uncontrollably tremor. It's not because of the cold.
My eyes begin to water as I aimlessly observe my surroundings whilst hopping place in an attempt to psych myself up and expel my extra energy. I pull the cigarette out of my lips and few deep breaths before trying again.
I cup the lighter and flick: one, two—
I start and gasp when I feel something brush against my leg. My cigarette nearly drops from my mouth, but I thankfully catch it.
An orange cat rubs against my calf, looking up at me as she meows. I put the lighter back in my pocket, exchanging it for kibble. I crouch down and pet Mimi. She purrs and leans into my touch. I feed her. She gratefully begins crunching up her brown pellets and I straighten back up, reattempting to light my damned cig.
One. Two. Three. Four.
I gulp and shake my hands before trying again.
Five. Six. Six and a half. Seven. Eight.
I shake my lighter and curse at it.
Nine. Ten. Elev-
One.
I turn to my right, finding an orange flame in front of a white man. His golden lighter slowly inches towards my needing cigarette.
I pinch my stick between my pointer and ring finger. I watch its tip begin to burn. I inhale deeply and throw my head back, sighing out the smoke.
"You left me waiting."
I turn to him, taking a swig before responding with a smoky exhale, "has it been five minutes already?"
"I am not one to be kept waiting."
I watch him bring his hands into his coat pockets. I watch his face harden in that subdued manner that always made goosebumps crawl up my arm. I take another hit before looking away, "I told you I wouldn't come."
"I can see that," he quips.
I sigh, willing my shoulders to relax. They don't seem to want to remain relaxed. I flinch at the particularly loud bang of metal as wind slams the wobbly roofing into its spot. I clutch my chest and catch my breath.
The cat meows. I look down at her. I puff out smoke before tapping my stick. I was about to give her more kibble but the poor cat pulls her head back as ashes fly to her face. She doesn't wait, she runs off. I call out for her, feeling terrible for the unintentional harm I gave.
As she disappears, a tear runs down my face. I sniffle, feeling my throat tighten uncomfortably. This was all I'm good for, aren't I?
I turn, gasping in surprise when I see the same face beside me. The sight of him does nothing for my nerves. I clutch my chest once more and screw my eyes shut.
He watches a tear roll down my cheek.
I shake my head, pulling my cigarette away from my lips, "I'm sorry, I-"
"Thought I would be gone?"
I feel a chill run up my spine as I bring my light back up my lips. My tremors do me a disservice. I miss my mouth, thus knocking my stick out my grip. I skid back, watching it fall, then reach for it like the junkie I am. That is, until a gleaming leather shoe stomps it.
I peer up with a whimper.
"Enough," he says.
"I was still—"
"And now, no more," he decisively quirks a brow.
I shudder and rise to my full height, eyes beady and wronged, jaw hard and clenched. Had he been a lesser man, maybe he'd feel intimidated, maybe perhaps pitiful. Alas, he was not a man.
"You're far too jittery to be-"
"IT WAS HELPING ME!"
He looks at my frantic face. He watches me scramble for another light.
Before I can even get another stick, the pack is no longer in my grip. I hiss and glare, eyes no longer able to hold the mist fogging them. "LESTAT!"
He raises his brows and crosses his arms. For someone who revels in the sound of his name, he does not like the way it is presently called. He resists an eye roll, "Dawn."
"Give it ba-"
"No," he shifts in his spot.
My nostrils flare and I step forward to punch him.
He lets me. He does not recoil at the assault and merely chuckles before gasping, "resorting to violence so quickly? How primitive."
I am allowed but three blows before he grabs my wrists.
"Use your words, pet," he leans towards me, "and I may yet still reward you."
I groan and try to wrangle out of his grip, futile as the attempt may be. My flesh could not be quelled by my reason. I persist anyway.
Lestat feels the feebleness of my form in his grip. He sees the misplaced passion in the frustrated movements. With a huff through the nostrils, he releases his hold and stares idly.
I recoil, exhale sharply, and scratch my eyes, "fucker."
He rumbles, ancient and bone chilling.
My stomach drops as his mere step forward.
"Careful," he mutters, "you've not only cut me off but as well cursed me now."
I gulp and flinch at his definitive warning. I know better than to push his patience any further, and yet the irrational side of me that has currently dismantled my sense of self-preservation urges me to see how badly the penance shall be for my impertinence.
He sees it. The flicker of foolishness behind my eyes. He might have been amused by it, had the defiance been a form of foreplay and not a direct road to a tenser argument.
I shiver, this time because of the breeze that cuts between us. I clutch my arms.
Lestat shifts on one leg and tilts his head, "tell me then what has gotten you so weepy."
I look away, only to have my jaw grabbed and gaze drawn back to him.
"You know I will get my answer one way or otherwise."
I huff and grip his wrist. I squeeze him but make no attempt to pry him off.
He watches my eyes fog with more tears.
"I'm sure you already know," I mumble.
He clicks his tongue and shakes his head, "that's not how the game works, cheri."
I feel my shoulders slump as I recall the memory that has made me this way.
He can hear it, but pays it no mind.
"Please. I don't..."
My tear runs down his hand.
"... you'll throw me away."
His brows furrow.
He releases my jaw and takes a step back. The act makes my heart rattle behind my rib cage.
"You take me as one so weak-minded?"
My face twitches almost painfully.
His own does as well. He points a finger to the ground as his teeth clamp tightly into each other, "I will not be further insulted by a wailing babe who clearly does not deserve the comforts I so graciously offer, or would have offered had I been met with the same graciousness."
The cold dismissal is like an iron clamp around the neck. He was ever a stickler for dramatics and had a penchant for peeling the narrative back enough that he remain the subject. I knew deep down that was what was playing out, and yet my mania drives me to grab his suit and ultimately crumble further into myself. I half expect him to push me away, to berate me, or even hurt me, but instead he just stands there. I can feel him staring at me.
"Are you just going use my tie to blow your nose?"
I sniffle and wipe my nose on the sleeve of my tracksuit.
He sighs, placing a hand on my shoulder.
The weight of his hold grounds me.
"Grab your things. We're leaving."
I nod silently and sniffle once more.
My duffel is severely out of place in his home, though you could barely see it in the darkness that shrouded the room. He plies me with drink and watches me wipe my wine stained lips on my sleeve with raised brows.
He mutters something in French as he shifts on the settee beside me.
I stare at the painting before us, its grandness and opulence make me feel small, well, smaller.
He, himself, finishes his own drink, "the night does not grow younger."
I turn to him.
He puts his glass down.
I decide to just say it, to jump the gun and forfeit the sugarcoating, "Guido is dead."
Lestat is unmoved. Physically, he remains the way he was seated, body facing mine, one leg folded in front of him, one arm on the backrest, one finger pressed against his temple. Emotionally, he finds no remorse, not even as more tears wet my face.
My lips and voice wobbles, "I- I should be... I should only be relieved, because he was a- a piece of shit, but I–" I wipe my face and lean my head back. I groan into my palms.
His gaze softens, but make no mistake, not the past lover who he many times thought of delivering to death's door himself. "Dawn."
"— I did love him."
The thought is sickening, no, enraging.
"I loved him once, before he used to hurt me."
Lestat does not respond.
I slowly lower my hands and turn to him. My heart skips at his unnaturally blue gaze that seemed to glow with a fury in the darkness.
He watches me shift uncomfortably until I mirrored his position.
"Lestat."
He takes a moment. He brings his hands to his lap, "Dawn."
"I don't..." I fidget with my fingers, "I don't mean to..."
He waits for me to explain, but I do nothing of the sort. I can't. He watches me pick at my nails before reaching out. His hands are cold but not clammy like mine. "Love is a treacherous thing. It is all neither here or there yet everywhere and nowhere."
He rubs the back of my hand with his knuckles. I gulp, feeling my skin tingle with goosebumps.
"I can make you forget."
I lower my gaze and shake my head, "I-" I shake faster, "I would just find out again. My boss is in the pocket of his mob."
"I could kill your boss."
I look up at him.
His brows raise in question.
"Please don't kill my boss."
He grumbles under his breath.
I lower my gaze again.
This time, he clutches my jaw and leans in, "then shall I make you forget another way?"
Before I can respond, his lips are on mine. I sigh, hands gripping his vest as I feel his cool lips melt against my hot mouth.
He does not wait. His fingers find the zipper of my jacket and slowly he pulls it down.
"Lestat," I moan against his mouth.
He hums, slowly leaning further into me, knees crawling towards my own until he straddles my lap. He breaks the kiss, taking in my form as he pushes my jacket off my shoulders. "Are you going to ask me to stop, pretty thing?"
I whimper and slowly disagree. I gulp when his hands clutch my chest. My breath hitches as thumbs brush over my nipples.
"Good," he purrs, "I would have gotten very cross with mon cher if you did."
His lips find mine again, and soon, my head is spinning. He pulls my jacket off me then breaks the kiss to push me into the cushions. He takes my legs, ridding me of all other articles of clothing, and slowly pushes them into my chest. He slots between my thighs, grunting as he hovers over me. I whimper as he ruts into my crotch.
"Tell me what you want."
I reach for his cheeks and arch my back, "I want you to fuck me."
I yelp at the cold blob that splatters onto my chin. He bares his fangs after spitting on me, "and you mean to kiss me with that filthy mouth of yours?"
I whimper when he forces my legs further into my chest.
"Don't let your misplaced grief make you forget yourself."
I shake my head and find myself trying to lick his spit, "n-no."
"Mmm, must I teach my toy proper manners," he begins to undress himself, "or perhaps I should treat you like the dirty whore you are?"
I feel my pulse in my core as I watch him expose his toned abdomen to me.
He reveals his displeasure in his native tongue before grabbing my cheek, forcing me to look him in the eye, "I believe I asked you a question."
My breath hitches as I nod rapidly, "I- punish me."
Lestat gasps as though he'd been thoroughly scandalized. He even releases one of my legs and hover his fingers over his lips just to break into deep chuckles. He gazes down on me in rich amusement and slowly begins to sink down.
I whimper and lift my head to capture his lips in mine.
He snorts, kissing me back nonetheless, hand coming to my neck, "delicious," he presses down with a bit of force, "it would be my pleasure to punish my shining Dawn until there's nothing left but me."
I keep my head lifted, watching his nails press dimples into the back of my thighs. Soon, I cannot help but throw my head back when he captures my sex into his mouth. My back arches and my fingers tangle into his blonde locks, tugging slightly as he licks me up and slowly begins to slobber.
Lestat's head inflates at the sound of my moans and mewls. He feasts hungrier, until the mix of his spit and my arousal begins to coat my inner thighs.
"Lestat," I whine, legs coiling around his head, heels digging into his back.
He hums, spreading his tongue, tasting me deeper. His one hand finds my hip and pushes me in place; his pointed nails bite into my pliant flesh.
Keep going. His voice is clear and commanding in my mind.
"Lestat, please," I groan, throat constricting at the spreading pleasure, "r'making me feel so good."
He hums, the vibration adding to the sensation of his mouth. I gasp at the slight nip I feel from his teeth. I open my eyes, which I hadn't even realized I closed until he pulled away from me. He gives an open-mouthed sigh, slick and saliva glimmering on his lips and chin. He slowly grins, "can't have you coming so soon," he licks his lips, "this is a punishment after all."
I whine and shift in my spot, immediately regretting my words, "no, wait, please—"
"Shhh," his hand clutches my jaw and neck, "I did not tell you to move, did I?"
The weight he pushes on me makes my stomach flip. My lips wobble, "no, sir."
He grins, nearly all his teeth on display. He chuckles and hums, "I see truly that all you needed was a heavy hand."
I breathe a bit deeper to compensate for the pressure on my neck.
"Well, mon amour," he pushes my knees together with his free hand, "would you like to get on your knees for me?"
"Yes," I answer the instant.
I nearly choke on my breath with how eagerly I twist onto my hands and knees. I gulp and turn to him from over my shoulder, panting as if my movements were far more strenuous than they really were. I mewl when he brings his hands to his belt buckle. I bite my lip and find myself rocking back into him as he pulls his pants down.
"Filthy thing," he coos, freeing his cock from his constraints, "I'd have taken you for an easy little slut had I not known any better."
I hum and chew my lip, "but I am an easy little slut for you."
His expression darkens. He grabs his length.
I hiss and turn to the cushions, gripping it as he smacks my sensitive entrance with his evidently hard cock.
He pushes me down and shoves his groin against mine, pulling a shaky and squeaky groan from my throat.
I hum and heave, "m-mon coeur." My heart.
He hisses, head sinking down to my shoulder to mumble strings of French before he nicks and sinks his fangs into me.
I moan loudly into the cushion, hips grinding back into him as he presses his body into me. His hand finds my sex and lazily strokes it, making my thighs shiver. The pain from my shoulder only intensifies my aching need for him deep in my core.
He gulps, retracting his teeth before licking the puncture he's inflicted. Spit and blood dribble down on my skin as he slowly straightens up. He rubs the curve of my ass, "shall I fuck you now?"
I squeal and nod profusely, "yes, yes! PLEASE!"
Lestat hums and looks down at me. He spits and the glob that hits my mound makes me flinch. He takes two fingers and pumps my entrance a few times, making me moan in anticipation. "Eager for me, yes?"
