Despite the silence that existed between their minds, their souls, the silence that he had put there the night that he ended Louis' human life and brought him to this new one, there was an instant, even before Louis spoke, that Lestat recognized his presence.

Perhaps it was the sense of another vampire nearby, one whose thoughts were locked away from him. That certainly could have explained it. But Lestat, in his romantic's heart, liked to think that it was Louis presence in particular that caught his attention.

Then that voice, unmistakable, carved into his memory so deep that he was certain it would never fade. He turned to face the other vampire without hesitation, a smile already stretching its way over his features. "I couldn't possibly turn down the invitation."

Though he meant that literally. He had not intended to end up in this strange land, but seeing Louis -- beautiful as ever, delicate and lovely in a way that always made Lestat's undead heart pang. The other vampire was a heartbreak in slow motion, bittersweet and compelling. ...though dressed horribly. Always, his Louis. Clearly he needed Lestat's influence. "If I'd known you were here, I would've come sooner."

The rest of everything may as well have disappeared around them at the moment, the sparse crowd barely an afterthought, forgotten already as the blond made his way towards Louis, closer. Too much distance still, and he would fix that if he could.