It should be noted that any typos or inconsistencies in this spec are the fault of the author and not the wonderful people who assisted me. I take full responsibility for them.

Dedicated to Heather: Without you and your absolutely inspiring picture, this spec would not have been possible. Your picture had the amazing ability to inspire a never before spec writer to actually try to write and post a spec. I want to thank you for giving me the inspiration. You have an incredible talent.

Warning: This spec contains a m/m situation. If that is not to your taste, please do not continue to read. This spec is for the open-minded only. You have been warned!

Disclaimer: This is a speculative story. It is written purely for enjoyment. The characters within this speculative story are the property of Anne Rice and her publishers. No copyright infringement is intended and no money is being made from this endeavor.

Spoilers: I don't think there are any, but I'll say Tale of the Body Thief just to be on the safe side.

Rated: PG13

Any comments (good, bad, or indifferent) would have greatly appreciated. Any flames will be ignored.

Thank you and I hope you enjoy...The Night After.

He quietly padded downstairs in his bare feet trying not to alert Lestat to his presence. He loved to watch Lestat, especially now that they were beginning to understand each other. He could hear a fire blazing in the parlor and moved towards it.

Peeking around the doorway to the parlor, Louis saw Lestat sitting in front of the fireplace. As Louis had already suspected, there was a fire blazing in the fireplace. Lestat was staring into the flames, without really seeing them.

Lestat had dressed casually as well. He was clad in a pair of faded blue jeans and a T-shirt. He was also bare foot. To Louis, Lestat looked as if he was planning to spend the evening at home, just sitting in front of the fire.

Surprised and puzzled by the scene, he stood for a moment trying to determine Lestat's mood. He seemed almost...sad. Wondering what Lestat would have to be sad about Louis cautiously approached him. Lestat's expression instantly changed when he felt Louis' hand drop onto his shoulder. The melancholy look disappeared to be replaced by the usual carefree expression that could normally be seen on Lestat's face.

"Good evening, mon cher. Did you sleep well?" Lestat's blue-gray eyes sparkled as he turned to look at his fledging, a smile playing on his lips.

Louis couldn't help but smile slightly as he replied, "Yes, Lestat. I did. And you? Did you sleep well?"

"Of course."

Lestat stood and pulled Louis into his arms. Their arms instantly wrapped around one another, as if they had done that for many years. Slowly Lestat leaned forward and kissed Louis softly on the lips. As the chaste kiss broke, Lestat whispered, "So, beautiful one, what are your plans for this evening?"

Louis sighed and rested his head on Lestat's shoulder enjoying the feel of being in Lestat's arms. "No plans really. I do need to finish the book I've been reading."

Lestat immediately broke the embrace and stepped away from him. Lestat's eyes closed as he swallowed the frustration that he could feel growing. His fists open and shut several times before he managed to get his emotions under control. He was determined not to get angry with Louis. They had come so far in their relationship in the past few years, but it was still very fragile.

As soon as Louis uttered the words, he realized they were the wrong words to say but he couldn't take them back. Lestat's reaction of moving away from him only confirmed that they were not the words Lestat wanted to hear. He could also see Lestat's hands clenching and unclenching as if he were fighting with his emotions.

"Oh Louis. It's such a beautiful night. Don't spend it reading. Come with me. Let's go do something...anything together. Just you and me. What do you say?"

The first words had been spoken with a slight tinge of bitterness, but by the time Lestat had finished, Louis knew how much he had unintentional hurt him. He realized that neither bitterness nor anger had caused Lestat to distance himself physically but disappointment and perhaps a feeling of betrayal that Louis had chosen books over him again. Then for one brief instant, Louis spied the sadness in Lestat's eyes again and he again wondered where this sadness was coming from. Giving voice to his concern, Louis queried, "Lestat. What's wrong?"

Sighing, Lestat answered, "Nothing's wrong, Louis. Go read your book." Lestat moved further away from Louis and went back to his chair in front of the fireplace. His eyes becoming distant as he settled himself into the chair. Louis could see the sadness now not only in Lestat's eyes, but in his whole being. His face was and his posture reflected the loneliness that Louis was now certain Lestat was feeling.