I whine, "so eager, so eager, so eager, so—" my babble is cut off by the feel of his cock invading my insides. I groan and arch my back, feeling winded and full of him.
He snorts and slowly begins to thrust, "so tight and warm for me."
I turn my head but helplessly rest on my cheek when he pushes me down by my shoulder blades.
Soon, my whining is overshadowed by the sound of slapping skin. Soon, the sound of slapping skin is overshadowed by my lewd cries. Soon, Lestat shifts and pushes my legs further apart with his, gripping my thigh tighter and lifting it slightly to fuck me deeper. My body is a sweating, throbbing symphonic of pleasure at how he takes me from behind, his balls slapping deliciously into me with every thrust.
I feel my eyes water, "mmm, Les— I'm close."
He huffs, kneading the flesh on my hips, "come for me. Squeeze my cock and milk me dry."
I focus on the feel of him and gradually rock my body in tandem with his thrusts.
Lestat reaches for my hair and pulls tightly, making me suck a sharp breath as he slaps my ass, "I told you to do something, mon cher."
I whine and nod, mumbling dumbly over and over, "I'm coming, I'm coming, I'm coming." And then I come, feeling my body clench him tighter as an intense wave of pleasure crashes down on me.
Lestat rides out my pleasure as he chases his own, and soon I feel him throbbing as he spills into me.
Once we were both sated and panting, he sluggishly pulls out and licks his lips. I whine as I turn to face him, feeling my core throb at the sight of his glistening cock. He sighs as he leans down and kisses my lips.
No because it's the way that Ilya would find Lestat at a gay bar in Montreal after a game (post-marriage and Shane's transfer to Ottawa).
They're both sitting at the bar or Lestat is sitting and Ilya comes over and saddles up next to him as Shane bounces the best he can on the dance floor beside Harris and Troy. "2 beers please", Ilya says as he smiles widely with a look of complete entrancement with the man on the dance floor - Shane said yes to a drink and it's so nice to see him loosen up.
Lestat is thoroughly enraged because he can read his mind and Ilya's mind is just "he's perfect. look at him. I can't believe he's actually here with me. I love him" and Lestat found out earlier that day that his lover SHARED THEIR STORY TO DANIEL FREAKING MOLLOY. He rolls his eyes and taps Ilya on the shoulder with a fake smile, "Enjoying the night?"
"Mmm very much." Ilya thinks that this is going to turn into a proposal of sex that will lead no where because he'll stop it and then tell Shane and tease him about it and then they'll fuck wildly as they cross the threshold of the door - Lestat can see it.
"Is he yours?" Lestat turns his head over to Shane, zeroing in on him and making it known to Ilya. He smiles that unsettling smile with those piercing eyes.
"My husband." The bartender comes back with the beers and Ilya makes a show of letting his wedding ring clink off the glass.
"Don't worry, I also have a husband."
"Ahh, where is he?" It's an honest question, for a moment Ilya thinks that maybe they'll find another gay married couple in Canada to hang out with-
Lestat purses his lips in distain and like he's holding something back, "My husband?", there's a sarcastic quality to the way he's speaking now, "Oh you know...just", he waves his hands in the air - almost like he's gathering the words, "Colluding with a fucking reporter!" and suddenly it's red and it's all he can see and his eyes hurt and his heart hurts.
"I'm sorry...?" Ilya isn't sure what to do and Shane is coming over because by now everyone's heard the madman scream, "Sorry, what is your name?", he crouches down to Lestat's level where his head is in his hands.
Lestat looks again with distain as Shane is mere steps away. "I don't want this and I don't need it." He slams a book with a red cover in front of Ilya, leaving it with him as Shane comes over - his hand outstretched to grab Ilya's shoulder, "I hope you and your husband have a good night.", he smiles fakely and it drops as soon as he turns away and stomps off into the night.
(I put this on ao3 under the name "A night in Montreal after a game")
Interview with The Vampire Lestat’s Lead Guitarist
Rockstar Lestat x OC fanfic
Summary:
Daniel Molloy is on the final stretch of his documentary: The Vampire Lestat. He shifts focus to the band that supports Lestat's legendary career as a rock star. But as Molloy prepares to wrap up, one member, the final member to be interviewed, catches his attention: Vina Quinn, the enigmatic lead guitarist and the only vampire among the band members.
She recounts her journey as Lestat's mortal lover after he awakens from his slumber in New Orleans, building the band together, her experience when Lestat turns her, and her entanglement with Lestat's numerous affairs.
📍 Following the events from the book and the show.
📍Character descriptions follow the tv series.
📍 Events in this story take place: after Louis and Lestat's reunion in NOLA, before and after Daniel Molloy's book was released, and during The Vampire Lestat band tour.
NOTE: Tenses sometimes shift in the middle of the story to create the impression of moving between flashbacks and the present time of the interview. The POV also changes from Vina to Lestat during the narration, since Lestat is with her for most of her interview with Daniel.
Warning ‼️ Smut! Graphic depiction of violence, torture, sex, etc.
Pairing: rockstar!lestat de lioncourt x female!oc x louis de pointe du lac
Warnings: vaginismus, blood drinking, dry humping
Word count: 4575
a/n: Hello everyone, late as usual! Something more starts to happen in this chapter, but I want tease anything here -- see you at the end!
As always, if you feel like leaving a comment or discuss the story my ask box is open!
Disclaimer: english is not my first language
"I like your touch."
"I'm glad you do," you replied matching his soft tone. You were treating Lestat the way you'd have wanted someone to treat you in a similar situation. "I'm sorry that you're not used to a soft touch anymore."
Chapter VII - Masterlist - AO3
Falling into a deep sleep was a rare occurrence for you, but the times when it happened it always took you a while to fully wake up afterwards. Your body felt heavy and your mind a mush, you were completely disconnected from reality and all you could do was stay there in your bed and wait until you could feel human again.
You were lying on your side, eyes still closed as the complete silence of the room engulfed you like a warm embrace. You rearranged yourself a bit, moving your body into a fetal position, pulling the arm resting across your waist higher and hugging it to your chest.
Wait.
Wait.
That didn't make sense.
You tried to breach through your mind fog and activate your brain enough to understand the situation.
Someone was in your bed, and they were holding you from behind. You were sure as hell no one had been there when you went to bed, and you remember distinctly enough that you had locked the door when Louis and Lestat left. Still, a body was lying behind you.
When the realization fully registered in your mind, your body reaction followed immediately in response. You stiffened at first, before throwing yourself towards the bedside lamp, putting some distance between you and the intruder in your bed.
As soon as the warm light pulled the room from its darkness, your eyes darted to the sleeping figure next to you.
Louis.
You were not expecting him, a part of you thought that only Lestat could invade your space without asking your permission first. Though, between the two, it was Louis the one who could manage to sleep outside a coffin as far as you knew.
"You're awake," Louis mumbled, still keeping his eyes closed.
You didn't reply. You just sat there staring at him, shooting curses from your mind hoping he would hear them. Louis slowly opened his eyes, his head turning slightly in your direction.
"What the actual fuck, Louis?"
"I didn't mean to startle you."
"And yet, here you are doing just that."
Besides the initial fright, you weren't actually scared. Or even bothered, for that matter, which was the most surprising part. You weren’t used to share your bed with someone, nor were you particularly fond of it, but seeing how much your body accepted the presence of another person lying next to you while you slept, you wondered if that was the reason behind your deep sleep.
You were a light sleeper because you were always set on alert mode, so you might have felt unconsciously safe by Louis's presence this time. A stretch, but still a possibility.
"You good?"
You nodded slightly. "What are you doing here?"
"After last night, it wasn't good for you to sleep alone."
"What about Lestat?"
Louis's lips raised in a small smile. "It was his idea, actually. He didn't want you here on your own."
You rolled your eyes on instinct to cover the light sense of embarrassment you were feeling. It was a weird sensation, knowing a person was doing something for you, because they cared.
"I'm fine. Nothing could have hurt me in my hotel room, you know?"
"You forget about your own mind."
You sighed. You were still too tired to have another discussion so soon after the previous night. "It's my problem to deal with, not yours."
Louis hummed low in his chest, a pleasant sound to your ears. "Lie back down, Olivia, there are still a couple of hours before sunset."
"Why? Do you want to cuddle?" You asked sarcastically to hide how the idea truly made you feel, yet you didn't stop your body from following the instruction.
Louis didn't reply, he just kept staring at you as you found your position again next to him. You were both on your sides, facing each other, but you made sure to keep enough space between your bodies to avoid accidental touching.
"I don't bite."
"Very funny, Louis."
He smirked at you, mirth clear in his eyes. He really enjoyed playing this game with you, though his final objective was unknown to you.
"About what you said last night, can you tell me more?"
You blinked at Louis a couple of times. You knew exactly what he was referring to, but you didn't think the subject would come up so soon in your conversations. "What do you want to know?"
"How does it feel like?"
That was a tough one. You took your time to gather your thoughts, trying to find the right words to thoroughly explain the sensation. It was nice to have someone so willing to listen, so it was the right occasion for you to open up more.
"It feels very similar to getting stabbed. It hurts and burns, like you're been torn open. Pain during penetration is called dyspareunia in medical terms, and it's always connected to disorders like mine." You frowned a bit, looking away from Louis as the memories came rushing back to your mind. You always detached yourself from the experience as much as you could, so it was hard for you to willingly direct your mind there for a moment. "The muscles get so tight and tense that it becomes like a wall impossible to breach without forcing the entrance. It is so strong that if you touch the area with your fingers, you can feel how hard they are all the time."
Louis had inched closer while you were speaking, his body now less than twenty centimetres from you. His right hand was on the uncovered skin of your thigh, the shorts of your pajamas reaching just below your butt.
He was caressing your skin, the access easier as your left leg was bent in the remaining space between your bodies. You didn't pull away from the touch, you could not deny how good it felt so you simply kept quiet about it to make it last longer.
"Can I?"
You widened your eyes at his question, raising your upper body on your elbow to look at him better.
"Louis de Pointe du Lac, that's a very inappropriate thing to request."
He raised an eyebrow. "Why?"
"What do you mean why? The muscles I'm referring to are very close to my vagina, are you aware of that?"
"Yes."
You huffed slumping your body back down on the bed, head turned towards the ceiling. You were pissed with yourself because there was a strong part of yourself that wanted to indulge him, you wanted to stay in this moment of connection even if it was a one time thing. You could always pretend it never happened afterwards.
"Give me your hand. I must be the one in control for this, we do it on my own terms. Okay?"
Louis stayed silent, he simply raised his hand in your direction with the same smirk as before on his face. You considered that as an affirmative answer. You took a deep breath as you shifted you body closer to his and lifted your left leg from the bed, letting it rest on his waist to make the next movement easier for you.
You held Louis's right hand in yours as you moved it to the inside of your thigh and then right behind it. The position was still a bit awkward considering you were directing him with your right hand, and your shoulder and upper arm were resting on the bed limiting your mobility. You took his index and middle finger and let them slide closer to you pelvic area, right where the band of your underwear started, both of you mindful of his sharp nails.
"If you apply a bit of pressure in this spot, you'll feel the tension."
Louis did exactly as you said, making you jump in surprise at the feeling. "Did I hurt you?"
"No. It's just different than my own touch, it always is." You released his hand, shifting your body back as you moved back to your initial position. "I hope I have satisfied your curiosity of the day."
His hand was back on your thigh, the light touch having a calming effect on you.
"You did."
"I still don't understand why you care, though. It's not like your life is affected by this condition, especially since you don't sleep with women." You finally decided to sit up, wanting to face Louis more clearly while you spoke.
Louis followed your action, shifting back to rest his back against the headboard. He didn't reply immediately, letting the seconds tick by. "Maybe I want to know more about you."
"We met three days ago, Louis."
"When you've lived as long as I have, it doesn't take long to see if a person is worthy of your time, or not."
You tilted your head to the side in curiosity. "So, I'm worthy in your eyes. Is that what you mean?"
Louis nodded. "It makes my departure after tonight's concert a little easier, because I know that I'm leaving Lestat in good hands."
"You're leaving?"
"There are a few business deals that require my presence, I'll be traveling for a few weeks."
The news made you sad unexpectedly. You liked having Louis around since you were getting lonely on tour with very few people you had the chance to interact with during work — even though he seemed to enjoy teasing you a little too much.
"I already have your number, so I can keep you updated on Lestat while you're away. You can text me too, if you want to."
Louis smiled at you. "How cute of you, Olivia."
"I changed my mind, I'll block your number as soon as you leave."
You both laughed at your reply, a soft and warm sensation blooming in your chest. The next time your mind was going to fall in the dark and deep well inside you, you had this little moment with Louis to use to pull yourself out.
---
The following weeks went by faster than you thought, you were all in the full flow of the tour and yet it seemed that the rhythm at the heart of it had gotten even more erratic than the beginning.
New shows, appearances on television, invitations to attend parties and socialite events, it all added up to the pre-existing schedule and it was a nightmare to fit everything in without messing up the initial plans. With the intense workload you were occupied most of the time, locked away in your room or in a makeshift office typing away like crazy to keep up with the deadlines — strict deadlines you had set yourself, of course.
