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ist from all its pores。
Strident perfume rose from the gardens right and left； from purple Four O'Clocks； as mortals call them here； a rampant flower like unto weed； but infinitely sweet； and the wild irises stabbing upwards like blades out of the black mud； throaty petals monstrously big； battering themselves on old walls and concrete steps； and then as always there were roses； roses of old women and roses of the young； roses too whole for the tropical night； roses coated with poison。
There had been streetcars here once on this center strip of grass。 I knew it； that the tracks had run along this wide deep green space where I walked ahead of him； slumward； riverward； deathward； Woodward。 He came after me。 I could close my eyes as I walked； never losing a step； and see the streetcars。
〃e on； follow me；〃 I said； describing what he did； not inviting him。
Blocks and blocks within seconds。 He kept up。 Very strong。 The blood of an entire Royal Vampire court was inside him； no doubt of it。 Count on Lestat to make the most lethal of monsters； that is； after his initial seductive blunders…Nicolas； Louis； Claudia…not a single one of the three able to take care of themselves alone； and two perished； and one lingering and perhaps the weakest vampire yet walking in the great world。
I looked back。 His tight； polished brown face startled me。 He looked lacquered all over； waxed； buffed； and once again I thought of spicy things； of the meat of candied nuts； and delicious aromas； of chocolates sweet with sugar and dark rich butterscotch； and it seemed a good thing suddenly to maybe grab ahold of him。
But this was no substitute for one rotten； cheap； ripe and odoriferous mortal。 And guess what？ I pointed。 〃Over there。〃
He looked as I directed him。 He saw the sagging line of old buildings。 Mortals everywhere lurked； slept； sat； dined； wandered； amid tiny narrow stairs； behind peeling walls and under cracked ceilings。
I had found one； most perfect in his wickedness； a great flurry of hateful embers； of malice and greed and contempt smoldering as he waited for me。
We'd e to Magazine Street and passed it； but we were not at the river； only almost； and this was a street I had no recollection of； or knowledge of； in my wanderings of this city…their city； Louis's and Lestat's…just a narrow street with these houses the color of driftwood under the moon and windows hung with makeshift coverings； and inside there was this one slouching； arrogant； vicious mortal fixed to a television set and guzzling malt from a brown bottle； ignoring the roaches and the pulsing heat that pressed in from the open window； this ugly； sweating； filthy and irresistible thing； this flesh and blood for me。
The house was so alive with vermin and tiny despicable things that it seemed no more than a shell surrounding him； crackling and friable and the same color in all its shadows as a forest。 No antiseptic modern standards here。 Even the furniture rotted in the trashy clutter and damp。 Mildew covered the grinding white refrigerator。
Only the reeky personal bed and rags gave off the clue to reigning domesticity。
It was a proper nest in which to find this fowl； this ugly bird； thick rich pluckable； devourable sack of bones and blood and shabby plumage。
I pushed the door to one side； the human stench rising like a swirl of gnats； and thereby put it off its hinges； but not with much sound。
I walked on newspapers strewn on painted wood。 Orange peels turned to brownish leather。 Roaches running。 He didn't even look up。 His swollen drunken face was blue and eerie； black eyebrows thick and unkempt； and yet he looked quite possibly a bit angelic； due to the light from the tube。
He flicked the magic plastic twanger in his hand to make the channels change； and the light flared and flickered soundlessly； and then he let the song rise； a band playing； a travesty； people clapping。
Trashy noises； trashy images； like the trash all around him。 All right； I want you。 No one else does。
He looked up at me； a boy invader； David too far off for him to see； waiting。
I pushed the television set to the side。 It teetered； then fell onto the floor； its parts breaking； like so many jars of energy were inside； and now splinters of glass。
A momentary fury overcame him； charging his face with sluggish recognition。
He rose up； arms out； and came at me。
Before I sank my teeth； I noticed that he had long tangled black hair。 Dirty but rich。 He wore it back by means of a knotted bit of rag at the base of his neck and then straggling down his checkered shirt in a thick tail。
Meantime； he had enough syrupy and beer…besotted blood in him for two vampires； delicious； ugly； and a raging fighting heart； and so much bulk it was like riding a bull to be on him。
In the midst of the feed； all odors rise to sweetness； even the most rancid。 I thought I would quietly die of joy； as always。
I sucked hard enough to fill my mouth； letting the blood roll over my tongue； and then to fill my stomach； if I have one； but above all just to stanch this greedy dirty thirst； but not hard enough to slow him down。
He swooned and fought； and did the stupid thing of tearing at my fingers； and then the most dangerous and clumsy thing of trying to find my eyes。 I shut them tight and let him press with his greasy thumbs。 It did him no good。 I am an impregnable little boy。 You can not blind the blind。 I was too fall of blood to care。 Besides it felt good。 Those weak things that would scratch you do only stroke you。
His life went by as if everyone he ever loved were riding a roller coaster under snazzy stars。 Worse than a Van Gogh painting。 You never know the palette of the one you kill until the mind disgorges its finest colors。
Soon enough he sank down。 I went with him。 I had my left arm all the way around him now； and I lay childlike against his big muscular belly； and I drew the blood out now in the blindest gushes； pressing everything he thought and saw and felt down into only color； just give me color； pure orange； and just for a second； as he died…as the death passed me by； like a big rolling ball of black strength which turns out to be nothing actually； nothing but smoke or something even less than that…as this death came into me and went out again like the wind； I thought； Do I by crushing everything that he is deprive him of a final knowing？
Nonsense； Armand。 You know what the spirits know； what the angels know。 The bastard is going home！ To Heaven。 To Heaven that would not have you； and might never。
In death； he looked most excellent。
I sat beside him。 I wiped my mouth； not that there was a drop to wipe。 Vampires slobber blood only in motion pictures。 Even the most mundane immortal is far too skilled to spill a drop。 I wiped my mouth because his sweat was on my lips and on my face； and I wanted it to go away。
I admired him； however； that he was big and wondrously hard for all his seeming roundness。 I admired the black hair clinging to his wet chest where the shirt had been so inevitably torn away。
His black hair was somethi