Making a determined effort to find out what was causing such feelings, Louis followed him across the room and knelt down in front of him. In a soft but firm voice Louis said, "No. Tell me, please. You wanted to spend some time together. We can spend all evening right here, talking. Please, Lestat."

"My beautiful Louis. It's nothing really. Go on about your business. I'll be fine."

Louis reached up to brush Lestat's hair back out of his eyes and shook his head. Impulsively Louis reached up to embrace Lestat and whispered, "I'm sorry Lestat, but I can't leave you like this. I need to know what's bothering you. You looked so sad when I first walked in."

Lestat's eyes closed and he buried his face in the raven hair of his fledging. He then pulled Louis up onto his lap, who offered no resistance. Once he had Louis settled across his legs, Louis' head seemed to naturally come to rest on his shoulder. Lestat pushed the black silky hair from Louis' eyes. As their eyes met Lestat knew he would have to tell Louis the truth. There was no way he could look into those green eyes and deny him anything.

"I love you, Louis. I love you with all my heart and I don't mean to hurt you, but..." pausing, Lestat looked away from Louis finding it hard to meet those green eyes. Lestat was quiet for several minutes and Louis sat patiently waiting for him to finish. Finally, without being able to look back at Louis, Lestat continued, "I can't go on like this. I...I need more out of our relationship. I realize that might sound odd coming from me given our past, but Louis we've grown so close over the last few years. I realize now how much I need you."

Lestat glanced over at Louis to try and gage his reaction, but found Louis staring off in the distance. For long moments, neither moved. Louis eventually turned back to Lestat and smiled slightly. "I always knew this relationship wouldn't be enough for you. That you would want more out of it, than the occasional kiss or embrace."

Pushing himself up from Lestat's lap, Louis went to the open French doors and looked out at the night, while Lestat rested his head in his hands. Again there were long moments of silence between them as each were lost in their own thoughts.

Finally unable to withstand the silence any longer, Lestat asked, "So what now, Louis? What do we do now? Where do we go from here?"

Louis' head bowed for a moment before he raised it to again look out the window. "I'm cold, Lestat."

Without thinking Lestat rose and went to Louis. Lestat was use to Louis' cold body temperature, but Louis seldom admitted or talked about it. He gently wrapped his arms around Louis' waist and leaned forward to kiss Louis on the shoulder. "Is that better? Or would you like my coat?"

As Louis leaned his weight back against his maker, he smiled as he answered, "This will do just fine, Lestat. You do have the ability to warm me as no other can." He turned within the circle of Lestat's arms so they were again facing each other. "You do know that when I say I'm cold there are several ways that I can be warmed up. One way to get warm would be for me to get mortal blood into my system. But that doesn't appeal to me right now." Louis gave a shy smile as he pressed his body closer to Lestat's and continued, "Another way is for us to stay close and your body will eventually warm mine."

With their lips only inches apart, Louis said, "But there's still another way in which you can help warm me up." Louis pressed his lips to Lestat's in a soft, gentle kiss. Soon Louis' tongue began to tease Lestat's lips, Lestat moaned and not knowing when this would end opened his mouth to allow Louis access. As their kiss deepened, Louis' mouth opened for Lestat's tongue to begin its own exploration.

Finally, when they were both breathless and their faces flushed, they pulled apart long enough for Lestat to lead Louis across the room and sit down on the settee. Lestat took a moment to look at Louis before leaning forward to plant small kisses on his face and neck. Louis smiled as he gave himself over to the sensations. It didn't take long for Louis to begin moaning.

When Lestat's mouth locked on Louis' again, Lestat gently pushed Louis down on the settee. It wasn't until the cool night air touched Louis chest that he realized that Lestat had managed to unbutton his shirt. It was then that Louis' breath caught in his throat and he finally broke the kiss.

Lestat pulled back, certain that Louis would stop there, but Louis simply reached up and began to unbutton Lestat's shirt.

When both shirts had been discarded, Lestat became bolder and began to explore Louis' chest. He started slowly licking and kissing his way down Louis' chest, stopping only long enough to suck briefly on Louis' nipples which caused Louis to buck up again him.