The main consequence of your current situation was how little time you had to keep a watchful eye on Lestat, or to interact with him in general. You knew he wasn't enjoying the distance, based on what TC had told you after one of their shows, but he accepted that you had duties as much as he did, simply dealt in different contexts and fields.
You were now in Chicago. Finally a long stop, after moving around every night for the past ten days. You were going to stay for a couple of weeks, and you hoped you were going to have the chance to rest a couple of days at least.
That was the idea, and for one day it actually went according to plan.
Everything plummeted the second night.
You had been back to the hotel no more than an hour, it was close to midnight. You had spent the late afternoon outside visiting and just enjoying the city for a few hours — being fully nocturnal now didn't allow you many pastimes in standard hours as before this job.
You were sitting on the sofa in your room, a movie on just to have some background noise while you checked your emails. You had already taken your shower, you were wearing your pajamas, everything was going smoothly. Even the typical tension you had in your neck muscles was non-existent at present.
Then, your phone rang. Christine was calling you, which was weird because they all should be at the club having fun before the shows started the next day.
"Hi, Christine," you answered placing your phone in the crook of your neck, keeping it in place with the help of your shoulder. Your focus was still on the email you were currently working on.
"We can't find Lestat."
You stopped typing immediately. "What do you mean you can't find Lestat? Maybe he's with some groupies?"
You didn't like the idea, but in the absence of alternatives Lestat still needed to feed in some way, and not always the blood from the Farm was available considering how much you'd been traveling.
"I think that's the problem. Dr. Fareed is looking into it, but it appears one of the boys had a toxin in his blood, potentially dangerous even to a vampire."
You didn't like the sound of it, not in the slightest. "And Lestat just disappeared afterwards?"
"They said he simply ran out of the club, but he's not answering any calls or messages. Can you please try to reach him?"
"I'll look for him."
You ended the call before Christine could say anything else. You stood up from the sofa, the laptop long forgotten on the cushions, as you started pacing around the room trying to come up with a plan.
Where would he go?
Your mind was racing through different ideas, and you were seconds away from calling Daniel to ask him to reach Lestat through the Mind Gift, when you heard a heavy thud coming from the ceiling. It sounded as if someone had fallen to the ground.
The room above yours was Lestat's.
Without thinking twice about it you ran out of your room, taking the spare key with you. It had been a while since you actually had to use it. You took the stairs not bothering taking the elevator for just one floor, with how agitated you were feeling you didn't think you would have been able to stand and wait for it anyway.
You literally barged in Lestat's room the second you heard the lock click open. There was blood on the floor, trails of it taking you straight to the bathroom.
And there you found him. Body slumped on the toilet, head barely holding up as Lestat was throwing up blood.
"He's in his room. I'll take care of it." That's what you texted Christine before throwing the phone on the bathroom counter and approaching Lestat.
You stepped closer crouching down next to him. You weren't sure he was aware of your presence in his current state, so you raised your hand slowly placing it on his shoulder.
"Lestat, can you hear me? It's Olivia," you whispered, as if talking any louder would make him disappear from your sight suddenly.
Another violent retch came from his body in response, the iron smell of the blood getting stronger in the room. Lestat lifted his head turning it slowly in your direction, the effort he put to complete the action made him look even more miserable. Your heart squeezed in distress at the sight.
"Olivia…" Even his words were slurred, he sounded completely wasted.
"Do you feel like you're going to throw up again?"
"I don't think I have any more blood left in my right now."
You nodded, more to yourself than to answer him. "Alright, can you lie back against the wall there? I'll help you."
You leaned forward placing again one of your hands on his shoulder, while you let the other rest gently on the back of his head as Lestat tried to shift back against the wall as you asked.
You let him go once you were sure he was stable enough not to fall down on his own, so you could stand up to fetch some towels from the cabinets. You opened the tap and waited for the water to warm up before wetting the towels in the sink.
Once you were satisfied enough with your work, you went back on the floor next to Lestat who had been following your movements since you left him against the wall.
"What are you doing?" He asked, voice a little less slurred but it still sounded exhausted.
You blinked a couple of times as you looked him in the eyes, the answer so obvious to you. "I'm taking care of you. Now help me remove your shirt so I can clean you up, you have blood everywhere."
Lestat didn't say anything further, but you managed to see the surprise in his gaze before he let a softer look take over his face. He assisted you as you pulled his shirt down his arms trying not to jostle him too much with the movement — the last thing the both of you needed was another retching fit.
As soon as the shirt was fully off, you picked up one of the wet towels and started cleaning him up. The moment you made contact with his skin, Lestat let out a soft sigh. "They're warm."
"Well, yes. Cold water would only help in making you feel worse."
Your touch was delicate as if you were cleaning his wounds instead of just his skin, and by the way he was reacting to the treatment and the look in his eyes you could tell it was the same for him. Maybe you were doing just that, healing something invisible but still hurting beneath his skin.
When you were done with his torso, you took another clean towel for his face. You looked at him in his eyes as you started from his cheeks, the corners of his lips pulling up in a warm smile.
"I like your touch."
"I'm glad you do," you replied matching his soft tone, but never stopping in your task. You were treating Lestat the way you'd have wanted someone to treat you in a similar situation. "I'm sorry that you're not used to a soft touch anymore."
"How do you know?"
"You looked so surprised when I said I was going to take care of you. I wish you knew you deserve to have someone that simply holds you, without asking for something in return. I know that your relationship with Louis is going in that direction, and I'm so happy it's happening."
Lestat sat there in silence for a few minutes more, while you finished washing away the blood from his skin. He looked much better now, though his face looked so pale it was clear he needed fresh and clean blood immediately.
"Can you stand up?" You asked after throwing the towels back in the sink. "You would be more comfortable if you sat on the sofa."
"I think I can manage it, ma chère."
It was the first time Lestat had called you with a term of endearment. It took you by surprise but you pushed down the blush that was threatening to creep up on your cheeks, and focused on helping Lestat back on his feet.
You stayed close to him as you both walked out of the bathroom, keeping en eye on him until he was sat on the sofa as you suggested.
"You need to drink blood, Lestat. Do you think Dr. Fareed has some ready for you?"
"Not until tomorrow, that's why I indulged myself with the groupies tonight."
That was a problem actually. A big one. You were walking back and forth in front of him, once again trying to think of a solution to the new problem at hand.
"Considering what happened tonight, it would be unwise to look for other people. We have no time to do background checks, but I could always call Christine and see if she has someone available."
"You could."
You stopped right in front of Lestat, pondering on another thought that kept knocking on the edge of your mind. With each passing second that solution solidified as the most feasible and sensible one.
"Drink from me."
"No, Olivia." Lestat's eyes widened completely at your proposal. "I cannot ask you something like that."
"You're not asking, I am offering my blood."
It made perfect sense to you. You were a little nervous about the prospect ahead of you, but you weren't scared. You had no reason not to trust Lestat with you.
You could see that Lestat was trying to find ways to argue against this solution, but his need to feed was getting stronger now and he would not be able to resist the pull for much longer. You stepped closer to him once you saw the fight leave his body.
"In normal circumstances I would never use you for your blood." Lestat's voice was getting smaller, almost like he was ashamed by his needs and by his inability to fight them.
"I know. It's all good," you said trying to reassure him as much as you could in this situation. "Will it be painful?"
Lestat shook his head. "I would never hurt you, Olivia. I can make you feel good if I do it right."
"That's not necessary."
You took off your pajamas shirt, mentally thanking your past self for forgetting to remove your sport bra, and moved to sit on Lestat's lap — In a straddle again like that night after the hospital.
"Is this okay?"
Lestat nodded, his eyes shifting back and forth from yours and your neck.
"I trust you, Lestat. Do what you must, do not hold back for my sake."
That was the last push Lestat needed before getting into action. His hands raised to your hips, pulling you forward and making you sit closer to his crotch. You let him direct your body as he pleased, knowing full well that you needed to be very close to each other if he was going to feed from you.
Once Lestat was satisfied with your positioning, he moved his left hand to your head collecting your hair and holding them in a soft grip. You felt him give you a light pull and you followed his command in silence baring your neck. Your breathing was slow, no anxiety trying to suffocate you like a tight corset holding your ribcage hostage. You felt safe probably for the first time in your life at the mercy of someone else, even though you weren't supposed to feel this way with a vampire moments away from drinking your blood.
You felt Lestat's lips first, caressing softly the skin of your neck as if resisting the temptation to close in a small kiss. Then, the pointy edges of his fangs followed pricking without breaking your veins, goosebumps raising on the surface in response. And finally, after Lestat took a deep breath, with you doing the same as if your lungs were completely joint in the moment, he bit you.
You opened your mouth at the feeling, a part of you expecting even just a little amount of pain that never came. The fangs entered your skin so delicately that a shiver ran down the full length of your spine, making you arch more in Lestat's arms.
The moan Lestat let out at the first taste of your blood was filthy, it made you wonder if he sounded the same while having sex or if the two actions gave him pleasure in very different ways. The fangs left your skin a few moments later, Lestat's mouth and tongue taking their place as he began to suck.
The new sensation took you utterly by surprise, a quiet whimper leaving your lips before you could force it back down your throat, your fingers squeezing Lestat's shoulders seeking support or an anchor to stabilize you. At your body response, Lestat pulled you closer and the hold he had on your hair and waist got tighter.
And then, you felt it. Lestat's length was hard pocking your inner thigh from beneath his clothes. You tried to stay still as much as possible, not wanting to make his situation worse — or yours, because you could not deny that this moment was affecting you as well, you centre tingling and getting wetter with each suck of blood from your neck.
"It's okay, Lestat, use me," you whispered, knowing perfectly well that he would hear you.
Lestat pulled away slowly, lowering your head towards him so he could look you in the eyes. His pupils were fully dilated, but his gaze was still soft.
He didn't say anything, the hesitation clear in the sudden stillness of his body, so with a careful movement you rolled your hips to slide your core right on his length. His reaction was immediate. His eyelids fluttered, a frown forming on his forehead as his lips, still stained with your blood, parted in a low moan.
"This moment is for you, Lestat, if you need release you can use my body," you continued in the firmest voice you could manage given your own current state. "But I won't force you, if you don't want you. Never."
A second later his mouth was back on your neck sucking from your wounds again, both of his arms now fully circling your back to press you harder against his chest. Your own followed as they rested weakly behind his head and neck, while your body sagged as it welcomed its new temporary master.
Lestat's hips started rolling up into yours, his hard cock sliding between your bodies even with the restriction created by your clothes, though the texture of the fabrics were providing the right amount of friction even without the skin on skin contact. Little shocks of pleasure were warming up your core through the repeated stimulation on your clit, nut your body was too drained now to turn them into waves to your climax. You didn't mind because, as you said, this moment was for Lestat only.
Lestat stopped sucking after a few more minutes, yet his face never left the crook of your neck. He licked your little wounds closed before attacking your skin with shallow breath as his hips kept chasing his final release.
"You feel so good in my arms, ma chère, and you taste so sweet." Lestat's voice was deeper than you'd ever heard it before, pleasure wrapping around each syllable. "I want you to come with me."
You shook your head, but you weren't sure it actually move at all, your body way too heavy now. "I can't. Too tired."
Lestat held you even harder, a displeased whine reaching your ears, but he was too close to his orgasm to do anything about it. His movement were getting quicker and frenetic, and after a hard thrust against your core he was coming. Lestat moaned loudly against your neck, the vibration adding to the pleasant feeling still fluttering in your core.
You scratched his head softly with your fingers to give him comfort as he regained his breath. Your body at peace as much as his, you head resting on his shoulder and your eyes completely closed.
"You need to rest now, Olivia," Lestat said, his body at full health again after feeding. "I'll put you to bed, we'll talk when you wake."
You wanted to speak and tell him there was nothing more to discuss, but exhaustion finally got a grip of you and pulled you under before your body touched the mattress.
---
I thought for a long time if I wanted them to finish together, but I think it's something I'll keep for later. I still haven't decided how many chapters this story will be, but there is still a lot to tell so, who knows.
Chapter VII - Extinguished By Light, I Turn On The Night
Pairing: rockstar!lestat de lioncourt x female!oc x louis de pointe du lac
Warnings: Mentions of sex, vaginismus
Word count: 4732
a/n: Hello everyone! This took me longer than I expected, but there's a reason for that. From the beginning I wanted to include the topic of vaginismus in the story as a way for me to deal with a condition I'm still struggling with physically and emotionally. So it was a chapter a bit harder for me to write, and I hope it turned out alright even for you.
If you want to leave a comment, I'd really appreciate it as this is a really important part of myself and the story.
Disclaimer: english is not my first language
Lestat's lips lifted in a small smirk instantly. "So you do have something to confess."
Little shit.
If he wanted to play, you were going to play alright.
"Are you insisting this strongly about something you only believe I'm hiding, solely because I don't want to fuck you, Lestat? If that's what you want, I'll give it to you."
Chapter VI - Masterlist - AO3
When you gained consciousness again you were in a hospital bed, an IV attached to your right arm. You tried to sit up, shifting back slowly against the pillows, mindful of the needle, your heartbeat pounding like a drum inside your head.
You felt like shit.
"You're awake." A male nurse came into the room, picking up the medical chart attached at the bottom of your bed. "You lost quite a bit of blood, the wound deeper than we thought. We have stitched you up, but we recommend you take it easy for a few days."
