The Queen of the Damned (The Vampire Chronicles, #3)

by Anne Rice

No, he had never been revolted by Armand, he had to admit it. What he always felt was ravening and hopeless desire.

I am lord and master of my own island, I am the Devil’s minion and he grants my every wish.

“You came back to me because you wanted to, Daniel,” Armand always said calmly, face still and radiant, eyes full of love. “There is nothing for you now, Daniel, except me.

“Daniel, you are a gift to me from Louis,” Armand had said tenderly. “What would I do without you? You misunderstand everything.”

“Years ago,” Armand interrupted, “it wouldn’t have mattered to me, all this.” “What do you mean?” “But I don’t want it to end now. I don’t want to continue unless you—” His face changed slightly. Faint look of surprise. “I don’t want you to die.”

“I love you,” Daniel said. “Are you certain?” Armand answered.

And you must know we do not really change over time; we are as flowers unfolding, we merely become more nearly ourselves.”

And this young one was hungry too; he was suffering; and he seemed to like it, to like the hunger and the pain.

But nothing could give me that freedom, nothing. Her permissions meant nothing; her power finally was but another degree of what we all possessed. And what we all possessed had never made the struggle simple; it had made it agony, no matter how often we won or lost.

“You make me think of the old story about Alexander the Great. He wept when there were no more worlds to conquer. Will you weep when there are no more rules to break?”

But I was drifting now, mentally and physically; feeling him a snug yet weightless thing against me; just the pure presence of Louis, Louis belonging to me, and with me. And no burden at all.

“You’re a perfect devil, Lestat!” he was saying. “That’s what you are! You are the devil himself!” “Yes, I know,” I said, loving to look at him, to see the anger pumping him so full of life. “And I love to hear you say it, Louis. I need to hear you say it. I don’t think anyone will ever say it quite like you do. Come on, say it again. I’m a perfect devil. Tell me how bad I am. It makes me feel so good!”