CHAPTER FOUR1
LIFE ON MY OWN2
When I was back in New Orleans I would walk through the streets at night admiring all that was going on. The world was changing with each passing year. In 1916 I paid a man to build me a house. He worked by day, as I slept in the cemetery down to street from my would be soon estate. Within a year my house was complete. A three story Victorian house, which I had painted white. I paid the man more than he would make in a year. But it was worth it. 3
Over the many years I spent in my house I bought so much furnisher. All of it was over stuffed and beautiful. From the dark purple settee, to the midnight blue chair. Everything was how I wanted it to be. I was alone to wallow in my own condemnation. I knew that there were others like me in the city I grew to love, but I concealed myself from them every night.4
I spent most of my nights alone in my house thinking about the ever changing world around me. In the year of 1927 I made the decision to lock myself away in the basement of my house. I made the arrangements with my broker to allow no one to try and buy my home. And I made sure that no one could possibly bother me while I slept the years away. The reason behind this decision was my own. I wanted no more to feed off those that deserved to live a full life. I wanted to conceal myself from a world that would only reject me. 5
And so I slept for many years. I learned on my own how to block out the world around me. I paid no attention to the changing eras. And I was able to slip into a deep death like sleep. Later I learned that Lestat had done the same thing. And a thought came to me. Is it possible that we are so close that we slept at the same time, for the same reasons, and woke with the same year to find each other? 6
Maybe its only wishful thinking, but it was a pleasant thought when I woke one night. I can not say what made me wake from my sleep. But there was something that was calling to me from my grave. The night I woke it was in the year 1986. And to my surprise there was a gentle knocking at my door. 7
I strolled through the house noticing the dust that was on everything. I was not about to let any one come into this house with it looking like this. I planned on telling who ever was at the door to come back at a different time. When I reached the door I paused and tried to scan the mind of the person on the other side of the door. But I was surprised that it was closed off to me. Surly it was not Lestat at my door. He made it very clear that he didn’t want to be with me.8
I opened the door slowly and stood shocked in the door way when I saw a tall women standing at my door step. She smiled at me like she had known who I was all this time. I couldn’t help but stare at her. She was beautiful in her own ways, and in every way. She was so tall and so elegant that you had to admire her. Her long black hair flowed to her waist. And she had it all pulled to one side. She stepped through the door way and pushed me aside to walk through my home. She acted like it was perfectly fine that she had just invaded the home of a vampire.9
“I am Tamara.” She spoke softly when she turned to me and smiled. Her fangs showing slightly but not noticeably to a mortals eyes.10
“I am Elizabeth.” I shut the door and walked to one of the over stuffed chairs. “And what are you doing in my home?” I couldn’t help but glare at her when I got my nerve back. She just smiled at me again.11
“I came here in hopes to talk.” She spoke in a soft voice and I didn’t like it. I didn’t like being around others that were like me. The only vampire I was remotely comfortable around was Lestat. And he wanted nothing to do with. And didn’t want any thing to do with her. 12
“Well Tamara, you came to the wrong person. I do not want to talk to you or any one else for that matter. I have become very comfortable in my life on my own. And I do not need a friend now.” I couldn’t help but snap back at her. I wanted her out of my house and away from my city. 13
“Well then, I guess I will just leave. I guess it was a mistake to come here. Louis was right about that.” She turned from me and walked to the door stopping for a moment. “There’s no need to fear us Elizabeth. We could not harm you.” 14
“I do not fear you, I just don’t want you as a friend.” She nodded once and then open the door and vanished. 15
I made me uncomfortable to have her here. Not only in my house, but in my city. I normally didn’t mind that others were here. But I didn’t like her here. She didn’t belong. And then I soon decided that I didn’t belong here either. But there was no where else for me to go. I didn’t like to travel alone, but I didn’t want to travel with any one other than Lestat.16
I walked to a window and peered out of it. The night was dark, the moon was no where in sight and I could not see the stars. I turned from the window and looked at my home. I decided to clean up my home and make it livable again. But first I would feed. I walked out into the night and made my way down to Rou Royal and found a drunkard to feed from. I did not kill him. I just took enough to keep me satisfied for the time being. And when his blood touched my lips I was surprised that it didn’t give me a rush like it normally did. 17
I made my way back to my house. I tried not to think about the girl that came to me earlier. She was of no concern to me. The only concern I had was getting my estate in order for me to live in again. And so I did. I worked every night for the next year. I changed everything. New furniture, new paint, and I even managed to find some of my old paintings to hang in the upper levels for only my eyes to see. I was even lucky enough to find a few of my father’s works. 18
It was for another ten years before I heard from Lestat. He came to me one night to inform me to leave this town. He said that it was no longer safe. But I didn’t leave. I had no care for the threats of mortals. I told him so, and he tried to force me to leave. But I stayed where I was. I boarded up my windows and doors. And stayed inside for the time. It wasn’t until this year that I finally came out of my house.19
I searched the city for threats and for signs of others, and for Lestat. But I couldn’t find either. So I feed on the city of my dreams. Taking in all that had changed since I locked myself away. And pretty soon I noticed that my peers were beginning to return to the city. 20
About a month ago Louis came to my door. By this time I was fine with others calling on me. They would roam through my house and talk to me. But I didn’t say much to them. I still didn’t want to talk. But when Louis came to my door one evening I was happy to talk to him. He walked right into my house without even knocking. It was nice to see so much assertiveness from a man. But I was a bit surprised because Louis has always been a very reformed gentleman. But I enjoyed this side of him. 21
I was in the living room when he came. And he came in and sat down with me. not saying much. But he looked at me with sadness in his eyes. The only thing I could think was wrong had to do something with Lestat. And when he spoke I could here it in his voice. Something was wrong with Lestat. And Louis wanted me to come with him to see if I could help him through what ever he was going through. 22
For once I would be his savor. But it didn’t happen like that. When I went to the cathedral with Louis there was little to be done. Lestat was a living statue. He would not move or feed or talk. He just laid there listening to Mozart and looking that the crucifixion of Christ that hung above him. I tried to rouse him but it was no use. 23
And this is where I am now. I stayed in the cathedral with Louis and Lestat. I could not bring myself to leave. A part of me only stayed to see my maker wake again. But I had little hope of that happening. 24
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