"Okay." You were fully aware you could not manage to rest as you were required, with the tour and all. You were going to be careful, but there wasn't much you could do to avoid any straining with your situation at present.
The male nurse was standing there, simply staring at you. Was he waiting for you to say something else? You weren't particularly enjoying the look in his eyes, but with your headache still throbbing maybe your mind was playing you some tricks, making you imagine things.
He went back to check your chart, reading it thoroughly as he flipped through the pages. He stopped at some point, frowning at something written on the papers.
"Is something wrong?" You asked, unsure if you should start worrying or not.
"No," he replied, raising his eyes to your face again. He seemed a bit colder towards you, compared to when he first entered the room. Surely you were mistaken. "Just browsing through your medical history."
"Found anything interesting?"
"I see here that you have vaginismus. What a pity." He diverted his gaze, closing the chart and putting it back in its place.
Pity?
You felt your body stiffen before your mind could fully register the action, the skin around the stitches of your wound pulling uncomfortably tight. Still, the slight pain was grounding.
"Yeah. It's not an ideal condition to have."
The nurse crossed his arms in front of his chest, his eyes looking at the ceiling in thought. "I'm sure it is, but it must not be easy for a partner to deal with a woman like you. It's not something I'd burden myself with, I think — I mean who would want to build a steady relationship with someone whom they could not be intimate with. A defective body."
Your ears were ringing, making your whole headache situation even worse. You digged your fingernails in your skin to maintain a calm composure on the outside, a complete contrast to the war that was raging on the inside.
"Thankfully there's no partner for you to worry about. Rest easy," you managed to reply through gritted teeth.
"Thought as much. It was my intention to ask for your number before learning about your condition."
The nerve of this man. If he could be defined as such. He was speaking to you and discussing your disorder with a coldness and a detachment you would not expect from a medical professional. You had men say vile things to you once you shared your situation with them, but to know a person who was supposed to care about their patients' health would dare talk to you that way was appalling.
"It would have been unprofessional of you. And I would not have accepted it, anyway."
He was about to say something else, but the sound of footsteps entering the room stopped him before he could open his mouth. Whoever it was, they were your savior.
"There you are, kid." Daniel. You could kiss him for coming at the right moment. "You okay?"
"Could be worse. The nurse was about to tell me I could be discharged, correct?" A fake smile was plastered on your face as you stared at him. You would not even bother to read the name on the badge. He was nothing, and should remain nothing in your mind.
"Y-Yes, of course. We'll arrange the papers now," he replied, finally leaving the room.
Daniel was looking at you with his eyes narrowed behind the glasses. "Are you alright?"
"Well, I was basically stabbed. I'm not at my top physically at present." You knew he was not asking about your wound. He could read a room better than anyone else, and the tension was so thick when he stepped inside that it could have gained a tangible form. You just hoped he would not press further.
"I brought you some fresh clothes. Christine prepared them for you. I'll wait for you in the corridor, unless you need help getting dressed."
"I think I'll manage, thank you," you replied, grateful for the change of subject.
Probably an extra hand would have been helpful in the task, but luckily Christine had packed a zip-up hoodie that didn't require much movement. You freshened up a bit in the in-room bathroom, before finishing getting dressed and packing.
You checked your phone, not to see if anyone contacted you while you were out, but more to understand how much time had actually passed since the incident. It was dark outside and you correctly guessed that at least 24 hours were gone while you were unconscious. Thankfully, no more than that.
"Did they ask you to come pick me up, or did you actually offer?" you asked once you were finally outside. Now that you could breathe fresh air, you felt your headache lessen by the second.
Daniel opened the passenger door for you to get in, as he stared at you from above the frame of his sunglasses. "I'm not horrible, kid. I asked to stay behind, it was better than to leave you in the hands of strangers, all things considered."
"How cute."
"Don't make me regret this."
The journey wouldn't be long, you were less than two hours away from Olympia, but since you doubted your body would require another little nap, you hoped Daniel was in the mood for a nice and silent trip. Radio music was also a good alternative.
"Do you want to talk about it?"
There was no hope for the wicked apparently. "Talk about what?"
"Listen, I saw your face when I entered that room, you were ready to jump that guy. Has something happened?"
You sighed. "Nothing happened, just men being idiotic. Nothing new and nothing I can't handle."
"You're aware you repeated "nothing" three times, right? Seems to me you're trying to convince yourself rather than me."
"Please spare me this cheap therapist talk, Daniel, it doesn't suit you." You kept your head turned towards the window, trying to convey how much you wished for this conversation to be over.
"I could always check inside his mind, you know."
You closed your eyes, taking a deep breath. You forgot about that bloody vampire ability. "Since you haven't done it yet, I'm asking you to stay out of it. It's a private matter."
Daniel stayed quiet for a few moments, probably pondering on your words and your tone. "Alright, kid. Should you change your mind, I'm here."
"You cannot repair the relationship with your daughters by trying to impersonate the father figure with me."
"Who's giving me cheap therapist advice, now?"
You both looked at each other at the same time, before bursting out laughing. Well, as much as you could with the stitches on your side hurting like hell.
Silence finally settled in the car for the rest of the drive, and you decided to enjoy the moment of calm as long as it lasted. It would be chaos again around you soon enough.
---
One of the positive factors of living at night was that there was basically no one around when you got to the hotel in Olympia. Daniel informed you that all your luggage was already in your room, another thing covered by Christine in your absence — at least, you had packed everything before you left for the concert.
Once you assured Daniel for the umpteenth that you were fine and that you could handle taking the elevator by yourself, he finally left you on your own in the lobby.
You checked in at reception, getting the key to your room. Based on the schedule, everyone was at rehearsals at that hour, a part of you wanted to work on your laptop for a bit to catch up on what you missed while you were at the hospital, but Christine threatened you to tie your hands behind your back if you dared do anything beside rest for the next couple of days. Kinky.
It was probably the certainty of believing no one was around that made you miss the two figures sitting on the sofas right after the lobby, your mind set on going to your room as the pain on your side was getting more intense.
"Olivia."
You freezed on the spot at the sound of your name. You turned your head to the left, your eyes immediately graced by the sight of Lestat and Louis sitting together and staring at you.
"Aren't you supposed to be at rehearsals, Lestat?"
"When Daniel informed us you were on your way here, we decided to wait for you. Rehearsals are already over for tonight."
"Ah." You stood there for a moment, your gaze moving from one to the other every couple of seconds. "So?"
"Something is off," Lestat said, inclining slightly his head, "your heart is beating abnormally."
Not them too. "I just spent a full day at the hospital, and I have more than ten stitches right below my ribs. I think it's quite fair for me not to be at my best."
Louis squinted his eyes at you. "No."
No?
In a blink, Lestat was in front of you. He didn't give you the time to say anything before he lifted you off the ground, carrying you towards the elevator. You felt like he wanted to throw you on his shoulder, but he was being careful about your wound.
It would have been a nice gesture if it weren't for the fact you had no clue why he thought it was the right course of action for him to pick you up. "What the fuck, Lestat?! Put me down. Now!"
Lestat completely ignored your request, stopping right in front of the elevator doors waiting for them to open. Louis was close behind the both of you, a serious look on his face.
"Can you at least tell me where are you taking me?"
"Your room," Louis replied as you all entered the elevator, pressing the button with your floor number.
"I don't understand."
Lestat tightened his grip on your legs. "We're going to talk. You won't run away from us this time."
You tried to swallow at the prospect in front of you. You'd rather endure another stab on your side than sit through a questioning from these two.
Why would they even care?
Lestat put you down only once you reached your room, the door clicking open as Louis passed the key on the pad next to the handle. You weren't even surprised he managed to steal it from you while you were treated as a weightless sack of potatoes.
"I hope you both know this is ridiculous," you said as you walked straight to the sofa in the middle of the room. You hated the idea to have this discussion with them sitting down, but there was too much tension in your muscles, you were seconds away from ripping out your stitches voluntarily. "I'm perfectly fine. I just have to wait for the wound to heal without stressing myself, and for your information, you're not exactly helping right now."
"You're not fine," Louis stated firmly, as he rested his hip against the sofa opposite yours. "Other than your heartbeat, your hands are pulled into fists since you have arrived, your breath is short despite not having run, and you've been tensing your jaw every five seconds."
You glared at him. "I. Am. Fine."
"Do you even realize how vacant the look on your face is?"
Whatever retort you were about to say got stuck in your throat at Louis's question. Vacant. You didn't know why that word struck you so deeply, but for a few moments all the fight in you died. Your gaze moved from Louis to Lestat, who was leaning against the wall a few steps behind his companion. On his face the most serious expression since you had met him.
"Why is it important to you? You barely know me." Your voice came out so low that human ears would have had struggled to hear you.
"Because you make it so natural to care for you, even if you barely notice it." It was Lestat the one who spoke this time. "You've been on my radar since the day you arrived. You and that sharp little tongue of yours."
You closed your eyes, letting the words settle inside your mind, feeling them roam around your head for a few seconds, before you squared your shoulders putting your walls back up. When you opened them again, Lestat had moved away from the wall going to sit on the armchair on your left side. Louis was still standing against the sofa as before.
"Do not try to manipulate a confession out of me with silly soft words, Lestat."
Lestat's lips lifted in a small smirk instantly. "So you do have something to confess."
Little shit.
If he wanted to play, you were going to play alright.
"Are you insisting this strongly about something you only believe I'm hiding, solely because I don't want to fuck you, Lestat? If that's what you want, I'll give it to you."
You raised from the sofa, taking careful steps towards him, his eyes following every single movement of your body. Your pants brushed his once you reached him, but you didn't stop. You moved forward, lifting your knees one at a time to let them rest on the armchair on both sides of his hips, fully settling yourself on his lap in a straddle.
Lestat sat still as he looked at you, you had never been this close to each other before. His hands were on the cushions next to your legs, unmoving. Even his chest was barely rising, as if he willed his lungs to stop working.
"Is this what you wished for me to do, Lestat?" You asked, catching his face in your hands to look at him straight in his eyes. "Do you desire for me to treat you like your fans do? To jump on you like your groupies crave after each concert? To reduce you to an attractive and seducing body without a care for the living soul underneath?"
With the effort to let your emotions out without allowing them to completely break the seams and overflow, you put your body under even more strain than before. A small gasp left your mouth as you uttered you last sentence, the pain in your wound spiking and forcing you to close your eyes.
You distantly noticed hands on your waist moving you to your left, your back slowly coming to rest on the cushion of the armchair. You willed your eyes to open again, Lestat's face the first thing to come into focus. You were lying in the same spot Lestat was in a second ago, as he was now kneeling on the floor in between your legs, his hands still holding onto your sides.
"You tore your stitches. You're bleeding." Lestat's gaze was moving back and forth from your own to the area where your wound was hiding beneath your clothes.
"We should just take them out. Do you have tweezers or small scissors?" Louis asked, now standing right behind Lestat. You didn't even notice he had stepped closer.
You nodded slightly. "In the smallest luggage with the toiletries."
Louis moved away following your instructions, and you could hear him rummage through your belongings in the background. Lestat stayed on his knees in front of you, his attention never straying away from you once.
"You need to take off your sweatshirt. I can help you, if you want."
You reached for the zipper with your hands pulling it down slowly, Lestat's hands moving to your shoulders as he helped you slide the garment off your arms. You held your breath during the whole process, trying not to hurt yourself more than you already were. One of Lestat's arms came to circle around your back, his skin touching yours as he held your body up to completely remove your cloth.
Once you laid back down, you saw your blood staining your skin as it flowed out from your wound again, your stitches utterly ruined. You were sitting there in just your pants and bra, but you couldn't really bring yourself to care in that moment.
Louis finally came into view again, as he too knelt down next to Lestat with your nail scissors in his hand. "I'll take them out, and then we'll heal your wound. Okay?"
You nodded once more not trusting your voice.
"I'll be quick," Louis said as he got to work. And quick he was. With the touch of an expert he took them all out. You barely felt a thing, though you guessed the pain of the wound itself had made you numb to any other sensation.
As the last stitch left your skin, Lestat was already there with his thumb. You didn't see him cut his finger open, one of the many things that happened without you realizing since you stepped into your room. You watched with wonder while your gaping wound slowly closed, as if it never even existed in the first place.
Louis raised to his feet, stepping away to throw the stitches out and put the scissors back to their initial place. You lowered your gaze to look at Lestat still between your legs and, as your eyes locked with his, you watched him move closer to you.
You tried to keep your breath steady when you felt his lips touch your skin right below your bra. Lestat left a small kiss there, before moving to the side to kiss the spot where your wound had been.
"It's exactly because you treat me like a person that I can resist your pull. Almost no one sees me like that."
You stayed still, unable to do anything if not watch everything unfold. His words reaching deep inside you in a soft caress.
He moved lower, painting a trail on your belly ad goosebumps raised at every touch. He only stopped once he reached the top of your pants, his eyes meeting yours in a silent question. Your breath got stuck in your throat, as your mind woke from the trance he had put you in, like cold water thrown suddenly at your face.
"Stop, please."