Louis began to shiver in anticipation under Lestat's touch. He brought his hands up to return the favor and began to play with Lestat's chest and nipples. He pinched them gently and rubbed them until the nipples stood erect. When Lestat paused and looked up, their eyes met. There was so much love and need evident that for a moment, neither knew what to do. They simply laid there, Lestat on top, one leg pressed in between Louis' legs, hands on each other's chests.

Lestat abruptly stood and scooped Louis up in his arms. Lestat felt Louis tense for a second as soon as he had picked him up but then he felt Louis relax against him. With a determined step, he made his way up to his bedroom.

Almost before Louis knew what happened, Lestat had picked him up in his arms and carried him upstairs. Louis found himself being deposited in the middle of Lestat's bed. Their eyes met as Lestat climbed on the bed positioning himself above Louis.

Louis slowly reached up to pull Lestat down on top of him. He had an incredible need to feel Lestat's body pressing him into the mattress. He needed Lestat as much as Lestat needed him.

As Lestat began kissing Louis' face, he tangled his hands in silky hair of his fledgling. He kissed ever spot on Louis' face that he could reach: his eyes, his nose, his checks, his lips. As Louis began moaning again, Lestat gradually worked his way towards Louis' neck. There he kissed, licked and nipped at the tender skin. Lestat could feel Louis' breathing increasing as he continued to tease the sensitive skin which hid the artery that was the ultimate goal.

When Lestat tried to lift himself up and away from Louis, he found that Louis' arms and legs had wrapped themselves around him. Lestat could have easily broken the hold Louis had, but Lestat had no desire to disturb anything about this moment.

Louis' hands eventually wound their way into Lestat's hair and he turned Lestat's head to face him. Their lips met again in a passionate kiss. Their tongues explored each other's mouths as their lust grew. Neither was sure who the first one to scrap their tongue on the other's fan gs, but the moment the blood began to be exchanged they separated th eir mouths from one another and bite into one another's necks.

It seemed as though hours passed before they finally stopped the blood cycle. So many feelings had been shared through the blood. They were both exhausted and near to falling asleep.

Lestat carefully rolled off Louis and onto his back, pulling Louis with him. Louis curled against Lestat instinctively. Louis rested one arm across Lestat's chest and his head rested on Lestat's shoulder. Louis' eyes never opened. He sighed and was about to drift off to sleep when he heard gentle laughter.

"What's so funny?" Louis sleepily inquired.

"It's nothing, my love. It's just that we seems we got so carried away that we forgot to remove the rest of our clothes."

Louis' eyes peeked open and he looked at Lestat before starting to laugh. Finally, the laughter died down and they cuddled into each other's arms again drifting off into a restful sleep.

Lestat opened his eyes with a start as soon as the sun set with the realization that Louis had drunk from him. He quickly glanced at his dozing companion before he disentangled himself from Louis. He carefully moved to sit at the foot of the bed. Lestat's thoughts were panicked. What would happen once Louis realized what he had done. Would Louis blame him for it?

So lost in his thoughts, Lestat never heard Louis awaken and sit up on the bed. Louis was surprised when Lestat started at his touch.

"What's wrong, Lestat?"

When Lestat merely shook his head in answer, Louis placed both of his hands on Lestat's arms and snuggled up behind him. He rested his chin on Lestat's shoulder.

"Please, Lestat. Don't shut me out. Not now."

"Hasn't it occurred to you what we just did last night, Louis?"

"What do you mean?"

"You know what I mean." Lestat's voice was tinged with a trace of exasperation.

The exasperation made Louis realized what Lestat was referring to. Then for one instant he did wonder how their actions last night would effect him but then Louis realized that any difference that were occurred could be dealt with. At least they could be dealt with as long as he had Lestat by his side. A small, soft laugh escaped Louis lips, as he responded, "Yes. It has occurred to me. I drank from you. I don't know if or how it will affect me and I really do not care. The only thing I care about is you. I love you so very much, Lestat."

Lestat finally turned around so he was kneeling on the bed in front of Louis. He did not know what to say to Louis. He had been so sure that Louis would hate and despise him for giving him his blood. Looking into Louis' eyes, he saw only love and adoration.

Softly, Louis said "Make love to me Lestat."

Slowly they leaned toward each other and their lips met in a kiss that held the promise of many nights of love yet to come.

The End