Lestat pulled away immediately, but he didn't even hint at moving from his spot on the floor. Louis was sitting on the sofa on your right, his whole body turned in your direction. Had he been watching the two of you?
"Are you scared of me?" Lestat asked in a soft voice.
You didn't reply immediately.
"I think there's something else," Louis intervened before you could have a chance to say anything.
You stared at both of them, pondering on your next move as they waited calmly for you without moving an inch from their positions.
"I'm not scared of either of you," you started, taking a deep breath to give yourself a bit of a push. "I don't know what you're expecting, but I'm not hiding anything earth-shaking. There's just something I've been struggling with for many years now, and when I find myself in unexpected situation where I'm forced to face its existence head on, I falter each time like it's the first." You paused for a moment, as you tried to find the correct way to phrase what you wanted to say. You decided to start with the simplest part. "I have a condition called vaginismus."
Both Lestat and Louis frowned at the same time. You would have laughed at their synchronization, if your mind wasn't preparing itself for a bomb to explode.
"I have never heard of it before," Lestat commented first, "Explain it to me. To us."
You stood up from the armchair and sidestepped Lestat to move to the other side of the room. You needed some distance if you were really going to talk about one of the most personal and vulnerable part of yourself, and walking while talking surely prevented you from spiraling further.
"I'm not surprised that you don't know what vaginismus is. It's not well known among women, either." You were keeping your eyes to the ground, or on any piece of furniture around the room while you actively tried to avoid their gazes. "In medical terms you could describe it as a muscular hypertension of the vagina. The pelvic floor muscles keep contracting involuntarily, making any kind of penetration impossible."
"Any kind?" Lestat asked in the same tone of voice as before. You wondered what expression was on his face as he spoke.
"Yes. Even simple tampons are quite a challenge." You dared to look in their general direction, but they were both staring at you in a way that was impossible for you to decipher. "It's not a big deal, there are worse things. Sex is not mandatory in life, I just don't like people commenting on that. Especially men. And especially men in the medical field who should know to be tactful when it comes to this kind of disorders."
Louis's gaze darkened at your words. "So something did happen while you were at the hospital."
"It was just a comment, nothing more. It bothered me because it came from a nurse and, as I said, they should know better, and it took me off guard." You shrugged, like you wanted to get rid of the lingering irritation of that interaction. "I've heard similar words for years, I'm used to it by now. It's nothing I can't handle."
You could hear Daniel's voice in your ear bitching away about your repetition of the word "nothing". Maybe you were really trying to convince yourself that it was something insignificant even though you were well aware that it wasn't.
"What are these words?" Lestat asked, as he finally stood up from his spot on the floor stepping closer to you.
You weren't sure you wanted to reply. There was an irrational part that feared they were going to agree with those words, simply because every single time you had heard them you couldn't help but believe them yourself. The rational side of your mind knew it wasn't like that, but it was powerless against the resonance of the other.
"This time I was defined "a defective body"," you said, mentally congratulating yourself for managing to keep a steady voice. "There are different versions of it, but the meaning underneath is always the same. Broken, rotten, damaged goods, and so on."
You let out a bitter laugh. You stared at the two vampires in front of you, while your emotional turmoil raised steadily to the surface. Both Lestat and Louis were quiet as they listened to you, taking away the distance you had put between you one step at a time.
"The thing is, I never have an argument ready to fight against those words, because my first instinct is to say that each one of them is true." You swallowed, in an attempt to get rid of the broken sounds that threatened to imbue your voice. "I understand the sentiment, the reasoning behind it. I can't really fault them for thinking about me in that way. I just hate the ones who play the hero saying they aren't afraid, that they never back down from a challenge, and then, when they see firsthand that their dick is not Moses, they tell you that it was the most demoralizing experience of their life."
You were out of breath when you finally stopped talking. The tears that you tried and failed to push down were now running freely down your cheeks.
Louis's apparent stoic exterior was a stark contrast to Lestat's bloody eyes that were staring right at yours. He opened his mouth a couple of times, struggling to find what he wanted to say. "Oliv—"
"That's why I ran away yesterday. That's why I dodged every sexual remarks you had thrown at me in the past few weeks. Even if I were attracted to you, my body wouldn't work properly. I can't allow my mind to even entertain that thought."
Lestat was on you in a second, holding your face in his hands while his fingers wiped away your tears. "You're not damaged, Olivia. Just because something is harder and more complicated, it doesn't mean it isn't worth it."
You tried to shake your head but Lestat's hand were preventing you from moving. "It shouldn't be hard. Sex is one of the most natural things in the world."
"Then, be unnatural."
His words managed to pull your lips up in a small smile. It was so very Lestat to say something like that.
You took a long and deep breath, the storm inside growing quiet. Lestat removed his hands from your face, taking a step back. Louis was still standing in the same spot, with the same stony expression.
"Are you okay, Louis?"
He nodded. "I was just trying to get the face of that man from your mind, but of course I can't see a fucking thing."
You widened your eyes at his reply, your index pointing at him. "You don't kill people on my behalf. Especially for these silly reasons."
Louis simply shrugged. "I've done it for less."
You raised your hands in surrender, deciding that that was a good time for you to remove yourself from the conversation. You went to one of your suitcases to take out a change of clothes comfortable to sleep in and the necessary for a shower. You were so emotionally drained that even your body was asking for rest, despite having slept for a whole day at the hospital.
"I have a question," Lestat said from behind you.
"Go ahead."
"Your condition affects also your ability to reach an orgasm?"
You turned back around to look at him. "No. It's just a muscular thing, I can come alright."
A mischievous smile appeared on Lestat's face. "Good."
"Whatever your mind is thinking about, stop it. I don't have the energy for this. Louis put your companion on a leash."
Louis raised an eyebrow at you in response. "Don't ask for my help. I was wondering about the same thing."
Men. Always so unhelpful.
"I have an additional question, though," he continued, folding his arms against his chest, "Is vaginismus treatable in any way?"
That was unexpected. "Yes, it is. I've been in therapy for years."
"Without results?"
"With good results, actually, but you can't accomplish everything on your own. When a partner is in the picture everything changes again," you said, gathering the things you took out from your luggage in your arms. "Now, if you don't mind, I'd like to take a shower and go to bed, we can continue this conversation another day if you want. And before you can say anything, Lestat, you cannot join me in the shower."
"Next time, then."
You rolled your eyes, gesturing for them to head towards the door and, surprisingly, they followed your directions. You were basically kicking them out, but your batteries were now completely dead. They must have thought the same thing if even Lestat left without a single complain.
As soon as the door was closed, and you were finally alone in your room, all the remaining tension in your body vanished. You wanted to rewind the whole conversation and watch it from the beginning, but you weren't lying about how exhausted you were feeling. You would do it once your mind was back at full capability.
Your shower was quick. Your will set on getting into bed as fast as possible, so the moment your head touched the pillow you were out like a light.
You fell in such a deep slumber that you didn't even register the door of your room opening again.
---
If you reached the end, thank you so much! And if you feel like sharing your thoughts, I'd be glad to reach each of them.
Pairing: rockstar!lestat de lioncourt x female!oc x louis de pointe du lac
Warnings: very! light smut
Word count: 6112
a/n: Hello my darlings! This time I'm coming back later than usual. As you may know I've been writing various things so this chapter had been delayed a bit. Still, I'm offering the longest chapter of this story as an offer for forgiveness! I hope you'll like it! 💕
As always, if you feel like leaving a comment or discuss the story my ask box is open!
Disclaimer: english is not my first language
"You didn't come."
Your eyes widened in surprise. That was not the place your mind was going, but you should have expected that that specific aspect was important to Lestat. "That's perfectly fine, Lestat. I told you that there was no energy left in my body for that."
"I never leave anyone unsatisf—"
"And," you interrupted him quickly, "even if I had, I wouldn't have been able to come. I can only reach an orgasm if I'm the one touching myself."
Chapter VIII - Masterlist - AO3
You woke up slowly. Your mind still mush, but your body was feeling comfortable with your head resting on three exceptionally soft pillows.
So this was how people who could afford suites normally slept.
With a bit of struggle you managed to pull your body up against the headboard. You were completely devoid of energy and hungry as hell. Kind of normal and expected after having a vampire drink your blood — not that you were an expert, of course.
You picked up your phone from the nightstand. Lestat must have placed it there while you were sleeping, because you distinctly remembered having thrown the device somewhere in the bathroom the night before.
You had a lot of unread messages, mainly from Christine, but at the moment your will to reply was below zero. Sunset was a couple of minutes away, and you were behind your standard schedule of the day. Though you guessed you could be excused from attending the concert that night all things considered.
A light creak coming from the other side of the bedroom pulled you out of your mind and you watched as the lid of the coffin opened with a quick push.
Lestat was awake.
Lestat was awake and was already staring at you.
You gave him a sheepish smile as he elegantly stepped out of his coffin. "Hello, Lestat."
You barely managed to get those two words out that Lestat was already on you, hands holding your face still as he looked straight into your eyes. "Are you okay? Any pain?"
His gaze was full of worry and, absurdly enough, fear.
"I'm fine. Just a bit drained," you joked, trying to show Lestat that you were really okay and he shouldn't be that concerned about your well-being.
You saw his shoulders visibly relax as he finally let go of your face, a soft smile gracing his face now. "Thank you for what you did yesterday." He paused for a moment, eyes never leaving yours. You could feel how intensely he was staring at you, as if he could read all your secrets with a single look. "For taking care of me."
"I would do it again in a second."
Lestat's eyes widened in surprise at the finality in your tone. "That won't be necessary."
"Still, I want you to know I would." You really wanted Lestat to see and understand that you were not scared of him, that what happened the previous night wasn't going to push you away. "If our roles had been reversed, you would have done the same. Yes?"
Lestat limited his answer to a single nod.
"Then, there is nothing else to discuss."
"There is, actually."
Now it was your turn to stare at him in silence. What was he referring to now? There was nothing else pending between you.
Lestat raised one of his eyebrows as you were clearly lost in confusion. "I used your body to come, Olivia."
Of course.
Of course.
It's not like you had forgotten about it. You simply had already archived the memories in one of the corners of your mind and there you planned to let them stay, as if they had never happened in the first place.
Not because you regretted the situation. Quite the opposite, actually.
"I asked you to do it, I wouldn't have if I didn't want to." You tried to keep your voice even as you talked, hoping he would just decide to change the subject. "There is nothing more to say on the matter."
"You didn't come."
Your eyes widened in surprise. That was not the place your mind was going, but you should have expected that that specific aspect was important to Lestat. "That's perfectly fine, Lestat. I told you that there was no energy left in my body for that."
"I never leave anyone unsatisf—"
"And," you interrupted him quickly, "even if I had, I wouldn't have been able to come. I can only reach an orgasm if I'm the one touching myself."
You took a deep breath as you let the words sink in. You had been revealing too many things about yourself to Lestat and Louis these past few weeks and you weren't used to the feeling.
"Never?"
"Never."
Lestat opened his mouth to say something else, but this time it was your stomach the one to interrupt him. A loud grumble resonating in the room.
"Merde, chérie, you must be starving."
"Very much, actually."
Lestat was up on his feet in a blink, walking fast to get his phone. "I'll ask Christine to send someone here with food, also Fareed should come to check if your body has fully recovered."
"There is no need for that, Lestat, I'm fine."
"Have you ever had a vampire suck the blood out of you before yesterday?"
You sighed. "No."
"Then, how could you be so certain about your actual physical state?"
He was right and you had nothing else to say to argue his point, so you kept quiet. Surely, you weren't going to admit to his face that he had won the battle this time.
You let Lestat do what he had to do, while you went to the bathroom to pee and freshen up a little. The task turned out to be more difficult than expected, you felt dizzy standing up but you pretended otherwise in front of Lestat. He was already worried enough right now.
You had wanted to go back to your room, but in your current state it was better for you to stay in Lestat's suite for a few hours more. So, you sat comfortably on one of the sofas and waited.
Dr. Fareed was the first to arrive. He went to you immediately, and you greeted him with a soft smile.
He was truly a fine man.
"Have you had any struggles during your sleep?"
"No, I was out the whole time. No problems whatsoever."
"Good."
Fareed opened his bag to take out all the tools he needed to visit you, Lestat restlessly walking back and forth behind him.
You sat still as Fareed visited you, only moving your head every now and then to see what he was writing down on your chart.
"Your vitals are all perfectly balanced. Can I take a vial of your blood to analyse?"
"Yes."
"No."
You shoot a pissed off stare at Lestat for trying to answer in your place. "Lestat, mind your own business." You extended your arm towards Fareed to make it easier for him and to restate your consent at his request.
"I don't see why he needs it."
Dr. Fareed finished taking the sample in mere seconds, before turning to look at Lestat behind him. "How much of her blood did you drink last night before feeling better?"
Lestat stopped to think for a moment, a frown creasing his face. "Not much."
"That's because her blood if of great quality."
"Isn't AB negative the most rare and coveted one, even among vampires?" You asked in curiosity. "Mine is A negative."
"Blood types are relevant to an extent, on a more superficial level. There are other elements in the body that increase the quality."
You tilted your head to the side, this was all beyond your knowledge. "Such as?"
"Mainly how healthy the body is naturally. I have your medical history, and you had been ill only a couple of times growing up," Fareed continued, now standing in a way that allowed him to look at you and Lestat at the same time. "And you take very good care of yourself which all adds up to the fact that your blood is in the Rh-negative group. Very tasty for vampires."
"Good to know."
"So, should you ever consider the idea to start donating at the Farm, you'd be highly compensated."
The look on Lestat's face turned completely dark. "Out of the question. No other vampire will taste her blood ever again."
Sensing the possible danger, Fareed took a couple of steps back before excusing himself out of the room.
You turned to look at Lestat, eyebrow raised in question. "Stop making decisions on my behalf. I can take care of myself."
"You don't know the danger of the supernatural world, chérie, I'm simply looking out for you."
You hummed softly deciding it was best to let the topic go for the moment, a smirk taking over your face in its stead. "Do I really taste that good?"
Lestat's gaze darkened again, but not out of anger this time. "You taste magnificent."
Your breath hitched in your throat not expecting to be hit with such an intensity, you thought he would dismiss your question with one of his witty comments. That's why you were glad to see Christine enter the room a couple of seconds later, followed by two waiters from the hotel restaurant carrying a cart each full of trays.
You welcomed the interruption, because you were now starting to fully realise you were treading an uncharted territory.
---
You were kept out of job activities for a couple of days more, even though after eating and a few more hours of sleep you had felt completely yourself again.
It was manageable to take some more time off because you were staying in Chicago for seven consecutive shows, longer than most stops, so your tasks were slightly reduced when you weren't busy organizing the travels for the next city. The team knew by now how to handle the rest on their own, even without you being constantly present. Still, you couldn't stand sitting around doing nothing for days.
At the third show, you joined everyone again and that was great for your mind. You'd had Lestat texting you incessantly the past two days to check if you were doing well and he had desisted only when you had started threatening to block him for good.
You were walking around the corridors inside the venue, barely paying attention to your surroundings as you were reading a few documents Christine handed you to approve. The Vampire Lestat was getting even more traction with the media, and it seemed like everyone wanted a piece of it at the moment.
You were so focused on the papers in your hands that you didn't notice the person sitting in one of the couches in the makeshift lounge area. It was created specifically for Lestat, the band and a few other selected few — you included — to have a space where all could relax.
"Hello, Olivia."
"Hello, Louis."
You stopped immediately in your tracks and took a few steps back to enter the lounge. Louis was staring at you with an amused smile on his face.
"I didn't know you were coming back on tour so soon. You told me you'd be away for a few weeks more last time we spoke."
"I closed the deal sooner than expected, so here I am."
"You missed touring life so much, you couldn't resist the pull to come back, right?" You asked, raising your eyebrows jokingly.
"Tremendously," Louis replied matching your tone.
You laughed lightly, your attention shifting down to the book Louis was holding in his hands. A frown fell on your face in a second at reading the title.
You stepped closer to him, snatching the book from his hands to look at it better and confirm it was exactly what you thought it was.
"Louis, why are you reading a book about vaginismus?"
"Seemed an interesting reading."
You closed your eyes, trying to control yourself and the need to smack him in the head with the book. He acted so similar to Lestat sometimes, so purposefully annoying.
"A manual on the best treatments to cure vaginismus? I wasn't aware it was a disorder you had, Louis."
"I just wanted to know more about the topic. I don't know why you're acting so fired up about this."
You forced yourself to take a deep breath to calm down. Why were you bothered?
"It's just that I don't understand why would you want to be informed about something I have. It's not like this disorder is going to affect you in any way."
Louis let out a breath through his nose. "Maybe I'd like to help you."
You closed your eyes, shaking your head. "You cannot. I can help myself, and a possible future partner can help me. Not you."
Silence fell between you, so pregnant with words unsaid that you could choke on the intensity. You wondered if Louis was hurt by the wall you were putting up regarding this side of yourself.
A knock on the open door behind you interrupted the connection. "Olivia, sorry to bother you, but the stage manager is looking for you," a girl from the crew informed you.
"I'll be there in a minute, thank you."
You shifted your attention back to Louis, who hadn't moved an inch since the moment you had entered the lounge. You gave the book back to him, your expression slightly downcast. "I'm sorry for what I said. Can we discuss this again later?"
"Whenever you want, Olivia."
You nodded softly before turning around, stepping towards the door to leave.
"Before you go, there is something I want to ask you."
You stopped right on threshold, your body twisting around partially. "Yes, of course."
"I didn't come to Chicago only for the tour, but also for my own interests," Louis started, eyes fixed on your face. "I'm opening a new art gallery here and tomorrow we're hosting the inauguration. Would you like to accompany me?"
"Can't you ask, Lestat?"
"Well, he's busy with the shows."
"Right." Olivia, sometimes you're truly an idiot. "I would love to come with you, then."
"Good." Louis smiled at you. He seemed really happy about you joining him for the event. "I had a dress delivered to your room, you should find it when you go back after the show tonight."
You opened your mouth in disbelief. "You already knew I would accept your offer."
"I was positive," Louis replied, shrugging his shoulders. "It was easier than I thought, but I had an ace up my sleeve ready to use."
"Which was?"
"The first exhibition at the gallery is about Artemisia Gentileschi."
Your mouth opened even wider.
Louis was right. You would have caved in immediately for Artemisia. For her paintings and for the fact that Louis remembered she was your favourite artist.
To be seen and to be heard always made your chest feel warm.
When you went back to your hotel room after the concert, the first thing your eyes noticed was the dress hung on your wardrobe. You threw your things on the bed without paying much attention to where they were landing, as you walked straight to the closet.
The dress was under a black cover effectively stopping you from seeing what it was hiding underneath. Carefully, you pulled the zipper down, curiosity too strong to wait for the next day.
"Shit."
It was a long silk dress, dark-green and backless except for a few strings to be tied on upper back. It was beautiful and, by the look of it, it must have cost more than your apartment in London. You were terrified to ruin it even by just staring for too long.
You went to the bed to get your phone, eyes barely leaving the dress in front of you.
"You're insane," you texted Louis, immediately.
His reply came a couple of seconds later. Why was he on his phone while at the after party with Lestat?
"I take it that you like the dress."
"It's beautiful, and way too expensive." You stopped to think for a moment, your eyes moving back and forth from the phone and the dress, a frown forming on your face. "How did you know my size?"
"I have eyes, and I had seen you in shorts and bra if you remember."
Right. The day at the gym when Louis caught you after you almost fell to the ground.
Your phone buzzed again.
"And Lestat confirmed the right measures for me."
You scoffed in disbelief at the message, as if they were both there to see your reactions. "Glad to know I have been kept in the dark about this affair."
"Lestat is asking to see you in the dress."
You raised an eyebrow at the audacity. "Now?"
"Yes."
"No. Good night."
---
You set the alarm earlier than usual. You wanted to take a long shower and have all the time you needed to get ready.
You had asked the hair & make-up artists you had employed for the tour if they could help you since, based on your expectations for the night, professional hands were required for the occasion instead of your ability to wear eyeliner like a middle-schooler. They had been way to eager to accept, the idea of getting their hands on you too tempting to resist.
You showed them the dress so they could decide the right style for both your hair and make-up and they got to work. It was nice to just sit there for some time while someone else was there doting on you.
They curled your hair first, before collecting them all in a updo. You had so many hairpins on your head that you felt like a voodoo doll. For the make-up they opted for something light so you could look natural enough, but they still chose dark green eyeshadow for your lids that matched both the colour of your eyes and the dress. The last touch had been gold eyeliner to highlight the shape of your eyes and to have something that reminded the heeled sandals you were going to wear.
When they were done, it was almost time to leave.
They helped you with the dress and, to your immense delight you had to forgo both bra and underwear. The material was thin enough to break, and if you had worn anything underneath it would have ruined the whole appearance. You were ready to dig a hole in the ground to hide, because you felt naked especially with the back of the dress starting a couple of inches above your ass.
In addition to that, you were certain everybody would know you weren't wearing any underwear considering how tight the fit was on you hips and ass. The price you had to pay for having prominent curves.
Louis would be waiting for you downstairs and as you were going down to the ground floor on the elevator, you couldn't stand still on your feet. You were a bundle of nerves.
You hadn't thought much about it when you accepted but you had never attended an event like this. You were fine with staying on the side of the things, working behind the scenes. But tonight you wouldn't be able to hide as you were going directly with the patron of the event.
What could go wrong?
The ping of the elevator signalled you had reached your destination. You pulled your shoulders back to show confidence and stepped out.
You walked straight to the lobby, your eyes finding Louis in a second as you marched towards him.
Lestat was there, too. Of course, he was there.
They both turned to look at you as you tried to approach them as quickly as possible on your heels. You focused on your step so you could ignore the look they were giving you right now, otherwise you would have blushed in a blink.
"You should be at the venue, Lestat."
The blond smirked at you, his gaze moving down from your eyes to your chest, stopping the journey only at split of the dress exposing your left leg from the middle of your thigh down.
"Would you mind turn around, chérie, so I can admire the back too?"
"I feel on display enough right now, without you asking to look at my ass."
Lestat shrugged his shoulders, the playful look in his eyes never disappearing. "I shall content myself with the opinion of the man sitting on the sofa behind you. He's very much enjoying the view."
"Lestat!" you hissed at him, trying not raise your voice. He looked like he was having a feast right now.
Louis stepped closer to you, one of his hands touching your arm to get your attention. You turned to him, taking your time to admire him this time.
He was wearing a three-piece burgundy suit. Tailor-made, of course. He was stunning. The colours of your outfits looked very good together, especially your dress with his eyes.
"What Lestat is trying to say is that you look beautiful tonight."
You smiled at Louis, sighing. "I know. It's just that he made it sound like he'd prefer to see the dress on the floor rather than on my body."
"Oh oui, chérie. That's very true."
You glared at him, but refused to give him the satisfaction of a reply.
"You do look beautiful, Olivia."
"Thank you, Louis. You look flawless, too," you replied, your cheeks warming up in a blush. "Thank you too, Lestat, I suppose."
A car was waiting for you outside, Louis leading you to the hotel entrance with a hand resting between your shoulder blades. He was being careful not to touch you lower than that.
You stepped in first with Louis following right behind you, your phone buzzing with a message right as you sat down.
Lestat.
"Back of the dress approved too." A photo of you from behind was attached to the text. You shook your head with a smile, but didn't reply. You could let him have the last word for once.
"So, what is my role tonight?" You asked as the car started moving.
"We arrive together, take a few pictures and then you're free to roam around the gallery as I have a couple of people I need to speak to," Louis answered, his fingers tapping softly against the seat. "I'll find you when I'm done."
"And if someone asks who I am and why I am with you?"
"No one will ask. I made sure of it."
You kept quiet for the rest of the drive, your mind trying to focus on anything else so you could calm down your nerves.
The car stopped in front of the gallery after a few minutes, Louis stepping out first this time and offering you his hand as support. People were staring watching you walk towards the small blue carpet laid out in front of the entrance.
Louis's hand was on your back again, now a few inches lower than before to show closeness between the two of you to anyone who cared to look and speculate. You mirrored his action, trying to look natural in your movements and Louis looked down at you with a soft smile.
The night started just like Louis predicted and, after taking the mandatory pictures at the entrance, you stepped into the gallery. You and Louis parted ways after a few minutes as he slipped upstairs where no one was allowed to access for the evening.
You decided to fully enjoy the event, taking time to admire paintings and the setting the designer chose for each room to represent every phase of Artemisia Gentileschi's life. It felt almost like you were back at school, when you were studying history of art. You were surprised to see you actually remembered most of the paintings shown here, and the story behind them.
You were, of course, set on finding your favourite and it seemed to be the only one missing. To be fair, you didn't ask Louis in advance if that particular one would be on display, mistakenly taking the possibility for granted.
After roaming around for a while, you stopped in front of Aurora, appreciating the use of the colours on the canvas and letting your mind travel away in its own little world. Then, someone stepped right next to you.
"I wanted to admire this piece, but the one in front standing right now in front of it is even more superb."
You forced the muscles on your face to stay still, your first instinct to make a grimace at that awful attempt of a compliment tamed right in time.
"Thank you," you replied, politely.
"I'm David," the man introduced himself. "Would you mind if I joined you for the rest of the evening?"
You twisted slightly in his direction, just enough to be civil but still keeping your distance, not offering an opening for a further approach.
"I'm sorry, but I'm spoken for for the night. I'm just waiting for Mr. Pitt's return, he should be here in a few minutes."
You were lying. You didn't know how long it would take before Louis came back, and you hoped that name-dropping his fake business name would send this man away.
You didn't like the way he was staring at you, his gaze never raising above your chest. You didn't need the vampire ability to read minds to know where his train of thoughts were leading.
"Yes, I saw you two arriving together. Mr. Pitt truly doesn't know how to treat his woman right if he left you alone for most of the night," David continued to speak, clearly not caring about how stiff and uncomfortable you were standing next to him right now. "I could show you a good time. A real good time."
"I'm not interested." Your voice came out weaker than you wanted it to be, and you mentally cursed yourself for not being able to maintain composure.
The man opened his mouth to speak again, his body getting closer to yours as you took a careful step back, but your back crashed softly against something sturdy.
"I believe the lady said she's not interested in your company."
Louis.
It was his solid body you bumped against, and immediately you felt your muscles relax in relief. His hand now right on the side of your waist, squeezing you in comfort.
"Sorry, man, I—"
David didn't get the chance to say another word as Louis simply took you away to another room. The action finally making a full stop on the unwanted conversation you had been subjected to.
You moved among the guests attending the event, Louis's hand never leaving your side even for a moment.
"I think you can let me go now, Louis."
"No," he stated firmly. "That scum is still following us. The alcohol making him braver than he should."
You nodded, not particularly happy about the situation. You were just relieved to have Louis here as support.
Louis led you to the last room of the gallery. No one else was there. Just you, Louis and a single painting.
Judith Slaying Holofernes.
"There it is," you commented softly, a genuine smile now on you face.
"You really thought I'd do an exhibition about Artemisia Gentileschi without this one?"
You looked up at Louis. "A part of me was starting to doubt you, Mr. Pitt."
You heard soft steps behind you, your body growing tense again. The hand resting on Louis's back squeezing the fabric of his jacket between your fingers.
That man was really stubborn. Your eyes were locked with Louis's trying to see what could be done about this situation as you were rather tired of it. Even with fewer guests around this room, surely Louis could not use any of his abilities without raising suspicion and, considering the businessman reputations he wanted to uphold he couldn't punch him in the face either.
Your mind had come up with an idea. A bit preposterous but you could not think of anything else.
"Do it," Louis whispered to you, your eyes widening in surprise. "I caught a glimpse of an image in your mind. Do it."
"You sure?"
Louis nodded.
You took a deep breath, your throat swallowing around nothing as you raised on your tiptoes — your heels already helping you in action — and brought your other hand to Louis's face.
You tried not to ponder too long about what you were doing, your lips touching Louis's in a soft kiss as your eyes closed on instinct. You felt a lighting coming down your spine at the contact, your body pressing down further against his.
Louis responded immediately to your kiss, turning the motion into a passionate exchange. You opened your mouths at the same time, tongues coming to play with each other. You were getting lost in a way you didn't expect, a warmth starting to rise in your core as your breathing was getting ragged.
The hand that Louis had on your waist started to move lower, stopping only at the hem of your dress right above your backside. He was the first to break the kiss, his face coming down to rest in the crook of your neck, pressing a kiss right below your ear.
"I'm sorry for what I'm about to do," Louis whispered on your skin.
You had no time to ask what he meant, because his hand slipped further down and under the fabric of your dress, gripping your ass in a tight squeeze. You gasped at the action, a quiet moan slipping out of your mouth before you could stop yourself.
Louis smiled against your neck. "No underwear. Naughty."
You tightened your grip on Louis as you felt your legs begin to tremble. You were fully regretting your decision of forgoing even a small piece of lingerie because you could feel your wetness start to drip down the skin of your thighs.
"He's gone," Louis said, after a few minutes more spent torturing the skin of your neck. "You will need to hide the mark I just left. I got carried away."
You hummed as you stepped away from each other. "I noticed that."
Louis was looking you up and down to see if you were okay, but you knew how you must have looked. Face flush. Dilated pupils. Hair slightly undone.
"We should go. The event will end soon, it's better not to get stuck in traffic when the rest of the guests will leave."
You nodded in response, following him out without giving it too much thought. You head was already set on analysing what just happened.
You allowed yourself to breathe only inside the car, your eyes moving towards Louis every now and then, while he was busy on his phone.
"Lestat is waiting for us in the lobby," Louis said out of the blue.
"Do you think we should tell him about what we did?"
"I just told him."
You looked at Louis in surprise. "Already?"
Louis pointed at your neck. "There are very few believable explanations for the mark on your neck, other than a hickey."
"Shit."
You wished the drive back to the hotel could be longer, because less than five minutes later you were already in front of the entrance. How Lestat was going to react? Was he angry? Furious? Raging?
You had barely crossed the threshold, Lestat standing right in front of you in a second. An expression on his face too neutral for you to understand what he was feeling.
You watched his fingers touch lightly the bruise on your neck, his eyes following the action before raising to your eyes and shifting to Louis the next second.
"To my suite. Now."
Louis was the image of calm walking next to you. He even had an hint of a smile on his face. Surely there were elements you weren't considering. Yet the only thing you could do in the moment was to follow them to the elevator.
You were standing with your body leaning against the back wall, eyes to the ground so you could avoid looking at both of them, while you hoped the elevator would move quicker. Not enough time had passed since the kiss and you body was still positively buzzing.
You needed to go to your room, take a shower and calm down.
Two feet entered in your line of sight, before you felt two fingers under your chin lifting your head. You eyes were once again making contact with Lestat's.
"I'm not angry, Olivia."
"Lestat is sad because he wasn't there to see. And he can't even watch a replay of the moment since he has no access to both of our minds."
You stared back at Lestat, his fingers still under your chin keeping you still. "Are you sure?"
Lestat nodded. "There is something else I'd like to know, though."
"What is it?"
"Did you like it?"
Your eyes widened at the question, but you kept quiet. Lestat smiling wickedly at the lack of a reply.
"The body doesn't lie, Olivia, your pupils are still dilated."
Fuck.
You didn't want to admit it. You didn't want to acknowledge that you did enjoy the kiss and Louis's touch, because it would become real. If you didn't say a word, you could pretend it was nothing.
You pressed you lips together, forcing the words down. Lestat's gaze darkened, he was relishing in your stubbornness. Louis was keeping still behind Lestat, simply watching the scene and letting Lestat do whatever he wanted to do. He just moved to press the button to stop the elevator in its ascent.
You were trapped.
"So, chérie, if I were to slip my hand under your dress now, I won't find any further proof of your arousal, correct?" The hand that wasn't on your chin holding you still was touching softly the naked skin of your leg. "You can stop me whenever you want."
You stood there in the same position, barely breathing, Lestat's hand inching higher with each passing second.
You weren't going to stop him. You didn't want him to.
Even Lestat's breath was getting more intense now, the realization that you were letting him touch you affecting him as well. When his hand disappeared under your dress, your heart was threatening to jump out of your chest.
The second Lestat's fingers reached their final destination on your centre, you both released a moan at the same time. You were still sensitive after what happened at the gallery, so the feeling was tenfold stronger than normal.
"You're really soft, chérie. And wet."
You wanted to turn your head away to hide the expression of pleasure you were sure you were showing on your face, but the ever-present fingers on your chin were preventing you from doing any movement.
Lestat was playing with your clit putting pressure on it with expert circles, as if he had known your body for ages and not touching it intimately now for the first time.
"Will you allow me to make you come this time, oui?"
You answered with a whimper, your hips starting to roll in time with his fingers. The movement similar to the what you did the night he drank your blood.
A buzzing noise followed by a ringtone started to sound in the background.
Your phone. Christine was calling you, that was the ringtone you assigned to her.
"Ignore it."
You tried to shake your head. "Must be urgent. Christine only calls when it's an emergency."
Lestat stopped his movements, albeit reluctantly, as you extended your hand towards Louis, signalling him to hand you your phone.
"Hi, Christine."
"We have a problem for tomorrow's show. Venus, the pole dancer who comes out for the encore, had a bad fall tonight and cannot perform for a few days."
You stepped away from Lestat, moving towards the buttons to restart the elevator so you could reach your floor.
"Don't we have someone else?"
"We have managed to find a new dancer but she'll be available two days from now, so tomorrow we have no one."
"Let me think of a solution."
You hung up just as the elevator stopped on your floor. You stepped out as soon as the doors opened, turning around to look at Lestat and Louis and say your goodbye for the night.
"Running away again?" Louis asked.
"Work."
Lestat smirked at your excuse. "Whatever you have to do could wait a few hours more."
"Maybe yes, maybe not."
"You cannot slip away every time, chérie."
Now it was your turn to smirk. "Perhaps you should just find a way to entrap me, and prevent me from escaping."
The twinkle in Lestat's eyes was omen for something wicked, but you were still running on the endorphins released in your body a few minutes before, so you didn't really care.
You waved them goodbye before disappearing down the corridor.
"I've found a solution," you texted Christine. "I'll be the one performing tomorrow night."
---
Will I make her come sooner or later, or I'll just keep torturing her? Who knows.
Pairing: rockstar!lestat de lioncourt x female!oc x louis de pointe du lac
Warnings: Mentions of sex, blood
Word count: 4128
a/n: as promised, here we are with Chapter VI! We're getting more into the story, so I hope it's going to be worth the wait. See you at the end!
Disclaimer: english is not my first language
"You and Lestat like toying with your food before eating it?"
He frowned at you, the ding of the elevator signaling you had reached your floor. "Do you consider yourself as food?"
"Aren't all humans just blood bags in your eyes?"
"Why you believe that?"
Chapter V - Masterlist - AO3
You woke up with a bad feeling in the pit of your stomach. You had always hated when it happened, because it meant something was coming and it was never a pleasant occurrence.
When you were younger you had thought nothing of it, always dismissed it as a manifestation of your anxiety, until you noticed that this sensation was present in specific moments of your life: when your uncle unexpectedly died, when one of your friends had a car accident and barely survived — when your mother had finally admitted that she wished you'd never been born.
It was there even for minor inconveniences like the time you had to sleep a night at the airport because you had missed a connecting flight. It was a warning of some kind, though you were unable to determine the scale of the event until you were in the middle of it. A shitty ability to be fair.
For that reason you tried not to let your mind dwell on that feeling too long considering that, where you were and who you were with, anything could turn into a calamity.
There were a few hours before sunset, everything was settled and ready for the last show in Seattle — and for your departure to Olympia the following day — so you decided to take advantage of the hotel gym for a while to release some of the tension.
You would not consider yourself a regular in the traditional sense, as you were doing pole dance for a few years now, but on business trips looking up pole studios in the area was rather pointless. You were not a professional, you considered yourself a level intermediate in the sport, but it helped you unplug completely from life anxieties and connect with your body. But in the absence of a pole, cardio and muscle strengthening were a good alternative and outlet for what you needed most of the time.
The gym was unsurprisingly empty, and the silence and low lights were already providing a sense of comfort to your mind. You ran on the treadmill for a while — not really your favourite warm-up — before moving on to the wall bars.
You were in the middle of a handspring, your focus on keeping the right balance between the two different kind of strengths in your arms —the left one below pushing you away from the equipment, and the right one above your head pulling you up — and at the same time, holding your core tight to keep your body lifted from the ground.
"Is this another one of your secret abilities?"
You gasped at the sound.
The voice came so unexpectedly from behind you that you lost your focus altogether, the grip on the bar slipping out of your left hand making you fall. Mistakes were quite common in the sport and you got used to them pretty quickly when you started, but this time it was caused by an outside factor, something you could not have foreseen. You had no time to salvage the situation and your right hand wasn't enough to keep your grip on the bar.
You felt your breath leave your lungs as you fell, time stretching as your mind tried to prepare you for the impact on the ground. But the contact never came. At least, not on the floor as you had expected.
Two strong arms had caught you midair.
"I got you."
Louis.
"Thanks," you said breathless, "it was you fault, though."
"I know. I apologize."
His voice had caused you to lose balance. Your body and mind fully set on the exercise to notice any change in your surroundings.
You both stood still for a moment, but enough for you to realize your situation. You were wearing very short shorts — thankfully not the high-cut piece you normally used — and a sport bra. Most of your body was on display, and you could feel Louis's cold hands on the outside of your left thigh and ribs. In addition to all that, you were drenched in sweat.
"Can you put me down?"
You were uncomfortable. Not by his touch — to your surprise — but because you were surely leaving perspiration on his skin and you were loathing the idea.
Louis raised his head to look into your eyes. You were so caught in your head to notice his attention had not been on your face. Was he checking you out?
Impossible. Louis wasn't attracted to women, it was clearly stated in the book. He must have been looking for injuries.
Right?
He put you down without saying a word. He seemed unfazed by the fact he got caught looking at you anywhere beside your face.
If Louis was the picture of calm, the same could not be said about you. You were blushing, if the warmth on your cheeks and neck were any indications of your condition, so you diverted your gaze from his green eyes. So unnatural compared to yours, but still mesmerizing to look at.
As you had correctly guessed his arms were slightly wet where they held you, your blush deepening at the sight. You sprinted to the bench to get your towel. You could have simply given it to Louis, but you were so embarrassed that you decided to dry him yourself.
"You don't have to do that," he said, stopping your hands before you could reach his arm.
"You have my sweat on your skin."
"I know. I don't mind, it will dry."
"But I do. I don't want my bodily fluids on you."
Louis's eyebrow quirked, and you could see he was holding back a smirk but he didn't say anything for your sake. You were hoping so intensely for a hole to open and swallow you, that you were sure he must have seen your wish in your mind this time.
"It's just sweat, Olivia" Louis remarked finally, a teasing smile fully showing on his face. "You have a good scent."
"Oh my god." You turned your back, bringing your towel to your face to dry yourself. Both actions an attempt to hide the worsening state of your blush. He was playing with you, and enjoying it too. It was worse than Lestat's teasing — all dramatic and over the top — because Louis was calm and collected in his delivery, catching you off guard.
You smoothed back a few of your coppery hair that slipped from your ponytail, which was slightly undone after the fall.
"Are you coming to the show tonight?" you asked, trying to move the conversation back to a safe territory.
"I am. I promised Lestat to stay until the stop in Olympia."
You nodded at his reply, collecting your things ready to leave the gym. Louis was following you a few steps behind as you moved towards the elevator.
"Why are you already awake?" you continued, once he stopped next to you. The both of you standing still in front of the doors in waiting. "And what are you doing in the gym? I thought vampires could not change their physical aspect after transformation."
"I don't sleep much these days," Louis said, as the doors finally opened, motioning for you to step in first. "And with the sun still up, I couldn't go outside for a walk to clear my head."
"Is it the guilt for the publication of the book eating you up from the inside?"
He turned his head towards you at your question. Bullseye.
His face a mask of coldness, but you could see right through it. You weren't really scared of him, but his stare was so intense that your body moved slightly away as you tried to get as much space between the two of you as the elevator could allow.
"Am I making you uncomfortable, Olivia?"
"Intimidation doesn't work with me."
"I'm not trying to intimidate you."
You raised an eyebrow at him. As you guessed before, he was playing with you and drawing joy in doing so. You just wished the elevator would move faster.
"You and Lestat like toying with your food before eating it?"
He frowned at you, the ding of the elevator signaling you had reached your floor. "Do you consider yourself as food?"
"Aren't all humans just blood bags in your eyes?"
"Why you believe that?"
You shrugged your shoulders as you stepped outside the doors before they could close again. "As vampires you must deem a mortal life insignificant in its brevity, we cannot leave a mark relevant enough in your eternity to remember us. You might find a few whose company you enjoy during the passage of time, but that doesn't change the fact we're food, and each human life disappears in a blink of an eye for you."
Louis blinked slowly at you, his whole demeanor calm as he looked at you with curiosity, one of his hand keeping the doors open. "Do you think the same about yourself?"
You tilted your head to the right, a light smile on your lips. "I do. Do you want me to believe that after the tour is over, I can simply go on my merry little way as nothing happened? After everything I know about your kind?"
He didn't answer at your questions, his body standing still where he was.
"You could crush me like a ant without batting an eye, that's how significant I think I am in your immortal eyes," you continued, your gaze never leaving Louis's. "And it's fine. I wouldn't hold it against you, it's just the way our two different lives work."
A door opened down the corridor as a couple left their room, diverting your attention from Louis who was still silent.
"I need to take a shower. See you at the show tonight," you said, finally turning away and moving towards your room.
"Let's go together," Louis said, as you stopped to look at him again. "I'll wait for you downstairs."
The doors closed again between you before you had a chance to say anything further. You supposed you didn't have much of a choice in any case.
---
"Are you planning to steal or purchase it?" you asked Louis, as you saw him looking at the painting on the lobby walls.
"Neither. This is just a reproduction," he replied without diverting his attention from it. "The original is at—."
"The Fogg Museum in Cambridge," you finished for him. Louis turned towards you, blinking in surprise. Or he was offended for the interruption, you weren't sure. "The Rehearsal 1873 by Degas. It's quite a famous painting, that's why I know."
"Do you like art?"
"I grew up in Italy, I didn't have much of a choice, I was surrounded by it. You end up liking or hating it, luckily for me it was the former." You paused for a moment as you looked at the time on your watch. "We should go. I have a few errands to do before the concert."
"Sure."
Louis fell into step with you in a second as you walked on the sidewalk towards the venue. He was taking short strides, mindful of you as you had the great idea to wear heels that night.
"What's your favourite painting?" Louis asked after a while. You had touched his main source of interest and now he seemed keen to discuss it further with you. You didn't know if it was a good sign, you were used to go unnoticed in your day-to-day life, and you had grown accustomed to it with time. If you could walk inside walls to avoid social interactions, you would — with your line of work you learned to step outside your comfort zone fast, but just enough to do your job as required.
Still, you weren't good at casual conversations. You had a tendency to come off as cold or sarcastic. Daniel, Lestat, and now Louis, seemed to be unfazed and undeterred by it, though.
"Judith Slaying Holofernes by Artemisia Gentileschi."
"That's violent."
"It is," you said, smiling slightly at him. "In high school they made us read a book about her life story, and that painting just stuck with me."
You reached the venue, the walk gone by faster than you had thought. Louis opened the door for you, and the "thank you" you had managed to blurt out sounded more awkward than you intended. You guessed that some his gentlemanly manners were remnants of him being raised at the beginning of the twentieth century.
"You must like Francisco Goya too, then."
It was your turn to look at him in surprise. "I do."
Louis nodded to himself at your reply. "That explains why you can act so unperturbed and collected around vampires. You like gory stuff."
You laughed at him. A genuine laugh. "Perhaps." You commented, stopping in your tracks as you realized Louis was still following you around. "Are you going somewhere specific?"
"To Lestat's dressing room. He asked me to meet him there."
"Oh. I'm going there too," you said, resuming your walk along the corridors.
"You thought I was stalking you, Olivia?" You could hear the smirk in his question, even without looking at him in the face.
"Don't be ridiculous."
You knocked on the door of the dressing room, waiting for Lestat to answer before getting inside. You entered without knocking once, finding him in a compromising position with one of his blood groupies and you had learned your lesson. In your defense, Lestat was supposed to be at rehearsal that night so the room should habe been empty. Still, that didn't save you from being called a kinky pervert the whole evening by him.
"Louis," Lestat said as you and Louis stepped over the threshold. His face beaming at the sight of the love of his life standing in front of him. They must have finally made up last night. "You're finally here."
"Yes. I'm here," Louis whispered sweetly, as Lestat held his face in his hands. You felt like you were intruding in a moment you weren't meant to see. You considered leaving for a moment, but you had to check the concert lineup with Lestat first. So you moved towards the vanity to find something to busy yourself with.
"Olivia." You jumped at the sound as you found Lestat standing next to you, so close you could feel his chest touch you shoulder at every intake of breath. He had been so fast, you didn't even see him move.
"Yes?" You asked as you looked at his serious expression.
"Why is your scent all over Louis's body?"
Fuck.
You leaned back a little to stare at Louis, who was still standing near the door. He sighed, rolling his eyes at Lestat's antics. "You did not take a shower afterwards?"
"Not really."
In retrospect, you probably should have worded it differently, because you saw the whole spectrum of emotions pass on Lestat's face, too quickly for you to pinpoint each of them. Surely though, there was shock and outrage.
"Nothing of what you're imagining happened, Lestat, do not lose your marbles," you blurted out, before he could explode. "I fell in the gym and Louis caught me. I just left a bit of sweat on his arms. That's it, there no reason to be jealous."
"He's not jealous," Louis said, stepping closer. He stopped in front of Lestat to look at him in the eyes, crossing his arms on his chest, as a frown was beginning to form on his face. You tried to understand what was going on, but you were a bit lost. "Just as I thought."
Louis was smirking now, whatever he was looking for he must have found it.
"What is it?" You really had no time for this. You needed to go back to your duties and make sure everything was ready for the night, you didn't have the energy to deal with dramatics.
"Let's just say that if anything had occurred between us, he wouldn't have wanted to miss it."
You still didn't get it. "What do you mean?"
Louis turned towards you as he shrugged, "If we had fucked, Lestat would have loved to watch."
Your eyes widened in shock as you felt your body grow stiff. You were both embarrassed and uncomfortable, and you were sure a blush was starting to spread on your cheek. The second time in a single day. What were you supposed to say?
Lestat squared his shoulders with confidence. "I'm not ashamed of my desires."
"I know you're not, mon cher," Louis replied, still smiling. "I just find it interesting, you don't normally entertain the idea of me with someone else. Never, actually, if I remember correctly."
Lestat scoffed at Louis, but didn't comment further choosing to turn towards you instead. You, on the other hand, were still standing completely frozen in the same spot. The only difference between you and a marble statue was your breathing.
"I believe you have broken her, mon cher," Lestat said, a curious glint shining in his eyes.
"Are you okay, Olivia?" Louis moved to step closer to you, but you raised one of your hands to stop him.
You took a deep breath, closing your eyes. "I'm fine. I'll leave you two alone, I have to take care of a few things before the show." It was the truth, the only catch was that to get to the door you had to pass between both Louis and Lestat, and the last thing you wanted in that moment was to be physically closer to either of them.
You let out a short breath through your nose, your hands closing into fists as you moved to leave as swiftly as you could. They let you pass, parting like waters to give you enough space.
"Is it the idea of having sex with us that makes you uncomfortable, or just having sex in general?"
You stopped right at the door at Louis's question, your hand on the handle ready to open it. You kept your back turned as you thought for a moment, the need to flee stronger than anything else.
"I don't think this is the right time to talk about this. I need my mind to stay focused on the job now, everything else must stay out of it."
You left without looking back a single time.
---
You were not going to attend the concert that night. Not because of what occurred in Lestat's dressing room, but there were a few arrangements to supervise before the concert ended — though, staying away from Lestat and Louis for a while was a plus.
Considering this would be the last show in Seattle, the fans could gather outside the artist's exit for photos and autographs after the show, so you needed to make sure all the safety measures were in place other than the security personnel. The organization wasn't the best based on your past experiences, and the barriers set outside the doors didn't look solid enough but there was no time to find replacements.
Lestat's SUV and the Van for the band were already there, ready to get everyone on board after everything was done. You hoped Lestat would act as expected and would not go off script for once, especially with all the humans that were going to assemble here. You also hoped that there would be no crazy fans attempting to get closer than they should, for their own safety.
"They're doing the last encore, everyone will come out in minutes," Christine said, as she came to stand next to you.
You gave her a slight nod in acknowledgement at the information. The team was ready and in position. Everything will move quite fast so you were going to stand at the end of the line close to the vehicles, this way you could keep an eye on everyone.
The first to come out was Louis. You saw him walk towards the SUV in confident strides as usual, and he gave you a small smile before sitting inside. He would wait for Lestat so they could go back to the hotel together — or to the afterparty, you weren't sure.
You heard more than saw the fans leave the venue, and by the sound of it it was going to be quite intense. Your gaze kept moving around as they all crowded together against the barriers, almost expecting some of them to trespass.
"Alright my loves, I'm here," Lestat said as he came out of the doors in all his flamboyant self. You pressed your lips together trying not to laugh or smile at his charade.
He took time to talk to each of his fans, as they asked him to sign pictures or take photos with him. He was clearly loving all the attention, but was being very kind with everyone — you knew Lestat was a good person despite everything, yet you found yourself unable to divert your attention from the scene in front of you.
That was stupid of you, of course. In your distraction you noticed too late that one of the barriers next to the door wasn't holding up correctly against all the pushing the crowd was doing. You sprinted towards it without thinking, moving past Lestat and the rest of the band, as if you could do anything to keep it together with your hands only.
You had barely touched it when you heard a metallic crack reach your ears. The barrier had broken horizontally and the upper part fell against your side making you lose your balance. For the second time that day you felt yourself fall, but this time you were too far away from both Lestat and Louis — or even Daniel — for them to catch you considering they could not use their vampiric speed in front of so many mortals.
As your body crashed to the ground, a sharp pain shot up below your left ribs. It was too intense for it to be a simple blow. You looked down as you pushed your right hand on the ground to keep yourself upright as much as possible. The fabric of your white shirt had been torn and blood was flowing profusely from a deep wound.
A piece of the barrier must have cut you during the fall. Luckily, none of the people standing on the other side seemed to have been caught in the incident. You pressed the sleeve of your shirt against the wound as you tried to stop some of the bleeding with little success.
There was too much blood already.
You gasped at the realization, raising your head to look down the end of the line on the curb where Lestat was standing. He was close to the open doors of the SUV ready to get on, but he was completely still as his head was turned towards you, his eyes on your wound. Behind him, you could see Louis lean forward as if he was seconds away from jumping out of the vehicle.
Go. You shouted in your head, hoping they would hear you. Both their gaze aligned with yours immediately in response, and you sighed in relief. There's too much blood, you need to leave now. Take Daniel with you.
You could see the dilemma on their faces. The instinct to follow the pull of the blood almost too strong, but there was something else in there.
You squeezed your eyes shut as the pain was getting more intense.
"First responders are here, Olivia," you heard Christine say as you felt her crouch down next to you. "We'll take you to the hospital now. Keep breathing."
You opened your eyes again to look at her, but your sight was blurred. Shivers were starting to spread all over your body and your head was dizzy. You were going to faint soon, yet you still tried to fight against the sensation as much as possible.
Now you knew what the bad feeling you had in the morning was for. A shitty ability indeed if it could not help you save yourself from getting stabbed by a metal bar. If you had any energy left in your body, you would have laughed.
The paramedics were taking you on the ambulance, and you tried not to check if Lestat and Louis were still there. You couldn't bare to stare at the look on their faces, because beneath the thirst for blood you had seen something else. Something akin to worry, and you couldn't stand it. You didn't know how to handle someone worrying about you, for you didn't remember a single time when your parents cared just the same. Or even an ounce of it.
That was the last thought your mind managed to produce before everything turned black.
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If you reached the end, hello again! It was supposed to end differently, but I decided to move a few things in the next chapter. I like how it turned out in the end, though.
Let me know if you liked, and if you have any guesses regarding the next events -- I'd love to read your opinions! Xx
